Aggression

Garth Beyer

Some use it to fuel their writing. Others use it to push themselves during their workouts. I suggest you use it to get a job.

I’ve spoken to Jack Craver, journalist for the Capital Times. He told me, “If you want to make it [in journalism], you’ve got to be aggressive.”

I would argue that if you want to get anywhere in life, you’ve got to be aggressive. That line you’ve heard about, that line you get into after you get a degree, it’s nonexistent. No one hires passive prospects. Getting in a line is a joke. Knocking down the door of where you want to work, that’s what you’ve got to do.

In a simplified version, the easiest way directors cut the applicant pool of any job opening or opportunity is to toss out everyone who they feel doesn’t want it, who they’ve never heard from. And how does one know that?

Have you sent follow-up emails? Have you called them? Have you toured the agency, friended any of the Director’s friends, asked for an informational interview?

Getting a job is easy. Having the balls to do so, being aggressive, that’s the hard part.

 

Stay Positive & “Want” Is An Action Verb, Not A Silent Desire

What Are They Admitting To?

Garth Beyer

Flappy Bird

You’re searching for customers. Your marketing. Your advertising like crazy to get new folks to buy your product or service or enroll in your seminar or MOOC. To get anyone to try whatever you are offering requires them to admit to something. But what is it? Do you know? You need to.

It’s hell trying to top your competitors, it’s even more difficult to get your competitor’s followers to follow you. Why? Because to do so, those followers have to admit that they want more (most don’t) or that they made the wrong choice to begin with.

Take a second to realize how monumental of an internal confession that is.

I keep wondering why so few people who loved Flappy Bird aren’t trying anything similar like Ironpants, Super Ball Juggling or Red Bouncing Ball Spikes. To do so is to admit that they made a wrong choice of playing Flappy Bird to begin with. Either they don’t want to admit to that or they simply don’t want better, they want Flappy Bird.

I don’t suggest you find a niche because you can’t compete with someone like Apple or Zynga. You could certainly make something as good or better than them. Getting people to admit they like you more or that they were wrong to like the other competitor first, that’s the exhaustive (and endless!) battle.

Unless of course, Apple or Zynga die and there’s room in the market for you. Then again, like I said, not everyone is flapping over to different games after Dong Nguyen took Flappy Bird down.

Niches are important. Find them.

*UPDATE: since writing this post IronPants and another flappy bird spinoff has made the top app list. I would be fascinated to see how many users of these apps know of flappy bird.

Stay Positive & It’s Easier To Get People To Admit They Wanted Something Your Competitor Didn’t Offer

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Fear Pursues You

Garth Beyer

The inherent trouble with your pursuits is not that they can be broken down into either your pursuit of security or your pursuit of gratification, but that by definition, there is bound to be fear in your pursuit of either.

It’s the fear that not only stops you in your tracks, but it also isolates you. The effects of fear are to isolate you, separate you, cripple you, make you feel anxious, desperate, like you need to run away.

But fear is a fickle thing. One moment you fear this, but as you notice it, your fear leeches onto something else. Do you ever stop to notice that you’re arguing with yourself?

“I’m afraid of A.”

“No I’m not.”

“Right, because I’m actually afraid of B.”

And through the alphabet you will go, again and again. You may run away at A. Or you may argue endlessly to prevent action (which, in my opinion is the same as running away, if not worse). Or you can accept every letter in the alphabet.

“Yes, I’m afraid of A, B, and C, but I’m going to see if this works.”

That’s really all we can do in life isn’t it. Just see if it works. Perhaps it’s this mindset that makes the whole alphabet pointless. Perhaps it’s the best way to dance with fear.

 

Stay Positive & HT to Krishnamurti

 

Working For Druthers

Garth Beyer

Nick Dmytrenko asked me what I would do if I had my druthers. I’ve never been asked that.

It was a pleasant reminder that there’s a bigger picture I’m working for. Today, all I want is you to ask (and answer) yourself “What would I do if I had my druthers?”

If you can’t answer that question, how will you know that you’re on the right path?

 

Stay Positive & Thanks For The Conversation, Nick

(want to chat? shoot me an email thegarthbox@gmail.com)

 

Why You Should Apply To X

Garth Beyer

It’s common knowledge that the majority of people who see internships postings, job openings and other awesome opportunities never apply for them. They think they don’t have the credentials, that too many other people are applying, that they don’t stand a chance.

Just by applying, your odds at getting what you want are extremely high because so many don’t apply.

Now, 9 out of 10 who read this still won’t apply. They’re not convinced. And that’s fine. Your chances of getting what you want are higher than ever before.

All you have to do is apply.
Stay Positive & Stop Selling Yourself Short (you wouldn’t day-dream about it if you really didn’t deserve it)

The Lottery Project Effect

Garth Beyer

LotteryProjectEffect

When I call forth a team of bright-minded, intuitive individuals to come up with and execute a project idea, we usually don’t find the end.

It doesn’t say much about the specific team members. Like I said, they are all intelligent, all creative and all ambitious. The problem is what I call the Lottery Project Effect.

To them (to anyone I call on) it’s as if they’ve been given the chance to buy a lottery ticket. They show up to the first meeting, they arrive, bringing a determined and creative aura with them. They’re ready to win the lottery.

As Seth Godin says, “The thrill of possibility, the chance for recognition, the chemical high of anticipation. That’s what people pay [show up] for.”

Buying a lottery ticket incites the anticipation and thrill. On the project end, though, being called on is the lottery ticket purchase. The thing is, they don’t cash in the ticket when the project is complete. They’re cashing in the ticket when they show up. The opportunity to create is the reward. They’ve won. But then starts the hard work.

If you didn’t know already, most people who win the lottery end up unhappy in the long run and continue to buy lottery tickets. So it goes on the project side, the thrill of possibility dies down, the chance for recognition that they hoped for starts being fulfilled the moment they meet other team members, the chemical high of anticipation gets trumped by the idea of “I’ve just won the lottery, now what the hell do I do?”

As the project leader, do you keep giving them lottery tickets? Or wait for a team that isn’t interested in the lottery.

 

Stay Positive & Tough Call, Huh? (That’s the Lottery Project Effect for you.)

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It Was Okay, Thanks

It Was Okay, Thanks

Garth Beyer

Okay

Let me take a stab at figuring out what’s holding you back.

You’ve got plenty of great ideas. You start working on them, ordering what you need, planning schedules, collecting a team. Maybe you even complete your project.

Notice how I left “what’s holding you back” very vague. You might be held back from starting, held back from continuing, held back from finishing or held back from promoting what you’ve completed. To any of this, let me ask one important question.

How is your service? Or your product? Or your project?

Really tell me how it is. Is it phenomenal? Remarkable? A dream come true?

Or is it okay? Average? Decent? Acceptable?

Most of the time, what’s holding you back is that we answer with the latter. And the worst part, get stuck there. We feel the need to make it remarkable, but don’t want to put in the effort or are flat-out unsure if it’s something we can make remarkable. There’s no shame in that. A LOT of things are just okay.

When you’re in this spot, consider two things.

1) There’s a tribe out there that only want “okay.” Let them have it and go make something else remarkable.

2) You’ll likely make a lot more things that are just “okay.” And that’s okay. You have to keep going until you cross the gap.

 

Stay Positive & More On This

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