Here’s a quote from the intro to this evening’s HARO email:
Did you ever get to the end of a book (or the end of a chapter of a book) and wonder, “How does this apply to me?” At the end of each chapter of [the book that sponsored tonight's HARO] there is an Application section that helps you apply what you learned in the chapter to your business.
I love HARO. Peter Shankman did a real service by putting it together. And allowing people to sponsor it is a win/win.
What’s not a win/win is when someone tries to do your thinking for you, and convinces you that that’s a good idea.
Remember school? Where they taught things? Do you recall anyone trying to teach you “critical thinking?” Yes? Maybe? A little? See, they teach that in school because as a society, we know that that critical thinking is a good skill for people to have.
Now, it’s entirely possible to skate through life without being able to think critically. And sometimes, people will actually tell you that’s OK, and they’ll offer to do the critical thinking for you. For instance, by adding an “Application” section at the end of every chapter of their book that spoon feeds you the connection between the material and your business.
Don’t let them.
Because—and this may be a big newsflash—if you don’t know how to integrate material from a book chapter into your business without having it spelled out for you, then your problems are beyond the scope of the end-of-chapter Application sections.
If you lack the critical thinking skills to do what amounts to a basic high school assignment, you don’t need help with the book, you need help with your critical thinking skills generally.
Being able to paint by numbers is not the key to your success. Being able to receive answers and translate them faithfully into practice does not a leader make. A good soldier, yes. A leader, no. But see, if you’re looking for answers to a business problem, then by dint of your actions, I know you’re not a soldier. You’re a leader. Leaders look for answers.
So if you’re a leader, be a leader, and stop trying to be a soldier at the same time. Engage your brain. If you get stuck, ask for help. We all have our limits! Call a friend, a mentor, a coach. Here’s my email, I’ll help you if I can.
Most importantly, remember this: if someone comes along and tells you they can do your thinking for you, say no thanks. You’re the leader, you do your own darn thinking!
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Nice, very nice!