THE ROOT 9: 40.2

Aspiration vs. Inspiration

I’ve been listening to the audiobook of Start with Why by Simon Sinek, and in true Yoana fashion, I can’t just enjoy listening to an audiobook anywhere. If I’m not taking notes, I start to feel like I'm not taking away enough from it (which is why I typically prefer bound books I can annotate) So, I’ve been taking notes on things that stand out to me in my Notion. Expect to see more in coming weeks (I have a bunch)

Let's start with a lesson on aspirational messages and the importance of the nuance between aspiration and inspiration.

An aspirational message tempts us toward something desirable and positive in nature. Think of headlines like, "Get the body you want in a month!" or "Six short weeks to a dream body!" This mechanism works by engaging with the person we wish we were.

For example, a strong aspirational message can easily get someone to buy a gym membership. It gets them in the door.

But here is the important distinction: Aspiration can get them to sign up, but inspiration is what gets them to show up.

Inspiration is what aligns us with a deeper belief and purpose…the "why." It's what moves us past the quick-fix headline and commits us to the long term action.

We see this played out beautifully in successful brands. A customer driven by a purely aspirational message might only show up once…To relate this to something topical, perhaps this was you this Black Friday when you saw a promotion catch your eye from something you wouldn’t pay full price for or plan to return to as a repeat customer. These messages chase the immediate desire.

But the customer who is truly inspired by the brand is the one who continues to return, the concern of paying full price doesn’t scare them. They believe the product or experience aligns with their own values, needs, and / or purpose. That alignment with the why is what generates loyalty, rather than a one time transaction.

Immune Booster 🙂

I’ve been battling a stuffed nose and a general feeling of sickness for a bit, and our Hawaii plane ride honestly made it a bit worse. On Sunday morning, instead of starting my day with my caffeine, Dylan made me this customized tea blend. I’ve had it four days in a row now and am really loving it.

Perhaps… the simple fact that it was made w/ love may have had a powerful placebo effect on me feeling better, but the blend itself has properties that I do believe support our immune system and have a calming effect. Take a look below for the recipe 🙂

Dyl's Custom Healing Tea:

This blend uses two tea bags and a few simple boosts:

If you’re feeling under the weather, try trading your morning coffee for this and let me know what you think!

Yes... it's early days, but I am really loving this so far, so I think it is fair to highlight it (and no, this is not a promo)

I'm actually happy I was listening to Start with Why right before Black Friday because it limited me from making some random purchases and affirmed one I had been eyeing for a while: the meal delivery service Locale.

I have had their ads pop up on my socials and really appreciating their commitment to high quality sourced ingredients, high protein meals, and unique recipes. I often struggle with meal delivery because the options either don't fit my macros or aren't something I'd cook myself, but Locale felt different.

Beginning my subscription with their Black Friday deal allowed me to try three free meals, but the caveat I mentally committed to was knowing I was okay with paying the full price when the deal ended. I did feel personally aligned with their product and mission, making it a worthwhile commitment (connecting back to aspiration vs. inspiration from earlier).

I'm continuing my subscription and only see myself briefly pausing at the end of the month due to the holidays. As someone who doesn't typically love meal services, I genuinely recommend you try this one out 🙂