Here are some of the assertions I defend on my recent appearance on The Ground Up Show: College isn’t for everyone. You don’t need to become the next Steve Jobs in order to justify your decision to opt-out of school. College degrees have been useful in the past because they served the function of signaling…
Which is more important: consuming content or creating content? Should I focus on theory or should I emphasize practice? Should I initiate my own projects or should I observe what the top performers in my field are doing? Should I read a book on the topic or should I just get out there and try…
Your personal happiness is not a career nor is your career the end-all-be-all to your personal happiness. Yes, I know that happiness is your job and that you’re the CEO of your own fulfillment. I’ve read a copy of Happiness is an Inside Job too, but I’m not playing semantic games here. I mean business.…
In When You Deliver Work Late, You Invite More Scrutiny, Isaac Morehouse writes: Here’s another reason to get your work done fast (yep, even (especially!) deep, creative work): you’ll get less scrutiny and fewer requested edits…Every day past expectation the project takes, the expectation for perfection ratchets up. From your customer’s perspective, it goes something like…
“Take pride in your work at all times.” -Ford Frick I’ll begin with two brief quotes from two separate friends: Quote #1: “As a hiring manager, Chik-fil-a was always a slam dunk. Everyone I ever hired who had worked for them was awesome.” Quote #2: “It’s better to have to answer “100 happy meals” than…
A Praxis participant recently asked me for some tips on how to signal their ability to create value through their writing. More specifically, they wanted to know how to do this without relying on self-help posts that claim to show people the way to enlightenment. As preparation for our advising session, I documented five categories…
You’re in the middle of an interesting online course. You just started reading a fascinating new book. You stayed up all night watching a series of talks by a provocative lecturer. Nobody knows. It’s a secret between you and your brain. One day, however, you’re going to surprise everyone. Maybe you’ll make an appearance on…
All About Praxis Wednesdays Most followers and fans of Praxis know we’re an apprenticeship program that offers our participants the opportunity to work with growing startups and leading professionals. Instead of centering the education experience around classroom activities, we help participants develop useful skills by placing them in a context where they’re challenged to create…
I recently had someone tell me they were questioning their love for writing. When I asked for a reason, they said it was because they didn’t write enough. “If I really loved writing” they said, “then I would be more consistent with it.” Well, I guess I don’t love reading then. For my entire life,…
“I Apologize for Wearing a Goofy-Looking Hat While I Take Charge of My Life” In the past several years that I’ve spent interviewing, coaching, and training young professionals, I’ve spoken with thousands of people who worked in the following kinds of jobs: maintenance, fast food, retail, dine-in restaurants, and daycare. Most of them have been…
“When we build, we take bits of others’ work and fuse them to our own choices to see if alchemy occurs. Some of those choices are informed by best practices and accrued wisdom; others are guided by the decisions of the work cited as inspiration; while a large number are shaped by the disposition and…
This week’s 5-on-5, we’re giving you an inside look at the Praxis education experience. We asked five Praxis Advisors to give their answers to five questions about their coaching experiences within the program. What attracted you to become a Praxis Advisor? Amanda Grimmett: I had the opportunity to run a skill share workshop for Praxis…
In our 5-on-5 series, We ask five Praxis participants to give their answers to five questions on a single theme. This week’s topic will focus on the rewards, challenges, and lessons that come with beginning a career in a new city. 1) What were you doing before Praxis and where did you move after starting…
The five Praxis participants who contributed to this post have all participated in our bootcamp’s 30-day writing challenge. During this challenge, they write and publish something every single day. Here are some of their stories and reflections on the practice of daily writing. 1) What’s the funniest or most creative thing you ever did to…
We asked five Praxis participants to give their answers to five questions on a single theme. This edition’s topic will focus on what it’s like to do an apprenticeship with one of our business partners. 5-on-5: The Praxis Apprenticeship Experience 1) Describe the kind of work you do/did at your Praxis Business Partner? Michael Gaines,…