Perseverance = the difference between Failure and Success

About 10-15 years ago [we're talking 1995-2000] I was hung up on a question: what type of person becomes successful? Needless to say that this thought had something purely egoistic in it: I wanted to see if I “fit” the model [or not]. My professional career was just starting off and I hoped to find the “shortcut” to Success [now it makes me laugh when I think about it!].

I was hoping to find an easy answer that would [eventually] give me wings So, I started to analyze some of the Successful People around me and I’ve come to realize that there is no such thing as a Model of Success, but success in many forms and shapes [some quite strange, I might say!].  This was a lose end – from my perspective – since it did not give me the easy, ready-to-go answer I was longing for. Then I wondered what  does it take to be successful? After going through different speculations about easy things that I can do “in a snap”, I realized [once again] that “easy” won’t work. Instead, Perseverance [I observed] was what often separated Failure from Success. So, I finally got my [not-so-easy] answer … which was only the beginning of a loooong & interesting journey.

Now, let’s take Edison for example: it took him over 2 years of failed attempts, 3,000 different theories and the testing of 6,000 types of fiber for a carbon filament that finally lead him to a carbonized cotton thread which burned 15 hours. He then improved on his work and in late 1880 created a 16 watt bulb which burned for 1500 hours. Edison never gave up in his pursuits — this is why he achieved such great success, no matter how long it took him.

Here are some of his wise thoughts:

- Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

- Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That’s not the place to become discouraged.

- If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.

- Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

Now, these “findings” put in a totally different perspective what another wise men once said: Insanity = doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

What do You think?

Flip Book Movie

Wonderful art. And great dexterity.

Ideile bune nu merg la lucru [intre 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.]

Un studiu facut de Idea Champions pe 10.000 de persoane ne dovedeste urmatorul fapt:

- numai in 3% din cazuri, ideile bune vin muncind [la munca]

- in 97% din cazuri, ideile bune vin:

• in baie
• inainte sa dormim
• cand nu facem nimic
• mergand
• vorbind
• meditand
• analizand
• in vacanta
• cand bem vin
• in timpul altor activitati

Deci, dragi manageri: ganditi-va de doua ori cand bagati oamenii in cubicale si inghititi cheia pana la ora 6 p.m.  De asemenea, inainte sa inchideti robinetul de acces la internet, Skype, IM, s.a.m.d., ganditi-va la ce ne-a adus si la ce ne aduce Internetul d.p.d.v. creativitate, acces la informatie, interactivitate, feedback, etc.

Poate ca problema nu e Internetul.

Great advice from Ira Glass

You can’t become an expert overnight.

“Have you ever skipped headfirst into a new idea with the unbridled enthusiasm of a third-grader waiting for recess only to find yourself discouraged a few months (or even years) later when you feel like your idea hasn’t yet reached its potential? Ira Glass, host of NPR’s This American Life, explains that people often spend a couple years churning out work that doesn’t meet personal expectations and that perceived mediocrity can lead to prematurely throwing in the towel. Glass says you can’t expect overnight expertise and the key is to plow through, grow, learn and keep your goal in sight”.

Smart marketing, happy customers

Read and enjoy — great marketing at its best.

Warning: your customer is always right

Dear Marketer,

Should you still fancy with this thought, real-life experience will prove you wrong. Why? Because nowadays, when a customer cannot find The Button on your website, it’s not because the customer is stupid, but because your website it stupid. So, if you want smart customers, practice smart marketing.

Is Common Sense common?

Should you posses it, you already know what I think.

Now it’s your turn: let me know what you think.

SPAM-ul zilelor noastre

SPAM. Synonymous with Pandemic. Being an active Internet user and having an active email address is like smoking a cigarette in a gas station, while filling your tank. What are the chances for the 2 elements to combine and set everything on fire? This is how I felt today when I looked at my precious Gmail account. I said precious because my other 2 web-based email account had been compromised a while ago.

It looks like nothing is forever. Well — I do know that, but sometimes I manage to ignore this truth and still hope for a little bit more. Something like … decency in marketing. And Common Sense.

So, take a good look now at your Inbox and come up with a simple plan to protect your email from unwanted visitors who never leave after entering your own territory.

Dim-Sum marketing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: “Dim sum (literally meaning “touch the heart”) is the name for a Chinese cuisine which involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea. It is usually served in the mornings until noon time at Chinese restaurants and at specialty dim sum eateries where typical dishes are available throughout the day. Dishes come in small portions and may include meat, seafood, and vegetables, as well as desserts and fruit. The items are usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate”.

Long story short: XXIst century marketing shouldn’t be any different. Because consumers can no longer consumer long-advertising dishes, diluted, tasteless, with no salt&pepper.

It’s time to take a good [eyes-wide-open] look at our contemporary customers: how they think today, what their expectations are, what they like and what they dislike, how they consumer information & why. And only then, let’s roll our sleeves and invent XXIst century marketing communications recipes that truly cater to this new reality.

Yummy!

Do we really need a card to validate an Act of Kindness?

I love to read my Springwise weekly newsletter. It meets me right where I need it: in my Gmail inbox. Then, we navigate together through the Internet, tasting bite-size fresh new ideas. Most of the time, these 15 minutes are illuminating, refreshing, kind of a summer shower for my mind. Sometimes though, I read about ideas that uncover a deeply sad social & cultural reality.

This is the case with the “You’ve been Kinded” card idea developed by New York’s Kind Snacks. It is not the idea of being kind that saddens me (au contraire!), but the idea that one needs a fucking card to justify a natural, perfectly normal (in my own micro-universe, world, country & mind) gesture of kindness. This is truly, deeply, 100% sad! Otherwise, it’s a smart marketing idea.

So, I’ll give you a taste of pure, concentrated, 100% sad reality showcased on the Kinded Blog (http://bit.ly/dmdwi):

“Unfortunately, we live in a society where people are often wary of the intentions of strangers [United States of America] when offering an unexpected kind act. This presents a real obstacle for surprising someone with an unexpected act of kindness.

Imagine if you’re at Starbucks and the person standing in front of you in line, turns around and hands you a coffee. “Is he coming on to me?” “Do I really look that tired?” “Has he put anthrax in my drink?” All valid concerns.

That’s where KINDED cards come in. KINDED cards are meant to help overcome the social awkwardness of doing unexpected kind acts by serving a ‘license’ to do the act, and explaining why you are doing it. So, when that person at Starbucks hands you a KINDED card along with the coffee, you’ll feel comfortable accepting since they’re just passing on a kind act that was done for them”.

So, I’m asking you now: are you still unhappy about being of of those poor bastards living in Europe? I’m certainly not. Not anymore. Life is beautiful