“Someone gave me a piece of advice once, my first manager Lucien Hold. He said, ‘If you do stand-up about your own life, no one can steal it.’ I always thought that was the best piece of advice.” – Mike Birbiglia, Born Jun. 20, 1978. Here is a neat trick to turn practically any piece …
How to Become Impervious to Copiers and Plagiarists Read More »
“Stories in families are colossally important. Every family has stories: some funny, some proud, some embarrassing, some shameful. Knowing them is proof of belonging to the family.” – Salman Rushdie, Born Jun. 19, 1947. Belonging. People want it. Especially people online. Of the people online, especially the ones on social media. Social media is a …
The “Cult of Copy” Is The Title of a Story and You’re The Main Character Read More »
“People crave trustworthy information about the world we live in. Some people want it because it is essential to the way they make a living. Some want it because they regard being well-informed as a condition of good citizenship. Some want it because they want something to exchange over dinner tables and water coolers.” – …
How To Make Even Strangers Come To Trust Your Every Word… Read More »
“I learned early in life that you get places by having the right enemies.” – John Shelby Spong, Born Jun. 16, 1931. Who or what do you hate? What will you absolutely not stand for? What are you sick of? What grinds your gears? What gets your goat? What gags your giraffe?… Not in general, …
Show Prospects What You Stand Against, and They Presume You Stand For Them Read More »
“I think those who object to my characterizing man as simple want somehow to retain a deep mystery at his core.” – Herbert A. Simon, Born Jun. 15, 1916. You are a chimpanzee in shoes. Your “self” is a hallucination being had by a computer made of meat. Civilization is a byproduct of …
Chimpanzees In Shoes: Or Why This Job Is So Easy… Read More »
“Gossip is essentially storytelling: storytelling about people whom we know.” – Mona Simpson, Born Jun. 14, 1957. I think gossip – as a tone – is an under-appreciated angle when it comes to persuasion and influence. *leans in to closer* Listen… Gossip isn’t just a story about people we know – it can be the …
Turn Your Pitch Into Gossip, and People Lean in Closely Read More »
“I call myself a teacher because they want me to call myself a teacher, but actually, what I’m doing is I’m studying.” – Chick Corea, Born Jun. 12, 1941. Back in Renaissance times, artists and musicians used to strive to get patronage. That’s when some rich dude basically pays you to do nothing but pursue …
“Expressions of solemn testimony have long been important to the children of God upon the earth.” – Joseph B. Wirthlin, Born Jun. 11, 1917. I’m going to pretend this quote is about the use of testimonials in advertising. So many marketers misunderstand the PURPOSE of testimonials, and therefore, they MISUSE them. You don’t …
Why Testimony is Better Than Any Copy Anyone Can Write Read More »
“If you want people to listen, you have to have a platform to speak from, and that is excellence in what you do.” – William Pollard, Born Jun. 10, 1828. This is going to be a good one for the would-be mass influencers among you. You know what an endorsement is, right? It’s when you …
“The rare pleasure of being seen for what one is, compensates for the misery of being it.” – Margaret Drabble, Born Jun, 5, 1939. The vast majority of the average assholes of planet earth will consign themselves to a lifelong practice of suppressing their true selves. Put upon by the burden of just being fake …
If They Believe You Truly “See” Them, They Listen Closely to Your Advice Read More »
