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"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards" — Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement

Explores Steve Jobs thoughts on creativity and how we need to synthesize knowledge across time and disciplines in order to create and innovate.

This article explores James Webb Young's book A Technique for Producing Ideas, which has shaped how we view idea formation since the 1940s.

Any creator of anything knows this feeling:

On Volitional Philanthropy (a short essay!) T. E. Lawrence, the English soldier, diplomat and writer, possessed what...

Wonkiness is an algorithm for fresh ideas.

Society has traditionally rewarded people who fit in, but the Internet rewards people who stand out.

“The real enemy is the man who tries to mold the human spirit so that it will not dare to spread its wings.” – Abraham Flexner The best opportunities are the ones you never expected. They’re serendipitous. Serendipity is a state of mind. Serendipity births unexpected opportunities which fuel progress and push us in fruitful

To make a living as a creator, you only need 100 true fans, not 1,000. There's four necessary components necessary to make a living off a smaller base of true fans: premium content and community; results and transformation; accountability; and recognition, access, and status.

The difference between brands that stand out and those that blend in.

On sharing what you have learned and learning in return.

The Business Model of Good Taste

Because perfect is impossible and perfectionism is about hiding.

Refine your intuition, and trust your judgment.

The case for consistent writing is less about self-improvement, and more about economics. Here's why.

How to think about writing, promotion, and community

The secret tips, tricks, and habits of those who make a great living writing.

Despite getting rewarded repeatedly with promotions, compensation, recognition, and praise, I wasn't motivated enough to do another year.

The Key to Higher Quality is Higher Quantity

Build your ideas with the experience of 100+ founders – condensed into 5 min reports.

If you want to improve your writing, match your punctuation to the mood. Punctuation is to writing as music is to movies. In The Joker, the renowned composer Hildur Guðnadóttir used the cello in the opening scenes to create empathy with the protagonist. But then, as The Joker’s dark side and inner turmoil was revealed,

(not management)

You don’t need a will of iron to make real change in your life. The secret to hitting big creative goals is taking much smaller steps, much more often.

Dear Everybody, I channel successful creators in my personal life and at Gumroad. Here’s what I’ve learned from them in the past six months, in their own words. Don’t wait until you have a big following (i.e. start now)… “I had fewer than 300 followers when I started”

Creatives have two ways of working: beer mode and coffee mode. Beer mode is a state of unfocused play where you discover new ideas. In contrast, coffee mode is a state of focus where you work towards a specific outcome.