Doing What Works

Rejection is part of life, so why not have a little fun with it? If you’re a writer, make a game out of collecting rejections (because at least you’re pitching your work). If you’re looking for that special someone, see how many dates you can cram into a week (because worst case, you’ll probably make a few friends). If you’re looking for anything at all, try telling everyone you know (because that person might not know how to help, but might know someone who knows someone who could). In this edition of Doing What Works we maintain it’s less a numbers game, believe it or not, than an intention game.

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“Your Heart Is a Muscle” is a song by Carly Rae Jepsen [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRQDQQmBrTY].

“If equal affection cannot be, let the more loving one be me.” That’s W. H. Auden [https://mailchi.mp/themarginalian/hope-love?e=7a805d5db9].

If you find yourself more annoyed than you, quote, should be at a criticism or even just an observation, maybe it’s because your identity’s all tied up in that area. In this edition of Doing What Works Katie and I bare our souls and talk about the criticism that’s stung the most. People still push our buttons once in a while, but knowing those buttons exist help us move on more quickly.

No show notes this time!

I’m texting Katie and it occurs to me to say, “I’m dead.” I don’t, though. I use a skull emoji. “It was like watching a baby take her first steps,” Katie told me in this edition of Doing What Works. I’m as late to the texting and emoji parties as it’s possible to be, and I’m finding -- as the folks at Disney might say -- a whole new world. Care to join us for a look around?

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Dr. Nick Morgan [https://publicwords.com/] says most communication is nonverbal, and using emojis can help. They’re even making their way into books.

“In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight.” That’s from Pretty Woman [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100405/quotes/qt0466922].

Because Internet [https://www.amazon.com/Because-Internet-Understanding-Rules-Language/dp/0735210934] is an analysis of how communication unfolds online.

Katie made a mistake at work. Maureen was unjustly accused of a mistake in traffic. And Darrell made a mistake in a photo lab when processing someone’s wedding pictures. Oh, but that isn’t all. We have many more examples of boo-boos in this edition of Doing What Works. We also have surefire ways to -- if not fix those -- at least not make things worse.

No show notes this time!

Everything in moderation. Give yourself a cheat day. Have a few bites of dessert. Yeah? For some of us, that’s the undoing. But you do need treats -- in your diet, and in life -- and in this edition of Doing What Works we’ll inspire you to spend that time and money mindfully.

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Halo Top [https://halotop.com/] is my treat from now on.

A newborn’s range of vision is 8 to 15 inches, which happens to be the distance between a mother and baby’s face while breastfeeding [https://raisedgood.com/science-proves-new-mothers-trust-instincts/].

Picture this. You interrupt the characters in a movie to ask them what their story is about. “We’re living it,” I can imagine them saying, annoyed. “How can you expect us to know?” Yet if you’re anything like me you’re forever asking yourself what you’re playing at. Now what? Start with this edition of Doing What Works! Katie inspired me to experiment with my life, and to save the postgame for later.

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Steve Jobs said you can only connect the dots looking backward [https://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/].

Eudaimonia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudaimonia] was the term for “the highest human good in older Greek tradition.”

Life, liberty, and…property? [https://didyouknow.org/life-liberty-and-property/]

Success isn’t a talent contest. It’s a story contest. That’s from Daniel Coyle [https://gretchenrubin.com/2022/05/author-interview-daniel-coyle].

Reality+ [https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Virtual-Worlds-Problems-Philosophy/dp/0393635805] changed Katie’s perception of the word “real.”

The Power of Myth [https://www.amazon.com/Power-Myth-Joseph-Campbell/dp/0385418868] is based on “one of the most popular series in the history of American public television.”

“Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth. The people who wanted it the least were the ones I wanted to date and be friends with in high school. The people who want it most are the people I now hire to work for my company.” That’s Taylor Swift, in a commencement address at Yankee Stadium to the NYU Class of 2022 [https://variety.com/2022/music/news/taylor-swift-nyu-speech-commencement-yankee-stadium-graduation-doctorate-1235270824/].

Have you noticed what Katie and I have, that the minute you address one fear all the others jockey for that top slot? Or what Darrell and I have, that living in the wilderness is great practice for separating life-or-death issues from those just easy to ruminate on? In this edition of Doing What Works we wrestle with what price to put on peace of mind.

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Worry postponement. It’s a thing [https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-postponement/]!

The Big Leap [https://www.amazon.com/Big-Leap-Conquer-Hidden-Level-ebook/dp/B0026772QU] might help you decide if your worries are worth attending to.

Creativity, Inc. [https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration-ebook/dp/B00FUZQYBO] will help you “overcome the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration.”

Interns get jobs, and sometimes those internships save them from taking jobs that aren’t right for them. It’s a free sample, but for something more important than a pretzel. In this edition of Doing What Works I’ll share, following Katie’s lead, what it was like to work on a construction crew on the interstate near Grand Island, Nebraska.

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Would you like to sample a new career [https://www.pivotplanet.com/advisors/entrepreneur/brian-kurth--3]?

Darrell jokes that it isn’t really a party until someone starts crying. Katie says the story I open this edition of Doing What Works with is as far from “party” as it’s possible to be. But between the three of us I bet you’ll have more than a few ideas for upping your party game. Here’s hoping!

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Lifestyle expert Bruce Littlefield [http://www.brucelittlefield.com/] says you’ll want a theme for your soiree.

Enthusiasm is a form of social courage [https://gretchenrubin.com/2014/04/secret-of-adulthood-enthusiasm-is-a-form-of-social-courage].

If you want clouds in that pretend sky you’re decorating the ceiling to look like, you’ll need some angel hair [https://www.etsy.com/listing/1019582267/iridescent-angel-hair-craft-strands?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_all&utm_custom1=_k_42da5c093cb012d1e0ee3e83ddb601dd_k_&utm_content=bing_319339186_1310617986645934_81913644654434_pla-4585513245482005:pla-4585513245482005_c__1019582267&utm_custom2=319339186].

Ice cream cone cupcakes are always a hit [https://www.food.com/recipe/ice-cream-cone-cupcakes-17865]. Promise!

If you hate feeling rushed, you’ll build in plenty of margin to make sure there’s enough time to do what you need to do. Right? Wrong! Many of us don’t excel at managing ourselves, and that’s why the discomfort ramps up when we’re put in charge of managing others. In this edition of Doing What Works we talk about the things you didn’t learn in school that would’ve come in handy once you graduated.

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Creativity, Inc. [https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration/dp/0812993012] author Ed Catmull might make you wary of the so-called wisdom of adages. They’re useful as a starting point, but experience is the best teacher.

Your bad planning is not my emergency [https://duckduckgo.com/?q=your+poor+planning+is+not+my+emergency&t=brave&iax=images&ia=images].

Want an entertaining way to learn to be a leader? Try the movie Broadcast News [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092699/].