The First Step Towards Becoming a Great Writer is to Let Yourself be a Bad One

Confused? So was I when a friend of mine sent me an email with this nugget of wisdom. The email itself wasn’t that special, but it did carry one of those fancy quotes at the bottom that people are rather fond of adding after their postscript in a needless attempt to sound sophisticated.

It took some searching, but I was able to narrow down the origin of this idea to an exceedingly brilliant essay by Anne Lamott, the author of Bird by Bird (1994), an instructional guide on how to write and manage a writer’s life. Specifically, it comes from the chapter titled ‘Shitty First Drafts’.

Why Recruiters Need to Reconsider the Way They Reject Potential Candidates

About half a year ago, I interviewed with a major health insurance corporation for the position of a data analyst. It was everything I’d been looking for: the job description, company location, and benefits almost perfectly fitting my expectations. I was also more than qualified for the position in question, a point that the recruiter went out of her way to mention during the interview.

I never heard from them again.

What Do You Suffer For?

Everything in life comes at a price. And that price is usually pain.

There are many different kinds of pain. The pain of loss, the pain of heartbreak, the pain of feeling unwanted, the pain of harsh labor. . .

But it isn’t how much pain you can tolerate that defines you, but what kind of pain you’re willing to take up.

Of Internet Anonymity and Trolls

“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” — John Wooden

The above quote summarizes one of the most fundamental aspects of human nature: that all of us, without exception, behave differently when alone. Anonymity frees us from a perceived obligation to act in accordance with certain social norms. For example, most people refrain from picking their nose in public, but dig with abandon when alone. By itself, this isn’t a surprising revelation. Fear of judgment is an innately powerful motivator, and has been well documented by psychologists for decades.

Say Hello To The Kryptonians Living Among Us

Take a good long look at the picture above. Go on. Stare at it for a whole minute.

Now tell me, do you feel an uncomfortable feeling gnawing at the pit of your stomach? Do you feel an unnatural feeling of dread enveloping your very being? Do you feel afraid, puny human?

You should. Because the creature up there is no ordinary shrimp.