In this 32-page short eBook, New York Times bestselling author Seth Godin presents 30 ideas for making a difference in a world that needs you.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This review originally appeared on my review site.
Seth Godin's rise to the cultural/marketing/intellectual elite allows him to say or write pretty much whatever he wants; in response, his readers raise up a fist and cry "Hear, hear!" When I put it this way, it sounds terrifying (at the least, unnerving). And maybe it is. But not because Godin has all our attention, but because what he's saying is relevant and smart.
In "Graceful," a shorter ebook released six months ago, Godin discusses the attitude, lifestyle, and aura of the new revolutionaries: the gracefuls.
"Graceful is artistic, elegant, subtle and effective. Graceful makes things happen and brings light but not heat."
Godin's "Graceful" is an inspiring read, not only because of its discussion of how consumers will gravitate towards art instead of stuff, but because his advice for assimilation into this new world is based on values and virtues.
Don't let the word "virtues" turn you off. He doesn't preach; he's not even up on a soapbox. The fact of it is, being graceful makes you a linchpin; grace is achieved with generosity, authenticity, intregrity, and other forms of emotional labor.
"...No one is born graceful. It's not a gift, it's a choice."
Authenticity, genius and integrity are in short supply, considering we're still mucking through a system that "rewards" cogs in the machine and thoughtless drones. Sure, we're seeing examples of the revolution popping up all over the place - innovative workplaces and the exaltation of the creative - but the mentality of the industrial revolution is slow to die.
The graceful, the linchpins, fill the niche of this scarcity.
"Scarcity creates value, and the linchpin understands this."
A linchpin also understands that he wasn't created overnight. He made a choice and took affirmative steps, every day, to express grace.
"No one is a genius all the time. The goal is to be a genius once. And then perhaps again.
Small steps."
Stated differently, being valuable once is an incredible advantage over never being valuable at all.
Further on, Godin goes into detail about this new scarcity.
Grace, an umbrella for Generosity, Happiness, Kindness, and Connection is the new ideal. Confronting fear and allowing yourself to experience "the new" (even if you don't particularly delight in it) are ways to nudge yourself out of the drone and towards the music.
"If you're going to grow, you can't insulate yourself from that food you eat or that person you meet or that situation you dive into, because the insulation prevents you from making the change and finding the understanding you set out to achieve in the first place."
Also, if we don't initiate these uncomfortable moments in a quest for growth, we will be overwhelmed with discomfort when the world starts changing around us. We can't ignore anymore that old systems are changing and we should be proud of the fact that we are "bringing it."
"Industry is changing. The race to the bottom is ending, the search for cheaper, cheaper, cheaper is coming to a close. People are having trouble storing all the things they bought last year, and more trouble still finding the money to buy even more. And as a result, consumers (what a great word that is) are realizing that they can't find more pleasure so easily, that buying more stuff might not be the best plan. We've always been lonely - everyone is lonely - but now the loneliness is harder to mask in a life of manipulation (doing what the boss says) and consumption (doing what the marketer says)."
People seek meaning.
So...give it to them.
I've only touched a few points that Godin makes in this short ebook. He packs a punch, that one.
Some of the other topics he discusses are:
Creating a culture of connection
Finding the one-sided coin
Rejecting mediocrity
Failure
Deniability
The new creativity
and Gifts.
I certainly recommend this short ebook for anyone that's interested in Godin's philosophy, his idea of the Linchpin, or an update on where our society is going.
(Small Warning: If you're the type that can't handle typos, steel yourself. Or attempt to accept them in grace. Or kindly ask Godin to recruit one of his followers as a proofreader.)
Seth Godin's rise to the cultural/marketing/intellectual elite allows him to say or write pretty much whatever he wants; in response, his readers raise up a fist and cry "Hear, hear!" When I put it this way, it sounds terrifying (at the least, unnerving). And maybe it is. But not because Godin has all our attention, but because what he's saying is relevant and smart.
In "Graceful," a shorter ebook released six months ago, Godin discusses the attitude, lifestyle, and aura of the new revolutionaries: the gracefuls.
"Graceful is artistic, elegant, subtle and effective. Graceful makes things happen and brings light but not heat."
Godin's "Graceful" is an inspiring read, not only because of its discussion of how consumers will gravitate towards art instead of stuff, but because his advice for assimilation into this new world is based on values and virtues.
Don't let the word "virtues" turn you off. He doesn't preach; he's not even up on a soapbox. The fact of it is, being graceful makes you a linchpin; grace is achieved with generosity, authenticity, intregrity, and other forms of emotional labor.
"...No one is born graceful. It's not a gift, it's a choice."
Authenticity, genius and integrity are in short supply, considering we're still mucking through a system that "rewards" cogs in the machine and thoughtless drones. Sure, we're seeing examples of the revolution popping up all over the place - innovative workplaces and the exaltation of the creative - but the mentality of the industrial revolution is slow to die.
The graceful, the linchpins, fill the niche of this scarcity.
"Scarcity creates value, and the linchpin understands this."
A linchpin also understands that he wasn't created overnight. He made a choice and took affirmative steps, every day, to express grace.
"No one is a genius all the time. The goal is to be a genius once. And then perhaps again.
Small steps."
Stated differently, being valuable once is an incredible advantage over never being valuable at all.
Further on, Godin goes into detail about this new scarcity.
Grace, an umbrella for Generosity, Happiness, Kindness, and Connection is the new ideal. Confronting fear and allowing yourself to experience "the new" (even if you don't particularly delight in it) are ways to nudge yourself out of the drone and towards the music.
"If you're going to grow, you can't insulate yourself from that food you eat or that person you meet or that situation you dive into, because the insulation prevents you from making the change and finding the understanding you set out to achieve in the first place."
Also, if we don't initiate these uncomfortable moments in a quest for growth, we will be overwhelmed with discomfort when the world starts changing around us. We can't ignore anymore that old systems are changing and we should be proud of the fact that we are "bringing it."
"Industry is changing. The race to the bottom is ending, the search for cheaper, cheaper, cheaper is coming to a close. People are having trouble storing all the things they bought last year, and more trouble still finding the money to buy even more. And as a result, consumers (what a great word that is) are realizing that they can't find more pleasure so easily, that buying more stuff might not be the best plan. We've always been lonely - everyone is lonely - but now the loneliness is harder to mask in a life of manipulation (doing what the boss says) and consumption (doing what the marketer says)."
People seek meaning.
So...give it to them.
I've only touched a few points that Godin makes in this short ebook. He packs a punch, that one.
Some of the other topics he discusses are:
Creating a culture of connection
Finding the one-sided coin
Rejecting mediocrity
Failure
Deniability
The new creativity
and Gifts.
I certainly recommend this short ebook for anyone that's interested in Godin's philosophy, his idea of the Linchpin, or an update on where our society is going.
(Small Warning: If you're the type that can't handle typos, steel yourself. Or attempt to accept them in grace. Or kindly ask Godin to recruit one of his followers as a proofreader.)
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
By Dale Hansman
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Just a few pages into Mr. Godin's "Graceful" and I'm prompted to write my first Amazon review in years.
What is it about human nature - my nature - that makes playing it safe so compelling? Fear? Laziness?
As he has in so many of his writings, Seth gracefully uses simple language to deliver powerful messages.
Messages about kindness, abundance, and giving another person (my wife, my boss, my client, my service provider) the benefit of the doubt.
Messages that instantly reminded me that I once knew these things, but somehow forgot. Thanks again Seth.
What is it about human nature - my nature - that makes playing it safe so compelling? Fear? Laziness?
As he has in so many of his writings, Seth gracefully uses simple language to deliver powerful messages.
Messages about kindness, abundance, and giving another person (my wife, my boss, my client, my service provider) the benefit of the doubt.
Messages that instantly reminded me that I once knew these things, but somehow forgot. Thanks again Seth.
48 of 55 people found the following review helpful
By Preston Lee
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Pleasantly short and inspirational, in Godin's typical style, though notably lacking thought regarding any specific way to actually BE that graceful, idyllic leader: that is, aside from criticizing the status quo. Thoughtful? Yes. Constructive in any tangible way? No.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
great work
Ive heard a lot about Seth Godin, but this is the first thing I've read by him. He offers an easy to read book full of inspiration. Read more
Published 48 minutes ago by Crew Spence
4.0 out of 5 stars
Yes!
I like everything that I'v read by Goodwin. A wonderful and encouraging, very small book, "translating" GRACE into very practical application. Have recommended.
Published 7 days ago by T Koehler
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great short read
This is my first book of Seth Godin. I really enjoyed learning and reading Seth's idea. I really liked his thoughtful way of writing. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Monil Desai
5.0 out of 5 stars
soaks in and plumps you up!
Seth speaks about things I have always known existed or that should exist in others. The book gently but firmly pushes me to approach everything with grace... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kevann Elletson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thought-provoking (as always), yet graceful...
I've read most of Seth's books and this is one of my favorites. Why?
As usual, Seth provides insights and perspectives on everyday life that I would never think of on... Read more
As usual, Seth provides insights and perspectives on everyday life that I would never think of on... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Donna Martemucci
5.0 out of 5 stars
A quick and inspiring read
This reading goes fast and is an effective shot of motivation. It's good to have books in your library that don't take weeks to finish and can be re-read easily.
Published 2 months ago by Douglas Crocker III
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love everything he writes
Simple yet thought provoking! I'm amazed at how clearly and easily he makes what seem to be complicated things! Can't wait for the next book!
Published 2 months ago by Marguerite Crespillo
4.0 out of 5 stars
I am falling in love with Seth Godin
I decided to take this year, and think differently. I came across this book and it challenged my thinking. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ocella0705
5.0 out of 5 stars
Scary, isn't it?
It's scary how much this essay resonates with daily life. Most people are just robots that are hardwired to avoid doing anything real. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Brad Burkard
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Godin
This book is an extension of Seth's worldview, which I happen to share. It is a quick read for those of us that need a little inspiration.
Published 3 months ago by Suzanne
More About the Author
Seth Godin is the author of fifteen international bestsellers that have been translated into over 35 languages, and have changed the way people think about marketing and work. For a long time, Unleashing the Ideavirus was the most popular ebook ever published, and Purple Cow is the bestselling marketing book of the decade.
His book, Tribes, was a nationwide bestseller, appearing on the Amazon, New York Times, BusinessWeek and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. It's about the most powerful form of marketing--leadership--and how anyone can now become a leader, creating movements that matter.
His book Linchpin came out in 2008 and was the fastest selling book of his career. Linchpin challenges you to stand up, do work that matters and race to the top instead of the bottom. More than that, though, the book outlines a massive change in our economy, a fundamental shift in what it means to have a job.
Since Linchpin, Godin has published two more books, Poke the Box and We Are All Weird, through his Domino Project.
Recently, he launched The Icarus Deception via Kickstarter, which reached its goal in less than three hours. It will be available to the public in January of 2013.
In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth is founder and CEO of Squidoo.com, a fast growing recommendation website. His blog (find it by typing "seth" into Google) is the most popular marketing blog in the world. Before his work as a writer and blogger, Godin was Vice President of Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, a job he got after selling them his pioneering 1990s online startup, Yoyodyne.
You can find every single possible detail that anyone could ever want to know at squidoo.com/seth.
His book, Tribes, was a nationwide bestseller, appearing on the Amazon, New York Times, BusinessWeek and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. It's about the most powerful form of marketing--leadership--and how anyone can now become a leader, creating movements that matter.
His book Linchpin came out in 2008 and was the fastest selling book of his career. Linchpin challenges you to stand up, do work that matters and race to the top instead of the bottom. More than that, though, the book outlines a massive change in our economy, a fundamental shift in what it means to have a job.
Since Linchpin, Godin has published two more books, Poke the Box and We Are All Weird, through his Domino Project.
Recently, he launched The Icarus Deception via Kickstarter, which reached its goal in less than three hours. It will be available to the public in January of 2013.
In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth is founder and CEO of Squidoo.com, a fast growing recommendation website. His blog (find it by typing "seth" into Google) is the most popular marketing blog in the world. Before his work as a writer and blogger, Godin was Vice President of Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, a job he got after selling them his pioneering 1990s online startup, Yoyodyne.
You can find every single possible detail that anyone could ever want to know at squidoo.com/seth.
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