On Copywriting

One Man

I wrote this when I was 20 years old:

"One man says he has a right to work and a right to speak, and he never accomplishes anything. Another man says he has a responsibility to work and a responsibility to speak, and he changes the world." --Ryan Healy

Before the Beginning Comes the End

"A new beginning cannot happen unless what precedes it first comes to an end." --Ryan Healy

It seems obvious that a new beginning follows the end of something else. And yet when you contemplate what this really means, you'll find it is more complicated than it appears.

For instance:

• Marriage marks the end of being single
• Self-employment marks the end of having a job
• A new home marks the end of living in the old one

In some cases, you may experience joy at witnessing the end. It is almost always a happy time to leave a job. But in other cases, the end is more painful. Like moving. When you leave a house in which you've created happy memories, it is hard to leave, even if it means going to a nicer home.

It is easy to say, "Keep moving forward." Yet it is difficult not to look back. To become sentimental about certain times in your life.

But here's something else to consider.

Sometimes "endings" are much bigger and more painful. For instance, the pilgrims who came to America had to end their existence in England before they could journey to the new country.

The aftershocks lasted for centuries.

Likewise, if there is ever to be a new "America," we will witness the end of the current world order. What comes may be better than what is, but the death of the old and the birth of the new will not be without its unique pain and turmoil.

Only those who persevere through the end will see the glory of the new beginning.

Intolerance of Your Present

"Intolerance of your present creates your future." --Mike Murdock

Each morning at 6 a.m. I wake up and walk to the rec center to exercise. I do this on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

As I walk, I listen to audio tapes on my Walkman. Lately, I've been listening to some Mike Murdock tapes. He has been blessed with uncommon wisdom.

A lot of what Stephen Pierce wrote about in Under Oath: The Truth, The Whole Truth & Nothing But the Truth was based on the teachings of Mike Murdock. Pierce gave attribution to Murdock a number of times throughout the ebook.

Anyway, I had to share with you this nugget of wisdom. Until you are disgusted with your present, you will not do what's necessary to birth the future. You must become intolerant of your present circumstances to step forward into your future.

At what point will you say, "Enough is enough?" How much pain will it take?

We Don't Have a Knowledge Problem

"Man does not lack knowledge; he lacks understanding." --Ryan Healy

The world is awash in knowledge... in raw information. And yet we are deprived of understanding. Therefore, do not seek to know more. Rather, seek to understand.

Wisdom in Chocolate?

I like chocolate. Especially Dove Milk Chocolates. I sometimes eat a few in the afternoons.

One reason for Dove's success is the messages printed inside the wrappers. I remember a co-worker I used to work with who hung the funny ones on the side of her cubicle wall. It was great word-of-mouth marketing.

Admittedly, many past messages have been cute and funny, but lately they seem to be going downhill, mostly because they seem to be offering bad advice. For instance, how about this one: "Watch reruns, they replay your memories."

Okay, if your memories are TV sitcoms, that's pretty sad. And if you're watching reruns to replay your memories, that's even sadder.

Ryan's version: Ditch your TV and start living real life.

Here's another one: "Temptation is fun... giving in is better."

The writers who work for Dove are forgetting what's called consequences. Giving in is "better" for maybe 60 seconds. After that, it's all downhill.

Ryan's version: Temptation is horrible. Resist it.

Last one. Dove says, "There's a time for compromise... it's called 'later.'"

Ryan's version: There's a time for self-discipline. It's called today.

Anyway, in case you're looking for wisdom, Dove wrappers aren't the place to find it. Try Proverbs instead.

Wisdom Favors Age

"Wisdom favors age, although age is no guarantee of wisdom." --Ryan Healy

The longer I live, the more aware I am of how many people are walking around in a state of arrested development. Their bodies continue to age, but their brains are locked up in a state of twenty-something immaturity.

Just because a man appears to be wise doesn't mean he is.