Seth Godin talks about being a Linchpin

Seth Godin's new book releases today. I was lucky to receive an early copy of Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? and read it in two sittings.

I loved Linchpin. Now I freely admit I am a Seth fanboy (see my Seth collection for proof) so I guess you can say I am biased.

I talk a bit about the book below, but first, check out an interview I conducted with Seth about the book.

Direct link here.

Unlike the old days of work with management and labor, a linchpin owns his own means of production. A person's success is no longer dictated by following a rule book and asking what's next. A linchpin decides what's next.

I really like how Seth talks about the "Lizard Brain" which is at the core of our resistance to doing meaningful work. "The lizard brain is hungry, scared, angry, and horny," he writes. "The lizard brain only wants to eat and be safe. The lizard brain is why you are afraid." An understanding this basic animal instinct is required to break free and become artists.

According to Seth, "An artist is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity, and boldness to challenge the status quo." An artist can be a software developer, a customer service rep, well, it can be anyone. Even you. Especially you.

Some people say Seth's books are "obvious" or "simplistic."

I disagree. I think delivering powerful information in easy to digest packages is high art and difficult to do. I always get a great deal out of his books and the messages stay with me.

And Seth has an uncanny knack of putting books out at the precise time that I need that particular message.

Check out the Linchpin page on Squidoo to see other people's take on Linchpin.

Thank you, Seth, for doing what you do.

And good luck with Linchpin.

Comments

[seth godin]

Thanks David! I'm honored to be on the same video screen as you...

[Keith Jennings]

David, this is a great twist on the normal "5 Qs" that most bloggers do. Much more modern and fresh.

By the way, I love the bookshelves behind you two! Can anyone spot Seth's pre-Permission book, "Wisdom" on his shelf?

Thanks!

[Jake LaCaze]

I think Godin's concepts are very simple, which makes them memorable and effective, but I wouldn't say they were obvious. If they were obvious, everyone else would be using them beforehand.

[Sudeep]

Great interview .. I enjoyed the interpretation given by Seth about school and factory. Thanks David for this interview.. I am sure going to buy this book.

[Akash Sharma]

This book looks like a must read with all the tweets and blog mentions which have been pouring about it since the last few hours.
The one @GapingVoid was one of the best which I read because in that Seth explained the concept of his thesis on the kind of books he has been writing as every single book evolves one specific side of humans.

[David Meerman Scott]

Thanks Seth!

Keith, I really had fun doing this video. I love how we have similar backgrounds in the videos!!

Jake, Sudeep, Akash - thanks for jumping in. i think you will enjoy Linchpin.

David

[John W. Furst]

Great questions, David.

The answers give me a good feeling about what a "Linchpin" is in the context of the book.

Your interview certainly raises the level of interest in the book. Now that I have answers to those questions, I want to know more about everything.

Thanks.

[Jamie Favreau]

"Buying stuff doesn't always make you happy." Good stuff. I love Seth Godin and this book seems compelling.

[Remco Janssen]

Hmmm, it's like Seth is talking about ME, and YOU as well... A brilliant insight on labour nowadays, but it gives US - the linchpin - a huge responsability! We become more depended on our creativity for success. Being creative is the new success for linchpins, basically. But in the Netherlands, to say the least, are schooling system isn't build around creativity, but still on production. So, as a linchpin, or an artist, you have to learn being creative worker bee yourself. Isn't that a problem in the US too?

(My laptop only costs 700 euro... :-)

[Source]

I'm in a deadend job, I really need to take some advice and get some small business going! =) I need to find a niche small company of some sort.

[UpbeatNow]

David, I loved your questions and Seth's responses. I finished reading the book a few days ago and this was almost like a refresher.

Thanks for sharing this.

Have a great week ahead.

Best
Rajesh

[Karensd]

Thanks so much for this...it's wonderful to know that one's not alone out there in our takes on the world at large and I appreciate Seth's ability to articulate and capture those sentiments...

[Dr.Mani]

Nice. This is the only video interview with Seth I watched around the LINCHPIN launch, and enjoyed it as much as Hugh "GapingVoid" McLeod's 10 questions with Seth. Thanks, David.

All success
Dr.Mani

[Jodi Kaplan]

I could have sworn I posted a comment... the lizard must have eaten it!

This is Seth's best book ever. He's really passionate this time and it shows.

Things that really stuck with me:

1) Bad ideas are fine - they just make way for the good ones.

2) Anxiety is failure in advance. Go, create art, and ship. If it doesn't work, move on to the next thing.

3) His favorite review of Tribes was a negative one - the reviewer wanted a step-by-step map. There isn't one. You have to draw your own.

[John Patella]

Can't wait to read this book. Godin isn't just a marketing guru. That sells him way short. He is in my opinion our finest commentator on the nature of work itself.

[Brett Slater]

Proud to be a Linchpin, and ambitious to be a more influential one.

You guys rock.

[anne sorensen]

My copy is on the way Downunder .. can't wait! You gents (Seth & David) are our inspiration -- thank you! PS Love the 'lizard brain' and artist analogies. We're even more fired up for 2010! Tks!

[twitter.com/fearlesscomp]

I confess. I'm a big Seth fan. His ability to take something very complex and distill it down to its very essence is a gift. I've read almost all of his books and look forward to this one.

Jeff Ogden, the Fearless Competitor
http://www.fearlesscompetitor.com

[Chris d'Argy]

Great interview! I've had very similar opinions about school and it's actual purposes. It took me ten years to find a school that didn't fit that mold.

I also really enjoyed Seth's opinions about what is an artist.

Thanks for posting that David!

[Nathalief]

@Remco: Yes, you're an artist! Linchpin sounds like a great one! I've added it to my wish list! @David: Thanks for sharing! http://ow.ly/10SSA

[Nick Reese]

I feel like the "Gift" idea is nothing more than a fantasy, especially when it comes to content and value exchange on the internet.

It seems more that for people to take content seriously there needs to be that value exchange taking place otherwise the "freeness" of the product will do nothing but diminish its perceived value and consequently decrease the likelihood that the reader will act on the content. No matter how life changing the content is.

Simply put, free things are valued much less than things which have a transaction cost, even if that cost is just an email.

I would much rather, have the user realize there is a transaction cost associated with receiving a product and over fulfill their expectations and leaving an uneven gap than give a gift to accomplish this gap.

Aren't users that act upon the thoughts and ideas we present the end goal? Ultimately if we want to push the edges of the box farther out we need people who take action.

Thanks for doing the interview. I enjoyed it. Bought linchpin, I over-nighted it. Seems like a though provoking book.

[David Meerman Scott]

Nick. I disagree when talking about web content. Here are my thoughts http://bit.ly/2knGDl David

[The_Goose]

Really enjoyed this interview, David! Definitely love the bookshelves in the back, too! Mine's not quite as large as you guys yet, but I'm working on the collection daily ;) Looking forward to reading a couple of yours in the near future - they've come highly recommended, especially world wide rave.

Thanks again,

Chris
www.gooseeducationalmedia.com

[Mary Ellen]

Sold! Just ordered 2 copies of Linchpin for me and my colleagues to pass around. Thanks for the great info!

[Asatiani]

Thanks for the great interview. I ordered the book just before watching this video... Now it will be more difficult to wait for the copy :).

I generally like Seth's ideas about the "gift", art and making change, though I sort of agree and disagree with them at the same time... Well, let's see how Linchpin will bring change to my thinking.

Thanks,

Aleksandre

[JonathanGunson]

Hi David

I learned something game changing today from this interview - a huge secret in fact:

Seth proposes that an artist succeeds by working right at the edges of the box, but not outside it.

The more I think about that, the more impactful it becomes. I'm an artist of sorts, and forever I have thought that I was merely stretching things a bit but not being radical enough.

Bottom line is I realise now that I was simply at the 'far edge', and that being there and not beyond it meant my Art was able to be understood, because a fragment of the original frame of reference remained intact for those still centered in the middle of the box.

They NEEDED that frame to understand the message from the edge.

This is a revelation for me that I am about to apply to a very large art / life / charity project I'm working on.

As always
Jonathan

[David Meerman Scott]

Hey Jonathan, I was also intrigued by Seth's ideas around the box. Interestingly, it is a rather short passage in the book, but one that I felt was important.

Glad I asked Seth about it.

Take care, David

[Elaine_Fogel]

David, thanks for sharing this "gift" interview with Seth. This concept of giving without expectation has been around a long time in the nonprofit sector. What's different is that now many donors want to know how their gifts were used or how they made a difference. In a way, that's an expectation, but of a different kind.

I wonder what Seth would say about that?

[Dan Williams]

Yes, Seth's ability to convey incredible insights lies in the words; "The most complex thing is life is to keep it simple."