Skip to content
Book a Call
All posts

My Influences for Context

Picture of Taylor Polchinski By   ·  6 minute read

This page is EVERGREEN so you can bookmark it for reference later!

Hey Folks!

For transparency, I am providing context on some of my influences. This is not an endorsement of any specific opinions!

If you've read the blog enough, you know I prefer to develop deeper connections through disagreement therefore I am influenced by many people I don't agree with!

Quotes I Appreciate

How Do I Decide What Makes the List?

I have come across and shared each of the below quotes for the reason cited.

The list is NOT exhaustive! I added quotes I thought would be valuable to enough people.

Have Recommendations? See Gaps? Please email hello@taylorpolchinski.me or submit the form and let me know so I can expand my understanding!

Quotes

  • Importance of Courage - “Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.” - Maya Angelou
  • Overcoming Fear - “You will always feel fear, but…the only way to truly manage your fear is to broaden your comfort zone." - Alex Honnold in Free Solo
  • Igornance over Evil - “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." - Hanlon's Razor
  • Accountability for Evil - “The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it.” - Albert Einstein
  • Finding Opportunity - “Within our dreams and aspirations, we find our opportunities." - Sugar Ray Leonard
  • Valuing Rejection - “I don’t understand why people get mad when they get rejected by somebody or something. They have done you a favor by not wasting your time.” - 10 Areas of Life – Part 2: Partner, Family, Friends – Neurabites 
  • Perspective on Life - “You are the universe, expressing itself as a human for a little while” - Eckhart Tolle
  • Finding Motivation - “What do I believe about the future? What am I going to do about it now?” - My Friend Richie's Pastor
  • Understanding Expectations - “Have hope, not expectations. It leads to surprises at worst instead of disappointments” - Dark, Netflix show
  • Danger of Quieting Opposition - “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - In 1962, John F. Kennedy
  • Value of Systems - “Good Intentions Don’t Work. Mechanisms Do." - Hopin’s Wei Gao Q4 Mainstage 2021

Subscribe Below or go Back to Top

 

Creators I Learn From

How Do I Decide What Makes the List?

I follow each of the below creators for the reason cited.

The list is NOT exhaustive! I added people that I believe regularly post content valuable enough to recommend.

Have Recommendations? See Gaps? Please email hello@taylorpolchinski.me or submit the form and let me know so I can expand my understanding!

LinkedIn

Subscribe Below or go Back to Top

Newsletters Resources

How Do I Decide What Makes the List?

I read and recommend each of the below newsletters for the reason cited.

The list is NOT exhaustive! I added specific resources that I believe are regularly valuable enough to recommend.

For your information, I have added a link (my referral link when possible), the approximate time per email, and frequency so you know what you are getting into.

Have Recommendations? See Gaps? Please forward the newsletter to hello@taylorpolchinski.me or submit the form and let me know so I can expand my understanding!

News

  • Big US Business News - Snacks (5-10 min on weekdays)
  • Big US News across politics, entertainment, business, and more. - 1440 (5-10 min on weekdays)
  • Consumer Insights - GWI on the dot (5-10 min once per week)
  • US Nonprofit Public Health Research - U.S. Right to Know (>5 once per week)
  • Podcast Industry News - Podnews (>5 min on weekdays) Podcast Business Journal (>5 min on Fridays)

Data

Insights & Analysis

  • Business Strategy Deep Dive Insights - Strategy Breakdowns (5-10 min once per week)
  • Revenue Operations Insights - RevOps Co-op (>5 min once per week)
  • Content Entrepreneurs Insights & News - The Tilt (5-10 min twice per week)
  • Event Industry Insights & News - Boldpush (5-10 min on Wednesdays)

Subscribe Below or go Back to Top

My Personal News Influences

How Do I Decide What Makes the List?

The list is NOT exhaustive! I am adding specific people that I believe fit the below.

  1. Fair -- Respect perspectives even if there is disagreement
  2. Humble -- Open to admitting they were wrong
  3. Insightful & Courageous -- Challenges my thinking to level up my mind

What and Why

Breaking Points -- Video and Audio opinion news that dive deeper into the nuance. They generally see problems as the ruling class versus everyone else but have different opinions on who is ruling and the desired outcomes.

WHY? I learn best through conversation and the hosts are very good at discussing topics even when they disagree. This helps me stay updated and be ready to have healthier conversations about it.

Funky Academic -- Video Philosopher that discusses political and cultural topics from a lens that few look through.

WHY? I have never felt so uncomfortable while learning so much in my life. He can be difficult to understand (sometimes I rewind), but he has changed my mind on more things than I can count.

Matt Stoller -- Activist/Writer focusing on market powers so business, economics, and finance. 

WHY? I appreciate the depth of his research and the way he thinks like a business person to find some of the most shocking problems you probably would never hear of otherwise.

Some of my favorites...

The Long Annoying Tradition of Anti-Patriotism

The Cantillon Effect and Bank Behemoths

Government Stupidity Is By Design

Ponzi Hospitals and Counterfeit Capitalism

Briahna Joy Grey -- Video and audio interviews and discussions from the left. 

WHY? I have found she is willing to discuss difficult topics with hostile people she disagrees with. I find I am able to go deeper on a complex topic and learn about diving deeper through disagreement.

Russell Brand -- Entertaining commentator on many hot-button topics with a unique style and the willingness to come from the left, but engage with people on the right like Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson.

WHY? I have found that he truly wants the best for people and is willing to use his platform to actively open up discussions through love. So he helps me open up my heart and mind more!

Subscribe Below or go Back to Top

My Entertainment Influences

How Do I Decide What Makes the List?

The list is NOT exhaustive! I am adding specific people that I believe fit the below.

  1. Courageous -- Will challenge the industry or status quo creatively
  2. Uniter -- Wants to bring people together
  3. Insightful -- Challenges my thinking to level up my mind

Comedy

Music

Songs cited in Read My Mind

TV & Film

TV or Film cited in Read My Mind

Subscribe Below or go Back to Top

Tools and Other Resources

How Do I Decide What Makes the List?

I read and recommend each of the below creators for the reason cited.

The list is NOT exhaustive! I added resources that I appreciate for their accessibility across product, price, and usability.

For your information, I have added a link (my referral link when possible), cheapest pricing considerations, and a symbol key to identify my favorites and the ones I use for my personal work.

Symbol Key

* Taylor’s Favorite

^ Used for Read My Mind

+ Used for PDSM Consulting

Have Recommendations? See Gaps? Please email hello@taylorpolchinski.me or submit the form and let me know so I can expand my understanding!

General Technology Tools

  • Design - Canva (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • 2nd Brain for Notes, Processes, and more - Notion (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • Writing Assistant - Grammarly (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • Time Tracking - Clockify (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • Automation - Zapier (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • Screen and Video Recording - Loom (FREE Plan available) *^+

Business Technology Tools

  • Workplace Software - Google Workspace ($6+/mon) *^+
  • CRM - HubSpot (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • Internal Communications - Slack (FREE Plan available) *
  • Call Recording - Avoma (FREE Plan available) *^+

Creator Technology Tools

  • Post Scheduling - Buffer (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • Community - Discord (FREE Plan available) *^+
  • Live Streaming & Podcasting - StreamYard (FREE Plan available)
  • Podcast Production - Riverside (FREE Plan available) 

Job Seeker Technology Tools & Resources

Job Boards

Taylor’s Tools

Subscribe Below or go Back to Top

Subscribe for FREE Conversations and Exercises that Help You Think for Yourself

Subscribe Above or go Back to Top

Update Log

  • Added Quotes and Job Boards - May 21, 2024
  • Added Creators, Newsletters, Tools and a Re-structure - May 17, 2024
  • Originally published - November 2, 2023

Subscribe Above or go Back to Top