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Postpone gratification
Boy, this one is really hard to sell.
Which is precisely why it works.
We can chase the trend, go for the linkbait, find the hustle, the hype and the easy, well-trod path.
Which not only appears to be easier but also gets us far more approval from the people we care about. They want the best for us, and it sure looks like the short-term shiny object is the way to go.
Except…
Except that’s not what works. It’s not resilient, it’s not effective and it’s not productive either.
What works? Holding on to your uncertainty a little longer. Becoming a bit bolder and a lot more generous. Finding a path that’s too challenging for people who don’t care as much as you do.
Successful comics know that you don’t rush the punchline, and you don’t interrupt the audience when they’re laughing.
The practice requires us to sit with the moment, to embrace the feeling that it might not work.
Yes, we must ship our work. But not too soon (and not too late).
If you want to make change, you’ll need to create tension first.
