The problem with taking offense is that it's really hard to figure out what to do with it after you're done using it. Better to just leave it on the table and walk away. Umbrage untaken quietly disappears.
The competitive advantages the marketplace demands is someone more human, connected, and mature. Someone with passion and energy, capable of seeing things as they are and negotiating multiple priorities as she makes useful decisions without angst. Flexible in the face of change, resilient in the face of confusion. All of these attributes are choices, not talents, and all of them are available to you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that success in a competitive marketplace relies on personal qualities like humanity, connection, and resilience, which are choices anyone can make.
In this quote, Seth Godin underscores the importance of embodying human qualities such as connection, maturity, and passion in a competitive environment. He suggests that success is less about inherent talent and more about the conscious choices individuals make to be flexible, resilient, and capable of prioritizing effectively amidst challenges. Godin empowers individuals by highlighting that these valuable attributes are accessible to everyone, encouraging a proactive approach to personal development.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech for business professionals.
More from Seth Godin
All quotes →Not adding value is the same as taking it away.
Excellence isn’t about meeting the spec, it’s about setting the spec. It defines what the consumer sees as quality right this minute, and tomorrow, if you’re good, you’ll reset that expectation again
Living with doubt ... is almost always more profitable than living with certainty. _x000D_ People don't like doubt, so they pay money and give up opportunities to avoid it. _x000D_ Entrepreneurshi p is largely about living with doubt. If you need reassurance, you're giving up quite a bit to get it. On the other hand, if you can get in the habit of seeking out uncertainty, you'll have developed a great instinct.
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Art isn't only a painting. Art is anything that is creative, passionate and personal. Art is the unique work of a human being created to touch another. Art is created to have an impact, to change someone else.
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I implore you, I entreat you and I challenge you to speak with conviction. To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks the determination with which you believe it. Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker, it is not enough these days to simply question authority—you've got to speak with it too.