Interviews

First of course, thank you for your willingness to consider contributing your personal story to this book project. The questionnaire below can be used in a variety of ways:

  • You can simply skim through the questions as a brief review prior to our direct conversation.
  • You can answer the questions, as prep for our interview, but keep the written answers to yourself.
  • You can answer the questions thoroughly and provide the document to me prior to our interview. (This option allows our conversation to “go deep” more quickly)

When you and I are able to speak directly (either face-to-face or via telephone, skype, etc.) we will of course begin with the specific challenges you have experienced, then transition to your response to the challenges and the results of your response.

But the most interesting aspects of these conversations are often revealed when we delve deeper into your thought process; how you perceive your world, how you think through decisions, how you interpretsetbacks, etc. So my ultimate goal is to present that deeper story, through recent/contemporary real world examples of success that most people can relate to (rather than rags-to-riches stories of huge billionaires, etc). Essentially, stories like yours will be leveraged to help others learn how to model the thinking and actions that will help them become “upstreamers” themselves.

Prep Questionnaire

  • Let’s start with a description of the challenges you have had to deal with, both economically and personally.
  • How have these challenges impacted you in personal terms? Physical? Emotional? Spiritual?
  • From your perspective, how would most people have reacted to these problems, and what would be the most common result or outcome?
  • In what way was your response different?
  • What mistakes did you make? What lessons did you learn from the mistakes?
  • Why do you think you responded differently that most others would if they were faced with similar circumstances?
  • Describe your approach to solving problems.
  • What was the ultimate outcome of your approach to these challenges?
  • What did you learn about yourself during this process?
  • What did you learn about others?
  • From your perspective, what are the key lessons that others could take away from your experience?

Contact Info

Dan Rust

763.443.9557 (based in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA)