The object isn't to be perfect. The goal isn't to hold back until you've created something beyond reproach. I believe the opposite is true. Our birthright is to fail and to fail often, but to fail in search of something bigger than we can imagine. To do anything else is to waste it all.

I've found that giving gifts is transformative. It makes me better. It clarifies my thinking and allows me to do better work.

In a race, sooner or later there's a moment that separates the winner from those who don't win. That instant is your chance, the moment you've been waiting for.

You market when you hire and when you fire. You market when you call tech support, and you market every time you send a memo.

If you borrow money to make money, you've done something magical. On the other hand, if you go into debt to pay your bills or buy something you want but don't need, you've done something stupid. Stupid and short-sighted and ultimately life-changing for the worse.

Please stop waiting for a map. We reward those who draw maps, not those who follow them.

The biggest takeaway for anyone seeking to write is this: don't go looking for the way other authors do their work. You won't find many who are consistent enough to copy, and there are enough variations in approach that it's obvious that it's not like hitting home runs or swinging a golf club. There isn't a standard approach, there's only what works for you (and what doesn't).