Seth's Blog : The possibility of optimism (the optimism of possibility)



The possibility of optimism (the optimism of possibility)

Is the glass half full or half empty?

The pessimist sees what's present today and can only imagine eventual decline. The glass is already half empty and it's only going to get worse.

The optimist understands that there's a difference between today and tomorrow. The glass is half full, with room for more. The vision is based on possibility, the future tense, not the present one.

Pessimists have trouble making room for possibility, and thus possibility has trouble finding room for pessimists.

As soon as we realize that there is a difference between right now and what might happen next, we can move ourselves to the posture of possibility, to the self-fulfilling engine of optimism.

       

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More Recent Articles

• Problems
• The originality paradox
• Beware the gulf of disapproval
• Pretty, cheap and well-rounded (three misunderstandings)
• Transitions

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Seth's Blog : Problems



Problems

Avoiding a problem with foresight and good design is a cheap, highly leveraged way to do your work.

Extinguishing a problem before it gets expensive and difficult is almost as good, and far better than paying a premium when there's an emergency.

Fretting about an impending problem, worrying about it, imagining the implications of it... all of this is worthless.

The magic of slack (a little extra time in the chain, a few extra dollars in the bank) is that it gives you the resources to stop and avoid a problem or fix it when it's small. The over-optimized organization misunderstands the value of slack, so it always waits until something is a screaming emergency, because it doesn't think it has a moment to spare. Expensive.

Action is almost always cheaper now than it is later.

       

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More Recent Articles

• The originality paradox
• Beware the gulf of disapproval
• Pretty, cheap and well-rounded (three misunderstandings)
• Transitions
• There is more than one solution to your problem (and your problem is real)

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Seth's Blog : The originality paradox



The originality paradox

There are a billion people trying to do something important for the first time. These people are connected by the net, posting, creating, daring to leap first.

It's hard, because the number of people racing with you to be original is huge.

The numbers are so daunting that the chances that you will create something that resonates, spreads and changes the culture are really close to zero.

But it's also certain that someone will. In fact, there's a 100% chance that someone will step up with an action or a concept so daring that it resonates with us.

Nearly zero and certain. At the same time.

Pick your odds, decide what you care about and act accordingly.

       

• Email to a friend •

More Recent Articles

• Beware the gulf of disapproval
• Pretty, cheap and well-rounded (three misunderstandings)
• Transitions
• There is more than one solution to your problem (and your problem is real)
• Breakpoints

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