"The open Internet is not a magic wand, but as a technology it has the potential to do tremendous things – to allow awesome people to reach their full potential."- Without Their Permission, page 243
Equality is a beautiful thing.
We all carry ideas we are passionate about, voices that need to be heard and projects that need to spread. And since we have access to the Internet, we have no excuse not to take action.
This can be incredibly empowering to some and absolutely frightening to others.
In an online world that doesn’t require permission, why are some of us still waiting for it?
The innovators, AKA the Alexis Ohanians of the world, are not waiting. They are busy building, connecting and spreading ideas. Every day, more and more people are joining this change movement. If you want to avoid becoming obsolete, it is time you value your own online freedom, along with your unique vision, and do something. Seriously, do anything. Just make a move.
Where in the web should you start?
"Even if you end up never starting something of your own, the skills you learn in development are highly sought after these days."- Without Their Permission, page 102
What languages do you speak? Most likely English. Un poco de español. Vous peut-être même parler français. But what about one of the most important languages of the 21st century?
We’re talking about the one-and-only language that elevates you from the idea person to the power position we call The Maker.
The Language = Programming. (Duh.)
If you want to become The Maker, you might want to follow these 3 steps:
1.) No more excuses, like… Programmers are kids, not 35+. I’m too old. And I’m not geeky enough to be a hacker. Do I need a snippet of JavaScript tattooed to my back first? Oh, and I never attended a computer science class in high school. Stop with the excuses already.
2.) Develop your arsenal of tools. If you truly want to operate without their permission, then you need to empower yourself. If you’re ready for a challenge, take advantage of the growing number of free tools and resources available to you:
Yes, it will take time and a ton of patience to become proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc. but if you don’t start, you will continue to feel frustrated, stalled and even unmotivated. You might even toss a few life-changing ideas in the trash.
3.) Stop asking for permission. Permission is so 20th century.
"If you’ve had the pleasure of working with an elite team you know what a difference it makes. And if you haven’t, you know what it’s like when it’s not working. And it’s bad."- Without Their Permission, page 117
Whether you’re a solopreneur or you lead a growing team, if you want to make the world suck less, you need a kickass support team. Sure, they need to be competent and driven and quasi-entertaining (that’s a plus). But more importantly, they need to take pride in their work.
If your team doesn’t give a hoot about your mascot – you do have a mascot, right? – and your mission, you may need to reevaluate your hiring process. As Alexis says, “hire wisely and fire quickly.”
Here’s a list of questions Alexis likes to ask potential hires:
Not only will the questions above give you a chuckle, you will also be able to find the people who truly give a damn.
The digital revolution is forcing all of us to step up our game, BIG time. It forces us to develop skills that fall outside of our comfort zones. It forces us to stop apologizing for high standards and expectations. And it forces us to push ourselves, stop making excuses, and start making the world suck less.
After all, the open Internet is a gift and an opportunity.
What will you make?
