Category Archives: Inspiration

Get 38x Better in One Year

Posted on July 14, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Can you imagine being 38 times more productive?  More outgoing?  More competent?  More anything? All it takes is getting 1% better each day, for a year. Just 1%. Top of the to-do list should read: “How can I improve 1% … Continue reading →

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Motivation

Posted on July 13, 2011 by AJ Kessler

I’ve been studying for the bar for nearly two straight months now.  It’s now less than two weeks away, I still have lots to learn, but motivation is low. Even things like time tracking are less effective these days.  What … Continue reading →

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How To Be Creative

Posted on July 12, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Sebastian Marshall was kind enough to let me guest post about how to be creative over on his blog.  It’s a technique I’ve used successfully for many years, and I imagine many other luminaries and creatives have used this, or … Continue reading →

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Kill Yourself, For Two Weeks

Posted on July 11, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Killing yourself can be a useful thing to think about.  But, instead of using it is a mid-to-long term form of regulation, what if you shortened it and made it immediately actionable? What if you had two weeks to live? … Continue reading →

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Best TED Talk Ever

Posted on July 10, 2011 by AJ Kessler

So many takeaways: Passion Hans Rosling is incredibly passionate about statistics.  He’s passionate about the underlying work he’s doing and the analysis and insights his data is generating, but he’s also passionate about just accessing and sharing data in general.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Aesthetics, Art, Business, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Persuasion, Quotes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Maturity Means No Excuses

Posted on July 9, 2011 by AJ Kessler

In the law, the state doesn’t hold minors responsible for some of their actions.  If a bank agrees to give a 16 year old a credit card, that 16 year old isn’t liable for his debts because the law assumes … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Business, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Law, Rationality, Relationships, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Meaningless Impressions

Posted on July 7, 2011 by AJ Kessler

It’s a story about us, people, being persuaded to spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need to create impressions that won’t last on people we don’t care about. – Peter Jackson, at TEDGlobal 2010 It started with … Continue reading →

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Steal This Idea: Matching Buyers and Sellers

Posted on July 5, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Today, most marketplaces are extremely competitive, and markets for some goods are near perfect.  But, these marketplaces still rely on competition, pitting parties against each other.  What if we could use the abundance of information we have on consumers and … Continue reading →

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No Limit On Better

Posted on July 4, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Harrison Ford, carpenter turned movie star, learned early on to approach everything he did with the mindset of a craftsman. One of his earliest lessons came at the hands of an employer: “When I was a carpenter, I once worked … Continue reading →

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Hacking Hollywood

Posted on July 2, 2011 by AJ Kessler

(Photo: vlastula) Will Smith is, at least according to legendary screenwriter William Goldman, the only real movie star left in the world.  Why?  Well, he’s the only lead actor who seems to guarantee a $150 million gross at the box … Continue reading →

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The World’s Most Valuable Skill

Posted on July 1, 2011 by AJ Kessler

It’s not the ability to pick stocks or spot market trends.  It’s not the ability to sniff out which wells will produce oil or which methods will cure cancer.  It’s not the ability to mange people or leverage their talents … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Art, Business, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Law, Negotiation, Photography, Rationality, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Passion Does Not Cause Success

Posted on June 30, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Nearly everyone I went to law school with was there because they hadn’t figured out what they wanted to do with their lives.  It wasn’t that they were passionate about law, or putting bad guys away, or freeing the innocently … Continue reading →

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How To Make Good Decisions

Posted on June 29, 2011 by AJ Kessler

There are a lot of people who seem to have miserable luck and tough lives.  They end up with significant others that cheat on them or leave them.  They make bad investments or get caught up in scams.  They have … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Art, Business, Creativity, Inspiration, Rationality, Relationships, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

When Precision Is Detrimental

Posted on June 27, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Precision is generally good.  It generally feels good.  I’ve used camera lenses that have been precisely machined and mated to particular camera bodies.  They’re about as perfect as can be and they were a joy to use. Peter Drucker famously … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Business, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Productivity, Quotes, Rationality, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Entrepreneurs: Learn From Artists; Artists From Entrepreneurs

Posted on June 24, 2011 by AJ Kessler

A lot of artists have problems shipping work, myself included.  It’s scary.  An artist’s work is the most intimate reflection of his own taste, views, and values.  Putting work out into the world leaves an artist vulnerable to critique, criticism, … Continue reading →

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