Are you editing your life to tell the best story?

Regardless of your age, you've probably seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The comedy from the iconic John Hughes was an excuse for many teens to cut school in the '80s to look for fun. It was silly, lighthearted, and downright amusing. But, with a slight twist, it could have been a much different film.

Joseph Brett, a film maker in London, recently made his own trailer for the movie. He changed the soundtrack and selected clips that gave the film more of an indie feel, full of angst and uncertainty. I was dumbfounded with the results. Check it out:



Talented people can look at a bucket and rattle off a hundred uses for it. They can see the million shades of gray that separate white and black. And, challenges are merely opportunities. Smart people who succeed can, and do, create the soundtracks to own their lives. They are not the actors who simply do what they're told, they are the editors who shape the story.

Are you telling the right story in the right way? Whether it be for your company, your self, or your brand? Are you highlighting certain things, while ignoring the others? Are you focusing on the wrong facts altogether? Is the image, the feeling, and the message you're conveying the one that serves you best? Are you letting other people control your story?

Is it, perhaps, time to do some editing?

* Hat tip to Lindsay Barnett who shared this video on her Facebook wall. 

7 comments:

  1. Whoa, kind of deep.................good post though.

    I think some times we certainly feel like we are just going thru the motions w/ little control of our direction. I try to soak in as much as possible and not 'just get through the day'. I try to look for the good, the positive, the possibilities and maybe in a naive way at times, but it works for me.

    I hope I am making a difference.........

    I want to think I'm highlighting who I am, what I believe in, the message I'm sending.............it's me and I'm ok with it. Last time I looked it was still good to be me.

    How about you, where are you in the spectrum?

    Whoa, that was deep too, way to make me use my mind.........:)

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  2. I've been called a lot of things, but deep has never been one of them. I kinda like it! ;-)

    As long as you're happy with your story, that's really what matters. So many people just don't actively cultivate the message, but instead play a passive role in their lives and their personal branding.

    Can a negative really be a positive in disguise? Did a failure yield success when it comes to growth or knowledge? We're all responsible for our own story and how people perceive us. Life's events are ours to shape.

    Ok, I AM feeling kinda deep now ;-) Thanks so much for commenting, Bill!

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  3. Wow, I really enjoyed that video. That is amazing. As someone into video myself, I always find it interesting to see the way others view things... what an interesting way to convey that movie. Hm, this really got me thinking a little bit. I'm going to have to sleep on this. I'm recently getting into story telling and I think I have some questions I need to ask myself. :)

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  4. Joseph Brett really did something interesting with that video, huh? It just made me think about how you can take the same information and tell a much different story. We all can.

    We can edit our personal stories any way we choose. Accentuating the positive, focusing on certain elements, downplaying plot points.

    Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to chime in, Matthew. Good luck with the questions ;-)

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  5. The video was stunningly well done to show how easy it is to change the mood or slant on a subject by reorganizing the sound bytes and video clips.

    Yes, I do believe we can rewrite our story as long as the truth is at it's essence. How you present something makes a huge difference about how it's received.

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  6. I just thought that video was amazing, too. And, yes, you're completely right. It's all about presentation ;-)

    Thanks for chiming in, Patricia!

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