I was skeptical.

I'd seen the #ship30for30 Twitter hashtags. I rolled my eyes at another 30-day challenge. Later, a co-founder tweeted out a January goal for Ship 30 for 30: to enroll a cohort of 1,000+ shippers. I became intrigued. I signed up.

As I finish my 30 days, here's what works well about the 1,000+ person cohort experience.

Ops magic and digital leverage make for smooth sailing

The operations were "magical" because the details worked invisibly to create a smooth experience.

Despite the experience spanning a few tech platforms, it was easy to stay on top of the workshop schedule and review the program's resources. The experience achieved this through digital leverage rather than a large staff. Case in point: the program ran with a team of four, including the two co-founders, Dickie Bush and Nicolas Cole.

Engaging and accessible content make learning simple

The content's quality exceeded expectations.

The workshop design could have been more engaging but the workshops still felt fun thanks to Dickie and Cole (and an active Zoom chat). In addition, synchronous content was accessible asynchronously through emails and Circle posts linking to the full recordings, slides, and chat transcripts. Dickie and Cole sourced additional questions via the community and posted timestamped video answers.

Program iteration shows commitment to improvement

Ship 30 for 30 was self-described as "forever in beta."

Feedback is gathered from the cohort through surveys, Circle channels, and Zoom chat. Each cohort features new content. Prior cohorts even had a different community platform (Slack). The program iterates based on feedback and manages to keep alumni coming back for more.

Gamified learning taps into different motivations

The program made learning (and writing) fun!

Richard Bartle categorizes the way people play games, which can be applied to learning, into four simple types: Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers. The categories aren't rigid, but here's how Ship 30 for 30 engaged the cohort around the taxonomy:

• Achievers are all about points and status. Streaks appeal to Achievers and Ship 30 for 30 was one big streak. The program recognized participants through milestone badges on Circle and Shipper Shoutouts in workshops.

• Explorers care more about discovery. In the onboarding process, Shippers discovered bonus content and were primed for adventure. Exploration existed in reading other Shippers' content as well.

• Socializers experience fun through interaction with other participants. The majority of people (80%) who play games fall into this type. The program provided several opportunities for Shippers to connect with each other.

• Killers are similar to Achievers but they want to see others lose. The program didn't seem designed to support this super minority (<1%) which is fine with me!

A committed community makes the program strong

Community is what continues to make Ship 30 for 30 successful.

Several touch points connect the cohort: Circle directory and posts, Zoom breakouts, weekly curated intros, "rapid-fire" intros, and of course the Twitter hashtag connecting all of the atomic essays. Beyond the cohort, alumni pay again to join the "Captain's Table" and be among 400+ alumni with ongoing access to new content and deeper community benefits.

Writing is a Trojan horse for life transformation

Shippers described the experience as "life-changing" and "transformational."

Some expressed how they felt more confident about writing. Others shared they felt greater confidence in how they broadly communicate, socialize, and maintain habits. Participants made new friends, received job offers and launched businesses.

Not bad for a writing course.

Curious to learn more about Ship 30 for 30? Let me know!

I'm exhausted. And uninspired.

This is number 29 of 30 daily atomic essays. Instead of excitement, I feel a mixture of fatigue, boredom, and emptiness. It's important to finish this essay to complete the challenge for myself but also due to signaling.

Signaling has its costs.

The Cost of Effective Signals

I discovered a Farnam Street piece that made me consider the cost of signaling, whether that’s a gazelle stotting to discourage a predator or someone displaying a Veblen good to signal wealth.

Signaling is the act of conveying information about ourselves to people in a way that is costly for us and therefore believable. Without the associated cost of sending a signal, we would not be able to trust the information being sent. For instance, if it’s easy to signal that we are amazing without actually being amazing, then the signal would be comparatively worthless and no one would pay attention to it. Thus, effective signals take up a lot of time and energy, but are essential as a means of communication because the information they convey is trustworthy.

Through this writing challenge, I signal a commitment to publicly improve my writing and connect to a community. The above excerpt points to how effective signals take time and energy—I'm feeling that!

I wonder about the cost of signaling within the world of NFTs. Financially, it's easy for celebrities and the already wealthy to access blockchain artwork and NFT-gated communities. What are signals we want to encourage in web3 and what will be the costs to send those signals?

What have you signaled in your life? What were the costs?

What would an AI-written essay look like?

After making AI-generated art as "trading cards," I was inspired. I then wondered how artificial intelligence would have approached writing Ship 30 for 30 essays.

Here's what Jasper, an AI copywriter, wrote:

[AI-Written Essay]

Writers of any text can tell you that there's a lot to consider. But what if, after writing down your first draft, the entire document could be perfect in no time? Writers usually spend hours editing their works over and over again or giving it to someone else for a second opinion. What if you could just plug in your sentence, and the sentence would come back with correct spelling and grammar?

Artificial Intelligence is being used to write everything from blogs to books. A machine can't determine what a topic means, or if it's persuasive. However, a machine could certainly provide an outline for an essay in the following ways: 1) list out all of the facts required, restating them in different ways; 2) provide an introduction and conclusion with persuasive language.

AI has been used to help me with writing, and it can be used to help you too. If you're feeling overwhelmed by a project, or if you simply want extra help, don't be afraid to try out AI tools to get the job done. It's amazing what these tools can do for your productivity - and your peace of mind.

This was my first time using an AI writer. If I had spent more time with the tool, I could have mimicked a model Ship 30 for 30 atomic essay.

I'm impressed by all of the use cases and templates Jasper offers—everything from creative writing and Amazon product descriptions to customized emails and personal bios.

What do you think of this essay?

No-code tools give you superpowers.

In 2015, I experienced no-code tools for the first time (outside of Wordpress). Back then, I participated in Protohack, referred to as "the first code-free hackathon for designers and business people." I was new to user experience design and it was exciting to learn more about prototyping.

No-code and low-code tools continue to grow and become more user-friendly. Here's a list of classics and newcomers to get you started.

Websites and Web Apps

• Carrd: If you need something simple, use Carrd to build responsive websites for landing pages, portfolios, and more.

• Notion + Popsy: If you're already using Notion, add Popsy to make your Notion page appear like a more traditional website.

• Webflow: If you're open to a steeper learning curve than Carrd, you'll be rewarded with more control over design and functionality.

• Bubble: With more effort, you can build interactive, multi-user apps with tools replicating the functionality of large tech products.

Mobile Apps

• Glide: If you know how to use spreadsheets, you can turn those into functional apps using drag-and-drop components.

• Adalo: Similar to Glide, use spreadsheet databases to drag-and-drop components and "actions" to link the pages of your app.

Automation

• Zapier: Save time using Zapier's 3,000+ integrations, actions, and workflows. Its templates make it easy to start.

• Notion + Form to Notion: If you can't pay for Zapier, and you need to send data to Notion, this Google Form add-on works seamlessly.

Other tools that have been around for a while and are considered no-code include Coda, Airtable, Squarespace, and Shopify among others.

What's your favorite no-code tool? Or the tool you're most excited to try?

Are you the coach you've been looking for?

I've researched coaching since 2019 for my work in innovation at a large workforce development nonprofit. Through that research, I've formed a framework around a self-directed coaching community. It's a multi-layered approach: self > duo (1:1) > peer/group > cohort > community.

Recently, I discovered Commcoterie's approach to self-coaching.

Self-coaching unlocks self-awareness and achievement

Why might you consider self-coaching?

• Professional coaching is expensive.

• You need realtime support.

• You haven't personally connected with a coach.

As you explore Commcoterie's self-coaching steps, use freewriting to capture the insights.

Step 1: Approach your self-coaching session with mindfulness

The word "coaching" can put people in a performative space.

Instead, you want to be calm and present, open and honest, and not be worried about what you "should" do.

Step 2: Create psychological distance

When you're coaching yourself, you're inherently too close to the problem.

Create psychological distance by imagining that you're coaching a different person or a different person is coaching you, setting up a new space, or speaking to yourself in the second or third person.

Step 3: Gain self-awareness by using a framework of questions

Good questions are the foundation of any coaching. Commcoterie's founder, Caitlin Harper, recommends running them through this framework:

What did you want to talk about today (what’s the subject)?

Is there anything else (what’s the real/deeper subject)?

What seems to be the real problem/barrier? What do you want to focus on?

In an ideal world, what is the solution? What does success look like?

What’s an action you can take to get there?

Step 4: Set goals for where you want to be

As you take action, set goals that are SMART(ER):

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Relevant

• Time-bound

• Excellent! (celebrate the success)

• Reward (positive reinforcement)

In what areas of your life might you apply self-coaching?

Resumes are dead.

Or at least we wish they were. Innovators have long sought to replace resumes but create unhelpful alternatives that don't make recruiters' or candidates' lives easier.

What if we could take the inspiration of POAPs in the hiring process? POAP stands for Proof of Attendance Protocol (pronounced PO-AP) and is a digital collectible created as an NFT powered by the blockchain. They're used to prove attendance at an event or experience.

Imagine if something similar existed to prove our skills, education, and experience?

Benefits to Recruiters

• Mitigates resume fraud: Recruiters can verify credentials and experience on the blockchain instead of relying on candidates' self-reporting.

• Saves verification time: Verified information for a candidate can be reviewed in one place instead of confirming degrees, certifications, and employment history separately.

Benefits to Candidates

• Avoids absurd resume updates: With ATS systems, many candidates copy-and-paste from job descriptions to get past the algorithm.

• Organizes and controls data: Data can be stored in wallets and shared with potential employers as necessary.

Risks

• Could replicate current hiring inequities: Just as POAPs are collected by those who have access to information and time, POSPs could similarly be stacked in favor of those who are already privileged.

• May present security and UX challenges: Would we swap one set of challenges for new security risks and user experience challenges?

Would you prefer a traditional resume or one leveraging the blockchain?

What if you could get a job of the future by applying today?

I work in innovation for a workforce development nonprofit that connects underestimated talent to middle skills jobs. I believe in future-proof skills and mindsets that can take you anywhere. I'm also interested in what jobs have potential now and may exist or evolve in the future.

If you're looking to pivot, you can find these roles on leading job boards.

Discord/Community Manager

Must be meme savvy.

If you're already a web2 community manager, you could transition to this role. Community managers will be essential to DAOs and NFT projects.

Tokenomics/Smart Contract/Solidity Developer

Help build the future of many industries on the blockchain.

If you're a full-stack developer, you may want to apply your skills here. Rust can also be used to write smart contracts but Solidity seems preferred.

DeFi 2.0 Research Scientist

Participate in cutting edge protocol design for the second generation of decentralized finance.

If you're already a research scientist, or if you have an advanced degree in mathematics or computer science, this could be a great opportunity.

Crypto Content Writer/Story Developer

Writing, but make it web3.

In these roles, you apply your writing skills to create crypto content for websites and social media or apply narrative elements to games and NFTs.

NFT Artist/Illustrator/Designer

Create on your own or partner with a company.

In addition to visual design skills for NFTs, the web3 space is in need of (and hiring for) roles in UX and product design.

What web3 jobs do you think we’ll see in the future?

To change jobs, change your mindsets.

Last year, I designed a career coaching program for a top 5 tech company to support underrepresented and underestimated talent break into tech. In the post-survey, 89% of participants rated the program's emphasis on mindsets a 4 or 5 (out of 5).

Five mindsets, adapted from design thinking, can support your job search.

Reframe interpretations

We can reframe failure as learning, anxiety as excitement. Reframing comes in handy for something critical during the job search: networking. Many of us cringe at networking. Instead of viewing networking as icky and transactional, we can reframe it as asking for directions.

If you were lost on the street, you would ask for directions. Why not do the same in your career?

Be curious

Curiosity shows up as another design thinking mindset referenced by the design firm IDEO as empathy. With empathy, you use curiosity to understand someone else's perspective so that you can help to solve problems from their perspective.

How would you approach your application process with the recruiter and hiring manager in mind?

Try stuff

This mindset actually comprises a few: having a bias for action, embracing iteration, and expressing a growth mindset. You want to have a bias for action when it comes to applying to opportunities. You can iterate in how you present yourself through your resume and interviews. You'll stay motivated if you keep a growth mindset throughout the process.

What else would it look like to "try" on this mindset in the job search?

Ask for help

The Stanford design school refers to "radical collaboration" as bringing together individuals with many different backgrounds and perspectives to address a design problem.

In the job search, this means seeking support in a variety of places: friends of friends, online groups, and more.

Show, don't tell

The Stanford d.school phrase means that you can communicate more effectively using visuals, whether that's through prototypes or storytelling.

In an interview, you're telling a story to show why your experience and passion positions you for the role.

How would you use these mindsets in your next job search?

No exaggeration: I've facilitated 1,000+ engaging meetings and events.

Even prior to the pandemic, I worked in remote and hybrid settings. I'm the first to try new tools and activities in my work, so it's natural I would try to break everyone out of a Zoom routine.

Here's a list of some of my favorites:

• Gatheround: Formerly known as Icebreaker, this group chat and 1:1 video conversation game makes online communication joyful and connecting. Their templates are perfect for a range of gatherings and topics including DEI conversations, team bonding, social mixers, and birthday celebrations.

• Gather: This proximity audio/video platform allows you to navigate an 8-bit avatar into and out of conversations across a pre-made or customized virtual space. You can host games and present media within the app, making it useful for coworking to happy hours to conferences.

• Mmhmm: "Transform your video into a show" with this playful product. The platform's special effects help you create engaging live presentations and meetings. In addition, you can build interactive slideshows to share with team members or clients to make async communication more fun.

• Skribbl: Beyond the original drawing-based guessing game, they now offer many more games including ones inspired by Squid Game.

• Kahoot!: Create quiz games with this learning platform designed to engage anyone from children to employees.

• Fishbowl: With 4+ players, you can work through three rounds of guessing games that include Taboo, Charades, and Password.

In addition to the above platforms, I creatively use everyday software such as Zoom, Google Workspace, and Mural to facilitate engaging experiences.

What are your favorite virtual games for meetings and events?

Constraints breed creativity and innovation.

Crazy 8’s is an ideation activity made popular by the Google Ventures Design Sprint. It’s simple, fun, and based on the premise that if you can push to about 8 ideas, you’ll generate more innovative ones.

Ideation activities can be intimidating, particularly those involving sketches like this one encourages. It's useful to lead a silly sketching warmup (like "Squiggle Birds") before Crazy 8's. In addition, you can emphasize that the ideas are meant to be roughly drawn and far from perfect. They only need to communicate the ideas, and in the early stages of ideation, the more wild and impractical the better!

Here are the instructions adapted from the Design Sprint Kit website:

1 – Each participant folds a piece of paper and folds until there are 8 sections and unfolds to reveal the 8 rectangles

2 – Set the timer for 8 minutes

3 – Individually, each participant sketches one idea in each rectangle, trying their best until all sections are filled

4 – When the timer goes off, all pens are down

Twisting the Crazy 8's: Better with Constraints

I’ve used the Crazy 8's countless times, including virtually. I wondered if the quality of the ideas could be improved so I've successfully experimented with a variation that includes constraints.

The difference between the variation and the original is that instead of generating ideas openly within each of the 8 rectangles over 8 minutes, participants sketch one idea that matches a category (constraint) assigned to the rectangle. Participants are instructed to spend 1 minute on a rectangle before learning what the next category is and then spending 1 minute on that.

Here's a sample list of categories my Identity Lab co-founder and I led our Lab participants through last year:

1: Worst

2: Food

3: Animals

4: Nighttime

5: Theatrical elements

6: Habits

6: Storytelling

8: Wild Card

The activity's slight difference makes a big difference. Starting with a “worst idea” in the first rectangle frees you up to be creative. Ending on a “wild card” rectangle enables you to get out something else creative to build on. You can adjust the categories you choose in between rectangles 1 and 8 based on the workshop and your needs.

I’d love to hear if you have tried Crazy 8’s with constraints!

I've never nominated myself for an application that required a nomination.

If you have imposter syndrome, you might not have nominated yourself either. I hope this inspires you to nominate yourself in life! When I applied as a Remarkable Women NFT ambassador, it felt like entering the lottery. I'm new to web3. I have fewer than 1,000 followers. Why would the House of First pick me?

And why did I care to apply?

Representation matters

I'm still new to web3 and I want others to be welcomed into the space.

I work at a nonprofit (and grew up poor) so the idea of spending money on what those outside of web3 refer to as "overpriced JPGs" was laughable. As I replaced skepticism with curiosity, I was fortunate to win my first NFT on Twitter. I made a commitment then to continue to welcome people, particularly those underrepresented and underestimated, into the space.

Remarkable Women, by House of First, focuses on more inclusive representation both IRL, and the world of NFTs, so we're aligned!

Bold art resonates

The art needs to resonate.

Aesthetically, I need to love the art even more if I'm going to rep it. I get so much joy from Artist Rachel Winter's work with its bold colors and patterns. This is House of First's second collection and I imagine the projects will stay strong as they feature more diverse creators.

Community and utility rule

Come for the art, stay for the community and utility.

I wanted my first NFT after I learned about the CryptoCoven community and thoughtfulness behind its design. I'm new to the House of First and Remarkable Women community but appreciate their plans for community.

In addition, the project boasts high utility through "exclusive Metaverse Access, Club Membership at House of First, Private Events around the Globe, NFT Staking Rewards, Growth Mentorship, Giveaways/Airdrops, Signed Prints, Merchandise, and more." They are offering high utility without a high barrier to enter.

Firsts are celebrated

House of First describes itself as the "home to the new, novel, and noteworthy in the world of NFTs."

Despite feeling slow to get into NFTs, I'm often the first to explore most things. First-generation college student. First service designer on my nonprofit's first innovation team. Among the first for many betas. I live for firsts (and remixes). I value firsts because I recognize the risk and persistence required to be first.

If you've never nominated yourself for anything, make the next opportunity your first.

Do you dread leftovers?

Those packages of possibility have the opposite effect on me. I immediately imagine what next day’s meal will look like. It's frugal and fantastic.

I refer to this process as:

leftovers recombination, the magical transformation of last night’s dishes into entirely new meals.

Over the years, my kitchen creativity has led to the following tasty alchemy:

• Bo ssäm ➜ breakfast bao: pork butt + egg + cucumber + scallion ginger sauce stuffed into buns topped with melted butter + everything seasoning

• Injera + meats/vegetables ➜ chilaquiles: chopped leftovers + eggs

• Pasta sauce ➜ shakshuka: marinara + spinach + feta + eggs + pita or toast for dipping

You may have noticed each example includes eggs. I love eggs. Eggs are celebrated by chefs so I’m in good company. I once did a 30-day vegan challenge and walked away reconfirming my devotion to the protein. If you are vegan, you can get creative with sauces and condiments instead.

The leftovers dish I make most often is a variation of fried rice (or other grain). Delivery rice is where things really get interesting. I chop the remaining proteins and vegetables and integrate them into a new dish because that’s more delicious than eating the leftovers as-is. We're increasing the flavor surface area, right?

The fried rice ends up with the same flavors of cuisine we ordered in: Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican, Peruvian, Greek, Persian, Indian...yet I've created a novel meal experience to enjoy.

What's your favorite way to recombine leftovers?

What do you think of when you think of ADHD?

If you're like most people, images of sugar-fueled hyperactive and fidgety children or mentally scattered and unproductive adults come to mind.

I had similar misconceptions until I discovered these facts.

1. Goes beyond children: About 4 percent of American adults over the age of 18 deal with ADHD on a daily basis.

2. Is not personal failure: ADHD is not caused by moral failure, poor parenting, too much TV, information overload, or excess sugar. Instead, research shows that ADHD is both highly genetic and brain based.

3. Includes hyperfocus: People with ADHD usually have trouble focusing but if they’re interested in something, they may hyperfocus.

4. Is a superpower: While ADHD is maligned as a disorder, it has a number of strengths: creativity, innovation, risk-taking, problem-solving, multitasking, and of course hyperfocus.

5. Shows up in stars: Business mogul Sir Richard Branson, gymnast Simone Biles, and musician Justin Timberlake all have said they have ADHD.

6. Makes for entrepreneurs: People with ADHD are 300% more likely to start their own company.

7. Hides through performance: People with higher IQs are often able to hide their symptoms from others (and themselves). They do well enough in school and work in spite of procrastination, inattention, or other challenges.

8. Impacts relationships: Research showed patients with ADHD and their spouses reported lower levels of marital satisfaction; those with ADHD and their partners should be mindful of communication (like any relationship!).

9. Coexists with conditions: Comorbidities of ADHD include anxiety, PTSD, and learning differences.

10. Isn't only treated with meds: Cognitive behavioral therapy, coaching, and therapies involving music, pets, and video games have all been explored.

11. Is becoming more common: More parents know to seek out help for their children at younger ages and adults can look out for the symptoms themselves, which means ADHD awareness is increasing.

What fact surprised you most?

"How'd you get your name?" My new manager asked me this, peering over my shoulder as I was getting acquainted with my desk.

"My mama gave it to me," I jested with the truth.

I knew what she was really looking for, so I began to tell her the story...

Names are an important part of our identity. They impact our lives, though others may not give them much thought.

I'm far from the only one who has had their name misspelled or mispronounced. These slights may be unintentional. Why shouldn't we put the same kind of intentionality into recognizing another human, who like us, has a name to represent who we are?

Impact tops intention.

Say my name: Nicknames don't count

We often forgive someone's mistake, even if it feels rudely sloppy (um, the spelling of my name is in the email you replied to).

What about people who just don't want to say our names? In that same workplace, another colleague upon meeting me asked if she could call me by a nickname. I didn't think much of it then.

When an American immediately bestows a nickname upon someone, particularly a person whose name isn't a conventional Western one, it says that one person's comfort is more important than the other person's identity.

What's in a name? Bias

Our names signal who we are and where we're from, sometimes with negative effects.

In undergrad, I took a sociology class with Doug Massey where we replicated the results of his research on how those with black-sounding names were discriminated against in their housing search. 

A similar study found “white-sounding” candidates received 50% more callbacks and those résumés had an advantage over “black-sounding” names equivalent to eight more years of work experience.

So, where did my name come from?

If you've read this far, I should tell you the end of my story.

My mother gave birth to me as a teenager. She found the name "Teisha" in a baby book and added "La" in front of it, thinking it sounded French. With her education, she didn't know the name doesn't look French. My name surprises strangers who aren't expecting a white woman.

My name is LaTeisha.

What's your name?

I'm a couple of days behind but not discouraged because it’s the most written ever. I'm not beating myself up because have done more now than before.

When a participant shared that with the breakout group, I was in awe. It was such a beautiful expression of resilience, determination, and self-compassion. It was such an important lesson for us all.

Personally, I still fight perfectionism. Needless to say, I'm on day 16 of a writing streak.

Growth Mindset vs Hot Streaks

Streaks can be motivating because it's rewarding to see visible evidence of our effort. On the flip side, it can be demotivating when you break the chain. Further, missing a few days can become a new bad streak and a reminder of our "failure."

What's more sustainable in the long term? A growth mindset.

A growth mindset equips us with the belief that we can become smarter if we work hard and persevere. People who embrace this mindset view challenges and failures as opportunities to improve and grow. Having a growth mindset is essential for success.

“The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.”

― Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success

While I have no intention of breaking my streak, I'm prepared with a growth mindset in case I do. I've broken streaks in the past. I no longer let broken chains tie me down.

Have you lost a streak and are you willing to find your growth?

Five words will change how you write.

Dickie Bush, co-founder of Ship 30 for 30, shared five questions he uses when he begins writing. I distilled those to five words to remember. I went meta and used the questions on this post.

Stick around for the bonus tip!

PROBLEM: What problem am I solving?

I'm solving the problem of remembering golden nuggets like Dickie's advice. How many times have you said, "that's brilliant" and then promptly forgot to integrate the knowledge into your work?

BENEFIT: What’s the benefit of solving that problem?

Adults are motivated to learn when something is relevant and yet we can forget that knowledge. The benefit of solving the problem is we'll remember Dickie's questions to use when we write.

WHO: Who has that problem?

I'm someone who would forget this advice. If you're reading, I wrote this for you too! You're a writer who wants to get better but could use help to remember how.

EMOTION: What emotion am I trying to generate?

The scientifically named emotions I want you to feel are motivated, joyful, and secure. I want you to feel motivated to try this, joyful at the silly headline, and secure in knowing you'll remember to use the info.

ACTION: What action do I want someone to take?

This one is hopefully obvious—I want you to use the information! I hope that you'll try the bonus tip. Of course, it would make my day if you liked, retweeted, and commented on this post. 😉

✨✨✨ Bonus: Put the 5 words together to remember✨✨✨

Five words are simple but a mnemonic device makes remembering easier:

Probably Bench Whoopi's Emu Axe

=

Problem Benefit Who Emotion Action

Extra bonus: Say every word of the phrase while touching each finger on a hand or a part of your body (scalp > nose > chest > stomach > knees).

Think you'll remember the five words to ask the questions when you write?

      O
     OOO
    OOOOO
   OOOOOOO   X                   LEAVES
  OOOOOOOOO XXX                  OR  
 OOOOOOOOOOXXXXX                 WEEDS? 
      O   XXXXXXX
      O      X
********************

Everyone wants growth.

It seems that way on face value. My friend and collaborator asked me for feedback on a design workshop she's planning to lead. She was exploring concepts of growth to support business strategy and life design sessions.

We raised these questions in our conversation:

• Have they defined what they want growth to look like?

• Have they thought about what else might be growing unintentionally?

• How does decision making play a role within growth?

Are you growing leaves or weeds?

"Growth isn't neutral," I stated.

I went on to share a metaphor of "leaves and weeds" that I made up in the moment. Both are examples of growth but we tend to value one form over the other.

I'm far from a horticulturist or botanist, and I'm a pretty terrible plant parent, but let's see how the metaphor works:

Consider the (eco)system and trade-offs

Know the (eco)system of your metaphorical garden and what might grow alongside the things you've planted.

When you're trying to grow "leaves" are you considering how certain "weeds" might thrive. If you're paying attention to one part of your business or life, are you noticing other things that may grow in the background such as customer complaints on an ignored product or resentment from a neglected friend.

Deciding not to grow something still grows something

Not making a decision is a decision.

Perhaps you're not ready to plant anything so you leave the soil unattended. Through your inaction, something still grows. Perhaps you've chosen to put off a decision to launch something and competitors gain ground. Or you wait to start an exercise program and you pack on the pounds.

What weeds are growing in your life and work?

███████ ██ ██████  ███████ ████████ ███████ 
██      ██ ██   ██ ██         ██    ██      
█████   ██ ██████  ███████    ██    ███████ 
██      ██ ██   ██      ██    ██         ██ 
██      ██ ██   ██ ███████    ██    ███████ 
***  a selection for your inspiration  ***

In 2021, Creative Quests kicked off with four themes for participants to explore. In any of the themed months, you're asked to keep three lists: Questions, Firsts, Illuminations.

The List of Firsts tracks things you did during the month that you’ve never done before—no matter how large or small. The list is the perfect way to embrace a beginner's mind. Here's an (unedited) selection from 2021 participants:

✍🏻 Poetry

• My mum read me her favorite poem over zoom

• Sent my friends a poem that reminded me of our friendship

• Climbed and perched myself in a tree as a result of a poem I wrote

• Cried when I saw a bud on a shrub because I finally understood why people went on and on about spring in poetry

• Closing my eyes more when listening to poetry. Trying to let the ideas sink deeper and notice how/if my body reacts to certain parts.

💃🏼 Movement

• Danced naked

• Ice plunged in the river!

• Snowstands (handstands in the snow)

• Sang with a group of people i now call friends while riding a bike

• Invented Pomodoro method combined with throwing balloons and dancing

🌈 Color/Colour

• Stopped wearing black (probably forever)

• Going on color photo safaris within my home

• Looked at webpages in Chrome in colour blind mode

• Making an illustration of a dream

• Colouring pasta. Then coloring cauliflower mash. Then coloring bread. Then coloring oatmeal

🏡 Home

• Collaborated on a Spotify playlist

• Wrote out my cosmic address!

• Went to the museum of home

• Went to a book shop to find books about home

• Made a map of what home has meant through the ages

What's on your List of Firsts this month?

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Have you questioned the power of questions?

The quantity and quality of questions improve the information you receive from, and the connection you have with, the person answering them.

LifeLabs Learning, a research-backed leadership training company, recommends the SOON Funnel for manager coaching conversations though you could use them elsewhere. SOON stands for the four categories of questions to be asked in order: Success, Obstacles, Options, and Next Steps.

Here's a list of sample questions:

Success

• What do you hope to achieve with this project?

• What would tell you that you’ve reached your goal?

• What are you optimizing for?

Obstacles

• What is preventing you from achieving your goal or success?

• What concerns you most about this?

• If you could wave a magic wand, what is one thing you would change?

Options

• What have you tried so far?

• What would you do if you had the resources?

• Who have you talked to so far and what have you learned?

Next Steps

• Where do you want to go from here?

• What is the first small step? What’s an even smaller step you can take?

• What support do you need to accomplish this?

Where could you apply the SOON Funnel?

You’ve likely felt frustrated with NFTs, DAOs, and most things web3.

Or maybe you’ve felt too intimidated to even bother. While we're in the Wild Wild West of web3, makers of DAOs and NFT projects can intentionally design their experiences to be welcoming and engaging. It helps to map the 5Es of the user journey, on emotional and experiential levels.

To illustrate the 5Es, we'll center examples around buying and minting NFTs:

ENTICE

How will someone hear about the project?

In what ways can you get someone excited? For example, I ignored NFT chatter in my Twitter feed until ConstitutionDAO launched. Seeing a DAO mobilize and fundraise so much so quickly intrigued me enough to contribute.

ENTER

What will the first impression be for new members of the project?

My first NFT was a CryptoCoven. After engaging with helpful people on Twitter to learn more about the project, I was enamored by CryptoCoven's website with its fantastically written lore and useful minting guide.

ENGAGE 

How will you design the "main event" and interactions of the experience?

If you were buying an NFT for the first time, you'd find the experience confusing unless you had guidance from a community like CryptoCoven. OpenSea is overwhelming. Discords are disorienting. Projects can do better.

EXIT

How can you end the experience on a positive note?

When you mint an NFT from a project's site during a pre-sale or public sale, it's thrilling to await the artwork's reveal. The experience could be even better if there were a safe and easy way to trade NFTs to ensure the one you own personally resonates.

EXTEND

How can you extend the experience with a meaningful object or service?

Poolsuite extended its Executive and Pool Member NFTs by integrating with Apple Wallet so the membership cards can be scanned "to unlock a wealth of experiences" including IRL events. Several other projects are building in post-minting utility (and FOMO!).

What other web3 projects have done these five experience design stages well? How could other projects improve?