g’day,
australians don’t like people who try too hard.
we’ve got a slur for it: “try hard.”
it’s our version of calling someone cringe.
but here’s the thing:
on the other side of cringe is everything good. everything new.
to reach the land of cool, you must first climb cringe mountain:
btw – this awesome mental model was coined by my friend erica mallett in this video.
when i heard it, it immediately touched a raw nerve.
broadcasting my ideas was always something I struggled with.
i thought it was cringe, and that i would be judged.
but that judgement never came.
and in its place came opportunity.
you see, the internet has created a crazy dynamic.
the algorithms favour those willing to be cringe. those willing to have a crack.
those willing to step into the rushing rivers of internet consumption.
today, we live in an attention economy where customers, capital, and opportunity don’t flow to the “best,” they flow to the most visible.
> not the most polished.
> not the most liked.
> just the most willing to be seen.
and being seen means risking cringe:
> being too keen.
> launching too early.
> posting too much.
> trying too hard.
the profound thing is: this idea has the potential to drag australia out of its malaise.
to unpick tall poppies syndrome - roots and all.
because today, opportunity belongs to those who stick their heads above the parapet.
and risk being seen.
charlie
ps – pps - launched a new video today, for those who are trapped in their comfortable day jobs
