Half of the Glass

Guest "Weekly Dose of Courage" Post: Billy Collins.

Bill Collins is my business partner who runs the "Knowledge Team" at Courageous. Is the glass haft empty? Is the glass half full? Billy shares his version of the truth from his Mom.

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“Half of the glass has water in it.”?

Maybe Ethel said this or maybe my Mom just viewed life this way. ?

We often learn that we should view the world as optimists with unending possibilities, while much has been written about how pessimism actually produces greater preparedness and limits unnecessary risk-taking.?But perhaps we should all embrace our inner Ethel to accept the reality of “our special”.? Realists understand the uniqueness we each possess and believe that “special” needs to be uncovered and unleashed.

Whenever my Mom was asked about her children’s skills in a certain area she would surprise people with her candor.?Instead of saying that I was great at everything (like many parents), she told people what she saw in me.?It could be that I’m disorganized or that I’m good with numbers.?She knew that I wouldn’t make a living playing baseball, but she also knew that I would “figure it out.”?

Glass half empty? Glass half full? No. Ethel knew that the “water in my glass” had potential, I just had to uncover how and where it was needed.

This created a muscle in me I now realize is a balanced view of my strengths and weaknesses. From being able to self-identify my faults to a deeper understanding of what I do better than most.?

Said more succinctly, when my Mom told me that I was good at something, I knew I was.

Now some of you may be skimming through this personal therapy session, but there is value in what it means for Brands - Brands often fail to see that half of their glass has water in it.??

On one hand, Brands believe they are the best at everything and attempt to be everything to everyone.?“Refreshing the World” or “For People with Skin.”?Beyond the wallpaper marketing messages, these taglines represent an inability to realize what makes their Brands and products…drum roll please… special.?

It creates a feeling that everyone gets a trophy, so it’s a meaningless trophy, and no one’s really special.??

On the other hand, pessimistic Brands often look past their strengths and only see how they don’t match up to their competition.?This inferiority complex drives them to become copycat marketers (take a look at all of the luxury Brand ads in WSJ Magazine) and create products that just don’t work. New Coke is a classic example as they chased the flavor of Pepsi.

It’s not surprising that I bring this up to showcase our process #sponsored - our now 5-year-in-the-making 5-step “P.R.I.C.E. of Courage” methodology, was created to help Brands uncover their special so you can connect with your consumer in a special but real way.?

This is the magic behind taking a real look into your Brand because it’s the unique combination of values of your Brand that will connect with consumers.?Using these real values to unlock the possibilities (like an optimist) prepares you to take the necessary risks (like a pessimist) with new products, new partnerships, and new marketing ideas.??

After all, half of the glass does have water in it — and it’s what you do with that water next that matters.

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Billy Collins runs the Knowledge Team at Courageous. Years working on Brands from large Fortune 100 companies to bootstrapped startups, Billy values understanding how to tap into consumer behavior to drive business growth.?He advises companies to find their "special" through sacrifice to provide the clarity needed to embrace change. Billy is a Dad, a parent of three (not including the Dog) and bleeds Duke Blue.

THE COURAGEOUS PODCAST

0-7 at home the year before. The 2nd and 3rd pick of last year's NFL draft. A first-time Head Coach. The Houston Texans seemed to be moving in the wrong direction. At best? A slow-cooked rebuild that could take 1000 days. But the NFL and its fans learned fast that this was anything but the truth. On this episode of The Courageous Podcast, we get a front-row seat to witness a revamped culture that has helped land the 5-4 Texans in the smack of a playoff hunt. We're joined by Chief Marketing & Ticket Sales Officer Doug Vosik (DV) who shares what has been going on behind the scenes in H-Town including a few landmark choices (See: drafting C.J. Stroud) that have helped the organization win on the field and in the community.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Missed the last 5 episodes?

• Life as Peter Brady w?/ Christopher?Knight.
• FlexPaths w/ Meryl Rosenthal.
• Superconnector Studios w/ Jae Goodman.
• DNA of Purpose w/ Rebecca Maklad.
• Wrapify w/ James Heller.

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Ryan Berman is the founder of Courageous; a think-feel-do change consultancy based in Southern California. With 25 years in creative business, Ryan believes your “future is safe with change”. Ryan is a speaker, practitioner, and authority on the subject who has been featured in Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Inc, and Forbes. Ryan has spoken on the topic all over the country including at Google, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, Logitech, Discover Card, and charity: water. Ryan also hosts?The Courageous Podcast?where he talks with leaders from around the globe to uncover what it means to be courageous in today's world. His book,?Return On Courage, shares why companies need to unlock courage while providing practical tips on how organizations can operationalize courage today.?Learn more at?couragebrands.com