Make Something Cool with Alex Sugg

"People like us do things like this"

- Seth Godin

When Seth first uses this quote in his book This Is Marketing, I felt a light switch turn on. This is what it means to communicate with your audience.

A lot of the time, we try to be all things for all people, and when we do that, our work gets pretty stale and doesn't truly connect with anyone. But if you make your art, your product, or your service for a specific group of people, you need to talk directly do them.

You also need to let go of all the other people who "don't get the joke," as Seth also puts it. You narrow down who you are connecting with, so you can create better connections.

Where can you narrow your focus in communicating with your audience?

In the digital age of 'overnight' success stories such as Facebook, the hard slog is easily overlooked.

- James Dyson

The patience game is not very fun... until you win. Sometimes I get 'being patient' mixed up with 'waiting around.' The two are not the same.

The patience game is all about what you're doing while you're waiting. How are you setting yourself up so that when the time comes, you're ready for the moment? Waiting around is just waiting for something to fall in your lap, and then when it does, you don't know how to handle it.

We must get good at being patient and persistent with our work. If you can get good at this, you'll start winning more often.

If you're willing to clarify your long term goals and stick to them, you will outlast 99% of other people around you.

Why? Instant gratification will snare almost anyone these days, and it's only getting worse.

So if you can delay gratification on things that sound good right now, and focus on the things that you want the most in the future, you will get much further along in your goals.

What can you refrain from today to get closer to your goals?

The most prominent companies in the world are spending big money to get something from you.

That is your attention. Never forget how valuable it is.

So today, what are you going to pay for with your attention? Where can you redirect your focus to better places, so you get the right things done?

My friend and I were texting yesterday about some of our creative projects, and I asked him what he has been inspired by lately.

"I've been inspired about the current events," he said. "There are just all these cool possibilities."

It caught me off guard. The current events have been so heavy and challenging to sift through, but the way he has been seeing them is totally different. He is seeing opportunity in this moment. He is inspired by the challenge, not torn down by it.

So how can you look at the challenge you're facing today, and see it as an opportunity?

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

― Toni Morrison

There is a gap in the world, and it is your job to fill it. Your job is to go and find that hole. It will be located between your influences, idols, values, taste, and your dreams. If you take all of the unique parts of who you are and point them at each other toward a common center, that is your lane.

For example, when I use to write music, I had to find my niche. I loved classical music, but my heart lived for R&B. So I found the gap, and I made music that brought the two together.

So today, where you can look at your life and inspirations to identify the gap that you need to fill in the world?

Sustainable by design

A new week is here! For some people, this is an exciting feeling. For others, it's not very thrilling.

What do you think separates those two? Someone happy for a new week understands the opportunity that the week holds for them. The person who doesn't feel great about it simply can't see what the week is for yet.

That is why today, I want to ask you this question: What will I have achieved for myself, my project, or my goals by Friday of this week?

If you identify something achievable and make time to do it, I promise your week will start looking up real quick.

Reply to this email and let me know what you're working toward. I'll follow up with you on the work later this week.

Clarity day

How to break the rules