Pick Yourself

Something You’ve Never Done Before

Garth Beyer

It felt nice being told I would be doing something I’ve never done before. Being told made it easier for me. Someone else made the choice. Someone else picked me.

There are two interesting epiphanies I had from being told.

First, I had to do things I’ve never done before to get asked to do things I’ve never done before. I’ve made a habit out of conquering the unknown and she knew I would be able to handle it. In reality, she didn’t pick me at random. I gave her a reason to.

Second, if we merely wait for someone to pick us, someone to force us into a new space, someone to tell us we’ll be doing something we’ve never done before, we’ll be waiting a very long time.

Opportunities to charter new territory and dare greatly are nearly always self-proposed.

 

Stay Positive & Do Something That Scares You Everyday, Build That Momentum

Unlocking Potential #11: Q&A With John Saddington

Garth Beyer

John Saddington

I regularly write about the importance of being human, of momentum and of the need to continuously try new things. Top experimenter John Saddington is a living example of doing all the above.

John is linchpin who I recall wore a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle t-shirt to Seth Godin’s Pick Yourself event in Tribeca, and asked Seth a question about blogging platforms. It should have come as no surprise to me that John was asking for input because he was in the process of developing his new (and awesome!) blogging platform app, Desk.

John has been blogging for more than 14 years, so it goes without saying how much of a privilege it is to have him be part of this series. Without further ado, welcome John.

Q: You’re a hacker and a human. Tell us how you got into hacking. What’s your story?

John: Yes, that’s my tagline. I think it’s important to let others know that I am a human being. This is one of those “duh” statements but it carries a lot of personal importance to me. It means that I suffer and struggle with just as many things as the next person. But, I have “hacked” my way to a solution that works for me.

I will always be looking for more solutions to life, just as the next person, to ensure that I can survive and thrive in the limited amount of time that I have on planet earth.​

Q: What qualities are needed in a person for them to become successful hackers, humans, entrepreneurs? 

John: A willingness to experiment, be wrong, and fail. A desire to get help, all the time, and to stay humble. To be curious about learning new things and tenacious about not giving up. To be a person of integrity, honest, and true.​

Q: For this next question, I’m sure there are hundreds of answers, but just write about the first two or three that come to mind. What are some hacks you can share about entrepreneurship?

​John: Time box everything. What I mean by this is create a “start” and “end” point to all your experiments and projects. This helps create momentum and helps you establish objective markers for whether or not it’s actually working.

Secondly, get help. Do more things with others and less alone.​

Q: Tell us a bit about Desk PM: How did you go about strategizing a publishing app so it would be as successful as it is? What sort of questions did you ask and answer before you built and shipped the app?

​John: There wasn’t a strategy. It was luck and a long marinating process (over 12 years) as I thought about this application as it tied so closely to my writing and blogging over the last 14 years. Then, I executed. That’s about it. I didn’t deliberate or try to do massive planning or anything like that. The only question that I asked was this (and one that I continue to ask): Do I still love this app? Am I using it every single day?

If the answer ever becomes “No” then I’ve lost the original vision and I should throw it all away.​

Q: What’s the most recent big decision you’ve had to make and how did you rationalize your decision?

John: The biggest decision recently was to join with some friends to work @ The Iron Yard.​ This was the culmination of long-standing relationships and a deep love for education (I got a Masters in Education). I joined them full-time in late 2013.

Q: Would you mind sharing one of your biggest failures and how you worked past it or what you learned from it?

John: I raised ~ $300,000 and spent much more than that on a failed iOS app that netted, over a two year period, just north of $1,300 dollars. I am still learning from this fiscal failure of an app and project. I am still recovering. I wrote a few things here.​

Q: Who and where do you go to for motivation? Any particular mentors or bloggers?

John: I go to my friends and most importantly my wife and kids. I find a ton of motivation in my quiet times as I reflect on spiritual topics, God, and through meditation.​

Q: Perhaps there’s a couple quotes or life mottos you live by?

​”Never give up.” – Dad

“Always have options.” – Dad

“It never hurts to ask.” – Dad

Q: What is the biggest challenge todays entrepreneurs are faced with? 

​John: I’m not sure. Does that matter?​

Q: This one might be a toughie, answer however you would like. What does it take to create something remarkable?

John: It starts with a decision to pursue it and then it requires the courage to not quit.​

Q: Where can people find you and you art? What’s the best way to reach you?

​John: My personal blog: http://john.do

 

Stay Positive & Publish On

The Opportunity Has Always Been Here

The Opportunity Has Always Been Here

Garth Beyer

Opportunity

The opportunity to poke around, to try new things, to experiment, to create something remarkable has always been here, but there’s a fundamental change sweeping the notion in terms of people’s perceptions.

In the past, the opportunity was seen as a risk.

See, there’s really no difference between an opportunity or a risk except in how you look at it.

More and more people are changing their perspective, altering their worldview, choosing themselves instead of waiting to be picked by someone else, waiting to be handed an opportunity. Instead, they’re making their own.

They’re flipping the switch of “it’s too much risk” to “this just might work.”

The beauty of this movement, this moment, is that the opportunity will always be here.

The opportunity to create your own job, do what few others are doing, to play chemistry with your hands (work), your legs (hustle) and your heart (art/passion).

There’s a reason every post ends with a reminder to stay positive. I’ve chosen my perspective. Have you?

 

Stay Positive & Unlike A Mediocre Job, This Opportunity Will Always Be Here

HT to all my idols who through them I’ve learned to take the opportunity. I’m alive. I’m an artist. Thanks.

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Take The Stage: 15 Pieces Of Advice For 2015 Success

Take The Stage: 15 Pieces Of Advice For 2015 Success

Garth Beyer

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These are all tried and true practices, insights and advice of the most successful entrepreneurs, designers, brewers, writers, and artists that I’ve spoken to, listened to or seen in 2014.

Absolutely invaluable wisdom.

1) Show the world you’re not afraid.

2) Follow your gut. If it speaks to you, you don’t need confirmation from anyone else.

3) If you can’t find a job, create one. If you can’t find a way, make one.

4) Not everything you do will be a success, there will be things you do that are a flop. That’s okay as long as you push through.

5) Be completely indifferent to what people say about you.

6) Connect things that haven’t been connected; it’s how you make breakthroughs.

7) Wake up early and on your own time.

8) Mornings are the only time that a routine should take place.

9) An overwhelming number of entrepreneurs go through divorces because of their focus on business instead of relationships. Just be aware.

10) Connect with two people a day. Lunch date. Twitter chat. FB message. Good morning email.

11) Go where you’re treated best.

12) Find patterns. It’s the best way to guarantee an idea will work. (You may not understand the benefit of this advice until you start noticing patterns and asking why they are there.)

13) Keep going after something and you’ll get it. Stop and you’ll never.

14) If you make one decision over another because “it doesn’t really matter,” then you’re making the wrong decision because everything matters.

15) Hustle has to be in your legs, not your hands. Don’t get stuck in busy work, do work that matters, that moves you forward.

 

I don’t take these numbered posts lightly. I put a lot of thought and heart into what advice matters and can best serve you. I can chat for 10 minutes on any one of these, so feel free to reach out and make a friend this new year.

 

Stay Positive & Take The Stage This 2015

Protip: you can start right now.

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Show Up Early, Stay Late

Show Up Early, Stay Late

Garth Beyer

Pick Yourself event

When it comes to work, simply show up on time, do the important work first and end up leaving early.

When it comes to meetings, events, gatherings, seminars, networking parties, ceremonies, workshops, conventions, conferences, and powwows, show up early and stay late.

By showing up early, you have a hand at setting the agenda or at least setting up the room (perhaps so you get to sit by those who have the most influence?), you get to meet the organizer(s) (they are like the secretary, as important to have like you as the boss), and you get more time to make friends with others who show up early (making friends is a reason you’re there, right?).

By staying late, you get to connect with others who attended and are hoping to connect too (you’re not chasing connections), you typically get to meet the keynote speaker or the key influencer if you stick around (you’ll learn what they didn’t get to tell you during their time in the spotlight), and you’ll hear the down and dirty of what people really think (both helping you know who to avoid and how to make things go smooth if you ever organize an event yourself).

The things you learn, see and hear before and after an event is sometimes more fruitful than the event itself.

 

Stay Positive & Don’t Take My Word For It. Go Learn, See, And Hear For Yourself

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Is A Decision

Garth Beyer

Cutting this to do that… is a decision.

Being busy… is a decision.

Staring at the blank page/canvas/map in front of you instead of forging on… is a decision.

Admitting defeat… is a decision.

Picking yourself up after rejection… is a decision.

Picking yourself to lead… is a decision.

Wearing two different socks… is a decision.

Running from fear… is a decision. So is dancing with it.

“I don’t have time”… is a decision.

Your motivation… is a decision.

Cutting corners and making shortcuts… is a decision.

Being in it for the long-haul… is a decision.

Not moving forward with a project because your partner back out… is a decision.

Everything you do throughout the day you decide to do. So it is with what you think, how you feel, who you talk to, who you ignore. Noticing each decision may not make you feel comfortable or safe. In fact, it will likely be the opposite. Yet, it’s exactly how you will get to where you want to go: quicker, stronger, happier.

Controlling your life… is a decision.

 

Stay Positive & No One Said Steering A Boat In Rough Waters Was Easy

 

 

Worse Than Being Spied On (Being Branded)

Garth Beyer

You’re getting branded, right now, as you read this, as you think about it. You’re being branded.

What makes this worse than being spied on is that you know you’re being branded. 100 % certainty. The only guarantee this market can give you as that you’re being branded.

Every action you take, the words you share, the style you present adds to your brand.

Food for thought. Hope you’re eating right.

Yes, even food is an attribute to your brand. I will always remember the Justin’s chocolate peanut butter cups and sushi that Seth Godin had for everyone at his Pick Yourself event.