E² = ENTERTAIN & EDUCATE
We read novels or watch movies because we like to be entertained. We like to go to places we've never been or to escape the places where we are. We want to laugh. We want to rage. We want to connect. While we're crying or cussing, we also like to learn, even if we don't realize we're doing it, and when we're entertained, we learn more. That's what makes a great story. It distracts with emotion while force-feeding new perspectives.
I² = INFORM & INVITE
How is informing different from educating? Great question. Think of educating as the great books of knowledge that line the library shelves. Think of informing as the periodicals up front. Information is newsworthy, while education is timeless. Both are important. And then there's the ultimate goal. The invitation. After we entertain, educate, and inform our readers, it's time to ask them to take action. Are you ready to create change? Will you please act on this important cause? Please stop by for a big, French-inspired dinner party. If we do the other things right, the invitation should be easy.
T² = TIME & TREASURE
When we invest in something, whether it's a home or a volunteer project, we do so with two things -- our time and our money. Time and treasure are the greatest assets we have to make change, and it's important to spend them wisely.
V = VALUE
When you divide the benefits (entertainment, education, information, and invitation) by the investments you make to gain them (time and treasure), the result is value. Value isn't free. It comes with a cost. If the time and treasure we spend are less than the summation of entertainment, education, information, and invitation, then we've found value.
