Genuine Insights

Summit Basecamp An Expedition that Blew My Mind and Opened My Heart

This weekend I had the humbling honor of participating in the Summit Series Basecamp in Squaw Valley, California. This highly curated gathering of trailblazing entrepreneurs, activists, scientists, thought leaders, educators, artists, authors, provocateurs, spiritual leaders, and three-dimensional creatives produced a spontaneous combustion of conversation, collaboration, and adventure the likes of which I have never seen. And the best part is the masterminds behind the whole thing are an awesome group of young Fat Brains who have literally broken the mold on the large group experience.

The only way I can come close to describing the experience is to say think TED meets Burning Man meets the X Games—a truly non-traditional, break-all-the-conference-rules happening that featured a group of hand-selected rock star innovators as speakers and participants.

Genius peaks

I don’t know if it was the altitude or just the collective consciousness doing what it does but the energy exchanged amongst us all was one of the most powerful, radiant energy fields I have experienced. It was as if we were all of one intuitive and intellectual organism, connected for three days by an invisible pulsing vibe that allowed us to rapidly build upon our ideas and passions together in a cross- disciplinary way that only innovation labs seem to be able to pull off.

Whether it was for the span of an elevator ride or a three-hour, deep-dive, fireside conversation, there was constant sharing, learning, and building upon the assets of each and every person who shared an exchange. Dialogues about new disruptive technologies, to a groundbreaking scientific discovery in health care, to an original perspective on the entrepreneurial mindset combined to suggest monumental potential for communities, businesses, and individuals across the globe.

Some talks were held in a Buckminster Fuller-style dome especially created for us to be immersed in multidimensional media experiences. Sessions were held around the clock, regardless of hour. There were 2:00 a.m. jam sessions and 4:00 a.m. yoga. There were group meals, lectures, mind-game activities, skiing, and extraordinary mediation sessions. If you didn’t want to shut down at all, you didn’t have to. It’s like Steve Jobs said: “Who needs an on and off switch?” Many grabbed a few hours of sleep here and there, but everyone seemed to be in a perpetual state of engagement.

I know that nothing should surprise me, but the unexpected beginning and end of most interactions was punctuated by a six-second hug. If you hug someone for six seconds, your brain releases oxytocin, which gives you a warm, nurturing, emotionally invested feeling. This practice was introduced at the start of day one and we spent the rest of our time together testing and confirming this finding, discovering it produced an invisible, unstoppable, round-the-clock connectivity of mind and heart for all of us. Astonishing.

As both subject and observer of my experience during Summit Basecamp, I couldn’t believe there were 750 incredible examples of what life, play, work, and ventures can look like when they exist at the intersection of heart and mind. This is what I teach, speak, and write about in my book, Practical Genius, and for the first time, I was in the midst of a tribe comprised entirely of practical geniuses living wholly in their genius zones. It felt like I was home at last.

This post is dedicated to the amazing masterminds of Summit Series and Summit Basecamp.

Posted Feb 2, 2012 Tagged under: creativity, entrepreneurship, events, fat brains, uncategorized

What are you afraid of?

Last week I sat next to a TSA manager on a flight to Washington, D.C. for the last stop of my book tour. We got to talking and I discovered that my new acquaintance was quite the paradox; security expert by day, mad history buff by night. It literally took one question for this gentle soul to open up and tell the truth of who he “really” is.

“What are your passions?” I asked.

“I love history, theology, and I have a fascination with Okinawan history.” He then went on to share countless stories and colorful facts about Okinawa. While I listened intently, I also wondered what the heck is he doing working for the TSA and why wasn’t this lively, passionate person doing work that relates to what he clearly cares so much about.

Curious to know, I boldly asked him, “So how do you intend to use all this knowledge?”

In response, he got very quiet, casted his eyes downward (never a good sign) and replied, “I’m not a smart person, I just know a lot of things.” What he was saying, of course, was “I’m scared.” Fear is a bitch, I thought to myself. Why does it have so many of us in a stranglehold?

The fearful fellow in seat 5B went on to tell me that he writes at night in the privacy of his home office and has never shared the work he has produced over the years. Feeding his intellectual curiosities quietly and not doing anything with his innate talents and passions is not just a loss for him, but for everyone out there in the world who might benefit from his insight.

I have never felt such sadness for someone as I did that morning and for the millions of others amongst us who are paralyzed in fear and self doubt and either don’t recognize their condition or know it and choose to do nothing about it. I think that while fear can be an interesting motivator for some people (mountain climbers and race car drivers come to mind), it is more often a bear trap that stops us from living the complete lives we’re not only capable of, but deeply, richly deserve.

As a coach, it’s my responsibility to hold up a mirror for others and try to inspire them to shift their perspectives. My objective is to show them what is possible when they bring their skills and strengths into balance with their passions and values. When they land on that intersection—the place where genius lives—miraculously, fear is no longer the master in their lives. I have a theory that genius and fear can’t co-exist. When your genius is in full bloom, fear shrinks and fades to nothing. When your genius is undeveloped or neglected, fear fills that vacuum and comes to dictate decisions in matters of both the head and the heart. That’s no way to live, people!

As our conversation drew to a close, I challenged my seatmate to stop making excusing and to begin to address the self doubt and fear that has held him back from living his great passions. I also challenged him to look hard at his job and to try to imagine what would happen if he unleashed the power of his passions and the clarity of his values on his work in the security field. Because honestly, this isn’t just how one person’s life and work is transformed, it’s also how organizations and communities are transformed one genius at a time. I don’t know what he will do with my advice, but I hope that the hour or so of airing and sharing his passions in the light of day would give him an irresistible taste of what it’s like when his personal practical genius rules over him instead of his fear.

I share this small story to encourage you to reflect on what holds you back from sharing your genius with the world. Take a moment to reflect on your quiet aspirations and curiosities and consider what’s stopping you from acting upon them. Only when you confront those demons that lurk just beneath the surface of the ego can you begin to find the path to your own genius. So come on—come out from the shadows (or the basement or the middle of the night or wherever it is that you’re hiding your light) and step into the sunshine—the warm, edifying, Vitamin-D rich sunlight that will feed, sustain, grow the genius in you.

Posted Jan 19, 2012 Tagged under: uncategorized

Ten Things I Learned in 2011

1. Balance is a myth.
I hate the word balance! Embrace the truth that balance is unattainable and, in fact, shouldn’t even be your objective. Acknowledge that you’re not supposed to have evenly balanced scales when it comes to work and life when you are living out your genius on all frequencies. Yes, smile as I liberate you from this balance myth. Instead of holding on to guilt as your genius scales tilt back and forth between work and play, let go of the notion that you have to find balance-break the damn scale if you want to!
Remember that you’re not looking for a balanced life at all; you’re looking for a fully, deeply integrated life where what you do equals what you love, whether in work, play, or within your relationships.

2. Every day can be Saturday.
No one should be curating your day-to-day life but you. This year my husband and I set out to design every day as a Saturday and the mental paradigm shift alone helped us make better daily decisions aligned with what we really “wanted” to do instead of what we thought we “had” to do. Design each working, living, playful day as a Sat and you will be surprised how much more fulfillment you will gain from each day instead of just one in seven. Yes, this means you get to replace the tasks you hate with the work you love. And yes, this means you get to play, innovate, create, and dream every day before you do anything else. Try turning a Tuesday into a Saturday and you’ll see what I mean!

3. Break your own rules.
Sometimes we have to break the rules to get shit done our way. For example, this year I wanted to be first-time author, entrepreneur, mother, and wife all at once and decided to do just that by taking on all those roles simultaneously within all environments and experiences. Ultimately, this meant I had to break a few of my own rules. For example, I brought my son to client meetings and I brought clients to family functions, purposefully living my values alongside my professional aspirations. And you know what? It was a little risky and felt strange at first, but it also felt very true and authentic. If you want to live your genius out loud, sometimes you gotta break the rules.

4. Talk to strangers.
We used to be a society who talked to one another and now we are a society who walks around with our heads bent over our smart phones. Next time you catch yourself doing that, look up, smile, and introduce yourself to a complete stranger. I speak to at least one person on every flight I take and the stories I hear, the lessons I learn, and the exchanges I have are priceless. Now, I’ll admit I’m a master at detecting genius wherever I am, but I believe all of us can benefit abundantly by just picking up our heads from time to time and engaging eye-to-eye with others. So put down that phone, tune in to the frequencies around you, and identify choice moments to connect in real time with people. Gifts come in many forms when you are open to receiving them, which can be as simple as saying hello to a stranger.

5. Think less and feel more.
Logic isn’t necessarily always king when it comes to making life decisions. Lead your life from the heart and allow the mind to follow. The heart is always right and the more of us that make this heart first/mind
second shift, the happier we will all become. The poet E.E. Cummings wrote, “my blood approves/ and kisses are a far better fate/ than wisdom.”

6. Fall in love with something new.
In order to stay “with it” intellectually, you better act as a student for life. Whether it’s Asian cooking,world religions, or a new computer language, pick a new area for your heart and mind to dive into and carve out the time to read, study, attend conferences, join online conversations, and altogether enjoy fueling your genius. I’ll be digging in to the mysteries of neuroscience in 2012.

7. Take big fat risks.
When folks ask me how I was able to write and publish my first book while launching my consulting practice, my response is always that I took a few big fat risks. Whether you want to write a book, start a business, or open that gallery, you have to be committed to taking risks, lots of them. The fact is that you will never fulfill your genius potential without risk. The good news is the more risks you take, the better you get at it-and the more often you’ll see the fruits of your efforts.

8. Learn to step down, say no, and let go.
What holds many of us back is an over-commitment to often competing agendas. For instance, are you spending more time on your volunteer work than with your family or running your business and wondering why you are failing at both? Personal leadership is about learning when enough is enough and making hard decisions to edit the causes, activities, and even the people in your life. When something or someone-even a cause or a person who is close to you-is becoming an obstacle to your growth or is chafing against your values, it’s time to step down, say no thanks, and let go.

9. Make time for foreplay.
We all need a little genius foreplay in our lives. The foreplay I am referring to is the kind that stimulates the whole mind. For me that is exploration and this year I made it my business to visit a new neighborhood within every city I visited while on my book tour and this kind of foreplay is now a new habit. Whenever I land in a city instead of hiding out in my room buried in email, I go on a multi-sensory adventure. Exploring a new neighborhood for a couple of hours visiting stores, libraries, galleries, and cafés is great for fueling your genius. In return, I am stimulated, inspired, and more accepting of my life on the road. Make your life rich with self-stimulation.

10. Patience is the secret to mastery.
I waited my entire life for the opportunity to publish my not so crazy ideas on redefining genius and it finally happened. What I learned from both the writing and publishing process is mastery can only be achieved with patience. I stayed determined, focused, and relentlessly committed to mastering the ability to express my ideas. I am still a work-in-progress and can’t stress enough the power of patience as I learn, grow, and continuously pursue my genius potential. Be patient with your goals, your dreams, and your passion projects and realize everything takes double the time you expect in order to achieve the results you desire. Those that carry on-no matter what the obstacles-win the prize. Of all the lessons of this year, this one was the most important one to me.

Posted Dec 27, 2011 Tagged under: uncategorized

Scratch Your Christmas List for a Genius Wish List

Every year millions of people spend a good amount of time generating their “What I want for Christmas or Hanukah” list and I have to admit to having a bit of this nasty little habit myself. This year, I’d like to shift the focus from material acquisition—what we want—to genius acquisition—who we want to be—by thinking about what I hope to learn and how I hope to grow this holiday season and in 2012.

The best way to do this is first to redefine the word “gift” as it relates to yourself and to others. Experience is one of the most important learning factors for every Practical Genius, so this year what you want to receive and what you want to give others is not a thing, it’s an experience. The secret ingredient to a transformative experience is, of course, the environment in which it takes place. So now to create a Genius Wish List that will take us to the places that will move and expand us, stretch our muscles and shed new light in our lives. Here’s how:

First, find a quiet, comfortable, “alone” place and at least 30 minutes in your busy schedule for this valuable exercise.

Second, close your eyes and visualize the specific environments where the most profound and illuminating experiences you have had have taken place. Use your journal or photo albums to remind you of these pivotal moments. These environments might include outdoor spaces, a particular building in a certain city, a museum or gallery, public spaces, a garden, a studio, cafes or restaurants, or, of course, a church, temple, mosque or other spiritual center. Try to remember these environments in as much detail as possible—the colors, the sounds and smells, the light, the textures that helped to shape the experience and deeply impress it upon you.

Third, with these environments in mind, make a list of five places that are new to you that you will visit this year, at least one of these visits taking place with family or friends during the holiday season. This will require a fun bit of research, rooting through your files of “someday” activities, Googling around online, and brainstorming with the people in your life. This isn’t a climb-Mount-Everest bucket list; it’s a very specific, very purposeful and doable list of experiences waiting to happen. You don’t have to travel far or spend a bunch of money to fulfill your Genius Wish List. Just take the time and pleasure in planning for reflective, multi-sensory experiences like others you have had before; whatever it is you choose to do, you want to feel “full,” leaving you with much to sustain and inspire you well into the future. You might even map out your List by creating a visual collage of the environments and experiences you plan to enjoy throughout the year; this will help you integrate these plans into the way you view your day-to-day life, rather than relegate them to the “when-I-have-some-free time” closet. It will also stimulate your sense memories in a highly motivating way.

Think also about ways to create a Wish List experience yourself. For example, having some of the most important growth moments of my life take place over an extraordinary meal and having also become very interested in the science of food in the last few years, my Genius Wish List for 2012 includes hosting a “molecular gastronomy” dinner party, inviting a chef, of course, but also an artist or two, a musician, a technologist, and maybe an educator—all to foster the spontaneous combustion of creativity and precision, art and science, craft and conversation.

Whatever’s on your list, though, plan for it. Get out your calendar and begin to work out the timing and logistics for each experience. If you don’t make the commitment and the necessary plans, we both know it won’t happen. The best gift you can give yourself is a year full of original, genius-feeding experiences. So make your Wish List, map it out, and share it with the people who matter to you so they know where you’re headed in the coming year. Better yet, invite them along! Genius loves company.

Making a point of having one of your Wish List experiences during the holiday season serves two purposes: First, it’s a powerful reminder that what we do is more important than what we have, that joy comes from the living of our lives, not from packages under a tree. Second, it will set the bar for the new year in a way that will make you impatient for your next Wish List experience. Yup, it’s the kind of food for your genius that never satiates, but rather fuels your hunger further. In this case, I promise, this is a good thing.

I guarantee that tossing out your Christmas list in exchange for a Genius Wish List will change the way the holidays and the whole year play out for you. Please let me know of your own extraordinary Wish List experiences as they happen this year so we can all share in the transformation they inspired. You can be sure you’ll hear about mine!

Posted Nov 29, 2011 Tagged under: goals and goal setting, inspiration, motivation, uncategorized

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