Thoughts on Seth Godin’s “Poke the Box” and “What You Gonna Do With That Duck?”

Entry number 4 and it’s a double header!

I read Poke the Box, and was genuinely surprised at how much of an actionable “ignition” book it was. Its about two and a half years old and ask with so many of Seths books, seems way ahead of it’s time.

So much of Seths later work has shipping at its core, and this book seems to be the small step before ideas of shipping enter your head — it’s about where to start. Its pre “writers block”, pre ideas of what perfect looks like — its literally about taking an action, starting a conversation, taking a risk (even a teeny, tiny one) and moving things forward, even if that thing might not work.

The one thing that stuck out for me here, was a simple analogy. It resonated for me, as the director of a street performance festival festival. The ideas is that “Juggling is About Throwing, Not Catching”. Whatever ends up in the air, deal with it then, but first…throw

As Seth tells us, “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth. Not going all the way, and not starting.”

Straight after, I dove into What You Gonna Do With That Duck?. Hard to dip into on a Kindle but actually made a refreshing read to be able to hop and skip a little through Seths musings from 2006–2012.

So many ideas point to Seth Godin’s (then unrealised idea) for altMBA, such as when he says “The two pillars of a future-proof education: Teach kids how to lead; help them learn how to solve interesting problems.” and “When we teach a child to make good decisions, we benefit from a lifetime of good decisions. When we teach a child to love to learn, the amount of learning will become limitless.When we teach a child to deal with a changing world, she will never become obsolete. When we are brave enough to teach a child to question authority, even ours, we insulate ourselves from those who would use their authority to work against each of us. And when we give students the desire to make things, even choices, we create a world filled with makers.”

My lasting quote? “Just about every great, brave, or beautiful thing in our culture was created by someone who didn’t do it for the money.”

2 great reads! Up next, “We Are All Weird”