Once a month, I curate the best links on how to find work that you love, be excellent at what you do, and unlock any door that stands in your way. Mostly, I gather articles and podcasts that capture my attention because they make me think or laugh. Here is the first link round-up for 2016!
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
• The microwave oven, safety glass, smoke detectors, artificial sweeteners and x-ray imaging all came about as the result of serendipity, as do over 50% of all patents. Which leads us to ask: do some people have a talent for serendipity or is it just dumb luck?
• The New York Time’s readers contributed a story and a photograph of someone close to them who died last year. Here are the moving tributes.
• Ready to make 2016 your best year yet? Here are 100 small but easy ways to make it happen. My favorite: “Listen before speaking”. I also really like “Invest in an awesome mattress”.
• While we are at it, what if we made goals that were more about loving what we have rather than chasing what we don’t (which is why a good mattress is key!). Here are a few ideas to get you started.
• Jessica Alba went from a pretty girl in a bikini to the head of a billion dollar company. Her transition was not always an easy one, but her story is inspiring to anyone who is trying to build a business that makes a difference.
• I always thought that being an obituary writer would be such an interesting job. Turns out that dying, like living, is never easy. Here’s a behind the scenes peek at the obituary column for the New York Times.
• Looking for an Airbnb experience with a little extra luxury and TLC? Try onefinestay: the pioneers of handmade hospitality.
• Do you live in Portland, Oregon? On the first Saturday of every month, check out LETTERS & BRUNCH. Eat delicious food. Sip a mimosa. Write a few heartfelt letters. Leave full and happy.
• The kind of work we do often presents us with the Hobson’s choice of having a job that nourishes the soul versus one that nourishes the wallet. If given the choice, what would you choose?
• I love this Dani Shapiro piece On Mentors. “We need those who are able to remind us to become who we are.”
• The grass always looks greener. Working in Silicon Valley always seems like the nirvana so many people are striving for. But every story has two sides. Read: What’s Eating Silicon Valley?
• I don’t always love these best of lists but these 600 bright young entrepreneurs, talents and change agents are certainly an inspiration. The Forbes 30 Under 30 List (in 20 different categories).
• Need to learn the art of the pitch? Take a class on pitching yourself from Barbara Corcoran of Shark Tank.
• “Simple acts of kindness can make someone’s day and possibly even cause a worldwide ripple effect.” Read Alex Franzen’s post on Daymakers – people who are changing the world simply by making people’s days.
• Superintendent Tiffany Anderson is a daymaker.
• And check out these other Daymakers. The Turkish bride and groom who spent their wedding day feeding over 4000 refugees. Or the coffee shop that lets stray dogs sleep inside each night so they won’t be left in the cold. These are just two of 65 everyday people who have changed lives with their small acts of kindness.
Image: Willie Franklin.