Regret is an awful feeling. The more we feel it, the less happy we are in the present. We feel regret when we make a decision that disappoints us. We can regret a decision to act (“action”). And we can regret a decision not to act (“inaction”). Over the last year or two, I’ve been experimenting with ways to minimize regret. It’s hard but worth it.
Read MoreWhen we look into the past, we recognize how much personal change we’ve experienced. But when we look into the future, we underestimate how much we’ll change. Psychologists refer to this illusion as the end of history illusion. Despite changing a lot in the past, we don't believe we'll change much in the future.
Read MoreMaybe the best way to promote is to make helping easy. Make it easy for others to help you. And make it easy for you to help others. This make helping easy approach requires honesty about what you want and what you’re willing to give. It also requires transparency that allows others to identify potential overlap.
Read MoreThese equations explain the power of small (one percent) daily changes over the course of a full year (365 days). If we make something one percent better every day for a year, we make it 37 times better. And if we make something one percent worse every day for a year, we make it 97% worse.
Read MoreWe play games every day. A few weeks ago, Simon Sinek introduced me to James Carse’s book, Finite and Infinite Games. Carse breaks our games into two types: finite and infinite. While we cannot win an infinite game, we can enjoy playing it. An infinite game is a journey. And the journey is the reward.
Read MoreConfucius, a Chinese philosopher during the 5th and 6th centuries BC, said: By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest. Confucius wrote this more than two thousand years ago. I read this quote almost every Sunday morning in an attempt to extract its full meaning.
Read MorePredictions are hard to write. I’ll be wrong more often than I'll be right. And it will be embarrassing to look back at how wrong I was. But predictions are worthwhile. They force me to think about new things in different ways. Here goes my inaugural annual prediction.
Read MoreThis week on the Startup to Last podcast, my co-host Tyler and I reflected on 2019 and looked forward to 2020. I’ve listed some of the questions we walked through along with my answers. Reflection is a powerful tool. I found these questions both challenging and inspiring.
Read MoreHumans are social bonding mammals. We bond as friends, lovers, communities, teams, and organizations. We bond to feel safe. We bond to procreate. And we bond to achieve great feats. We build our strongest bonds with a skill called empathy.
Read MoreAlbert Einstein said, “I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious.” Experts say curiosity is the key to success. Yet curiosity is a human trait. We’re all born with it. We’re all curious in our own ways. So, what do these experts really mean? Psychologists break curiosity into two types: 1) perceptual curiosity; and 2) intellectual curiosity.
Read MoreExperts believe trust is the core foundation of strong interpersonal relationships, teams, and organizations. There are many loose definitions of trust. But if we are going to increase trust, we need a precise definition to work from. After reviewing hundreds of different explanations of trust, I propose we use this definition.
Read MoreI break content into two buckets: 1) timely content and 2) timeless content. Yes; I’ve over-simplified this. But it works to make this point: you should prioritize timeless content over timely content.
Read MoreI hesitate writing this post. I am not “Mormon”. But I am married to a Mormon. I also live in Utah. In Utah, Mormons make up 63% of the state population; a majority. If you are a non-Mormon in Utah, it can be difficult to build new relationships with Mormons. This makes social and business life hard: relationships are the foundation of a happy life and a winning business. In order for Utah to maximize its opportunity, non-Mormons and Mormons need to build real relationships and work together.
Read MoreWhen I say cap table, I’m referring to your company’s capitalization (“cap”) table. In its simplest form, the cap table is a list that shows who owns what percentage of your company. When I say culture, I am referring to the behavior values and motivations that create your company's unique social and emotional environment. Your company will ultimately adopt the behavior values and motivations of the people who control it: the majority owners (or “shareholders”).
Read MoreThe question of “what’s next” was harder to answer than I expected. To make matters worse, I received conflicting advice on how to approach the answer. On one side, people told me not to worry too much about it and to “jump back into the saddle”. On the other, people told me to take as much time off as I could afford. I chose the latter.
Read MoreWriting is my creative outlet. It is the best way for me to express myself. So I’ve built a writing system to help me maximize my output. My writing system enables two outcomes: gaining knowledge and sharing knowledge. It also prioritizes the quality of my writing over the quantity of words. Finally, my writing reduces writer's block and procrastination.
Read MoreAs humans, we need to judge. Our survival depends on it. Judgement is how we assess danger. It is a tool for survival. Yet, judgement threatens our ability to empower people. Why? Because it prevents us from understanding them.
Read MoreMy parents always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be. I believed them. It’s not how good I am, it’s how good I want to be. In It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be, Paul Arden examines this concept in detail. I’ve converted my favorite takeaways and quotes from Arden’s book into personal mantras below. Each of these statements is powerful and deep in its own right.
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