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If you want to be a new somebody, you have to be willing to be a nobody.
-Robert Fuller |
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An Interview with Mr. Pep Talk
by Cara Haycak
Originally published by Prodigy's Living Digital ezine.
Are you plagued by negative thoughts? Does that voice in your head always predict the worst? (You'll never get that promotion, never be financially secure, won't ever have the money to visit Indonesia...)
Then maybe it's time for an attitude adjustment -- for a visit to the Good Thinking Center.
Patrick Combs, positive thinker extraordinaire and creator of this can-do site, is also the author of a motivational book for recent college grads and a noted speaker on the national lecture circuit. At his website you'll find tons of pep talk from familiar sources: Buckminster Fuller, Katie Couric, Jon Cusak, Will Rogers, etc. You'll also learn techniques for increasing your own potential (like, have you tried to work faster?), and find amusing, inspiring anecdotes from Combs himself (find out what happened when he deposited a fake check for $95,000 into his bank account).
While the title, "motivational speaker," can conjure up images of a motor-mouthed, cash-obsessed zealot, Combs is anything but. The Good Thinking center isn't a profit-making enterprise (though it does promote some of Combs' activities), but more a place to share the wealth that pours from the man's good and happy brain.
Still, I wanted to know a bit more about the guy, question some of his authority as it were, and find out how the Web was treating him. Here's what he had to say.
You seem to have a successful career as a motivational speaker and writer. Describe for us the reasons that you created the Good Thinking web site and does it function as further promotion for your work? Does it earn any income for itself or you? Do you consider it to be a corporate brand in the making?
 I'll never forget my friend Timothy Childs showing me the web for the first time in his apartment in Potrero Hill - my adrenaline just about forced my heart out of my body. I'm addicted to my web site because it's the ultimate tool for sharing my creative urges. As far as a business tool, it networks me to speaking engagements and sells my book. It isn't a corporate site. I left corporations seven years ago with no plans to return.
How would you describe motivational speaking/writing. Give us a definition if you can.
motivational speaking (mo'ti-va'shen'al spe'king) v. 1. Usually done poorly (see cheerleading). 2. Occasionally done greatly by an expert who tells a great story. (see Russell Ackoff or Tom Peters).
motivational writing (mo'ti-va'shen'al ri'ting) v. 1. Writing that is removed from the real world and lacking in concrete suggestions (see Stuart Smalley). 2. Writing that kicks you in the ass and makes you say "F@!# yeah! That advice rocks." (See Tom Peters)
While I found much of the material at your site interesting to read (everyone needs a pep talk now and then), I don't feel that I am your audience. Who is?
Great question - Yeah, who the hell is my web site audience?? I'd like to know myself. I'm just writing for my own pleasure.
Do you consider the Web an ideal medium for motivational teaching? Say yes or no and then please elaborate.
Yes. Video. Audio. Text. Graphics. Free distribution.
One article on the site postulates that a UPS driver can be as
personally satisfied as the senior accountant of a Fortune 500
company. (Yeah. Who want to be an accountant?) But seriously, most people would agree that job satisfaction is key to personal fulfillment. Do you honestly believe a truck driver who works purely for his wages is as content as President of the American Ballet, or a person whose work is informed by a personal passion? Am I missing the point here?
 My Mom, working as the people greeter at Walmart, was happier and more satisfied about her job than 99% of the "successful" people I meet. It was a job that harmonized with her particular set of values and skills (Affiliation, service, and security values combined with superb skills for human relations and sales, in case you were wondering about my Mom's particulars). NO ONE made you feel more excited about entering Walmart than my Mom.
The best thing a person can do toward getting their dream job is discover a job that harmonizes with their particular set of values and skills. A lot of people are missing this point and suffering mid and quarter life crises.
Paul Coelho is quoted at the site from his book The Alchemist - "Each day brings a miracle of its own." While I understand the usefulness of such a statement in terms of maintaining positivity and a buoyant personal alchemy, I find this type of statement borders on hyperbole. Some days are not miracles. Some days are about getting the job done. Care to comment?
 he human mind likes to generalize and simplify so we're accustomed to seeing our life in terms of 'good days' and 'bad days.' But dissect a bad day into 24 hours, or 48 half hours, and you can't help but notice that that "bad day" was actually composed of bad occurrences, neutral occurrences, surprise occurrences, good occurrences, and even miraculous occurrences.
miracle (mir'e-kel) n. 1. A person, thing, or event that excites admiring awe. 2. A "coincidence" or "synchronicity" that is sign-posting the way to your destiny.
Once you notice that your day is actually a long series of occurrences try making a note of the surprises, coincidences, or synchronicities and for one week assume there is no such thing as random occurrences in the universe. It is my experience that you'll suddenly feel that life is clearly giving you hints, signs and suggestions.
The reason I typically disregard most motivational speakers is that I find them to be robotic in their approach, like positive thinking machines, and what's more they seem hell-bent on earning money. Like you can see the dollar signs in their eyes. Regarding the latter accusation, I do not have that cold impression of you or your site. Do you consider yourself distinct in style from letÃs say a Tony Robbins type of motivational speaker.
Hmmm.... Am I a distinctly a different style of motivational speaker? I'll tell you three things about myself you decide:
I'd be embarrassed to have an infommercial.
I don't like dressing in a suit and tie.
I'm not into a lot of money, I'm into a lot of great experiences.
To what extent does spirituality and/or a particular religious belief inform your work? Visiting the Gratitude page make me think of this question.
Only in one crazy way: I have a belief that every one is born with the ability to give an absolutely unique gift to humankind. Other than that I never attempt to put any religious or spiritual messages in my work.
Would you care to introduce us to the folks who helped you build the site? Who are they, where are they from, or what specifically did they contribute?
Justin Hall, proprietor of Links to the Underground, taught me to code HTML - and for that I'll be forever grateful..Beyond that initial boost, I've built and maintained the site myself. Time to get myself some design help.
Tell us a bit about your web life. Do you live on-line at all? What kinds of sites interest you?
Pages about Will Rogers and images from Hubble Telescope do make me want to surf. But beyond that I really don't surf much. Mostly I'm interested in writing for the web.
You plug two zines on your site that are terrific and Crisp and Tap. What is your connection to these sites other than your having worked on them at some time?
Tap has excerpts of my book Major in Success, because they called and asked. Crisp links to my bi-weekly column because I called and asked. That's all.
I was struck by one of the Ray Bradbury quotes you posted, "I have never had a dry spell in my life, mainly because I feed myself well, to the point of bursting. I wake early and hear my morning voices leaping around in my head like jumping beans. I get out of bed to trap them before they escape." This is what I imagine your mornings are like. Are they? What kind of things do you hear?
I'm a very slow waker (can you say 9:30-10:30), but I do hear a morning voices leaping around in my head. Most often I hear:
"Check your email. Check your email. Maybe there's something good in your email!"
One more to the point, you seem like a busy guy, double-timing it every step of the way, between your speaking engagements and your producer assignments for Real TV. What is your average week like?
Wow what a question... One of the biggest motivators in my life for the past 10 years has been to free from "average weeks." As a result I'm hard pressed to describe an average week. How about a description of last week:
* Flew to Montana and did four lectures in one day (whew! tough).
* Attended a lecture by the screenwriter of Animal House
* Met a couple people I'd like to have as friends.
* Wrote a stronger ending for my lecture.
* Took a day to see Yellowstone.
* Wrote a letter to Oprah Winfrey & E. Jean Carroll.
* Wrote a column.
* returned a lot of email
* Wrote a story about my encounter with Lisa Loeb.
* Read chapters from a Studs Terkel book.
* Brainstormed TV show ideas with a Real TV producer.
* Coordinated with my lecture agent on next weeks shows.
* Updated my web site.
* Watched late night TV in my hotel room.
* Returned home; paid bills and mailed out promo materials.
* Answered these interview questions (very late into the night Friday).
* Spent the weekend with my girlfriend, including:
* Went to see Michael Moore of TV Nation speak.
* Went to a new internet cafe and cruised the web at T1 speed.
* Went to the new San Francisco Library and read Dr. Seuss's book, Oh the Places You'll Go (Great book!).
* Bought a big red couch and some new clothes.
* And as always, called my mom on Sunday.
Your whole $95,000 check escapade was very interesting. But I, like many others I'm sure, were disappointed you weren't $95,000 richer when all was said and done. (Evidence of our collective shallowness I suppose.) You say that the satisfaction for you came from getting the bank to admit they'd made a mistake. Why was that so important to you?
Growing up, my mom always stressed the importance of admitting your mistakes - and she'd pull my ear until I did. It kept me honest and it kept me taking responsibility for my own errors. Two things most banks don't like to do.
What are your goals for the future?
packed audiences. rave reviews. best seller's list. site of the year. world-wide travel. new found talents. hit TV show. feature films. 100 ram/200 gig. big impact. mastery. outer space. increased energy. bigger, better, bolder ideas. and adventure, adventure, adventure.
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