I find this happening all the time. I like the person I am in my stories better than I like the real me. That person is smarter, wittier, more patient, funnier—his view of the world is wiser. When I stop writing and come back to myself, I feel more limited, opinionated, and petty.

But what a pleasure it was, to have been, on the page, briefly less of a dope than usual.

The cult of productivity has its place, but worshipping at its altar can rob us of our sense of curiosity, joy, and wonder and rob a company of its ability to self-reflect.

We are full of preconceptions about ourselves and are limited by them. The actuality of our being is not something we have an easy time making room for.

By admitting our doubts, we get to enjoy one of the great gifts of being human: belonging.

That transformation has enhanced many aspects of our lives, but too many companies have left the human behind. They’ve been so focused on products, they’ve forgotten about people. And while it may be impossible to quantify in financial terms the impact of making someone feel good, don’t think for a second that it doesn’t matter. In fact, it matters more.