A tattoo is basically forever.

You should think pretty hard before you get one, because it’s largely an irreversible decision.

Just about every choice you make with your project and your career, though, doesn’t last forever. And the benefit of taking a risk is significantly higher than it is with a tattoo. A landing page, a pricing move, a bit of copy—they don’t last much more than a day, nevermind a lifetime. Higher benefits, lower risk—what are you waiting for?

So go ahead and act as if your decisions are temporary. Because they are. Be bold, make mistakes, learn a lesson, and fix what doesn’t work. No sweat, no need to hyperventilate.


Seth Godin has written thirteen books that have been translated into more than thirty languages. Every one has been a bestseller. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership, and most of all, changing everything.

*Photo by cyclerevolution.