Seth Godin spoke about seven layers to reinvent yourself. Here are short summaries of some of the methods he spoke about.
#1. Acknowledge The Lizard
Godin describes The Lizard Brain as a part of the brain that handles anger and humiliation. An evolutionary part of the human psyche that controls the mind's fear of being made fun of and will try to subconsciously stop any source of humiliation. Also referred to as 'The Resistance', Godin believes that The Lizard Brain shuts down strange and non-uniform creativity, for fear of being laughed at. It instead, encourages the idea of following instructions.
#2. Ship
Shipping is simply the idea of sending the material you create out abroad. 'The Lizard Brain' will try to prevent the act of shipping, for fear of failure. But the act of shipping itself will put you ahead of competitors and their own struggle with their Lizard Brains.
#3. Be Generous
One of the steps of reinventing yourself is 'Being Generous'. Godin describes this almost as giving out material for cheap and free, but it is slightly more than that. Putting in plenty of work and absolutely trying hard with possibly low benefit at first in order to really sell yourself and what you are creating.
Essay:
In many ways, the wise teachings of the all powerful Godin apply to me and writing this blog right now. Alright, that may be a little too cheesey and transparent, but it is true. The article, "Brainwashed", most definitely applies to how I have been taught as a student so far and how in this part of my life, it is time to break away and realize the barriers society has created. I appreciate the ideas of trying to think differently and appearing to be an individual when I am one of dozens writing one of these, most likely uniform, blogs. So then the question should and will most definitely be asked. How can I apply Godin's rules in order to make this blog that I am writing more creative? I cannot and will most definitely not be a sheep among the masses.
The first step that I had summarized from Godin's rules on reinventing myself was about my Lizard Brain. This 'Resistance' is controlling me as I speak right this moment. It is telling me "Do not go off and write in jibberish, do not go write backwards, do not change my fonts and make the colors all hippie." So I guess it is here that I must first apply the lesson that is being taught to me through these blogs. Shut. My. Lizard. Brain. Down.UP. DWON.
Alright, so maybe I won't go that far in order to individualize myself and give myself a failing grade. But I will try to silence that part of me that is fearful and speak more from the mind. The next layer of reinventing myself is shipping. Just by writing this blog right now and posting it I am partaking in the layer. Or am I? If I posted this right now and it was graded and I never looked at it again, I doubt it could be considered the act of Shipping at all. In order to truly reinvent myself, I should shut down that Lizard Brain of mine that fears humiliation and share these blogs by putting them on my future resumes and sharing them with potential clients. This last step could also be aided in the last layer that I summarized on this blog. The layer of Being Generous. I know that the material I wrote this day is absolute genuine kid prodigy material, but I will perform a very 'Godin' act in order to get my material out more easily and maybe I will be able to dance in "The circle of gifts." It is true, I will be putting out these blogs as completely FREE material! No subscription or monthly payment is due.
All in all, I like these blogs. Even if I am doing them in an incorrect manner, I feel as though I am learning and am being encouraged to think in ways that might give me a competitive edge in the future. Thank Godin.
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