The Smartest Businesses Learn Before They Lead

I heard a David Sedaris quote in grad school that said something to this effect: “When I read a beautiful sentence, I like to write it in my notebook, just to see how it feels.”

That idea has stuck with me for nearly a decade and a half, both for its practicality and its genius.

It reminds me of Pablo Picasso’s famous quip: “Good artists copy, but great artists steal.”, however, Sedaris’s insight goes much deeper. Because he’s not talking about copying or stealing, he’s talking about inhabiting—about stepping inside a great sentence to feel what the writer felt in the moment of creation.

He’s not just admiring the craftsmanship; he’s embodying it, if only for an instant.

Over the years, as I’ve evolved as a strategist, I’ve found that Sedaris’s idea makes sense within a business context as well.

What better way to refine your approach than to study the greats—whoever they may be in your industry—and try to feel what a successful strategy or framework is like when put into practice?

Testing ideas, seeing what fits, and learning something about your organization in the process—this is what smart companies are really good at.

Maybe the approach you try won’t work, but that’s almost beside the point.

The act of experimentation itself sharpens your understanding of what aligns with your values, your strengths, and your long-term vision.

For Sedaris, writing down those beautiful sentences helps him hone his voice and deepen his craft. He isn’t trying to become someone else, or even write like anyone else; he’s trying to refine what makes his own words uniquely his.

My contention is that businesses should take the same approach.

By studying great companies—not just their successes but how they succeed—you’re clarifying what sets you apart.

In business terms, you might call it your differentiator or value proposition. But at its core, it’s about finding your own voice in the marketplace.

The best businesses, like the best writers, don’t just emulate—they interpret, adapt, and innovate.

They take what resonates and make it their own. This is where true differentiation happens.

It’s not in mindless replication, but in the thoughtful application of lessons learned.

So the next time you admire a successful business model, campaign, or strategy, don’t just ask how you can copy it. Ask how you can inhabit it. Ask how you can make it uniquely yours.

Because that’s where real growth happens—not in imitation, but in transformation.