“Why did you do that?!” How many times did YOUR mother ask you that one?
Getting to the “why” is a fascinating journey. What drives human behavior? is a question every marketing pro contemplates. It’s a practical AND philosophical question. Philosophy is cool. This year I’m reading a couple of mind stretching philosophers from a long, long time ago (David Hume, the Scottish Skeptic, and Immanuel Kant, the transcendental idealist).
A couple of not-so-long-ago philosopher’s have popped up on my computer screen this year. These two are probably more accessible to the modern thinker than Hume and Kant. You might know them as entertainers—they are that AND much, much more.
MODERN PHILOSOPHER #1: Will Smith (yep, THAT Will Smith)
MODERN PHILOSOPHYER #2: Jay Smooth
Having trouble getting stuff done? Got 25 browser windows open and calling it work? Here’s some “self talk” to get you going.
Both of our modern philosophers cut through the clutter, the psychobabble and flush out essential truth: “If you’re not making somebody’s life better, you’re wasting your time,” from Will Smith, and the “traps” one’s “little hater” sets up to prevent true accomplishment from Jay Smooth give us plenty to ponder regarding others and ourselves.
Ponder a while, and then come back to social media: How are you using social media to make somebody’s life better; how are you dealing with your own “little hater” standing in the way of living out your passion?
Update: Jay Smooth’s video is worth the watch if you’re a creative or entrepreneur. He reminded me once again how our own internal voice, the “little hater,” is often our only obstacle to success. Sometimes that harsh-self-judging voice paralyzes us and keeps us from just doing that something we know we really need to do. Yes, sometimes people ARE going to laugh, judge, criticize, but that’s okay. Let the passion out to kill perfectionism and procrastination and, as Nike says, “Just do it!”
