Seth Godin

“I’ve got your back” This is not a promise to be made lightly. It's not, "I've got your back until it becomes difficult or inconvenient for me." It puts us on the hook, without exception. This is a powerful promise, a commitment that can change the life of both parties. Don't do it lightly, but do it. It's worth it.

“I’ve got your back”

This is not a promise to be made lightly. It's not, "I've got your back until it becomes difficult or inconvenient for me." It puts us on the hook, without exception. This is a powerful promise, a commitment that can change the life of both parties. Don't do it lightly, but do…

Living in ghost cities Cities used to die slowly. Ancient Rome, Babylon, Memphis (in Egypt) and others took generations to fade from their peaks. The reasons were easy to see: Shifts in trade routes Loss of political capital status Slow environmental changes (silting harbors, soil exhaustion) Incremental population drift Now, we can see it happening in a single generation. Rust Belt cities, projects in China, mining towns--they come and they go.

Living in ghost cities

Cities used to die slowly. Ancient Rome, Babylon, Memphis (in Egypt) and others took generations to fade from their peaks. The reasons were easy to see: Shifts in trade routes Loss of political capital status Slow environmental changes (silting harbors, soil exhaustion)…

The other kind of magic We wait and hope for the first kind, the magic that arrives just when we need it. This is the magic of inspiration, or of good fortune. The magic of opportunties offered and connections made. There never seems to be enough of this sort of magic. The other kind, though, is surprisingly abundant. This is the magic of being able to turn on lights for others. It happens when we cause connection or open doors. It's the magic that comes from creation, and it's based on abundance.

The other kind of magic

We wait and hope for the first kind, the magic that arrives just when we need it. This is the magic of inspiration, or of good fortune. The magic of opportunties offered and connections made. There never seems to be enough of this sort of magic. The other kind, though, is…

Scams at scale The first things humans invented, before fire, the wheel or baked brie, was trust. Trusting the others in the village. Trusting that you could get a good night's sleep. Trusting that what you heard was true. We've expanded the village from twenty people to billions. Walter Cronkite was effective because millions of people trusted him, and he earned that trust. And as the media became more powerful and fragmented, that contract begin to erode.

Scams at scale

The first things humans invented, before fire, the wheel or baked brie, was trust. Trusting the others in the village. Trusting that you could get a good night's sleep. Trusting that what you heard was true. We've expanded the village from twenty people to billions. Walter Cronkite…

A little ahead (vs. a little behind) When we're a little behind, we borrow to catch up. Perhaps we borrow goodwill and spend less time than we might on a project. Or we need some money to pay the rent, so we borrow against a paycheck. And a good night's sleep is tempting to borrow from as well. The borrowing compounds, with small debts turning into bigger ones.

A little ahead (vs. a little behind)

When we're a little behind, we borrow to catch up. Perhaps we borrow goodwill and spend less time than we might on a project. Or we need some money to pay the rent, so we borrow against a paycheck. And a good night's sleep is tempting to borrow from as well.…

Beyond the checkbox mindset So many bits of information are flying around. Emails to us, articles, posts, videos, updates, memos, meetings, books... The most common (and apparently efficient) approach is to quickly look over the new information. If it confirms what you already know, check it off. If it contradicts what you believe, find a reason to ignore it. The alternative is to take new information and try it on for size.

Beyond the checkbox mindset

So many bits of information are flying around. Emails to us, articles, posts, videos, updates, memos, meetings, books... The most common (and apparently efficient) approach is to quickly look over the new information. If it confirms what you already know, check it off.…

900,000 vs 9 It takes about 900,000 minutes to become a board-certified dermatologist. At that point, you might be very skilled and well-informed. It takes less than nine minutes to make your patient feel seen, understood and reassured. If you skip the 9 minutes, you wasted the 900,000.

900,000 vs 9

It takes about 900,000 minutes to become a board-certified dermatologist. At that point, you might be very skilled and well-informed. It takes less than nine minutes to make your patient feel seen, understood and reassured. If you skip the 9 minutes, you wasted the 900,000.

New and old, big and small Organizations and brands can choose their quadrant. It's tempting to want the best of all four, but it's going to take effort and focus. All of these terms are relative choices, not absolute judgments. Where does your offering fit in?

New and old, big and small

Organizations and brands can choose their quadrant. It's tempting to want the best of all four, but it's going to take effort and focus. All of these terms are relative choices, not absolute judgments. Where does your offering fit in?

Out of the way and a little inconvenient Visitors to your new bookstore are likely to have a phone in their pockets--they could buy a book from the competition without even walking into the shop. And diners at your funky restaurant have to pass dozens of other places to eat on their way to you. Places that are faster, more conventional and probably cheaper as well. Good, fast and cheap used to be the goals of a typical small business.

Out of the way and a little inconvenient

Visitors to your new bookstore are likely to have a phone in their pockets--they could buy a book from the competition without even walking into the shop. And diners at your funky restaurant have to pass dozens of other places to eat on their way to you.…

What the world teaches us It's possible to consider the next event in our lives as something the world is trying to teach us. But it might be even more effective to realize that, whenever we choose, we can learn something from what's going on. We're not getting taught, we're choosing to learn. There's a lesson in every interaction, if we want there to be. When we choose to learn, our active participation makes a difference.

What the world teaches us

It's possible to consider the next event in our lives as something the world is trying to teach us. But it might be even more effective to realize that, whenever we choose, we can learn something from what's going on. We're not getting taught, we're choosing to learn.…

On making it worse If someone with less skill and less dedication than you took over your job, could they degrade the quality of your work? It's not difficult to make a list of twenty things that could be done to make it late, expensive or defective. Here's the hard question: If someone with more skill and dedication took over your work, how many ways could they make it better?

On making it worse

If someone with less skill and less dedication than you took over your job, could they degrade the quality of your work? It's not difficult to make a list of twenty things that could be done to make it late, expensive or defective. Here's the hard question: If someone with more…

The future If there was a website you could visit to find out what the future held, how often would you visit it? We do that with the weather, sometimes daily. People are drawn to breaking news and social media buzz because they have an urge to know the now, which is a bit like the future, except it already happened. One alternative is to spend that time and energy inventing the future instead. There are countless things we can do today to change tomorrow.

The future

If there was a website you could visit to find out what the future held, how often would you visit it? We do that with the weather, sometimes daily. People are drawn to breaking news and social media buzz because they have an urge to know the now, which is a bit like the future, except…

Outcomes and tasks It's difficult to spend the entire day working on outcomes. Sooner or later, there are tasks to be done, tasks we believe will get us to the outcome we seek. But it's easy to spend the whole day on tasks, failing to recalibrate and ignoring the fact that the tasks might not be helping us get the results we set out to create in the first place.

Outcomes and tasks

It's difficult to spend the entire day working on outcomes. Sooner or later, there are tasks to be done, tasks we believe will get us to the outcome we seek. But it's easy to spend the whole day on tasks, failing to recalibrate and ignoring the fact that the tasks might not be…

Foggy mirror It's easy to believe we have an accurate understanding of ourselves. After all, we spend a lot of time looking in the mirror. It might be worth wondering about why the mirror is deemed to be accurate at reflecting what we see as our flaws, real or metaphorical, but indistinct and a little fuzzy when we consider our opportunities, assets and contributions.

Foggy mirror

It's easy to believe we have an accurate understanding of ourselves. After all, we spend a lot of time looking in the mirror. It might be worth wondering about why the mirror is deemed to be accurate at reflecting what we see as our flaws, real or metaphorical, but indistinct and a…

It’s not a silly thing to do So many options, so little time. A friend asked if he should put his podcast on YouTube. After all, that's how many people are consuming this sort of content, it's low cost. The comments and subscriptions offer interesting tools for engagement, and it could grow their base. But just because something might be worth doing, that doesn't mean you should.

It’s not a silly thing to do

So many options, so little time. A friend asked if he should put his podcast on YouTube. After all, that's how many people are consuming this sort of content, it's low cost. The comments and subscriptions offer interesting tools for engagement, and it could grow their…

Attention is a luxury good Luxury goods are special: they are scarce and expensive, and they earn us status with some folks because it shows that we paid more than we needed to. Luxury isn't about quality, suitability or performance. Luxury isn't a more accurate watch or a faster processor. Luxury is a marker that we can afford to do something others might consider wasteful.

Attention is a luxury good

Luxury goods are special: they are scarce and expensive, and they earn us status with some folks because it shows that we paid more than we needed to. Luxury isn't about quality, suitability or performance. Luxury isn't a more accurate watch or a faster processor. Luxury…

Fermi’s Law Enrico Fermi found a paradox: If there's intelligent life on other planets, why haven't we heard from them yet? Perhaps the answer is this: Any civilization sufficiently advanced to travel great distances will have to work in community. This pro-social behavior, combined with the tech they develop, will inevitably lead to some sort of social media. And once social media arrives, the civilization will struggle to survive.

Fermi’s Law

Enrico Fermi found a paradox: If there's intelligent life on other planets, why haven't we heard from them yet? Perhaps the answer is this: Any civilization sufficiently advanced to travel great distances will have to work in community. This pro-social behavior, combined with the tech…

Significant digits Even though it's possible to design an oral thermometer that measures body temperature to a hundredth of a degree, there's no reason to do so. In fact, 98.6 is overkill. 98 is enough information. More digits don't give us more information, they simply distract or confuse us. The same is true for time. Knowing what happened in a one-second snapshot interval is useful for judging a horse race, but hardly interesting if we're measuring interest in a new Broadway show. Just because we can add more digits doesn't mean that it's significant. We can intentionally ask for less.

Significant digits

Even though it's possible to design an oral thermometer that measures body temperature to a hundredth of a degree, there's no reason to do so. In fact, 98.6 is overkill. 98 is enough information. More digits don't give us more information, they simply distract or confuse us. The…

The other backpacks A powerful metaphor from a long hike: Every hiker is intimately aware of their backpack. They picked it out, choosing from dozens of options. They know which straps are loose and which are digging into their skin. They can tell you if it's lopsided, and what is in each pocket. And yet... Even after days on the trail, they probably couldn't tell you a thing about anyone else's backpack.

The other backpacks

A powerful metaphor from a long hike: Every hiker is intimately aware of their backpack. They picked it out, choosing from dozens of options. They know which straps are loose and which are digging into their skin. They can tell you if it's lopsided, and what is in each pocket.…

Toward obvious Most people do the obvious thing, that's why we call it obvious. A new product, idea or technology is rarely obvious, at least at first. So the work of scale is to be seen as inevitable. The stepwise process of becoming the obvious choice. Skipping steps requires insisting that we're the obvious choice, but that rarely works. Instead, we work to create the conditions for others to decide that we are.

Toward obvious

Most people do the obvious thing, that's why we call it obvious. A new product, idea or technology is rarely obvious, at least at first. So the work of scale is to be seen as inevitable. The stepwise process of becoming the obvious choice. Skipping steps requires insisting that…

Two useful AI tactics Create a document, several pages long, that explains who you are. What sort of learner are you? Do you have degrees or expertise? What sort of change are you making, who works with you, what are your standards? How do you want to engage? Periodically, upload the doc to the chat you're having with an LLM. Let it know you're offering a reminder of how you want to work together.

Two useful AI tactics

Create a document, several pages long, that explains who you are. What sort of learner are you? Do you have degrees or expertise? What sort of change are you making, who works with you, what are your standards? How do you want to engage? Periodically, upload the doc to the…

Uncomfortable/unspoken If you want to make a change (or make a living) it might pay to find a topic that people hesitate to talk about. There's enormous leverage in making the uncomfortable urgent enough to take action on. One of the easiest ways to improve public health and reduce cancer is by increasing the adoption of colonoscopies. No scientific breakthrough is needed, just a cultural shift.

Uncomfortable/unspoken

If you want to make a change (or make a living) it might pay to find a topic that people hesitate to talk about. There's enormous leverage in making the uncomfortable urgent enough to take action on. One of the easiest ways to improve public health and reduce cancer is by…

Two kinds of luck There's "regular luck" and "earned luck." When a stranger dies and leaves you $10,000,000, that's regular luck. Undeserved, unearned, a bolt out of the blue. Someone is going to win the lottery and might be you. The other sort of luck happens after a lot of focus and effort. This is the third novel that becomes a bestseller, or the hard work that turns into a promotion to VP of sales.

Two kinds of luck

There's "regular luck" and "earned luck." When a stranger dies and leaves you $10,000,000, that's regular luck. Undeserved, unearned, a bolt out of the blue. Someone is going to win the lottery and might be you. The other sort of luck happens after a lot of focus and effort. This…

Finding your cohort Friendship is part of it, but it's mutual forward motion that transforms a group. The shared journey and mutual respect of a cohort can change the arc of our work and our lives. When we're in sync, we can find the courage to build something important. Fifteen years ago, I ran a three-day seminar in my office for about 12 women.

Finding your cohort

Friendship is part of it, but it's mutual forward motion that transforms a group. The shared journey and mutual respect of a cohort can change the arc of our work and our lives. When we're in sync, we can find the courage to build something important. Fifteen years ago, I ran a…

Bucket size For many of us in the industrialized world, happiness is directly related to how big the container is. Overflowing vs. skimpy. Adequate vs. generous. Overloaded vs. slack to spare. We know that making the plate smaller helps us appreciate what we're served. Get the bucket size right and your life changes. This is probably the easiest, fastest and most productive way to improve our well being.

Bucket size

For many of us in the industrialized world, happiness is directly related to how big the container is. Overflowing vs. skimpy. Adequate vs. generous. Overloaded vs. slack to spare. We know that making the plate smaller helps us appreciate what we're served. Get the bucket size right…

Software worth paying for There's more software available for free than ever before, and a lot of it is really good. Handmade by real people, for real people. If we're going to pay for it, it needs to be extraordinary. For the last few years, I've been using Superhuman, which costs me about a dollar a day. Even if you don't use email as much as I do, I think you'll find that it's a bargain.

Software worth paying for

There's more software available for free than ever before, and a lot of it is really good. Handmade by real people, for real people. If we're going to pay for it, it needs to be extraordinary. For the last few years, I've been using Superhuman, which costs me about a…

Unsolvable A problem without a solution isn't a problem, it's a situation we have to live with. But most existing problems do have solutions. We just don't like that solution. The solution might be challenging, or feel risky, or lead to an outcome we're not happy about. It's tempting to announce that this means the problem is unsolvable. It's not. It's just not an easy or low-cost solution.

Unsolvable

A problem without a solution isn't a problem, it's a situation we have to live with. But most existing problems do have solutions. We just don't like that solution. The solution might be challenging, or feel risky, or lead to an outcome we're not happy about. It's tempting to announce…

The thing about pressure It doesn't happen all at once. And it doesn't work suddenly. A home pressure cooker doesn't use more electricity than a hot pot. And it isn't as fast as a microwave. Instead, it builds up over time, producing results with a surprisingly small amount of effort. We're impatient, and so we don't consistently apply pressure when we have the chance, and we often crumple under pressure when it arrives. Consistent, gradual and persistent are the unsung forces of cultural change.

The thing about pressure

It doesn't happen all at once. And it doesn't work suddenly. A home pressure cooker doesn't use more electricity than a hot pot. And it isn't as fast as a microwave. Instead, it builds up over time, producing results with a surprisingly small amount of effort. We're…

The grid We talk about networks but we are rarely clear about what we mean. A specific sort of network is the grid, and even that idea is complicated by two competing meanings. There's the benign and powerful grid of peer-to-peer connection. Culture is built on this grid. This is friends, neighbors, co-workers and people who find and engage with each other without a central authority.

The grid

We talk about networks but we are rarely clear about what we mean. A specific sort of network is the grid, and even that idea is complicated by two competing meanings. There's the benign and powerful grid of peer-to-peer connection. Culture is built on this grid. This is friends,…

Status vs. goodness It's easy to come to the conclusion that people with means and high cultural status choose things that are better. Organic vegetables instead of junk food. But there's a long history of traditionally high-status cultural roles embracing demonstrably un-good choices. Things like bound feet, fox hunting, absinthe or cruise ships. It's hard to acknowledge that a choice we make isn't a good one. But it might be, even if it raises our status.

Status vs. goodness

It's easy to come to the conclusion that people with means and high cultural status choose things that are better. Organic vegetables instead of junk food. But there's a long history of traditionally high-status cultural roles embracing demonstrably un-good choices. Things like…