Notes from Echo - Donald Miller

Here they are…I will have to unpack them all later…

Donald Miller - Blue Like Jazz author
Experiential Futility – he struggles with the most
Emotions are feeling something different that I know is true
One of his only escapes is art – listening to music changed perspective

Story is another form of art that takes the side ghost and makes him be quiet

Story is a character who wants something and is willing to overcome conflict to get it (story in its most basic form)

Narrative is the most powerful communication tool there is
It is the best way to change someones mind about and idea

Story captures us
Noise and music what’s the difference ? The human mind engages one and disregards the other

Wonder if there is a difference between random experiences and story

The mind engages the story, wanting to know where it is leading to

What If could edit me…instead of the story line.

I am a character in Gods story, I have the ability to do what I want..I can write whatever story I want. We are scared to write on a blank page, we want to be told what to do.

What do we have to do to make the story better ?

They spent 40 minutes at the first part of Rocky to make him a good character or no one would care about if he won

Let story guide us…would we do that if we were a character in a movie ? Would people like us ?

Would the movie they make about us suck ?

Is the story that I am writing making any sense ? Or it is meaningless ?

There is fine line between a hero and a villain

Who we are is what we do
Want we want matters

We have to want something that matters

There isn’t a difference between creating a fictional character and creating the story for our life

They want things…that if they don’t get what they want people will die

Stumbling upon happiness – good book

Some of the happiest people in the world are paraplegics

Humans have a hard time knowing what doesn’t make then happy

Jesus is so meaningful that its worth sacrificing for

Test – if this character dies what dies with it ?

As soon as character gains ambition – there is tons of conflict – conflict is inherent in man.

God did not complete Adam – he needed Eve.

God created conflict before the fall – Adam was lonely even though he walked and talked with God

If we want something and its hard to get, it created the value of the thing we want to get

When conflict is embedded within our story – so that when it works its beautiful and creates value

Every story has to have resolution- if they are a good person and they don’t get what they want it’s a tragedy if they do get it it’s a comedy

The greatest conflict we have is fear
#1 command to us

The beauty of the story is not in the victory its in the sacrifice

Story is the only thing that changes – thru pain comes change

How can I tell a better story with my life ?

As story declines the moral compass does not adjust

Homework
Character – write characters, sub character – write a list if adjectives of how they see you – even if you goto negative – make sure you goto positive

Write out what your ambition is – day dream write board the story of your life

Conflict – what am I afraid of ?

Climax/resolution – write out what you want the outcome to be

When the resolution happens – go nuts, celebrate. Make a 4 minutes video and cry over it and be happy !

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