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The Blog of Travis Wright
Field notes about life, craft, & markets.
— by Travis Wright
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Travis Wright

The longer path is the faster path

LifeMarch 18, 2022

Why straight lines are slower than we think.

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On being early

LifeJanuary 15, 2022

Why being early is more difficult than it seems.

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Reality checking real estate (Home size edition)

Reality checking real estate (Home size edition)

MarketsSeptember 30, 2021

A macro analysis of Sacramento home price per square foot performance.

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Products are a three-way parlay

CraftAugust 23, 2021

The three things all successful products get right.

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Intelligence = Error Correction

LifeAugust 14, 2021

A minimalist definition of intelligence.

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Reality checking real estate (SF & Seattle edition)

Reality checking real estate (SF & Seattle edition)

MarketsApril 30, 2021

A macro analysis of major metro home price performance and affordability.

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Reality checking real estate

Reality checking real estate

MarketsApril 27, 2021

A macro analysis of home price performance and affordability.

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Relatively speaking

Relatively speaking

MarketsMarch 6, 2021

Distinguishing between price and purchasing power.

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The secret to patience

LifeJanuary 27, 2021

On having fun and being unbeatable.

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On investing

MarketsDecember 8, 2020

Some brief thoughts and resources for managing and investing capital.

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The Cantillon Effect

MarketsApril 16, 2020

On measuring value with a shrinking measuring stick.

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Gradually, then suddenly

LifeApril 9, 2020

A framework for max uncertainty.

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Bridges

PoetryFebruary 23, 2020

Daydream

PoetryFebruary 10, 2020

Wandering (but not lost)

PoetryFebruary 1, 2020

Right there

PoetryJanuary 28, 2020

Out of breath

PoetryJanuary 25, 2020

On fleetingness

LifeNovember 18, 2019

On the pricelessness of temporary things.

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Solve problems worth solving

CraftOctober 11, 2019

On creating products that matter.

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Entangled

PoetryOctober 10, 2019

Flammable

PoetryOctober 6, 2019

Poetry vs. long-form writing

CraftJune 17, 2019

On pairing form and intention.

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We the longing

PoetryApril 4, 2019

The first step

PoetryApril 4, 2019

The drain

PoetryMarch 31, 2019

Ourselves

PoetryMarch 30, 2019

Everywhere

PoetryFebruary 25, 2019

You? Me? We?

PoetryJanuary 17, 2019

Allegory is the way

LifeOctober 24, 2018

On reading spiritual texts allegorically rather than literally.

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We are made of eternity

LifeJuly 22, 2018

On death, evolution, and eternity.

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What’s your life aesthetic?

LifeJuly 16, 2018

On designing each facet of our lives with intention.

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When to be waterfall, when to be agile

CraftJuly 15, 2018

On using cost-of-change to guide process design for a project.

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Pull your joy forward

LifeJuly 14, 2018

On creating space now for the things that bring us fulfillment.

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Why I’m reading fewer books

LifeJuly 13, 2018

On finding the balance between input and output.

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Compressing vs. editing

CraftJuly 13, 2018

On identifying and sequencing the actions that matter most.

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Makes you me

PoetryJune 29, 2018

Study your discontent

LifeJune 26, 2018

On using discontent to improve wellbeing.

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Tracing paper

PoetryJune 23, 2018

The downside of (developer) sprints

CraftJune 19, 2018

A career of sprints is an exhausting prospect.

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Everything is raw material

LifeJune 9, 2018

On choosing what to make from the materials we’ve been given.

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Truth has a shelf life

LifeMay 28, 2018

On seeing truth through the lens of time and evolution.

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Success: An alternate definition

LifeMay 17, 2018

On identifying our unique recipe for living that maximizes fulfillment.

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What type of God do you believe in?

LifeMay 17, 2018

On the universe’s essential nature and its posture towards us.

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Hunters and diggers

LifeMay 8, 2018

On understanding how we’re wired.

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Get comfortable living in the gray

LifeMay 7, 2018

On the relationship between rebellion and freedom.

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The power of working remote

CraftMay 5, 2018

On the power of decoupling impact from hours worked.

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Thinking about the work is the work

CraftMay 3, 2018

On the experience of being a knowledge worker.

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Be like a Roomba

LifeMay 1, 2018

On using action to figure out what to do next.

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Don’t make things in an attempt to earn your freedom.

CraftMarch 3, 2018

On making things that make you feel free.

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Jigsaw puzzle (a design process metaphor)

CraftJanuary 29, 2018

On how to approach design problems.

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Chasing

PoetryJanuary 26, 2018

Street lights

PoetryJanuary 26, 2018
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Slipping through the cracks

LifeDecember 10, 2017

On reducing my reliance on list keeping to help put first things first.

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Fortunate > Blessed

LifeDecember 7, 2017

On expressing gratitude while embracing randomness.

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Collect now, curate later

CraftNovember 25, 2017

On figuring out what should belong and what shouldn’t.

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Be an archeologist

LifeNovember 11, 2017

On discovering who we are by stripping away all that we aren’t.

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Build the machine first

CraftNovember 4, 2017

On why adding headcount doesn’t make up for poor management or process.

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Start with the market

CraftOctober 27, 2017

On how to start a business.

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The details are your life

LifeOctober 23, 2017

The big things are made up of the small things.

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Philosophy isn’t one-size-fits-all

LifeSeptember 22, 2017

On judging philosophy by the quality of life it creates.

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Lessons from Japan

LifeSeptember 19, 2017

On beauty, craft, self awareness, and community.

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You are here

LifeAugust 28, 2017

On moving from the fringe to the middle.

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Fate as probability

LifeAugust 16, 2017

On the relationship between circumstance and choice of response.

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Fall in love with the search

CraftAugust 10, 2017

On the importance of consistently showing up.

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Eden is a metaphor

LifeAugust 8, 2017

On balancing advancing consciousness and connection with the natural world.

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Find your likes by eliminating your dislikes

LifeAugust 3, 2017

On using a process of elimination to find your passion.

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Living is so much more interesting than dying

LifeAugust 2, 2017

On living more fully here and now.

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Nobody is self-made

LifeJuly 28, 2017

On leveraging our circumstances for growth.

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Celebrate today

LifeJuly 28, 2017

On appreciating the wonder we’re a part of.

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Serendipity

LifeJuly 21, 2017

On reconnecting with the fun that drew you into creative work.

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Fulfillment is a posture to circumstance, not a product of it

LifeJuly 10, 2017

On the unique and personal nature of fulfillment.

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Why I’m a perfectionist

LifeJuly 2, 2017

On the costs and difficulty of achieving upward mobility.

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Everything compounds

LifeJune 30, 2017

On emergent phenomena and why it’s the engine of the universe

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Fullness, emptiness, free will, and fate

LifeJune 28, 2017

On the spectral nature of fate and fullness.

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Create enduring value

CraftMay 9, 2017

On the difference between perfectionism, craftsmanship, and laziness.

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I’m a binge creator

CraftMay 5, 2017

On the ebbs and flows of making things.

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Don’t debate ideas, validate them

CraftApril 25, 2017

On using degrees of certainty to make product decisions.

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Waterfalls and filmstrips

LifeApril 23, 2017

On the fluid nature of our beings.

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How I got better at golf while playing less

LifeApril 17, 2017

On achieving better performance with less effort.

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Play the long game

LifeMarch 9, 2017

On patient accumulation, asymmetric bets, and winning Monopoly.

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Why political systems disintegrate

LifeMarch 6, 2017

On why societies fail when they leave too many people behind.

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Drowning in life

PoetryMarch 3, 2017

Freedom to learn

PoetryFebruary 13, 2017

Stick your shovel in the soil

CraftFebruary 9, 2017

On allowing time to weather your work.

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A deeper truth

PoetryFebruary 8, 2017

We need integrative philosophy

LifeFebruary 8, 2017

On assembling a mosaic of methods for defining the many layers of reality.

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The age of integration

LifeJanuary 31, 2017

On our need to merge science and mysticism.

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This is all there is

LifeJanuary 27, 2017

On why the action is here, and always will be.

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Let your users push you

CraftJanuary 27, 2017

On having the courage to build less.

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How to be slower to speak

CraftJanuary 27, 2017

On being a more valuable contributor to conversations.

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Fidelity should match confidence

CraftJanuary 26, 2017

On how to use fidelity as a communication tool.

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Debt is reversible

LifeJanuary 18, 2017

On the power of simple-yet-tough decisions repeated consistently over time.

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The art of controlling (almost) nothing

LifeJanuary 15, 2017

On identifying what we can control and releasing ourselves from the rest.

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Be prolific

CraftJanuary 8, 2017

On how to hold your creative work more loosely.

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Regulation and taxes (A positive perspective)

LifeJanuary 6, 2017

On the relationship between population density, regulations, and taxes.

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Set your alarm the same time every day

LifeDecember 23, 2016

On seeking health, fulfillment, and joy daily.

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Time run short

PoetryDecember 19, 2016

The afterlife lets us off the hook

LifeDecember 18, 2016

On just how fleeting our time together in this life really is.

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There’s a person behind every product

LifeDecember 17, 2016

On the importance of considering the people behind the things we buy.

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Be where you’re from

LifeDecember 14, 2016

On the costs of relocating your home base.

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A beginner’s guide to light

CraftDecember 11, 2016

A brief overview of the relationship between Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO.

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Beggars and billionaires

LifeDecember 7, 2016

On what we seek when we travel.

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The reward for a life well lived, is a life well lived

LifeDecember 3, 2016

On the fleetingness of life and the benefits of not believing in an afterlife.

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The best products are made in relationship

CraftSeptember 18, 2016

On the importance of making things in community.

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Join a cat for sunrise

LifeApril 26, 2016

A lesson about reconnecting with the now.

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In = Out

PoetryApril 9, 2016

Full circle

PoetryMarch 20, 2016

Moving pianos

CraftMarch 11, 2016

A story about the art of anything.

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Ideas must be caught

CraftMarch 3, 2016

A mediation on making room for ideas and bringing them to life.

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How to get unstuck

LifeFebruary 8, 2016

A mental model for generating change.

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Forget your work

CraftFebruary 5, 2016

A perfectionist’s guide to writing (and sharing) more easily.

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Lead your life with David Gerber

Lead your life with David Gerber

InterviewsOctober 29, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to David Gerber. David is a life and leadership coach who works with individuals, teams, and organizations to help them reach their full potential.

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Following your curiosity with Kevin Knox of Cal Football and Mosaic Bay

Following your curiosity with Kevin Knox of Cal Football and Mosaic Bay

InterviewsOctober 8, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Knox. Kevin serves as the chaplain to the California Golden Bears and is the pastor of Mosaic Bay Church in Berkeley, California.

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Finding the courage to step into the void, Paul Di Giordano of Lounge of Life

Finding the courage to step into the void, Paul Di Giordano of Lounge of Life

InterviewsOctober 1, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Paul Di Giordano. Paul is the founder of Lounge of Life, a Sacramento, California-based alternative night life experience that gives people a safe place to socialize without feeling the pressures of excessive drinking, drugs, and promiscuity.

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Paint-covered pants

Paint-covered pants

CraftSeptember 29, 2015

On finding the courage to live the life we were created for.

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Embracing the unknown with Dr. Jeff Cook of CrossPurpose

Embracing the unknown with Dr. Jeff Cook of CrossPurpose

InterviewsSeptember 24, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jeff Cook. Jeff is a former church planter, pastor, professor, and now the Fellows Academic Director of CrossPurpose, a Denver, Colorado-based organization working to abolish economic, spiritual, and relational poverty through the power of redemptive relationships.

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Integration, balance, and disrupting fast fashion, Blake Smith of Cladwell

Integration, balance, and disrupting fast fashion, Blake Smith of Cladwell

InterviewsSeptember 17, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Blake Smith. Blake is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cladwell, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based startup who is blending software and fashion to help people create simple, minimal, personalized “capsule” wardrobes.

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James Delarato of Citizens San Francisco on finding the courage to transform your life

James Delarato of Citizens San Francisco on finding the courage to transform your life

InterviewsSeptember 10, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to James Delarato. James is the Planting Pastor of Citizens San Francisco, an emerging community based in San Francisco’s Haight district.

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Brian Moll of Defy Ventures on finding grace, justice, and transformation behind bars

Brian Moll of Defy Ventures on finding grace, justice, and transformation behind bars

InterviewsSeptember 3, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Brian Moll. Brian is a former pastor and church planter and now the Executive Director, Bay Area of Defy Ventures, an entrepreneurship, employment, and leadership training program that serves people with criminal histories in San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.

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Fostering community, relationships, and generosity with Kyle Brooks of Oakland Startup Church

Fostering community, relationships, and generosity with Kyle Brooks of Oakland Startup Church

InterviewsAugust 27, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Brooks. Kyle is the founding pastor of Oakland Startup Church, an emerging community located in the heart of Oakland, CA.

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A fresh thought about homelessness in San Francisco

A fresh thought about homelessness in San Francisco

LifeAugust 24, 2015

Making sense of the growing homeless population and it’s relationship to the amount of support that’s available to them.

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The art of storytelling with Jeremiah Aja of Forge Sacramento and Tell It Well, Inc.

The art of storytelling with Jeremiah Aja of Forge Sacramento and Tell It Well, Inc.

InterviewsAugust 20, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Jeremiah Aja. Jeremiah is the President of Forge Sacramento, an organization devoted to training men and women to live as missionaries in their neighborhoods, and Tell It Well, Inc., a Sacramento based marketing and branding agency.

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How to foster redemptive community, Ruthie Kim of Because Justice Matters

How to foster redemptive community, Ruthie Kim of Because Justice Matters

InterviewsAugust 13, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Ruthie Kim. Ruthie is the founder and Director of Because Justice Matters, a San Francisco based organization reaching women who experience exploitation and isolation.

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Artifacts of evolution

Artifacts of evolution

CraftAugust 3, 2015

Processing the pain and promise of progress in the epicenter of disruption, San Francisco.

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Travis Clark of Canvas San Francisco on being patient and avoiding the allure of explosive growth

Travis Clark of Canvas San Francisco on being patient and avoiding the allure of explosive growth

InterviewsJuly 30, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Travis Clark. Travis and his wife Jena are the founding pastors of Canvas, a young, thriving, and inspiring community based in San Francisco.

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(We are) spora

(We are) spora

PoetryJuly 20, 2015
The art of making room with Craig Kelley of Gold Country Church

The art of making room with Craig Kelley of Gold Country Church

InterviewsJuly 15, 2015

This week we’d like to introduce you to Craig Kelley. Craig is the founding pastor of Gold Country Church, a thriving and inspiring community based in Auburn, CA.

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4 keys to fostering contagious generosity

4 keys to fostering contagious generosity

LifeJuly 13, 2015

On the primal elements that unlock our innate desire to be generous

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Spinning

PoetryNovember 22, 2014
Choose both

Choose both

LifeMay 17, 2014

On the importance of seeking to resolve seemingly contradictory truths.

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The beginnings make the endings

The beginnings make the endings

CraftJune 11, 2013

On the myth of overnight success.

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How Yosemite turned my life upside down

How Yosemite turned my life upside down

LifeMay 28, 2013

On the importance of seeking out new perspectives and experiences.

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There’s no such thing as luck

There’s no such thing as luck

LifeMay 17, 2013

On learning to experiment and embrace failure as integral ingredients to success.

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Make money while you sleep

Make money while you sleep

LifeMay 1, 2013

On the power of decoupling our time from our income.

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Create for you and no one else

Create for you and no one else

CraftApril 29, 2013

On the importance of creating for yourself and no one else.

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What will you do?

What will you do?

LifeApril 25, 2013

On why we can’t be free until we know why we want to be free.

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Creativity is courage

Creativity is courage

CraftApril 24, 2013

On why creativity ultimately has nothing to do with what we make and everything to do with what living a life of courage makes of us.

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Talking about work is not work

Talking about work is not work

LifeApril 23, 2013

On the danger of talking away our creative energy.

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Focus on habits

Focus on habits

LifeApril 18, 2013

What Tiger Woods can teach us about achieving goals.

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Inspiration finds you

Inspiration finds you

CraftApril 17, 2013

On creation feeling more like surrender than accomplishment.

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Don’t be afraid to use the ink

Don’t be afraid to use the ink

CraftApril 15, 2013

An exercise in breaking through my inability to embrace my desire to create.

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I don’t want a raise

I don’t want a raise

CraftApril 10, 2013

On using constraints to unlock hyper-creativity.

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Do work you’ve never done before

Do work you’ve never done before

CraftApril 9, 2013

On learning to embrace and seek discomfort.

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Why we find things after we stop looking for them

Why we find things after we stop looking for them

LifeApril 7, 2013

On worrying less.

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Airplane

PoetryDecember 25, 2009

Raining stars

PoetryOctober 7, 2009

Without you

PoetryNovember 2, 2008

Lines in the sand

PoetryFebruary 27, 2008

Prodigal

PoetryFebruary 10, 2008

On the twelve

PoetryJune 5, 2006

Slide

PoetryJune 5, 2006

Search for June

PoetryNovember 22, 2005

My eyes

PoetryNovember 22, 2005

With you

PoetryJuly 22, 2004

3:50am

PoetryJuly 18, 2004