What do you do?
– I write.
Doesn’t just about everyone?
– What do you mean by that?
If you can form a letter in any language, you can write. What do you really do? …
Here’s where this goes. Writers don’t write. Writers give people reasons to read. That’s what distinguishes them from people who can put things in writing.
Speakers don’t talk. They give people reasons to listen. That’s what distinguishes them from everyone with the gift of speech.
And photographers don’t photograph. They frame a moment in the world. That’s what makes their work different from someone with a mobile phone.
The differences have never been more important in a world where so many people have access to technology that allows them to design, publish, print, record, point, click, template …
What do you do, when anyone looks like they can do what you do? So often we want to base those differences on techniques. We do it better. Or history. We’ve done it longer. Or experience. We know more. Or frequency. We’ve done this more often.
Here’s the thing. It’s a much stronger equation when it’s not about you.
The real value and competitiveness of what you have to offer changes when you stop thinking about what you’re interested in, and start thinking about how others really benefit from your work.
