In business, there’s a philosophy: focus is power. The idea goes that a precise and clearly articulated expression of purpose provides the most solid foundation for sustained efforts of any kind. It has to be simple, because a simple thing is a versatile thing. Simple is far from a weak idea. Simple only means few moving parts. A hatchet is one of the simplest tools, and it’s one of the most versatile. A sphere is the simplest shape, and it is the shape of the earth.
A simple statement of purpose is the strongest foundation of purpose. It won’t break. You can carry it with you into any new venture, and if that venture can fit with your simple, focused statement of purpose, then you have an idea how to move forward.
One of the strange counterparts of the effort of getting to this degree of focus is sincerity. I am prepared to bet real money that just about everyone has, at some point, articulated their focused statement of purpose. I am fairly sure everyone has one. The clear and precise simplicity of that statement of purpose, however, has been sullied in most cases. Most people submit to a popular, false narrative that tends to react to focused statements of purpose.
The false narrative can be articulated in one question, spoken in a tone that makes you feel like you must be missing something. The question:
“Is that it?”
The implication—the wrong implication—being whatever you just said can’t possibly be it. The false narrative is that your motivation for doing what you’re doing can’t possibly be reduced to a simple phrase expressing what you sincerely believe.
As a result, almost all of us spend an awful lot of energy questioning our own motivation. We thought we had a grasp on what we sincerely believed. But the naysayers of the world made us feel like our sincere belief wasn’t enough. Most of us waste a lot of time and energy trying to figure out how to explain why we do what we do, because apparently our sincerity was insufficient.
The truth is simpler. It isn’t easy, but it is simple. Like a triangle is simple. And triangles work for everything.
Success is a goal we all share. Success looks different for everyone, but succeeding at what you’re doing is what we all want. I don’t believe in many truisms about the human condition, but that’s one of them.
Many people who have achieved success in their field have figured out the lie in the popular narrative. They know that a sincere belief in a focused statement of purpose is the most important guiding principle to sustaining success.
We have a few favorites.
Whatever you feel about the wrestler-turned-actor, you can’t deny that he’s successful in his field. Not only the obvious fields he’s in, but he’s also a serial entrepreneur. He’s either collaborated on or started companies that make anything from tequila to workout clothes. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Dwayne talked about his personal philosophy. He can articulate it in a single sentence: “It’s as simple as it sounds: let’s make people feel good.”
Which sounds hammy. It sounds corny. It sounds like an All American Meal with too much starch to believe.
Except a) it seems to work, and b) he doesn’t seem to care what anyone thinks about it. Tell us you didn't love how The Rock and Siri Dominate The Day. The iPhone7 has long since been struck off Tech News, but millions still get royally amused by the official Apple Ad.
You should never, ever, under any circumstances, underestimate how much Dwayne Johnson can get done in a day with Siri. Follow the world’s busiest actor. Classic.
For what I remember as a few months, it seemed like Jessica Alba was Hollywood’s it girl. She was on all the magazines for a few months. Then she kind of disappeared. I didn’t think a lot about it at the time.
Since then, though, I’ve gotten to be a big fan of hers. She decided to switch careers and become an entrepreneur. She stared a company called The Honest Company. They create cosmetics and other products based on principles of ethic formulas and affordability.
And she did it for a handful of simple purposes.
She says she didn’t see why it shouldn’t be possible for people to be able to afford healthy products and take their healthcare into their own hands.
And, on the next level down, she says she just wanted to make some healthy products for her kids. Which the cynical among us would point at and go, “Whatever—a rich woman’s vanity brand. And who believes that anyone really does things for the kids? People just say that.”
But The Honest Company went live on Nasdaq a couple years ago.
So her philosophy seems to be working.
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds
Friends are weird. Everyone wants them, but no one wants to be seen as that lame person who has them. I don’t know if you ever experienced the embarrassment of saying anything about having friends in public. And heaven forbid if your friend ever wants you to make a public statement in support of their projects.
It is mortifying. People make fun of people liking people.
Which is why I have such a crush on Ryan Reynolds. By extension, Hugh Jackman too, but Ryan Reynolds seems to have a particular knack for it.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman both own companies. Ryan’s makes gin, and Hugh’s sells coffee. Like any savvy business owner, they want their businesses to work well. Unlike other business owners, they’re internationally known superstars. And very much unlike many business owners, they have a very public friendship, expressed mainly through verbal abuse.
They recently did a joint commercial, advertising for both of their businesses. In so doing, they put on display, once again, this sincere chemistry they have, in order to help each other out.
Sincere Branding
Sincerity is lame. But we all like it for some reason. Guy Kawasaki, a serial entrepreneur and professional focus-provider, has an eight point strategy for defining your brand and sticking to your message.
He says it more thoroughly than I will. In brief, the way to do it is to be bold enough to stand on your high ground. Then hone your message to a simple statement. Speak in clear language that people from any walk of life can understand. Use the “opposite test” to see if there’s a more catchy and genuine way to communicate. Ensure that everyone in your organization knows that message. Then put energy into public relations, rather than advertising.
Revisit your sincerity at this point to make sure you’re still talking like a human. At this point, you will be prepared to adapt to changing realities—so adapt.
Looking through a Brand Strategy lens, I have many many many brand crushes. These are a handful, and we're just getting started here at Digital Origami. Share yours? We'd love to unpack them and welcome your thoughts as to why this or that brand has gained your love and devotion.
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