Monday Memo
A Byte of Knowledge
Jerry Seinfeld is officially a billionaire.
When we heard the news, it reminded us of one of our favorite stories about the legendary comedian.
Every marketer, copywriter, and creative needs to know it.
One night Seinfeld's performing at a club.
After the show, a young comedian named Brad Isaac catches Jerry backstage and asks him a simple question...
"Hey Jerry, you got any tips for a young comic like myself?"
Here's what Seinfeld told him...
If Brad wanted to be a better comic, he needed to write better jokes.
And the only way to write better jokes?
Write every single day.
No days off.
Seinfeld told Brad to get himself a big wall calendar...
The kind that has the whole year on one page...
And he told him to hang it somewhere he'd see it every day.
Then he told him to get a big red magic marker.
And each day that Brad sat down to write, he got to put a big red X on the calendar for that day.
Seinfeld said, "After a few days you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job is to not break the chain."
Notice that Seinfeld didn't say a damn thing about the results...
It didn't matter if Brad was pumped to write that day or not...
It didn't matter if he was writing killer jokes or complete duds...
It didn't even matter if his writing would ever see the light of day...
The only thing that mattered was not breaking the chain.
And that right there is the secret to how Seinfeld was so productive and consistent...
For years and years he just focused on one thing...
Not breaking the chain.
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Something to Ponder
Tim Ferriss once said, "Ninety-nine percent of people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for the mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for 'realistic' goals, paradoxically making them the most time- and energy-consuming."
Let that sink in for a second...
99% of folks out there don't think they have what it takes to do something extraordinary.
So what do they do?
They set their sights on the "realistic" goals. The mediocre ones.
And because everyone is fighting tooth and nail for these "realistic" goals, they end up being the most demanding and draining.
It's a crazy paradox when you think about it.
But here's what Ferriss said next...
"If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is, too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think."
We're all navigating this AI revolution with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
But don't fall into the trap of thinking everyone else has it all figured out.
They don't.
So don't sell yourself short.
However, you should take a few minutes to reflect on IF you are.
We Asked – AI Answered
Our Question:
"Why do people get upset or even personally offended when someone else doesn't like the same things they do - such as their favorite sports team, music artist, or movies?
How does this reaction happen, considering that another person's dislike doesn't change the actual quality of music or the enjoyment of a movie brings?
ChatGPT's Answer:
People often feel upset or even personally offended when others do not share their enthusiasms or preferences due to several intertwined psychological and social dynamics:
Identification and Self-Concept
Our self-concept is essentially our understanding of who we are, and it's shaped by various factors including our personal interests like what music we listen to or what sports teams we support.
According to Social Identity Theory, part of our self-concept comes from the groups to which we belong. This could be a fandom, a sports team's fan base, or any group that shares our interests.
The theory of Symbolic Interactionism further explains how our identity is built through interactions with others. People react to the symbols that represent us—such as the logos on our clothes or the stickers on our laptops—and these reactions help form our self-image.
If someone criticizes these symbols, it might feel like they are criticizing parts of our identity. For instance, if you wear a band's t-shirt and someone says they hate that band, it might feel like they are indirectly disliking a part of you.
Social Identity Theory
Social Identity Theory provides a framework for understanding why we often feel a strong connection to our groups (in-groups) and a less favorable view towards others (out-groups). This theory suggests that our self-esteem is linked to the status of our groups. When our group is praised, we feel uplifted, and when it is criticized, we might feel threatened or diminished.
This theory also talks about in-group favoritism, where we see our group as better in some ways compared to others. If someone criticizes our favorite sports team, for example, we might instinctively defend it because acknowledging the criticism might feel like a threat to our self-esteem.
This is why sports fans sometimes have heated arguments over which team is better, as each person feels a deep connection to their team's identity and success.
Perceived Judgment and Validation
The concept of social validation is crucial in understanding how we react when others do not share our interests.
We often look to others to confirm that our beliefs and preferences are okay. This need for validation is linked to the Looking-glass self theory, which suggests that we develop an image of ourselves based on how we think others perceive us.
If we like a particular type of music and someone else expresses disdain for it, it might not just feel like a difference in taste; it might feel like they are judging our choices and, by extension, judging us.
This can lead to feelings of isolation or self-doubt. For example, if you're the only one in your group who likes a certain TV show, and everyone else makes fun of it, you might start to question your choice or feel left out.
GOT 15 SECONDS?
Thanks for reading the Monday Memo.
Until next time!
The AI Marketers
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