Don't get stuck.
I was underneath the barbell at my CrossFit class on my 4th of 4 sets of Pause Bench Presses.
I had exceeded my max by 5 lbs. In the world of weight lifting – of which I’m definitely a novice - 5 lbs. can be huge.
I rolled the bar forward in the J cups. Placed my hands on it. Settled. Then lifted it above my chest.
2 breaths down. Hold for 1. And push. Once, 2x, 3x. Now for the 4th and final rep.
Suddenly, my arms started quivering. My heart began pounding.
Two words flashed in my mind. I can’t.
And so, I stalled midway. 75 pounds of steel hovering inches over my chest.
“Push,” Coach Tommy shouted. “You got this.”
But I didn’t “Got this.”
I was stuck.
I lost focus. In a split second – I had a failure of fierce. Psyched myself out of success. Doubt became defeat.
Tommy gently guided the bar back into the rack. “Next time,” he said.
Stuck sucks.
Yet it happens all the time – to athletes – and to brands.
Here are 4 telltale signs you’re about to get stuck.
1. Paralysis by analysis. Waiting until “The moon is in the 7th house and Jupiter aligns with Mars” is a great lyric but a lousy approach.
Instead: While it’s natural to want to study a problem from all angles before taking action, gradualism is elephant size tranquilizer. Sometimes you just need to build the plane while flying it. Focus on progress, not perfectionism.
2. Opinion Shopping. Contrary to popular opinion, not everybody gets one. Not your doorman. Your housekeeper. Your great-aunt Sadie. Consensus marketing rarely if ever produces courageous ideas that move the needle. As my friend, @TonyYumul, Partner and Creative Director @CaseAgency says: An average of opinions is an average opinion.
Instead: Stop second-guessing. Trust your gut. Instinct is a power tool that is often dismissed and undervalued. I doubt Sergei and Brin asked anyone before everyone was Googling.
3. This is how we’ve always done it. The 7 most dangerous words in marketing. It doesn’t take an Einstein to know that doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome is just insanity.
Instead: Set a BHAG – Big Hairy Audacious Goal. And follow Desmond Tutu’s wise words: “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” Forward momentum that feels daunting, overwhelming, and even impossible can be accomplished by taking simple steps one at a time.
4. Shiny Object Syndrome. (SOS) It’s easy to be dazzled by the next big thing. Question is: Is it actually good for your brand or not. Willy-nilly business boosting tactics won’t give you a competitive edge.
Instead: Before you head onto the next wild goose chase, recognize that they are the ultimate distraction. Introduce uncertainty. Divert resources. Stall momentum – and morale. To keep you brand fresh and exciting, adapt an “Always On” strategy. Be consistent. Have a message that can continuously capture and energize your audience with a new way of thinking about your brands. That’s how to stay ever-relevant
One of my favorite ways out of stuck is a technique called Backcasting. which as the name suggests, is the opposite of forecasting.
In Backcasting, you envision a successful outcome – essentially where you want to be in the future – ask “what do I need to do to reach that vision of success.”
Backcasting tests your storytelling abilities so you drive the future vs. being one of its passengers.
To push that bar above my weight I saw the success point and built the strength to get there. The following week I came back to that damned barbell with focused force. And that made all the difference. 80 lbs. Woo-hoo.
Bottom line, successful brands – and athletes - never lose focus.
They keep their eyes on the prize.
Let me repeat: Successful brands can never lose focus.
Success takes courage. Consistency. Confidence. And cojones.
Strap on a pair and develop a can-do vs. can’t do attitude. Focus on future momentum.
This will change your brand from stuck – to one your audience is stuck on.