When we want to celebrate expansion and growth, why would we use a term that means the opposite?

Crushing is about destruction. But imagine the times you've heard that someone is "crushing it." What sort of achievements does that usually describe?

⚽️ Scoring three goals in your soccer game
📈 Exceeding your sales quota by 50%
🕺 Breathtaking dance moves at the club

Inflating the score. Inflating revenue. Inflating your reputation.

Sure we could say "growing" or "expanding" but I'm sorry, that's insufficiently comical. Inflating is more fun! 🎈

Inflating also means "to puff up with pride or satisfaction," and that's perfect, because "crushing it" is totally about puffing out your chest and letting your ego inflate a bit. Choosing the word "inflating" subtly pokes fun at the way our human egos like to peacock around looking for dopamine snacks (even if, deep down, we know that much of the substance of our accomplishments is just air).

"Crushing it" is violent and negative. It's OK to use violent, negative words when we're talking about topics that are actually violent. But I think we have sufficient negativity in the world that when we're talking about something positive we can treat ourselves to some smileworthy language. Pump. It. UP! 🐡

Inspired by my friend Shana Rappaport who always says this!

Thank you for the original photography: David Clode (twice), Tima Miroshnichenko, Ran Berkovich, Masha Raymers, Hamed Darzi, and Timo.