Tolkien Sales on a Sea of Hope Pt. 2

[Middle Earth Lessons for Marketers]

Last week I started a piece highlighting a few lessons I’ve learned this time around while reading JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings for the umpteenth time. I’d recommend reading it here if you haven’t already.

For a quick review, Tolkien makes sure we see that #everyonesuffers. For anyone that’s trying to build anything at all in terms of influence, sales, or persuasion, that’s the starting point: how do we solve a tiny slice of that problem? The starting point is not how awesome your product, tactic, or organization is.

The ultimate answer to pain and suffering in Tolkien’s Middle Earth is the power of #sharedpurpose (destroying the ring), particularly in the context of building #community. Long term, your better off seeking to build a community, not just sell your widget.

Lesson 3: Doubt Is a Perpetual Shadow that Follows Everyone

Tolkien’s characters regularly doubt their purpose, resolve, and capability. This goes for the smallest hobbit to the grandest king or wizard. And, it goes for us as well.

It’s part of what makes us human, right? There’s this constant shadow of a doubt that we aren’t enough for the task at hand. I don’t think it ever really goes away, even for the most confident and competent of humans.

You can’t wait around for sunshine to banish the shadow of doubt.

Again, Tolkien gives us the answer: #forwardmotion #takingaction. Frodo confesses his doubt, but then makes forward progress, essentially saying, “Well, this may not work, but here goes anyway.” Perhaps doubt is a signal that we’re onto something big, that what we’re doing matters.

Doubt, at least for me, can paralyze me, make me inactive and prone to procrastination.

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. ~Dale Carnegie

Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother. ~Khalil Gibran

So, if you’re experiencing doubt right now in your purpose, take some action today, no matter how small. Action is the light that banishes the shadows of doubt.

[Sidenote for literary theme buffs: just now thinking that Gollum may be Tolkien’s constant symbol of doubt in LOTR. He’s always slinking around at everyone’s heels, a constant reminder, particularly to Frodo and Sam, that he once was a Hobbit and that Gollum’s fate may well become theirs if they fail. Frodo conquers this doubt by making Gollum his uneasy ally as he moves forward with his purpose.]

Lesson 4: Diversity is an Ally not an Enemy

This is not necessarily social commentary, but it certainly could be. I’m actually sticking to the script here.

Tolkien’s world is populated with four main races: Men, Elves, Dwarves, and Hobbits. They’re all vastly different from one another. And they all have real solid reasons to stick to themselves and avoid the other races: grievances, betrayals, misunderstanding, et al.

Clearly the story doesn’t work unless they can get past all that, come together, and kick some Sauron butt.

It’s true of us as well. Since we’re likely to surround ourselves with folks similar to ourselves, it is likely inhibiting our growth, our reach, and our influence.

I’ve noticed this is particularly the province of the young — to band together in cliques. And, typically, it’s in the middle years that tendency is either broken or calcified (a la Archie Bunker). Diversity doesn’t have to be a threat.

Don’t get stuck in a single niche or stay surrounded only by folks a lot like yourself. I allowed that to happen to me for far too long, and I was missing so much in the way of perspective, insight, and beauty.

Surround yourself with folks from other backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. You’ll be able to see your work and purpose (and perhaps your life?) with greater clarity, not less. And if Middle Earth is any example, you’ll actually accomplish more in the process.