Sequels hardly live up to expectations. The originals are always the best.
There are always exceptions. ‘Aliens’, ‘Fast Five’, ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ and ‘Terminator 2’ are a few that I could think of that out shined the original, but it’s rare.
TV shows fair a little better as sometimes it takes a few seasons for the characters to really hit their stride. ‘Friends’, ‘Seinfeld’, ‘Castle’, ‘The Killing’, ‘Dark Matter’, ‘24’, and ‘The X-Files’ all fit that bill. However, over time, even the best series tend to become a bit repetitive and people lose interest.
Then there’s ‘Game Of Thrones’.
With each season, its legend grows. Never ending twists and turns, top notch acting, rich characters and incredible story lines make for a truly epic saga. It came as no surprise to me to learn that it is the most pirated show ever.
Now what does ‘Game of Thrones’ have to do with productivity or time management you might ask. Well, inspiration and ideas come from the most unusual places, and I always keep my iPhone handy nearby when I watch the show because there are often memorable quotes that I can use in my lectures or trainings.
What makes using quotes or stories from pop culture so powerful in presentations is two fold. First, it’s fresh, and now what people will expect to hear in a business presentation. Fresh is good. And second, it’s more relate-able, especially to the millennial generation.
Here are eight that I took note of.
- “Leave one wolf alive, and the sheep are never safe.” (Anya Stark) Apple was struggling in the 90s with Microsoft’s dominance that it has to accept a loan from Microsoft just to stay in business. Google once offered to sell its entire company to Yahoo for a million dollars, they turned it down. Today, Apple and Google are the dominant forces along with Facebook in the tech world. Beware your competition.
- “Everything before the word ‘but’ is horseshit.” (Jon Snow) How many times have we heard someone say something along the lines of “I was going to do it but.” 90% of the time we don’t need to hear the rest as it’s often a poor excuse as to why something that should have been done, isn’t. Beware the word ‘but’ from clients, colleagues and even ourselves.
- “A lion doesn't concern himself with the opinions of the sheep.” (Tywin Lannister) Something to think about when faced with negative feedback as an entrepreneur. Not just from customers, but also from friends and family.
- “My brother has his sword, and I have my mind. And a mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. That's why I read so much.” (Tyrion Lannister) Harry Truman once said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” If you’re serious about making it as an entrepreneur, read. Trust me.
- “Let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you.” (Tyrion Lannister) Understanding where you are weak is important as an entrepreneur as your competition will look to exploit it.
- "Anyone can be killed." (Arya Stark) Nothing is impossible. It’s just we don’t know how yet. That’s the attitude every entrepreneur should have. Become a problem solver. Help your clients and customers solve their problems and you’re all but assured success.
- "Dracarys." (Daenerys Targaryen) A truly explosive episode and one that showed us just what kind of woman Daenerys is. The man she had been dealing with didn't realize she spoke Valyrian, and so had been referring to her as a "b---h" and "whore" right in front of her. She utters a single word, "Dracarys," ordering her dragon, Drogon, to breathe fire and burn him alive. The lesson here for every entrepreneur is don’t let everyone know what you know. Keep some things secret. There is power in not revealing everything you know.
- "A ruler who kills those devoted to her is not a ruler who inspires devotion." (Tyrion Lannister) There are two ways of leadership: respect or fear. Be the kind of person who inspires people to work hard, not because they have to, but because they want to.
Millions of dollars are spent to create TV shows like ‘Game Of Thrones’, and most of us just sit back and enjoy them. Me, I am always on the look out for powerful ideas and quotes I can use in my lectures and presentations. You might be surprised just how much is there if you look for it.