## Poking the Box: The Art of Initiative and Action ### Understanding What It Means to Poke the Box Imagine a toy called the "buzzer box" that my uncle used to make. This box was filled with switches, lights, and various controls. When you flipped one switch, a light would turn on; when you flipped two switches, a buzzer would sound. It was a toy designed to encourage curiosity and experimentation. A kid would see this box and immediately start poking it, trying to figure out what happens if you do this or that. This is what I mean by "poking the box" – being curious, taking action, and seeing what happens. In today's world, we often wait for permission or instructions before we act. But the essence of poking the box is about taking the initiative, being brave enough to try new things, and learning from the outcomes. It's about embracing the unknown and the fear that comes with it, because that's where real growth and innovation happen. ### The Importance of Being an Initiator To poke the box, you need to be an initiator. This means you don't wait for someone to tell you what to do; you take the first step yourself. Excellence is not about working extra hard to do what you're told; it's about taking the initiative to do work that you decide is worth doing. It's a personal, urgent, and passionate way to approach your job or any project. Think about it this way: if you lived in a world with no middlemen, no publishers, no bosses, no HR folks, no one telling you what you couldn't do, what would you do? Go. Do that. This mindset is crucial because it empowers you to act without waiting for external validation. ### Embracing Failure as a Path to Success One of the most significant barriers to poking the box is the fear of failure. But failure is an integral part of the process. The more you do, the more you fail, but it's through these failures that you learn and eventually succeed. As I say, "If you can’t fail, it doesn’t count." The point is not in failing or succeeding; it's in starting. When in doubt, look for the fear. That’s almost always the source of your doubt. But instead of letting fear paralyze you, use it as a guide. Feel the fear and do it anyway, as Susan Jeffers would say. Today, not starting is far, far worse than being wrong. If you start, you've got a shot at evolving and adjusting to turn your wrong into a right. ### The Necessity of Shipping Your Work Poking the box isn't just about starting something; it's about finishing it and shipping it out into the world. Starting means you're going to finish. If it doesn't ship, you've failed. You haven't poked the box if the box doesn't realize it's been poked. Polishing and perfecting can quickly turn into stalling. There's a point where the benefits of polishing diminish, and it becomes an excuse for not taking action. The real win is seeing something get shipped, not in getting the credit when it does. So, set a date and time to start something – Thursday, April 3rd, 3:05, start something. Make it happen. ### Picking Yourself and Taking Responsibility In many cases, creative people or those with something to say believe they have to wait to be chosen. This mindset acknowledges the power of the system and passes responsibility to someone else to initiate. But I urge you to reject the tyranny of picked. Pick yourself. Imagine you had a chance to do a TED talk. What would it be about? What have you discovered, what do you know, what can you teach? You should do one, even if it's just preparing to do one. This is about taking ownership of your ideas and your work. ### The Power of Continuous Action and Innovation The economy demands flux, and standing still is not an option. Like a rock in a flowing river, you might be standing still, but given the movement around you, collisions are inevitable. The irony is that there’s far less turbulence around the log floating down that same river. It’s moving, it’s changing, but compared to the river around it, it’s relatively calm. Organizations often get stuck because they stick with their “A” players for too long and lose their bench strength. In a world that’s changing, a team with no bench strength and a rigid outlook will always end up losing. Instead, focus on starting things, experimenting, and discovering what works and what doesn’t. ### Conclusion: Making a Difference Poking the box is not just about personal growth; it's about making a difference. If you have the platform and the ability to make a difference, then this goes beyond ‘should’ and reaches the level of ‘must.’ You must make a difference or you squander the opportunity. Wasting the opportunity both degrades your own ability to contribute and, more urgently, takes something away from the rest of us. So, go ahead and poke the box. Start something tomorrow. Imagine the world without all the middlemen and constraints, and go do what you would do in that world. Remember, excellence is about taking the initiative, and joy comes from surprise, connection, humanity, transparency, and new experiences. Don't wait; start now. The world needs people who are willing to take the first step, to initiate, and to make a difference.

Here are the key insights from Seth Godin's book "Poke the Box": ## Understanding What It Means to Poke the Box - **Curiosity and Experimentation**: "Poking the box" is about being curious, taking action, and seeing what happens, much like a child interacting with a toy filled with switches and controls. ## The Importance of Being an Initiator - **Take Initiative**: Excellence is not about following instructions but about taking the initiative to do work you decide is worth doing. Act without waiting for external validation. ## Embracing Failure as a Path to Success - **Failure as Learning**: Failure is integral to the process. The more you do, the more you fail, but it's through these failures that you learn and eventually succeed. "If you can’t fail, it doesn’t count". - **Fear as a Guide**: Use fear as a guide rather than letting it paralyze you. Feel the fear and take action anyway. ## The Necessity of Shipping Your Work - **Finish and Ship**: Poking the box isn't just about starting; it's about finishing and shipping your work. Polishing and perfecting can become excuses for not taking action. ## Picking Yourself and Taking Responsibility - **Reject the Tyranny of Picked**: Don't wait to be chosen; pick yourself. Take ownership of your ideas and work, and initiate action without external validation. ## The Power of Continuous Action and Innovation - **Embrace Flux**: The economy demands continuous change. Standing still is not an option; instead, focus on starting things, experimenting, and discovering what works. ## Making a Difference - **Personal and Collective Impact**: Poking the box is about making a difference, both personally and collectively. If you have the platform, it is a must to contribute and not squander the opportunity. ## Overcoming Resistance - **The Resistance**: Recognize and overcome "The Resistance" – the internal fear that sabotages great opportunities. Naming it helps you befriend and ignore it. ## Ego and Initiative - **Positive Role of Ego**: Ego can be a positive force if it pushes you to be an initiator without seeking credit. Let others take the credit while you focus on shipping your work. ## Immediate Action - **Start Now**: Never think of starting ‘soon’; start now. Set a specific time and date to initiate action and make it happen.