The Right Kind of Difficult (ft. Jon Acuff)
On learning, growing, adapting, creating, and sharing
OPENING QUOTE:
“Be your version of funny. Don't be somebody else's version. So what happens is speakers read a book about public speaking and they go, "I got to tell a joke." And they tell a joke that isn't their joke. And it just feels like you're wearing your dad's coat at the eighth grade dance. It doesn't fit you. It doesn't create the moment you want.”
-Jon Acuff
GUEST BIO:
Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of eight books and one of the most successful thought leaders on the circuit, which is why Ink Magazine named him one of the top 100 leadership speakers in the world. He's also a gifted comedian, recently fulfilling a dream by opening up for Dolly Parton at Ryman Auditorium. For over 20 years, he's helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including the Home Depot, Bose, and Staples. His fresh perspective on life has given him the opportunity to write for Reader's Digest, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review and Time Magazine.
Links:
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[4:22] - The Right Kind of Difficult
Finding your zone is about finding the right challenge
How do you know you’ve found your calling? When it’s the “right kind of difficult,” the kind of challenge that has you excited to confront it, to take it on, to master it. Jon calls walking off stage the hardest part of his job, because he could stay there for hours — not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard in a way that thrills him.
[6:17] - Content that Soars (and Sticks the Landing)
Perfectly packaging ideas for your audience
Jon is the first to acknowledge that almost no speaker or thought leader is delivering truly brand-new, never-heard-before ideas. But what separates bad from good and good from great is the way those ideas are interpreted, packaged, and presented in an unforgettable way.
One example of this is Jon’s concept of “soundtracks,” or the messages that live inside our heads on a daily basis. By taking the idea of internal monologue and presenting it in an instantly memorable way, Jon has created a keynote message (and book) that resonates with audiences everywhere.
[15:41] - Be Funny by Being You
Ill-fitting humor is like an ill-fitting suit
Jon emphasizes the importance of humor, while also emphasizing the risks of using humor that doesn’t match your personal style. He likens it to “wearing your dad's coat at the eighth grade dance.”
He goes on: “It doesn't fit you. It doesn't create the moment you want. If you're slapstick at a dinner party, be slapstick on stage. If you're dry at a dinner party, be dry on stage. Be your version of funny. Don't be somebody else's version of funny, because it won't work. You won't enjoy it."
[26:30] - Rewriting Your Soundtrack
How changing what you tell yourself can change your life
Use Jon’s three-part question to see whether you have a broken soundtrack or repetitive thought. First: Is it true? Second: is it helpful? Third: Is it kind?
If the answer to any of those questions is “no,” you’re suffering from a broken soundtrack that’s going to keep you from achieving both happiness and greatness.
As a speaker, the first person you have to inspire is yourself.
[34:39] - To Monetization and Beyond
Turning ideas and expertise into content and income
If 2020 taught the speaking industry anything, it was that even if your business model starts on the stage, it can’t end there. Jon has found myriad ways to expand his message and monetization — from treating writing books as a craft to trying out new media like podcasts, YouTube, and online challenges. He’s still a speaker at heart, but he’s also much more — and that means diverse audiences and income.
RESOURCES:
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ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
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