Ryan Hildebrandt

Making things, exploring the world

Stop trying to “Do Your Best”

The secret ingredient to side projects that actually start

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EDIT: This article has now become a TEDx talk. Check it out here

My friend Jen wanted to be an author. She was smart and had tons of ideas, but was never sure whether they would work out. None of them sounded like the book she knew she was smart enough to write. Her best.

Every so often, she’d remember her dream of publishing a book and feel guilty, but after trying for a few hours, days, or weeks, she would give up again.

This went on for 22 years.

It could have gone on for her whole life too, but one day, Jen decided to do something that went completely against her high-achiever nature. She wrote a book without editing it, without page numbers, and without chapter titles at all. It took 4 weeks.

It was as close to imperfect as she could make it. [Read more…] about

Stop trying to “Do Your Best”

The secret ingredient to side projects that actually start

Stuff I’ve Made: TEDxLeamingtonSpa

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In December 2014, I decided to create a TEDx event in Leamington Spa, England – the town I had been living in for the past year and a half.

Had I ever run an event before? No (except for the occasional night out with friends or the best wine tasting night ever)

Had I ever marketed something to the general public? No.

Had I recruited or managed a volunteer team? Also no.

Approaching this with zero experience in the event space was an interesting challenge. My singular goal going in was this — Create the best TEDx event possible for our audience, speakers, volunteer team, venue staff, volunteer team, and myself.

I wanted to stretch my entreprenuerial skill by creating the absolute best experience for everyone involved.

The other trick is this – TEDx events are independently-organized. TED doesn’t give you funding, book your venue, find speakers, choose your theme, handle ticket sales, or find videographers or photographers. That’s all on you.

Everything turned out well (and as of 2019, the team from 2015 has taken on leadership of the event and continues to run it!). Here are some highlights I’m extremely proud of: [Read more…] about Stuff I’ve Made: TEDxLeamingtonSpa

The weekly review habit I’ve been doing for 8 years

I haven't set goals since 2009, but I get more cool stuff done

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I’m really happy with my life. Over the last 8 years, I’ve been able to do a lot of cool stuff…but without typical “goal setting”. Instead, my weekly review has allowed me to:

  • Cycle across Canada
  • Travel to 53 countries
  • Start training for a marathon twice, then finally finish it on the 3rd try
  • Quit my job to start a profitable online business
  • Start a TEDx event (TEDxLeamingtonSpa) in 2015 that’s still running 3 years later
  • Publish 30 episodes of a podcast
  • Go skydiving and bungee jumping (at the 2nd highest bungee site in the world – 220m)
  • Create an Android App
  • Deadlift 140kg
  • Become a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng)
  • Interview for management roles at Facebook and Google
  • Go on a motorcycle trip in Laos, an overnight 90km kayak trip in Latvia, do an improv performance, live in Ukraine, move to the UK, have dinner under Big Ben, and meet Brian Rose (founder of London Real)

…and a bunch more stuff. Almost none of it has been planned in advance either. [Read more…] about

The weekly review habit I’ve been doing for 8 years

I haven’t set goals since 2009, but I get more cool stuff done