Blog Posts
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The blind woman without a toe
Excerpt from Apple & Knife by Intan Paramadith This is an excerpt from the book Apple & Knife by Intan Paramaditha, translated by Stephen J. Epstein. The book is a collection of short stories, and this is from the first short story called “The Blind Woman Without a Toe.” Come. Come, child. Sit by me.…
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How to eliminate competition for your business
Have you ever wondered about the best way to strategically position your business? While I was reading Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborone, they talked about how to completely eliminate competition by creating your own market (a blue ocean). They talk about how successful it can be (with lots of examples),…
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Achilles and Patroclus
Excerpt from The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller This is an excerpt from the book The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. You must not go. I almost said it, a thousand times. Instead I held his hands fast between mine; they were cold, and very still. ‘I do not think I could bear…
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How to be more proactive in life and business
Have you ever wondered how important it is to be proactive? As I was reading Upstream by Dan Heath, he discusses the benefits of being proactive and how best to identify and address hidden problems in a complex system. Main impacts Aim to prevent, not react Ideally, we need to do more than just react…
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Jellyfish and turtles in the sea
Excerpt from The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway This is an excerpt from the book The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. The strange light the sun made in the water, now that the sun was higher, meant good weather and so did the shape of the clouds over the…
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The value of diverse personality types
Have you ever wondered about the diversity of personality types? In Susan Cain’s book Quiet, she discusses the power of being an introvert, and how we need to embrace all personality types. She highlights the strengths of introverts, but also emphasizes the importance of being yourself and focusing on your own personal growth and self…
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You are the greatest woman I’ve ever met
Excerpt from Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou. This is an excerpt from the book Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou. We reached the middle of the block and were enveloped in the stinging acid aroma of vinegar from the pickle factory on the corner of Fillmore and Fulton streets. I…
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How to kick start your project
Have you ever wondered how to maintain your motivation for a project? I was reading Kick Start Your Success by Romanus Wolter, and he describes ways to both kick start your projects, maintain your motivation, and achieve your goals. He discusses the intent behind your work and how to inspire others to engage with your…
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Sharing the power
Excerpt from The Power by Naomi Alderman This is an excerpt from the book The Power by Naomi Alderman. ‘Show me.’ Jos narrows her eyes. ‘I can’t…I’d hurt you.’ ‘Have you been practising? Can you control it well enough so you know you wouldn’t kill me, or give me a fit?’ Jos takes a deep…
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Why you should get diverse career experience
Are you struggling to figure out your career? As I was reading Range by David Epstein, he outlines how generalists tend to succeed in careers, especially in our current world. He talks about the benefits from gaining diverse experience, and the potential downside to becoming too specialized. He also highlights a handful of people who…