My fascination with the question “why do humans do what they do (for a career) if they are not truly happy?” continues to gnaw at me.
It would be easy if I could just stop thinking about the stupid question, and move on. But for some damn reason, I’m never able to take the easy route.
Why I bring this up…is I’ve been thinking about SnoMon & Friends and asking myself “what is the motivation to create and grow SnoMon?”
In other words, “why am I choosing to do what I do?” In my case, I’m happy. But I still wonder what it is that truly motivates me. I mean, I’m super busy and have a very full life. So why try to create and build something else. Who needs that kind of added stress and work?
I guess I do.
It probably has something to do with some deep, dark psychoanalytical reason, but I think it’s actually quite simple — to create something unique that makes people feel.
That sounds pretty simple – to create something unique that makes people feel. But go ahead and give it a try…it’s not so simple.
Today, the entire world seems to be getting more and more dummied down on a daily basis. Text messaging and Twitter have ruined the English language. Twitter has given a voice and a platform to cyber bullies and trolls (I’m all for free speech, but some people should just keep their mouths shut). Social media in general has managed to decrease attention spans to the size of a gnat, while at the same time increase the need for attention, approval and ‘hey look at me and how awesome my life is‘ posts. And I’m convinced everyone at some point is going to have neck issues with the constant looking down and these damn devices (instead of looking up and around what is actually going on in the ‘real’ world)
It seems as though everything is now being created to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Throw a shitty clip art design on a t-shirt, upload it to Teespring and BAM! you’ve got yourself a ‘brand’. Sing a song about beaches, the sun, margaritas and bikini-clad women and BAM! you’re now a country artist (I’m not sure when country music started to sound like one summer anthem song after another). Read some articles, ‘boost’ a Facebook post or two, create an Instagram page and BAM! you’re an online marketer. Get on some crappy reality TV show and BAM! you’re a star.
Everything is too easy. Everything is too homogenized. It’s a race the bottom. And for a while…the bottom can be lucrative. You can make a quick buck or two. ‘Low hanging fruit‘ as they say. But how many have staying power? How many actually build something worthwhile that is unique and that makes people feel?
Of course the other option is the climb to the top.
There’s no race. There’s not one single thing that is easy.
But when you get there…you stand out. You are unique. You’ve accomplished something much harder than copying what others’ are doing, or by fitting in or by being generic. And guess what? That’s when you get copied by the lazy asses. But that’s ok. There’s only one Jimmy Buffett, Howard Stern, or Steve Jobs. The copycats are easy to spot. And usually not rewarded for their futile efforts.
That’s what motivates me…NOT taking the easy, generic, vanilla, homogenized route.
It’s making a dent in the Universe.
That’s why SnoMon & Friends and anything I attach my name to with other companies has to have a higher standard and actually stand for something that I personally believe or am invested in. Otherwise, what’s the point?
My point exactly
Wow! How was that for a rant?! Where’s the Tylenol?!
If you liked it…lemme know, I’ve got some Snoloha shirts still laying around that I need to get rid of for next years tax write-offs!
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