In 1998 the US Treasury unveiled the new 20 dollar bill (the middle 20 above). Andrew Jackson got a series facelift. I recall many people saying it looked like play money with the larger faces and numbers. It was noteworthy.

Since 1998 there have been some minor changes here and there. You can see that the oval border was kicked to the curb, some watermarks added, and slight changes in color. These changes were not worth remarking about since they were not that divergent from the last version. Many of us barely noticed.

Remind you of anything?

I was working on the road when the original iPhone came out in June 2007. I had a coworker buy the phone and start a new plan with AT&T, even though he was locked into a contract with Sprint for another 3 months. That’s how much buzz this new device created.

Time continued and Apple made new versions with different numbers and letters. I started caring less and  less with each new version. I’m still not sure what the C stands for in the 5C.

but the phone comes in a white version now!

It’s hard to measure attention but it surely has a capped supply. To seize attention we have to be willing to push and exceed expectations, otherwise we’re a wave of rain in a monsoon.

Now Apple seems cursed by its own success. Falling short of lofty expectations, a similar dilemma shared by hit movie sequels.

Most of us aren’t creating innovations or movies for the entire world, but we do live in our own individual microcosms. Within our little worlds, are people that rely on us and (if we’re lucky) even look up to us. We have our own set of expectations that we can choose to fall short of, meet, or surpass.

Just be ready to strap up your work boots if you want to be remarkable for the long haul.

“Sounds too exhausting.” said no legend ever.

Photo credit : iPhone

Photo credit : Yawn

Post by : Eric Worral