Image via Valet Mag.
When I came across Chris Black’s Instagram feed a few years ago, I was instantly intrigued. No captions, no hashtags, no pretense — just a series of quiet moments, elegantly captured. At the time, he had at least 20K followers, yet his bio was blank. Who was this guy?
It turns out this guy not only has a great eye, but a lot of noteworthy things to say. Chris Black is a brand consultant, writer, producer, podcaster, and prolific tweeter, among other things. He’s worked with brands like New Balance, Ralph Lauren and Thom Browne.
In 2015, Black published a book titled, I Know You Think You Know It All, a collection of one-liners about "how to stand out in public and online”. These days, he shares his thoughts via Twitter and podcasting, talking about whatever the culture happens to be serving up.
I love a strong opinion. While I don’t agree with everything Black says, I enjoy the authoritative stance he takes on matters that are ultimately not that important. Like Diana Vreeland or Fran Lebowitz, if they had internet access.
I find myself mentally filing away his thoughts, certain that they’ll be of use to me someday. Last summer, I invested in a high-end suitcase, but not before I referred to Black’s luggage recommendations in The Strategist. Black — a frequent user of the em dash — got me hooked on them, too.
Citing No. 248 from his book — “Make friends with people who don’t have the same opinions as you” — I think Black would ultimately agree that there aren’t really any rules, other than to think for yourself.
Looking back at the book, Chris Black’s advice feels as practical and relevant as ever — words that will serve you in work and in life. Here’s a selection of stand-outs that ring true.
No. 5 Be less concerned about getting credit and more concerned with the quality of the work.
No. 10 Always hang out with people more talented than you are.
No. 32 Never confront someone for unfollowing you.
No. 41 There shouldn’t be any adjectives in your Instagram bio.
No. 57 Limit your use of emojis.
No. 68 It’s not a competition: you don’t have to one-up every story you hear.
No. 84 Delegation is crucial to success.
No. 104 When a child is crying on a plane, know the parents hate it just as much as you do.
No. 112 When in doubt, over-tip.
No. 133 Don’t work for free.
No. 150 Responding with a meme can be funny, just be sure to choose the recipient carefully.
No. 158 Never Facetime in public.
No. 174 Not everyone can be an ‘influencer'.
No 186 Know your audience before you make dated references.
No. 214 Don’t confuse megalomania with genius.
No. 220 Talk on the phone in public as little as possible.
No. 225 Don’t ever say, “Sorry, I’m not sorry”.
No. 235 Everything isn’t a photo opportunity.
No. 248 Make friends with people who don’t have the same opinions as you.
No. 254 Self-awareness is as important as skill.
No. 255 Think before you hashtag.
No. 268 If you’re not British, don’t end your email with “Cheers”.
No. 261 If you insist on owning a luxury sports car, only drive it, don’t talk about it.
No. 282 Never fish for a compliment.
No. 300 No one needs all the details all the time.
No. 332 No one wants to be around the guy who reflexively hates everything.
No. 339 You can’t set out to make something go ‘viral’. People will share it if they want to.
No. 345 Know when to log off.
No. 361Never ask someone to follow you on social media. If they’re interested, they will.
No. 363 Don’t ever use the word ‘curate' when mentioning your social media accounts. (Oops — guilty. — SNA)
No. 366 You shouldn’t refer to your own album, film or project as ‘highly anticipated’.
No. 374 Don’t make every holiday another excuse for a promotional email.
No. 376 It’s perfectly acceptable to admit you don’t know something.
No. 396 Try not to be overly concerned with “networking”. Definitely don’t throw the word around.