We normally think of procrastination as bad or shameful, but “active” procrastination will make you more productive and happy. You should embrace it. Continue…
Category Archives: Productivity
Why Not Now?
I like planning. In fact, I write about it quite a bit. As important as it is, though, there’s an inherent downside to planning, and… Continue…
You Can’t Get There From Here: A Few Stories About Backtracking
Problem: If you’re on the wrong path, no amount of tweaking or persevering will get you where you really want to go. You’re headed down a dead end. Solution: Backtrack until you’re in a familiar place, and try again. Repeat as necessary. *** Life goes fast, and it’s easy for even the best laid plans… Continue…
Fear and the Very First Step
I remember the day I got the email to play my very first gig. A local musician found my Myspace music page (don’t try to look it up, it doesn’t exist anymore), and invited me to open for him at some dive bar in a Portland suburb. I remember feeling incredibly flattered. Most bands work their asses… Continue…
"But I'm Just a Waitress"
I was in the car with a friend the other day. We were driving to dinner and talking about life. I like to ask people hard questions—”What do you really want from your life?” and “How do you know it’s the right answer?” She was telling me about the things she dreamed of for herself… Continue…
The Best To-Do List App for the Smart Risk-Taker
Fellow Riskologist, For the last few weeks, we’ve focused on finding and addressing fear so you can move forward with big projects in your life. Before you clear away underlying fears, getting started on a big project can feel like pushing a boulder up a hill while breathing through a straw. But once they’re dealt… Continue…
Break Any Personal Record With the +1 Theory of Human Achievement
Fellow Riskologist, What holds you back the most? If you have a dream you haven’t realized yet, what keeps you from pursuing it? Typically, it’s a fear of failure. No one wants to set a goal they don’t believe they’ll actually reach. And if you continuously set goals that are too high, you set yourself… Continue…
The 10 Bands Theory of Originality
Fellow Riskologist, What does it take to be truly original? When you think about your favorite artists, musicians, writers—or any other creative type—do you ever ask yourself, “How do they do it?” Would you be surprised to know the answer is they just ripped off their own favorite artists? Would you be more surprised if… Continue…
You Get By With A Little Help From Yourself
Fellow Riskologist, When someone with a traditional job asks what it’s like to be self-employed, my favorite answer is: “It’s totally amazing, but my boss is an asshole.” The answer’s a joke, of course, but anyone who’s self-employed knows there’s a bit of truth to it. Going to work, most people are accustomed to showing… Continue…
Why Each Year Of Your Life Feels Shorter (And What To Do About It)
Fellow Riskologist, Have you noticed certain occasions cause you to stop and think about your past? Birthdays, anniversaries, new years and other significant events all bring on this kind of introspection. And as you think about all the things that happened in your life since the last event, have you noticed they all start to… Continue…