• BusinessWeek, Monday, February 8, 2010 10:49 AM

Maybe you've seen this: Click on the bald-pated, bobble-headed facsimile of Seth Godin and get a bromide such as "the devil doesn't need an advocate." Reads the subhed: "He has big ideas so you don't have to."

Helen Waters brings it to our attention ("makes me laugh every time") in a blog post about Godin's appearance last week at a $195-a-ticket event last week where he pitched his new book, Linchpin, which is what you are within, evidently, even if you haven't come to terms with it yet. Godin was at the top of his form, which is formidable if you've not seen it live, exhibiting just the right touch of "self-deprecation, flattery of his audience and nimble wit."

The tastiest food for thought, judging by Waters' reading of the audience reaction, was Godin's injunction to "Ship It." She explains: "This referred to the tendency we all have to talk ourselves out [of] doing something, instead of convincing ourselves that it's too soon/not ready/not a good time/we'll be laughed out of town if we try it now, clearly we should delay."

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