If you haven't read anything by Seth Godin, you've missed some good advice, ranging from the 'wow, that's interesting' to the 'geez, I know that but really should be doing it more often.' Either way, his blog (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/) is a great resource for quick reads and great insights.

Here's a good quick read about perseverance.

Don't give up (you're on the right track)
Seth Godin
Original post here. 

Wrestling with a puzzle, a project or a problem, the likeliest reason to give up is the belief that it can't be done. What's the point of persevering if it's actually impossible to succeed?

"It can't be done," we say, throwing up our hands. Not "I can't do it," or "It's not worth my time," but "It can't be done."

In the year after Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile, the record was broken again and again. Once people realized it could be done, it wasn't an impossible task any longer. And that's why there's a flood of tablets on the market, many from companies that had what they needed to build the first one, but didn't until Apple showed them the way.

Two things you might take away from this: First, there's solace in finding someone who has done it before, whatever "it" is you're trying to do. Knowing that it's possible and studying how it was done can't help but increase the chances you'll stick it out.

Second: huge value accrues to the few able to actually do a thing for the very first time.

Yet another great post from Thinking Aloud, a thoughtful and interesting blog by Inaki Escudero. So good in face that we're not only linking to it, but we're straight-up copying it here. (Although obviously, we're giving him full-throttle credit.)

On personal branding ...

6 great questions to ask yourself. And you should be prepared to answer.

I interview a lot of creative professionals: Art directors, designers, copywriters, interactive designers, developers, planners and strategists, producers and I even get to talk to account people.

In most cases I don't follow the "resume-driven" script. I much rather look for non scripted answers. I look for the real drivers, the human needs not just needing a job.

I honestly love interviewing candidates, but most of the times I'm left with a dissapointed feeling. I think people for the most part don't prepare well for an interview.

This is more tragic when we think that in advertising, branding is the most important concept one must understand.

Personal branding, just like corporate branding is mostly about differentiation and to be substantially different is about knowing yourself.

I thought that I could help potential candidates by providing a list of questions, which answers could help you during the process of branding yourself:

• What value are you working on?
• What do you do to build, manage and maintain your network?
• If I Google you, what will I find?
• What is the last thing you created?
• What do you do to expose yourself to new ideas and new thinking on a regular basis?
• What keeps you awake at night? 
• What's your goal?

Your brand has a lot of competitors out there, make sure that your stand for something else than money, titles and ego driven awards.

Throw away that Successories crap. Hang this in its stead. People will gaze, interpret, evaluate, and depart longing to become a square. Brilliant.

We posted a brilliant short TED conference presentation from Derek Sivers last week and were immediately turned onto his blog and what he's doing both within the music space and in thought and creativity in general. Our adding him to our news reader paid off immediately in one of the more well-communicated examples of leadership we've seen in a while.

Read the transcript here.

Great post from Sunday on the Emerging Times site about the idea of mastering things.

GLADWELL'S 10,000 HOURS RULE
- How are you shaping your talent through commitment?

When I was 18, in my first year at college, my father (who owned an agency at the time) gave me my first Apple computer. It was instant access to the mother ship for a creative—it's what gave me an early advantage. Not many people, let alone students had a computer then, and knowing this made it even more inspiring. I could spend more time working, obsessing, and I didn't have to go to the labs to work because I had it all right there. I soon felt like a guru, an early adopter. Come 1998 when I entered the industry, I came in knowing that I could execute and navigate my way around anything. I knew that I could be the go-to-guy. By 2004 I had put in my 10,000 hours, heck it was probably more like 20,000.

I remember I used to come in exhausted on a lot of days, after working all night on creative and constantly re-challenging myself to develop something that got people excited. My coworkers and agency managers would say "wow, the work is great. Great job! The meeting is going to go wonderful. Oh, and what the heck we're you doing up so late?" Deep-down, I was comparing myself to everyone around me, proving to myself (through hours) that I was better. Everyday I'd ask myself "Have I worked harder than those guys?" People constantly would ask me "why do you work so long and hard? You should take it easy. You have your whole career ahead of you. Don't burn yourself out." Honestly, these comments used to really piss me off.

I used these comments to motivate me. I knew that I gained 8 hours of progress that night, so I did it again the next. And if I kept it up, within the next few years I'd be more ready than they we're—ready for what's next.

Everyday I took ideas, did sketches, then created beautiful comps for presentations. That's all I focused on delivering early in my career. It allowed me to feel confident in my trade, and allowed me to really focus on what I needed to develop as a creative in advertising—concept development, marketing, public speaking (pitching ideas) and building deep relationships and trust with the people I worked with. Teamwork.

Then about 2 years ago Malcom Gladwell supported my beliefs with the 10,000 Hours Rule. If you haven't read Outliers yet, go read it and pass it along. In short, he outlines that it takes 10,000 hours to master something. But the real tangible take away is that commitment maximizes your potential, creates skill, and shapes talent.

If you haven't yet, adopt the 10,000 hour rule this decade to something or somewhere you want to be. It will allow you to learn a new technology like mobile, enable you to travel faster up the ladder, and you'll feel more confident along the way knowing that you put in the time. Time enough to trust yourself and even get ahead of your coworkers, client's, and competitors.

- From The Emerging Times