Category Archives: Quotes

The Importance of the Individual

Posted on March 29, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Some interesting emails with readers about Dokkodo, and the merits of a life of service.  Service is important, no doubt, But I still put the individual first.  After all, service of any kind is, eventually, for the benefit of individuals. … Continue reading →

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How Photographers Actually Spend Their Time

Posted on March 27, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Note that this is true for literally every profession, especially the “glamorous” ones (click to enlarge): HT: Chase Jarvis

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The Path of Aloneness

Posted on March 26, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Miyamoto Musashi is regarded as the best swordsman in Japanese history, and one of the greatest warriors in history.  He was also a devout strategist.  Written during the week he spent preparing for his own death, a period in which … Continue reading →

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How To Write

Posted on March 24, 2012 by AJ Kessler

More excellent advice from David Ogilvy, founder of one of the preeminent advertising firms in the world: The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well. Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and … Continue reading →

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Screen Real Estate, Productivity, and Idiots

Posted on March 23, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Ran across these thoughts on how minimizing your screen real estate might actually boost your productivity: Having a big screen is a good excuse to stick a Twitter client here, mail client there, have list of files pane constantly open, … Continue reading →

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Fear Breeds Superstition

Posted on March 22, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Superstition, then, is engendered, preserved, and fostered by fear.  If anyone desire an example, let him take Alexander, who only began superstitiously to seek guidance from seers, when he first learnt to fear fortune in the passes of Sysis (Curtius, … Continue reading →

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Who Am I

Posted on March 19, 2012 by AJ Kessler

When I see those paparazzi pictures of Fat Kevin Federline, sometimes sporting dopey cornrows, sometimes waddling across some anonymous poolside deck with beer in hand, I imagine a guy who does not know who he is, what he is supposed … Continue reading →

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What You Want

Posted on March 18, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Alain de Botton with a good reminder: One of the interesting things about success is that we think we know what it means. A lot of the time our ideas about what it would mean to live successfully are not … Continue reading →

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One Easy Step To Flatter People, Show You Care, and Demonstrate Your Dedication

Posted on March 14, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Don’t be ashamed to need help.  Like a soldier storming a wall, you have a mission to accomplish.  And if you’ve been wounded and you need a comrade to pull you up?  So what? – Marcus Aurelius, Meditations Book 7 … Continue reading →

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Busyness

Posted on March 13, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Cal Newport over at Study Hacks makes an interesting observation about which MIT professors are more likely to disappear from campus during breaks: Interestingly, the biggest predictor of a professor leaving was status: the more important a person’s work, the … Continue reading →

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Unimaginable Sameness

Posted on March 12, 2012 by AJ Kessler

What’s the worst part about prison? One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich is all you need to know about Ivan Denisovich, because the idea that anyone could live for a minute in such circumstances seems impossible; one day … Continue reading →

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All You Can Do?

Posted on March 11, 2012 by AJ Kessler

John Mayer was supposed to release a new album six months ago.  A granuloma near his vocal chords required surgery and prevented him from finishing the record.  Once the surgery was completed and his throat given a month or so … Continue reading →

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Regret

Posted on March 10, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Interesting explanation for something we have all experienced: Imagine that you have a flight at 8:00 in the morning. Which would be worse, arriving at the gate, breathless, at 8:02, just after they’ve closed the door, or at 10:00, thanks … Continue reading →

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Why Your To-Do List is Hurting You

Posted on March 9, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Interesting thoughts from the Harvard Business Review: Stop making to-do lists. They’re simply setting you up for failure and frustration. Consider the to-do lists you’re currently managing: how many items have been languishing since Michelle Bachman was leading the field … Continue reading →

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Failure Gives Perspective

Posted on March 8, 2012 by AJ Kessler

That was the lowest moment I had yet encountered in my life. The phones in my office were even quiet, which had never happened before. In fact, I suddenly had a lot of quiet time to think, and I reviewed … Continue reading →

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