157 Pieces of Contrarian Wisdom

So, I’m on vacation for the next two weeks (my couch).

However, I wanted to keep last week’s tradition alive since the feedback from the Ridiculously Long Lists was so positive! As such, I came up with five more lists. This should hold you over until I return on January 7th.

See ya in ’08!

Oh, and don’t forget to read all the lists from last week:
101 Lessons Learned from 2007
101 Ways to Create a Powerful Web Presence
123 Questions Every Marketer Must Ask
69 Mini Philosophies on Just about Everything
49 Ways to become an Idea Powerhouse

And now, for today’s ridiculously long list:
157 Pieces of Contrarian Wisdom

1. About, not from.
2. Acknowledge, then verify.
3. Action, not intent.
4. Action, not position.
5. Advisor, not expert.
6. Advisor, not vendor.
7. Agreement, not acquiescence.
8. Align, don’t counter.
9. Alignment, not together.
10. And, not or.
11. Artistry, not mechanics.
12. Ask, don’t tell.
13. Aspirations, not symptoms.
14. Assuring, not reselling.
15. Attract, don’t demand.
16. Attract, don’t look.
17. Attractive, not pretty.
18. Authenticity, not charisma.
19. Autotelic, not exotelic.

20. Ball, not scoreboard.
21. Behaviors, not values.
22. Beliefs, not facts.
23. Best, don’t beat.
24. Best, not most.
25. Best, not quotas.
26. Better, not more.
27. Both/and, not either/or.
28. Boundaries, not defenses.
29. Boundaries, not walls.
30. Boutiques, not mega-marts.
31. Build, don’t borrow.
32. Bull’s-eye, not arrow.
33. Buoyancy, not rigidity.
34. Business, not hobby.

35. Cajole, don’t push.
36. Caliber, not volume.
37. Care, don’t sell.
38. Career, not job.
39. Cause, don’t get.
40. Change, don’t exchange.
41. Cherish, don’t squander.
42. Childlike, not childish.
43. Coach, don’t boss.
44. Commitment, not greed.
45. Communication, not information.
46. Complete, don’t close
47. Compliments, not flattery.
48. Confirmations, not expectations.
49. Construct, don’t conform.
50. Contribution, not competition.
51. Contributor, not interloper.
52. Conversation, not argument.
53. Conversation, not interrogation.
54. Conversation, not lecture.
55. Convinced, not conceited.
56. Cooperation, not compliance.
57. Cooperation, not confrontation.
58. Counterpart, not opponent.
59. Court, not bleachers.
60. Cradles, not cemeteries.
61. Critique, don’t criticize.
62. Cumulative, not situational.
63. Curiosity, not curriculum.
64. Curiosity, not judgment.
65. Curious, not “Gotcha!”
66. Customize, don’t homogenize.

67. Declarations, not wishes.
68. Definition, not solution.
69. Demonstrate, don’t assert.
70. Dependable, not disposable.
71. Descriptive, not prescriptive.
72. Deserve, don’t need.

73. Destination, not website.
74. Dialogue, not debate.
75. Dialogues, not interviews.
76. Differentiation, not volume.
77. Disagree, not disagreeable.
78. Discipline, not luck.
79. Discovery, not answers.
80. Discretion, not snobbery.
81. Distinction, not competence.
82. Do, don’t know.
83. Doer, not expert.
84. Does, not is.
85. Doing, not acquiring.
86. Don’t accuse, inform.
87. Don’t exist, live.
88. Don’t hear, listen.
89. Don’t hype. Appear.
90. Don’t inform, form.
91. Don’t jump, pause.
92. Don’t listen, understand.
93. Don’t look, observe.
94. Don’t memorize, prepare.
95. Don’t perform, satisfy.
96. Don’t read, observe.
97. Don’t sell, solve.
98. Don’t solve, dissolve.
99. Don’t talk, do.
100. Don’t think, react.
101. Don’t think, reflect.
102. Don’t touch, feel.
103. Don’t write, transmit.
104. Duration, not intensity.

105. Earn, don’t ask.
106. Editability, not accountability.
107. Effectiveness, not utility.
108. Ego, not egotistical.
109. Elasticity, not tolerance.
110. Empathy, not apathy.
111. Emulate, don’t imitate. (For another ridiculously long list of people I like to emulate, email [email protected] and I’ll share it with ya!)
112. Encounter, not confrontation.
113. Enjoy, don’t compare.
114. Excellence, not success.
115. Excited, not nervous.
116. Exciting, not acceptable.
117. Exciting, not tolerable.
118. Expand, don’t recoil.
119. Experience, not intelligence.
120. Experience, not performance.
121. Explore, don’t repress.
122. Exploring, not exploiting.
123. Express, don’t impress.
124. Expressions, not monotones.

125. Faith, not religion.
126. Fans, not customers.
127. Finest, not first.
128. Fingers, not brain.
129. Focus, don’t spray.
130. Focus, not goals.
131. Focused, not inflexible.
132. Focused, not stiff.
133. Forgiveness, not condemnation.
134. Fruits, not chances.

135. Gifts, not wounds.
136. Goals, not controls.
137. Goals, not quotas. (i.e., END ZEBRA LIFE!)
138. Guide, don’t whip.
139. Guides, not breaks.

140. Harmonizing, not manipulating.
141. Harmony, not balance.
142. Have, don’t manage.
143. Healing, not curing.
144. Heart, not head.
145. Help, don’t hinder.
146. Help, don’t intrude.
147. Horizon, not point.
148. Hypothesize, don’t analyze.

149. Ideas, not facts.
150. Illuminate, don’t hallucinate.
151. Imagination, not millions.
152. Immersion, not submersion.
153. Improv, not perfection.
154. Influence, not affluence.
155. Information-gathering, not fact-finding.
156. Inklings, not bolts.
157. Innocence, not ignorance.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are your best pieces of contrarian wisdom?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Post them here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag

Life Coaches? Bah.

No systems. No formulas. Just someone who listens, asks KILLER questions and facilitates creative breakthroughs.

Rent Scott’s Brain today!

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