Jerry Seinfeld’s advice on success is refreshingly simple: get a big wall calendar and a red marker, and just keep writing. This straightforward approach emphasizes the importance of consistency over inspiration, reminding us that our only job is to not break the chain of daily work. I find this advice both boring and incredibly useful—it's all about putting in the effort, day after day, without waiting for the perfect moment to strike. We dive into the concept of commitment in our creative endeavors, exploring what happens when we embrace this mundane yet powerful strategy. So, what's the most boring piece of advice you've ever received? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!
Takeaways:
Jerry Seinfeld's advice on writing material daily emphasizes consistency over inspiration.
Using a calendar and marking days with an X creates a visual representation of progress.
The key to success in comedy, as Seinfeld suggests, is to not break the chain of daily writing.
Boring advice can often be the most practical; consistency is crucial in creative endeavors.
Embracing the mundane aspects of creativity, like marking X's, leads to significant improvement.
We should all reflect on the most boring advice we've received and how it shaped us.
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Transcripts
Speaker A:
This is the Daily note from jamesabrown.net Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most successful comedians in history, and I once heard a story about him that I rely on in order to keep doing this show every day.
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A young comedian approached him and asked him his secret to his success.
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Seinfeld said, get a big wall calendar and a red marker.
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Write material each day, he said, and then put a big X on that day.
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And after a few days you've got a chain and then your only job is to not break that chain.
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That's it.
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No inspiration required.
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No waiting on the right mood.
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Just put another X on the wall next to the other X's.
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It's the most boring advice in the world.
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It's also the most useful.
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What's the most boring piece of advice you've received?
