Philosophy

I used to have a basic philosophy page here that outlined a purpose statement of sorts for my life and work. This is how the first paragraph went:

I believe that doing good work is an expression of love for other people. Whether I’m managing a project or writing content, I strive to put the person who’ll ultimately be affected by my work at the forefront of my process. I approach challenges strategically and creatively, and I seek to develop sustainable processes that enhance productivity and effectiveness. My hope is that by leveraging my skills and abilities, I can create things that help make the world a better place—both now and in the future.

That statement still holds true nearly five years later, but it's time for a refreshed, more extensible format. The following statements are inspired by list-style manifestos like Sol Lewitt's "Sentences on Conceptual Art," the "signals" that drive 37Signals, and Dru Riley's "100 Rules to Live By." I love that format because it's simultaneously broad and deep, and it offers a bunch of bite-sized nuggets for the reader.

I believe that one's philosophy ought to be fluid and change with new learnings, insights and experiences. As such, this page is a work in progress and may be updated or altered at any time.

On Collaboration

• Put more thought in it than anyone else so they don't have to think about it. If you're tasked with making something, don't wait for other people to find the contingencies or loops that need to be closed up. Thorough thinking shows you care about the project and the people involved.
• Listen to everyone's ideas. This means holding your tongue and letting others have the floor even if you disagree or think their ideas are dumb. You'd be surprised at how many great ideas float to the surface simply because you took the time to listen.

On Teaching + Learning

• Be teachable. This is the first and most important quality for teaching others. Lots of people today want to teach others, but they don't necessarily want to be taught by others. This is a deadly form of pride which disqualifies them from the very position they seek—even if what they have to say is valuable.
• Teaching requires patience. If you're impatient, you'll have a hard time teaching others.
• Teaching is about taking the long view. It takes time for teaching to have it's effect. This is true whether you are teaching kids, students, direct reports, mentees, and so forth. Look far, far down the road and wait for the fruit.
• Embrace continuous learning. It's OK to not know everything. Take the effort to learn new things. It makes the journey more fun.

On Creativity

• Don't overthink it. It's easy to overwork things or think that a design/piece of writing/conversation needs more. Less is (usually) more.
• Trust your gut. This is a practice, a posture, and a point of growth. Honing your creative instinct means that you'll become more comfortable with listening to your gut over time.
• Study the past. Interpret the present. Anticipate the future. A good grasp of history is key for understanding where we are today. And to make great work today, you have to understand the cultural moment we're in, which involves understanding the developments that got us here in the first place. No one can predict the future, but it's possible to make educated guesses and be ready for the future when it arrives.
• Don't worry about being original. This comes from C.S. Lewis, who wrote, "Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it."
• Stop the scroll and find longform inspiration. Social media decimates attention and creativity. Longform content like books, articles, and podcasts have staying power and add fodder for creativity.

On Work

• If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. This is self-explanatory.
• Tenacity is crucial to solving problems. Root cause analysis takes patience, focus, and a determination to see things through.

On Design

• Do it for the love. If what you're doing isn't fueled by love, you'll run out of gas very quickly. This doesn't mean that every job will be the bee's knees—some jobs are terrible. But it's possible to keep going when there's a deeper love driving things: love for family, love for the craft, love for a job well done, etc.
• Wearing in is better than wearing out. This comes from the late Bill Moggridge, co-founder of IDEO. Many products today are meant to wear out. It's far better to make things that wear in and become better over time.
• Simple is always in style. Fads come and go and circle 'round again. Attributes like simplicity, clarity, and longevity always stand the test of time.

On Technology + Software

• Never forget that computers are a tool. Streaming services and social media have tricked us into forgetting that computuers are truly a technolgical marvel that can be used for all sorts of incredible creative endeavor. Entertainment is fine, but a computer can help you do much more if you use it wisely.
• Never forget that computers are stupid. The rise of AI has people convinced that computers can "think" and "reason." They can't. Computers are sand that can do high-level math. If you work with computers in any capacity and you want to stay sane, you have to know your adversary. And in this instance, knowing your adversary means knowing that it is literally as dumb as a rock.
• The best software is the one that solves the problem. There's no one right answer here. Sometimes open source makes sense. Sometimes proprietary makes sense. Sometimes SaaS. Sometimes self-hosted. It doesn't matter if it's the latest and greatest either. Find what works and use it.

On Writing and Communication

• Find your astonishment and give voice to it. This comes from the writer Annie Dillard. There are things that catch and captivate each one of us. Look for that thing and share it with anyone who will listen.
• If you want to communicate well, you should write and write often. Words are the material for communication. As with anything, you have to practice to do it well.
• Any form of writing can be an opportunity to practice good communication. I get more reps in by writing detailed emails to colleagues than anywhere else. Use every form of written communication to practice your style and hone your voice—including emails and text messages.
• Their language is more important than your language. When writing for any audience, use terms that make sense to them—not you—even if that means saying things in a way that you wouldn't do so naturally.
• Make things make sense for the average person. When discussing ideas, not everyone will understand what you're talking about. It's critical to recast, rephrase, and re-articulate your ideas until they make sense to the intended recipient.
• Questions > Statements. Anyone can make an assertion. Few people can ask good questions.