98. And the Walls Became the World: Chris West, author of ‘Strong Language’ [reads] ‘Where the Wild Things Are’

Chris West reading from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, and discussing the magic of your imagination.

Michael’s new book How to Begin: Start Doing Something that Matters is now available at www.HowToBegin.com.

Picture this: King Arthur, the round table, and three knights. These knights are not the ones you’ve likely heard of; they are Sir Michael, Sir Nigel and Sir Angus - my two brothers and me. The knights ride out and encounter challenges, perils, and traps, but, with daring do and some clever thinking, they sidestep the danger. Finally, they face the dragon, and a battle of wills ensues - the three knights triumph. And now, bedtime. My dad was a great storyteller, and this was the template of a classic story he told. I love stories, I love words, and I love language.

Chris West is the author of Strong Language, and he learned his craft as a copywriter in the advertising business. Now, he helps company leaders elevate and animate the strategic vision of their business with powerful language. Like me, Chris knows there’s something magical in language and storytelling.

Chris reads two pages from ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak. [reading begins at 18:40]

Hear us discuss:

What makes a good story? [5:04]
“We’re authors of a lot more than we think is possible.” [8:44]
“The biggest world is inside of our heads.” [22:07]
Maintaining the imaginative spirit as you age. [22:47]
How to embrace difference. [25:52]
The connection between language and strategy: “Language is a way into our deepest beliefs.” [27:56]

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Resources:

Chris West | Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Strong Language: The Fastest, Smartest, Cheapest Marketing Tool You’re Not Using

Maurice Sendak | Where the Wild Things Are