Byproduct of Character

Dear friend,

What.A.Week! I am sitting in Denver this morning. My good friends Greg & Shasta Nelson had an event last night that was part documentary and part jazz concert. It was incredible. Greg has Alzheimer's. He plays the piano. His buddy John had a stroke and plays the trumpet. The name of the show was "If I only had a brain." It was something to behold. Genuinely inspiring.

Earlier in the week I was in NYC. I got to be with my friend Mirjana, who has been the best ally in introducing my business to the speaker bureau world. However, in New York we met with two different organizations. One of them a non-profit called Ownership Works that plays a fascinating role in private equity business purchases. I learned a lot and possibly could contribute in the future.

Inspiration is such a mystical power. We can be inspired to think new thoughts, dream new dreams and take hold of new ideas offered. We can be inspired to act in new ways, take a higher road or attempt new behaviors. Inspiration is both a pixie dust and a battle axe. Simply watching how Greg is navigating this season of his life, challenges my very core for how I am operating mine. Isn't that cool?

It's a byproduct of character. He's making decisions for himself and his family - not trying to inspire anyone, but just live honestly - and THAT moves my soul.

The folks in private equity are there for financial gain. Even their motive for sharing the wealth with all the employees is money-motivated. Yet, the impact it has on the employees is life-changing. Weirdly the motive doesn't hinder me from being inspired by the end result.

DEEP OR FLUFFY

I can't imagine being called an "inspirational speaker." I involuntarily vomit just a little when referred to as "motivational speaker." Those descriptors seem hollow and vacant of substance. Of course, I think the weight and depth of my unique insights are soooooooo important. But maybe they're only barely meaningful for impacting other humans.

A speaker bureau agent who saw me speak for the first time in Dallas said he would describe me as a "motivational humorist." I literally said "but I think what I say matters." His label seemed fluffy to me. He informed me it didn't take away from my content, but my nature, energy and humor created the environment for it to be received.

MINDSHIFT

What if this week an idea you've resisted for a while, you reconsider as a viable option?

LINGER

A resistance I have towards inspiration is it's temporary nature. It seems momentary. Once it occurs it immediately starts diminishing. Though it's likely that's intentional. The moment or experience is designed to create a burst, but in reality that disguises the seed being planted. How many inspirational moments linger in our souls only to reappear when we need them most?

Or maybe their lingering is only a reminder and our responsibility is to continue to put ourselves around people with integrity, who by simply being themselves, create a spark in us. It's a byproduct of character.

Central park was full of activity when I walked through it. Baseball games, pickleball courts packed, people sunning, dogs being walked, rocks being climbed - energy everywhere. It was inspiring because it was so full of life. I climbed a boulder and sat for 10 minutes, just so I could be in it.

MINDSHIFT

What if this week you paused for a moment or two with a person, or in a place, that provided a jolt of life?

EXCELLENCE

The other meeting I went to was on the 68th floor in a high-rise in Hudson Yards. It was inspiring. The view. The quality. The process. The level of excellence that permeated every aspect. It's a byproduct of character. Encountering that level of detailed thoughtfulness executed with grace made a deep impression.

Life is one opportunity after another to fortify our character.

One of the things Greg said in the documentary was that he was committed to keep talking about his disease. That so many people start to fade away, even while living because it's awkward for everyone. His stance is "This is my life and this is the season I am in. Why should there be a stigma around it." I loved that. The more transparent we all are with the realities of our life, the more inspiration would exist.

Needless to say, I was inspired...

SHIFTING

I hope this week you are inspired by others. I hope you make decisions that reinforce your character. Who knows, in the process of your own journey, you may inspire someone else on theirs. #ShiftAway