Digital Dialogue

There are a lot of folks, especially non-marketing folks, who don’t understand what “Social Media” is and does. Here is a video and slide show that should help you answer those questions.

It is easy to dismiss print as an archaic and environmentally unfriendly medium, which is slowly dying. Instead of writing prints obituary we need strategic thinkers and innovators who can integrate print with social, mobile, direct and other marketing channels in order to reach the multiple touch points of an audience.

Check out the new logo in my header and let me know what you think. Your feedback is appreciated.

In a recent video post Joseph Jaffe talks about a promotion Startbucks executed using Foursquare. I am encouraged by this information because it lets me know that my idea for the Check-In Challenge isn’t too far off base.

How often do you catch yourself saying, “One of these day’s I’m gonna. . .“

I’m gonna what? Lose Weight? Get out of debt? Earn a degree? Change careers?

When we make these declarations, too often, it’s more of a wish rather than a real desire to make significant change in our lives. Rather than make the meaningful changes necessary to reach the desired outcome we live as if we’re waiting for our circumstances to change rather than developing the skills necessary to change our circumstances. Often the changes are simple.

It is a well known fact that if I want to lose weight I need to be more active and eat less. If I want to get out of debt and be financially independent I need to spend less than I earn. It doesn’t take lots of money or time. It simply requires the discipline to make the best choice when faced with the opportunity to succeed or fail in that one moment.

Author, speaker and mentor John Maxwell often says, “Success isn’t a destination, it’s a journey”. When we focus too much on the destination we become overwhelmed and psyche ourselves out, becoming our own worst enemy. If we’ll learn to make successful choices on a daily basis before we know it we’ll have arrived at our destination and we’ll suddenly realize that it’s “one of those days”.

As a young man I remember coming home from school and watching reruns of MASH on television. I remember watching it with my father before dinner most weekdays. Although, I don’t remember watching it in prime-time I distinctly remember watching the final episode. Even after twenty-seven years I can still recall the emotion I felt as I watched Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce ride off into the sunset. I felt similar emotions as I watched Jack Shephard breath his last on the finale of LOST.

Although I wasn’t a die-hard Lostie (rarely missing an episode) until the last few seasons I did follow it fairly regularly over the last six years. I remember watching the pilot and being hooked from episode one. I’m thankful for Netflix, which allowed me to “catch-up” prior to the start of the final season. I must also admit that I’ve never been the kind of person who picked up on the subtle details in televisions shows or movies and I was often clueless when a current episode made reference to a previous one. Even the references to classic literature, mythology and philosophers went over my head. I’ve always been impressed by people who could pick up on those things. However, it doesn’t mean that I’m a complete moron. I knew from the first season that there was going to be something “more” to this show and when John Locke told Jack that he was “a man of faith” I knew that we were in for a ride that would go much deeper than simple entertainment.

While I may not be very astute when it comes to peeling back the cover and finding the deeper meaning in things there were moments during the last six years when an interaction, a phrase or a bit of dialogue would resonate in my spirit and cause me to reflect on my own journey. Unfortunately, I couldn’t break it down for you and explain what it all means. This is why I appreciate guys like Jeff Jensen who are able to put words to the thoughts and ideas that I find difficult to express myself.

While, I don’t know that I agree with all of Doc Jensen’s theology in regards to LOST I did want to share two quotes that jumped out at me from Part One of his writing.

I think the show was offering us an allegory for how life should be lived — with an ongoing effort to understand each other and ourselves; that such a project is best undertaken with a community of people.

The best we can do is live our lives with enlightened improvisation — to be so self-aware and fearless that we can live fully in the present and redeem our every moment and every human connection.

After reading Mr. Jensen’s LOST Final Recap Parts One and Two all I can say is “WOW”. Check them out for yourself and let me know what you think. Do you agree? Disagree? Let’s talk.

As I stated before, I believe there was more to this television “event” than basic entertainment. I believe LOST shared truth in profound ways although that truth may not have been communicated in the way many of us have become accustomed to receiving it.