Tracking Wonder Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jeffrey Davis
The Tracking Wonder podcast, hosted by Jeffrey Davis, is all about helping agile creatives and curious entrepreneurs advance their most important ideas even amidst inevitable challenges. Each week brings you in-depth conversations with leaders, stories from change-makers, and provocative ideas from artists and scientists - all designed to inspire you to shape your best work with more possibility, impact, and - yes - wonder.
We’ve spent this season on the podcast exploring the beauty of an excellent life. And our listener-heroes have some difficult questions about the process of daring to excel. You asked:
What role does FEAR play in advancing our best work?
Is the rise of entrepreneurship bringing with it a destructive rise of SELF-CENTEREDNESS?
How do you protect the INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY of your brand’s frameworks?
Today, Jeffrey tackles the themes of fear, self-interest and intellectual property in the life of an entrepreneur. He explains how positive stressors can serve to deepen our insight and shares his process of inquiry when catastrophic thinking takes over. Jeffrey also reflects on the difference between self-interest and self-centeredness, discussing Adam Grant’s research around balancing self- and other-interest to have the most significant impact. Finally, he offers several current examples of egregious self-interest AND robust other-interest, addressing what we can do as entrepreneurs to keep our egos in check. Listen in for insight around how Jeffrey protects his brand language and frameworks—and learn how to approach someone who seems to be appropriating your intellectual property.
Key Takeaways [0:10] The three listener questions we’re exploring in this episode
- What is the role of fear in advancing our best work?
- Is the rise of entrepreneurship bringing a destructive rise in self-centeredness?
- How do you protect the intellectual property of your brand’s frameworks?
[2:58] The role of fear in advancing our best work
- Can catalyze OR paralyze depending on situation
- Meaningful challenges necessary to excellent life
- Distress narrows attention, performance declines
- Positive emotions broaden input for insight
[11:20] Questions to consider when catastrophic thinking takes over
- What am I feeling?
- What am I afraid of?
- How real is that fear?
- What does this endeavor mean to me?
- How could this endeavor impact others?
[14:47] The potential correlation between entrepreneurship and self-interest
- Self-interest different from selfishness (not always bad)
- Every human motivated in part by own wellbeing
[18:25] Adam Grant’s research around impact and self-interest
- People with little self-interest NOT as effective
- People with little other-interest NOT as effective
- Most impactful balance self- with other-interest
[20:03] Jeffrey’s examples of egregious self-interest
- Uber’s sexual harassment scandal + driver protests
- FYRE festival organizers defrauded investors $27M
- Rise of expectation for job to fulfill emotional needs
[26:08] Jeffrey’s examples of robust other-interest
- Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship
- Fast Company Impact Council
- David Byrne’s Reasons to Be Cheerful
- John Mertz’s Activate World Podcast
[28:36] What we can do as entrepreneurs to hold our egos in check
- Grow with integrity (mission matches policies, practices)
- Seek collaboration vs. cutthroat competition
- Cultivate healthy doses of WONDER
[30:26] How Jeffrey protects phrases like patch of the planet + brand artist
- Constant contact with IP lawyer, trademark many brand nuggets
- Team signs non-disclosure agreement and non-compete clauses
[35:58] How to protect our intellectual property as entrepreneurs
- Use repeatedly in public to establish legal grounding
- Include copyright notices on printed material
[38:12] What to consider before confronting someone for use of your IP
- Be sure language is truly distinct
- Asses how it’s being used (e.g.: casual social post vs. monetized)
[40:18] How to approach someone who’s appropriating your frameworks
- Contact by phone to clarity perception, discuss flow of influence
- Come prepared with solution and engage in open conversation
[43:22] Jeffrey’s top takeaways from this season of Tracking Wonder
- Essential to keep getting better at craft and processes
- Keep learning to heed own voice of self-reliance
- Keep unlearning and practice art of not knowing
- Turn setbacks into opportunities for new life design
[43:58] The advantage of slowing down in a rapidly changing world
- Open up to new possibilities, pathways to life of mastery
- Interrupt with wonder and see again what is real + true
Connect with Jeffrey Tracking Wonder
Tracking Wonder on Facebook
Jeffrey on Twitter
Jeffrey on Instagram
Jeffrey on LinkedIn
Resources Quest 2020
Nancy Burger
Jeffrey’s Column at Psychology Today
Susan Cain’s TED Talk
Job Stressors & Innovation Study
Barbara Fredrickson’s Research on Positive Emotions
The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why Being Your Whole Self—Not Just Your ‘Good’ Self—Drives Success and Fulfillment by Todd Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener
Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant
CNBC Story on Uber Under Travis Kalanick
Business Insider Story on Uber Driver Protests
Fyre Festival Settlement Story
Derek Thompson’s Workism Article in The Atlantic
Pew Research Center Teen Survey on Fulfilling Work
Research by Dr. Jean Twenge
Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—and More Miserable Than Ever Before by Jean M. Twenge, PhD
The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement by Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell
Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship
Fast Company Impact Council
Reasons to Be Cheerful Magazine
Activate World Podcast
12 Principles to Do Business as Unusual
Kyle Durand
Pamela Slim
Brené Brown
Brain Pickings
The Curator’s Code of Ethics
Collective Virtuosity
What happens when the personal and professional life we have planned comes unraveled with a series of setbacks?
Is there a way to reframe the most stressful period of our lives as an opportunity?
Marc and Angel Chernoff contend that the way we spend our days is the way we spend our lives, and when they came up against back-to-back tragedy, the couple ruthlessly examined their everyday habits.
And one by one, they started to incorporate new daily rituals. Little things that got them closer to where they wanted to be. So, how can we work through our own tornado moments and use the experience to grow? How can we learn to excel—even as our world is falling apart?
Today, Jeffrey examines the art of life design with Marc and Angel, the creators of the Marc & Angel Hack Life Blog and bestselling authors of Getting Back to Happy and 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently. Marc and Angel share the series of personal tragedies that led to their work in the personal development space and the challenge they faced in shifting their own daily habits. The couple discusses what they had to unlearn to build a collective personal brand and speaks to their ability to translate complex theory into actionable insight. Listen in as Marc and Angel challenge us to ask what’s worth suffering for and learn why rituals are essential in shaping our days along the journey to an excellent life.
Key Takeaways [0:02] How to turn tornado moments into opportunities
- Ruthlessly examine every part of daily habits
- Muster courage to shape life of excellence
[5:51] How Marc & Angel’s young genius informs their current work
- Marc given freedom to explore spirituality at young age
- Angel always driven + competitive, desire to be #1
[10:22] What Marc & Angel’s life was like before their tornado moment
- Pursuing careers in computer engineering + business
- Unrestricted, relatively carefree young adult life
[12:31] The series of tragedies that led Marc & Angel to personal development
- Mutual best friend passed away and Angel’s brother committed suicide
- Angel lost job (primary source of income for couple)
- Turn to distraction to numb pain, avoid real conversation
[17:32] The challenge Marc & Angel faced in shifting their daily habits
- Difficult to acknowledge that daily habits not serving them
- Do one thing to break cycle (started with 45-minute walk)
- Add daily rituals like reading + blogging for accountability
[22:50] When Marc & Angel realized their blog could be a business
- Audience resonated with story, asked for one-on-one help
- Several articles went viral and fueled traffic to site
[27:14] What Marc & Angel had to unlearn to build a collective personal brand
- Define specific roles, afford each other autonomy and respect
- Embrace mantra ‘this is not my job’
[31:48] How Marc & Angel developed the discipline to turn theory into actionable insights
- Identify principles to take us from where we are to where we want to be
- Make ideas simple to digest, help remind us of our better judgement
[35:56] The three critical actions Marc & Angel took to excel in the wake of upheaval
- Get outdoors every day
- Habitual, honest self-reflection
- Recognize business opportunity
[39:13] Why rituals are essential in shaping our days to help us be our best
- Daily practices help us reach goals, get us closer to/farther from target
- Changing one ritual slowly changes entire trajectory
[45:42] Marc & Angel’s take on the adage to ‘follow your passion’
- Start by asking what current job allows you to do
- Appreciating where we are puts us in position to make better decisions
[52:31] Marc & Angel’s insight around what’s worth suffering for
- Progress leads to happiness
- Not growing until hit discomfort zone, push self to achieve
[57:06] How to see the beauty in intense moments with other people
- Ask if person has ever walked same path
- Take deep breath and remember they have own pain
[1:04:32] The advice Marc & Angel have revised over time
- Used to be hyper-focused on being positive
- Shifted to relentless acceptance + presence
[1:11:48] The art of turning hardships into opportunities
- Use setback to take step back, decide what matters
- Pursue excellent life as expert of own experience with desire to serve
Connect with Marc & Angel Marc & Angel Hack Life
1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently by Marc & Angel Chernoff
Getting Back to Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality, and Turn Your Trials into Triumphs by Marc & Angel Chernoff
Think Better, Live Better Conference
Resources A Wondrous Mind on 1440 Multiversity
Omega Institute
Dr. Wayne Dyer
Eckhart Tolle
Byron Katie
The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth by M. Scott Peck
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
William James
The Principles of Psychology by William James
As humans, we yearn for artistic experiences that disrupt the day-to-day and wow us with a greater reality beyond our to-do list. That’s what draws us to the wonder of film and literature and art exhibits.
In the absence of such experiences, we fall down the rabbit hole of digital distractions, scrolling Instagram for the unpredictability, the excitement of discovery we’re not getting from our physical environment.
But what if we didn’t have to go to a gallery or a theater to encounter these transformative moments? What if artful experiences were available in ordinary places? What if you yourself could design for disruption and delight on a small scale in your own business and brand?
Today, Jeffrey explores the impact of artful, transformative experiences with Vince Kadlubek, cofounder and executive advisor of Meow Wolf, an award-winning immersive arts production company out of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Vince explains how he went from struggling artist to head of a company valued at nine figures, describing how he thinks about the tension between art and commerce. He speaks to what he calls the crisis of imagination, discussing why people are hungry for imaginative analog experiences and what businesses can do artfully in response to the crisis. Listen in for insight into how the emerging experience economy is changing the way businesses engage with customers and learn the design parameters Vince uses to create the kind of reality-bending, transformational moments that make for an excellent life.
Key Takeaways [0:02] The human desire to be moved by artistic experiences
- Want to be surprised, disrupt day-to-day doldrums
- In lieu of such experiences we seek digital distraction
- Potential to design artful moments in business/brand
[5:17] How Vince’s creative genius expressed itself early on
- Desire to serve + engage creatively (host sister’s sleepovers)
- See world with critical eye, ironic commentary on capitalism
[8:34] What moved Vince to disrupt the mainstream Santa Fe art scene
- Disconnect between gallery owners and creative energy of city
- Experience at Warehouse 21 inspired to uplift true creative spirit
- Opportunity to save economy by appealing to Gen X tourist
[16:23] The early days of the Meow Wolf arts collective
- Dumpster dive for materials at Salvation Army and Goodwill
- Build large sculptures from trash out of necessity
[20:20] The turning point when Vince was arrested for shoplifting
- Doing media literacy art program in Santa Fe elementary schools
- Caught stealing video games at Walmart to fund project
- Arresting officer supported in court, got into 12-step program
[26:36] The mammouth growth of Meow Wolf in the last four years
- Took business course in creative startups, shift to for-profit
- Wrote business plan and pitched to George R. R. Martin
- Opened House of Eternal Return ($9M revenue first year)
- Currently expanding art attractions to other cities
[34:35] The opportunity around our shift to an experience economy
- Disrupt default drive for mere efficiency or profit
- Use creative spirit to design memorable events for customers
- Engage on physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual level
[37:10] How Vince reconciles the tension between art and commerce
- Used to strive for predictability, efficiency in value exchange
- Addicted to unpredictability again with advent of internet
- Gives creativity opening (billions willing to pay for experience)
[43:04] Why people are hungry for memorable analog experiences
- Built reality needs art + imagination to compete with phones
- Creative economy will transform how we think about value
[46:44] Vince’s description of the House of Eternal Return
- Through dark hallway to front yard of Victorian house at night
- Visitors have agency to go anywhere they want from there
- Access to portals to other worlds (e.g.: refrigerator = hallway)
[52:03] The design parameters for creating transformative experiences
- User must own experience
- Operate on gradient (blended vs. singular aesthetic)
- Create transformation with dimensionality, subspaces
- Get people out of comfort zone with movement
- Take from known to accessible unknown
[59:17] How Vince is contending with the art of saying NO
- Any idea = good idea in isolation
- Look at opportunities in context of defined framework
[1:03:00] The questions that arise out of today’s conversation with Vince
- How are you assuming creative agency of your life/business?
- How does your brand foster creative agency in its customers?
- How could your brand help people stay open to uncertainty?
- How could your brand design transformational moments?
Connect with Vince Vince on LinkedIn
Meow Wolf
Meow Wolf on Facebook
Meow Wolf on Instagram
Meow Wolf on YouTube
Meow Wolf Documentary Origin Story
Resources A Wondrous Mind on 1440 Multiversity
House of Eternal Return
Warehouse 21
Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe
Matt King
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
Yayoi Kusama
James Turrell
teamLab
My Project Brief
‘Welcome to the Experience Economy’ in Harvard Business Review
AREA 15
Video of the House of Eternal Return
Chip Heath & Chris Fink on Tracking Wonder S2EP02
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have an Extraordinary Impact by Chip and Dan Heath
Exploratorium
Meow Wolf in Denver
Meow Wolf in DC
Marc and Angel Chernoff
Corporate culture perpetuates the idea that we need to fake it ‘til we make it, pretending to have all the answers and projecting confidence in our abilities—whether we feel it or not.
But what if there are advantages to not knowing?
What if living rich, creative entrepreneurial lives requires that we let go of what we think we know, step into new territory and expand our mental map of the world?
Today, Jeffrey considers the benefit of naïveté in creativity and entrepreneurship with Sequoia Blodgett, former music video director and founder of Commas, a tech platform designed to help founders build sustainable businesses. Sequoia shares her journey from directing music videos to the tech world, explaining what she did to secure VC funding for her first company and how the failure of that venture led to the creation of Commas. She addresses the vast disparity of women of color in tech, discussing the unconscious bias prevalent on both sides of private equity and her mission to even the playing field for multicultural entrepreneurs. Listen in to understand how travel enhances creativity and learn how to navigate your own knowledge gaps in the pursuit of an excellent life.
Key Takeaways [0:02] How naïveté can work to our advantage
- ‘Fake it ‘til you make it’ = destructive business advice
- Wide-eyed not-knowing benefits pursuit of creative life
- Let go of what think know as step into new territory
[4:44] How Sequoia’s creative genius expressed itself early on
- Organize ideas + people in form of magazine, film
- Exposed to father’s creative work at Pixar
- Studied TV, dance and film at Loyola University
[11:47] Sequoia’s frustration with the business of making music videos
- Can’t just create what you want (write hundreds of treatments)
- Must prove yourself over and over again
- Politics means work may never be released
[17:43] What inspired Sequoia to step into the tech world
- Learned about VC working at tech camp for girls
- Crowdfunding to attend Draper University
- Tim Draper invested in first tech company 7AM
[29:59] How the failure of 7AM informed the creation of Commas
- Didn’t understand business, burned through capital
- Platform to help entrepreneurs build profitable business
[34:46] The navigation of knowledge gaps in pursuit of excellence
- Access to much info, yet rapid change renders us ignorant
- Learn to recover from failure savvier but not jaded
[39:10] Sequoia’s mindset shift around what it means to fail
- Mentor explained that failure necessary for learning
- Freed from weight of having to be right
[40:04] The vast disparity of women of color in tech
- Issue on both sides (i.e.: unconscious bias, pattern matching)
- Mission to even playing field for multicultural founders
[46:01] Sequoia’s insight around trying to do it all yourself
- Scale with systems when small, leverage automation
- Tech to build cashflow business and then hire team
[48:06] What Sequoia is doing to foster a strong inner life
- Hire coaches to make sure Commas is successful
- Support with business and self-development
[51:20] Sequoia’s take on the necessity of wonder
- Travel to experience other perspectives
- Creativity improves when embrace other cultures
[57:27] What Sequoia is learning to say NO to
- Reject opportunities not necessary for growth
- Left Black Enterprise to say YES to other opportunities
[1:02:22] How to expand your mental map of the world
- Know what you don’t know + create support pack
- Create nurture pack to foster inner awareness
- Learn from people your brand elevates
- Get outside yourself to shake up perspective
Connect with Sequoia Commas
Commas Podcast
Sequoia’s Website
Resources A Wondrous Mind on 1440 Multiversity
Ray Dalio
Sequoia’s Dad’s Blog
Dave Meyers
Sequoia’s Music Video
Draper University
Alexa Café
Adobe Creative Suite
Scratch
Awesomeness TV
Tim Draper
Y Combinator
Adobe InDesign
Black Tech Mecca
Sequoia’s Article on BTM
Black Enterprise Magazine
This Movie Changed Me: Black Panther
Danielle Leslie
John Jantsch
Duct Tape Marketing
Columbia Study on Intercultural Relationships & Creativity
Airbnb Experiences
Whitney Wolfe Herd
Bumble
Srinivas Rao & Marty Neumeier on Tracking Wonder S2EP06
Meow Wolf
Vince Kadlubek
We are barraged by digital distractions to the point where it can warp our perspective.
It’s profoundly challenging to hear ourselves think, let along carve out an identity of our own. So, how can we step out of this Matrix-like web of endless bombardment and live our own version of an excellent life?
How can we learn to listen to and rely upon our own point of view? What does that take? Are there skills of self-reliance we can practice?
Today, Jeffrey explores the art of mastering the entrepreneurial self with John Jantsch, the founder of Duct Tape Marketing and author of the forthcoming book, The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur: 366 Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business. John explains how his curiosity informed his early days in business, discussing what living a life of excellence meant to him then and what it means now. He describes how the ideas of great mid-nineteenth century American thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller apply to contemporary entrepreneurs, challenging us to foster the self-trust necessary to uncover our personal passion and purpose. Listen in for John’s insight around the characteristics of a self-reliant entrepreneur and learn to listen to your own authority, nurture a sense of empathy and openness to growth, and evolve to become even more of yourself.
Key Takeaways [0:02] Our addiction to information and digital distractions
- Challenge to hear self think, carve out own identity
- Learn to listen to + rely on distinct point of view
[5:35] The portrait of a young John
- 7 of 10 children, freedom of time spent in woods
- Characterized by curiosity (attention-getting device)
[8:57] How John’s curiosity informed his early days in business
- Confident in staying one step ahead of client
- Served in emerging digital marketing space
[11:17] How John built and scaled his marketing firm
- Sell system to small businesses (traditional agency model)
- Back to working alone after 9/11, create online course
- Speaking, writing and building network of consultants
[15:45] What a life of excellence meant to John early on
- Help clients develop strategy first, then tactics
- Explore link between curiosity and creativity
[18:19] What inspired The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur
- Affection for mid-nineteenth century American thought
- Apply ideas to life of contemporary entrepreneur
- Need for self-trust and empathy to see connections
[28:49] How John’s writing voice has evolved over time
- Write as member of audience (no first person)
- Hone art form of writing short passages
[36:08] The relationship between self-trust and purpose
- Stop letting others control, trying to control outcomes
- Self-trust necessary for purpose to find YOU
[38:19] The tension between the values and practice of self-reliance
- Technology + capitalism denies us pride of workmanship
- Disrupt digital matrix programming view of what’s true
- Foster wonder and appreciation of beauty as antidote
[41:45] John’s practices for listening to our own authority
- Quiet the noise and seek solitude
- Seek opportunities to experience new things
- Get outside in nature, foster spiritual connection
[45:36] How self-reliant entrepreneurs will change the world
- Goal to work much deeper on fewer things
- Nurture sense of empathy and openness to growth
- Give self break from judgement, need to compete
[55:00] The evolution of a self-reliant entrepreneur
- Shift focus from passion to success to impact
- Continue to embrace change and growth
- Prioritize mentorship, most important work
[1:03:14] The value of change by evolution vs. revolution
- Make profound change without crisis or drama
- Progression toward depth and richness
- Become more of self, able to engage and serve
- Slow down long enough to hear own voice
Connect with John Self-Reliant Entrepreneur
Duct Tape Marketing
Email john@ducttapemarketing.com
Resources A Wondrous Mind on 1440 Multiversity
The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur: Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business by John Jantsch
Duct Tape Marketing: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide by John Jantsch
“I Used to Be a Human Being” by Andrew Sullivan
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
“Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
My Ántonia by Willa Cather
Margaret Fuller
Jay Baer
Todd Henry
The Daily Drucker: 366 Days of Insight and Motivation for Getting the Right Things Done by Peter F. Drucker
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
Sequoia Blodgett
Do you have an abundance of ideas for potential projects? But never enough time to reach the finish line?
What holds you back? Is it really that there aren’t enough hours in the day? And what’s the cost of not finishing the projects that matter?
What if you could take steps today to act on your most essential ideas—and get closer to your vision for an excellent life?
Today, Jeffrey explores the idea of finishing our most important work with Charlie Gilkey, the Business Growth Strategist behind Productive Flourishing and author of Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done. Charlie shares his strategies for deciding what projects really matter, explaining how finishing important work bridges the gap between where we are and where we want to be. He also weighs in on the pursuit of self-mastery to embolden our courage, discussing actionable practices for expanding our comfort zone and making meaningful progress in the age of distraction. Listen in to understand how Charlie navigates unbidden surprises without abandoning his most important work and learn how to excel at finishing what matters.
Key Takeaways [4:16] How Charlie’s young genius informs his work as a writer
- Use what’s available to get things done
- Joy in building and creating in community
[11:00] What pushed Charlie’s personal limits in writing Start Finishing
- Comparison to others (something valuable to say)
- Expand productivity to tie purpose with action
[17:16] Charlie’s take on living a life of excellence
- Start with self-mastery, channel resources in best way
- Inspire others to become best version of themselves
[22:45] Charlie’s advice for deciding what projects to pursue
- Heart-space to push forward (painful if left undone)
- Someone you know will benefit from undertaking
[3:08] Why courage is crucial in achieving our vision of an excellent life
- Allows us to claim space and bet on ourselves
- Expand comfort zone by working through fear
[45:03] Charlie’s top practices for self-mastery
- Reframe I am … to I feel …
- Move body to achieve calm
- Learn to ‘go back in’
[53:45] Charlie’s insight on technology and distractions
- Anchor device to specific task
- Limit entry points (no door, no distraction)
[59:38] How Charlie navigates unbidden surprises
- Treat situation as emergent project
- Reallocate in alignment with values
[1:12:28] How Charlie is celebrating the launch of his book
- Share success with friends and enjoy seat at table
- Finishing important work detangles ‘faulty wiring’
Connect with Charlie Productive Flourishing
Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done by Charlie Gilkey
Resources A Wondrous Mind
Dao De Jing by Laozi
“Self-Mastery” by Henrietta Cordelia Ray
Nilofer Merchant
Michele Woodward
Seth Godin
Sounds True
Elizabeth Gilbert
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Duct Tape Marketing
The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur: Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business by John Jantsch
Have you spent years building your one business or brand, honing your craft, refining your core skill set to build out a set of services around your distinct expertise?
Or do you experiment with multiple fields, crossing boundaries to pursue excellence with your diverse background? Fearlessly shifting shapes and testing your versatility in new spaces?
Is your motivation to excel at your work born from a need to be the best? Or are you driven by something deeper?
Today, Jeffrey introduces us to the focus of Season 3, an exploration of the beauty of pursuing a life of excellence. He shares two different approaches to excellence, comparing the song of a wood thrush with that of a lyrebird and offering examples of legendary creatives who fit into each category. Jeffrey also reflects on what motivates us to excel, challenging the idea that we’re driven solely by the desire to compete and survive. Listen in for insight around how we’re motivated by our admiration for others and learn how the beauty and sorrow of the human condition inspires us to “sing” —and create exceptional experiences for each other.
Are you a wood thrush or a lyrebird?
Key Takeaways [1:38] Season 3’s focus on the beauty of an excellent life
- Transcend cultural ideals of success
- Excel at what we do AND how we do it
[3:43] The wood thrush’s approach to the pursuit of excellence
- Learns core phrase, builds out three-part song
- Create variations to develop 50 distinct pieces
[5:18] What drives the lyrebird’s pursuit of excellence
- Biological need to outdo rivals and protect legacy
- Beauty of yearning + sorrow of human condition (Legend of Three Sisters)
[9:22] Examples of celebrated wood thrushes and lyrebirds
- Lyrebirds Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Pharrell Williams
- Wood thrushes Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday
[11:24] What motivates us to excel
- Desire to compete and survive
- Ability to admire other people
- Capacity to appreciate beauty
[15:40] What to expect in upcoming episodes
- Dialogue with Charlie Gilkey on Start Finishing
- Excel at finishing best work despite challenges
Connect with Jeffrey Tracking Wonder
Tracking Wonder on Facebook
Jeffrey on Twitter
Jeffrey on Instagram
Jeffrey on LinkedIn
Resources Little Drummer Boy with David Bowie & Bing Crosby, produced by David Bowie
Lady Gaga’s Tribute to David Bowie
Simone Biles at 2016 Olympics
Haidt & Keltner Motivation Study
Productive Flourishing
Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done by Charlie Gilkey
Some social critics argue that the Internet Age has ushered in a culture of mediocrity and amateurism. But maybe there’s another story. Maybe these bewildering times prompt in us a new kind of drive.
Almost all of us want to get better at something, whether it is being a better business owner or painter, prototyper or parent. Inherent in this desire to improve is the drive to excel: A daring to flourish in our work, our creativity, and our humanity. Is it possible that if we dared to excel together – guided by qualities such as wonder, beauty, and compassion – we could enhance our lives and elevate the world around us?
Is it possible that qualities such as ambition, openness, curiosity, and an appreciation of beauty can fuel our pursuit of excellence?
To dare to excel is to venture into the unknown, to test our limits, to go beyond the bounds of our comfort zone. But this is a risk worth taking for our own benefit and for the sake of making the world a more beautiful place.
Join us each Tuesday to discover how beauty, wonder, and mastery can shape a fulfilling and fruitful life.
This season on the podcast, we explored the idea of designing our lives and work for more curiosity, more purpose, more openness… More WONDER. We went behind-the-scenes of wonder-making in films, video games and art exhibitions and studied experience architecture in our families and our brand communities.
But have you ever wondered how Jeffrey and his team design the podcast itself or the business of Tracking Wonder as a whole?
Today, Tracking Wonder team members Jeffrey Davis, Erin Haworth, Britt Bravo and Laine Nickl pull back the curtain on their own work. Jeffrey reveals how he conceived of the idea for the business, discussing the watershed moments that led to his commitment to be a wonder tracker in his own life. They go on to share their top takeaways from this season of the podcast and the nuts and bolts of putting together an episode. Jeffrey walks us through his role in developing the premise, Erin offers insight around the necessary systems and Laine describes the evolution of the imagery that complements the podcast episodes.
Jeffrey also explains the need for wonder in the current moment of divisiveness, advocating for businesses to raise their expectations and bring diverse people together in a culture of openness. Finally, they address the idea of working well and breaking better, developing a strong work ethos in conjunction with a strong wonder ethos. Listen in as Britt shares the power of Tracking Wonder’s Brand Artistry Labs program and learn about the organization’s other offerings, including Quest 2019, the Tracking Wonder journal and the upcoming 1440 Multiversity Wonder Interventions Course.
Key Takeaways [2:17] The origins of Tracking Wonder
- Book research led to focus on wonder and surprise
- Baudelaire & Maslow’s concepts of genius, peak experience
- Launch consultancy around productivity + meaning
[6:20] Jeffrey’s watershed moments
- Lightning storm caused fire that destroyed home
- Commitment to practices of tracking wonder
[11:07] Jeffrey’s small moments of derailment
- Ongoing questions (wonder involves unknowing)
- Uncertainty of how ideas would resonate w/ public
[13:22] How Jeffrey’s daughters inform his business
- Teach nuances of wonder, human consciousness
- Deepen appreciation for complexity of wonder
- Natural makers of worlds, engaged w/ surroundings
[16:27] The team’s key takeaways from this season
- Scope of behind-the-scenes struggle
- Motivated to withstand by love for work
[20:23] Jeffrey’s role in creating a podcast episode
- Development of theme and gather guests
- Entry point for reflections (hours to record)
[23:28] Erin’s insight on the podcast systems, team
- Remote team in five different time zones
- Requires transparency, flexibility and communication
[26:10] The design experience of Tracking Wonder
- Artist in residence concept for Season 2
- Abstract images pique interest on social
[27:46] The need for wonder in this moment in time
- Digital era creates problem of isolation
- Add rise of authoritarianism, divisiveness
- Wonder dissolves biases, creates openness
[33:25] How Brand Artistry Labs brings people together
- See impact of transformative work firsthand
- Propels forward to advance skills, plan
[37:46] The Tracking Wonder Quest Experience
- Envision next best year w/ wonder and meaning
- Exceeded expectations, created global community
[43:03] The benefits of Tracking Wonder’s ArtMark
- Develop foundation of brand story
- Small groups to bounce ideas off of
[46:08] The new Wonder Interventions tool
- Seven practices to integrate wonder into days
- TW Journal + 1440 Multiversity Course
Connect with Jeffrey & the Tracking Wonder Team Tracking Wonder
Email info@trackingwonder.com
Tracking Wonder on Twitter
Tracking Wonder on Facebook
Tracking Wonder on Instagram
Jeffrey on Instagram
Brand Artistry Labs
Quest 2019
ArtMark
1440 Multiversity Tracking Wonder Course
Resources The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices as a Muse for Authentic Writing by Jeff Davis
‘The Painter of Modern Life’ by Charles Baudelaire
Dr. Martin Seligman & Positive Psychology
The Little Prince Film
Walden, A Game
Zen Habits: Handbook for Life by Leo Babauta
Zen Habits
We long to belong.
The desire to be a part of a community is a fundamental human yearning, yet broad swaths of Americans have never felt more isolated. In fact, four out of ten report regularly feeling lonely, and very few have more than two people they consider confidants. Why is this happening? What can we do about it? Is there an opportunity for businesses and organizations to fill the void? And if so, how do we design for belonging in brand communities?
Today, Jeffrey takes a deep dive into the concept of belonging with executive consultant Charles Vogl, author of The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging. Charles describes his personal feelings around being an outsider and discusses the top three trends contributing to the loneliness epidemic in the US. He shares his experience at Yale Divinity School, explaining the pervasive ‘crisis of belonging’ on campus and how that phenomenon informs his current work.
Charles also offers his definition of community as shared mutual concern and discusses how brands might foster genuine connection among a customer base. Jeffrey asks why leaders and event planners miss the mark, and Charles uncovers the necessity of facilitating shared experiences and investing in the growth of diverse groups. Listen in for insight on the value of story in revealing what a business values and learn how you can build a brand for belonging.
Key Takeaways [4:34] Young Charles at his most free
- ‘Paradise and play’ on Hawaii beach
- More outgoing, social than siblings
[6:11] Charles’ feeling of being an outsider
- Multiethnic (Chinese American + Austrian surname)
- Lack of representation in media taught not welcome
[10:51] The rise of loneliness in the US
- 3 in 4 don’t have friends they want
- 1 in 2 experience anxiety as result
[14:05] The causes of this loneliness epidemic
- Move more than past generations
- Leaving home faith traditions
- Digital lives (more screen time = less happy)
- Decline of public institutions
[19:09] Charles’ experience at Yale Divinity School
- ‘Crisis of belonging’ in campus culture
- Inspired to help people feel connected
[25:09] Charles’ definition of community
- Share mutual concern for one another
- Opportunity to feel connected, trusting
[28:11] How Charles describes the structure of community
- Includes full members, novices and visitors
- Leaders facilitate growth of mutual concern
- Must feel safe to reveal things about self
[39:21] How to foster mutual care among a customer base
- Provide temple for meaningful rituals
- Symbol represents values (e.g.: Harley Davidson)
[43:56] How to foster diverse communities
- Help members be who want to be
- Enrich rather than just ‘hang out’
[47:55] How leaders can create moments of openness
- Shared experience requisite to mutual concern
- Opportunity for intimacy (see each other)
[57:06] How story fosters a shared experience
- Stories reveal values (not website)
- Must be REAL, accessible
[1:01:26] What Charles is pursuing in the next year
- Inspire leaders to foster community
- Combat loneliness and isolation
Connect with Charles Charles’ Website
The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging by Charles Vogl
Resources ‘Work and the Loneliness Epidemic’ in Harvard Business Review
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life by Eric Klinenberg
Carrie Melissa Jones
Jayzen Patria
Robin Zander
Responsive Conference
‘Loneliness … An American Malady’ by Carson McCullers
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
Quest 2019
We have spent the last several weeks exploring how to design memorable moments for our customers and communities, our audiences and even our families. But how do we design a life of wonder for ourselves? How do we juggle our own creative calling with the needs of our clients and communities? Is there a way to approach marketing as a craft, making it part of our path to mastery? How do we realize our best creative selves, pursuing mastery and meaning in every aspect of our lives?
Today, Jeffrey explores the creative process with Srinivas Rao, the founder and host of The Unmistakable Creative Podcast and author of the recently released Audience of One: Reclaiming Creativity for Its Own Sake, and Marty Neumeier, Director of CEO Branding at Liquid Agency and author of several books, including the forthcoming business thriller SCRAMBLE: How Agile Strategy Can Build Epic Brands in Record Time.
Srinivas and Marty explain how they make decisions about which projects to take on, discussing the tension between what they have been called to create and market demands. They address the significance of ongoing reflection and self-awareness in carving a path of personal and professional mastery and offer insight around putting your imprint or signature on any project you take on, learning best practices—and then challenging them. Srinivas and Marty also describe how they measure the value of their own work, seeking self-mastery rather than obsessing over marketing metrics. Jeffrey asks them how they work through doubt in the writing process, what surprised them in the creation of their latest works, and how they foster openness in creative collaboration. Listen in for advice on leveraging a support system to navigate crises and learn how to design a fulfilling life and business with an eye to creative mastery and meaning.
Key Takeaways [5:01] Young Srini and Marty at their best
- Srini listening to Thriller on repeat
- Marty learning to draw from mom
[9:51] Marty’s transition to an audience of one
- Career of being creative on behalf of other people
- Sold company to Liquid Agency ‘to do own art’
[13:05] Srini’s transition to an audience of one
- Making money helping others execute vision
- AJ Leon encouraged to ‘create own stuff’
- Aim for mastery rather than metrics
[19:55] Marty’s insight on mastery and metrics
- Always focused on mastery, fell short on metrics
- Not about gaming system but getting word out
[22:40] The difference between mimicry and modeling
- Danger in replicating formula
- Rule to not be like anyone else
[31:20] The role of environment in the creative process
- Introduced to idea by The Ultimate Game of Life
- All things have energy that inspires OR expires
- Upgrade space to ‘pull into best version of self’
[32:40] How to reinvent yourself with each new project
- Explore other’s work, save what you love about it
- Can’t know what’s new unless experience world
[43:12] Srini’s insight around creativity and the internet
- Creative pursuits in search of external reward
- Tools designed to trigger envy and comparison
- Conflates attention with value, prevents creative work
[50:54] The impetus for Marty’s new book SCRAMBLE
- Business book won’t give experience of agile strategy
- Suggestion to deliver principles through story
[53:14] The surprises Marty & Srini experienced in the writing process
- Characters take on life of own
- Learn to write in rhythmic cadence
[59:13] How Marty & Srini work through doubt when writing
- Email from writing coach when Srini stuck
- Marty wrote in full view of advisor/audience
[1:06:00] How Srini navigates crises in business
- Support system of friends, family who care
- Therapy and self-care (exercise, eat well)
[1:12:00] Marty’s approach to crises in SCRAMBLE
- Character of CEO must involve team to fix problems
- Similar to own journey in realizing can’t do it alone
[1:18:09] How to foster openness in creative collaboration
- Eliminate ego and envy to do something great
- Project more important than who has ideas
[1:20:55] What Srini & Marty are pursuing in the next year
- Srini leveraging platform to highlight social issues
- Marty founding Level C (branding as profession)
Connect with Srinivas The Unmistakable Creative
The Unmistakable Creative Podcast
The Art of Being Unmistakable: A Collection of Essays About Making a Dent in the Universe by Srinivas Rao
An Audience of One: Reclaiming Creativity for Its Own Sake by Srinivas Rao
‘If You Want to Build an Audience, Focus on Mastery Instead of Metrics’ by Srinivas Rao
‘The Wasted Potential of the Internet’ by Srinivas Rao
Connect with Marty Marty’s Website
Liquid Agency
The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design by Marty Neumeier
SCRAMBLE: How Agile Strategy Can Build Epic Brands in Record Time by Marty Neumeier
Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier
Resources Tracking Wonder S1EP11
AJ Leon
The Brand Gap on SlideShare
Misfit Incorporated
Creative Live with Danielle LaPorte & Srinivas Rao
Danielle LaPorte
Leap First: Creating Work That Matters by Seth Godin
The Brand Gap on SlideShare
The Ultimate Game of Life
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Charles Baxter
Steven Pressfield
Mastery by Robert Greene
Books by Anders Ericsson
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey with Eric Hagerman
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Tracking Wonder S1EP04
BB Suárez
Kim Marie Coaching
Gentle Warriors Kitchen
Charles Vogl
The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging by Charles Vogl
Quest 2019
Perhaps you want to bring more magic into the world in the form of an animated film or video game. Inevitably, such a significant undertaking will face big challenges. What gives filmmakers and game designers the drive to persist over the years it takes to complete such substantial projects—when there is no guarantee or reward or recognition?
Today, Jeffrey goes behind-the-scenes of wonder-making with filmmaker, animator, director and producer Mark Osborne, whose film The Little Prince received France’s prestigious César Award for Best Animated Film, and game designer, educator and Game Design Workshop author Tracy Fullerton, who serves as Director of the USC Games Program and Professor and Chair of the Interactive Media & Games Division of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Mark and Tracy explore the collaborative nature of the work they do, explaining how their respective teams foster curiosity and generate unexpected ideas via play, affording special attention to craft and detail along the way. Mark describes his commitment to doing justice to The Little Prince, and Tracy offers insight around the personal connection her ‘book club’ developed with the award-winning Walden, a game. Tracy and Mark share their favorite elements of wonder in The Little Prince and Walden, discussing the painstaking effort involved in taking our breath away. Listen in to understand how their work brings Thoreau and Saint-Exupéry’s themes into the 21st century and learn how to keep your own team inspired and agile by way of an open, inclusive work culture.
Key Takeaways [6:14] Young Mark and Tracy at their best
- Mark living in Star Wars fantasy world, exploring arts
- Tracy making contraptions/clubhouses in dad’s workshop
[9:33] How Tracy’s young genius informs her work now
- Put together teams, ‘free to be ourselves’
- Curiosity of kids pushing new frontiers
[13:44] The collaborative nature of animation
- Work in arts requires ability to think and act like kids
- Unexpected ideas emerge from working in teams
[16:52] Mark’s inspiration for the frame story in The Little Prince
- Creative riddle to celebrate power of book
- Idea to use stop-motion for book, CG for larger story
[22:05] The concept behind the Walden video game
- Translation of book (i.e.: activities Thoreau experienced)
- Virtual simulation of woods becomes character in itself
- Parallels between issues of Thoreau’s time and today
[27:24] The personal connection Tracy’s team had to Walden
- Started as ‘book club’ with no prospect of funding
- Met weekly, paper prototypes early on
[30:10] The challenges Mark faced in creating The Little Prince
- Pressure to do justice to book, team had to care
- Daily crises and decisions based on guesswork
[42:18] The universal themes of The Little Prince
- Parenting as balance between aviator, mother
- ‘Life raft in poisonous world’
[46:25] How Walden applies in the 21st century
- Care and concern for environment, climate change
- Thoreau as activist with concern for issues of time
- Divisive conflict baked into daily experience
[48:56] Mark’s favorite element of wonder in The Little Prince
- Called on colleague for hand-made techniques
- Discover right ‘chemistry of elements’ for stop-motion
[52:33] Tracy’s favorite element of wonder in Walden
- Dynamic system (light, wind, colors change with seasons)
- Shift of colors and music based on relationship with nature
[57:06] How to create openness and inclusiveness on teams
- Reason to care about what making (i.e.: believe again)
- Afford ownership of portion of process
[1:02:14] What Tracy and Mark are pursuing in the coming year
- Tracy taking Walden to classrooms
- Mark devoting focus to new project
Connect with Mark Happy Product, Inc.
Happy Product on Vimeo
Happy Product on YouTube
The Little Prince
Connect with Tracy Tracy Fullerton
USC Game Innovation Lab
Walden, a game
Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games by Tracy Fullerton
Resources The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Walden for Educators
Tracking Wonder S1EP06
Tracking Wonder S2EP03
“How ‘The Little Prince’ Director Pitched Investors with His Magic Suitcase” in The Frame
Jamie Caliri on Vimeo
The Unmistakable Creative Podcast
An Audience of One: Reclaiming Creativity for Its Own Sake by Srinivas Rao
SCRAMBLE: How Agile Strategy Can Build Epic Brands in Record Time by Marty Neumeier
Brand Artistry Labs
In a cultural moment characterized by divisiveness, we ache for community.
We go through our days surrounded by people, but we have forgotten how to connect.
Does art have the capacity to foster the kind of openness and connection we need right now? Is it possible that a provocative experience of unfamiliarity or disorientation might help us engage with each other? What if we could learn to follow the artist’s example and explode every day with wonder?
Today, Jeffrey studies art as a conduit of wonder with Denise Markonish, curator of MASS MoCA and author of Oh, Canada: Contemporary Art from North North America, and award-winning artist Julianne Swartz, whose work has appeared at premier museums including MASS MoCA and The Whitney. Julianne and Denise trace the origins of their wonder and curiosity, exploring how their childhood investigations inform the work they do now. Julianne describes the intent of her work to provoke an experience of unfamiliarity and facilitate the exchange of wonder, and Denise shares her role as an experience architect, working with artists to generate deeply personal exhibitions. Listen in for insight around the promise of art to create an openness between communities—and learn how to think like an artist, fostering wonder in your own life and work.
Key Takeaways [4:34] Young Julianne and Denise at their best
- Julianne conducting material investigations in the desert
- Denise organizing and building systems for rock collection
[8:28] How Denise & Julianne’s young genius inform their work now
- Lifelong pursuit of wonder and curiosity
- Fueled by desire to ‘materialize the invisible’
- Beyond inquiry to prodding of things
[13:45] Julianne’s reputation for ‘soft explosions of love’
- Example in 2006 work Affirmation
- Asked people what most deeply wanted to hear
- Recorded affirmations in building fixtures
[18:25] Denise’s role as an architect of experiences
- Work with artists to create new work
- Create new experiences for audience AND artists
[21:06] MASS MoCA’s Explode Everyday exhibition
- Explore difference between wonder and curiosity
- Ask artists how activate wonder in lives, studio practice
[27:23] The emotional quality of Julianne’s work
- Provoke experience of unfamiliarity/disorientation
- Opens us up emotionally, brings into not knowing
[30:08] How Julianne fosters wonder in her life and work
- Magic of materials/sounds/situations translate to art experience
- Find in conversation and connection with another person
[35:00] The exchange of wonder in Julianne’s work
- Pour depth of emotion into object, becomes transmitter
- Art object = conduit to transmit energy to audience
[42:04] Denise’s insight on fostering wonder for yourself
- Provoke own pause, be alive to world around you
- Pursue what interests you to keep brain inquiring
[45:11] The capacity of art to create openness between communities
- Can You Hear Me? as conduit between social groups
- We Complete requires physical connection to activate sound
[53:08] The promise of art in our current cultural moment
- Shift in conversation from anger to tenderness
- Love has become political term
[55:57] What Julianne is pursuing in the coming year
- Joy, still. at Grace Farms
- Link between joy and sorrow, suffering
[58:42] What Denise is pursuing in the coming year
- Suffering from Realness opens in April
- Mind of the Mound opens in March
Connect with Julianne Julianne Swartz
Affirmation
Blue Sky with Rainbow
In Harmonicity, The Tonal Walkway
Can You Hear Me?
We Complete
Link/Line
Joy, still. at Grace Farms
Connect with Denise MASS MoCA
Suffering from Realness
Mind of the Mound: Critical Mass
Resources The Autobiography of Charles Darwin by Charles Darwin
Sebastian Smee
MASS MoCA’s Explode Every Day
The Explode Every Day Catalog
Sean Foley
Mark Osborne
Tracy Fullerton
Charles LaBelle
Grace Farms
Trenton Doyle Hancock
Oh, Canada: Contemporary Art from North North America by Denise Markonish
Diana’s Dragons
Mary Ellen Beads
Inside Knowledge
Brand Artistry Labs
We live in a culture of busy, wearing our overwork like a badge of honor. We complain that there aren’t enough hours in the day—and blame our jobs and our kids for the fact that we can’t enjoy life. We even feel guilty when we make time for fun.
Busy is a virtue. Idleness is irresponsible.
But what if we have a greater responsibility to be our best selves for the people around us? Is it true that we don’t have time to pursue activities that bring us joy? Or is that simply the story we’re telling ourselves? What if we could design our days, our families and our businesses for more off-time, delight and openness to surprise?
Today, Jeffrey challenges our culture of busy with Laura Vanderkam, author of Off the Clock and cohost of the Best of Both Worlds podcast, and Tom Hodgkinson, editor of The Idler magazine and author of Business for Bohemians. Tom and Laura discuss the origin of ‘busy’ as a virtue, the idea of working less as ‘irresponsible’ and the tension between our desires to work hard AND enjoy life. Laura shares the results of her time tracking experiment, explaining how adventure stretches time, and Tom describes his Idle Parenting philosophy, discussing the benefits of ignoring your kids once in a while. Listen in for insight around planning for leisure time—even in the midst of raising small children—and learn how to create a business vision that expresses the essence of who you are.
Key Takeaways [5:08] Young Laura and Tom at their best
- Laura creating stories and poems
- Tom editing magazines, organizing events
[8:37] The origin of ‘busy’ as a virtue
- 18th century Dr. Johnson lazy but productive
- Idleness important part of creative process
- Guilt around pleasure, idleness w/ Reformation
[14:18] The tension between working hard and enjoying life
- Value to open space for thinking, new ideas
- Not either/or (ideal to find enjoyable work)
- Time diaries show much leisure time
[17:39] Laura’s time tracking experiment
- Leads to savored life, freedom
- ‘Time starts to feel more full’
[23:21] The idea of working less as being ‘irresponsible’
- Regrets around not spending time with children
- More responsible to take care of mental health
[28:29] How adventure stretches time
- Lunch break to explore city (active downtime)
- Perception of time shaped by memories
[35:11] Tom’s insight on Idle Parenting
- Ignoring kids leads to independence, self-sufficiency
- Helicopter parenting steals freedom from both
- Value in day of abandoning routines and rhythms
[42:29] Laura’s insight around planning leisure time
- Parents of small children must arrange open time
- More mindful of time, intentional
[45:28] Tom’s take on eudaimonia in business
- Not about money or status but fulfillment
- Task of life to build work that expresses spirit
[49:56] Laura’s take on trying to do everything
- Do more of what you’re best at
- Business grows when NOT trying to do it all alone
[52:43] What Tom is pursuing in the next year
- Find/retain subscribers, grow team
- Write book on meditation
[55:28] What Laura is pursuing in the next year
- Time management novella (March 2019)
- Shift to writing fiction
Connect with Laura Laura Vanderkam
Connect with Tom The Idler
Resources The Idler Subscription
Mary Oliver’s ‘The Summer Day’
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: A Short Guide to Making Over Your Mornings—and Life by Laura Vanderkam
Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done by Laura Vanderkam
The Idle Parent: Why Laid-Back Parents Raise Happier and Healthier Kids by Tom Hodgkinson
Idler Academy
Business for Bohemians: Live Well, Make Money by Tom Hodgkinson
‘The Busy Person’s Lies’ in The New York Times
How to Be Idle: A Loafer’s Manifesto by Tom Hodgkinson
Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
168 Hours Time Tracking Challenge
Laura’s 168 Hours Time Tracking Template
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Juliet’s School of Possibilities: A Little Story About the Power of Priorities by Laura Vanderkam
The Sacred Healing Well
Gentle Warrior’s Wellness
MASS MoCA
Julianne Swartz
The #2 hotel in Los Angeles cannot compete with the Hyatts or the Hiltons of the world when it comes to expensive amenities. What makes the Magic Castle special is the staff’s ability to design surprising experiences, like a red phone by the pool coined Popsicle Hotline. By breaking the script, the Magic Castle inspires delight in their guests—and consistently ranks higher than high-end, luxury hotels in the city.
How can we follow the lead of the Magic Castle and create a workplace of wonder? How do we design for extraordinary moments with our colleagues and customers?
Today, Jeffrey explores workplace wonder with Chris Flink, Executive Director of the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco, and Chip Heath, the Thrive Foundation for Youth Professor of Organizational Behavior in the Stanford Graduate School of Business and co-author of The Power of Moments. Chip and Chris explain how designing surprising moments for customers can give you a competitive advantage and why it’s beneficial to think beyond simply fixing problems to the architecting of positive experiences. Chip describes why it’s in your best interest to focus on elevating mostly satisfied customers to truly delighted ones, and Chris shares the power of physical experiences to captivate people in a deeply personal way. Listen in for insight around designing for positive, extraordinary experiences that facilitate connection and learn how to surprise yourself, your colleagues and your customers with the exchange of wonder.
Key Takeaways [7:47] Young Chip and Chris at their best
- Chip with typewriter (passages from nature books)
- Chris building forts and booby traps out of garbage
[10:41] What makes those boyhood moments memorable
- Attempt to make sense of world
- Agency to affect own experience
[13:39] How Chris got into the area of experience design
- Study product design at Stanford, work at IDEO
- Integrate business disciplines in design process
- Foster creative mindset in business collaboration
[17:34] How Chip came to explore experience architecture
- Discuss what makes defining moment
- Family as focus group (i.e.: take idea on road)
- Iteration as integral part of design process
[23:12] Why we should consider experience design
- Mind geared to fix problems vs. create potential
- Magic Castle #2 hotel in LA (e.g.: Popsicle Hotline)
- Opportunities to inspire, bring creative energy
[36:59] The concept of ‘breaking the script’
- Strategic surprise that captures attention
- Design to widen eyes, open to message
[41:18] Chip and Chris’ response to resistance
- Build in elevation, pride, insight and connection
- You ARE designing experiences (add agency)
[46:49] The value of face-to-face, analog experiences
- Physical experiences captivate in personal way
- Power in tangible experience translates to retail
[49:42] How to design experiences for your organization
- Museum staff conceived of Pi Day on 3/14
- Playful community with common mission
[59:23] The social dimension of wonder
- Break script with uncommon conversation
- ‘45 minutes away from close friendship’
- Create context for experience to unfold
- Connection through transformative learning
[1:04:44] What Chip and Chris are pursuing in the next year
- Must be inspired to be inspirational
- Work with social entrepreneurs
Connect with Chip Heath Brothers
Stanford Social Innovation Review
Connect with Chris Exploratorium
Resources TD Bank YouTube Video
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Stanford d.school
IDEO
Bill Moggridge: Interaction Design
Magic Castle Hotel
Theo Jansen’s STRANDBEEST
Larry Shaw
Art Aron’s Interpersonal Closeness Experience
Laura Vanderkam
The Idler
Evelyn Asher
Fateme Banishoeb
‘It doesn’t take long for our feet to wear a rut born of habit in our daily, default path. But if we’re fortunate, during any given day, something surprising startles our heart long enough to arrest the bustle and disrupt our rut.’
The question is, do we have to wait for that something surprising to happen spontaneously? Or can we build the experience of awe into our daily lives?
Can we design for wonder?
Today, Jeffrey introduces us to his working premise for Season 2: Wonder is not an accident and designing for wonder is not only possible but necessary in our world of deteriorating trust. He walks us through the possible dawn of awe when our ancestors developed the ‘irresistible urge to gaze’ and defines wonder as the emotional experience of surprise that dissolves our biases. Jeffrey also previews the themes of this season by way of two stories, one of a company designing for wonder NOW via Instagram hashtags and another of the philosopher Descartes discovering wonder THEN, in 17th-century Denmark through the laughter of his daughter. Listen in for insight around the role of wonder in facilitating radically new solutions and join the growing alliance of Wonder Trackers who choose wonder over cynicism.
Key Takeaways [0:04] The definition of wonder
- Irresistible urge to gaze, even praise (dawn of awe)
- Emotional experience of surprise that dissolves biases
- Central to human spirit and evolution of species
[4:05] Jeffrey’s working premise for Season 2
- Wonder not accidental
- Design for wonder possible, necessary
- Create culture of wonder together
[5:37] The significance of choosing wonder over cynicism
- Rut born of ‘daily default’ breeds cynicism
- Startle heart long enough to disrupt status quo
[8:58] What to expect this season on Tracking Wonder
- Top creatives, research in design experience + time shaping
- Original people who seek insight from diverse sources
[11:44] The story of NOW
- Negative Instagram hashtags (i.e.: #sick, #mondayblues)
- Suja Juice shipped 6K bottles to change quality of days
[12:56] The story of THEN
- Descartes planning trip to France in 1640
- Daughter developed scarlet fever and died
- Shifted focus of work to questions about being human
- Concluded that wonder precedes all other passions
[18:06] James Baldwin’s insight on wonder
- Fierce hope for human race despite prejudice faced
- Prove by example that ‘life is love and wonder’
- Nation that penalizes citizens who wonder is doomed
Connect with Jeffrey Tracking Wonder
Tracking Wonder on Facebook
Jeffrey on Twitter
Jeffrey on Instagram
Jeffrey on LinkedIn
Resources Bay Area Discovery Museum
MASS MoCA
USC Annenberg Innovation Lab
Suja Juice
Cogito, Ergo Sum: The Life of Rene Descartes by Richard Watson
Descartes’ Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason by Russell Shorto
Chip Heath
Chris Flink
Welcome to season 2 of Tracking Wonder! This season we're tracking the theme of designing for wonder. Wonder is not an accident. Wonder is designable. Join us each Tuesday, and learn how innovators design work, customer experience, and life for more openness, curiosity, and surprise.
The most fulfilled innovators and influencers who lead lives of mastery and meaning—at some point get cracked open by wonder, get cracked open to a purpose greater than themselves.
Today, Jeffrey reflects on Season 1 of Tracking Wonder, looking back at his conversations with leaders, change-makers, artists and creatives to identify the wonder switch in each of their stories, those moments when they were opened up to a greater-than-you purpose that drives the work they do today.
Jeffrey begins with Susan Piver’s experience of being cracked open in love after a serious car accident by way of a surprising connection with another person. He reminds us of Caroline Adams Miller’s inspiration—people with the grit to do extraordinary things in their ordinary lives. Jeffrey speaks to the challenge of ‘standing in love’ with your big idea, revisiting Jonathan Fields and Dorie Clarke’s discussion around the need for authentic community. He also covers the concept of conscious leadership, reflecting on Mike Erwin and Todd Henry’s respective takes on sourcing bravery from within and leading with a mindset of service. Listen in as Jeffrey highlights Marty Neumeier’s theory on doing the ‘right thing’ that leads us to beauty, cohesiveness and order and learn why wonder is the key to unlocking our compassion—and ultimately making decisions with an eye to the future.
Key Takeaways [7:50] Susan Piver’s experience being cracked open in love
- Boyfriend served as lifeline after serious car accident
- ‘Surprised to have someone reach through haze—and reach back’
[11:50] The kind of grit that inspires Caroline Adams Miller
- Uplifted by people doing extraordinary things in ordinary lives
- Awed by those who do what’s necessary without fuss, fanfare
[15:48] The challenge of ‘standing in love’ with your big idea
- Requires deep drive to survive challenges
- Impact assumes different forms
[18:36] Why the world needs brands to build authentic community
- Sense of belonging impacts cognitive ability, health
- Movements bring people together around shared set of values
[23:30] The concept of conscious leadership
- Bravery comes from within
- Lead with mindset of service, elevate people around you
[27:06] Why we have an ethical responsibility to lead with our ideals
- Short-term, selfish good vs. long-term, broadly beneficial good
- Make choices that further human evolution to beauty, coherence and order
[38:30] The role of wonder in evoking empathy and compassion for others
- Need each other’s perspectives to open heart
- Look beyond cubicle-sized view to impact on future
Resources The Heart of Altruism by Kristen Monroe
‘Blessing the Boats’ by Lucille Clifton
The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm
Getting Grit: The Evidence-Based Approach to Cultivating Passion, Perseverance, and Purpose by Caroline Adams Miller
Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It by Dorie Clark
Good Life Project
The Positivity Project
Accidental Creative
Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Need by Todd Henry
Liquid Agency
Upheavals of Thought: The Intelligence of Emotions by Martha C. Nussbaum
You have to have a purpose bigger than profits.
The landscape of branding has changed over time, and with the advent of two-way communication via the internet, a mission statement that prioritizes a financial responsibility to shareholders simply won’t cut it anymore. People want to support—and be a part of—the companies that aspire to a higher purpose and align with their own personal values.
How does a brand go about identifying its purpose? How do you do good AND do good business at the same time?
Today, Jeffrey sits down with Marty Neumeier, the Director of CEO Branding and de-facto thought leader at Liquid Agency. Marty is also a bestselling author, speaker and facilitator in the realm of helping people and organizations uncover their creative genius. Marty describes growing up with a mother who taught him the magic of art and a love of learning. He speaks to his time in Silicon Valley, learning to translate tech into English and pictures, and the history of branding from the agricultural age through the current consumer-led movement. Marty explains the concept of ludic learning, the difference between a brand and branding, and the business advantage of identifying a purpose beyond simply making money. Listen in for Marty’s insight around the nature of sin as the choice for a short-term, selfish good and learn the value in a brand driven by purpose for the benefit of society.
Key Takeaways [3:15] Marty’s young genius
- Learned magic of drawing from mom
- Wanted to be commercial artist at 8
[5:58] The adults who nurtured Marty’s love of learning
- Creative pursuits (e.g.: weaving) from mom
- Grandfather interested in how things worked
[9:05] Marty’s experience in Silicon Valley
- Worked with Apple, met Steve Jobs
- Learned to translate tech into English
[18:55] The difference between a brand and branding
- Brand = customer’s gut feeling
- Branding = company’s efforts to influence perception
[20:31] How the landscape of branding has changed
- 1930—Naming, packaging, corporate identity
- 1970—Trout and Ries codify positioning
- 1990—Aaker creates strategy framework
- 2000—Design, strategy become partners
- 2020—Customer-led companies
[28:11] The shift to a customer focus
- Internet opens up two-way conversation
- Goodwill impacts balance sheet (brand value)
[30:15] How to hone your branding
- Identify purpose beyond profits
- Ride trends (e.g.: authenticity, surprise)
[32:49] The brand advantage of being driven by purpose
- People want to join companies doing something bigger
- Examples include Method, Apple and Amazon
[39:32] Marty’s take on campaigns like REI’s #OptOutside
- Possible to do good while doing good business
- Statements must align with who you are as brand
[43:43] Marty’s insight on the nature of sin
- Chose short-term, selfish good over long-term, broadly beneficial good
- Brand might lie about dangers of product, reputation suffers long-term
- Human evolution slowly moving toward beauty, coherence and order
[51:50] The definition of ludic learning
- Learn through play in state of flow
- Purposeful learning by caring
[54:29] Marty’s advice around unlearning
- Take on new challenges to keep curiosity alive
- Consider how someone might disrupt your business
[57:30] What Marty is pursuing moving forward
- Continue to reinvent self, reach people in new ways
- Writing thriller based on fictional business case
Connect with Marty Liquid Agency
Marty’s Website
Marty on Twitter
Resources The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler
The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design by Marty Neumeier
Books by Al Ries and Jack Trout
Books by David Aaker
The Brand Flip: Why Customers Now Run Companies and How to Profit from It by Marty Neumeier
Metaskills: Five Talents for the Robotic Age by Marty Neumeier
Method
The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator’s Guide to Creativity by Marty Neumeier
Brand Artistry Labs
As entrepreneurs and creatives, we know the feeling of pouring our whole heart into our work. Of devoting all our attention to the project at hand in pursuit of something greater than ourselves. How do we balance that quest for our best work with the desire to nurture our long-term, loving relationships? How do we make room for the people we love—and love us back?
What if the qualities necessary to sustain our long-term, loving relationships are the very same qualities we use to sustain our commitment to the creative path?
On this episode of Tracking Wonder, Jeffrey is joined by Susan Piver, renowned Shambhala Buddhist teacher, New York Times bestselling author, and founder of the world’s largest virtual mindfulness community, the Open Heart Project. Susan shares the significance of bringing a constant curiosity to our loving relationships, explaining how the practice of love demands an attention not on the extraordinary, but on the familiar and ordinary. She offers insight around the four noble truths of love, the challenges of standing in love versus falling in love, and the idea of meeting instability together. Listen in to understand why long-term love doesn’t have to be in battle with one or both partners’ devotion to creative work and learn and learn how mindfulness is the practice of love.
Key Takeaways [3:19] Susan’s young genius
- At best when at worst
- Desire to connect through reading, music
[7:04] Susan’s experience being hit by a drunk driver
- Working at Blues bar in Austin
- Accident caused sense of unreality
- Felt ‘between worlds’
- Then-boyfriend infused with life force
[15:36] How Susan came to practice Buddhism
- Moved back east after breakup
- Extensive reading about heartbreak
- Resonated with wisdom of strong emotion
- Extraordinary meditation training
[21:59] Why Susan is fascinated with love
- Confounded by way people treat each other
- Born with sensitivity to way taken in/not
[26:28] The four noble truths of love
- Life is suffering, relationships never stabilize
- Grasping causes suffering
- Cessation of suffering (offers sense of cure)
- Path to liberate from cycle, meet instability together
[34:04] The tension between familiarity and mystery
- Knowing of each other IS love
- Romance ends, intimacy lives on
[45:29] The practice of conversation in long-term relationships
- Set aside 20 minutes to ask, ‘How are you?’
- Really listen and really answer
[51:22] The challenge of long-term relationships and creative work
- Problem arises when want other to be different
- One pulls for togetherness, one for individuation
- Both important to healthy relationship, tension is useful
[1:02:20] Susan’s insight on negotiating attention
- ‘Attention is most basic form of love’
- Take mind out of self, place in partner’s experience
[1:03:58] The noble truths of love through music
- “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James
- “Blue Gardenia” by Dinah Washington
- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
[1:09:21] What Susan is pursuing moving forward
- Meditation as path to love (not life hack)
- Genuine quest for inclusiveness
Connect with Susan Open Heart Project
Resources Credit: “To You Again” is from Incarnadine by MarySzybist, . Copyright © 2012 byMarySzybist. Used with the permission of the publisher, Graywolf Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, www.graywolfpress.org.
The Four Noble Truths of Love: Buddhist Wisdom for Modern Relationships by Susan Piver
The Hard Questions: 100 Essential Questions to Ask Before You Say ‘I Do’ by Susan Piver
The Wisdom of a Broken Heart: An Uncommon Guide to Healing, Insight, and Love by Susan Piver
The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm
All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks
Incarnadine: Poems by Mary Szybist
Start Here Now: An Open-Hearted Guide to the Path and Practice of Meditation by Susan Piver
“Big Red Sun Blues” by Lucinda Williams
“I Felt the Chill” by Elvis Costello and Loretta Lynn
“I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James
“Blue Gardenia” by Dinah Washington
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
Brand Artistry Labs
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of leading creatives is relinquishing control.
Creative professionals have success when they are in control, perfecting their craft to make great work. Yet, the best leaders are the ones who are humble enough to realize that their team members need the freedom and autonomy to take risks and grow. The trick is to lead with influence, to elevate everybody else’s game and inspire your team to do the best work of their lives.
But how exactly do you do that? How do you transition from a mindset of control to one of influence?
Today, Jeffrey sits down with Todd Henry, the founder of Accidental Creative and self-described ‘arms dealer for the creative revolution.’ Todd is an acclaimed author, international speaker and respected consultant in the realm of creativity, productivity and passion for work. Todd shares his experience as a ‘free-range kid’ growing up in a rural area as well as the health crisis that sparked his creative journey in music—and how those events shape his work today. He speaks to the idea of leading with influence rather than control and the reason why so many creatives resist leadership roles. Listen in for Todd’s insight around the leader’s aim to do the right thing—even when it’s difficult—and learn how you are a leader by virtue of putting creative work into the world.
Key Takeaways [4:01] Todd’s young genius
- ‘Free-range kid’ growing up in rural area
- Exploratory play (i.e.: make movies in the woods)
[9:24] Todd’s transformation through music
- Shy kid as high school sophomore
- Infection led to two-month hospitalization
- Wrote first song, performed in talent show
- Pursued music through and after college
- Learned tactics to capture audience attention
[15:17] Mortality as a source of inspiration
- Difficult moments shake out of comfort zone
- Must embrace change as nature of life
[17:38] How Todd become an intentional leader
- Creative director for nonprofit in mid-20’s
- Humbling challenge to lead people to best work
[20:31] The structure of Todd’s current team
- Built on foundation of freedom as core value
- Sales pipeline, literary agent to represent work
- Partnerships for projects (i.e.: Herding Tigers Workshops)
[23:13] Why creatives resist positions of leadership
- Tension between need to be liked vs. effective
- Can BE both, but can’t CHASE both
[28:27] How to lead with influence rather than control
- Leading with control compromises work
- Equip others to make own decisions
- Challenge team, give permission to fail
[34:31] The motivational archetypes
- Builder, fixer and optimizer
- Do best work when wired for task
[39:49] Todd’s insight around leading remote teams
- Stop talking and start listening
- Find out how team feels via process questions
[43:35] Todd’s view of the global leadership crisis
- Leadership = doing the right thing without credit
- Must be willing to make tremendous sacrifices
- Requires mindset of service, aim to elevate team
[48:00] Todd’s take on accidental leadership
- Cannot separate leadership from contribution
- Creative work influences thoughts, actions
[51:13] What Todd is pursuing now
- ‘Make things I love for people who love them’
Connect with Todd Todd’s Website
Accidental Creative
The Accidental Creative Podcast
Accidental Creative on Facebook
Accidental Creative on Twitter
Resources
Herding Tigers: Be the Leader That Creative People Need by Todd Henry
The Herding Tigers Creative Leader Course
The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice by Todd Henry
Wiser Partners
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier
World Economic Forum Leadership Report
We are, indeed, wired to aspire. But what is it that drives you? A need to do better than the person next to you? Or are you in competition with yourself, battling against your own personal best? And how do we balance our ambition with the need to be a part of a community?
Jeffrey is exploring these ideas with marketing strategy consultant, professional speaker and best-selling author Dorie Clark of Clark Strategic Communications and serial entrepreneur, growth strategist and award-winning author Jonathan Fields of the Good Life Project. They discuss their childhood identities as a passionate environmentalist and creative maker of ‘Franken-bikes,’ examining how those early instincts inform who they are today. Jonathan offers his take on internal competition as a motivator, and Dorie shares her mission-oriented approach to achievement. They speak to the role of jealousy in inspiration, suggesting that a healthy dose of benign envy can serve as a positive incentive. Listen in as Jeffrey, Dorie and Jonathan delve into the fundamental human need for community, the significant benefits of belonging in terms of creativity and health, and how to build an authentic community around a set of shared values.
Key Takeaways [5:16] Dorie’s young genius
- Obsessed with environment
- Demanded that family recycle
[6:48] Jonathan’s young genius
- Inadvertent environmentalist
- Made ‘Franken-bikes’ from parts at town dump
[11:40] Jonathan’s insight around competition and drive
- Competitive gymnastics taught to compete against own personal best
- Provides powerful motivational edge, risk of constant discontent
[15:08] Dorie’s take on the role of competition in achievement
- Winning is nice, but not necessary
- Driven to accomplish by sense of mission
[16:45] The role of jealousy in motivation
- Envy points to something you want
- Healthy dose can be great motivator
- Research differentiates between benign and malicious
[23:57] How to determine your USP
- Let it play out in course of doing things
- Procure feedback from friends, colleagues
- Ask to describe in only three words
[31:16] The fundamental human need for community
- Sense of belonging important to health, creativity
- Huge swath of people missing sense of belonging
- Brands should seek organic connection around shared values
- Difference between building audience vs. community
- Magic happens when people build relationships around idea
[40:53] Dorie and Jonathan’s advice around building community with integrity
- Invest in making ideas findable, articulating vision over time
- Appreciate work involved in building fiercely committed, intentional community
[48:54] How Jonathan honors his introversion in a community setting
- ‘Long walks in the woods alone’
- Gives self, others permission to wander
[50:47] How Dorie has seen community develop in small groups
- Facebook community grew from online course
- Live events arose from audience connection
[52:30] What Dorie and Jonathan are working toward in 2018
- Dorie is declaring 2018 The Year of Optimization
- Jonathan is going ‘back to the junkyard’
Connect with Dorie & Jonathan Dorie’s Website
Books by Dorie
Jonathan’s Website
Books by Jonathan
Good Life Project
Resources From Dictatorship to Democracy by Gene Sharp
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam
Yes, leadership is built on developing relationships with other people. But there are several key character strengths of leadership that we hone in solitude, including creativity, self-regulation and bravery. And leaders throughout history have made difficult decisions and designed creative solutions in solitude.
In the digital age, however, solitude is a lot harder for leaders to come by. How can we discipline ourselves to put away the smartphone and be with our thoughts long enough to think through difficult decisions, stay on purpose, and create innovative solutions?
Today, Jeffrey sits down with Mike Erwin, the CEO of the Character & Leadership Center and President of The Positivity Project to discuss the leadership qualities he demonstrated in kindergarten and his long history of curiosity around leading people in a positive way. Mike shares the inspiration for his book, Lead Yourself First, explaining how it evolved to become a study of how great leaders practiced solitude during meaningful times. He speaks to the virtues of leadership honed by productive solitude and the difference between a brilliant creative idea and a foolish one. Listen in to understand how the appreciation of beauty can lift you out of adversity and learn to embrace productive solitude in your own life!
Key Takeaways [2:29] Mike’s young genius
- ‘Going to be leader’ on kindergarten report card
- Desire to engage, bring best out of others
[4:55] The mentors who influenced Mike growing up
- Little League baseball coach/veteran
- HS baseball coach (character over skill)
[9:24] Mike’s curiosity around leading people in a positive way
- Formal study of leadership, positive psychology
- Look for good and positive vs. shortcomings and flaws
[12:22] What Mike learned as a leader in the military
- Not about you, but people you lead (selfless service)
- Served as intelligence officer in Iraq, Afghanistan
- Real consequences if predictions incorrect
[16:40] The inspiration for Lead Yourself First
- Talk, article by William Deresiewicz article
- Jim Collins suggested study of great leaders
- Practice of solitude in meaningful times
[22:43] The cultural conversation around a need for solitude
- Reflect on relationship with technology
- Need time to step back and think for self
[28:21] The pros and cons of digital communication
- Working remotely can facilitate deep work
- Temptation to call meetings
- Burnout caused by always being ‘on’
[37:34] The virtues of leadership honed by productive solitude
- Creativity, self-regulation and courage
[42:19] Mike’s favorite example of creativity in leadership
- Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle of Vicksburg
[49:11] The difference between reckless and brilliant ideas
- Creative ideas easier than execution
- Must have character to see idea through
[53:00] Mike’s ability to appreciate beauty amidst adversity
- Sunset in desert during deployment
- Lifts out of hardship, difficulty of moment
[56:43] Mike’s insight on embracing productive solitude
- Deliberately schedule time
- Take advantage of pockets of opportunity
[1:01:01] What Mike is questing for moving forward
- Continue to grow The Positivity Project
- Promote mindset that ‘other people matter’
Connect with Mike The Positivity Project
Character & Leadership Center
Team RWB
Resources Lead Yourself First: Inspiring Leadership Through Solitude by Raymond M. Kethledge and Michael S. Erwin
‘Solitude and Leadership’ by William Deresiewicz
Books by Jim Collins
Solitude: A Singular Life in a Crowded World by Michael Harris
Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
Brené Brown
Character Strengths and Virtues by Christopher Peterson and Martin E. P. Seligman
‘The Virtues of Isolation’ by Brent Crane
Jeffrey’s Premise:
“The people who lead lives of meaning and mastery let a force of character - a young genius - guide them as they pursue their most meaningful work and ideas.”
‘You are seven years old.’
What if we approached each day with a childlike mindset? Would it cultivate original thinking? Recapture a spirit of play and exploration? Bring us back to our young genius—the unique force of character we were born with?
We have reached the halfway point of Season 1, and Jeffrey is stopping to reflect on the idea of ‘retrieving childhood at will’ and aligning our current work with the young genius of our seven-year-old selves: Is there a correlation between paying attention to this unique force of character and our own capacity to lead a life of meaning, if not mastery?
Today, Jeffrey introduces us to the concept of a ‘genius force,’ explaining why the most influential and fulfilled people allow their young genius to lead them. He looks back at Charlie Gilkey and Pam Slim’s stories of their own young genius and how their childhood memories of channeling MacGyver and burying marbles inform their current work. We consider the idea of ‘primal uniqueness’ as a seed seeking nourishment and explore how our genius force might still thrive—even in a hostile environment. Jeffrey reminds us of Caroline Adams Miller and Ishita Gupta’s challenging childhood experiences as well as Srini Pillay’s curiosity for the forbidden and Alex Soojung-Kim Pang’s detour from cultural expectations. Listen in for insight around remembering your own young genius and finding work that allows that genius to flourish.
Key Takeaways [1:26] The concept of a genius force
- Leads to creative fulfillment
- Most influential use as guide
[4:33] The invitation to remember being a seven-year-old
- Produced more original responses in NDSU study
- Recaptures spirit of play, exploration
[8:57] Charlie Gilkey’s ‘MacGyver’ young genius
- Creative with limited resources as child
- Became profoundly resourceful consultant
[10:17] Pam Slim’s genius as a brilliant connector
- Elaborate fantasies in childhood (planting marbles, reading …Narnia)
- Feeling of magic, adventure and story in current work
[12:08] Robert Greene’s idea of primal uniqueness
- All born with seed that wants to be nourished
- Express uniqueness through work to heighten chance of mastery
[13:05] Caroline Adams Miller’s challenging childhood
- Lack of love from biological family
- Found happy, safe place at school
[15:12] Ishita Gupta’s precocious childhood
- Middle class family, told what to do
- Curiosity, questions got into trouble
[18:07] Srini Pillay’s experience growing up in apartheid
- Curiosity for forbidden
- Genius rose above environment
[20:33] Alex Soojung-Kim Pang’s rebellion from expectation
- Expected to attend Ivy League school, become doctor/lawyer
- Found intellectual satisfaction in consulting, think tanks
- Talent for making technical knowledge useful
[25:31] The challenge of remembering your young genius
- Georgia O’Keeffe encouraged to pursue talent at UVA
- Others reflect genius back to us, including children
[31:13] The young genius’ role in questioning the status quo
- ‘Is this a dream or real life? Do I actually exist?’
- Expanded perception of what is possible
- Unpredictable path to mastery, fulfillment (e.g.: Constantin Guys)
[36:00] Charles Baudelaire’s definition of genius
- ‘Retrieve childhood at will’
- Apply order to sensations received with delight, curiosity
Connect with Jeffrey Tracking Wonder
Tracking Wonder on Facebook
Jeffrey on Twitter
Jeffrey on Instagram
Jeffrey on LinkedIn
Resources ‘Child’s Play: Facilitating the Originality of Creative Output by a Priming Manipulation’ by Darya Zabelina and Michael Robinson
Productive Flourishing
Pamela Slim
Mastery by Robert Greene
Caroline Adams Miller
Getting Grit: The Evidence-Based Approach to Cultivating Passion, Perseverance, and Purpose by Caroline Adams Miller
Ishita Gupta
Srini Pillay
Tinker Dabble Doodle Try: Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind by Srini Pillay MD
Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
The Distraction Addiction by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
The Restful Company
The Republic by Plato
Baudelaire: The Painter of Modern Life and Other Essays edited by Jonathan Mayne
Jeffrey's questions:
"When you're wanting to make a radical change in your work life or advance your best ideas, how much collaboration do you need, and how much time alone is best for you to generate and then advance your best ideas?”
In her book, The Creative Habit, celebrated choreographer Twyla Tharp suggests that “a clearly stated and consciously shared purpose is the foundation of great collaboration.” What else do you need to facilitate a successful collaboration? What role does solitude play in allowing you to process ideas and make meaningful contributions to the group? And how do we practice solitude in a world where technology conveniently supplies a distraction any time we feel a little uncertainty or discomfort?
Jeffrey is at the roundtable with mindfulness teacher and author Leo Babauta and award-winning author, speaker and business consultant Pam Slim to explore the characteristics of a successful collaboration and the necessity of solitude as a critical part of the process. Pam and Leo both share the radical transformations that led them to become entrepreneurs and their experiences with the collaborative nature of sharing your writing with an online community. They speak to challenge of embracing uncertainty rather than retreating into your cell phone—and the liberation that comes with opening your heart to discomfort.
Key Takeaways [3:57] Pam & Leo’s young genius moments
- ‘Alive in the magic,’ creating worlds
- Burying marbles, climbing banyan tree
[9:23] Leo’s time of radical change
- Overweight smoker, deeply in debt
- Felt badly about self as person, father
- Picked one thing to change (smoking)
- Began to change other habits as well
- Started blog in 2007, year of discovery
- Achieved with support of others
[18:08] Pam’s journey of radical change
- Working 90 hours/week in 1996
- Mentors moved on after merger, lost mojo
- Also stuck in unhealthy relationship
- Quit job without plan (huge tolerance for risk)
- Reached out to old boss for freelance work
- Realized suited to entrepreneurship
[27:18] Pam’s take on successful collaborative efforts
- As much as you prepare, much is random (human side of business)
- Open to collaborate with client, mentors or peer network
[33:11] The characteristics of optimal collaboration
- Strong opinions, weakly held
- Deep listening
- Mirrored communication
- Shared purpose, but individual motivation
- Joint mission, desire to be part of something bigger
- Acceptance, mutual love and respect
- Community spirit, shared workload
- Different perspectives, life experiences
- Willingness to be changed (beginner’s mind)
- Leader offering invitation to collaborate, keep it going
- Create brave spaces
[47:46] The significance of solitude
- Solitude is ‘lost art’
- Necessary first step in collaboration
- Schedule time for solitude
- Step away from technology to process
- Can be around people, yet alone with thoughts
[56:37] How we use our phones to avoid uncertainty, discomfort
- Solitude, isolation allows for awareness of patterns
- Set intention and create boundaries
- Play with discomfort (critical part of development)
- Proactively schedule time without distractions
[1:03:10] Pam’s advice for executives around allowing for solitude
- Signals, signs
- ‘No meeting’ days
- Design space for needs of team
- Enforce your own boundaries
Connect with Pam & Leo Pam’s Website
Escape from Cubicle Nation
Leo’s Website
Zen Habits
Resources The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
“Just Think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind” by Timothy D. Wilson, et al.
Lead Yourself First: Inspiring Leadership Through Solitude by Raymond M. Kethledge and Michael S. Erwin
Solitude: A Singular Life in a Crowded World by Michael Harris
The Quiet Revolution
Jeffrey's premise:
"Sometimes our most important discoveries for our projects and our life happen in the margins of our attention.”
We live in a culture that trusts conscious attention and labor over intuition and mind-wandering. Yet those moments of contemplation and daydreaming are what set us apart as humans and give our unconscious minds the time and space to rest. It is in those breaks from conscious effort that our creative subconscious continues to work on problems and innovate new solutions.
Jeffrey is joined by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, a Silicon Valley-based futurist, writer and founder of The Restful Company, and Srini Pillay, a psychiatrist, brain-based technology innovator and founder of the NeuroBusiness Group. They discuss how the environments in which they were raised informed their drive to achieve. Srini unravels the myth of deliberate practice as the only factor in creative mastery, and Alex explains how rest and work act in tandem to support and sustain each other. They discuss the magic of the unfocused mind as well as the value in scheduling intensive work followed by deliberate rest. Listen in as Jeffrey, Srini and Alex offer insight around activating the creative brain in the current cultural moment of volatility—when it has never been more important for humans to be human.
Key Takeaways [4:14] Srini’s young genius
- Grew up in apartheid South Africa
- Sense of curiosity in forbidden
[7:49] Alex’s young genius
- Movement between two worlds
- ‘World of ideas’ as escape
[11:12] Alex’s drive to achieve great things
- Korean father, expectation to be at top of class
- Found intellectual satisfaction outside university setting
[16:02] Srini’s motivation to excel
- ‘Neurotically driven on my own’
- Desire to make family proud
- Interest in many subjects
[21:17] The path to creative mastery
- Deliberate practice not only factor
- History of people with combined interests (e.g.: music, science)
- Must practice AND rest deliberately
- Work and rest function as partners
[29:52] How hobbies impact productivity
- Scientists with more hobbies had more citations
- May be protective against dementia
[33:06] The magic of the unfocused mind
- ‘Professions’ trust conscious attention over contemplation
- Brains capable of productivity when not paying attention
- Organize working lives to create space for playfulness
[38:43] Srini’s methods for activating the creative brain
- Constructive daydreaming
- Napping
- ‘Psychological halloweenism’
- Doodling
[46:33] Alex’s insight on scheduling work and rest
- Intensive work followed by deliberate rest
- Subconscious continues working on problem
- Schedule rest to protect that time
[52:40] The uncertainty of the current cultural moment
- Alternate perspective necessary in midst of volatility
- ‘Never been more important for humans to be human’
- Must protect rest in distracted culture of technology
[59:09] What Srini and Alex are pursuing in 2018
- Alex cuing up next book (work, rest and future)
- Srini working on musical, book plus clinical work/coaching
Connect with Srini & Alex
Srini’s Website
NeuroBusiness Group
Alex’s Website
The Restful Company
Resources
Tinker Dabble Doodle Try: Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind by Srini Pillay MD
Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
The Distraction Addiction by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
Princeton Study on Deliberate Practice
Anders Ericsson’s Paper on Deliberate Practice
Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool
Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper
The Art of Thought by Graham Wallas
No Ordinary Disruption: The Four Global Forces Breaking All the Trends by Richard Dobbs, James Manyika and Jonathan Woetzel
Brand Artistry Labs
*A special thanks to the early supporters of the Tracking Wonder Podcast. Your enthusiasm, feedback, and support helped make this possible. Thank you.
A few very special early supporters:* Deborah Burand, Katherine Miller, Michael Belfiore, Lisa Grefe, Cathy Presland, Peter Wallace, Rita White, Janet St. John, Kim Manley Ort, Bill Miles, L. Hadley, Blair Glaser, Ann Brech, Laraine Herring, Kate Vogt, Susan Brennan
Jeffrey's premise:
"The most influential and fulfilled entrepreneurs and artists can toggle between getting stuff done and dreaming stuff up so they can experience those moments of opening that keep them lit up with meaning."No doubt you’ve had the experience of being busy all day, yet getting absolutely nothing done. You work through the easy tasks on your to-do list, avoiding the ones that are truly important—because those projects scare you to death! How could you learn to focus on the things that actually matter? To create your own productivity systems that eliminate distractions and hold you accountable for creating value? To find the necessary balance between contemplation and action?
Jeffrey is joined by speaker and business consultant Ishita Gupta of Fear.less Magazine and business growth strategist, speaker and author Charlie Gilkey of Productive Flourishing to discuss the formative experiences that led to the productivity systems they use today. Ishita shares her take on the need for a personal connection in any innovation, and Charlie explains why it’s better to focus on being useful rather than trying to do something new and different. They riff on the process of determining what is really important and eliminating tasks that don’t create value. Listen in and learn how Ishita and Charlie approach contemplation and the significance of finding that quiet time to connect with yourself.
Key Takeaways [2:18] Charlie’s young genius
- MacGyver, creative with limited resources
- Fortune of misfortune: resourcefulness, adaptability
[6:42] Ishita’s young genius
- Super-curious, questioned being told what to do
- Desire to do extraordinary things
- Bounce back from embarrassment
[11:15] Ishita’s impetus for developing systems
- All-nighters in college (hated compromising herself)
- Missed opportunities from sitting in indecision
- Needs systems, accountability to stay afloat
[15:46] How Charlie came to develop systems for productivity
- Pursuing master’s in philosophy, Army officer at same time
- Read about others’ productivity systems
- Changed what didn’t work, became documentarian of process
[19:47] Ishita’s take on why innovation must be personal
- Forced to confront own fear (Seth Godin’s altMBA)
- Interviews around overcoming fear, turned into magazine
- Solve your own problem first
[25:46] Charlie’s take on innovation
- Focus on being useful
- Start by assimilating others’ work, find your 5% difference
[32:43] Charlie’s approach to getting the right stuff done
- Tendency to be afraid of important to-dos
- Focus on fewer things that really matter
[35:22] Ishita’s advice around getting the right stuff done
- Accountable to someone else
- Repeat long-term goals daily
- Eliminate distractions
[38:35] Ishita’s take on dreaming
- Direct correlation between desire and opportunity
[42:40] Charlie’s insight around the significance of contemplation
- Contemplation added to morning routine
- Society has lost ability to sit with selves
[46:22] How Ishita gets into a contemplative space
- Dance party
- Get into world (i.e.: outdoors)
- Engage with others
[51:08] Charlie’s advice for getting into a contemplative space
- Disconnect from internet
- Implement ‘inbox perspective’
- Tea ritual
Connect with Ishita & Charlie Ishita’s Website
Charlie’s Website
Resources Seth Godin’s altMBA
The Republic of Imagination: A Life in Books by Azar Nafisi
*A special thanks to the early supporters of the Tracking Wonder Podcast. Your enthusiasm, feedback, and support helped make this possible. Thank you.
A few very special early supporters:*
Patti Shade, J.R. Schumaker, Madeline Danaher, Marty Neumeier, Lyn Henderson, Lucas Dodd, Carol Delmonico, Megan Eberhardt, Leigh Marz, Tricia Chitwood, Emily Seay, Dana Andersen, Kristal Pooler, Mandy Marshall, Julie Sperring, Stargazer Li
Jeffrey's premise:
"One factor that helps high-achieving creatives and fulfilled entrepreneurs face daily challenges is that they have some sense of purpose that helps remind them why they're doing what they're doing every day."You are what you pay attention to, and if your willpower, focus and time are spent trying to control your body image, for example, that quite simply distracts you from becoming who you want to be. Too many young women lose their voices—and ultimately their purpose and passion—in the pursuit of perfection. And if you are busy with the ‘part-time job’ of an eating disorder, it is impossible to achieve your potential or uncover your unique gift to the world.
Today on the Quest Series Roundtable, Jeffrey is joined by podcaster, blogger and author Katie Dalebout and executive coach, speaker and author Caroline Adams Miller to discuss some of the reasons why we tend to lose our purpose as young adults. Katie and Caroline both share their struggles with body image and eating disorders, explaining how they found their way back to health and discovered joy and meaning in giving back. They speak to the value of journaling when it comes to self-awareness, making meaning of our lives, and healing, and offer their best advice around taking care of yourself in the pursuit of a purposeful life.
Key Takeaways [3:05] Katie’s take on her young genius
- Only child, raised on ‘adult farm’
- Propensity for performing
- Knew wanted life to be big
[8:24] Caroline’s childhood
- Girl who wanted to be loved
- School as happy place (solace in thinking, reading and writing)
- Sorrow gave empathy, desire to give back
[11:50] Why we lose our purpose as young adults
- Girls lose their voices
- Must get angry enough to ‘throw off chains’
- Lose purpose, passion
[15:25] How Katie deals with the ‘mean girls’ in her mind
- Use as tool for self-awareness
[19:18] The common issues Katie sees among young women
- Body image/diet culture
- Risk aversion (i.e.: entrepreneurship)
- Impact of social media (distraction, comparison)
[31:02] Katie’s struggle with eating disorders
- Anorexia at end of college
- Received treatment, developed orthorexia
- Obsessed with control, miss out on life
[38:02] Caroline’s fight against bulimia
- Thought next achievement would eliminate sadness
- Bulimia as ‘part-time job’ while studying at Harvard
- Started recovery in 1984 (just after marriage)
- Found joy in giving back, sharing hope
[45:20] The value of journaling
- Allows for honesty, self-awareness (first step to change)
- Opportunity to make meaning of lives
- Positive intervention, part of healing process
- Ask good questions to get good response
- Eventually have to ‘feel the feelings’
[57:17] Caroline and Katie’s advice around self-care
- Purposeful life isn’t always easy
- Seek out your unique gifts
- Surround yourself with supportive people
- Be gentle with yourself
- Do things that make you feel good
- Out your shame, fear
Connect with Katie & Caroline Katie’s Website
Katie’s Podcast
Caroline’s Website
Caroline’s Blog
Resources Let it Out: A Journey Through Journaling by Katie Dalebout
Generation Startup Film
Getting Grit: The Evidence-Based Approach to Cultivating Passion, Perseverance, and Purpose by Caroline Adams Miller
My Name is Caroline by Caroline Adams Miller
Caroline on The Good Life Project
Activate Leadership: Aspen Truths to Empower Millennial Leaders by Jon Mertz
Larissa Rainey Study: ‘The Search for Purpose in Life’
*A special thanks to the early supporters of the Tracking Wonder Podcast. Your enthusiasm, feedback, and support helped make this possible. Thank you.
A few very special early supporters:*
Mel Harth, Lovenia Leapart, Brandy Donovan, Sally Fox, Mindy Ohringer, Katy Yang, Patricia B., John Carr, Millie Jackson, Susan Preston, Gregory Berg, Peg Syverson, Cindy Henson, Nikki Jackson, Lauren Ayer, Lisa Batson Goldberg
Jeffrey's premise:
"There is one human experience above all others that resides at the crux of a meaningful life, of meaningful relationships, and of meaningful and challenging work. It resides at the impulse to make something novel, useful, and beautiful: wonder."What is the key ingredient of a meaningful life? As entrepreneurs, we are called to create—to make something novel, useful, and beautiful. That impulse is wonder. And if we can reframe our work as a quest and approach each day with openness and curiosity, new possibilities emerge.
This season on Tracking Wonder we are exploring the creative entrepreneur’s quest for meaningful work, asking ourselves:
- How can we face challenges with less worry and more wonder?
- How can we convert pain into purpose?
- How can we get the right stuff done without burning out?
Today, Jeffrey introduces us to the theme of this season at Tracking Wonder through the story of world-renowned author Haruki Murakami. Jeffrey recreates the unique moment when Murakami got the idea to write his first novel—during a baseball game. We explore the gap between idea and action, exploring the true meaning of flow and what it takes to pursue your quest day in and day out. Jeffrey discusses the idea of ikigai, explaining how the human impulse to create facilitates a meaningful life. Listen in for insight around the role of curiosity in the twenty-first century and learn how wonder can help us see people, problems and possibilities in fresh ways.
Key Takeaways [1:27] The theme of this season at Tracking Wonder
- Explore creative entrepreneur’s quest for meaningful work
[2:56] The story of Haruki Murakami
-
Idea to write novel came at baseball game
-
Uses distance running as training for writing
- Regarded as most influential living novelist
[6:21] How to advance your own best ideas
-
Reframe as daily quest
-
Requires sustained focus
- Face voluntary challenges (flow)
- Risk for something greater than self
[10:22] The human experience that facilitates a meaningful life
* Impulse to create something
- Childlike curiosity, wonder
[13:39] How wonder dissolves cynicism
- See people, problems in fresh ways
Connect with Jeffrey Tracking Wonder
Tracking Wonder on Facebook
Jeffrey on Twitter
Jeffrey on Instagram
Jeffrey on LinkedIn
Resources Haruki Murakami
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Hero’s Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work by Joseph Campbell
Melvin Konnor
Joi Ito
*A special thanks to the early supporters of the Tracking Wonder Podcast. Your enthusiasm, feedback, and support helped make this possible. Thank you.
A few very special early supporters:* Latise Hairston, Ali Singer, Ron Sparks, Loraine Van Tuyl, Jenny Oney, Nancy Burger, Michal Spiegelman, Fatemé Banishoeib, Lyn de Graaf, Bethany Hegadus, Becky Lindstrom, Laura Worth, Shannon Allstott, Melissa Bennett, Hector Baltazar, Hillary Thing
What do Haruki Murakami, the Heath Brothers, & Susan Piver have in common? They're about to change the way you think about the pursuit of big ideas & meaningful work. Episodes every Tuesday.