22 Quotes from Seth Godin’s New Book: Poke the Box

Hey SCG,

this week is a sneezing week at web 2.0 world about Seth Godin ( see for example here , here or here) & his just published book Poke the Box (PTB) -> I have got a privilege to receive Kindle version of PTB prior to its official publishing date (1 March) thanks to my involvement in Street Team of The Domino Project -> project founded by Seth, where he is making a point, that re-inventing book publishing business is inevitable. Let me share with you a glimpse of the PTB quotes, which resonated with me the most and might do as well with you. Go! Go! Go!

22 Quotes from Poke The Box Hand-Picked with Care for You:

Soon is not as good as now.

The only defensible way to thrive is to double and then double again. To innovate on the way to innovating, to start on the way to starting.

The more you do, the more you fail.

The real win for you (and your ego) is seeing something get shipped, not in getting the credit when in does.

We have little choice, but to move beyond quality and seek remarkable, connected and new.

When in doubt…Look for the fear. That’s almost always the source of your doubt.

Reject the tyranny of picked. Pick yourself.

Please stop waiting for a map. We reward those who draw maps, not those who follow them.

Just hanging out has nothing to do with boldly going where no one has gone.

We’ve been taught to shut up and keep our heads down.

Poking doesn’t mean right, it means action.

Starting means you are going to finish. If it doesn’t ship, you’ve failed. You haven’t poked the box, if the box doesn’t realize it’s been poked.

The challenge is to focus on the work, not on the fear that comes from doing the work.

Today not starting is far, far worse, than being wrong. If you start, you’ve got a shot at evolving and adjusting to turn your wrong into a right. But if you don’t start, you never get a chance.

Joy comes from surprise and connection and humanity and transparency and new. These are alien concepts in many places.

Organizations have people who will try to patch problems over after the fact, instead of motivated people eager to delight on the spot.

Formulating a plan, however, is a rare valuable skill.

It’s impossible to have success only policy.

Intellectual integrity goes beyond being clever-it requires that you put your ideas into the world.

Starting doesn’t mean controlling. It means initiating. Managing means controlling, but that’s an entirely different skill.

As you increase your willingness to buzz in, you will intersect with the market, with bosses and co-workers and people willing to buy from you.

You can’t lose. Go go go!

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Bonus: Some “leaks” from The Domino Project kitchen”

Seth started to write PTB on December 7th and you can see galactic publishing speed of The Domino Project, when already in March are Poke the Box ideas spread all around the world.
Seth starts his day at the office around 9AM with a mug of smoothie.
He cooks lunch for his Domino team – everyday!
He leaves office around 3,30PM to go home and cook dinner for his wife.
Seth does not work on weekends, but spends time with his family.

SCG,

do you believe in power of a tribe & the fact that good ideas are worth spreading? What tribe do you lead? When was the last time you have started something without being given any guidelines? Do you wait for permission to initiate things or do you have guts to take a leap and start-poking?

And before you will leave your comments: