“You don’t know what you’re going to say. You don’t even know your way to the end of the sentence. You don’t know anything. Then suddenly you do know. You have to walk blind. And you walk slap into the truth.”
-Hilary Mantel
She’s actually a writer.
Brain Meets World
Thinking about readings from Brain Meets World (published by Behavioral Scientist):
This is why I value that little phrase “I don’t know” so highly,
It’s small, but it flies on mighty wings,
It expands our lives to include | the spaces within us as | well as those outer expanses | in which our tiny Earth hangs suspended.
If Isaac Newton had never said to himself “I don’t know,” | the apples in his little orchard | might have dropped to the ground | like hailstones | and at best he would have | stooped to pick them up | and gobbled them with gusto.
– Wislawa Szymborska
Two to Consider (maybe related?)
Does what I’m about to do move me closer or further away from what I want?
– Things Shane Parrish Says
——————————————————————————————–
Make that feeling of uncertainty your friend.
– Things Reid Hoffman Says
And suddenly you know.
It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.
– Meister Eckhart
(yeah, not really sure who that is, but)
Amateurs!
We tend to underestimate the value of our amateurishness. We earn as professionals, but we enjoy life the most as amateurs—as ordinary musicians, artists, cricketers and chess players.
Things Goethe Says
I think I really only know two things Goethe says so this is a pretty niche topic to start. Both are worth it, though.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it Now.
The other?
Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.
More?
Things Annie Dillard Says (via The Writing Life)
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
Things Tom Hanks Says
Show up on time;
Know your lines;
Have an idea in your pocket.
Process
Process saves us from the poverty of our intentions.
– Elizabeth King
Not Really About Juggling
Seth Godin on juggling:
“Well, the way I’ve taught people how to juggle is simple. I give them one ball and we spend between 20 minutes and 30 minutes throwing the ball and letting it hit the ground, no catching. Then we add the second ball. Throw, throw, drop, drop. No catching. Throw, throw, drop, drop. If you do that for 40 minutes total, you’re going to be really good at throwing. If you get really good at throwing, the catching takes care of itself. This is the part about divorce from the outcome because all we care about, if we want to learn to juggle, is to learn to throw.
The metaphor I cannot escape which is, getting better at throwing is what we have to do to build resilience, and it’s what we have to do to live in a world that’s changing ever faster.”