43 Folders

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Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

The Forehead Ticket Trick

So, you’re going to a ticketed event, like a concert or a ball game. It’s out of town. You’re carpooling with four other people. How do you ensure that everyone in the car has their ticket with them?

The car doesn't move until each person takes out their ticket and holds it to their forehead.

Been doing it for 20 years, and you’d be amazed how often it saves the day.

jeremy's picture

What's powerful about this for...

What's powerful about this for me is not just that it's simple, it's also physical. Whenever I leave the house, I always put my hand on my keys before I close the door. I jangle them in my pocket, twirl them around my fingers, tap them in my backpack. Whatever it takes for me to physically acknowledge that I'm not going to lock myself out of the house. It seems so silly because it's 1) so obvious, and 2) so simple, but silly or not, I'm so clumsy and forgetful that if I didn't do this, I'd be locked out at least once a week.

 
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