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You Don’t Need What You Think You Need

January 14, 2011 39 Comments

Meeting someone who wrote a masterpiece on the back of a Deli menu while living under the bridge would not surprise me. Meeting someone who did it with a silver Cartier pen on an antique writing table in an airy Soho loft would surprise the hell out of me. ~ Hugh MacLeod

  • If only I had more time.
  • If only I had more money.
  • If only I knew the right people.
  • If only I had the right equipment.
  • If only I…

Fuck that…and I can prove it.

I’m going to let you in on a huge secret that I’ve been keeping from everybody.

My friends and I are working on this platform that will revolutionize how people meet online and interact with each other. It will be HUGE!!!

What’s the catch Dino?

Well, we will limit the communication between users to 140 characters.

Admit it. If I pitched you this back in 2005 you would say “get th’fuckoudahere”.

Why would you limit the platform to 140 characters? That’s stupid. Pass.

Don’t pretend that you would be the one to see the potential of the platform. You wouldn’t. I wouldn’t.

Sidenote: Twitter was intended as an Short Message Service platform for phones, however, that’s not how it’s being used today. So not even the founders of Twitter foresaw what will happen with their own platform. We could say they fell into it ass backwards.

And yet, it’s exactly the limitation of 140 characters that gives Twitter its uniqueness. Not to mention it forces users to be frugal with their words.

Twitter is a powerful platform in part because it embraced its limitations. So embrace you god damn limitations.

Twitter didn’t need more to succeed and neither do you.

Great companies start in garages all the time. Yours can too. ~ Jason Fried in Rework (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Think it only applies to technology and business? Think again.

  • Louis Armstrong didn’t exactly have a singing voice, and yet it didn’t stop him from being one of the greatest singers of all time.
  • Kurt Cobain couldn’t exactly play guitar but it didn’t stop him from changing the way the guitar is played forever.
  • Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues stands at 5ft and 3 inches but it didn’t stop him from being one of the most dynamic players in National Basketball League
  • When Fred Astaire first auditioned for movie parts the casting directors noted that he couldn’t sing, couldn’t act and he could kinda dance, but that didn’t stop from becoming a Hollywood legend and a quintessential song and dance man

I am sure you can think of your own successes despite limitations, share them with us please.

What do you think is your limitation?

Other posts in this series:

How To Climb Your Own Private Everest

Is It The Business of Creativity or Creativity of Business

Sex and Cash Business Theory

What’s Holding Your Business Back and a Simple Fix You Can Implement Right Now

To Fail, Expect to be Discovered

Devil Gets His Due Either Way So Choose Wisely

Ignore Everybody

Good Ideas Have a Lonely Childhood

Mind Hacking
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  • http://www.thelasthonestguy.com The Last Honest Guy

    I guess one limitation could very well be the lack of discipline to take action. Lots of people can have the same idea but only one is actually going to get off his ass and do something about it…

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      That is SOOOOO true. More times than not, these are just excuses for the lazy, fearful people. When is our podcast going to be out? Ima stalk you today to see if its out already ;-)

      • http://www.thelasthonestguy.com The Last Honest Guy

        The podcast was out today, first thing in the AM… As u know.

  • http://twitter.com/Canis_bonus Canis bonus

    And once again thank you for this post. Society hasn’t evolved with self-limiting conventional people.

    Nice twist on the old: “Don’t listen to the inner voice that says you can’t”. What you’re saying is, “Listen to the inner voice that says you can’t, find out why you can’t, and make it why you can”.

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      I think @lasthonestguy hit on a very important point. We just use these as an excuse …and when you have people who did what they did despite their circumstances it forces you to at least stop whining about not having this or that…So my new year’s resolution, if I am to have one, is to stop making excuses…btw, whats your new year’s resolution?

      • http://twitter.com/Canis_bonus Canis bonus

        I couldn’t agree more (get off your arse and stop making excuses) Life will be over before you know it. What do you want to say for it: “I couldn’t because….” or “Look what kind of adversity I faced!”?”

        My NY resolutions were:

        1/ Not to kill my neighbours who were having a techno party (honestly, who does techno still?) right under my kid’s window out on the street.
        2/ To get better at pretending I give a monkey’s arse about NYE. Call me a miserable, over-cerebral, party-pooping pain-in-the-proverbial, but really, I never got the fuss of 31 Dec? I say live every day like it’s NY.

        NYE = touchy subject, much? Didn’t think you’d call on my inner freak on that one, did you? ; P

        • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

          @Canis_bonus sez “Life will be over before you know it”. Love that line :-) I agree with the NYE thing…every day is Dec 31st in my mind :-)

  • William Tha Great

    Hey Dino,

    Thanks for the awesome article!

    You have a great point behind it you are absolutely right. We as bloggers should learn how to make the best of what we are givin instead of hoping for more than what we need. People always want more time, but in truth why do you need more time? Everyone has the same amount of time per day on this earth if I can recollect. What makes someone more productive is they learn how to make the most out of the time they are givin instead of complain aboutvwanting more of it.

    Shit, if I don’t have enough time to finish my writing after work before it gets late, then you better believe I just won’t be sleeping. I am going to make use of all my time if I ever hope to get ahead!

    P.S I don’t know if you believe in a God, but if so you should never you God’s name in vain.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Thanks again!

    God bless,
    William Veasley

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      Thnx William The Great (love that name btw). Time is an interesting part of the equation, isnt it? I have a post coming out on the 18th that deals with the issue of time…I hope you’ll check it out and give me your thoughts :-)

  • http://twitter.com/ElisesReview Elise M

    Nice. I can be one of those “if only” types at times, always succumbing to my insecurities. It sucks. Then I remember that it’s stupid to think like that. :)

    I like how you add awesome quotes in your articles. They’re always so cool to read.

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      Human brain really likes to work on its own accord. Our involvement is not even necessary. lol

  • http://twitter.com/WilsonPetDesign Nia

    Amen to that Dino! Just what I’ve been saying to peeps all along, if you can think it, you can do it.

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      So they let you loose on the internet at your new job? Are they crazy? lol

  • http://cashwithatrueconscience.com/rbblog Ryan Biddulph

    Hi Dino,

    Awesome article here.

    I love inspirational pieces like these. Whatever limitations you feel are holding you back, I guarantee you someone with similar limitations reached astounding achievements.

    Everything you need comes from within. You have access to an unlimited amount of talent and ability. It all starts in mind and your mind is without limit.

    For a number of years my attention span was shot. It was like my mind was addled. I had a tough time reading a single sentence and comprehending it for long stretches. I persisted through these trials and eventually my mind calmed by practicing meditation.

    If you have a strong enough desire to succeed you will, because you won’t quit until you do so.

    Thanks for sharing the inspiration Dino.

    RB

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      Meditation is such a powerful tool available to our mind and yet its seldom taken advantage of.

  • http://www.earnmoney-fromhome.com/blog2 bryanwongyh

    Dino,

    Very thought provoking post! For me, I think it’s all in the state of mind. We are our worst own critic and no one can limit us more than our ownselves. I think the greatest obstacle to achieving anything is your state of mind. Even if you’ve passed that hurdle the next stumbling block is the failure to take action. For me it’s about taking the right kind of action.

    Last year, I’ve been focusing too much on things that hasn’t made my business grow at the rate I wanted, partly because everyone is doing almost the same thing.

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      You know what Ive noticed. Some really big bloggers answer only negative comments. Isnt that funny? No matter how busy we are, we always have time to focus on the negative lol not a very efficient use of our time, dont you think?

      • http://www.earnmoney-fromhome.com/blog2 bryanwongyh

        well that is why i sometimes stay away from the big bloggers. If i become a big blogger one day, I’ll certainly not be like them.

  • http://www.guidegoods.blogspot.com Edwin

    True that Dino. Im a young blogger and am probably stereotyped as being too young to know anything. Well, think again. Im already beating some adults in rankings and traffic.

    Also sweet pic of Kurt Cobain :)

    http://www.guidegoods.blogspot.com/

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      I firmly believe that stupid people are stupid and smart people are smart regardless of the age. Its not like you’re stupid all your life and then one day as you get old you automagicly turn smart…it dont think it works that way lol

  • http://www.theantisocialmedia.com/ Jay Dolan

    My limitation? My obsession with my cat.

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      Thats strange. Thats also my limitation…your cat that is. lol

  • http://www.icebluebanana.com mark

    Limitations, in my way of seeing, are a tool for creativity. Your palette of colors, sounds, words, or whatever it is that you use in your work, needs to be limited in order for you to be productive.

    My experience has been that the less limitations on these tools, the more likely it is that many of us end up just scrolling through the different options for hours, days, weeks, months, or possibly years.

    A few people I know have extraordinary talent, but have never produced anything worthwhile because they want a world with no limits and have, unfortunately, been smart enough to come close to finding that dystopia.

    Have a good, limited, day!

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      Contentment breeds complaisance. Limitations, in whatever form, are just little pricks that make us uncomfortable enough to get us off our us and do something. BTW..I know those same, talented people. Such a shame..

  • http://peggybaron.com/blog Peggy Baron

    That was inspiring, Dino. I think I would be disappointed if I had a ton of money and could “buy” my way into an online business. I’d much rather operate with ideas and guts and sweat and all that goes with it.

    I was once told that I dream big but act small. That was a tipping point in my life.

    Peggy

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      Isnt it funny how people who “succeed” (usually defined as “got old + have money) always recount the good ol’ days when they were just starting out and starving, struggling and just trying to make ends meet? They never talk about the times when they were already rich…so I def agree…something about “operate with ideas and guts and sweat and all that goes with it” makes it worth while even if it doesnt seem that way while its happening.

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      Isnt it funny how people who “succeed” (usually defined as “got old + have money) always recount the good ol’ days when they were just starting out and starving, struggling and just trying to make ends meet? They never talk about the times when they were already rich…so I def agree…something about “operate with ideas and guts and sweat and all that goes with it” makes it worth while even if it doesnt seem that way while its happening.

  • http://thefriendlyblogger.com Lisa

    Lovin your style Dino! Twitter has dominated the world…but I also think the 140 limit may impede the youth! I mean, how can critical thinking occur in 140 or less??! Of course that doesnt apply to us geniuses!

    Lisa

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      LMAO…at your “Of course that doesnt apply to us geniuses!” …of course it doesnt…not us, we are brilliant of course lol

      • http://twitter.com/jaennutter Julie Nutter

        Someone peered over my shoulder at work when I was reading this, cleared his throat, and said, That girl isn’t a genius because it should be ‘WE genii.”

        I laughed hysterically.

        First of all, it would be “us” because it follows “to.” (object of preposition follows objective, obviously.) And secondly. Genii = plural of some odd Roman mythology thing. Thanks for playing, though.

        Sorry, I had to mention that. I just remembered it as I was browsing through the comments. I <3 smart people. =D

  • http://thefriendlyblogger.com Lisa

    Lovin your style Dino! Twitter has dominated the world…but I also think the 140 limit may impede the youth! I mean, how can critical thinking occur in 140 or less??! Of course that doesnt apply to us geniuses!

    Lisa

  • http://naijapreneur.com/king-of-your-niche Tito

    Very true words Dino.
    There are several ‘if only’s’ that have limited our growth potentials in life. I really don’t thing we will ever have all the needed resources whether in time, money, people or otherwise to achieve the great things we want from life. I think life has been design to always give room for limitations and we just have to quit the nagging and move on with what we have to achieve what we desire. You either want it so badly that you don’t get hindered by anything or you don’t and continue giving excuses.

    Thanks for the post. It was a thunderbolt of inspiration. Useful for the new year!

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      @MADphilips Thnx Tito..I love that line “quit the nagging and move on” lol

  • http://www.montrealfinancial.ca/blog ronika

    Great things can be accomplished with limitations. “Gadsby” was a 50,000 word novel that completely excluded the letter E (apparently referred to as a lipogram) and was supposedly quite good. You have to respect someone who not only writes a 50,000 word novel, but challenges himself to excluding the most common letter in the English language.(This comment has about 35 E’s. )

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      You are being nominate for the most awesomest comment ever. I love learning little factoids like this, and that one was most excellent.

  • Anonymous

    Dino, I would’t have said that regarding Twitter! I’d have said: “You’re shi…g me, right?!”

    That’s totally different. And it encompasses my vision for what I knew was going to be a great platform, doing well, being popular and all.

    I can see the future, man!!!

  • http://twitter.com/svilardo2 Sal Vilardo

    I just listened to a Stanford Business Review podcast with Jack Dorsey (the guy who suggested Twitter) about a week ago. Talk about compelling.

    Alright, well, here goes my limitations and successes…

    Limitations: Time (read 28 yo with wife, 4 kids and going to school for MBA while starting my own business)
    Successes: 5 year marriage, 4 BEAUTIFUL children, straight A’s, tripling revenue 5 months in, while still having time for family and personal growth

    Yea. I think that is the definition of success despite limitations…

  • http://www.AnnieAndre.com Annie Andre

     I can’t write and spell, yet i started blogging.  I’ve learned that my weaknesses usually become my strengths because im so damn stubborn and can’t stand not being good t something so i work like hell until i get it and never look back except to wave bye bye.

    • http://diyblogger.net/about Dino Dogan

      that is a great approach to limitations :-)