Are You Someone Who Moves?

A New Post By Bill Rice
Marketing & Lead Generation Expert
Read other posts by Bill Rice

I was thumbing through one of my many compendiums of quotes (one of my favorite collectibles) last night and I came across one of my favorite sources of inspiration–Benjamin Franklin. And the quote I stumbled on was this gem:

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.” -Benjamin Franklin

What struck me was this afternoon Brian Clark’s (Copyblogger.com) post on the “Zig-Zag Method For Catching Attention and Building Credibility” hammered home Ben Franklin’s 200 year old point!

Decision time are you immovable, movable, or a mover?

So often our businesses, our marketing, and our writing get stuck in the immovable or movable classes. Often this is the result of contentment with equilibrium, poor performance, or recent failure–none of which breeds break-out success.

Equilibrium

Contentment with status-quo is certainly the number one killer of dreams. We fall into the good enough class. Good enough money, good enough relationships, good enough life.

In other words, things don’t suck in an uncomfortable way. You read it right there is no passion in equilibrium. However, pushing myself has a 50% chance of sucking more.

I am immovable.

Poor Performance

Performing marginally or poorly on tasks often sends us into a dangerous search for a formula. This is the classic business school case study or business case. The rationale is that if I can cite an example and I perform poorly again at least this time I am not accountable.

Inevitably, this becomes a habit forming slippery slope. A classic cancer that grows internal to many large corporations, even good ones.

I am movable.

Recent Failure

Underperforming can often masquerade as acceptable, but failure strikes immediate panic. Panic in leadership and in individual contributor. This often triggers immediate invisible, uninteresting, wannabes.

Without a conscious intervention this will wrap you into an ever accelerating death spiral of repeated failure.

I am movable.

Be a Mover

Looking for examples and patterns of success are certainly a healthy exercise. The secret is studying them for not for formulas, but rather what made them unique at the time. Was there something emotional, trendy, relevant, outrageous, comforting, dominating? Look for the tanget to the trendline at that time.

This is why I often advocate reading literature, periodicals, non-fiction, and blogs outside of your industry for inspiration in your next project. This makes it very hard to stay immovable or be movable. It is likely to spark leadership and innovation.

I am a MOVER!

Reprint: From Bill Rice's "It's About Conversion"