TIME's: Ten Ideas That are Changing Your Life

Before I say anything, watch this.

I had one of those unforgettable learning moments about 2 years ago when Alex Bogusky talked about The Nine Gorillas. They were the major trends affecting our lives that were right in front of us, but we didn't truly see them or appreciate their impact. I learned from the Gorillas, and also the power of the obvious. Making sure we don't miss the movements of the tectonic plates as we focus on the pressure and rubble along the fault lines.

I hadn't seen such clearly articulated ideas until I read the March 12 issue of TIME magazine: 10 Ideas That Are Changing Your Life. For those who didn't see it, I created a Cliff's Notes of excerpts and paraphrasing here. Thank you, TIME. Important, human insights for those trying to create relationships, serve, and design for people. There is also an optimism about them that I love.

1. Living Alone is the New Norm
The extraordinary rise of solitary living is the biggest social change that we've neglected to identify, let alone examine. In 1950, 4 million Americans lived alone and made up only 9% of US households. By 2011, nearly 33 million Americans live alone making up 28% of all US households.  The percentage of households increases as you look internationally to Sweden 47%, Japan 31%, and Britain 34%. According to sociologist Eric Klinenberg, living alone helps us pursue sacred modern values -- individual freedom, personal control and self-realization which are trumping economics. Solitary dwellers are primarily women, with the majority in the US being middle-aged adults from 35-64. In recent decades, young adults from 18 to 34 have been the fastest growing segment of the singleton populations. Fascinating, there is little evidence that the rise of living alone is making Americans more lonely. Living alone provides an opportunity to turn off and be better selves when we reconnect.

John Willshire: Love and Lifestrapping

John Willshire is wise. He reminds why I love what I do and why I am so optimistic and hopeful about marketing and branding. He talks about the people in a brand's community as Blacksmiths, not salesmen. He has a beautiful way of saying this on Smithery.co:

I woke up this morning to his great post: Love and Lifestrapping - Entrepreneurial Inspiration From #firestarters. It is a quick reflection on loving what you do. It also touches on themes I have written about like minimal viable marketing in a soulful way. Enjoy it. I did. 

Thanks, @willsh.

Two Things

You have to do at least two things a week that will make you a better marketer. Even if you don't, someone else will. And you both will be applying for the same dream marketing job in 12 months. I'm just sayin'. Love, Pat

Please Read It Now, Now, Now

Every marketer should read this. "Global replace" the words advertising agency with marketing team and clients with customers in your mind as you go. This manifesto Marketing at a Point of Change was written in 1994 by the team at HHCL, a very forward looking agency of the time based in the UK. I was still in school when it was written. Yet it is so true even now. If the trajectory of marketing change is a bullet, this feels like the gun that shot it. The bullet is still going and flying fast. One of my marketing heroes says the difference between old and young isn't age. It's that young, vibrant brands believe the future is better than the past ever was. I'm not looking backwards. I'm learning so we can propel forward. It inspires me to make things even better today and to write our manifesto for the future. Please read it now, now, now.

Opening My Journal

Building a meaningful brand takes integrity, caring, believing, designing, and listening. It means learning, which I have been doing humbly and voraciously over time. I have long kept notes of things that made me go hmmm. Now I am posting them here for others who may be interested and who share my spirit of striving to make marketing even more meaningful.

For the full story, please read Why This Exists.