Is there such a thing as talent? Does it exist? The more I think about it, the less likely I think it is. There’s definitely skill acquisition, but I think talent is a myth. I think we call people talented because we see the result of their hard work and perseverance. And because we see…
At the end of 2014, I started what I called the Genius Project. The idea was to explore the concept of putting in 10,000 hours of work and using deliberate practice towards my playwriting to achieve mastery or become a “genius” in that realm. For just over a year, I kept track of the activities…
I was going to write a post about how sticking to something and continuously working on a skill will get you further ahead than someone who has “talent” but doesn’t work at it. I got a déjà vu feeling and did a quick search. I wrote about it 8 years ago! I still think it…
I remember being excited about getting my first smart phone. I’d be able to play Sudoku! When I got my second smart phone, it was the ability to play Trivia Crack that excited me. Of course, I quickly loaded Facebook and Messenger on it and soon I didn’t have to worry about being bored for…
In 2015, I read How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams. One of the main ideas from the book was “goals are for losers and systems are for winners.” Since that time, I’ve been trying to find a system that would work for me. A system is a set…
Austin Kleon, the author of Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work has a new book out: Keep Going. Like the other books, it’s full of great advice, easy to read, and fun to look at. His books can be consumed in a single sitting but I tried to savour the experience by reading…
A couple of years after Deb and I got married, we were living at my Grandmother’s house because my Grandfather had passed away. My aunts had made the suggestion because it would give Deb and me the ability to live rent free and my Grandmother wouldn’t have to make any major life decisions right away…
The other day, I spoke about using the Miracle Morning SAVERS to start my day. Recently, I’ve found my mind “arguing” more about getting up early and coaxing me to stay in bed. It’s cold out of the covers. It’s too early. You were up late last night. I’ve had to do a few six…
I was talking to someone about one of the plays I’m working on and they made a comment on the subject matter. “That’s unfortunate,” they said. “People are sensitive about that topic now.” The comment made me oddly defensive and before I knew it, I said, “You write what wants to get written.” I didn’t…
Last weekend, Deb, Tara and I were part of a volunteer effort to clean up some lanes in Hamilton. Our lane wasn’t originally on the list, but it got added when Deb decided to volunteer. Our job was to set up a table and the organizers would bring some supplies. We would organize the volunteers…
peter gruner 