Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

“Good checklists are precise. They are efficient, to the point, and easy to use even in the most difficult situations. They do not try to spell out everything–a checklist cannot fly a plane. Instead, they provide reminders of only the most critical and important steps–the ones that even the highly skilled professional using them couldContinue reading “Check Your Resistance”

“Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.” -Steve Prefontaine What makes my good friend Joe one of the world’s best handicappers is that he can evaluate how well a horse ACTUALLY ran a race. As opposed to how they finished. He uses tools like Beyer ratings, SheetsContinue reading “Win The Effort Race”

“The first principle is not to fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool.” -Richard P. Feynman General William T. Sherman: “Well, Grant, we’ve had the devil’s own day, haven’t we?” General Ulysses S. Grant: “Yes…Lick ’em tomorrow, though.” – Conversation between the two generals after the first day of the BattleContinue reading ““The Best I Could””

Perseverance (noun) : continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : STEADFASTNESS “I will persist until I succeed. The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning, and it is not given to meContinue reading “Perseverance”

“A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play. -James P. Carse, book Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility A finite game is one bounded by rules and time. Think of your favorite sporting event for example. WhoeverContinue reading “Finite & Infinite Games”

“God’s one and only voice is silence.” -Herman Melville “I need to be alone. I need to ponder my shame and my despair in seclusion; I need the sunshine and the paving stones of the streets without companions, without conversation, face to face with myself, with only the music of my heart for company.” –Continue reading “Silence”

“You have to become undeniably good at something. Nobody ever takes my advice, because it’s not the answer they wanted to hear…but I always say, ‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’ If you are just always thinking, ‘How can I be really good?’—people will come to you.” -Steve Martin, memoir Born Standing Up WhatContinue reading “Advice Or Affirmation?”

If you encounter an issue or potential problem, first think about whether or not it will matter in 5 years. If it won’t, don’t spend more than 5 minutes worrying about it. If it will matter, and you’ve thought about it 5 or more times without taking any kind of action, stop worrying and doContinue reading “The 5x5x5 Rule For Worrying”

One day. Or. Day One. You decide. Is today day one of you making your art? (In addition to art, insert any good intention or desired habit here like exercising, eating healthy, getting control of your finances, getting more sleep, signing up for that class, etc…) Or is today just another day, in a longContinue reading “Day One?”

“If the artist is happy with the work they’re creating and the viewer is enlivened by the work they’re experiencing, it doesn’t matter if they see it in the same way. In fact, it is impossible for anyone to experience your work as you do, or as anyone else does….The purpose of the work isContinue reading “Answer The Call”