Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Predicting the future is easy … getting it right is the hard part


Every new year, the predictions flow.

Before you let them have an enormous impact on your attitude or future plans consider some of these expert predictions:

1977

“There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.” – Ken Olson, president chairman and founder, Digital Equipment Corporation


1992

“The idea of a personal communicator in every pocket is a 'pipe dream driven by greed'.” — Andy Grove, CEO of Intel.


1995

“I predict the internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse.” – Robert Metcalfe*, Founder of 3Com


Paul Krugman's 1998 prediction about the internet

1998

“By 2005 or so, it will become clear that the Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s.”– Paul Krugman, Nobel Prizewinning economist


2004

“Two years from now, spam will be solved.” – Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft


2007

“There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance.” – Steve Balmer, CEO of Microsoft


_________________________


In 1995, Metcalfe argued that the Internet would suffer a "catastrophic collapse" in the following year; he promised to eat his words if it did not. During his keynote speech at the sixth International World Wide Web Conference in 1997, he took a printed copy of his column that predicted the collapse, put it in a blender with some liquid and then consumed the pulpy mass. He had suggested having his words printed on a very large cake, but the audience would not accept this form of "eating his words."

Source: Wikipedia


Monday, January 1, 2024

I Shoulda Said Something

 


He was what I wasn’t.

One of my ex-bosses was a true wordsmith … fretting over each word until he had the unique one that best matched its specific purpose in the sentence.

His writing was precise.

And impressive.

And it included a lot of words that weren’t accessible.

His writing left no doubt that he was the smartest person in the room.

But his writing didn’t connect with our audience.

___________________


To clarify, the finished product was not terrible. Just more suited to academia than business.

Interestingly, he communicated brilliantly in person, He just over-worked the written word.

He was a great example for "write like you talk" but he couldn't help himself when it came to words on paper. 

Did they laugh? or did they snicker? or giggle? or chuckle? or guffaw?

He might've started with laugh, but, if upon reflection, he felt it was a loud, boisterous laugh, he would change it to guffaw.
 

He would go through every piece word-by-word. And when the process was done, every sentence had been wordsmithed into a more precise message ... and that became the message to be distributed.

He was a visionary leader with a big personality. When he was done wordsmithing, he would be proud and excited about the piece. And his enthusiasm would be infectious.

I would get caught up in that.

I wish I had fought harder to make the copy less correct and more effective.

I believe today I would.



Friday, December 29, 2023

101 Demotivational Quotes

As the new year rapidly approaches, I thought I'd place my tongue firmly in my cheek and counter all the positive inspirational and aspirational offerings with some cynicism for the less bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

 

Parody Caution Sign for the New Year


“If you never believe in yourself, you’ll never let yourself down.”

“Try hard and don’t worry if you fail because everyone expected that.”

“Every dead body on Mt. Everest was once a highly motivated person, so… maybe calm down.”

“Your life can’t fall apart ... you never had it together.”

“If life doesn’t break you today, don’t worry. It will try again tomorrow.”


“It could be that your purpose in life is 
to serve as a warning to others.” - Ashleigh Brilliant


“Life hack: You can’t do anything wrong if you don’t do anything at all.”

“Life better be a destination because this journey sucks.”

“You’re naturally funny because your life is a joke.”

“According to the science of astronomy, when you wish upon a star, you’re actually a few million years too late. That star is dead. Just like your dreams.”

“Whoever sang, ‘Ooh-ooh, child things are gonna get easier’ was lying to that child.”


“If at first, you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit.
No use being a damn fool about it.”
- W.C. Fields


“Just because we accept you as you are doesn’t mean we haven't abandoned hope you’ll improve.”

“Every day is a new chance for you to screw up again.”

"Due to recent cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.”

“It will probably get worse.”

“Go ahead, let your dreams punch you in the face.”


“Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright
until you hear them speak.”
- Alan Dundes


“Those who doubt your ability probably have a valid reason.”

“There’s always someone on YouTube that can do it better than you.”

“People who say they’ll give 110% don’t understand how percentages work.”

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. So good luck with that.”

“No one in charge of your happiness but you. But should you really be put in charge of anything?”

“Everyone has a purpose in life.
Perhaps yours is watching television”
– David Letterman


“Be the bridge – that way we can walk all over you on our way to better places.”

“Meetings – None of us is as dumb as all of us.”

“If you never try anything new, you’ll miss out on many of life’s great disappointments”

“You’re too old to be this stupid.”

“Coffee doesn’t love you back.”

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity;
and I'm not sure about the universe.”
- Albert Einstein


“Give yourself an A for Average.”

“Monday hates you too.”

“Failure is always an option.”

“Dream big. Then settle.”

“When the going gets tough, the tough gets tougher.”

“Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason is that
you’re stupid and make bad decisions.” – Marion G. Harmon


“A thousand-mile journey starts with one step. Then again, so does falling in a ditch and breaking your neck.”

“This too shall pass ... and come back worse.”

“Will it be easy? Nope. Worth it? Absolutely not!”

“The first step toward failure is trying.”

“Not everything is a lesson. Sometimes you just fail.”

“The reward for good work is more work.” – Francesca Elisia


“Every tattoo is temporary because we’re all slowly dying.”

“You can be replaced.”

“Your dog only loves you because you have food.”

“You put the ace in disgrace.”

“There’s no limit to what you can be if you lie to yourself.”

“The only reason some people get lost in thought is that
it’s an unfamiliar territory.” – Paul Fix


“Today is the first day of the rest of your life. But so was yesterday, and look how that turned out.”

“It’s not just Monday. Your whole life sucks.”

“When work feels overwhelming, remember that you’re going to die.”

“Your dumb ass knew better and your dumb ass still did it.”

“You’re the human equivalent of a typo.”

“If you want to make God laugh,
tell him about your plans.” – Woody Allen


“Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how far you can walk.”

“When you think you’re screwed, remember we’re all on a big, wet ball floating in the dark.”

“Be yourself, everyone else is already a twat.”

“Before you judge someone else, try to keep in mind that you’re probably a piece of s–t too.”

“If you’re happy and you know it no one cares.”

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique.
Just like everyone else.”
- Margaret Mead


“Today is the first day of the rest of your life. But so was yesterday, and look how that turned out.”

“Just because you are unique doesn't mean you are useful.”

“Prove them wrong. Show them how much worse you are than what they think you actually are.”

“Happiness is just a lack of information.”

“The key to happiness is low expectations. Lower. Nope, even lower. There you go.”

“I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure
I can repeat them exactly.”
– Peter Cook


“The only thing all of your failures have in common is you.”

“There is always room in your life to f–k more shit up. Always.”

“When someone says you’re one in a million, what they’re really saying is that there’s over 7000 people just like you.”

“Always believe that something wonderful will probably never happen.”

“Started from the bottom and still at the bottom.”

“The two most common elements in the universe are
hydrogen and stupidity.”
 – Harlan Ellison


“Your life only goes up so you can fall from a new height.”

“Mediocrity in your goals is the key to never falling short of your expectations.”

“Perseverance is the ability to think you’re not an idiot despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.”

“Life is mostly just learning how to lose.”

“It’s never too late to fail.”

“Life is pain. Anyone who says otherwise is
selling something.”
– William Goldman


“Dream – the first thing people abandon when they understand how the world works.”

“You’re only as good as your last f–k-up.”

“Be yourself. No one else wants to be you.”

“Eat healthy, stay fit, die anyway."

“You’re naturally funny because your life is a joke.”


“Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.” – Drew Carey


“Why stand out when you’re born to blend in?”

“Have a great day! Or don’t ... no one cares.”

"It is what it is. And it’s not good.”

“The worst things in your life probably haven’t happened to you yet.”

“Go ahead and take risks – it gives the rest of us something to laugh at.”

“Never worry what other people think of you
because no one ever thinks of you.”
 
 Brian K. Vaughan


“Your life can’t fall apart if you never had it together.”

“I wouldn’t even settle for me, so why would you?”

“You don’t have haters. No one knows who you are.”

"Don’t start believin’.”

“There are plenty of fish in the sea, none of them want to date you either.”

“Don’t be so humble –
you are not that great.” 
 Golda Meir


“There’s someone for everyone, except for you.”

“Be the piece of s–t you want to be, not the piece of s–t everyone thinks you are.”

“There is no problem so big you can’t run away from it.”

“Have a mediocre weekend! You’ve earned it!”

“You are a background character in a much more interesting person’s story.”

“Try not to talk so much,
you’ll sound far less stupid that way.” – Brandon Sanderson


“Honesty is the best policy to pretend you believe in.”

“If your phone battery lasts all day, it’s because no one likes you.”

“Hard work pays off eventually, but laziness pays off now.”

“Always remember you’re someone’s reason to smile ... because you’re a joke.”

“Every morning wake up and scream your dreams into a garbage can where they belong.”

“If everything seems to be going well, 
you have obviously overlooked something.” – Steven Wright


_________________________


If you enjoyed these, check out Pessimists Unitea couple of dozen quotes focused on pessimism from folks like Warren Buffet, Seth Godin, and Mark Twain.



Tuesday, December 19, 2023

I Learned It All From Pixar

Do it yourself life coaching.


Learn (or teach your kids) life enhancing concepts the fun way ... by watching these 10 Pixar animated movies: 


Disney Pixar Brave

Lesson: Always be yourself.



Disney Pixar Finding Dory

Lesson: We’re all unique and special
in our own ways.



Disney Pixar The Incredibles

Lesson: Don’t hide your talents.



Disney Pixar Inside Out

Lesson: Embrace your emotions.



Disney Pixar Finding Nemo

Lesson: Everyone makes mistakes;
learn from them.



Disney Pixar Monsters, Inc.

Lesson:  The scary ones are scared, too.



Disney Pixar Toy Story

Lesson: True friends stick by your side.



Disney Pixar Cars

Lesson: Be there for the ones who
have been there for you.



Disney Pixar Ratatouille

Lesson: Follow your dreams, don’t get derailed
by negative comments.



Disney Pixar Up

Lesson: It’s never too late.



_________________________


Since this blog is focused on marketing writing, this post was going to be on story telling. And how masterful Pixar is at it. But it seemed a little obvious. So I took it another direction. 

But now that I've opened the door, if you decide to watch/re-watch any or all of these films, observe how Pixar 
  • introduces and develops characters
  • brings in conflict
  • generates tension
  • adds comic relief
  • sticks to the plot
  • engages the audience's emotions
They're consistently excellent at their craft of telling stories.



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