⫹⫺ Keep Going
Hello my friends,
At the time of writing I was positively in the latter category, but this past week put me in full on survival mode.
Bouncing from appointment to appointment left little time to read and research and honestly I contemplated not putting out this week’s issue.
I fear that would have been fatal for this project.
The accountability of knowing there are 79 of you out there, who have shown even the slightest of interest in what I’m putting in your inbox, is transformational.
If you’ve been following from the beginning you’ll know that was the whole point of me starting this newsletter.
In seeking positive creative influences with the content I’m sending you, this newsletter and you have become one of mine.
I appreciate every minute of your time and attention.
Let’s get into it,
Andy
Last week’s numbers :
Weekly subscribers: +1% (78 —> 79)
Open rate: 50%
Thanks to those who have shared it on your socials and for the notes of encouragement.
Let’s see if we can get to 100 subs before next week!
Product
A few weeks ago we talked about the next wave in creativity and design. An absolute highlight in my feed at the moment is Laceless Design. These guys get it.
Iskander Utebayev pushes the boundaries of your imagination. Don’t let your eyes deceive you.
It’s easy to question the excess of luxury fashion. Ateliers like Hermés Petit H are resourcefully using leftover materials to create beautiful objects.
People
Cathie Wood is a big influence on my thinking. She runs ARK Invest, a collection of ETFs (exchange traded funds) focused on innovation which she started at age 57 proving that it’s never too late. — Here’s a link to ARK Invest Big Ideas for 2021.
Tangentially, I talk to a lot of people who are struggling to take a leap from their current career path. Jeff Bezos’s Regret Minimization Framework is a fantastic mental model.
Loneliness in adulthood can increase mortality risk by 25%. As we spend more time in isolation, community and friendship have never been so important.
Methods
If your lack of productivity is getting to you this transcript of Richard Hamming’s 30 year old talk, You and Your Research, contains some absolute gems that will help you get out of the vicious cycle.
Reading is a skill, understanding is a superpower. Learn how to take notes while you read for deeper comprehension.
While we work from home staying motivated is a huge challenge. Marc Andreesen’s blog post on personal productivity shares some useful methods.
Out of Office
I continue to look for resources that compensate for the lack of travel.
Radio Garden lets you spin the globe and tap into 8000 of the world’s radio stations.