Have you noticed the trend in modern social media for people to declare the "one thing" that "changes everything"?

It might be that eating lard (sounds better if you say "beef tallow" doesn't it) cures all physical ailments. Or a particular breathwork protocol rewires your ADHD. Or a new AI tool will transform your productivity.

Thing is, the one thing never quite lives up to the promise does it? It might not actually be snake oil (or cow fat) but it can't possibly cure all ills.

That should be obvious to us, but marketing is slippery like that. It tricks the primal parts of our brains into thinking everything will be perfect once we click on that $99 subscription.

And so, we just keep muddling through, getting more and more disillusioned as time goes by.

So I am not going to promise that I can solve all of your problems with this advice, but, I do think that, if you do it over a long enough time, life will be kind to you.

The advice is, whatever you do, try to be competent and kind.

It's a killer combination that just about everyone values. And so, if that's how you are, you will go far.

Have a lovely day, Stephen

PS do you remember when you were starting out in your profession and you didn't have many resources? My son Felix is a budding filmmaker trying to finance his first short film with fellow students in Manchester. They are working extremely hard and creatively on the project with very little money. You can watch a short trailer here and donate to their GoFundMe also. Everyone who donates gets a credit. They are incredibly touched by the many friends and strangers who are supporting them. So, if you can do a little act of kindness, thank you 🙏🏻