I used to love writing our family’s Christmas card letter. The letter would sum up the highlights of our year and mix in some humor and reflection on life. But I realized that modern technology would allow me to create an even better look at our year. And since a picture is worth a 1000 words, I could write a million-word letter without any typing. Or Whiteout. #winning
So when my children were little I began creating a video of our year in photos. I have done it every year since. And my man Steve Jobs made it easy. The photos from Steve’s magical phone-cameras drop automatically into my computer that Steve built.
I then take the full year of photos and drop them into a digital album. I narrow those photos down to about 250-300 of the best images that tell the story of our year in chronological order. (Which is my favorite order of all time.)
I export the images as a slideshow to iMovie. Then I add a 3-song soundtrack and some title cards at the beginning and end of the movie. And voila! I have a 10-minute video of our year in review. Which means that when my kids graduate or get married I don’t have to make a video. I already have all the embarrassment collected. #DadHack
The Bigger Win
There are 3 great things that have happened as a result of this annual tradition:
We have a fun and easy way to show our friends and family what our year was like.
We have a highlight video of every year of our children’s lives.
We have an ever-present reminder to make the most of each day.
Knowing that we will summarize our year in a video story inspires us to live a fun and adventurous life. Because if we don’t we won’t have anything to share in our annual video. This yearly reflection is a reminder that life is short, and to make the most of every day.
Our 2022 video will be finished and shared on New Year’s Day. But the process of assembling the photos and reliving the year through the images has been rewarding.
Here are 22 images I pulled from our year to share with you. I hope they inspire you to live an adventurous life, to make the most of your 2023, and to capture your life in photos so that you can relive the best moments over and over again.
We learned to surf in Santa Monica this summer. And not just on the sand.We attended a 1920’s murder mystery party thrown by our friends Jessica and Josh Hunt. (That’s Jessica throwing the peace sign in the back.)
We tilted and whirled at one of the festivals we attended this year.All-Pro Running Back of the Indianapolis Colts (and Badger) Jonathan Taylor came to Mequon to check out our couch. JT and I were working together on some UW Credit Union stuff I do at my day job at The Weaponry.
I got to guest host The Morning Blend, and throw my hands in the air.
Me and my fellow Homestead High School Girl’s track coaches, after winning the conference championship.My kids checking out Las Vegas at night from our room.Buddy V, The Cake Boss, stopped by our table at his restaurant in Vegas. Taking in some big hair bands at Fenway Park.The other team I coach. My son Magnus is #55. If you squint you can see my right knee next to his left knee.Magnus getting back to nature.Nut crack’n in Chicago.Me and my wife Dawn were on thin ice for a while in the Windy City.The fairest of the Wisconsin State Fair.Hiking The Narrows at Zion National Park after some rare summer rain that turned the river into chocolate milk.My Crew at Bryce Canyon. Which sounds to me like ‘Buy us crayons!’Meeting up with our guy Joe Brunner after his first football game at the University of Wisconsin. He hardly seems big enough, right?Me and my daughter Ava after she had the farthest discus throw at our conference relay meet as a sophomore.Taking in some Zac Brown Band in the ATL Us enjoying a sandbar in the Atlantic Ocean several miles off of South Carolina. It was a fun experience, despite the fact that the bar didn’t serve drinks. Mini golfing. Because we don’t Mickey golf.Playing Red Rover on the beach on Hilton Head Island.
Key Takeaway
Make each day count. Make your life an adventure. Take pictures to remember. Reflect often. And make 2023 your best year yet.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I have several friends who have had their flights delayed or canceled over the past few days. It’s a total bummer to land a starring role in The Airline That Stole Christmas. Brought to you by Southwest Airlines, the airline that won’t let you get away.
When your flight gets canceled you are forced to answer a very simple question:
Now, what do I do?
Goals vs Strategy
When you have travel plans, the destination is your goal. The flight you book is the strategy you choose to arrive at your goal. If your flight gets canceled it affects your strategy, not your goal. The key is to choose a new strategy.
You can book a different flight. You can drive. You can take a train, plane or automobile. You can ride in the back of a rental truck with a polka band from Kenosha. You can ride across the country on a scooter with a friend who is even dumber than you.
Plan B
This week, when my friends Stephanie and Taylor’s flights were canceled, they chose to drive instead. Sure, driving took longer than flying. But it got them to their destinations. Plus, when you drive you get unlimited peanuts, bigger drinks and nobody is trying to gerrymander your armrest.
Your Goals for 2023
As you prepare for a great new year in 2023 you should set exciting new goals to make this your best year yet. You should write the goals down. And you should create a strategy for achieving them.
However, if you are struggling to achieve your goals in 2023, remember the canceled flights. Let them serve as reminders to change your strategy, not your goal.
Key Takeaway
Your goal is your chosen destination. Your strategy is how you plan to get to your goal. When you struggle to make progress, adjust your strategy, not your goal. And remember, you can change your strategy as often as you need to until you find a plan that works.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Yesterday morning, at 6 am, my alarm went off, just like it does every weekday. But yesterday the alarm woke me up in the middle of a dream. Which is rude. Because dream sleep, or REM sleep, is the hardest to wake up from. In fact, it is so deep that in REM sleep not even Wham wants you to wake them up before you go go.
As a result of my alarm going off during my body’s no-wake zone, I didn’t spring out of bed immediately, like I usually do. I lay in bed thinking ‘Dude, it’s time to get up.’
I was disappointed with myself for how long I was laying in bed. And I really dislike disappointing myself. I pride myself on being a morning person. The whole, laying-in-bed all morning thing was messing with my self-construct. And I don’t like anyone messing with my self-construct. Especially me.
Finally, I put a smile on my face (which is my daily habit #1) and I motivated myself enough to crawl out of bed.
I grabbed my pillows to make my side of the bed. (Which is daily habit #2.)
As I grabbed the pillows I reluctantly glanced down at the clock on my nightstand the way you might look at the bathroom scale the morning after you skipped a workout and replaced it with a Brontosaurus burger with a side of large fries covered in gravy and cheese, and washed it all down with a cake shake.
Even though I thought I was prepared for the worst, when my eyes finally found the digital numbers displayed on my alarm clock I was stunned.
It was 6:01 am.
Key Takeaway
Raise your standards. Create great discipline and high expectations. By shrinking your tolerances you will experience greater results. And you will live closer and closer to your ideal life. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself in the new year. Because your standards and tolerances drive your self-improvement efforts. And they will ensure you are a better person a year from now than you are today. Which is the greatest gift you can give yourself.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
We are 360 days into 2022. Which means the end of the year is near. For those who get the number of days in a year confused with the number of degrees in a circle, you may be thinking that tonight is New Year’s Eve. It is not.
However, within the next 5 days, we will ring in 2023. Which is exciting. It’s even more exciting to bust into the new year with a new set of annual goals. In fact, there is almost nothing more exciting than a new list of goals. Because those goals represent a new and better you. A you who is fitter, richer, happier, and maybe more sober or less cigarettey than the current you.
I am a huge fan of setting goals to become a better human. Setting goals has helped me Rumpelstiltskin my ambitions into accomplishments.
A few examples:
Goal setting is how I broke my high school, conference and state records in the discus.
Goal setting is how I became an entrepreneur and launched the advertising and idea agency The Weaponry. (Goal setting also helped my team launch our new agency website by the end of 2022. We haven’t announced it yet, but if you click the hyperlink above you will be the very first people to see it live.)
Goal setting is how I publish a new blog post at least 3 times every week.
Goal setting is why today my weight is within 1 pound of what I weighed when I graduated from high school.
Goal setting has enabled me to steadily increase my net worth.
Goal setting drives me to read a whole mess of new books every year.
Goal setting has kept me off the pole. (That and a lack of requests to actually see me on a pole.)
Goal #1
All of my successful goal setting has taught me that there is one goal that you should set first. A goal that will make it easier to achieve all of your other goals. Here it is:
Surround yourself with people who are already doing what you want to do.
There is nothing more valuable to achieving your goals than to spend time with others who have already achieved that goal, or who are fully committed to doing it now.
The gravitational pull of humans on other humans is very strong. And like a Peleton in a bike race, the group will pull the individual along. (Which also means that if everyone else is wearing spandex and doping, you are highly likely to too. Right Lance?)
The best chance to keep your fitness goals is to surround yourself with fit and health-committed friends.
The best way to write a book is to surround yourself with published authors. (And pens.)
The best way to get rich is to spend time with rich people.
The best way to become more positive is to hang out with other positive people.
The best way to become a better spouse and parent is to spend time with great spouses and parents.
The best way to get rid of tan lines is to hang out at a nudist colony.
Key Takeaway
Peer groups are like trains. You are highly likely to go where those around you are going. So when you set your goals, make sure you get on the right train. Surround yourself with the right people. People who are committed to going where you want to go. It is the most important step on your journey. And it is the key to arriving at your chosen destination on time.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
One of my favorite events of the year happened on Saturday night. (And yes, it was live.) My family and I attended the Christmas Eve service at our church. The highlight of the service happened at the end when we sang Holy Night. But the magic of the moment was sparked before we sang. Literally.
The best part of the service began when the lights in the sanctuary were turned off and the only light in the church came from the candles on the altar.
The pastor then picked up a candle and lit it with the flame from the center candle of the advent wreath. Then, the ushers lit their candles with the flame from the pastor’s candle.
Once the ushers’ candles were lit, (and I heard Usher singing ‘Let it burn…‘ in my head) they proceeded down the center aisle of the church. As the ushers passed through the church, the people closest to the aisle in each pew lit their candles with the passing flame. The light was then passed down each aisle, person to person, until everyone in the congregation was holding a lit candle.
Silent Night
Then we sang the soft and sweet carol Silent Night, by candlelight. The final verse was sung without the organ, acapella style. (Or is that the term they use to describe the Galapagos Islands? I always forget.) The result is a powerful and touching experience that is the pinnacle of my Christmas celebration.
The Reminder
The great reminder in this tradition goes beyond the birth of Jesus and the no-crying he made. It goes beyond the fact that the cattle were lowing. Which I assume means they were having a limbo contest. Which is a rude thing to do with a sleeping baby around.
The great reminder during the candlelight service is to share your light with others.
You have gifts that make the world better. It is in your kindness, your positivity, and your energy. Your light is the goodness you share with those around you. It shines in your smile, your laugh, your attitude, your determination, your resilience and your creativity. By sharing, your gifts become gifts to those around you. They inspire and comfort. They remind us of the powerful positive impact we can have on each other. And at the end of our days, that’s the only thing that matters.
Key Takeaway
Share your light with as many people as you can. Just as a flame passed from candle to candle can light up a room, when you pass your gifts you can transform the world around you. Your light has the power to positively impact your family, friends, coworkers, teammates and neighbors. But your light can also be passed down from generation to generation, far into the future, influencing people you will never meet. You don’t have to be rich or famous. You just need to pass your light along to one person at a time. Just like we do on Christmas Eve.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
If you are an average American you will experience roughly 80 Christmases. Which doesn’t seem like nearly enough time for all the Burls Ives, candy canes and wassailing you could ever want. But it is the scarcity of this once-a-year event that makes it so special. Plus, there is the whole birth of the son of God who hooks you up with eternal salvation thing. (If you’re into that kinda stuff.)
With your limited number of Christmases to enjoy it is important to make the most of each one. Plus, next week when people ask you how your Christmas was, it’s fun to go Tony The Tiger on them and say that it was Grrreeat!
Let’s Do This Christmas Thang!
So don’t leave your Christmas experience to chance. Make it exactly what you imagined. At least, what you imagined based on what’s possible starting right now. Because if your perfect Christmas involves more snow, beach or family than you can whip up on a moment’s notice, write those opportunities off for another year.
Starting right now, considering the realm of the possible, answer this very simple question:
‘What would I have to do today and tomorrow to make this a really great Christmas?‘
Your answers could be things like:
Play Games
Watch a Christmas movie
Go to church
Take a nap
Enjoy some free time
Look at pictures or videos from Christmases past. (Like Clark Griswold, stranded in his attic, with that funny thing on his head.)
Go for a family walk
Light some great-smelling candles
Enjoy a nice family dinner (#HamNight)
Go for a drive to look at Christmas lights
Start a fire in the fireplace (But remember to put it out with enough time to cool before Santa drops in the chute.)
Listen to Christmas music
Perform Christmas music
Sing Carrols (at home or through your hood)
Steal things from Who-ville (Only for green and furry readers with termites in their smiles)
Zoom with distant family or friends.
Take a family photo with everyone holidayed up.
Watch sports
Drink your favorite holiday drinks
Exercise
Eat oyster stew, roast beast or whatever your favorite traditional meal is.
All of the above
After you decide on the building blocks of your Christmas, order the events, bake in some flexibility for the napping and free time, and then started knocking things off your Christmas list.
The Recipe For A Great Day
Through this approach, you literally write your own recipe for a great holiday. Then one by one, stir in each of the ingredients. Which enables you to spend the next 2 days enjoying a few of your favorite things. Like Julie Andrews. Only without a dangerous military regime pursuing you.
The point of this plan is to maximize the very satisfying and enjoyable feeling of recreational productivity. Which is the feeling of making the most of your free time. It should be a priority on all vacations and holidays. The result is that we finish days away from our regular work and obligations feeling both happy and accomplished.
The Greatest Gift
Remember that at Christmas, the time we spend together, making memories, and doing our favorite free things, is the greatest gift of all. Well, that and the birth of tiny little 8-pound baby Jesus, gift-wrapped in swaddling clothes and chilling in a manger. But you put all of those things together and you have one heck of a holiday gift pack.
Key Takeaway
A great holiday doesn’t happen on its own. You have to make it happen. The same holds true of any workday, schoolday, or Saturday. Envision your perfect days, then bring them to life. Do this day after day, and you will live the life you always imagined.
Merry Christmas!
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I drive a Ford Expedition Max. It’s one of the largest passenger vehicles on the road today. I love it for road-tripping with my family. I love it every time I pile large quantities of humans inside. I love how much stuff I can stuff inside it. I love it when I’m pulling trailers. (And I love the tush warmer on a chilly day.)
But there are trade-offs to driving a big vehicle. Like parking in underground parking garages. And I park in an underground parking garage every day at my office in downtown Milwaukee.
The Warning Signs
My parking adventure begins the moment before I pull into the parking garage. The top of my truck smacks the max height indicator dangling over the vehicle, warning me that the rig is too big for this place. This happens every single day. And when other people see me smack that thang, it freaks them out. #SmackItUpFlipIt
The adventure gets really interesting once I find a prospective parking space. As I begin to maneuver the Expedition into a slim parking stall, the driver assistance warning system blinks and beeps like a bomb on MacGyver. Or an advanced round of Simon, the digital memory game. Inevitably, the blinks and beeps grow more intense throughout the parking process, until I receive the maximum warning, begging me not to proceed.
But I proceed anyway.
The Systems
The systems built into the parking structure entrance and into my vehicle tell me that I don’t belong in this place. They warn me of dangers and limitations. They tell me to stop. Every day. But I don’t stop.
Because they don’t know what I know.
First, I talked with the parking garage staff. I learned where the height is and is not an issue for me. So I know where my real parking opportunities are.
Second, I don’t rely on the systematic warnings from my vehicle to tell me where I will and won’t fit. I look in my mirrors as I negotiate the space. I check my front and rear cameras for feedback. I rely on my own experience. And I believe in my ability to maneuver my own ride.
As a result, I have successfully found a parking space every day I have pulled into the garage for the past 6 months. Despite the daily Tom Petty warnings that say ‘Don’t come around here no more.’
Don’t Let Them Stop You
Throughout your life and career, you will encounter people, policies, and signs that are trying to stop you. Ignore the signs. Ignore the gatekeepers. Ignore the naysayers. Only you know what you are capable of. Believe in your abilities. Believe in your skills. Know that you have the will to achieve your goals. And if there is a real impediment to your progress, believe that you are intelligent enough to discover it for yourself.
Key Takeaway
Don’t worry about cutting it close. Or slow progress. Or barely passing through. The drama only adds to your story. Most people stop when they are warned to stop. Those who experience the greatest success keep going. They see yellow lights, not red. They discover what is really possible. They build and create. They pioneer and achieve. And they enjoy their success even more because they didn’t let anything stop them. Be that kind of person.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
My wife Dawn and I were recently reflecting on our wedding. A wedding is usually a great day for the bride and groom. (Except in Panic At The Disco songs.) But the guest experience can vary widely. That being typed, a surprising number of the roughly 200 guests at our wedding told us how much they enjoyed the event. In fact, 20 years later we still hear this.
We hosted a pretty typical experience. The wedding was in the afternoon. In a church. A reception with dinner and dancing followed. Just like the invitation said.
The party was not particularly fancy. We did all the decorating ourselves, with help from our families. There was no photo booth. In fact, we had disposable cameras on each table. Because it was 2002. And Blockbuster was still a thing.
Our Big Day
But we did have a DJ. The kid boasted that he was one of the best DJs in Marathon County. Plus, we sprang for wine, beer and soda pop. Which might have helped the overall experience, because research shows that people enjoy alcohol, sugar, and free stuff.
The Simple Explanation
But as we reflected on the fun weekend 20 years ago, Dawn came up with a simple explanation as to why the event was so enjoyable. She said,
‘It was like everyone was yessing.’
I immediately agreed. Dawn put a unique, but highly accurate descriptor on the event. People yessed to traveling to the fairly remote Wausau, Wisconsin. They yessed to supporting us. They yessed to spending time together. They yessed to a celebration. They yessed to staying up late. They yessed to dancing, drinking, laughing and all the things that make a good time roll.
Here’s To Yessing
As we enjoy this holiday week of Hanukah, Christmas, and other end-of-year activities, I hope you are yessing. Yessing to the fun, and hope and joy of this time of year. I hope you are yessing to gathering and spending time together. I hope you are yessing to traditions and creating new memories and deepening your relationships with others.
Yessing is leaning in. It is deciding to play, dance, and sing. It is not about watching others, or saying this isn’t my thang. The greatest fun and best times are a result of yessing. And the more people you have yessing the merrier the moment.
The Impact on Culture
My Yessing Weapons
Yessing is a key to creating a great organizational culture. When we all say yes to the processes, traditions and rituals they help strengthen and deepen culture. When we decide to do and be what the family, business, team or event needs we increase the power and magnetism of the entire group.
The first rule of improv is to say Yes to whatever is thrown your way. Life is like improv. When someone throws something good your way, yes it. Make it stronger and better and more enjoyable for everyone. Yessing creates positive peer pressure that makes life, work, and play better. And it certainly makes wedding weekends fun and memorable.
This year, my friends Jessica and Josh Hunt (2nd from right) hosted a 1920s murder mystery party. And we all yessed the flapper out of that party.
Key Takeaway
Lean into life. Say yes to the opportunities and adventures. Participate. Contribute to the conversations. Partake in the traditions. Dance and sing and play when it’s time. When we Yes we create momentum. We deepen bonds. We create memories. And ultimately, we enrich each other’s lives. It’s not hard to do. And the rewards last a lifetime.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
A year ago this week, I published my first book, titled What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? The response to the book has been extremely rewarding. People have appreciated the book enough to write great reviews and gift the book to others. And so far, no school districts, governments, or Tipper Gores have banned or burned the book.
But over the past year, there is one question I have been asked over and over, again. (Like Tim McGraw and Nelly.)
“When is the audiobook version of your book coming out?”
I would love to have an audio version of the book. I listen to audiobooks all the time. They are great to listen to when I am driving. Because I have found that when I read regular books while driving bad things tend to happen.
The book is currently available in paperback, hardback, and digitalback.
However, I wrote this book in my writing style, which also mirrors my speaking style. My ‘voice’ contains regular, random asides and uncited pop culture references. Because I wanna know who really gets my jokes. (And I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?)
Because I wrote the book in my voice, readers have insisted that I also record the audiobook. Which means that I have to find the time to read and record the audio version.
Recording the audiobook entails reading for about an hour each morning, day after day, until I finish the 290-page book. I would read first thing in the morning to ensure a consistent sound to my voice. And I expect I can only read for about an hour before fatigue would make me sound less enthusiastic than listeners deserve.
I am considering making the recording an End-of-2022 Project. But before I wake up and read my book to myself and my recording device for a couple weeks I have 2 questions for you.
1. Do you listen to audiobooks?
2. If so, where and when do you listen to them?
Your Opportunity:
Please leave your response below, text me at 614-256-2850 or email me at adam@theweaponry.com. If you provide your feedback, and I do record the audio version, I’ll include you in my acknowledgments section of the book. Heck, you can even game the system and share this with all your friends and family. Whoever responds will get included. (If no one responds and I record the book anyway, I will dedicate the book to crickets. And the sound of silence.)
Key Takeaway
It’s easy to make the mistake of creating products, services, or entire businesses with no natural audience. Before you jump into creating something new, do a little market research to see if there is an audience interested in what you are about to create. That way you ensure you invest your time, energy, and money into projects expected to offer good returns.
*If you know someone who would like to be mentioned in an audiobook, please share this with them.
+If you still need an inexpensive Christmas gift written to help readers learn a little, laugh a little and lift a little, you can find What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? here.
A year ago today my first book went live on Amazon. It was crazy to see What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? on the virtual shelves at Bezos’s Books n’ More! So I ordered one right away. It came the next day because Bezos makes things happen.
The first time I held my paper baby.
I had no idea what to expect over the next year. The people who pre-read the book told me it was really good. But I didn’t consider that an accurate predictor of public reception. After all, the pre-readers were either friends or part of my publishing team. And the friends were selected specifically because I thought they would say good things. Because sometimes you need support more than you need honesty. (Sometimes we really do notice that zit but there’s nothing you can do about it.)
But the real-world feedback has been amazing. The online feedback has been extremely positive too. (Except for guys on GoodReads named Zac, or Zach or Zak.) A year later I can confidently say that people (other than Zacs) genuinely enjoy the book.
Here are some book-related highlights from the past year.
Gifters: The number of people who have bought 5, 10, or 20 copies (or more) is a total surprise to me. Numerous people have bought many copies to give as gifts. I am honored and humbled every time this happens. And I’m thrilled I haven’t been asked about my return policy.
Speaking Opportunities: I have been giving regular book talks throughout the past year. I love being able to share the lessons from the book live. The follow-up interest in the book after the talks tells me that we are talking about important lessons and ideas. Another upside to the book talks is that I kinda want to have a hot mic faux pas that will circulate on YouTube and lead to my 15 minutes of fame. (The Hot Mic Faux Pas sounds like a bestselling book. Or maybe an album title.)
New friends in Missouri.
Meeting new people: People (and smiling) are my favorite. I have met countless new people this year thanks to my book. (I tried to count, but a woman in Cleveland kept moving, which threw off my tally.)
Me and my friend Jonathan Taylor, who said he would write the Foreword to my next book.
The Impact: We all have our own unique life experiences. By sharing 80 life lessons with the world, I knew that each lesson would speak to readers in different ways. Hearing the impact or value that specific lessons have had on readers has been insightful and rewarding. But the true impact of the book will not likely be known for years. Or even decades. So I’m eating right and exercising to be around to see it.
The ultimate copy of my book.
The Markups: I love seeing books that have been highlighted, underlined and filled with stickies. It shows me where people found value. And it makes me wonder why all valuable things in life are not made in highlighter colors so they are easier to find when we lose them.
My guy Adam Emery reading in St. Croix.
The Oreo Style: There are several different ways to eat an Oreo Cookie. I twist the cookies apart, scrape the filling stuff off with my teeth, then eat the chocolate-ish cookies individually. (Usually just before walking into a dentist appointment so that I get my money’s worth.)
I’ve also found that there are several different ways people read What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? Some people read it all in one day. Some people read it steadily over a week or month. Some people read one chapter each day, like an advent calendar, and spend time focusing on one specific lesson. While other people simply pick up the book, open it randomly, and read whatever pops up, considering the lesson presented as a sign from the universe. Or at least a message from the world of physics and book-binding science.
The Morning Blend Over the past year I have been invited to appear on The Morning Blend talk show 4 times. The show is the primary morning show on NBC in Milwaukee. I love talking to hosts Molly Fay and Tiffany Ogle about positive lessons from the book. Plus, it’s a good test of what kind of humor I can throw out on the fly on live TV without getting zapped by the censor.
Podcasts: I have been invited on several podcasts to tell my story and share lessons from the book and about the writing process. I love being able to share the stories behind the stories. Plus, someone else has to do the editing, which to me feels like dining and ditching.
Travel: The fact that this book led to organizations paying me to travel to talk at their events amazes me. It combines a few of my favorite things. Kinda like brown paper packages tied up with string.
The pictures: Receiving pictures of people with my book from all over the world has been a great bonus that I didn’t imagine when writing. To know that my book and the lessons I have shared have migrated to all corners of the United States, and countries all over the globe means that my paper baby has seen things I haven’t. #bookenvy
2X Olympic discus thrower Kelsey Card sporting a cool hat and a copy of my book. Both of which she could throw very far.
The Giggle Reports: Readers regularly write me to tell me they keep giggling while reading. Which prompts those around them to ask ‘What’s so funny?’ That may be my favorite feedback of all.
Signings: Nearly everyone who buys a book from me asks me to sign it for them. At first, I thought this was weird. Because I thought only famous people signed things. But I have quickly warmed to the ritual. Now a year into this author thang, I have signed hundreds of books. Including 35 in the past week.
Just as it took me a while to dial in my personal writing style, it took me a couple of books to find my book signing style. Now I write in the book as if it were a high school yearbook.
I write: To (name of book owner):
I add the day’s date for context.
Then I write a brief message, summarizing some of my most important lessons within the book.
I finish that note with my initials (-AA).
Then I sign my name right under my printed name on the title page of the book.
Finally, I put my initials (AA) on the table of contents next to a few chapters I think will be valuable to the reader. Readers seem to enjoy this. Here’s an example of a response I received via Twitter about my AA-marked chapters in the table of contents:
I received this special delivery from my good friend and partner in doing hard things creatively, @annenormsen! Thanks so much Adam for the signed book, note and guided instructions—I am reading the AA asterisked lessons first—and they are exactly what I need! @adamvertising
@telisayancy. (AKA Telisa Yancy, President of American Family Insurance)
Key Takeaway
I wrote What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? to have a positive impact on the lives of those who read it. But the person who it has impacted most is me. It has fundamentally changed my life. I have received more positivity and support than I ever imagined. It has inspired me to write, share and do more for others. If you are thinking about writing a book, do it. Start now. Develop a regular writing habit. And by this time next year, I may be reading your book.
Adam Albrecht Blog 