How to get content inspiration

Good morning!

Welcome to Social Studies.

Here’s the agenda for today:

• How to get content inspiration/Where I get mine

• Stuff I’m digging this week

Someone emailed me the other day and asked where to go for content inspiration.

I don’t know if I have a one-size-fits all answer, but I’ll tell you where I get mine.

People think their lives are “uninteresting.”

They’re usually always wrong.

Life is always interesting, it’s just about how you frame it.

Inspiration is everywhere.

It’s just about slowing down to see it.

Your morning trip to the coffeeshop.

A phone call with your mom.

A quote from your high school country coach…

Where I get my inspo:

If I every say anything valuable... there's a 95% chance that I'm quoting someone else.

If I'm quoting someone else, there's a 95% chance that I'm quoting Tim Nixon.

Nixon was the cross country at my high school for 30-some years.

Let it be known, I was not a fast runner.

I ran 1 varsity race during my high school career. (Shoutout to Conference Championships where seniors HAVE to run varsity.)

Despite my mediocrity (probably far too generous of a word), Nixon remains one of the most influential people in my life.

Here's why:

He made everyone feel like they were important.

Not just important... he made everyone feel like they were the MOST important.

I was a piss-poor (much more accurate phrase) runner, but he made me feel like I was destined for a state championship.

His ability to discern truth was incredible.

One time a guy told him his hip was hurting and coach told him to take the whole week off. Right after, another kid said he didn't feel well. Coach replied, "You know, sometimes I don't feel good and I still try my best. Have a good run."

He was hilarious.

A kid named Damon was in the back of the bus singing at the top of his lungs. Coach stood up, turned around and said, "Damon, what'd you do with the money?"

"What money coach?"

"The money your momma gave you for singing lessons."

He was generous.

There was this other time when I ran into coach and one of his athletes at Sheridan's in Liberty. Hadn't seen him in years, but when I got to the counter he’d paid for me and my girlfriend’s (now wife’s) ice cream.

I remember this one time we were having a cool down in coach’s pool. Out of the blue a guy says “coach I’m hungry.” A minute later Nixon walked out with pudding cups and spoons for everyone.

He had integrity.

We'd just done well at a meet and we'd all piled on the bus and were ready to get to King Chef Buffet (an annual tradition). Nixon gets on and informs us that we forgot to thank the meet director. Everybody unloaded and shook the director's hand. Character was always above winning.

His quotes were unbeatable.

I texted a few of my old teammates and said, "Gimme your best Nixon quote."

Immediate replies of:

"Hard work changes things."

"Everything you do sends a message."

"It's ok to be uncomfortable."

“Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

Another mediocre piss-poor runner like me texted me, “I can only hope that I can be like him someday.”

Quoting his assistant coach here...

"Sometimes, after a person has passed away, we have a tendency to look back at their life and accentuate the positives while glossing over the negatives.

Let me assure you that I am not doing that here.

Tim Nixon’s life lived up to the hype in every way.

Exceeded it.

I get that you are probably thinking, ‘Wow, really?’ The answer is yes.

I fear I may be selling him short."

(This assistant coach was also the pastor at the local church. Nixon used to introduce him by saying, “This is Tim. He’s my assistant coach and my pastor. So basically I tell him what to do at practice and he tells me what to do everywhere else.”)

Stuff I’ve been digging:

Hey! You’re still here!