Refocusing (When Focusing Is Difficult)

Listening, Learning, and Some Unlearning Too

Everyone seems to be making major life changes lately. It’s only natural that during a pandemic of this scope and scale, we realign our priorities. We focus on what’s important to us. If there’s anything positive to come out of the past 10 months, it’s this.

As I mentioned in last week’s post, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking myself. Trying to do more listening, more learning, and more unlearning. What’s my contribution? What can I do that’s worthwhile in moving the culture forward?

The results is that I’ve amended my focus a bit in the podcast. Here’s a little background on why. My contention is that in today’s world, it will be impossible to create positive change without a better and clearer expression of society’s best ideas. In other words, better marketing. Of course, I mean the type of marketing that I’ve talked about in 180+ episodes — done with empathy and respect for the recipient. There are two ways I want to attack this:

1) Better Media Literacy

Looking at our culture’s current slogans through a media lens. Unpacking their meaning, auditing what works and what doesn’t — and why. This will help us all get better at 1) assessing the media we consume and 2) getting better at casting good ideas so they are well-received.

This week I examine Black Lives Matter as a slogan, which I consider to be a marketing masterpiece. The episode is available now for Patreon supporters* and will be publicly available on Monday.

2) Better Writing

The second way is a new experimental project I’m calling Consider the Source. I intend for this to be a writing workshop, focused on creative expressions such as music — namely songwriting. I’ll be sharing pieces in progress, rather than take-it-or-leave-it finished projects. I want to invite thoughtful discussion about the creative decisions we all make.

This will be done in a series of video and audio posts, and it will be for Patreon supporters* only. I want to limit this to only the people who enroll, and not bug those who aren’t interested. Here’s a sample of an unfinished piece about the cost of inaction.

Who knows if any of this this will “work” or not, but these are the things that are holding my attention right now. I’d love to have you come along on these experimental excursions with me. But I won’t be offended if you don’t.

All the best to you and those important to you,
Michael

*P.S. Why Patreon? I am trying to foster a community of people who support one another’s creative work. So far it’s been a good experience, here’s my page.