Perfect is useful

Perfect is useful. It’s an absolute measure, a north star, a chance to improve our work. But it’s also a shortcut to persistent dissatisfaction. Compared to perfect, it is helpful when we’re creating something. But it’s also worth noting that perfect is unattainable.

Let them run their own race

If someone hands you the whole thing on a silver platter, they gift you the result but rob you of the accomplishment. Remember this not only when chasing your dreams, but also when supporting others. Help along the way, but let them run their own race. Your job is to live life with them, not live their life for them.

Keep the goal

Keep the goal. Change your mind about how to reach it. One sign you're getting in your own way, is not changing your tactics when you're not getting the result you want.

Courage is knowing it might hurt,

Courage is knowing it might hurt, and doing it anyway. Stupidity is the same. And that's why life is hard.

If you play where you have an advantage

The first rule of competition is, that you are more likely to win if you play where you have an advantage. Doing so requires a firm understanding of what you know and what you don’t know. Your circle of competence is your personal sphere of expertise, the area where your knowledge and skills are concentrated. It’s the domain where you have a deep understanding, where your judgments are reliable, and your decisions are sound.

I don’t want a world in which we all agree

I’m very pleased to think that there are people with whom I agree on some issues and not others. I don’t want a world in which we all agree. I want a world in which people feel that they have the standing and confidence to feel that they can disagree. I’m interested in why people think as they do.

The emotions and desires behind the words

If the argument you’re hearing isn’t based on what we know to be true and doesn’t lead to a logical conclusion, it could be because it’s not actually seeking to be a productive discussion. When in doubt, look for the emotions and desires behind the words. People often don’t want their arguments to be heard as much as they’re hoping their emotions will be.