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6. Gamify, All the Things!
Or, the power of setting goals. Or, don’t underestimate what you can accomplish with small regular steps over time. This essay is part of my 42 Deep Thoughts project. The book Superbetter by Dr. Jane McGonigal has had a huge influence on my life. It’s backed by a ton of research, and makes a strong…
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5. Take Shortcuts, But Do the Work
This essay is part of my 42 Deep Thoughts project. I strongly believe that many of the best qualities in people and in the world, comes from a tension that balances different opposites. My last essay was about taking the scenic routes of life. This value of exploration is balanced, in me, by my drive…
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4. Take the Pretty Routes
This essay is part of my 42 Deep Thoughts project. I used to always take the fastest route. Why wouldn’t I want to get to where I’m going quickly? Then I started to take the scenic routes. I discovered that an hour and a half route will only take 15 minutes more, but is 100…
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3. Hopes and Dreams are the Fuel
This essay is part of my 42 Deep Thoughts project. Dreaming and hoping is what gives you the fuel to achieve anything, or get you anywhere; even through the greatest depths of hell. One of my favorite books, which I go back to every few years, is Man’s Search for Meaning by, Victor Frankel. It’s…
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2. Make it Work, Then Make it Work Well
This essay is part of my 42 Deep Thoughts project. I came up with this formulation — make it work, then make it work well — when I was getting into web development, and it’s something I’ve been preaching to every team I’ve had the privilege to work with. Perhaps it’s my ADHD, perhaps everyone…
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1. Wear Sunscreen
This essay is part of my 42 Deep Thoughts project. Originally directed towards the class of ‘97 Mary Schmich wrote an essay which began with these epic words: “Wear sunscreen.” “If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,…
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0. On Being 42, and the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything
As a person who is now 42, I feel like I’m supposed to know all the answers. I remember being nine and thinking that I now have a framework for all knowledge. To clarify, I didn’t think I knew everything, just that I sorta understood how things connected together, and how to fill in the…