Problem in the US used to be over-production from factories.

• We needed to find out how to get people to buy lots of stuff.

• We needed people to be cogs in the system to work for these factories. Public schools were invented to [in part] to fix this.

• If you fit in, you can become a part of this giant machine.

• Art is the opposite of being a compliant cog.

• If I can write down what I need you to do, then I can find someone to do it cheaper.

• Before the pin making machine it took one person all day to make 8 pins. After the pin making machine was born unskilled workers could make thousands in a day. It went from a skilled job to a unskilled job. Karl Marx said this was bad for the worker, Adam Smith said this was great. They were both right.

  • That split people up into owners of pin making machines and workers. These days we have people who own the machines and run the machines - Seth calls these people linchpins (people we can’t live without).

• The Internet has made it so everyone can create money on the Internet.

  • If you’re average on the internet then there’s a race to the bottom, and you can’t win. If you’re an extraordinary person there is a race to the top.
  • Anyone can create online, you really don’t have to obey anyone anymore.

• We don’t need people to take notes anymore - We can look anything up on the Internet. We need people to ask questions and solve problems.

• Being good at school means you’re good at learning and regurgitating. Your boss doesn’t want you to learn and regurgitate.

• We have been brainwashed into thinking we have to wait for someone to show up and give us an assignment.

• If we work to fit in then we can be replaced.

• Art in business is when we do extra things that aren’t required for the transaction that bring us closer to the customer - smiles, taking extra time to connect etc.

• A coffee place with a frequent flyer stamp card with a difference, you have to go to their competitors stamp in order to get the free coffee. That’s showing that they’re so confident their coffee is the best they want you to try their competitors first for comparison.

• Lizard brain - the thing that protected us against saber-tooth tigers is now wrecking our lives. Sabotaging our ability to do the actual work.

• Shempa - is instant anxiety. Anxiety is experiencing failure in advance. There is never enough assurance for the lizard brain, there will always be anxiety.

• Teach kids to solve interesting problems. They might not be right all the time but they’re way better than those who don’t try.

• People like to compete in something that lots of people want to win at. Journalists want to work at the new york times. People want the most twitter followers etc. But if you look at who is successful they did the opposite of what was popular. Doing it first might get you laughed at.

  • Create a unique interface between customer and organisation.
  • Bring special creativity to situations where others don’t.
  • Manage projects of great complexity.
  • Figure out how to establish a tribe.
  • Inspiring staff.
  • Deep domain knowledge - geek.
  • Be really good at the thing.
  • What we’re really looking for is passion.

• Shipping is what matters - most software runs late.

  • as it closer to ship date more and more people weigh in with their inputs.
  • Ship on time by thrashing at the beginning.
  • See it as a platform to perform art.

• Make art, give gifts, do work that matters, connect, lead, ship, make a difference.