π£ Five short ideas for introspective strategists
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Hey friend β Rob here. Every now and then, i like to reflect on short and sharp quotes. They help the introspective side of me feel seen, which in turn makes me better around others. Here are five quick bites to get you in an introspective state as well. Mindfulness music optional! "Everybody wants to save the earth; nobody wants to help Mom do the dishes." P. J. O'Rourke Careful not to indulge in ego-driven productive procrastination, especially when the job is right in front of you. "It is often underestimated, how much talent is required to be a great reader." Zadie Smith And this is why even document summaries from Claude AI might miss what an astute brain would naturally pick up. "Thousands of people donβt like what I do. Fortunately, millions do." James Patterson Distinctiveness is not a game of absolutes, but of net positives. "So what exactly is phenomenology? It is essentially a method rather than a set of theories, and its basic approach can be conveyed through a two-word command: describe phenomena." Sarah Bakewell The single biggest contribution you can do to a project is give an outside world's perspective on its potential impact. "A great way to understand yourself is to reflect on everything you find irritating in others." Kevin Kelly Gossip builds bonds, but careful not to reveal more about yourself than about others. Keep swimming, Rob
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Salmon Theory
Helping savvy strategists swim upstream.
Hey friend β Rob here. Do you worry about things? Or at all? My suspicion is that you worry far too much about everything. But don't worry, so do i. I think it's part of what makes strategists minimally good at the job. We are always wondering what else we might be missing. It's not a point of advantage, but it's definitely a point of parity. Worrying means we don't take anything for granted. And that's the first ingredient you need to challenge preconceptions about a problem. However. As you...
Hey friend β Rob here. A few months ago i kicked off a video interview series, starting with Chris Rawlinson, founder of 42courses. You can watch it here. It was genuinely one of those wide ranging conversations where you start on point A and finish on point 37.1. And if that structure makes no sense, it's by design. I love randomness in exchanges. Anyway, there's tons of wisdom that i got out of Chris's brain, and some good lessons to help us all grow with a greater sense of compassion,...
Hey friend β Rob here. At its peak, Crispin Porter + Bogusky lived and died by a thought: βDon't write the idea, write the news headline.β This is true for creatives, but should also be true for our briefs. Sure β back them up, add context, explain where weβre coming from. But never lose sight of the headline of what you're asking. Friedrich Nietzsche once said: "I want to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book." How often do you see briefs that are comprehensive, but not clear?...