ideas collected by happy xiao
All the books of the world
will not bring you happiness,
but build a secret path
toward your heart.
What you need is in you:
the sun, the stars, the moon,
the illumination you were seeking
shines up from within you.
The quest for wisdom
made you comb the libraries.
Now every page speaks the truth
that flashes forth from you.
Readers' comments help you measure the popularity of the things you write about, but aren't much help in understanding your own skill levels, since they are simply not sensitive to writing skill beyond a certain level. They can tell beer apart from wine, but cannot tell varieties of wine apart. via
“If possible, there should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or videogames for you to fool around with. If there’s a window, draw the curtains or pull down the shades unless it looks out at a blank wall. For any writer, but for the beginning writer in particular, it’s wise to eliminate every possible distraction.” - On Writing by Stephen King
As far as I can tell, all greatness is achieved through novelty. It's doing things that other people don't want to do, doing things that other people are afraid to do, doing things that other people wouldn't even think about doing. -- Andrew Rosener
Novelist Richard Powers put it: “The best arguments in the world won’t change a single person’s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.”
things that aren't doing the thing
Preparing to do the thing isn't doing the thing.
Scheduling time to do the thing isn't doing the thing.
Making a to-do list for the thing isn't doing the thing.
Telling people you're going to do the thing isn't doing the thing.
Messaging friends who may or may not be doing the thing isn't doing the thing.
Writing a banger tweet about how you're going to do the thing isn't doing the thing.
Hating on yourself for not doing the thing isn't doing the thing. Hating on other people who have done the thing isn't doing the thing. Hating on the obstacles in the way of doing the thing isn't doing the thing.
Fantasizing about all of the adoration you'll receive once you do the thing isn't doing the thing.
Reading about how to do the thing isn't doing the thing. Reading about how other people did the thing isn't doing the thing. Reading this essay isn't doing the thing.
The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.
Michael Moynihan. “None of the tribes want you. They want you to be tribal. Tribes are boring. Who cares? Read books that are interesting. Read books that are bad. I was once attacked for ‘platforming’ somebody. How did you know that person was ‘bad?’ Because somebody ‘platformed’ them before. We used to call it reporting. Read what you want. Believe what you want. And never call yourself anything. It’s a dead end.”
They look at my paintings and say, “My four- year-old could have done that!”And I say, “Yes. But could you?”
-- Sam Messer
He who writes in blood and aphorisms does not want to be read, he wants to be learned by heart. - Nietzsche
Half-ass everything, with everything you've got. via
If you’re efficient, you’re doing it the wrong way. The right way is the hard way. The show was successful because I micromanaged it—every word, every line, every take, every edit, every casting. That’s my way of life. - Jerry Seinfeld
I don’t write long forms because I’m not interested in artificial deceleration. As soon as I see the glimmer of a consequence, I pull the trigger. - 300 Arguments
If you’re not prepared to sing alone, it’s difficult to get to the point where people sing along with you. - Seth Godin
Life is labor. And there are different types of labor—some are exploitative and meaningless, some are good and nourishing—but the truth remains that to fully take up space in your own life you have to do difficult things for a long time.
Chop wood, carry water. This is the entirety of my spiritual practice. When you avoid difficulty, you avoid your own gifts.