Is it sciatica? Sometimes, back pain is felt in the thighs or even the ankles. But treating the part that hurts does nothing to address the real problem. Most business challenges have a similar pattern--it might feel like the problem is your customer's attitude or how busy a location is--but it's probably a different problem, something more systemic, well-concealed and highly leveraged. Find the system and you're halfway to fixing it.

Is it sciatica?

Sometimes, back pain is felt in the thighs or even the ankles. But treating the part that hurts does nothing to address the real problem. Most business challenges have a similar pattern--it might feel like the problem is your customer's attitude or how busy a location is--but it's…

The Petrillo complications 80 years ago, the most important person in the music business was James Petrillo. It's difficult to imagine the head of the musician's union on the cover of Time magazine, but there he was. Petrillo saw how technology was changing an industry and pushed for changes in the flow of credit and royalties. The story of how recorded music, movies and then streaming turned into a mess is illustrative as we think about AI and creativity.

The Petrillo complications

80 years ago, the most important person in the music business was James Petrillo. It's difficult to imagine the head of the musician's union on the cover of Time magazine, but there he was. Petrillo saw how technology was changing an industry and pushed for changes in…

The book of concern "Wait a second." That's difficult advice. In a world that moves faster with each cycle, where urgencies are prioritized and last-minute saves are celebrated, it's not always welcome advice. And so we've ended up concerned. Fretting. Worried. Looking for the next thing to drop everything for. The book of concern is more than a conceptual hack. It's an actual physical intervention, and it might be worth trying for a week.

The book of concern

"Wait a second." That's difficult advice. In a world that moves faster with each cycle, where urgencies are prioritized and last-minute saves are celebrated, it's not always welcome advice. And so we've ended up concerned. Fretting. Worried. Looking for the next thing to drop…

The second circle What do your supporters tell their friends? That's the unseen force behind every successful brand, movement or idea. Most people don't care about you. They're not listening to you, not wondering what you're up to, and certainly not taking the time to seek you out. All you have is a small circle, your supporters. And yet, we spend most of our time treating people like customers, not supporters.

The second circle

What do your supporters tell their friends? That's the unseen force behind every successful brand, movement or idea. Most people don't care about you. They're not listening to you, not wondering what you're up to, and certainly not taking the time to seek you out. All you have is…

The definitive study of seed oil and health That's the appeal of it, of course. There isn't a definitive study. There can't be. Even if we created a forty-year-long, double-blind twin study, there'd be room for someone to ask "what about?..." It doesn't matter that the peer-reviewed and consistent results we have are clear to those who read them with an open mind. The attraction of simple stories about complex phenomena is that we get to make them up and imbue them with whatever reassurance, solace or threat we choose.

The definitive study of seed oil and health

That's the appeal of it, of course. There isn't a definitive study. There can't be. Even if we created a forty-year-long, double-blind twin study, there'd be room for someone to ask "what about?..." It doesn't matter that the peer-reviewed and consistent…

What do you own? What does it mean for us to own something? If we own a piece of land and the rain washes the topsoil downstream, do we go and get the topsoil back? Do we own our reputation? We have influence over it, but some of it was gifted to us without our knowledge, and other parts are influenced by forces out of our control.

What do you own?

What does it mean for us to own something? If we own a piece of land and the rain washes the topsoil downstream, do we go and get the topsoil back? Do we own our reputation? We have influence over it, but some of it was gifted to us without our knowledge, and other parts are…

On pricing Pricing is an exchange of value. This for that. But price is also a story. When you have competition, your story doesn't have to justify the absolute price, simply the difference between you and the next-best option. Price is based on value, not on the cost of production. Thanks to Baumol's cost disease, productivity doesn't always correlate with the price of labor.

On pricing

Pricing is an exchange of value. This for that. But price is also a story. When you have competition, your story doesn't have to justify the absolute price, simply the difference between you and the next-best option. Price is based on value, not on the cost of production. Thanks to…

Avoiding the purity loop Some vegans don't eat avocados. They're concerned that the bees that are trucked in to pollinate the trees are mistreated, and so they choose to not support this practice. But we live in community, and someone running a vegan restaurant or serving a meal to vegan friends, concerned that they might offend, doesn't serve avocado. A few strong opinions change the culture.

Avoiding the purity loop

Some vegans don't eat avocados. They're concerned that the bees that are trucked in to pollinate the trees are mistreated, and so they choose to not support this practice. But we live in community, and someone running a vegan restaurant or serving a meal to vegan friends,…

Settling Sometimes it pays to accept and celebrate what we get. And sometimes, we only get something because we settled for it. It helps to be able to discern the difference between the two.

Settling

Sometimes it pays to accept and celebrate what we get. And sometimes, we only get something because we settled for it. It helps to be able to discern the difference between the two.

“Even” There's a difference between telling someone their work can become better and saying it can become even better. When we say even better, we lock in a foundation — we're affirming that something good already exists — at the same time we create the conditions for improvement. Ennui and disappointment, on the other hand, are multiplied when we promise things are going to get even worse instead of merely worse.

“Even”

There's a difference between telling someone their work can become better and saying it can become even better. When we say even better, we lock in a foundation — we're affirming that something good already exists — at the same time we create the conditions for improvement. Ennui and…

Creating the conditions for magic If you're hoping for this meeting or this performance or this engagement to produce something extraordinary, why are you setting it up as if it's ordinary? The hard work of a brainstorming session, a pitch collaboration or a negotiation happens long before most people begin. We hire architects to design expensive buildings, but we design expensive human interactions as an afterthought. If it doesn't feel like you're putting a lot of effort into creating the conditions for magic, you're probably not creating those conditions.

Creating the conditions for magic

If you're hoping for this meeting or this performance or this engagement to produce something extraordinary, why are you setting it up as if it's ordinary? The hard work of a brainstorming session, a pitch collaboration or a negotiation happens long before most…

Attention and effort The door-to-door salesperson had no leverage. If he was at your door, he wasn't at anyone else's door. Every minute you spent with him was a minute he had to spend with you. While it was a tough gig, no one doubted that something was motivating this person enough to put at least as much into the interaction as you were.

Attention and effort

The door-to-door salesperson had no leverage. If he was at your door, he wasn't at anyone else's door. Every minute you spent with him was a minute he had to spend with you. While it was a tough gig, no one doubted that something was motivating this person enough to put at…

The ecard virus Three of my friends got hacked this week. You get an ecard and click. It asks you to log in to your email. Boom, done. It hacks your email account, steals all of your contacts and then sends itself to the whole address book. And while they're at it, they could be scraping and misusing all sorts of data. The first lesson is that you should only log in to your gmail or other email accounts directly, not if you've followed a link.

The ecard virus

Three of my friends got hacked this week. You get an ecard and click. It asks you to log in to your email. Boom, done. It hacks your email account, steals all of your contacts and then sends itself to the whole address book. And while they're at it, they could be scraping and…

The right answer Engineers, scientists, and most of all, businesses are looking for the right answer. It's such a common quest that we take it for granted, but it's new, and it continues to cause stress. The right answer is productive. It's resilient. And it's a powerful ranking tool. The right play wins the game, the right production method cuts costs, and the right theory explains what's going to happen next.

The right answer

Engineers, scientists, and most of all, businesses are looking for the right answer. It's such a common quest that we take it for granted, but it's new, and it continues to cause stress. The right answer is productive. It's resilient. And it's a powerful ranking tool. The right…

All the letters Every writer has all of them. 26 in most Western languages. But no writer knows all the words. That's the gap where creativity, effort and possibility lie--between the universal letters and the unlimited words. This is an analogy for arenas as diverse as sports and commerce. Sometimes, we work on a project where our competitors have access to more letters than we do.

All the letters

Every writer has all of them. 26 in most Western languages. But no writer knows all the words. That's the gap where creativity, effort and possibility lie--between the universal letters and the unlimited words. This is an analogy for arenas as diverse as sports and commerce.…

Kinder than necessary If it's just the right amount of necessary kindness, it's not really kindness. It's pleasantness. If the people in our circle begin to experience behavior that's kinder than necessary, the expectations for what's necessary will ratchet forward, making everything more pleasant. And... being kind is a lovely way to spend your day.

Kinder than necessary

If it's just the right amount of necessary kindness, it's not really kindness. It's pleasantness. If the people in our circle begin to experience behavior that's kinder than necessary, the expectations for what's necessary will ratchet forward, making everything more…

Plumbed If you want to drink more herbal tea, get a hot water dispenser that keeps it handy and on tap. On the other hand, if you want to watch less television, disconnect the TV after every viewing session. Convenience leads to consumption.

Plumbed

If you want to drink more herbal tea, get a hot water dispenser that keeps it handy and on tap. On the other hand, if you want to watch less television, disconnect the TV after every viewing session. Convenience leads to consumption.

Where do bad choices come from? We all make them from time to time. You might not know what you need to know. This is where experience is created. You might have an identity that pushes you to make those choices. If you're determined to act like the person you have assumed you are, the choices come with the role. Or, you might prioritize short-term benefits over the long-term costs of a bad choice.

Where do bad choices come from?

We all make them from time to time. You might not know what you need to know. This is where experience is created. You might have an identity that pushes you to make those choices. If you're determined to act like the person you have assumed you are, the choices…

“There is no alternative” TINA! This is what Margaret Thatcher said about her draconian free market policies. It's an easy thing to tell ourselves about compliance to any dominant system. But it's incomplete. The complete sentence is, "There is no alternative unless we're prepared to endure short-term discomfort as we push back against the dominant system." So the real question isn't, "what's the alternative?"

“There is no alternative”

TINA! This is what Margaret Thatcher said about her draconian free market policies. It's an easy thing to tell ourselves about compliance to any dominant system. But it's incomplete. The complete sentence is, "There is no alternative unless we're prepared to endure…

Who sets your agenda? It's a question so rarely asked it almost feels silly to ask it. Some situations and some jobs work to eliminate our freedom of choice. Prison, medical school, 8th grade--there are settings where time, tools, and options are severely limited. But even in these settings, we have more choice than we realize. And for the rest of us, particularly freelancers and entrepreneurs, our agenda is wide open.

Who sets your agenda?

It's a question so rarely asked it almost feels silly to ask it. Some situations and some jobs work to eliminate our freedom of choice. Prison, medical school, 8th grade--there are settings where time, tools, and options are severely limited. But even in these settings, we…

A persistent sense of being correctly located in time Word salad is actually nutritious when consumed in small amounts. Placebos are real, they're effective and they often help us find solace or perhaps to heal. If they do no harm, there's no problem. "Placebo" isn't an insult. It's a category, one to live up to and improve. Here's one to consider: VAEL SOMA A Practitioner's Introduction to Resonant Field Embodiment…

A persistent sense of being correctly located in time

Word salad is actually nutritious when consumed in small amounts. Placebos are real, they're effective and they often help us find solace or perhaps to heal. If they do no harm, there's no problem. "Placebo" isn't an insult. It's a category,…

Rehearsing possibility Most of us would like to live with wonder, grace and optimism. Perhaps it pays to practice this in advance. When considering any given moment, is there a glimmer of good worth focusing on, even making a comment about? Our narrative of reality often becomes our reality.

Rehearsing possibility

Most of us would like to live with wonder, grace and optimism. Perhaps it pays to practice this in advance. When considering any given moment, is there a glimmer of good worth focusing on, even making a comment about? Our narrative of reality often becomes our reality.

Redundancy and resilience If it's important, don't ask the team to try harder. Instead, create the conditions for ordinary effort to produce redundant outputs that reduce crises. If quality is a problem, look at the system, not the people.

Redundancy and resilience

If it's important, don't ask the team to try harder. Instead, create the conditions for ordinary effort to produce redundant outputs that reduce crises. If quality is a problem, look at the system, not the people.

Long odds and unseen differences "The odds of winning the lottery are the same whether you buy a ticket or not." This seems nonsensical at first. Obviously, there are lottery winners. Therefore, the odds aren't the same. Except we're not mathematicians doing a math problem (at least most of us). Odds are how we navigate the world. When they're sufficiently low, the useful approach is to assume that they're zero.

Long odds and unseen differences

"The odds of winning the lottery are the same whether you buy a ticket or not." This seems nonsensical at first. Obviously, there are lottery winners. Therefore, the odds aren't the same. Except we're not mathematicians doing a math problem (at least most of us).…

Systems and the default to yes Joseph Brandlin is a scofflaw. After months of fighting to get the city council to put a stop sign on the corner of the dangerous intersection near his home, he simply did it himself. A first-rate, professional job that cost more than $1,000. As he was finishing the job at 1:30 am, he was arrested and charged with a felony.

Systems and the default to yes

Joseph Brandlin is a scofflaw. After months of fighting to get the city council to put a stop sign on the corner of the dangerous intersection near his home, he simply did it himself. A first-rate, professional job that cost more than $1,000. As he was finishing the…

What’s in the status bottle? It's often mislabeled. Sometimes the contents can make us ill, especially if we drink too much. Status is easy to sell. But despite how often people buy the promise, it rarely delivers.

What’s in the status bottle?

It's often mislabeled. Sometimes the contents can make us ill, especially if we drink too much. Status is easy to sell. But despite how often people buy the promise, it rarely delivers.

The end of the content shortage You can be fashionable without reading Vogue. You can be informed without watching the nightly news. You can be smart about science without going to MIT. It's possible to be a great chef without buying a cookbook. In fact, you can probably thrive without reading this blog. There are millions of songs on Spotify that have only been listened to a few times each.

The end of the content shortage

You can be fashionable without reading Vogue. You can be informed without watching the nightly news. You can be smart about science without going to MIT. It's possible to be a great chef without buying a cookbook. In fact, you can probably thrive without reading…

“Too complicated for people to understand” That's a great reason to dumb things down. It's also a trap that leads us to stasis and mediocrity. Let's break it down: People: Which people? All people? The majority of voters? Day traders or institutional long term investors? Every VC or just this one? Pick your people, pick your future. Complicated: If it can be made simpler and just as effective, then by all means, please do so.

“Too complicated for people to understand”

That's a great reason to dumb things down. It's also a trap that leads us to stasis and mediocrity. Let's break it down: People: Which people? All people? The majority of voters? Day traders or institutional long term investors? Every VC or just this one?…

Numbers and the human/computer interface If you tell me your ID number, your phone number or the wiring instructions for your bank account, not only will I forget them, I'll need you to repeat it a few times so I write it down without making a transcription error. When we first started using serial numbers (the Roman Legion did this thousands of years ago, and the British Board of Ordnance required it by law in the 1700s), it made perfect sense.

Numbers and the human/computer interface

If you tell me your ID number, your phone number or the wiring instructions for your bank account, not only will I forget them, I'll need you to repeat it a few times so I write it down without making a transcription error. When we first started using…

Follow-through How does the ball know? In tennis, golf or just about all ball sports, the follow-through determines the flight of the ball. Great players always have a complete and confident follow-through. But the ball is long gone before that happens. So, what's the point? It turns out that the ball can tell that you intend to have a serious follow-through. A weak or non-existent follow-through requires that you start slowing down…

Follow-through

How does the ball know? In tennis, golf or just about all ball sports, the follow-through determines the flight of the ball. Great players always have a complete and confident follow-through. But the ball is long gone before that happens. So, what's the point? It turns out that the…