A Higher Calling

It's funny, when you start to focus your attention on things, all sorts of interesting bits come your way. I had been holding on to a copy of an article from NYT Magazine about Philip Seymour Hoffman for a few weeks and finally read it over coffee this morning. It's a great article, a rare look inside a terrific actor and a stunningly intense guy.

In describing when he first saw "All My Sons" on stage, he uses some really interesting images and vocabulary that is really sticking to me this morning.

"It was like a miracle to me. But that deep kind of love comes at a price: for me, acting is torturous, and it’s torturous because you know it’s a beautiful thing. I was young once, and I said, That’s beautiful and I want that. Wanting it is easy, but trying to be great — well, that’s absolutely torturous."

I'm struggling myself with what it means to be great in all my own roles - father, husband, employee, sports coach, son, grandson, brother, friend, etc... It really is tortuous in many ways, some of what is required is totally unnatural and sometimes uncomfortable for me.

While I realize it's OK to forgive yourself for failing, I think it's als OK to push forward in trying to be great.

Sorry about the lack of marketing blogs lately. Frankly, I'm bored with a lot of the social media talk, predictions and baloney that the pundits are throwing around. I'm much more interested in relationships and examining myself these days. That said, here are some terrific links to keep your eye on if you care about social media and engagement marketing:

• Seth Godin
• Jaffe Juice
• Community Guy
• Community Group Therapy