Make Your Message Truly “Stick”

Have you ever been hiking in the wild, stopped, pointed, and said, “WHOA- that is a really cool stick!”…?

Maybe you did it as a kid, or maybe you have done it with your own kids.

Either way, if you have ever paused to marvel at a uniquely shaped stick in the wild, then you’re not alone.

“Official Stick Reviews” is an online community of people who excitedly share one thing and one thing only: videos of really cool sticks they find in the wild. Probably the most wholesome account on Instagram, its filled with old and young alike eagerly sharing their favorite sticks with the world.

Some sticks are long and straight, some are sturdy, some have a great grip…

But no matter what, the connection people have with these handy works of nature runs deep.

Whether they take them home, or use them to relive wild stories or fantasies, all eagerly take the time to video them, and share them online.

Because the amazing thing about these sticks are that they are genuine… AND they fulfill an important use.

On the other hand, imagine if you have been hiking and found a long plastic white PVC pipe next to a trail.

Compared to an amazing walking stick, would you have the same excited fascination?

Probably not. Why?

It’s long and straight…

It’s sturdy…

It probably has a great grip…

In all functionality, it would be the same as a good walking stick.

But in some strange way, compared to a real hiking stick, a PVC pipe would feel… lifeless.

Maybe even out of place.

And so you pass it by, or even throw it away.

What does this have to do with influence and success?

As Artificial Intelligence continues to expand its reach with breathtaking speed, I find a lot of creators and businesses increasingly relying on it to create content entirely from whole cloth. They even use it to interface with people interested in their services.

You’ve probably seen similar examples in your own life.

When you’ve encountered a chatbot, or a piece of writing that is clearly AI, how did it make you feel?

No doubt it was accurate.

Prompt.

Efficient.

But did you feel a connection with it?

Or did it feel… lifeless?

Maybe even out of place.

And I bet your interest in whatever it was… decreased.

Here’s why this matters: True attention follows value and connection.

Yes, AI created content and services may provide value, but no matter how sophisticated it may be, I find content produced entirely from AI (and without human input) lacks connection.

And so I pass it by, and ignore it. Just like a PVC pipe along your favorite trail.

But when I find something that is genuine? Helps me feel connection? And its clear a person is behind it providing sincere value that makes a difference to me?

Like my friends in Official Stick Reviews, I proudly take the time to share it with everyone that I know.

Again and again.

So this week, if you are incorporating AI in your life and business my question is this:

Are you abdicating your role to provide value and create connection to an algorithm? Or are you taking the time to show up and connect and serve people in meaningful and genuine ways?

Attention follows value and connection. And who knows… maybe someone will see your message, service, story, or offer and say, “Whoa! That’s really cool!” and tell everyone about it.

Just like a really cool stick.

Christian

CHRISTIAN HANSEN has gone behind the scenes in some of the biggest organizations in the world to find out the reasons why some people get chosen and why others don’t. As the 2X #1 bestselling and LinkedIn Top Ten ranked author of “The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You” Christian helps teams and organizations who want to stand out and be the obvious choice. With degrees from Brigham Young University and The London School of Economics, he’s helped thousands of individuals position and sell themselves. A fan of international communication, history, and choral music, he currently lives in Utah with his wife. Reach him at: TheChristianHansen.com