Insight And Humour Fuel Burns' Latest
By: Mark Weber - Red Deer Express mweber@reddeer.greatwest.ca
Local writer/speaker Kevin Burns says there isn’t much startlingly unique about what he does.
Yeah, right.
The acclaimed writer and in-demand motivational speaker’s latest book firmly sets aside such notions.
If It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, How Then, Do You Explain the Village Idiot…and Other Things I’ve Said is packed with Burns’ insightful, witty notions on everything from relationships to vision to customer service.
And one of his clear favourites, accountability.
“We’re so crammed for time with responsibilities and jobs, we don’t take those quiet moments, and it’s in those quiet moments the thoughts and ideas just fall out,” he says during a recent chat.
“I just make my living from ideas, and in the process of writing, a lot of these things come out. “Sometimes, it happens right on stage.”
There’s not a trace of self-doubt as he chats about topics we all can relate to, and its that confidence that fuels his speaking and writing strengths.
His observances are striking, and resonate all the more with his breezy, friendly manner and wit.Confidence, a scarcity these days in an populace scourged by insecurity, springs from the ability to be vulnerable, he explains.
It also comes from garnering knowledge.
“If we continue to learn, we become a little more powerful inside,” he says.
When we reach that place, creativity and contentment soar.“It’s that place when you’re not afraid of who you are, and you don’t apologize for it,” he says.
Burns is also a big believer in the richness of giving.
“You get what you give,” he says. “No matter what it is we do in life, if we’re doing it to better someone else’s life, we’ll be bettering ourselves.”
Avoiding change is also a mistake, he notes.
Often, people prefer misery over moving on simply because change is scary. “What makes you think you can’t handle it – today or tomorrow for that matter?”
The past is past – forget about it.“
A friend once said to me ‘I’ve given up hope that I will ever have a better past’,” he laughs.
“That really puts it in perspective.”
A conversation with Burns also likely will lead to the subject of accountability, a message that’s critical in a quick-fix culture.
“When you offer up excuses, you offer yourself defeat,” he writes.
Another ponderable – “Obsess on all of it, even if it may seem insignificant, as every insignificant detail leaves a mark somewhere.”
These are just a sampling of the offerings virtually spilling off the pages.
As for pressing forward, the joys of connecting with readers and listeners is all the motivation he needs.
“If no one clapped, it would be okay. But if just one person out of 1,000 gets it – mission accomplished.”
Copies of Burns’ books can be ordered online at this link.
By: Mark Weber - Red Deer Express mweber@reddeer.greatwest.ca
Local writer/speaker Kevin Burns says there isn’t much startlingly unique about what he does.
Yeah, right.
The acclaimed writer and in-demand motivational speaker’s latest book firmly sets aside such notions.
If It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, How Then, Do You Explain the Village Idiot…and Other Things I’ve Said is packed with Burns’ insightful, witty notions on everything from relationships to vision to customer service.
And one of his clear favourites, accountability.
“We’re so crammed for time with responsibilities and jobs, we don’t take those quiet moments, and it’s in those quiet moments the thoughts and ideas just fall out,” he says during a recent chat.
“I just make my living from ideas, and in the process of writing, a lot of these things come out. “Sometimes, it happens right on stage.”
There’s not a trace of self-doubt as he chats about topics we all can relate to, and its that confidence that fuels his speaking and writing strengths.
His observances are striking, and resonate all the more with his breezy, friendly manner and wit.Confidence, a scarcity these days in an populace scourged by insecurity, springs from the ability to be vulnerable, he explains.
It also comes from garnering knowledge.
“If we continue to learn, we become a little more powerful inside,” he says.
When we reach that place, creativity and contentment soar.“It’s that place when you’re not afraid of who you are, and you don’t apologize for it,” he says.
Burns is also a big believer in the richness of giving.
“You get what you give,” he says. “No matter what it is we do in life, if we’re doing it to better someone else’s life, we’ll be bettering ourselves.”
Avoiding change is also a mistake, he notes.
Often, people prefer misery over moving on simply because change is scary. “What makes you think you can’t handle it – today or tomorrow for that matter?”
The past is past – forget about it.“
A friend once said to me ‘I’ve given up hope that I will ever have a better past’,” he laughs.
“That really puts it in perspective.”
A conversation with Burns also likely will lead to the subject of accountability, a message that’s critical in a quick-fix culture.
“When you offer up excuses, you offer yourself defeat,” he writes.
Another ponderable – “Obsess on all of it, even if it may seem insignificant, as every insignificant detail leaves a mark somewhere.”
These are just a sampling of the offerings virtually spilling off the pages.
As for pressing forward, the joys of connecting with readers and listeners is all the motivation he needs.
“If no one clapped, it would be okay. But if just one person out of 1,000 gets it – mission accomplished.”
Copies of Burns’ books can be ordered online at this link.
Comments
Post a Comment