Noticing Neighbors Chuck Doyle

First thing each morning, Chuck Doyle starts the day by bringing an inspirational message to the world. Meet the man behind Coffee Cup Chuck. If you follow along his social media, a fresh photo of Chuck holding a mug and delivering a message will be ready to greet you each morning. The consistency in this practice has now led to a following that has expanded onto other platforms, with followers on TikTok as well as his podcast The First Cup KC. As he puts it: “Check out my blog for daily inspiration. Listen to my podcasts for incredible stories.” I got the chance to sit down with Chuck and hear the story behind the daily inspirations.

Hayley: You have an uplifting blogging style that I'm really excited to tell our readers about. So just for readers that might not know you, could you introduce yourself and talk about your bloggng? Chuck:

Thank you. Well, my name is Chuck Doyle. A-K-A Coffee Cup Chuck! Coffee Cup Chuck is kind of like an alter ego, I like to say, you know how you have that plain side but then you have the superhero. Hayley: How would you describe the superhero? Chuck: I like to think of Coffee Cup Chuck as that morning hero because he's that guy that gets me up and gets me going in the morning. He reminds me of some of the things that I might tend to forget, and when he delivers that morning message to me, he also delivers it to the people who read it. My wife makes all my coffee cup mugs and she'll make a lot of people think I have a ton of these cups around, but I really only have five of them. So she normally takes five cups and puts images on both sides of the cups, which gives me about two weeks of material to write.

Each day, Monday through Friday, I will post a morning blog about something that we normally tend to forget. We're so busy in the day, and the first thing you do when you get up is so important—that is sometimes the hardest time of the day to get motivated.

Hayley:

So this is the very first thing. You wake up, and it’s on your mind? Chuck: You know, that’s why I chose the morning cup of coffee. I chose the positive talks to be first thing in the morning, to emulate that first cup of coffee that gets you up in the morning. I like to create positive messages behind it, and basically the way I structure them is with some sort of relative story on the first part and then kind of like the center section—I like to let people know about the weather. It's kind of like an added extra. Then I like to actually talk on the actual story that I delivered in the first part of it to clarify the meaning, and share what that message actually means.

Hayley:

There is such a consistency to that. You're saying that you do this Monday through Friday—every single weekday. Would you mind sharing a little bit of your routine? What time does that superhero side of you get up and go to the computer?

Chuck:

When I get up in the morning, before I even get out of the bed, I have the first part written from my phone. I let that marinate in my head as I'm up and getting prepared for my day. Then, depending on how busy the day gets, will depend on when I can deliver that last part of the message.

Once the second part is delivered, I put it out online. It's normally out between 8:00 and 10:00 in the morning, but every single morning the script starts at about 5:30. It basically gets me up in the morning because I don't use an alarm to get up. So when I wake up, I actually wake up to those coffee cups.

Hayley:

Wow. The thing that's interesting about that is you read all these wellness tips about not using your phone, but actually the way you're using it to wake up is incredibly intentional. How did you come up with this?

Chuck:

Coffee Cup Chuck basically came about because, first of all, I can't sleep a lot. I have ADHD, so I only sleep a couple of hours a day. Waking up at 5:30 in the morning, laying there in bed and thinking about every single thing drives people crazy. If you don't find something to occupy your brain with, it can really screw things up, make it hard for you to find concentration points, and it can just really destroy a lot of things. So that's why it's important to keep your mind busy with things so it doesn't wander off in a bunch of areas.

So me and my son, we don't really have a great relationship, and it's because we can't communicate between each other. We haven't really spoken to each other in a long time, and I know he listens and I know he follows me. So it first started out with me posting a bunch of positive messages to keep me motivated, but at the same time, in the hopes that when he reads what I have to say when he jumps on my social media sites. Because son and dad, with no matter what the relationship is going through, you're always going to be drawn to each other. I know he's looking and he's watching, and reading these messages. Hayley: Thank you for sharing that.

Chuck:

That's basically what really got me going with it. But Hayley, when I first came up with the concept, it seemed corny. What, I'm like, this big black man with a coffee cup and these messages? It just didn't seem like it was, I don't know, it didn't seem like it was manly. But then I said, you know what? These messages will change people's lives, especially if I can keep them going on a consistent basis. And I just asked God to send me messages and I said: I'll give it a week to give it a shot and see what happens. So I asked my wife to make these cups for me and she pretty much felt the same way I did at first, like, that's lame. And I said, well, it might be lame, but somebody else might not think it's lame. So she made the cups. And I started my first week and the format that I had in the beginning was totally different. Over time it has evolved into what it is now. And it's like it worked. And it not only worked for me because it literally motivates me more than anyone would ever think with me being the actual author of all of these blogs.

It literally makes me have to dig for knowledge because in order to put these posts out, I have to know the meaning. But I don't know, I'm just like, inspired by my own self. Have you ever felt inspired by your own self, Hayley?

Hayley:

I have, but in your case, I do think that the vulnerability in sharing that with other people is another layer. Because we all think about things, right? But to open up and to share is another step. Was that a barrier at first, or did it come easily?

Chuck:

Well, it wasn't a barrier because it wasn't like I was in front of an audience. It's like, you already post things on Facebook every day. You post messages.

I don't take credit for the messages that I give, because I don't think the messages are coming from me. God knows I'm not that intelligent to be consistently writing this intelligent stuff. But it just flows out, Hayley. It literally flows. Like the message is coming from a higher source that has to be put out.

Hayley:

I know you've been doing this for a while now, and have so many entries at this point that people have seen. Is there a post that you remember as especially meaningful?

Chuck:

It's not really a special moment, but I'm going to tell you this. I'm going to tell you this, as a big black guy. Sometimes I read these messages. I'll write these messages, and after I finish them, I'll read them over again. Sometimes they're so inspiring to me that I get overwhelmed and just cry, literally. And you know how sensitive I get at some points because when I read you the intro to my autobiography book, it kind of was coming out of me.

Hayley:

Yes.

Chuck:

And then I just say, thank you, God. I don't know where this message came from, and I don't know why I feel this way, but thank you. Thank you for this message. Thank you for allowing me to be able to create this type of stuff, because I just know somebody out there needs to hear it. Honestly, every single message seems like I'm starting. It's like it's the first message I've ever posted. That's why I truly believe that the messages are meant not only for you guys to see and read, but they are reminders for me too.

And it does take a while. I like to print ten cups ahead of time to actually get ahead of the game. To give you an idea of what I mean, I'll show you. So does this look familiar?

Hayley:

It looks like what I see on my LinkedIn every morning when I get that encouraging message! That's what that looks like. But hey, that's a new one, isn't it?

Chuck:

This was yesterday. Yeah, this was yesterday.

Hayley:

So your wife is printing these out?

Chuck:

Yes, she makes them all.

Hayley:

Oh, that is so cool.

Chuck:

Here’s the Angry Bird mug!

Hayley:

Yes, it is angry! (laughs) Oh, my goodness. You've got all different kinds of inspiration to start with there. So do the images come first, and then you pick which mug you want to use that day?

Chuck:

Yeah, and that's why I say it's not something that happens overnight. It takes me a while to think, like, say we're talking right now. You might say something that might inspire me, and I'll write that down, and I'll have my wife make a cup to it. And that's how I do it. Something says, hey, grab onto that word. Grab onto that. And I'll grab onto it, and I'll sit on it. Then when I wake up that morning, I'll look through the images, and whatever strikes me, I choose it, and just start typing.

Hayley:

Wow. Okay. I'm curious if our processes are similar or not. Just to nerd out for a second, I get what you're saying about how you get to write something, and it doesn't feel like it's about you. I take these articles and try to write very consciously and with all sensitivity, so that they authentically feature someone else. Because it's not about me. I try to really feature them. That editing process can be a lot. Do you edit or do you find that at first flow, it just comes out?

Chuck:

So I don't edit nothing now. Like I said, I read over it, but I’m reading it because I know that’s now my new post. Every post that I post now, I also put on TikTok. So the first half of the post is the story, and the second half is the message from it. When I do my TikTok, I don't include the story. I just basically deliver the message just to keep it short. And I know the shorter the videos, the longer people stay. A lot of people have been telling me lately that the emotion that they hear in my voice, and the way I deliver the messages intrigues them. So even after they read the actual post itself, they wait around for that video to pop up because it helps them understand the message. It's like a home run. It brings in the full message.

Hayley:

That’s a neat process, in using both writing and video.

Chuck:

So for instance, when I woke up the other morning I tried to think of a word for the message that day. What is it? Trying not to fail… not being scared to fail… what is it? It’s consistency, and persistence. That was the cup. So I did a coffee cup around persistence the other day and when I woke up and I scrolled through my images and came upon the persistent image, I said, okay, I can write this one. So I laid my phone on my chest and just kind of thought: Who can I use as an example of persistence? Who can I use? I laid there for a minute and thought of all the stories that went through my head of people who are persistent in life and for some reason, Sylvester Stallone hit me. His story was of how he wanted to be this writer, this producer, this actor. He wanted to do it all. And everyone was like, no, it's just too much. You're trying to do too much.

That's just too big of a goal to try to reach. Hayley: Sure. Chuck: You should try to reach a different goal. Something smaller, something more obtainable. And he just wouldn't let no be the answer for him. He even went into debt to a point where he had to steal his own wife's jewelry just to make ends meet, and that caused problems between them. Next thing you know, he even ended up on the street for a couple of nights trying to find a place to sleep. He eventually would have to sell his dog because he couldn't feed his dog. So he ended up having to sell his dog for $25 which later on he came back and bought that same dog back for $500. But that story popped up in my head and I said, now that's persistence. I picked the phone back up off my chest and started typing. Once I get the first story done, I get up and get ready for the day and check the weather, and then I throw the weather on there. And of course, the message comes after that. That's like the home run.

Hayley:

I hear that there’s this process that has stayed the same because it works so well. But what has changed with the series over time? Chuck: I started incorporating catchphrases! If you read some of my earlier posts, you won't see me actually identify my listeners and readers as weekday warriors. That just came into a post one day, and I liked it, so I used it again and again. I found out that these are things that make people feel like they are expected. They're expected to be there, and I've given them a name. So I've named my audience the Weekday Warriors because they're constantly fighting the battle to climb the hill of the week. Then in the message, I incorporated a catch phrase also where I draw in the attention of the listeners by asking them: ‘Listen up.’ This is the point you've been waiting on. So listen up, people, because this is serious now! I brought that in and found out that a lot of people love when it gets to that point.

Hayley:

Gosh, I like what you said, that the readers feel like they're expected there. The readers are a part of it. You're all doing this together. You're going through the week together.

Chuck:

Well, Hayley, we are going through this week together. I mean, one thing I learned is we are here in service of each other. So for the person that has responsibilities and they are taking care of their responsibilities, they're giving a service. When you get up and you go to work, or you get up and you involve yourself in helping someone else out, that makes you a warrior. You are fighting the fight and you're helping people.

I'm not in no way posting the things that I post to say that I'm perfect, because I'm not. I'm posting those posts to remind me of what I need to be today, and each and every day. I want to remind myself by doing this. And like I said, if I can remind myself in doing it, why not add the extra service and give it out to the world? Because I want to be the medicine here instead of the disease. So just like you, you like to write, you like to deliver, and you don't like to deliver just anything.

You choose to deliver the good stuff, the stuff that will nurture, and that's what the planet needs. We need more people to do these type of things on a consistent basis, not just when you feel like it.

Hayley: Consistency allows things to grow. It’s cool to see! Chuck: For sure. Now, the cups came first. And the cups were so intriguing to a lot of other people that even a producer who produced his own podcast basically said: “Hey, I want to help you put it on a different platform.” That's when we started the podcast, The First Cup KC. And that's where that sprung off.

Hayley:

No way. What do you find inspiring about the podcast format?

It's different, right?

Chuck:

The idea of the podcast is to bring out the good stuff in the community, so we can see how other people are creating and spreading good out there.

And that's why I say I don't make these posts to make myself look like I'm the professor or I'm this perfect person. I want everyone to see the message centered on the cup, but The First Cup podcast is to show the good in you.

Hayley:

We're going to be linking to that so people can check it out. I love how it's a megaphone for people you see doing positive things. I have one final question, and it's broad so you can take it anywhere you want. Through your blogging, and through the podcast, how have you seen goodness in new ways? Or how have these projects changed your outlook?

Chuck:

How have I seen goodness? Honestly, it has changed me because of the actual responses I get. Do you know how it feels to wake up, or to go home, and when you break to check your phone the inboxes are full of thank-yous? People saying:

Dude, you don't even realize last week I was going through a rough week, man. And when I read your post last week, you don't even understand how much you've helped me, man. Thank you. Keep doing what you're doing.

When you start getting messages like that, and start seeing people on the street, it is impactful. One time was going into a restaurant for lunch, and a lady called out to me from her group. They stopped me and said, hey, you're the coffee cup guy!

And I was like, wow, somebody in public knows who I am. That is just… I don't know. And I'm known for doing something good, not bad, when most of my life I was known for doing things bad. But just to hear that someone out in public notices you, and she told me thank you and to keep going. But how would you feel, Hayley?

Hayley:

I'd be blown away, and it sounds like you are. It just reminds me of how much our actions impact other people, and it goes both ways.

Chuck:

We definitely affect each other. So the takeaway from this interview is basically, we all influence everything. That can be a negative influence or if it's a positive influence, that is up to you. If you decide to influence, you make sure you're influencing for the best you can possibly influence for, because I'm telling you, influences mean everything to people.

You can literally influence someone into being a famous person. Just to give you an example, for Thomas Edison, the influence was his mother. He was sent home from school when he was a baby, and his teacher wrote a letter and sealed it, before she gave it to the mother. When the mother came to pick Thomas Edison up, she took Thomas Edison home and she opened the letter, and she read the letter. But after she read that letter, Hayley, she told her son, “The teacher told me that you are too smart to be around the class, and she can't keep up with you and the students at the same time. So you have to teach him on your own, because he's just too much for me.” Because of that letter, Thomas Edison grew up thinking he was a genius. Until one day he went into that box that his mom left for him, and he opened the box up, and that letter was in that box. He read that letter, and you know what that letter said? That letter basically said, “We can't teach your son because he's a dumb kid. We just can't teach him anything.” That story blew me away when I read it. Because the influence that his mom left on him was enough to change his whole world. That's why I say influence means everything. And I'm still learning this, but people watch you. They watch you. And even when you think you're not influencing, you are influencing. We influence people every day, each and every one of us. No matter where you go, someone looks at you and they will automatically judge you. And it might be in a bad way, it might be a positive or negative way, but you are influencing people. All I can say today is this: If you are going to influence, the best kind of influence you can do is influence someone in a positive way, because that person will influence someone in a positive way, and that person will influence someone in a positive way, and so on.

So keep influencing people in a good way. Because if you want to make this world a better place, somebody's got to be the medicine.