The Invisible Mentor

Archive for 2009

Today is Part Two of the Brian Johnson interview. I’m sure that once again you’ll glean information that you can act on. I have found Brian to be a very happy person and his interview will inspire you to be the best that you can be.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I love wisdom, and that makes me a philosopher. I also love creating cool businesses that allow me to do what I love in service to the world and that’s why I’m currently focusing my energy on PhilosophersNotes where I’m sharing the Big Ideas from the world’s greatest teachers that I hope will inspire and empower people to live their greatest lives.

How do you integrate your personal and professional life?

That presupposes they are separate.

What’s a major regret that you’ve had in life?

There are a number of relationships it would be nice to go back and handle more gracefully and wisely, but it’s clear that all the experiences I’ve had were exactly what needed to happen when they happened (as evidenced by the fact that they happened), so I prefer to celebrate and embody the lessons learned.

Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply? Did you have an emotional or intellectual attachment to this book? Why?

I’ve been deeply inspired by so many books and talk about how each of them have inspired me throughout the PhilosophersNotes!

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are five books that you would like to have with you and why? Summarize the book in two sentences.

Current mood says I’d bring:

The PhilosophersNotes Workbook – Imagine 1,000 of the best “Big Ideas” from 100 of the world’s greatest self-development books neatly organized into 100 separate 6-page mini-books put into a sexy workbook—turn to any page and get inspired with a Big Idea that can literally change your life. If I could only take one book, it’d be this one.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s collected essays – Emerson is my hero. He’s pretty much the great-great-grandfather of the self-development movement and his integration of eastern and western philosophy is amazing.

“The How of Happiness” by Sonja Lyubomirsky – This is, in my opinion, the best, most comprehensive yet totally readable look at what we know scientifically works to boost our happiness (and why we should care). I didn’t have a “what one book would you recommend book” before this one.

“A Joseph Campbell Companion” – I love Campbell. Gotta have some of his mojo with me on the island and if I could somehow bind everything he’s written in a big collected works book, I’d take that.

“The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success” by Deepak Chopra. This is one of the books that catalyzed a big change in my life so I’d bring it, too. Another asterisk here that if there was some way to put everything he’s written into a big book, I’d want that.

Have you read any books that inspired you to start a business, service or invent “something”? If yes, which book?

I’d say “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” by Michael Gelb inspired me to create my ideal life when I read it in 2001, so let’s go with that.

Complete the following, I am happy when…

I am most happy when I am being true to my Highest self and living the ideals in which I believe.

Now that you have read the entire interview, what are your thoughts? How can you apply some of Brian’s wisdom? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. If you got to this post via search engine, please consider subscribing.

I decided to review The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper because it was one of  21 books that Ted Nicholas  read that changed his life. Ted Nicholas, a very successful entrepreneur and copywriter, has always stressed the importance of continuous learning. I like to read some of the books that accomplished people read to better understand them.

The Little Engine That Could is a children’s book, but its timeless  lesson teaches us what we can accomplish when we believe in our ability. It brought home the belief “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Because it’s a children’s book, it’s a very easy read and takes about 10 minutes to read.

The book is about a happy train that is loaded with toys of all kinds for children as well as some food stuff. On the way it breaks down, and it becomes very concerned about all the children who will not be able to play with the toys and eat all the goodies. Soon a train comes by and some of the toys cry out for help, but this “shiny new engine” is very self important, and a snob and remarks, “I pull you?  I am a Passenger Train. I have just carried a fine big train over the mountain, with more cars than you ever dreamed of….”

Another train came along and once again, the toys shouted for help, but the train shouted back that it was a freight engine. “I have just pulled a big train loaded with big machines over the mountain. These machines print books and newspapers for grown-ups to read….” Once again the toys felt let down. Another train chugged along, this time “an old and tired” looking one. The toys cried out for help, “But the Rusty Old Engine sighed: “I am so tired. I must rest my weary wheels.”"

The toys were very saddened and cried. Next a little blue train came along and once again the toys begged for help and explained their situation. The train explained that it was used only for switching trains in the yard. “The very little engine looked up and saw the tears in the dolls’ eye. And she thought of the good little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain who would not have any toys or good food unless she helped.”

Despite its small size, the little blue engine repeated the mantra “I think I can” over and over again and pulled the train over the mountain. When they arrived at the destination, The Little Blue Engine repeated “I thought I could. I thought I could….”

Five Great Ideas

1. We are our brother’s keeper
2. No one succeeds alone
3. Persistence pays
4. What would happen if we decided to succeed?
5. What would happen if we let others know that we believed in them?

This book reminded me of Dorothy Brande’s book Wake Up and Live, where she reveals that the formula for success is to act as if it were impossible to fail. Could we move mountains if we acted as if it were impossible to fail? This is a great book that teaches the simple lessons that “if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again” and believe in yourself.

Please keep the information flowing and leave a comment. If you reached this blog by search engine, please consider subscribing.

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One of the key reasons to have mentors in our lives is to learn from the experiences of others. I present interviewees from different walks of life and they are all unique leaders who you can learn things from. Today I present Brian Johnson who is a “lover of wisdom (aka a “Philosopher”) and a passionate student of life who’s committed to inspiring and empowering millions of people to live their greatest lives as he studies, embodies and shares the universal truths of optimal living. He harts [not a misspelling] his job.” The raw honesty of  Brian’s responses often brought tears to my eyes.

Learn from Brian, look at ways that you can apply the information to your unique situation. Part Two of Brian’s  interview is presented on Thursday, two days from today!

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I love wisdom, and that makes me a philosopher. I also love creating cool businesses that allow me to do what I love in service to the world and that’s why I’m currently focusing my energy on PhilosophersNotes where I’m sharing the Big Ideas from the world’s greatest teachers that I hope will inspire and empower people to live their greatest lives.

Describe a major business (or other) challenge you had and how you resolved it.

Biggest challenge here is deciding which one to chat about.

Hmmm… It’s impossible for me to describe how I resolved any of my biggest challenges, because whatever I’d describe wouldn’t do justice to the actual process and the fear and doubt and freaked-outness I felt during it. I can say that when things go really, really wrong or just aren’t going the way I’d hoped, I can see that I’m usually too attached to and focused on outcomes and I’ve found it essential for me to focus less on the outcomes I didn’t get/am not getting and more on how I’m showing up/what I’m doing on a day-to-day basis.

For example, when I was running my first business and the market crashed in the first dot com boom, we needed to lay off 75% of our young team. That sucked. We could barely make payroll, things were not looking good at all and a *lot* of stuff was outside of my control. So, I decided to focus on what was within my control: my energy and my equanimity. I started eating a lot healthier and exercising more regularly and, rather than getting thrown around by whatever was going on in a given day, I’d see if I could maintain my equanimity in the face of bad news.

These days I do the same kinda thing.

What lessons did you learn in the process?

As I mentioned, I learned the source of my stress is focusing on outcomes rather than on who I’m being/how I’m showing up.

I’ve also learned that extraordinarily successful people have a totally different relationship to challenges and “failures” than less successful peeps. For example, in my last business, Zaadz, I raised money from Sam Wyly, an incredible billionaire, and his wonderful family. He and his wife hosted a little fund-raising get together in Aspen for our biz and he introduced me to his friends. I still marvel at the fact that the thing he chose to tell people in his brief introduction of me was the fact that I had bounced back from a previous failure in that same business (we had lost ~$500,000 on a prior version of our site that never came together and I wound up throwing away all that cash and a year’s worth of work and starting all over). As he introduced me, he said something like, “Brian has had his nose bloodied and he knows how to get up off the mat and keep on going for it. I like that.”

Typing that literally gives me tears in my eyes because this is from a guy who’s circulated billions of dollars of wealth creating incredible companies that have employed tens of thousands of people and in a 2-minute intro he’s telling his other uber-successful friends about what I thought was one of my greatest “failures.” Amazing!

So, short story: “failures”/challenges/whatever we call them are really just opportunities for us to dust ourselves off, get clear on what we really want in life, and go out and rock it.

(Reminds me of a Winston Churchill wisdom that success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.

Tell me about your big break and who gave you.

Although I’ve been supported by amazing people throughout my life, I don’t believe in being “given” “big breaks”—unless, of course, we consider EVERY moment a “big break”—from the moment I was conceived (and the moment my parent’s were conceived and their parents all the way back for that matter) right up to the last breath I took…

I believe in following my heart, doing my best, working diligently, patiently, persistently, and playfully, learning as I go and celebrating that as I do those things, the Universe seems to conspire to help me in ways that all the great teachers talk about and that we could never have imagined!

Describe one of your biggest failures. What lessons did you learn, and how did it contribute to a greater success?

Again, I have a nice collection to choose from here.

Let’s go with dropping out of law school. At the time, I was 23 years old and dropping out of a great law school (and ending a 5 year relationship in the same 24 hour period of time) was a monumental “failure” that threw me into a icky phase where I spent the bulk of my time split between reading books I checked out from the library and thinking of creative ways to end my life. D’oh! I just couldn’t see how I would ever figure out what I wanted to do with my life and felt like I was a fire hydrant bursting out water that was hitting an invisible glass that sprayed the water right back in my face. Not fun.

Now, what’s amazing is that here I am 12 years removed from that event, and I laugh that it stressed me out so much. Dropping out of law school is *easily* at the top of the list of best decisions I’ve ever made.

The biggest lesson I learned from that: Something magical happens when we learn to trust ourselves and, as Joseph Campbell says, “Follow our bliss.”

Quick story to get the point across: At the time I was dropping out, the only thing I really knew I wanted to do (besides burn my résumé) was to coach a Little League baseball team. So, in the midst of the pain of blowing up my life and moving back in with my mom (to her great delight), I volunteered to help a neighbor coach his son’s 9- and 10-year old baseball team, the Angels.

Long story a little shorter: we really had no idea what we were doing and we were pretty much the Bad News Bears. In the process, I saw just how important youth sports were to a child’s development and that a great experience with their coach and teammates could translate into a powerful opportunity for healthy development. The Internet was just getting going and I had a vision that in a matter of time, every team and league would be online and that we could leverage the Internet to really help families enjoy their sports experience more.

So, I wound up cracking open my 401k (with its monstrous $5,000!) and started a company called eteamz with a tech genius named Aaron Eisenberger who was passionate about the idea as well. We wound up winning a business plan competition at UCLA, raised $5 million, hired the CEO of Adidas and created an extraordinarily cool business that currently serves over 3 million teams and their families around the world.

I NEVER could have predicted that making such a painful decision then following a tiny inkling of my bliss would translate into that “break.” But it did. And, I’ve seen it happen again and again in my life—which is why I’m so committed to inspiring and empowering people to follow their hearts and diligently, patiently, persistently and playfully embody the values they hold so dear. Magical things can happen when we do that.

How did mentors influence your life?

Interesting that I get to this question after describing the above. I have a complex relationship with mentors.

On the down side, had I followed a couple of “mentors’” advice early in my life, I never would have created my first business, eteamz. When I asked some pretty successful people what they thought of the idea, they thought it was a terrible idea and one actually told me “to take another hit on that pipe if you think you can pull that off.” They told me it would cost at least a million dollars to build the technology (we did it for less than $15,000 + 6 months of hard work and a lot of canned tuna) and reminded me I had no experience or contacts so who was I to get that money and build it (fair points as I had very little business experience and essentially no contacts). Oh, and they said I violated rule #1 of a business: the market has to “need” your product—which was a valid point because, at the time, there were only a few hundred teams and leagues in the world who were using the web so they didn’t think there was a need.

That was just the motivation I needed to rock it. I set the goal of getting 1 million teams in 5 years. (We got there in 4)

On the positive side, I’ve gotten amazing support and wisdom from some extraordinary human beings. Special thanks to Sam Wyly again, plus John Mackey (the CEO of Whole Foods) and Gay Hendricks (author of 30+ books including my favorites: “Five Wishes” and “The Big Leap”).

Being around these guys has totally changed my life. But, I’ve gotta say that it has been less what they *told* me (although they’ve each given me great practical advice) and much more about who they are and how they show up in the world and how that mojo has rubbed off.

For example, the scope of Sam Wyly’s vision is RIDICULOUSly big. He sees the world in terms of THE WORLD. So, when I’d tell him I wanted millions of people in our community at Zaadz, he’d nod his head and smile and say, “How can we do it and how much money do you need to do it?!?” (I remember one day when I met with him (a billionaire) and a nice, well-meaning potential investor (a millionaire) and the difference between how BIG they thought and the resulting advice they gave was *amazing.*)

Additional unsolicited advice: In addition to choosing your mentors wisely, I think the biggest thing to keep in mind is to trust yourself. Ultimately, a great mentor is someone who reflects back your highest potential and helps you tap into the wisdom you already have while sprinkling some tips they’ve picked up along the way. I’d personally run away from anyone who tells me I’m thinking too big or can’t do something or some such other nonsense.

As John Eliot says in his great book, Overachievement: “as soon as anyone starts telling you to be ‘realistic,’ cross that person off your invitation list.”

What’s one core message you received from your mentors?

Trust yourself.

(I vividly remember a chat with Steve Wynne (the former CEO of Adidas who we brought on as our CEO at eteamz), when he told me the two most important things about business: 1. Trust yourself. 2. Business is simple, keep it that way.)

Which resources (books, movies, training etc.) did your mentors recommend to you?

A lot of them are here!

As an Invisible Mentor, what is one piece of advice that you would give to readers?

Trust yourself.

What are the steps you took to succeed in your field?

Boy, I wish there were “steps”!!!

The quick version: I made a lot of mistakes, worked hard to figure out what I really love to do, and, in the process, I realized there aren’t any perfect steps anyone can ever take to achieve “success” in any field.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Rock it!

Now that you’ve read Part One of Brian’s interview, what are some nuggets of wisdom that you have gleaned?

Here are Five Great Ideas

1. A great mentor is someone who reflects back your highest potential and helps you tap into the wisdom you already have while sprinkling some tips they’ve picked up along the way
2. Trust yourself
3. Fall down seven times get up eight (Chinese Proverb)
4. Failures and challenges are disguised opportunities
5. Instead of focusing on outcomes, focus on who you essentially are, and how you are showing up daily. You may not be able to control external events, but you can shape and control who you are

What are your five great ideas? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment.

Steve Harrison, the free publicity guy, held a teleseminar where he had Brendon Burchard as a guest. Burchard recounts a tale where he was involved in an automobile accident and faced death’s door. He talked about seeing a very blue moon, having an out of body experience and seeing scenes from his life flash before his eyes.

He asked himself three questions:

1. Did I live?
2. Did I love?
3. Did I matter?

Getting a second lease on life he decided to live life to the fullest, living, loving and making a difference in the world.

As Burchard related his tale, the three questions resonated with me, and I thought that we do not need a cataclysmic event to make tangible changes in our lives. In the past I have cared too much about what others thought about me, which held me back. Shortly before the teleseminar, I made a commitment to myself that I’d not worry so much about what others thought about me.

If today were your last day on earth, and someone asked you:

1. Did you live?
2. Did you love?
3. Did you matter?

If you were completely honest with yourself, how would you answer? If I answered those questions honestly, I’d have to say not enough. Please keep the conversation flowing and make a comment. If you came to the post via a search engine, consider subscribing to The Invisible Mentor.

Photo: via Apture

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I am in the prime of my life, putting all my life experiences together to do the impossible.  Living in Kathmandu for 3.5 years and running my own business that provides an income generated in internationals sales into the hands of the people that labor to produce the products.

What’s unique about the service that you provide?

Traveling to and living in Nepal for 25 years, as well as working outside of my own culture has made be astute to cultural dynamics and my communications skills help me to facilitate new transactions.  I am accepted on both sides of the transactions.

What do you observe most people in your field doing badly that you think you do well?

I don’t assume I know.

What’s an accomplishment that you are proudest of?

That I have lived an interesting life way beyond my expectations

How do you integrate your personal and professional life?

I keep in touch with my friends 100% of the time.

What’s a major regret that you’ve had in life?

None

What are five life lessons that you have learned so far?

1. Feel the fear and do it anyway
2. I will understand sooner or later
3. Life is like water, impermanent
4. I need empty space in my life.
5. Being loved by someone keeps me young

When you have some down time, how do you spend it?

Writing reflective emails to friends

What process do you use to generate great ideas?

Mind mapping, talking over my ideas with others, ask myself what I do know, not what I don’t know.

What’s your favorite quotation and why?

They have varied: I find them I put them up on my computer.  My current one is “Security is an illusion.”

How do you define success?

Wanting to get out of bed every morning to embrace the day.

In your opinion what’s the formula for success?

Doing the best you can with every opportunity you are given.

Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply? Did you have an emotional or intellectual attachment to this book? Why?

What had a more profound impact on my life was being without books and learning to deal with the empty space where I could not occupy or distract my mind with a book.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are five books that you would like to have with you and why? Summarize the book in two sentences.

I would not take a book, but I would open my life to a monk’s life and being present to the gift of the absence of everything and be present to the senses.

Have you read any books that inspired you to start a business, service or invent “something”? If yes, which book?

I believe my brain seeks integrative thought – so a book would likely cause me to link to another idea.  Now I am reading Water for Elephants and love the vitality of the mind of the 93 old narrator. He writes about how his life in the assisted living home is designed to render him mindless.  It makes me think about how there are many structures in life that remove the grains of sands that could inspire us all.

What one music CD and movie would you like to have with you (on the deserted island) and why?

None: Don’t want the distraction.

If trusted friends could introduce you to five people that you’ve always wanted to meet, whom would you choose? And what would you say to them?

I have met many famous people; I would just be present to what is in the moment.

What excites you about life?

Coming up with new models that make business possible that incorporate and respect the obstacles.

How do you nurture your soul?

When I can, I will trek and I will walk for 12 hours a day, and completely exhaust my mind and body so that my soul can soar.

If you had a personal genie and she gave you one wish, what would you wish for? Or, if I gave you a magic wand, what would you use it for?

The elimination of human greed and that we each seek to make another’s life easier.

Complete the following, I am happy when…

At the end of my day, I can say I did the best with what I was given.

Which aspects of this interview can you apply to your situation? What do you have to add to the conversation? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the right hand side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab your personal copy by clicking here.

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