Pip's piece reminds me of Rob's piece in November called "Chose Your Own Adventure" - it's always been funny to me how humans can find joy in both keeping with a routine as well as breaking it. Pip - your nuggets of wisdom here are especially thought-provoking as I think about my New Year's resolutions for 2019...I wonder what set beliefs I should consider challenging and what could ensue as a result...
- Lauren
Read MoreReading through Pip's note made me really stop and think what stories I am believing at face value when I may not be getting the whole truth. I'm reminded of that New Yorker cartoon of Times Square where all of the advertisements have been edited to say what they are actually saying ("you're hungry," "you're ugly," etc.). Especially with the increase of consumerism around the holidays, this is such an important message, as well as reminder to be more truthful with the stories that I myself am telling and the power of being vulnerable. Thanks, Pip!
- Lauren
Read MoreReading Pip's piece below, I am reminded of a quote from one of my favorite movies "Before Sunrise": "Isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?" With election day looming in the U.S. and tensions high with Brexit negotiations here in the UK, this piece was a needed reminder that ultimately - even though it may not feel like it very often - humans are more alike than different, but somewhere along the way, we tend to lose this perspective. Thank you, Pip, for this salient illustration that I know will stick with me!
- Lauren
Read MoreRecently I have been thinking about the "intrinsic" versus "instrumental" value of things, and here I love how Pip breaks down the instrumental value of thoughts - thoughts themselves are not an end goal, but a goal for something else, something much bigger. They help us DO things that opinions and feelings impede. Thank you for this useful compass, Pip!
- Lauren
Read MoreI love that Pip has inspired me to view and acknowledge the world and strangers and circumstances around me from a mindset of community. Like when someone waits an extra six seconds at the library to hold the door for the person behind him. Or when I notice someone drop their phone at the gym while on the tread mill and a stranger runs to go pick it up so the person doesn't have to stop her workout to grab it. Or like when I'm walking my roommate's dog and five different random people come over to me to pet her and then have a full conversation with me. And I just love that feeling of interdependence and community, and I am so glad Pip has influenced me to become more sensitive and appreciative of it.
- Amanda
Read MoreAs someone who has just a sliiiighttt fear of publicly speaking in front of basically any body that isn't my dog, this blog really resonated with me and made me feel a bit better. And I do think that by better understanding myself and more openly accepting who I am and my personal challenges, I can much more naturally understand those around me and their emotions, fears, discomforts, and so forth. So thank you Pip, and the quote you shared at the end is quite a memorable one.
- Amanda
Read MoreAs I thought about writing a lead-in for this one and organizing the many thoughts that are flooding through my head into a few short sentences, I soon realized that it'd be better to simply leave it as is. Thank you for your sheer honesty and openness Pip.. you inspire me to more often do the same.
-Amanda
Read MoreWhen gathering together different people who don't always know each other well, I think Pip has a unique way of getting each of them to understand one other and who they really are on a genuinely deep level by the end of the night. And I think he does this through the types of questions he poses at the table, which are always entertaining and thought-provoking (and sometimes catch me way off guard so that my face turns red not knowing my answer right away). But I think these unconventional questions he raises, meaning ones that don't necessarily ask, "So what do you do? What's your major? Where are you from?", have an interesting way of revealing true personality in a fun and more engaging way. And the topic for conversation Pip describes below in his blog is one of my favoritesssss.
Thanks for sharing your list of anti-pet peeves Pip. I think I too may benefit from writing down these little joys :)
-Amanda
Read MoreI knew from one of Pip's and my first phone calls that he was verrryy "pro-human," meaning he has always had a super positive outlook on human beings and their capabilities. He's made me be more observant of all the little magnificent things people have accomplished and continue to flourish at.
He mentions Brinton in this piece, who is a beekeeper! And Brinton actually wrote a piece back in February called Bee Time where he sheds light on the beauty and importance of truly being present. And I do think slowing down and fully being present in every possible moment can create the most meaningful and pivotal experience when collaborating with one another. Thank you Pip!
-Amanda
Read MoreMany people say that one of the most important traits to have when working with children is patience. When I tutor a kindergartener in reading I sometimes overthink and worry if my instruction is effective enough for her to progress at the pace she should, and I begin to doubt myself and get anxious for results sooner. But Pip, your piece is a great reminder for me that over-thinking, worrying, imagining, and expecting outcomes to come quickly can cause real discomfort. And sometimes I need to remember to be open to and trust the step-by-step process and let things more naturally evolve on their own over time.
- Amanda
Read MorePip, your piece reminds me of the "The Starfish Story" by Peter Straube where a young boy throws starfish one at a time back into the ocean so they don't die in the hot sun. He throws each one at a time, yet there are thousands and thousands along the beach. This young boy wasn't rescuing ALL the sea creatures, but he was devoted to making a difference for the few he could save. I think there is real beauty and power in that notion.
- Amanda
Read MoreI have the following whacky counter-cultural thoughts and then a vulnerable story about my vulnerability.
++ Trust is scalable because of its transitory property. If persons A and B trust person C, then A + B can trust each other immediately.
++ Trust can be generated in an instant. It doesn’t have to take time to build.
++ Transparency is NOT trust. Transparency is a method for accommodating the lack of trust.
Read MoreAs a student, I find myself constantly digging for answers and seeking new information, operating with.. well... student-mindedness! This piece from Pip has me more deeply consider that when we pair our personal passions with a keen open and eagerness to search for truths through different kinds of research and knowledge, we are able to create the changes we want to see last.
- Amanda
Read MoreThis blog from Pip has me think about all the times I have the opportunity to turn a seemingly negative circumstance into a positive...and perhaps even grow internally from it. As a sensitive person and "a feeler", I can relate to this piece on many fronts. Maybe next time I feel upset when my roommates say no to trying my funky green smoothies I whip up from time to time, I can INSTEAD think how often these wonderful people I live with remind me that my conscientious meals actually inspire them to live healthier themselves. That notion in itself holds enough joy for me! Thanks Pip.
- Amanda
Read MoreThe piece below from Pip artfully highlights that the virtue of selling lies in its conceivable power to bring positivity and joyful change to people's lives. There is some kind of beauty that waits in the unknown, and for me, this piece made me reflect more on the many wondrous new opportunities and possibilities we have at our finger tips each day... We have the choice to merely push them aside...or open our hearts and hands to dig in and try new things. Thanks Pip!
- Amanda
Read MoreIts Thanksgiving season in America this week.
I finished the New York City marathon a couple weeks ago! I have run a bunch but this one may have been my favorite (so far).
In running the New York City Marathon for the fifth time a HUGE element for me of the experience is the joy of experiencing high fives all along the route. And I make eye contact with my many partners in this. I want to connect for that fraction of a second to see the person actively. I was able to enjoy 16 high fives with police officers all who moved from somewhat stoic to smiling and in on it with me. Very encouraging to experience that with them.
One man stood out.
About mile six.
He was YELLING to us all:
“Don’t be afraid to be GREAT! Don’t be afraid to be GREAT! Don’t be afraid to be GREAT!………………………”
Read MoreThe day of the New York City Marathon I experience as the greatest widest most joyful annual expression of community that New York City generates. I experience it as this amazing day when every thing GREAT about a melting pot emerges. I think 10-12 people in our family have run across a gazillion years and as such we have plenty of personal experiences of New Yorkers going way out of their way to be kind to runners from all over the world. My FIRST New York City Marathon was exactly 10 days after I met Kelly in 1985. (As you can see from the photo below, years later Kelly was foolish enough to run with me, was smiling at the end and our marriage has thrived EVEN THOUGH on that day she decided to nip me at the wire! Aye ye ye… I did get to wear my Ohio State shirt however.)
Read MoreI have heard people say that to be a great investor it requires incredible “humility”.
But I don’t THINK that means walking around with head down, nearly ashamed at one’s own incompetence and how they might mess up at any minute and aren’t worthy of the responsibility of managing other people’s money.
I have heard that “great” people have tremendous “humility”.
For starters, I DO tend to like the idea that “humility” might just be the opposite of arrogant and filled with oneself and annoyingly “bad role models” for how I want the world to be.
Whatever all that is in my head I am not sure, but if I think of “humble” as merely a way of carrying oneself (e.g. tennis star Roger Federer) I get excited about human’s ability to both be OFF-THE-CHART successful and not having to rub it in to the rest of us. But I THINK I am mis- using the word when I use it THAT way.
Read More"The talks I had with Brad were not easy for me. They brought back a lot of old, hard emotions of personal and collective loss and failure we all went through as we gave up control of the company and struggled for years afterward..."... Jeff Furman... the #3 in the Ben + Jerry's partnership about the process in helping author Brad Edmondson write this book.
On most Saturday mornings for the past 22 years now I wake up early and I immerse myself in learning and studying and thinking. It has been a joy. This morning has been all that. I walked into Dunkin Donuts in Pleasantville at about 6:30am after dropping my son Tucker off nearby at the farmers market.
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