Cosby_Rivers_Godin_PorterJoan Rivers. Bill Cosby. Seth Godin. Could all three have said the exact same thing at different times? You tell me...Continue reading
Category: Doing Stuff Better
Embrace the Mess
Let's stop equating clarity with progress. Let's stop associating perfect order with success. Let's stop clinging to (our illusion of) control and lean more on our people and the process. In short, let's start embracing the mess. - Matthew PorterContinue reading
Do You Have a Passion? Are You Sure?
The word “passion” gets used a lot in conversations about purpose, goals, pursuing dreams, etc. To be clear, I think passion is important. Vital, really. But let’s not let the conversation devolve into mushy rah-rah sentimentality. Back up everybody, I’m ’bout to get etymological… Our modern word “passion” derives from the Latin word patī. Literally,...Continue reading
I Get High On New Year’s Day
It’s true: I get high on New Year’s Day. Now wait, don’t misunderstand – I don’t get high during New Year’s Day (probably the closest I’ve ever come to substance abuse was eating paste – but hey, that was in college). No, I get high on New Year’s Day itself. Continue reading
What Orioles First Baseman Chris Davis Can Teach You About Winning Off the Field
Great in-depth article in Sports Illustrated recently about Baltimore Orioles’ first baseman Chris Davis. Short version: For several years, Davis proved himself as a solid player, but was severely handicapped by a less-than-stellar batting average – though not for lack of trying. He tirelessly studied his own swing for hours and patiently listened to and...Continue reading
Today is the Middle Day of the Year
If you were on a cruise ship and it was announced you were about to cross the equator, would you take notice? I would. I mean, it’s nothing magical, but it’s significant, right? Certainly not something you experience all the time. That’s how I feel right now because today the middle day of the year. ...Continue reading
Best In Show
Who would actually sit down and watch a dog show on TV? Not Rin Tin Tin, but the competitions with the parading and the judging and the Best In Show. The answer to that question is “me”. I happened upon it one Thanksgiving Day and was immediately drawn in. Fascinated even. It took me a...Continue reading
Love It? Break It.
Whether it’s a screenplay or a product or a business model, it’s not enough that the thing works; we have to understand why it works. Only then do we get to apply that knowledge to newer (and better) screenplays and products and business models. But here’s the rub: to learn the ‘why’, we sometimes have to break the thing that works.Continue reading
The Commitment Continuum
The Commitment Continuum -- where do you stand?Continue reading
Gangnam Content Style
If you have had any exposure to TV or the Internet in the last few weeks, you’ve likely seen a rotund, well-dressed Asian man dancing as if he were riding an invisible pony. As you probably know, his name is Psy, a South Korean performer whose hit “Gangnam Style” (destined to be the “Macarena” of...Continue reading