Sequencing

Big Business

Joe Murphy is the director of the Iowa Business Council, which unites 20+ chief executives from Iowa’s largest organizations. Since 1985, the IBC has used economic research to determine key initiatives that help drive lasting progress in Iowa and beyond.

Together, Ben and Joe talk about collaboration amongst leaders, sequencing public policy, intrapreneurship, leveraging different types of capital, building teams that sing the song of significance, and together, activating diversity of thought to stay ahead of the innovation curve.

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By Ben McDougal, ago

Horizons

From the ground, our view to the horizon is 3 miles. Peering atop the highest observation deck in the United States, humans can see up to 50 miles on a clear day.

While the foreground of daily activity occupies so much attention, our cumulative culture has always looked to the edge for answers. Whether it’s cresting through the clouds on a flight, that inspiring view from any rooftop, or the simple pleasure of walks around the neighborhood, we love the hope-filled distance of any view. Beyond these moments of beauty, how can we think about edges as we keep building?

Action is obviously required, but staying wild and thinking BIG takes practice. Busy can be addictive and the close proximity to how time is spent makes everything feel pressing. The closer the deadline, the more attention it’s given. Keep the promise of what you’re building, but finding time to think is a mental exercise that nurtures gratitude and often attracts fresh opportunities.

To avoid self limitation, collide ideas into more weird conversations. We can chat with anyone online, so leverage our connected era, but then pour in the serendipity! Show up and with your own eyes, get interested.

As boundaries come and go, avoid where the sidewalk ends and there’s no need to always be first in line. Skyline views await us all from anywhere. Build like this. Linchpins go beyond brainstorming and instead, edgecraft ideas toward reality. Lean into Playforce Principles and continue to ship on the timeline of now. Along with that prerequisite, stay open to next and feel different momentums converging toward that next horizon.

No matter how you get there, the edge is wonderfully wild. Every horizon is different and gratitude ensures we don’t go numb to the raindrop of time we have on earth. Perhaps the thesis of this riff is that one horizon is not the only endpoint. Each extent is just too cosmic to ever be the same. Trap time and enjoy sequencing distant views to hug the curves toward your own horizons.

By Ben McDougal, ago

No Running

“Please walk.” <wait 5 seconds>
“Please walk!” <repeat endlessly>

At the swimming pool, how many times does a lifeguard remind children to walk and why is it so hard for kids to slow down, even when they’ve slipped in the past? Let’s write through why repetitive reminders may be needed to motivate awareness, action, and steadfastness.

The first thing that comes to mind, is how hard it is to get anyone to do anything. Motion requires force, we don’t know what we don’t know, and if action calls for commitment (time, obedience, money, etc.), movement is even harder to inspire.

When we think through the lens of marketing and sales, an easy start is clarity. Does messaging and calls to action immediately resonate with your smallest viable audience?

When it’s time for action, sequencing comes to mind. Conciseness allows first impressions to be more impactful, with connected content to guide newcomers toward more natural action(s).

Lastly, I wish repetition wasn’t a part of the equation, but it’s loud out there! Attention is hard to earn and even harder to maintain. Endless reminders can be annoying, but systems thinking and a strategic cadence ensure more positive encounters supported by lasting clarity. Thoughtful repetition also catches fresh awareness along the way.

Along with helping to connect with an audience, these motivators are important for anything that involves rotating participation as well. Succession can bring healthy revitalization to teams, organizations, and communities, but without clarity, fresh energy can be misguided. If information is not sequenced, the weight of too much information may feel unnecessarily daunting and once again, friendly reminders maintain momentum without a slip or fall.

By Ben McDougal, ago

Seasonality

The change of seasons is revitalizing. The renewal felt in Spring, the fun of Summer, the release of Fall, the refreshment of Winter, and endless surprises to keep us bewildered. What if seasons apply to our work as well?

With less finality, thinking of projects, experiments, side hustles, or startup ventures more like a season of creativity, reduces the weight of a new initiative. It helps keep our diversified portfolios growing, fresh, and connected. It offers a fresh spin on what’s already been accomplished, with room to learn along the way.

As we bask in the crisp glow of a new season, milestones help track progress, while an uncharted mentality and being open to next keeps valiant optimism flowing. If an initiative connects to the right people who care, the season can be extended. A seasonal effort can also be cut short if things don’t go as planned.

Extra Shot

Seasons change, but never lack significance.

What has me sensing seasonality?
I am hosting a new weekly podcast!

More details are brewing, but it’s been helpful to consider You Don’t Need This Podcast as the latest season of my art. We are sequencing toward launch and producing enough remarkable episodes to give listeners something to sip on long-term. While there’s always a healthy amount of stress whenever you’re working to ship something you’re proud of, I’ve enjoyed dancing with this new piece of my own puzzle, without the weight of forever.

This has been nourishing, knowing that quality takes time and consistency requires sacrifice, but seasons always change. The beauty is that even if a surge of creativity is held in abeyance, seasonality makes something you spent time with, more natural to keep building in the future.

By Ben McDougal, ago

Installing

Installation complete. BEN BOT is now online!

Forget pranks, April 1st has been no joke since YDNTB was released on April 1st, 2021. In 2022, we celebrated one year of YDNTB by uniting this tribe with Roasted Reflections on Discord and the Roasted Reflections NFT Collection.

For this year’s art project, we voyaged into the depths of artificial intelligence. The nerd knobs have been on full blast as we developed valuable influence layers supported by AI language models. The creative collaboration, early training, and immediate response from NFT owners has been fascinating! Think ChatGPT, but when you talk about anything I write about, you’ll feel BENergy pouring into a friendly, fun, and insightful conversation.

BEN BOT infuses all 125+ weekly writings in Roasted Reflections, key takeaways from YDNTB, and other strategic embeddings into a conversational chatbot!

To celebrate, a new Roasted Robots category of 25 all-new NFTs are being minted! As you can see, our friends on the rim of the YDNTB mug have been robotized and here are the first five that were just minted today!

Five more robotic NFTs will be released into the Roasted Reflections NFT Collection every Wednesday in April. Active NFT ownership includes a variety of utilities and 24/7 access to BEN BOT. While NFT ownership is the best way to access BEN BOT, not everyone wants an NFT. Your web3 exploration is rewarded with lower prices and more value with NFTs, but to make BEN BOT accessible to all, a monthly membership (paid by credit card) is also available.

Wow. I’ll stop talking. It’s time to give BEN BOT a try! Our new friend is always thirsty to chat and we can’t wait to hear what you think – BENBOT.ai

Extra Shot

Wanna build your own chatbot? Why?

By Ben McDougal, ago