In our last post we talked about lifetime goal setting. The post included a Top 5 questionnaire to help you define your goals in twenty popular categories. I decided to take up the challenge myself, and I spent about 20 minutes going through the questions.
The first page of questions were pretty straightforward as they included the …
- Top Five Things You Want To Do
- Top Five Things You Want To Accomplish
- Top Five Things You Want To Have
- Top Five Things You Want To Learn
I was able to come up with answers pretty quickly although they were quite different than I had first imagined. It’s interesting when you actually have to write down an answer it causes your brain to think through the item more completely than just imagining it in your mind.
I was now done with page one and I flipped over to page two. The first question was …
5. The Top Five People You Want To Meet
This took some thought. My mind flipped through celebrities, religious leaders, politicians, authors, and even race car drivers and other sports celebrities. While this question took considerable contemplation I was able to fill in the five blanks in a couple of minutes.
The second question really floored me though…
Who are the Top Five People You Would Want To Have Dinner With?
Dinner is a whole different deal than shaking someone’s hand. Dinner implies conversation for at least an hour with someone I wouldn’t know. Since I am married, I would want to include my wife at the table. So who would we want to meet and break bread with?
Who would be my number one choice that I haven’t already met… ?
I thought of Politicians…
But most of the politicians that I have met have been too scripted or full of themselves. They tend to be a little too serious and they always bring an advisor or two along to tell them what to say… No…
I thought of Religious Leaders…
While there are many that might have interesting insights, sitting down for an hour might break the esteem that I hold them in. They also tend to surround themselves with advisors. I am very lucky to have a great friend and pastor, John Hansen, and we get together quite often for meals. John is real world and also a great mentor. For an enlightening spiritual conversation, I would rather have dinner with John & his wife than many of the more famous leaders.
I thought of TV Personalities and Movie Stars…
This was a mixed bag and no one actually came to mind. I don’t watch much TV so names and faces don’t resonate much with me. While it might be interesting to have dinner with Oprah or one of the popular newscasters, I can think of others that I would put on top of my list.
I thought of Sports celebrities…
There were a couple of people from this category that made my list, although down a notch or two. I am a big racing fan and two names came to mind. I would love to pick Joe Gibb’s mind about his NASCAR team and Football and it would really be fun to sit down with the amazing Helio Castroneves and hear about his experiences on the track and on Dancing with the stars.
I though of Popular Authors and Business leaders…
This is where the list got interesting. I listen to a lot of business and personal development based audio books. Some have been very interesting and many have changed my life. Popular author Malcolm Gladwell, the author of Blink and the Tipping Point, made the number two spot on my list. His intriguing writing style always captures my attention. I would find it fascinating to delve into his research of the human mind.
The brothers Chip and Dan Heath, made the number three spot. Their book, Made To Stick, is now one of my favorite text books for mentoring public speaking. Their research into how the mind stores facts and information would make for a great learning experience.
But…
My favorite Person To Have Dinner With …
Would be Author Seth Godin. I have many of Seth’s books and I am a regular reader of his blog. Seth has a rare skill that makes him standout from others…
He Thinks Differently.
I would describe it as thinking backwards. He can take the most mundane subject, break it apart, and find something interesting as a result. His book, All Marketers are Liars, opened my eyes to many things. The book’s tag line is Telling Authentic Stories in a Low Trust World.
A while back I listened to this book in Audio format on my iPod while walking through Old Town Temecula. This book came alive. His examples of how businesses “Tell Stories” was fascinating. As I walked and listened I could actually see and hear the stories all around me. And none of the stories was very compelling.
As I walked, I was looking for a place to have lunch and Seth’s words rattled around in my head. Nobody in this crazy town was telling a compelling story. No one was giving me a reason to stop into their restaurant. I finally found myself at the end of town, passing by many popular eating establishments.
I finally had a “new” sandwich at Starbucks, since they were the only one that day with a compelling story. This experience was fascinating. Seth’s insight into marketing and human interaction is something that every business person should hear.
The bottom line, Seth Understands People…
He reminds me of the comedian George Carlin, who could find humor in a refrigerator, a dish washer, or many other mundane objects.
Here is my offer, Seth. If you are ever in Southern California, I have now found a couple of great places to eat in Old Town Temecula. They tell authentic stories and are worthy of a visit. Lunch or Dinner, the tab is on me. If you don’t have time for lunch, I know a great Starbucks for great coffee and a compelling story…
And if you see Malcolm or the Heath Brothers, tell them to come along too… 🙂