I’ve been reading Seth Godin’s book Poke The Box. Which is a bible for
innovation. If you are interested in how ideas spread then check Seth out here.
“Poke the Box” is a gospel about starting things. Godin begs you to be
an initiator: someone who starts something. Be someone who is prepared to fail
along the way if it helps you make a difference.
Capital is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Money is no longer the
foundation of the new connected economy. Ideas, and initiators who lead with a
passionate and relentless desire to change the status quo, are. What are the
key attributes? Firstly: resilience;
secondly: a holistic outlook towards failure. Failure is a necessary part of
the system, a key organ within the organism of innovation. Make friends with
risk. Make starting a way of life. Going beyond the point of no return.
Leaping. Committing. Making something happen. Have the guts and the passion to
ship. Be prolific: make shipping a habit.
The tools to build new business, charitable organisations, artistic
projects are easier to access (and cheaper) than ever before. The most scarce
factor in new products/services now is leadership: people with the guts and
passion to act on their ideas and start. Ideas are pretty common, starting is a
lot rarer.
Human nature is to need a map. But you must be willing to be the guy who
enters unknown territory without a map: draw one and recruit people to act on
it. This leadership is a rare quality. People want to be led, they want a map,
they are waiting for a leader: be the leader.
Trial and error is the key to forming the map. Improvise in the unknown
territory until you get it right. Start don’t wait. If you fail and realise
that you will never get the idea to work: stop, shrug your shoulders, and try
something new. It is part of the game. Starting is a game and you are going to
lose a lot. But by actually playing the game you will win a lot more than
people who never get round to it.
Soon is not as good as now: pick up your phone, send an e-mail, buy that
book from Amazon: begin your journey this second. Do it when you are passionate
about your new idea, when you have momentum. Say “yes! Let’s do it now!”
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