Here ends another year.
As we look back on what’s happened and look ahead to what’s to come, it’s worth reflecting on a truth that feels both timeless and urgent, captured in Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson (also available on Audible):
There are two things that we should never weary of: goodness and humility. We get none too much of them in this rough world and among cold, proud people.
If you need more guidance, here are some of my favourite Seth Godin quotes from his 2024 blog posts, together with a recommended title from Blinkist.
Being annoyed is a concoction based on expectations and the stories we tell ourselves. We can change the story if we try. ~ Inverting the vex
Learn more: Master Your Emotions
Choosing to care about what other people care about surrenders your agency. You’ll find that success feels hollow, because it’s their success, not yours. ~ Choose your fuel wisely
Learn more: Lead Yourself First
Control is elusive. If we accept the parts that are out of our hands, we can focus on the elements where we have leverage and influence instead. ~ Out of control
Learn more: The Little Book of Stoicism
Creating the conditions for success is a very different project than finding a heroic move that saves the day. ~ Analyzing the last move
Learn more: It’s on Me
Eliminate surprise and explain the circumstances and panic starts to fade. ~ Surprise and uncertainty
Learn more: Building a Non-Anxious Life
“Enough” is often attainable and always useful. ~ The challenge of N + 1
Learn more: Minimalism
Everyone needs more chances, more benefit of the doubt, more opportunity. But what turns a chance into a big break is what we do with it once the chance arrives. ~ What do we do with our chance?
Learn more: How to Be Bold
Fear might be for sale, but that doesn’t mean we have to buy it. Better is possible. ~ Kinds of power
Learn more: Fear
If the story isn’t helping you move forward, focus elsewhere. Catastrophizing is contagious, but we can work to stop the spread and get back to work. ~ Catastrophizing toward action
Learn more: Fear Less
If we’re so concerned about fiascos that we never play, we’ll never make anything better. ~ Reclaiming fiasco
Learn more: How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend
If you don’t realize that you have power, you might not be able to exercise it. ~ Unaware
Learn more: The Power of Self-Confidence
It’s easy to believe that in some moments, the world is out to get you. This is unlikely. The world hardly knows you exist. ~ Out to get you
Learn more: Me, Myself and Us
Owning our choices is a privilege that we can learn to dance with. ~ What should I do now?
Learn more: The Science of Self-Discipline
Sometimes, a really good opportunity doesn’t actually have a catch. And spending a lot of time looking for one keeps us from the work we ought to be doing. ~ “What’s the catch?”
Learn more: Don’t Believe Everything You Think
Tension is the feeling we experience just before we grow. Ironically, it’s what’s we seek, at the very same time we avoid it. ~ Please create more tension
Learn more: The Upside of Uncertainty
There are many forms of hospitality, but resilience, goodwill and gratitude are often the ones that matter. ~ Graceful
Learn more: How to Live an Extraordinary Life
Waiting for the world to get things just right is exhausting and frustrating, while taking responsibility for what we might be able to contribute or lead can be energizing and fun. ~ What does the world owe us?
Learn more: Sovereign Self
We’d like to think we can honor everything we believe in, every time, but of course, the difficult work of having principles is that we must put some ahead of others. ~ At all costs
Learn more: The Way of Integrity
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