GarthBox

I grew up being told that some rules were meant to be broken.

Some rules were outdated or didn’t make sense or were completely forgotten about or were used to hold people back who shouldn’t be held back.

I’ve come to find that it’s not that some rules are meant to be broken; it’s that some are meant to be changed.

A permanent rule is only permanent until it’s not, and it’s not when someone speaks up and it’s far easier to speak up when there’s data to back up the decision (even if that data is XX of people break the rule every day).

New data —> new rules.

When we hide the data or ignore it–that’s when we hurt our culture.

 

Stay Positive & Fluid

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Please don’t say it’s complicated or that it depends. Doing so holds us back from a solution, but more importantly, a thoughtful solution.

Define what the problem is and if you can’t find one, write them all down, then get to work.

What’s the solution for the one (or each) problem.

You’ll soon find that you’ll arrive at a number of solutions that solve far more of the problems you listed then if you argue about how complex the problems you have are.

“It depends” has never been a good answer and it never will be.

 

Stay Positive & Stop Making It Complicated

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All people can tire you out at some point, but there are two types of people in particular that are flat-out exhausting and ought to be avoided by all means.

There are the people you can’t change. The ones stuck in their ways. Those who don’t care what amount of rationale you can provide. It’s their way or bust.

The other people are those who show up for the click bait, are easily engulfed in whatever shiny object that’s in their view and fall for every pyramid scheme their friends toss their way.

It’s worth a quick gut check to confirm that you’re working with someone in the middle.

 

Stay Positive & Yes, There Are Times To Jump Ship

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So much marketing is about tactics chasing strategies.

It’s like starting a puzzle with only pieces, and many of them are pieces of different puzzles.

Better to start with the strategy and then chase down the right tactics.

I’m not suggesting that it’s easy, but it is easier.

 

Stay Positive & Do Yourself (And Brand) A Favor

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The beauty of watching a plane takeoff is in the ramp up before the tires leave the ground.

Heck, even being on a plane, the best part is still the speeding up, the force, the impending ascent.

If takeoff just happened, without any buildup … well, that’s not all too exciting is it?

Planes, projects, relationships – they all benefit from a ramp up period.

 

Stay Positive & Forward, On

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The average consumer is smarter than they have ever been.

Smarter, and more skeptical, too.

The average patron reads more review sites before making a decision. They’ll look to your social pages and groups to see if an event you’re having is all that special. They’ll look back to see how successful you have been.

People are looking to learn if you’re worth the hype.

 

Stay Positive & Gotta Come Out Of The Gate Swinging

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I’m telling you now that you have more patience than they do.

You have more gumption and tenacity and quick wit.

You have work that speaks for itself and others to tout how great it is.

The critic has plenty to go after to begin with, but over time not so much.

Either the critic will get tired or they’ll find someone weaker.

You don’t need to be impervious, you just need to last longer than they do.

 

 

Stay Positive & Outlast The Critic

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