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“The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don't have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it.” — Chris Pine
We don’t always control the layoffs, the rejections, or the turbulence around us. But we do control the story we tell ourselves about it. That story can either keep us stuck—or keep us moving.
This came into focus for me in two ways recently (articles linked below):
#1: I wrote about how brands lean on nostalgia, anchoring us to shared memories that remind us who we’ve been, so we feel connected to who we are now.
#2: I also pulled together real stories from job seekers who pushed through hundreds of applications before finally landing their breakthrough role.
Speaking of applications, I want to invite you to our first-ever Remarkable Monday event! It’s a roundtable to help so many members of our community who are on the hunt for their dream job in this tough market.
https://markallenpatterson.com/roundtable
Leadership Lab
Why the Business of Nostalgia Is Marketing’s Hottest Play Right Now
Data from GWI shows that Gen Z are the most nostalgic generation, with 15 percent preferring the past over the future, followed closely by 14 percent of millennials.
That nostalgia shows up in media habits too, with half of Gen Z and nearly half of millennials saying they feel nostalgic about the content they consume. Nostalgia, Wilson writes, has become one of the easiest ways for brands to cash in.
Interviews Worth Watching
Kevin Fredericks Shares Lessons from Failure in New Book
On Sept. 25, 2025, comedian Kevin Fredericks appeared on "CBS Mornings" to talk about his new book, Successful Failure: Lessons Learned Flat on My Face, which explores setbacks, resilience, and his journey in comedy.
Each weekday morning, "CBS Mornings" co-hosts Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson bring you the latest breaking news, smart conversation and in-depth feature reporting. "CBS Mornings" airs weekdays at 7 a.m. on CBS and stream it at 8 a.m. ET on the CBS News app.
Careers
I Applied to Over 400 Jobs Before I Finally Got Hired—Here’s What I Learned
Recently, in prep for the upcoming Remarkable Monday Roundtable, I’ve been collecting stories on Reddit from people in the thick of the job search.
These aren’t polished updates or feel-good career blog posts—they’re raw, unfiltered accounts of how tough (and not so tough for some) this job market is. The ghosting.
The hundreds of unanswered applications. The occasional breakthrough that changes everything with one phone call.
Coming Soon
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE | Official Trailer | Netflix
If you’re watching at work or with the kids, beware of the language before you click. You’ve been warned.
Academy Award–winning director Kathryn Bigelow presents A House of Dynamite, a thriller that begins when an unidentified missile targets the United States, sparking a high-stakes search for answers and response.
The film stars Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke. It opens in select U.K. theaters on October 3, expands globally on October 10, and streams on Netflix starting October 24.
Until next time,
If you’re reading this far… I hope this message finds you well. I’m sharing from my heart in hopes that you will be inspired to unearth and live out your God-given purpose. Hopefully, something I said resonated. I would love to hear from you if so. Please feel free to reach out to me on social media.
FYI: I’m mostly active on LinkedIn these days. If you were forwarded this message, you can subscribe here to receive thoughts like this directly in your inbox. And don’t forget to check out the latest episode of my podcast, ConvoRoom with Mark Allen Patterson.