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.
Comment by Eric
25 1. December 2008, 10:41 pm o'clock |
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.
Comment by Ryan
24 22. September 2008, 10:55 pm o'clock |
Put other’s first.
Comment by Donald Latumahina
23 3. January 2008, 2:11 pm o'clock |
Thanks for sharing, Kristen! Your one-liners are very concise.
Comment by Kristen
22 3. January 2008, 9:08 am o'clock |
Personal one liner: Be grateful!
Professional one liner: Help people appreciate great literature!
Great post — thank you!
Comment by Donald Latumahina
21 24. December 2007, 11:05 pm o'clock |
Nice one-liner, Tom!
Comment by Thomas Clifford
20 23. December 2007, 6:13 pm o'clock |
“Moving people to action with remarkable corporate videos.”
Thanks for a great post!
Tom
Comment by Donald Latumahina
19 18. December 2007, 10:27 pm o'clock |
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.
Comment by GreatManagement
18 18. December 2007, 9:02 am o'clock |
Hi Donald,
I hope you are well.
‘Give more than you receive’
That’s mine.
All the best.
Andrew
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# 9. September 2008, 10:12 am o'clock |
[...] of what your life purpose is, you should write it in a mission statement. Ideally, it should be a one-liner: ten words or [...]
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#1 5. July 2008, 10:54 am o'clock |
[...] 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 [...]