Welcome to the fifth edition of Things Once Said, a curated list of words, work, and wisdom that have recently inspired me.
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed, shared, and supported the newsletter thus far, especially those who have let me know how much they enjoy it.
Emotional Intelligence and Music
A fantastic and insightful talk from Maria Iturriaga highlighting the role music can play in teaching us emotional intelligence and connecting us to the emotions of others, nurturing self-awareness, discipline, social awareness and our capacity for stronger relationships.
Music is probably the fastest and the most direct way to connect with emotions.
Featuring Maria Martinez Iturriaga.
I’ve watched 120 hours of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway meetings — these are the top 5 things I learned
There are some great takeaways and insights in this article examining some of the wisdom and insights of Warren Buffett. I love too that it draws from such a wide repository of Buffett’s musings, based on patterns and consistency in what he says.
Buffett tells young people that their most valuable asset isn’t a stock–its investing in themselves. And no investment will pay off more than improving your public speaking skills.
Featuring Carmine Gallo / Inc. Magazine.
MECE: How to Think, Write & Persuade Like a McKinsey Consultant
The biggest takeaway I drew from this article by Ryan Law was the need to establish guardrails for open-ended questions that ensure a logical and thorough approach. I loved how it took this approach and applied it to content creation, writing in particular.
Most writing on the web mirrors the thought process of its writer. While that isn’t a universally bad way to write, there’s normally a better framework for structuring any article or argument.
MECE is a valuable tool for creating thorough, persuasive structures in a consistent way. It ensures that each topic is covered in sufficient depth (collectively exhaustive) without needless repetition or bloat (mutually exclusive), and it guarantees that your writing delivers on its promise.
Featuring Ryan Law
The Big Picture and the Small Details
This article by Chris Guillebeau captures the tension of creating and shipping great work, a balance that exists somewhere between not caring enough and perfecdtionism. Insightful reading from Chris, as always.
If you’re focused on perfection, you’ll never ship anything. If you’re happy with shipping subpar work, and you don’t mind “breaking things,” well, good luck with ever making something that will outlast you.
Featuring Chris Guillebeau.
Take good notes
This simple piece from Seth Godin reminds us how crucial storytelling is as an tool for anyone wanting to make an impact.
A story fits into (and changes) our understanding of the world. Good teachers are storytellers, and storytellers are teachers.
Featuring Seth Godin 
.
Things Once Said is published every Friday by Michael Harris. If you enjoyed this volume, please check out the previous editions and subscribe for weekly updates.