Furey, Extreme Close Up - Part One
Dear Friend,
Although I tell the readers of this daily e-letter
many things about myself - and sometimes to
an embarrassing degree, it's always sort of
stunning when people want to know more.
Some years ago, I think 'twas January of 2001,
Eugene Robinson came to Tampa as part of the
Super Bowl party - and, unbenownst to me until
later, to do a story about me for a magazine.
Part of the story involved him getting a brutal
butt-kicking by "yours truly." As luck would
have it, he enjoyed the whooping and wrote his
article to that effect - albeit he did embellish a
few tidbits - I guess he called doing so poetic
license.
One thing about his trip to the area that I'll
never forget was when he told me that "Many
people want to know what you're like as a
person. They want to know if the person
behind the words that you write is the same
as the person they would meet in person."
"I see," I said.
Recently I received an email from Paul in the
U.K. He asked several questions of me, none
having anything to do with fighting or fitness.
In fact, all of them had to do with my particular
style of writing and speaking - and how I got
where I am today.
His email reminded me of ole Euge. I then scratched
my goatee and thought: "Okay, maybe I 'think' I've
been up close and personal, but why not give a little more,
and do so through a series of e-letters?"
So today I'm going to answer Paul's questions for y'all to
read. And overtime I will address others.
Hi Matt,
There's so much to like about you! But one of the most
wonderful things is your "magic way" with words. I'd love
to know if it is a natural gift, or was it something you were
useless at early on, and had to work hard at to develop? It
looks like you were born with a very quick mind, and possibly
a very high intelligence as well. Am I correct here? I'd be
thrilled if you reply.
Kind regards,
Paul
Paul, I appreciate the kind words, although I think you've
gone waaaaay over board. From my vantage point, I'm a simple
guy. There's nothing about me that is inherently remarkable. I
don't recall being born with a high intellect. If I have one, it's a
surprise to me. Some say I am blessed with a quick and penetrating
mind. I beg to differ. I prefer to see how much better I can become.
As for having a "magical way" with words - if there be (I tend to use
this verb tense rather than the boring "is") truth in that, it comes more
from gut-wrenching honesty than anything else. I write simply and I
speak simply. I am not a fan of the flamboyant. Before I speak or write
I tend to unconsciously (it's now an ingrained habit) ask myself, "How
can I communicate my message in the simplest, clearest words that
virtually anyone can understand?"
Most of the time I communicate via stories. This probably goes back to my
upbringing. My mother was a nurse and whether she scolded me or praised
me, it was always in the form of metaphor - and oftentimes scriptural. My dad
was an attorney - and if you've ever been around attorneys you know this is true -
he could not answer a simple question in a timely fashion. I learned to never ask
him
anything because it quickly turned into a 45-minute lecture.
If you were to remove the stories from my thinking mind, I'd have next to
nothing to say and almost nothing to write about. I honestly don't know how
to communicate very well in any other fashion. This has more to do with up-
bringing, I guess, than intellect. From the time I left college people have told
me that I'm a communications genius. Later on this became 'marketing genius."
I don't care much for either term as I'm really just a simple guy.
I don't see genius in what I do. There's only simplicity and clarity.
Here's something you may find interesting: I grew up in Iowa, the heartland
of America. I was the sixth of seven children - all boys except for my sister.
My parents gave my something known as "Irish genes." In a Chinese face
reading book it explains that a lower lip that is twice the size of the upper
signifies having kissed the Blarney stone.
I once had a face reading and the lady exclaimed, "My God, your lower lip is
three to four times the size of your upper lip. If you weren't doing what you're
currently doing (I was a full-time personal trainer at the time) you should
either
be a stand-up comedian or selling ice to Eskimos."
As for my ears, which are cauliflowered beyond repair, she said, "These are the
ears of an outrageously successful entrepreneur."
I most certainly wasn't very successful when she told me that - but it didn't
hurt,
I guess, as I've done okay since then.
How much training have I had in speaking and writing? Good question. I got a
degree
in Speech Communications - but don't think for one second that this was of any
help.
As I've written before, one certain thing about a college degree is that, in
terms of
communication skills, it will put you completely out of touch with what "really"
works
in the real world.
After college I took a Dale Carnegie training in public speaking. This was pretty
good.
The best training I ever got, though, was "doing." The more you get up to speak
the better
you become.
Same goes with writing. To learn to write - start writing. And keep writing. The
more
you write the better you'll get at it.
As far as "formal" training in writing, don't really have much.
When it comes to the subject of "copywriting" - that's a whole 'nuther' subject -
yet I
believe my approach to it, once again, is all about simplicity, clarity and
delivering the
message in a down-to-earth, even folksy sort of manner. A me-to-you approach.
One final thing for this first-in-a-series: There's one thing that I've been told
"gives me
an edge over others," - and it's authenticity. I write what I think. I say what
I believe to
be true. I am not concerned about being liked and I'm not looking for approval
from
others. I am often praised - and I am often criticized. I have many fans and I
have
a fair share of detractors. Each day I receive fan mail as well as a few emails
that viciously
attack me. No matter what, my objective remains constant. It was said long ago
and bears
repeating from time to time ...
'To thine own self be true.'
Kick butt - take names!
Matt Furey
P.S. Today, just a simple and clear listing of some other great Furey sites for
you to visit:
Combat Abs
Combat Conditioning
Carpal Tunnel Fix
Magnetic Mind Power
Gama Fitness
Chinese Culture Secrets
Farmer Burns
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