What To Tell Oprah

This morning, at the Starbucks in Bridgehampton, NY, my friend, Jed, asked me, "When The Controlling Idea book comes out, and Oprah has you on her show (from his lips to God's ears), and says 'Why would a mother be interested in buying this book?,' what are you going to say?"

Instead of answering his question, I told him a story:

Both my children play musical instruments and sing. Often they will make up songs; sometimes with interesting lyrics, sometimes just pounding on the piano or screaming like hard rockers.

Often, I will stop them and ask, "What is your controlling idea for that song? What are you trying to say? What are you trying to express through your music? What story are you trying to tell?" Then, I'll wait, and ask them one more time, "What is your controlling idea?" Inevitably, the music will change from noise to something special.

My children know when I ask about their controlling idea what I'm really asking them is, "What is the inherent truth in what you are trying to say?" Even young children know they have a purpose, although like most of us, never had the permission to either think about their truth, or, more importantly, been encouraged to articulate that truth.

Almost all of us can talk endlessly about what we do, what we think, or how we feel; but so few of us can actually articulate what to our core makes us tick, what from our beginnings drove us to be who we are, and what we actually stand for.

The Controlling Idea is simply a handbook on how we can embrace our truth, and with love, confidence and authority, articulate that truth, our purpose, our point of view, in everything we do. It’s the difference between making noise and making sense.

“That is what I would tell, Oprah,” I said.

Jed stood up, took a sip of his tea and said, “I would buy that book,” and we walked out together.