The (Shameless) Outlier Voice Notes

By Pravin Shekar. The Outlier Marketer
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A series of raw, unscripted 2–3 minute voice notes. No scripts. No polish. Just one idea, one punchline, and one push to help creators ship their work without hesitation. pravinshekar.substack.com

  1. A painting hung upside down

    5d ago

    A painting hung upside down

    A painting hung upside down. Everybody notices it. But why something that you perhaps have crossed quite some time in your daily commute, but all of a sudden, if a house is boarded up, you begin to wonder what’s going on. You wonder what used to be here. Something that you have encountered once or twice or thrice on a daily basis. Yet if it just remains, the same sameness gets buried. That is something we tend to forget. What if we are all products of the same sameness that people around us do not notice unless we do some circus act, and suddenly everyone applauds? Should I become a circus clown every day to ensure that I am noticed?? Perhaps. But when we do something different once in a while, then yes, we continue to remain what I call in marketing terms, Top of Mind recall. We will need to be in that recall, in the memory. So when something gets triggered, when they look at a colour, when they look at an image, when they look at a particular way somebody walks, they are reminded of us. We don’t need to hang upside down for that, but we will need to have complete clarity in terms of, who am I, who am I for? How do I get noticed? For this smaller community, what do I need to do to get noticed? And if, in certain cases, I just need to shake up the sameness, I will need to hang upside down. I need to do something different, and that would be my recommendation to you as well. You go ahead and write something well, what if you tweak it a little bit? You wear the same uniform. What if you wear the same uniform but tweak it a little bit, style it a little differently? So every time the question comes, the memory I want to imprint in my mind and yours is a painting hung upside down. What can I turn around 180 degrees? What can I tweak even at a 45-degree angle? How can I change the perception? Because the perception you have about me is something that I need to engineer. You need to have the exact same perception that I want you to have. Isn’t that what an emotional connection is? Isn’t that how I want you to remember me? Isn’t that what the market calls branding? Time to hang upside down! Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”:When the music stops Call me. Two minutes. PleaseFive Extra MinutesAn empty chair!You cannot buy FEELFocus on meAn enemy is a blessingPlant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virusCRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    3 min
  2. When the music stops!

    May 18

    When the music stops!

    When the music stops What happens when the tide runs out? That is when you find out who is actually dressed for the swim and who is swimming around naked. A quote attributed to several politicians, including Winston Churchill. But the question remains, what happens when the music stops? Are you dancing in rhythm? Are you playing to the tune? What is going on? What do you do when the music stops? There are fair-weather friends, and there are fair-weather CEOs and leaders who love coasting and claiming success purely from coasting and keeping things steady. What if there is a sudden swirl in the water that rocks the boat? What if there is a storm or a typhoon? What if there is a fall in business, a loss of a client? How do you handle what do you do when the music stops? Have you ever wondered? Have you considered this? Have you looked in the mirror, or have you sat down and done a little bit of scenario planning? The question is as much attributable to me as it is to you. Who am I? What kind of a leader am I? Am I ready to face the cyclones and typhoons? Am I ready to take the lows as I coast through the highs? How am I going to handle it? How am I going to remain the same? What am I going to learn, and the more I practice it, think about it, write about it, and plan about it. Muscle memory will kick in when things go south. And things will go down! Because life, business relationships, are all nothing but sine waves. What happens when the relationship runs out, when the tide runs out, when the music stops, when the money in flow trickles down, maybe stops, maybe sprinkles here and there? Am I ready for that dry day? Have I saved up enough? Am I mentally ready to face whatever is thrown my way? A philosophical hypothetical question, as much for you as for me, and something I yearn for: plan for when it happens. Hopefully, my muscle memory will kick in and know exactly what needs to be done at that particular point, and when the music stops. Are you ready? Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”:Call me. Two minutes. PleaseFive Extra MinutesAn empty chair!You cannot buy FEELFocus on meAn enemy is a blessingPlant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virusCRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    2 min
  3. CALL ME

    May 12

    CALL ME

    CALL ME. Just two words are enough. What do you do when this message is received? It depends on who it came from. It also depends on the time of day when I receive this particular message. Same two words, the people, the context, the time; Everything changes how I perceive and how I react. If it is someone close and they send a “Call me” message, I will drop everything, pick up the phone, and call them right away. If the message comes from someone I know, but around midnight or at 2 AM, the brain automatically shifts into a higher gear. I know there could be an emergency where I’m required. But if the message is from someone who has been bothering me, has been badgering me, there’s been a whole lot of Ask, ask, ask, give, give, give, but nothing that comes back. If that is the kind of message that I receive, call me… Fat chance that I’m going to be calling that person back. When a message, a simple message, “Call me”, comes from me, would people drop everything they are doing and call me back. What do I need to do to ensure that happens? How do I build trust so that certain people know it is never a frivolous request from me? There is a requirement, perhaps an emergency, but definitely a need to talk to them right away, which is why I sent the message. What do I need to do? How do I improve myself? How do I increase whatever I’m doing to build that value, to build that trust, to ensure that I go ahead and get things done so that even a simple two-word request has the import when it comes from me. Creating for them, even without an ask. Holding space, Being there for them. Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”:Five Extra MinutesAn empty chair!You cannot buy FEELFocus on meAn enemy is a blessingPlant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virusCRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    2 min
  4. Five extra minutes

    May 5

    Five extra minutes

    Sometimes things happen, and you have no clue. You’re scrambling to finish that examination. You know you’re going to run over time, but all of a sudden, an invigilator comes and says: “Hey, doesn’t matter. You’ve got five extra minutes. By the time I collect all the answer papers, finish up whatever you’re doing.” Good Samaritans exist. It is the same in life. You’re running late to catch a bus. You are somehow hoping that there is some delay. You reach the bus stop just in time to find out that the bus is delayed by five minutes. You get an extra five minutes. To catch your breath.To get onto the bus. What would you do with these extra five minutes? When you had no hope of it.When you had not prepared for it.When you had not planned for it. What do we do with bonus time?What do we do with bonus money? What do we do with the bonus love that we receive? Situations outside my control…like the bus getting delayedor the invigilator suddenly giving me five minutes. These are uncontrollables. But this is where it shifts. What do I do with what I receive? This additional love that I receive… Can I forward it?Can I pay it forward?Can I share it?Can I spread it? Extra five minutes.Extra five rupees.Five friends who show upWhen I am feeling a bit lonely. What am I going to do with the extra five that I get? The universe has a way of conspiring. To ensure I get what I need. When things are in my control… Do I give? Do I share? Do I spread? Let’s start spreadingan extra five minutes of love. To our inner circle.To our outer circle.To those around us. And if that love takes the shape of creation… Let us create.Let us share. For the five who are waiting for it. Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”:An empty chair! You cannot buy FEELFocus on meAn enemy is a blessingPlant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virusCRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    2 min
  5. AN EMPTY CHAIR

    Apr 28

    AN EMPTY CHAIR

    An empty chair You run into a restaurant, it’s an impromptu thing. There’s a mile-long queue, and your heart automatically falls. What do you do? I was so looking forward to this lunch, this signature dish at this particular restaurant everyone seems to be talking about. And because everyone is talking about it, there’s a mile-long queue I’ll have to wait in. Now, what do I do? Is there a possibility? Do I have to spend my entire lunch hour waiting? Am I going to go back famished? I don’t know. There’s one thing that I can do. Well, two things. I can either stand at the back of the line or… I can go up front and talk to the maître d, the manager of that particular restaurant. I chose the second option. I walked up to the manager and showed my forefinger. The number one to indicate that it’s just me. It’s just “I, me, myself” out here for lunch. He looked back at me, smiled, pointed to one empty chair at a crowded table, and nodded. I nodded back, and I moved towards it. That mile-long queue, all groups of threes, fours, fives, eights, 10s. There was just one solitary Lone Ranger out here who was happy to share one particular empty chair and table in a large, crowded room. Well, beggars can’t be choosers. What choice do I have? I’m here with a seat in that particular restaurant, all alone by myself at a crowded table that gives me a semblance of being a part of a group. The group was accommodating as well, allowing me to sit, order food, and partake along with them. Well, the choice is always ours. We could get disillusioned by longer queues and potential delays, but then what’s stopping us from going to the source and checking if there is a possibility?? It is a no if the manager says it is. If it is definitely no, if I don’t move, take any action, just go stand silently at the end of the line. There will always be an empty chair at crowded tables. Perhaps the message is philosophical, that when I put my foot forward, the universe will conspire. And there will always be one empty chair, one path, one car park that is empty, one movie ticket that’s available. Perhaps the one shot at success I’ve been striving for is the ticket I will get. There will always be an empty chair at a crowded table when I set my mind to it. Always. All I need to do is walk up and ask. Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”: You cannot buy FEEL Focus on meAn enemy is a blessingPlant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virusCRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe 3rd Draft LieGet bored on purpose!An Audience that DOESN’T EXIST!The Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    3 min
  6. You cannot buy feel

    Apr 21

    You cannot buy feel

    You cannot buy feel There’s all this talk about AI eating my breakfast, lunch, and dinner? It’s going to eat me up. I’m going to be out on the streets. I don’t know what I’m going to do. How am I going to work? What am I going to do for survival? How am I going to take care of my family? Well, this kind of panic comes and keeps coming and will keep coming in various other formats. The TV was supposed to kill the radio, and the Internet was supposed to kill the TV. OTT was supposed to kill the movie theatres. Nothing like that has ever happened. A lot of them are adjusting a little bit here and there and subsisting. There’s a serial that I saw,The terminal list, and there was one sentence that is appropriate to what I’m speaking about now, and the sentence goes thus: “YOU CAN’T BUY FEEL!” You can do whatever you want. Set the processes, put the technology, and get the right people. But can you buy feel, the feeling, the instinct. When we look at things and know there’s something off or this is it for me, what is this feel? All about? The feel is the human, human part of it that comes through that is wholly me, honed subconscious that has been sharpened through a sum of all experiences, good and bad that I have had. You can’t buy feel. You can’t buy my feel, because my aesthetics, my experiences, are different from yours. At some point, we may have a commonality, but great, but it is like two cars meeting on a particular road, but one may go straight, the other may turn left. For that small duration, we are there together. Well, we could be friends, we could be enemies, we could be fighting up, but my feel is different from your feel. So all this worry about the newness that is going to come ahead and eat the old bunkum. It may eat a bit of it, it may nudge a little bit of it, but the old is also going to come back and see how can I coexist with the new to form the new normal. As the cliche goes, it is the same with all the new fangled things that are thrown at us, what remains of the fad? What remains of fashion? What remains as a style across generations is something that we will need to see. But at the end of the day, you can’t buy feel. My feel is different from yours. And when we look at something creative, it is my feel, my expression, my emotions that come out in the various formats, be it writing, a speech, a picture, an image, a movie, art. Whatever it is, it is my feel, and it resonates with those who have the same kind of feeling. That is how relationships start and form. Perhaps you and I are yet to get a feel of what this AI is all about. Nobody can buy feel, but we can feel around until we figure out this is exactly what I want. This is my feel. This is my touch, and this is how things will go, because what comes out of me is also an embodiment, a small piece of me left behind for those with a similar feel to find, and we form a community across centuries, across generations, across cultures. THROUGH FEEL. Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”: Focus on meAn enemy is a blessingPlant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virus CRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe 3rd Draft LieGet bored on purpose!An Audience that DOESN’T EXIST!The Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    3 min
  7. FOCUS ON ME

    Apr 14

    FOCUS ON ME

    Every time I get lost within myself, a bit overwhelmed, or generally listless, I go off for long walks. What works for you? A recent movie that I saw had a beautiful dialogue that jumped out: “Just focus on you”. You can spend your whole life worrying about other people, but your time is right now. This means that if I, as a person, am not at peace with myself for various reasons, I (may) end up playing the victim card. We have our ups and downs. It’s a sign we’ve all gone through. But my time is right now. As they say on the plane, “First put on your oxygen mask and then help the person next to you.” So there are times when we will need to forcibly sit down. Recalibrate. Think about where I am. Where do I need to go? What’s happening? And how do I press a hard reset or a reboot? I mean that from a positive perspective. Focus on you. There’s a whole lot of time available for us to think about “What will other people think?” What will they do?” “But how can I help myself?” is a question that we seldom ask. Looking in the mirror, there’s only one image that jumps out. That image is solitary in the whole wide world. Yes, there are friends, there’s family, there’s always a support system. But most and foremost, am I standing for myself? If not, this is the time to focus on “I, me, myself”. There is nothing selfish about it. None. If I am not for myself, who else is for me? I will go ahead and paraphrase something I learned from a Buddhist monk. Be wisely selfish. Because when I am still, my mind is calm. That is when I can reach out and help a whole lot of people. But right now, the time to focus is on me. Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”: An enemy is a blessingPlant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virusCRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe 3rd Draft LieGet bored on purpose!An Audience that DOESN’T EXIST!The Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    3 min
  8. An enemy is a blessing

    Apr 7

    An enemy is a blessing

    An enemy is a blessing Some cliches are meant to be broken. One such thing is, “Tell me who your friends are. I’ll tell you who you are.” Fine. You are attributing the behaviour of my cohort to an impression of me. Go ahead. At this point, I would like to digress and focus more on a dialogue I heard in a movie called Rush: that having an enemy is a blessing when it comes to friends. Well, there’s another cliche: keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. Having an enemy is a blessing. A wise man gets more from his enemies than a fool from his friends. So if you’re really wise and ambitious, it is up to us to also have equal rivals. Maybe even better rivals, as role models, as competing benchmarks for us to work with. So tell me who your rivals are and what your level of competition is, and I will tell you how wise you are. When you are doing something good, there will always be a whole majority that will criticize, comment, and try to pull you down. There will be a small population who will say, “Oh, you’re coming close to me. I have to work harder.” I have to think smarter. I will have to do a whole lot better. You don’t need to go find enemies. When you’re doing well, your enemies will find you. Perhaps we need not give the word ‘enemy’ a negative connotation. They are not out there to kill you, nor are you to do that. But what if the purpose of the enemy is only to keep us on our toes, not allowing us to be complacent and go out there and polish and hone our skills that much more. Because come the race day, come the test day, come the competition, it is between my main rival and me. And how well I do. And without knowing, we are egging each other to push ourselves to do a whole lot more, to perform that much better. With this construct, don’t you think having an enemy is a blessing? I personally perform more when I have a challenger. Yes, I’m a self-driven person. I’d like to push myself, but just when there is another person out there. As simple as you’re driving patiently on the road, and suddenly somebody tries to overtake you. Ah, doesn’t your blood boil immediately, your blood pressure shoot up. How can that driver even attempt something like this? And then you start doing some antics that you are not supposed to. In the world of self-improvement, self-development, and business leadership, having an enemy is a blessing. Tell me who your rival is and I will tell you how driven you are. Additional READS on “Shameless Creativity”: Plant the StoryWhen momentum slowsThe “I also do that” virusCRUSH the creative committeeIs it good enough?You DO NOT need permission for a REFORMStumble in the StreakThe 3rd Draft LieGet bored on purpose!An Audience that DOESN’T EXIST!The Tidy Desk Delusion!Phantom pain of past crushes Thanks for reading The Shameless Outlier! Subscribe to receive new posts and Be Shameless This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pravinshekar.substack.com

    3 min
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A series of raw, unscripted 2–3 minute voice notes. No scripts. No polish. Just one idea, one punchline, and one push to help creators ship their work without hesitation. pravinshekar.substack.com

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