Friday Finds - October 13, 2017

Weekends are a great time to clear space – literally and figuratively – and make room for new inspirations and insights to emerge. To spark your own exploration this weekend, here’s what we’ve enjoyed this week:

WHAT WE’RE READING: Setting boundaries when your home space is also your work space.
WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO: Taking creative risks feels scary to all of us – whether you’re a startup founder or a recovering addict.
WHAT WE’RE PLAYING WITH: A weekday ‘off’ to play tourist in our own city left us feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the week. How are you building in moments to recharge and get inspired?
WHAT WE’RE CURIOUS ABOUT: Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
THIS WEEK’S MANTRA: If you don’t want to fit the mold, you’ll have to break it.

Overheard in a yoga class, this week’s mantra will strike a chord with anyone trying to do anything new, different or untested. Yet breaking the mold – especially doing it publicly with (what feels like) the world watching can make us feel vulnerable, anxious or like imposters.

At moments like these, we think back to Nilofer Merchant’s concept of Onlyness - the unique combination of our history and experiences, visions and hopes that only we possess. Like our fingerprint, no two ‘Onlys’ are the same – and in fact, this combination can act as our true competitive advantage, our unique point of differentiation. As you try to break the mold of whatever shape you’re currently in, think about what makes you uniquely you, and ground yourself confidently in the space that only you stand in.

Not sure what your Onlyness really looks like? Download our free Personal Inventory activity as a first step toward understanding yourself, who you are, and what value you bring to the world. 

As always, we appreciate you being along for this journey with us. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch, and reach out with any ideas, questions or feedback.

Happy weekend,