My first ever video

Here's to plenty more to come. If you have a question or comment, let me know. Who knows? Might video reply :D

Cheers

Writer Wednesday: Joaquín Rodríguez Kierce

Life at times allows us to come into contact with people that have a profound impact in our lives. Unplanned, unexpected and just all sorts of cool. Joaquín Rodríguez Kierce is someone for whom I have profound respect as a person and as a professional. 

As a writer, he enjoys social commentary in his pursuit to motivate people to give their best and be happy with what they do in their lives, a message I most definitely identify with. His blog is brilliant and he has a book out in Spanish that is currently being translated to English to help people in a business environment. I also sent some questions and he was kind enough to send me his answers. So here we go.

1. Hey Joaquín, thanks so much for doing this Q&A. So tell us, who are you? What do you do for a living? And how does that relate to the impact you want to make in your life?

Hi!

Short version: 
Spain, Puerto Rico, engineer, coach, project management, art, productivity, meaning.

Long version:

I'm a Spaniard living in Puerto Rico trying to help as many people as I search for the intersection of meaning and productivity through coaching and art.

Hmm, funny. Let's play around with "for a living" for a moment:

I make a living by designing and implementing company-wide initiatives that improve operations efficiency, collaboration and sense of achievement among employees concerned. That's what comes out when you stirr my personal cocktail of Engineer + Project Manager + Business Coach.

I also make a living for myself, in the sense of making my "self come alive", by:

1. Playing with my kids everyday

2. Asking people tough questions that help them execute what they're fearful of doing (aka coaching)

3. Putting my thoughts about meaning, productivity, fear and making things happen on paper and offering them to the world over at www.neuronigniters.com

2. What topics drive you?

1. The evolution of technology and its impact on our lives

2. Marketing

3. Understanding why people think how they think and exploring the obstacles on the way to our getting what we want in life and how to remove them (a synonym for this is "how to call our own bullshit"). I guess self-awareness is written between the lines all over... 

3. As you know, there’re always random questions because we’re random people. So tell us, if you made a dessert, what would be in it, how would it taste and how would you name it?

Ice cream, lots of it, a Kit-Kat in the form of Dalí's melting pocket watches from 'The persistence of memory' and nutella. It would be as big as an industrial refrigerator.

4. What are your greatest achievements so far?

A happy marriage with two kids.

Not having abandoned the pursuit of my goals and dreams.

5. What will you achieve in 5 years?

1. Peace of mind.

2. Take my kids to school every day, be there with them to play and study in the afternoons. Enough energy to go on getaways every two months.

3. Helped an unbelievable amount of people execute their dream projects in a more disciplined manner, overcome the fears that stop them and communicate better.

I guess some people call this work-life balance, although the great Jerry Colonna says that's bullshit

:-)

6. What is your book about? For who is it? Why did you write it? Where can we find it? 

I think I'm good at translating experiences into knowledge and teaching that to people.

So my book is about very specific, actionable and (I contend) valuable advice to make things happen in organizations. It's about the right mindset you should bring to the table, what executives want and how to give it to them and the right project management tools to make things happen in a business environment.

It's for everyone who's ever been pissed that things take too long to happen in companies and want to change that. Anything from how to run meetings more effectively, write emails that someone will actually read, how to plan a project in one page, how to save a failing project, how to conduct yourself successfully with executives, etc.

I wrote it because I've been lucky enough to learn A LOT during my career and it would be selfish to keep it to myself.

I'm proud that it's now part of the reading curriculum for interns at places like Foundation for Puerto Rico and SEO Puerto Rico. This is thanks to Denisse Rodriguez, someone who is doing great work to change things for the better; she read it, liked it and spread it. 

It's in Spanish but there's an awesome writer out there helping me translate it into English :-)

You can read it for free on my blog or get it at Amazon as an ebook. I'm working on a second edition with quite a few additions that I will release as a physical book too.

7. What is your blog about and what is your mindset when you write?

It's about productivity, meaning and the hard work of making things happen.

Mindset: kind of rebelling against the things we know we can do better and don't, so I try to give things a spin and say: you know, we could think of this another way, make it like this and get these results.

8. What are neuron igniters?

The toll-operator-greeting pitch: Art at the intersection of meaning and productivity.

The answer from the heart: I want to fill the walls of the world with silent thinking partners for people who like to think deeply, understand their mental roadblocks and overcome them in order to bring their best work to life.

www.neuronigniters.com 

(Here's me pictured with one of the canvases from Neuron Igniters)

9. If you had to coordinate a fireworks show for your kids, what would it look like?

Very colorful. I'd make resemble Lara's favorite Disney princesses, Atención Atención characters, family and friends' faces. Everything that would make her go WOAAAA! and call out what she's seeing.

Álvaro is just 2 months old so those might be black and white and not too loud ;-)

10. If you wrote a song for your wife, what would it be called?

Thank you

----

As a lover of words, stories and messages, I love reading all sorts of literature and that includes texts from ancient philosophers, religious texts, fantasy, science fiction, horror and even motivational and business books. To me, the challenge to write shall never be limited to one genre, one style or one method. Throughout the years, I've been able to share countless great conversations with Joaquín and we've discussed hundreds of topics (some more recurring than others) and the fact remains, we can all make a true impact if we set aside what we're "supposed to do" and replace it with what we are destined to do.

Cheers to Joaquín for taking the time to answer the questions and much success to him in 2015 and beyond. I'll definitely be reading and commenting and you're invited to the party.

www.jrkierce.com

www.neuronigniters.com

Peace, love and maki rolls,

JD

The two sexiest words to any author

The End.

When you are able to write down those words and know you’re done with a story and publish it, it is one of the greatest reliefs you could ever imagine. Mind you, you don’t need to write THE END, you just need to truly and fully finish something.

When you finish writing, it’s rewarding, but when you’re done with a project? Wow… just amazing.

For me, Only Human was an intense learning experience when it comes to truly being able to say I finished something.

I finished writing. Then came transcribing.

I transcribed. Then came editing.

I edited. Then came formatting.

Then registering copyright. Then submitting to the website where I sell my work. Then copy proof. Then receiving the final shipment. Then searching for reviews.

Before you know what’s happened, the book is live, it’s out there, you finished it… but you have to get it in front of people and you realize that there is never an end and that realizing such a thing is marvelous. 

So here’s to our neverending stories.

Method to madness: scheduling vs. spontaneity, which is better?

Rather than going on a pre-answer rant, let’s cut to the chase… there is no method better than another. Each option has its own virtues, pros, cons and vulnerabilities. The fact of the matter remains, sometimes you need to go the direction opposite of what usually works for you if you are firmly set in your ways if only to keep yourself on your toes. Let’s profile each:

Scheduling:

PROS:

Helps you be more productive. When you stick to a plan, you are often rewarded for concentrated efforts. This means that if you force yourself to write nonstop for a couple of hours, you can really boost your word count.

More structured. By having a preset hour and goal, you will get to your quota or at the very least, get near it. You will see your writing also become a bit more consistent, which itself has its pros and cons.

More measurable. In a world where people are obsessed with numbers, results and measuring, you have a pretty good idea of how long something will take you to do. Although that may seem trivial, that is a vital part of being a writer if you happen to chance on a deadline. You’ll know how long you need to get X or Y done.

CONS:

You write out of habit. You may hit quotas and pump out thousands of words, but you run the risk of writing for the sake of writing and although commendable to a point… does that really make you happy? Are you writing your best work? If you are (which is a possibility, don’t let anyone tell you differently) then by all means, stick to it and plow away.

Creativity within the narrative becomes secondary. For me at least, having a very rigorous word quota honestly doesn’t work. I actually normally try to finish a chapter to capture lighting in a bottle and have the same feeling flowing throughout rather than settling on starting and stopping. I’m actually the same way when it comes to reading. I HATE leaving a chapter unfinished.

You focus on results rather than the story. I know people who meet ridiculous deadlines and push through out of sheer stubbornness but if writing Only Human taught me anything, it’s that the story is paramount, that when it comes, it’ll come in torrents and that at least for me, having a schedule is useless.

OK, so what about the other side of the coin?

Spontaneity

PROS:

There’s freedom in flexibility. Truly something I enjoy of the times I’ve written in the spur of the moment is the sheer flexibility of going wherever my brain wants to go without overthinking it. I’ve known to pick up a notebook and pump out a full 15 page chapter in one sitting and knowing when my system NEEDS to write has helped me tremendously in my writing, especially in the sequel to Only Human (10 chapters done, woohoo).

Creativity often thrives. By letting your impulse drive your will to write, you’ll be at your creative zenith and put in a 1000% with little or no effort and truly, when writing is effortless, some of your best work may be borne.

Personality shines through better when unpressured. I found my voice as a writer when I finally desisted from having to write and if anything, I’ve enjoyed a lot of people saying I have a voice all my own throughout most of my work. That’s special to me and worth the price of admission.

CONS:

This can take a LONG time. Only Human took 8 years to write. From research, to writing, to transcribing, to editing, to publishing… eight years. Having a full time job and other responsibilities did pose challenges, although the reality is that I didn’t want to force it and when it took off, it flew on its own…  but eight years is a long time. In about 2 months I’m already almost 25% done with the sequel… then again, I did find my voice, which explains a lot.

Editing can be a nightmare. When you write stream of thought and leave long gaps between writing sessions, weird things can happen… plot holes, tone shifts, you forget where you wanted to go and cohesion is a pain. I learned the hard way.

So in the end, what I’ve done is combine elements of both styles and have found a happy medium. When I feel too much time has passed in between writing sessions, I bite the bullet and force myself into a groove and when I feel I’m being too rigorous, I’ve known to step away from a page, another valuable lesson I’ll talk about later. The end all correct answer is that you have to find what works for you and constantly tweak your formula to always be productive yet always enjoy. So best of luck in that search. 

Peace, love and maki rolls,

JD.

Method to madness: finding inspiration

“How do I get inspired?”

This was actually a question I got asked the other day and to be honest, it kind of scared me. As a writer, lack of inspiration has to be frustrating, as a person it has to be borderline depressing. In essence, inspiration is quite possibly the best feeling in the world, especially since it can apply to anything you do. You can feel inspired to cook, clean, create, work, talk, chat, paint or help. It is the currency of desire and it’s up to us to spend it wisely and look for it anywhere we can.

So when I got asked that, it really made me think… what can inspire me?

Lucky for me, I’m actually pretty inspired and often look into different things to keep the muse fresh and flowing. I read, I write, I listen, I play, I try new things, I doodle and I daydream (a lot). I also work to the bone because although money can’t buy me love, it does happen to pay the bills and afford me the possibility to do other things. So to answer this question, I offer you two options, the five against one method and the stumble/spur method.

The five against one method is focusing on each of your senses and looking for alternatives to see how each one affects your inspiration.

·       Touch – Texture is vastly overlooked when it comes to inspiration and it’s one of the most powerful senses we neglect. The best way to explore this sense is with the assistance of someone. Arrange a series of materials and textures nearby and have them pass you the material so you can focus on how it feels while wearing a blindfold. I suggest a two person operation to ensure you deprive your sense of vision so all other senses are heightened. Have them pass you materials and then spend up to one minute with each material. Feel the contours, the shape, how it resists when you tug it or squeeze it. Really explore it and have your hands do the talking.

·       Taste – I LOVE tasting new dishes, new drinks, new candies. Does that mean I overlook my favorites or what would be deemed a classic? Of course not. The thing is that by broadening my horizons and exploring taste and texture, I gain a whole new appreciation for every new thing I taste. Some people stick to chicken and lasagna… although I enjoy both dishes, life is not the same flight every day and by varying what I eat, I vary the destinations I can traverse. When describing lumiere and nova in Only Human, I had AMPLE culinary experiences to know how they taste in my brain. Think of it this way, what did Butter Beer taste like in JK Rowling’s head? I’m pretty sure it’s pretty close to what they offer in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter because at least for me, it was spot on and it brought a smile to my face to taste something I read. She could already taste it even though it didn't exist at the time. The same happened when I tried Turkish delight for the first time… and it didn’t take me a second attempt to understand why Edmund was enchanted by the White Queen.

·       Sight – by far the most abused sense is sight. It is also the one that receives the least variety. If you have a dayjob, you will probably end up looking at the same things over and over and over. Workbook sheets, texts, charts, powerpoint presentations and the such… if you don’t cleanse your palate, your sight might dull. What’s amazing about sight is that we also don’t care for it as we should. Most office lights do not project light in a full spectrum, this causes eye strain, visual fatigue and contributes to retinal decay. So it’s your job to look at fresh images to keep the brain functioning and active. On Facebook there are a ton of groups with interesting visuals to share which is a great starting point. Another thing you should do is check out nature. When was the last time you saw a leaf up close? We are surrounded by amazing achievements by nature and it’s there for you to appreciate if you only give it the chance.

·       Hearing – a lot of people say they don’t like X or Y genre of music, and I often think they’re doing themselves a disservice by not trying to find something within the genre that works for them, just to expose their senses to something new. So the first recommendation would be to listen to as much music as possible, including classical music. A lot of people say they don’t like classical music and I disagree… I just think they aren’t looking right because I’ve heard symphonic orchestras play the theme song to the Predator Movie and an Angry Birds suite and it’s fascinating how intense these pieces are. Not into classical music but a videogame freak? Then every year there are dozens of concerts that celebrate the achievements of videogames. Now that I got that out of the way… here’s another suggestions… take off your headphones. Listen to nature, listen to the bustle of people and see how many things you can pick up. Although it may not seem like it, we are immersed in melody and the thumping of machinery are the rhythm section. If you want to see to what level, listen to music by Stomp! or check out Koyaanisqatsi. 

·       Smell – As with all other senses, smell can be taken to another level by simply paying attention to it. Our bodies are amazing and we owe it to ourselves to explore each of our senses.

The second method I was referring to is the stumble / spur method. This one is actually a lot simpler. In a digital age where we have apps and the Internet readily accessible, it’s funny people don’t search for more information. Ask yourself what a nebula is, wonder what a base prime number is, search for Bruce Lee’s one inch punch, refresh information from grade school. Use apps like Stumble Upon, visit Mashable, click on I’m feeling lucky on Google.com and whenever a random question arises, either write it down or look for it in realtime.

And lastly, make sure you don’t have something else that’s keeping you uninspired. It’s also up to you to keep your mind, body and soul healthy (btw, you don’t need religion to nurture your soul, just saying).

Hope this helps and feel free to keep in touch here through twitter @jdestradwriter or through email @ jdestradawriter@gmail.com.

Peace, love and maki rolls.