“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” — Linus Pauling
I came across that quote the other day and it’s the perfect explanation of why I seek out other people’s ideas and share my own with the world.
It’s also the perfect kick off to this week’s newsletter — a collection of 5 things I think you’ll be better off for seeing.
Let’s get into it…
1. JERRY SEINFELD’S 12 RULES FOR DOING YOUR BEST WORK
“Find the thing people want you to spend a lot of time on wastefully. Your work should feel unreasonable for anyone else but you. You should spend time on details that others don’t see.”
If you know anything about comedy, you know Jerry Seinfeld’s success has as much to do with his work ethic as it does his sense of humor.
Here is a summary of things he believes are key to doing great work including to find the torture you’re comfortable with and to get rid of the bottom 20% of your work every year.
2. THE IDEAS THAT POWERED BRUCE LEE’S LIFE
“Realizing that my emotions are both POSITIVE and negative I will form daily HABITS which will encourage the development of the POSITIVE EMOTIONS, and aid me in converting the negative emotions into some form of useful action.”
Bruce Lee’s personal journals are going to inspire you. This Brain Pickings post features incredible new excerpts from his writings that demonstrate his approach to life including his efforts to develop his willpower, reason, memory and imagination.
3. THE SIMPLEST THING YOU CAN DO TO BE HAPPIER
“Touching someone on the upper arm for just a second or two can have a surprisingly significant effect on how much help they then provide.”
If you were looking for an excuse to touch more people, this is it. This Time magazine article breaks down the huge impact that touching can have on just about every aspect of our lives.
Kissing your wife before you leave in the morning makes you 50% less likely to get in a car accident on your way to work, teams that touch the most wind up winning the most, and the more you hug, the happier you will be.
4. LOUIS CK SAID SOMETHING SMART – AGAIN
“It’s very dangerous to be liked by more people than should like you.”
That’s a pretty interesting concept, don’t you think?
5. DOUBLETHINK IS THE SECRET TO SUCCESS
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” — F.Scott Fitzgerald