Today I’m launching my new site design (thank you Thesis and Jesse Petersen!). It was just time, given that blog platforms are evolving faster than Twitter is gaining new users (well, maybe not quite that fast).
This “rock” needed to be turned over and examined. Not because there was something so wrong about how my site looked – it was because I just wanted it to be better. A little less busy (I hope you agree!).
I had been thinking about looking under rocks for several weeks lately – I always worry about complacency, and it was a perfect analogy for me. Because there’s always a better way to do something – or a better way to analyze something – or present something. The minute we think we have it all figured out, all nailed down, and there’s nothing more left to change – that’s the EXACT time we need to think about mixing things up a little.
It’s about trying a new and different perspective – and realizing that you DON’T have all the answers.
This viewpoint was reinforced for me just yesterday when I attended the Audience conference in NYC – Jeremy Shoemaker, better known on the Internet as “Shoemoney“, spoke about how being successful was “about managing time and working hard.” He made a lot of mistakes along the way, he said, but he kept pushing – talking about those mistakes out in public, and along the way discovering better ways to, in his words, get “skills to pay the bills.” And now he is quite successful out there- because he was willing to turn over those rocks.
Sometimes you need someone else to do the turning over for you. Getting a friend, or any objective third party, to tell you how you can do something better, takes a decent amount of courage, especially if you do not take to critique very well. We recently hired an outside firm at my company to take a look at some of our operations, and sure enough, they looked at some rocks we hadn’t looked under for several years – and found some things that we could change to make us better.
It always stings a bit when you hear these things – humans do have this little thing called pride, after all – but if we really want to be successful, and STAY there – we can’t just glide over those stones.
Gotta stop and turn ‘em over. While it may be pretty ugly under those rocks, and you may have to take a couple of steps back before you start marching over them again, it’s well worth the effort.
Complacency is not our friend. Never be satisfied, and you’ll have a much better chance of finding lasting success.
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Thanks for the shout-out, Terry. It’s been a pleasure working with/for you all of these years. This was by far smoothest design/implementation for Thesis to date: a testament to your communication and leadership skills. I’m sure you’ll find the benefits of Thesis out in your stats soon and wish you the best for the success of your site with its new overhaul.
Looks great Terry, and congratulations to Jesse for another successful transformation
Terry with your inspiration Jesse has done very well! I like the new look. It is causal and comfortable.
Terry, I agree with the others. I really like the new look and find it pleasing to the eye. Stay positive.
Hi Jesse, Joanna, Steve and Larry – thanks for taking the time to comment on my new site design – I appreciate the feedback!
My best regards to all of you – and thanks again Jesse for a job well done!
Terry
Terry,
Great new look here!
You make a great point on listening to feedback. I don’t like it sometimes, but it does help us grow. Like Keith Ferrazzi says- Feedback is just data. It takes setting down our ego to turn over some rocks.
Tim,
ego is just someone you mustn’t listen to all the time
I like the new design, really a step forward.
Thanks for the great reminder to keep checking our work and methods. And, like everyone else, I think Thesis suits your site well.
Terry,
You rocked it! I especially like the feeling that the offset text in the “Ramblings From…” evokes. Great reminder, too – nicely done all around.
Terry (and Jesse as well), diggin’ the new design!
This post hit home with me, as this was basically the conversation I had with my wife this weekend. After just publishing a redesign of my own site (using Thesis too), she was asking me why I was spending the time to do this and if it would result in reaching my goal.
I told her that I had expectations that it would, but I wouldn’t know for sure unless I tried. I had to turn the rock over and see if it will lead to my success.
Hi Terry,
I adore rocks. I have a collection of them – special rocks that seem to call my name – and I place them in the soil around trees in my yard or in plants in my office. I also adore metaphor. Turning over rocks, looking under rocks, keeping things fresh – such great reminders for us. Thank you. Love the new site and it’s simplicity. Clean. Fresh. Worthy of you and all you write.
Now, not wanting to “rock” the boat here with all the positives, I do have to say my preference is to have the categories, popular posts, etc., all over on the left side. Because my eyes read right to left, I find myself wanting to shift my focus from the main post over to the right to see what I’m missing. But heh, I can learn to toss that rock out:)
You rock!
Erica
oops.Pardon the dyslexia:) I meant “because I read left to right, I want to continue past the post over to the right to see what I might have missed, rather than returning to the left to continue with the post.” Does this make sense? If not, no worries. Site still rocks.
Terry,
I love the new digs! The Thesis theme suits you well, but no matter WHAT your site looks like, I come back again and again for the exquisite content. You are a mentor to me and so many others! Congrats on the “makeover.”
new site rocks!
Thank you Tim, Lucny, Christina, Jeanne, Derek, Erica, Amy and Charlane for your comments and feedback on my new site design.
I’m honored.
Tim & Lucny, yes, the ego needs to be put in the corner every now and then!
And yes Derek, you have to try. Or as Yoda would say, “Just do”.
Erica, it does make sense. Really, it does. You’ll never rock this boat!
Amy, that’s the first time anyone has used exquisite when describing my writing.
Charlane, thanks, and how are things in Iceland?
All the best to all of you!
Terry
Iceland is great! winter is upon us here so each day it is darker. i love it though. the 24-hour sunlight in the summer is a bit much after a while.
Charlane, that must be strange to have “all dark” or “all light”. You must have some pretty darn thick window shades!
All the best.
Thank you to all for the great compliments on the design. It’s very much appreciated.
The metaphor of “turning over rocks” immediately reminds me of my two year old son. Any rock that catches his eye must immediately be turned over and inspected. If we can put ego aside and approach projects and feedback with the spirit of curiosity, many interesting discoveries can be made. Spicing things up also provides a new challenge which can be rejuvenating in itself.