Think about it. What if everything was free? Why would anyone buy a PC when they can afford a Mac? What if you could go out and get that Porsche you've always wanted? Why would your car salesman still want to be a car salesman when he earns no profit from selling you any car? What if anyone could afford an Ivy League education? Why would anyone go to a crappy community … [Read more...]
Become a Better Executor
I'm excellent at planning, horrible at executing. I'm a classic over-researcher; I am great at coming up with ideas, figuring out what I need to do, drawing up action lists, then searching for more resources, and trying to find the best prices, etc. Unfortunately, I have a hard time moving past that stage. Fortunately, I've found a secret to getting things done. Since we're … [Read more...]
Building Your Runway
There is one single, golden moment that will change your life as an entrepreneur. No, it has nothing to do with finishing your product -- though having something to sell never hurts. No, it's not the day you move out of the hovel you have been holding up in into a place with desks and chairs and running water. No, it's not even when you get your first customer -- … [Read more...]
Learn to Love Ignoring the Rules
Life presents us with a lot of implicit rules. While many of them are helpful and sensible, they don't always suit all of us. One rule that doesn't suit many untemplaters is the rule about fitting in. Society is constructed around the concept of fitting in, of cohesion: most of us abide by laws, for example, because we know that, to some degree, that makes life in our … [Read more...]
Ask the Readers: What advice do you give?
You're out to lunch with a coworker. You get to talking about life and other things and he begins pouring his heart out to you a bit. You decide to give him some advice to comfort him. He appreciates it. Later that day you're chatting online with a distant friend. You get to talking about life and other things and she tells you about some rough patches she's had lately. You … [Read more...]