Dear reader. Here’s some snippets from two of my favorite books.

"Building a Second Brain" by Tiago Forte

The word “productivity” has the same origin as the Latin verb producere, which means “to produce.” Which means that at the end of the day, if you can’t point to some kind of output or result you’ve produced, it’s questionable whether you’ve been productive at all. Have you ever lost your smartphone or been unable to access the Internet, and felt like a critical part of yourself was missing? That’s a sign that an external tool has become an extension of your mind. In a 2004 study, Angelo Maravita and Atsushi Iriki discovered that when monkeys and humans consistently use a tool to extend their reach, such as using a rake to reach an object, certain neural networks in the brain change their “map” of the body to include the new tool. This fascinating finding reinforces the idea that external tools can and often do become a natural extension of our minds.

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"Creative Calling" by Chase Jarvis

We are all born creative. No matter your race, gender, sexual orientation, ability or background, creativity welcomes you.

When we create, we tap into something powerful inside us. We don't control this energy as much as we channel it. The strength of this creative force in every human being is undeniable - I've seen it unleashed too many times to think otherwise. You have this power humming inside of you right now, whether you know it or not.

When we make something, this vast inner resource gets activated, even if the thing we make is simple and small, even if it's a halting, first attempt that is quickly abandoned. Our creativity doesn't care. It's awake now. Energy starts to flow in every direction. If we keep using our creative energy by making new things day after day, month after month, something incredible happens. We feel better: awake, fulfilled, whole. By creating regularly, we access a new source of vitality.

Turning an idea in your head into a tangible reality is one of life's great satisfactions, whether the end result is a story, a photograph, a meal, or a business. We're born with a reservoir for doing this, a dense little chunk of creative plutonium. This reactor contains more than enough fuel to power our creativity for a lifetime. In fact, the more you use its power, the more it is available to you. But, like plutonium, creativity is dangerous. All that creative energy has to go somewhere. It must be released through a regular creative practice. Bottled up, it can go critical, become toxic. Unexpressed, your creativity can poison your life.

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See you in two weeks,

Vipin Baloni