18.1.2022
This year a goal of mine is to build Goodfifty’s reputation as a recognised and respectable brand design agency in Melbourne, Australia. To do this I’ve committed to a personal challenge of creating more content. Content that shares my knowledge of what it takes to build a brand. By sharing what I’ve learnt over the years through experience and study, I hope to help others that are trying to build a brand and grow their business.
I started this last year but fell victim to becoming too busy to keep it up. It’s difficult to stay on top of promotion when business is going good. To help avoid that this year I’ve put together steps that help build better habits.
Sometimes we see other peoples work and think we’re not capable of competing so we don’t even try, however for success you have to start somewhere. Whatever you can do today is a start. Don’t worry if it's good enough, you will get better the more you do.
When I was a young aspiring skateboarder I had no idea how to do any of the tricks I can do today. I developed a process of watching others and then practising what I saw to what I was doing. I repeated this every day and over time I learned how to do more tricks and became better and better at doing them. Making progress isn’t easy but with consistent effort and discipline, I was able to progress.
In physics, they say that energy never dissipates it only ever transfers from one force to another. To receive anything you first have to be willing to give something. For example, in pursuit of knowledge you may give your time to reading and learning new material, or to satisfy your hunger you exchange your money for groceries. For you to create great content, you must be willing to give up time and effort to create and execute interesting ideas.
Like a new years resolution to get fit we often start with a surge of motivation and then quickly lose momentum. I believe this happens because we start to big and burn out quickly. Start small and simple, then as you build good habits that are part of your daily routine, you can further increase your output and push yourself with bigger goals. Be careful not to start too big and overwhelm yourself. Start with the smallest effort you can and build that up over time.
In Austin Kleons book - Show your work, he talks about a daily dispatch. Here he argues that building an outstanding body of work can take years. Instead of looking at the big picture, you should focus on the ‘Daily Dispatch’ – this is the act of sharing a piece of work every day. A daily effort becomes a weeks work, and several weeks become a month, then several months become a year. Focusing on just what you need to do today. Then let time work its magic for you.
It’s far easier to maintain momentum than start it. Starting small and maintaining consistency, your actions will begin to build momentum.
If you’ve ever cycled to work you’ll know there's nothing worse than hitting a red light. You have to stop and start again, it’s incredibly frustrating. To overcome this frustration you can try coasting slowly up to a red light in anticipation of it changing before you stop. Then when it turns green build speed from a rolling start which is a lot easier and more energy-efficient. Apply this thinking to your work, maintain your momentum, at times you may slow down, but be careful not to stop.
Business philosopher Jim Rohn says you should plant your seeds in the spring so you can harvest in the fall and trust in the cycle of the seasons. You have to have a level of faith and vision that what you are doing today will pay back in the future.
I’ve committed to creating lots of content this year: writing content for this blog and for Goodfifty. I’m confident that today's efforts will pay back with dividends in the future.
“one ounce of definitive discipline day is worth a pound of satisfaction tomorrow” - Todd Henry, Die empty
Every day you miss puts you a day further away from your goals. If you have an idea for a business or brand that you have been putting off I encourage you to just start. Start with the smallest effort you can, do it today. This will set you on the path to the life you dream of. Each small step will push you towards your dream. Before you know it your dream life may be closer than you could have ever imagined.
The steps in this post are a bit similar to the steps you take to achieve any goal. First, know what you want, and be willing to give something up to get it. Start small so you don’t overwhelm yourself or burn out. Commit yourself to put in the work daily, as you do so you can let time work for you. Trust that you’re on the right path and if you haven’t already get started now.