Limits are AWESOME!
Please Make it Stop. I’m over the tweetable ‘Stop Sucking’ memes. Don’t want to read another ‘Be Epic’ blog post. Tired of the ‘Go Awesome or Go Home’ schtick.
It’s more empty ‘aim for the stars’ quiptoids, bad business advice you should ignore. To often without a single piece of real advice as to HOW, or clue how awesome will get you ahead. (This isn’t that post, just saying.)
This is NOT an Ode to Mediocrity
I love brands that get it right most of the time and hate suckage probably more than most. It’s just that awesome really is bullshit. Never mind that:
- Someone else is now and will always be the judge of that. You may think UnCool Brand X sucks; and they can think you suck as they laugh all the way to the bank.
- We’re not eating at Chez Name Drop every night and ‘make do’ with NoAd Brand everyday; people neither want nor need nor will pay for Awesome all the time.
Throw adjectives like EPIC and AWESOME around enough, they lose that meaning on their way to being oh so very average. I started ranting this (see below) so many times, then the remarkable Mark W. Schaefer and the awesome Mack Collier beat me to it. As always.
“I don’t see anything in this world that makes following a dream easy for anybody.” – Mark W. Schaefer
“If you want to see other bloggers be awesome, then stop telling them to be awesome and show them how to be awesome. We need fewer talkers, and more teachers.” – Mack Collier
Word. It’s the ‘Just’ part of ‘Doing It’ – if it was ‘just’ that easy to be epic or awesome, fantabulous or remarkable, we’d all be The Incredibles with dream jobs and a guest turn on House Hunters International.
News flash: We have limits. And that’s a good thing.
- We can’t live every dream.
- We can’t read every book or blog, catch watch every cool TV show.
- We won’t go everywhere on our Pinterest ‘someday’ boards.
- We can’t like nor be liked or popular with everyone.
- We won’t always be amazing at everything we do. No expectations of Gerber Baby perfection.
- I won’t try all the yummy wines – no matter how hard I may try.
In lieu of a lottery win, I won’t get to go everywhere on my dream list. Which means that when someday I do make it to some of those places – it’ll be all the more epic, special and amazing to me.
Limits cut through, clarify, crystalize. Limits on time, on budget forces you manage resources that much smarter, to earn better results. Knowing what you do well – and what you don’t – drives focus. You won’t be all things to all people; you’ll be the best choice for the right people. It’s my job to communicate that – how your small business is and can be awesome – for your customer, for your stakeholder.
Talk to me about limits. Do they drive you to push harder or refine your business to do it better? Do they not shape how you’re going to get there?
Photo Credit: Think this Despair will make my DIY calendar next year. 
5 Pointers for Getting the Most from a Conference
Yeah, it’s a list. Judge away.
WIIFM
Why are you going to a conference?
Either you’re interested in learning something new or maybe rubbing elbows with thought leaders. Could be you’re looking for a target-rich environment. Even if TPTB sent you against your will or you just wanted out of the office – whatever your reason for going to a seminar or conference – if you want results, you’ll need to work [...] Continue Reading…
I Keep My Own Agency
My Klout is low, my influencers ‘so and so.’ My Blog is under-read, probably not enough about Bacon! My SEO and inbound marketing make Dyson jealous. My ‘social proof’ is lacking, I’ve peaked, hit the social plateau.
Yada yada. I’m intrigued by this notion of social influence yet still.. skeptical.
The company we keep
I’m social because I build networks and make contacts, and I learn something out here almost every day that contributes [...] Continue Reading…
Pork Chops with a side of Thanks
This is good! Smart, clever and fodder for (hopefully) a quick-and-easy blog post.
Two Words. And a Gift in Return.
It’s so simple right, “Thank You.”
Maybe it’s a little note card or an email, could be a DM or LinkedIn message — when someone does something for me, I try to say “thank you.” I’ve got some cute ‘coffee cup’ note cards, even add Starbucks gift cards to them on occasion.
It’s [...] Continue Reading…
DIY vs. Hiring a Professional: Ye Olde Debate, Revisited
“Where to invest?”
A recent NY Times post asked that, a small business owner debating Google ads or maybe DIY social media for their marketing dollar investment. My response: invest in Help, Professional Help. Sigh.. here I go again.
Rewiring your house. Fixing your transmission. A decent hair cut. Taxes. We hire pros to do so many things for ourselves and our businesses. So many things we wouldn’t even consider doing on our own.
DIY Communications? With professional results?
Do we think, [...] Continue Reading…