Break the codes

January 23, 2023 / Mindset

What everybody secretly wants... but is afraid to do.

Lately, I've been talking with many people while building Mental Breakdown. We're trying to help brands better share their vision and create movement. To do that, we interview our targets. We try to understand them and their needs better.

A recurring archetype.

Recently, we've seen the same scenario repeated over and over. All the people we meet talk about breaking the codes. Like everyone else, they want to stand up for the things they believe in.

So we ask them questions about:

  • The latest actions their brand has taken

  • Their vision of the future

  • The positioning they want to give themselves

This is where it gets interesting.

All the examples, or at least a large part, indicate that they don't break the codes intentionally. Not because they don't want to do it but because they're afraid to.

They seek safety because they live in fear.

We all dream about a safety net when making hard choices. However, these choices would not be so difficult if they were safe.

Making choices out of fear often leads us to make the worst choices. These are the choices that don't make us stand out. These are the choices that tell our community that we are afraid to be a leader.

Fear of change.

Yes, changing things is sometimes scary and sometimes exhilarating. These are all emotional responses to our attachment to things. It doesn't help our community to follow us. It doesn't help our customers get the value for which they give their money. It doesn't help our brands connect with their tribes.

This type of fear is personal. It's okay to be afraid. However, staying stuck in fear is not helpful at all. What it takes is bravery.

Instead of taking actions based on our personal fears, we should change things for others, thinking of others. Thinking about the people who work with us every day. Thinking of the people who buy what we make to help them. As soon as we think of others, the fear disappears.

Why?

The human mind chooses not to wallow in fear when the group needs us.

Making the right choices.

When we are guided by fear, we always choose the easiest option.

We choose to order Uber Eats instead of going to the gym. We choose to drown in work now instead of preparing for the future.

We choose not to choose. So the world ends up choosing for us.

This is often why:

  • A good product lacks a good strategy.

  • A good brand lacks a good vision.

  • We live as extras in other people's lives instead of being the hero of our own stories.

My advice.

We need to stop focusing on ourselves when making a decision. Instead, let's focus on others, the group, and the project. Let's focus on that thing bigger than ourselves.

Let's stop defining the term “risky” through our biased, overly individualistic prism. Let's start getting the perspective of others.

Don't let your fears define your thoughts. Don't let your fears define your actions. Don't let your fears define who you are.

Let's start standing up for what we believe in, even if we have to shit ourselves to do it!