Drew Rozell, Ph.D.

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Your Six-Word Book: Write for Insight

April 11, 2008 drewrozell 20 Comments

A while ago Karin and I were driving in the car, listening to a piece on NPR.

The show had an editor on from SMITH online magazine (never heard of it), and he was discussing a project where they had readers and celebrities write their life stories. The twist was that they requested that these life stories be delivered in exactly six words.

As someone who loves the challenge of writing, the concept intrigued me and I listened intently as they discussed a cross section of the entries. 6word.jpg

Some were humorous (e.g., Steven Colbert’s "Well, I thought it was funny"). Some were sobering (the nine year old who wrote "Cursed with cancer. Blessed by friends"). And some simply fired the imagination (“After Harvard, had baby with crackhead.” Don’t you want to know what happened there? Read more samples here.)

The magazine reported that they received over 500 submissions a day. In turn, these submissions were then culled into a book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.

I’ve not read the book, but I wrote my six-word story.

In fact, the six words popped into my head as we were listening to the radio broadcast. I figured they would serve as my rough draft — that with time, a new collection of words would arrive to better capture the essence of my 38 years on the planet.

But no, my six words are locked firmly in place, written in permanent marker on my medulla. Unable to scrub them clean, they revealed a darker truth about how I have operated.

I told you I was good.

Just writing them down, speaking them in my mind brings forth a wave a heaviness.

While it’s uncomfortable to share my six-word autobiography, I do so because holding my story to the light revealed some important things to me.

Apparently, my life story — or more precisely , the story I have been telling myself — comes down to some tired old themes.

I told you I was good.

So yes, I know I am good. I know I have talent. I have something to offer the world.

But apparently knowing this is not enough for me. I need validation from outside myself. I need someone else to know how good I am, to recognize my brilliance. My six words reflect my deep seated feelings of frustration that I am not "further ahead" in the world. My six words reflect my adopted mindset that I am some sort of underdog that will prove all the naysayers and the doubters wrong. I will overcome. I will vanquish. I will ascend to the top of the mountain. And I will look down at the fools who did not listen, did not see, did not believe. My six words are laced with resentment of living under the illusion that I am not being properly recognized.

Like I said, I wanted to scrub these shameful six words from my brain. The fact that I could not do so tells me that my story was really critical message for me to hear. My six words show me how my ego continues to operate and sabotage my intentions for a very cool life. Without coming to this level of awareness, I would likely continue to live out this story for the next 38 years.

I take some relief in knowing that these six words reflect the narrative I have lived under until now. It captures what has been.

But now I begin a new story.

I encourage you to write your six word story and perhaps, share it. After all, it’s only six words.

And you might just learn something about yourself.

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Comments

  1. Lap says

    April 11, 2008 at 10:51 am

    “There must be so much more”

    Reply
  2. Christina Frei says

    April 12, 2008 at 3:16 am

    Hey, Drew. That takes courage. thanks for sharing yours. Listening for mine….;-)

    –Christina

    Reply
  3. sis says

    April 12, 2008 at 4:21 am

    here’s my rough draft: “Met Jeb. Created seven. Richly blessed.”

    fun to ponder on a rainy saturday morn.

    love you

    Reply
  4. Zsuzsa Morgan says

    April 12, 2008 at 9:04 am

    Hi Drew,
    I’m not sure yet what my six words are, I’ll give it some thought. What I know is, reading this piece, that your six words and your way of reflecting upon them draws a direct connection to my heart.
    Zsuzsa

    Reply
  5. drew says

    April 14, 2008 at 11:02 am

    great comments… nice memoirs!

    d

    Reply
  6. Zoe Routh says

    April 17, 2008 at 11:17 pm

    Drew, your six words sound like an Outward Bound course! Man – overcoming…been there myself a few times 🙂

    My six words?

    Are you doing, becoming, or being?

    Followed by – pick one.

    Z

    Reply
  7. jenn says

    April 21, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    hi Drew…this should come as no surprise. my 6 words:

    i asked a lot of questions

    Reply
  8. drew says

    April 22, 2008 at 4:22 am

    hi Zoe:

    you’re right — there is a lot of overcoming vibe in my old story. thing is, it’s subtle enough to miss. that’s why writing this and seeing what came out was enlightening for me…

    i notice your story is directed outward — a question for others? (“Are you” versus “Am I”)

    can’t help but wonder what would come out if your memoir reflected YOUR story… to see what’s alive within you…

    love to see it if you’re game.

    warmest,

    d

    Reply
  9. drew says

    April 22, 2008 at 4:23 am

    jenn:

    keeping with the writing for insight theme, where do your questions come from?

    d

    Reply
  10. Ann says

    April 22, 2008 at 6:43 am

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this. here’s mine:

    got here. tried. gave up. bliss!

    and p.s. howdyhoo drew 🙂

    Reply
  11. drew says

    April 22, 2008 at 8:15 am

    i was wondering where my ole pal Ann was — 🙂

    love your memoir! fits!

    d

    Reply
  12. Ann says

    April 22, 2008 at 4:01 pm

    i’m never far…and smiling widely
    sending love…

    Reply
  13. Zoe Routh says

    April 22, 2008 at 4:36 pm

    Hi Drew

    Curiously, the question ‘are you’ was a question to myself – my own gremlin or sage voice. So re-written is:

    doing,becoming, being – pick one Zoe!

    Z

    Reply
  14. drew says

    April 22, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    zoe —

    for what’s it’s worth, i like this version much better! 🙂

    d

    Reply
  15. Leah Shapiro says

    April 28, 2008 at 9:58 am

    I love this Drew!
    Here is mine
    ” Always growing, changing, opening,moving on!”

    Many Blessings,
    Leah

    Reply
  16. Lap says

    May 1, 2008 at 8:52 am

    My new six words

    It’s high. It’s far. It’s gone!!

    Reply
  17. Susan says

    May 9, 2008 at 8:43 am

    “And I Start All Over Again”

    Reply
  18. Elly says

    May 11, 2008 at 12:05 am

    Wondered. Questioned. Searched. Found. Now what?

    Thanks for this Drew, a powerful exercise that I thought was superficial at first, buy boy does it go deep.
    Blessings

    Reply
  19. Rebecca says

    November 18, 2008 at 11:10 am

    came a little late to this piece but my six words popped into my head almost immediately.

    there is beauty in my imperfections

    Reply
  20. drew says

    November 18, 2008 at 6:14 pm

    one more comes into mind after Rebecca’s comment…

    comes from a Tragically Hip song i love…

    “We live to survive our paradoxes”

    while i didn’t write that one, it fits (and it’s six words!)

    d

    Reply

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