Google Offers is launching soon, launching in Portland first. I assume that it will take awhile for Google Offers to get to the UK but many people, around the world will be watching with interest.
This great little video has been released to promote the launch of Google Offers, however, I ma intrigued to know whether this service will be any different from the likes of Groupon and Living Social and, if so, whether the public at large with have deal-fatigue.
Time will tell whether the deal phenomenon is over or whether it will go from strength to strength, what do you think?
I have quickly read this article, before I run to work, however, I want to share it as it’s principle is something I believe in. A book has been published called ‘Little Bets: How breakthrough ideas emerge from small discoveries.’ This book starts with the premise that we should put focus into little ideas, that cost little money, launch them, get feedback from the public and work on it from there. These little bets may become big deals.
This is a principle that I believe in, that I have spoke and blogged about. I certainly believe that you should ‘get ideas out there’ and this is what I have done, my downfall is that my ideas have not been little bets, but expensive machines, launched in the hope of working. That is okay. We learn and we move forward.
Check out this article on ‘Little Bets: How breakthrough ideas emerge from small discoveries’ and let me know what you think?!
Over five years ago I launched a project in Fiji, called Tribewanted. The basic idea was to bring together people from around the world, online, in order to create and develop an eco-island on an uninhibited 200 acre island in Fiij. The result of Tribewanted are, humbly, far reaching.
There are people who have met, through tribewanted, and, subsequently, have got married. Babies have been born as a result. Some people have even moved to the other side of the world and, have barely returned. When I came up with the idea of Tribewanted I could never have imagined any of these things, but herein lies the power of potential.
I have recently come across another project, launched this week, by the serial entrepreneur, Ben Way, called ‘Arc Island‘. Launched on kickstarter with the intention of raising an initial $50,000 seed money, the aim is to build a floating island, the size of Manhattan, in what would be the biggest civil engineering project in history. Ben’s goal is that everything, will be built from scratch, and a new structure of civilization will be created.
When I first heard of this project I genuinely thought, ‘what is the point!’ It sounds like a load of cash and for what purpose? However, having thought about this over the course of a week, my thought process has changed. When I launched Tribewanted many people asked, ‘why?’. Some people didn’t get it and for awhile it was in the ‘weird’ section of the press until it became more mainstream and became a tv programme.
When Thomas Edison set about creating the electric lightbulb, was he fully aware of the effect that this would have, what it would become? Did Thomas Edison know that the lightbulb would light homes, streets, workplaces, providing lighting for cars, did he know that it would dramatically improve the lives of so many? Of course he didn’t. The only thing that Thomas Edison knew is that it could be done and he wanted to prove to himself, not necessarily, to anyone else, that it could be done. After 10,000 attempts later the lightbulb was invented and history was changed. Where would we be without the lightbulb? One of the most exciting and fascinating aspects of human life is that we have the power to create, to create whatever it is within our imagination to create.
At the beginning of the week I read about the Arc Island Project and thought, ‘why?’ and now I am thinking, ‘what if it never happened?’ Just like the lightbulb, could the existence of the Arc Island Project radically change our lives in ways that we cannot even conceive right now? Of course it could!
I believe in the Arc Island Project, not because of what I see, but, because of what I don’t see yet, but what I know is there, it’s untapped potential.
So, with this in mind I am contributing to the KickStart Fund and I hope enough people get on board in order to make this happen. Thomas Edison was one person, who made a dramatic contribution, that changed the way that human being’s live their lives. Imagine what a heap of mini Thomas Edison’s could do, by contributing a small amount of money, and making the Arc Island Project happen, and how future generations may be revolutionised by this very project.
Click on the video below to hear more about the Arc Island Project:
Please add your contribution to fund this project via Kickstarter.
So many people find my blog by tying in phases associated to their own fear of failure and rejection that I wanted to point any readers in the direction of this article: How to handle rejection, written by Ryan Born.
This article conveys a simple, positive and effective approach for anyone who struggles with rejection from a guy who has been there, done that, had the rejection and conquered. Check it out!
I am literally stealing this from a blog of someone who I respect and admire, Scott Barlow, but our outlook on life is very much the same.
I want to link you to this awesome article by James Dyson entitled, ‘In Praise of Failure’. At the beginning of this article the bold statement is made that we should ‘Redefine the way that we view failure’ and I believe in this sentiment wholeheartedly.
It took Dyson years to develop the prototype that became the key mechanism for his Dyson hoover, as he explains in his article, there were times when he had little money, when his family were struggling but he never gave up on his dream. Awesome.
I have a whole bunch of analytics on my blog which tell me what key words people typed into google in order to find this blog and one of the key terms which comes up regularly revolves around ‘my life is a failure’. It amazes me how many people struggle with the fact that they have not done as well as they had hoped, in a certain area of their life.
I will write more on the subject of dealing with personal failure, later on this week, but, right now James Dyson’s article is an awesome place to start. Get inspired!