Comments on: Stop Trying to Recreate Your Last Big Hit

By: Randy Zeitman

Randy Zeitman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:48:14 +0000

I agree with everything you said but it’s too easy to abuse. You know how many businesses fail because they don’t heed good patterns from the past?…I’d say most… “Oh, I’ll worry about the marketing later”… I have literally heard that dozens of times from startups… translation?… I choose to rely on luck rather than ‘the past’.

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:53:48 +0000

Thanks Jonathan. Again, a great commentary and right to the point. Even though I’m a employed as an Art Director for a large corporation, I spend such a large percentage of my time defending why we shouldn’t build our sites to look just like the competitors. Sure, there are things to learn from others, like best practices and interactive techniques…but don’t you want to stand out in the crowd, both as an individual as well as a corporation?

Thanks for the well-said reminder.

By: Tisha Morris

Tisha Morris — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:09:53 +0000

I like this! We get so caught up in patterns…good or bad patterns. I have so many times tried to recreate a moment and have been so disappointed… a vacation spot, a first kiss, etc. I finally learned that there is no way to recreate. Instead, make new memories! I never thought about this in terms of business however. Great point!

By: Website Marketing Guy

Website Marketing Guy — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:47:55 +0000

Excellent! Innovation is what made the internet great. Innovation is what make people successful! Be unique and think outside of the box.

By: Daniel Richard

Daniel Richard — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:19:18 +0000

“Why bother!” Yeah. Continue innovating to create the next big hit is the way to go. Renegades seek to innovate. I’m gonna do just that.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:27:24 +0000

Jonathan:

Great reminder. I know a lot of us, myself included, probably spend a little too much time in the past. I really like your comparison to a sequal which is never as successful as the original. Oh, by the way, I just picked up your new book and really dig it, so far!

By: Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills

Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:45:10 +0000

Great point Jonathan, truth is, you can never go back. We can and should build on past experience, but it’s pointless to try and be in a place that no longer exists. How much better to be here now while incorporating the lessons we have learned.

By: Michael Martine

Michael Martine — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:17:26 +0000

Great message! Recreating the past only works for museums and Disneyworld. There’s no way you can live in the moment if you’re trying to recreate past success.