Over the past few years we’ve seen the rise and rise of the email newsletter. Personally I’d prefer that more of these were blogs that had RSS feeds but I understand the economics. They’ve become a way of talented people earning some income through people paying for a subscription for their work. I have a mix of free & paid newsletters that I subscribe to that provides me with a steady flow of thought provoking comment, expertise, wisdom & insights into a whole host of topics.

I regularly subscribe and unsubscribe. If I find myself not really reading a particular newsletter on a regular basis I’ll unsubscribe, if I find there are things worth saving or I want to come back I’ll keep it going. I’m always interested in hearing about well-written newsletters that offer value to the reader, so if you have any suggestions let me know.

So I thought I’d take the time to introduce them, why I subscribe, what value there is and who knows maybe you’ll find something there for you too.

The other newsletters I subscribe to are: Jon Tyson, Helen Joyce, Leah Libresco Sargeant, John Ellis

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Some newsletters are long, some take time to process & digest & understand. Others are short and to the point. That’s James Clear’s 3-2-1 that arrives in my inbox every Thursday with 3 ideas from James, 2 quotes from others that he’s selected and 1 question to consider each week. When it comes to the formation of habits, choices, perspective on your work these little nuggets are always thought provoking and to be honest probably need a bit more meditation than I give them. He’s probably said that somewhere.

I’m not alone in appreciating this weekly does of productivity seasoning as around two million others also subscribe.

Here’s a taster:

1. “What starts as an excuse can easily become a habit. Don’t let a bad day become a lifestyle.” – From March
2. “Many problems are minor when you solve them right away, but grow into an enormous conflict when you let them linger. As a rule of thumb, fix it now.” – From July
3. “Asking what makes someone successful is like asking which ingredient makes a recipe taste good. It’s not any single ingredient. It is the combination of many ingredients in the right proportions and in the right order—and the absence of anything that would ruin the mixture.” – From November

Quotes from others

From November: Poet May Sarton on the importance of rest:

“I always forget how important the empty days are, how important it may be sometimes not to expect to produce anything, even a few lines in a journal. A day when one has not pushed oneself to the limit seems a damaged, damaging day, a sinful day. Not so! The most valuable thing one can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of a room.”

Source: Journal of a Solitude

​Psychologist and author Adam Grant on criticism:

“Criticizing is easy and fast. Creating is difficult and slow. The two hours you spent on a book or movie usually took two years to produce. Anyone can tear down someone else’s work. The true test of insight is whether you can help them improve it or build something of your own.”

Almost always something that makes me think and takes about 3 minutes to read. Sign up here