The good part about this is if you have a great product, more people will buy it if you make it look nice. The bad part? If you have a crappy product and you make it look nice, people will probably buy it. (Of course, if you know you have a crappy product, maybe you should spend less time making it look nice and more time making it a better product.)

Graphic after the break.

Listen to these two heaveyweights (Seth Godin and Tom Peters) discuss why blogging is so crucial to their success.

Watch and learn. Watch. And. Learn.

I have never been more excited to wear a t-shirt in my whole life. If you’ve been living under a rock, here’s the inspiration for the above shirt. Fresh from the YouTubes:

Reader Steve pointed me to a Double Rainbow Remix. Check it out below!

Want proof? Check out this picture of my desk. That should lock it up:

How would you define the term “social media”?

I’d love to hear your answers in the comments below!

“For what quantum mechanics says is that nothing is real and that we cannot say anything about what things are doing when we are not looking at them.”

Yeah. I think I’m going to like this book.

A Junk Drawer for Your Desktop

Similarly, we need to have a “junk” drawer for our computer desktop. If we don’t things can get quickly out of hand–old application downloads, flickr images, free audiobooks, documents, screen shots, multiple project folders… All of this stuff magically finds its way onto our desktop. Clutter. Chaos. Ick.

Not only does the extra baggage on our desktop create a psychological distraction, it also bogs down our computer’s performance. Nothing hogs processing like a bulky desktop. So for all you desktop slobs, here’s a quick and easy way to cut down on your clutter.

I recently discovered a simple concept called “Needs a Home” for file processing. It’s super-simple. Create a folder and put it on your desktop. Call it “Needs a Home”. Here’s mine:

Whenever I download something, it does in the “Needs a Home” folder. Whenever I grab something from an email, it goes in the “Needs a Home” folder. Whenever I have a file I’m not quite sure what to do with, it foes in the–you guessed it–”Needs a Home” folder.

File Management Accountability

“But Justin,” you say, “why not just use the ‘downloads’ folder?”

Good question. But the key here is accountability. The downloads folder is tucked away nicely within the filing system of the Mac OS. The “Needs a Home” folder sits on your desktop, begging you to be accountable. That’s the key to keep your desktop clutter-free. Having a system that stares you in the face.

I set aside some time at the end of each week to process the “Home” folder. It doesn’t take more than 5-1o minutes, and it forces me to ask the question, “Do I really need this file?” 9 times out 10 it’s a resounding “no!” Then delete it. Your folder with a week’s worth of file accumulation goes from this:

To this:

Don’t you feel better already? I know I do. It’s managing your files instead of letting them manage you! It’s a small step, but it creates a tremendous sense of control, calm and serenity while working.

Over the years, I’ve winnowed down what I allow on my desktop and gotten it to a point where I only have three items present: Hard drive, Desktop alias, and “Needs a Home” folder.

Now that is a thing of beauty. It’s because all my desktop files and folders have a home.

What about you? Do you have any desktop file management tricks or tips? Please share in the comments below.

1. They’re simple: Short, humorous, message delivered.
2. They’re absurd: A man riding a tiger. Talking biceps. Jiggling man-boobs. Ridiculous.
3. They get people to ask questions: What’s up with the tiger? Who’s the dude in the commercials? Where can I watch more?