I never met my dad’s dad. He died when my dad was 18.
Recently I read through a stack of my grandfather’s letters and notes for the first time.
There was one piece that really stuck with me: a letter commending his work on a report he wrote when called into active service from the Air Force Reserve. The letter spoke highly of my grandfather’s hard work, focus, and clear writing. What surprised me was how proud I felt of this man I’ve never really seen.
I want to use this filter in my writing and work: what would my grandkids think?
- Sets a high bar for quality, usefulness, longevity, and personality.
- Selects for comments you’d stand by, even when you change your mind.
- Lowers fear and risk of regret.
Inspired in part by digital culture curator Jules Terpak’s twitter bio “Notes to my great grandkids and beyond”