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... can sometimes turn out to be the best kind of marketing.
Because if you're doing what everybody else is already doing, then you'll end up where everybody else will end up.
And that's usually nowhere.
On the other hand, if you're doing what no one else is doing, then you might have a slight chance of standing out and getting noticed
That's why sometimes the worst thing to do, might turn out to be the best thing to do.
And the best thing to do, might turn out to be the worst thing to do...
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In school you mostly learn about how to pass tests.
But you don't really learn how to do stuff.
In business school for example, you don't really learn anything about starting, managing or growing a company.
What you do learn though is how to pass tests on business related subjects.
Just like you don't really learn how to properly speak a language in a language school.
You mostly only learn how to pass tests in that language.
Just like you don't really learn programming in school.
And instead you mostly learn how to pass tests on programming.
So if you really want to learn something, you've gotta go out there and do it.
Over and over again.
And you've gotta get your hands dirty.
And see what works and what doesn't.
Which is rarely the stuff we're taught in school...
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In the long run, when you do what feels comfortable, you'll often end up feeling uncomfortable.
Because most people want to do what's comfortable.
So that thing that was once comfortable, will stop working.
Because everybody is doing it.
That's why in the long run, when you do what feels uncomfortable, you'll often end up feeling comfortable...
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Chance are that we've never met in real life.
And that we never will.
Still, I can publish one idea a day and you can read it online.
And it doesn't really matter where you live.
Or where you're from.
It'll reach your inbox, no matter what.
So whenever someone asks you about the ROI of content, this is it.
This right here...
P.S. Thanks so much for reading, caring and reaching out. Some of you are with me already since 2013 when I first started this blog. And some of you joined just yesterday. But no matter when you joined us, I really appreciate it. I really do! Because without you, I would already have stopped this thing a long time ago. So, thanks!
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Don't wait for the right set of cards to go all in, in life.
And instead just start dipping your toes in it.
Play the game.
Understand the rules.
And how it works.
And see how everybody else is playing it.
So that once you get that set of cards, you'll be so experienced that you'll know how to leverage it in a way that you might never have to play that stupid game of cards ever again...
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Don't be that person that only talks about doing stuff, but never does.
That only listens, but never talks.
That only reads, but never writes.
That only follows, but never leads.
That only watches, but never plays...
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Most of the things seem very unlikely.
But pretty much all of the things you've achieved so far, were once very unlikely...
That high school degree that seemed almost impossible and so far out of reach on your first day of school.
That university degree.
That job.
That career.
Or that marriage.
They all seemed very unlikely at first.
Until they didn't...
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You just have to be willing to do a lot of stupid things, until one of them turns out to be a smart thing...
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It's not good enough.
Fast enough.
Nice enough.
Smart enough.
Detailed enough...
Fortunately, you don't have to care about what most people are going to say.
You just have to care about what some people are going to say.
Choose them wisely...
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Instead of working a job you don't really like and spending all of that money on stuff you don't really need, just because you feel like you "deserve it", why not start spending more of your time doing things you actually really enjoy doing, just because you "deserve it"?
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Your best stories, the ones you'll be remember for the rest of your life, are rarely the ones where everything goes right.
As a matter of fact, it's usually the ones where pretty much everything goes wrong.
At least at first.
Until at one point it all starts to work out.
Until it all starts to make sense.
Sometimes because of pure luck.
Sometimes because of hard work.
Sometimes because of patience.
Sometimes because of perseverance.
And sometimes because of committment.
Those are the best stories.
Those are the stories worth telling...
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The best way to protect your ideas is to start working on them before someone else will...
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Because most ideas aren't initially any good.
Or convincing.
Or earthshattering.
Initially, most ideas are pretty bad.
Or even outlandish.
It's the work, the people and the execution that turn a seemingly bad idea into a good idea.
So don't wait for a good idea.
And instead, start with a bad idea.
And put in the work.
And see what happens...
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You probably don't need more time.
Or resources.
Or money.
Or knowledge.
Or contacts.
Or experience.
Or confidence.
Or skills.
You probably just need to commit.
Because over time, your commitment will automatically take care of the rest...
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Being happy is all about what you're doing when you're sad.
Just like being satisfied is all about what you're doing when you're not satisfied.
And just like being successful is all about what you're doing when you're not successful.
In the long run, it's all about the systems you put in place, so that when things aren't going according to plan (which they never do!), you quickly figure out a way to bounce back...
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Is simple advice.
Advice that works.
That's easy to understand.
And easy to execute.
Advice that goes along with the things we already believe in.
That's the type of advice we want.
And that's the type of advice we usually get.
The only problem is that this kind of advice rarely works.
Because the advice we want (and get), is rarely the advice we really need...
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Our whole lives we were taught the difference between right answers and wrong answers.
Right answers are allowed to move on to the next phase, whereas wrong answers are being punished.
So whenever we know the right answer 100% for sure, we raise our hands.
And whenever we don't, we don't raise our hands.
Unfortunately, outside of school, there is no way of knowing anything 100% for sure.
And the only way to find the right answer is by trial and error.
By giving as many different answers as possible that usually turn out to be wrong , until you've found the right answer....
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Today it's not so much about "can I do this?" anymore and instead it's all about "do I have the guts to do this?"... Do you?
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Waiting for her to call back.
Waiting for them to hire you.
Waiting for that promotion.
Waiting for things to happen.
Waiting creates fear.
And worries.
And anxieties.
So whatever you do, keep moving.
And never stop moving...
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If you're looking for validation, you can't be very innovative.
Because the more innovative you are, the higher your chances that the majority of the people will reject you.
At least at first.
Simply because people hate change.
And innovation is all about change.
On the other hand, if you're looking for validation, all you'd have to do, is the stuff that's always been done.
The stuff that people already know.
And are familiar with.
So, what do you want?
Because you can't have both.
And then act accordngly...
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If you don't know how to get customers, then it doesn't really matter how much more you're going to decrease your prices.
Or how many more features you're going to add.
So instead of decreasing prices or adding even more features, try to put your energy and resources into figuring out how you can get clients, how you can get the word out there and how you can get your ideas to spread.
This is probably the best investment of your time, energy and resources you can ever make.
No matter whether you already have a product or are just thinking about creating one...
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You can talk about the future.
Think about the future.
Or discuss the future.
But there's only one thing that will ever shape the future.
And it's none of the above...
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Almost everything is possible. While at the same time almost none of it is realistic. At least not right now. So don't start with what's realistic today. And instead, start with what's possible. And you'll automatically keep expanding what's realistic. Step by step. Day by day. Bit by bit...
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The only real interaction that most people will have with your brand (apart from the product itself), is when things go wrong.
And when things go wrong, they will usually end up speaking to the people who get paid the least.
People who are trained to solve as many problems as possible, as quickly as possible.
So either those people are the best trained people in the world, or you setup a system where 99.9% of the cases will be decided in favor of your clients.
Because at the end of the day, the best customer is a happy customer that will also remain your customer.
And that's worth more than almost every complaint or problem your customers might have...
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The problem when you're trying to avoid disappointment is that you're most likely also going to end up avoiding surprises.
And not just the bad ones.
But also the good ones.
Especially the good ones...
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Just because you're used to doing things in a certain way, doesn't mean that you don't have any other choice.
As a matter of fact, if you're used to doing things in a certain way, you can also get used to doing things in another way.
So it's usually your habits that are holding you back.
And not the lack of choices...
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Whenever small things seem to be the problem, it's usually the big problems that are starting to shine through.
So stop focusing on the small problems and try to figure out what the real problems are.
And then try to solve them.
Because if you wait for too long, then one day, the big problems will be what you'll be talking about.
And when that happens, it's usually already too late...
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"I finally got a new job, so I can start working again."
Guess what?
We can now all work without having a job.
We don't have to wait for jobs anymore.
Here's the thing...
We've all been given the tools for it.
So that we don't have to wait to "finally be able to work again"...
Today, it's easier than ever before to work without having a job.
You can work on learning new skills.
Or you can work on your new website.
Or your new blog.
Or your new book.
Or your new YouTube channel.
Or your new piece of art.
Or your portfolio.
It doesn't matter.
What matters is that we don't have to wait for jobs anymore.
Because by doing the work and by showing up when you don't have to show up, is precisely how you get those jobs.
Those jobs that will in the end help you to pay those bills...
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Opportunities never really present themselves as opportunities.
And instead, they're usually disguised as discomfort, inconveniences, threats, risks, uncertainties and improbabilities.
That's what makes it so easy to miss them.
And so hard to seize them...
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