On this episode of Experience by Design, we welcome Michael R. Drew to the studios. Michael has an established career of helping some of the best authors find their voice and audience. He has worked with 131 New York Times Best Selling authors, as well as being an author of the provocative book "Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future." I talk with Michael about getting the ideas in your head out to a broader audience. We also talk about the importance of authenticity and connecting passion to purpose through service. We also explore the 40-year cycles of history, and the moment that we find ourselves in now. Finally, we see how by knowing the moment, you can connect your voice to where we are and where we need to go.
One of the things that I am starting to notice more and more is the difference between “getting older” and “feeling older.” Getting older is something that is unavoidable as long as we’re alive. But I find feeling older comes in waves. I am finding that seeing another child graduate high school is another moment in which I am impacted by feeling older. My daughter Hailey has reached the end of her high school years, which is more bittersweet than my first daughter. This is because Hailey was born with particular challenges that made every year uncertain. The NICU doctor told us “to enjoy the time you have with her.” Turns out that we are 18 years and counting.
With her challenges, college is not an option. But given that we live in a state with good services, she moves onto something called Transitions, which is a program from 18-22 to help develop life skills, job skills, and job placement. As with any graduate, it is an exciting time and a scary time not knowing how her story will unfold. Then again, Hailey’s story has always been filled with a lot of uncertainties, also like any of ours. Every step along the way, she has authored a version of herself that is authentically and uniquely her. As much as we would all like to say the same, I really don’t know how many of us can. The freedom of self expression through which one can shine their own light can be a proposition much scarier than what might happen after graduation.
The story of your life that you are going to write and tell is in large part up to you. Ideally, I think, we would like our story to be written in our voice because it is one that we are writing for ourselves. This isn’t always possible given that our stories are invariably impacted by any number of factors beyond our control. To be able to tell our stories on our terms is a gift.
My guest on Experience by Design knows all about telling stories, and also about the importance of marking time. Michael Drew has spent a career helping people get their stories to a wider audience. A key point that he shares is that we need to find ways of connecting our authentic voice and passion to a broader audience. Michael sees his work as part of a larger purpose, which is being here in service to other people. This process involves building relationships, translating brilliance into actionable insights, and framing ideas in ways that speak to the needs of your audience.
Michael has represented many many best selling authors, so he definitely knows about which he speaks.
We also talk about his other work on the forty-year cycle of history, which is a fascinating topic to explore. It turns out that everything old is in fact new again. These cycles move from “Me” to “We” extremes, which reflects the larger social zeitgeist. Understanding this cycle can explain much of the moments we find ourselves in, and what it means for us individually and as a society.
Was a fascinating chat that ranged across many different areas, but all tied together by a focus on telling our story, understanding the broader moment we are in, living to our purpose through service, and crafting a brand that you can believe in.
And congrats again to Hailey who lives the most authentically of any one I know, and continues to write her own story.
Michael Drew LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrdrew
Book Retreat Publishing Services https://bookretreat.com/
“Pendulum: How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15842812-pendulum