Unlimited mileage
When you rent a car with unlimited mileage and a full tank of gas, how far are you willing to go? You're only limited by desire and time.
The web feels that way to me. You can share as many secrets, ask as many questions, write as many blog posts as you can dream up. You can invest the time and energy to connect with as many people as you have something to offer... The opportunities for generous sharing and connection are unlimited by anyone (except us).
Godin's first law of pizza
Pizza quality is inversely proportional to flexibility. At some places, the inflexibility can be appropriately confused with callous indifference or even rudeness.
Saying yes to every prospect and every request isn't the point of most organizations. The point is to do work that people seek out, that changes things for the better, to bring ideas that spread to the world.
Some of the legendary families that serve great pizza in New York aren't in the customer service business. They're in the great pizza business.
Saying yes to every request is one way to do business, but it's not the only way.
The problem with "just"
A few people have dropped me notes referring to the notion that I encourage people to just ship it.
Ship it, certainly. If you don't meet the market, if you don't open yourself to the input and reaction of those you seek to serve and influence, you've done nothing much.
But, "just"?
Not going to let you off the hook with that. The just implies a throwaway. The just has a, "what the hell," element to it. With "just" in the mix, the alternatives seem to be: polish, improve, focus on quality OR just throw it out there.
Nope.
You ship. You ship your best work, when it's ready. Not after it's ready, not when it's too late to make a difference, and yes, of course, not when it's sloppy or unformed.
But you ship. You're on the hook, you made this, it's ready. Ship. Without excuses.
Holiday shopping head start
I've put together some reviews of particularly arcane, wonderful or just nicely giftable items for people you want to indulge this season. Things you can hold and touch and wave around. Or at least listen to.
So far, royalties from my reviews have raised more than $35,000 for Acumen and other worthy causes. Thanks!
Headphones that dramatically change the experience of listening
A coffee table book featuring funny people in poignant poses
An over-the-top MP3 and digital music player for people who love music and gadgets
A flashlight that doesn't deserve the term. It's more of a functioning light sabre
A new set of all of Bob Dylan. Well, almost all.
And when in doubt, add a hug.
The media needs a narrative
In fact, The War of the Worlds did not cause mass hysteria when it first aired. It was a story fanned by radio-fearing tabloid newspapers.
In fact, Pam (eBay founder Pierre's wife) did not need a place to buy and sell Pez dispensers. This is a tale invented by a PR person and repeated by tech-phobic journalists eager for a simple story.
In fact, Columbus wasn't surrounded by flat-earth believing denialists before he 'discovered' America. This was amplified by Washington Irving (!) in a book that was largely invented without much research.
And George Washington didn't cut down the cherry tree and Robin Hood didn't do all those cool tricks in green tights.
The media isn't the one that needs a narrative... we do. We need to make sense of what's around us, not just the true things that really happened, but the fictional ones that we know didn't.
All this myth-making reminds us just how strongly wired we are to believe in things that both make sense and feel right. They feel right because of who told us, and when. Culture creates reality.
