Tips and Tactics

2011 in Review

Sunset on a purple beach

In this last post of 2011, I reveal readership stats, future plans, and more…

Week 47 Roundup: Why We Read, Why We Laugh, Flow

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Danbo with a kiwi on his head

Hope all my fellow yanks had a good thanksgiving. If you pay attention to the media messages, you might think that Thanksgiving is just a pre-shopping fueling session for the Black Friday consumer orgy, but the real message is one that can truly benefit people: give thanks for what you have. (Even if you have [...]

Week 46 Roundup: Monticello, Procrastination, and Commuting

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Monticello

Where I write that Jefferson was a geek, commuting sucks, and excessive practicing is a form of procrastination.

Week 44 Roundup: Gaps, Ruts, and Word Births

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 Mind the gap. Sometimes you find that the work you’re creating is okay, but it’s not where you want it to be. You’ve been at it for awhile, but you’re not quite ready to get it out there. This dissatisfaction might be an aspect of Resistance, but other times you’re somewhere in what Ira Glass [...]

Week 43 Roundup: Muttering to Yourself, Genetics, and More

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jack-o-lanterns!

Interested in writing while walking, the role of genetics in your inherent intelligence, or the benefits of loneliness? Then check out this post!

Week 42 Roundup: Updates, NaNoWrimo, and More…

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West Virginia Fall Sunset

Weekly roundups, back from the dead! Plus, a plan for Happenchance for the next few months.

Which Digit Should You Sever?

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Bespectacled man with an axe at the filling station

Recently I picked up another book from the eminent psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. In this work, Csikszentmihalyi follows up on his seminal book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Long-time Happenchance readers know that I’ve made much hay about the flow state and how, in my opinion, [...]

14 Ways to Maintain Your Creative Output (During a 50 Hour Work Week)

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a person on a beach getting some serious rest

Even though creative work is fun and rewarding, it’s still work that requires a significant amount of time, energy, and focus. Here I share 14 strategies I use to maintain my creative output while maintaining full-time employment.

Stop Whining and Start Grinding

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Dragon y Luna

Building your own skills is similar to building a character in an RPG (albeit far more complex and interesting). To improve your life, build your skills, and level up, you have to do some grinding. Read more…

Small Wins for Big Gains

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Ship in dock

Is your project stuck? Are you working on something but feel like there’s no end in sight? Maybe it’s time to reframe the way you look at wins. Read more…

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