This week I attended Plywood Presents again. I missed it last year, but it was good to be back. I’ve always loved their tagline, “We will be known for the problems we solve.”

It was a great couple of days, and I wanted to share my favorite quotes.

 

Clint Smith III, Poet, Educator, Researcher

• I didn’t take any notes during his session because it was a series of spoken word performances and explanations. I’m not usually a big spoken word/poetry fan, mostly because I probably just don’t get it, but I REALLY loved this guy. He was incredible, and I was able to connect with what he was saying. Check out my favorite piece, “My Father is an Oyster.”

Jeremy Cowart, Artist, Photographer and Humanitarian

• “If you’re alive, if you’re breathing. We need you. You can do anything.”
• I didn’t really take notes here either. It was really just this guy telling his story, but it was a fantastic presentation, and he has a terrific story. Plywood is not a Christian conference, but there are many Christians there. Jeremy’s presentation was built on how he felt like he couldn’t do anything right as a kid, but his parents instilled Philippians 4:13 into his head, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And once that message took root, he has done some really remarkable things.

Kat Cole, Group President of Focus Brands

• “The people closest to the action will know what to do before the leadership every time.”
• “Leaders are resourceful, creative and get it done no matter what.”
• “If you really believe something is right, say yes and figure it out. But you have to be willing to do the work.” #hustlemuscle
• “You succeed faster in life when you see the patterns. And you have to know where you fit into it. You have to be not only smart, but aware.”
• “Work with different teams more often to see patterns emerge faster.”
• “If you’re thinking of bailing on something in life, make sure you have a compelling alternative.”
• “When you get criticized, assume for one minute they’re right. Take a hard look and see if it changes you’re mind or solidifies your position.”
• “You need a culture where employees are proud and grateful. That comes organically, but can be nurtured. You can’t force it.”
• “My best lessons have come from my humanitarian work.”
• “We all have limited resources. Focus on things that are small enough to change but big enough to matter. You have to really pay attention to find the right size.”
• “If not me, who? If not now, when?” – Kat’s mom

Scott Holfort, Founder of ColsenKeane Leather Goods

• “Monotony and boredom can fuel your passion. Rest in them for a while and see where they take you.”

Blake Howard, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Matchstic

• “To have courage, reject indifference.”
• “Relentlessly create. Quantity over quality to keep moving forward and refining.”
• “Choose the right context. We become like those we surround ourselves with.”
• “Have the hard conversations upfront so that the easy stuff will follow. If you have the easy conversations first, it will only get harder.”
• You have to have courage to listen.”

Richard Swenson, Author, Educator and Researcher

• I plan on getting his book called, “Margin.” Actually, all of his books sound great. Just wish they were on Audible!
• “You can do extreme things, but then you need to rest.”
• “There is a boxing match happening between your limits and progress.”
• “There are 2 trillion URLs, 150K products in Walmart, 55K combinations at Starbucks, people check their smartphones 150x per day, and there are over 68K medical codes.” Information overload!
• “Stress is the way we adapt to change.”
• “You have all the clocks and we have all the time.” a man in Malawi he met

Alex Torrey, Co-Founder of Umano Clothing

• “Social entrepreneurship means you don’t have to choose between doing well and doing good.”

Jeff Goins, Writer and Author

• “You can’t plan your purpose.”
• “Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I have to listen to what my life is telling me.” – Parker Palmer via Jeff Goins
• “Activity follows identity.”
• “You aren’t guaranteed success.”
• “What makes life extraordinary aren’t the chances we get, but what we do with it.”
• “Successful people are smart enough build on their failures, not deny them.”
• “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor Frankl via Jeff Goins
• “Share your failures more.”
• “You can’t wait to feel brave. It’s not something that happens to you. It happens when you make the decision to push through the challenge.”
• “Success is always a story of community, not an individual.”