Break The Mold

Every year my kids end the school year with the ABC Countdown. They look forward to these last 26 days like no other days in the entire year.  The ABC Countdown is a daily celebration for every age in every class.  My middle schooler no longer gets this, and trust me, he can’t stand that his younger siblings get to rummage through their items or wear cool clothes or paint their faces daily to celebrate the end of yet another year and all he does is study more and play less to end the year. His countdown is seeing how many pencils he break before school gets out from the amount of frustration he feels at the joy on his siblings faces.

So what is it about this countdown that does it? It’s really a silly thing.  They know they are getting out of school. And the daily events or items to bring in are not a big deal.  What I have learned and observed is that it’s that someone is now telling them to do something different than the norm for 26 days.  Wear something different.  Bring something different for lunch. Do your hair different. Bring a different backpack. Bring a different snack.  Sit by a different person.  Choose a different and funny name for a day. It’s really making them get out of their comfort zone.

So, what does this have to do with business and marketing?  Everything.  I have a saying I love to teach new employees I hire.  “If it’s not broke, break it.” Stop living in the norm.  Get in and get messy. Change what you know and make things uncomfortable so that the change can make a difference. THAT is when you see the big great things happen. It’s the same with clients… Help them understand that just because it’s “working” right now, doesn’t mean it can’t be better.  It can ALWAYS be better.

Find your own ABC Countdown. Look at life differently everyday and get out there and break the mold.  Life is about taking risks in everything we do.