Wit, Wisdom, and Wardell (#1)
Welcome to my second annual Steph-tember series.
Hi friends,
I started writing here on Substack one year ago today, and instead of doing a recap of my Substack learnings (you don’t care!) or my progress (my value isn’t determined by my follower count!), I’ve decided to do a second round of the completely made-up holiday month I started with my first post:
STEPHtember
Why Steph?
First of all, wordplay.
Second, I’ve become a massive fan of (Wardell*) Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors over the last decade. I can’t underscore the joy I’ve felt watching him hit improbably shot after improbable shot.
The entire world experienced this a few weeks ago, as he hit FOUR three-pointers in TWO minutes to lock down the gold medal in Paris:
Third, 30 days in September, and he wears number 30. It writes itself.
*Steph’s actual first name is Wardell, named after his dad, NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry.
30 Days of Wit, Wisdom, and Wardell
My writing experience over the past year has led me to examine what I love and, well, what makes me ME.
I’ve always loved comedy. From the first time my dad showed me SNL’s Mr. Bill to learning about “living in a van down by the river” to making my 1-year-old tell strangers that “a squirrel says aw, nuts,” laughter is my love language.
I also have a deep yearning to be perceived as wise, as if I have life experiences worth sharing. Knowledge mixed with kindess that can help guide people through what I’ve seen before. I’ve found myself sharing with, supporting, and coaching agency owners and leaders over the past year, helping them handle the ups and downs of running their own creative business. My emotional connectivity is a superpower here.
And I don’t simply love quips and pithy sayings. I like stories. Wisdom comes from the deep connection of sharing stories.
Hence my commitment to getting up on stage as many times as possible this year.
And since I also can’t help myself, this Stephtember’s theme has a triple alliteration, like a Sunday preacher with a PowerPoint:
I’ve shared Steph’s Olympic dominance and Mr. Bill getting decimated by Mr. Hand above, so I’ll leave you with a bit of wisdom, from Cal Newport’s new book Slow Productivity.
There's a personal satisfaction in grimly pointing out the flaws in a system, but sustainable change, Petrini came to believe, requires providing people with an enjoyable and life-affirming alternative.
"Those who suffer for others do more damage to humanity than those who enjoy themselves," Petrini explained.
Joy is more powerful than coercion. More effective than complaining. More compelling than a convincing argument.
The life well lived. The life ENJOYED.
That’s the throughline here.
The theme of Stephtember 2024.
Chasing the joy of life through the lens of comedy, stories, and a deep logo three.
Here we go.
Which are you most excited about?
Click on one of these links to vote, or leave a comment:
Share with a friend. Or even an enemy!
Congrats on the one year anniversary! I fully endorse made-up holidays.