43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Dr. Johnson on reminders

Dr. JohnsonThis morning I've been starting to put together an "Introduction to Mindfulness" post, and I ran across this wonderful little quote that's been attributed to Dr. Samuel Johnson:

"People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."

Yep. That right there is pretty much the whole bag of donuts in 13 words.

When people -- sometimes understandably -- howl and moan about the blinding "obviousness" of everything we talk about on 43F, somewhere in the back of my head a Johnson-esque voice whispers, "Yeah, but do we always do the things we already know we should do?" And I have to say "No, we don't." Or at least I don't.

I think most of the time you guys just happen to get whichever lecture I've most recently needed the most myself; like a fretful mother, I make you put on a sweater when I feel a draft. Which is kind of funny I guess, but hey, ideas gotta start someplace.

Even all the blindingly obvious ones.

About Merlin

Merlin's picture

Bio

Merlin Mann is an independent writer, speaker, and broadcaster. He’s best known for being the guy who created the website you’re reading right now. He lives in San Francisco, does lots of public speaking, and helps make cool things like You Look Nice Today, Back to Work, and Kung Fu Grippe. Also? He’s writing this book, he lives with this face, he suffers from this hair, he answers these questions, and he’s had this life. So far.

Merlin’s favorite thing he’s written in the past few years is an essay entitled, “Cranking.”

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »