At the highest levels of success, good taste becomes a differentiator, but I know so few people who work seriously to improve their taste.
Though reasonable minds can disagree on what quality looks like, hierarchies of value absolutely exist. This becomes obvious once you start creating things.
One of my favorite interview questions: “How do you cultivate your taste?”
If they’re serious about their craft, they’ll light up and give you an inspired answer.
If they’re serious about their craft, they’ll light up and give you an inspired answer.
Good point from Seinfeld
How I improve my taste:
• I do everything I can to surround myself with all kinds of ultra-high performers.
• I spend an unreasonable amount of time in art museums.
• If a piece of writing feels magical to me, I dissect it and voraciously read the author’s work.
• I do everything I can to surround myself with all kinds of ultra-high performers.
• I spend an unreasonable amount of time in art museums.
• If a piece of writing feels magical to me, I dissect it and voraciously read the author’s work.
• I write in public.
• I write every day.
• I travel to cities that stand for excellence in some domain, and deconstruct why it’s a nexus for innovation.
• When I find someone I trust, I ask them to show me something they love, and ask questions as if they’re a tour guide.
• I write every day.
• I travel to cities that stand for excellence in some domain, and deconstruct why it’s a nexus for innovation.
• When I find someone I trust, I ask them to show me something they love, and ask questions as if they’re a tour guide.
Over a long enough time horizon, “the goal of cultivating good taste” is a good one-liner for my career. Applies to taste in people, products, writing, storytelling, aesthetics. Everything. It’s a daily discipline for me.
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