Et Cetera : The Art of Non-Conformity

Et Cetera

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXXIII

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

Invasive Species -- Photos of South African cell-phone towers disguised as trees
I Wanted to Be a Millionaire — What it’s like to lose a small fortune in 20 seconds
How to Charter a Yacht — The beginner’s guide
The King of Cactuses — When your cactus gets sick, who are you going to call? This guy.
The Uber Driver Who Makes $250,000 a Year — Tip: Most of his income doesn’t come from the actual driving
Champagne Bottle Chair Art — An unconventional competition with creative results

Et Cetera

“Scholarships for Real Life” WDS Foundation Is Now an Official Non-Profit

In 2013 we announced that all profits from WDS will go toward our new foundation, featuring Scholarships for Real Life.

In 2014 we announced the first grantees and $60,000 of initial awards to three individuals working on sensitive, important issues: a “kids-first” ADHD movement, LGBT empowerment, and life-skills training for youth.

The process of gaining 501(c)(3) status is cumbersome and often takes more than a year. I wish it took a bit less time, but I do understand the reasoning. The IRS wants to make sure that non-profits are legit, so you have to work for it!

Anyway, I was excited to hear from our foundation’s Executive Director, Katie Hurst, that we are officially legit. All donations to the foundation are now tax-deductable, though for now we aren’t actually soliciting deductions—we’re just funding the account through any surplus WDS revenue.

The next phase of applications for this year’s awards will open next week.

Et Cetera

Living With Gratitude in a Modern Age: Starbucks Edition

Here’s one more story for the thread. (Oh, and here’s the first.)

Someone gave me a Starbucks gift card as a thank-you for a favor I did. Oh thanks! I thought. That was nice.

But to be honest, I get a fair number of Starbucks cards, so it didn't stand out in my mind at first. Most of the time, I just load them up on my card (you use the app, right?) and don’t think of it again.

This time I did something different. It was a $25 card, so I added it to the app but didn’t combine the balance with my main card like I usually do.

What’s the difference?

Well, every time I went to Starbucks for the next couple weeks and used funds from that new card’s balance, I thought of the person who gave me the card. Instead of just thinking That was nice once, I continued to think That was nice—and they’re still buying my coffee today!

Every day we have opportunities to live with gratitude—even in this modern age.

76 Comments

Et Cetera

Giveaway: Business Class Upgrade On American Airlines

Did someone say upgrade? I believe it was us—and this week you can win a Business Class upgrade on any long-haul American Airlines flight!

As mentioned, a while back I took a 14-hour flight to Hong Kong, and when I got off the plane I was a millionaire—at least in miles. Upon achieving my status of two million flight miles with American Airlines, they gifted me an extra two systemwide upgrades (known as EVIPs for those who care).

I doubt I'll be able to use both of them myself, and they can't be sold—so I'm giving one away. Want to fly in the front?

Et Cetera

Why “Make Something You Love” Still Matters

Link: New Video with New Stories about Freedom and Value

New video alert! My friend Marie is preparing to relaunch her mega-popular B-School course. As part of the process, she's releasing three free videos that aren't just teasers—they all include more than 25 minutes each of non-salesy, helpful tips on running an online business.

I mentioned the first and second ones last week. The third one is now out, and you can watch all of them by joining the pre-list at the link.

In the latest video, you’ll learn:

The surprising answers to common concerns about starting an online business: not enough time, unfamiliar with technology, etc.
Why freedom and value, the essential values of entrepreneurship, matter now more than ever
Case studies of real people earning $30,000 a month or more (and how they do it)
And, as we often say, so much more. This is a good one!

Et Cetera

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXXII

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

Vietnam: A Road Story -- A fun look at trains, rain, and a few of the millions of motorbikes that are used as primary transport in Vietnam

Today is Not Tomorrow -- A grandmother's lesson from a weekend phone call

Stop Telling Women to Smile -- An interactive documentary on street harassment in Mexico City

What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a living -- "People say we're 'rich in other ways,' but most farms are unsustainable

The Making of Black Messiah -- Behind the scenes of an album 14 years in the waiting

New York Man Finds Himself Alone on Delta Flight -- He even received a personal safety briefing

Et Cetera

Living With Gratitude in a Modern Age

Jonathan Fields is one of the most generous people I know. He is always helping me and many others. I try to help him in return but the ratio is at least 4:1 in his favor.

In this post he explains something he’s done for a while:

While I do have a standard sig-file that gets added to my emails automatically, I type the words “With gratitude” by hand. Slowly, with intention, owning a sense of genuine gratitude as I type. In doing so, it becomes a mini-meditation. A momentary honoring. An opportunity to acknowledge gratitude dozens of times each day. And, strangely enough, when I do this, it makes me feel different. I know, weird.

It doesn’t take a lot of time, but it does take conscious time.

Et Cetera

A Million-Dollar Secret and 13 Keys to Success (Yep, really.)

Link: Brand-New Video about Love and Marketing (don't worry, it's good)

Greetings, friends and readers! As mentioned last week, my friend Marie Forleo is preparing to relaunch her mega-popular B-School course. As part of the process, she’s releasing three free videos that aren’t just teasers—they all include more than 25 minutes each of non-salesy, helpful tips on running an online business.

The second one is now out, and you can watch both of them by joining the pre-list at the link.

In this video, you’ll learn:

Why “Marketing” is Simply About Helping People (note: I wrote a lot about this in The $100 Startup)
How to Win by Giving, not Getting (so true)
The 13 Keys to Online Business
Why Marie’s First ebook Was Almost a Huge Flop

Et Cetera

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXXI

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

Travel Blogger Hits the Reset Button After 5 Years of Writing - Adventurous Kate reevaluates and sets new goals for her next 5 years of adventures

Meet the Dad Who Wears Tattoos of His Son’s Doodles - Every year, he takes a design by his son and has it tattooed on his own right arm

This Video Game Only Allows One Move a Day - Need some help battling instant gratification?

How to Quit Being a Perfectionist - Because perfectionism KILLS progress

Can you name these cities just by looking at their transit grids? - I scored 9/10... but I’ll admit the clues helped

How Many Grapes Make One Bottle of Wine? - As you might suspect, not all grapes are created equal

Et Cetera

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXX

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

Flying Turnips in Spain -- An odd and oddly beautiful tradition in Spain

That Time Queen Elizabeth Drove King Abdullah Around in Her LandRover -- “His nervousness only increased as the Queen, an Army driver in wartime, accelerated the Land Rover along the narrow Scottish estate roads”

What to Say to Get Your Way -- How to talk to anyone (anyone? yep—it seems that way)

Virgin Atlantic Upper Class “Planeview” -- A fun tour of Virgin’s comfy seats (although in my opinion, the Clubhouses on the ground are the best part of flying Virgin)

Inside Philadelphia’s Neglected Row Houses -- A photographic tour of a forgotten place

I’m Much More than a Mother -- Kristy writes on what she describes as the impossibility of being both a good mom and an entrepreneur

Et Cetera

To Write a Great Story, Start with a Real Struggle

I appreciated this illustration on unconventional storytelling from Tom Gauld:

When talking about adventures, I often relate the plot outlining of blockbuster movies and video games. What if the synopsis of a big summer movie was "So and so had to save the world from evil... and then they did?"

We'd think, "That's it?! How did they save the world ... what happened along the way? Did they lose something and have to recover it? How was the hero changed throughout the journey, and what was different at the end of the story?"

Challenge is the essence of adventure, and struggle is the root of any great story.

In fact, sometimes the struggle is the entire story. If the struggle is good enough, we're willing to overlook anything else. Why did the aliens invade the earth? Who cares—we have to defeat them!

Et Cetera

This Brand-New “Habit Journal” Helps You Keep Track of What’s Most Important to You

We've all heard it takes our brains 21 days to form a new habit. This new journal, currently being crowd-funded, does exactly that—keeps you on track while you form new daily habits, with these habits eventually leading you to conquer big goals. Here's how it works:

Choose a goal
Write down the daily habits that you think will help you achieve that goal
Plug those habits into your daily tracker pages
At the end of each day, take 5 minutes to reflect on how you did
Review at the end of each week, then repeat until the month ends

Seems pretty simple. But like a lot of simple systems, it may have the power to create real change. Check out the video:

Et Cetera

There’s a Good Reason Why We Keep Repeating the Same Mediocre Experiences

I loved this story from a reader in response to why I enjoy the routine of visiting a hotel that’s consistently bad:

"Years ago my in-laws would drive me crazy by complaining about the food at a (now defunct) restaurant chain that they would unfailingly stop at numerous times when traveling from Pennsylvania to Florida each year. It was a major topic of discussion; how not-good the food was, service was terrible, etc. But the food wasn't bad enough to stop them from going back to the chain (and same locations) year after year. I asked them why they went there at all when all they did was complain and when there were probably so many local restaurants they could try along the way.

They finally came up with the answer "We know what to expect."

As you have said, it's easy to get into a rut. Some ruts are good, some not so much. I try to remember this story anytime I find myself sliding into a rut. It doesn't always work, but at least I've made a conscious decision and then I can't complain however it turns out."

I also always visit the Waffle House whenever I'm in the southern U.S. But of course, the Waffle House isn't mediocre. It's amazing!

Et Cetera

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXIX

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

“Someone stole naked pictures of me. This is what I did about it” -- A Danish Journalist speaks out about consent

Reading a James Patterson Book Before It Self-Destructs -- As part of an unconventional marketing plan, a man attempts to read James Patterson’s latest novel-of-the-week

It’s Time to Forgive Yourself -- Nicole revisits an experience from long ago

1,000 Cups of Latte Art Tell the Story of a Boy and Girl Meeting -- File under: awesome + “only in Japan”

Astonishing Photos of an Extremely Rare “Flipped” Iceberg -- Surprising: All the shiny parts are underneath

Writing Your Way to Happiness -- New research shows that writing and rewriting your personal story can lead to behavioral changes

Et Cetera

A Reader’s Suggestions for Adderall Alternatives: CILTEP & Bromantane

I’m still getting a ton of emails about my decision to try the prescription drug Adderall to help with focus. I'm currently more than a month into the experiment, and so far I'm still pretty happy with it.

After I posted some comments from a reader’s long-term experience with it, I heard of a couple alternatives that I thought I’d pass along for those who are interested.

Here are some more anonymous comments from a different reader:

« Previous 1 … 5 6 7 8 9 … 19 Next »