Obsession and the joy of iterative projects
I love it when people get obsessed with a topic and then turn that obsession into an iterative project where they do the same thing over and over until the topic has nothing left to give. An example: my friend Dave watches sci-fi movies hundreds of times and obsesses about the typography for his blog Typeset in the Future. I think his post on Alien is my favorite:
Dave’s book is also amazing and you should buy it. A couple other recent examples got me thinking about this again. Ander Monson watched Predator 146 times and wrote a book about it. From an interview with him:
Yesterday Monson published an essay about a similar project: Sean T. Collins’s “Pain Don’t Hurt”, an out-of-print book of 365 essays about the movie Road House (you can read every essay on his website). Monson starts off by calling this a “bad idea essay”, and if anyone is qualified to say that, it’s the guy who watched Predator 146 times. But he goes on to say this:
But it’s these paragraphs that really get to the heart of the matter for me:
The reason projects like these are so appealing to me is two-fold. One, there is The Sad, Beautiful Fact That We're All Going To Miss Almost Everything:
Two, if we agree that we’re going to miss almost everything, there is a certain beauty in picking a small number of things you want to know everything about, and then sharing that with those around you. We know from the African philosophy of Ubuntu that “I am because we are”, or:
One of the most tangible ways we can “owe humanity to each other” is by crawling deep into the corners of a specific topic and picking out the best pieces of it for the people around us. It’s saying, “I know we’re going to miss almost everything, but on this thing I got you. I’ll go deep so you don’t have to, and I’ll share what I learn so we can both enjoy what makes it special.” Maybe this is something for all of us to think about as we head into 2023. What are you obsessed with that seems so niche that surely no one else would care? I’ll say this: if someone can write a fascinating book about watching Predator, I guarantee that your “bad idea essay” is probably actually a really good idea for an iterative project. I, for one, would love to read it. Some stray links
Farewell tweet |
Key phrases
Older messages
It’s still a long December
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Also what companies learned while doing 4-day work week trials
A product spec template for empowered, autonomous teams
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Also how to challenge the status quo at work
The Friday Edition // Dec 9, 2022
Friday, December 9, 2022
5 links for your weekend
When shutting down a product is the right thing to do
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Also a new book on the product design process.
Online connection should happen on occasion, for justified reasons, and in moderation
Friday, December 2, 2022
Also tips on how to experiment with a “no meetings” week
You Might Also Like
Forget a Pedestal; Put Your Audience on a Ladder
Friday, April 26, 2024
Say no to customers and yes to members in your business strategy.
🚿 A story as satisfying as those power washing videos…
Thursday, April 25, 2024
He's building THE biggest power washing business (from Hollywood to washing wood) Can he build the world's biggest power washing business? Hey Contrarians, Whatever preconceived notions you may
One-Day Facebook Groups Promo • Posts Book to 250K+ FB group readers
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Group Posts to 250K Facebook Readers Facebook Reader Group Promos for Authors & Publishers Promote Your Book & Yourself to HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF READERS! If you're looking to have your
[Now I Know Offers] Learn a New Language with Babbel!
Thursday, April 25, 2024
It's a great day to start something new!
3-2-1: How to connect with others, what causes old age, and the recipe for success
Thursday, April 25, 2024
3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question to consider this week.
Ahrefs’ Digest #180: Content marketing conferences, how to be an SEO lead, and more
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Our meme of the week: 📰 News & updates Google confirms links are not that important: No one believes them. Google delays third-party cookie demise yet again: This is the third time Google has
🧙♂️ NEW Partnerships: Phillips 66, La Mexicana, Blue Ribbon, Clicked, and many more [Apr 25]
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Plus secret research on Farm Boy, Upside, and Mack Weldon
Everyone wants growth
Thursday, April 25, 2024
But it needs to be sustainable We have 4 updates for you this week: 1. Unlock Sustainable Growth Everyone wants growth. But to scale your business, you need more – you need sustainable growth.
Meet the “Squishy Love Ball”
Thursday, April 25, 2024
What happens when you show your true colors
The Prison Manual That Was Key To An Escape
Thursday, April 25, 2024
... and why did the let an inmate have jewelry-making equipment?