Hello,
Quick note: this one’s landing on a Sunday instead of Friday, I wanted to take the time to properly put these thoughts together.
Kicking off the year in Las Vegas at CES has been a good reminder of something important.
I’ve been thinking about a simple idea that keeps proving itself:
Shoot your shot.
Not as motivation.
As a system.
Because when you break it down, progress often comes from three things.
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It’s a numbers game
Most people avoid uncomfortable conversations because the odds don’t feel great.
Talking to someone new.
Reaching out.
Asking for a conversation.
Rejection is likely, so they don’t even try.
But that’s the point.
The more people you talk to, the higher the probability of making something happen. Most conversations go nowhere. One doesn’t… and that’s enough.
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Use leverage and introductions
You don’t have to do it alone. One of the most effective accelerators is being introduced by the right people. Recently, through a simple introduction from John Kraski at Brand Innovators, I ended up in a conversation with the CMO of Bosch, one of the largest companies in Germany. We exchanged numbers and started a relationship that wouldn’t exist without that connection. That’s leverage. That’s how the numbers game gets easier.
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Say what you want out loud
The third piece is doing it in public. Calling your shot. One of my favorite examples is MrBeast (over 459 M followers on YouTube). Despite being one of the biggest creators in the world, he publicly posted that he wanted to do a Super Bowl commercial and was looking for a partner. He didn’t need to. He already has inbound demand. But he put it out there anyway. And Marc Benioff, the founder of Salesforce, replied: “Let’s talk.”
I’ve seen the same thing on a much smaller scale. At CES, when I shot my own shot and spoke to Gary Vaynerchuk, it didn’t come from perfect timing, it came from putting myself in the conversation. People can’t help you if they don’t know what you’re trying to do.
I share more of these conversations and moments on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjamindiedering/
Why this matters heading into 2026
Opportunities don’t come from waiting.
They come from conversations.
From talking to more people.
Using the right leverage.
And being clear about what you want.
As we move into 2026, I’m doubling down on that. More shots taken. More conversations started. Less waiting for certainty. Because you don’t need a perfect plan. You just need to shoot your shot.
If this was useful, feel free to forward it to someone who should take a shot this week. See you next week ✌️
Benjamin
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