In the marketing world, Seth Godin is the stuff of legends. With 18 best-selling books and a blog that’s widely regarded as the best on the web, Seth single-handedly reshaped the perception of Marketers everywhere.
He was a catalyst for the modern marketing movement with his book Permission Marketing, the book that coined the term.
But how did he get here?
Seth Godin became what he is today by…being Seth Godin. I know that me seem trite to some of you reading this, but let me elaborate.
There was no spot reserved for Seth. No one gave him a playbook. He didn’t descend from a long line of Seth Godins only to eventually take over the title.
He says what he thinks needs to be said, writes what he needs to write, and lives the way he dares to live.
What makes Seth so extraordinary is that he thinks and then has the courage to share those thoughts. Sure, his thoughts are often brilliant, but I’m sure even he would admit not all of his thoughts and ideas are brilliant, and he was not always so influential.
Seth has long advocated for us to conquer fear, to think, and to take risks. He encourages us to be artists.
And for all of the people trying to imitate and become the next seth Godin, it would seem to me that Seth would say the goal is not to be the next HIM, but to have the courage to be the first YOU.
So if you want to be like Seth Godin, don’t be like Seth Godin, be like you. And I’m sure Seth would agree with that but even if he didn’t, it doesn’t matter, this is just my perspective, and I’m sharing it.