The intention of C-lever Points of Leverage is to support you in your growth and development as a leader and a human by sharing my own journey.
What I’m learning –
Eco-leadership – I’ve been studying various forms of leadership for quite a while, but I’d never heard of Eco-leadership until recently when preparing for my interview of Dr. Simon Western. Eco-leadership is an exciting concept (that little is written about and frankly, I’m still trying to figure out) that focuses on the idea of distributing leadership and decision-making throughout an organization. It’s a more organic and nimble form of leadership that treats organizations as eco-systems. If you are curious, you can learn more about it from Dr. Western’s book, Leadership: A Critical Text. I genuinely believe there is something to learn here, it just needs to be teased out.
What I’m trying –
How to Set up Your Iphone for Productivity, Focus and Longevity – In terms of segments of technology adoption, I’m pretty much a laggard. That said, even I recognize that sharpening the saw will make the tree go down faster. There’s something in this article for even the tech-savviest of you.
What I’m reading –
Can’t Hurt Me, by David Goggins – David Goggins is one crazy mother f$%ker!!! David Goggins, the hard-charging Navy SEAL that Jesse Itzler writes about in Living with a Seal, takes pride in his ability to endure pain (maybe even to the point of masochism). He’s proven that his mind and body can take an inhumane amount of punishment from his ultra-endurance events to his attempts at the Guinness Book of World Record’s most pull-ups in 24 hours. He has run on broken legs, he’s done hundreds of pull-ups on split up hands, he’s run a 100 miles in 24 hours with zero training. This book makes the point, over and over again, that the limits of our bodies are in our own minds.
Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology, by Jack Kornfield. – I “read” this book on audible, where the warm, gentle Jack Kornfield reads it himself. I let his tender book wash over me as I ran and walked our Ladradoodle, Libby. I suspect I’ll be returning to it again and again as I work on learning to be with what is, accepting myself and others and living from a loving heart. It’s definitely a work in progress for me. 😊
What I’m watching –
Bill Murray Stories – I’d been a Bill Murray fan for years (Who doesn’t like Caddy Shack and Groundhog Day?) before I heard of the Bill Murray Stories. I came to know and like him even more after being at the Kennedy Center a few years ago when he was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for humor. But after watching this documentary, OMG, I LOVE the guy! I see him in a completely new way now. I see him as embodying much of what I seek to be – present, in the moment, connected and accepting of who and what is. Watch and enjoy!
Free Solo – You’d have to live under a rock not to have heard about this raw, authentic, thrilling, academy award-winning documentary of Alex Honnold’s attempt to free solo (climb alone without a rope) El Capitan, a 900 meter, vertical rock face in Yosemite National Park. The film takes you inside the life and mind of the most successful free solo climber alive. (Honnold is the most successful free solo climber alive partly because of how phenomenal a climber he is and partly because most free solo climbers don’t live long.) They did an fMRI of Honnold’s brain and guess what? It doesn’t register fear in a neurotypical way, which won’t surprise you as you watch this. (If you like this movie, you might like Meru, another climbing documentary also filmed by the remarkable Jimmy Chin).
Trip of Compassion – This absorbing documentary tells the compelling story of how MDMA has been used to treat successfully previously untreatable PTSD. This film invites the viewer into the traumatic experiences of three individuals, their therapist-guided treatments with MDMA and their miraculous recovery and reintegration into their lives. I believe plant-based medicine therapy will become mainstream in the next 20 years and is going to change lives, alter the health care system and create a niche of new business opportunities.
What I’m consuming –
Rogue Chocolatier – I heard about this chocolate by way of an interview with Seth Godin in which he said Rogue was one of the best chocolatiers in the world (many experts agree). But don’t expect to jump online or pop by your local Whole Foods and pick some up. Their product stays sold out and is completely pre-ordered in advance. It’s tough to get, but if you can, OMG! It’s like no other taste experience. It’s a smooth, velvety delight. Simply exquisite.
Meomi Pinor Noir – I discovered this wine about 5 years ago in Dillon, CO where my family goes every summer. It’s been my go-to wine ever since. When my family gets together each summer, we do a wine tasting contest of sorts. We change it up each year – sometimes it’s “pick the varietal”, sometimes it’s “pick the price point” to see if we can taste the difference between cheap and really expensive wine and sometimes it’s “match the wine to the Wine Spectator description” (that’s the toughest). Anyway, I always ask the local wine guy for his recommendations and since Meomi, I haven’t looked back. (Also, I’ve been a fan of pinot noir, ever since Sideways.)
Quotes I’m pondering –
“Normal waking consciousness is but one of many potential forms of consciousness… Our account of reality is incomplete at best”. – Michael Pollan
“Our brains are biased to encode most strongly those feelings that are accompanied by endangerment….Our memories are Velcro for painful experiences and Teflon for pleasant ones.” – Tara Brach
“The chances that you will wake up are in direct proportion to the amount of truth you can take without running away.” – Anthony De Mello
If you liked this (or not), let me know and feel free to forward it to someone who might benefit. They can subscribe to C-lever POL here. If you have a thought or comment, I’d love to hear it!
Take care,
Alison
