What does it really mean to be “remarkable”? In this episode of Randy Unscripted, Randy explores the true definition of the word and challenges the assumption that remarkable always means admirable. Sparked by conversations in the podcasting world — including thoughts from Dave Jackson of the School of Podcasting — this reflection examines how something can be memorable for both positive and negative reasons. In a culture driven by attention and algorithms, Randy asks a deeper question: Is it enough to be noticeable, or should we aim to be meaningful?
Transcript
Randy Black.
Speaker:Randy Black.
Speaker:Randy Black.
Speaker:Randy Black.
Speaker:Randy Black.
Speaker:Randy Black.
Speaker:Randy Black.
Speaker:Randy Black.
Speaker:He's a troublemaker.
Speaker:Welcome back to Randy Unscripted.
Speaker:I'm your host, Randy Black, and this is the podcast where I infrequently share something
Speaker:that's just come across by mind.
Speaker:And today, I want to share something that I've been thinking about lately, and that's a very
Speaker:specific word.
Speaker:That word is remarkable.
Speaker:honestly it's been on my mind because of a friend of mine dave jackson dave is a podcast hall of
Speaker:fame inductee and he is the voice behind the school of podcasting and he's been talking lately
Speaker:a lot about creating what he calls remarkable content and and i get it i get what he means
Speaker:he's talking about content that stands out content that that makes people lean in content that makes
Speaker:someone say, wow, that was totally worth my time. And in the podcasting space, that is a worthy goal.
Speaker:Nobody wants to create forgettable content. Nobody sets out to be average.
Speaker:We want to make something that matters. But as I've listened to that word,
Speaker:Remarkable.
Speaker:It's made me stop.
Speaker:And it's made me think.
Speaker:Because when we hear that word,
Speaker:we almost automatically assume that it's positive.
Speaker:We say things like,
Speaker:that was a remarkable achievement,
Speaker:or she's a remarkable leader,
Speaker:or what a remarkable recovery.
Speaker:It sounds like praise.
Speaker:But that's not actually what the word means.
Speaker:At its core, remarkable simply means worthy of being remarked upon.
Speaker:It means something stands out.
Speaker:Something grabs attention.
Speaker:Something is noticeable enough that people want to talk about it.
Speaker:That's it.
Speaker:It doesn't automatically mean good.
Speaker:It doesn't automatically mean admirable.
Speaker:It just means memorable.
Speaker:And that's where things for me start to get interesting.
Speaker:Because something can be remarkable for two very different reasons.
Speaker:It can be breathtakingly good.
Speaker:Or it can be astonishingly bad.
Speaker:A remarkable act of generosity.
Speaker:A remarkable innovation.
Speaker:A remarkable comeback.
Speaker:But also, a remarkable failure.
Speaker:A remarkable scandal.
Speaker:A remarkable collapse.
Speaker:A remarkable lack of judgment.
Speaker:plane crashes are remarkable
Speaker:public meltdowns are remarkable
Speaker:historic mistakes are remarkable
Speaker:they stand out
Speaker:they get talked about
Speaker:they refuse to blend into the background
Speaker:they are remarkable
Speaker:not because they're admirable
Speaker:but because they're unforgettable.
Speaker:So when we talk about making remarkable content
Speaker:or building a remarkable career
Speaker:or living a remarkable life,
Speaker:I think there's an assumption that's built in.
Speaker:We assume remarkable equals excellent.
Speaker:But culture shows us something that's different.
Speaker:In a world today that's driven by clicks, by outrage, and by algorithms,
Speaker:you can become remarkable by being extreme, by being controversial, by being loud, by being dramatic.
Speaker:And that right there, that raises attention for me.
Speaker:Because being remarkable isn't the same thing as being meaningful.
Speaker:Being viral isn't the same thing as being virtuous.
Speaker:us. Being noticed isn't the same thing as being noble. And I don't think that Dave means any of
Speaker:that when he talks about remarkable content. I think he means excellent, impactful, helpful.
Speaker:But the word itself carries more weight than we sometimes realize.
Speaker:And if I'm honest, I've had some remarkable moments in my life.
Speaker:Some that I'm proud of.
Speaker:Some I wish fewer people remembered.
Speaker:But both kinds get talked about.
Speaker:Both kinds leave a mark.
Speaker:So maybe the better question isn't just, how do I become remarkable?
Speaker:Maybe the better question is, what do I want to be remarkable for?
Speaker:Because one way or another, we will stand out.
Speaker:The only question is whether it will be because we were extraordinarily good
Speaker:or just extraordinarily noticeable.
Speaker:Thank you for listening to this episode of Randy Unscripted.
Speaker:I'm Randy Black, and this is the show where I just kind of
Speaker:share my thoughts on whatever's crossed my mind.
Speaker:I hope you will continue to check out the show as episodes come out, even as infrequent as they are,
Speaker:and maybe even consider throwing support for the show my way.
Speaker:Every episode of the show on the website and the page on the website itself for the show
Speaker:has links there that you can provide some support to the show, and that would be greatly appreciated.
Speaker:When I'll be back, I don't know, but I can tell you one thing.
Speaker:It'll definitely be Randy, and it'll definitely be Unscripted.