advice

What I’ve Learned From NOT Reaching My Goals

/ Stuart Danker / 209 Comments

Man flying face down on pavement with shoes off

I used to have lofty goals. For one, I thought I’d be a millionaire by the age of 30. And I wanted to buy a pub for my parents who used to love drinking with their friends.

But my mum has since passed on and my dad’s stopped drinking, so that’s one goal out the window. And I’m nearing 40, so the before-30 goal’s out of the question too.

That’s how we arrive at my first lesson: goals never stay the same, because life never stays the same. So you best err on the side of action before your opportunities pass you by.

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These Are The Tools I Use As A Writer

/ Stuart Danker / 116 Comments

A woman with glasses holding a book with sparks flying

The tools maketh the writer. Or do they, really? Does using an expensive laptop—say, a Macbook—produce better prose than George RR Martin’s clunker of a PC?

You may be tempted to say no, and I might agree, but there’s no denying the effects that tools play on your psyche.

I’m not here to argue about whether writing tools improve productivity, though. Instead, I’m here to share the important ones that exist in my creative process. So let’s begin with…

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The Types Of Blog Posts You’ll See On WordPress, According To Me

/ Stuart Danker / 222 Comments

Type of blog posts - A group of divers standing on the beach

So I’ve never missed a day of browsing the Reader for at least two years now, and I’ve now profiled every type of blog post with utmost discrimination, much like the TSA.

What I’ve learned is that we all fall into certain categories—archetypes if you will—and today I’m going to share them with you.

But don’t feel offended if you belong in any of these groups, because it’s all just a bit of fun. Besides, if you don’t like it, you’ve already lumped yourself into the party-pooper group, and you wouldn’t want that, right?

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I Got COVID. Again. How Do My Lessons Hold Up?

/ Stuart Danker / 124 Comments

Don’t ask me how. Don’t ask me why. I live in a country where masks are mandated, I’m been vaccinated and boosted, and I don’t really go out other than to do the groceries, run, or walk the dog.

But that doesn’t matter. I tested positive once more. Thankfully, the symptoms don’t seem as wild this time—just a terrible sore throat and a cough.

Which means it’s the perfect time to revisit an old post of mine to take stock of what I think this time around.

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Set Yourself Up For Success By Eating Your Frog In The Morning

/ Stuart Danker / 94 Comments

How often do you work towards your life goals? Every day, I hope?

Here’s the follow-up question: When in your day do you pursue said goals? First thing in the morning? At night when everyone else is asleep? Or during your lunch break because that’s the only time you have?

I’m grateful to be able to write first thing in the morning, though it’s not to say I enjoy it most days. Because writing is hard, and more often than not, I’d rather not leave the warmth of comforter during those dark, cold mornings.

But some wise dude once said that you should eat your frog in the morning so that the rest of the day would seem easy in comparison, and so I do.

Is there a merit to the timing though? After all, the only thing that should matter is whether or not you eat your frog, right?

Well, let’s find out.

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