Playing it Safe will Destroy Your Life

By On · 86 Comments · In Awesome Sauce

I’m so sick of boring-ness, I’m sick of boring blog posts, boring advertisements, boring conversation and boring people. I loathe myself every time I think I’ve put out a ‘boring’ post on this site… I lie awake thinking “ugh, you just drained someone of a few minutes of their life reading your boring crap” but I digress. Point is boring is out, extraordinary is in and to be extraordinary you mustn’t play it safe because honestly avoiding risks is a terrible way to live.

10 Ways to kick boring’s butt & be extraordinary

  1. Always do the Never.

    2. Seth Godin is a genius, I don’t know if I say this often enough, but it deserves to be said. I was just reading Small is the New Big and he said something that stuck with me… Find the always and then do the opposite if you want to succeed. Example: blogger’s always are concerned with SEO, advertisers always are interrupting us, entrepreneur’s are always trying to get your business. What if you were a blogger who NEVER cared about SEO and just wrote from the heart, what if you NEVER interrupted people and instead complimented their life with ads that pertained directly to them, what if you NEVER did business with anyone except those who sought you out and practically begged you to take their money?

  2. Take a risk every day.

    3. What if you forced yourself to go out on a limb daily ? Like a major limb, what if each day you made a huge stride towards a goal of yours. Like you spent 2 hours a day working on the business you are planning on launching, come rain or shine, regardless if the wife yells or the kids scream – just force yourself to every day not play it safe and go for your unreasonable goal. What if you walked into the offices of the six largest business in your town and asked them if you could have their business EVERY day, never taking no for an answer, coming back again and again – to the point that they threw you out? You’d annoy 5 of them, but one of them, the CEO who had the heart of an innovator would be impressed and would be your first big client.

  3. Play hooky.

    4. I am a firm believer in scrapping college for reading 3 books a week and learning from the school of real life and I suggest people bail on their 9 to 5 jobs and give themselves no option to fail as a BIG motivator to succeed.

  4. Drop everything you don’t love.

    5. Has your boyfriend of five years been keeping you back? Do you “love” him but not LOVE him… drop him. Free yourself of baggage and start soaring to new heights. Dump the job you hate, drop the car you despise (in turn for a bike or something) and kick the relationship that holds you back to the curb with the ole its not you its me routine (or my personal favorite its not me, its you).

  5. If you have an idea that is unrealistic seriously consider it.

    6. When you tell people your ideas or inventions which one do you they respond to most fiercely to? Do that one… even if it is an epic flop like the Segway you know you’ll get some awesome press from it and meet new people along the way. At the very least you can blog about your amazing failures at epicflop.com (domain is FREE people!).

  6. Introduce yourself to everyone.

    7. What would you do if a 5’1″ girl at 100 pounds who looks about 16 came up to you at a bar and said “So, what are you passionate about”? Run, put your hands in the air and say “I didn’t touch her officer” or maybe say go home child… maybe, but if you let me explain I’d tell you that this odd opening line works wonders. I don’t ask people “what do you do” anymore, I ask them what they are passionate about – usually people have to think a minute, then when their brains finally wrap around the fact that I’m A. not a hooker B. truly interested a fount of repressed ideas flow out. I have met the most amazing people this way (with a handful of creeps of course) it may work better if you are a guy – or worse – I’m not sure. But it definitely connects you with the person you just met FAR better than knowing their job title. Also it filters the boring people out fast because they’ll respond with “Umm… I sell Xerox machines??” my cue to signal the check.

  7. What is the status quo?

    8. Find the status quo in whatever field or area of life your in and then twist it up. Say you are a mommy, if the status quo is to wear mommy jeans wear gowns. If you are a sales person and the status quo is to cold call or send boring emails starting with “Dear Mr. X” flip it on it’s head. Imagine a salesman calling you and saying “Listen, I don’t want to be making this call as much as you don’t want to get it” he’d catch my attention there “but I have this amazing service X and it’s going to rock your socks… literally. So let me take you to coffee, you can see my see my super trustworthy face and it will be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.” Don’t know about you but I’d go, if not just to meet the guy ballsy enough to cold call with those lines.

  8. Act as big as you plan to be someday.

    9. When people ask me what I do I NEVER downplay my business, I say I run a global social marketing firm. Why? When I’m running it with two VAs from a coffee shop? Because I do damn it, why down play it or make myself sound littler than I am? Why not take a positive approach and paint the picture of what I am headed for (by the by – I am not saying lie ever, my company is global because I can and do business all over the world & my employees are in another country).

  9. Don’t fall prey to small thinking – ever.

    10. When you think I can’t it is your brain being scared and your butt being lazy. You can do anything you set your mind too – this quip is very true. Look at the Wright brothers, look at the moon landing (don’t even start with me freaky conspiracy theorists) and look at Oprah. If they can do it, can you SERIOUSLY not break free from your 9 to 5 job, make enough money to live the lifestyle you want and enjoy?

  10. No pain no gain.

    11. That saying was popularized by obnoxious guys in spike jackets wearing ‘NO FEAR’ shirts.. ugh… (sorry if you WERE that guy) yet it really rings true. Why isn’t everyone rich? Do you think its because they don’t want to be? Why isn’t everyone free? or why doesn’t everyone live the life of their dreams? It’s because the barrier to entrance for all of those things is HIGH. High barriers = fewer winners. Now this isn’t to say there aren’t short cuts. I don’t believe in the work 80 hours a week till your 60 then retire with a million bucks mindset – that is bunk, why waste the best years of your life slaving away in hopes that the last years of your life will be cozy? I’d rather enjoy every year as it comes and not have a million in the bank when I die. But remember there is PAIN, you must sacrifice, go beyond, think till it hurts, if it was easy EVERYONE would be living an extraordinary life. It isn’t, but what you need ask yourself is do you have the gumption, the grit and the wits to find the simplest path to your goals?

So no more playing it safe, go run in traffic, stick your hands in fire, wrestle near cliffs (metaphorically of course!) and get out there and start living life – so you fail, so you make a fool of yourself, better than blending into the background… in my humble opinion of course.

P.S. For whatever jack ass wrote the comment on my Youtube wall “you just want attention” my answer is NO DUH. Of course I want attention, EVERYONE who posts on Youtube wants attention – why the HECK else would you share something with the world? :) Alright, I’m done. Xoxo’s to all the rest of you awesome loves!

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  • http://twitter.com/JHof Jason

    effing beautiful post.

  • paulkiser

    Nice! I wrote a post about 'Be A Target' last week, which talks about the risk in being the first to move forward and these 10 points are important for anyone who wants to climb out of the box. Thanks!

  • kamalakararao

    iam sorrey to say tha it is so leangthy,but good thanks a lot have a nice day

  • http://creativecourage.org/ Ben Weston

    that was epic and wonderfully inspiring Maren. Thank you

  • http://bloggersmarket.com/ Jeffrey

    Hi Maren,
    I just love your blog. You, of all people can really think out side the box, and that is what you are advocating here is it not?
    However, setting aside all that has been proven to work for a successful Blog in the past is like ignoring to fuel the plane before take-off! Forget SEO? I don't think so!!!

  • http://stillmansays.blogspot.com mattstillman

    Beautiful post. This is what I did when I started my project stillmansays.blogspot.com … laid off, film coming out in a few months. I bought two chairs and a table and printed a large sign “Creative Approaches to What You Have Been Thinking About” and a smaller one that reads “Pay What You Like or Take What You Need” … I sit in Union Square in New York City two or three days a week with no phone or computer helping people to look at any situation in their lives, from relationships and business to finding your spirit animal to avoiding getting murdered. People pay, don't pay and sometimes take money but it is one of the most thrilling things I have ever done. I am inspired to look for missing links and unafraid to mash things together. great, great post.

  • http://www.positivewavesbaby.com/ Greg Blencoe

    Fantastic post! You are going to convert a hell of a lot of Dragos Roua readers with this post (I am one of them).

    I could go on and on, but here are a couple of thoughts…

    While for a brief period of time I cared about SEO, now I just forget about it aside from trying to write an appropriate title. It may work really well for other people, but for me it takes away my focus from writing awesome content. SEO may get people to your blog, but it can't keep them there. However, if you have fantastic content, people will not only keep coming back, they will also spread the word.

    Basically, I think the time and energy is better spent digger deeper with blog posts, communicating with readers on your own blog, being part of the community by commenting on other similar blogs, guest posting, etc. Some people may be able to do all of this as well as focus on SEO, but I know I can't.

    I also completely agree about what you said about college. I graduated near the top of my class at a highly-ranked business school, but very little that I learned there (aside from learning the importance of having the very best team members on group projects) has helped me in my entrepreneurial ventures over the past 12 years. I have said many times that people would learn a lot more from opening a lemonade stand in a mall than going to business school.

    Perhaps the most important lesson you don't learn in business school is that as an entrepreneur you are ALWAYS selling. This wasn't mentioned at all in Marketing 301. Business school also can't teach you how to respond to the crazy looks and negative responses that you will get from certain family members and friends when you tell them about the business idea you are going to pursue. Believe me, I've gotten the glazed look more than I care to remember.

    Thanks again for the inspiring post. And I look forward to reading your posts in the future.

  • http://daringclarity.com/ Lana {Daring Clarity}

    wow, wow, wow, aren't you on fire!? I am going to adopt the “what are you passionate about” line:) super inspiring, thanks, Maren!

  • http://jamieontiveros.com/ Jamie Ontiveros

    I obviously can't speak for this blog, but if most of your traffic comes from Social Media, why focus on SEO?

  • http://www.nomorecompromise.com/ Richard @ No More Compromise

    Thank you, thank you, thank you. I couldn't agree more that boring *stinks*. Maybe it's my entrepreneurial nature but I get bored so easily and I find running an online business helps to keep me motivated and full of ideas. I truly believe too many people succumb to a boring life, doing the same things day and day out, just accepting it as “normal”. The more people who refuse this status quo the better!

  • http://www.bravenewlife.com/ Brave New Life

    Maren – Awesome Stuff. Two stuck out to me as being especially true and impactful:

    Take a risk everyday – This is great. A few years ago I started doing exactly this. At first it's hard to identify the risks and even harder to take them. But after awhile, after you realize the payout is great (and the failure is not that bad) you get hooked.

    Act as big as you plan to be – Here's the thing about this one. When you do it, you'll turn off a bunch of people that think you don't know your place. But here's the other thing, you don't want those people in your life anyways. It's a great filter.

  • http://www.nextlevelblogger.com/about Christian Russell

    I think the “act as if” part is really essential, and it's also an area where a lot of people get tripped up. Gary Keller is a real estate mogul who sells billions of dollars of real estate per year these days, but a number of years ago when he started his first office, he named it his “world headquarters”. He answered the phone “keller williams world headquarters”. He only had the one office :-)

    Act as if. It's huge. You'll never grow beyond the limitations of your own actions. Great post Maren!

  • http://www.loudable.com/ Loudable

    yor are absolutely right buddy, one has to take risk in life or else he will not be able to live it and always start your day with thought of taking a risk.

  • http://www.AdultescentLiving.com/ Nell

    Thank you for the wonderful words of inspiration! I remember reading somewhere that people think you are crazy for going out on a limb, but sometimes that is where the sweetest fruit is. I am definitely beginning to see the rewards of taking more risks. Phenomenal post.

  • strugglinginvestor

    This ranks up their with one of my favorite posts of all time. I'm tired of the boring people who always want to take the easy road out or play it safe. Where is the challenge in that? Don't people want to feel that great sense of accomplishment from doing something that is hard?

    Thanks Maren!

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    haha, Thanks Jason :)

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    I like it 'be a target' you are right on with that one :)

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Thanks Ben, gosh I love the word 'epic' :)

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    I'm not sure, I know some very successful bloggers who just blog from the heart – and granted the don't get ranked as well as they would if they had an eye for SEO they get tons of traffic from long tail keywords and have a very loyal following to boot… I would focus more on SEO if I knew how to, but unfortunately even with trying Scribe, Aaron Wall's course SEObook etc. I have yet to have anything but a fuzzy grasp on it..

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    I focus on SM marketing more than SEO just because I don't know SEO well enough, if I did I would because it is powerful – thing is though sometimes it can mess up your writing style because you are always trying to get a set number of words in there – maybe this summer I'll take on an intern who kicks butt at SEO and they can help me :)

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Awesome Matt :) Like the project you started!

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Thanks so much Greg, such an honor to group me as even slightly as interesting as Dragos, his blog kills me (in a good way)… I like what you said about ALWAYS selling, there is so much you don't learn in biz school – hence why I never went and got a more creative degree instead – though I could have learned more by just reading…

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Tell me how it works Lana :) I'm sure you'll have the same problem I do at times but it is fun and rewarding to rock people's worlds and completely through off their status quo answers!

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    I agree, I get bored too… so easy, I have to organize my life to a ridiculous point (i break everything into 25 minutes segments) to avoid boredom of wokring on a long task… Keep on sticking it to the status quo

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    That is awesome – the filter thing, I didn't think of it that way – that it would ostracize some but I guess you are right, but indeed why bother with those people anyways, plus I bet you'll grow a solid group of fans on that platform. Regardless what people say extremists always have the most loyal followings.

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Really?? That is an AMAZING story… now I am going to have to go look him up and try to track him for an interview (Think he'll do it??)

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Exactamundo my friend :)

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Thanks Neil, the more you risk the more you can lose but also the more you can on like a 1/3 ratio – so you may lose but you'll ALWAYS win more with consistent risk.

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    I agree, I think it is just that most people are so used to 'business as usual' it takes something jarring to wake them out of their sleep.

  • TMFproject

    Speaking of not being boring, this post was the most non-boring I've read in a while. From a reader's perspective, I'm looking at this and thinking, “Man, I appreciate her shaking it up, and not only providing great content, but keeping the entertainment value in mind as well.” I'm literally grateful for you having kept my attention. You're onto something, girlfriend. And I loved it.

  • ken

    Hello Maren.
    I just found your inspirations about a week ago and I want to say thanks.
    I am a recent retiree without a retirement plan to live on – only my ss. I have always thought the way you do but have never had the guts to speak out and
    be the only one in the crowd thinking that way. You have renewed my fire! I am not going to just stop but rather I am going to START living. I know I can still accomplish much in the winter of my life. I have a son that just turned 18 and my greatest dream is for him to be proud of me and maybe, just maybe he will read your blog and see that I am not a failure but a slow starter. Or maybe I was just ahead of my time . . .

  • http://stillmansays.blogspot.com mattstillman

    thanks so much Maren. I must say… I like yours as well.

  • paulkiser

    Thanks! :D

  • http://www.nextlevelblogger.com/about Christian Russell

    Get him on the phone, and I bet he'll do it :-)

  • http://www.thinkbigthinkmoney.com/ Ken Siew

    I love this post, you're truly a big thinker! I like #8 Act as big as you want to be someday. If you're confident about your business, others will be too. Otherwise, nobody will look at your business even if you have good numbers to back it up (they think there must be something wrong somewhere else).

    “The Magic of Thinking Big” totally changed my life. I knew my life would be different as soon as I finished that book. If you want to be as big as you dream to be, go read that book. Many great people recommend it (Tim Ferriss is one off the top of my head).

    It's awesome to see you and your business growing along with your blog Maren, all the best to you!

  • http://www.marsdorian.com/ Mars Dorian

    Maren, what a passionate system overload.
    I loved it to death but it's way tooo long.
    But your message is still in love with me – destroy the status quo. Act big and set the world on fire !

    PS. I love Seth Godin as well !

  • Marc

    Enjoyed the post! Part Dan Kennedy, Tim Ferris and perhaps even Eben Pagan, no?

  • http://www.wilsonusman.com/ Wilson Usman

    HEHEHE I like the end. What a dumb…you know what! I specially like the take a risk everyday and introduce yourself to everyone. I am actually going to be posting on this subject. I recently started reading the first chapter of never eat alone and he makes this one of the points.

    I'll add this…if you can introduce yourself by saying How can I help you? instead of how can you help me? you will end up with better results from this introduction.

    Great post as always maren and keep getting a lot of attention…hehehe he is just one of those blood sucking online vampires

  • http://www.sexycopy.org k0zm0zs0ul

    LOL… GREAT post Maren! I especially love number 3 because I didn't finish college when I decided to go all entrepreneur on the world. :) And I'm likely all the smarter for it!

    And good for you with the P.S. and the jack ass. Some people need to get a life. ;)

    Warm regards,
    C

  • http://www.sexycopy.org k0zm0zs0ul

    Totally agree…or as I like to label it- fake it til you make it. LOL

  • http://twitter.com/mchoi9 Mike Choi

    I digg the list and agree with most of them. However, I kind of disagree with playing hooky. I think college is a great experience to meet new people and discover who you really are. I think its more important to go to college, BUT not to come out of college with a a huge amount of debt say $50k+ because it makes the ROI difficult to justify. Just my thought thought.

  • matthewneedham

    Great tips Maren. Another one could be to surround yourself with positive people who will inspire you to better things.

  • matthewneedham

    Why be boring when you could just as easily be awesome? It's a state of mind.

  • http://jeremyaragon.com/ Jeremy Aragon

    Playing it Safe will Destroy Your Life, so MOVE to RENO already! I left a 'career' in Albuquerque NM to move back to Reno NV because my brother and sister have the most amazing kids ever and I got sick of missing them grow up. Now I live in Reno and there is NO work out here…or is there?…Maren, did you ever study the Comstock Lode?I found a NEW ONE, and I'm calling it the COmstock Lode 2.0 ;)

    Q: What would you do if a 5′1″ girl at 100 pounds who looks about 16 came up to you at a bar and said “So, what are you passionate about”?

    A: crushing it

  • http://www.ouidavincent.com/ Ouida Vincent

    Okay so some parts of this made me laugh out loud! I was just about to try to figure out SEO and incorporate that into a daily routine that I am having trouble with any way. Now I won't. I have been writing quirky posts. Now my mom and I are fighting on my blog! I have asked her to just pick up the phone when she disagrees. I agree with your list…just some of them are uncomfortable to do, but of course that is the point!

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    Thanks! I am finally starting to write from my real voice – which is rambling but also (i hope) slightly entertaining… you are right it is GOLD when you can keep someone's attention even through an entire post.

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    I love it Ken! My mother is actually building a site (similar to mine) called retiretointernetbusiness where she documents her journey of building businesses online even though she has NO traditional business training… it is such a huge market you and her have, you can target baby boomers and honestly make a fortune :) Keep me updated Ken please on how your journeys go..

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    That book is amazing, reminds me to read it again :) thanks Ken and you are doing the same with your blog so go get em tiger

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    haha, too long? Its not even 1000 words! You gotta read the posts on Viperchill those are LONG but I keep tuned through every word of it :)

  • http://www.Escapingthe9to5.com/ Maren Kate

    I like “if you can introduce yourself by saying How can I help you? instead of how can you help me?” that is a great one, i'll try it and report back.

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