The original post with this title, from March 4, 2014, was one of Seth Godin’s most popular. (It was later immortalized as the title of his 800-page book.)
At the end of this week, it’s important to offer some gratitude, so I want to offer some to Seth personally. When I first saw him speak live, I felt my mind change at the end of his presentation. I mean, I heard it.
Knowing Seth would be speaking, I planned for weeks to come up with some way to connect with him during or after his talk. I’d ask the sharpest question, or rush the stage, or ambush him outside the venue afterwards, or … well, I’d think of something.
But by the end of his talk, he’d changed my mind: shaking his hand, or even getting his email (the holy grail of networking!), wasn’t going to change my life. After all, I can’t be Seth: he’s already the best in the world at being him.
Instead, if I wanted Seth to change my life, I was going to have to change it after listening to him. He and others could help, of course, but I’d have to do the work. “Here, I made this,” was his mantra that morning — not “Hey, I got another business card.”
So when Seth finished speaking, I stayed in my seat. I didn’t rush the stage. I didn’t lay an ambush. I changed my mind, and — “drip by drip” — began changing my habits and practices. I still don’t know where it’s going, but that’s not really the point.
The point is that meeting someone can certainly open doors, but the only way to do our best work or become our best selves is by, well, doing it.
So: thanks for changing my mind, Seth. And here — I made this.
Colin Steele 