Fond Memories Of Robin Williams

I’m sure you’ve heard the shocking, sad news by now.

No matter where you go over the last couple of days, it seems that everyone is talking about the way-too-premature death of one of America’s most talented and universally admired celebrities of our lifetimes.

Robin Williams holds a big place in my life for several reasons…

1. Everyone is asking, “What’s your favorite Robin Williams performance?”

   While of course I enjoyed many of his movies (see below), my “favorite performance” of his isn’t any one in particular – instead, it’s the fact that whenever I noticed that he was scheduled to be a guest on one of the late-night talk shows, I made it a point to tune in and marvel at The Easiest Interview In History, as all the host had to ask was, “Hey, Robin, how’s it going?” and then sit back and witness the non-stop stream-of-consciousness brilliance pour out of his amazingly quick and creative mind to fill up the complete segment – only to stopped by a mandated commercial break.

   One of the most enjoyable things I do in my business is to conduct “hot seat” sessions, where I’m challenged to think on my feet and “fly without a net” to come up with multiple possible solutions for every conceivable type of business in general and business challenge in particular right there on the spot. I’m always inspired to improve these “improv” business consulting “performances” of mine by the genius improv comedy performances of the one-and-only Robin Williams.

2. I’ve lived in the Chicago area for the past 13 years, and have made a career out of helping thousands of business owners implement effective advertising and marketing strategies. Robin Williams was born in Chicago, and recently starred in the short-lived television series “The Crazy Ones,” where he played the head of a Chicago-based advertising agency.

   (*Unfortunately, while the location and subject of this TV show and my own career are similar, the nature of the show is actually the polar opposite of my own career, because Williams’ fictional comedic character created the very type of costly, useless and ineffective “image- and slogan-based” advertising campaigns that are the exact reason that business owners need my advice and guidance to rescue them from that utter B.S. that really only serves the advertising agencies and media at the expense of the business owners themselves.)



3. He was the star of one of my favorite movies of all time – not by any reasonable standards, but simply because the movie included an unforgettable scene I love, only because it stars stampeding rhinos. Also, two of those iconic animals charge front-and-center in the movie’s official poster (right).
4. One of my personal mentors, and a regular contributor to this blog, Dan Kennedy, taught me by his own example to use my own personality in my marketing in order to build a strong bond with my audience. Dan leads by example when he says, “If anyone is going to learn something negative about me, they’re going to learn it from me first.”

   Robin Williams provided a bold example of this in his own life by openly disclosing and discussing his now-tragic battles with substance addiction and depression. We learned of these demons from Williams himself, and his openness and honesty about his own shortcomings was one of the factors that led to his being universally loved and respected.

5. Speaking of Dan Kennedy, another important business and personal success concept he emphasizes is to fiercely defy all the norms, “rules” and expected behaviors of whatever industry you’re a part of. Some of my favorite Robin Williams characters were exactly these type of extreme, committed renegades, including these four, based on real-life people:

   * Adrian Cronauer, Good Morning, Vietnam

   * Dr. Hunter Doherty “Patch” Adams, Patch Adams

   * Professor John Keating, Dead Poets Society

   * President Theodore Roosevelt, A Night At The Museum

   *NOTE: Roosevelt’s speech in Paris on April 23, 1910, contained the famous ode to action-taking entrepreneurs:

   “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

   …and these two do-whatever-it-takes, never-say-die fictional characters who were fully-committed to achieving a goal and overcame all the naysayers and odds to pull off their improbable successes:

   * Daniel Hillard, Mrs. Doubtfire

   * Dr. Sean Maguire, Good Will Hunting (*NOTE: In this film, the film’s main character, played by Matt Damon, is even more of a full-on, no-holds-barred renegade)

6. Finally, I truly admire Robin Williams for his commitment to various charities, choosing to share his gifts and talents with others instead of just keep them to himself. I aspire to having a similar effect on business owners, entrepreneurs and sales professionals by helping them implement effective sales and marketing strategies, instead of only using my knowledge and skill to grow my own businesses.

So how about you? Did you admire and respect Robin Williams? Was your life touched by him and his monumental talent?

If so, I’d love to read about it in a comment below.

Have you been inspired in any way by Robin Williams in your efforts to grow your business?