— African Proverb (courtesy of Dave Chappelle's mom) —
\nHello and my best to you and yours.
\nHere are three things I’ve been thinking about lately that I’m excited to share with you (4-minute read).
\n***
\non risking it all
Despite Kris Kristofferson living a life of lives, I was gutted when I learned of his passing on Sunday. Just a few weeks ago, I shared a story of how the legendary singer, songwriter, and actor helped kickstart the career of John Prine, my favorite musical storyteller.
When seeing all the tributes to Kristofferson, I was reminded of the incredible risks he took to create his own career luck. And like all great stories, Kristofferson's tipping point involves Johnny Cash, stealing a helicopter, and quite a few beers.
\nHere's David Thayer recounting what Kristofferson told him back in 1977 —
\nNormally this is where I share why a story inspired me and how it spoke to me.
\nBut I think the takeaway is pretty clear on this one.
\nSteal more helicopters.
\n***
\non helping people
Maybe it's because I'm one of those people who thinks of the perfect joke or thing to say hours or even days after an interaction. Or maybe because I grew up stuttering. Whatever the reason, I've always been in awe of late-night talk show hosts and their ability to communicate and think so quickly on their feet.
This is especially true of David Letterman.
\nHe's not without his faults, but I've enjoyed watching his second act from afar as the guy is full of wisdom —
\nI don't agree with everything Letterman said. If someone pours me a handful of M&Ms, I don't shake them, I immediately eat them.
\nBut other that than, he's dead on — we have to help each other or nothing will happen.
\nQuick aside: If you want to drill a point home and make your message memorable, surround your serious point with two things that are not so serious. Letterman listing out the M&Ms and nose hair bit is the perfect set-up to reinforce his message of kindness.
\n***
\non making art that inspires people to stop
I’ve been clogged up like a New England November drainpipe the last few weeks. Ears and nose are jammed packed. To pass the time on a particularly brutal day when my brain wasn't working, I clicked on the movie Burnt.
Much like how I feel, overall the film was meh. But there was a scene where my wife's favorite heartthrob, Bradley Cooper, said something that stuck with me.
\nHere's my wife's favorite heartthrob —
\nIn a world where everyone is moving quickly, steal a line from Cooper's character and focus on making stuff that drives people to a standstill.
\nAnd I don't mean by using the tricks and gimmicks that litter the likes of LinkedIn and Twitter to artificially hook people in. I'm talking about art that resonates. That leaves a mark. Because it's marked with you and how you see the world.
\nYour sweat.
Your tears.
Your experiences.
Enough people is focusing on speed.
\nIf you want to stand out, choose to be the type of person whose creations inspire people to stop.
\n***
\nThat’s it for this week.
\nTake a risk.
Be kind.
And focus on creating art that leaves a mark.
Onwards.
—Michael
PS: The best way to help me keep the lights on and newsletters like this one free is to grab a copy of my book and leave an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads (or ideally, both).
\nIt makes a great gift for any of your shy or more reserved friends, colleagues, and family members who have something to say but struggle to bet on themselves.
\nShy by Design: 12 Timeless Principles to Quietly Stand Out
\n\n | \n You're receiving this message because you either signed up on my michaelthompson.art or through one of my articles on Medium, Business Insider, MSN, etc., or you were referred by one of my writer friends on Convertkit. \nSent from a PC in small town Catalunya | \n\n |
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Join thousands of thoughtful readers for reflections on life, love, and doing work that matters. Storytelling and communication strategist. Fast Co. Forbes. The Blog of Steven Pressfield, Insider, MSN, Apple News. Debut book — Shy by Design: 12 Timeless Principles to Quietly Stand Out — hits bookstores July 16th.
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