Discipline & Freedom (Paradox Pair #79)
Discipline is freedom's collaborator, focusing our attention on administrative tasks at deliberate times, granting us freedom to use the remaining time for our creative pursuits.
Paradox Pairs
Two ideas that at first seem to be in opposition. A deeper study shows they more often complement each other and provide the natural boundaries and tension necessary for creativity, innovation, and appreciation. In this series I will offer definitions of both words in a paradox pair that when combined establish a harmony where both virtue and dissonance are in balance. Each definition is written as a belief statement or describe ways in which we draw strength and value from the pair.
Option & Obligation (Paradox Pair #78)
Our work has many Right Turn on Red (RTOR) moments, where our actions are options not obligations.
Grit & Quit (Paradox Pair #77)
All obstacles are not equal, and sometimes those obstacles are signposts that we are pursuing the wrong destination altogether.
Kindness & Directness (Paradox Pair #76)
Respecting someone so much that you give them candid, constructive feedback, even when delivering that message is hard, is kindness.
2022's Top 7 Most Read Paradox Pairs
We look back at the seven most popular paradox pairs of 2022.
Ambition & Discontent (Paradox Pair #75)
Being discontent serves as an early warning signal that our ambitions are out of balance.
Friction & Satisfaction (Paradox Pair #74)
Friction is a design tool, when applied correctly it improves our experiences, decision satisfaction, and can protect us.
Overconfidence & Performance (Paradox Pair #73)
Unexpectedly, as uncertainty and complexity rise, making the outcome less predictable, we find that overconfidence rises too.
The Infinite & Omega (Paradox Pair #72)
Buzz Lightyear has been telling us all along, there is something beyond Infinity, it's the critical order of things, called the Omega.
Generation & Revision (Paradox Pair #71)
Selecting what to cut and exclude is more powerful than adding new features to an already complicated product.
Fluency & Repetition (Paradox Pair #70)
Referential linking is a shortcut our brains use to improve processing fluency, however, as a side effect, it causes us to believe things the more often we hear them, even if untrue.
Facts & Storytelling (Paradox Pair #69)
Storytelling is essential because we know that the impression we leave on others is really about how we make them feel.