The Hard Things // PROPAGANDA 014

This is an email sent out to the internal team at Death to Stock, but it’s been made public for those who are curious to follow our ideas and culture.

Hey Team,

I was recently inspired by a book I’m reading about an entrepreneur who started a restaurant. She knew she needed press, so she literally found the physical address of every online publication she wanted her restaurant to be covered in, and showed up in their building with a gift. Not only that, she snuck in, and stayed until she met with each writer in person!!

That’s crazy talk in the internet era, right? I can see myself sending one email, getting no response and thinking “Well, I did what I could.”

I can think of so many things I’d rather do than show up to someone’s office un-announced. People will think you’re crazy. I’ll get shut down. I’ll get arrested?

But it also works. She got tons of press from it.

So how do we put ourselves out there more? I won’t say I’m good at this by any means, but I do think that there’s some strategies that will help us get accustomed to this process more and more over time.

Here is the truth we need to have the courage to move past;

“I complicate my goals, and I hide from the hard things.”

Here are some typical scenarios we put ourselves in;

• Instead of talking to customers, I spend time on administrative tasks instead.
• Instead of showing people my product, I keep it private until it’s *just* perfect.
• I avoid selling, and delay until a later date when I feel it’s guaranteed.
• I want to write a novel, but I’ll write better on a day when I’m inspired.
• If I raise more money, then we can work out what the product is, later.
• If I get into this program, I will be totally set from there.

What I’m really talking about, is avoiding putting ourselves on the line.

Every time you put yourself on the line, you’re taking the necessary, difficult, and direct step that will put you in a place where success is possible.

These steps can be SO painful. But If we can be aware of the hard things we’re avoiding, and act on them, I think we’ll be amazed at how much quicker things happen for us.

No, not success every time. But always important feedback.

Because with every major action, we make it to the next crucial step.

“Customers didn’t like it, OK, I’ll tweak xzy.”

“She didn’t like me, ok, I’ll meet someone else.”

“Wow, that worked, I should do that again and again.”

If we can have the courage act on the hard things, we will grow beyond what we even expected.

We just have to put ourselves out there.

// David @deathtostock

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