Products Fail, But Technology Prevails (just look at BlackBerry)
Resisting innovation causes more discomfort than it avoids.
Enduring hardship and overcoming hardship are not the same thing.
Tolerators endure the longest.
Navigators go the farthest.
The difference between tolerators and navigators?
It’s the discomfort they choose.
Tolerators choose existing discomfort.
Navigators choose new discomfort.
Resisting new and innovative ways to navigate causes more discomfort than it avoids.
That’s why helping people adapt to discomfort, and adopt new ways of navigating it, is the biggest market opportunity of our time.
Because even when new products fail, new technology persists. Just look at BlackBerry. Their product crashed, but having a computer in our pocket lived on.
AI isn’t going anywhere.
So, we best start adapting. And that starts with ourselves.
The way we use small talk significantly impacts the connections we make (or don’t make). An episode of the Diary Of A CEO podcast with Charlie Houpert hit me harder than I’d anticipated.
I’ll tell you why, but let’s call out the elephant in the room first.
I like the Diary of a CEO podcast. Steven Bartlett is a great interviewer who nurtures vulnerable and genuine conversations with his guests.
But I truly can’t stand the click-baity, algorithm-suckling, shock-mongering titles they use for their episodes. Take this one for example: “The Charisma Teacher: Psychology Of Why People Don't Like You! People Are Attracted To These Traits!” Is this really necessary? They clearly work or their team wouldn’t use them, but…yuck. I listen to the podcast despite these headlines, not because of them.
Now, back to why this episode is worth a listen anyway.
Charlie offers an insightful social commentary on the decline of in-person conversation skills. He and Steven discuss a few simple strategies for engaging with others more intentionally.
Looking beyond any pandering to dudes trying to pick up women, their conversation made me reflect on the ways that I approach interactions with others—friends, coworkers, strangers alike. Have I accidentally been walling myself off rather than building opportunity for connection? Yep. It seems so.
The info I found most valuable from this podcast:
Go-to conversation starters that help avoid the “fluff”.
Ways to respond to “how are you?” that give others opportunities to follow up.
Questions for going beyond the surface without feeling like an interrogation.
Thanks for being here. See you next time.
onward.
-dmac
Here are my favorite resources for becoming unobstructed that you can use this week.
watch.
Microsoft CEO’s Shocking Prediction: “Agents Will Replace ALL Software" with Matthew Berman.
This Is A Dope Ass Wednesday In Your 40's with Timm Chiusano.
APOCALYPSE: descend into the steep and technical couloir with Madison Rose and Veronica Belle.
listen.
Adapting to new tech with Marques Brownlee [MKBHD] and Trevor Noah.
Raising resilient kids with Missy Testerman and Michael Gervais.
Doing what you love & helping others with Ben Nemtin and Mark Manson.
read.
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
Anonymous Feedback is a Dangerous tool and it Can Tear Trust Apart by Rajesh Mathur.
Blake Lively and Amber Heard: When history repeats itself before we learn our lesson by Celeste Davis.
Welcome back or welcome to Becoming Unobstructed.
I’m Derek, a former outdoor guide climbing my way through the tech world.
Every week I write essays on personal growth, leadership, and building mental wealth. If those are your thing, consider subscribing.
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