I’m currently reading the book Fire Them Up! by Carmine Gallo (disclosure: I received a free copy of the book). One of the chapters talks about the importance of vision and how to have a vision with impact:
For a vision to have impact, it must be simple and profound. How do you attain both? By keeping your vision to ten words or less. The folks at Sequoia Capital, the prominent venture firm behind such companies as Cisco, Google, and Apple, call it “the one-liner”: a concise statement that tells people what you do.
Why should the vision be short? Here it is:
Condensing the statement, or vision, into ten words or less reflects your command of the business and your market. As one venture capitalist told me, “If you can’t say it in ten words or less, I’m not investing, I’m not buying, I’m not coming on board, I’m not leasing you space. Period.”
To give you clearer description, here is the one-liner of Sergey Brin and Larry Page from Google:
We deliver the world’s information in one click.
And here is the one-liner of Sandy Lerner and Len Bosack from Cisco Systems:
We network networks.
Very concise, aren’t they? While the book mainly talks about business vision, I believe the same principle also applies to personal vision. If you want your personal vision to have impact, you should have a “one-liner” for your vision.
So I look at myself and here is my one-liner:
Helping as many people as possible live the fullest of life.
I’ve mentioned it several times in this blog (such as in this post). The problem is, it consists of eleven words! Ouch. Maybe I should change “as many people as possible” to something which is shorter but has the same meaning.
I believe that reading other people’s one-liners can inspire and motivate us. It can motivate us to have big dreams and to package them in a concise and sharp way. So I’d like to ask you: what is your one-liner?
Your answer will help and inspire not just me, but other readers as well. And, if you still don’t have a one-liner, this is the perfect time to think about it and write down yours. Believe me, it’s well worth the effort.
Guiding others towards a thinking process used to guide themselves.
Just shorten it to 7 words: “Helping people live life to the fullest.”
I’m in the information security field. The one liner I’ve been using for years to explain to non-technical people what I do: “I make computer hackers miserable.”
“Helping People Achieve Good Emotional Health and Be Their Best.”
helping others live a stressfree, blissful life
“Adding Value With Every Interaction.”
When I read your post about ‘One-Liners’ and about formulating a ‘Vision’ impactfull simple and profound It immediately made me think about how a ‘Vision’ for – for example – a (big) ‘Film Project’ needs to be ‘High Concept’ (as they call it) if you want to ‘Pitch’ your ‘Vision’ for a movie idea to a Hollywood Producer.
I actually read about a special ‘Formula’ for it:
- *Title*, is about …., *Name of Hero (+ description of Hero)* , who, after *New Opportunity* wants to *Outer Motivation* by *Method fo Accomplishing Outer Motivation*, We will know *Hero* has succeeded when *Hero* has *Accomplishment That Represents Success* .
For example:
‘The Day I visited ‘HP’s Happy Blogspot’ , Is a story about ‘Blog reader’ a Website visitor (that’s active on the Internet) who after ‘Visiting a fantastic site’ wants to realise a great Vision by applying great ideas he or she found on a fantastic site. We will know that the website visitor has succeeded when he or she posts great comments on this fantastic site.
Nevertheless If you like to read about an interesting ‘Vision for a Happy, Healthy & Rich LifeStyle’ you can find a Free Preview via a certain fantastic site :)
All the Best,
HP
“Enabling others’ happiness.”
You could even cut out the word “others’” if three words is too long.
“All Your Base Are Belong to Us”
But seriously:
Consultant hat:
“I help businesses and professionals increase productivity and revenue”
ThemBid.com hat (to a requester):
“We make businesses compete to serve you.”
ThemBid.com hat (to a business):
“We provide targeted leads.”
FrontPageBids.com
“We help you monetize Digg traffic.”
I teach people that THEY are in charge of their lives!
“approach all things with confidence” would be my one-liner :)
[...] good way to create a strong message is creating your one-liner. A one-liner is a statement of your vision in ten words or less. It allows people to quickly grasp [...]
Thanks a lot, everyone! All your one-liners are great! I am amazed by the way you pack your visions in such a compact way.
Randy,
Thanks for shortening my one-liner to seven words. I appreciate it.
Jon,
I have some background in information security so I know how sharp your one-liner is.
HP,
Thanks for the example.
Rory,
Your one-liner is the shortest so far!
Elmer,
Very comprehensive examples. Love it.
Aaron,
Yes, we often forget that *we* are in charge of our lives :)
Caring.
Community.
Commitment
Continuity.
“To live my life to the fullest with confidence”
Hi Donald,
I hope you are well.
‘Give more than you receive’
That’s mine.
All the best.
Andrew
rn-elizabeth, j.twilite, and Andrew,
Thanks for sharing your one-liners!
Andrew,
Glad to meet you again! I’m doing well here. Great one-liner, by the way.
“Moving people to action with remarkable corporate videos.”
Thanks for a great post!
Tom
Nice one-liner, Tom!
Personal one liner: Be grateful!
Professional one liner: Help people appreciate great literature!
Great post — thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Kristen! Your one-liners are very concise.
[...] good way to create a strong message is creating your one-liner. A one-liner is a statement of your vision in ten words or less. It allows people to quickly grasp [...]
[...] of what your life purpose is, you should write it in a mission statement. Ideally, it should be a one-liner: ten words or [...]
Put other’s first.
People ask me why I chose the field I did. My usual one-liner is
“It takes one to know one”
I deal with people in a state of crisis. I’ve been through a few of my own. I’m a psych nurse, and I have ADD and OCD,
My patients tell me I’m the easiest to connect with of all the nurses they try to talk to.
[...] it’s easy to get distracted along the way. For that purpose, it’s helpful to have a one-liner to help you remember your cause [...]
My life’s one-liner will be:-
Put First things First
[...] finding your life mission, you should create a one-liner out of it. The one-liner summarizes your mission in a concise form – ten words or less. It will [...]
Here is yours in just ten words:
“Helping as many people as possible live exceptionally fulfilling lives.”
Now, to go write my own. The trick is that you can only summarize what you have crafted at some length. Only after you have filled the page with *everything* can you know what the really important pieces are.
Ted,
Thanks for the suggestion. It does take time to get the right one-liner so there is no need to hurry.
Helping the most people possible live the fullest of life
Or
Helping the most people possible live the fullest life
Maintain resilience and passion throughout Life’s Journey!
how about…
“Helping the most live their best.”
Stefanie,
That’s great! Thanks.
“Truth has the inherent power to reveal a lie”.
Vision: Putting negative thought in old smelly trash can.
One liner: “I need to be my own best friend.”
To express the wonderment of life through me.
Using language and facts to inspire, help, and heal others.
Controlling my destiny by controlling myself.
How can you change tomorrow what you cannot change today?
This helped me think about what change was, its not something you can build up to especially when you know change has been neded for sometime.You got to make the step and not go back on it. I did act and it changed me forever. There is no going back. time waits for no man.
Thanks
“Money comes to me frequently in an abundance” Im a moneymagnet!
Thanks I needed this!!!
“to live my own rules”
I actually have two:
To live Courageously and Consciously.
To Grow and Improve and help others do the same.
“Levar a Palavra para todo lugar e testemunhar.”
“Spread the Word to everywhere and live it”
To exude and share happiness and confidence!
Thanks
Helping people discover their true potential
My biggest goal in life is to live comfortably as a full time independent musician/songwriter and show others that they can do it too.
My one liner would be “Blazing the trail for the middle class musician” I suppose.
Thanks for the great content
-b
get busy living, or get busy dieing
Helping others through change.
To live my life through music, inspiration, friends and love.