On Writing, Ideas, and Making a Difference
I hate networking. Maybe you do, too. The good news is that there is another way.
My best tip for networking is this: serve people.
In a world of self-centeredness that is obsessed with personal celebrity, we need more humility and generosity. We don’t need more “rock stars.” We need more servants.
It may be the only thing that can save us from ourselves.
First impressions aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And that’s the truth.
When I met my wife, I was more interested in dating her roommate. As we became friends, I began to notice her, and soon I realized what a catch she was. After that, it was a no-brainer to chase her down to Tennessee and marry that beautiful girl. But it took some time.
American illustrator and author Maurice Sendak died this week. His book, Where the Wild Things Are, was a favorite of mine from childhood and remains so today.
After watching this brief interview with Sendak (via David Dark), I now understand why.
Our culture celebrates celebrities to a fault. We place such a high priority on being famous that any other social status is unacceptable. But what does it mean — to be a celebrity — and is it worth the cost?
We all want to be “epic” and we don’t even know why.
This is an interview with Chris Guillebeau, author of The Art of Non-Conformity and his new book, The $100 Startup.
In this interview, Chris and I talk entrepreneurship, creativity, and what it takes to launch a successful business these days.
What’s the $100 Startup about, and why is it needed?
You hit SAVE, take another sip of the cup of coffee you’ve got sitting on your desk, and close the Word document that contains your just-completed magnum opus. You feel confident, smug even, because — let’s face it — there’s nothing quite like finishing a manuscript.
There’s only one problem: You’re in love with it. Even worse, you’re in love with yourself.
Most people struggle with confidence about something. Maybe it’s the way they look or how they communicate. It could even be about how much money they have — or don’t have.
Although some have validity, most of our insecurities are unfounded and ridiculous. We just need to find a way move forward.
We’ve all seen them. The same old, tired lists of regurgitated tips on how to blog better. They’re so common, you could probably name most of them in your sleep. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of them. I want to know what really works.
I’ve been blogging since 2006 and have personally helped hundreds of people learn how to blog better. Still, there are days when I feel like a newbie.
A few years ago, I found myself at a personal impasse. Working for a nonprofit organization, my job was to help missionaries tell their stories. With a few colleagues, I launched an online magazine, and every week I was in charge of sharing accounts of how my peers were changing the world.
There was just one problem: I didn’t believe it.
We all face fears. Fear of flying. Fear of heights. And the worst of all: fear of failure. Fear has the uncanny ability to paralyze us. So what do we do when we feel its icy-cold hands of restraint? We do what we must: move.
For the longest time, I was afraid to be who I was. I was trying to live someone else’s dream. But one day a friend came along and told me the words I was longing to hear…
