Hold That Thought
Helping overwhelmed creatives and small business owners turn overthinking into expert thinking…and action! 3 useful things every Thursday to gain clarity, get more done, and feel great about it.
Story hunt!
Or, how to enjoy conversations This week I've been thinking about conversations. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: It's been pure crap talking to me – and how that changed when Daniel Williams started hunting for stories. Every thing you do models what it's going to be like to work with you. Make it easy and inviting. And shorter (LinkedIn post version). To be more inclusive and inviting, follow the Pac-Man principle Extra thoughts… For this...
In theory, this should work…
…then we learn some stuff. Top view of colorful drinks by Borys Petrushenko from Getty Images This week I've been thinking about how it starts vs. how it's going. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: When a bar is more (and less) than a bar — A tiny SipSin case study on my blog. “…planning out when and where you will perform a specific behavior turns your environment into a trigger for action. The time and place triggers your behavior, not your...
I might lose you
What we make it mean is what matters Egg stain on white cloth by FSTOPLIGHT from Getty Images Signature. This week I've been thinking about audiences, appreciators, and fans. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: “I know [it] when I whisper “holy shit” under my breath to something because I think it’s so good” — Turning a yellow spot into a sun by Wes Kao 1,000 true fans is an alternative path to success — an internet classic by Kevin Kelly at The...
Creation over Competition
“You can't understand people's needs until you understand their stories.” — JTBD / Christensen Institute Young woman in bookstore by LuckyImages This week I've been thinking about categories. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: Category design is a concept I’ve been learning more about lately, largely thanks to a Category Designer I met through Lunchclub. I’m halfway through the 2016 book Play Bigger by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher...
Spiralling upwards
Anxiety loves a worn path… Computer cat by Nils Jacobi from Getty Images This week I've gone back to the basics, exploring how to turn overthinking into expert thinking. Here are three things on that theme: “It’s doing work twice instead of doing twice as much work, ruminating instead of reflecting, disaster prep instead of prevention, going in circles rather than upward spirals. For our progress is never a straight line, but it should — by definition — cover new ground” — a new one from me...
Does it make sense?
The answer is Yes. And No. Night sky by StockSnap from pixabay. This week I've been thinking about seeing things from other perspectives. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: It's the number one question I get from creatives, coaches, and small business owners. So I came up with a great way to get a real answer In the run-up to launching Sense Check (that's today!), I've been sharing non-obvious practical tips on LinkedIn. Like this one about...
It's the end of the talk…
…and I feel fine. Photo by batuhan toker from Getty Images This week I've been thinking about how we react to events. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: Until recently, there’s been a huge gap between what you see and the way it feels. How I avoided the post-presentation vulnerability hangover “It is never a mistake, just an expensive present” — Rui Yi Gan on the Second Arrow of Suffering I aim to link to one brief thing, but I enjoyed every...
Like 2021 again?
The neglected middle child of mental health… Photo by Jecapix from Getty Images Signature. This week I've been thinking about the concept of languishing. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: There's a word for this feeling — a 15-minute TED talk by Adam Grant (Stick around for the whole thing, if only for the Mario Kart theory of peak flow!) Make peace with feeling less ambitious from strategist and speaker Dorie Clark in HBR Knowing where you...
How we start
When every step of your journey rewards your choice… My onboarding process, in five phases. See the first link for more detail. This week I've been thinking about how we get started. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: “If you want meaningful, transformative relationships with people, then you need to care about setting things up with attention to the details that matter.” – me, on how I create great experiences, from the very start. This is my...
Huh.
Are you watching closely? The Sound of Ice Melting, art installation by Paul Kos. Photo by me at MoMA in NYC, ~2009. Terry the Pug and I are still recovering from our ear and tooth surgeries. It's been complicated, so this week I've been thinking about how to show up when you're not feeling your best. Here are three things on that theme to help turn overthinking into expert thinking: I usually spend 1-2 hours to create each newsletter. This week I have limited capacity. So I asked myself a...
Helping overwhelmed creatives and small business owners turn overthinking into expert thinking…and action! 3 useful things every Thursday to gain clarity, get more done, and feel great about it.