Notes to myself

The system can be changed and normal is not permanent

Find the smallest viable audience

Pick your customers, pick your future

Outdated maps might be worth less than no map at all

Reliability is a superpower

There are no side effects, merely effects  

There’s usually an opportunity to be of service

Silence is an option, and so is leadership

There is no perfect moment to begin

Shame is a dream killer

Everyone who disagrees with you believes they are correct

Ship the work

Treat different people differently

I am not stuck in traffic, I am traffic

Invest in slow growth

The problem with the race to the bottom is you might win

Uncomfortable facts are often the most helpful ones

A good deal is better than a big deal

When in doubt look for the fear

Avoid arguments, embrace conversations

Easy to measure doesn’t make it important

Find clarity about who the customer is (and isn’t)

Genre is a platform, not a fence

Lowering expectations can increase satisfaction

Improve project hygiene

Ask what the system is for

We might not need more time, we simply need to decide

Consider the cost of keeping a promise before making it

Earn enrollment

Helping someone get what they want is easier than changing what they want

Not all criticism is equally valid

Write down the things you’re sure you’ll never forget

Focus on the hard part

Quitting one thing is the only way to find the focus to do the next thing

Perfectionism is not related to quality

Your competitors are actually your allies

Surfing is better than golf

Criticize ideas, not people

Cannibals rarely get a good night’s sleep

Status roles are the unseen force in almost every system

Embrace necessary discomfort

Gratitude is a more useful fuel than anger

Create tension and relieve stress

Imposter syndrome is real, and it arrives whenever we’re doing important work

Solve interesting problems

Offer dignity

Ignore sunk costs

Don’t try to fill an unfillable hole

This might not work

Consistency is more useful than authenticity

People like us do things like this

Simple hacks rarely fix long-term problems

Trade short-term wins for long-term impact

Today’s world is unpredictable, and this is as stable as it will ever be again

Generous doesn’t mean free

Make assertions

Invest in skills that compound with effort

Culture conceals systems, and systems construct our future

Peeves make lousy pets

Reassurance is futile

Take responsibility, demand freedom, don’t seek authority

Ideas that spread, win

Earn trust through action

Become the person your future thanks you for and forgive the past for the mistakes it made

Attitudes are skills

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