On (Reality) Television

Sometimes I’ll have an idea or thought that gets stuck in my head. By that I mean sometimes I have trouble finding the right words to express what the thought or idea represents. It’s sort of like the idea is struggling to find its voice within my head.

Sometimes it clicks and I can find the expression I want for myself. Other times I get a little help. Let me explain.

Lately I’ve been watching less and less television. I’m developing a mild disdain for the medium as a whole, but the specific segment of television which really stokes my ire is that which is commonly referred to as reality tv. Shows like American Idol, Survivor, The Bachelor and any of the other host of singing, dancing, romance, weight loss or traveling competitions.

Maybe I’m nuts, but I just don’t understand what value (if any) can be extracted from this type of entertainment.

For a long time I have struggled to accurately express why exactly I feel this way, until the other day I read a great article in the February 2011 edition of Fast Company magazine. The magazine ran a short article featuring Megan Tamte, co-founder and CEO of Hot Mama, a Midwest clothing boutique catering to moms and their kids. In the article Megan talks about her Harajuku moment:

Hot Mama remained just that – an idea – for years as Megan spent her days as a stay-at-home mom. Her “aha” moment came during an episode of American Idol. “I was watching other people make their dreams come true instead of chasing my own,” she says. “I just realized, ‘This is really dumb!’ I don’t watch TV anymore.”

Well that pretty much sums it up.

If you need any more inspiration to turn off the TV and “do something”, you need to check out Donald Miller’s book: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It’s a really inspirational book on how to view your life in the context of a story.

In the book Don learns the process of creative story writing. Specifically, he explores which elements go into creating great stories (note: all great stories have the same major elements). Don then takes these “great story” elements and contrasts them to the themes in his life. At one point he asks himself: “If my life were made into a movie, would people walk out of the theater and say, ‘What a great story!’, or would they just walk out?”

So here is the big question:

If your life were made into a movie, how would it be received by the audience? Would they walk out in appreciation and awe? Or would they just walk out?

My guess is that if you spend a lot of time on the couch in front of the television, it would be the latter. But if you decide to be like Megan Tamte and follow your dreams and make things happen, it would probably be the former.

The choice is yours!

By the way, congratulations to Megan. Fast Company reports that Hot Mama opened six new stores in 2010, bringing the total to 17 locations in seven states. Hot Mama execs said that revenue for fiscal year 2010 hit $15.1 million, a 62% increase over 2009.

How’s that for turning off the TV?