If you looked at why we consume, you would discover that nowadays we buy into how things make us feel.
As far as I can remember, reading a newspaper has never left me feeling too good.
Common sense…
Author: Garth Beyer
Sources Of Emulation, Inspiration, And Self-Dissatisfaction
In a world that defines the importance of everything by placing it in a list, one more list won’t hurt, right?
1. Seth Godin
2. Malcolm Gladwell (also find his writing in the New Yorker)
3. Paul Krugman
Breaking them down
Seth Godin: You may wonder why I have “self-dissatisfaction” in the title. Godin is the reason why. I work to emulate Godin on a daily basis, to write in a way that equally encourages people to challenge the status quo (by creating a ruckus) and inspires them to be creative about it. Godin writes in the way that says “you can do better, here is how you can be better – go and combine the two.”
Malcolm Gladwell: Ah, Gladwell. No person can say “you’re an idiot, start asking why things are the way they are so you quit buying into the status quo and being manipulated” like Gladwell. His way of writing answers the question of why with grace, common sense, and resolve. He inspires me to not only question everything, but actually seek out the answer – the full answer (and share it!).
Paul Krugman: He has attitude. Actually, a firefull combination of expertness and bias. I read his wonkish writing to understand how to state facts in a direct, “duh!” kind of way. While I don’t care to know all of the facts of economics he has to share, I adorn the way he shares them. Additionally, I admire everything that he writes that is non-wonkish, such as why he doesn’t use Twitter, or his reflections on family and life. He reminds me that although you can be one of the top-most professionals in your niche, that you’re human and people love reading the works of people who are human.
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Take A Moment
Take a moment to think of the details of daily life that help you move on and feel better.
Enlighten Others
Why We Consume
In the early days, we consumed to meet our needs.
Then we consumed to meet our wants.
What most people miss is after we met our wants, we didn’t want more; what we wanted was to feel.
People don’t buy a BMW because it shines. People don’t buy Starbucks because it’s the best tasting coffee. People don’t buy bigger houses because they want more, more, more.
People buy into how items makes them feel.
Businesses have gone from advertising (more, more, more) to marketing (feel, feel, feel). We’ve gone from buying what we want, to buying how we want to feel.
Looking at it this way makes consumption seem more positive. The more you consume the better you feel. But let’s not forget that the less we consume, the more leisure time we will have.
Ask yourself, how would more leisure time make you feel?
Stay Positive & Better Than Consuming?
Garth E. Beyer
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How Do Will Do
There’s something special to the people with “will do!” attitudes. They’re often the ones to lead, to take on more than they can handle, and the ones to have long “to-do” lists (and an equally long “done” list). These narcissists state they will do something: they will fix it, they will improve it, they will increase sales, profits, referrals.
Yes, these types of people have a stigma, many being given the title of Millennial.
I care to dissipate the stigma. There is one short way to removing this societal blemish, and it’s to change the way you think.
Instead of “will do!” attitudes, revert back to the “can I do?” attitudes.
To ask is to observe, to analysis, and to consider all possibilities. “Can I do?” attitudes are open-minded. Asking if you can accomplish something allows you to explore, whereas stating that you will do something and then just doing it prevents experimentation and above all, feedback.
Once it is done, you can check it off. But those who have “can I do?” attitudes ask themselves if they can do better once they accomplish what they set off to do.
The beauty of it all is that you can carry over the motivation, the determination, and the tenacity that “will do!” attitudes have into the “can I do?” attitude.
Just start asking yourself if you can complete something instead of stating you will.
Stay Positive & A Little Self Actually Helps
Garth E. Beyer
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We’re All Fighting Our Own Battles (FALSE)
A friend recently returned from his trip to Switzerland. He came to my station and handed me a magazine from Switzerland called Swiss Review: The Magazine For The Swiss Abroad. Reading through the stories inside, I expected to be overwhelmed with new and different information. What is happening in Switzerland can’t possible be the same as what is happening in the U.S.
It surprised me to find that is exactly what is happening.
It made me realize that though distance, culture, and goals can be different for one person, one state, or one country, we are regularly faced with the same hardships and hindrances.
We’re all fighting each other’s battles — which happen to also be our own. The simple truth is that we share plenty of the same troubles, concerns, and doubts; we are confronted with similar criticisms, obstacles, and resistance. We’re a lot more alike than we care to admit.
Stay Positive & What To Do About It Is Another Matter…
Garth E. Beyer
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Personality Matches Business
I would argue that brands are built by the relationships they hold with their customers, patients, or clients. It’s not necessarily just about the business model.
Brands get themselves in trouble when they build their business (higher, stronger, wider, etc,.) but fail to build the relationships.
How you treat your customers at a small flower boutique in town will be much different from how you treat your customers at a much larger flower boutique at the intersection of four major cities.
Brands get themselves in even more trouble when they treat their customers as if they are at a much larger business than where they are. My response to this is simple: be who you are. If you’re a small business, act like it, treat your customers like it.
My immediate reference in mind is Sbarro. They treat their customers in a way that’s personal, yet, realistic. They understand that people go to Sbarro to get a quick pizza, that’s it. People who go to Sbarro don’t want to be pampered, don’t want to be sold more than what they want, they don’t want to establish a close relationship with Sbarro workers. They want to be treated as people who need a break in the day for a quick slice of pizza. Sbarro understands this and treats their customers accordingly.
Stay Positive & If You Want To Be More, Change Everything
Garth E. Beyer