Seth Godin

How to Succeed (thx, Sth)

12.04.2015

Seth Godin with another fine list. This is a bunch of ways to succeed (or not, depending on your situation.) Here are some of my favorites…

1. Be very focused on your goal and work on it daily
2. Go to college with someone who makes it big and then hires you
…
4. Practice every day
…
7. Do the emotional labor of working on things that others fear
…
12. Inherit
…
18. Contribute more than is expected
19. Give credit to others
20. Take responsibility
…
26. Treat every gig as an opportunity to create art
…
29. When dealing with employees, act like Steve. It worked for him, apparently.
…
32. Have the ability to work harder and more directly than anyone else when the situation demands it

Some of those reflect my values. Some of those are funny.

This might not work

12.20.2014

Seth Godin (my mentor whether he knows it or not) has a new book out. It’s called What To Do When It’s Your Turn. And then in parentheses it says “(and it’s always your turn.)”

It’s a beautiful book. You should buy it.

A couple of moments that struck me in the first 35 pages…

“I’m no longer quite sure what the answer is, but I do know that the answer is yes.”
– Leonard Bernstein (channeling John Cage?)

“Liberate yourself from the need to be right.”

“I’m looking for something that might not work.”

“…the delight in dancing with their fear.”
I’m certain I’ll be saying this one a lot. What a great way to deal with this, syntactically.
Everyone always says “I can’t do such and such yet, I’m afraid.”
People want to know how to move forward without fear. Of course, that’s not really possible.
(Unless you’re just too dumb to be afraid, in which case, good for you, you’ll go far.)
[Read more…]

Seth’s Blog: A great way to give thanks…

11.25.2011

Preach it, Brother Seth.

Seth’s Blog: A great way to give thanks….

…for the privileges we’ve got is to do important work.

Your job, your internet access, your education, your role in a civilized society… all of them are a platform, a chance to do art, a way for you to give back and to honor those that enabled you to get to this point.

For every person reading this there are a thousand people (literally a thousand) in underprivileged nations and situations that would love to have your slot. Don’t waste it.