———————————–

“… of finding every petty race wedded to its own opinions; claiming the monopoly of Truth; holding all others to be in error … in the business of the visible working world they are confessedly by no means superior to one another; whereas in abstruse matters of mere Faith, not admitting direct and sensual evidence, one in a hundred will claim to be right, and immodestly charge the other ninety-nine with being wrong.”

====

Sir Richard Burton

———————————————–

Ok.

I maybe should have titled this ‘viewing faith, as in religious faith, with open eyes’.

To be clear. I love having face to face conversations about religion. I find most people are passionate in their beliefs, or non beliefs, and … when pushed … are articulate and thoughtful and insightful.

I may agree, or not agree, but it is irrelevant.

Its irrelevant if you truly care about learning about a person. If you ever want to delve into people’s attitudes & behavior discuss religion and faith. It gets the heart pumping, the mind swirling and the soul … well … it is food for the soul.

By the way. Any discussion is food for the soul.

Now. I typically don’t like to write about religion. And certainly avoid writing about faith. And, yes, they can be different.

I hesitate because in writing about religious beliefs one’s meaning can be misconstrued with one simple word. Therefore weaving one’s way through a minefield of unintended meanings in a ‘loose’ word tends to make writing about religion difficult <and sometimes quite unrewarding>.

And faith?

Well. One’s faith is, well, one’s faith. Debating one’s faith is like debating whether a dawn is more beautiful than a sunset. All I know for sure is that as long as you view either dawn or sunset as beautiful in some way you are good <at least with me>.

All that said.

I recently used a great quote from a British adventurer, Sir Richard Francis Burton, and he wrote something about religion and faith that made me decide to take a chance and put something out there in writing.

First. About Burton.

Sir Richard Burton, who died in 1890, was a British consul, explorer, translator, writer, poet and swordsman known for his travel and exploration adventures as well as his extraordinary knowledge of languages and cultures.

Bram Stoker said of Burton <describing a meeting together in September 1886>:

… Burton had a most vivid way of putting things. He had both a fine imaginative power and a memory richly stored not only from study but from personal experience. As he talked, fancy seemed to run riot in its alluring power; and the whole world of thought seemed to flame with gorgeous colour. Burton knew the East. Its brilliant dawns and sunsets; its rich tropic vegetation, and its arid fiery deserts; its cool, dark mosques and temples; its crowded bazaars; its narrow streets; its windows guarded for out-looking and from in-looking eyes; the pride and swagger of its passionate men, and the mysteries of its veiled women; its romances; its beauty; its horrors.

Second.

Burton pondered a shitload of issues as he traveled and when he wrote he tended to write from a third person perspective by placing an ‘enlightened person’ into the role of the thinker and questioner and ‘philosophical muse’.

So. All that I just wrote leads me to share something from one of his writings:

——-

“… looks with impartial eye upon the endless variety of systems, maintained with equal confidence and self-sufficiency, by men of equal ability and honesty. He is weary of wandering over the world, and of finding every petty race wedded to its own opinions; claiming the monopoly of Truth; holding all others to be in error, and raising disputes whose violence, acerbity and virulence are in inverse ratio to the importance of the disputed matter.

A peculiarly active and acute observation taught him that many of these jarring families, especially those of the same blood, are par in the intellectual processes of perception and reflection; that in the business of the visible

working world they are confessedly by no means superior to one another; whereas in abstruse matters of mere Faith, not admitting direct and sensual evidence, one in a hundred will claim to be right, and immodestly charge the other ninety-nine with being wrong.  Thus he seeks to discover a system which will prove them all right, and all wrong; which will reconcile their differences; will unite past creeds; will account for the present, and will anticipate the future with a continuous and uninterrupted development; this, too, by a process, not negative and distinctive, but, on the contrary, intensely positive and constructive. I am not called upon to sit in the seat of judgment; but I may say that it would be singular if the attempt succeeded. Such a system would be all-comprehensive, because not limited by space, time, or race; its principle would be extensive as Matter itself, and, consequently, eternal.

Meanwhile he satisfies himself, — the main point.

 Christianity and Islamism have been on their trial for the last eighteen and twelve centuries. They have been ardent in proselytizing, yet they embrace only one-tenth and one-twentieth of the human race. He would account for the tardy and unsatisfactory progress of what their votaries call “pure truths,” by the innate imperfections of the same. Both propose a reward for mere belief, and a penalty for simple unbelief; rewards and punishments being, by the way, very disproportionate. Thus they reduce everything to the scale of a somewhat unrefined egotism; and their demoralizing effects become clearer to every progressive age.”

====

 Richard Burton

——————–

Well.

I admit. Religions confuse me a lot.

Confuse me in that, within really good discussions, I often find myself discussing what I believe is perfectly a nuance <from which there seems, to me, to be disproportionate penalties & objections> compared to what another person believes is an imperfect perception of a perfect important truth <my nuance is not even close to a nuance to them>.

I imagine this confusion on my part is simply because I just do not understand. I imagine that in some way I have never really understood faith. But I will also admit … I don’t want to be confused and I do want to understand.

Where others are quick to suggest religion and faith is outdated or worthless or unequivocally flawed … I do not. I do not reject – I want to accept. In my mind that most likely means that maybe, just maybe, I just haven’t found the way yet.

But that doesn’t mean I will not continue seeking.

Regardless. Burton, a much smarter man than I, apparently struggled with the same issues as I.

In that I take some solace.

To be clear.

Burton, as I, was not an atheist. He believed in God. Thomas Wright reminded us that Burton said this of Christ:

“He had given an impetus to the progress of mankind by systematizing a religion of the highest moral loveliness, showing what an imperfect race can and may become.”

I imagine religion and faith confuses me because in the end … don’t they all reflect we are an imperfect race of people and, yet, each religion wants us and encourages us to be all, or the best, we may become?

——-

“’You’re dangerous’, he says.

‘Why?’

‘Because you make me believe in the impossible.’ “

=

Simone Elkeles

——-

“Disruption is bad.

You seem to be using it to mean something good,” she said.

——

So.

This is about disruption and business. This is one of my favorite words & topics. It is one of my favorites for two reasons.

First is that it is an overlooked way to be successful in the marketplace. Far too often businesses simply seek to “compete.” They are satisfied with standing in the ring and bludgeon each other all the while suggesting that this is “smart fighting giving me an edge.” It is not. Shit. “Edges” <in this case> is simply staying in the fight and not a plan to win a fight. Disruption is all about wins and winning.

Second. It is one of the few words in business that if you actually deign to use in a meeting or business discussion will draw a visceral response from your audience. From a ‘fun’ perspective it is maybe even more fun than farting in the middle of a presentation.

Anyway.

Disruption, or disrupt, is an emotive word often creating a very unsettling image. And it is a topic which typically scares the shit out of most businesses <and business people>. The excuses to ‘not being so disruptive’ are too long to list … and some are quite creative. But suffice it to say … almost every excuse is grounded in fear.

Yeah.

All those “whoa … slow down on that whole disruption talk” people may suggest ‘it is expensive to do something like that’ but they are simply shaping excuses in their heads & mouths because the whole thought of disrupting anything … well … scares the shit out of them.

Now.

To be clear on definitions <and purpose> … the aim of disruption is to frame <or reframe> a business <or a brand> so that the market sees it differently. Well. I could suggest it is actually simply turning around and facing reality.

——-

“At some point you just have to turn around and face your life head on.”

Chris Cleave

—–

What I mean by that is disrupting is most typically simply attacking some conventional thinking and tapping into what people really think <when they actually think about it>. And many times it is really common sense stuff. It is common sense because it is many times rooted in the fact we just get stuck either in ‘that’s the way its done’ … or maybe we have become so numb to the fact we have bolted on crap to the brand <or company> in day to day attempts to keep it relevant that it is almost unfamiliar to what people originally thought of it <we just made it too complex or complicated>.

Please note … this whole disruption thing, while I love it, is not my idea.

Jean Marie Dru, the Chairman of TBWA has been talking about the power of “disruption” since the early 1990s. His book, Disruption: Overturning Conventions and Shaking Up the Marketplace, is a must read for anyone who likes this shit <and it is actually a delightful read for a business book>. Interestingly … even Tom Peters <the ‘in search of excellence’ guy> thought the concept of disruption was topical … even decades ago.

——

“Disrupt or be disrupted.  Disrupt or die.

Disruption is the most powerful idea in business today.”

Tom Peters

——

I tend to believe disruption gets a bad rap because it implies wholesale change. Like as in throw out everything and start from scratch. Au contraire. Disrupting is always about leveraging off of something existing. You may turn everything upside down … but you are still using some existing pieces <some existing attitudes & behavior> from which your idea will end up tapping into. I say that to remind everyone that something from nothing equals the same thing as nothing from nothing … uhm … nothing. Smart, or intelligent, disrupting is always about something from something.

——

“If in a company you change nothing, you are sure to fail. If you change everything you are sure to fail as well.

So the art of winning resides in your capacity to draw the fine line between what should be changed and what should not.

Same for a brand.  All brands are in transition.  You can’t build brands by thinking only in a linear way. You have to think of larger futures for them. And to do that, you have to use your imagination. A larger share of the future very seldom comes from an extrapolation of the present.

And that is what Disruption is all about. Disruption is about discovering new futures.”

=

Jean Marie-Dru

——

Let’s be honest here. New futures sound frickin’ awesome.

Uhm. Here’s the problem. Futures are not guaranteed, are they?

Doh.

Success is getting people to think and act differently. <doh again>

That translates into … yikes … change.

Here is the good news about this whole disruptive change topic. Effective disruptive thinking is not some blind irresponsible thinking. It takes into consideration all the levels of change it effects and addresses them. 

—–

“Disruption demands that a company challenges conventional behaviors and finds a new way to act.

If you analyze the behavior of the category in question you will see conventional patterns of activity are apparent on four levels: corporate, marketing, communications and the customer’s point of view.  Some of these conventions are invariably good and necessary, while others are not.

The opportunity lies in seeing how a brand can use its strengths to do something less conventional to change its path and accelerate growth.”

=

Matt Shepherd-Smith, CEO, TBWA\London

—–

To be clear. There is truly a difference in disruption and intelligent disruption. Disruption in and of itself … without thought … is meaningless destruction creating chaos. Intelligent disruption leads change from what exists rather than reacting to what exists and … well … creates something new <not chaos>.

Anyway.

Here are few more thoughts by Jean-Marie Dru about brand building and the importance of disruption:

—

–        Disruption is creating something dynamic to replace something that has become static.

–        I have always believed that a brand has to evolve. It cannot remain motionless. The same, of course, applies to companies.

—

While all those words sound inspiring and thoughtful and … well … what business person WOULDN’T want to do that? Well. Disruption actually is linked to another word which business people tend to really really dislike … destruction. Destruction of the conventional … the comfortable. Conventions train us to do the conventional. And because it is conventional … we tend to not really think about this shit.

Uhm. Yes. Accepted beliefs, where everyone is thinking the same, usually means no one is really thinking. This all translates into destroying some of the accepted beliefs … uhm … which means destroying … well … familiarity.

Yet … within destruction there should be a surge of energy <from people and a business perspective because disruption is actually both strategy and action>.

What do I believe <see: “know”>?

Too much business thinking today is satisfied with maintaining the status quo.

This is doomed thinking. Thinking is at its best when used as a sharp weapon and used to transform business and the way people think <and do things>. Far too much thinking <and the tactics which arise from that thinking> look the same, say the same, and … well … do the same.

All of which simply makes it easier to be ignored.

Worse?

It doesn’t respect people’s intelligence or their sense of <thinking> adventure. Therefore disruption incorporates destructing some of ‘what is.’

Not just for the sake of destruction but rather with the intent to be singular, extraordinary, and even world-changing is inspiring and interesting and adventuresome. Disrupting is done with the intent to stand out from the crowd and get noticed in a way that fundamentally changes perceptions. I imagine I could quite simplistically suggest that great disruptive thinking challenges the prevailing ideas of the present, therefore, disruption sounds difficult, unsettling, painful and fundamentally frightening.

Why would anybody disrupt, and destroy, on purpose?

Well.

Here is the contradiction … you are actually destroying to create.

=

It’s about creation – creating something dynamic to replace something that has become static. 

Disruption is about systematically breaking through the barriers that shape and limit standard business approaches. It’s about challenging conventional wisdom and imagining new possibilities. It’s about destroying the assumptions and biases that get in the way of fresh and visionary ideas.

<Jean Marie-Dru>

=

 This actually means that the other thing where disruption gets a bad rap is that it is used as a verb … when it is actually a noun when done correctly.

Yup. Because disruption is actually a destination … a vision of what could, and should, be … against which all strategic and marketing decisions are measure. This means that disruptive ideas are simply ways to get to the vision as fast as possible.

This also means that you are taking a stand. A stand for not what is … but what will be. You are changing the rules <and frankly doing so in your favor>.

To be clear.

Disruption is not anarchy <nor chaos>. It is a strategically directed shake-up. It’s a way of thinking. It means taking nothing for granted.

It means being bold and taking some risk.

It means you are actually inventing a future in which you not only want to live … but one in which you can prosper.

Anyone in business worth even half a shit knows that the path to truly winning <and winning big> in business is to create new categories or subcategories rather than engaging in brand preference competition in established categories.

The idea of creating a new category, defining its dimensions and becoming its ‘definer’ <of which everyone else has to measure against> is where true success <financially> resides.

Sure. Many businesses need to engage in brand preference competition to retain their relevance and market position. But that is a defensive strategy. And, trust me, someone is going to go on the offensive at some point.

Anyway.

Disruption simply means ‘to challenge.’ And we all need to remember that disruption creates and is not simply to destroy. That doesn’t mean everything is all rosy if you get it right.

Technological disruption re-defines industries.

Cultural disruption always seems to piss people off.

Why?

Challenging people … and the status quo … can make people angry.

What do I say? Fuck ‘em.

Disruption by challenging the status quo improves culture. Is there conflict? You bet.

Does that conflict lead to a spark of energy? You bet. And from the spark comes improvement.

Look.

We are all disruptors. Just that some of us know it and some of us don’t.

—-

“We are all manufacturers – making good, making trouble or making excuses.”

=

HV Adolt

——-

Ok. Frankly. All that really matters despite all I babbled about <typed> … is you either choose to disrupt … or be disrupted.

Well. I have said this before … it seems like today’s world is tough on dreamers.

It is hard to be a dreamer and it seems to be easier and easier to blindly move down a beaten path <because you’ve been beaten up by Life>. By the way. This is not suggesting anyone is a “sheep.” It simply means Life is often a grind and as you make choices with regard to making Lie easier in some ways you simply choose the path most taken.

Regardless. We need to remind ourselves on occasion that it is okay to dream … and dream big and that relentlessly pursuing a dream can be inspiring <not discouraging>.

Now. Being a big dreamer doesn’t mean that you walk around with your head in the clouds. It means that you have a purpose … a big purpose that makes your life bigger and fulfills some promise within you.

Of course … as usual … the key is to find a balance. Think ground and clouds. Feet in the clouds and head on the ground. Pragmatic with no limits. A contradiction? Sure. But big dreams are a contradiction. As a practical relatively pragmatic human race we would never have them … unless some of them defied the odds and actually came true. Some really do happen.

Which reminds me <to remind everyone> that big dreams are things … not intangibles. They are not ‘becoming rich’ or ‘being a star’ … they are achieving greatness with an idea or a thought. Anyway. And while there should be a balance … there should be some big dream in all of us for a lot of reasons:

–          Sense of Self.

Big dreams have a nice habit of increasing the size of your sense of self. You have to be careful it doesn’t become bigger than yourself and consume you … but big dreams remind you that you can make a big impact in some form or fashion. Maybe not today … but a hope of sometime. Big dreams can not only create some interesting self-purpose in life but it also reminds you that anyone, even you, is capable of the extraordinary. Even if it is just in thought.

————————————

“Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose & imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.“

Sir Cecil Beaton

————————————–

Maybe that is the biggest part of this ‘sense of self’ thought  … it is likely the biggest reason why you wouldn’t want to settle on small dreams … does anyone really want to be a slave of the ordinary?

–          Possibilities.

When you dream big things you will find new roads you may want to explore along the way. It is an adventure and sometimes extremely unpredictable and never ordinary. This is because big dreams can push limits of possibility <or what is possible> because it keeps the impossible in life in sight <if you can actually see something like impossible>. It all happens because big dreams are … well … not quantifiable. If they can be <in your head> I would suggest it is not really a dream but an objective or goal. A dream has to be so big it is just an idea … something difficult to put a number on it or a specific GPS coordinate. it is always somewhere on the horizon. And in reaching toward it the possibilities of new roads not taken <and never envisioned nor on any map as a matter of fact> increase significantly.

–          Achieving stuff.

Yeah. You may not actually get the big one <the big dream> but typically if you dream big, you increase the odds you actually achieve something. It also increases the odds you actually achieve something relatively great in the scheme of things. In fact. You may even end up achieving more than you ever thought you could <even if it isn’t the big dream you began with>.

Big dreams are the reasons why the world changes … and becomes better. And I say ‘world’ as in if you define it in business … or in life. It’s the reason why there have been so many inventions, new ‘out of the box’ ideas, creations or whatevers. As a business guy I love this following quote for the business big dreamers:

————————-

“New business concepts are always, always the product of lucky foresight. That’s right – the essential insight doesn’t come out of any dirigiste planning process; it comes form some cocktail of happenstance, desire, curiosity, ambition and need. But at the end of the day, there has to be a degree of foresight — a sense of where new riches lie. So radical innovation is always one part fortuity and one part clearheaded vision.”

Gary Hamel, Leading the Revolution

——————–

New concepts inevitably come from one part clearheaded big dreaming.

Same with new ideas. Same with anything really new … and really big. Oh. And along the way a lot of good little stuff happens too.

–          Your legacy <and big dreams>

Big dreams give you the opportunity to truly leave your mark on the world in several ways:

You achieve it.

You don’t achieve it <but achieve other shit along the way>.

You don’t achieve it <and it is left for someone else to achieve>.

The first.

The achieving one is obvious. It is satisfying and certainly something at the end of the road you will probably look back on with some satisfaction. I will mention though that most big dreamers update their dreams if they actually attain the original. You never really actually stop dreaming big <but do not tell anyone that>.

The second.

You don’t achieve it but along the road you have veered off on a variety of paths you encountered and did some good shit along the way. Your legacy is strewn with stuff you have left behind. I call this a ‘no regret’ life. You don’t really regret the missed ‘big dream’ cause you lived life doing stuff.

The third.

Oh. And not achieving the big dream … whew … what does happen to big dreams when a dreamer dies?

Here is the good news. A big dream never really dies. Only dreamers do. Someone else grabs it as their own. I think most big dreamers recognize his and are okay with it. Big dreams aren’t really meant to be owned by anyone in particular except Life. They can be achieved by someone <if they are lucky enough to figure out how to do it> but big dreams are visionary.

Some big dreams cannot be fulfilled within a single lifetime. But they are so inspiring that future generations <or someone in that generation> will strive to achieve it.

And last.

Inspiring that future?

Well. Maybe, that in itself is why people should dream big.

===

“If parallel lines do not meet it is not because meet they cannot, but because they have other things to do.”

—

Vladimir Nabokov

=======

“Looking back, I didn’t lose my way.

I never knew where I was going in the first place.”

—

William Chapman

========

Ok.

While in personal life there is an inordinately high external value <people looking in on you & the business> on focus and consistency, in the business world this value fluctuates. And, unfortunately, in the business world there is no real ‘code’ on when to be consistent and when to be inconsistent <therefore it can sometimes be a crap shoot … and you pay dearly if you bet wrong …>.

Regardless. Suffice it to say, adaptability, which is this generation’s path to success, is inevitably tied to some inconsistent behavior.

Uhm.

Inconsistency. That is what change is all about. Focus is a 5 lane highway, not a one lane highway, and includes some spot over a horizon which you cannot see nor can you clearly define as in ‘see this beautiful picture? This is your destination.” The horizon focus is a less tangible destination … it is sometimes just a thought in mind.

Whew. Yup. I just typed that.

And that may seem contrarian to all the business folk waving their hands in the air in panic over some disconnected fragmented world in which ‘we need to make it simple to forge our way thru this chaotic world.’

Look. To forge your way thru a chaotic world you will get bludgeoned to death if you treat it like a straight line gauntlet. Yes, doing it that way is truly running a gauntlet <note: and a lot of people get bloodied running a gauntlet and some do die>.

In a chaotic world in order to effectively adapt you actually have to be … well … ‘serpentine.’ <In-Laws movie reference to the old folk>.

What’s worse?

This doesn’t just pertain to tactics but even strategy has to be adaptable <a tinge of inconsistency>.

A lack of adaptability is foolish. Or maybe let’s just say the being consistent for the sake of being consistent is foolish:

===

https://brucemctague.com/foolish-consistency

===

Now.

Just because I like to bitch about the ‘branding world’ I would like to take a moment and rant a little about how this “inconsistency is bad” discussion has infiltrated the business world to such an extent that a bunch of ‘experts’ have flocked to companies under the nomenclature of ‘brand consistency experts.’ Their whole premise and reason for being is that those of us in business don’t understand how to run a business and sell and do it in a way that doesn’t really create ongoing success <or highest brand value>. Or they adamantly state that we need an unchanging “how to” guide so that we know what we are supposed to do with ‘brand.’

Look.

I am all for insuring that a business develops a core value <and brand> value proposition and I am all for aligning an organization around that position but … please … please don’t tell me if I do something ‘inconsistent’ I am going to detract from my ‘brand.’

Please … please … don’t tell me about stringent consistency rules necessary to ‘build a brand’ … a ‘brand’ which theoretically only exists in a mind  and crafted in the minds of someone else.

Please … please … don’t confuse focus with consistency.

Consistency in today’s business world is much more complex … and much more sensible … than how it was thought of in the past. In the ‘old days’ you placed a stake in the ground, danced around it and then held it up like ‘capture the flag’ daring anyone to come up the hill and capture it … and wave it so people could see it.

It was unmoving and you gave ground grudgingly.

In today’s world we act more sensibly — we actually do, watch, observe and react/adapt. This means the ‘brand consistency’ is often more a measure of how one adapts and responds than it does in the initial stimulus.

I say that because experts will come in discussing <pontificating> the most basic level of brand consistency – single logo is always used in a similar way, a single typeface used with particular guidelines on typography, and consistent colors tied to similar design styles. If they stopped there, while I would wonder why I paid them anything, at least I could argue with … well … nothing.

But then the experts keep blabbing.

They start encouraging guidelines that doesn’t make every piece of marketing material look like a member of the same family but instead, under the guise of consistency, starts all looking the same. While the argument is that the brand has its own unique “look” which enables a consumer to recognize it as belonging to that brand proposition and distinguish it from competing brands … it also has a nasty habit of becoming … well … bland.

Uninteresting.

I imagine the discussion gets tough with ‘those who demand consistency’ <be safe> because what really matters to maintain true consistency is the intangible not tangible — not how it looks but rather the main brand proposition … the focus on who you are and what you offer.

I admit. Brand consistency can be a tricky topic. Anyone can argue, and should, that consistency done well creates a great advantage … one called “recognition”. That recognition can have attitudes & attributes attached to it that are negative or positive <for some reason all the brand consistency experts never talk about that> but suffice it to say … at least you are getting in the heuristic game. Recognition is a nice feature <has value> to your brand because, frankly, people don’t really like ‘new.’ We like the sound of new and we like it conceptually, but we dislike actually spending money on it. We associate risk to new.

Regardless.

Consistency is used as a bludgeon with businesses under the guise that if you don’t do it a consumer could be ‘confused’ or they could mistake your brand with a competing brand … and that means potentially losing customers. Once again. The experts oddly never bring up the counter discussion … that some inconsistency creates a richer brand and a more interesting ‘consumer relationship proposition.’

Effective consistency in today’s business world is one in which not all is seen but yet everything is connected in some way.

===

“The moment of truth, the sudden emergence of a new insight, is an act of intuition.  Such intuitions give the appearance of miraculous flashes, or short-circuits of reasoning.

In fact they may be likened to an immersed chain, of which only the beginning and the end are visible above the surface of consciousness. The diver vanishes at one end of the chain and comes up at the other end, guided by invisible links.”

Arthur Koestler

===

Guardians of effective consistency need to see the unseen and connect the inconsistency in some form or fashion to a horizon point.

Deliverers of effective consistency <let’s call us ‘the everyday working schmucks’> are kind of screwed in today’s business world. You can clearly have focus and your consistency may be less clear to those around you.

If I have two major gripes in today’s business world it is that we, leaders & managers, need to:

–      Better recognize the unseen portions of consistency <the focus within the inconsistency>

==

–      Better accept the unseen portions of consistency <the focus within the inconsistency>

Inconsistency and consistency <embracing both> is a skill & an art. I would note embracing some inconsistency and yet maintaining some consistency is kind of the key to being successful in business.

Yeah.

That sounds difficult … it sounds too complex … but it is truth. Unfortunately business is complex … and business needs consistency … and inconsistency. They are two parallel paths and I would argue you only run into problems when they blend into one.

That said. If they are truly two parallel paths, what is the glue?

Focus.

That’s what holds the two parallel lines together.

But that’s probably an entirely different post.

———-

“Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya.

You killed my father.

Prepare to die!”

–

“Stop saying that!”

<the Princess Bride>

———–

“Why are we so full of restraint?

Why do we not give in all directions?

Is it fear of losing ourselves?

Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.”

=

Henry Miller

——————————

Ok.

Life, or at least success in life, is inevitably tied to some version of focus and consistency. Now. In discussing this we need to acknowledge there are two sides to the focus & consistency coin – one side is you and the other side is how people view you.

Maddeningly, sometimes, this coin may have a high value on one side and an incredibly low value on the other side <despite the fact one would believe a coin would have the same value on both sides>.

Your side. You may have a sense of consistency and focus with regard to how you think and where you are going in Life … I say ‘may’ because it may be a 10 lane highway and you wander along that highway. That said … you feel like you have some focus and consistency.

Oops.

The how people view you side. Other people view your changing lanes and changing speeds as inconsistent unfocused behavior <most people prefer you ‘staying in your lane>.

This means you are actually doing well, you are doing the right things to be a successful interesting well rounded person … and yet you may actually be penalized by the people around you. Penalized? Suffice it to say that consistency may have the highest value it has ever had in the history of the world so if you don’t exhibit it you lose value in people’s eyes.

Why? Well. Two reasons.

First.

Today’s world is structurally hostile to inconsistency. And, yet, <maddeningly> inconsistency is what makes us grow and be enriched and adapt in positive ways.

————–

“Life itself consists of phases in which the organism falls out of step with the march of surrounding things and then recovers unison with it—either through effort or by some happy chance.

And, in a growing life, the recovery is never mere return to a prior state, for it is enriched by the state of disparity and resistance through which it has successfully passed.”

=

John Dewey

—————-

Inconsistency means you are falling in and out of step with the march of things surrounding you. Yup. Whether you like it or not we are not always in sync with what is going on around us … and … well … those moments out of sync may make you, and everyone else, uncomfortable … but they are Life & character shaping moments.

Regardless. Personal change confuses people. It confuses them because they don’t want to have to work that hard … they want you to remain unchanged so that they can build some expectations which inevitably streamlines their own behavior. If you are inconsistent it forces them to … well … work.

I am not suggesting people don’t want to work … it’s just that they want to CHOOSE what they will work on and, well,  your changing is not their choice. Therein lies the strange but true paradox of consistency in Life. As you become personally enriched thru some inconsistency … at the same time … you are devalued in in the eyes of others as they view your inconsistency.

More becomes less.

What an unfortunate Life formula. My main point? Today’s world is structurally hostile to inconsistency.

Second.

Today’s world is structurally hostile to nuance. Nuance & subtlety not only doesn’t sell it invokes ‘space’  <or a perceived lack of clarity> in which others are more than willing to place something <and very often something you did not envision or want>.

Now <part 1>.

You may argue that nuance has nothing to do with consistency but I would ask you to take a step back and view this thought from the perspective of “what people see & hear” versus “what you say and do.” In most people’s minds ‘true’ consistency contains no nuance.

It cannot.

Nuance begets some sense of inconsistency in what you may mean … and in today’s world those minuscule spaces created by nuance are immediately filled and actually widened beyond their initial nuance small space into chasms of vitriol, doubt, second guessing, judgement and anything & everything except possibly the true facts behind the original nuance.

Now <part 2>.

People are not stupid. Once someone realizes nuance is a precursor to pain, anguish and character assassination … that someone is smart enough to decide to be consistent <no nuance or subtlety> and offer an unending stream of meaningless drivel <or say nothing> so that there are no gaps or spaces for others to take advantage of.

Consistency is safe. It many not be particularly illuminating … and it certainly seems to encourage a calculated blandness … but it is … well … safe. Today’s world encourages safe. Today’s world is structurally hostile to nuance.

Ok.

All that said.

Let me be clear about consistency … and inconsistency … and you being your best. Today’s world wants you to be your best … but maybe not quite all the time.

————-

“On the whole, human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.”

George Orwell

————–

Inconsistency takes work.  More work than consistency. And the work is found in the coin I described at the beginning — inside-out <decisions and attitude and behavior> as well as outside-in <as noted earlier … it makes other people work and they take it out on you … and you have to deal with it>. It also takes some work because although we all claim to know where we are going and what we want we kind of make that up as we go. What I mean is that most of us kind of want to be the best <or our best> … but maybe not all the time … and most of us kind of know what we want <but it can lack some specifics> … which all means we have to be adapting here & there.

==

“Looking back, I didn’t lose my way.

I never knew where I was going in the first place.”

William Chapman

==

To be clear.

Successful people are generally deemed successful in hindsight <less easy to judge within the experience>. Their ‘path to success’ looks clear and consistent and focused in that hindsight. And, yet, it is most likely their inconsistency which gave them the little bursts of energy to pass others on their way to success. Those little blips are overlooked or mis-defined as focus or consistency when viewed as historical activity.

They never knew where they were truly going just that they wanted to get somewhere and most times that looks like a fairly consistent, focused progress path.

Sure.

Maybe I am over valuing the blips of inconsistency … however … I would suggest that a little inconsistency can create that little tweak which can make, or unmake, your world … shit … THE world. Those little inconsistencies may have been representative of the little windows of opportunity one gets on occasion.

==

“It only takes a tweak to make the whole world new.”

Terry Pratchett

==

Anyway.

Tweaking your world, adapting to Life, inevitably means some inconsistency. And … as noted earlier … the world is hostile to inconsistency.

That makes it very very difficult to embrace some aspects of inconsistency.

I imagine my real point is that all you really need is a blip or two of inconsistency on occasion <or on a consistent basis> to tweak your world.

And some inconsistency can actually make you personally happier but make the people around you a little less happier.

==

Some other thoughts I have shared about consistency and inconsistency:

===

https://brucemctague.com/libre-et-independante

===

Plus.

Just being consistent for the sake of being consistent is foolish.

===

https://brucemctague.com/foolish-consistency

====

============

just-shower-thoughts:

The moral of the Tortoise and the Hare shouldn’t be “slow and steady wins the race.” The Tortoise only won because the Hare kept getting distracted. The moral should instead be “stay on task.”

=============

So.

Some people have the flair for the dramatic in business. They make it look easy. I would actually point out they are stellar at staying on task in business <which permits the moments of flair>. Now. Staying on task has different dimensions. The most basic are <a> staying on task throughout and <b> being focused in the moments that matter in the task.

The second isn’t as easy as you may think.

You have to be on task in the first place and then you actually have to recognize the moment that matters. In sports this is easier because sports has a tendency to ‘present’ the moment that matter, but in business these moments tend to be a little more sneaky.

Regardless.

Moments that matter are truly the moments in which it doesn’t matter whether you are a tortoise or a hare. In these types of moments all becomes one, judged equally, and … well … times stands still and you either produce or you don’t.

Everything that came before and all that comes after is kind of irrelevant.

Everything gets squeezed into what you do in that moment.

And this is where the flair for the dramatic can occur.

Well.

It seems dramatic only because <a> doing the dramatic is special (not everyone can do it> and <b> ‘having a flair’ implies the person can deliver ‘the goods’ in the moment more than once and possibly on a relatively consistent basis. Suffice it to say … anyone who has a flair for the dramatic deserves not only some accolades but also some analysis.

On the analysis front I would argue that this person has a key attribute with two dimensions  – a unique type of focus which <a> has the ability to recognize the massive amount of self-imposed distractions which inevitably slows other people down … and shuts them out and <b> has the ability to ‘slow things down.’

I think this focus permits a person to ignore all the expectations placed upon their decision <but accept that they are there>, and ignore the inherent pressure to live up to the monumental things that people around the person expect him/her to do … and constantly lives up to them.

By the way.

If you can also do this with some class, dignity, integrity and humility … well … you will earn gobs of money.

I would suggest that this person embodies this formula:

Expertise = secure = confidence.

Winning in these business moments is often more about confidence, and how the attitude enables clear ‘non-hedging’ articulation of what can be done, than anything else. And that confidence embraces real expertise brought to the fore by that unique focus I described.

All that said. Here is why I really like these people. I abhor social chameleons: people who change to impress whoever they happen to be with. I will note, 99% of the time, chameleons suck in the moments that matter. In fact. If I were a betting man, I would bet that anyone you may know with a flair for the dramatic is not a chameleon.

At the core of almost any person with the flair for the dramatic is someone who knows who they are and knows who they ain’t … and stays true to that day in and day out.

That ‘trueness’ permits this person to offer a steady consistency on the ‘task at hand’ which is not about maintaining one speed but rather maintaining a consistent sense for how to adjust pacing accordingly. And what THAT means is that this person is also more likely to spot the moment that matters and zero in with their unique focus in that moment. I cannot tell you how important, and how valuable, this is. I say that because I sometimes think while we admire the people with the flair for the dramatic we diminish the abilities that actually permit it to happen.

Why do I say that?

Business systems, more often than not, are a bit more complicated in their underlying dynamics than simplistic theory or simplistic diagrams attempting to create structure to an organization and its dynamics with the market & consumers/buyers. I would draw a picture to show you this but I would suggest that you cannot draw a picture for what is <because it is obsolete as soon as it is drawn> and you cannot draw a picture for what will be <because predicting multi-dimensional dynamics is outside the purview of reality>. It is actually like a big swirling mass of fragments <not chaos, just movement>.

Therefore, in business, moments that matter are most likely found within a spinning Rubik cube and the ones who have the fair for the dramatic have the ability to actually step in, at exactly the right moment, and in that moment solve the Rubik cube. Seeing as I, personally, have never solved a Rubik cube … this sounds particularly complicated and sounds like it would take an incredible skill in order to do.

That is what someone in business with a flair for the dramatic does.

All that said.

This skill is a version of slowing down to speed up. And you cannot pay enough money to a business person who has the ability to know when to slow down to enable effective speeding up … or to pause to accept some responsibility <or explain> … or to fast forward at the right time.

That is why you cannot pay enough money to a business person who has the ability to stand still without really standing still.

What I mean by that is this is the business person who can seemingly pause in the midst of play <on multiple dimensions> and grab the Rubik cube and solves it. Not a lot of people can do that.

I don’t care if you call this a flair for the dramatic.

I don’t care if you call it ‘slowing down to speed up.’

I don’t care if you call this “an ability to slow things down mentally.”

All I know is you should call it a person who you want in your business.

===

“To agree to keep a secret is to assume a burden.”

—

Sam Harris

===

Well.

This is sort of about transparency. What I mean is that we don’t often speak of transparency in an equation sort of way – give and not give.There is a burden on both sides not just in the actual ‘doing of’. There is a burden within what you decide to give within your transparency objectives/intent as well as a burden within what you decide to not give and hold on to. I say that because that burden is, well, a weight. A weight I call the weight of secrets.

Now. I would say all knowledge is a burden.

It carries a weight of responsibility with regard to what you do with it … how you act because you have it … as well as how you think about you, and others, with it. Having accepted knowledge you have made an agreement with it. I tend to believe we don’t think about this. We accept knowledge as … well … maybe like income earned – disposable income in fact.

We worked for it, we earned it and it is now ours to spend as we choose. They are our ‘secrets’ and we decide whether we want to share those secrets or not. I do think it would be helpful <if not slightly capitalistic & less human than we would like> if we did think of being transparent this way.

That said. I believe knowledge is actually more like freedom. It is an unalienable right but it is also a privilege and therefore one assumes a responsibility to it and with it.

Uhm.

And with responsibility comes burden. Which almost sounds odd in that something with ‘free’ in it should be … well … “freeing” … and not carrying such a heavy burden. Maybe I should just suggest that nothing really comes for free … everything has something attached to it.

Knowledge?

Responsibility … the burden of responsibility. The burden of secrets – shared and held.

And that is a weight you carry … one which can be as light or as heavy as you make it. But. It is a weight nonetheless. One which you learn to carry well or carry poorly.

Knowledge tests our ability … and our character … with regard to how well we can carry this weight. It tests how strong we are .. once again … in ability an character. Having said that <and most likely having a number of people feeling a little uncomfortable thinking about knowledge that way>.

Secrets are a completely different level of a knowledge burden. And secrets are tricky.

Some are thrust upon you … unwanted but yet yours nonetheless.

Some are gifted you … carefully shared by someone who believes the weight it carries is too much for themselves … alone.

But regardless of how you assume the responsibility of a secret … it is also knowledge. And therefore it also carries a burden … a responsibility … and a weight.
I don’t have the scale to weigh them but my guess is that a knowledge secret exponentially weighs more than a traditional knowledge. I also don’t have any research but I also tend to believe, just like extra physical weight, as soon as we start feeling the extra weight of a secret … we seek to shed it.

Therein lies the true test of character.

Do I treat the secret as added weight thru muscle or view it as fat.

On the former I become stronger and faster. On the latter I become slower and unhappier.

On the former I don’t look for an opportunity to shed the weight. On the latter I am always thinking about opportunities to shed the weight.

All knowledge tests you. Secrets test you even more. Knowledge, and secrets, take a strength of self to carry its weight. The weight of responsibility of having the knowledge, the weight of freedom knowledge typically permits us and the weight of character that knowledge either hones into muscle or creates an excess of fat.

That is a lot of extra weight we have accepted by taking on this knowledge.

I tend to believe we do not think about this enough. Especially those who hunger for knowledge.

To be clear … I also tend to believe those who hunger for real knowledge do not hunger for secrets <secret hungry people are beings all in themselves something different>. But I also believe those who hunger for real knowledge are given ‘secret knowledge’ whether they want it or not.

All knowledge is heavy in some form or fashion. Secrets maybe even more so. Understanding this, and the burden you have assumed, makes the weight a little more bearable because you aren’t surprised by it and you actually start carrying it better.

We talk about transparency as “freeing” and, well, it is. And, yet, it isn’t. In business , & in Life I imagine, its just not practical to be 100% transparent. And anything less than 100% means you are choosing what % <specific things> to keep secret. Those ‘things’ become, well, the weight you carry.

 There are an infinite amount of reasons why women get aggravated, and should, by men. This is not about sexual assault or any number of incredibly important issues this is about men’s overall attitudes. This is about the common everyday obstacles women face in a men’s world.

I thought about this today because:

<1> I saw these two gifs posted, and

<2> it reminds me how stupid condescending sexist assholes like this make my Life more difficult, and

<3> it reminds me how far we still have to go with regard to some fairly stupid masculine attitudes, and

<4> because I do think far too many guys don’t think about gender equality/inequality enough nor do they think about it thru a woman’s eyes <as best they can> if they do think about it … every guy should read the following from For the Men Who Still Don’t Get It <Carol Diehl> and just take a minute to reflect upon it:

“What if
all women were bigger and stronger than you
And thought they were smarter

What if
women were the ones who started wars

What if
too many of your friends had been raped by women wielding giant dildos
and no K-Y Jelly

What if
the state trooper
who pulled you over on the New Jersey Turnpike
was a woman
and carried a gun

What if
the ability to menstruate
was the prerequisite for most high-paying jobs

What if
your attractiveness to women depended
on the size of your penis

What if
every time women saw you
they’d hoot and make jerking motions with their hands

What if
women were always making jokes
about how ugly penises are
and how bad sperm tastes

What if
you had to explain what’s wrong with your car
to big sweaty women with greasy hands
who stared at your crotch
In a garage where you are surrounded
by posters of naked men with hard-ons

What if
men’s magazines featured cover photos
of 14-year-old boys
with socks
tucked into the front of their jeans
and articles like:
“How to tell if your wife is unfaithful”
or
“What your doctor won’t tell you about your prostate”
or
“The truth about impotence”

What if
the doctor who examined your prostate
was a woman
and called you “Honey”

What if
you had to inhale your boss’s stale cigar breath
as she insisted that sleeping with her
was part of the job

What if
You couldn’t get away because
the company dress code required
you wear shoes
designed to keep you from running

…… just think about it ………

And what if
after all that
women still wanted you
to love them.

–

For the Men Who Still Don’t Get It – Carol Diehl

We live in a world in which no matter how much we men suggest it is ‘getting fairer’ for women and we men are becoming ‘more enlightened’ with regard to the issues most men are just fucking clueless.

I know this post will not change 80% of men or even make a dent in the issue, however, it should serve as a reminder to the 20% of men who “get it” that we should stand up, speak out and, well, make sure we get the hell out of the way of the women who are smarter & better than us.

—–

“A dream will always triumph over reality, once it is given the chance.”

=

Stanislaw Lem

—-

Well.

Suffice it to say Hope is a pretty resilient motherfucker. And I am glad it is.

Sometimes life beats the crap out of you. And I mean REALLY beats the shit out of you.

It beats you up enough that sometimes it makes reality take on some insurmountable size and shape … all but blocking out any sight of dreams.

And in doing so … by blocking sight to dreams the only thing a person can fall back on is Hope.

And that’s what bravery is all about.

In spite of everything.

In spite of all that happens, which by almost any measure would make you decide that hope & dreams are a waste of time, you maintain some hope.

In spite of all the shit that makes you begin thinking that time is better spent dealing with reality, you maintain hope.

I say this because, in the end, I tend to believe it is some version of bravery that keeps your head focused on maintaining hope. Because you have to be brave in some form or fashion to maintain some faith in something that can be difficult to see <especially if reality is standing in the way>.

You have to be brave to maintain some dreams you have.

You have to be brave to maintain some thought that there is something beyond the reality of the moment.

Unfortunately.

Reality is the inevitable. The inevitable of Life <which actually represents, unfortunately, ‘things beyond your control’>. What I mean is that some things are inevitable in your Life once someone else decides to pursue something in their Life … especially if their decision invokes some relentlessness. And … in that ‘inevitable space’ … sometimes there are often truly no good solutions to the situations <not just problems … just regular everyday situations> that arise.

There are only bad and less bad solutions. And within that quandary it becomes even easier to lose hope.

Because that quandary most often is involving what is seemingly mundane everyday stuff … not the really big stuff. And when that happens you begin thinking … “shit … if I cannot even navigate the little stuff how the hell will I steer myself toward the big stuff <my dreams & things I hope for>.”

And you feel … well … fucked.

Fucked because Hope only provides an unclear future. There are no specifics and no clear destinations. And sometimes hope get additionally blurred by your desire to be able to see into the future.

But here is the deal.

Being able to see the future doesn’t make you any smarter or wiser than anyone else. And it certainly doesn’t stop you from making mistakes. All it does is to let you know what a problem is and how big the problem is … but it doesn’t give you any way to do anything about it.

Seeing the future just enables you to … well … see it … but you cannot do anything but deal with it <not change it per se>. And in dealing with it … therein lies the bravery.

Dealing with the daily battle to keep your Hope.

—

“I carry the battle in me.”

=

A Six Word Story

—

Each day, whether you pay attention to it or not, you carry the battle between hope and reality. The battle is defined by bravery. That is the only way you win the battle.

I imagine the opposite is cowardice. And the thought that it is the cowards <or the ‘unbrave’> who give in to reality and let hope die <or lose>. Frankly … I don’t like that. Nor do I really believe it. I don’t think its cowardly.

I just think it’s … well … very easy to let the reality of Life grind you down. You can be the bravest sonuvabitch and still find your hopes & dreams being crushed.

But.

I will say this.

You must be brave in the face of reality if you want your dreams and hope to even have a chance. And if you believe such a thing as bravery is too daunting?

Well.

Remember this.

If you give hope a chance, even a glimmer of a chance, it will win the battle against reality.

How can I say that?

Reality is, in the end, always negotiable.

=================

Generally said if the affected person should free himself from materialism or minor important things, thus set his mind over those and hence care about more crucial things, not seldom his own well-being for his plans on particular upcoming events might seriously damage his health, his reputation or the like, thus could cause him more harm than intended before – therefore mind over matter settles the issue in advance by barring the person from dealing with the issue(s) himself.

====

Mind Over Matter Urban Dictionary

———-

Well.

Mind over matter may be one of the most important trite quips in human history.

I will point out that despite its overuse and triteness, the entire concept of ‘getting your head straight’ or ‘getting your head in the game’ is maybe the most important Life & professional advise you will ever get. At its most base level mind over matter has nothing to do with positive thinking nor does it have to do with ‘doing what you are destined to do’ and has everything to do with simply making sure you are mentally prepared for whatever you are going to do or face.

I have written probably a hundred posts about mind over matter without ever directly addressing mind over matter.

• You have to participate in Life. <rsvp>.
• Daring to disturb the universe. <who dares>.
• Understanding how your attitude affects you. <lovers quarrel with the world>

<and dozens more>

Pretty much everything I write about centers on attitude and understanding how to get your mind right so you can get ahead and go do the rights things <as in the things you want to do>.

Mind over matter … well … matters because what you can actually do is often exponentially larger than what your mind thinks you can do. In other words … you need to convince your mind to see your potential. By the way, this does not mean you can do the impossible … it simply means that your head very often underestimates, practically speaking, how much you can matter in actual ‘doing shit’.  In other words … you often can do more than your head may see you can do.

Now. That said.

This brings up my only real issue with mind over matter. The positive psychology crap people seem to want to prescribe & apply to mind over matter. The positive psychology implies if you believe something it will happen. Or if you think positive things that good things will happen.

That’s bullshit.

The mind just gets you in the game. You gotta work hard to win the game.

This means that mind over matter is more often than not about happiness or positivity … it is more about recognizing real obstacles & challenges and mentally preparing yourself to deal with it all. Uhm. Recognizing … not actually accept all of it.

Just accept that “it” is there and will be a burden you will carry as you pursue your objective or step out on whatever path you elect to walk toward your vision. And, yes, it is a burden and, yes, you shouldn’t seek to lighten it but rather accept it. In other words … you will quickly discover you need to accept a sense of being uncomfortable. That is the key to the mind part of the mind over matter.

Mind over matter is about getting your head in the right place for the journey. It is not about believing you can do something impossible. In the end this means you recognize the journey is the challenge and the destination is the reward.

Anyway.

Sometimes we think of our bodies and minds as two distinct entities. And in some ways they are. But in order to maximize your potential and fulfill your purpose <which is more often than not inspired by the mind> you need to enable a more intertwined you – align the body & the mind. Researchers have certainly found evidence that the brain has a distinct power to manipulate the body’s physiology. This means if you get everything aligned in the ‘mind over matter’ that the mind/body connection can work in your favor … or against you … depending on your attitude and your ability to manage your mind.

Suffice it to say that believing in yourself is all about self-esteem and affects self-actualization <Maslow stuff>.

And mind over matter is believing you are prepared to face whatever believing in yourself throws at you.

Simplistically … you either believe you can do something or you don’t.

I believe it was Plato who wrote that the body can only move when pushed by others or when it is propelled forward by a soul or principle of life within it. This suggests an intertwining between mind, brain, body and soul. That, to me, is the formula of mind over matter in which it is the mind <attitudes> that drives the body <behavior> through the brain <intellect> … and the soul, the passion behind your purpose, is the engine.

It our minds that tie our behavior to the desires, aspirations, aims, ambitions and goals we may have.

I will note that preeminent philosophers have danced on this head of a pin over mind versus matter for centuries.

I, being an everyday schumck, would simply suggest that all that matters is you get your mind in a good place, get your head on straight and work hard. You may not get exactly what you want and get where you want but what will matter is you made the attempt and did your best.

And, frankly, pragmatically & honestly, some of us find out that sometimes your best isn’t good enough. Sometimes the world or the path Life places in front of you is more than what you have.

But … well … you know what? That’s okay. Life gives you hundreds of paths to walk.

Mind over matter opens you up to not only the first path you choose but offers you the resilience to walk another path should you stumble upon the one you first chose. And then another after that if needed.

Mind over matter doesn’t guarantee results but it certainly guarantees the energies needed to access & attain results.

=====

“Results are nothing; the energies which produce them and which again spring from them are everything.”

―

Wilhelm von Humboldt

=======

Mind over matter may actually be the difference in having a successful Life … and not.

Mind over matter is the engine that drives you to the opportunity for success.

Mind over matter doesn’t make the impossible possible but it does makes what possible attainable.