I finished the book Deep Work last month while, appropriately, working long hours from an extension ladder on my house.
This article sums up the 4 major rules of entering into deep (focused) work. Should take you less than 10 minutes to read, and if the topic is interesting to you, check the book out also. This theme of our diminishing attention is growing as our world grows more noisy and distracted by the day.
Get at me anytime on this topic, it's something I read and work on daily.
Lately I’ve been gathering a pile of thoughts and intend to share them at some point for dialogue. There’s a lot to think about these days and while I might be thinking too much I suspect many of you could be as well.
Read MoreRight now on my phone by quick count I have 10 apps I can choose to record and arrange notes. For the longest time now I’ve been using apples own notes app for the majority of my personal and professional work.
Update Dave made to the app in the past year have been fantastic:
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/ios-notes-features-and-tutorial,review-4503.html
A blog I love allowed me the opportunity to share about what I do, and how I leverage tech and software to fulfill my responsibilities (and passions).
Some of you saw when I posted it originally, and I continue to get questions and asked for advise on the software and best apps for a variety of uses.
h/t to The Sweet Setup for a great idea and helpful blog, and here again is my post which powers what I do at Dynamit for my project management responsibilities, as well as apps I use when away from the office.
At this point I'm not sure whether to listen to Seth as salesman or counselor.
Unless you're a robot you should take a pull from this bottle, and keep pulling until it's dry, and you are no longer.
We can't easily change the dominant narrative that people have about us, we certainly can't do it by insisting that our customers or colleagues bring more nuance to the table. Instead, we can do it through action.
Ten years ago today my father, Jim Goslin, was killed in a car accident.
Earlier this summer I began thinking about him and about the ten-year milestone, and what all has transpired since then, what all has changed. I thought about how amazing the response was in Pataskala from family and friends, our neighbors, my father’s friends, the West Licking Fire community, our church community, and so many others. Though my parents had been separated they were still very close friends, and my mom and sister and myself remember that time mainly through the lens of the immense support we received. It truly carried us through a dark time. It was a testament as well to my dad's character, gregariousness, and constant service to others, that so many people came out to give their condolences, mourn with us, and honor his memory.
Since that time, much has changed indeed. I went to and completed college, I travelled many places doing relief/volunteer work, I backpacked through many forests and up many mountains across many countries, I worked hard and grew through many different companies and industries, and recently met and married the love of my life. Though it’s obvious to remember him on the anniversary of his death, I don’t otherwise think of him as frequently any more. It is when I am celebrating a special moment, or when something significant happens, that I feel the urge to reach out to him. It’s whenever I turn on the classic rock station and easily settle in to familiar songs that I wish we were enjoying them together. It is what I’ve always had with my mom and have sought from others in my parent’s generation; that I could run questions by him about car stuff, or job stuff, or people stuff, or whatever stuff. Not that he knew all the answers, but he had lived through many hard circumstances and had already lived a long life when his time here stopped. It is that listening I desired, and still desire, not his omniscience.
What would I say to a younger man ten years ago who was going through the most abrupt incident of his life to that point? I’d say that before you know it, 3000 and more days will pass and the person you can’t imagine not existing will continue to fade in your memory. He will not fade completely, but the richness of his presence will be muted and change into a different immutable state, where your memories will bend more often to fondness than to complexity or pain. I’d say to hang in there, and to ride the cycles of grief as they come in all their complexity, and let them pass as they will. I’d say cherish the memories while you have them and look forward to other ones that must distill with time. And I would certainly say remember your love for your dad, never doubt his love for you, and honor his life by being a gift to others, as he did the best he could for you.
Steve Goslin
10 November 2014
Tomasz Tunguz shares about a recent UberX trip he took and how technology enabled him to connect to the driver in a way he couldn't have otherwise.
While there aren't easy answers to development and progress, this anecdote is a great reminder of the power of innovation to enhance lives.
Horace Dediu shared this short article from 1959, Isaac Asimov's only contribution to a government program he was involved in. A great read for any team.
Asimov discusses the process of creating correlations through observation and dialogue. It can be imagined taking place 55 years later (today) in coffee shops and coworking spaces and boardrooms.
This is encouraging as I've heard other creators describe the process similarly, that often ideas come through reflection or relaxation, rather than intense scrutiny of the problem to solve.
Fascinating, encouraging.
Seth Godin once again cuts through the illusion of ease in what we do. This applies not only to bringing growth and life to our respective business, but everywhere else we might suffer from "magical thinking": relationships, health, our future.
It's easy to believe that not facing reality is a form of reprieve when actually that deception, no matter how innocuous or temporary, is a greater setback thank staring into the truth, and then responding.
Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Work Week, and prolific business starter and supporter, shared a transparent and humble message about his own limitations, and how we incorrectly perceive the "superhero-ness" of successful people.
His honest message discusses some ways he has learned to address and work around his own limitations. If you feel the pressure to be a high-performer, you may find some helpful aids, and possible corrections to your thinking.
PS. If you would benefit from the audio version of his article (~15mins) click here