The slides from my session at Planning-ness 2010 in Denver. The talk covered the path my life has taken since leaving my job a year ago to venture out on my own and find a life beyond my career in planning and advertising and how some of that relates to a new direction for brands and such. One of the best things that happened to me in this time was reading Donald Miller's book, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" and attending the conference associated with it. Much of the presentation was based on these. If anyone wants to chat about this, I'd be happy to share more. - Paul
7. we have no idea what
new piece of
technology might
launch that could
change everything.
8. it’s better to have a
bigger purpose and
some firm beliefs
to guide you, than it
is to have a plan.
9. my purpose & beliefs:
1) make things better
2) do Good
3) work hard
10. "I don’t have this huge,
overarching plan. I don’t know
what I’m gonna wake up and feel
like doing tomorrow, let alone
five years down the line. I think
that’s enabled me to get to where
I am. I certainly go after what I
want. But I just have detached
amusement about a lot of it.
Because it’s silly. This job is
ridiculous." - Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm:The Last Alpha Male, Details Magazine, October 2010
11.
12. If you watched a movie about a guy who
wanted a Volvo and worked for years to get
it, you wouldn’t cry at the end when he
drove off the lot, testing the windshield
wipers. You wouldn’t tell your friends you
saw a beautiful movie or go home and put a
record on and think about the story you’d
seen. The truth is, you wouldn’t remember
that movie a week later, except you’d feel
robbed and want your money back. Nobody
cries at the end of a movie about a guy who
wants a Volvo.
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Donald Miller, 2009
13. a story is
a character who
wants something
and overcomes
conflict to
get it. A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Donald Miller, 2009
14. a great story is
when the character’s
ambition is selfless
and the conflict
is immense.
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Donald Miller, 2009
18. a character
is what a
character does.
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Donald Miller, 2009
19. start small.
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Donald Miller, 2009
20. start saying yes more.
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Donald Miller, 2009
21. embrace conflict.
the greater the
conflict, the greater
the story.
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years, Donald Miller, 2009
22. create an
inciting incident.
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
23. where you do
what you do
matters a lot.
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
24. do something
to move your
story forward
every day.
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
25. cut out the
things that
don’t move your
story forward.
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
26. decide to be awesome,
no matter what happens.
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
27. at any given time, we
can have up to four or
five stories running
in our lives.
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
28. my stories:
1. live life fully
2. make things better
3. help end hunger in Minnesota
4. write a book
5. learn to cook amazing meals
30. what kind of stories do you want
to tell or join?
a love story?
an adventure story?
a story about overcoming adversity?
something else?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
31. what kind of stories do you want
to tell or join?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
33. what do you want?
or...
what is the primary ambition of
your story?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
34. what is the elevator pitch of
your story?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
35. what will the final scenes
look like?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
36. what conflict(s) are standing in
your way to doing that?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
37. what can you do to start
fighting it/them?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
38. who can help you fight it/them?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com
39. how, and with whom, will you
celebrate your story being told
once completed?
Storyline Conference, Donald Miller, September 2010 : www.thestorylineconference.com