#Day7: Tough Questions

December 7, 2015

The final #Day7 of 2015.

With one year coming to an end and another fast approaching, we may find ourselves pondering how the past year went and questioning what the New Year will hold.

“How did the year treat you?”

“Did you accomplish what you wanted in 2015?”

“What do you have planned for 2016?”

In our one-day Catalyst program we talk about the importance of asking ourselves meaningful and important questions. We challenge the participants to consider what questions they should be asking themselves that they currently are not. As we come to the last #Day7 of 2015, we want you to do the same.

It’s not always easy to challenge ourselves in this manner…to look within and consider what we are avoiding. But there are some pretty great things about digging into “the tough questions.”

We learn.

We learn from the question itself and from the answers we discover. We learn what we are afraid of, what is holding us back, what troubles our hearts and our minds. We learn how to be vulnerable.

We learn how to face our fears. We learn how to move forward despite obstacles. We learn how to solve problems. We learn what we care most about.

We learn where to direct our attention, resources, and efforts.

So let’s try it. Ask yourself, “What question am I avoiding that I should be asking myself right now.”

You aren’t alone in this practice. Here is what we at LeaderShape think we need to be asking ourselves right now…

Is this choice or decision getting me closer to the person I aspire to be?

Abby

Have I made someone smile today?

Kim

What do I need to let go of so that I can truly focus on what is most important to me?

Why is it so hard to show myself grace?

Kristen H.

What do I need to be doing to refresh my soul and encourage my heart?

How do I show compassion to my parents on a more regular basis?

Kristen Y.

What are the lessons I want to teach my children before they leave home?

Paul

How can I be more patient with myself and others?

How do I allow for voices different from my own to be heard?

How can I contribute to a sense of hope in our world?

Vernon

What is your question?

We’d love to know and hope you’ll share it in the comments section.

Catalyst: A Reflection

Earlier this month the LeaderShape Staff and our amazing Catalyst Facilitators took a few days to go on a retreat. We found a location that was quiet, that allowed for individual reflection, connecting with others and having conversations that matter. It was a great reminder of how important it is to take an opportunity (every once in a while) to slow down, look around, breathe, appreciate the goodness that surrounds you, and consider what is next.

And that is exactly what we did. We spent our time talking about what the future holds for Catalyst. The Catalyst program started nine years ago in response to a need LeaderShape saw for a one-day program that shared some of the themes of The LeaderShape Institute. We recognized at that time that not everyone is able to take 6 days to attend The LeaderShape Institute. It is often times very difficult to take time away from work, family, classes, friends, and every day life. We don’t want that to be a reason why people can’t be a part of the LeaderShape community of individuals working to create a more just, caring and thriving world.

With that as our foundation, our group talked about all of the ways our curriculum can be changed, enhanced, reinforced and modified to give each participant a great LeaderShape experience. Whether you spend 6 days or 6 hours at a LeaderShape program, in the time you are there we want each participant to find their experience personally rewarding and one which they walk away learning more about themselves and others. We look forward to what lies ahead for Catalyst in 2015. Keep an eye out for a new look, a new curriculum, and a continued dedication to helping participants identify their values, connect with something they care about, and make a change in the world around them.

Upon reflection, the retreat was just what we needed organizationally to refocus, reconnect, and continue to work with participants to make change in the world. What started as a simple meeting turned into so much more as we embraced the concept of going on a retreat. It is a piece that, in the hurry up, fast paced world we live in, we don’t take enough time for. Yet it is so very valuable. Through the Catalyst program thousands of people have the opportunity, for one day, to live in a world of possibility and as an organization, we are thrilled to be with each one of them for that day!


Interested in learning more about Catalyst? Visit the Catalyst FAQs post from last week.

Catalyst FAQs

Catalyst is LeaderShape’s one-day experience designed to help participants examine their values and strengths while maximizing their potential to work towards change.

Who is Catalyst for?

The curriculum was created for individuals who want to make a difference - ideally 60(ish) totally awesome participants. What makes a participant awesome? We think it starts with someone who is engaged and ready-to-go, eager to learn, and who want to take action to change the world (like for real).  

We partner with colleges, universities, and other organizations to bring the program to campus or a site of their choice. This allows organizations the opportunity to provide a common experience around “starting something extraordinary” with a group of people who can then get to work on something they care about. And encourage (and maybe even lead) others to do the same! Then things start to change and that is where the fun begins - because an impact is being made within an organization, at college, or in the community.

How is Catalyst different from a keynote speaker and other leadership programs?

Catalyst is a program that provides the time and space for participant contributions through a variety of formats.  And that is what makes the day spent with Catalyst stand out.

During the day, participants will work in large groups, with an assigned small group, in pairs, and independently. They will be in purposeful conversation with one another, engage in hands-on activities, and spend time in reflection. They will be the learner and in other moments they will step in and be the teacher.

The Facilitator* will also serve in a teaching capacity. And at times he or she may also serve as coach, encourager, challenger, or even take the group on a trust walk (Kidding! Just making sure you are paying attention like an awesome Catalyst participant would be doing). Whatever role the facilitator steps into, they are there to empower and push participants to think in ways that will help them to leave the day prepared to take action.

How will we spend our time during Catalyst?

Throughout the course of the day, we explore what it means to choose, for oneself, what to do with one’s time and life by exploring questions and concepts around the question, “Where do I want to make an impact?” There is then time to evaluate what skills and talents each person has to contribute, followed by examining how to make something happen in community with others (we can’t do it alone people!). The end of the day focuses on taking action so that when folks leave they have a tangible plan to take the first step.

Why just one day?

Time is valuable. Sometimes one day is all we have. Look at it this way…we get one ENTIRE day devoted to exploring where you want to make a difference, what skills and talents you have to contribute, and how you can get going. One entire day.

Bigger Picture
LeaderShape believes in the possibility of and is working towards the creation of a just, caring, and thriving world. If everyone lives and leads with integrity and and if everyone holds a healthy disregard for the impossible we can get there! Luckily we aren’t alone in the desire to live in this type of world. Catalyst participants are invited to join us in this monumental and meaningful work. We know they can make a difference.

*A member of LeaderShape’s Co-Lead Facilitator community who have been chosen through a selection process and trained to facilitate this and our other programs, such as The LeaderShape Institute.

Thankful

Last week, we were able to host a retreat with the facilitators of LeaderShape's one-day Catalyst program. We are so thankful for the opportunity to spend time in community with these ambassadors of our cause and programs. More posts with thoughts and photos from the retreat and information about the Catalyst program are on the way. Keep an eye out for those over the next couple of weeks.

Life's a Journey...Live in Wonder!

Eric Saperston, friend of LeaderShape, speaker, author, and film director, is this week's contributor. Currently, Eric lives on an organic farm in Maui and travels the globe inspiring the world to Live in Wonder. You can see clips from Eric's project and film, "The Journey", in our one-day Catalyst program. 

When I graduated from college, instead of getting a job or going to graduate school, I decided to take a year off, follow the Grateful Dead and work a ski season in Aspen.  Prompted by my mentor to make the trip more meaningful, I decided when I wasn’t following the Grateful Dead and working a ski season, I’d call up the most powerful people in the world and take them out for a cup of coffee.  

The reason: To find out what values they’ve lived by, the struggles they’ve endured and what advice and counsel they’d give to me and my generation to better prepare ourselves for the road ahead.  

Fueled with optimism and driven by curiosity, my Golden Retriever Jack and I jumped into my bright, yellow Volkswagen camper bus and we hit the road. 

One thing that prevents people from going on great adventures is that nobody wants to appear foolish.  But for me, too late!  

Being willing to appear foolish and having the courage to speak my commitment into the world  a portal of possibility opened up and I jumped right through. 

The great American writer, John Steinbeck, said, “Sometimes you take a trip and sometimes the trip takes you.”  Well, this trip took me well beyond anything I could have imagined possible.

How I funded my adventure? I would pull into rest stops and sell "Sexy, kind, grilled cheese sandwiches, made with love, for one dollar!" 

Guess what? People actually bought my sandwiches and after they discovered what I was I up to, they’d not only give me a dollar for my grilled cheese, they’d give me two dollars, five dollars, twenty dollars... One time I even got a fifty dollar bill once for two pieces of bread and some cheese! Now that’s what a college education is all about: learning how to market fifty dollar grilled cheese sandwiches!!

Not only did people give me more money than my sandwiches were worth, they also told me where I could go, in a good way.  Places to visit, monuments to see... But here’s the most serendipitous thing that happened: random people I just met on the side of the road over grilled cheese sandwiches, began giving me the names and numbers of some of the most amazing people in the world and encouraged me to go interview them.   I was given names of presidents, poets, artists, CEO’s,  community activists, farmers, Olympic athletes, astronauts, teachers and rock stars.   

Needless to say, a wonderous and life-altering door opened up and I soon realized I wasn’t just meeting amazing people; I was capturing the living oral history of some of the most phenomenal people on the planet.  

On my travels, at first, all I had with me was a still camera and a journal.   As the journey unfolded, I began sharing with others the quality of my conversations with these amazing people, and I was soon encouraged to buy a video camera and begin documenting my adventures.   

Another thing I had learned while out on the road is what separates those who achieve greatness from those who do not. Some people believe its communication skills, or having a clear vision, or being tenacious, finishing what you start.  All those are essential qualities and characteristics to be successful for sure.  In addition, one super important quality which is often times overlooked is ones ability to ask others for help.  

It's unfortunate that we’ve become such a culture addicted to looking good, believing you need to "fake it until you make it", "never let them see you sweat" and "only raise your hand when you’re sure".  Most people believe asking others for help is a sign of weakness.  It’s not.  It’s a sign of strength.  

Joseph Campbell, author of The Power of Myth, said, "How do you know when you are following your bliss?  The invisible hands kick in and begin to guide and maneuver you in helpful ways."   

I’m happy to report that my summer vacation became my vocation.   My dog and I lived in my VW bus and spent close to four years traveling around the country.  Along the way we picked up three other travelers.  The four of us  bought a video camera and a book on how to use the camera.  

We also discovered we needed a boom pole to capture sound.  They were way too expensive and since we couldn’t afford one, we headed the wise words of Eleanore Roosevelt who said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”  So we went to Home Depot, bought a $12.95 light-bulb-changer, a $50 microphone and a roll of Duct-Tape.  Voila! Boompole!!!

Our team traveled from coast-to-coast, shot over 500 hundred hours footage, interviewed over 200 of the most extraordinary people on the planet.  Got a development deal from Walt Disney Studios which helped turn our road-tripping adventure into an award winning feature film.  We made a short film first and sold that at the Sundance Film Festival.  Our feature film won South By Southwest (SXSW)  and several other film festivals, played in theaters to sold out shows and standing ovations, led to appearances on the Today Show, CNN and we have been written up in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.  We just finished our first book Live In Wonder: Quests, Quotes and Questions to Jumpstart Your Journey, created an inspirational clothing line and now have the privilege of writing this note to you.  

After taking this odyssey, people  alway ask me, "What did you learn?"  

I learned that extraordinary people Live In Wonder. 

That means to live in the awe, the marvel, the astonishment and to say "yes" to the great mystery of life unfolding... This is to Live In Wonder!

When you Live In Wonder – you’re open, curious and grateful for everything, no exceptions. All your senses are awake. Your life is an adventure.  You are completely paying attention and present, like a warrior, you’re keenly aware of your surroundings. Your smell, taste, touch and sound – all your senses  –  are heightened.  

That way when the portal of possibility opens up in your life, you’ll know it and jump right through.  

When you live in wonder, the world is refreshing, exciting and new.  Anybody know what’s going to happen next?  I sure don’t and that’s what makes life so fascinating.  

So let's do our part to enhance the world. If more people live in wonder, then more people are getting up excited and going to bed fulfilled. And if more people are fulfilled, then the world is a better place. 

I believe there are no ordinary people out there unless they themselves agree to be that.  All of us have direct access to being extraordinary right now by simply being in the wonder of the moment, of what's right in front of them. There is no where to get to, no one to become 'someday'. We are all extraordinary human beings, right now in this moment being exactly who we are.

In fact Oscar Wilde said it best, “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”

Life’s a journey... Live In Wonder!