Episode 88: So Many Reasons to Cry

Back to Work

5by5

Business, Society & Culture, Barriers, Dan Benjamin, Careers, Communication, Merlin Mann, Creativity, Work, Productivity, Constraints, Technology

4.7 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 9 October 2012

⏱️ 111 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

TOPIC: Finding Grit.

This week, Dan and Merlin return to a popular topic from last week: grit.

Why is it we stick with some things but totally abandon so many others? Why'd Merlin give up on learning "Little Brown Jug" on the trombone, then double-down on nailing "Pinball Wizard" on guitar? How come Dan got so good at programming, but can't kick a damned football to save his life? Is there a framework for understanding why we remember hit points, don't travel, can't draw, and forget why every good boy deserves fudge?

Along the way, Merlin accidentally—grudgingly—reveals that he actually knows things about sportsball, Dan breaks down the exhilarating rewards of immediate feedback, and both hosts wonder how Mariano Rivera can keep his cool after giving up a two-run homer.

Also, there's a pseudo-interesting rathole on why Merlin may or may not start spending more time with App.net.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	I wish I could draw.
0:03.5	Good week.
0:04.5	Big week.
0:05.0	How are you doing?
0:06.5	Huge week.
0:06.9	Did you got the photo of my box?
0:08.9	Yeah.
0:09.3	Oh, yeah.
0:09.9	Hmm.
0:10.9	Isn't that kind of disturbing?
0:12.0	Is that a euphemism?
0:15.7	I'll send you a picture of my box if you buy me an iPad.
0:19.7	No, I see this.
0:20.7	This is pretty cool.
0:21.8	Send you to my audio.
0:22.6	Are these gifts or these things that you sought out yourself?
0:25.1	Let's say they're all gifts really.
0:27.6	Three of them are gifts and two of them are self purchased.
0:32.7	Okay.
0:33.4	I'm going to say that the big one on the upper left is a gift.
0:36.5	And the one on the upper right is a gift, right?
0:39.1	The two tall ones are gifts.
	...

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