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Kevin Kelly Quote on Creating and How To Take Creations from Being “Good” to “Great”

“To make something good, just do it. To make something great, just re-do it, re-do it, re-do it. The secret to making fine things is in remaking them.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

Beyond the Quote (210/365)

The rough draft is never as good as the final copy. The first rendition is never as smooth as the final production. The initial prototype never functions as well as the end-stage product. In each of these cases, what’s the difference between the former and the latter? The re-doing. Re-doing doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch with each of your creations either—although it could be that. Rather, it’s more of an emphasis on constant and never-ending refinement.

“When you die you take absolutely nothing with you except your reputation.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

Beyond the Quote (209/365)

And what is your reputation made up of? The sum of all of the actions you took when you were alive. All of them. The actions you took when you were excited and joyful—and the actions you took when you were miserable and upset. It’s composed of the things you did for those who you admired, desired, and cared for—as well as the things you did for those who you pitied, hated, and didn’t pay any mind to. Your reputation is nothing more than the summary report of how well you followed the golden rule while you were alive.

“Following your bliss is a recipe for paralysis if you don’t know what you are passionate about. A better motto for most youth is “master something, anything”. Through mastery of one thing, you can drift towards extensions of that mastery that bring you more joy, and eventually discover where your bliss is.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“On vacation go to the most remote place on your itinerary first, bypassing the cities. You’ll maximize the shock of otherness in the remote, and then later you’ll welcome the familiar comforts of a city on the way back.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Before you are old, attend as many funerals as you can bear, and listen. Nobody talks about the departed’s achievements. The only thing people will remember is what kind of person you were while you were achieving.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“There is no limit on better. Talent is distributed unfairly, but there is no limit on how much we can improve what we start with.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Hatred is a curse that does not affect the hated. It only poisons the hater. Release a grudge as if it was a poison.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Perhaps the most counter-intuitive truth of the universe is that the more you give to others, the more you’ll get. Understanding this is the beginning of wisdom.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Separate the processes of creation from improving. You can’t write and edit, or sculpt and polish, or make and analyze at the same time. If you do, the editor stops the creator. While you invent, don’t select. While you sketch, don’t inspect. While you write the first draft, don’t reflect. At the start, the creator mind must be unleashed from judgement.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“You can obsess about serving your customers/audience/clients, or you can obsess about beating the competition. Both work, but of the two, obsessing about your customers will take you further.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“To make mistakes is human. To own your mistakes is divine. Nothing elevates a person higher than quickly admitting and taking personal responsibility for the mistakes you make and then fixing them fairly. If you mess up, fess up. It’s astounding how powerful this ownership is.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“When you are young spend at least 6 months to one year living as poor as you can, owning as little as you possibly can, eating beans and rice in a tiny room or tent, to experience what your “worst” lifestyle might be. That way any time you have to risk something in the future you won’t be afraid of the worst case scenario.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Everyone is shy. Other people are waiting for you to introduce yourself to them, they are waiting for you to send them an email, they are waiting for you to ask them on a date. Go ahead.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Don’t be the best. Be the only.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Rule of 3 in conversation. To get to the real reason, ask a person to go deeper than what they just said. Then again, and once more. The third time’s answer is close to the truth.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Extraordinary claims should require extraordinary evidence to be believed.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Never use a credit card for credit. The only kind of credit, or debt, that is acceptable is debt to acquire something whose exchange value is extremely likely to increase, like in a home. The exchange value of most things diminishes or vanishes the moment you purchase them. Don’t be in debt to losers.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Gratitude will unlock all other virtues and is something you can get better at.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Always demand a deadline. A deadline weeds out the extraneous and the ordinary. It prevents you from trying to make it perfect, so you have to make it different. Different is better.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

“Being enthusiastic is worth 25 IQ points.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

Kevin Kelly Quote on Creating and How To Take Creations from Being “Good” to “Great”

Beyond the Quote (210/365)

Kevin Kelly Quote on Death and How The Only Thing You Take With You Is Your Reputation

Beyond the Quote (209/365)