Category Archives: Inspiration

Dieter Rams on Design: Understand People

Posted on May 11, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Dieter Rams has been successful because he deeply understands people, both physically, psychologically, and how they operate in the world.  He’s not some sort of mind reader: You cannot understand good design if you do not understand people; design is … Continue reading →

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The Right Comparison

Posted on May 10, 2012 by AJ Kessler

A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man … Continue reading →

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Creativity Is Not A Talent; It’s A Way Of Operating

Posted on May 9, 2012 by AJ Kessler

John Cleese manages to explain about 90 different topics I’ve written about in a 13 minute span.  Below is a really, really excellent speech on fostering creativity, becoming more effective, managing time, and much more.  The short version is excellent, … Continue reading →

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Dieter Ram’s Ten Principals of Good Design

Posted on May 8, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Good design is innovative The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end … Continue reading →

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Leading With Lollipops

Posted on May 5, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Inspiring video:

Posted in Advice, Choice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Leading | Tagged | 2 Comments

Disciplined Mindwandering, or The Benefits of Daydreaming

Posted on April 30, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Jonathan Schooler, the psychologist who helped pioneer the study of insight, has recently begun studying the benefits of daydreams.  His lab has demonstrated that people who consistently engage in more daydreaming score significantly higher on measures of creativity.  To evaluate … Continue reading →

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It’s Hard And I’m Just Not Passionate About It…

Posted on April 28, 2012 by AJ Kessler

“It’s hard, and I’m just not passionate about it, and I’m thinking of giving up – will you tell me it’s OK to give up, so I’ll feel better about it in the morning?” It’s rarely about difficulty or enthusiasm. … Continue reading →

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On Role Models

Posted on April 26, 2012 by AJ Kessler

We need to set our affections on some good man and keep him constantly before our eyes, so that we may live as if he were watching us and do everything as if he saw what we were doing.  Misdeeds … Continue reading →

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How To Be 10x Happier In Just 60 Minutes A Day

Posted on April 25, 2012 by AJ Kessler

If you have a job, chances are most of your waking hours are not your own.  Most of all your hours may not be your own.  Between the time it takes you to get ready in the morning, your commute, and … Continue reading →

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How Criticism Encourages Creativity

Posted on April 24, 2012 by AJ Kessler

We’re taught to think that brainstorming is an effective way to generate ideas and spur creative thought.  The key to successful brainstorming, it was thought, was lack of a lack of criticism.  This makes sense: if people aren’t afraid that … Continue reading →

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Overvaluing What We Have

Posted on April 23, 2012 by AJ Kessler

One of the worst tricks we manage to play on ourselves is overvaluing what we already have and undervaluing what we don’t.  This is especially sad since most of us don’t have all that much anyway, and taking the chance … Continue reading →

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Self Published

Posted on April 20, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Ben Franklin Ezra Pound Emily Dickinson Marcel Proust Dave Eggers Thomas Paine Jane Austen Edgar Rice Burroughs Walt Whitman Nathaniel Hawthorne Stephen Crane Nikki Giovanni Virginia Woolf The question isn’t whether or not you should wait to be picked, the question … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Art, Business, Choice, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Quotes, Seth Godin | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Constraints Breed Creativity

Posted on April 16, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Why would anyone constrain themselves to writing poetry in Haiku? Why would Shakespeare force himself to write entire plays in iambic pentameter?  This makes no sense.  Think about how much harder it would be to write a play where each … Continue reading →

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Make Yourself Redundant

Posted on April 15, 2012 by AJ Kessler

There’s a lot of career advice out there that implores you to make yourself indispensable.  Taken the right way, this is clearly good advice.  But I’ve seen this misinterpreted any number of times.  Making yourself indispensable or irreplaceable in terms … Continue reading →

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Plodding Wins The Race

Posted on April 10, 2012 by AJ Kessler

The hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. “I have never yet been beaten,” he said.  “I challenge anyone here to race with me.” The Tortoise said quietly, “I accept your challenge.” “That’s funny,” said the … Continue reading →

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