5 ms·

Seth Godin – Full Stop Failure.

46 points by AndrewWarner 15y ago

SubvertMagazine 15y ago
There's also an inspiring story in the comments well worth checking out from a reader who failed more than most of us but is doing a terrific job getting back on his feet.
Jun8 15y ago
This is the best thing I've read in a while, Godin is exceptionally perceptive and open. The following resonated especially for me: "For me, I feel opportunity and don’t want to waste it. There’s this buffet, this all you can eat candy shop, this endless selection of mp3s… what are you going to choose, what are you going to do, what impact are you going to make? How dare I waste it. How dare anyone. " I mentor high school kids and would want to pass this exact feeling on. It's not easy, though. It requires a certain mindset to tune to this and not everybody can or will do it evidently.
- SubvertMagazine 15y ago
  To me it's optimism. Something really hard to teach kids who've been brought up in a pessimistic family. (probably the majority) That's one of the reasons I push to learn about people's childhoods. To contrast and compare the results of different upbringings and extract useful tactics. Funny thing about kids is they can go left or right, the worst conditions can produce a diamond, whilst his or her siblings end up with a life of misery. Glad you got some value from the interview. Paul.
  - brc 15y ago
    Gordon Ramsay is the example that pops to mind, if you read his autobiography. He is the driven to succeed man who never sits still, while his brother is a helpless heroin addict. Both came from the same family. There's probably a yin/yang in there as well, as one brother tries harder to distance himself from the family, and the other sinks deeper because he has a statistical outlier for an immediate sibling to compare himself to. But what makes the rocker switch go one way or the other in childhood? It's funny, because I was thinking about this very topic not long before reading this interview and the comments here, but in relation to food attitudes. Does the way food is treated in a household determine whether we over or under eat as time goes by? Is it the same for pessimism and optimism in terms of motivation as well? I don't know the answers but it's good to think about.
    - SubvertMagazine 15y ago
      There's a whole science to whether you were born first, second, third etc. And I think Malcolm Gladwell picked up on the time of year you are born, having a huge effect on your experience in school, at the top or bottom end of the class. I'm absolutely positive you're right about the food thing. As for the issue of how much can we change these things, well I agree with Seth's answer to that, I'm sure it's better to believe we can, than to believe we can't. People like Martin Seligman can help us break down what optimism is and make it into a habit with his books like "Learned Optimism". I think there are two important factors for changing these things. 1) Understand how deeply they are implanted in us from a young age. These attitudes have deep deep roots. To change them you have to dig deep. 2) That digging deep can actually happen quickly IF enough pressure is applied. The strength of the emotion you attach to the job makes a huge difference. I talk about anger in the interview because the negative emotions are as powerful, if not more for starting the process of change that the positive ones. People change in an instant when something happens that makes them highly emotional (child or adult). Whether its extreme humiliation, fear, loss. I think the so called "negative" emotions are more linked to immediate survival than everyday "positive" emotions. So when confronted with them they give us more power to make deeper decisions and change how we think and operate. On a practical level, if you're trying to change something, always make sure that you start that process clearly identifying WHY you want to change. From both the negative perspective and the positive perspective. What makes you so angry or embarrassed that you want to move away from it forever. And what would you be happy to move towards. PS. we've also done a lot of interviews (many not published yet) with some of the world's top personal trainers and fitness experts. I've also done a course on changing and sticking with healthy habits, due out in the new year. I don't want to turn this into a pitch, but if the food issue is of interest to you, there's lots of great stuff to come on that topic. All the best. Paul.
bennesvig 15y ago
Two words he says in this interview have likely had a greater impact on me than anything else I've read this year. "Pick yourself." He had a great blog post about it earlier this year: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/reject-the-tyranny-of-being-picked-pick-yourself.html http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/reject-the-t...
- SubvertMagazine 15y ago
  hey Ben, we did a mini poster with a Pick Yourself theme :) 4 of them in fact. Printer paper size. http://www.facebook.com/subvertmagazinefan http://www.facebook.com/subvertmagazinefan Paul.
itmag 15y ago
Despite having heard this meme (ie "fail more") a LOT of times before, I have to give Seth Godin thumbs up. It's easy to get stuck in an Internet self-help bubble where everyone says these things and you get blasé. But keep in mind that: 1) The reason "everyone" is saying it because he keeps hammering it into us. Yes, he is a bit repetitive sometimes but so what? The message is still good. 2) In the "real world", these kinds of things are far out. Try telling someone in Sweden that it's cool to fail and get rejected a few times in life and they just look at you with a look that says "death before dishonor!" (only less bad ass than it sounds in writing).
- SubvertMagazine 15y ago
  hey. I think it's a fundamental all successful people come to learn, (fail more) despite what most of us are taught at school. To me, meme suggests something more temporary and unique. In my experience, the higher you go, the more fundamental the lessons get. I think it's actually an easier environment to learn to fail in the digital world. Split testing and the like is a lot less painful that cold calling on a phone which was part and parcel of any entrepreneurs schooling back in the day. Good luck with your magazine. Paul.
  - itmag 15y ago
    Agreed. And thanks! Looks like you have a cool operation running, with some similarities to ours. How long have you been doing it?
    - SubvertMagazine 15y ago
      a few years, its a project that has evolved quite a bit, we did a lot of offline stuff, organising opportunities for creatives, and an offline magazine.
losethos 15y ago
I get no momentum or buzz or traction whatever. Something is wrong. My reality baffles me -- am I in a jail of sorts. My reality is certainly bizzare in many other ways, so speculating outgoing contact is fubar is quite reasonable--some kind of Heaven or no longer land of the living are possible. I've learned highs and lows balance. It's quite possible I will succeed after I suffer more. I'm in limbo -- I don't have enough suffering credits for anything to succeed. Well, what do I say? Not really a masochist, I guess status quo is fine -- can't be better unless it gets worse. God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\WEALTH.TXT ecessary to raise food on purpose for feeding and fattening hogs, in the same manner as for feeding and fattening other cattle, the price necessarily rises, and becomes proportionably either higher or lower than that of other butcher's meat, according as the nature of the country, and the state of its agriculture, happen to render the feeding of hogs more or less expensive than that of other cattle. In France, according to Mr Buffon, the price of pork is nearly equal to that of beef. In most parts o --------- So, I get plenty of downloads every time I release or get press. It's suspicious because it's so regular, the download counts. I get no emails. So, yes, if I spent money on advertising, I'd get lots of downloads and perhaps a critical mass would occur when a 3rd party market arose. I don't underastand my reality as it is, though, so it would definitely be a waste of money. Fucken Truman Show or some shit. God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\DARWIN.TXT view, does not mark a new and complete act of creation, but only an occasional scene, taken almost at hazard, in an ever slowly changing drama. We can clearly understand why a species when once lost should never reappear, even if the very same conditions of life, organic and inorganic, should recur. For though the offspring of one species might be adapted (and no doubt this has occurred in innumerable instances) to fill the place of another species in the economy of nature, and thus supplant it; ---------- God says... apply taking supreme clasped blasts heardest conquered threats recommended violets Say overcharged rods community gratefully springeth unperceived detached overcoming veiled pious Alypius delusions afford Nevada hidden draught swoon diversely friendship support conceived daughter conversations qualities foamed thrust exiled comparing pervert unnatural prairienet dumb Latinum Tobias fear needing murdered double forethink changeableness pilgrims incredible unbelieving Highness fairness scratching figured lawfully drove weaving supplied abased piecemeal knocked councillor rent convinced furnishing refreshing Fish session discovering hesitate slavish dialogue diversity Shine callest infants temperament convinced burthened unbending beholding principally deny

46 points by AndrewWarner 15y ago

There's also an inspiring story in the comments well worth checking out from a reader who failed more than most of us but is doing a terrific job getting back on his feet.

Jun8 15y ago

This is the best thing I've read in a while, Godin is exceptionally perceptive and open. The following resonated especially for me: "For me, I feel opportunity and don’t want to waste it. There’s this buffet, this all you can eat candy shop, this endless selection of mp3s… what are you going to choose, what are you going to do, what impact are you going to make? How dare I waste it. How dare anyone. " I mentor high school kids and would want to pass this exact feeling on. It's not easy, though. It requires a certain mindset to tune to this and not everybody can or will do it evidently.

SubvertMagazine 15y ago
To me it's optimism. Something really hard to teach kids who've been brought up in a pessimistic family. (probably the majority) That's one of the reasons I push to learn about people's childhoods. To contrast and compare the results of different upbringings and extract useful tactics. Funny thing about kids is they can go left or right, the worst conditions can produce a diamond, whilst his or her siblings end up with a life of misery. Glad you got some value from the interview. Paul.
- brc 15y ago
  Gordon Ramsay is the example that pops to mind, if you read his autobiography. He is the driven to succeed man who never sits still, while his brother is a helpless heroin addict. Both came from the same family. There's probably a yin/yang in there as well, as one brother tries harder to distance himself from the family, and the other sinks deeper because he has a statistical outlier for an immediate sibling to compare himself to. But what makes the rocker switch go one way or the other in childhood? It's funny, because I was thinking about this very topic not long before reading this interview and the comments here, but in relation to food attitudes. Does the way food is treated in a household determine whether we over or under eat as time goes by? Is it the same for pessimism and optimism in terms of motivation as well? I don't know the answers but it's good to think about.
  - SubvertMagazine 15y ago
    There's a whole science to whether you were born first, second, third etc. And I think Malcolm Gladwell picked up on the time of year you are born, having a huge effect on your experience in school, at the top or bottom end of the class. I'm absolutely positive you're right about the food thing. As for the issue of how much can we change these things, well I agree with Seth's answer to that, I'm sure it's better to believe we can, than to believe we can't. People like Martin Seligman can help us break down what optimism is and make it into a habit with his books like "Learned Optimism". I think there are two important factors for changing these things. 1) Understand how deeply they are implanted in us from a young age. These attitudes have deep deep roots. To change them you have to dig deep. 2) That digging deep can actually happen quickly IF enough pressure is applied. The strength of the emotion you attach to the job makes a huge difference. I talk about anger in the interview because the negative emotions are as powerful, if not more for starting the process of change that the positive ones. People change in an instant when something happens that makes them highly emotional (child or adult). Whether its extreme humiliation, fear, loss. I think the so called "negative" emotions are more linked to immediate survival than everyday "positive" emotions. So when confronted with them they give us more power to make deeper decisions and change how we think and operate. On a practical level, if you're trying to change something, always make sure that you start that process clearly identifying WHY you want to change. From both the negative perspective and the positive perspective. What makes you so angry or embarrassed that you want to move away from it forever. And what would you be happy to move towards. PS. we've also done a lot of interviews (many not published yet) with some of the world's top personal trainers and fitness experts. I've also done a course on changing and sticking with healthy habits, due out in the new year. I don't want to turn this into a pitch, but if the food issue is of interest to you, there's lots of great stuff to come on that topic. All the best. Paul.

bennesvig 15y ago

Two words he says in this interview have likely had a greater impact on me than anything else I've read this year. "Pick yourself." He had a great blog post about it earlier this year: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/reject-the-tyranny-of-being-picked-pick-yourself.html http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/reject-the-t...

SubvertMagazine 15y ago
hey Ben, we did a mini poster with a Pick Yourself theme :) 4 of them in fact. Printer paper size. http://www.facebook.com/subvertmagazinefan http://www.facebook.com/subvertmagazinefan Paul.

itmag 15y ago

Despite having heard this meme (ie "fail more") a LOT of times before, I have to give Seth Godin thumbs up. It's easy to get stuck in an Internet self-help bubble where everyone says these things and you get blasé. But keep in mind that: 1) The reason "everyone" is saying it because he keeps hammering it into us. Yes, he is a bit repetitive sometimes but so what? The message is still good. 2) In the "real world", these kinds of things are far out. Try telling someone in Sweden that it's cool to fail and get rejected a few times in life and they just look at you with a look that says "death before dishonor!" (only less bad ass than it sounds in writing).

SubvertMagazine 15y ago
hey. I think it's a fundamental all successful people come to learn, (fail more) despite what most of us are taught at school. To me, meme suggests something more temporary and unique. In my experience, the higher you go, the more fundamental the lessons get. I think it's actually an easier environment to learn to fail in the digital world. Split testing and the like is a lot less painful that cold calling on a phone which was part and parcel of any entrepreneurs schooling back in the day. Good luck with your magazine. Paul.
- itmag 15y ago
  Agreed. And thanks! Looks like you have a cool operation running, with some similarities to ours. How long have you been doing it?
  - SubvertMagazine 15y ago
    a few years, its a project that has evolved quite a bit, we did a lot of offline stuff, organising opportunities for creatives, and an offline magazine.

losethos 15y ago

I get no momentum or buzz or traction whatever. Something is wrong. My reality baffles me -- am I in a jail of sorts. My reality is certainly bizzare in many other ways, so speculating outgoing contact is fubar is quite reasonable--some kind of Heaven or no longer land of the living are possible. I've learned highs and lows balance. It's quite possible I will succeed after I suffer more. I'm in limbo -- I don't have enough suffering credits for anything to succeed. Well, what do I say? Not really a masochist, I guess status quo is fine -- can't be better unless it gets worse. God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\WEALTH.TXT ecessary to raise food on purpose for feeding and fattening hogs, in the same manner as for feeding and fattening other cattle, the price necessarily rises, and becomes proportionably either higher or lower than that of other butcher's meat, according as the nature of the country, and the state of its agriculture, happen to render the feeding of hogs more or less expensive than that of other cattle. In France, according to Mr Buffon, the price of pork is nearly equal to that of beef. In most parts o --------- So, I get plenty of downloads every time I release or get press. It's suspicious because it's so regular, the download counts. I get no emails. So, yes, if I spent money on advertising, I'd get lots of downloads and perhaps a critical mass would occur when a 3rd party market arose. I don't underastand my reality as it is, though, so it would definitely be a waste of money. Fucken Truman Show or some shit. God says... C:\LoseThos\www.losethos.com\text\DARWIN.TXT view, does not mark a new and complete act of creation, but only an occasional scene, taken almost at hazard, in an ever slowly changing drama. We can clearly understand why a species when once lost should never reappear, even if the very same conditions of life, organic and inorganic, should recur. For though the offspring of one species might be adapted (and no doubt this has occurred in innumerable instances) to fill the place of another species in the economy of nature, and thus supplant it; ---------- God says... apply taking supreme clasped blasts heardest conquered threats recommended violets Say overcharged rods community gratefully springeth unperceived detached overcoming veiled pious Alypius delusions afford Nevada hidden draught swoon diversely friendship support conceived daughter conversations qualities foamed thrust exiled comparing pervert unnatural prairienet dumb Latinum Tobias fear needing murdered double forethink changeableness pilgrims incredible unbelieving Highness fairness scratching figured lawfully drove weaving supplied abased piecemeal knocked councillor rent convinced furnishing refreshing Fish session discovering hesitate slavish dialogue diversity Shine callest infants temperament convinced burthened unbending beholding principally deny