Author Archives: John

Speak First

When a question is posed to the group: always immediately raise your hand and answer. After a question is asked there’s a moment of hesitation that silences the room for a split second. What follows is an avalanche of hands and volunteers. Don’t let that hesitation sink in. Raise your hand even if you’re not sure what you are going to say.

Does anyone have a question for the speaker?

Would anyone like to volunteer to be in the magic trick?

I just found this $100 bill. Does anyone want it?

Don’t hesitate. And don’t be afraid that you won’t know what to say. You’ll figure something out.

Costs Of Persuasion

Each time you allow someone to influence you against your will — whether through convincing you to buy something you didn’t want, doing something you didn’t want to do, working on something you don’t have time for — there are costs on others. Those closer to you bear a higher share of these costs. Because we feel uncomfortable letting down the requester, we pass the costs on to our loved ones instead.

Technology

Technology is morally neutral. Its effect is the difference between how much you use the technology and how much the technology uses you.

Shoulds

If you sit with your thoughts, you’ll see that ‘should’s run your life.

Minimize the ‘should’s from your inner monologue.

Compliments

If you take criticism personally, beware compliments. They are options for criticism in the future.

Consuming Media

Hypothetical: imagine that all the media—news articles, TV shows, podcast episodes—that you consumed this week was instead experienced two months from now. How much of what you consume will have no relevance or impact on you in two months? What is timeless?

Advice

All is true; none is true.

No advice works for everyone. All advice works for at least one person.