Charles Kunken

11/22/2019: This quotoon is not from a book, well it was triggered by a book but it wasn't written in the book. It's a thought I had this week...

Think of all the stuff we accomplish, as a species yet like 1 in 5 people are not happy at their jobs...

Which means most of us are calling it in...

What would we be getting done if everybody was skipping to work...?

Finding this out is my mission in 2020...

11/15/2019 This comes from a new book I'm into: 'Building A Storybrand' by Donald Miller.

Donald emphasizes that what we are physically providing customers might be a solution to what he calls the 'external' problem but the best brands in the world communicate the internal emotional solution that is being offered.

So you're saying that buying someone flowers isn't just about getting something pretty in the house? Oh, it's more about feeling loved and valued? Now you tell me...

This quote about a car rental company that he worked with stuck out to me, it reminds me of the concept, so I wrote it down...

11/8/2019: I think it's very easy to underestimate what you bring to the table.

The things that make you unique seem boring to yourself, but in fact they're what make you fascinating.

They're actually the only things that make you, you. Otherwise you're just trying to fit some mold.

So rock 'em.

11/1/2019: This is from a gent named Oisin Hughes. He's a colleague of mine and our most recent interview on the 'Finance Guys In Tech' podcast (will be out later this month).

Oisin once rode his motorcycle down the Pan-American highway. You see why I like him?

Then he did it again followed by a trip that took him the rest of the way around the world. He wrote 2 books, one for each journey and made a docu-series on youtube.
Book 1: That I May Die Roaming
Book 2: Not Dead Yet

He's from Clondalkin, outside of Dublin Irelend. May I suggest that you just watch the first 7 seconds of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFTgX6Vnk0Q

10/25/2019

I took a look back in the archives this week and came across the following by Shawn Coyne, editor extraordinaire (including the editor of Steven Pressfield's classic, 'The War Of Art') and author of the book 'The Story Grid'.

From this man's work is where I have learned and studied deeply on the structure of storytelling. (And where I also learned that one can put stories into excel sheets.)

Another great resource (if you are a really, really, really big nerd) is The Story Grid podcast. Last year I listened chronologically up to episode #67 (nerd brag) but I am currently on hiatus.

10/18/2019

This one is from Blake Snyder's 'Save The Cat'.

The quotoon hit me this week because it rhymes with my philosophy about why it's important to understand the rules for anything.

So you can know exactly how to break 'em.

From school, to screenplays, to knowing the systems at work - I never like to to complain or try to change the rules. It draws way too much attention to my agenda.

10/10/2019

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10/4/2019:

This is from Marie Forleo's new book 'Everything Is Figureoutable'

I do enjoy reading things that I had kind of independently stumbled into on my own, after much trial and error but hadn't really articulated yet. Like how that other guy probably felt who wasn't Darwin that also discovered evolution.

Now, when someone asks me I can tell them, this is why...

9/27/2019 This one is from Danny Meyer from his book, 'Setting The Table'.

I've started reading Chapter 1 and so far...it's, eh, I don't know...I'm not a foodie, ok. I bought it because I love his leadership concept of 'enlightened hospitality', and when I love an idea I need to have the book, like a totem close by.

It's so simple and obvious that I don't know how people could overlook it - take care of your people, your team first, and if they feel good, respected, valued etc, they will deliver the success of your business.

duh, right? Anyways, if you think the concept of Shake Shack doesn't apply in your line of work just go grab one of their burgers and you'll soon see...

9/20/2019: This is from a fella named Jason Harris from his book 'The Soulful Art Of Persuasion'.

The best lead in is actually another quote from the book (which was almost the quotoon this week). It sets up this quotoon perfectly:

"You will never influence the world by trying to be like it..."

Walk tall my friends...

9/13/19: Today's quote is a paraphrased segment from Joseph Campbell's 'The Hero With A Thousand Faces'.

Basically what the guy did is he spent his life studying the most famous legends, folklore, fables, stories, etc. of every civilization on earth and brought to people's attention that all of them independently arrive at a common story structure: The Hero's Journey.

We, as humans have a natural and common way that we think about and are affected by stories. Some of the main components, which are chapters in his book include: the call to adventure, the refusal of the call, crossing the threshold, the road of trials, the crossing of the return...

Go google 'Star Wars Hero's Journey'. Does this not give make your hair stand up? I don't believe you.

It doesn't matter what you do of where you're from, this really is the most important thing. This is why this newsletter exists. At some point we are going to spend an entire blog series diving into the art and craft of dramatic writing, the Hero's Journey and all this great stuff. For now, a taster...

9/6/2019

One more for the second week in a row from Gary Vaynerchuk's, 'The Thank You Economy'.

This is a good sentiment. If you're goal is to never make a mistake then what can you ever do?

I think we just have to be conscious of not labeling experiments as mistakes .

8/30/2019:

Here's another from Gary Vaynerchuk from his book, 'The Thank You Economy'.

I like this guy's books.

This might just be a little preview of our Fall blog series...

8/23/2019

This is an old favorite from Dr. Seuss', 'Oh The Places You'll Go'

Big thoughts with a light touch. Doesn't require much more context.

That's why he was such a master.

Respect.

#THEPLAZAOFTRUTH

MY ATTEMPT TO TRY AND SAY ONE TRUTHFUL THING EVERY DAY.

Here’s the backstory: https://www.charleskunken.com/theplazaoftruth

8/9/2017

I went back to the 2017 archives where I uncovered this goodie this week.

This was a quote by Andre Gide, a guy who I have no idea who he is, that I found via Julia Cameron's book, 'The Artist's Way'.

This book changed my trajectory when I first read it in 2017. It's a flagship and that's why it's went top-3 on my reading list of creativity books.

I hope this line can give you a little spark of wonder for your day today as it did for me when I first read it and as it did again when I just pulled it off the shelf...

8/2/2019

This week comes from a guy you may know simply as Gary Vee. This is from his book 'Crush It'.

His message and style is striking a chord with me right now, possibly because he's from Jersey and curses a lot, which makes his stuff easy for me to understand.

These are good words...

7/26/2019

This comes from the book 'Fascinate' by Sally Hogshead.

About 25% of this book was solid gold for me while the rest a little too scientific about what adjectives to use in your marketing copy.

The one particular story that stuck out though was about the difference between the Orange and the Green lines on the Mission: Space ride at Epcot Center. It was worth the entire price.

In short, the orange line is supposedly the 'intense' one when in reality, both versions of the ride are practically the same (according to Sally). The hilarious thing she points out though is how the mystique of the orange line causes people to behave while waiting (eg, high fives, taking selfies) while those on the green are practically shamed! I lol'd...there are no selfies being taken on the green line...it's very interesting to hear her point out what even a simple story can do to a product.

Any-who, here was another takeaway I particularly liked...

7/19/2019

Running up against a deadline, lack of sleep, still need to finish the newsletter...if I can just get a Quotoon loaded, I know everything's gonna fall into place...

I flip open the journal to a random page, ready to see what words the stars are going to deliver us for this week...

And just when I'm beginning to question all of this bustling around...

From 'The Fire Starter Sessions' by Danielle Laporte.

7/12/2019

Here it is. This comes from 'Man's Search For Meaning', by Victor E. Frankl.

It's a perfect message in line with today's post.

What if you pretended this life was your do over? What were you're regrets?

You get a chance to fix them. All of them. Right now.

7/5/2019:

And this week again we'll give you one last one from 'The Fire Starter Sessions' by Danielle Laporte.

I just wrapped up this book and it's absolutely marked as one I'll be revisiting often.

It was a toss up between a few gems that I jotted down and quotooned up but I think this one fits nicely with the theme and post this week on creating freedom and the idea of starting to do things in a new way, so I'll leave you with this to ponder on your way...

6/27/2019:

Another one, for the second week in a row from 'The Fire Starter Sessions' by Danielle Laporte.

Right now this is my nightly morphine drip, one chapter at a time so I can let it seep in.

This line below resonated with me because it made think about how much time we spend mulling over what we should be doing/learning/achieving in life and how much energy we put towards the 'should'.

When I first made the manifesto last year for this site (you know, that cartoon in your welcome email when you signed up) I thought, "this is so cool but I can't really send it to people, I really need to make something more...I dunno, professional, appropriate."

Luckily, I tossed that idea out the window because I figured, what the hell, I'm sure there are many people with graduate degrees who express themselves by drawing stick figures on napkins... so I launched and now, well, here we are having this chat.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Enjoy:

"The moment you say yes to acting on your desires is the real beginning."

6/21/2019
I struggled this week narrowing down which quotoon was gonna make the cut. I've just started 'The Fire Starter Sessions' by Danielle Laporte and it is living up to the title.

This is a good dose of kick @$$ and perfectly in line with our post this week.

So far for me I’m taking from it the idea of re-baselining where we are at in life, re-connecting with what it is we want to be doing, and recognizing the fact that our strengths don’t necessarily mean the things we are experts at. They are the things we naturally approach with the most vitality and enthusiasm.

I'm averaging approximately ~2 quotoons per chapter so far. It's a good one.

June 14, 2019

You've seen him here before, welcome back to our friend Seth Godin. I'm currently reading his book 'Free Prize Inside' which was his 2007 followup to 'Purple Cow'

I read Seth's books slowly. They usually (always) change my mind and I need to make many side notes/doodles.

This quote spurs many different thoughts but what I appreciate most is that Seth reminds us - don't wait until someone invites you to innovate. Innovating doesn't require budgets or permission. We're here to break rules....

June 7, 2019

This week's installment comes from Jonathon Fields' from his book 'Career Renegade'.

This book was written in 2009. It's not even that old but I still got a kick out of some of the discussions around 'new technology', for example, explaining in detail how Twitter works: 'it let's people share small chunks of information with an audience of followers all day long by cell phone'....what! that's incredible! It feels like somebody explaining how a microwave works, and this book isn't even that old.

I never tire though of reading stories about people who have gone after their dreams and love reading the minutiae of how they did it. That's what makes good stories really, literally seeing the actions that a character takes to get their desire. There are still some good general tactics in this book but for me the inspiration factor was the big draw.

So, this quotoon ties nicely into our post this week about action and also ties to a theme we've been discussing a lot here in the newsletter recently - 'Belief'.

I don't think we can ever spend too much time discussing how our beliefs are the most important tool we have to accomplishing our goals. What I like about this quote is that it addresses the issue head on that belief alone is not some magical elixir that simply magnetizes fame and good fortune to randomly come into your life.

The purpose of belief is it's impact that it has on your actions. So at that, here is Fields:

May 31, 2019

Your quotoon this week is from one of my favorites, Seth Godin and is more 'quote' than 'toon' this week but it made my hair stand up when I first read it and it will give you something to think about for the rest of the day.

It comes from his book, The Dip, which has the subtitle, '...when to quit (and when to stick)'.

You might ask where do these Quotoons comes from? Mostly from what I'm reading at the time but I also like to go back and revisit books that have had impacts on me in the past. I've come up with a new way of revisiting these treasures.

When I journal in the morning I started a new ritual of pulling out an old book from the shelf that I'll use to rest my hand on when I'm writing on the right side of the journal. The book of the day depends on how far into the journal I am - I need the right thickness so that my hand is on level with the blank page. I started reading a couple quotes from the choice book before I got started scribbling, you know to lube up the mind and then this got me to start being more particular with the book selection ritual. Now I find myself choosing based on both thickness AND what type of power I am in need of. What type of wisdom I might need for my daily antidote.

I like to mark my books extensively when I read them so that I can always go back and quickly revisit the main points (or bang out a couple of new Quotoons). Nikki says it's like a mad scientist. I'll show you some pics sometime.

Without further ado, here's Seth:

May 24, 2019.

Your quotoon this week is another gem from my current study of Napoleon Hill's 1937 classic 'Think & Grow Rich'.

I think this will speak to anybody who's ever questioned the value of a test...

‘The Art of Asking’