When Your Words Mean Nothing
Hi. My name Donna Queza and I have a problem. I’m addicted to reality TV.
If you’ve read my Twitter profile or my Dream Big feature on Well in LA, you might’ve already figured this out. If not, I’m sorry you had to find out this way. Please don’t judge.
Very rarely does my reality TV habit produce anything useful or productive. But, when it does, I feel almost obligated to blog about it. So, when I was watching The Next Food Network Star a couple of weeks back and heard a nugget of wisdom, I actually jotted it down on a piece of paper.
On the show, existing TV chefs are training the next generation of cooking superstars. Contestants not only have to be talented in the kitchen, they also have to be dynamic in front of the camera. One of the mentors, Bobby Flay, was coaching his team on the importance of connecting with your audience when he told them to select their words wisely. To paraphrase the grill-master, the word “delicious” really means nothing. It carries no weight because it doesn’t actually describe anything tangible. Use instead words like salty, juicy, sour, sweet, creamy…
This got me thinking about how many weightless words we use every day in our marketing copy (on websites, blogs, social media and in print). I am guilty of this all over the place. “Amazing” “awesome” “fantastic” pop up in my copy on a very regular basis. Do these words really mean anything? Do they add anything specific to my copy or value for my reader? Not really.
Today I’m posing a challenge for all of my meaningless word friends. Take a look at everything you post today (from your blog to your Tweets) and try to omit descriptors that don’t have tangible meaning – something you can touch, taste, see, hear or smell. I already know this is going to be a tough challenge, but I’ll be taking it on too and will report back!
What are your favorite meaningless words?
How do you tame your creative brain?
Have you ever noticed that the more things you have to think about – whether you’re taking action on them or not – the more overwhelmed you become? As task lists grow, it can often become difficult to prioritize creativity and those moments where your mind wonders become few and far between. I’ve been finding myself in the position a lot lately – trying to find a balance between structuring my day (which is necessary if I want to get anything done) and giving myself the freedom to think outside the box.
So, today’s post is a little different. I really want to know your tips. How do you tame your creative brain? What little things to you to to stay productive and creative? I’ll share a few of the things I’m trying and I hope you’ll do the same!
- I’m a big believer in work/life balance, so I’m pretty good at walking away from the computer in the afternoon and not checking email on the weekends. But, that doesn’t mean I ever really stop thinking about my clients or my business. I’ve taken to keeping a notebook with me so that I can jot down all the brilliant ideas I have during my off time.
- I’m trying to schedule time when I walk away from my desk for 30 minutes a day and do something else. Often, when I sit back down I’m re-energized and ready to work!
- My favorite thing to do – talk to smart people! Having a buddy (or two, or three) who you can bounce ideas off of and get inspired by is a great way to schedule some creative time into your day.
What works for you?
Need more tips? Check out this great piece on Taming the Wild Mind.
When You’re Going Crazy – It’s the Little Things
I’ve been a little lame about blogging lately, and that’s because I’ve been so busy! So, I wanted to give you a quick update on a few exciting things I’ve been up to:
- This week, Nailah Blades and I announced our new four-week, small business workshop The Launch Sequence. If you’re in the LA-area and are looking to start or build a business, this is for you. Check out the site for all the details, and contact me directly if you have any questions!
- I’m co-hosting a super fun, girls only, entrepreneur-filled event on Thursday, May 17. It’s going to be an evening of mixing, mingling, networking and wine! Who doesn’t love that? Click here to get the details and register for the event.
- I was featured on a couple of blogs recently. I love writing for other bloggers (by the way, I also love featuring guest bloggers. So, if you’re interested and have a fun topic, just shoot me an email!) First, Meghan Christine Photography featured a post that I wrote for photographers with Tips on Getting More out of Facebook Marketing. Then, I was featured as part of the Well In LA Dream Big series!
Ok, so you get the point… lots of good stuff going on around here.
That brings me to the actual topic of this blog post. In my craziness lately, I’ve been looking for ways to stay organized and downsize the clutter. I’m a big handwritten note taker. I’ve got notebooks, post-its, planners, journals and tons of great intentions. I jot down ideas as I’m talking to and thinking about clients and then they disappear into the great abyss. The problem isn’t so much the clutter, it’s the fact that all the notes I take for one client or project are never in one easily accessible place.
That’s where my handy Arc notebook comes in to save the day. (By the way, I know this totally sounds like an ad and I wish Staples was paying me to say this, but they’re not. I just really like this product!) The cool thing about this notebook is that you can tear pages out and reorganize them again and again. Plus, it has pretty dividers and lots of fun accessories. It even has graph paper (if you can’t tell, I went a little wild with the accessories when I bought mine).
Anyway, it’s been keeping me nice and organized and as I start working with more coaching clients to talk them through the marketing process, it keeps notes from each session so I can quickly and easily refer back. If you’re a note-taker, make sure to pick one up.
What are your go-to organization solutions for those crazy, busy times? I’d love to get more handy tips!
