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

1. What is the role of fear in advancing our best work?
2. Is the rise of entrepreneurship bringing a destructive rise in self-centeredness?
3. 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

1. Get outdoors every day
2. Habitual, honest self-reflection
3. 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 [email protected]

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 [email protected]

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