(I wrote this post on March 5, 2024. I will have more to say about the future of AI later on in this post.) AI is all the rage these days. People use what they call “generative” AI for all kinds of things: fact-based research, generate alternative ideas, and to correct the work they created. […]
How Much Do You Trust AI to Make Good Decisions for You? Read More »
Warning: This is not my normal question of the week. This post is all about swearing. And I will link to NSFW media. Proceed at your own risk. Now, for the good stuff—swearing. I have rules about swearing: never in front of a microphone and preferably in private when I’m alone. I do have an
At Least Three Ways Swearing Is Actually Good For You Read More »
This is Johanna Rothman’s February 2025 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this email. A reader asked when I choose to manage risks with contingency planning. I had to think about the question because I’m often aware of various risks. In my life and projects, I often make
When Do You Choose to Move From Risk Awareness to Contingency Planning? Read More »
Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum, the US appears to be in chaos. I’m not even going to try to list everything, because that list would be out of date even before I publish this post. Let’s agree on this: Life is full of change. Sometimes, it’s change we want. Sometimes, it’s
How Do You Manage When “Everything” Is In Chaos? Read More »
I’m writing this on Christmas day in 2024, which coincides with the first night of Hanukkah. Kwanzaa is tomorrow. The solstice was a few days ago. I feel as if the calendar gave us all a big present: “We’re all on this little rock together.” I hope that all your gift acquisition and receiving experiences
What Present(s) Do Both Your Heart and Mind Desire? Read More »
We’ve all had terrible disappointments in our lives, personal, professional, and societal. Somehow, most of us find ways to live with the personal disappointments. I’m not going to discuss those because I’m not a therapist. Professionally, I’ve experienced several project-based disappointments. We either didn’t deliver what the customer wanted or we didn’t deliver it when
How to Acknowledge Our Disappointment and Decide How to Restart Read More »
Rejection is a fact of life. We don’t get the jobs we want. Or the date with someone who seems attractive. Plenty of magazine editors reject my short stories, even when the editor says, “I liked it. It just doesn’t fit.” Those rejections feel personal—and they are in matters of the heart. But more often,
How Do Rejections Affect Your Ability to Be Resilient and Adapt? Read More »
I’m slightly obsessed with making the most of my days. I have grand ambitions and goals that each require enough time to fulfill. Mine include books to write, places to go, and interesting people to work with. While I have no family “goals,” I want to spend enough time with them that they enjoy me—and
How Can We Know When the Direct Path will Take Longer and Be Less Effective? Read More »
This is the September 2024 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter, from Johanna Rothman. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this email. When I went to college, I referred to my female friends as “women.” My mother laughed at that, saying we were still girls. I asked her, “When do male people become men?
How Do the Names We Call Each Other Matter? Read More »
Mark and I just returned from a week-long trip to Switzerland and Germany to explore some of my family’s origins. We had a great—and exhausting—time. I learned a ton, not just about my family’s past, but about designing for the entire experience, and how my perseverance interacts with my learning. Design for the Entire Experience
How Can You Integrate What You Learned from Traveling to a New Place? Read More »