WC 007: Creation, Maintenance, & Destruction

Something I've been wrestling with this week is the natural tension between expansion and maintenance in my work.

I think we're all bound to experience this when we have some degree of commitment to our own growth.

On one hand, we have to accept that we are well-equipped to step fully into our daily work, while on the other, we experience a calling to evolve and level-up.

Create more impact.

Serve more fully.

And along with this tension, we may also feel another force at play, one that calls for rest.

To hit pause.

Or maybe even to say to the hell with it all.

All three of these forces are powerful, and the ways in which they drive us often seem to be at odds.

A desire to create something new.

Original thought, fresh ideas, new offerings that chart meaningful progress.

Spontaneity that seeks to give birth to whatever creative impulse is arising in each moment of experience.

A need to maintain that which we've worked so hard to obtain.

Status. Reputation as an innovator.

Client rosters.

Revenue targets.

Repetitive action centering around mundane tasks that create value for our clients but leave us feeling dull and creatively bankrupt.

A desire to reinvent.

To let go of those part of us that we once took ourselves to be, and the ideas that no longer feel aligned.

And in less evolved moments, perhaps even the desire to throw away all that we've worked so hard to achieve. To burn it all down.

Pull the plug, and step off the wheel.

Creation. Maintenance. Destruction.

Seek, and you may find all of these forces at play.

And in moments when the tension runs high, I remind myself to remain childlike, open and receptive to whatever most naturally wants to happen.

Follow the charm.

Here's What I Want to Share This Week:

1. I wrote about design principles for an AI Optimized Stack. The headline is a bit of a bait and switch, but I think it's a message worth sharing. Check it out here.

2. A few folks have been asking about our current Project Management stack at Empire Engineering, so here it is. Boring I know, but an effective combo :)

3. I wrote about a thought experiment I'm currently running around taking notes in public. There's also an opportunity to get involved and contribute to a pretty cool cause if you are so inclined. Learn more about it here.

4. As part of my ongoing deep-dive into Web3, I minted my very first NFT. Admittedly, I don't know what the hell I'm doing, but that's half the fun. I'm open to the highest bid. Peep it here.

5. I wrote about 11 newsletter directories that attract potential readers as a valuable discovery opportunity. If you have a newsletter, or aspire to create one, read more here.​

Who We are Celebrating This Week: Michelle Crowder-Soellner

Michelle has been a lighthouse of positive energy within our Founding Member's community of Automated Intimacy.

Michelle serves multi-passionate creative entrepreneurs achieve their mission through her work at Conscientious Copy. Love the nod to Indiana Jones.

She's also a talented performer, who most recently has been involved with bringing the play, "Real Women Have Curves" to life at the Powerstories Theatre in Tampa Bay.

Thanks Michelle for being part of the community!

This Week's Curiosities :

Pony Messenger (Link)

I love the promise of this tool. A special place for conversations designed to foster deep connections. The way Pony does this is by delivering messages just once a day so you have the space to reflect and respond on your own time.

I have a few ideas incubating, but I'm not quite sure yet how I'll use this long-term. For now I'm enjoying a few select conversations on the platform. Use the link and drop me a note if you give it a try.

And it would also be perfectly reasonable to furrow your brow and say "Hey Phil, the last thing I need is another messaging platform in my life".

The 7th Week Sabbatical (Link) I recently learned about the idea of the 7th Week Sabbatical, and I gotta say, it sounds pretty good. ​ I'm playing with different work routines to maintain balance, so I'm taking this as input. Not 100% committed to this as the way forward, but it's a conversation I want to throw out there with my partners. Sounds like a book is on the horizon, so I'll be keeping an eye out for that to drop.

Gummy Search (Link)

I read a really interesting article this week that suggests google search results are dying, and have an obvious trust problem. As an alternative, many people are appending reddit to their search queries to get more "human" results. Playing off this emerging strategy, Gummy Search is a Reddit specific search engine.

They are really positioning themselves as a tool to discover your customer's pain points, what solutions they need, and what they are eager to pay for.

Marketers Rejoice!

Give it a try. I just grabbed their lifetime deal for myself while it's in beta.

Obsidian Sidekick (Link)

Only for the true nerds. Proceed with caution. This is an Obsidian plugin that auto-suggests new connections to make by underlining text that matches existing tags or links in your vault.

Curious more about how I'm using Obsidian? Check out my thought experiment here.

With appreciation,
​
Phil

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