Interesting

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Pissed off Gene

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In Ignore Everybody, Hugh MacLeod talked about the Pissed off Gene that cause us to be dissatisfied no matter how well things are going. It's the urge that motivates us to create, improve and enhance our lives. He argues that we all have it in us. It's built-in since the caveman days.

The only people who can change the world are people who want to. And not everyone does.

Sadly, not everyone act on this urge and most will happily trade it for cash. If you are annoyed at how some things appear to be broken, use it as the drive to create something new. Apparently, it's okay to be pissed off sometimes.

Facts about laughter

Here are some interesting facts about laughing.

  1. The study of humor and laughter is called gelotology.
  2. When you laugh, your body produces endorphins which serves as a natural pain killer.
  3. Nitrous oxide or more commonly known as laughing gas is used as anesthesia in dentistry
  4. Aphonogelia is a rare neurological condition where the sufferer is unable to laugh out loud. No LOL IRL.
  5. Laughing is good for your health and lowers stress level.
  6. Animals like dog, rats and primates laugh too.
  7. Rats like humans have tickle skin. An area of the body that generates laughter more than others.
  8. Laughter is contagious but it's also very hard to laugh on demand.

Love makes your work irresistible

Mark Sanborn says that the way to make yourself and your work irresistible lies in the four-letter word, LOVE. If you are passionate about your work, others can feel it. It shows up in the product you design and the service you provide.

Our lives and work are marked by love when we seek to give instead of receive, focus on how we do something rather than just doing it, see a task as a privilege rather than an obligation, make relationships a priority, and move beyond simple action to the accompanying emotions.

He also provided an acronym to infuse this irresistible ingredient into your work. He calls it P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E-S. Patience, Recognition, Appreciation, Counsel, Time, Instructions, Compassion, Encouragement and Service.

When we deliver them with love, our products and services become more attractive, leading to better customer response, greater employee retention, and more.

Read his manifesto to find out more about how you can make a difference in your work by loving what you do, who you are doing with and who you are doing it for. LOVE is the difference you need to stand out.

Linchpins are everywhere

Seth just declared that June 14 will be Linchpin Day. It's your chance to meetup with other linchpins in your area. If you read his books, do things that matters or just want to hang out, mark your calendar. You can also organize the event yourself if there isn't one nearby. Just go to this page and add your city to the list. For those in Kota Kinabalu, go here and sign up. Let's make it happen.

Google invades your TV

After making their own mobile phone, Google is now going to enter your living room through the TV. Google TV is their latest endeavor to bring the web closer to you. It runs on Android (the same OS that powers the Nexus one) which means you have access to all the applications on your TV. Some TVs are going to ship with it built in and for old TVs, you can plug in a Google TV box. Now there's really no reason to leave the couch.

Can't sleep?

I have problems falling asleep every night as I take at least 30 minutes before i wander off to dreamland. Here are some tips from Nancy Rothstein, author of best-selling children’s book My Daddy Snores, and co-creator of The Sleep Radio Show. These are taken directly from this article on GOOD.

  1. Unplug early. Avoid the computer, television, or cell phone before you hit the the sheets. These electronic devices stimulate your body, which is exactly what you don’t want before you start counting sheep.
  2. Paint it black. Does the outdoor city light bother you? Does the morning sunlight wake you up earlier than you would like? Invest in black-out curtains, or get eyeshades. Eliminate other light sources, such as your LED alarm clock display or the glare of a computer screen—which should be off at night anyway!
  3. Have a routine. Try to get to bed at the same time everyday—even on the weekends. Sticking to a schedule helps your body reinforce regular sleep. This is especially important for children, as irregular and inefficient sleep can have harmful consequences on their development.
  4. Just say no. Contrary to popular belief, drinking right before bedtime will not aid your sleep. Try to avoid drinking three to four hours before you go to bed. Avoid caffeine and nicotine for at least eight to nine hours before bedtime.
  5. Ritualized relaxation. Some good pre-bedtime activities: taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music, reading a book, or just sitting quietly with dim lighting. Nancy even recommends doing a yoga pose called the child’s pose on your bed before going to sleep.
  6. Don’t push it. If you can’t fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes, get up and do something until you feel tired. Practice breathing exercises until you feel tired enough to fall asleep. Try organizing your room, solving a jigsaw puzzle, or listening to soothing music.
  7. Beds are for sleeping. Do you live in a small apartment? Tempted to use the bed as a work desk or a couch? Don’t. Make sure your bed is for sleeping only. No exceptions.

Dropbox: It actually works!

Drew Houston from Dropbox posted a slide about lessons they learned from building, launching and promoting their product. The first lesson was to learn early and learn often. You need to get something out to the users to get feedback. The catch is you need to build something that they want. They also found out that marketing using adwords didn't work out for them because users rarely search for a product like Dropbox. Instead, they rely on word of mouth from their fans to reach new users. The most important was to make the product work as it should.

There are many more insights about how to market a product like Dropbox. For example, it's also important to know the market type for your product and how it fits into your user's life. Check out the slides below.

Dropbox Startup Lessons Learned