Andrew Price gave a great talk about the habits of highly effective artists (you can watch the talk here). In this talk, circa 7 minutes 45 seconds, Price discusses his drawings and his estimates for time spent. Price reckons that 60% of his time equated to 90% of his learning. The other 10% of learning … Continue reading That last coat →

"But look at all the fame and riches of the self proclaimed perfectionists in the world. If it worked for them, why shouldn't I develop some perfectionist tendencies?" I won't deny there are some very successful perfectionists out there but let's consider some of the drawbacks to pursuing perfection. You'll have to scream at people … Continue reading I wanna be a perfectionist! →

It's ironic that artists become perfectionists when it's really the human-ness of art that we love. Take Jackson Pollock's drip paintings for example. They aren't famous because they are perfect renditions of beautiful scenery, they look like an angry baby got into your paints! Or how about Superman? The hero with every super power known … Continue reading Interesting v flawless →

Last week I wrote about how CinemaSins showed there was no such thing as the perfect movie. Today's blog post is going to be in a similar vein but focus on other artistic areas. Let's start with music! 'Yesterday' by the Beatles is one of the most famous and covered songs in the world, so … Continue reading Imperfect art pieces →

"Perfectionism is not the same thing has striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, … Continue reading Brené Brown quote →

Can you imagine how overwhelmed the people who made the first COVID guidelines were? Where was the instruction manual for dealing with a global pandemic? Everyone can critique a first draft but it takes real leadership to stare into the abyss, take into account the overwhelming options, and lay down a plan. Why is this … Continue reading That way! →

The problem with being a firefighter is you have no control over when and where you'll be working. It's not a proactive job. You can't hose down the entire neighborhood and walk away thinking 'well that's that estate safe for another year'. You have to go where the fire is and if it's across town … Continue reading Office firefighter →

As soon as you start measuring, the urge to optimise presents itself. Rank the social posts by the likes and replicate the top performers. A simple formula for success. But what if the top performers contained questionable content? What if the posts you were most proud were shunned by your audience? Do you give your … Continue reading When not to optimise →

I hate the TV show 'Sex Education'. It toys with my emotions. It keeps me guessing. It makes me feel for characters I hate. It constantly makes it hard to pick a favourite character. It doesn't give me what I want! These are also all the reasons why I love the show.

The front right tyre needs replacing again. This is the 8th time in as many months. Curt has just been expelled from his fourth school. Macclesfield United are now into double figures for managerial replacements this season. At what point does someone step back and say: "Ok, what's the real problem here?" I think in … Continue reading The illness not the symptom →