I’m just about done reading this through again and am ready to drop it in the mail to anyone who wins this week’s giveaway. You know the rules… just answer the question in the comments on the blog (not on Facebook).
My biggest issue with this book is that it talks too much about social marketing… Gary built a huge business using social tools and so that’s what he talks about (I think he talks about it too much in this book). When I think about what type of book this is, I think it’s a social marketing book. I expected some other stuff…
Having said that, I see people talking about it all the time, and many people are saying “I’m reading it again.” Gary knows how to touch people. Stripping out all of the social marketing stuff, the thing I get the most from this book is the excitement and permission to achieve a ton of stuff – to be successful – to conquer – to CRUSH IT!
Here’s the question:
WHY don’t you Crush It? Are you afraid of failure, or afraid of success? Do you not have enough smarts, looks or money? Is the economy not good enough? What is in YOUR way of crushing it?
Answer on the blog post. Winner will be notified next week. To see past Monday Giveaway prizes, questions and answers, click here.
The only thing that stands in my way and prevents me from “crushing it” is not knowing yet what my true passion is. Turning one “passion” into a revenue-generating machine means subverting a lot of other “passions” that may have been greater and more fulfilling with a little more cultivation. In other words, I’m just making excuses. 🙂
Interesting Scott… how do you essentially give up on other interests or passions, especially if they could amount to something, to focus on only one thing…
I had to go through that when I started JibberJobber, which was one of three business I ideas I had at the time. I knew to be successful I could not pursue all three, but I had to choose one and run hard with it.
No regrets at all, I can hardly remember what the other two ideas were… !
For me, it’s typically a fear “stew”, a mix of approval, failure and success all in varying measures depending on the situation and/or circumstance. To truly “crush it”, you need to truly feel the fear (or whatever it is that is holding you back) and then push past it. This is not easy to do for most people. As I’ve learned, you can’t ignore it, deny it, or set aside with a promise of dealing with it later. The longer you wait, the greater the price you pay in peace of mind, quality of life, lost opportunity, etc.
I liken the holding back to the time I finally dove (not jumped) off a high dive for the first time. I can’t remember how many times I got up there only to step back from the precipice and jump feet first instead of performing an actual dive. It takes deep faith and belief in yourself to get past the resistance and “crush it”.
Every one has their own truly unique and genuine gift to offer the world, so why not fully and completely give it (“crush it”) with passion and purpose.
I am not CRUSHING IT because I focus on the little things too often. It is comfortable that way, but obviously safety is not a good way to achieve my highest desires.
I have the book, Jason… and I read it too. There are parts I loved. I have total respect for the way Gary and his family came to America in 1978 with nothing… even his dad’s job blew out before he started his first day. And yet, they conquered, Dad’s job in a liquor store led to owning it and then… well, read the book.
I don’t follow Gary heavily but his advice that you have to give up everything to Crush It is contrary to why I work for me. I work for me — and I work very hard, but I work for me so that when my mom needs a ride to the doctor, I am there, when my kids were little, when they had a game, I was there. When a friend needs help, I am there. When Teddy wants to play ball, I am there. I don’t want to be so absorbed in “crushing it” or conquering it that I do is work.
I’ve seen the pics of Gary’s 8 month old daughter and how he adores her and I wonder if the next book will reveal that family has value too…
Why don’t I crush it? The paralyzation that come from what Seth Godin referred to as the lizard part of our brain – “play it safe, don’t stand out, you couldn’t possibly be as good as they (or YOU/I) think you are” whispers in the back of the head.
But I’m fighting it!
Mark, Laurel and Becky, thanks for the thoughts… those are all good reasons and I can resonate with some of them.
@Julie, I love your perspective and input – you are saying that perhaps we shouldn’t crush it, which you are interpreting as a sure path to amazing business and financial success. But you are taking a ‘balanced life’ position, and perhaps you are crushing it with your quality of life, as opposed to having the biggest, baddest or best business? I see nothing wrong with that – it’s all personal priorities.
I agree, it will be interesting to see how his stuff changes as his family plays a role in his life. I know my crushing it has changed as my family has grown…
After a contract job that went nowhere, followed by a layoff, I discovered my passion via a “fluke” — and didn’t realize it was my passion until about a year ago. I love medicine. I work in public relations and marketing, and I don’t mean that I love writing about hospitals, community relations and charity events. I mean I love medicine – the guts and pills and healing and frustrations and secret fixes and long-forgotten home remedies. In fact, I’m such a geek about it that I have several ideas for great web sites and books. So why haven’t I Crushed It? Job security. Financial Security. Health Insurance. Stability. In today’s frightening economy, we all seem to have our nose to the grindstone, plugging away to make sure that we overproduce and get recognized for it. We work harder to make sure we keep our jobs. I covertly pursue my passion by participating in online groups and discussion boards and sharing information with people whenever I have the opportunity. I like Becky’s comment about our “lizard brains,” and could say that’s true for everyone somewhat. But to have a guide, a parachute, a soft place (or at least a non-fatal place) to land if I fall — that would be the ultimate jaw-crushing, footstomping, monster-truck-smashing relief need to SUPER CRUSH IT!
Thanks, Jason!
I like it all – great thoughts, great reasons… and Julie gave a nice balanced perspective….
I’m closing this week after choosing Becky… lizard brain, I don’t remember hearing that before but love it.
Now, Becky, read the book I send you and you have to decided if you are going to super crush it (as Lisa says) or if you are going to have a more balanced approach, as per Julie… 🙂