Turn and Face the Strange

I recently sat in on a Facebook Live discussion spearheaded by John-Erik Moseler, who is a friend of my son and daughter-in-law.  I’ve met him once, in a manner of speaking, when he crashed the kids’ wedding last year. We didn’t exactly have quality time that day, but I’ve made it a point of following his work (and not just his party-crashing efforts).

The Facebook discussion in question, “Embrace your Plot Twist!” was about not being afraid to make changes in your life and your career. 

As I some of you know, I’ve been going through a personal re-branding of late, focusing more on educational training opportunities, and my writing (not that most of you can tell from what I’ve written). This has been a bold move for me, stepping away from my comfort zone – the sale and marketing of promotional products – my home for more than 30 years… re-creating (or more appropriately “re-calculating”) the direction in which I’m heading.

Perhaps it was the timing, but the discussion spoke to me on several levels. I asked the kids to see if John-Erik would share the text of that discussion with me, but they told me that such a thing didn’t exist. It seems that John-Erik pretty much made it up as he went, which is par for the course for him. That he was also medicated from a recent surgery made it that much more entertaining… at least to me (look up the definition of the word “schadenfreude” if you don’t already know it). 

Nevertheless, what he had to say was worth sharing, so I saved his discussion and have transcribed bits and pieces for you. I will not say that these are exact quotes, as I am a professional writer and editor, but not a professional transcriber. Here are several of his pearls of wisdom, combined with some of my own random (and hopefully relevant) thoughts and comments:

1) Every great story has a plot twist. You wouldn’t want to read a story without a plot twist. You cheer and cry at the end of a great story because you know how hard it was because you know that the protagonist was against all odds and, despite wanting to give up s/he kept on going. All hope was lost and yet… success!

2) Not enough people embrace their plot twists. Our dream is nothing but plot points along our own story. When plot twists come along and we think “it’s a failure,” our nature is to let it stop us. The opposite of success is not failure. The opposite of success is inaction and indecision… giving up… never trying. John-Erik’s point? Don’t do nothing. 

3) In the words of Albert Einstein, success is failure in progress. That’s ironic, as per a popular internet meme (as such, take this at face value), Einstein’s parents felt that he was “sub-normal” as he did not speak until he was four years old.  Teachers also believed that he was “mentally slow.”

4) Many so-called “overnight successes” were actually the results of 10 years of failure.

5) Website crashed? Plot twist.

6) That didn’t work? Plot twist.

7) Someone gave up on you? Plot twist.

8) I love this one: If someone were to make a movie about the story of your life… if you succeeded at everything you set out to do, that would be the most boring story ever. No one would want to see that.

9) The stories where someone should have given up – but didn’t – that’s what people want to see. This makes you relatable.

10) Big failures: Look up Laugh-o-Gram Films, this was an early failure of Walt Disney. He was also fired from a newspaper job because he “lacked imagination.” We’ve all seen the memes about Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team. Steve Jobs was unceremoniously dumped by Apple, only to be brought back as its savior.

11) Pushing through the plot twists makes for the best stories.

12) Scars and failures don’t tell the story of who you are and what you’ve been through… that’s not you. You have to move past that. They’re part of you, but not you overall.

13) Keep writing your stories. Don’t throw that manuscript in the trash. The world needs your dreams. And your plot twists.

John-Erik is an interesting and weird motor-scooter. I say that as a compliment. I’d suggest following him on Twitter (@johnerikthinks) and embrace and share in his and your own plot twists. Don’t become complacent… you never know what the next chapter has to offer!

Mike Schenker, MAS, is a promotional industry veteran and member of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) Hall of Fame. He can be reached at mike@mikeschenker.com.