CHAPTER 20 / BUILT ON PURPOSE
The Architect of Attention
Being heard starts with listening.
A reflection on Nathan Allen Pirtle’s Built on Purpose.
Campaigns, recognizable clients, and growing audiences form the backdrop of Chapter 20. The deeper subject is communication. Nathan describes learning to explain an idea to himself, turn it into a plan, and help other people understand why it matters.
A vision that stays inside your head is difficult for anyone else to join. Give it a name, a structure, a deadline, and a first action. Clarity is not the same as overselling. You do not have to manufacture certainty to explain what you are trying to build.
The chapter also looks at the shift from broadcasting to conversation. Nathan recalls helping Steve Harvey engage more directly with his audience: acknowledging people, responding, and treating comments as human beings rather than numbers. Reach can start a relationship; listening gives it somewhere to go.
This applies beyond a screen. A team, a customer, or a potential partner needs room to be understood. Before polishing the next pitch, ask whether you have heard the person on the other side. The most useful message may begin with a better question.
Am I trying to impress this person, or help them understand?
TRY THIS TODAYExplain your idea in three plain sentences: who it serves, what it changes, and the next step. Then ask someone what they heard.
Chapter-inspired artwork.