Matthew Dicks's Blog, page 31
December 1, 2024
Resolution update: November 2024
Every month, I report the progress of my yearly goals to monitor progress (or the lack thereof) and hold myself accountable.
I’ve also begun the process of planning for 2025 goals. This includes reviewing this year’s goals to determine which should be repeated or attempted again, alongside an honest, clear-eyed view of my life and its needs to determine what should be next.If you’d like to suggest a goal, I’m always open to suggestions.The following are the November 2024 results.PERSONAL FITNESS1. Don’t die.
I had a tube put into my left ear last month. They put children to sleep for this procedure but not adults.
It hurt like hell.
Now, my right ear is infected and blocked. I’m looking at another possible tube. Apparently, I now have the ears of a toddler.
I’m not dying from these ear problems, but it’s making me crazy.
2. Lose 10 pounds.
I am still up four pounds from the start of the year. Thanksgiving didn’t help.
3. Do a targeted push-up workout at least four times per week.
Done.
4. Complete 100 sit-ups four times per week.
Done.
5. Complete three one-minute planks four times a week.
Done.
6. Cycle for at least five days every week.
Done. I rode my bike every day but two in November, missing days only because of travel.
I’ve recorded 317 rides in 335 days in 2024.
7. Meet or beat the USGA’s average golfing handicap for men of 14.2.
My current handicap is 25.0, down from 25.2 last month. It is still a high number but is improving steadily.
But I’ve come to realize something important via research:
The average male golfer’s handicap isn’t 14.2 because most golfers don’t maintain a handicap, and those who do tend to be a minority of better, more serious golfers who are active members at country clubs.
I’ve set a goal that may be unrealistic.
WRITING CAREER8. Complete my eighth novel.
The due date for my book is January 6, so it’ll be done on January 6.
9. Write my next Storyworthy book.
Done!
My next book will not be a storytelling book. My agent and I have decided upon a novel instead. But the next storytelling book is written in first-draft form and ready to go when the time is right.
10. Write, edit, and revise my golf memoir.
Work has begun on adding to and revising. Barring an expectedly warm day, the golf season has come to an end, so this book will keep me company through the winter months.
11. Write my “Advice for Kids” book.
Excellent progress made. A rough draft should be complete by the end of the year.
2. Write/complete at least three new picture books, including one with a female, non-white protagonist.
Done.
I’ve written children’s books about Connecticut’s infamous October 2011 snowstorm, the gypsy moth invasion of New England in 1981, and the lullaby “Rock a By Baby.”
The rough drafts of all are complete. I’ll need to sit with them a bit, read them to additional children, and then send them to my agent in 2025.
13. Write about my childhood in partnership with my sister, Kelli, at least twice per month.
No progress.
14. Launch a Substack.
No progress.
15. Write a new solo show.
I’ve accumulated all of the stories I plan to tell in the show, ordered them properly, and created an outline.
I’m now crafting transitions and considering other elements in the show.
16. Write a musical.
No progress.
17. Submit at least three Op-Ed pieces to The New York Times for consideration.
Done!
Three so far in 2024. All rejected.
I also submitted all three to the Washington Post. Also rejected.
18. Write at least four letters to my father.
One letter was written in November.
Three letters have been written in 2024 so far.
19. Write 150 letters.
Done!
I wrote 20 letters in November. The recipients included students, administrators, clients, my father, and the Speaker of the House.
I’ve written a total of 196 letters in 2024.
20. Write to at least six authors about a book I love.
No letters were written in November.
I’ve written letters to authors Andrew Wilkinson and Joe Rocco so far.
I have a list of five authors to write to before the end of the year.
STORYTELLING/SPEAKING CAREER
21. Perform a new solo show.
Initially, I planned on performing at TheaterWorks in Hartford in November, but complications with their scheduling have pushed that back to April 2025.
22. Complete the re-recording of Storyworthy For Business.
Done!
23. Record and produce at least two new Storyworthy courses.
A total of four new courses were produced in 2024.
We’ll also carve up the new Storyworthy for Business course into smaller, separate courses, extending this goal considerably.
24. Produce a total of six Speak Up storytelling events in 2024.
Done!
Jeni Bonaldo and I performed “Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared” to a sold-out audience at the Playhouse on Park, bringing the total number of events in 2024 to seven.
“Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared” on March 2 at TheaterWorks in Hartford.“Sportsing” on March 16 at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History“School” on May 3 at Sedgwick Middle School in West Hartford, CTSpeak Up – CPA Prison Arts show on June 5 at The Pond House in West Hartford, CTGreat Hartford Story Slam on July 27 at Hartford Flavor Company“Stories Sell” book on October 5 at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History“Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared” on November 17 at the Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, CT25. Submit pitches to at least three upcoming TEDx events, hoping to be accepted by one.
No progress.
I spoke at TEDxBU on April 20. It went very well, and the recording should be online soon.
26. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
Done! I attended one Moth StorySLAM in November in Boston. I told the third story of the evening and finished in second place.
A total of 14 Moth events so far in 2024.
27. Win at least one Moth StorySLAM.
Done. I won:
Boston StorySLAM on June 25Boston StorySLAM on February 27NYC StorySLAM on July 17I’ve won three of six StorySLAMs where I’ve told a story this year.
28. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
I competed in the Moth GrandSLAM in Boston in March and placed second.
I should’ve won, but I think that a lot.
I’m performing in a Moth GrandSLAM in Boston later this month.
29. Pitch “You’re a Monster, Matthew Dicks” to at least a dozen theaters and/or directors in 2024.
I’ve pitched “You’re a Monster, Matthew Dicks” to two theaters so far in 2024.
I performed the show on March 30 at the Mopco Improv Theater in Schenectady, New York.
30. Produce at least 24 episodes of our podcast Speak Up Storytelling.
No progress.
31. Perform stand-up at least six times.
I’ve performed stand-up twice in 2024 — both shows in Ottowa, Canada.
32. Pitch three stories to This American Life.
One story has been pitched thus far.
33. Submit at least three pitches to Marc Maron’s WTF podcast.
No progress.
34. Send a newsletter to readers at least 50 times.
Done!
Eight newsletters were written in November, bringing the total in 2024 to 59.
HOME35. Organize the basement.
Outstanding progress in November.
The goal:
Organize all bins in the basement in a logical, identifiable orderEliminate anything no longer wantedStore Elysha’s classroom materials in an organized manner36. Clear the garage of unwanted items.
Elysha’s long-forgotten classroom detritus is the last pile to be eliminated. She has begun bringing the bins to school, and this project is nearly complete.
Two bins to go.
FAMILY/FRIENDS37. Text or call my brother or sister once per month.
Done.
38. Take at least one photo of my children every day.
Done.
39. Take at least one photo with Elysha and me each week.
None taken in November.
40. Plan a reunion of the Heavy Metal Playhouse.
No progress.
41. I will not comment positively or negatively about the physical appearance of any person save my wife and children to reduce the focus on physical appearance in our culture overall.
Done.
42. Surprise Elysha at least 12 times.
Done!
Two surprises in November:
Flowers sent to Elysha at schoolDesserts delivered to Elysha and her colleagues on a tough dayA total of 16 surprises in 2024 so far:
Tickets to “Little Shop of Horrors” on BroadwayTickets to “Merrily We Go Along” on BroadwayTickets to “Tommy” on BroadwayCheesecake delivered to Elysha and her teammates during an especially challenging dayA surprise weekend spent in Rhode Island with friendsTickets to “The Outsiders ” on Broadway this monthA well-timed sweet teaA basket full of things Elysha lovesDinner on the tableFirst-class tickets to San FransiscoI sent flowers to Elysha and her class just because.I located and surprised Elysha with a 100-Grand bar — one of her three favorite candy bars.Tickets to “The Shark Is Broken” at the Playhouse on ParkTickets to “Jekyll and Hyde” at The Hartford StageFlowers sent to Elysha at schoolDesserts delivered to Elysha and her colleagues on a tough day43. Play poker at least six times.
Done!
I’ve decided to count poker games with Charlie since they are serious affairs with candy at stake.
A total of seven games in 2024.
44. Spend at least six days with my best friend of more than 30 years.
Done!
We’ve spent eight days together in 2024, and he asked me to find ways to spend more time together next year.
MUSIC45. Memorize the lyrics to at least five favorite songs.
No progress in November.
I’ve decided to memorize two Christmas songs in December:
“Fairyland in New York” by The Pogues
“Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses
Two of the best Christmas songs.
Memorized so far:
“Our Wonderful Lives” by Styx
“Come a Little Bit Closer” by Jay and the Young Americans
“Fox on the Run” by Sweet
46. Practice the flute at least four times per week.
I did not practice in November. I suck.
MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS
47. Read at least 12 books.
I read two books in November, bringing my total to 26 in 2024.
“Outline: The Science and Art of Longevity” by Peter Attia
“All Things Aside” by Iliza Shlesinger
Though I’ve finished “Meditations,” I will continue to read it, probably for the rest of my life.
I suggest you should, too.
I’m currently reading:
“Sandman” by Neil Gaiman
“The Power Broker” by Robert Caro
“Excellent Advice for Living” by Kevin Kelly
”Miracle and Wonder” by Bruce Headlam and Malcolm Gladwell
Books read in 2024 include:
“Upstream” by Chip Heath”Happy Pepple Are Annoying” by Josh Peck”Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama” by Bob Odenkirk“The Power of Regret” by Daniel Pink“Fluke” by Brian Klass“Misfit” by Gary Gulman“How to Weep in Public” by Jacqueline Novak“The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt“The Demon of Unrest” by Erik Larson”You Like It Darker” by Stephen King”A Short Guide to a Happy Life” by Anna Quindlen”How to Say Goodbye” by Wendy McNaughton”We’re All In This Together” by Tom Papa”Smart Brevity” by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz”Hello Molly” by Molly Shannon“The Deerfield Massacre” by John Swanson”Duma Key” by Stephen King”Never Enough” by Andrew Wilkinson“Opposable Thumbs” by Matt Signer“The Splendid and the Vile” by Erik Larson”One the Edge” by Nate Silver“Green Lights” by Matthew McConaugheyMediations” by Marcus Aurelius“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck”
“Outline: The Science and Art of Longevity” by Peter Attia“All Things Aside” by Iliza Shlesinger
48. Finish reading TIME’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time.
I did not read any of these books in November. I read plenty of picture books to my students, but no new ones from the list.
I may need to find or purchase some of the books on the list that are not in my school’s library. I also need to get my students to start hunting down these books in the school library.
I’ve read 36 books from the list thus far.
49. Unify my passwords using a password manager.
Done!
50. Learn to use QuickBooks for my business.
Done! Invoicing, payroll, and taxes are now all managed via QuickBooks. It’s much easier than I thought.
51. Rectify the heating problem in my studio.
Done.
It’s officially cold outside, and my portable electric radiator, attached to a Bluetooth switch, works well. Another electric radiator might be needed when temperatures get exceptionally cold, but we’ll see.
52. Learn the names of every employee who works at my school.
In November, I could not find a colleague whose name I did not know. Someone may still be lurking in the building who I cannot identify, but I haven’t found them yet.
53. Assemble a complete toolbox.
Done! Completed as a part of the basement cleanup.
54. Edit our wedding footage into a movie of the day.
I’m making no progress.
55. Memorize three new poems.
I memorized James Joyce’s “Tree” and Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.”
I’m still working on Act V Scene 5, lines 18-28 of Macbeth.
56. Complete my Eagle Scout project.
Done!
Completed on October 12. A total of 42 volunteers, plus my family, joined me on a perfect day to complete this long-awaited project.
I hope completing the project eventually makes me feel better, as I had originally hoped.
57. Post my progress regarding these resolutions on this blog and social media on the first day of every month.
Done.
November 30, 2024
Unacceptable theater behavior
Later today, the family and I will journey to the movie theater to see Moana 2.
A new survey asked Americans about potentially divisive behaviors in a movie theater.
The results are disturbing.
Video chat on their phone4% approve90% disapproveTalk on their phone6% approve88% disapproveTalk at a regular volume with someone during the movie11% approve81% disapproveBring a child under age 320% approve54% disapproveText on their phone during the movie36% approve50% disapproveWhile the majority of Americans agree with me on all points, the movie theater is a special place where only one idiot can ruin everyone else’s experience.
So the fact that 4% of respondents think video chatting on the phone during a movie is okay, 20% believe that it’s acceptable to bring a child under the age of three, and 36% are fine with texting during a movie is upsetting because just one of these idiots can ruin the movie for an entire theater.
Who are these people?
Why are these people?
What are these bottom-of-the-barrel, scum-dwelling, tiny-brained monsters thinking when they say it’s fine to place a video call during a movie?
Sadly, Americans and I disagree with the one solution — absent cellphone jamming technology — that exists:
Yell at a stranger violating theater etiquette17% approve65% disapprovePerhaps not yelling because volume never constitutes an argument, but maybea subtle scolding?
November 29, 2024
Everything happens for a reason…
“Everything happens for a reason…”
I hate these five words.
Do you know who says them most often?
White people.
Americans.
Citizens of first-world nations.
People who live in peace and security.
Benefactors of generational wealth.
The parents of happy, healthy children.
Children gifted college educations from parents.
People living with broad, strong economic safety nets
Children not suffering from cystic fibrosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and leukemia.
Try telling a starving child of war-torn Somalia that everything happens for a reason.
Trying telling the starving child’s mother that her child’s daily suffering and ultimate death from a lack of nutrition is happening for a reason.
Try telling a teenage girl kidnapped and sold into slavery for more than a decade that everything happens for a reason.
Try telling the parent of the Ukrainian infant who was killed in a Russian missile attack that everything happens for a reason.
Everything does not happen for a reason.
Everything happens because it happens, regardless of your hopes, wishes, or desires.
Thinking otherwise is self-centered, self-righteous, and awful. It also implies that unspeakable suffering is necessary, predestined, and even possibly deserved.
Stop it.
November 28, 2024
In every small way, find a way.
I bumped into someone last night while shopping — a friend who told me he was feeling despair over the state of the world.
He seemed genuinely despondent.
I told him:
On April 29, 1945, my grandfather was one of the first American soldiers to enter and liberate the Nazi concentration camp of Dachau.
I suspect that if he were alive today, my grandfather might consider our world decidedly better than the years he spent fighting in Europe, watching his friends die from bombs and bullets, and witnessing the widespread death and destruction of an entire continent.
I told my friend that in 1969, my father was drafted and sent — against his will — to Vietnam to fight in a war that was in many ways foisted upon the American people through deliberate government deception. It was also, in many ways, an unjust war that sent so many working and middle-class Americans to fight while Americans of means often found ways to avoid the draft through political maneuvering, economic loopholes, and nonsense deferments of every kind, including the President-elect.
It was a decade that witnessed a Presidential resignation, social unrest, environmental catastrophes, and the Cold War.
The United States was also suffering through a decade of stagflation. Mortgage interest rates were at 9% and would eventually rise to 13% by the decade’s end. Unemployment remained well above 5% and reached as high as 8% during the decade.
If given the choice, I suspect my father would consider our world today better than his experiences in the 1970s.
This isn’t to say we don’t face exceptional challenges. Unthinkable and unimaginable circumstances that make little sense to so many of us. Political malfeasance, climate disasters, international unrest, an enormous political divide in our country, and an approaching kakistocracy.
We face enormous trouble and seemingly endless turmoil, too.
It’s just good to remember that Americans have faced challenges before, and it’s possible that ours — at least at times — pale in comparison.
We may not be as historically relevant as we like to think.
It’s good to remind ourselves that Americans have always found a way forward. Perhaps we, too, will find a way.
That is why I like this image so much.
It’s a reminder never to give up.
Even when all seems lost, find a way.
We need this more today than ever.
In every small way, find a way.
Teachers, I think, understand this to the core. Every day, we are gifted with the opportunity to make the lives of young people better, in fits and starts and sometimes leaps.
It’s a source of endless hope for me.
And it worked last night, too. By some small miracle, at least in that moment, I lightened my friend’s load and made him feel better.
“Thanks,” he said. “I needed that.” Then he smiled.
I’m not sure if he awoke this morning — Thanksgiving morning — feeling the same way, but at least in that moment, I found a small way to make a person’s life a tiny bit better.
In every small way, find a way.
Happy Thanksgiving.
November 27, 2024
Fastballs “The Way” is based upon what?
When it comes to music, I have always been a lyric person. I pay attention to the words.
I pay close attention to the words.
I never understood brides asking me to play “Gold Digger” at a wedding because “it has a good beat.”
There are a billion songs in the world. We can’t find a different song with a good beat.
The same goes for Garth Brook’s “The Dance.” It’s a lovely song, but it’s a breakup song. Do we need to play it at a wedding?
Some of my favorite songs are those that tell stories and take the listener on a journey:
“The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers
“Jack and Diane” by John Cougar Mellencamp
“Baseball in My Blood” by Erik Balkey
“Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin
“A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash
“American Pie” by Don Mclean
“18 and Life” by Skid Row
Lots of songs by Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Bowling for Soup, Meatloaf, Joe Strummer, and many more.
Some of these songs contain quite complex stories that include actual character development over the course of the song.
Since I pay attention to lyrics, I was shocked to discover that the 1998 hit song “The Way” by Fastball tells a story that I never realized until now.
Fastball’s lead singer Tony Scalzo says he wrote “The Way” in 1997 after reading an article in The Austin American-Statesman about Lela and Raymond Howard, an elderly couple who disappeared after leaving their Salado, Texas home to attend an event fifteen miles away in Temple.
The couple was eventually found 13 days later when hikers discovered the crumpled remains of their vehicle at the bottom of a cliff off the side of the highway.
Lela and Raymond had died from injuries sustained in the crash.
By the time the bodies of the couple were found, Scalzo had already written the song, and Fastball was rehearsing it.
A year after the Howards died, the song became the first hit single off Fastball’s “All The Pain Money Can Buy.”
I was aware that the song told the story of a couple who took a road trip and never returned, but I had no idea that the couple was elderly and ended up dead. Scalzo’s interpretation romanticizes the disappearance, which is understandable, considering that he wrote the song before the bodies of the couple were found at the bottom of a cliff.
Still, when I listen to the song now, every word seems slightly darker and more ominous. What I once thought of as a song about the desire for freedom and the call of the road is now something slightly more sinister and sad.
I think I like it better now that I know the story behind the song. It has more weight now.
More gravitas.
November 26, 2024
Not quite from nothing…
While discussing how tiny seeds grow into enormous trees, Clara shouted:
“That’s kind of like you, Dad. You came from nothing!”
I appreciated the sentiment, but it’s not entirely true. I’ve certainly been making it on my own since I was 18 years old—eventually putting myself through college and building a career in teaching, writing, performing, and consulting—and I’ve been forced to deal with many hard things in my life absent any parental support or guidance.
However, I often think back on the education I received while living in Blackstone, Massachusetts, and how enormously valuable it has been to me.
How much it set me up for success.
The academics were important, of course, but not nearly as important as people mistakenly think.
Yes, I learned the academic skills required to operate effectively in today’s world, but none were nearly as essential to me as the lessons learned outside textbooks, lectures, and assessments.
The stuff that really matters. The stuff that has always really mattered.
Lessons from teachers who remain fixed in my mind and enter my thoughts more often than you could imagine:
Mrs. Dubois, my kindergarten teacher, taught me to be independent and unknowingly taught me that so many consequences in this world lack any real teeth.
Mrs. Carroll, my kindergarten assistant teacher, who taught me to do hard things, commit to a task, and pursue it relentlessly to completion.
Mr. Hartnett, my elementary school principal, who taught me about the value of honesty and afforded me the opportunity to be courageous for the first time in my life.
Mrs. Shultz, my middle school math and homeroom teacher, who spurred my love for politics and showed me how a teacher can be a friend, too. Even more important, she also helped me find my voice for the first time.
Mr. Maroney, my high school French teacher, who gave me my first platform to be funny, helped me understand the art of negotiation, and made me feel safe and seen whenever I was in his presence.
Buddy Bibeault, Thomas Hessney, and Russ Arnold — three band instructors who taught me how to work hard, function as a member of a team, compete at the highest level, commit everything to achieving excellence, and so much more.
Coach Cronin, my track and field coach, who taught me that opportunity often comes when you’re willing to be different, try new things, act courageously, and be a little crazy.
Mr. Furey, my high school physics teacher, who showed me that demonstrating passion for something you love can be a glorious and inspiring thing.
Marc Compopiano, my high school English teacher, who taught me to challenge authority, speak my mind, and in many ways launched my lifelong love for writing, and eventually, my publishing career.
Stephen Chrabaszcz, my high school vice principal, who allowed me to go to war with administration for the first of what has been many times in my life. He taught me that authority, title, and position are meaningless monikers — words absent any real value — that never indicate the measure of a person and can be pushed, prodded, and even punched when needed.
Clara was sweet to say I came from nothing, but it’s not close to being true. My path may have been harder than some, and my challenges may have sometimes been greater than many, but I certainly did not grow from nothing.
I grew thanks in part to these great teachers and many others who taught me reading, writing, and math.
But far more importantly, they taught me how to be a good, hardworking, strategic, and focused human being.
These are always the lessons that matter most.
November 25, 2024
Million dollar banana
In 2019, artist Maurizio Cattelan created “Comedian,” which consisted of a single banana duct taped to a wall. It first appeared at Art Basel Miami Beach, where Perrotin Gallery sold three editions of the piece for $120,000 to $150,000 each.
Last week, it sold at an auction for $6.2 million. Seven bidders competed for the work, which again consists of duct-taping a banana to a wall.
Cattelan says the work was conceived as a satirical jab at market speculation, asking the question, “On what basis does an object acquire value in the art system?”
Sure, but again, he duct-taped a piece of fruit to the wall.
The buyer will receive a single roll of duct tape, one banana sourced from a fruit stand on York Avenue, and a certificate of authenticity with specific instructions on displaying the work.
The sculpture’s winner was a Chinese crypto entrepreneur who said he would eat the banana.
All of this is either:
A ridiculous, atrocious, disastrous signal of excess, greed, and stupidity.A brilliant boondoggle for an artist who understands publicity, the zeitgeist, and his industry.An entertaining, hilarious, cockamamie story.I think all three.
November 24, 2024
What is something someone who has never been poor wouldn’t understand?
SOME HAPPY CLIENTS 
nothing short of transformative. “Matthew Dicks has been a guiding light in my journey as both a YouTuber and entrepreneur. His impact on my life and business has been nothing short of transformative.”
— Ali Abdaal. Doctor, Entrepreneur, & YouTuber with 5.43M subscribers It’s all in this book. “Having mentored hundreds of corporate folks like me, Matt has developed unique, streamlined strategies to teach people how to use their personal stories in business. He’s taken everything he’s learned from years of consulting and put it all in this book.” 
— Masha Cresalia, Former Director of Corporate Marketing – Slack Matt provides The most value per minute. “I’ve received a tonne of advice from investors, founders, and other mentors…I always tell Matt he provides the most value per minute of anyone I spend time with.” 
— Alyhan Rehmatullah. CEO & Cofounder – Kalpa [Meet the Author, Matthew Dicks] WHO AM I? Matthew Dicks is an award-winning bestselling author, speaker, and marketing consultant to some of the world’s biggest companies including Amazon, Slack, and Salesforce.
For more than a decade, he’s been advising C-suite execs and their teams. Whether it’s a product launch, sales deck, or keynote, he surfaces the real stories behind the spreadsheets — stories that resonate and connect on a meaningful level.
He’s taught at multiple universities including Yale, MIT, and Harvard, and his work has been featured on Lenny’s Podcast, TEDx Talks, Newsweek, and many more.
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” — Steve Jobs Why stories matter more than ever. People remember stories. Not graphs or endless lists of features.
Studies have shown that decisions are often made based on emotions first and rationalized with data, second.
Telling a meaningful story to frame metrics in the right light is how ideas are anchored on a deeper level. It’s how companies get funding, close deals, and rally teams.
Pre-order now Get the Free Sample Pre-order now Get the Free Sample What you’ll learn Unlike other self-help business books, “Stories Sell” was written concisely for busy professionals. It’s a fun read that uses anecdotes from consulting work to contextualize lessons and make them easily retainable.It draws from firsthand experiences to demonstrate the power of storytelling in solving important problems like how to: Craft and pitch sales decks that aren't boring. Communicate clearly with customers and colleagues Deliver crowd-pleasing keynotes Align teams on a shared vision
“A year from now, you will wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb Master the craft of storytelling today Pre-order now Get the Free Sample Pre-order now Get the Free Sample 
Honest, approachable “I laughed, gasped, took notes, and carried this book around like a dear friend — because that’s exactly what a storyworthy book should be. As a novelist, I’ve studied my craft in countless ways, but never before have I seen its marrow revealed with such honest, approachable charisma.” 
— Sarah McCoy, internationally and New York Times–bestselling author of Marilla of Green Gables and The Baker’s Daughter he leads you up the stairs to tell your stories. “With candor, humility, and bust-a-gut humor, Matthew Dicks shares his storytelling secrets and leads you up the stairs to tell yours. He already knows that they’re gems.” 
— Nichole Bernier, author of The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. the most interesting man in the world. “When I gave Matthew Dicks a recurring spot on my podcast, I billed him as ‘the most interesting man in the world.’ He really has lived quite a life. But what’s truly interesting is not necessarily what he’s experienced but how he makes you, the audience, experience it through him.” 
— Mike Pesca, NPR contributor and host of Slate magazine’s daily podcast, The Gist FAQ Who is this book for? The book is specifically tailored to professionals working in business and the corporate world. It’s meant to help marketers, salespeople, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and advertisers and teaches them how to use storytelling to grow their businesses. How can this help my career or business? The corporate world is flooded with data: spreadsheets, charts, graphs, and yawn-inducing PowerPoint presentations. But human brains are wired for stories.
The book teaches you how to combine stories with data to engage and persuade your audience. It gives examples and case studies on topics like:
Building slide decks for sales, investor pitches, and presentationsProduct narratives and positioningMarketing and advertising copySpeeches and keynotes for auditorium-sized crowdsBusiness communicationHow to align teams and build moraleHow to sell yourself for career advancementHow to build rapport and connect with your audience How does this book compare to other business books?Most business books on writing
Draws from outside stories and researchPadded with filler contentContent can be dry and clinicalWritten by ghostwriters or people from the corporate world who learned storytellingStories Sell
Draws from decades of firsthand experience consulting for companies of all sizesLean and concise for busy professionalsFun and insightful to readWritten by an award-winning novelist, StorySlam champion, and marketing consultant
[I write and publish every single day.] Facebook X-twitter Youtube Linkedin Instagram Get your daily dose of stories Sign up to conveniently receive my daily blog post from “Grin & Bare It” into your inbox daily. Name Email Subscribe © 2024 Matthew Dicks
November 23, 2024
A poorly phrased request
November 22, 2024
25 Things again
Years ago, my friend Kate sent me a message entitled 25 Things via Facebook. It included a list of 25 random facts about her and a request for me to reciprocate.
I suspect it was a meme of some sort at the time.
I made my list as requested and posted it online, too. But I also held onto it, recognizing that it was supremely valuable. It contained stories I had never told. Personal anecdotes worth sharing at the right moment. Oddities that I had forgotten until asked to remember.
It’s been an invaluable resource to me over the years. Some items have become stories, and others are anecdotes and jokes for stories and stand-up.
Some just make me happy to recall.
It was a surprisingly useful exercise.
I’d recommend it to everyone. Today, I began my “25 More Things” list, thinking that if it was useful once, it might be useful again.
When it’s complete, I’ll post it, too.
But for now, here is the original list, slightly updated to reflect recent events. .
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1. I once owned a pet raccoon.
2. I haven’t thrown up since 1983 on the Music Express at the now-defunct Rocky Point Amusement Park.
3. I was once homeless for about six weeks before being taken in by a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses and sharing a room with their pet goat.
4. I met illusionist David Blaine at a charity event and repeated a story so he could record my performance on his phone. Then he performed a magic trick for me and a New Yorker reporter that convinced me he’s made a deal with the devil. Then he gave me his business card, with his contact information embedded in a playing card — the king of diamonds.
5. Touching cotton balls is like kails on a chalkboard for me.
6. I was once unknowingly fed my pet rabbit by a girlfriend’s father.
7. A small band of cowards tried to get me fired from my teaching job by writing a letter comparing me to the Virginia Tech mass murderer and constructing a 36-page packet of my blog posts — deliberately taken out of context — then mailing the letter and packet to the Board of Education, Human Resources, and 250 families in my school district.
8. I have died twice before being revived both times by paramedics — bee sting and head-on collision.
9. Despite my many injuries, I have never been bruised. The same is true for my brother.
10. I asked my wife to marry me at the top of the staircase in Grand Central, with more than two dozen friends and family secretly looking on.
11. I’m left-handed but play many sports right-handed or with both hands.
12. I grew up outside of Boston but am a Yankees fan because I hated my stepfather, who was a diehard Sox fan.
13. I am a wedding DJ and non-religious minister who marries couples, works as a substitute minister in Unitarian churches, and performs baby naming ceremonies.
14. I have entered four lip sync contests and placed first, second, third, and last.
15. As a drummer in my high school’s championship marching band, I marched in the Rose Bowl, the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade, and down Main Street USA in Disneyland.
16. I was a district champion pole vaulter in high school.
17. I was once lost in the White Mountains of New Hampshire for almost two days.
18. I was carried from my burning home as a child by a firefighter.
19. I grew up on a horse farm and rode horses almost daily until my parents divorced.
20. My favorite food is ice cream cake, followed closely by hot dogs.
j 21. I was robbed at gunpoint and knifepoint on two separate occasions.
22. I worked as a McDonald’s manager throughout high school and college.
23. I competed in underground Vietnamese arm wrestling tournaments in the basement of an abandoned elementary school as a part of a larger illegal gambling ring.
24. I was arrested, jailed, and on trial for a crime I did not commit.
25. I was suspended from school for “inciting riot upon myself.”
