Perfectionism
Good Enough
Freeing ourselves from the Sisyphean pursuit of perfect.
John MacGaffey
Marketing
Quarter-Inch Holes
Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt famously said, "People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!"
Math
Context Matters
It's easy to be misled by stats because they seem so objective, but they're easy to use in a dishonest way, even when they’re technically true.
Perfectionism
Wrong Notes
"It's not the note you play that's the wrong note – it's the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong."
Math
Strathern’s Insight
“When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”
Storytelling
Self-Promotion is Storytelling
If you can't tell your story, who will?
Productivity
Stop Pedaling
To pass your competition, stop pedaling and let physics do the work.
Productivity
Strategy vs. Tactics
A tactic is a tool for getting something that you want. But it's only useful to you if your broader strategy is solid.
Relationships
Not the Answer You Were Hoping For
Setting clear boundaries without compromising on empathy.
Society
Opportunity Costs
When we see a really big number, it's hard to understand just how big it is without putting it into context.
Relationships
Your Full Self
One of the joys of getting older is finding more places where you can be your full self. You discover that you no longer have to conform to separate versions of yourself depending on who you're with.
Society
Shark-Infested Waters
By the time you’re in a situation that involves “shark-infested waters,” the water is actually people-infested. It’s the shark’s home, and you’re intruding.