Scott McClellan posted a blog entitled What We Learned from Publishing a Magazine. He relayed some things he learned about life and work from his experiences.
These are my edited excerpts of Scott's blog. There are 10. I will do a few each day and comment. Here is the next three. My comments are in PURPLE. (I am feeling regal, today.)
You have to dig to find the good stuff.
As a society, we're creating, recording, publishing, posting, and releasing an unparalleled amount of media. The reality is that most of it is underdeveloped, niche, forgettable, or temporal. Dig, filter, network, and share. We have so much information that it overwhelms us. This sense of being overwhelmed creeps into our relationships. It is much easier (but deadly) to one-dimensionalize a person (Liberal, Muslim, pretty, athletic, nerd, Southerner, smart, weird) when we feel swamped. I have to remind myself that this particular person is one for whom Christ died. I must take each person seriously. I have to dig.
Ask the right questions.
Asking the right questions requires thoughtful analysis and a determination to get to the truth that's beneath the surface. We love quick, tidy answers to all of life's dilemmas. Because we are pressed for time, we often base most of life's big decisions on how we feel. That is, we stick to surface issues, sound bites, and visceral impulses. The Truth sets us free. Ask questions.
There's a gap between idea and outcome: execution.
If you find yourself with a great idea, remember that your work isn't done; the real work is just beginning. Bear down and execute. We wish a lot. "If only…" You fill in the blank. I do have my own list of things I will do when I win (I have to play first, I guess) the Lottery. Intentions often become a form of fantasy. Do it. My favorite proverb comes from the Danes, "Pray and keep on rowing."
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