Ask great questions, and Paul Graham’s How to Do Great Work

Imagine sitting at a dinner table.

Time is frozen.

Your friends or family surround you. This is where conversation happens.

What do you say?

Yesterday, I would have said something like “what book are you enjoying? Or “what have you learned recently?”.

I love learning- especially about people.

But today, I would say something very different.

I would say something similar to: “what is a good question you have been asking lately?”

Paul Graham has probably created more questions in my mind than anything else past 30 days.

His writing reminds me a lot of Derek Sivers. Reading their words feels like a longtime curious expert has paused in their work to explain something they thought was important. Like an expert chef has been creating some absurd levitating cheese foam, and then stops and turns — frothy cheese gently floating off their spoon — and starts talking about some important thing that changed how they worked with water when they cooked.

Here is a great example from How to Do Great Work paulgraham.com/greatwork.html:

“Once you’ve found something you’re excessively interested in, the next step is to learn enough about it to get you to one of the frontiers of knowledge. Knowledge expands fractally, and from a distance its edges look smooth, but once you learn enough to get close to one, they turn out to be full of gaps

I’ve experienced a little bit of this already. Get close to the customer to find the real problems, ask them to show you. Ask why they do things, what they need and expect.

But Graham is talking about finding a way to follow other learners, learn what they found, and get close to the edge.

When I think about diving deep into something, learning to get close to the edge, where the gaps are…I sense fear and worry suddenly appear.

But what if it takes a long time?

What if I do all the work and get there, and I don’t find anything of use beyond the learning?

What if I don’t find valuable gaps?

How does the fear and anxiety “help” me? What protection does it serve?

Part of me feels drawn to doing things the same way- repeating the same instructions that others did to get the same result. A safe choice. A known outcome. The same painting, different colors. My life the result of a borrowed franchise manual.

Dictating artist interviews

I’ll let you know how Dragon Naturally Speaking (rebate ) does transcribing Amy Nack from Wingtip Press in Boise.

I’ve always loved a great interview, especially with artists. This was one of my first interviews I’ve recorded and I loved it. Read Amy’s interview by the Idaho Commission for the Arts.

Amy is one of the most connected print artists in Boise and the only one I know that is so open with her studio to other print makers.

Sitting in a quiet room

For the past year I’ve really struggled to make meditation a daily part of my life. Years ago, when I was living in apartments with other guys as a bachelor, I think it was easier to make time to meditate. Being married is great- I always have someone nearby to laugh and talk to. With my wife away on a crafting retreat, in my boredom I’ve gotten to re-experience what it is like to release my constant activity and focus right on God.

Here’s a great quote from an amazing sermon: “Phillippeans: A Rebel’s Guide to Joy” I’m reading by Mark Driscoll (Mars Hill Church, Seattle):

“We tend to divert ourselves. That’s why the Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard said, “If I could prescribe one remedy for the human condition, I would assign every human being to sit alone in silence in their room so they can meditate on their misery.” Because what tends to happen is we’re not happy, and rather than think about that, we just keep working, keep playing, keep sleeping.”

I’m not miserable, but in my rush to do… I don’t know what, I miss accepting what I’m going through. Two days ago I really wanted to come  home, watch TV, read the mail (I normally don’t want to process the mail) and not work on my teaching sermon. It felt so good to put the mail aside, sit there on the couch with the sun streaming in and quiet myself. Just focus on God, letting every thought go away.

“We tend to be miserable. That we don’t like to think about being miserable, so we create diversions. We think about something else. We do something to take our mind off our misery.” -Blaise Pascal, 17th century Christian philosopher

Just like every time I meditate, today thoughts came rushing in my brain: rap songs I should make, furniture I should make, things I should buy, art I should do, things at work, friends, fears, etc. I love humor. For me to be food at humor, I’ve trained my mind to constantly be pulling new and different ideas together. The frustrating thing is when I want to turn those thoughts off to meditate. It all comes flooding in and I have to work to let it go. It feels good to tell myself connecting to God is more important. Now, when I’m obeying it is like I’m doing it right in front of God, which feels good- and makes me focus even stronger.

I did the same thing today, called a friend and chatted about our day. I went home, sat on the couch (and even though I was hungry and wanted to just eat a huge meal) and just closed my eyes and was silent.

I could hear the clock on the wall, the fridge running, little faint noises in the background but man it was so calming. 

I re-read the above paragraphs and realized how I said “it feels good” several times. But, that statement makes sense. When I come home to myself and practice something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, it should feel good, right?

 

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, Owner: (Registered business address: Germany), processes personal data only to the extent strictly necessary for the operation of this website. All details in the privacy policy.