Doing What Works

It’s impossible to love people exactly as much as they do you, to get paid exactly as much as your time is worth, to be rewarded with cosmic goodies commensurate with your good deeds. We answer the “How lopsided is too lopsided?” question in this edition of Doing What Works.

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The peace you feel without their presence in your life is worth being the villain in their story.

Once you realize your efforts and rewards are not related, it really frees up your calendar.

Successful people cut their losses early.

I’ve got a song. I carry it with me and I sing it loud. If it gets me nowhere I’ll go there proud.

Katie sprained her ankle just before Christmas, and navigating NYC -- first on crutches, then with a knee scooter -- has been awful. And wonderful! This edition of Doing What Works is quite a ride.

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Are you spending time worrying about how not to hurt someone’s feelings who deserves to get those feelings hurt?

Reliable heat, hot water on demand, level surfaces. These are a few of my favorite things, and I no longer take them for granted. What about you? How would you like a gratitude-packed edition of Doing What Works?

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Barbara Sher said the passage of time drives you crazy when you know you’re not using it right.

Do you take technology for granted?

Hedonic adaptation is a way of taking things for granted.

If you feel like you have more than your share of winceworthy moments, this edition of Doing What Works is for you!

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We tend to romanticize the road not taken.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years!

The Other Side of the Mountain was a touchstone for my sisters and me.

Sliding Doors was a touchstone for people Katie’s age.

Choose the bigger life.

You finally pull off something you’re not only proud of but think will change the trajectory of your career, and that doesn’t happen. Now what? We’re glad you asked! And we think you’ll find this edition of Doing What Works as thought-provoking as we do.

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“I have no cherished outcomes.”

“We have a right only to our labor, not to the fruits of our labor.”

Jack Canfield’s yellow notebook story!

The karaoke scene in My Best Friend’s Wedding that’s a great example of committing to the bit.

Don’t do something only because you started; that’s a terrible reason. It’s one of our guiding principles, we’ll cover a few more in this edition of Doing What Works, and we’ll inspire you to think about your own.

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“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning."

“Choose the bigger life."

“Making the same mistake over and over again is called a decision.”

“What is the price of admission?”

Where does your mind go when it wanders? If those reveries skew negative we have some ideas for you in this encore edition of Doing What Works.
 
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“I Worried” is a poem by Mary Oliver.
 
Improv Wisdom might inspire you to commit to the bit.
 
Mel Robbins suggests you ask yourself this: “What if it all works out?”

Is it possible to move through the world without lying? Do you bristle at people who claim they do? And are white lies really that innocent? We do our best to give you honest answers to those questions in this encore edition of Doing What Works. We also inspire you to evaluate the quality of your relationships by how grounded they are in truth.
 
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“Be impeccable with your word” is the first agreement in The Four Agreements.
 
The Honest Truth About Dishonesty might inspire you to realize you lie more than you think.
 
Does wearing fake designer sunglasses prime you to be dishonest in other ways?
 
White lies are a gateway to bigger lies.

Being wrong gets a bad rap, and our producer thinks this exploration of that topic is the best edition of Doing What Works yet. It’s worth a listen just to hear Katie’s take on what’s at stake!

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Have you been inserting trash bags the wrong way?

Ten thousand ways that won’t work is what some of us call…not failing!

How Not to Be Wrong is the right book to read if you really, really hate being wrong.

A name is often a destiny. In this edition of Doing What Works we suggest you proceed accordingly.

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The story behind “A Boy Named Sue.”

“Play Me” was featured in Fleishman Is in Trouble.

“I Got a Name” was featured in Somewhere in Queens.

“A Horse with No Name” is not, shall we say, universally loved.

Adding “in progress” to the name of a project is bad juju.

Art is never finished, only abandoned.

Wabi sabi is the beauty of imperfect things.

Architect Sarah Susanka uses fruit to illustrate what’s memorable.