Welcome to “The Looking Glass”, a weekly newsletter of timeless wisdom for you to ponder on your journey of growth. I hope you find great value here.
#21 – 16 Sep 2022
Hello friends,
Thanks again for being here!
Here’s an insight, a question, and a quote I reflected on over the last week.
💡 Different vs better
Being better than a competitor is an incremental improvement.
You don’t know how long you will be “better”. Maybe that competitor or another will catch up and surpass you.
However, being “different” is another story.
“It comes down to leveraging the exponential value of what makes you or your venture “different” rather than leaning on the incremental value of what makes you “better”.
Christopher Lochhead & Heather Clancy, Niche Down
Being different can give you an exponential advantage.
Exponential is miles ahead of incremental. It’s in a different ball game.
Stop trying to be “better”. Lean into what makes you “different”.
❔ Everything comes at a cost
I was scrolling TikTok of all places, and a video featuring Simon Sinek caught my eye.
His point was EVERYTHING comes at a cost. Even the things that our society glorifies.
For example, that super successful entrepreneur you see plastered all over Instagram, with all the followers and likes, may have no relationship with their children.
So Simon asks the successful people he meets, “what was the cost, and was it worth it?”
Imagine the conversation with that multi-millionaire business person who can’t have a conversation with their child, “was it worth it?”
It might be helpful to play out this scenario in advance.
And so I ask you, in your current pursuits, what is the cost, and will it be worth it?
💬 A Quote to Ponder – Are you procrastinating because you’re keeping things vague?
“Most people know what they want, but don’t know how to get it. When you don’t know the next step, you procrastinate or feel lost. But a little research can turn a vague desire into specific actions.
For example: When musicians say, “I need a booking agent”, I ask, “Which one? What’s their name?”
You can’t act on a vague desire.
But with an hour of research you could find the names of ten booking agents that work with
ten artists you admire. Then you’ve got a list of the next ten people you need to contact.”
Derek Sivers, Your Music and People
Cheers!