All the Feels

In 1990, what would become one of the most famous quotes from Jack Welch, the late business titan and former CEO of GE, was featured … The post All the Feels appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Have You Heard?

Ever have one of those days when you’re just tired of gossip? Gossip among your friends. Neighborhood gossip. Office gossip. Online gossip. Political gossip. Celebrity … The post Have You Heard? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

People Are Not Pawns

  AI is the big new thing these days. New, new, it’s all so new. Except when it isn’t. For example, here’s an article in … The post People Are Not Pawns appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

The Secret of Influence

Imagine you’re a British RAF pilot who has just been shot down and captured by the Germans behind enemy lines. As soon as you arrive at the … The post The Secret of Influence appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

How to Have Authority

How do you stand out at the individual level in a world where everybody is trained to dress the same, get the same qualifications, read … The post How to Have Authority appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Why Stories Run the World

Have you ever had one of those strange dreams, where you’re, say, in an airport, trying to catch your plane, but before you can catch … The post Why Stories Run the World appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Where Do Insights Come From?

The image above is a redraw of a slide the research psychologist, Gary Klein, once showed to an audience. Basically, a company that wants to … The post Where Do Insights Come From? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Someone Should Write a Screenplay

As we all know, thanks to technology and the Internet, the cost of doing business in the creative trades (advertising, design, photography, TV, etc) has … The post Someone Should Write a Screenplay appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Small Ideas, Because It’s Worth It

Back in 1971, Ilon Specht, a fun, 23-year-old New York advertising copywriter, sat down at her desk at McCann-Erickson, one of the big Madison Avenue … The post Small Ideas, Because It’s Worth It appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Spontaneity is a Meticulously Prepared Art

In the 1999 book, “The Cluetrain Manifesto,” Doc Searls famously wrote, “Markets are conversations.” Buying a house requires a conversation between the buyer and seller … The post Spontaneity is a Meticulously Prepared Art appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

We Have No Money, We’ll Have to Think

In his book, “The Practice: Shipping Creative Work,” our old friend Seth Godin, talks about how creativity thrives under restraints. He tells the story of how … The post We Have No Money, We’ll Have to Think appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

How Much Dumb Tax Are You Paying?

Somebody once asked Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic, why he was so successful. He must be terribly clever! Adams replied, paraphrasing, that … The post How Much Dumb Tax Are You Paying? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

What Stands the Test of Time

Back in 1988, the shoe company, Nike debuted what is probably the greatest advertising tagline of the last 40 years, “Just Do It.” It’s still … The post What Stands the Test of Time appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

When a Butterfly Flaps Its Wings

Adam Smith, in his famous 1776 book, The Wealth Of Nations, uses the metaphor of an “Invisible Hand” to describe the forces in a market … The post When a Butterfly Flaps Its Wings appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Have We Opened Pandora’s Box?

Competition motivates us, focuses us, and demands the best of us. But it can also blind us. Sometimes, we can get so caught up trying … The post Have We Opened Pandora’s Box? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Stuck in the Middle With You

First there was “Big Media.” Big, publicly owned companies like the New York Times, ABC, and HBO. In 2022, The New York Times reported an … The post Stuck in the Middle With You appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Totemic Power

As we are fond of saying, we humans are meaning-seeking creatures. We project meaning onto everything we can, from star patterns in the sky, to … The post Totemic Power appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

What Darwin Can Teach Us About Business

When you think about the world of management theory, names like Peter Drucker, Mike Peters, and Warren Buffet likely come to mind. But the Nineteenth … The post What Darwin Can Teach Us About Business appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Beware the Man of One Book

Thomas Aquinas famously counseled us to “beware the man of one book.” He meant it in the context of debate: if someone has spent their … The post Beware the Man of One Book appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Do More, Think Less

Imagine you’re a young, creative person with lots of potential. One day you aspire to be a professional “creative” (whatever that means). Artist, playwright, inventor, … The post Do More, Think Less appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Let’s Farm Some Water

Do you remember Uncle Owen’s “Water Harvesters” in Star Wars, Episode IV? Water was so scarce on Luke Skywalker’s home planet, Tatooine, that they built … The post Let’s Farm Some Water appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Innovation isn’t Orthodox

If you follow the work of NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, he’ll tell you where he believes the current university system is going wrong and … The post Innovation isn’t Orthodox appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Freaky and I Know It

A while back, one of our favorite entrepreneurs, Ben Chestnut, was interviewed on the How I Built This Podcast with Guy Raz. Ben is the … The post Freaky and I Know It appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

The Art of Decision Making

These thoughts were inspired by listening to the technologist, former CTO at Microsoft, Climate Change leader, and investor, Nathan Myhrvold on The Knowledge Project Podcast … The post The Art of Decision Making appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

The Truth About Yawning

Imagine this: You volunteer for a study at your local university. You walk into the room, along with seven other participants, and you see this … The post The Truth About Yawning appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

A God-shaped Hole

In 1882, Nietzsche famously declared, “God is dead, and we have killed him.” To atheists, this might seem like good news. To Nietzsche, it certainly … The post A God-shaped Hole appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

The Curse of the Best

Back in August, Philosopher Kieran Setiya of MIT talked about his book, Midlife, with EconTalk podcast host, Russ Roberts. “Discussing the ennui that often comes … The post The Curse of the Best appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Which Hill Will You Die On?

As Vox so eloquently summarized, earlier this month, “Bud Light sent a handful of beers to a trans influencer and all hell broke loose.”  It … The post Which Hill Will You Die On? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

What Appears in the Void?

Back in the 1960s, painter Robert Ryman got famous for painting nothing but large white abstract squares. Just white paint on white canvas. Completely minimalist, … The post What Appears in the Void? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

The Lost Art of Oration

Recently, Justin Pearson, a Black Democratic lawmaker in Memphis, Tennessee, made international news when he delivered a stunning speech that went viral. This was after … The post The Lost Art of Oration appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

What is your practice?

This image was inspired by an idea from the Econtalk podcast interview #854 with the economist and blogger, Tyler Cohen, around his recent book, “Talent: … The post What is your practice? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Book Smart or Street Smart

It’s one thing to learn everything there is to learn about being a surgeon. It’s another thing entirely to actually be one. The same holds true … The post Book Smart or Street Smart appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Public Enemy #1

There’s one thing we hear repeatedly today, and it’s that “America is more divided than ever.”  That’s because much of the Western world is caught … The post Public Enemy #1 appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

When Humans Play God

The technology industry is like any creative industry. The question is always, always, always, “what’s next?” What will be the new thing after the Internet … The post When Humans Play God appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Fancy a riot?

The French are at it again. They first had the idea of rioting en masse during the French Revolution back in 1793 (the same year … The post Fancy a riot? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Why You Should Hit Delete More Often

This thought came from an interview with Author, Amor Towles, about his book, “A Gentleman in Moscow” on the EconTalk podcast, episode #856.  There’s an … The post Why You Should Hit Delete More Often appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Which Status Game Are You Playing?

Back in September, the British author and journalist, Will Storr, appeared on the Infinite Loop Podcast to talk about his new book, “The Status Game.” … The post Which Status Game Are You Playing? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Why are We so Miserable?

You wouldn’t know it if you only listened to the headlines, but we’re surrounded by hundreds of miracles. They’re all around us, hidden in plain … The post Why are We so Miserable? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Are you the same at work as you are at the pub?

The first thing you learn when running a business is JUST how hard it is to find good people. This is true whether you’re running … The post Are you the same at work as you are at the pub? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

If You Design for Average, That’s All You’ll Be

Rory Sutherland, the Co-Chairman of the ad agency, Ogilvy UK, wrote a book called “Alchemy,” a couple of years ago, which we’ve previously written about. While it … The post If You Design for Average, That’s All You’ll Be appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

It doesn’t pay to be virtuous: do it anyway

If you’re looking to find out what all the fuss about Stoicism is about, this podcast is an excellent place to start. Nancy Sherman, The … The post It doesn’t pay to be virtuous: do it anyway appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Potato Famine 2.0?

Social contagion, was the driving force behind Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)’s quick growth but it was also what eventually did them in. As most of … The post Potato Famine 2.0? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Trapped in an echo chamber?

Where new people go, new ideas flow. That’s why infrastructure has always influenced culture. In the days of old, it shaped the flow of trade. … The post Trapped in an echo chamber? appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Happiness: You Get to Decide

We’ve heard this story many times. The one about the hippy who travels all the way to Bali. Climbs a mountain, sits on top of … The post Happiness: You Get to Decide appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

Measure Twice, Cut Once

There are deep reservoirs of wisdom in the old carpentry adage, “measure twice, cut once.” The idea is that it’s easier to ensure you do … The post Measure Twice, Cut Once appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

How H-town got its Hustle

If you look at a map, New Orleans looks like a natural place to put the Gulf of Mexico’s largest port. It feeds right into … The post How H-town got its Hustle appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

When It’s Not Just a Game

Many of us have played the hit board game Monopoly and have basked in the joy of owning the entire board, collecting dues when our … The post When It’s Not Just a Game appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago

How Evil Spreads

CS Lewis, JP Sartre, and Nelson Algren all had a similar idea about the nature of evil. How boring and banal it is, and how normal … The post How Evil Spreads appeared first on Gapingvoid. | Continue reading


@gapingvoid.com | 1 year ago