Yesterday I suggested ways to improve your storytelling skills through practice. Performing in public can be daunting, so today I’ll tell about my first experience telling a story in front of hundreds of people, being judged. First, despite my anxiety before going up, I loved the experience, learned a lot, and without a doubt will do it again. I recommend it to anyone, especially if you’re scared, like I was.[…] Keep reading →

Want to improve one of the most important skills for any field, almost free? Want to hook and engage anyone you communicate with? Tell a story. Everyone knows it, but it bears repeating. All communication can benefit from having it tell a story. Whether you’re pitching a product, pitching your company, answering a question in a job interview, talking to a friend, flirting on a date, or anything, humans love[…] Keep reading →

Like most American kids of my generation, I learned This Land Is Your Land as a children’s song, never thinking much of its meaning. A decade or two later, I heard Bruce Springsteen’s version of it on his Live 75-85 set. His introduction first got me thinking about its meaning, especially in contrast to God Bless America. I didn’t know Woodie Guthrie wrote This Land Is Your Land as an[…] Keep reading →

I find this picture of the Eiffel Tower beautiful. A guy named Tristan Nitot took the picture and posted it for people to share and enjoy in a post called “This photograph is free.” He posted it in response to some other guy whose name I don’t know who posted a picture he took entitled “This photograph is not free.” I won’t link to him because I’m afraid he might attack[…] Keep reading →

To follow up the talk I organized for Srikumar Rao, Srikumar’s business manager offered deep discounts (almost half price) for members of the Columbia Business School alumni club (anyone can join, whether they went there or not) to take the New York session of his course, Creativity and Personal Mastery (CPM). Having taken it about four years ago, I recommend the course without reservation. Click here for a pdf with[…] Keep reading →

Please join us for a special viewing of Elements Artwork by Joshua Spodek at District 36 If you missed my show at Crossing Art Gallery in June, this will be your first chance to see my new series. If you’ve only seen my public pieces Union Square and Bryant Park, this series is on a whole other level. Plus we can have wine here. If you haven’t seen it since[…] Keep reading →

The Architectural League of New York‘s online magazine Urban Omnibus interviewed Sandra Bloodworth, the Director of the MTA Arts for Transit. In the article, “Arts for Transit: A Conversation with Sandra Bloodworth,” she mentions Union Square in Motion, which is also shown in photograph. Considering others mentioned and pictured include Roy Lichtenstein, Sol LeWitt, and Elizabeth Murray, that’s an honor. The quality and quantity of art within the MTA is[…] Keep reading →