Most well-written characters have something they want—or something they *think* they want. The more fascinating characters also have something they don’t want you to know. The best ones also have something they’re not pulling off nearly as well as they think.

Life would be simpler if we got to choose which things made us a little less dumb or ugly. If something has made you rethink how you roll, just humbly take the win, and keep getting better without regard to what caused it and when.

In thinking about optimizing how you work, try to distinguish between the parts of your job that are *necessarily difficult* versus the parts that are harder than they actually need to be. The former is the reason that you get the big bucks, and the latter is the reason why you may often feel like the bucks should be bigger.

As you cross the street, notice which car's driver feels most likely to do something stupid or dangerous. Walk a little slower, turn your head, and make direct eye contact. Brains cannot help but notice faces, plus eye contact startles anyone into suddenly remembering they live amongst other actual people.

The people most obsessed with the (supposed) hypocrisy of strangers are often the people who most dread strangers uncovering *their own* hypocrisy. This makes many of these people a little insufferable and not very fun to hang out with.

It's okay to plan a meal around dessert. You're an adult, and people who try to tell you how to eat should be offered dietary advice regarding eating a butt.

Hats are like PowerPoint decks. Probably best to just steer clear until you understand why most men are terrible at it.

Related: consider accepting that you do not actually *have* to do anything except die.

It's okay to plan a meal around dessert. You're an adult, and people who try to tell you how to eat should be offered dietary advice regarding eating a butt.

Every few minutes, try to do something skillful.