What is someone going to stop doing when they start using your product?
“But there’s a better question to ask: What are people going to stop doing once they start using your product? What does your product replace? What are they switching from? How did they do the job before your product came along? Habit, momentum, familiarity, anxiety of the unknown — these are incredibly hard bonds to break. When you try to sell someone something, you have to overcome those bonds. You have to break the grip of that gravity. So, when you’re thinking about your product, think about what it replaces, not just what it offers. What are you asking people to leave behind when they move forward with you? How hard will that be for them? How can you help them overcome everything that’s tugging them in the opposite direction?”
This is great advice for anyone who sells anything. Whether you’re a salesperson or you own a business, it’s important to think critically about why someone should by your product over another. Go further—what can your product replace? How can it improve their life?
Michael Bloomberg on How to Succeed in Business
“The part that’s most important in an education is how to deal with people. There’s no job I know that you do by yourself, and I learned as much from the two guys I worked for at Salomon Brothers, Billy Salomon and John Gutfreund, as I’d learned at Harvard. In the end, it’s people skills that you need. Whether you remember that Columbus arrived in 1492 or not — a lot of the facts you memorize are immaterial.”
I’d rather hire someone that is a novice in the position I’m looking for, but is an excellent people-person. I value people who are willing to learn more than people that have it all down. It’s easy to teach someone a technical skill, it’s not so easy to teach someone how to be a great team player.
Feeling Anxy (and how to fix it)
“A funny thing happened: I learned that sometimes the feeling that we “must” exercise causes more stress, anxiety, and guilt than it alleviates”
This is an interesting topic that most people are biased on. There are the gym rats who think if you miss one day at the gym you’re losing your life, and there are the lazy humans who use the excuse of, “being tired” to not workout. I think standing somewhere in the middle is the most healthy. My goal is to workout 4-5 times a week. If I go 3 times because I had an extremely tiring day and needed an extra two hours of sleep, that’s ok. In fact, it’s probably healthier for me to get that rest.
Patagonia and The North Face: saving the world – one puffer jacket at a time
“But what really struck him, he said, was the venue for his meeting with two Patagonia executives: ‘Instead of taking the meeting in a conference room, we took a walk to the beach. For me it was pretty special; for them it was quite ordinary.’”
Putting all the stereotypes of people who work in offices who buy Patagonia aside, this article was a really refreshing read on the brand and their mission.
Give 40, Take 0
“Many CEOs think being an enlightened, competitive company means you’re always on. Available all the time, for anyone. I believe that’s a dangerous, frivolous mindset. It causes people to burn out and resent work. It can even lead to their leaving. As a business owner, I’ve come to realize that protecting my employees’ time and attention is one of the most important things I can do.”
One of the best things I’ve ever done for myself was to stop any email notifications from coming to my phone, and turn my brain off from the office as soon as I left. I’m thankful that I work at a company that values my personal time, and I realize not everyone has that freedom. If you do, appreciate it.
29 Lessons I Learned From Tyler Cowen About Money, Learning, And Life
“In today’s global economy here is what is scarce: 1. Quality land and natural resources 2. Intellectual property, or good ideas about what should be produced. 3. Quality labor with unique skills.”
Take notes.
Living without expectations
“BTW, predictions are different from expectations. Predictions don’t come with an emotional impact if the outcome doesn’t measure up. Predict wrong? “I was wrong”. Expectations not met? “That sucks”. See the emotional difference?”
“The number of people who complain about something new that didn’t exist five minutes ago is a testament to the negative power of expectations.”
That last quote reminds me of people who listen to an album once and call it a classic. People don’t let anything settle in their brains. We aren’t processing things, we’re just consuming them.
7 Pieces of Financial Advice That Forever Changed My Life
“Buy your car with cash.” // Friend, 20″
This article was full of practical financial advice, but this one is something I would recommend everyone to do. Instead of getting that $60,000 loan for that car that’s going to depreciate immensely in the first year, get on Craigslist or an auction site and get something older for cash. You will not regret it.