⫹⫺ 100 Lessons From 100 Weeks of Writing
CMMN WLTH 100 - Cheat Codes for Creators, Makers and Doers
Hello my friends,
Over the past 100 weeks I’ve read, curated, and sent over 900 essays, articles, and videos to your inbox.
I hope they’ve had an effect on your thinking and influenced your practice for the better.
My goal is to eventually create a digital Zettelkasten where all the content is organized and easily searchable by topic.
In the meantime here are my favorite 100 lessons from the world’s clearest thinkers, creators, makers, and doers.
I’ve designed the list as a resource you can come back to as you face new challenges, so please bookmark it for easy reference.
And, if you have a favorite please drop it in the comments below for others to discover.
Thanks for the 100 past, onwards to the next 100,
— Andy
If you think you know everything it’s probably a sign that you know nothing.
Perceived exceptionalism will eventually kill your culture.
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
You can either compete on cost or quality, but not both.
Playing for the front of the jersey is the best way to play for the back of the jersey.
Build your perfect day by fixating on what you hate.
There’s always a way to turn adversity into opportunity.
Remember how it feels to do nothing for a minute.
Just because your product isn’t cool, doesn’t mean you can’t do cool things.
To build something new, look beyond the competition.
Something great is waiting for you.
The key to networking is making things.
Hustle culture is cool, knowing when to stop is cooler.
Being great is just being good repeatably.
Success depends not on the quality of the idea but on the effectiveness of communication.
The way to enjoy more is to care less.
Life’s too short not to work on what you love, what you’re interested in, and what you’re good at.
New isn’t always better.
Rejection is fact of life, it’s what you do with it that counts.
Get 1% better every day and see where you are in a year.
Make a great product then let your consumers do the work.
Your best work might not happen between 9 & 5.
And, don’t waste your life one comfortable year at a time.
Your creativity is like a backed-up water pipe. Magic happens when you turn on the faucet.
Movement improves the brain and the body.
Cold plunges, meditation, and journaling are cool but it’s the work that makes the money.
Value compliments and criticism equally.
7 stoic strategies for being creative.
There are three sides of risk.
If you think you need a degree to start a business, you don’t.
50% of the work is done by the square root of the total number of people who participate in the work.
Invest in yourself.
There’s nothing more motivating than desperation.
Don’t know what to say? Embrace awkward silence.
Keep track of and talk about your achievements more than feels comfortable.
Give yourself permission to be creative.
Work like a lion, not a grazing cow.
Either it’s a hell yes, or a hell no.
Loyalty is admirable but don’t let your job become your identity.
Focus is a byproduct of knowing which fires to let burn.
Micromanagement is better than Mckinsey.
Practice makes perfect.
Individuals immersed in a productive scenius will blossom and produce their best work.
It's likely that if you're having trouble understanding something, then somebody else in the room is as well.
It’s not too late for a career change.
Specific knowledge can be found by pursuing your genuine curiosity.
Time is precious, avoid regret.
Copying experts leads to expertise.
Be willing to do things so terrifically tedious that it appears to be magic.
Don’t underestimate the importance of being aware of one's surroundings and the impact of one's thoughts and actions on others.
Not everything you work on will be enjoyable.
Work when there’s room and attention.
Information is learned when you can explain it and use it in a wide variety of situations.
Quantity yields quality when it comes to creativity.
Brilliance bias is the tendency to think of brilliance or genius as a male characteristic.
If you think you’ve mastered your practice, watch this.
Leadership is a continuous process of removing yourself from the equation and empowering your team to do the things that they do best.
Asking useful questions is a skill, and it requires practice.
Think not just about competitors but alternatives.
When presenting, capture your audience’s attention by starting with the answer.
Small teams can achieve big things.
Progress is good, but don’t try to be too clever.
How to be effective in the theatre of work.
The best way to be highly influential is to be human to everyone you meet.
Companies rarely fail due to competition.
Getting several things right in one go is always significantly more difficult than getting one thing right.
To avoid tragedy it’s time to build.
Longevity comes down to today’s habits.
Business can work with no meetings and no deadlines.
Do the real thing, stop doing fake alternatives.
Talent is bullshit.
Mean people fail.
Work hard, and be nice to people.
The art and science of reading well.
Flow is only a playlist away.
Doing the right work is more important than the amount of work you do.
You can still have fun on the internet.
Specialize or generalize, pick one.
There is no shame in taking care of your mental health, especially if you’re a man.
Prioritize your time on what matters most.
Compounding is the most powerful force in the universe.
Burning platforms force a change in behavior.
Rituals can bring a team together.
Avoid vanity metrics and go deep.
Believe in yourself and you will achieve your childhood dreams.
Attracting luck is a skill you can develop.
Hindsight is always 2020. Identify problems before they happen.
To outperform, you need to develop competitive advantages.
Filter good thoughts from bad thoughts for improved clarity and focus.
Using accurate and precise language can save time and emotions.
You can take much more than you think you can.
Your domain is upstream from your output.
Make good decisions by eliminating bad ones.
Explore, be creative, have fun.
Curiosity will separate you from 99% of other people.
All great ideas start on the back of a napkin.
From time to time, stop everything you’re doing and go to a quiet place.
Life is short.
Trust yourself.
Whatever you do, stay in the game.
