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Hi All!
Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.
What I’m reading —
The Memoir Workbook by C. S. Larkin. I fancy myself a unique writer of the reflective memoir story, but, inspired by my collaboration with Debbie Harry, I have also decided to embark on projects helping other celebrities write their stories in a powerful way that holds true to who they are. This workbook has given me a ton of practical tips and some good strategies for what to concentrate on when organizing the memories into a message that will resonate.
What I am listening to —
Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeon. This is one of those books I wished I had absorbed in my late teens then reread and absorbed every decade after. I have felt very rueful listening to the wisdom here, realizing over and over how much I have wasted so often, through what Greg terms a non-essentialist mindset. As with so many books of this kind, it’s not that the message isn’t one I haven’t heard before. It’s the telling of it that has made the difference— and no doubt the timing. Here’s from the blurb:
The Way of the Essentialist isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done. It is not a time management strategy, or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter. By forcing us to apply a more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy—instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us
What I am putting into my body —
Tokelau MCT Coffee. Heading to China a few months ago for two weeks and having just embarked on my keto lifestyle, I researched travel packets of MCT. Fortunately, I stumbled on the Tokelau Mighty Morning Blend which is a truly awesome mix of C8 MCT, coffee and coconut milk. First thing in the morning and on the flights I would add some heavy whipping cream and have the perfect, tasty pick me up. This concoction is the best I have tasted and I love how it makes me feel.
Newsletter/blog I always read —
Brian Kurtz. I first met Brian Kurtz at the stupendous Titans of Direct Response conference a few years back. Since then he’s been one of my most trusted sources of advice on copywriting and marketing. One book he sells (which I will talk about another time) had more impact on the quality of my writing than any other single book of its kind. I always, always read Brian’s weekly newsletter and even more remarkably I read every word of every issue, because he’s just that good. Check him out at www.briankurtz.me
Most thought-provoking quote —
“Art is the lie that tells the truth.” — Pablo Picasso
Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com