Take Permission

The Right Tools & Mindset For Success

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The Map Isn't Wrong, But You're Forgetting Something

840 view andy traub
Driving east on 840. Not the fastest route.

I use the Waze driving app every time I drive. By default, it gives you one route and starts navigating. What most users don’t know is that Waze offers more than one route. You have to hit one more button to see them. Where I live, the other routes are always prettier.

Waze’s default filter is speed. That’s not my default filter.

Tools can help, but we choose what’s easiest to our detriment. (highlight to share)

It’s ok to want a map, but if your only filter is “get there fastest” you’re missing out on a lot. Use tools and courses, but filter the directions.

I choose the prettiest route.

What’s your filter? Are you applying it?

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Why You Can't Steal a Brand Even if You Try (NSA vs. Michael Hyatt)

The National Speakers Association was tired of being confused with the National Security Agency that has been stealing American’s information so they decided to steal Michael Hyatt’s brand. Take a moment to enjoy the irony of that. They avoided being the NSA that steals information by stealing. Like most thefts, this one is NOT going to end well for the thief.

This video is like a security camera. It captures the exact moment the crime happened.

 

You can’t steal a brand in 2014 and it has nothing to do with trademark laws.
3DPlatformCover-2Platform is a common word but it’s also already the name Michael Hyatt’s New York Times best-selling book, on-line community with thousands of members and conference. Their decision may have some legal ramifications since Hyatt started the process of trademarking the term a few months ago. The most important lesson we can all learn from their obvious mistake is that you don’t own your brand, your tribe does.

[Tweet “You don’t own your brand, your tribe does. @NSASpeaker #theft #Platform”]
Michael Hyatt has mentioned his disappointment on social media.

What’s more powerful is the response of hundreds of his tribe members.


 
When you build an idea and a brand your tribe will protect it
Popular author Chris Ducker spoke at the event and when they announced branding theft/rebranding he said he was flabbergasted. Chris Ducker Platform response
 
Don’t mess with the tribe
Their Instagram post has over 50 comments from defenders of Hyatt and zero responses by the NSA. Their last tweet points to a FAQ about the name change.

What we’re seeing is a great example of a hyper engaged tribe and a tone deaf organization.

[Tweet “What we’re seeing is an engaged tribe and a tone deaf organization. @nsaspeaker”]

I am part of Michael Hyatt’s tribe so my opinion is obviously biased. Even an outside observer can see that the branding theft is obvious. The red curtain background is the icing on the branding theft cake.

Did the National Speaker’s Association know?
NSA likely hired an outside firm to help them rebrand. That firm decided to use the name Platform with full knowledge of Hyatt’s existing branding and NSA leadership, also aware of Hyatt’s branding, agreed to the branding theft.

The money has been spent. The banners have been printed. NSA has backed themselves into a corner and they’re going to have to decide what to do. Some have suggested they change the name to “Podium”. The NSA has to the least make a statement acknowledging their right to use the name and at the most change the name again. My suggestion is that they do both.

This isn’t going away and it shouldn’t. My guess is that Hyatt is bothered by the move but he’s experiencing more joy than frustration right now because he’s watching his tribe defend him and his work.

There is no win-win
The organization of NSA and the work of Hyatt are too similar for this to be a win-win. Hyatt was there first. He din’t trademark the name because it’s a common word and frankly because he doesn’t have to. You don’t have to defend your brand, your tribe will do it for you.

Other Perspectives
My friend Mike Kim wrote a great summary of this incident as well. Michael Hyatt “Owns” Platform … And 4 More Reasons The NSA Blew It On Rebranding

For another perspective on protecting your ideas in a digital age read this post by Seth Godin –How To Protect Your Ideas In The Digital Age

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Win at Jeopardy and life with the Forrest Bounce

If you want to win at life then you need to be willing to use the Forrest Bounce.

Arthur ChuArthur Chu has won over $102,000 on Jeopardy because he’s employing that unique strategy. He pics different amounts in different categories while playing Jeopardy and his opponents are having a difficult time keeping up.

Click here to watch the video

Purists are irrelevant
The goal of Jeopardy is to win fairly. Arthur Chu is winning and he’s not breaking any rules. If you want to win at life I suggest you take permission and try different categories. Move around and try different hobbies, restaurants, routes to work or even where you live. If some people don’t approve it doesn’t matter. It’s not their life or in Chu’s case, it’s not their game.

Who is your competition?
The competition that you need to outmaneuver is complacency, fear and the habit of doing what you know instead of what might be. In your business, your writing, your parenting and your dreaming, try the Forrest Bounce.

Move around.
Become unpredictable.
Surprise even yourself.

If you can ignore the purists and have the guts it’s a winning strategy. Just ask Arthur Chu.

Where do you mix things up in your life and vary from the “norm”? Has it paid off?
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True Motivations for The World Domination Summit

I cried this morning. When you’re a grown man being misty eyed counts. It happened as I went in to kiss my two oldest kids (5 and 3 yrs old) goodbye while they slept. They’ll look older when I get back, it happens every time. I’ve tried to explain why I’m going to Portland, Oregon a few times this week and I end up sounding like an idiot. I’m going to the World Domination Summit and given our world’s political climate perhaps it’s wise that I tell as few people as possible the name of the conference. It’s friendly though, I promise.

Chris Guillebeau started the conference just a few years ago and it has quickly grown to 3,000 attendees. This may not seem like a huge deal but Chris is one man. He’s not part of a larger brand or even business. He works for himself and I doubt he even has an office he works out of. He’s the ultimate solopreneur (entrepreneur that works for and by himself most of the time). If you look for #WDS2013 on Twitter you’ll see the huge variety of people attending and expecting different things. This conference is unique. There isn’t another that comes close to it. It’s defined much more by the personality of the attendees than the founder or the speakers. There will be great speakers and break out sessions but the topics will vary wildly  and there will be few lines drawn that we must follow.

This is a conference for people who think for themselves and it gives us a space to do just that. This isn’t a place for a step by step plan to change your life, it’s a time for friendship and opening your mind to new possibilities in yourself. That may sound like a vague reason to buy a ticket for hundreds of dollars then pay hundreds more to fly and stay in a hotel but I trust Chris and I trust the other attendees. There are billions of people in this world and I’m pretty darn excited about the 3,000 I get to hang out with this weekend in Portland.

If you didn’t know what to expect then you might fill your mind with ideas and scenarios. For the next three days I’m going to leave my scenarios at home in Sioux Falls and leave myself open to new friends, new ideas, new hope and new joy. The only way to receive a gift is with open hands. Here I come Portland, with open hands.

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Does your business have an ultimate goal?

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Your business can be part of a bigger story.

The primary goal of every business is to make money because without money the business can't continue to operate. Money is like water though, it's hard to hold on to very long and it won't satisfy all your needs.

There's a bridal store in my city that wants to do more than sell dresses. They want to be the first stop on the road to a healthy marriage. They're replacing the gossip magazines with marriage books. They're training their staff to help brides get the resources they need to start their marriages right. They're having conversations and asking questions that matter so they can offer help that matters. They still want to sell dresses and tuxes but that's not the ultimate goal anymore.

I'd rather buy a wedding dress (or a tux) from a store that cares as much about my marriage as my wedding day, wouldn't you?

What's the ultimate goal of your business? Find one soon for your sake and for your customers.

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