GarthBox

The work your doing isn’t as strong as it can be if you go about it thinking that you are the target.

Evaluating the work you’re doing as if you are the target of it is layered with a whole slue of biases that work against you and weaken the work.

Work can really only get stronger by approaching it with empathy and observation of the real target (them, not you) and a whole lot of listening.

But there is one moment that it pays to own being the target (whether you think/feel you are or not): right before you ship.

Let’s say marketing is like making food in a restaurant and you’re the chef. You’re making food that you want the person at the table to love, and in the moment before you send it out, you look at it and ask the question “would I be happy to be served this if I were the one sitting at the table?”

This one final gut check can make all the difference in a remarkable experience for a guest – or, rather, can prevent a terrible review from occurring.

Namely, there’s a point when you get too in the weeds of doing something for the target. After all, they’re hungry and you’re rushing to get them what they want while they want it, which often results in you sending out the tacos, but the meat is overcooked.

You might have good target-centric intentions, but haste makes waste. The pause to put on the target’s hat ensures you get applause.

Stay Positive & Them First, Then You

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They may want your cereal, but they need to feel healthy and like they are doing right by their children.

They may want your beer, but they need the feeling of connection with a tight knit community.

They may want your training course, but they need to feel treated with respect at work.

Are you marketing to what they want or what they need?

Stay Positive & You Can Guess Which Marketing Works Best

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Saying a mantra to yourself in the morning once a week, might help you stay in the right mindset, but not as much as saying it daily.

Sharing your message with your audience might mean it stands out to the few who are afraid they’ll miss something from you, but it’s worth sharing it a few more times to ensure awareness and a touch of trust from the others.

There’s a limit with all mentions–when it goes from informing to annoying. But one things for sure in the ever noisy world we’re living in – everything can have a greater impact if it were said a few more times.

Stay Positive & What Do You Say?

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Here’s a new format to use for your to-do list. It’s a game changer.

[Task] so that [someone] [benefit]

Finish that project brief so that the studio artist can flex her creative muscles on the work.

Clean the main floor of the house so that my partner feels less stressed.

Adding a person and how completing the task helps them changes the entire energy of a to-do list.

Everything becomes an act of generosity, not just a task.

Helping someone else thrive feels a lot better than checking a box, anyway–but this way, you can do both.

Stay Positive & Check, Check, Check

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If you dig deeper into what makes someone impressed, you’d find that it’s not just what they see, hear, feel, smell, taste or touch.

They’re impressed with the effort and intention and heart that was put into something.

Following a stock plan might produce something beautiful, but it won’t produce something remarkable.

Remarkable requires a leap outside of the playbook into uncharted territory, full of vulnerability and grit.

Stay Positive & Color Someone Impressed Today

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There’s no such thing as a solo career any more. There’s too many involved to make the work rock.

Even an artist that designs labels for packages as a freelancer. First and foremost, her team is her client and then regardless if she personally reaches out for any help or feedback or insight, the client certainly shares it around and extends the team.

Now imagine if the freelancer did reach out to a friend to get a read on her work, and maybe she read a few articles about similar products…the authors of those articles could technically be considered part of her team, too.

The short of it is team work makes the dream work and anyone trying to stay solo isn’t doing their strongest work.

I’d also argue that those who work to have a strongly large team make the work better, too. It might feel like it boggs down a process and timing and cost may be impacted, but the work inevitably gets stronger.

In fact, just like you, it’s strength is the average of the team behind it.

Stay Positive & Get Those Smarter Involved With You To Raise The Bar

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There’s a strong difference between competence and contentedness.

Competence is something we fall into the trap of being in love with. It feels good to know what needs to be done and how to do it. But competence has also proven – no matter your line of work – to hold you back from exploring other possibilities and taking risks. Competence is fueled by comfort and comfort is fueled by standing still.

Contentedness can be found within competence, but it can also be found outside of it. Contentedness is a lot easier to acknowledge and, to a degree, control. It’s about finding satisfaction in the present. With a curious mine, one can be content amid chaos. One can be content with leaping and risk-taking. Content is fueled by appreciating the moment and it’s quiet easy to appreciate a moment – all you need to do is try and you’ll succeed.

Competence gets us places, but then keeps us there. Contentedness keeps us moving.

Stay Positive & Keep Moving Forward, Contently

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