Mindful Matter
Finding creative inspiration. (Part III - the last part... at least for now ;-)
I want to wrap up this three-part series on finding creative inspiration with one more book that really helped me understand and connect with my inner creative voice. It was the book Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. Austin recognizes that so few things we do are
Learn more
Finding creative inspiration. (Part II)
Yesterday when discussing creativity, we talked about the importance of showing up — of having the willpower to make time and space for our creative selves. I have always struggled with this. I used to feel that creativity comes when it feels like it, and that I had no control over it. But
Learn more
Finding creative inspiration. (Part I)
Responding to our recent “Ask Us Anything” email, Gretchen asked us where we find our creative inspiration. I love this question and there are a few things that immediately come to mind. But I’ll break it down over a few emails so that each idea has its own time and space. I want to start with this TED Talk by
Learn more
It stanks.
What is the one thing that Beyonce, Tony Robbins, Ronald Reagan, Queen Elizabeth and I have in common? When we
Learn more
Always ask why.
Asking "why" is the antidote to "just-because", "that's the way it is", and "because that’s the way we have always done it". In the wise words of Albert Einstein: “The important thing is not to
Learn more
Time well spent.
Tristan Harris leads Time Well Spent, a non-profit movement to align technology with our humanity. Time Well Spent aims to transform the race for attention by revealing how technology hijacks our psychological vulnerabilities, and by demonstrating how new incentives and design practices can make technology align with our best interest. What I love about this TED Talk and Tristan’s work is that it
Learn more
Enjoy the ride.
One night, a few months after we had decided to commit ourselves to Holstee full-time, Mike and I were working extra late in our shared office space in New York. At that time, Holstee’s focus was on our original product — a t-shirt with a holster-positioned pocket (hence our name: “Hols-tee”). On this particular evening, we were rather stressed, trying to figure out the logistics of producing a sustainable t-shirt in the U.S. It was one of those trying nights when I was asking myself if starting this company was worth all the stress. Yes, the extreme highs were thrilling, but the lows were real and deeper than I had anticipated. My conversation with Mike that night led to an observation that I revisit to this day. Sometimes in life, we’re on a merry-go-round and sometimes we’re on a rollercoaster. Either way, we can be grateful for the ride. The merry-go-round offers safety, space to reflect, and reliability. The rollercoaster offers excitement, suspense, and takes us out of our comfort zone. We’ve experienced both, sometimes by choice and other times not. When we were starting our company, I preferred the rollercoaster experience. Now, many years later, I am grateful for the thrill of the highs and the chance to grow from those lows. I better understand that each has its time and place. Whichever “ride” we are on, Mike and I try to remember it is up to us to appreciate and make the most of the experience. To finding joy in every ride, Dave RadparvarCo-Founder, Holstee & Reflection.app P.S. Taking a moment to reflect is one of the best ways to appreciate the ride you are on. Reflection.app is a free journaling app we built that guides your growth each month — try it on Web, iOS, and Android! place to start.
Learn more
Shokunin kishitsu.
I first learned the words “shokunin kishitsu” in the film Jiro Dreams of Sushi — a visually stunning film that is as much about finding and living a life’s purpose as it is about sushi. The Japanese phrase roughly translates to “the craftsman’s spirit.” It is about pouring not just your hands and your heart into a project, but also
Learn more
Remy.
One of my favorite learnings from the last decade came from Remy, a revolutionary thinker who broke boundaries and challenged stereotypes. I am referring, of course, to Remy the rat from the Pixar animated film Ratatouille. Ok, so maybe not as scholarly a source as, say, Heraclitus, the pre-Socratic philosopher we mentioned a few weeks ago. But this little fella left an impression on me as much as anything I have read or seen in the last five years. From him, I heard
Learn more
