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Dear <<First Name>>,
Happy March. I did some time travel the past few weeks as I put together my blog post on why 2015 was such a bad year for my agency. I spent a good chunk of time reviewing a bunch of entries in my Evernote, both personal and business related.
I created 1,608 notes that year and it was fun (and sometimes cringe-y) to revisit the things on my mind at the time. As bad as it was business-wise, 2015 stands out as the year I started to take the concept of habits more seriously and decided to devote more time and care to reading, fitness, and diet.
I do think the challenges on the business front motivated me to change my ways in order to get better and bring a more focused version of myself to work. While I hope to never face such terrible business performance ever again, I'm grateful the setbacks led to some positive changes.
Last week's newsletter got a 49.0% open rate and the most-clicked link was Nick Maggiulli's post on the importance of avoiding the zeros and managing risk.
Consumed
How Does It Feel To Get Everything You Ever Wanted? by Ryan Holiday (blog post)
I re-read this article a few times this week. Holiday touches on the concept of "enough" in his book Stillness is the Key (see my notes on the book), but I found his personal story of reaching the top (bestseller, thought leader, wealth) and feeling nothing especially compelling. I thought about how much of my mindset is often focused on striving towards a goal or desiring a certain outcome. This article was a good reminder that I already have so much and getting to do the work I enjoy every day is already a great privilege.
Theodore Roosevelt was a published author by age 23. He had wealth, fame, medals and power. But eventually he realized that “far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”
I’ve come to realize along those lines that there is a difference between being a writer and an author. What I love, what I should chase is the writing, being an author is about results. That’s why I always found rewards underwhelming. I was focusing on the wrong prize, missing that I had it along.
A Little Fellow Follows You from Daily Dad (blog post)
I've posted the full poem below. Dads, please get your tissues ready. Check out the blog post for a bit more context.
A careful man I want to be —
a little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray,
for fear he’ll go the self-same way.
I cannot once escape his eyes.
Whatever he sees me do he tries.
Like me he says he’s going to be —
that little chap who follows me…
He knows that I am big and fine —
And believes in every word of mine.
The base in me he must not see —
that little chap who follows me…
But after all it’s easier,
that brighter road to climb,
With little hands behind me —
to push me all the time.
And I reckon I’m a better man
than what I used to be…
Because I have this lad at home
who thinks the world of me.
Moms, here's a tearjerker for you.
Designing a New Old Home: Part 1 by Simon Sarris (blog post)
An epic post (and hopefully series) about a couple building a home from scratch that embraces the wisdom of old homes (e.g. natural light, natural ventilation, thoughtful design details, etc.) and eschews the cookie-cutter square-foot maximizing approach of modern developers.
"We’re not professionals. But most houses in history were not designed or built by professionals, and a lot of design decisions that remain stubbornly ignored today used to be common knowledge. If you truly care about your dwelling, and you’re in a position to build your own home, I think you would be mad to leave things up to only a builder or architect (but by all means, you should involve them). I cannot tell you everything you need to do to design your home, but I can tell you what helped us, what we wish we knew when we started, and what I think you should consider."
Check out the author's Instagram account to see scenes from the house but be forewarned if Cereal/Kinfolk-style images nauseate you.
Created
Hindsight: Why 2015 Was A Bad Year for the Agency
2015 was "rock bottom" for the agency financially. Thankfully, things have turned around quite a bit since then. It's was a worthwhile exercise to go back and really immerse myself in what I was thinking and paying attention to back then. I'm glad a lot has changed although it's also clear that many of the same challenges persist, just at a more advanced level.
Cheers,
Peter
P.S. You can check out my list of books read right here. My hope is to get a good mix of challenging reads with some that are entertaining, inspiring, and instructive.
If you like what you've read, please share with your friends. They can sign up for the list here. Also, I always welcome recommendations of any kind–books, podcasts, movies, etc.
About me: Peter Kang is co-founder of Barrel, a digital agency in New York City. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, son, and dog.
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