Inspiring People of 2018: Seth Godin and the Daily Blog

Every morning, in close alignment with sunrise, tides, and moon phases, Seth’s blog appears in my newsfeed. It’s usually there long before my 5:30 AM rise time. I don’t know if that’s because of the magic of digital automation or because Seth Godin is up writing and publishing by 4:00 AM Eastern — but his blog is in my RSS feed with the daily consistency of the news cycle.

But better.

“Better” is the word I’d use to describe what I’ve learned over the years (and especially this year) from Seth. But first, let me explain why “a marketing guy” made my list of most inspiring people in 2018.

Sure, he is an innovative marketer and entrepreneur. Maybe one of the most innovative and influential. But Seth is way more than the traditional, schmaltzy “marketing guy” of not-so-popular stereotypes.

He starts business. He has what is probably the most popular blog in world. (Just Google “Seth” and you’ll find it.) He is a writer — but even more than this, he is both a critic and influencer of culture.

That is what I find most interesting about Seth’s body of work.

Rather than joining the masses in the race to the bottom, be interesting.

Be unique.

Be you.

That’s the thing no one else can do.

You have more power, more agency than you think you have.

The message is empowering.

But, here’s what I’ve found most interesting — and inspiring. Seth has been blogging daily for years. But he doesn’t do it to have a popular blog or to make money (although he has said the daily blog is one of the most important business decisions he’s ever made). He doesn’t use analytics. He doesn’t use images. He writes directly into his blogging platform.

He blogs daily to notice things.

He blogs daily for the discipline of having to “ship” something every day.

He blogs daily in order to say one new thing every day that you can stand behind.

Now, so do I.