Your competitive advantage

There's a significant advantage that you shouldn't overlook. In whatever you care about, how likely is it that other people are thinking about it as much as you are?

Your advantage is your ability to think through every scenario, every defensive response, every potential roadblock. You can figure out the solution to every one of those items before you ever begin the discussion. There's the magic.

In "Freakonomics," Levitt and Dubner use the term "Information Asymmetry." It's when a professional has access to information you don't have. Whether intentional or not, they can use the imbalance of knowledge to their advantage to get the better of a deal.

You can create an asymmetry with your passion, too. It's an easy and available way to drive your agenda. Let's call it a "planning asymmetry." Your recipient is thinking about the eight phone calls they've got to return, the conversation they've got to have with an unresponsive employee and what they're going to have for dinner. You, on the other hand, are looking for agreement on one thing, and you've spent eight, twenty or two hunred hours thinking about how to get from here to there.

Really, who's got all the power?

The Long Tail

I find myself referencing The Long Tail in conversations all the time. It is an excellent concept/observation by Chris Anderson. To be fair, I haven't read his book on the topic, but this paper makes me feel confident enough to reference it constantly. http://www.changethis.com/10.LongTail

For me, The Long Tail and Seth Godin's discussion of "Best in the World" (see The Dip) fit hand in glove. What am I passionate about ? What thin slice of the world's discussion is going to be associated with me?

Submission to Changethis

I love the idea of, and the ideas on http://www.changethis.com/.

I've just submitted an outline of my manifesto (linked at the left... http://www.squidoo.com/innovation-manifesto) to be considered for publishing on the site. Please go visit changethis to gain the insight of some passionate people.

Personal Responsibility Manifesto

I've posted a manifesto called Flow, Flee or Fight at http://www.squidoo.com/innovation-manifesto.

The queasy feeling that comes with change

Funny. Every time I challenge the status quo, I get a queasy feeling in my stomach. My head even feels like it's spinning. Are you feeling it? Are you far enough on the edge to make things truly change?

I'm definitely not feeling it enough.

The value of the PAUSE

As some have pointed out so astutely, there's a "space between stimulus and response." I think Pat Katz is doing a marvelous job of helping us access that space. Sign up for her e-zine. http://www.patkatz.com/

Wow. Just today, I started to understand social media and the value of blogs, twitter, squidoo, even facebook. Thanks to Seth Godin and Laurel Papworth. I also need to take in a big dose of Guy Kawasaki.