5 ms·

- Losing my Virginity, by Richard Branson and Edward Whitley. It made me realize I've never really hustled in my life. Reading it was a humbling experience. Whe

- Losing my Virginity, by Richard Branson and Edward Whitley. It made me realize I've never really hustled in my life. Reading it was a humbling experience. When I finished the book I was on the verge of tears, an odd mix of shame and wonder. - Impro, by Keith Johnstone. It's about theatre, human flaws and taking back your self-expression. I'd gift it to anyone I know, if I could. 'What's for supper?' a bad improviser will desperately try to think up something original. Whatever he says he'll be too slow. He'll finally drag up some idea like 'fried mermaid'. If he'd just said 'fish' the audience would have been delighted. No two people are exactly alike, and the more obvious an improviser is, the more himself he appears. If he wants to impress us with his originality, then he'll search out ideas that are actually commoner and less interesting. [...] People trying to be original always arrive at the same boring old answers. [...] An artist who is inspired is being obvious. He's not making any decisions, he's not weighing one idea against another. He's accepting his first thoughts. [...] Striving after originality takes you far away from your true self, and makes your work mediocre.

thomk 12y ago
What do you mean you realized you'd never "really hustled in your life"? Explain.
- Red_Tarsius 12y ago
  In the past I had ideas I didn't act on because of I was afraid of failure. I told myself that it just couldn't be done because [insert bullshit]. In that regard, Richard Branson is like the fool of folklore culture: "he didn't know it was impossible, so he did it". He started a business before turning 20 and made incredibly heavy decisions without much self-doubt. He was a Just-do-it machine. The book inspired me to stop making excuses and be more confident.
twobits 12y ago
"It made me realize I've never really hustled in my life. Reading it was a humbling experience. When I finished the book I was on the verge of tears, an odd mix of shame and wonder." There is a lot of survivor bias in that.

thomk 12y ago

What do you mean you realized you'd never "really hustled in your life"? Explain.

Red_Tarsius 12y ago
In the past I had ideas I didn't act on because of I was afraid of failure. I told myself that it just couldn't be done because [insert bullshit]. In that regard, Richard Branson is like the fool of folklore culture: "he didn't know it was impossible, so he did it". He started a business before turning 20 and made incredibly heavy decisions without much self-doubt. He was a Just-do-it machine. The book inspired me to stop making excuses and be more confident.

twobits 12y ago

"It made me realize I've never really hustled in my life. Reading it was a humbling experience. When I finished the book I was on the verge of tears, an odd mix of shame and wonder." There is a lot of survivor bias in that.