The Practice by Seth Godin: Why everything you thought you knew about creativity is wrong

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About the Book The Practice

Creative work doesn’t come with a guarantee. But there is a pattern to who succeeds and who doesn’t. And engaging in the consistent practice of its pursuit is the best way forward.

Based on the breakthrough Akimbo workshop pioneered by legendary author Seth Godin, The Practice will help you get unstuck and find the courage to make and share creative work. Godin insists that writer’s block is a myth, that consistency is far more important than authenticity, and that experiencing the imposter syndrome is a sign that you’re a well-adjusted human. Most of all, he shows you what it takes to turn your passion from a private distraction to a productive contribution, the one you’ve been seeking to share all along.

With this book as your guide, you’ll learn to dance with your fear. To take the risks worth taking. And to embrace the empathy required to make work that contributes with authenticity and joy.

Source: https://www.amazon.com/

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About the Author

Seth Godin is the author of nineteen international bestsellers that have been translated into over 35 languages, and have changed the way people think about marketing and work. For a long time, Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most popular ebook ever published, and Purple Cow is the bestselling marketing book of the decade.

He’s a recent inductee to the Marketing Hall of Fame, and also a member of the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame and (go figure), the Guerrilla Marketing Hall of Fame.

In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth was founder and CEO of Squidoo.com,. His blog (find it by typing “seth” into Google) is the most popular marketing blog in the world. Before his work as a writer and blogger, Godin was Vice President of Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, a job he got after selling them his pioneering 1990s online startup, Yoyodyne.

LINKS

Previous Seth Godin books covered on the podcast

Seth on Tim Ferriss talking about The Practice https://tim.blog/2020/10/26/seth-godin-the-practice/ 

Seth on Tim Ferriss talking about how how he manages his life, rules, principles and obsessions: https://tim.blog/2016/02/10/seth-godin/ 

BIG IDEA 1 (6:02) – Build a practice.

Build a practice of your work, and practice it everyday with the mindset of a professional. Practice it even when you don’t know what the result will be. Success or good results are not guaranteed but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work towards it on a daily basis. We need to show up. 

Seth doesn’t believe in writer’s block. He believes that inspiration doesn’t show up unless we do. We have to turn up professionally, take things seriously on a daily basis, and that momentum and practice will avoid us feeling stuck. We need to start with a problem that we need to solve and then find out what the answer is. Without having an assertion or point of view we won’t do anything. 

By putting creative work out on a schedule, things like writer’s block don’t have time to exist, because we are showing up.

BIG IDEA 2 (8:16) – Don’t be a hack.

It’s not just about empathy or deeply knowing your customer but knowing WHO you’re even aiming to create value for. Because if you aim for the masses, you lose your point of view, your authenticity and quickly become a hack.

So you need to know what market you’re in. You need to have a voice. You need to constantly ask who it is you’re creating for, and what will help your work become more appropriate for your audience. Don’t be a hack, know who you’re talking to and don’t worry about the rest. 

BIG IDEA 3 (10:24) – Be generous.

Worry less about what other people think. Many of us allow our output or work to define us, meaning that any criticism of our work becomes a criticism of us personally. We need to become like lifeguards, they are not worried about what others think or say or worry about imposter syndrome when they jump into the ocean to save someone. They just do the work they need to do and do it in a generous way.

It is also about not hiding yourself because you will miss the opportunity to be generous. We need to embrace discomfort, show up and do the difficult work. Just put yourself out there so others can benefit.

LINKS

Also listen to Whatcha Gonna do With That Duck: Just keep shippin’

Seth on Tim Ferriss talking about The Practice https://tim.blog/2020/10/26/seth-godin-the-practice/ 

Seth on Tim Ferriss talking about how how he manages his life, rules, principles and obsessions: https://tim.blog/2016/02/10/seth-godin/ 

Music By: Is It Hip Hop by LightBeats

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