Big Projects and First Steps


August 27, 2013 by Jared Goralnick

Starting LineI’m unhappy when I’m not doing something challenging.  I get restless, and checking things off my task list just isn’t enough.

So I can’t help myself–I’ll take on something big, even if it’s “out of scope” from regular work.  But time and again, the value I get from that effort is so much greater than 100 little projects.

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Aim for progress, not perfection.


January 14, 2013 by Jared Goralnick

Progress, not perfection on the darboard by Wili_hybrid on FlickrIn the past week, two of the smartest people I know have taken issue with features or projects I’m working on.

They were engineers, and their arguments were logical and comprehensive, but fundamentally misguided.

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Best advice in 2012: “Let go of the results”


January 7, 2013 by Jared Goralnick

Dog stepping forward through the sand by sziliotti on FlickrThe most useful advice for me in 2012 came from Wayne Willis*: “Let go of the results.”  In other words, put your best foot forward, but accept that you can’t control the outcome.

In 2012, I did give my best.  What was challenging, even more than the fight forward, was staying sane enough to let go and to keep moving forward.

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Making sense of a year.


December 31, 2012 by Jared Goralnick

balance while moving forward by US Marine Corp on flickrOn Dec 31, looking back, things may not seem picture perfect.  And there’s a tendency to question whether there was progress.  But there was, there always is.

2012 was a little bumpy, but I traveled far in the right direction.  When it was tough, I still went through the motions and pushed forward.

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Safety


December 26, 2012 by Jared Goralnick

over-a-cliff-riskyHave a safe holidays!  I have trouble with that thought.  Of the adjectives that could describe the things I’m proud of, "safety" couldn’t be further from them.

The safe path is never to take chances, and my only regrets are from chances I didn’t take.

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How to Use BlackBerry’s Best Email Features on an iPhone or Android


July 6, 2012 by Jared Goralnick

BlackBery on an iPhone, a message to Tim CookRIM gets a bad rap.  It set out to create the best email experience for mobile, and it did that.  Unfortunately for them, smartphones now do a lot more than email.

Still, it’s worth pausing to look into what BlackBerry brought to mobile email, and to point out how iPhone and Android users can replicate some of RIM’s best features. Continue reading…

I am. Once upon a time. I’m not.


February 7, 2012 by Jared Goralnick

Jared and Dagny reflectionsIt’s important to know who you are. What’s changed. Who you’ll never be.

Do you need others? Can you predict your future?

The following is an exercise of letting it out. Join me.

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Timezones: the secret sauce to 8 productive weeks in Buenos Aires


December 14, 2011 by Jared Goralnick

freeing up the quarterback, football exampleScheduling conflicts and jetlag are what usually come to mind when people speak of timezones.  But they can play a crucial role in productivity, too.

Like an offensive line that makes room for the star player to act, the right timezone frees you to make the play.

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My Mixergy Interview: 11 Tips to “Get Out From Under The Minutia Of Business”


November 23, 2011 by Jared Goralnick

Andrew WarnerIt’s all about the preparation. Andrew Warner (pictured right) knows this—that’s why his entrepreneur interviews on Mixergy are so popular.

I was lucky enough to be interviewed last week by Andrew, where we dug into some practical lessons-learned and shared stories and tips.  The video is embedded below.  So grab some holiday tofurkey and get ready to be productive…

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You shouldn’t have to be proven wrong, over and over, to reconsider your intuition


September 29, 2011 by Jared Goralnick

Journal Entry, by Joel MontesFew things are as core to my identity as writing.  Yet lately I’ve been proven wrong, over and over, about my writing intuition.

I see now that with so many things, practice isn’t enough.  Don’t repeat my mistakes, which began 2 months ago.

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