The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, talks about how it takes about 6 months to learn how to do a handstand and most people give up prematurely because they wrongly expect the acquisition of the skill to be a matter of days or weeks. It’s important not give up too soon.
Author Archives: Mitch
Will you miss your work?
My son’s preschool is closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic but it’s still open for children of essential workers. It’s spring break this week and the teacher emailed the essential worker parents saying that she missed the kids and that we could drop them off on Wednesday this week and she would take care of …
Prioritizing
Sometimes conditions change and you’re forced to prioritize. With less time or fewer resources, you can’t work on everything that you were working on before. So what do you choose to focus on? The most important thing. You focus and prioritize ruthlessly. You shorten meetings. You skip meetings. You don’t waste a minute. That’s great—but …
What was it made for?
My 4-year-old will often do things like lean on an open drawer or stand on something that isn’t designed to support his weight. When interacting with a man made object, it’s useful to ask: What is it made for? My advice for my 4-year-old would be to make sure it’s a trampoline before you start …
What’s the purpose?
Sometimes I have some strange nightmares. I used to think that maybe it was some telltale sign about my psychology or outlook on life or a premonition of what was to come. But I noticed I always woke up from my nightmares either too hot or needing to pee. So now I just think that …
Never mind
There have been a few times when I’ve been running late for a flight and then when I show up, I find out that it’s been delayed. Or I rush to meet someone because I’m late but when I arrive, I’m the first one there and they are even later. Or I work on a …
A small party is still a party
We cancelled my daughter’s birthday party because of the COVID-19 outbreak and we just celebrated with our instead. But a small party is still a party, and worth having. Dance when no one’s looking. Celebrate even if you’re the only one celebrating.
Vote for the person you want to win
We vote to pick a winner. Which one seems like the best option? Who inspires you? Not voting for someone because they will win anyway or lose anyway without your vote is a mistake. Sometimes the polls are wrong and votes like yours is what makes them wrong. Imagine a world where there are a …
It takes a village
When a baby sea turtle is born, it pokes its way out of an egg, climbs up through the sand that the egg was buried in, and then makes its way to the ocean on its own, hoping that it doesn’t become a seagull’s lunch on the way. That’s Day 1. When a baby human …
Leave some in the bank
Whatever it is—money, physical energy, batteries, canned food, it’s a good idea to keep a little in reserve, just in case. You never know when you might need a little extra.