Yesterday’s hike was an intense mental challenge.
It wasn’t physically challenging… but when your mind is being tested from every angle, then an easy physical activity easy seems harder.
The hike started off flat and windy…
“This is it?” we wondered.
As we walked further, pushing against the insane cold wind, suddenly the trail split off into multiple directions.
To the right was an area filled with bushes and rocks. I had a vague feeling that a mountain lion was hiding in that direction, so we steered clear.
Straight ahead was more flat path.
To the left was a steep trail that went around a giant mountain covered in shade. A signed warned, “Bikers, please go SLOWLY. Headphones NOT RECOMMENDED.”
The mountain was ominous looking, yet intriguing.
“I bet there’s no wind down there,” Dan said.
We chose to walk in the direction of the mountain.
As we traversed downward, the wind disappeared completely. So did the sun. We were in the shade.
The path got steeper. The trail narrowed. Soon there was barely any dirt to walk on. The turns were sharp. We couldn’t see very far in front or behind us. Trees blocked everything.
“Whoa! Sharp turns ahead.”
It was silent, except for a creepy drone-sound, which we figured was probably the wind hitting the high power lines above.
It felt like we were entering into a different universe.
I couldn’t put my finger on what it was about this hike, this environment. It seemed puzzling.
Different places always have their own vibe or energy. This one called to mind a word:
“Enchanting.”
I found myself trying to “figure out” the environment, and perhaps this is why the hike felt mentally challenging.
I was trying to slap a definition or word onto the whole experience… which refused to be defined.
The terrain seemed to whisper, “There’s nothing to figure out, just go with it.”
“But what if ‘just going with it’ gets us killed?” I wondered.
Being smack in the middle of forest, it felt like déjà vu. The past, present, and future became molded into a single reality that unfolded nanosecond-by-nanosecond.
Some trees had bright yellow moss growing on them. Others were surrounded by pink flowers and decaying red leaves.
We snapped pics of strange and interesting objects.
Finally, we emerged from the depths of this hike, at the bottom, and landed on more flat area. From our vantage point we could see almost the entire state of Colorado. Downtown Denver, the Denver Tech Center, and everything to the west. What a view.
The trail could have kept going on forever. “Let’s turn around,” I said.
We made our way back up the steep hills, back towards the forest, back into the “alternate reality.”
A mysterious pile of poop we’d seen on the way down, had somehow disappeared on the way back up… We were laughing, trying to determine where it could have possibly gone.
“Bike!” I said.
We jumped out of the way as a dude came flying down the trail on his bike.
“Oh, thank you!” he yelled. “Two more behind me!”
Seconds later, another guy came flying down on his bike, way too fast.
“Thank you! One more!” he yelled.
Finally, a third guy came flying down.
“Last one!” he yelled.
Dan and I were astonished.
Had I not seen the first biker, he could have crashed right into me.
If there had been no space for us to move to, we would have been hit.
Falling down into the trees would have sucked big-time!
The carelessness of some people is mind-boggling to me.
Like an oblivious biker going too fast down a hill with sharp turns… many marketers are carelessly pushing harmful products onto everyone they can, just to make a buck.
Think: junk food, fast food, chemical air refreshers, toxic cleaning products, toxic beauty products… you name it, there’s a company “not giving a shit” about how their products (or their actions) are harming others.
Some would argue, “Customers always have a choice as to what they buy.” That’s true. But when they’ve been consistently brainwashed and hypnotized by negative marketing and advertising messages… no, they don’t have a choice. They’re merely programmed by marketers.
That’s why I’m an anti-marketer.
The “marketer” is all about maintaining the status quo, chasing after the almighty dollar, at the expense of others.
The anti-marketer puts people above profits.
They know how to “slow the fuck down,” and do the right thing even if it’s tedious, even if it takes longer, even if it’s inconvenient or costs more, due to the high quality.
The anti-marketer “flies,” but their flying doesn’t harm anyone… rather, it inspires others to fly, too, while following the rules for safety.
I’m a fan of breaking the rules, but not when it could potential harm others.
Bless you if you’re an anti-marketer, considerate of the potentially impact you have on others.
Michelle
Anti-Marketing Manifesto
P.S. After returning home from our hike, Dan and I enjoyed some delicious burgers and well-deserved vodka!
Michelle Lopez Boggs is a copywriter, copywriting mentor, and author of "The Anti-Marketing Manifesto: How to Sell Without Being a Sellout." She's helped her clients sell millions of dollars' worth of products and services online by using the MEI(S) principle — motivate, educate, and inspire, and sell. 