Scree – Page 144 – Craig Constantine

Risk and reward →

Published September 12, 2021 · All posts on Sep 12

If you take risk out of climbing, it’s not climbing anymore.
~ Yvon Chouinard from, «https://www.rockandice.com/people/yvon-chouinard-what-ive-learned/»

Just checking: Be sure you know who Yvon Chouinard is.

Risk is everywhere. If you’re not a climber, I’d venture to guess that you regularly ride in automobiles, which is the most dangerous thing you regularly do. It’s not particularly risky—the chances of catastrophe are low. And it’s a risk I’m comfortable with. Comfortable in both senses: I’ve rationally assessed the risk and do what I can to reduce that risk, and I’ve been exposed to the risk so often that it no longer evinces a visceral reaction.

Certainly, in climbing the objective hazards loom larger; when you’re looking down on large birds cruising the ridge-lift, your physical perspective shifts your mental perspective on life. But there are objective hazards everywhere. For me, I like to do everything reasonable to reduce all of the risks, but knowing that the risks exist— spending some time each day sitting with those risks, knowing I cannot fully eliminate all of them— that’s living.

If it’s good enough for Faraday →

Published September 11, 2021 · All posts on Sep 11 · Books

In part, Faraday credits his own “inventing the method of invention” to reading Watts’s books, particularly The Improvement of the Mind — a self improvement guide a few centuries before the internet. Watts recommended keeping a commonplace book to record facts, and Faraday did. Watts recommended he be guided by observed facts, and Faraday was. Watts recommended finding a great teacher, and Faraday starting attending lectures.
~ Shane Parrish from, Isaac Watts and the Improvement of the Mind

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Yes, that Michael Faraday. And book ordered.

I’m a vigorous agreer with Will Smith’s comments about reading, (and I believe him regarding running but my body is not yet on board.) I hope that reading this book is a wonderful exercise in, “I already knew that. And that. And also that.” However, my current traipsing through, A College Manual of Rhetoric has proven to be a font of—apparently—long forgotten by most everyone, gems. As such, I’m willing to bet my hoped-for reading of, The Improvement of the Mind will turn out similarly.

Alignment with Karen Bailey →

Published September 10, 2021 · All posts on Sep 10

How can storytelling and purpose be effectively integrated into business and podcasting to create meaningful impact?

Explore the transformative power of storytelling for purpose-driven leaders and entrepreneurs.

I don’t know if it’s introverts or extroverts, or necessarily these characterizations. But I think that there are people that are generally kind of thinking really big picture, and maybe community-oriented. But they have to be paired up with these implementors, and these ‘takers’—as I call them—to bring this stuff to life. I keep seeing this pattern in a lot of different places, and people use a lot of different language to describe them.
~ Karen Bailey (10:18)

The discussion emphasizes the importance of integrating storytelling into business and podcasting, focusing on its ability to make abstract concepts like purpose tangible and actionable. Storytelling is framed as a tool not just for engagement but for education and leadership, offering insights into how businesses can clarify their purpose and create meaningful impacts on their communities and stakeholders. Karen shares her personal journey from blogging about purpose to podcasting, highlighting how audio storytelling allowed for richer, more dynamic sharing of ideas.

The conversation also explores the characteristics of purpose-driven leadership and the dynamic between “idea makers” and “idea takers.” Emphasis is placed on the synergy between these roles, with practical examples of how they complement each other in successful businesses. The value of collaboration, community, and accountability among podcasters is discussed as a key driver for overcoming challenges and achieving goals. The exchange concludes with reflections on the importance of clarity and intentionality in both podcasting and broader business efforts.

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Modulation →

Published September 10, 2021 · All posts on Sep 10 · Self-improvement

Diet modulates weight. Nutrition quality will improve how fast you lose or gain weight. Exercise modulates body composition. Exercise intensity will improve how fast your body composition changes.
~ Steven Low, modified from, The relationship between diet and exercise – Steven Low

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Frankly, diet and exercise are topics that require a lifetime of study. The four sentences above—which I’ve reordered, but not otherwise edited—are as simple as I’d be willing to go in a description of “diet and exercise.” Fortunately, Low goes on. Much farther on.

I’ve tried a lot of things, and I’m confident that while several of them were turning points for me, not a single one of them is a panacea. In a very real sense, this meat-bag is nothing more than a moderately complex, space ship for my consciousness. It’s dented, sure, but it has a lot of good miles left on it.

Subconscious with Simon Christopher Pellett →

Published September 9, 2021 · All posts on Sep 9

How can podcasting serve as a tool for musicians to grow their audience, overcome challenges, and share their personal and professional journeys?

Exploring the intersection of music, entrepreneurship, and mental health highlights new paths for creative growth.

I think the way that musicians can use podcasting to their advantage is by talking about other subjects… other than trying to sell their music.
~ Simon Christopher Pellett (13:53)

The conversation examines how musicians can leverage podcasting to enhance their careers, foster deeper connections with their audiences, and navigate challenges in the music industry. Simon discusses the evolving landscape of creative media and entrepreneurship, emphasizing how podcasting allows artists to bypass traditional gatekeepers, explore diverse topics, and reach new audiences. Examples highlight the importance of reframing perspectives and embracing opportunities for growth, even in challenging circumstances.

Mental health emerges as a significant theme, with reflections on how personal struggles can shape professional journeys. The conversation touches on the Simon’s own experiences with anxiety and depression, showing how podcasting became a tool for self-expression and connection. Practical advice for musicians includes the benefits of sharing diverse interests, collaborating with a team, and finding unique ways to market their work.

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Who’s using whom →

Published September 9, 2021 · All posts on Sep 9 · Self-Awareness

The problem is that our New Tools are winning the battle of attention. We’ve gotten to the point where the tools use us as much as we use them. This new reality means we need to re-examine our relationship with our New Tools.
~ Shane Parrish from, Don’t Let Your (Technology) Tools Use You

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Also see, Jaron Lanier‘s comments about the Internet in general and social networks in particular. I consider myself fully innoculated against information overload and against my tools using me.

And yet, my mind wanders. I sit down to try to write out a blog post or three, and I find myself doing other things. The majority of my disruptions these days are simply ducking into my various projects and messaging platforms. The problem is that when I do, there’s always something to do. It’s not some inifite scroll that catches my eye, but rather a new message—from one of dozens of ongoing conversations—or something I spot which can be improved.

It’s not enough to simply do only productive things. No rather, I actually do far too many different productive things. A minute here replying to this person, two minutes there improving this little feature, 5 minutes writing a bug report, 10 minutes responding to a product vendor, … where was I? Right, trying to write this blog post.

Why and how →

Published September 8, 2021 · All posts on Sep 8

Your ideas are worth less than you think—it’s all about how you execute upon them.
~ Chris Bailey from, Your ideas aren’t that unique – Chris Bailey

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The pull-quote says it all. I recently had a pleasant conversation, wherein the idea of the “why” and the “how” came up. Thanks to Simon Sinek, we all know to, “start with why,” (that is to say, start with the idea.) The idea is important, but it’s literally worthless without the execution. Because anything, multiplied by zero, is zero.

To my 20-something-year-old’s surprise, knowing Al Gebra turned out to actually be useful. Take, for example, evaluating some idea and its execution: The total value could be calculated by multiplying the value of the idea by the value of the execution. (Note my use of, “could be.”) Great ideas are represented by a large, positive value, and terrible ideas by a large, negative value; Similarly for the execution. Great idea multiplied by great execution? Huge total value.

This simple model also shows me how I regularly ruin my life: Terrible idea, (represented by a negative value,) with great execution… Or, great idea, with terrible execution, (represented by a negative value,)… either leads to a large negative total. Interestingly, the slightest negativity—in either of those cases—amplifies the magnitude of the other parameter’s greatness.

This leads to an algebra of idea-and-execution. If you’re going to half-ass the execution, (a negative value,) or you’re concerned that you cannot execute well, it’s better to do so with a “small” idea. Only if you’re sure you can do the execution passably well, (“positive”,) should you try a really great idea. If you work through the logic with the roles flipped, the same feels true. This leads to a question that can be used in the fuzzy, real world: Is this pairing of idea and execution in alignment? Am I pairing the risk of negative-execution align with a “small” idea, or pairing the risk of a bad idea with “small” execution. That to me is a very interesting “soft” analysis tool, which falls surprising out of some very simple algebra.

What I’m not sure about though is what to do with the double-negative scenarios. (Which I’ll leave as an exercise for you, Dear Reader.) Perhaps, I should be using a quadratic equation?

Just another day →

Published September 7, 2021 · All posts on Sep 7

18,263. Thanks Mom!

PS: Also, great song.

Efficacy →

Published September 6, 2021 · All posts on Sep 6 · Thought and Philosophy

When you think that one of your ideas is a billion dollar one, remember the S-logo. Your idea is probably not as unique as you think it is. After a game-chasing [sic] insight strikes you, focus on how well you can execute upon that idea instead.
~ Chris Bailey from, Your ideas aren’t that unique – Chris Bailey

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I agree and I will go farther: An idea alone is worthless. It becomes increasingly valuable only if one thinks through the second-order, (and third and so on,) effects. Only when one thinks about how the idea connects to everything else one knows. Only when the idea has been connected to, and tested against, reality.

A good idea has some real, objective—others see the effect too and their observations agree—effect in the world. That part is trivially easy; “I think moving this chair is a good idea!” and then move the chair. But to be a good idea, it must also create value which can be traded, (in the most general sense,) with others. Moving the chair out of someone’s way is a good idea. Moving it to make them trip is not.

I can easily become trapped in my own thoughts. So many ideas! So many possibilities! But instead of ruminating in a whirlwind of worthless ideas, if I pick one, think it through, and then stand up to go make it happen— Magic. Efficacy for the win.

When do you stop? →

Published September 5, 2021 · All posts on Sep 5 · Parkour

I’m away at a parkour event this weekend, lots of walking and playing and jumping. One session was a discussion of fear, and of consequences. And one particular question for discussion was, “When do you stop?” People raised lots of ideas—good ideas, wise ideas… lots of things I was in agreement about.

But I was also thinking, “Wait. Why do I have to decide that?”

I know I’ve certainly faced decisions about stopping. Work, play, relationships, sports, parkour practices (ask me about the time I climbed across a train station outside of Paris,) … yes, deciding if, when and why to stop is an obvious question.

If I think about two paths—perhaps diverging in the woods, if you like that imagery—an hour’s hike along the path of one choice, I might decide I’m going the wrong way. There’s one of those when-to-stop decisions. But the mistake was an hour before, where the paths diverged.

This business venture: what if I had truly been committed, and had planned clearly the way we’d know when to stop? The question is gone. This relationship: could it be planned, or could two people be so honest, that the question doesn’t appear? This parkour jump, at the end of an exhausting day of training: why am I standing here, right now? If I’d planned better, could I have gotten all the same benefit, but a few minutes before right-now, I’d have moved to something else?

Might it be possible to still have challenge, commitment, growth, love, spontaneity, and humor… without ever having to decide, “should I stop this now?”