Big change often starts with something simple—we all know this (and could likely provide a dozen valid examples at the drop of a hat). But what we don’t know, what we don’t always recognize, is that big change just as often starts with something “stupid.”
Case in point, Twitter? What on Earth was/is stupider than Twitter? Yet I challenge you to name anything that has had as profound an impact on the world of social media (in the entire history of the Internet). Sure, it’s easy to look at the major micro blogging platform we now know as Twitter and immediately see the brilliance behind it—but at it’s inception? Do you think you would have seen the potential, the sheer genius? (If so, high five. You’re likely very far outside the norm.) The truth of the matter is that in the early days, nobody got it. Even some of Twitter’s own engineers weren’t convinced of it’s viability.
“’A lot of people thought it sounded stupid,’ Stone [co-founder of Twitter] said. ‘Even some of our engineers weren’t interested.’”
Nevertheless, they pressed on with their high and mighty (and fantastically grandiose) goal, “to change the world.” As in, their goal was literally to take this idea that everybody else said was stupid, and change the world.
Here’s what “twttr” looked like before it became Twitter.
Photo by Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter.
Click on the link above to read the backstory in Jack’s own words.
WHAT’S YOUR STUPID IDEA?
For a myriad of reasons, many people stop themselves from setting big (aka: real) goals and dreaming big (again: real) dreams, and that’s simply not OK. It leads to living life always wondering “what if. . .?”
You’ve got to get your goals/dreams out of your head, and down onto paper where they belong. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, isn’t that what they say? In the world of dreams and goals, the first step is putting a pen to paper . . . it’s how you really own what you want out of your life.
Don’t know how to begin? Here are a few simple scenarios to help you get started:
What would you do if. . .
lack of time wasn’t an issue?
lack of money wasn’t an issue?
lack of education and experience weren’t issues?
Scribble down whatever idea(s) come immediately to mind, and there you go. These are likely some of the most significant goals/dreams of your life. Soooooo, GET TO WORK. Begin where you are. Start small. You never know what might happen. You may just change your life and even the lives of countless people around you. At the very least, you’ll be offering yourself the ability to live your life without wondering, “What if . . .?”
UPDATES FROM RICHIENORTON.COM
—I have finally adopted Twitter (I can hear jaws dropping all over the world). I may have been slow to jump onboard, but I’ve posted more than 200 tweets chock-full of happy quotes, pictures and good news, to help myself, and whoever else sees them, stay inspired and make the most of each day. Twitter is more fun than a barrel of monkeys, well maaaaybe. . .a barrel of monkeys would be pretty fun, too! Either way, you can follow me here.
—My book The Power of Starting Something Stupid has been (the most challenging and) the most important project I’ve ever worked on. I’m thrilled with the way it’s coming together. I can’t wait to share more information with you soon! Stay tuned!
What’s up Richie!! Just want to say that i have been in a funk lately…but I re-read your book resumes are dead and it reminded me to keep doing what I love to do and to do more with the skills and passions that i have been blessed with. Mahalo braddah!!
Richie NortonDec 11th 11:21 am
You’re awesome, Aaron! Thanks for the nice note. I know what funks are like. No fun. Glad something in the book helped. Keep making waves!
love the idea of pursuing your dreams as real possible things. that is not my natural mindset! Thanks richie! and thanks again for the kindle fire! still loving it!
Richie NortonDec 12th 9:40 am
Thanks SO much, Kim!!! You’re awesome. Glad the Kindle Fire is keeping you warm. :-) Thanks for following the blog.
Very Excited to read your book! The title is spot on. IN 2013 I have plans to do something I’ve always wanted to….record an album. Maybe it will only have 2 songs on it. Maybe it will only ever be heard by my kids and family. But I’ve always wanted to do it, and no matter how “stupid” it might feel to be a 30-year-old mom of (almost) 4 recording a little self-produced album, i know that if it’s my dream, it’s something worth doing. :)
[…] I found this article today and thought I would continue yesterdays thought. This is an interesting read: http://richienorton.com/2012/12/was-twitter-a-stupid-idea/ […]
Our stupid idea is to build the best castle ever. We are building a website first that will be a planning ground for the castle as well as the top destination for info about castles and the middle ages. reason for trying to make the site popular is to attract the thousands of people with different skills and abilities that will be needed to pull this off.
[…] everyone has some kind of greatness waiting to be unleashed. Others might call your dreams stupid, may think you are unwise, and some may even try to hurt you because you follow your dreams. But […]
[…] the name sounds stupid. According to a Twitter co-founder Biz Stone (yes, real name), even the engineers thought it was a stupid idea. But Twitter’s initial public valuation exceeded $30 billion. And it’s changed the way […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] which has seen higher days however rocked the world with an preliminary $30 billion valuation, was regarded as a “silly” concept by its engineers, and even considered one of its […]
“The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart.” ―DOROTHY DAY
Update on Résumés Are Dead
I never planned on writing Résumés Are Dead and What to Do About It (RAD). The book was born of necessity—as a way to answer questions, in short form, about money and meaning. Unexpectedly, and all thanks to you, the book hit #1 for Business and Investing, #1 for Careers, #1 for Job Hunting and broke the Top 100 of all free Kindle books on Amazon. This work turned out to be a powerful manifesto, both for myself and for others who were eager to start playing to their strengths and working toward their dreams.
The book’s success has been highly gratifying. However, I have been infinitely more excited by the hundreds of stories of how the RAD principles have been embraced and employed in the lives of readers from all over the world. Nothing has thrilled me more than hearing how readers are succeeding as they lean into their crazy ideas and actually start something, now. A perfect example of the type of story I am describing is found in Ben Howells.
I recently received a message from Ben, which said in part, “you have changed my life…and I mean that.” When someone writes something of that nature, you tend to take notice.
Ben’s story, in his own words, follows the video below.
“The first time I came across the term ‘Social Entrepreneur’ was when I read Résumés Are Dead. I guess all I can say is I felt as though I finally had a word for what I wanted to be. I saw a documentary about children in Bolivia working in mines and using their small wages to buy the school uniforms they had to have to be able to attend school. I took a piece of paper and just wrote T-SHIRTS!! (I still have that piece of paper.) I thought somebody should do something about that so why not me? I wanted to start a company that could provide school uniforms for children by raising funds through t-shirt sales. I had met with Richie in a business meeting in which he said something that really stuck with me. ‘When starting a business the most important thing is to prove it as quick as you can.'”
(Pen to paper: where it all started.)
“I found a school in Northern Peru of 60 kids that needed help and I remember just thinking if I can prove that this works and provide uniforms to them as quickly as possible then I know I can really grow this. So I literally made and sold just enough shirts to raise the money and within a month of starting things I took a backpack and a camera and jumped on a plane to Peru. The project went even better than I had hoped for.”
“Coming back to Hawaii and being able to show people photos and videos of how this projects words rather than just trying to explain a concept was far more effective – within a couple of weeks I had found people wanting to donate and invest in the company. Shortly after I entered a business contest and was more able to ‘prove’ that this business worked on a small scale and with the right resources would work on a larger scale and we actually went on to win that competition.”
“The team that came second in the competition was a team from the Congo teaching entrepreneurial skills back home. I just thought they would probably benefit from the extra prize money more than we would, so I asked the judge if he would switch checks. I honestly had no idea he would then announce that, but I learnt a strong lesson that day. I can say it was meant genuinely but it also turned into a huge marketing tool for us as word traveled fast.”
“Since then we have been able to deliver uniforms in Ghana, Samoa, Tuvalu and Cambodia in addition to Peru. We have more deliveries planned for Thailand and Indonesia in February and the Hawaiian Immersion schools this December.”
“Things have really started to take off. I suppose I did it in a really strange, backwards way. We only just officially launched as a business this week – I really wanted to get a number of projects done first before we tried to really grow the business so we have really limited the sales and growth to just enough per project. Now we have the tools and proof we need to fully market what we do and hopefully to be able to put a lot more children in school on a much larger scale.”
Get One or Prove It
That’s my advice. If you want to make dreams happen, start small. Get a small success under your belt or start proving that your idea is viable by employing relevant research and/or mini-tests. You don’t have to start from an “all or nothing” frame of mind. Start mini-projects, like Ben did, that have the potential to turn into larger ones. Remember, small success leads to big success.
Here’s a video (I’ve shared before) that discusses this principle in greater depth.
Even if you think you couldn’t possibly forget your brilliant idea, write it down anyway. This isn’t about memory-jogging. It’s about putting action to ideas—even the smallest act can create the greatest change.
“The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum. The most important rules that I ever adopted to help me in achieving my goals were those I learned from a very successful man who taught me to first write down the goal, and then to never leave the site of setting a goal without firs taking some form of positive action toward its attainment.” —ANTHONY ROBBINS
2. Believe you can.
Sounds simple enough, but disbelief is Enemy #1 and must be destroyed.
“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” —NORMAN VINCENT PEALE
3. Tell someone.
Vocalizing your dream holds you accountable.
“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” ―ERNEST HEMINGWAY
Very small. Tiny. Start with something you know you can do that will lead you along the path toward your ultimate dreams.
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” ―LAO TZU
6. Keep going.
Never stop. Keep doing the tiny things, and you won’t be able to help but build toward big momentum.
“If you’re going through hell, keep going”. ―WINSTON CHURCHILL
7. Spread your success. Help others succeed.
People want you to succeed. Believe that. Share your wins. Receive and offer support. Build credibility. Simultaneously, do all you can to influence others for good and to help them succeed.
“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” ―NAPOLEON HILL
Bonus Tip: Be grateful. Be humble.
Even when you’re down and out, express gratitude for all that is good, and learn from all that is bad.
“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” ―BRIAN TRACY
Special Note
Many creatives that I’ve worked with are far too quick to get down on themselves. Their art inspires them but that inspiration is fleeting. Bursts of confidence and passion are commonly (and quickly) followed by bouts of doubt or discouragement. To you who fall victim to this tendency, I say: Don’t tie your happiness to the success of the project, rather tie your happiness to the journey toward it! Just keep moving, no matter what. You’ll get there. Truly, you will.
I love what I read, not the first time for me to be schooled in what u r sharing but while reading your blog I definetly clear now what I need to do..this is very doable…..thanks my frem
naturally like your web site but you have to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very bothersome to inform the reality on the other hand I’ll certainly come back again.
“Life is to be enjoyed, not endured.” —GORDON B. HINCKLEY
2. CARPE DIEM
“Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.” —HORACE
3. LOVE YOURSELF
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” —LUCILLE BALL
4. LET GO
“Freedom is not overcoming what you think stands in your way. It is understanding that what is in your way is part of the way.” —GUY FINLEY
5. SEE FAILURE AS AN OPPORTUNITY
“Failure is the opportunity to begin again, this time more wisely.” —UNKNOWN
6. GET BACK UP
“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” —VINCE LOMBARDI
7. POLISH UP
“If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?” —RUMI
8. BREAKDOWN, THEN BREAKTHROUGH
“Breakdowns can create breakthroughs. Things fall apart so things can fall together.” —UNKNOWN
9. BE STRONG
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” —UNKNOWN
10. SERVE SOMEONE TODAY
“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” —JOHN WOODEN
11. DWELL ON HAPPY THINGS
“Every moment you get is a gift. Spend it on things that matter. Don’t spend it by dwelling on unhappy things.” —UNKNOWN
12. LOOK FOR THE BLESSINGS
“Look for the blessing in all situations.” —DR. WAYNE DYER
What’s up Richie!! Just want to say that i have been in a funk lately…but I re-read your book resumes are dead and it reminded me to keep doing what I love to do and to do more with the skills and passions that i have been blessed with. Mahalo braddah!!
You’re awesome, Aaron! Thanks for the nice note. I know what funks are like. No fun. Glad something in the book helped. Keep making waves!
love the idea of pursuing your dreams as real possible things. that is not my natural mindset! Thanks richie! and thanks again for the kindle fire! still loving it!
Thanks SO much, Kim!!! You’re awesome. Glad the Kindle Fire is keeping you warm. :-) Thanks for following the blog.
I LOVE THIS POST RICH. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. AND I LOVE YOU! YOU’RE MAKING SUCH POSITIVE CHANGE IN THIS WORLD. I’M PROUD YOUR MIND.
Thanks SO much! Love you!
*proud your MINE, not MIND, because that means nothing.
Very Excited to read your book! The title is spot on. IN 2013 I have plans to do something I’ve always wanted to….record an album. Maybe it will only have 2 songs on it. Maybe it will only ever be heard by my kids and family. But I’ve always wanted to do it, and no matter how “stupid” it might feel to be a 30-year-old mom of (almost) 4 recording a little self-produced album, i know that if it’s my dream, it’s something worth doing. :)
Love that, Darci!!!!
[…] I found this article today and thought I would continue yesterdays thought. This is an interesting read: http://richienorton.com/2012/12/was-twitter-a-stupid-idea/ […]
Our stupid idea is to build the best castle ever. We are building a website first that will be a planning ground for the castle as well as the top destination for info about castles and the middle ages. reason for trying to make the site popular is to attract the thousands of people with different skills and abilities that will be needed to pull this off.
[…] everyone has some kind of greatness waiting to be unleashed. Others might call your dreams stupid, may think you are unwise, and some may even try to hurt you because you follow your dreams. But […]
Amazing! Thanks, Marc!
It’s amazing to visit this website and reading the views of all mates regarding this piece of writing, while I am also zealous of getting familiarity.
[…] the name sounds stupid. According to a Twitter co-founder Biz Stone (yes, real name), even the engineers thought it was a stupid idea. But Twitter’s initial public valuation exceeded $30 billion. And it’s changed the way […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] Twitter, which has seen better days but rocked the world with an initial $30 billion valuation, was thought to be a “stupid” idea by its engineers, and even one of its […]
[…] which has seen higher days however rocked the world with an preliminary $30 billion valuation, was regarded as a “silly” concept by its engineers, and even considered one of its […]
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