Blissdom 2012: Jon Acuff, Keynote

"When someone tells you what you can't be, they are predicting a future they don't control."

"We are The I'm...But... generation.

I'm a teacher, but I really want to paint.

I'm a _______, but I really want to be a _______."

"Finding your passion, your dream is not an act of discovery, it's an act of recovery.

• Something you lost.
• Something you got too busy for and set down.
• Something someone criticized you for and you quit."

As usual, the Blissdom Conference Keynote speaker was 100% awesome.  Jon Acuff's enthusiasm, passion, energy and love is contagious.  What a joy to hear this guy speak.  Acuff encourages the 98% female bloggers in the audience to pursue our passion and, most importantly, not to neglect our families while we do it.  Ouch.  Something his young daughter taught him with this note on a napkin she placed over his iPhone after she had been trying to talk to him.

Daddy, Pay Atenshon!

Acuff was young enough to learn that lesson in good time. It also helps that he works on the Dave Ramsey team - can you imagine soaking in all that Dave Ramsey aura day after day?!  *jealous*

I was too smitten with Jon Acuff to take many great notes, but here are some super pointers:

1. Use your time deliberately.  Be selfish at 5:00 a.m. or maybe for you it's 11:00 p.m.  Use time that nobody else is using.  Focus on the things that count. Social media never sleeps. You'll never wipe your hands and say “I'm finished. I finished twitter today.”  My wife has never said “Enough about me. Go tweet something.” 
2. Learn to disappoint the right people.  You're going to disappoint people. "As a people pleaser, that makes me want to throw up."
3. Ignore the external and internal voices. Critics math formula: 1 insult + one thousand compliments = 1 insult.  "My wife said for every one insult I respond to, I first have to respond to 100 compliments."

The meeting concluded in grand Oprah-like style.  With great abandon, Acuff pointed his finger to the crowd on the left, "You get a free book!"  Then he pointed to the right, "You get a free book!"   Arms opened wide:  "Everyone gets a free book!!  Free books for all!!!"  Great applause and laughter at the Oprah impersonation.  And guess what?  Each book was autographed.

Jon Acuff

Author of Stuff Christians Like and Quitters.

Blogger.

Husband.

Dad.