William Goldman on Knowing Anything
“No one knows anything.”
Pete Campbell on Success and Sadness
“With success comes a level of sadness. You think, ‘I’ll reach this goal, and then I’ll feel a sense of completeness, of wholeness. I’ll feel that I have accomplished something. I will see myself as a worthy man.’ And it doesn’t really exist.”
Pete Campbell via Marlon
How to See Design
Learn to think about design in terms of color, texture and type instead of homepage, carousel and button and you’ll see thoughtful design and inspiration everywhere.
Pulled out of the coffee shop today, saw a building that made me think, “that’s actually a perfect color for client X.”
Far more than I’d like to admit I find myself stopped on the street staring at the typography of a sign or menu posted in a window. My friends make fun of me.
This is a shift I’ve just started noticing. Previously I think I only noticed design decisions on websites. The web was what I was designing, so I paid attention to the web with a designer’s eye.
Now design is borking my whole deal, man. Everything is designed and I notice it everywhere like some tinfoil hat wearing, motorola RAZR using conspiracy theorist. Goddam design.
How to Communicate Market Leadership
A client recently asked me this question and I want to share my response.
“How can we communicate major authority, that we are the “de facto” leader in this space?”
Good question. I listened to an interview with Ramit Sethi yesterday — his outlook always grounds me back into what matters (in an industry full of butt-plug headlines and ‘149 unbelievable business insights that will ninja-kick your blown mind into unmatched glory/shame India virtual assistant work from home photoshop download!’.
He was talking about how his goal isn’t short term revenue, it’s long term revenue, not sales today but buyers for life.
Of course, he has the luxury of thinking like this. Why? Because his products are built on TONS of research, feedback, proof, results. He can be as strong in the messaging and marketing about his products as he wants, he can spend as much money on marketing and advertising as he wants, because he knows the shit is the shit.
There’s design that builds trust, differentiates, communicates effectively, feels fresh. There’s design that feels quality and strong and well thought through. Your site will be all of those things. In some ways this is the “Market Leader” element you’re asking about. But I think the real “market leader” feel comes from the degree of confidence, boldness, honesty you get to utilize in your customer interaction… because it’s proven. Like Ramit.
Goethe on Enthusiasm and Perseverance
“In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm. In the real world all rests on perseverance.”
John Cleese on When Creativity Happens
“Now creativity can happen. Because play is possible when we’re separate from everyday life.”
Hitchcock on Pressing
“When we came up against a block [in screenwriting] and our discussions became very heated and intense, Hitchcock would suddenly stop and tell a story that had nothing to do with the work at hand. At first I was almost outraged. And then I discovered that he did this intentionally. He mistrusted working under pressure. He would say, “We’re pressing, we’re pressing. We’re working too hard. Relax; it will come.” And, of course, it finally always did.”
Hitchcock’s Writing Partner via Cleese
Ben Pieratt on Getting Started
“If you don’t know what you want to build, then start paying closer attention to the things that already interest you.”
Ben Pieratt on The Opportunity
“The opportunity is in building a more efficient, rewarding, communications channel between consumers and makers.”
Severian on Stories and What’s Ours
“It often seems to me that of all the good things in the world, the only ones humanity can claim for itself are stories and music; the rest, mercy, beauty, sleep, clean water and hot food are all the work of the Increate. Thus, stories are small things indeed in the scheme of the universe, but it is hard not to love best what is our own—hard for me, at least.”
Severian ∞