Do the Boring Thing: Weeknotes #39
Not quite weeknotes, but ‘fortnight notes’ instead. Last weekend I went down to wales to play golf with some friends, so my ability to write and conclude the notes from my week was hamstrung. Post weekend away, everything moved quite quickly. So here we are.
Some things of note. I had a coffee with John last week. It was interesting and stimulating and wide-ranging as coffees often are with him. Just as we parted, he said of an idea i’d explained, that I should “do the boring thing”.
I asked him to explain. He then said that he meant was to read about the topic, buy books on the topic. Explore the adjacent topics. Go one or two steps removed. Explore all the synonyms. Write about the thing. Write about it again. And again. Keep going until every angle of the idea was covered. Be boring. But in doing so, push and prod and explore the edges of the subject.
What good advice this was. I’ve done just that. Buying a couple of books on the topic at hand and finding myself not only in a position where I understand more, but I’ve found ways to extend and utilise the subject matter as a metaphor in interesting ways too. It called to mind Matt Webb’s tips for blogging. “Give up on saying anything new. Most people haven’t read my old stuff. Play the hits”.
In other ‘boring’ news. I wrote an article for the IPA about the importance of their Excellence Diploma. I’ve written the same blog post a number of times, just never for the IPA and certainly not against the backdrop of the last nine months.
Played Golf at Royal Porthcawl. A very special place and perhaps the best conditioned golf course I’ve ever played.
Finishing two bigish projects at work at the moment which is very enjoyable as well as progressing a personal project that I mention above. Lots happening. A bit tired and need half term to come around.
Still reading The Contrarian. Have little to no motivation to finish it.
Finished Alien: Earth. Started watching Weapons. Fell asleep during Slow Horses.
