I was browsing through audible.com the other day trying to decide whether or not to pick up the audio book for Hyperion (by Dan Simmons). (I had read it a few years ago when I was trying to work my way through the Hugo/Nebula awards lists. Definitely worthwhile.) The audiobook is great, you should get it!
Anyway, I saw that Seth Godin had a new book out called, Poke the Box. At 2 hours, I was not sure I wanted to spend a credit on it, but I really liked Tribes and the leadership ideas. So I threw caution and a credit to the wind, picked it up and went for a two hour walk. I had listened to Tribes on audio as well and liked it, so I had high hopes.
And… was not disappointed. However, a word of caution to those who have listened/read to Seth before. You should already know this stuff. Rather than a revolution, it is the next step in the evolution from tribes. Tribes said Be a Leader. Do your own thing and show others what you are doing. Well, this book is the unsaid portion. Do stuff and ship it. In many ways it reminded me quite a bit of Ze Frank’s description of Brain Crack. Those ideas that get in your brain that the brain doesn’t want to let go of for fear of failing. Those projects and ideas that sound great but you are afraid to let them go because you are worried about failing.
Ze’s thought is that you have to get that idea out into the world. Seth agrees. And both of them agree that you will fail more often than you succeed, but that it a good thing. Nothing wrong with failing, at least you gave it a shot.
Hmmm, Sounds a lot like ESL. Or any language learning. You’ll make mistakes, but the idea is that the more mistakes you get out of the way, the better off you will be in the long run.
1. Don’t worry, Try.
2. If you fail, see 1.
3. If you succeed, pick a new project and goto 1.
S
