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The vision came out of nowhere.
I had just woken up and was lying in bed with my eyes closed, letting my mind drift.
My thoughts went to a project that had been top of mind: The creative vision for a new speaker video reel based on my latest book, Awaken Your Genius.
I frequently give keynotes, and the reel would share with potential audiences what a keynote based on the book would look and feel like. I wanted the reel itself to embody the principles that I cover in the book. (A dream within a dream of sorts, if you know your Inception.).
As my mind drifted through swirling images, a black-and-white world appeared. That world symbolized what it feels like to sleepwalk through life, play supporting actor in someone else’s film, and disconnect from the genius within. The monochrome world burst into vibrant color, as the ideas from Awaken Your Genius revealed themselves, inspiring audiences to come alive.
The vision gradually dissipated. I got out of bed thinking, “Well, that sounds really corny. It probably won’t work.”
But as the day progressed, the vision wouldn’t leave. So I decided to share it with my friend and creative collaborator Chris West at Video Narrative. He was intrigued, and even though we weren’t sure how it would come together in the end, something about the vision spoke to us both.
Chris’s team (particularly the incredibly talented Aaron Miyashita) then had to figure out how to bring that vision to life. The video would build curiosity, give viewers a flavor of the excitement that they’ll experience during a keynote, and convey what Awaken Your Genius is really about: how creative and vibrant life can be when you live in alignment with your unique genius.
We had to do all that—and do it well—in a clip that was no more than 4 minutes long. That constraint prompted us to be resourceful, cut out the fluff, and focus on the essentials.
The final product is exactly what I had envisioned—but only better! The test audiences have been blown away.
I’m delighted to share the 4-minute video with you.
👉 Watch it by clicking here (or click on the image below).
For me, this creative journey had three primary takeaways:
- You never know whether something will work—until you try. Experimenting is better than debating.
- Working with constraints can spark creativity in unexpected ways. The 4-minute time constraint forced us to focus on the essentials, making sure each scene in the reel moved the story forward.
- As I wrote in Awaken Your Genius, “Ideas often don’t arrive with a bang. The big thing never screams that it’s a big thing. At first glance, the big thing actually looks quite small. If there’s no void in your life—if your life is full of constant chatter—you won’t be able to hear the subtle whisper when it arrives.”
If I hadn’t let my mind drift that one morning in bed—if I had immediately reached for my iPhone or jumped into being “productive”—that vision may never have appeared.
So don’t shy away from letting your mind wander.
You’ll find that taking your foot off the pedal can be the best way to accelerate.
P.S. Want to hire me to speak at your next event? Submit an inquiry here. My speaking calendar for the remainder of 2023 is filling up fast.
