Mentoring The Masters

Inspiration & Advice for Masters Developing World-Shaping Legacies

[mentoringthemasters]

016.5 :: Sept 9, 2013 - Welcome to Mentoring The Masters' New Blog Followers & Newsletter Recipients!

    Greetings Masters! Many of you have been with us for our first 16 weeks, however with a new push on the horizon for Mentoring the Masters in the world of social media. Therefore, I thought it pertinent to craft a welcome letter to those of you who are just now joining us. Perhaps you've come to discover our website, blog, or facebook on your own. You may be an old friend of mine or an associate from a previous venture. Regardless, welcome to Mentoring the Masters' Blog & Newsletter.

    For those of you who have not yet met me, my name is Kimberley Heart. I am the Founder, President, and Mentor behind Mentoring the Masters. Mentoring the Masters provides concierge mentoring services. If the concept sounds new to you do not fear - I will explain it in a moment. First, I'd like to explain a vital point:     This blog and newsletter (depending on how you've elected to receive our entries) is a free, public service Mentoring the Masters provides. While Mentoring the Masters is a for-profit organization, the purpose of this blog is not to advertise our services. Instead, we work to help all of you Masters – whether you are someone I mentor or not – as you work to develop your legacies and shape the world. Each week, I provide links to a few articles along with my insight from and comments on them. The articles are meant to help you find inspiration, techniques, and thoughts to reflect on which help you to achieve complete Success. My promise to you is that by following us or receiving our newsletter, you will not be made to feel like you are 'being sold to'. This is my gift to you. On a rare occasion, I may reach out to new clients. Last week was the first entry of our initial 16 pieces which featured anything resembling a 'direct pitch'. It will not be the last, but I assure you it will be an uncommon occurrence. To that end, I hope you will all sign up for our newsletter or RSS feed, or simply check our blog regularly to see what valuable things I have to offer you for the week!

    So I've made it clear that this blog is not a sales tool. That being said I would like to take this chance to explain Mentoring the Masters and the language we use both within the organization and in these entries to better explain their context and purpose for you. When I first began these entries nearly 5 months ago, I explained everything in detail in our initial 'Zero Day' entry. While I will provide a truncated version of that piece here for the sake of space and time, the following link will take you to the original and fully-detailed post. If you have the time, I hope you will read the explanation of what I work to accomplish with these entries in its entirety as you will benefit simply by having a greater understanding of my intentions. The original post is located here: http://mentoringthemasters.tumblr.com/post/60781245155/000-may-4th-2013-launching-mentoring-the-masters      Moving on, here are the basic definitions that I hope will put my work here into context:

Mentoring the Masters' – Provider of concierge mentoring to Masters as they work to build legacies from their success.

Mentor - The role of the mentor is one of guidance driven by listening and strategically directing thoughts. What I do not do is instruct my clients, tell them what to do, or tell them how to do it. I help my clients come to their own conclusions and facilitate the creation of their ideas without influencing the ideas themselves.

Concierge Mentoring Services – Professional mentoring provided with white-glove touch. Concierge mentors make the time to provide mentoring in the way the mentee requests – Skype, a walk along the beach, or flying cross-country at the last minute for a face-to-face meeting.

Master - Someone who’s achieved great personal and professional success. These masters are CEO’s, entrepreneurs, artists, etc. Title doesn’t matter. What defines Masters is their place in life – a sense of accomplishment and the drive which fuels these lives forward. Boomers, Traditionals, Millenials, Males, Females, and Masters at all stages of their lives be it those just starting their careers or those of you who've already achieved many great successes and ready for your next great challenge – all of you are Masters Success – Being more than 'generally content' with previous accomplishments & having achieved more than they initially intended. This begins with having found greater personal fulfillment, but goes beyond that to 'more than intended' professional success as well.

Legacy – A notable & positive effect someone has made upon the world. This doesn’t require being remembered by name or specific accomplishments. It is anything which has shaped or will shape the world for the better. This could be the creation of a social-benefit organization, a new venture that develops a life-improving mobile-app, or a trip around the world that inspires others to adventure. The possibilities of Legacies are endless

    This methodology and philosophy I employ as a mentor is the reason why I started this blog. Thank you for joining us on this journey and for being one of the many fantastic people out there who seek out inspiration and have the desire to shape the world.

Be Well and Be Inspired!

-Kimberley Heart

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If you wish to receive our weekly entry in your email box, please go to http://mentoringthemasters.com and sign up for our newsletter. We’ll never send it out more than once-a-week, and for the most part will only be including the weekly blog-article (though occasionally event information will be included).

[mentoringthemasters]

016 :: Sept 1 – 7, 2013

    While I don't get too personal with these writings and tend to focus on Mentoring the Masters, I feel it's safe to say that I don't play video games. Of course however if I am posting a TED-Talk by a video game player, the TED-Talk is certainly going to be one that's fascinating if not one related to leadership, mentoring, or legacy building. This talk in particular was beyond inspiring... for those who adopt the methods, it's life changing. Jane McGonical discusses how an encounter with a Traumatic Brain Injurty led her to develop an outlook on life that turned her day to day activities into a giant game inspired by the video games she loves as a way to heal herself. While there is much more to the talk, I'd like to highlight the fact that this woman healed herself by shaping the world around her.     As I write these entries and go back and look at previous ones, I will often tell you 'enjoy this brief video' before providing you a link, however this was a staggering (for a TED-Talk) 21 minutes, and it comes with an additional inspiring story about the filming of the talk well worth reading. I mention this, because I hope you'll make the time to enjoy this and give it your utmost attention. Find the video (when you have time to enjoy it) here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-mcgonigal/watch-now-1up-your-life_b_3876195.html

    I set this next piece aside last week having already had 4 strong articles to share – I like keeping it to 2 entries when possible because one of my goals with the Mentoring The Masters blog & Newsletter is to give you enjoyable and useful information that won't take up too much of your time to digest (so please readers, feel free to let me know if I'm doing well with that job in the comments section). Still, it pained me to set it aside because it's a wonderful bit of work I've been excited to provide you with. Coming from the blog at Lead Change Group, the entry is titles “A Job or a Calling, You Decide”.

    The article is a powerful one. I sometimes worry that I summarize the articles I submit well enough that some of you tend to let the summaries I provide give you the 'gist', and decide to pass on reading the source material. This is one of those articles I really hope you'll take the time to read, so instead I'll offer just a brief insight I gained from it. One of the features of the Aspen Institute Ideas Festival videos I post which I enjoy sharing is when they ask all the Masters they interview “How do you define the Success - in the context of it being a 'Third Metric' specifically?”. This article at Lead Change Group meanwhile opens with the following statement:

“How do you view the work that you are currently doing? Do you see your work as a job or do you see it as a calling? Does your work provide you with satisfaction?”

    It is the final question – Does your work provide you with satisfaction? - which ties back to the Aspen Institute's third metric question. To all of you Masters who read this blog, I ask you that question: Does your work provide you satisfaction? Before you answer that question however, I'd like you to replace the phrase 'work' with 'day-to-day life'. So let me ask the rephrased question: Does your day-to-day life provide you with satisfaction? If your answer is yes, then congratulations! For those of you who are uncertain or certain that you are lacking this satisfaction, what can you do to change that? Remember that you are a Master so you are only restricted by your imagination and willpower. Through my work at Mentoring the Masters I have helped many of you reach this point of satisfaction, if not taken you beyond the point of satisfied to overfilled with joy.

    Brief Disclaimer: This is the 16th entry in the Mentoring the Masters Blog and Newsletter, the first time I've directly 'advertized' our services in the entries, and it will not be a common occurrence. I produce these entries as a free and public service for both those I mentor and those of you I've never met. I like to think that by providing these entries, I provide world shapers, legacy developers, and Masters in general with inspiration to vastly improve the world we live in. I don't usually 'advertise' Mentoring the Masters directly through the blog or newsletter, however this particular article has made it pertinent I mention my organization.

    So, if you haven't spoken with me directly yet, consider visiting Mentoring the Masters' website at http://mentoringthemasters.com . There you will find a bit more about Mentoring the Masters, the work I conduct through the organization, and a few of the service options. I provide an initial consultation for free where you can ask any questions about our services you like and get a clear picture of how my mentoring can help you – that may be helping you become satisfied with your day-to-day life or it might be taking an already day-to-day satisfied Master and helping them determine what the next step in their Legacy will be. Meanwhile, the article which inspired this brief advertisement which I hope you'll all take the time to read can be found at the Lead Change Group blog here: http://leadchangegroup.com/a-job-or-a-calling-you-decide/

    I enjoy giving all of you Masters wonderful items of inspiration, reflection, and advice. I tend to give you 3 pieces a week, however I am also aware of the value time has among Masters and this week's release has run a bit long. So, instead I will bid you all adieu and save the Aspen Festival entry I had for the weeks to come. In the meantime... Be Well and Be Satisfied!

[mentoringthemasters]

015 :: August 25 – 31, 2013

    This week we open with an entry from The Glass Hammer by Nneke Orji of London. Titled 'Mentor Me: The Value of Male and Female Mentors', I must say I was excited to see an article to share from the blog that was gender-balanced from the get-go. I enjoy the work The Glass Hammer puts out, but I sometimes find it difficult to share some of their posts – the goal of the Mentoring The Masters blog is to reach all of you, so I work to provide articles that will appeal to all of my audience: Boomers, Traditionals, Millenials, Males, Females, and Masters at all stages of their lives be it those just starting their careers or those of you who've already achieved many great successes and ready for your next great challenge. The Glass Hammer is focused on Female Masters but as many of you have already seen, they do a decent job of balancing entries with a female focus and entries that have value for everyone. This is one of those 'for everyone' entries. This particular article starts by stating over 19% of women have never had a mentor according to a LinkedIn survey. Then, it speaks to the power of mentors – the point which I believe effects all of you readers I described above. While the article does speak to a female audience, I believe all of you will find great value by looking past the language intended for an engendered audience and deriving your own lessons.

    So what is my insight to you? The article speaks to the power of female and male mentors. I agree with many of its points, but in this day and age a skilled mentor is one who incorporates all forms of thinking and thought processes with their mentoring. As I've stated in several previous entries, a mentor is not an instructor, tutor, or consultant. No – a true mentor is a skilled guide. Effective mentors guide those they mentor through listening and framing the issues at hand into new perspectives so that the mentee has an opportunity to reach their own conclusions. This ability to reframe issues comes from skilled listening and an ability to dramatically shift perspectives – this included engendered thinking. I have had my own mentors and they have all had this ability. Consider this factor as you read this wonderful entry, which can be found here: http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2013/08/30/mentor-me-the-value-of-male-and-female-mentors/

     Next, we have another book summary from the monetized blog I enjoy – Leadership Now's 'Leading Blog'. The book they feature this week is Leadership Transformed by Dr. Peter Fuda. Their summary of the work features 7 metaphors for leadership transformation. My favorite was the 7th metaphor, Russian Dolls. To be fair, the reason I found this metaphor to be my favorite is due to it's equal application as a metaphor for the experience the Masters I mentor receive through Mentoring the Masters. As the book summary's author Michael McKinney explains it:

“Russian Dolls – a complimentary set of journeys that interact with a leaders personal journey of transformation”

    Be sure to read all 7 metaphors, and consider picking up the book. You can accomplish both by going to the book summary at Leadership Now's posting here: http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2013/08/7_metaphors_for_leadership_tra.html

     Finally this week is a piece from Huffington Post that is not a TED-Talk or Aspen Institute interview (shocking, I know)! Joel Davis submitted a piece titled “How To Experience True Quiet (And Why You'll Want To)'. The piece is a guide to mantra meditation. I know the power of Mantra Meditation and when its appropriate for a client, I may recommend it. Still, I understand it is not for everyone. As Masters however, I am confident that all of you – whether interested in Mantra Meditation or not – are at least willing to learn a bit more about it before deciding if it is for you or not. To that end I hope you will take the 5 minutes it takes to read the article and give it some thought. For many of you, meditation of any kind – be it using a mantra or some other method - will help when you 'hit a creative wall' or have difficulty making a decision that will affect your legacies. Find the article and an opportunity to reflect on mantra meditation as possible solution by navigating here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/25/mantra-meditation_n_3796331.html?utm_hp_ref=gps-for-the-soul&ir=GPS%20for%20the%20Soul

DWikipedia: D (named dee) is the fourth letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet. →

[mentoringthemasters]

014 :: August 18 – 24, 2013

    Sometimes I feel like I should let the title of an article I'm recommending do all the speaking. This is one of those times, yet if I didn't offer some insight I don't know that I'd be providing you with the bits of one-way mentoring I'm hoping to achieve by maintaining this blog (or newsletter, depending how you're reading this). The article is titled “How a 10-Year-Old Blogger is Changing the World”. See? I really don't have to tell you anything else for you to want to go read the piece. Still, here's my insight:

    The article focuses on one particular aspect of the young blogger's performance which contributes greatly to her success, when it quotes her saying “I prefer interviewing other people because I can learn from them”. As they say “Out of the mouths of babes”... Listening produces learning through observation, and knowledge from observation produces success. In fact, processing the knowledge one gains from observation is a form of listening itself! The point is, listening to one's self is a skill which should be mastered by you Boomers out there, while you Millennial readers should continue to develop your abilities to listen through observation to the situations you find yourselves in. Insight aside, the article itself is wonderfully inspiring, and can be found here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/craig-and-marc-kielburger/hannah-alper-blog_b_3779665.html

    Have you heard about organizations placing free Pianos around cities? These two women have taken real-world viral concepts like that, and turn them into social good.  Sing For Hope is a nonprofit that aims to be the PeaceCorps of the arts. Considering that successful artists require a deep and knowing connection to their hearts, the two women who founded the organization are unsurprisingly excellent at speaking about the ways in which people should connect to their passions. Art allows others to reconnect with themselves. In fact, incorporating the arts into the work I do with the Masters I mentor has often proven to be a powerful tool for those just at the beginning of their paths to developing their legacies. Oh, and those pianos I mentioned?  The women behind Sing For Hope didn't create the idea, but they certainly improved upon it.  After a set time in public, the pianos are then donated to various charities to make music accessible to children who might not otherwise have an opportunity to find a piano and learn to play!  Enjoy this brief interview from the Aspen Institute's Ideas Festival by viewing it here: http://on.aol.com/partner/hp-live-segments-517394847/videoId=517836136

    This last entry is a bit more of a personal glance into my life than I've offered so far. I enjoy watching dolphins on the rare occasion that they make their way towards the beach by my home in Long Beach when I can see them from my balcony. In fact, I often find myself meditating on their natural flows and the intention and focus they have while also espousing what we perceive as joy. To that end, I thought this TED speech – while not at all related to leadership, mentoring, or legacy development (though the scientist speaking – if she achieves her goals – will certainly leave behind a legacy), I found it a wonderful and inspiring speech, well worth viewing. If anything, I certainly found myself inspired to wander down to the beach myself. As I do some of my best thinking there, I thought there was enough relevance that I could share this as my third entry for the week. I hope you all enjoy it and find your own inspiration from it somehow. I could have dug up another Leadership or Legacy video from TED this week for you, but when this came up in my que, it simply felt right to share it all with you. Call it an exercise in genuineness. Enjoy the TED-Talk for yourself by going here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/denise_herzing_could_we_speak_the_language_of_dolphins.html?utm_campaign=&utm_medium=on.ted.com-static&awesm=on.ted.com_Herzing&utm_content=awesm-publisher&utm_source=t.co

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013 :: August 11 – 17, 2013

    I often get asked what the difference is between Mentoring, Consulting, Tutoring, Advising, and Teaching, and I have a few peppy (yet substantive) answers to provide. Now, I wonder if when this question comes by email if I shouldn't simply redirect those asking the question to this wonderful 'quick guide to mentoring'. To be fair, mentoring is a difficult and deeply involved process, but the writing by Mary C Schaefer over at Lead Change Group in her entry 'Instead of giving advice, try this' does seem to cover some key mentoring tactics and paradigms of thought we adapt as we work to guide those we mentor. Get a look inside what we do at Mentoring the Masters and how we do it by reading the entry here:

http://leadchangegroup.com/instead-of-giving-advice-try-this/

    I try to be mindful when writing these newsletter updates. Though I was a successful private business consultant in the past, Mentoring the Masters is not some company that mentors people as they build a business. Rather, if that is what someone I am mentoring envisions their legacy to be, I certainly use all my tools to mentor them along that path. My point is, I don't wish to have it appear that everything is about starting a business or a nonprofit – in fact, I may lean a bit heavily on the example where 'a former CEO wants to travel the world and paint but can't get over a feeling that the idea is foolish'. I mention all this, because this next entry has a lot of 'Top Performing CEO / Effective Employees' language. Having said that, there are some deep insights for use in Legacy development here worth considering. The article is titled “At Work, Giving is the New Getting” and while it discusses profits, it's really about the many levels of success which are attained when charity, generosity, and altruism are applied to collaborators. Note that I didn't say 'at the office' or 'coworkers'. When you see those phrases in the article, try to replace them with more situation-neutral ones. Perhaps then you will get the significant value I did from the piece, which is available in it's entirety here:

http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2013/08/16/at-work-giving-is-the-new-getting/

     Finally in our 'official posts', around June 15 I posted an Aspen Institute Ideas Festival 2-way interview between Arriana Huffington and Walter Isaacson discussing The Franklin project and a national 'Service Corps'. Now I'd like you to consider another interview of someone with a similar project. Steven Colbertson is the CEO of Youth Service America, and he is building a legacy of developing world changers by asking them to take on a year of service. Also covered is how Mr. Colbertson defines success – a theme in many of the interviews conducted during the Aspen Institute Ideas Festival. Hear more about this inspiring work by watching the brief interview here:

http://on.aol.com/partner/hp-live-segments-517394847/videoId=517834691

    For an 'unofficial' fourth link of the week, I'd like to provide and interview between Phil Jackson who wrote the book on leadership and coaching '11 Rings'. Seeing as how I recommended an article discussing the book, I thought it couldn't hurt to provide the interview. I might not have caught all the sports references, but the leadership discussion was impressive. Enjoy the interview if you haven't yet seen it by going here (but beware – since it's online and direct from the Daily Show, Jon Stewart briefly uses some foul language):

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-may-21-2013/exclusive---phil-jackson-extended-interview

[mentoringthemasters]

012 :: August 4 – 10, 2013

    The first item this week is one I'd mentioned in my last entry covering another Forbes article. This one details 16 start-ups which were selected by an organization called 'Dream It Ventures'. Where Margret Spellings' program (mentioned in the July 21-27th Mentoring the Masters blog and Newsletter entry) develops entrepreneurs into masters, Dream It Ventures gives a 'summer intensive' to 16 organizations which grants each organization resources to help them rapidly develop success. Dream It's summer intensive are similar to the Mentoring the Masters intensives – My mentoring is provided to my masterful clients, giving them the tools they need to quickly accelerate the development of their projects which will develop into legacies. On a less advertising-sounding note, the companies themselves are doing some fascinating things – more inspiration to help you as you determine what you will do to shape your legacy. Read the list and see some of the legacies that were rapidly developing this summer:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/karstenstrauss/2013/05/10/dreamits-super-startups-2013/

    While I am highlighting what younger generations of leaders generations are doing, I thought this next article would be a nice inclusion. Once again I'd like to share a piece from the female leadership blog The Glass Hammer. This week editor-in-chief Michelle Hendelman wrote a piece on corporate change being driven by female leaders from Generation Y. On occasion, I will still have speaking engagements where I'm asked to speak about Managing Millennials, and the various challenges that come from people of different generations learning to work with one another. She discusses a common key issue, in that Boomers & Traditionals agree that Millenials are ill prepared for professional challenges. She then goes on to clarify that despite the expectations placed on them, Millennials are proving to be not only resilient but also resourceful in their ability to manipulate the environments around them to facilitate success. What I find interesting is the fact that their success seems – in some part – relative to the level of connectivity they've grown up with. The connectivity of the Millennial generation and the gap between Millennials and Boomers is certainly food for thought, though I wonder if there isn't a legacy project in there somewhere. Perhaps you'll create something after reading the brief article here:

http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2013/08/06/will-gen-y-women-in-the-workplace-be-the-drivers-of-corporate-change/

    While we're on the topics of millennial, I have found one more inspiring list to share with you. From INC.com comes a list of 2013's 'coolest college start ups'. I don't know that any of these start-ups are evidence of Masters ready for the type of mentoring I have to offer just yet. That said, I do believe more than a few of these companies are being run by people who have already found great success on a level well beyond power and fortune. As you go through the list, don't just read what these people's companies are doing – Look at their smiles and their eyes. That's the look all of you should have when you're doing whatever it is you've chosen to do during this portion of your lives. Discover the legacies being built and see the dreamers behind them here:

http://www.inc.com/ss/inc-staff/americas-coolest-college-start-ups-2013

[mentoringthemasters]

011 :: July 28 – Aug 3, 2013

    I'm starting this week with a rare TED-related item from Huffington Post, rare for the fact that it's a response to a featured video, and not the video itself which I'm highlighting. The piece however is captivating, inspiring, and generally powerful so I am happy to share it. She discusses the various ways which she sees brain magic occuring in other people, and it usually is the way their passions maniferst into their work or creations – be it her software engineer husband or her child holding a stuffed animal recreation of the Titanic sinking. This little item (which is in response to the quite entertaining video included at the end of the editorial) is a wonderful reminder that yes – our legacy work can stem from the raw elements of those pursuits and passions which bring us the most joy. There really is not much more to add as the author's piece – Holly Robinson – has done a wonderful job of saying the rest. Read her editorial and see the video which inspired it here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/holly-robinson/keith-barry-brain-magic_b_3728114.html

    My next item for you comes from Forbes and is titled “10 greatest Industry-Disrupting Startups of 2012”. I encountered this list while reading an article I've put off featuring until next week, because I'm hoping the '2013' edition of this list comes out soon. The companies on 2012's list features many of the same traits I've pointed out as being indicators of mastery and success in my previous entries – these are organizations which are developing legacies by shaping the way the world works. Kickstarter for example has brought venture capitalism to close-to-the-heart passion projects and inspires the poorest of advocates to donate what they can to launch a project they believe in. The whole list is inspiring, but the one which I thought best summarized these points I've been making over the last few weeks was Noodle.

    Noodle is a search engine and network for everything related to education resources from preschool through to graduate school. The network provides a resource with which one can easily locate tutors, home school improvement programs, financial resources, online copies of textbooks, and more. Wealthy or poor, easy access to education resources is now available for all. Once again, you have an example of passion driven success growing from an organization that is making it easier for people to connect with one another. Now, I am clearly a proponent of using this trend as inspiration for the legacy projects some of my clients will develop, but what is next? My question to you is, if connecting people is the current paradigm of success, what will the next one be? Even if you don't come up with an answer, I'm certain you'll find some inspiration as you think about the question. Look for me to post 2013's list when it becomes available, and in the meantime see the list in its entirety here:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2012/07/19/10-greatest-industry-disrupting-startups-of-2012/

    Finally this week I present an article which really gets to the heart (no pun intended) of the work I do through Mentoring the Masters. As I've explained before, many clients (though not all) have some kind of blockage when they first come to me. A significant enough portion of these blockages seem to come from an inability to access the excitement of being a young entrepreneur many of them had years before they become the Masters they are today. They've worked themselves away from their own sense of freedom, even if their freedom is firmly in their grasps. For that reason, I find more and more of the articles I've been posting feature Millenial dreamers and future Masters. This article - written by Deborah Mills-Scofield – was featured on the Lead Change Group blog. It explains how young millennial leaders inspire and instill hope in her. I'd like all of you readers – boomers and millenials – to read it and reflect on the thoughts she's had to offer. I found them to be valuable, and I am confident you will too. The article can be found here:

http://switchandshift.com/who-are-my-heroes-young-millennial-leaders

[mentoringthemasters]

010 :: July 21 – 27, 2013

    For those of you I mentor and others whom have met me I am certain this week's first item might initially seem like a very unusual selection, yet its ties to Mentoring the Masters is unquestionable. I present to you another start-up company with a specific item which I think may change the world – The Omni. If you cannot find inspiration from this creation, I suggest calling me immediately for a consultation to see what is blocking you from dreaming!

     At first glance, The Omni seems like nothing more than a fancy video-game device working to turn the 1990's visions of virtual reality into, well... reality. Before going any further, I suggest you examine the explanation of the product here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGFuedKS9Mg

     While it may seem like just a big toy, the company - Virtuix - is clearly run by masters. These are people who have dreams, bring them to life, and change the lives of many others in the process. Beginning with a $125,000 goal, the organization raised over $1.1 Million in 48 days for a product that was not even in production yet. While the video and the kickstarter page I'll link you to feature only the video game prospects for use, the reality is so much more. People can program dreams – truly shaping and crafting worlds – then have users tour their dreams. Imagine Israelis and Pakistanis using this device to better understand one another by touring the neighborhoods of each others' countries without fear of violence or the hassle of crossing borders through a highly realistic experience. The possibilities are endless... and so are the chances to find inspiration from this company, their product, and their success. Read more about Virtuix and The Omni at their Kickstarter page:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1944625487/omni-move-naturally-in-your-favorite-game?ref=discover_pop

     Next this week is some insight into a wonderful new book that tackles an often neglected topic in leadership – the intergration of business with belief. Simply titled 'The Business of Belief', the book is summarized at the 'monetized blog' Leadership Now, with a few key points offered. The instant I knew I'd be linking to this book review and summary was when I read this quote from the book's author:

“Those skilled at motivating people to cross a new bridge to change their beliefs and behavior, are not trying to cajole or manipulate them against their will. Rather, they seek to guide them to a new destination, a transformed way of feeling, thinking and acting that's aligned with their personal desires and values”

     Clearly, this summarizes not only effective leadership... it also describes skilled mentoring. It would be fair to say that mentoring and leadership may often go hand in hand, though not always. There is a clear blurring of the lines, though that discussion is perhaps for another time (during a slow news week for the topics of mentoring, leadership, and legacy development perhaps). Overall, the brief summary of the book is fantastic, and I may just pick a copy up for myself! Either way, take a few moments to appreciate the context of the work that have been summarized for your easy consumption. Read more:

http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2013/07/the_business_of_belief.html

     Finally, a truly exciting endeavor was discussed by Margaret Spellings at the Aspen Institute Ideas Festival. Masters are working to build a community by creating infrastructure that will encourage the development of entrepreneurs into masters! This is certainly the type of work that can be defined as a legacy project! Additionally for your consumption, after the first five minutes a wonderful discussion on the definition and redefinition of success is presented. Usually I like to offer a summary, however I hope by holding back this week I'll encourage the more hesitant of you to click and experience the wonderful insights first-hand for yourselves! The interview may be viewed by clicking here:

http://on.aol.com/partner/hp-live-segments-517394847/videoId=517837771

[mentoringthemasters]

009 :: July 14 – 20, 2013

    I don't know if the sentiment “Everyone wants to make a difference” is as true as we'd all like it to be, however the statement certainly describes each of my clients. This week's post from the Lead Change Group blog speaks more to the leadership of teams, yet I've found that many of the piece's points are easily adapted to introspective thoughts I present to my clients for them to meditate on. For example, the article's author Tal Shnall writes:

“Leaders have to invest in the development of the people they lead”

     I am likely to take a sentiment like this and suggest my client consider this from the aspect of the legacy project they are working on (I say 'legacy project' using the work 'project' only due to the lack of a better descriptor. There is a wide collective variety of intents and goals among those I mentor). As a legacy 'project' is developed, we work together to determine who will the legacy inspire and how will it inspire. You see, that work of inspiration is a form of leadership and this type of interpretation is what I ask them to meditate on. I hope you will take time this week to read the full article and meditate on it in a similar way for yourself. Tal Shnall's piece “Everyone wants to make a difference” is located here:

http://leadchangegroup.com/everyone-wants-to-make-a-difference/

     In a few of my recent writings, I've mentioned how it is becoming much more common for legacies and leadership to sprout from work that contributes to the growing global-interconnectedness. Recently, someone sent me a list of the 'Most innovative companies of 2012', suggesting the people I mentor may find inspiration for how they wish to develop their legacies from the work of these companies. I on occasion find myself reminding people that many of the legacies being developed through work at Mentoring the Masters will not be organizations or companies, so I has my reservations when I first navigated my way to the list. What I found was a dynamic pool of inspiration that I am happy to share not only with my clients, but with all of you as well. Many of the organization – especially those at the top of the list – are somehow deeply and intricately helping to further connect our world. While I'll skip mentioning the obvious ones, I found the inclusion of Square inspiring for its ability to allow artisan retailers the ability to sell their wares globally and easily. Another organization worth mentioning is Air BnB - a phenomenal way which cultural exchange occurs while allowing people to find financial supplements to their income. There are many more on the list of 50, so I hope you will find yourself inspired with ideas when you examine the list for yourself.

http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/2012/full-list

    Finally, I'd like to present you with another wonderful video from the Aspen Institute's Ideas Festival. This week I am highlighting an interview with Hibaaq Osman – founder of Karama. The interview starts off discussing geopolitics, but really starts to get to the topics I like to cover here at around the 7 minute mark. The first relevant item which comes up is Osman's views on male versus female leadership. She points to the historical differences that tend to occur between male and female leadership. While there is certainly truth to what she says, I feel it pertinent to point out that masters – including those I mentor – transcend this stereotype more often than not. In fact, it is there mastery of balancing their leadership styles and approaches which allows them to succeed exponentially more than other successful leaders. If you feel you lean more towards a gender-traditional leadership style though, fear not! This is the perfect opportunity for you to reflect on how being aware of that tendency can allow you to improve as you develop your mastery of leadership and success.

     The other portion I'd like to mention begins shortly after Hibaaq's comments on gender and leadership, in which she discusses her definition of success. To summarize, she explains that true success is not money or power - it is how you respect others, how you influence those others through respecting and identifying with them, and your level of influence in communities which stems from who you are, not what you have. Political and financial positive gains all eventually flow from true success, but you must 'walk amongst the people' before you will ever have a complete sense of 'success'. They are inspiring observations I am happy to share, so I hope you will listen to them for yourself by viewing the interview which is available here:

http://on.aol.com/video/karama-founder-hibaaq-osman-on-women-and-arab-revolution-517846947

[mentoringthemasters]

008 :: July 7 - 13, 2013

    First up this week is an article which speaks for itself. Leadchangegroup.com has an article summarizing some of their community members' comments in response to the question:

“What helps you make change stick? What practice(s) has helped you change a habit, adopt a new habit, or change an attitude or mindset?”

     Often, Lead Change Group's blog will have an Organization Theory slant to its articles, yet this particular feature was wonderfully oriented towards internal, personal change. Find some inspiration to use when developing your own techniques as you work to prepare yourself for the next step in your journey by reading the article. You may find that here:

http://leadchangegroup.com/if-change-was-easy-we-would-all-do-it/

     Speaking of change, for a few weeks now I have been 'banking' specific types of articles for this newsletter-blog which I have yet to employ. The theme of change seems like a good one from which to integrate this new different style of coverage into the newsletter-blog, so I hope you will enjoy it.

     While I use technology, I don't often find myself at 'the front line'. Still, as I watch the world change the way it operates (as discussed in my previous writings), I've found these crowd-funding projects that are gaining in popularity and efficiency to be quite fascinating for a myriad of reasons. First, there is the products themselves. The most common items to find success are either projects which scale down the items we do posses or they are items which help to connect us in new ways with one another. The second aspect I find fascinating is that crowd-funded projects seem to be a great way to identify up-and-coming Masters in their early formation. These are dynamic individuals who are following their passions and rounding up others to support their work. In addition to these key factors, the projects I will show you are ones that are truly shifting the paradigm of how we live our lives – these young entrepreneurs are clearly shaping the world. Therefore, I've found them to be wonderful people with exciting projects to include in Mentoring the Masters' blog and newsletter. While they may be clients in the future, in the present they can serve as inspiration to all of you readers as you work on shaping the world in your own ways.

     The first item I'd like to introduce to you is particularly exciting, as it will allow many people to quite literally shape the world: Pirate3D inc is the youthfully named company producing The Buccaneer – an affordable, compact, cleanly designed 3D printer. Wonderful for artists and home inventors, this product is not only an exciting technological development. Navigate over to the Kickstarter site to see how the young masters who've developed it followed their vision to fruition while also abiding by many of the lessons I 've discussed in my previous articles. See more about the product and the amazing individuals behind it by navigating to their Kickstarter page :

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pirate3d/the-buccaneer-the-3d-printer-that-everyone-can-use?ref=discover_pop

     The second product & creator I'd like to feature is 'The Lima'. This young entrepreneurial team will soon have simplified all of our lives, increasing our productivity dramatically. The item connects data from all of a persons' devices – smart phones, tablets, computers, external drives, cloud files like Dropbox, and more. Now, all of a person's files are in one place and accessible across all devices. The team is beyond inspiring and are evidence of people who've seen what happens when they are genuine to their passions. With an original goal of $69,000 'The CGC Team' has already raised over $1,000,000. This was just one more example of people following their passions who will change the world – even if inadvertently – that I thought best to share with you. Learn more about the project and find links to the development team at their Kickstarter page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cloud-guys/plug-the-brain-of-your-devices/?ref=kicktraq

[mentoringthemasters]

007 :: June 30 - July 6, 2013

This week, some phenomenal world-changing activity was in the news.  Let us start with Paul Phleros, who spoke about his legacy work in a TED Talk posted to the TED.com this week. He explains how simple solutions exist for complex social problems. Mr. Pholeros' solutions exist in is the same paradigm I work to bring my clients thoughts to operate in. I only hope we can all learn to develop this style of analysis in our pursuit of social betterment. See the talk here: http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_pholeros_how_to_reduce_poverty_fix_homes.html

    CNBC Anchor Maria Bartiromo followed her passion, and it granted her the authority to say what many of us know in our hearts : Real success has nothing to do with money. My clients are highly fortunate when it comes to their financial wealth. They are leaders and titans of their fields who've paved their own way and committed blood sweat and tears on their journey to the top. Why then would they seek a mentor? Are they not dynamic directors of their own destinies? The fact is, their financial success and business acumen does not mean they are finished in their journeys. Happiness and success have no caps, and I am the guide lucky enough to help my amazing clients find their next challenges. It's wonderful to have Ms. Bartiromo's words to remind my clients why they sought out my services in the first place. If you have a moment, be sure to listen to Maria's comments here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/28/maria-bartiromo-aspen-ideas-festival_n_3517084.html?utm_hp_ref=impact

    Finally, Time magazine had an article summarizing a book criticizing philanthropic endeavors. While the whole article is fascinating, one particular tidbit drew my attention and filled me with radiant pride for the clients I mentor. Specifically, Warren Buffett's $31 billion gift to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is called 'lazy'. While Bill & Melinda Gates leave behind legacies of destroying malaria, rapidly advancing technological access for low income schools, and a host of other world-changing initiatives, Warren Buffett wrote a check. While not all of my clients' contribution to the world will be philanthropic, many who do come are seeking to find something that will fill their hearts as much as their desire to achieve and be challenged. These vacancies are often filled with philanthropic endeavors, and rarely are these endeavors as simple as 'writing a check'. The is much MUCH more to the article which makes it informative, inspiring, and thought provoking. If you only take the time to read one of my article recommendations from this blog entry, I do hope this is it. You can find it here:

http://business.time.com/2013/06/26/philanthropists-of-the-world-youre-doing-it-wrong/

[mentoringthemasters]

006 :: June 23 – 29, 2013

    This week did not have much in the blogs, and google-alerts wasn't producing any exciting results either. Therefore, I have 2 very powerful videos to share with you. I believe you will find them well worth your time, rewarding you with insight and inspiration.

    First up is a TED-Talk by Lesley Hazleton. Hazleton was confronted with the issue of doubt being essential to faith while researching and writing a biography on Muhammad. Perhaps this doesn't sound like a topic that would effect my clients, yet there are some key lessons in Hazleton's talk. As you listen to her TED-Talk, replace the concept of faith she discusses with one of faith in yourself. Think about the doubts you have as you transition into a new project. What holds you back? What keeps you from from 'going all-out' in the pursuit of your passion? In previous weeks, I've discussed the care required in balancing 'the head and the heart' – the intellectual rationalism from the passion that generates the ideas which will become legacies. Hazleton's talk served as an excellent reminder for me to remind all of you readers about the role faith in yourselves will play as you work to shape the world. When I say 'faith in yourself', I'm not merely talking about confidence in your actions. You truly must believe in what you are doing, even as you let your passion go wild and rationality restrain your work. In fact, faith can – when applied appropriately – help to serve as the balancing scale between the head and the heart. A great eqaulizer if you will. It's a wonderful tool I work with all my students to develop. Enough from me though, enjoy Lesley Hazleton's wonderful speech by following this link:

http://www.ted.com/talks/lesley_hazleton_the_doubt_essential_to_faith.html?utm_medium=on.ted.com-static&awesm=on.ted.com_Hazleton&utm_source=t.co&utm_content=awesm-publisher&utm_campaign=

     My second and final feature for the day is an Aspen Institute Ideas Festival interview with Eric Kuhn. Khun is the president of a social-media marketing company in Hollywood. Now I am not overstating when I say I find social media befuddling. It has taken me quite some time to understand just what the value is. When I first hired a social media consultant, I had many questions. A few of these included:

- When it mostly seems to be cat videos, how can facebook be used for sales?

- If it is more a personal connection tool, where is the value in knowing what friends ate for breakfast?

- What is the deal with Twitter? I understand that its out there, but I don't understand it.

     Why then, would I feature this young man's interview? This is one of the Millennial generation's Masters. He has followed a passion, changed the way several industries function, and does it while promoting genuineness. Kuhn states in the video that the art to an effective social media campaign is building marketing goals from authenticity and personal connections with the target audience. This statement of his mandated I highlight his interview. You see, the model for a successful social media campaign is the same model for a successful project meant to contribute to one's legacy. Those invisible blocks I mention are often a person's rationality tapering back their passions, yet it is when we are genuine that we are more easily connected to and received by others.

    When this young man finds himself in a place many of my clients and you have already found yourselves in, I hope he will turn to Mentoring the Masters. While he is a dynamic individual, the interview gets a bit 'technical' into social media theory. Still, there's a lot of value to be found in it – especially if you are anything like I was before hiring my social media consultant. Give him the chance to wow you by following this link to the interview:

http://on.aol.com/video/eric-kuhn-interview-517839330

[mentoringthemasters]

005 :: June 16 – 22, 2013

     Once in a while I'll meet a professional, and I would just like to shake them... vigorously! I believe only the fewest of exceptions among masters are bad apples...or even 'lost apples' if you will. Bad apples are of course the out-for-themselves bottom-liners, and lost apples are those who let financial wealth serve as the only indicator of success. Often times however, I'll meet successful individuals who are clearly masters, yet they're not doing the type of work that is contributing to anything remotely close to a legacy. These are not bad, selfish, or ignorant people either. In fact, I often find many of them to be deep wellsprings of empathy. When I ask 'What else do you want to do', I'm often met with a look of befuddlement or something to the sentiment of 'Why would I want to do anything else?'.

     Reading this piece by Claudia Chan, I was reminded why I don't give in to my urge to shake people until they decide to work on developing their legacies. She describes her experience of having created a company focused on helping women have fun on a night-out. Her company provided private cocktail event hosting services, makeovers, and even dating advice to young women. After several years with her creation? She simply 'felt the calling' to do more. I was reminded to be patient with people, but what will you learn? Find out by reading the article here:

http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2013/06/18/passion-and-purpose-why-leadership-means-following-your-heart/

     I must admit, I am not an avid follower of sports. Still, even I am familiar with the leadership value of Phil Jackson – former head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers (among many other teams). Mr. Jackson has been highly visible lately pushing sales of his new book '11 Rings'. Meanwhile, my favorite 'monetized blog' Leadership Now has taken Mr. Jackson's book and condensed his 11 rings into 11 principles of mindful leadership. Many of my clients will return the role of a leader, and I know I use the terms leader and leadership in these entries. Still, I would suggest you consider the 11 tips offered by Leadership Now to be equally applicable in the (ideas) development process that occurs before there is use for a leader. You can read these wonderful summaries (and possibly purchase Mr. Jackson's wonderful book) here:

http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2013/06/phil_jacksons_11_principles_of.html

     While discussing the topics of mindfulness and leadership, I find it to be wise to remind my clients to factor in the heart. In truth, the greatest challenges and the greatest rewards come from balancing the heart and the mind. From the heart (our passions) we find our inspiration and direction. From the mind (our intellect) we develop a strategic approach to achieving our goals. Often, we'll find our passions telling us to move forward when our minds urge caution. The art of balancing deduction with intuition is the art of the most skilled masters. It is a skill which I work to develop within all of my clients. This article by Tal Shnall offers some thoughts all of us can meditate on as we seek to develop this key skill to success, so read it by navigating to this link:

http://leadchangegroup.com/the-mindful-heart-leading-ourselves-and-others-mindfully/

[mentoringthemasters]

004 :: June 9 – 15, 2013

     I'd like to start this week off focusing on the 'world-changing' aspect of the work done through Mentoring The Masters. This first story is about artist Theo Jansen who helped to re-shape the world by creating a new form of life. Through his passion and vision, Mr. Jansen has created a self-preserving kinetic sculpture with no form of awareness – life without mind. His work is an excellent example of how when a person pursues their passion, they work towards developing a legacy. Perhaps his creations do not clean pollution directly or hold peace summits, yet their representation of Mr. Jansen's pursuit of his passions are sure to inspire many. I hope you are one of those who gain such inspiration. Find out just how you will be inspired by learning more about Mr. Jansen's work here:

http://www.freeinews.com/technology/theo-jansen-watch-an-artist-creates-a-new-form-of-life

    Also this week, I have 2 videos from the Aspen Institute's Ideas Festival which I'd like to share. The first of these is an interview with Lynda Resnik, who is responsible for the proliferation of the pomegranate’s popularity through the creation of 'POM' pomegranate juice brand. Her ability to look 'beyond the paradigm' that allowed her to popularize a fruit to a nation is now driving her initiative to change the way children are taught. Ms. Resnik discusses the drawbacks of 'ROTE' style learning, and how her experiences are allowing her to make world-shaping changes in a field rife with advocates for 'old ways of thinking'. Enjoy this wonderful & enlightening interview here:

http://on.aol.com/partner/hp-live-segments-517394847/videoId=517837231

    Arrianna Huffington and Walter Isaacson share a few ideas on how service can bring people together, and their work on The Franklin Project. The project seeks to begin 'service corps' which give people the opportunity to spend a year conducting national service. Their idea is a wonderful one, giving people with less resources than many of the masters I work with to shape the world with a significant impact. Once again, people pursuing passions are directly affecting the lives of others. Also worth noting is Ms. Huffington's argument to redefine success with 'The Third Metric'. What is this Third Metric? Tune in here and you will find out after the first 3 minutes:

http://on.aol.com/partner/hp-live-segments-517394847/videoId=517836089

[mentoringthemasters]

003 :: May 26 – June 8, 2013

    Welcome to our third entry in the Mentoring the Masters Blog/Newsletter. Another slow week in relative news, so I have our second 2-week edition for you! As I said before, when it comes to world-shaping, the value of quality is much higher than that of quantity. The wait for a new edition has proven to be a rewarding one however, as I have some great material this week. First however, a quick rejoinder to our previous edition of the Mentoring the Masters entry & newsletter last week. For those of you that didn't find time to view Peter Singer's TED Talk, I really hope you'll find some time to do so this week. If you do, I believe those of you experiencing doubts about your ability to make the visions of your legacies a reality will find extremely valuable inspiration in Mr. Singer's description of 'Giving What We Can'.

     On to this week's edition, first up is a piece from The Glass Hammer – a blog featuring articles by female leaders from all walks of life. While the blog may be written and run exclusively by women, the advice dispensed is valuable to all my clients and well worth discussing. The post I'm highlighting this week offers three reasons why leaders hate asking for help, and three reasons for getting over those points of resistance. To be fair, the author writes the article from the perspective that these are problems specific to female leaders however my years of mentoring and consulting have shown me that such is not the case. The article is correct in asserting that stubbornness and a fear of appearing weak are the core reasons leaders may not ask for help. What amazes me – and what I ask all of you to consider as you work to forward your goals – is how the greatest masters can routinely forget to 'check themselves' when it comes time to delegate. I found some wonderful insights to share with my clients in the article. Read it here and see if you can find some of your own:

http://www.theglasshammer.com/news/2013/05/29/10807/

     I am electing to not say much about this article, other than it summarizes how I define Legacies. For my clients, this article has proven to be a brief yet wonderful reminder of why they are expending so many of their resources and so much of their energy to developing their legacies. I truly hope you will all find similar sentiments in the piece as well:

http://randomactsofleadership.com/what-legacy-will-you-leave/

     My final piece is another which requires little input from me. I feel that if I summarize it, you might not take the time to read it – after all, many of you Masters are quite busy people. Deepak Chopra on National Public Radio's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me – I don't know that I should have to say more. I implore you to take ten and a half minutes out of your day to gain powerful insight while trying not to smile like a child. For those that still aren't convinced, I will offer this brief tidbit:

     Deepak Chopra is asked by Peter Sagal to define what a Guru is. He replies 'Spell Guru'. Mr. Sagal plays along, saying “Gee, You Are You”. Laughs and enlightenment follow. Enjoy the entire segment here:

http://www.npr.org/2013/06/01/187529359/not-my-job-deepak-chopra-plays-yes-we-cannes

[mentoringthemasters]

002 :: May 12 – 25, 2013

    Welcome to our second entry in the Mentoring the Masters Blog/Newsletter. It had been a slow week in news so I chose write a single entry for 2 weeks, as when it comes to world-shaping, the value of quality is much higher than that of quantity. That being said, I have some wonderful inspiration for you legacy-developing world changers in this entry : 2 TED articles and a blog entry from LeadChangeGroup.com.

    First up is the Lead Change Group – a global community dedicated to instigating a leadership revolution. Mentoring the Masters is focused on guiding Masters – may of whom are leaders – to find new ways of approaching the development of their legacies. Clearly, Lead Change Group often has useful & relevant insights for our clients. Their recent piece on leadership being a calling is the one I would like to bring to your attention today. Tal Shnall who authored the piece wrote a particular sentiment that reverberates with my clients' various journeys, stating

“When we find out why we are here and what is our purpose in life, we are creating a life of significance for others”.

    One of the common 'blocks' my clients face in the development of their legacies is the comfort in allowing their passion to inform their projects. You might be surprised to find a successful CEO has put off beginning a professional career as an artist because it would seem silly in the context of their life's previous work. For someone to deny their passion, they do not only rob themselves of a significant experience, they rob others of significant experiences as well. I'm not saying you can simply 'give yourself permission to follow your passion'. If it were so easy, Mentoring the Masters would have a lot less clients! In fact, getting permission from yourself to follow your passion often requires a lot of self-development. Regardless of where your comfort levels are with your passions, the entry by Shnall is wonderful and I hope you'll enjoy it. You can read the piece here:

http://leadchangegroup.com/the-gift-of-our-leadership-is-the-gift-of-our-callings/

    Next up is a TED Talk from a few years ago which was featured on Huffington Post this week, in which Fields Wicker-Miurin discusses 'Learning from Leadership's Missing Manual'. There are many lessons to take-away from this talk, but I'd like to point out a less obvious observation. Ms. Wicker-Miurin explains how she brought leaders from across the world to meet tribal leaders from remote areas in the Amazon. It is this setting of her TED-Talk which I find worth noting. The one trait inherent in all successful leaders is the ability to manage and shift perspectives. CEO's, stand-outs in the arts communities, heads-of-families, and tribal leaders all find greater success when listening. I found this to be a nice tie-back to my previous entries coverage of an interview with Reddit's Alexis Ohanian discussing the fall of 'idea gatekeepers'. The future of success lies in what 'the public' find popular, and what they find popular is more-often-than-not genuine. I hope all of you will reflect this week on if you shift your perspective to hear the desires of others, and find ways to incorporate your passions to those ideas. You can see Ms. Miurin's entire TED Talk here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/fields_wicker_miurin_learning_from_leadership_s_missing_manual.html

    Finally, a second TED Talk for you. This one - featured last week on the TED homepage – comes from Peter Singer who discusses 'The Why & How of Effective Altrusim'. While the talk begins with a dark note, so do many legacies. For some of my clients, their ideal world-changing legacies will be the affects their work has on serious global problems. I'm choosing to feature Mr. Singer's TED Talk because it discusses a key-step for my clients in the process of developing their legacies.

    Singer offers several interesting insights in his talk. What I will discuss today is his point that good work is accomplished with the balance of head and heart. You will notice I focus heavily on identifying my clients' passions and helping them to give themselves permission to pursue those passions. That is only one of the early steps in the process of legacy development however. The ability to form that passion into the world-changing work my clients pursue is a lesson of equal if not greater importance. As I like to say “Your fear – not the legacy you wish to accomplish – is the only thing which will force you to choose. You must learn to work from the head and the heart, not one or the other”.

Singer's talk is a wonderful one, and I hope you will all take the time to view or listen to it. You can find his TED Talk and a transcript of it here: http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_singer_the_why_and_how_of_effective_altruism.html?utm_content=awesm-publisher&awesm=on.ted.com_Singer&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=on.ted.com-static&utm_campaign=

[mentoringthemasters]

001 :: May 11th, 2013

[This entry covers May 5 - 11, 2013]

    Welcome to our first week's entry in the Mentoring the Masters Blog/Newsletter. For our intial entry, we have an article covering how world-shaping has become more accessible, an inspiring story of a master who saw his dream of helping others through arts to fruition, and an instructional guide on how to strengthen support for the legacy you envision.

     First up is an interview with Alexis Ohanian - the founder of information-by-popular-vote site Reddit. The video comes from the archives of The Aspen Foundation, and is part of a series of interviews from their Aspen Institute Ideas Festival. Mr. Ohanian explains “The future won't be about management.... the 21st century will be 'MADE, not managed'. What he means is that getting ideas out into the world is much easier these days thanks to the connections brought by electronic connections. Success is no longer determined by working within established borders. Now success comes from popular-support, as evidenced by the rise of Kickstarter, Indie-gogo, and Alexis' own Reddit – all sites where the popular ideas are the ones which find success. These include new technologies, social organizations, and even music acts seeking success.

    My lesson to you from his Mr. Ohanian's clearly accurate insights are this: Even well-established businesses turning to outlets like Kickstarter & Indie-go-go to launch new products. With ideas spreading faster than ever before and success no longer restricted by taste-makers, masters need to learn to speak to people, not tastes. People will respond to passions... 'feelings before function' as I like to say. To do this, you'll have to allow your own passions to inform your actions. You can see the interview here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/alexis-ohanian-at-aspen-ideas-festival_n_3575745.html?utm_hp_ref=technology&ir=Technology

    Next up is Harvard Law graduate Mr. Bryonn Bain. After having been arrested and detained for a crime he didn't commit, his passion dictated he turn to the arts rather than his degree to fight the patterns of injustice of which he was a victim. Now he operates a successful nonprofit that combines his knowledge, previous success, and passion to build a Legacy he is proud of.

    My lesson here is likely an obvious one to even our new readers – You do not have to 'color within the lines' if it means ignoring your passions to find deep personal and professional success. I found Mr. Bain's story very inspiring. I hope you will too. You can read a summary and hear him speak here:

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/05/05/fighting-for-social-justice-through-spoken-word/

    Our final article comes from an interesting blog called leadershipnow.com, The blog seems to be a monetized advertising blog, yet despite it's for-profit nature I've found it to be a phenomenal compass. Many of its entries direct me to tools I find extremely useful for my clients as well as for myself. This week the site summarized some key lessons from Jonah Berger's new book Contagious (if you click the book's title within the article, you are directed to a sales page within the blog's shop). Despite the fact they hope to sell readers the book, they still provide some key lessons from within it which are worth a quick read. The lessons are useful for my clients, as they are tools for developing popular support for the ideas which are used to formulate their legacy projects. Learn about these methods by reading the summaries here:

http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2013/05/how_to_make_your_ideas_contagi.html

I look forward to bringing you more of these bits of insight & inspiration in the weeks to come, and hope you've enjoyed this first creation!

Be Well,

-Kimberley Heart