So you have an idea. It’s a good one. You’re excited and jittery to execute what you know will be a hit.
You’re launching a niche social network, you’re writing a book, you’re changing up your brand. You’re striving to be different, you’re diligently creating your story, you’re loudly promoting it. You’re a hustler and no one can stop you.

So what’s taking so long?
Why isn’t your project off the ground? Why is it taking so long to build your community? And where’s the book offers and adoring fans? Most of all, why do you sometimes have the nagging feeling that you just might not be able to pull it off? Why do you feel like a kid inside of an adult costume – wondering when your time of defeat will come? Worst yet, why is their site, their company, their story succeeding while your’s is, ummm, treading water?

In a crowded world, there is only so much time in the day. You know this. Unless you are or are doing something worth talking about, no one will talk about it. Let’s be realistic, there are thousands of apps, thousands of social networks, thousands of ideas floating out there. Every category seems packed to the brim – an explosion of choice made possible by more and more efficient platforms, like the Internet, Google and your iPhone. The Internet has created infinite choice and the pickiest of picky consumers. Have we ever had as many things vying for our attention as we do now? Wasn’t it not that long ago when kids had to use their imagination, students had to go to the library and we kept in touch by phone instead of Facebook?

Yet regardless of how complicated the world becomes, the simple reality is that there are still only 24 hours in the day. Choice has increased while time has remained the same.
Despite that each of our days are limited by a clock, our choices are made based on other factors beyond just time. In fact, we all often spend time like there are no limits. Hell, some of us are even bored! Bored in an environment of infinite choice. How can that be? It is. So there is hope. For as much time as we don’t have, there is a lot of time we do have. And most of us think we could be spending it better. Maybe you provide that solution.

I believe that each one of us, in our own way, is searching for a few basic things in life. Primarily, meaning and distraction.
We strive for meaning and distract ourselves from the occasional lack thereof. We often chase meaning consciously and distraction subconsciously. Meaning is full-filling while distraction is time-filling.

Let me put this another way: I either want to be entertained and distracted from the human condition or I want to be excited about adding meaning to my life. You probably do too.
My point is this: you are like me. Whether you’re reading this from LA or Russia – we are not that different, you and I. We are more alike than you think. You may not think I care about you or your business. But I do. I just don’t know yet. You haven’t told me why I should. You’ve haven’t shown me how it will add meaning or will create distraction. I don’t yet know that your site or your service can add value to my life or can make me forget about how depressing it sometimes is.

There is hope. I am listening. We are all listening.
For as closed-minded as you and I can be, we’re still open to meaning. And we’re definitely willing to be distracted. For as complex as the world is, the simple principles of meaning and distraction remain the same. So with your business as much as your life, strive to create meaning and also don’t be ashamed to embrace or offer distraction. Because we all need it and not enough of us are getting it. A huge supply of choice has only created a stronger demand for meaning and a higher hunger for distraction.

- @epsilonc