Comments on: Jesse Thorn -- Make Your Thing: 12 Point Program for Absolutely, Positively 1000% No-Fail Guaranteed Success http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: donovan acree http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1356966 donovan acree Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1356966 The problem with telling other how to achieve anything based on your experiences is that most people aren't you. In other words: If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him! The problem with telling other how to achieve anything based on your experiences is that most people aren’t you.
In other words: If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him!

]]> By: bluest_one http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355930 bluest_one Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355930  The One Point, Absolutely, Positively 1000% Guaranteed Fail: 1. Don't try, despite all that.  The One Point, Absolutely, Positively 1000% Guaranteed Fail:

1. Don’t try, despite all that.

]]> By: jtegnell http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355771 jtegnell Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355771 Remember, if you fail, it's entirely your fault, and it's probably because you weren't smiling hard enough. Remember, if you fail, it’s entirely your fault, and it’s probably because you weren’t smiling hard enough.

]]> By: Paul Renault http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355764 Paul Renault Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355764 This article immediately reminded me of an old Doonesbury cartoon. I've done a GIS and can't find it. Jason B. Thorn was also reminded of it when he read Laura Vanderkam’s <i>168m Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think.</i> To wit: "...There’s an old Doonesbury cartoon that I couldn’t stop thinking about: Jane Fonda complains to her cleaning lady that she (the housekeeper) should be more interested in Fonda’s exercise videos. The housekeeper says she’s too busy, and Jane responds, a la Vanderkam, “Nonsense—look how busy I am, and I have plenty of time to exercise.” The housekeeper’s answer is quietly devastating, and entirely appropriate throughout this book: “Yes, but you’re as busy as you want to be, and I’m as busy as I have to be. There’s a difference.” Maybe we should print out Jesse's points in bullet form and hand them out to the people in, oh I don't know, Darfur. This article immediately reminded me of an old Doonesbury cartoon. I’ve done a GIS and can’t find it.
Jason B. Thorn was also reminded of it when he read Laura Vanderkam’s 168m Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think.

To wit: “…There’s an old Doonesbury cartoon that I couldn’t stop thinking about: Jane Fonda complains to her cleaning lady that she (the housekeeper) should be more interested in Fonda’s exercise videos. The housekeeper says she’s too busy, and Jane responds, a la Vanderkam, “Nonsense—look how busy I am, and I have plenty of time to exercise.” The housekeeper’s answer is quietly devastating, and entirely appropriate throughout this book: “Yes, but you’re as busy as you want to be, and I’m as busy as I have to be. There’s a difference.”

Maybe we should print out Jesse’s points in bullet form and hand them out to the people in, oh I don’t know, Darfur.

]]> By: MrEricSir http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355728 MrEricSir Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355728 Holy shit, it's every self-help piece of advice I've ever read boiled down into one comment! Holy shit, it’s every self-help piece of advice I’ve ever read boiled down into one comment!

]]> By: GrueHunter http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355726 GrueHunter Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355726 Succeed, mostly through dumb luck.  Retrospectively fit a twee 12-point framework over what happened to make it look like it was all down to your drive, courage and intellect.  Support your framework with random anecdotes.  Ignore all of the time people did what you say, but were overcome by circumstance.  Claim anybody can do the same and be guaranteed of success.   Didn't work for you?  You're a lazy, gutless idiot. Succeed, mostly through dumb luck.  Retrospectively fit a twee 12-point framework over what happened to make it look like it was all down to your drive, courage and intellect.  Support your framework with random anecdotes.  Ignore all of the time people did what you say, but were overcome by circumstance.  Claim anybody can do the same and be guaranteed of success.  

Didn’t work for you?  You’re a lazy, gutless idiot.

]]> By: journey46 http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355702 journey46 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355702 1. be yourself. 2. you have one life. 3. look for money but don't count on it or get pissed off when it ain't free. especially as a substitute for the miracle you are learning you are. 4. count on your goodness, your zone. 5. smile. 6. a lot. 7. 'cept when ya can't and can't stand smiley faces. 8. it's all valid. 9. none of it is terminal. 10. embrace other people. (and their different ways when ya can) 11. smiling is as natural as breathing. 12. define gumption like robert persig did and wavy gravy and bukowski lived. live. 13. embrace your life and wrestle it to the floor before you want to wrestle anyone else to the floor. 14. whenever you have the need to wrestle others save up and visit turkey or greece and offer to pay for the olive oil. 2. you have one life. 15. never, never, write a book or an advice column. and 16. always, pick up your trash and leave the planet the way you found it. oops, live is 13 and the others follow suit. all found on page 43. dive into it. 1. be yourself.
2. you have one life.
3. look for money but don’t count on it or get pissed off when it ain’t free.
especially as a substitute for the miracle you are learning you are.
4. count on your goodness, your zone.
5. smile.
6. a lot.
7. ‘cept when ya can’t and can’t stand smiley faces.
8. it’s all valid.
9. none of it is terminal.
10. embrace other people. (and their different ways when ya can)
11. smiling is as natural as breathing.
12. define gumption like robert persig did and wavy gravy and bukowski lived.
live.
13. embrace your life and wrestle it to the floor before you want to wrestle anyone else to the floor.
14. whenever you have the need to wrestle others save up and visit turkey or greece and offer to pay for the olive oil.
2. you have one life.
15. never, never, write a book or an advice column.
and
16. always, pick up your trash and leave the planet the way you found it.
oops, live is 13 and the others follow suit.
all found on page 43.
dive into it.

]]> By: journey46 http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355685 journey46 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355685 good luck jesse. welcome to the twilight zone of success, season 5 episode 124. good luck jesse.
welcome to the twilight zone of success, season 5 episode 124.

]]> By: Joseph Bae http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355612 Joseph Bae Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355612 Here are the 12 points (and the names of people/thing that are shining examples) : 1. Start Now (Kate Beaton) 2. Make Deadlines (Jonathan Coulton) 3. Keep Your Legs Moving (Killer Mike) 4. Don’t Confuse Content & Medium (Boing Boing) 5. Be Authentic (Andrew WK) 6. Follow Your Passion (Chris Hardwick) 7. Focus on Great Work (Merlin Mann) 8. Connect with People You Like (You Look Nice Today) 9. Own What You Create (Felicia Day) 10. Find the Money (Kasper Hauser) 11. Build a Community (Insane Clown Posse) 12. DO A GOOD JOB And here's the final motivational paragraph: I don’t really think that most of what you need is born into you, though. Mostly, you just need to care, and try. You need to make something, and then make it again, a little better. You need to look around for money. You need to reach your hand out to meet someone when it would be easier to keep to yourself. You need to make something for you when it would be easier just do what someone else tells you to. All of these things are hard, but none of them require anything more than gumption. Which I bet you have. So: make your thing. *  *  * For the whole article, here's the Google cache that Brian Easton posted earlier: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://transom.org/%3Fp%3D24153&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=779&strip=1 "Gumption" is now my favourite word. ;-) Here are the 12 points (and the names of people/thing that are shining examples) :

1. Start Now (Kate Beaton)
2. Make Deadlines (Jonathan Coulton)
3. Keep Your Legs Moving (Killer Mike)
4. Don’t Confuse Content & Medium (Boing Boing)
5. Be Authentic (Andrew WK)
6. Follow Your Passion (Chris Hardwick)
7. Focus on Great Work (Merlin Mann)
8. Connect with People You Like (You Look Nice Today)
9. Own What You Create (Felicia Day)
10. Find the Money (Kasper Hauser)
11. Build a Community (Insane Clown Posse)
12. DO A GOOD JOB

And here’s the final motivational paragraph:

I don’t really think that most of what you need is born into you, though. Mostly, you just need to care, and try. You need to make something, and then make it again, a little better. You need to look around for money. You need to reach your hand out to meet someone when it would be easier to keep to yourself. You need to make something for you when it would be easier just do what someone else tells you to. All of these things are hard, but none of them require anything more than gumption. Which I bet you have.

So: make your thing.

*  *  *

For the whole article, here’s the Google cache that Brian Easton posted earlier:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://transom.org/%3Fp%3D24153&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=779&strip=1

“Gumption” is now my favourite word. ;-)

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355558 penguinchris Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355558  Not everyone will be able to make it big in media - even if you do have the right personality, which you probably don't. I'm sure Jesse knows this. What he's done is use examples of successful people (including Boing Boing, number 5 on the list), and explained how they achieved their success. You can tell from his description of these people that personality does have something to do with it, but it's also an extremely diverse group. So the takeaway is that it <i>is</i> possible for nearly anyone to be successful at this if you try, try, try - and if you have something meaningful to add to the wealth of media already available. That's the hard part, not having the right personality - think about the "personalities" that you may be familiar with - radio DJs, TV announcers, whatever - the fact is that they don't actually have any personality or anything interesting to bring to the table, they're just charismatic and have a nice speaking voice.  Not everyone will be able to make it big in media – even if you do have the right personality, which you probably don’t. I’m sure Jesse knows this.

What he’s done is use examples of successful people (including Boing Boing, number 5 on the list), and explained how they achieved their success. You can tell from his description of these people that personality does have something to do with it, but it’s also an extremely diverse group.

So the takeaway is that it is possible for nearly anyone to be successful at this if you try, try, try – and if you have something meaningful to add to the wealth of media already available. That’s the hard part, not having the right personality – think about the “personalities” that you may be familiar with – radio DJs, TV announcers, whatever – the fact is that they don’t actually have any personality or anything interesting to bring to the table, they’re just charismatic and have a nice speaking voice.

]]> By: timquinn http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355542 timquinn Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355542 Clue number one: Have lots of personality traits that you don't have. There you go! Clue number one: Have lots of personality traits that you don’t have.

There you go!

]]> By: Jesse Thorn http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355515 Jesse Thorn Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355515  It's possible that point 13 should have been, "Never Trust A Public Radio Person With The Internet."  It’s possible that point 13 should have been, “Never Trust A Public Radio Person With The Internet.”

]]> By: Jesse Thorn http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355511 Jesse Thorn Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355511 It should be back up for everybody. Sorry - Transom usually is a site for public radio producers, so it isn't used to big traffic.  It should be back up for everybody. Sorry – Transom usually is a site for public radio producers, so it isn’t used to big traffic. 

]]> By: Brian Easton http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355496 Brian Easton Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355496 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://transom.org/%3Fp%3D24153&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=779&strip=1 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://transom.org/%3Fp%3D24153&hl=en&biw=1440&bih=779&strip=1

]]> By: jimh http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355486 jimh Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355486  I'll have to try later, as of now transom.org is still not responding.  I’ll have to try later, as of now transom.org is still not responding.

]]> By: jimh http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355480 jimh Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355480 I'd like to read this. But not found. Was it a gag? I’d like to read this. But not found.
Was it a gag?

]]> By: cubby96 http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355481 cubby96 Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355481 Was 'Boinged but now back up.  It's a nice list of 12 examples of how people have unconventionally made their way into lucrative (mostly) media-related careers through pursuing their passions. Was ‘Boinged but now back up.  It’s a nice list of 12 examples of how people have unconventionally made their way into lucrative (mostly) media-related careers through pursuing their passions.

]]> By: monstrinho http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355465 monstrinho Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355465 clearly the secret is a nice porcelain deer and a modren outlook. (old reference is old, so i'll just leave this here.. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6493841613076981287 ) clearly the secret is a nice porcelain deer and a modren outlook.

(old reference is old, so i’ll just leave this here.. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6493841613076981287 )

]]> By: Jim Gallagher http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355451 Jim Gallagher Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355451 tl;dr - dumb fuckin' luck tl;dr – dumb fuckin’ luck

]]> By: Noctilucent Studios http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355441 Noctilucent Studios Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355441 That deer has an awfully suspicious look on his face. That deer has an awfully suspicious look on his face.

]]> By: Jim Saul http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355435 Jim Saul Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355435 Jesse's site is  http://maximumfun.org/ Now go forth, and be more powerful than ever. Jesse’s site is 
http://maximumfun.org/

Now go forth, and be more powerful than ever.

]]> By: BBNinja http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355432 BBNinja Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355432 Shoulda hosted it on blogspot. :P Shoulda hosted it on blogspot. :P

]]> By: esquire http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355431 esquire Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355431 Bam!  Nice article - glad I clicked. Bam!  Nice article – glad I clicked.

]]> By: chrisspurgeon http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355429 chrisspurgeon Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355429 In fairness, transom.org isn't Jesse Thorn's site, it's a site started by another well known public radio producer, a bloke named Jay Allison. In fairness, transom.org isn’t Jesse Thorn’s site, it’s a site started by another well known public radio producer, a bloke named Jay Allison.

]]> By: awjt http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355420 awjt Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:35:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355420 Looks like only 8 points, to me.  But that's just the deer hunter in me talkin. Looks like only 8 points, to me.  But that’s just the deer hunter in me talkin.

]]> By: Robert http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355419 Robert Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355419 Apparently the way to succeed is claim you have a way to succeed and then disappear? Seriously, though, I look forward to the hyperbolic humor that I presume the article is composed of. Apparently the way to succeed is claim you have a way to succeed and then disappear? Seriously, though, I look forward to the hyperbolic humor that I presume the article is composed of.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355416 EH Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355416 coral cache not available. coral cache not available.

]]> By: Kyle Clements http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355409 Kyle Clements Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355409 The page seems to be having trouble loading.   Maybe it would help if we all head over to his site and keep pressing F5 over and over again until it is fixed...Hope it's back up soon, I'm looking forward to reading this. The page seems to be having trouble loading.  

Maybe it would help if we all head over to his site and keep pressing F5 over and over again until it is fixed…Hope it’s back up soon, I’m looking forward to reading this.

]]> By: Taylor http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355407 Taylor Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355407 Mirror? Mirror?

]]> By: SpiderJon http://boingboing.net/2012/02/27/jesse-thorn-make-your-thing.html#comment-1355403 SpiderJon Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=146046#comment-1355403 Oops! Google Chrome could not find transom.org Not quite the "Absolutely, Positively 1000% No-Fail Guaranteed Success" that was promised. Oops! Google Chrome could not find transom.org

Not quite the “Absolutely, Positively 1000% No-Fail Guaranteed Success” that was promised.

]]>