📰 Seth Godin's Blog

The office worker has learned to dread the annual review. For many good reasons. It’s going away. Now, like workers on the factory floor, it’s likely that the m

The Knot is coming. On sale today, a limited-edition pennant made by hand in Buffalo… The five-pack from Porchlight (with bonus Spindex) is still available as w

Lazy isn’t a moral failing. It’s an economic consideration. We have limited time, limited energy and limited resources. Allocating that effort is often done in

The opposite of “I don’t know” isn’t “I’m certain.” No, the opposite is, “I’m not sure, but…” “I don’t know” is a conversation ender. It is almost never followe

Culture is built on the stability of persistence. Pop musicians have farewell tours that last for decades. The local print shop is still there, reliably getting

At the lab, they don’t know the right answer. They are explorers and scientists. If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough. The work at the lab requi

We called them this because they used tools. The first proto-humans to clearly do so. The question that we need ask ourselves today, “Are you a tool user or a t

If you have a phone, you can call anyone you like. The recipient doesn’t have to answer, but the network is an open API, available to anyone. The Bell System be

We have no idea. Of course, there’s plenty of behavioral data. Say this phrase, or offer that treat, and this particular dog is likely to act in a certain way.

“Why are you taking this class?” That seems like a fair question. After tenth grade or so, it’s a choice, after all. One honest answer is, “I have to get a good

Three paths are now available: We face this choice daily, but rarely name it or prepare for it. The moment just before shipping is where magic and leverage can

Find a safe critic. Upload your essay, your book, your artwork, your business plan or your resume to Claude. Then, pick a critic. “Write a detailed, specific ne

Here’s a simple hack/reminder: If you buy something that has a filter or other part that needs replacing, create a recurring event in your calendar. Also mentio

Culture provides scaffolding, and learning happens over time. The result is that we’re each capable of extraordinary feats. People can fly planes, ski down moun

The Decware triode amp is the best low-power stereo amp I’ve ever heard. And it’s a bargain. If you have the right speakers, it’s an extraordinary device. And t

If you win an auction to get a click, you probably overpaid. Every other bidder stopped bidding, that’s why you won. Putting attention up for auction is a good

There’s a village in Luxembourg that’s right outside the main metropolis. A farmer often ties up a donkey to the little bridge leading to town. The juxtapositio

Is this where books go to die? There are about 7500 public libraries in the US, and until recently, more than a third of their transactions were for DVDs. What’

What if they meant it? What if your return felt special to the people behind the counter? What if they knew, without looking it up, or being told–what if they k

We transferred an idea from engineering to culture, but it’s incomplete. If you build a watch that doesn’t tell time, it’s fair to say it doesn’t work. But when

“How few people can we get away with?” That’s a question many bosses think hard about. Automate. Streamline. Improve productivity and take humans out of as many

We work so hard to have freedom and leverage and choice. And then, as soon as a social network, boss or cultural force instructs us to do something, we fold our

Nailing it in the first take is a sign of preparation and professionalism. No need for two tries if you are clear about what you’re doing and how. The next take

One of the best traditional bakeries in New York has a kitchen you can see from the counter. People wait in line for their handmade French baguettes, and the co