Of all the cruel punishments the Greek gods bestowed on humans (and one another), the punishment of Sisyphus has to be the worst.
Sisyphus was the king of Ephyra and the son of Aelius (ruler of the winds and son of Poseidon...the guy has some serious lineage behind him).
He was also a prideful, deceitful, murderous ruler; not only was he a chronic liar (deceiving both gods and humans), but he killed travelers and visitors for fun in his own kingdom.
Basically, Sisyphus was a real prick.
Apparently, after one too many deceitful and murderous acts, Zeus decided enough was enough and condemned Sisyphus to an eternal punishment. Except this wasn’t any old punishment. Zeus crafted something uniquely horrible for Sisyphus.
Zeus condemned Sisyphus to push a large bolder up a steep hill.
Difficult for sure, but not the worst thing in the world (or underworld), right?…
Except, like all good Greek myths, there was a catch.
Zeus enchanted the bolder.
Anytime Sisyphus came close to the top of the hill with the bolder, it would slip through his hands, rolling all the way back down to the bottom.
No matter how Sisyphus approached the challenge, his effort was futile.
An eternity of useless, infuriating effort with no payoff.
(more…)
The Incredible Hulk is a pretty interesting superhero. When he gets angry, he becomes indestructible.
Actually, better than indestructible; the more people mess with him (shoot him with bullets, RPGs, lasers, whatever), the STRONGER he gets.
At one point, Hulk even went up against Superman (supposedly the strongest / most invincible hero in comic-world), and it ended up a draw.
Talk about one nasty honey badger.
But this begs the question…
How can something be better than indestructible?
The answer is simple: better than indestructible is something that GAINS from that which tries to destroy it.
Antifragile, a term coined by Nassim Taleb (who wrote a book by the same name), refers to things that gain from disorder.
Another way to understand this concept is to start with its opposite:
The porcelain teacup is fragile. It doesn’t like to be thrown. In fact, it is hurt by such volatility (throwing the porcelain teacup onto cement is a catastrophic event for the teacup).
A bunker (or Superman) is robust. Drop bombs on it and it can withstand the impact (up to a point).
The average person may believe robustness is the opposite of fragility – that there are only things in this world that are destroyed by disorder and things that can withstand disorder (up to a point), and our job is to avoid the former and build the latter.
But robust is not the opposite of fragile.
The opposite of fragile is something that actually IMPROVES or gains from disorder, volatility, and uncertainty; something that wants to be shaken, thrown, or disrupted...
Like options traders, Donald Trump, or the Incredible Hulk – the more you throw at them, the stronger they become.
I believe there’s another thing that is antifragile by its nature:
Entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship is a disruption-seeking enterprise. If everything were consistent, proven, and complete, entrepreneurship could not exist.
But the entrepreneur exists because things are chaotic, disordered, and broken - and because there is room (and need) for change, improvement, fixing, and redesign (and new design).
Of course, just because entrepreneurship is antifragile doesn’t mean all entrepreneurs are antifragile.
On the contrary, many are as fragile as employees at the robot factory, prone to the dips and busts of the market.
Many, but not all.
Some entrepreneurs are antifragile – they thrive on uncertainty, chaos, and disruption – and their businesses benefit from such volatility.
This is the type of entrepreneur you want to be (if you care about survival or success).
Of course, to become antifragile requires that you build your businesses in a particular, often times unconventional way.
Here’s how:
*note: this is my interpretation of Taleb’s Antifragile and my attempt to apply his logic to the world of entrepreneurship. I would encourage anyone who reads this and finds it interesting to consider reading Antifragile as the book is full of powerful, domain-independent ideas.
When it comes to the world of entrepreneurship, some projects you start (and ship) will flop - bad. Most will have marginal success, but not much (not enough for you to retire). And a few, just a few, will blow up.
Therefore, the more projects you start (and ship), the better, as you increase the odds of creating something that is a big winner.
If you only start (and ship) one project – one book, one novel, one album – you are essentially putting all your eggs in one basket and rolling the dice. It might work out, although the probability is excruciatingly low. If it does, good for you.
More than likely, it won’t.
So don't just start and ship one thing.
Commit to output.
Be consistent. Show up every day. Learn from your successes and failures. And keep shipping.
Survivability in entrepreneurship, as in life, is less about scoring a big win, as it is about mitigating the big loss.
The hunter doesn’t increase his odds of survival by killing the biggest elephant, but by avoiding snakes, lions, and poisonous berries.
In order for the hunter to limit his exposure to these catastrophic things, he must (1) know what they are, (2) know where they are, and (3) create systems (or easy to follow guidelines) to avoid them.
For example: don’t set up camp in the high grass; don’t hang out by the watering hole; only eat the berries the rest of your crew eats, etc.
In the same way, a business should avoid the snakes, lions, and poisonous berries of their operation: high-barrier-to-entry businesses, fierce competition, and debt.
As a rule of thumb:
High-barrier-to-entry businesses are any businesses that employ lobbyists; you’ll know a fierce competition market when you receive lots of warnings about consulting an attorney, etc.; and debt is, well, debt (don’t go into it to build something).
The following are some systems (or easy to follow guidelines) that will help you limit your downside exposure:
Bootstrapping means building something (product or service) with limited financial investment (internal or external).
The less money you put into an unproven product or service, the less downside risk if it doesn’t work. On the contrary, the more heavily you invest in something, the more you NEED it to hit big (remember the John Carpenter Effect?)
When we bootstrap, we automatically limit downside (you can’t bootstrap a high barrier to entry business, nor can you go in debt), yet we can still expose ourselves to unlimited upside depending on what we’re building (more below).
The sooner you can test your product (or book, blog, movement, etc.) with an audience, the faster you can find the answer to the most important entrepreneurial question: will this work?
When the reverse happens – when we take our time building and perfecting the product before we validate, we run the risk (arguably, the certainty) of going over budget and designing something no one wants.
This is the single thing that cripples more businesses (and dreams) than anything else.
What’s worse, the longer we spend fondling our great idea, the more we fall in love with the solution, and the market hates entrepreneurs who fall in love with their solutions.
So how do we fix it?
Get over yourself: ship fast and ship often. Create a minimum viable product (service, anything) – something stripped of every feature you think you need (but don’t) – and sell it to someone.
Another rule of thumb: there’s no validation unless money exchanges hands.
The desk-jockey is linear. In exchange for (supposed) safety, security, and a consistent paycheck, the white-collar worker becomes fragile. Any sudden movement in the market and there goes his job (and all the – supposed – safety, security, and consistent paychecks).
The entrepreneur, by his nature, is nonlinear. Meaning: there is an asymmetry to his actions. 1 more hour at work does not mean another $17.25 (plus overtime depending on the time of day) in his pocket (like it does for the linear robot factory employee). It could very well mean $0. Or negative (as in – we finance ourselves and lose money because we haven’t made a sale).
But it could also mean $22,105.00 like it did for my friend John Lee Dumas, whose newest product made that from a new webinar (approximately one hour long).
John has embraced nonlinearity by creating products with unlimited payoff. What is the most John can make from his digital ecourses? Exactly.
*note: there’s another way that John has leveraged nonlinearity, which is by creating a product that requires very little to scale. If it blows up, he may need new hosting, maybe a new server to rent…but no new offices, nor new employees are necessary to scale these products. He has created a very positive, nonlinear business, and it shows.
Success equals options.
Simply put: successful people have more options than less successful people.
You might disagree with this at first glance, but think about it.
If Richard Bronson, Steve Jobs, or Alexander the Great thousands of years ago wanted to start a new enterprise, could they? Of course they could. They could start a dozen. Money creates options.
Aladdin the street rat, however, is limited in his options (until he finds the genie, which, naturally, increases his optionality and thus his success).
Make sense?
Before you get bummed and throw in the towel because you have no money, realize this: skills create options too.
The skilled copywriter can take on all sorts of new jobs (and charge a premium). So can the skilled artist, magician, and brain surgeon. The more skilled we become, and the more skills we learn, the more options become available to us.
Three ways to increase your options:
1. Make lots of money (or be born into a trust fund, which is more common)
2. Make lots of friends (a strong network with skilled people increases your options and opportunities)
2. Acquire and perfect new skills.
The former may seem the most desirable, but in reality, money without skills leads to no money (and still no skills) very quickly. So if you’re born at the bottom, take comfort – you have the incredible opportunity to learn necessary and essential skills that will increase your optionality as an entrepreneur (and help you create real wealth that lasts).
This rule is particularly geared toward solo entrepreneurs who are trying to bootstrap a business.
One of the best ways to increase your optionality, limit your downside risk, increase your upside potential, and become antifragile is to take part in as many entrepreneurial projects as possible (to the point where you can still deliver impact in each project).
This works for the same reason that shipping often works: some things you do will work. Most won’t.
Better to have a 5% stake in 100 companies than a 100% stake in one.
The former makes you antifragile, the latter a slave.
This doesn’t mean throw away the work you’re doing on your startup. Keep at it.
What I’m saying is: increase your optionality (and antifragility) by teaming up with other entrepreneurs on other projects. Ones that can leverage your strengths without consuming a ton of your time. And make sure you have an equity stake if possible (in not, make sure the project itself will lead to growth in your other businesses or expand your network in a positive way).
So what’s the verdict in your business – are you antifragile?
If not, what can you do to become antifragile?
Leave a comment and let us know how you leverage antifragility in your business – or how you plan to in the future.
Started, finished, and shipped in Windhoek, Namibia.
Total Writing Time: 2:57 hrs.
In fact, I must be.
Right now, as I write this blog post, I'm sitting outside a Starbucks in Boise, Idaho...
I'm thousands of miles away from most of my friends and family...
And I'm Homeless and unemployed.
That's right - no job, no predictable income, no home...
And I have no intention of trying to get any of those things back.
Crazy?
Maybe not as crazy as you'd think.
Let me explain...
You might be thinking that being homeless and unemployed is terrible.
After all, that's the scenario presented to us - no job, no home; it means you've lost everything, right? Pretty soon, you're running amok inside a fast food joint demanding breakfast for lunch, even after they stopped serving breakfast...
For some reason, I feel like that's Hollywood's (embellished) take on it. The reality is often much less dramatic.
And in my case, it's actually a little boring.
You see, I didn't lose everything. I made a conscious decision to give up certain things that weren't important to me. To simplify and streamline my life in a way that's congruent with what I want to do and who I want to be. To get rid of excess. To trim the fat, so to speak.
I didn't lose everything.
I have exactly what I need.
And now I have the opportunity to build whatever life I want.
It's a choice most wouldn't be willing to make.
But what good are talents if we keep them buried?
About 6 months ago I put my 2 weeks notice into my employer.
Two weeks ago I sold my car and most of my belongings.
Last week I packed up what remained and shipped it to the West Coast for storage.
This past weekend, I signed out of my unit for the last time and started driving across the country with my fiancee (we get married next month).
I have no conventional job prospects lined up. No massive savings account or trust fund to rely on while I 'get back on my feet.' No escape route if things go south.
I've burned the boat - there's no going back.
No more job. No more house. No more semi-monthly paycheck. No more job title. No more certainty...
In exchange, I get the opportunity to fail.
And that's all I've ever wanted.
Why does the opportunity to fail matter so much?
Because without the possibility of failure, there is no possibility of real success.
And real success is the only thing that matters.
Success means triumph. It means achieving what we set out to achieve. It means growing, expanding and advancing as an individual (and helping others do the same).
But if there's nothing challenging us, no roadblocks on our way to the top, no obstacles along the path, then success is hollow.
I'm sure just about any adult reading this could be the best 1st grade soccer player in the world. But what does that even mean? More importantly, why would it even matter?
The answer, of course, is that it really wouldn't mean anything (and it most certainly wouldn't matter)....
And so we need the prospect of real failure if we want the prospect of real success.
If we want to do something that matters - contrary to the classic expression - failure must be an option.
There's a very simple litmus test to determine if what you're going after has the possibility of real success (and thus real failure).
Does it scare you?
If yes, you're probably doing something that could fail.
Fear is a guidepost.
It let's us know we're headed in the right direction; it means we're doing something outside our comfort zone; it means we're challenging the conventional, safe and certain approach.
If you're fearless, you're probably playing 1st graders in soccer.
And that should be a signal for you to move in a different direction
So here I am in Boise, Idaho, enjoying an iced Americano and thinking about what's next.
Right now, we're on our way to the World Domination Summit 2013 (#wds2013) in Portland, Oregon. We started in Nashville, TN and after several days of cross country travel, we're almost here.
If you're not familiar, WDS is essentially a massive, 3-day conference on entrepreneurship, creativity and creating impact. Obviously, I'm a fan and supporter.
If you're there, shoot me an email and let's connect.
After the conference, my fiancee and I will be traveling up to Seattle to get married. Then we're taking a year long trip around the world. For about 12 months we'll be traveling the southern hemisphere (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Peru, etc.).
While this sounds like a year long honeymoon / vacation, it's really not. We're traveling for a year but we'll both be working. We're just not working conventional 9-5 jobs that keep us tied down in a particular geographic location.
Instead, through conscious and calculated decisions (which I mentioned in the beginning of this article), we've created a lifestyle that is sustainable from anywhere in the world.
Believe it or not, this is possible.
Not only is it possible, I think it's necessary for any person hoping to survive in today's economy (a topic for another time).
So how can I sustain myself from anywhere in the world?
Through a number of projects:
Well, I’ve mentioned it before, but I’m going full steam ahead with my publishing company: Insurgent Publishing.
Insurgent Publishing is a boutique, creative publishing platform. That’s a clever way of me saying it’s a very small operation right now that focuses on bringing a specific type of content to a specific group of people, via non-standard methods (beyond simply publishing on Amazon, for example).
So what kind of content are we publishing and who is it for?
Well, if you’re a reader of my blog, you’re already savvy with the style of content I want to publish. Insurgent Publishing focuses on unconventional non-fiction. Like its namesake, it’s all about bringing insurgent ideas (i.e. the types of ideas that don’t fit the one-size-fits-all mainstream status-quo) to the attention of readers.
Some of my favorite books of all time include The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, Poke the Box by Seth Godin and Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. I love these books. I read them several times a year. I’ve probably read each over a dozen times.
But there’s a problem – there aren’t enough mind-blowing books like this in the world.
What makes them unique is their brevity and power; they’re urgent, critical, and they demand action after you read them.
And they don’t fit a specific, conventional mold.
My goal is to find powerful authors (unknowns and well-knowns), creatively collaborate with them in order to break, build and design disruptive ideas, and publish them in beautiful ways for the happy few who want to read them.
Conceptually, I like to think of it like TED talks in book form (and with more depth).
It’s a company that won’t produce content for everyone. But I’m hoping it produces the right content for the right people.
The website isn’t complete yet. It’s taken me about 6 times longer than I expected (which, ironically, I DID expect). I’m hoping to have it up and running this August.
If you enter your email on the home page of the under-construction Insurgent Publishing website right now, you’ll get lifetime discounts on everything we ever publish…(everything - forever).
My way of saying thank you for taking a chance.
*NOTE: if you're a writer, designer or artist and would like to collaborate on a project and get your work published, shoot me an email (tom @ tommorkes.com)
I’m also in the exploration, research and note taking phase of my next book.
I’m hoping to take the same easy to read, urgent style from my book “The Art of Instigating” (get it free by joining the Resistance) and apply it to the topic of “Courage” – what it is, how it works, and how we can cultivate, learn and teach it.
In the book Decisive, by Chip and Dan Heath, we’re given a framework for how decisions work, and how, ultimately, to make better decisions in life. It’s a fascinating and useful book as it helps the reader gain clarity before making a decision. I highly recommend it for those curious about the brain, psychology, and/or marketing – or for people who simply want to make better choices in life.
But it left me wondering: what about the choices in life that are already crystal clear, but the right choice leads you down a path of uncertainty, pain or even death? Or the wrong choice leads you down a path of safety, security or fortune?
How do we make those choices?
While not the entirety of the subject, I consider this an important microcosm of courage as a whole – the ability to make the right choices in life, even if it means sacrificing our comfort, happiness or even our lives.
I hope this gives you a little insight into my thoughts on (one aspect of) the matter.
Would love to hear what you think – and what you’d like me to explore in the book: courage in business, perhaps?
Or possibly courage in writing, art or entrepreneurship? Anything goes – just email me – I’d love to start a conversation.
My podcast In the Trenches may be put on hiatus once I start my international travel.
That’s not to say it’s dead – it would just have to be put on pause. I’m hoping that’s a worst case scenario and the places I travel will allow me the internet access I need to upload and create this type of content. I’m also hoping traveling will expose me to even more awesome people around the world doing great things so I can interview them for the show.
So I’m not sure what will happen with In the Trenches…but if you want it to continue, you should write a review and rate the podcast on iTunes.
The only way this podcast or blog spreads is through word of mouth. Thanks to all those who have spread the word already – and thanks in advance to those who help spread the word in the future.
So, again, please leave a review on iTunes if you want In the Trenches to continue!
I also have a few other (super secret) projects I’m working on with several different people in various fields.
I was just brought on as a project manager for a small, potentially disruptive, startup. Excited to see just how quickly this company can grow and dominate its niche. I hope to share more details after we launch.
I’m in the works with a partner to develop a new online sales platform (apologies for the purposefully vague description). It has the potential to be huge, and I have no doubt we’ll be able to develop it into a successful platform – but it’s going to take some hustle. We’ll be bootstrapping the project using the lean startup approach (i.e. iterative testing until we find a product/market fit). Again, as soon as we have a working product you’ll be the first to hear about it.
I’m also expanding my business consulting services. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re a bootstrapper or a solopreneur looking to make sales (or start making MORE sales), or an author who wants to make money from his or her writing, you should definitely connect with me.
This is limited and I can’t accept everyone.
So shoot me an email and we’ll see if it’s a good fit for both of us (a caveat: I only work with hustlers who are totally committed – fence sitters need not apply).
Along with all this, I’ll continue to write for the Resistance.
Expect the same great writing as always sent directly to your inbox (plus behind the scenes stuff exclusive for subscribers).
While difficult to keep up the pace of multiple quality articles a week, I intend to do it for as long as I’m capable.
And I'll continue to create free and pay what you want content.
If you enjoy my work and want to contribute, the best way is to grab my pay what you want products and treat me to a cup of coffee or something.
Here are a few of my products you might enjoy:
The Gunslinger's Guide to Starting and The Gunslinger's Workbook - Start, finish and ship your project in 30 days or less
Putting on Your Brain Goggles - become more creative instantly
2 Days With Seth Godin - I went to a 2 day seminar/conference w/ Seth Godin. Here's everything we talked about (consider this material gold for entrepreneurs and writers)
Thank you so much for contributing to my creative work.
Well, that’s it for today.
Hope it was enjoyable to read a bit more about me and what I’m up too. More personal than I usually get (and, thus, slightly uncomfortable for me to write), but I hope you enjoyed it.
Leave a comment below to let me know what you think.
And of course...
This is Tom Morkes. If you’re reading this, you ARE the Resistance.
Have you ever tried writing a book, a blog, or business copy?
If so, you’ve probably experience writers block: the inability to form your ideas into the perfect words, sentences, and paragraphs.
But this type of block isn’t exclusive to writers.
All creative entrepreneurs - from writers, designers, and inventors, to artists, marketers, and entrepreneurs, experience creative block.
Creative block is the inability to satisfactorily form into something tangible the ephemeral ideas in your mind.
Creative block can hit anyone trying to tell the perfect story, build the perfect product, or produce the perfect piece of art.
And if you’ve experienced creative block, you know what an infuriating pain it is and how quickly it can cripple your project.
You also understand one thing only the few brave enough to create understand: Creative block is real.
Creative block is one of the Enemy’s most effective creativity-destroying weapons.
If you’re not careful, the Enemy will use creative block to get you to quit your project prematurely, give up before you even start, or abandon your life’s work althogether.
Don’t give up – there is a way to fight back and overcome creative block, once and for all.
But you must be ready to go to war with yourself and your art.
If you want to conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. [Dale Carnegie]
There are ideas in your head - ideas that may be vivid, logical and clear before you sit down to write - but the moment you put pen to paper (fingers on keyboard) they vanish.
You sit down to bring these ideas to life but the ideas fade into nothing.
You stare at the screen desperately, hoping through sheer willpower you’ll be able to form your perfect idea into the perfect sentence…but it’s gone.
The worst part – throughout the day you had no problem at all coming up with great ideas.
But they all came at the most inopportune times.
These brilliant ideas come to you in their lucid entirety while driving, showering, or eating; while mindlessly folding clothes, lifting weights, or going on a long run; while in a conversation, reading a book, or listening to a presentation.
But the moment you need them – sitting in front of the blank screen - they vanish.
It seems like when you don’t need the ideas, the ideas come in waves, but when you need the ideas – when you sit down to write; when getting words on paper is the only thing that counts – the ideas disappear.
Insurmountable?
Hardly.
There are ways to overcome creative block.
It starts with identifying the reality of the situation: yes, creative block exists…
But only when we care deeply about what we create and how people will perceive it.
If you don’t care about what you write, or you’re not concerned with how it's perceived, you can write freely and unencumbered (think personal journal or email to a close friend).
For those who care about their work and about how it's perceived, overcoming creative block can be a bit trickier.
Fighting back against creative block is hard if we do it through force.
The two most common techniques are:
Both of these techniques are equally ineffective and will wreck you in different ways.
Both are tools of the Enemy.
Both will bury you.
The only way to overcome creative block is through the circumvention of disempowering thoughts, and focused discipline of good habits.
Forcing the right words never works.
When we sit in front of a computer all day, stressing and straining to get the “right” words onto the screen, we begin our descent into the self-perpetuating abyss of wasted time.
If the words don’t come out right the first hour at your computer, they sure won’t come out right by hour five.
They won’t come out right because they can’t: the words you write are never right. They’re also never wrong.
When we focus on creating the perfect sentence, the perfect flow, the perfect tone, style, or theme, we forget what’s ACTUALLY important: the message.
We forget our purpose; we forget our why; we forget the entire concept of art, which is this: art is never right or wrong.
The first and often most effective way to overcome creative block is to forget forcing the right words and begin allowing the wrong words...
People have writer's block not because they can't write, but because they despair of writing eloquently. [Anna Quindlen]
Eventually, once you allow enough of the wrong words, you’ll forget right and wrong altogether and simply create.
Waiting for inspiration is pointless and futile.
Often, when we’re burned out, tired, or simply unmotivated, we rationalize taking off days, weeks, or months so we can reset and recharge.
The thought process: if I’m well rested, if I take some days of to reset my mind, I’ll come back better and stronger. Plus, the best writing is inspired writing, so I must wait until I’m inspired before I write.
This is the Enemy at work.
The Enemy will justify why you should rest and save strength, why taking a break for an indefinite period is essential for creativity, and why avoiding writing is the surest way to clear your mind for more writing.
Lies.
The Enemy uses creative block to dismantle and destroy your project because it needs you sedated, compromised and passive.
The Enemy’s survival depends on keeping you safely hidden inside the group so as not to expose yourself through your art.
The Enemy fears you as an outlier and uses thoughts of ‘waiting for inspiration’ to cripple your dreams.
Don’t accept this for one second.
Here’s the reality: inspiration comes to those who grind, work, and create.
Inspiration comes to those who allow it to happen through movement, through action, through consistent, repeated behavior.
Inspiration comes to those who are disciplined.
I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired at 9 o'clock every morning. [William Faulkner]
Sit down and create every day and you will find your inspiration.
When we put our words, ideas, and art out there; when we produce publicly; when we tell everyone who we are and what we’re about, we expose ourselves to the tribe.
And the tribe isn’t always on our side.
This fear of the tribe, of judgment and criticism, keeps many people from starting, finishing, and shipping their great work.
Overcoming creative block really isn’t a secret. It just means doing the work every day.
But you already knew that.
The real question is: do you have the courage to create in spite of these fears?
And that, like everything important in life, is your choice.
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear. [Mark Twain]
When starting a new project, you deal with a lot of obstacles.
The web design you outsourced might not function how you wanted, or the first shipment of products come in completely the wrong color or size, or your plans for a successful launch don’t pan out the way you hoped they would…
All of these are difficult to deal with.
They hurt, they're painful, and they disappoint us.
But they won’t break you.
Negative self-talk propaganda, on the other hand, just might.
Negative self-talk propaganda will use these events to make you question yourself, your project, and your resolve. Negative self-talk propaganda will try to break you were you are weakest: from the inside.
The following are 8 fears we all experience on the road to creating something worthwhile...
We’re all scared of not living up to our own expectations; we’re even more terrified by not living up to the expectations of others.
So, we rationalize: If we don’t start, we can’t fail.
The simple solution is to not begin your project and to avoid doing the difficult, creative work of building a business, brand or organization…of course, if that’s your choice, nothing happens.
The possibility of failure is a good thing – it means you’re doing something that matters, something original, something rebellious to the robot factory.
If you’re scared it might not work, good – you’re on the right track.
Worse than the idea of not succeeding is the idea of friends and strangers belittling us for what we’re trying; that because we don’t live up to expectations, we embarrass those with whom we associate (and bring shame on ourselves).
Shame is the greatest weapon of the Enemy and will break you faster than anything else.
Shame is entirely fabricated in our minds. It has no power but what we give it, no legitimacy but what we allow it.
Keep doing the work.
Let’s be honest – anyone trying something new feels like a phony. If you don’t, you’re probably doing something you already know how to do, which means you’re not creating anything new.
Feeling like a phony is a good thing; when you have these thoughts, recognize them as the compass they are – pointing you in the right direction (toward something new).
Keep going.
Creating something from scratch is painful.
It’s never easy.
Sure, there will be moments when we’re in flow and things just click – and, often, the process of creating is a lot of fun – but those are the highlights.
The pain begins when the flow ends and you’re left without inspiration or motivation, and no guarantee it will work. That’s when commitment comes in – if you’re committed, you understand this is part of the process, and you keep creating, no matter how hard it becomes.
Before you start, commit – and recommit every day to doing the important work.
This ties into the threat of shame – every person wants some form of validation and the idea of being hated unanimously terrifies us.
Of course, no one is hated unanimously; there will always be someone who loves what you do and appreciates how you do it.
The fear of being hated is entirely irrational; laugh at it when you start your work today.
Let’s face it, being ignored is more likely what will happen with your project. There are too many choices, too many options, and a limited amount of time for people to make these choices. You’re stuff, whatever it is, competes with the noise of the world.
Attention and trust takes time. So if your stuff is good, stay gritty. If it’s not good, make it great…and then get gritty.
Note: being ignored is one of the greatest assets of the “newbie.”
If you start with peoples trust and attention, you’ll be compelled to keep that trust and attention. Usually, this involves doing whatever created the trust and attention in the first place.
The result? Sameness.
But the “newbie” – he has no fear of doing what’s worked, because nothings worked yet. The “newbie” is really another name for the underdog - the insurgent. The actions of the underdog challenge the status quo; the actions of the insurgent create revolutions.
Don’t worry about being ignored – it’s more likely you'll create a revolution (if your stuff is good enough).
Creating involves some level of introversion. If what we’re doing is brilliant and personal, we need to wrestle with ideas internally. And dealing with things alone is no joke.
It’s difficult to fight a battle by yourself.
Don’t cut yourself off from external help. Don’t let the lonely abyss of creation overwhelm you. The solution is usually just a friendly talk away, or knowing others are in the trenches with you, willing to help you through your difficult times.
Talking out a problem with someone you trust is one of the surest ways to get unstuck. Use this technique freely; use it often.
And after all the pain you’ve gone through, “they” might reject you.
If you expect your next project to be the breakthrough moment – the thing that changes everything so you no longer have to face rejection - I have bad news: this never happens.
The most popular, famous, successful businesses still face rejection. Sure, once you’ve hit a tipping point of fans and support, rejection is less likely because the majority will always mimic the majority (a self-perpetuating cycle), but even great brands, bands, and people fade away if all they do is perpetuate the current cycle.
Continue to challenge everything; continue to create new things; continue to be rejected for your unique work – it means you’re doing something right (and the few who understand your work – the important people – will continue to support you).
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When you know these 8 fears are just part of the price you pay for attempting something new, different and bold, you can overcome them.
Now that we know what we’re in for, you have two choices:
There’s no reason to start in the first place if you have no intention of finishing (and shipping). And if you don’t think you can deal with the fears above, better to be realistic in the beginning instead of wasting months (years) of time.
Anyone can do it.
Few people choose to.
And that’s entirely on you.
Never fight alone:
[yks-mailchimp-list id="0ccbfb589b"]
I've been busy recently...
Very busy.
January came and went with the initiation of several big projects - stuff I didn't think I would finish by February...
But, somehow, I'm on track to ship (subscribe to my blog to get insider sneak peaks and first releases of awesome content, products and projects before everyone else).
Here are a few things I did that helped me focus my effort so I could create some great stuff I really think will help you on your own journey:
No matter what happens, the projects I'm working on WILL ship.
Maybe that means I don't leave the computer the weekend before they ship, but so be it.
As long as you set a ship date - and understand that shipping isn't an option - your project will ship.
Perfect is what you strive for. But good enough is what you NEED.
It's important to identify what makes your project perfect, but perfect rarely happens. If you don't know what good enough looks like, you will spend time spinning wheels trying to reach the unattainable.
On the other hand, if you identify good enough beforehand, and the project is good enough, you can still ship on time. And shipping is what matters.
Thrashing is all about tearing apart your idea to find the holes, the missing pieces, and the weaknesses of your project.
Thrashing is brutal.
When we sit down to really understand what and why we're doing something, or how to put our project together, it means we inspect every part of who WE are. If there's not clear solution to a part of your project, it's easy to feel terrible.
Don't.
Thrashing is essential. If you don't thrash, you'll never find your voice, manifest your vision, or ship your final product.
Thrashing occurs throughout the project, but when you spend serious time and effort thrashing in the beginning, you'll produce a better product and run into less trouble along the way.
(here is a great article by Jonathan Fields on Thrashing)
Chunking is taking the thrashed version of your idea and creating individual ship dates for each component/piece/part.
I like to chunk down pieces of the project into 1-3 hour intervals. This means every piece of the puzzle I can accomplish within a 3 hour time-frame.
This allows me to realistically set a ship date that know I can reach it.
I rarely know how long something will take. But I've learned something through my experiences: a 30 minute blog post WILL take 3 hours.
That eBook you think you can write in a 7 days WILL take 1 - 2 months.
The manuscript you're working on, the one you think will take a few months...give yourself a year.
My rule of thumb: When in doubt, multiply by 6.
That's right: actually shipping is essential to shipping your project successfully.
But how many people actually ship?
Everything here is focused on shipping, because shipping matters (see item #2). Even if iteration 1.0 doesn't turn out the way you want it to, it's out there, and you can refine and re-release later.
The goal, of course, is to thrash and chunk in such a way that you create a stellar product and ship something incredible the first round.
But if you have to ship something less than what you planned, ship anyway (you'll learn more than you would otherwise, I promise).
Get free updates, exclusive content, and first looks at AWESOME projects coming down the pipeline: Join the Resistance.
The Conventional Entrepreneuren·tre·pre·neur:
"The owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits"
The entrepreneur seeks to make a profit – at least, conventionally speaking.
The conventional entrepreneur believes he can do something better (cheaper, faster, closer etc.) than what exists in the market place.
He builds something to fill a need in exchange for profit, and, we might imagine, does so because profit is the goal.
art·ist:
"One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts"
The artist creates things of aesthetic value – again, at least conventionally speaking.
The artist does what he is compelled to do – which is to create art. The artist creates what doesn’t exist, and, we might imagine, does so because he loves his craft intrinsically.
I propose a third option.
Someone who loves the process as much as the potential impact; who wouldn’t create if it didn’t affect others powerfully and positively; who takes himself seriously enough to do the terrifying, creative things others would gladly avoid.
I propose the idea of an entrepreneur who doesn’t create solely for return on investment, and an artist who doesn’t create solely for internal self-satisfaction.
I propose a hybrid: the Creative Entrepreneur.
cre·a·tive en·tre·pre·neur:
One whose business is an extension of one’s personality and art; whose purpose is creating something bigger than oneself, something that can grow and expand, but never at the expense of creating art as a gift; who seeks true freedom, even if it means uncertainty or failure; who desires self-determination, even if it means challenging the tribe; who does the hard, creative work, day in and day out, because it matters.
The Creative Entrepreneur weaves his art into every project, like AJ Leon from Misfits Inc. (twitter: @ajleon)
The Creative Entrepreneur invents beautiful, practical tools that enhance our lives, like Nate Kutsko of Kutsko Kitchen (twitter: @kutskokitchen)
The Creative Entrepreneur tells a story through film and story (and teaches others how to do the same), like Benjamin Jenks from Adventure Sauce (twitter: @benjaminojenks), or writes to inspire writers, like Jeff Goins from Goinswriter.com (twitter: @JeffGoins ).
This concept is nothing new – the Creative Entrepreneur has always existed (from Archemides to Da Vinci to Ford).
But now, becoming a Creative Entrepreneur isn’t just more attainable than it’s ever been, it’s more imperative.
The ordinary fades away, the average is ignored, and the usual is just that (and lost in the noise).
But the Creative Entrepreneur stands out, sticks around, and leaves an impact.
The life of the Creative Entrepreneur isn’t easy, nor is it comfortable.
But it’s not supposed to be.
We need to be happy in this wonderland without once being merely comfortable. [G. K. Chesterton]
I talk to a lot of people - a lot of people with great ideas, great vision, and tons of untapped potential.
But they're stuck on 'start.'
Instead of trying, attempting, and building, they wait around for the perfect opportunity, the perfect connection, and the perfect launch.
News flash: perfect doesn't exist.
Is good enough.
You don't need to be perfect (you can't be), all you need is good enough.
And unless you start, you'll never be good enough.
If that's not enough of a kick in the ass, below are 4 reasons you should start - TODAY.
When you start - when you enter the ring - it stops being an idea, a thought, a dream; it becomes your work, out in the world.
No, you're probably not ready; but the sooner you take yourself and your work seriously enough to ship, the sooner you will actually be ready.
There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting. [Buddha]
It's a paradox, but most important things are.
At first, you may have to fake it. This is okay: everyone else is doing the same thing, even (especially) the more famous writers, entrepreneurs and artists.
Stop worrying about being a phony and start shipping your projects.
Note: you might still feel like a phony even after shipping your 100th project, but that's not what the rest of the world will see.
If you start and it doesn't pan out, keep going. If that doesn't pan out, pivot. If that doesn't pan out, try a different technique, tactic or strategy.
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. [Thomas Edison]
There is no such thing as a single opening launch that, if not done PERFECTLY, will destroy your business, career and art.
Unless you've raised millions in venture capital, the initial start is almost insignificant.
The first version is never the FINAL version. This goes for everything; the first draft of a manuscript, the first iteration of software, or the first marketing campaign of a brick-and-mortar company.
Don't sweat the start. Just start.
Stepping into the ring (actually shipping your product; moving from hobbyist to professional) is never easy.
We think we need to be completely ready - trained up, competent, and ready to deal with any possible failure point.
But that's just it: you are ready. Whether you know it or not, you've been ready you're entire life; you just never stepped into the ring.
So step into the ring already.
Start.
It sounds simple - and it is.
Start right now; release the first version of your blog, publish your first eBook, sell your unfinished (but minimally viable) product.
The worst that can happen is it doesn't work, which means you're closer to a solution that will.
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. [Walt Disney]
The role of the creative entrepreneur is to invent, design and build something profitable, personal and creative.
To do that, we need a set of tools that enhance our work and magnify our impact.
The following is a quick list of tools I’ve found ESSENTIAL in designing my new company (more on that later), writing my book, and building my blog.
A caveat: tools can’t do the work for you. The most important thing to remember, for the creative entrepreneur, is to do the hard, creative work, no matter what. These tools will help, but if you’re searching for a tool to do the work for you, you’re not going to find it (no matter how much you outsource).
1) Dropbox
I’m not sure how I would live without Dropbox.
I’ve used other cloud based software, like Microsoft’s Skydrive and Google Drive, but nothing compares to the simplicity, accessibility (I can access it from computers where Skydrive and Google Drive are blocked), and space (Dropbox gives you extra free space every time you have a friend sign up!).
I put every writing file in Dropbox. I put all my designs, artistic creations and business plans in Dropbox. I’ll even put movie files I want to watch on my laptop when I’m disconnected from the internet (Dropbox will download the file to your computer when it’s connected to the internet – so you can still edit, change, and use the materials without a connection).
I try to back up my Dropbox folder on my computer, but even when I don’t, I’m completely confident in Dropbox to work without fail (a bold claim, but true).
2) Evernote
This is my creative tool of choice.
When I’m driving to work and I have a moment of inspiration, I take out Evernote and simply talk into my phone. Evernote transcribes my dialogue for me. It only works if you talk slowly and enunciate correctly, but, once you get used to it, you’ll be taking verbal notes like crazy.
It also syncs up with every device that has Evernote (for me, that’s every device). So I can edit my to do list on my computer and see it on my phone when I go to the grocery store, or take a clip of website and make a note to read later, or just take a picture and scribble notes on it…Evernote is essential for the creative entrepreneur.
It’s free. Get it.
3) Skitch
Skitch is an add-on to Evernote, so maybe it shouldn’t be a stand alone product…but I also find it has enough value on its own to deserve it’s own spot here.
Skitch allows me draw pictures very quickly on my smart phone and easily save them for later.
I had the idea for the cover of my eBook, The Art of Instigating, when I was driving to work. I took out Skitch and drew up the concept to make sure the idea didn’t pass me by:
Sometimes, the best way to capture an idea is to draw it out. Skitch helps the creative entrepreneur get his thoughts out on paper when words just don’t work.
Okay, so iPhones are great, but I don’t own one, so I can’t really comment. But the Galaxy S-3 is perfect for all the above apps, plus it’s not restricted to Apple’s locked-down ecosystem (for me, this means more freedom).
The Galaxy S-3 is crazy fast with an awesome screen and camera. It’s like having a creative office in my pocket.
Bonus points: the battery is great, even with heavy use. Worst case, I usually have to charge up midday because I use it HEAVILY. Brilliant phone (and you can get it for less than $200 with a 2 year contract from any of the major telephone companies).
5) LastPass
Okay, this tool alone is something I can’t stop promoting.
It’s free, easy to use, and will save you HOURS of time.
LastPass is a secure way to save all your passwords, so you don’t have to log into 30+ accounts every day – you log into your LastPass account and when you come to a login page, LastPass will auto-fill or auto-login for you with the click of a button.
For someone like me, with dozens (possibly hundreds) of different login usernames and passwords, this thing saves me the frustration of having to get a new password every time I visit an old site.
6) Spotify
Okay, so this isn’t so much something you can use to create (that I know of), but something I’ve found essential in my creative process.
I love listening to my Ultimate Indie Party in Your Pants Playlist when I do work.
A lot of people prefer to work in silence, but if you want complete creative control over your music (unlike Pandora), Spotify (even the free version) is the way to go.
Of course, for $10 a month, the premiere, ad-free version is a no brainer.
7) Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
Don’t laugh.
I know it’s not cool to use Microsoft products, but I know Word and PowerPoint 2010 like the back of my hand. I used both to create my logo, design the covers of my books, typeset/design the pages of my eBook, and write all my rough draft blog posts.
The reason I mention these products, in particular, are because a lot of people get caught up in having the right software; but you don't need anything special.
I’m not saying my stuff is professional grade, but, in its minimalist fashion, it works. And yes, even if you have the bare essential equipment and software, you can create works of art (whether you use a PC, Mac, or something else entirely, the basic software is all you need).
Often times, the limits and boundaries we’re forced to deal with help us create better art anyway. So, in a way, Microsoft products help my creativity…
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And that’s it (for now).
There are definitely a bunch of other tools I use, but none as often as the ones listed above.
One last note: you don't NEED to use any of these tools, and there are definitely alternative tools available. Test out others and see what works for you. This is just a quick list to show you what I've found simple, easy to use, and effective.
I hope these help. Let us know in the comments below which ones you like or hate, and what tools you would add to the list!
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