How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live. — HENRY DAVID THOREAU - Josh Kaufman

Every time your customers purchase from you, they’re deciding that they value what you have to offer more than they value anything else their money could buy at that moment.

STATE model to communicate without provoking anger or defensiveness: 1. Share your facts — Facts are less controversial, more persuasive, and less insulting than conclusions, so lead with them first. 2. Tell your story — Explain the situation from your point of view, taking care to avoid insulting or judging, which makes the other person feel less safe. 3. Ask for others’ paths — Ask for the other person’s side of the situation, what they intended, and what they want. 4. Talk tentatively — Avoid conclusions, judgments, and ultimatums. 5. Encourage testing — Make suggestions, ask for input, and discuss until you reach a productive and mutually satisfactory course of action.

Here’s a curious fact about human beings: we have a really hard time realizing that something isn’t there.