Personal Mission Statement

This past week, Apple posted a tribute to Steve Jobs to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his passing. It's been a while, but I remember watching the original interview he gave back in 1995, and the impact that this wisdom had on me:

Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it... Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again.

Simple, yet transformative and also easy to overlook and to forget.

You have the power to change things.

I know it's always easier said than done. Still, as I get older (dare I say a slight amount wiser?), grounding yourself in a few things you hold dear.. your convictions .. things that define who you are as a person or leader .. a personal mission statement, can be a powerful force in defining your success and happiness.

Identify your purpose and why it matters so much to you: A manifesto on how you want to live.

It will help be a guide, especially in times of darkness or feeling lost or overwhelmed. A map to meet long-term goals.

Maybe someday I'll write a longer post on tips or tricks on coming up with a personal manifesto; they aren't easy, and I haven't got it all figured out. Just work on smashing it down over time to concise and revisit creating something rock solid that emotes your vision.

If you don't have one, why not start today?

And if you have no idea where to start, rip off the great mentor Dicky Fox says: 'the key to (this business) is personal relationships.' That's a good one.

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Forward Thinking

I've been a big fan of James Mickens, Professor of Computer Science at Harvard, ever since seeing his keynote at a conference a few years back.

In "my love letter to computer science is very short," he examines tech companies, user data, and ethical use of data. A quick must-watch for this week. (For extra credit, go watch "there are no secrets").

Thought of the week

This weeks "Deep Links"

Here are a few of the articles and videos that resonated with me over the last week:

• For all the condiment fans out there (you know who you are), here's "The Ketchup Conundrum." While there's a bunch on different types of mustard, this read tries to put a lens on why ketchup has stayed the same - More
• Halide is a must-have app for the iPhone, and in "iPhone Macro: A Big Day For Small Things" the team digs into the new camera system and the incredible macro lens in the iPhone 13 Pro - More
• Now that season 1 has wrapped up, "What kind of show was Marvel's 'What If…?' meant to be?" explores the pros, the cons, and the potential of the series (spoilers within) - More
• "Rachel, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross . . . and Wolfgang" looks at Wolfgang Van Halen and his happy place - an armchair in a replica of Central Perk, the coffee shop on the sitcom' Friends.' - More
• "What Pop Culture Tells You About Turning 45" - You're old. That's what it tells you. - More
• "Why online communities die" examines the barren wasteland of online communities, and what makes others survive Digital Darwinism - More
• Vision (Captain America: Civil War) posits: 'Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe.', but in "Conflict Is Rocket Fuel for Teams" a look at the potential positive side on how teams come together through conflict and challenges - More
• I didn't know about da Vinci's journal habit until I read "How To Journal Like Leonardo da Vinci." I feel like I now need to reference each of mine as a codex (side note: dot grid remains the superior paper type) - More
• "How 30 Lines of Code Blew Up a 27-Ton Generator" looks as 'secret experiment in 2007 proved that hackers could devastate power grid equipment beyond repair—with a file no bigger than a GIF' - More
• From Finn's Cave comes "Entrepreneurial Motivations: Light and Shadow Forces"; a great look at the hidden motivations behind starting companies, and the toll it can take on you - More

Fin

Finishing this week with a few zen garden videos by the fabulous Yuki Kawae. Considered a "zen artist," I've killed more time than I'd care to share on watching these mesmerizing works.