Big Leap Creative

The Perfect Week

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 24 May 2021 14:00:00 +0000

What does the perfect week look like to you? I am part of a program called thought Leaders Business School and have a tribe of people I get together with on a weekly basis. We might be talking about getting our books done, or sharing challenges we have running our practices. Each of us has different areas of expertise, but we have a shared community in that we run a practice based on our thoughts and ideas (not products) with maybe a support person or two but no employees.

So I have found my tribe and I believe everyone needs their tribe. Tuesday of this week, I found myself in a super funk for what reason I cannot tell you. I mean, nothing significant had changed from one day to the next, I just woke up and was feeling exhausted and discouraged. Raise your hand if this has happened to you. I had a good cry, and after our weekly call (in which it was obvious I wasn’t OK) THREE people reached out to me independently to offer a call/help/support. I swear, people, find your tribe if you haven’t. This one took me a long time to find, but I was ears and eyes open for it, and after a few years, it landed in my lap. Finding your tribe doesn’t happen through a Google search. You have to know what you want and pay attention.

Back to my funk of a day. I knew I had to put that head stuff in a box and put it on the top shelf of the closet, put on my big girl pants, and get ready for some client work and a presentation the next day, which is what I did.

Afterward, I pulled the box back out and it was empty! The feeling was gone. poof. Maybe because I had just put my head down and did work, made some progress. Call it avoidance, call it what you will. I think it was just a bad day and now it’s today. Which, brings me to a lovely email I received from an attendee of my session asking how I balance wanting to change the world with the desire to go out backpacking this weekend.

My question in return is can’t you change the world while backpacking? Or can you change the world on the days you aren’t backpacking? I think you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Let’s ponder both questions.

Question 1 means you combine what you want to do with what you love. Define those two things and figure out how to make it happen. That’s your vision. Maybe it takes a long time to get there. Be kind to yourself in the meantime.

I’ve seen many examples of Scenario 1 – many of them happen to be guests on my podcast, in fact. Like Elinor Fish of Run Wild Retreats. (<–episode 59)

Question 2 means you do what you love on certain days and do the hard work you love on other days. The backpacking (you get we’re talking about the proverbial backpacking, now, right?) is the time for you to have a much-needed “rest day” which any athlete or high performer needs. It’s what fuels you to be able to do the hard work. It’s the whole put your face mask on first before you put it on your kids.

I’m a Scenario 2 kind of girl. And I thought I’d share a bit how I do it. And I’ll start by saying, it’s far from a perfect week.

I think it’s important to map out what your perfect week looks like. Some call it blocking or chunking. Doing this makes sure I don’t let others’ priorities infringe on my own priorities. I do my best to stick to it, understanding it never goes as planned. Be kind to yourself.

Break it down.

Personal

My weekly runs are scheduled in, most of them with a small posse of girlfriends which motivates me to show up. Those are blocked out “BUSY” on my calendar.
Saturday play date is often planned mid-week.
Sunday is play day with hubby, hopefully, disconnected from devices.
Usually, I’m planning a trip or adventure of some sort so I might have some prep or planning to do for it. My next one is a camping/mountain bike trip in Glacier National Park for Memorial Day Weekend.
Catch up with a friend or family. <—- I suck at this one. Sorry, Mom, Dave. Sorry, friends. I need to be better.

Professional

Learning – this involves my classes in Thought Leaders Business School, other masterclasses, reading, and watching things that make me better.
Thinking – happening all the time. Capturing ideas and experiences and stories so they can be used at other times. Coaching and training classes, this newsletter, speeches.
Selling – I’ve always felt like I’m “above” needing to sell. If I sell myself, it looks like I need the business. Through my classes, I’ve shifted this in my head. People need my stuff. If I didn’t give them the opportunity to learn about it, I’m just being downright rude. So, I put myself out there. (Wondering how to work with me? Some ideas below my signature)
Delivering – Kicking ass for my clients. I do my best to confine this to Tuesdays to Thursdays so I can focus on all the other stuff Mondays and Fridays. One can dream. This is a nice dream.

Lisa O’Neill has an amazing matrix she uses every week and I’m working on a way to integrate it into my planning process. I use the Full Focus Planner and have included it in the weekly preview section. Sharing here because I think it will be useful.

For every day of the week, she fills in the field for the following(not that you do every single one every day):

In (Attention in. Like meditation, etc. I combine this with the move, below. Because running and biking is also attention in for me)
Out – this is the one I suck at. And what a good exercise in self-awareness! So I’m trying to be better.
Move – this one is not a problem for me. I yoga, trail run, mt bike, xc ski, weight training.
Listen
Think
Sell
Deliver

Bottom Line, do your best. Be kind to yourself.

Now then. Talk to me. I’d love to know what questions or ideas this brings up for you.

PS: One of my many new ideas while I was trying slow is to launch a new master class on storytelling which will be open to the public, perfect for individuals working in the non-profit and purpose-driven sector to learn to be better at using story to get your cause noticed and funded. This is a two-month program that will launch in September (back to school for EVERYONE). There will only be 10 slots available and I’d love to talk to you about it. Contact me to learn more and apply.

Take care out there,

Some ways I may be able to help you and your team:

Want help seeing things differently? Ready to make that idea of yours happen? I still have a few spaces available in June for my Take a Big Leap Coaching program for purpose-driven individuals who want to make a big change or level up their career, business/organization, or want to strike out on their own and launch their thing. This four-month, one-on-one program will help you articulate and make your idea of change happen. Respond here, and we can schedule a time to discuss.

Help non-profit team members level up their storytelling. In this three-part series, I can work with your team to help you elevate your organization’s communications and storytelling skills. Want more details? Respond here to schedule a time to talk.

Digital Transformation. Need to bring your work online? I’m here to help. Contact me for details.

Stay in touch.

The post The Perfect Week appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

Sheryl Wiser: Moving at the Speed of Trust

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 17 May 2021 14:00:00 +0000

The Director of Outreach at Tilth Alliance, and lead staff for the Eat Local First Collaborative a multi-partnership collaboration between food system organizations around the state.

An established communicator and narrative storyteller, Sheryl is recognized as a builder of strategic partnerships with career experience in the non-profit, corporate, civic, and media sectors. She is a passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture and consumer education promoting local food and farms.

She is also a highly regarded singer, songwriter, and musician. In 2017 she launched Pie + Persistence, a Seattle-based house-concert series that has raised over $40,000 to date for social, food, land, and environmental justice.

A few of her quotes that I loved:

Meet people where they are, not where you want them to be.
Progress moves at the speed of trust.

We talked about resilience, storytelling, music and she does it all with this writer’s voice that brings everything to life in a beautiful way.

With that, let’s listen in and gear up for what’s next.

Download here

Where to find Sheryl and other links:

Want to do me a huge favor?

Reviewing and sharing are the most helpful ways to get this in front of new listeners.

Make sure and get the next episode in your inbox – subscribe right up there, top right of this page.
If you enjoyed this podcast, I would LOVE it if you reviewed it here on iTunes! It makes a big difference!
I really want to hear from you – questions, topic and guest suggestions, anything. Talk to me in the comments below or here.

Stay in touch.

The post Sheryl Wiser: Moving at the Speed of Trust appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

Banana Bread: A recipe for creativity and innovation

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 10 May 2021 14:00:00 +0000

New neighbors moved in down the road from us and the first thing they did in their new home was to nail a bright orange No Trespassing sign on a tree out front. I found it odd because we live on a quiet, privately maintained dirt road in a very rural area, about two miles from pavement. It feels like overkill – we can see it’s your house. If anyone happens to be on the road, it’s because we live on the road. We have a home and don’t need to go into yours. But even more concerning is the way they announced themselves to the neighborhood. A kind of “We’re here. Keep Out.”

We only just moved to this neighborhood in September. In general, the vibe is very much a keep to yourself kind of vibe. I kept joking that we’d be getting our welcome banana bread any day now. One lovely fall evening shortly after our arrival, we were walking Murphy down the road when the next-door neighbor pulled out of his driveway. Upon seeing us, he stopped and rolled his window down to (I thought) introduce himself. Instead, he said, “we have…” and then he thought better of it and said, “Never mind,” rolled up his window and drove away, leaving Patrick and I staring at each other, wondering what the end of his sentence was.

I suggested maybe he was going to say We have… “a piping hot loaf of banana bread ready to bring over. Will you be home in an hour?” Patrick thought it might be we have… “killer dogs, so don’t even think about touching our property.” – Which is possibly more likely considering the numerous signs they have on their driveway announcing said “attack dogs.”

I shouldn’t be surprised. This attitude has certainly been the culture nationally of late. Don’t let people into our country; don’t purchase and sell goods outside of our country. I’m no economist or expert in immigration matters, but the whole isolationist thing – I just don’t get.

It reminds me of my conversation with creative director Raheim Robinson, who grew up in Harlem and got into climbing. He found the climbing community to be incredibly unwelcome. He didn’t let that deter him, but it makes me wonder how many do turn around and find the place where they are welcome.

In our previous neighborhood experience, we all got along and looked out for each other. If someone asked if they could park on our property and we said “SURE!” They didn’t have enough space and we had more than we needed. When Mike went hunting and had more meat than they could eat, he’d drop some off for us. If his wife got stuck in the driveway while he was away on business, we’d help dig her out. If something looks suspicious around their place, we’d call them or do something about it. But then they moved out and new people came in who asked why we weren’t contributing to the snowplowing. (We in fact were paying. We were just billed separately) This was akin to moving in and nailing a bright orange No Trespassing sign to the tree in their front yard. “We’re here. Keep Out.” So when they parked on our property, we asked them to move. If they had just been nice, we would have been happy to let them park there.

If we apply this to the work we do; the ideas we have, I like to be a globalist: welcoming, collaborative, and coming from a place of abundance. Satisfaction comes from helping each other, making a difference for each other. Innovation is born from collaboration. When we work together, we build on each other’s work.

Whenever I’m faced with a difficult conversation or communication challenge, I think ahead to the outcome or the perception I desire. If I am furious that the airlines canceled my flight, acting like an ass to the agent trying to reroute me isn’t going to get me where I want to go.

Coming into something new and nailing up a “keep out” sign with my proverbial arms across on my chest is usually not the message I want to send.

I’m much more into banana bread.

PS: One of my many new ideas while I was trying slow is to launch a new master class on storytelling which will be open to the public, perfect for individuals working in the non-profit and purpose-driven sector to learn to be better at using story to get your cause noticed and funded. This is a two-month program that will launch in June. There will only be 10 slots available and I’d love to talk to you about it. Contact me to learn more and apply.

Take care out there,

Some ways I may be able to help you and your team:

Want help seeing things differently? Ready to make that idea of yours happen? I still have a few spaces available in May for my Take a Big Leap Coaching program for purpose-driven individuals who want to make a big change or level up their career, business/organization, or want to strike out on their own and launch their thing. This four-month, one-on-one program will help you articulate and make your idea of change happen. Respond here, and we can schedule a time to discuss.

Digital Transformation. Need to bring your work online? I’m here to help. Contact me for details.

Stay in touch.

The post Banana Bread: A recipe for creativity and innovation appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

Beth Norton: Life as a Backpacking Adventure

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 03 May 2021 14:00:00 +0000

Typically, I talk to people who have already sort of found their path. After things have landed together for them. Today’s conversation is a little different because with Beth Norton, things haven’t landed into place yet, but I found Beth’s story to be so remarkable I wanted to share it here. But really, if you think about it – we are all in the middle of our stories because we are all currently ALIVE. And that means we will still have a next chapter.

Beth Norton currently works in Boise for state government where she is a secretary to a pool of legislators. Beth is part of the 1 to 3 percent. The 1 to 3 percent of kids who age out of the foster care system and go on to graduate college. That’s how many people manage to pull their lives together and get a degree. I’m not saying getting a college degree equates to pulling your life together but suffice it to say, getting a college education is a rare thing in Beth’s world. Many others just don’t have the opportunity to do so.

Her story takes you inside childhood trauma, the foster care system and all its shortcomings, and how someone can manage to survive it. Beth talks about how comedy provided an amazing outlet for her and the clarity and focus backpacking brings to her life.

Today you’ll learn about :

How the foster care system is failing our youth in need.
The role theater plays in childhood trauma (and apply it to our own life challenges?)
Foster care reform
How the outdoors helps

With that, let’s listen in and gear up for what’s next.

Download here

Where to find Beth and other links:

Instagram
bethnorton.com
The Body Keeps the Score (book)
Her story story — this link takes you to direct to her portion about 44 minutes into it.

Want to do me a huge favor?

Reviewing and sharing are the most helpful ways to get this in front of new listeners.

Make sure and get the next episode in your inbox – subscribe right up there, top right of this page.
If you enjoyed this podcast, I would LOVE it if you reviewed it here on iTunes! It makes a big difference!
I really want to hear from you – questions, topic and guest suggestions, anything. Talk to me in the comments below or here.

Stay in touch.

The post Beth Norton: Life as a Backpacking Adventure appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

It’s Not The Stories

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +0000

I give a lot of credit to storytelling. I credit storytelling with changing the world.

But. It’s not the stories. It’s the actions and the work you are doing. The catch is, if you aren’t telling the stories about the work you’re doing, no one knows about it, and they can’t get on board with your idea.

So, your work is def changing the world, but your stories are the catalyst.

If you want to be the storyteller in your organization, consider taking on the role of a news producer or anchor. Think about your favorite news anchor – the one you turn to for news, you trust, you know. You have a relationship with him or her. They have no idea who you are. They have earned your trust by doing what? They take all the activities happening in the world today and curate and package into stories you can digest. You don’t have time to follow everything happening in the world you can’t read legislative bills before they get on the floor. You can’t follow C-Span to learn about every detail in Congress. You rely on your news anchor for that information, and from that, you make informed decisions.

We tell different stories for different objectives, matching the story to the need. A question I continually ask is “What does your audience need to hear at this time?” This is also a fancy way of saying “having a conversation.” And that’s what we’re doing. Engaging in a conversation.

Any organization is on a journey from unknown to highly respected. At the highly respected level, you have a culture of take my money. Instead of having to make a case for something, you are essentially effecting change. And there is a lot of work and activity you are doing to get there, but if you aren’t telling the stories to your audiences, they have no way of knowing what you are doing, and you find yourself languishing in the unknown.

While your work and actions are critical, the stories are what help you climb the ladder. Your stories become the catalyst for change.

Let’s do a walk-through on this ladder. Organizations who are just starting or haven’t engaged in storytelling find they are very much unknown in their market. They are working hard to make a case. At this stage, your stories are all about driving awareness about a problem you solve and why you are the one to solve it.

It’s not uncommon to become known but misunderstood. Maybe people don’t understand what you do, or there is a reputation issue, some objection. Storytelling efforts are around shifting perception. Debunking myths and addressing the difficult topics head-on.

Once you rise above the dotted line, stories are more effectively driving action for slightly less effort than when you are below the line and working hard to make the case. It’s a tipping point if you will, and you become known and remembered. Your stories have developed trust and credibility.

But it’s not enough to be known and trusted. We want to drive action of some sort. Tell your networks about something, sign a petition, vote for something, volunteer your time.

After a steady cadence of storytelling across this spectrum, you will find yourself at the height of this ladder, highly respected, with a culture of “take my money.” Don’t we all want that?

If no one is acting as the news anchor at your organization, no one knows all the good work you are doing. And you will flounder in the unknown level of this ladder.

While it’s the work and activity of your organization that is the backbone of what you do, the story is your catalyst for change.

PS: One of my many new ideas while I was trying slow is to launch a new master class on storytelling which will be open to the public, perfect for individuals working in the non-profit and purpose-driven sector to learn to be better at using story to get your cause noticed and funded. This is a two-month program that will launch in June. There will only be 10 slots available and I’d love to talk to you about it. Contact me to learn more and apply.

Take care out there,

Some ways I may be able to help you and your team:

Digital Transformation. Need to bring your work online? I’m here to help. Contact me for details.

Stay in touch.

The post It’s Not The Stories appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

Raheim Robinson: How Art Can Change the World

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +0000

Can you think of a time where you’ve tried something new and felt like you have no business being there, doing your thing. It’s intimidating, the environment feels unwelcome? Some of us have only experienced it here and there but this is a place many grow up in. Raheim didn’t let that stop him from doing the things he loves. And is now doing work to pay that forward with his work with younger adults and his filmmaking. So we talked about things like changing the story you tell yourself, the downside of comparison, learning to bring yourself into everything you do. And also how he fuels his creativity.

Raheim is a creative director, producer, and climber born and based in New York City. Spending more than a decade in fashion marketing and branding as well as outdoor brand consulting, he is now using his diverse expertise and knowledge to push the outdoor industry to create safe spaces for black and brown youth in underserved communities in New York.

We talked about storytelling, creativity, diversity, and inclusion in the outdoors.

With that let’s listen in and gear up for what’s next – we dive in immediately in our conversation where Raheim remarks about the transition from working for so long behind the scenes and now finding himself in the spotlight and what that’s like.

Download here

Where to find Raheim and other links:

Want to do me a huge favor?

Reviewing and sharing are the most helpful ways to get this in front of new listeners.

Make sure and get the next episode in your inbox – subscribe right up there, top right of this page.
If you enjoyed this podcast, I would LOVE it if you reviewed it here on iTunes! It makes a big difference!
I really want to hear from you – questions, topic and guest suggestions, anything. Talk to me in the comments below or here.

Stay in touch.

The post Raheim Robinson: How Art Can Change the World appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

Try Slow

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +0000

“I’m not the creative type.”

I hear it all the time, especially when someone has asked me about the work I do. “Oh, that’s important work,” they say, “I need to be better at storytelling, but I don’t have an interesting story to tell.” Or, “I’m not the creative type. “

If that is you, today’s post/email is for you.

We all are creative. We just need to know how to access it, and some are better than others at accessing their creativity.

I came across the sign pictured above during a run in Kauai. It made me take pause (pardon the pun) for a few reasons. First of all, when it comes to running, I don’t have to try. I know slow quite intimately. But more importantly, the intentional wording of the sign struck me. Instead of demanding I go slow, this was an invitation to try it. To see what I thought of it.

If you are familiar with Hawaiian culture, you know inviting rather than demanding is very much a Hawaiian thing to do. Aloha is more than a greeting in Hawaii. It’s the word for love, peace, and compassion. It’s also a way of life in Hawaii.

We put a lot of thought into going on this particular trip. But the quarantine protocols are such that we felt going to Kauai would not put others or us in jeopardy. A quick rundown of that looks like: A negative test is required to get on the plane, followed by a 72-hour quarantine in a designated “bubble resort.” We would then test out of the quarantine to our Airbnb in a quiet and secluded north shore community where we cooked our own meals and wore a mask in public.

This brings me back to “try slow.” I am not “slow” at much (other than running), even while on vacation. Days are usually packed with adventures and trails and things to do and see. Right? Vacations are precious. There is a lot of pressure to make the most of every minute! So, when I was forced to stay put in the bubble resort quarantine, that was a foreign feeling. Have you ever gone to a tropical paradise and been forced to remain in place? Let me paint you a picture of our ordeal (said with great sarcasm). We chose one of the smaller resorts on the less-developed north shore situated on a bluff overlooking the ocean. We had a condo with a full kitchen and lanai, a view of the ocean, a short walk to Adirondack chairs overlooking the ocean, and even a pickleball court.

We wore a monitor bracelet, literally watched by big brother, and were free to yoga, pickleball, read and write. Nothing else. No picking the perfect trail and navigating to the trailhead. No planning where we were going to have lunch that afternoon. No dinner reservations to be made.

In this case, slow was a mandate, and I am here to preach its benefits, especially if you want to solve creative problems.

Benefits of Slow

A very brief lesson on the brain science of which I’m no expert, so I draw from the work of both Daniel Levitin in The Organized Mind and Daniel Heilman, a neurologist whose work is highlighted in Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question. Your brain starts the creative problem-solving process in the left hemisphere, where it gathers all the information, scenarios, and possible solutions. In the second phase, the right hemisphere takes over. Neurons here have longer branches and dendrites, which are the cells that often produce insights. Research shows a burst of gamma waves occurs before an insight, essentially binding disparate cells together.

“For all this to work, the relaxation phase is crucial.” – Daniel Levitin, The Organized Mind.

Yep, that’s why you get vacation time or PTO. But vacation isn’t enough. You have to give yourself time and space to reflect. Like, regularly. This is why many people preach the idea of journaling, not that I’ve ever been able to adopt that habit. It’s why we get our best ideas while in the shower, or out on a trail, or doing your favorite thing. Because sitting at your desk, bashing your forehead on said desk has, to my knowledge, never produced an awesome idea.

Warren Berger explores the idea of curiosity to spark breakthrough ideas in A More Beautiful Question. He says most great ideas can be traced back to a series of questions.

Why does it have to be this way? (i.e. Why do I have to wait so long to get my photos printed)
What if… (We put a photo lab inside a camera?)
How would that work? (The Polaroids is born)

I get it – You’re not trying to invent the next “polaroid.” BUT – You’re working away trying to make your idea of change happen. And you are more creative than you give yourself credit. Creativity isn’t a talent you are born with.

We are all creative. Julia Cameron, in The Artist’s Way, says, “creativity is like your blood. Just as blood is a fact of your physical body and nothing you invented, creativity is a fact of your spiritual body and nothing that you must invent.”

Here’s what I typically do.

I start with a question or problem I have to ponder. You can’t just take vacation or go for a run and think ideas will start flooding in. (nice try!) You have to set the stage.
Take the time to research whatever that looks like. Gather the material. (my post on StoryListening might be of use.)
Reflect on what you discover. Sleep on it, do something that brings you joy. Let the right hemisphere do some work.
Take action.

Try slow.

See what happens. And report back to me. I want to know.

PS: One of my many new ideas while I was trying slow is to launch a new master class on storytelling which will be open to the public, perfect for individuals working in the non-profit and purpose-driven sector to learn to be better at using story to get your cause noticed and funded. This is a two-month program that will launch in June. There will only be 10 slots available and I’d love to talk to you about it. Contact me to learn more and apply.

Take care out there,

Some ways I may be able to help you and your team:

Want help seeing things differently? Ready to make that idea of yours happen? I have two slots available in April for my Take a Big Leap Coaching program for purpose-driven individuals who want to level up their career, business/organization, or want to strike out on their own and launch their thing. This four-month, one-on-one program will help you articulate and make your idea of change happen. Respond here, and we can schedule a time to discuss.

Digital Transformation. Need to bring your work online? I’m here to help. Contact me for details.

Stay in touch.

The post Try Slow appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

Jeff Thompson: What’s in His Summer Backpack

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +0000

What are your travel plans? Maybe not much or something pretty local? Maybe something in the backcountry, our best bet as we hopefully wind down on this COVID era. I miss going to Canada, big time. I miss international travel. I will say though that I have found one silver lining in this time. I have discovered many spots within a five-hour drive, of where I live. I am guessing that might be the same for you.

In that vein, I wanted to replay an episode from years ago you might have missed (or could use a refresher on what to carry in your backpack.

Jeff Thompson, who is a ski patroller and also executive director at Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center, shares with us what he takes on a summer backcountry trip. I’m guessing most of you will be camping and traveling nearby, and the summer backpack, particularly for the overnight backpack, I should say. It’s always nice to hear what other people carry just in case, including the Oh shit jacket which I adopted after having this conversation with him, so I will leave it at that and learn about what Jeff Thompson carries when he goes camping in the wilderness.

With that, let’s listen in and gear up for what’s next.

Download here

Where to find Jeff and other links:

Want to do me a huge favor?

Reviewing and sharing are the most helpful ways to get this in front of new listeners.

Make sure and get the next episode in your inbox – subscribe right up there, top right of this page.
If you enjoyed this podcast, I would LOVE it if you reviewed it here on iTunes! It makes a big difference!
I really want to hear from you – questions, topic and guest suggestions, anything. Talk to me in the comments below or here.

Stay in touch.

The post Jeff Thompson: What’s in His Summer Backpack appeared first on Lisa Gerber.

Mouse in a Maze

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 14:00:00 +0000

I invite you to join me for the next Story Talk session Thursday, April 15th at 12 noon Pacific where I facilitate a discussion with a thoughtful group of individuals working to make change and how we can use story to achieve it. You can register here. It’s fun. Do it.

Here is what one attendee said of past sessions: “Thank you for the beautiful opportunity to connect with you and others regarding storytelling and how we can use it to empower our missions. It was inspiring to see different facets of the non-profit world come together and brainstorm ideas, and I deeply appreciate the space you created. ” – Julia Iannielli

Question: if you were able to follow two, not one life path(s), what would your second/alternative life be like? I would be a fashion designer living in New York City or Paris.

Like the movie Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow, I love the concept of having two lives separated by one micro-moment – missing or catching the train. The plot essentially follows what happens when Gwyneth’s character descends to the Tube station in London and begins sprinting to catch the train arriving in the station. Her life, and the movie plot, take a fork when she makes it, and it goes an entirely different way when she misses it. The rest of the movie shows the considerable difference in trajectory in her two lives.

Think about how many times our lives take a fork in the road at every single moment based on a decision or action we take. None of this means we feel regret for a life chosen. It’sIt’s just hard to pick one life. So I’ll ask you again because I’m curious. Hit reply and tell me what your split-screen moments look like.

Some people are lucky enough to merge different loves into one thing.

One of the many reasons I love talking to people for my Breaking Trail Podcast is because they have found a path, it’s almost always by accident, based on pursuing things they love and being open to opportunity. Usually, they have varied experiences, and somehow serendipity connects two disparate things to form one extraordinary position. Take Brett Kruse, for example. His international upbringing informed a very open perspective to very different people and cultures, which contributed to his excellent human skills. He is also an Ironman athlete and an avid outdoors person, so when he joined Outdoor Research as their VP of people and culture, it’s another perfect example of serendipity at work. I’m sure Brett also has his own split-screen moments, but how cool is it when two different things come together to make one thing better?

But what if you feel lost? Are you reading this thinking, “I don’t have multiple things I’m trying to choose from. I can’t think of a single thing. ” I spoke to someone last week who felt this way, and it’s this conversation that prompted me to write this today.

This person is in her mid-thirties and feels like she is wandering aimlessly, When she told me about her life and where she is at this point, I didn’t see it as she does at all. I don’t want to share the details because it’s not my story to tell, but here is what I will say: I was struck by how fascinating her job is, how varied her background and experience are. Also, she has a fascinating side passion.

To me, she had her shit together. She said to me, “I don’t know what to do with my life.”
Her sentence faded away into silence, and I stared out to the horizon, wondering what to do with it, <internal dialogue: she doesn’t really want me to answer that question, right?”>
And she broke the silence with:
“Do you know (what I should do)?”
We both laughed. I stalled for a bit with other questions, and it all came to me like a flash.

She’s asking the wrong question. She doesn’t have to figure out “what to do with her life.” Neither do you. Who the eff has a life plan, anyway? She just has to figure out what she is going to do next.

When you are in the middle of your story, you don’t see a story. ESPECIALLY when it’s your own story. You are the mouse in the maze wondering if you’ll ever get to the tasty piece of cheese.

“All these people,” I said, “who look like they have their shit together? They do not. They did not have a life plan.”

It might seem neat and tidy when you look back and tell the story, but I assure you, more than likely, it was not part of a plan (maybe other than that of the Universe).

I remember when I felt in that lost and unhappy situation. (As I type this, I realize I too was in my mid-thirties) I’ve written about it before. In short, there was a moment during my Monday morning commute to work in downtown Seattle when I realized I didn’t want this life anymore. But I wasn’t sure what I did want in its place. I began to formulate a picture of it in my mind: I wanted to live in a small mountain town and do creative work independently. I didn’t know what exactly, where or how I’d get there. I started talking about it, thinking about it, researching about it. You can read about it here.

Opportunities and things started to open up from the discussions and research. One morning five years after that Monday morning, it struck me – I remembered that vision I carried in my head, and I had it.

It took five years to get there. I didn’t sell my belongings and backpack around Europe. Nothing dramatic happened. I found a job in a place I wanted to live. It wasn’t part of a master plan, and it certainly didn’t last long. Just three years – until I figured out what I wanted for the next step.

I think planning is overrated. Just take the next step. We are all still in the middle of our stories, that mouse in the maze. But we need to get out of our heads to see it.

Take care out there,

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John Grollmus: How the Hospitality Mindset Has Served Him Well

Lisa Gerber — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 14:00:00 +0000

John Grollmus opened his first restaurant a long time ago. Today, he and one partner have five restaurants in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene. He is also a writer and a ski guide. Here’s what I love about his story. He had to scramble hard to get funding to start that first restaurant. At one point, they had successfully grown to six restaurants and two partners. They could have kept growing. There were opportunities to do so. We talked about maintaining consistency through growth and happiness. And how he knew he wanted to pursue these other passions: writing and ski guiding, obviously not for the lucrative careers these two things provide but for the joy. We explored what that looks like, giving up some control and freeing up space. Because that’s what every guest on this show has in common. Success is based on how we define it for ourselves. It’s about breaking our own trail.

So with that, let’s listen in and gear up for what’s next.

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