Just because someone else does it…
... doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.
Your mother
Didn't your mother teach you anything? I understand that if a lot of people are doing something a certain way, it catches your attention. But after that, you need to evaluate what's really going on before you "drink the kool-aid."
Ask questions
All it takes to decide whether some craze is worth it for you is to seek out honest answers to a few questions.
Who are the people jumping on this bandwagon?
Is there a specific set of people doing this? All men? All white people? All teenagers? All accountants?
What exactly is this craze?
Is it a product? Is it a movement? Is it a personality?
When it comes to technology, for instance, it can be difficult to determine whether a craze is related to hardware, software, the internet itself, or a company. (Smartphones mix everything... high-profile, nearly-religious companies, sexy hardware, sexier software, cel-phone networks, wi-fi networks, GPS signals, on and on.)
So, what is it exactly that people are flocking to?
Why are people jumping on this bandwagon?
For each of these sets of people, can you understand why they are doing this? Does it promise them money, fame, security? Does it appeal to their spirituality? Is it just so they can fit in?
What is the benefit these people are receiving, or expecting to receive, by going with it?
Specific Benefits, Specifically for You
Now, really think about it. Does this craze, this product, this service, this religion, this movie trilogy -- really appeal to you? Will you get some benefit from following it? Are you indeed following it for a benefit, or just getting in line like some lemming?
Recently, I've heard over and over how "I think we're on the right track" regarding some web technology, some product design decision, some creative direction -- and all there is to show we're "on the right track" is that several other people or organizations are doing the same thing.
This is a sad mistake. Don't make it.
Good day.
Go down swinging… at something
Tom Petty reminded me of this today on the way to work. There's something in his song, though, that doesn't quite come through. I'll cover that for you.
January 28
Go down swinging.
That sounds great, and makes me feel grit in my teeth. I picture someone pretty much doomed who refuses to go down without a fight.
I think the advice is to never give up, no matter what. I know of a couple problems with that, though.
Sometimes you need to give up
The phrase "don't put good money after bad" comes to mind.
If you act on things instead of just talking about them, if you take risks often, then you'll find yourself "going down" quite often. There's nothing wrong with that! We need more action in this world, quite frankly. However, it doesn't do anyone any good for you to "go down swinging" if the swinging won't make a bit of difference.
Another phrase for you: "cut your losses."
Sometimes people think if they give up, they are worthless losers. Hmm. You can read any number of stories of famous and not-so-famous rich people who have made many more huge mistakes than you'll ever think of making. Part of the reason they're still on top (or "back on top" sometimes) is because they new when to quit and shift their focus.
What are you swinging at?
For your efforts to succeed, you have to keep your eye on the ball. To do that, you need to know what the ball is in your case. What target are you swinging at? What is it you want?
If you go down swinging at nothing, you just look like someone thrashing about, throwing a fit. When the going gets tough, you certainly should show tenacity. Before you buckle down, though, you need to make sure you know what you're aiming for.