True Rule: Rock the Boat.

I've started a feature -- the True Rules series. These are concrete lessons that come out of people's specific experiences. Whether you agree with these rules or not, they’re fun to consider.

I was very excited to have lunch with the brilliant Debbie Stier in her office at HarperStudio, which is part of my publishing house, HarperCollins. A few weeks ago, I’d been in a meeting she led, and I'd immediately realized that she was a treasure trove of information about how to use online tools – and specifically, how to use them as a writer.

I came away from the meeting with a long list of things to read and experiment with. One of Debbie’s suggestions was to “Use more video!” so I asked her if she’d give me a True Rule for my video series. Here’s her True Rule:

In case you can’t watch the video, Debbie says: “My True Rule is that you should rock the boat. Don’t let fear stop you, don’t let what other people might think stop you, just push it as far as you can go – rock the boat, take risks, and experiment.”

* Two friends of mine started a fantastic new blog, Drinking Diaries, "where women spill their drinking stories." I was pleased when they asked me to do a guest post -- I wrote about Why I stopped drinking alcohol (more or less).

* Check out my companion site, the Happiness Project Toolbox. Great tools to build your happiness -- and the chance to see what OTHER people are doing!

Comments

[Positively Present]

That's a great true rule! Thanks for sharing Debbie's advice with us. It's not easy to rock the boat and take risks but, more often than not, we regret NOT taking risks more than we regret taking them. Excellent advice, Debbie!

[Laura Cococcia]

I think, in my humble experience, that rocking the boat is the only way to get out of the boat (or box) that keeps us thinking the same way and getting the same results. It's risky to do, but in doing so, you discover and maintain your authentic self. Great reminders Gretchen!

[Jon P]

Rock on Debbie! I'd love to hear more about how exactly she applies that rule.

[Marie]

Personal preference ... I am not sure if using more videos is good advice.

People are really busy. Written blogs are easy to glance at, dance down the key points, then perhaps get enticed and want to read more.

Whenever I see a video in a blog, I instantly have this feeling of "ugghh, do I have time for this?" ... do I want to be captive to some video that I don't know whether is useful or pertinent?

Written blogs are like browsing through an open book ... You can glance at the table of contents, the first few lines of the text and then you become enticed to read more.

Videos are like a book sealed closed. You don't quite know what's in it and then you think, do I feel like expending the energy to open it?

I am more likely to read written blogs. If I see a video, I am more likely to move on to another written blog, unless it's a title that I am exceptionally interested in.

Perhaps some combination of written blogs and then videos to give your personality.

Hopefully, this food for thought helps.

[Katie]

Great reminder. And I like the short-and-sweet video.

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[John Hudson]

I COMPLETELY agree with the "Rock the Boat" philosophy - this helps us move outside the box. I work in an Innovation Center (problem-solving research groups) and we sometimes get "stuck" because people are afraid to disgaree with our leadership ... when this is exactly what we've been hired to do - whether they like it or not! "Keep Rockin!"
John

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