Jonathan Moore

Jonathan Moore

I am a designer who lives in code, entrepreneur, and an idea incubator driven to make our world a better place.

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“It’s better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.”

Alan Watts

The quote is from a recent post on Shelby White’s (Wanken) blog asking “What Do You Want To Do?”  If you take money off the table completely, what is it that would get you up in the morning anxious to dive right in?

8 Signs You've Found Your Life's Work

http://www.fastcompany.com/3002168/8-signs-youve-found-your-lifes-work

I’ve made the mistake of plunging headfirst into a business commitment that wasn’t fulfilling, spending more time trying to make it work than actually getting stuff done. I’ve felt red flags early on in a startup but waited nine months to listen to my intution. I’ve put off my own ideas to help others actualize their visions because it was less scary. — Amber Ray

If you can’t answer yes to all of the eight items on the list, it’s time to reevaluate the work you’re doing.  Make something that you love.

Written by Amber Ray, go follow her on Tumblr.

It Will Be Exhilarating If I’m really honest I have to admit to being a habitual new book starter.  My iPad is full of books that I start—and plan on finishing someday—only to find another one to read three chapters in.  On a recent flight back from Dallas, I downloaded It Will Be Exhilarating by Studio Neat and read the whole thing from forward to acknowledgements during the short flight. Although it is a fairly short book, it might be one of my recent favorites covering design, indie entrepreneurship, passion, and process. “Make something because you feel invigorated when you work on it, and anxious when you don’t.”

It Will Be Exhilarating

If I’m really honest I have to admit to being a habitual new book starter.  My iPad is full of books that I start—and plan on finishing someday—only to find another one to read three chapters in.  On a recent flight back from Dallas, I downloaded It Will Be Exhilarating by Studio Neat and read the whole thing from forward to acknowledgements during the short flight.

Although it is a fairly short book, it might be one of my recent favorites covering design, indie entrepreneurship, passion, and process.

“Make something because you feel invigorated when you work on it, and anxious when you don’t.”

Aelita Andre - Prodigy of Color

At a very early age Aelita Andre’s parents watched their daughter paint expressively and with passion.  To help encourage her artistic abilities they setup a studio that where she can brush, splash, paint and create her expressive and colorful art.  In this 13 minute short film you can see the four year old abstract painter at work in her studio.

Although I’m unsure if she truly is an art prodigy or that her parents are simply skilled marketers (an entirely different debate), it is amazing to see a young and uninhibited creative mind in action.  Right now her art is on exhibition in New York City’s Agora Gallery in Chelsea through June 25th.  If you want to pick up one of her pieces it’ll only set you back $25,000.

Forget Passion, Focus on Process

http://37signals.com/svn/posts/2904-forget-passion-focus-on-process

Find meaning in what you’re doing. Work to improve your industry. Get joy from making a customer’s day. Surround yourself with the kinds of people and environment that keep you engaged. Figure out the details and day-to-day process that keep you stimulated. Focus on how you execute and making continual improvements. Get off on how you sell, not what you sell.

Process is what motivates me and moves me forward.  Product launches are fun and full of energy, but it the tweaking and refining of the process and customer experience where you will see the most gains.  

Like quality over quantity, put process over passion.