great guest blog on the calm from complex’s editor-in-chief - wise up on his insightful list of important things he’s learned “usually the hard way due to my own trespasses, along the road to the riches:”

cudi’s complex cover from august/september 2009 illustrated by augor

20 people love lists - they’re the simplest and most immediate way to organize information and there’s nothing people enjoy more than having their tastes confirmed, disputed, and broadened

19 you should consider everything you create to be an argument to the world as to why the people they consider ‘your peers’ are not really your peers - don’t just accept the comparison

18 a really good q&a can deliver as much analysis as a well-written narrative feature—but about 10 times more people will read it

17 if you agree to interview a rapper, you’re also agreeing to accept the possibility that, due to the circumstances of said interview and the ensuing reaction it evokes, you may never want to listen that rapper’s music again - i’ve never covered q-tip - he may be a nice guy and it could go great, but i have certain sentimental attachments to the music of atcq that i’m not willing to forsake

16 apprenticeship has been the key to whatever level of success i’ve achieved

15 you can’t stand on the shoulders of those who came before you if you tear them down on your way to the top - be gracious

14 honor your commitments to the people that put you on, even if it postpones new opportunities momentarily - you wouldn’t even be entertaining the opportunity if it wasn’t for those that put you in that position in the first place

13 you’re only privy to 40% of your boss’s job, so keep that in mind when you monday morning quarterback his or her decisions - it’s never as easy as you think, and you’ll only ever know the breadth and depth of the pressure until you have to do it yourself

12 compensation follows success; which follows excelling at what you do; which follows doing what you enjoy; which follows doing what you have a natural talent for

11 there’s always a vocal minority that thinks you suck - one of them is probably going to comment on this post - somehow i’ll soldier on

10 invest time mentoring the next generation. If you do a good job, one day they may cut you a check or at the very least, in the short term, they’ll explain the Internet to you (lookin’ at you @bfred and @jlapuma)

9 if you surround yourself with the smartest people you can find, people will think you’re a lot smarter than you are - only insecure people think this works the other way

8 don’t hoard the credit, there’s always enough to go around

7 i get a lot of compliments on certain stories i’ve written, and that’s cool, but honestly, if you can’t get a good interview out of 50 cent or kanye west it’s time to assess your career ambitions

6 people who are friends with everyone say the same nice things to the people whose work you don’t respect

5 the internet is far more permanent than print - and anyone with a writer’s ego should appreciate that

4 if you’re gonna shit on someone’s rhyme, you should try, at least once, to sit down and write a 16 - it’s hard - don’t get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion as a listener and consumer, but a little respect for the difficulty of the process may inform how you express your dissatisfaction

3 generally speaking, those who are the most critical of you are your biggest fans - just ask my mom

2 when I was 12 my dad told me that I’d enjoy life a lot more if i acquired a taste for inexpensive coffee, wine, whiskey, and women - i didn’t listen to him, but that doesn’t mean he was wrong

1 when you’re on a packed flight, never change your seat at the gate - the dude in front of me has been growing yeast in socks - at least that’s what it smells like

read his full post here: http://itsthecalm.com/2010/03/13/guest-blog-noah-callahan-bever-e-i-c-of-complex-magazine/

mandix
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