February 24, 2024
Learning about success and failure from travel, books, and acorns
Greetings!
Welcome back — I’m so glad you’re here. Whether this is your first time or 50th, you’re due for another dose of reading, writing, and randomness. But first, a quote!
Quote of the Week:
Some people ask “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” I think the better question is”What would you do even if you knew you would fail?” - Seth Godin
A SUCCESs-Filled Reading:
Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Even though I’m a fiction writer, I read almost exclusively nonfiction these days. Even so, when my wife gifted me this book for Christmas, I was skeptical. How could a book for entrepreneurs and marketing gurus relate to me?
Turns out, it is very relevant, not just to me as a writer, but as an educator, a consumer, and just being a person. The premise of the book is simple: the Heath brothers explain all the aspects of a truly memorable (“sticky”) concept, using the very sticky technique of a mnemonic device (S.U.C.C.E.Ss). For each aspect (Simple, Unexpected, Concrete….), they provide multiple real-life examples from a wide variety of scenarios, as well as mini-lessons on how to apply each aspect to anything from an email for a friend to an ad campaign for the Super Bowl. They also help explain why some of your favorite ideas, brands, or endeavors failed to excite others as much as you hoped.
No matter your career or life interests, Made to Stick has countless tips to make your writing more interesting, your ideas more persuasive, and your eye much keener when others try to influence you.
A Writing Failure I Hope Becomes an Audio Victory:
“Faux Pas in Paris.” As much as I love to read, I consume a lot of information through my ears these days, and I know I’m not alone. In an effort to appeal to my fellow audiophiles, I’ve been recording some of my previous posts. My most recent “podcast” recaps my first trip to France (and the many mistakes I made along the way). Amuse-toi bien!
Random Video Series I Failed to Resist:
“Becorns Episode 4: The Birdbath Challenge.” I don’t know about you, but I can’t say I ever expected to get absolutely entranced by a YouTube channel dedicated to acorns. In this series, artist David M. Bird gives a behind-the-scenes look at how he blends nature and art to create delightfully whimsical photographs. Using acorns and other found objects, Bird crafts adorable little characters (“Becorns”) and stages captivating scenes. He then entices wildlife into the picture, capturing his successes (and failures) on video. The results are indescribably enjoyable. Check out the episode above — just make sure you don’t have anything important to do for the next hour or so once you get sucked in.
And that's it! Did you like what you saw? Please share Lau’s Little List with anyone who you think would enjoy an extra dose of reading, writing, and randomness in their lives!
I would greatly appreciate any feedback you'd like to provide. Which recommendation was your favorite? What would you like to see more or less of in the next installment? Do you have any other suggestions? Feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts.
May all your failures lead to successes!