"I always wondered why somebody didn't do something about that. Then I realized: I am somebody."
- Lily Tomlin
Hey All,
I'm a day late this week due to Thanksgiving here in the States. Enjoy your Friday and if you're digging Swipe File, consider passing it along to a friend.
1. RECONSIDER
via @dhh
There's nothing I can say about this article that David Heinemeier Hansson doesn't say better.
Don’t just accept this definition of “success” because that’s what everyone is cheering for at the moment. Yes, the chorus is loud, and that’s seductively alluring, but you don’t have to peel much lacquer off the surface to see that wood beneath might not be as strong as you’d imagine.
2. The Hidden Danger of Confusing Outputs for Outcomes
via @wilreynolds
I’m gonna not talk about inspiration, I’m gonna talk about constraints. Because you’re gonna be so inspired, but inspiration without getting things done is nothing.
3. Giving your startup a point of view
via @joelgascoigne
Buffer co-founder Joel Gascoigne wrote this more than four years ago. It's remarkable how true he's stayed to these words.
I believe having a “point of view” means that you can build a much stronger position in the market, and you can more easily get others on board to help you grow through word of mouth. It can really differentiate you from other products in the market, especially if you are in a market which has “norms” and your values are different from those norms.
4. The Feynman Notebook Method
via Cal Newport
A helpful reminder that slow, steady work accumulates quickly.
Dedicating a notebook to a new learning task, however, can provide concrete cues that help you stick with this hard process.
It’s a simple idea: translate your growing knowledge of something hard into a concrete form and you’re more likely to keep investing the mental energy needed to keep learning. But sometimes a simple idea is all it takes to unlock a new level of potential.
5. Tweet of the Week
Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the Internet. ANONYMOUS
#Twitter
— Jon Winokur (@AdviceToWriters) November 16, 2015Have a great week!
Jimmy