Are You Remarkable?

Are you remarkable?  Are you doing work that others consider to be remarkable?  Seth Godin talks a lot about being remarkable. The dictionary provides two definitions of remarkable:

“Extraordinary” and “Worthy of notice or attention”

Is remarkable a healthy goal?

When I first heard the concept of being remarkable, it sounded unattainable.  To do work that is extraordinary.  Wow, that is a high bar and perhaps something to strive to achieve.  But is it attainable?  That said, the second definition resonates strongly with me. Is the work I am doing worthy of notice or attention?  This feels a lot more attainable.

I work with a lot of people who have perfectionistic tendencies.  For them, being remarkable is a goal.  They strive to be perfect in everything they do.  It becomes a prison of their own making.  Perfect is an illusion.  They are chasing something unattainable, the goal of being extraordinary.

Coming back to Seth’s concept of being remarkable.  When we consider the second context.  That of being ‘worthy of notice or attention’, I have a very different perspective.  Remarkable is an assessment.  It is our assessment of whether something is worth talking to others about.  In this context, I would like each of my clients to feel my service is remarkable.

Changing the context

This doesn’t mean I have to be the best.  In contrast to chasing perfection, chasing the goal of being ‘attention worthy’ drives different behaviors.  It means paying attention to my customers, listening well and then responding.  Being specific and attentive to their needs.  This is a very healthy way of doing business.  What makes something remarkable for one person may turn someone else off.

Are you striving to be remarkable?  Consider your best customers, what is it they appreciate most about what you do?  How do they describe you to others?  Would they miss you if you were gone?