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That idea you’re working on or that novel or that artpiece or that dance or that white paper…

No one is going to care about it as much as you. No matter who you ask for help on it, they won’t live up to your expectations. They won’t get back to you at the speed that you want them to. They won’t provide as helpful as feedback as you hope.

And that’s okay.

The point about having a passion is that you have it, it’s yours and it’s stronger than anyone else’s.

 

Stay Positive & Don’t Get Down When The Passion Isn’t Shared

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Since you were given a calculator, you haven’t had to carry the cognitive load of doing long division. This magical device did it for you. Freeing up your time to focus on other things.

Everyday more technologies like the calculator are being invented and it’s creating more and more free time.

The difference maker then, is what you do with that time.

Do you invest it in learning something there’s not a device available to make easy for you or do you play video games and get sucked into a Twitter trend?

You have the choice to challenge your cognition, to better yourself, to not let technology drive you to curl up and avoid the work that matters.

 

Stay Positive & Keep Stretching

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Despite the extreme malevolence of Hydra, humans have one similar attribute.

With hydra, the story goes, you cut one head off and two grow in its place.

Similarly, we grow when we learn from our mistakes, get uncomfortable, experience burnout.

There’s a reason the expression is “like they’re running around with their heads chopped off” and why after they recover, they are all the better because of it.

If you’re not pushing your limits, stepping over the line or taking risks, you’re not growing as much as you could (or as much as we need you to).

 

Stay Positive & Yes, We Need You To

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Friendships, relationships, business connections, partners, loyal customers… you name it–the one skill you need to have is actually two-part.

1. Read the room.
2. Act on it.

In a world where being liked is a major step toward success, it’s essential to interpret how others are feeling, to read body language and, most importantly, to act on that information.

 

Stay Positive & To Make Enemies, Read The Room And Don’t Act On It

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In the beverage industry, the flavor cycle used to last a year or longer.

A handful of months were dedicated to building the hazelnut flavor demand. Then it would become a trend for another six months to a year before it would see a slow decline.

Palates, lifestyles and competition have killed that long cycle and I teased this idea in a blog post of mine from five years ago about Cheez-it flavors.

Certainly you could focus on all the different flavors of beverages and each of their (now) 15 minutes of fame, but what’s more important to recognize is the number of new beverage brands.

Yes, consumers want more of a variety from you–the flavor cycle proves that, but they also want better, better stories, better designs, better flavors.

 

Stay Positive & If You’re Only Creating “More,” You Won’t Make It

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When in doubt… check in.

Check in when you think you have everything set.

Check in when you’re doubting yourself.

Check in when you absolutely need the confirmation that you’re prepared.

Check in when you need to for yourself.

Check in when your boss hasn’t even asked you to.

Check in when you think you have everything right.

Check in even if it means you’re going to show that you were wrong.

Check in to see if they can add value to what you’re suggesting.

Check in just to check in. It’ll always help.

 

Stay Positive & No One Has Ever Gotten Screwed By “Checking In”

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Once you can respond that you’ve made it as good as you can given the time frame and your current knowledge bank, it pays to then ask the same question to someone else.

You’re never in it alone and someone will always find a way to make it (whatever “it” is) better.

And if success is what you’re after, you need better.

 

Stay Positive & Not Bigger, Not Shinier–Better

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