ABOUT PRESSURE

I could write about Writer's Block. Sure, why not...

That blank page holds so much pressure. We want the finished product to be brilliant. It's got to capture the imagination of millions, or so we think. And the moment we begin to believe our work is important, the pressure builds too fast. The words get jammed in the chute.

But try starting off your blank page with these 4 little words: "I could write about..." and for the 5th word, just plop in the first thing that comes to mind.

Now the pressure is gone. The page is no longer blank. You have no responsibility to be genius. This isn't even for publication. You're merely jotting down a few things you might say.

And for some reason, the moment that pressure's relieved, the words begin to flow.

But now I've got to get back to it. A client's waiting for their written report, and I've nothing. Well, I could write about Pressure...

The Rock Star's in You

As we stand in the audience, looking up at our favorite Rock Stars, listening to the crowd around us chanting their name, it's easy to think they've got it made.

But to the Rock Star it feels different. He's done this same show every night after night. The same songs, the same lights, the same guitar licks, he does it all over and over.

And what happens when the Rock Star's sick?

He's standing backstage, the crowd chanting his name. The MC walks past. Introductions begin. The crowd hushes in anticipation. But what they don't know is the Rock Star hasn't eaten in 18 hours. His brain's swimming in a fog. His belly's still boiling. He's down with the flu.

His stomach's cramping. He barely keeps the water down, reluctant even to leave his bed. And now 10,000 fans are chanting his name. How can he stand on that stage and be bigger than life when his body's begging for bed, tissues, a bucket...

But he's the Rock Star. They've paid to see his STUFF. They're expecting more than amazing. Cancelling isn't an option. His cost is too high. He's got lighting crews, sound guys, promoters and more to keep paid. And he's got this one chance to meet those expectations head on or his fans just might never come back.

How's he find energy? Where's he gain inspiration? Here it is comes racing toward us, this moment of truth...

With his body in pain he can't do it for fun or be there just for music. There's only one reason he drags out of bed. He does it for them, for the fans, for their joy. He refuses to let them down. And as he steps onstage, their joy lifts him up. He somehow finds reserves as the crowd grants him this gift. They don't even know it. They're cheering is food, and shelter, and love. His moment of truth is saved by a gift given back from the crowd.

And this moment is yours as well. Your crowds await. Your kids, family, friends, even neighbors and more, we're here for you cheering your dragging body out of bed. You bring know the excellent questions, the expectations of life. And for this simple reason we love you and all your life holds.

YOU ARE A SONG

Stories are good. But if you want to be remembered, you can't be just a story. You've got to become a song.

Stories are linear. They have beginnings and middles. They end. And once you reach that ending, the story's done. The character has won. The movie ends. Your audience moves on.

To become truly compelling and revered, you can't be left behind like a Hollywood ending. You need repeatability. You need to be more like a hit song.

Truly great songs stick in the mind and demand repeating. Even though they also have beginnings and ends, they somehow stay with us long after they end.

Because to the imagination, a song isn't linear. It's like a merry-go-round. There's a chorus, to state the theme of the song. Then a few verses spin around it. Even long after the end fades away, that chorus keeps spinning with heart, mind and soul. And this is why we thrill to return to a song we love.

You also are not linear. There are far too many facets to the endlessly exciting you to be captured in a single narrative. Sure, you could condense a few turning points, hash us a plot, and give us a story. But we'd all be missing so much.

You can escape endings when you become a song, where each action you take brings us back to your theme, your chorus, your raison d'etre. And as your chorus keeps working, we thrill to return as each action you make is familiar yet new.

And when you know your own chorus so well that it's beating the rhythms of your heart and your soul, the verses grow easy. Decisions are clear. Your prowess evolves as we feel such vitality spinning through each and all of the choices you choose.

This clarity and ease is what some people call personal branding. Your Story's important, a significant part. But it's only one verse, and you have many others that make up the song.

So take care with your chorus. For this is how you've gotten so good at staying the same while racing through change. Because each time you approach us a new verse is formed, which you so helpfully gift as a worthy refrain.

Beware of Words

Possibly America's most offensive writer, Gavin McInnis has been asked to take a leave of absense from Rooster New York. This is a little wild because he co-founded the firm. But a recent piece upset a lot of clients, and that was suddenly too much.

Looking at his body of work, what's most surprising is that it took so long. Everything he's written is offensive. It's the kind of writing that's so offensive, you wonder if it can possibly be real, or is it just an over the top effort to get our attention?

But it got me thinking back to a conversation I had years ago, after a presentation on Long Island. A woman came up with questions and we chatted a bit. Now an art dealer in NYC, she had an interesting accent I couldn't place at the time. I asked and learned she's originally from Moscow.

With some curiosity, I began asking about life growing up in Moscow. Interestingly, she said she found Russia offered much more personal freedom than the US. "Here in America", she said, "there are so many things you're not allowed to say, because it might offend somebody. In Russia we are free to say what we really think."

Of course after she left, the next person in line had been listening in and pointed out freedom in Moscow really only exists for those who can afford it. Still, I found her perspective very interesting and will never forget the conversation.

Where does freedom truly rest? How carefully must we beware of words?

Regardless, we know you have the power to say whatever you want whenever you want. It's in our constitution. And when you have extremely loud thoughts yet choose to keep silent for the sake of those around you, perhaps that's just the sound of wisdom stepping up.

YOU'RE BIGGER THAN THE NEWS

Woke up to Monday. Excited to get back to work. Powered on computer. Checked the weather and found these headlines:

"Tragic end for Utah teen", "Terrible news for Nutella lovers", "WARNING: don't eat these fish", "Huge ocean garbage patch grows", "Terrifying hurricane facts...", and most dire of all, "Selfie Fail: couple plunges to their death from cliff while children watch in horror".

Needless to say, my Monday did not feel brighter after seeing all this.

Then I recall my weekend. Breakfast with a mentor. Coaching my son's first soccer of the season. A party where friends discuss ways to build up community service. Lunch with an alcholic who shares inspirational secrets to sobriety. My daughter learning to ride bike as her grandparents cheer.

And my week looks brighter once more.

Life is bigger than the news, more exciting than any headline. And this is why you do so much, because your action has the power to inspire us all. Thank you for being and laughing and sharing, for living and giving us so much to share.

4 Robin Williams

It's easy to feel driven when you've not yet arrived. You push yourself further, rehearsing, selling, writing, recording and getting yourself ready for stage.

And you need to sell out. It won't happen yet, but you want it and work for it hard. You can't wait to fill that theatre all the way up, until 'Standing Room Only' is your middle name. For then you will know you've arrived.

But you aren't there yet, so it's easy to drive hard and stay driven. You'll rest when you get there. You know it'll come.

And one day, finally, your tickets do sell. They all want you back. Your fans are in love as you're growing more dear.

You've finally arrived but find no time for rest. The audience still wants more. You've seen too many sophomores slump. Can't let that be you. So you jump back to work ever more than before.

And your comeback is lauded even louder than the first. But have you arrived? You thought you were there but the people have gone. The theatre's dry. There's dust in your throat. But still you can't rest, for our expectations are starting to soar.

Your persona's outgrown you. You're bigger than life, up in those lights. It's hard even seeing yourself anymore. But you love us, and we love your persona. So you keep giving more. Fulfilling our dreams is the thing that you do.

And we thank you for all you've done.
For offering laughs and giving us fun
For shaking our bellies till all the tears run
For staying so funny and dear for so long

Deadline or Lifeline

Why do we call these things deadlines? There's nothing better than a request with a deadline. A deadline means it's important. There's value to be had. Your ideas are worthy of expectation.

Maybe it's the expectation that gets so many down. But not you. Because on the other side of that deadline rewards await. So you give it everything you've got. What they call a deadline is the lifeline you're using to climb.

So, ironically, the more deadlines you receive, the more alive you get to grow.

$20 HAMBURGERS SUCK!

The first time I spent $23 on a hamburger was in Manhattan. And the burger sucked!!

Each year, the largest performing arts conference in the world converges upon the New York Hilton in Midtown Manhattan (54th & 6th). As showcases pop up all across the island, you can enjoy the newest ideas in theatre, dance and music.

But don't plan to eat in the area. Food in this hood is extremely expensive and excessively lame. Restaurants don't use the money you spend to procure quality ingredients and talented chefs. That's impossible! Because it all must go to paying rent. I learned the hard way several years back, spending $23 for an exceptionally mediocre burger and fries.

Walk just a few blocks west to 9th or 10th Ave, and you'll get twice the quality for half the cost. Conference attendees, especially the artists, have made that walk a habit. Why pay $30 for crap when you can amble only 3 blocks over for inspirational flavors that cost 15 bucks?

This is the power of location.

You see the same concept around the world. Burgers inside the Magic Kingdom are decidedly sub-par, but the prices are highger and lines longer than anyplace else in Orlando. If you want to eat the best New Orleans has to offer, locals know the French Quarter's the last place to go.

These businesses have learned one of the secrets. You don't have to be the best in the world. You only have to be best on the block. Once people are up on their feet, walking around, they get hungry. Their decision happens fast. They assume high price means high quality. Many never know the difference.

But you know the power of energy. You discern quality and are willing to work for it.

Imagine your AUDIENCE and all they might want. As you see through their eyes and discern their desire, you feel where they're going. And we'll watch with some awe as you grow in exactly the best spot they can find.

Failing Face First

I could feel myself in his shoes...

"Stepping up to the microphone. The stage is set. 800 people star up as I take the stage. Investors are waiting to hear my ideas as competitors critique my every move. The clock is set. And I've only 60 seconds to wow them all.

Did I mention the prize? Not only are investors listening, they're voting too. The best pitch gets one hundred and twenty eight thousand dollars. Funding I need!

The clock begins ticking. 60... 59... 58... The crowd hushes. I open my mouth and the volcano erupts. It's like every syllable is trying to climb out at once, but I manage my name and the company's too. Then I'm sliding into the pitch, so well rehearsed. So familiar. So mine.

But the room is so big. The crowd stares up. Is that judgement in their eyes? Why am I not talking. The volcano's suddenly dry as dust. And in that silent room I don't know what's going wrong as 800 people stare back up at me, and the clock ticks on.

A panic sets in. Where are my words?! How can I... Suddenly a few more come out. Did that make any sense...?

The clock winds down. My moment slips away.

And as I drag my steps down off the stage, head hanging low, the well trained audience claps away, sounding like laughter instead of applause..."

This is my own worst nightmare, the mind going blank on that big bright stage. But yesterday was even worse. I wasn't the one onstage. I was only the coach, helping the real idea people do their thing. I'd only had an hour to help 70 or so ideas prepare for that stage. Curiosity kept me in touch, to see what ideas they'd decided to grow.

And there I was, helpless in the audience, watching as one of my favorite idea guys went radio silent in the middle of his own show.

Still I feel his pain. I've flopped onstage more times than should ever be known.

But a funny thing happened later that day, as I walked through the showcase. This failed pitch came up in almost every conversation. And not a single comment was critical. There was sympathy. There was understanding. There was even praise. His ability to still walk off that stage inspired us all. And though everyone knew his pitch was a bomb, they still praised his ideas and technology, his business potential.

You'd hear comments like "it's too bad, because his technology is so cool", "We need what he offers", "I hope investors can see past his pitch", "he better get funded cause we want more". And whenever I stopped by his booth to tell him the news, he was busy every time.

No other company came up so often, and in so many conversations. Is it possible his Failure on stage was a Smashing Success??

Perhaps. But it was no stunt. His pain was real. And this is why we still care.

Now I know that I stand with a crowd when I say, "We can't wait to see what he does next..."

YOUR IDEAS TO FLY

Are you a Mozart or a Beethoven?

Mozarts tend to talk incessantly and lean toward prolific, much like Mozart himself who wrote 50 symphonies and countless fugues. If you find yourself spinning stories for your friends with ease, you're probably a Mozart.

Beethoven's tend to speak much less but with a focus on quality. Beethoven himself was perfectionistic and obsessive, only completing 9 symphonies. If you tend to think things thru before you speak, making sure you only present the best possible idea, you're likely a Beethoven.

It's easy to get down on ourselves for not speaking up enough, or for running on with the conversation a bit too much. But these are not necessarily problems. They're simply a different set of strengths.

For a Mozart, talking or writing can feel like freedom itself, an escape into a different, better world. You can hear this joy even in his music, so light and airy, like a tea party at the chateau.

Beethovens tend toward the quiet side and are more likely perfectionistic, maybe even obsessive. They prefer not to speak until they have the idea polished to a perfect gleam. And this obsession runs through Beethoven's music, like fire belching from the underbelly of a diamond cave.

Mozarts are likely to run the conversation, scattering their gems among countless sentences. Beethoven's speak much less, but with more consistent quality.

The thing is, both are necessary. When it comes time for strategic planning, or building a consistent vision for your organization (or your family), you must find one vision and make sure it's the right vision. You want it to be perfect the first time around. You need a Beethoven.

But for blog updates, to keep the twitter feed full, or to push conversation forward at an awkward party, you need a Mozart, someone ready to keep the words ripping.

Are you a Mozart? Maybe a Beethoven? Someplace in between perhaps? Whichever way you find yourself leaning, know that both have incredible value. You'll do best when you stick with your strengths. So own it. Be it. Find people who can balance you out. Because both are critical to your organization and our world.

Thank you for taking time to lean into your strengths. Can't wait to hear what you've got to say. We need your ideas to fly.

HI vs LO

When you have billions to spend, go ahead and do what Coke did. Become one of the world's biggest advertisers and take time making sure we all understand the big ideas behind your tiny label.

If you don't have billions, we've got to be more strategic.We've got to build expectation more quickly, turning your desciption into a 'high concept' might help.

For Hollywood producers, every TV show is either "High Concept" or "Low Concept". A High Concept show is based on a wild premise. We get to watch extraordinary people, unusual circumstances, or both. Low Concept shows have descriptions that sound... Well, they sound pretty normal.

The key is, the High Concept show has a title or description that grabs us right away. Our imaginations begin running with the possibilities. We kind of know what to expect before we ever see the show or even any advertisements for the show.

Here are a few examples:

HIGH CONCEPT:

Hannah Montana - A young and extremely famous rock star must daily live in disguise so she can have a "normal childhood" at a "normal school".

Big Bang Theory - 4 brilliant and quirky physicists must learn to get along with the very cute, but intellectually average girl across the hall.

CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) - The title says it all. We'll see murders, detectives and mysteries solved.

Lost - an airplane full of passengers crashes on a deserted island, leaving survivors to fend for themselves, completely cut off from civilization.

Notice, you don't have to watch any of these shows to know what they're about. The concept itself helps us imagine what we'll see when we watch.

LOW CONCEPT shows:

Friends - 6 friends rely on each other as they live normal lives in Manhattan

Seinfeld - 4 friends share their day to day life experiences living in Manhattan.

King of Queends - two blue collar parents deal with normal life issues while raising their family in Queens

Everybody Loves Raymond - a family guy struggles to keep his wife, kids and overbearing mother all happy

Modern Family - An overly diverse family does normal stuff together.

Notice how the Low Concept shows all sound quite familiar. At least their descriptions do. There's not much to distinguish them from each other until after you watch the shows.

The Low Concept shows are 'Character Driven' while the High Concept shows are 'concept driven'.

Interestingly, sit-coms are more often Low Concept while TV drama is usually 'high concept'.

Now, think about some of America's biggest brands. McDonalds and Hardee's are Low Concept. Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken are High Concept. H&R Block or the Leo Burnett Agency are Low Concept. Quick books or Sell It Like a Rock Star are High.

Which do you prefer, and can you say why? Which might serve best as you grow and become more?

The Write STUFF

Coca-Cola has spent billions building its brand. Just seeing the logo can remind us of smiles, refreshing snow and happy families. Here are several other amazing billion dollar STORIES. Notice all are short enough to fit the side of a Pop-Bottle:

Apple has "Think Different". DisneyWorld is "Where Dreams Come True". Coca-Cola says "Open Happiness". Target wants us to "Expect more. Pay Less." Bose makes "Better Sound thru Research". Verizon Wireless asks "Can you Hear me Now?"

But beware of 2 and 3 word slogans. We can't follow the Fortune 500 playbook. These guys have billions of dollars at their disposal. The also have one other huge advantage. The public is ultra-familiar with their products. Everyone in America knows their STUFF!

Their slogans don't have to "inform". They merely serve to "remind" us of STUFF we already know. But you most likely don't have billions to spend. Your STUFF isn't world famous (yet!). So your STORY must serve a different purpose.

Your STORY can't afford to merely remind us who you are. Your STORY must tell us about your STUFF while simultaneously showing us why we'll care so much!

If you can do it in 2 or 3 words, fantastic. But don't be upset if it takes more.

In 1973, a completely unknown little pizza shop in Ypsilanti, MI became world famous with this simple STORY: "Fresh hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less... or it's free." Dominos went from unknown to nationwide almost overnight, because their STORY not only told us about their STUFF, but made us want it too.

Yes, it's a full 15 words, often touted as the largest successful slogan of all time. It barely fits on the Pop-Bottle, just barely. And it worked.

To get your Pop-Bottle done up just right might take more than 2 words. Don't worry. Keep at it. Feel free to ask for help when the time feels right. When you've got the right STUFF, you deserve the best STORY. To talk about the Right STUFF, you can do it with the Write STUFF.

YOUR BLOG

This blog is not my blog. This is your blog. You click it. You read it. You're the one who takes action and builds the next step. I have so much to be thankful for here. Thank you for all you do.

The Last Shall be First

There's an interesting paradox in business. We know the customer's always right. The customer is your AUDIENCE. They deserve to be loved.

But you can't put your AUDIENCE first until after you have some STUFF to bring them in. And they can't pay attention until after you have the STUFF they'll pay attention to.

So to get started, you've got to build STUFF before you have any AUDIENCE. Then you craft a STORY, to explain and promote the STUFF. Last of all, the AUDIENCE shows up to buy it.

So putting your AUDIENCE first when they actually arrive last is quite the trick.

This is why you've been given the power of imagination. You create imaginary profiles of the perfect AUDIENCE. How do they dress? Where do they vacation? What kind of car/restaurant/job/church/friendship do they prefer? Once you have the perfect profile of your perfect AUDIENCE down perfectly on paper, you can set out to make their dreams come true.

And then it's easy to find your ideal AUDIENCE becoming your real AUDIENCE as you already know every single one of them as if they're your own.

OPEN HAPPINESS

Let's run a little test. Imagine the way people interact with your brand. What thought hits our mind first. What expectations are created the moment we see your name or logo?

Take a moment to imagine yourself holding this bottle.
Can you feel the contour? Open it up. Are you able to hear the sound, to smell it fizzing slightly into the air? Can you taste it as you tip the bottle and take drink?

This is a very common demo at our presentations. It's amazing to see entire audiences begin nodding their heads together, smiles forming as the experience unfolds. The label is more than a label, it illicits an experience. We all feel it together, and it's not even real.

The funny thing is, we actually have no idea what's inside the bottle. The bottle isn't even real! It's just a picture. Anything could be inside. But the label generates a set of expectations. Our imagination begins to fill in the gaps, running through expectations to generate a real experience. The label triggers us to create real feelings as we envision ourselves opening it up, but our own imagination is doing all the work.

And notice it's the label, not the bottle, that matters. A very slight change to the label can drastically affect this imaginary experiene. Look what happens if we change the label just ever so slightly to read::
What do you taste and smell as you open this bottle? Not quite the same is it.

And what about this bottle?::

This is where laughter always breaks out. Because we still don't know what's in the bottle. The bottle isn't even real, but our expectations are now completely transformed.

And it's the label that is most valuable. The label is more valuable than the contents. We aren't buying a beverage, we're buying the expectation of a beverage. We're buying the experience promised by our own imagination.

And pulling value out of thin air isn't easy. Coke has spent billions exposing us to this label, packing it with stories, with meaning. Combine these stories with our own past experiences, the many times we've opened a Coke ourselves, and the label becomes tremendously powerful. The label and immediately brings us internal smiles, snow, polar bears, ice, family, friends, and more. We can practically feel the world shifting as we "Open Happiness".

Sales Pitch to Spellbinding

You're doing the work. You're getting it out there, connecting with clients, making the world aware of all you have to offer. But sales are still less than fantastic, you've got 3 places to check.

First, check the STUFF you've been selling.

Next, check the AUDIENCE you've been telling.

Last, make sure the STORY has been compelling.

If you're putting in the effort but not enough is getting sold, it helps to first isolate the problem. You need better STUFF, a better AUDIENCE, or a better STORY. Sometimes you simply need better STUFF. So you work to make your STUFF more reliable, useful, or affordable. Or perhaps you simply need a better AUDIENCE, a bigger, richer, needier, more capable AUDIENCE. Check these two first. Odds are you've got 'em right. But it's always best to know for sure.

Once you're confident you've got the right STUFF and the right AUDIENCE, it's time to craft the right STORY. Help the AUDIENCE understand your STUFF and how it'll improve their lives. The STORY is how we learn and remember. It's also your chance to turn sales pitch to spellbinding.

YOUR THOUGHTS ROCK

I'm working on new theme music for the podcast. So far, just a rough draft. Am I even in the ballpark?

SILARS Theme Music_a

You Know the Light

I have a spotlight. Wherever I focus my attention, the spotlight follows. And just like a spotlight at the theatre, it's hard for me to see anything outside the light.

If you'd like to get my attention, you'd best be standing in my spotlight. I only buy coke when I'm thirsty and burgers when I'm hungry. My spotlight refocuses depending on my mood, the time of day, my location, my current projects and concerns.

Your location is critical. Printer ink is an important and precious part of my life. I use it almost every day. But I rarely focus on it. Ink sits outside my spotlight until the moment it runs out, then I immediately rush out for more. But try selling ink at the gas station, and I simply won't notice. I fill up my tank after work, sometimes before. But I'm not thinking about the ink at the gas station. My spotlight has moved on and you won't get noticed.

It's not enough to stand in front of your customers. You also have to time it right. Pay attention to their spotlight and make sure you're lighting up at just the right time.

Imagine you're a rock star. You know we fans will pay large amounts to get a T-shirt at your show, but you probably wouldn't bother selling 'em at Walmart. We fans go to Walmart too, but when we walk into Walmart our spotlight's looking for cheap STUFF, not your STUFF. When we're at your show, our spotlight becomes highly focused on you. It's not that your shirt is suddenly more valuable, it's that we can now see the value more clearly because our spotlight is focused.

Whatever your STUFF, think about your AUDIENCE. Where is our spotlight focused? How can you get into the light, so it catches you in the dead center of our attention zone. For once we clearly see you and your value, it's easy to see why we absolutely need you and your STUFF for our very own.