This one takes you back 70,000 years to the “cognitive revolution”…
What does that have to do with where we are right now? And what does it have to do with you and your business?
That’s what this week’s video is all about…
This one takes you back 70,000 years to the “cognitive revolution”…
What does that have to do with where we are right now? And what does it have to do with you and your business?
That’s what this week’s video is all about…
adrian brown
Thank you wise words, listen, learn, love
Jill Jones-Evans
Beautifully said Jeff. Gave me goosebumps. Jill
Jonathan Gabay
Great – would you be interested in discussing this on a podcast?
Martha Wilson
Perhaps this week’s close is “let’s go learn something this week.” I love your comment about staying in your lane with what you can do and opening your ears, mind, and heart to the rest. My lane is helping each of us see where we are taking action from (in other words, what is driving the action you take or don’t take.) Because once you see that, you now have choice and with choice comes responsibility. Thanks for all you do, Jeff.
Thomas Ghormley
You and others in the industry have such great influence and ability. I am glad you are using these gifts to address the important issues that are affecting us all in these times.
Virginia Mabitsela
Good motivation. Thank you
Marc God
Wow. What a great message Jeff. Straight from your heart into mine. Thank you for this and for showing your vulnerability, love and caring. Please make sure you also take good care of yourself. You look very tired. This thing is clearly getting at you. Take care and thanks again for this. Love, Marc
Sam A Shukor
Jeff thank you for being humanistic. I’m from Canada but I’m also deeply hurt to see abuse. Something is fundamentally wrong.
francesca
simply thanks for this video
Elena
I agree there’s too much selfishness too much hate in this world we’ve forgotten the word compassion
Michelle Bailey
Listen, Love, Learn. This is such a beautiful and timely message to close with. I resonate with the advice to stay in your lane and would add that we all find ways to be open-minded and open-hearted as we navigate a world that is changing and shifting in so many ways. Thank you for your leadership.
Michael
Hey Jeff, although I don’t believe in the Big Bang theory (and I’m a Stanford and Harvard grad), I am totally behind your message. In Gerry Spence’s book, ‘How to argue and Win Every Time’, this brilliant and compassionate attorney bases much of his info on “understanding the other” (as you stress in this video). Your message this week was profound and surprisingly frank & heart-felt. So, thanks. BTW, even though I’m Mexican-American, I never use the term “people of color”. Even after getting an athletic full-ride scholarship to a Big Ten school and graduating from Stanford, Harvard and Wesleyan (Connecticut), in many people’s eyes they’ll always consider me a “person of color”. But some guy who didn’t finish high school, just got out of prison for awful crimes, will be considered OK by many. In kindergarten I saw a Crayola crayon labeled “flesh”. I looked at my classmates, none of us had flesh that color. I wondered what was wrong with us. By that, you’re a “person of color”, too. And I still love you. P.S. I’m also a grad of PLF Live 2020, the full course, the 3-day Zoom course and the Masterclass – Pivot edition.
Rich Collins
I am glad you took “action” by making these comments. Listening without action is not compassion or empathy if we allow the status quo to be the same. We have an issue with systemic injustice from birth to the cradle for people of color, disability, poverty etc. in lack of health care, early diagnosis of disabilities, easily acceptable service, access to voting poles. It is important to step out of our lanes and be uncomfortable and take action to insure that those who don’t have access can be touched, mentored and coached to attain what cultures of privilege have due to the color of there skin or zip code. Many of the PLF owners are very charitable and I wonder what would happen if we all choose to take on a mentee(s) in our respective areas who are vetted via our contacts to participate in a learning process you design. Would that qualify a systemic change agent? Jeff has made opportunity for all of us. I appreciate his risk taking and leadership in not being silent in these rebirthing times of social evolution. To quote my younger days “The Whole World is Watching”. Thanks Jeff.
Paola Valeri
Listen, learn, love. Thank you Jeff!
Louis Di Bianco
My passion and my gift has been and still is storytelling. My perception is that we, humans, are storytelling machines. I agree that our powerful capacity for creating narrative often triggers fear of the other. I’ll take it a step further. Perhaps, our fear of the other is triggered by our fear of ourselves and our enormous power. Seth Godin’s book, “The Icarus Deception: How High Can You Fly,” explores the fear of our own power in depth. What if the fear of our own power leads us to use language and narrative as a form of defense against the threat we perceive in others? Then, honest communication becomes deception, aggression, and force.
Here’s the challenge. Are we willing to let go of the narrative that we think protects us to feel the connection, compassion, and love that lie beneath the stories we have created? Some will do the work required to quiet the the inner noise that keeps our narratives alive.
When enough people are willing to get very uncomfortable and embrace the inner work, then, and only then, will we awaken and realize that all people are the same. And, I do mean ALL people.
“Sapiens” is an important book. So is the same author’s, “Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow.”
At his moment in time, a book that can accelerate the healing we all need is “Radical Forgiveness,” by Colin Tipping.
I agree with Joe Polish that marketing is storytelling. Will the powerful marketers who have achieved wealth and celebrity help create the new narrative, the new paradigm, we all need to survive and to thrive with dignity?
Almagul Menlibayeva
Thank you very much!
Pia
Beautiful said!
Walt Hampton
Awesome book.
Powerful lesson.
Thank you.
w
Enrique
I am from México, a country where many people critisize Amricans for their racism, but we also are racist in a different way, we don´t accept that people with a higher american indian mix deserve as much success as people with a higher caucasian european contain. I some times feel anger against the US for bullying other small countries (Shit hole counties as some of Americans call them) and your warmongering appetite (Iraq, Afganistan, Siria, etc.) but I also forget that the common American is a generous and full of compassion human being and that your goverment doesn´t really represents the majority of the American public just like the way Mexican polititians don´t represent the values and behavior of the common Mexican. I also know that you don´t have really much control on the decisions made by the American government and how they can support and fan the flames of intolerance that lead to horrible acts, just like they happen in Mexico and many other countries. Thank you for being you and shouting out that there are loving Americans too and that you are a majority.
Julie Helmrich
In general for those who are here: If you want to learn, here’s a book recommendation: White Fragility. I’m using it as text for a course I’m teaching. It’s revealing to me just how NOT AWAKE I am. I knew I had a lot to learn, but it’s worse than I thought. Doing lots of self examination. Very humbling. Time for us white people to accept responsibility for fixing this. POC have done enough. To Jeff ~ thanks. Always helpful to me to hear your perspective.
Barry Friedman
I do, and always will, love and respect your use of “I statements”, Julie. Makes me hear/feel/trust you.
Patricia Finney
Read Rutger Bergman’s “Humankind.”
It’ll make you feel better.
Phyllis McCrory Rowan
Live and let live. We have the chance now to reconstruct systems in society to make this our reality. Every person has the right to be safe and feel cherished by virtue of being born. No ifs or buts. Thank-you, Jeff, for encouraging us to reflect more effectively on what it means to be humane.
Bettina
Thank you Jeff for bringing all that up….. thank you for the great tool – Listen – lern – Love …. if more people would practice thos 3 things … we would defentitely have a better world …. So thank you for your reminder – for sharing your thoughts and emotions … that is Leadership!
Marly
Not listening to the news does not do much since as soon as you walk out your door everybody is talking about it. So you are always informed anyways. In Switzerland, my home, sensationalism is not allow in any form of media communications… I think that is one of the, or perhaps the main reason why Geneva or Zurich are always in the top three to number cities with the best quality of life. What do you think?
Jenn
Jeff, Thanks so much for your heartfelt video – and for the reminder to Listen, Learn & Love. Wishing all of us Peace and Community.
Cathy Hay
Thank you for leading with love at such a tough moment in all our histories. I appreciate you. <3
Donna Hamilton
Hello, Jeff!
Thank you for acknowledging the seriousness of the current events that are happening in our nation and the world right now as they relate to race relations. I am an African American woman who bought into your program 3 years ago. I have been procrastinating on completing my online course on personal development for the past 18 months because of fear. Fear that this business model that I have invested in will not bring me the success I desire because I’m both African American and a woman. I’ve been wanting to say this for 3 years now, but could not bring myself to do so because I didn’t think that the white people in the PLF community would understand. At times I felt perhaps I should not have bought into what a white man has to sell to me, but for some reason Jeff, you caught my attention and won my heart. My thinking is that when I launch my course white people will not buy in because I’m black. Stereotypically, black people have been perceived by whites to be less intelligent. I graduated second at the top of my class with a Master’s Degree on Counseling and it hurts me to think that because of the hue of my skin I’m thought of as less than my white counterpart. This thinking, on the part of white people in general, can sabotage my success with PLF.
Jeff Walker
@Donna: I would encourage you to move forward. The reality is that I’m sure there are some people that won’t buy from you due to the color of your skin. And others won’t buy from you due to your gender. It’s unfortunate, but true. But those aren’t the people you want for clients.
I hope that doesn’t come off as insensitive, but it’s real. I’m giving you a business/marketing answer, because it feels like your comment was left in that context. I’m not giving a social justice answer/comment.
When we’re selling, we’re all being judged, all the time. Often the people judging you don’t even know why/how they’re judging you. For instance, there are people who won’t buy from me because I’m too old, or too “American”, or not polished enough… or a dozen other reasons.
And again, if people are going to judge you and your offer based on your skin/gender… they aren’t the people you want for clients.
On the other hand… in recent years way more than half of the big success stories coming out of our PLF Community are by women. And some of them (though not nearly as many as I would like) are by Black and POC PLF Owners. And some of the leaders in our PLF community are BIPOC.
Personally, I would love to feature your story as a Case Study. 🙂
I know you’re a member of our PLF Alumni FB group… I would encourage you to make a post like this comment in that group and ask for feedback and support. I have a feeling I know what type of reaction you would get. 🙂
Eldon Brustuen
Donna, I’m an old white man whose heart has been touched by your sincerity and honest vulnerability. As someone who graduated closer to second from the bottom in my undergrad social psychology major I’d love to see what you have to offer and strongly encourage you to follow Jeff’s advice. Everything in your life up to this moment has prepared you for such a time as this. Please go for it!
Nicole C Jackson
Hello,
How are you. Thank you for this. Learning and growing in Life. God has the answer. Have a great day and blessed week.
Nicole C Jackson
Peter Whent
One of your best Jeff. Too many people in business have felt obliged to say something, and it comes across as in authentic. This is from the heart. As you were wrapping up I wondered how you’d finish. You read the room perfectly. I feel so privileged to have found the PLF Tribe. Try to listen, try to learn, try to love. Perfect!!
Caroline Oceana Ryan
Beautiful — thank you, Jeff! And thank you for the beautiful message at the end. Much needed now. Blessings!
Victoria
Thomas Jefferson wrote:
“The question is not whether, we should make ourselves what we are not; but whether we should declare a fact which already exists. Nature’s law is liberty for all human kind. ”
Thomas Jefferson, the author of our most sacred document The Declaration of Independence stated this in 1776
An oath and a promise has been passed down to us through the Charters of Freedom – The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, it began on July 4, 1776, but the work continues until its promise is fulfilled.
The Charters of Freedom inspires us to remember that the United States is not left nor right, religious or secular, it is not female or male, nor is it one race over another. The UNITED States of America is rather a country with a mission, an aspiration to live up to the contract with humanity written over 200 years ago.
Listen, yes, Love Yes, Compassion, Yes, and YES Connect. Consider reaching out to someone who you would normally never have a conversation with or cross paths. Now I know for you and most of us reading this given our work, it may be a challenge, as you meet people from all walks of life, but perhaps not. Perhaps there is someone you may never have the opportunity to cross paths, that can expand your world. I always think there is someone. Consider having a cup of coffee at the wonderful coffee shop you spoke so beautifully about.
Not to have a conversation about the challenges of today, but to simply talk about how you are both Americans and that you basically want and have a right to the promises of the Charters of Freedom.
Americans have been united in Freedom from the first day of our inception. We have always been a multi-racial, multi-linguistic country. African American Slaves, African American Freemen, Women, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, no Gender, Children, Native Americans, English, Germans, French, Scottish, Irish, Spanish, Jews, Protestant, Catholics, Quakers and Muslims
all fought for freedom during the American Revolutionary War and when the war ended the dust cleared and the work continued. Sadly another war, the Civil War followed by Suffragists, Labor, Child Labor, Civil Rights, Feminist Movement, LGBTQ, and onward.
Each time moving towards a more perfect union. Yes, connect and talk with people who you think are not like you. If you wish. You already do so much, but perhaps, each of us connecting, accepting our common American connection and our common humanity. Well, you never know.
Be well, be safe, be loved!!!
Jessica Stone
Exactly the kind of message that’s missing now. Proud to be with you, Jeff.
Scout Wilkins
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Yes.
Listening with the true open heart, as the Sufi’s say it, willing to be surprised. As my engineering brain feels it, wanting to know.
And sharing – grace, compassion, curiosity, love.
Thank you. Beautiful video, beautiful heart.
Jorge Antelo H
Jeff,
You do not need know what to say now. The single fact that you are here, like every Sunday, leading us in this disturbing times. Call us to be tolerants, to be compassionate with other, to listen, to learn, to love, to lead our tribes, it is more than enough.
It is great to be here. See you has a lighthouse in the middle of the mist. It is great to see your community around. See Walt or Julie H. or others of the PLF community here is great. It is a reference for the whole. Our Cognitive Revolution in PLF Community is strong. At least I feel it that way.
Thanks you.
Charles
Sorry, no big bang theory!! God is our creator!! Follow Him. Made in His image… Thats where the wisdom is!! Start in Genius 1
Greg Dixon
Thanks Jeff
David Crabill
Thanks Jeff. I’ve noticed a shift from you in the past few years. Obviously you started from very humble beginnings. My very first exposure to you was your first video in version 3 of PLF, and my first thought (not knowing you at all) was “Wow, this guy is full of himself!” 🙂 Of course, we all have an ego and I now know that you had good reason to be highly confident in your communication. But in the past few years, I’ve seen you revert more and more back to that humble side of yourself, which IMHO is the core of who you are. It’s what separates you from so many influencers out there, and keeps me coming back to your emails and videos.
W. M. Raebeck
Thanks for not stating the obvious, ignoring the obvious, taking sides, or trying to prove how much you care. And thanks for having the courage to say anything at all in these confusing and polarized times. There’s probably not a soul in our country not shaken and troubled right now. A message of love and calm, perseverence and compassion is a good contribution! It’s extremely difficult not to lean into ‘opinion’ or question opinions of others in the face of drama, but you managed to tiptoe past all that and still show up. : )
Tracy Lamont
Thanks Jeff, I’ve had this book sitting in my shelf a few months now, you’ve nudged new to go pick it up. Thanks for your message this week. I’m also taking this time to listen, follow people outside my normal circles and broaden my senses to what’s really being said and why. Thanks again Jeff your a great coach
Carol O'Connor
“I’ve got opinions, but I don’t know that they really count.”
You are a wise man. Thanks for this.
Rachel Briscoe
Thank you Jeff for your words of kindness and wisdom and for your leadership during these painful times for so many.
Anna Gersher
Thank you Jeff for speaking from the heart
Ramona from Germany
Thank you, Jeff,
let’s make the fear for the other change into love with the other!
Namaste.
Mike
In 1995, a young black man was killed in a quiet community of Brentwood, a suburb of Pittsburgh, in much the same way. He was pulled over, and sat upon to restrain him. He was the cousin of a Pittsburgh Steeler at the time. There was outrage – but no social media. I was working in retail auto sales at the time, and in 1996, moved to a dealership just down the road a few miles from where this happened, but moved into the service department as an advisor. While trying to figure out how to present an explanation of what needed to be done to a customer’s vehicle, one of the technicians came up to me and said, “You know what your problem is? You care too much about people.” That hit me like a slap in the face. 25 years before that, I watched the atrocities of a war played out on the nightly news, and knew we had to be better than this, especially with all the singing we were doing about putting a little love in our hearts, trying a little kindness and coming together where all we need is love. And now, it’s FIFTY years after that!
Three words: Love. One. Another.
Jeff Walker
+1
Jeanne Paglio
Well said, Jeff.
Julia Fishe
Jeff, I appreciate your words. I feel in there permission to be white and confused. Even though I have some deep understanding of the issues involved, and am, deep into my soul, against racism and any ism, still… I am a confused white person! I am totally unsure how to help in a truly meaningful and non-offending way. Totally baffeled by how we could still be here after all these decades. Totally frustrated that we still haven’t succeeded in stopping our corrupt and bigoted leaders from pretending to speak for us, and TOTALLY overwhelmed by the task of changing such a pervasive and malignant underlying system in a fundamental enough way to stop needless hate killing!
But, this is what conversations are for, and your courage to candidly invite the issues into your life’s work gives me courage too.
Eldon Brustuen
Jeff, this was the most compelling and heart-felt presentation of the 300 plus excellent messages you’ve served us over these years. I will replay and share with others whose hearts will also resonate with these truths. I’m so blessed and humbled to be part of the PLF family.
Laura Browne
Jeff, thank you for sharing and modeling this behavior of kindness, learning and listening. This is such a difficult topic and time for everyone. Thank you for being a leader with a compassionate voice. We need this now.
Patrick M Hennessy
Interesting.
You almost lost me with The Big Bang…but I’m open to different perspectives.
Quick thought hopefully to add some value to the conversation.
If “loving thy neighbor” is just too big of a step…for now…maybe we can increase our capacity to care for our neighbor’s well-being.
Federico Barelli
Great words from a great man. We would need so much more of this kind of men in Politics, in the Police, in the Social media, in the Society