3 minute read

Friday Thoughts & Learnings

This week I’ve been learning about the elegance and simplicity of Japanese Death poetry, I was mightily impressed by the wildly courageous life of Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil and found out how perfectionists (like me) can learn to take more risks. Enjoy!

The elegance and simplicity of Japanese Death poetry

Japanese Death Poems by Yoel Hoffmann

I came across this book listening to a Tim Ferris podcast. It's a short history of how poetry evolved in Japan to the popular haiku seventeen-syllable format and how it is used by many people to write their final thoughts and wishes for their families.

I'm a fan of simplification. To capture your final thoughts on life to pass onto loved ones in seventeen syllables is an impressive feat of thoughtfulness and simplification.

The word constraints of these poems help fuel beautiful creativity. It’s one less thing to think about when you open up to creative thinking. It allows you to focus and channel your energy. Very clever idea.

The courage and creativity of Guy Laliberté founder of Cirque du Solei

Tim Ferris interview with Guy Laliberté founder of Cirque du Soleil

This is a long form podcast which Tim is the master of and contains can’t press pause tales of how Guy came to create the iconic Cirque du Soleil shows, what motivated and inspired him and all the challenges he had to overcome along the way. 

His creative energy and drive matched with humility and humour is inspiring to listen to.

How perfectionists learn to take more risks

Perfectionists can learn to take risks too.

I'm a reforming perfectionist. We typically fear failure and don’t like to rethink and take risks. 

In a study of highly accomplished architects, the most creative were B average students. Their straight A counterparts were so determined to be right that they often failed to take the risk of rethinking the orthodoxy.

The trick for perfectionists is to not make risk taking a significant part of their reward or recognition in the beginning. 

Adam Grant found his A grade students performed much better at giving a mini TED talk challenging an existing practice or promoting a disruptive idea when he made it 20% of their marks not 80%. 

Perfectionists will shy away from too much risk initially. But will embrace it if given in smaller doses.

There is hope for us reforming perfectionists to embrace more risk and live life large.

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