Over the years, I’ve put out a lot of creative work: three books, five business ventures, a PhD dissertation, tons of paintings and digital art, university courses, countless articles, interviews, websites, blog posts, etc. On and on. Yet despite this output, I’ve been plagued with a question for as long as I can remember. It’s […]
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I cracked the psychology of a character in my forthcoming novella Clickbait today. This guy, Bryan, has been just kind of sitting there, nestled in between the book’s other 5 characters, being a bit of a bore. He wasn’t really on my radar because his story just kind of fit with everything else without being […]
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If you’re over 25 and you’ve never failed on a New Year’s resolution then you can probably disregard this post and revel in your mastery of life. If, however, you’ve gotten to that cynical point so many people do, and begun to suspect *gasp* that New Year’s resolutions are all a sham, please allow me […]
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In Spendshift, I write briefly about the quest for email zero. It’s the holy grail of keeping on top of things: zero unread emails in your Inbox, always. There are a bunch of strategies for getting yourself there, but the point is once you’ve accomplished and maintained it for a while, the sense of satisfaction […]
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I’ve been working through a great book called The Artist’s Way for about five months now, which provides a self-directed course on breaking through artistic blocks and cultivating creativity. One of the most useful ideas is the “morning pages,” which consist of a daily, three-page word dump, wherein you write out anything and everything that […]
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Even though money is one of the most practical concerns in life, it can also be a means by which we express much about who we are at the deepest levels. If that notion makes you cringe a little, it’s likely because the idea of “mindless consumerism” has long-dominated many people’s picture of spending. It […]
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While I currently have two books in the works that I’m readying for release, I started working on an idea for my next one several months ago. I use that word “working” pretty loosely. All I did was watch a bunch of movies on a theme and start keeping my eyes open for interesting and […]
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Recently, I identified a pattern that has severely hindered my ability to do an outstanding job on the last stages of my long-term projects. I reach a point where I’m basically 80% done everything and then all of the sudden, I start shutting down and doubting the validity of the work I’ve done. At that […]
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Yesterday morning, I went out, ordered my coffee, sat down, and started working. This morning, when I was ordering my morning coffee at the shop where I work, the person at the counter looked directly at me and asked me how I was doing. Often, I’d just say “Can I have a…” without even replying […]
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Some coffee shops are forgettable: standard music, generic art, mediocre coffee, cold baristas, clientele who hold no interest to you. Some, on the other hand, are bohemian bliss: Edgy wall art complements sublime indie tunes. You overhear snippets of conversations about politics, philosophy, urban life, cool projects. The baristas are open and willing to take […]
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