How was your week? Did it work out like you wanted? Be honest, and feel free to share privately by replying to this note, but here's a poll!

Did this week turn out like you expected? Yes No The world is on fire

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"They Forced Me into Early Retirement"

The day was Monday, May 20th, 2013, and I struggled to motivate myself for another week at a job I no longer enjoyed.

Most people would scoff at the idea of me not enjoying my job as a magazine art director. Outsiders considered it a dream job, but just like any other job, it was only cool up to a point, and I passed that point years prior.

I walked into the office, flopped down into my fake Aeron chair harder than I'd flopped into any chair ever, and exclaimed, "I don't want to be here."

Little did I know within a couple of hours, I would get my wish in the form of a pink slip and a fat severance check. Though I was ready for the final exit, I needed the right motivation.

It could have been the most devastating moment of my adult life, but it turned out to be the best thing ever, and you'll never guess it turned the devastating moment into a life-changing opportunity.

[ FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BLOG ]

What an Oreo can tell you about a person

Stories sell. The better the story, but better the sales. I've pushed this idea for a while now but I haven't done a lot to talk about how or why. That changes today.

A few days ago, I saw this post and immediately became fascinated with how so much was said in so few words.

The Breakdown

Maybe you've seen these Oreos in the store and your initial thought was like mine, immediately dismissing the idea, because why ruin a classic, but quietly in the back of your brain thought you wanted to try one just to see if it was disgusting or delicious. I'm willing to bet good money we're on the same page about this.

If you've ever dipped an Oreo into a Coke, then you know that once your teeth stop hurting from the sugar overdose, it's not horrible, and because you have that memory, this post is resonating immediately.

"This package could be half as big and cost twice as much." If you look at the right side, it appears they've already opened the package and given one a taste, validating there curious nature about this sugary collaboration.

Or maybe they hadn't tried one yet and simply knew that they would pay anything for a chance to indulge in these cookies.

"I'm not buying them to share with my family..." We've all done this. I once bought a slice of chocolate cake for myself when my wife sent me to the store for ingredients she needed for dinner. I scarfed that giant slice of cake down in the two blocks between the market and my home while holding a bag filled with meat and vegetables.

"…I'm buying them to discover something about myself." This line is the killer. This simple statement is the difference between a regular post and a story that pulls people like me in. They're not hording, but a moment of self-evaluation of their morals and judgement.

Anyone else might have said, "I'm buying them for myself because I deserve it," or some other derivative that made them look selfish. Instead, this person wants to find out whether they will enjoy these cookies or not, and what that tells them about their tastes.

Nabisco didn't pay this person to say these things, and probably doesn't even know about it, which is a shame, because this post made me want to try the cookie too.

I don't want or need the sugar, but I desperately want to know what it says about me if I like them or not. If they are still available at the market the next time I go, I'm buying them.

The Takeaway

Resonance is the linchpin of any good story, and every American (and some world wide) can resonate with the image immediately. If you can gain resonance that quick, you will have people locked in.

Present an emotion or feeling that people understand immediately. The act of buying something you don't want to share is a human condition we've all experienced at some point in our lives.

Say big things simply. "Discover something about myself." By thinking about that statement for just a few seconds, my mind started asking all sorts of questions. What did the cookies taste like? What did he find out about himself? Did he eat them all? Did he share? Did he buy another pack? What does it mean that I was initially repulsed by these cookies and now I'm intrigued?

Now replace Oreos with something you sell.

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Small Bites

📹 - Not that you need anymore evidence of how insidious Instagram is with our time and attention, now their lowering the quality of videos simply because they don't perform well. They support small accounts, but only in 360p.

📝 - I watched a TEDx video featuring Matthew Dicks about storytelling and his strategy for making sure he always has good stories to share. The answer? Do your homework!

🤤 - The anticipation from this short process video is palpable. It made me want to go out to the studio. It also made me follow the account for more.

✌️ - A recent article from ManyChat is a sober and humorous take on the future of social media and why email is the answer. Second, the author, Nick Gaudio is a master wordsmith. You are going to want to read this entire article.

🛑 - Quitting social media would be a difficult decision for most of us, and to be honest, it's something I've contemplated a lot recently. According to Seth Werkheiser, community makes it much easier.

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