GarthBox

Working forward and gut checking backward enables failure – and not often the good kind.

The good kind of failure is failure we couldn’t have avoided given our situation in the moment, but have learned from.

The bad kind of failure is ending in a place we never wanted to be with no where to go but back.

Flipping what leads us more often to failure on its head means that we begin by working backward and gut checking forward.

By working backward we define the goal we’re hoping for in the actions we’ll take; we’re defining why we’ll do what we’ll do and design what we’ll design.

Then we walk backward from the goal to where we are now and document the steps. And as we start from where we are, we gut check our work every step of the way forward.

Are we still on track to our destination? Are we still doing and designing for the same reason?

Getting lost in a maze? That’s fun. Getting lost in our mission, in the legacy we’re leaving, in our why of why we do what we do? Not so much.

Stay Positive & Pick, Plan (Backward) Then Go

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Complete this sentence: We do [X] because [Y]

A strong brand story is one that Y equals the same thing no matter which X you put in.

Why do you show up early?

Why do you keep everything organized?

Why do you have such personal and stellar customer service?

Why do you offer limited options of your product?

Why do you donate to non-profits?

Your reason is going to be what fits into the story of your target audience.

Stay Positive & In Other Words, It’s Your Why

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The path forward is wrought with answers to questions we don’t want to hear.

It has hundreds or thousands or millions of people who aren’t interested in what you have to offer.

The path forward is going to feel uncomfortable, and at times, might even hurt.

But the path forward is also packed with feelings of fulfillment and generosity.

It has a few that will come to rely on what you offer and support you along your path forward.

The path forward is a magical thing, but requires us to take a step, day after day to be on it.

The moment we stop moving, we stop being on the path forward.

Stay Positive & Step Again, Again, Again

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There’s no point in arguing.

It’s cheaper to say, “here’s a refund.”

There’s a time cost in arguing and if the argument goes up a chain, wasted time becomes exponential.

There’s an emotional cost in arguing. With only so much willpower on reserve each day, we make more careless decisions after we’ve expelled our willpower arguing.

There’s a mental cost in arguing. More time spent with a glass half empty mindset means there’s less time spent with a glass half full mentality.

Stay Positive & Cut Costs By Walking Away

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Take the chicken out of the marinade too soon and you forfeit all the flavor.

Let is soak for too long and you might as well drink right from the container.

All good things get made in that space between too early and too late.

Where’s your work at? Have you started? Have you sat on it for awhile?

The only way to know if it’s too soon or too late is to ship it.

Then learn, rinse and repeat.

Stay Positive & Mmm Progress

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There are plenty of people who can do graphic design the same way you can.

There are those who can nanny just the same and perform surgery and pitch the heck out of a deck.

There are organizations that do the same work, too. There are agencies that follow the same processes and non-profits with the same tactics.

Throughout the day, what makes the difference in the work is the energy you bring into it.

People notice, respect and appreciate when you show more excitement in the work than someone who can do the same.

Stay Positive & Do They Know You’re A Geek About What You Do?

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When it comes to being remarkable, it’s more than the quality of service or product value.

It’s making it easy to share the story.

It’s positioning yourself so the one sharing isn’t as responsible if the friend they talk to about you has a bad experience (but still responsible enough if they have a good experience).

It’s being ready to handle an influx of customers or clients.

It’s about not needing a rewards program, but having one because it’s a separate story to tell.

All of these things … they’re hard, but they’re the playing field that brands who stand for quality (rather than price or speed) are battling on.

Stay Positive & What Makes Your Brand Remarkable?

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