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Backstory
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You can call me Matt.
I spent 8 years as an independent advisor to the U.S. corporate headquarters of Toyota. It changed my outlook on life. I learned how to learn, and I learned to "think lean". I took those lessons on the road to other organizations. Now I write books and articles, speak, teach and coach others on creativity, innovation, and design strategy.
You can read more on my About page, or connect with me on my Contact page.
Why Subtraction?
There's an art to removing just the right things, in just the right way, to achieve greater impact in business, work, and life.
Lao Tzu said: "To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, subtract things every day."
That's my go-to philosophy, and this blog is dedicated to sharing it along with all the amazing things that amazing people are doing to improve the world by waging "war on more" through subtracting from our collective experience anything obviously excessive, wasteful, complicated, unnatural, hazardous, hard to use, or ugly. Or better yet, refraining from adding those things in the first place!
I've just finished a new book entitled The Laws of Subtraction, which are these 6 simple rules for winning in the age of excess everything:
#1: What isn’t there can often trump what is.
#2: The simplest rules create the most effective experience.
#3: Limiting information engages the imagination.
#4: Creativity thrives under intelligent constraints.
#5: "Break" is an important part of any breakthrough.
#6: Doing something isn’t always better than doing nothing.The book will be out October 26, 2012. I've asked 52 of the most brilliant people I know to contribute. You'll be amazed and inspired by their stories of how subtraction has played a role in their work and life.
Appearing now…
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Facebook Friends & Fans
My Twitter feed…
- Love this Wordpress theme. Elegant. Awesome "skeleton" approach. My new site redesign choice. http://t.co/t7Llg7z6 via @dhgtweeted10 hours ago
- The Greatest Day Of Your Life via Matthew E. May - As CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute, Rich Horwath ... http://t.co/Azq8Gp7atweeted11 hours ago
- Addition By Subtraction via Matthew E. May - The meme of subtraction is growing, the drumbeat ... http://t.co/PB6ojSfltweeted1 day ago
- It's getting louder: addition by subtraction. http://t.co/OE7unawktweeted1 day ago
- Are you a cow or buffalo? http://t.co/3eXb9RpMtweeted1 day ago
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Archives
Category Archives: Creativity
Artistry at Work: New School Rules
I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. – Albert Einstein Business artistry is much more than simply becoming technically proficient at something. We … Continue reading
Why Creativity?
It’s a simple enough question. But rarely asked. More rarely answered. Even more rarely answered seven different ways. Without further ado, download this wonderfully short and FREE ebook put together by my friend Tanner Christensen, available now at Aspindle, that … Continue reading
The 7 Deadly Sins of Innovation
According to Scott Anthony, who directs the Asia-Pacific office of innovation consulting and venture-capital firm Innosight, “the seven deadly sins have very clear parallels in the world of innovation, serving as a useful and memorable way to highlight an innovator’s … Continue reading
Artistry At Work: My 2012 Resolution
I have used the term “business artist” before (Are You A Business Artist?). Interestingly, the term is used by Jim Stengel in his new book Grow, which I reviewed here. It made me think, or, more accurately, rethink, and think … Continue reading
Bring Your Ideas To Life In 2012
For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to, consumed by, even obsessed with, ideas. I’m a meta-idea person, meaning I like to spend a lot of time thinking about the idea of ideas. I’m often accused … Continue reading
3 Blogs To Follow
I don’t list a blogroll on my blogsite, for the simple reason that I follow so many that the list would dominate the right hand column of my page. My RSS reader (Google Reader) delivers a few hundred articles and … Continue reading
Thinking, Fast And Slow
Psychologist and 2002 Nobel winner Daniel Kahneman has published a book on human rationality and decision-making that reminds me of another book by another Nobel winner, Herbert Simon, who won the prize in 1978. Kahneman’s book is called Thinking, Fast … Continue reading
Creative Inspiration On Wallpapers For Your iPhone
I love when something new and inspiring comes my way. I have an open order with the universe for just that, and every once in a while the order is filled. Example: when Tanner Christensen sent me an email out … Continue reading
Stuck In A Brainstorm? Try A Bodystorm Instead
“Another brainstorming session…yay.” It’s not always voiced, but I’ve conducted enough creativity sessions to know that this is the exact thought and sentiment held by at least a few participants in every brainstorm session. Let’s face it, we’re jaded. The … Continue reading
Take The Collaborative Innovation Survey
Dan Keldsen (@dankeldsen) is a friend of mine, and a partner at Human 1.0, a change management consulting firm that focuses on the human aspect of social and digital media. Human 1.0 takes the unique view that to gain insight into the … Continue reading
