Archives for June 2015

Your Ultimate Pathway To Personal Growth: Feedback That Hurts

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One of our deepest human needs is to grow, develop and become better today than we were yesterday, and that is not easy.
We associate growth and development with pain because they usually mean change; we need to do things differently to achieve different results and get different outcomes.
To do things differently is to explore areas we aren’t familiar with, use skills we haven’t mastered, develop and evolve processes we haven’t perfected.
What it comes down to is stepping into unfamiliar grounds, putting ourselves on the line and being more liable to fail. That scares the heck out of us and makes the pathway to our personal growth seem harder than it really is, to the point we avoid it at any cost.
That pathway is feedback; it’s the one thing that matters most for any personal growth or development to take place. Without feedback, you have no idea what’s the true value you’re creating, what your impact is and how your results are received by the outside world.
However, not every feedback is valuable feedback. In fact the only feedback that really matters, the only feedback that is valuable, and the only feedback that makes a real difference, is the feedback that really, really hurts!
What is feedback that really hurts? It’s the one that looks like an attack on you, your personality, ideas, values, what you stand for, your work, what you do, your actions, behaviours, everything you’re part of, everything you represent, everything you are, everything that is you.
The worst part about feedback that really hurts is that it never looks like feedback. It always looks like an attack, it comes with anger and it usually forces you to shut down, stop listening, raise your shields, put up your defences, and attack back.
Why feedback that hurts? Why not regular feedback?
When people are angry and in an attack mode, they’re usually not reserved, and the rational part of their brain that usually sugar coats feedback with bullshit icing is temporarily unavailable to them. As a result, they will share their raw thoughts using the first words that occur to them. That is the most honest and most valuable feedback you can get.
Could that be why Steve Jobs got remarkable results from his team? Jobs is known for being unapologetically direct and rude. So if he thought a piece of technology is shit, he would not say “thank you, why don’t you try harder and do your best the next time.” He would get angry and call it “a piece of shit.” That is a super clear response that means you really need to go back to the drawing board and rethink the whole damn thing.
If you got that kind of feedback, there is no doubt in your mind that you need to be rethinking the whole thing and innovating the heck out of it. You just can’t rationalize your way around such feedback, and you won’t misunderstand it.
Recently I got into an argument with someone I work with, we both got angry and the argument turned into a shouting match. I wasn’t listening, I was ready to defend myself, I wanted to win and prove I was right.
When I calmed down and thought things through, I saw things differently; ‘that was feedback.’
Yes, he probably didn’t intend for what he said in the argument to be feedback, he was just angry about a few things and upset from me. But when I thought about it as feedback, that completely shifted my response, and instead of seeking an apology from him, I asked for more ‘feedback.’
So we met a couple of days after and I asked him to share with me everything that was coming in the way of us working together as one team and preventing us from collaborating. In plain terms I asked, ” tell me where you think I fucked up, what was I doing wrong and what issues do you have with me?”
I listened as he shared all the things that caused him to be angry at me. I realized that I had no idea of the unintended impact of things I said or did. It was the best feedback anyone could’ve given me about how I show up for that team and the impact I have on them.
I recalled some arguments I had with people I worked with in the past. How different would our results and relationships be if only I saw their anger, frustration, and the hurtful things they said as feedback?
How valuable would it be for you to get this kind of unedited, unfiltered, honest feedback? Are you able to see anger, argument, and disagreement as feedback? Are you able to get curious about the reasons behind these reactions and ask questions to find out?
You don’t have to wait until you get involved in an argument or someone gets angry at you. You can start getting feedback today by asking the people in your life and the people you work with open questions like:
– What is there between us that is unresolved?
– What is there for me to clean up or address?
– What do you really think of my work?
– What do you really think of my behavior?
– What do you really think of the way I conduct myself?
– What impact do I have on our work and our relationship at work?
– What do you really think of the way I show up at work?
– What are my strengths?
– What are my weaknesses?
– Where do I mess things up?
– Where did I fuck things up?
Make sure you ask the questions and listen intently to the answers. Create a safe space for them to be brutally honest and direct with you. The last thing you want to do is argue with them, negate what they are saying, or point out how they are wrong. That will not go well. The moment you start doing that, people will shut down and will get back to sugar coating their answers and giving you bullshit feedback. What’s worse is that you will mostly show up as someone who doesn’t listen and only interested in your own opinion.
Warning: Honest and direct feedback is going to be hard, sometimes very hard. So breathe through it. And remember feedback about you is not an accurate representation of who you really are, it’s just the way that person sees you and how you showed up to them in the past. You can change that and turn things around.
With every feedback session you conduct, you will have a more accurate representation of your personal brand and how you show up in the world. You will start to recognize certain patterns of things you say and do that are shaping how people see you and deal with you.
Such valuable feedback paves the ultimate pathway to personal growth. Even before you start doing or saying things differently, just the fact that you are asking for this kind of feedback will cause people to start to see you in a very different light. They will respect you more, they will be more open and honest in how they deal with you. This is a very different way to operate, one that will enable you to generate very different results.
You now have information you can act on. It’s up to you to choose what you’re going to do with it. You can ignore it, or use it to become the person you are meant to be and create a remarkable impact in the world.
 

Hussein Hallak is a serial entrepreneur with 22+ years of startup experience in strategy, branding, marketing, and growth. Hussein started 6 successful companies, worked on projects for Fortune 500 companies and World’s Top 100 Brands, and was featured in Forbes, BBC, and Entrepreneur. 

Currently Hussein is the Director of Strategy and Marketing at 3 Tier Logic, a shopper marketing and engagement software startup out of Vancouver, BC. Hussein is also the Director of Marketing at TEDxStanleyPark, Advisor at Spirit Games Ltd, Head Instructor – Lean Entrepreneur Program at LaunchAcademy and Founder of InspirationInbox.com.

Hussein lives to inspire possibility, to enable people, to achieve the remarkable.

Connect with him through his website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram 

 

Man Of The Week – Chris Brandt

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Here at Man Of The Week, we strive to find the most awesome and inspiring men around who better the lives of the communities around North America. This week’s spotlight is no different! Chris Brandt believes it is every single person’s responsibility to positively impact the world around, and uses his life’s work at ‘Music Heals’ to teach others how music can promote and maintain mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. In the years to come, Chris aims to grow Music Heals to a charity that contributes $1million/year to local music programs.

  1. Age: 43
  2. What do you do? (Work)
    Executive Director, Music Heals. Also, professor of Music Business at BCIT, and yoga teacher at YYoga and Contact Partner Yoga.
  3. Why do you do it?
    #MusicMakesMe 
    [youtube video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeJzcEPZURw]
  4. How do you make a difference in the world? (Work, business, life, family, self)
    I teach, in all aspects of my day. When the student exceeds the teacher, the teacher becomes immortal.
  5. What are 3 defining moments in your life?
    1. The last day of every job I have ever worked.
    2. Starting a record label
    3. Crossing Tibet in a jeep
  6. What is your life purpose?
    To teach
  7. How did you tap into it?
    I have always known, although sometimes I have had poignant reminders.
  8. Who is your Role-Model or Mentor?
    Dalai Lama
  9. Do you have any daily habits? If so, what are they?
    Leave the office for coffee. Never make coffee at work. While it costs more, leaving your desk and going for a walk can completely reset your day.
  10. When do you know your work/life balance is off?
    My body knows. Hopefully I am listening before it has to yell.
  11. Vulnerability is a challenge for most men – share a vulnerable moment from your life with us.
    Being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
  12. What did you learn from it?
    That I signed up for it. This was my PhD course.
  13. If you are or were going to be a mentor for another man, what is one piece of advice you would give him?
    Do what you say you are going to do.
  14. How do you be the best partner (Boyfriend/Husband- past or present)
    Listen
  15. Do you support any Charities or Not-for-profits? (Which one(s) and why?)
    Music Heals, all day every day.
  16. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
    “Life’s What You Make It” by Talk Talk
  17. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
    Married with 1 kid (and maybe another on the way), traveling with my family and work, and Music Heals being a $1million/year charity.
  18. What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
    It is not your opportunity, but your responsibility, to do big things that have a positive imact on the world.
  19. What One book would you recommend for any Man?
    The Alchemist

If you know a Man that is making a positive impact on the world, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at [email protected]

Lean into your fear

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“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela
Last new year’s eve, I made a decision for how I want my life to go this year. Somewhat of a new years resolution I suppose. But not as much a: I’m going to go to the gym more, I’m going to lose some weight, or I’m going to radically change something for a couple weeks and then fall flat on my face type goal.
I decided to give myself an overarching theme for my year. I chose to make this theme lean into my fears and the things that make me uncomfortable. While I’m great at doing this in some areas of my life, there were other areas, specifically in business, that I was still falling short of my goals and what I wanted to accomplish!
I’m going to share a couple times this showed up for me right after making this declaration and how it has been impacting my life. And I’m going to leave you with a very simple, yet very powerful way to start applying this to your life and start reaping some of the benefits!
The morning after making this declaration I got my first test of my commitment. I was sitting around with some awesome friends enjoying a great breakfast, and we started chatting about what everybody was up to on this sunny yet frigidly cold January 1st. How were we all going to start off our new year?
Unbeknownst to me, every New Years Day since 1920, the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club holds a polar bear dip in the ocean at English Bay! From their first one with ten people in 1920, it’s now grown to over 2500 people!
It came up in the discussion that some of my friends were going to go down and watch the festivities. I was asked if I wanted to come or do the plunge myself. At first though, going swimming in the ocean when it was below zero outside didn’t sound like a great idea. And then I realized that was exactly what I’d asked for just hours before! I’ve asked for opportunities to stretch my comfort zone and expand what I’m capable of, and this was a great example of just that! And after all, if 2000 plus people could do it then what did I have to be afraid of?
So I went for it! And it was awesome! And, other than the soles of my feet getting pretty damn chilly from walking around in the wet sand before and after, it wasn’t all that bad! After doing it, I realized that I had made it out to be way scarier in my head than it ended up being!
So that’s all well and good but how has this helped me out since then? Well every so often, when something is there for me to take on, and it makes me feel like: “I don’t wanna do that!” I pause and think about it for a minute and check in. I ask myself, do I choose not to do this? (Like not seeing a movie that you just have no interest in) Or am I afraid of doing this, afraid of failing, afraid of looking bad, or afraid upsetting someone, when I know deep down it’s something that would benefit my life and the lives of others?
If it’s the former, then don’t worry. You obviously don’t have to do things you just have no interest in doing. If it’s something that you are just afraid of doing, then lean into that fear and take action!
Susan Jeffers wrote an amazing book on this topic called “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” In it she talks about how having fears is completely normal, and how everyone experiences them. People that seem like they don’t have fear usually just have more experience pushing past it when it comes up. Stepping through your fears is just much a skill as learning to walk, play guitar, or learn a new language. At first it’s super awkward, uncomfortable, and you suck at it. But then as you practice, it gets easier and easier until you don’t even have to think about it anymore!
If you want to practice pushing past your fears, there are lots of things you can do to help with this! Reading about it in books like “Feel the fear and do it anyway” can give some simple techniques to help out. As with pretty much everything else, regular meditation practice can help as well, as it helps to develop the ability to be the observer of your thoughts, instead of being ruled by them. Once you start to get better at this, it’s a lot easier to observe those thoughts of fear and choose whether or not you want to listen to them too!
The easiest way to get better at leaning into your fear is to start doing it and build your skill! You don’t have to start with the big ones like asking your boss for a raise, asking that super cute girl or guy out on a date, publishing your first article for the world to see, etc. To practice the skill, I’d recommend starting small, with the little things you put off doing, but that you know you would benefit from. Like getting out of bed when your alarm goes off the first time, going for that run or to the gym, cleaning up the kitchen before going to bed, downing a big glass of water first thing in the morning when you wake up, etc.
These things aren’t scary at all, they just make you a little uncomfortable. They bring up the “I don’t wanna” voice in your head. Your head might try to convince you that you shouldn’t do it. That it would be easier to just leave it, or do it next time, but your higher self wants to do it. That person you want to be wants to do it. And by choosing to push past that little voice you build your skill at stepping past it so when it’s time to face the actual fears you’re that much better equipped to smash them out of the park and live the life you truly want to be living!
I’ll leave you with a great quote from Jack Canfield that reminds me daily to keep pushing past my own fear and discomfort:
“Everything you want in life is on the other side of fear.”
May all beings be happy and healthy; peaceful and prosperous; liberated, loving and loved.
Namaste
 

Dave WealeDave Weale

“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked what I wanted to be wen I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them they didn’t understand life.” – John Lennon

That is the foundation of Dave Weale’s beliefs and what he teaches all of his clients. Dave is a happiness coach. His clients end up being able to free up their time so they are able to focus on pursuing their passions and truly live a life they love!

He does this by teaching about mindfulness and meditation and works with people to help improve their Health, Wealth, Love and Trust. He helps people reach peak health, make more money, create more love in their lives, and trust that we are all in this together and that everything is working out perfectly!

Connect with Dave on his website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Hypem, and Pinterest

 

Man Of The Week – Graham Snowden

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This week’s Man Of The Week is a shining example of what is possible when one lives true to his/her purpose. In addition to fundraising over $600,000 for charities since 2008, Graham Snowden is changing the lives of many men by showing them their true potential and allowing them to channel their purpose in everyday actions. Running numerous multi-day marathons, some up to 250km, Snowden strives to be an example of what is possible.

  1. Age: 34
  2. What you do you do? (Work)
    I live my life’s purpose – to be a constant & expanding example of what is achievable, reminding everyone that they are larger than themselves, recognize what they are truly capable of and I activate them to fulfill that potential so they in turn activate others to fulfill theirs. I believe that health is the absolute foundation for everything we want to achieve.
  3. Why do you do it?
    For the first-class, front row centre ticket to an individual’s growth and belief in his or herself. There is nothing sweeter.
  4. How do you make a difference in the world? (Work, business, life, family, self)
    Staying true to my life’s purpose.
  5. What are 3 defining moments in your life?
    – Completing my first multi-day running race in Nepal. 250km self-supported. It showed me how little I know about myself; making me excited to spend my life having an amazing relationship with myself.
    – Overcoming a difficult time during university & emerging with the approach that if I ever have an idea that I believe will make someone else happy, I will act on it.
    – Standing up as my brother’s best man, looking at his elated wife and knowing that was the happiness I wanted to cultivate and nourish in my own relationship
    6. Graham Snowden & his team at The Coastal Challenge Rainforest Run
    Graham Snowden & his team at The Coastal Challenge Rainforest Run
  6. What is your life purpose?
    See #2! 
  7. How did you tap into it?
    It was a purposeful and intentional process. I cannot isolate the starting point. It emerged after several ultra-distance races, the cultivation of an amazing love-filled partnership, and consistent personal development focused on uncovering and constantly being my best self.
  8. Who is your Role-Model or Mentor?
    There are several. My fiancée because she is so incredibly giving of herself and “the peaceful quiet she creates for me” (yes those are Dixie Chicks lyrics). A relative who overcame addiction who showed me you can always change where you are. Bill Chalmers, an outstanding personal development & business coach who has guided me through breaking down limiting beliefs. 
  9. Do you have any daily habits? If so, what are they?
    I book end my day. Morning = Wake up. Hydrate (500ml – 1L). 15 – 30 minutes personal development (usually reading). Exercise at least 30 minutes (often more). A clean, low-glycemic breakfast along with my personalized vitamins. All to start my day. I write intentions for a variety of elements of my day from important business meetings to how well I want to sleep. Night = I end my day by journaling in the positive about whatever happened, no matter what happened and tracking 4 key daily habits that move me towards my most important goals. The last thing I do before I go to bed is to write on a chalk board in our kitchen something I am thankful for about my fiancée from that day.
  10. When do you know your work/life balance is off?
    I don’t actually believe in this concept. I believe in life balance. Your life isn’t comprised of work and then everything else. If it is then yes, you are definitely OFF balance. And you should probably connect with me so we can change that. If I am not writing my intentions and doing daily personal development I know that very same day that my balance is off.
  11. Vulnerability is a challenge for most men – share a vulnerable moment from your life with us.
    Just one moment?! I just quoted Dixie Chicks lyrics in this interview! They can happen every day. Asking my fiancée to marry me, asking her dad for permission, losing a job, in a job interview, starting a business, before a speaking event – it can be a pretty long list.
  12. What did you learn from it?
    I have become willing to be vulnerable because it is always an opportunity to grow and demonstrate to the world who I am.
  13. If you are or were going to be a mentor for another man, what is one piece of advice you would give him?
    Love yourself. 
  14. How do you be the best partner (Boyfriend/Husband- past or present)
    I try to be the best for my partner. I am not seeking to be the best in the history of partners ever. We have daily thankfuls. I demonstrate my love as often as possible; both big & small gestures. When she comes home I also stop whatever I am doing and welcome her. I always suggest writing out in compelling detail what your ideal partner would be like. Then you MUST write out in just as compelling detail who YOU need to be in order to attract, nourish and love that person.
  15. Do you support any Charities or Not-for-profits? (Which one(s) and why?)
    I have led the fundraising of over $600,000 since 2008. I have supported the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, MenCap, Red Cross, Boston One Fund, imagine1day, Blessings for Backpacks, and many others. Going forward I most likely to support environmental related charities focused on preserving the most magnificent places on our planet from forests & mountain ranges in BC to the farthest reaches of the planet. It is in these places that I have become who I am. I want to preserve these places for others to enjoy. 
  16. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
    Oh it would have to be a mashup of highly questionable yet entertaining song selections. Let me answer it this way, during the closing credits to my life “You’ve Got A Friend” by James Taylor would be playing.
  17. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
    On a horse named Falcor.
  18. What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
    Health, happiness, and the planet. 
  19. What One book would you recommend for any Man?
    I’ll go with the first book that came to mind (and not just for men). “By the River Piedra I Sat Down & Wept” – Paulo Coelho. To me it is far superior to the Alchemist.

If you know a Man that is making a positive impact on the world, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at [email protected]

What’s A Fulfilled Life Got To Do With A Bigger Size Shoe?

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Yesterday I got a FILA Shoes from Costco. I like shoes, I think when you get a new shoes, you renew your whole wardrobe, and you look a new.
When I put it on at the store, it felt right, the right size, the right look, I loved it.
Today I put it on and walked to the nearby store to get some groceries before going to work. My toes touched the front of the shoes, and with every step they would touch and touch again, it was annoying, and I was very uncomfortable.
The funny thing is while my body was clearly telling me, this is uncomfortable, and you need to take off this shoes. All my mind could think of is how to make this work!
“Maybe this feeling will go away in a while.”
“All I have to do is get used to this shoe.”
“The shoe will expand with use.”
“I can probably take it to a place where they can expand it for me.”
“What if I wear thiner socks.”
“I will alternate between this shoes and a more comfortable shoes.”
“I can’t return it, they will probably see that I’ve used it outside the home and not return it.”
“It’s only $40; it’s ok.”
My mind was in full problem-solving gear. I couldn’t believe the shit I was coming up with to keep wearing this shoes, anything not to go through the pain of returning it!
So here I was willing to suffer pain of having uncomfortable shoes on, which is sure to mess up my day and cause me more pain with more use, just so I wouldn’t go back on my decision to buy it!
I wanted to be right about buying the shoes. I wanted not to look bad in front of the people at Costco, who I don’t know. I wanted so bad to look good that I was willing to suffer unnecessary pain.
Where in your life do you find yourself stuck in the choices you have made, suffering pain, and you remain in your head trying to resolve the situation?
When all you have to face up to and admit: I’ve made a mistake, it was not the right choice for me, how often will you make that choice?
Is it a relationship that is not working out, a job that you hate, a partnership with the wrong person, a community group that you are stuck in? Or maybe a book you are reading that is super boring, and not for you, but you continue reading none the less, cause you started, you invested the time, and “you might as well finish what you started.”
A few years ago I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine, he played guitar and sang, a brilliant and gifted guy. I asked him, why are you not pursuing your dream of music, you are gifted and talented, and you love this shit. His answer was “what about all these years that I’ve spent in engineering school, are you telling me they were all for nothing!”
So here was a brilliant person, stuck in his long gone past because he doesn’t want the choice he made when he was 18 to be wrong. Meanwhile, he is failing to enjoy his gifts and talents in the present, or build a brilliant future! What a waste!
Are you stuck in a relationship because you once thought they were the one?! Are you stuck in a job because you made a promise to stay no matter what, but internally you are having a war between what you chose and where you are in your life now?!
It is time to face up to the reality that the shoes just doesn’t fit! You can’t change that, you can’t expand it, you can’t fix it, you must either live with it as it is or return it, but never lie to yourself about it.
This is not about being comfortable; life is not about that. The tight shoes will not kill you. This is about stopping the pretence, stop lying to yourself about it. It is what it is, do not rationalize it, lie to yourself or others about it, just choose it as it is, know it, pick it, choose it day and day out, this shoes is tight and I love it as it is. But never say this shoes is not tight, and I’m ok with it.
And if you can’t live with your choice, guess what, you can choose differently.
Whatever you choose, choose freely what you want as your future, do not get stuck in the past, there is nothing there for you to change or work with.
See the past as it is and let it go, you will have a fuller more fulfilled life, and you will enjoy you and the people in your life that much more.
 
Hussein Hallak

Hussein Hallak is a serial entrepreneur with 22+ years of startup experience in strategy, branding, marketing, and growth. Hussein started 6 successful companies, worked on projects for Fortune 500 companies and World’s Top 100 Brands, and was featured in Forbes, BBC, and Entrepreneur. 

Currently Hussein is the Director of Strategy and Marketing at 3 Tier Logic, a shopper marketing and engagement software startup out of Vancouver, BC. Hussein is also the Director of Marketing at TEDxStanleyPark, Advisor at Spirit Games Ltd, Head Instructor – Lean Entrepreneur Program at LaunchAcademy and Founder of InspirationInbox.com.

Hussein lives to inspire possibility, to enable people, to achieve the remarkable.

Connect with him through his website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram 

 

Man Of The Week – Aran Seaman

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This week’s Man Of The Week is someone who has had a positive impact and changed the lives of people all around the world. Aran Seaman lives a life true to his values, and through his work he has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Kenya by providing them access to clean water. His dedication to hard work and taking risks has allowed him to run a successful and sustainable business at Eartheasy.com

  1. Age: 30 
  2. What do you do? (Work)
    eartheasy.com – Retailer & distributor of products for sustainable living.
  3. Why do you do it?
    It allows me to align my values and skills to grow something that makes the world a better place.
  4. How do you make a difference in the world? (Work, business, life, family, self)
    As a company, we are making a difference by giving back through a variety of ways. For example, we have a One for One model built into one of our product lines, which provides a year of clean drinking water for a school child in Africa for every product sold. Last year this resulted in clean drinking water for 157,000 kids in rural Kenya. We also plant a tree for every order on eartheasy.com, and sponsor a variety of US & Canada based conservation and outreach organizations.

    Aran Seaman's Eartheasy provided clean water for 157,000 people in rural Kenya
    Last year, Aran Seaman’s Eartheasy.com provided clean water to 157,000 kids in rural Kenya

     

  5. What are 3 defining moments in your life?
    – Growing our company to the point where we were able to have our parents finally retire.
    – Demonstrating the LifeStraw products live on national TV in the US (and not screwing up!).
    – Seeing first hand the impact of our hard work, on the ground in Kenya, installing water purifiers in over 300 rural schools.
  6. What is your life purpose?
    Make the world a better place, through informative articles, guides and innovative products which improve people’s lives and reduce their impact on the planet.
  7. How did you tap into it?
    Using business as a means for good. Profit for a purpose. 
  8. Who is your Role-Model or Mentor?
    My parents are my role models. They are creative, hard-working, and incredibly kind, caring people. I will have succeeded at life if I’m like them when I retire.
  9. Do you have any daily habits? If so, what are they?
    I bike to work (this is a game changer) and exercise every day. I also drink 3-4 litres of water a day. I listen to audiobooks while biking to and from work – which allows me to keep up with reading.
  10. When do you know your work/life balance is off?
    If I stop exercising every day or my diet goes off track I know my work/life balance is off.
  11. Vulnerability is a challenge for most men – share a vulnerable moment from your life with us.
    There was a really hard time in our business where we lost half our revenue for 6 months. I sold everything I owned, including my rare (limited edition) sport bike, gear, & even clothes. We ate ramen noodles and did not pay ourselves until the business rebounded. It was a blow to the ego, but we got through it.
  12. What did you learn from it?
    You don’t need toys & shiny things to be happy. You need purpose. The obstacle is the way: if you have a worthy challenge in front of you, it’s more fulfilling and exciting than a performance race bike in your garage.
  13. If you are or were going to be a mentor for another man, what is one piece of advice you would give him?
    Step outside your comfort zone. Take risks. Work harder than the other guy. Cancel Netflix, stop drinking and bear down on something you are passionate about – relentlessly.
  14. How do you be the best partner? (Boyfriend/Husband- past or present) Quality over quantity. If you can only spend a day a week with your parter, make sure that’s the best damn day ever. Put the effort in to make it awesome. It can be as simple as a picnic at a park, or as lavish as a weekend away at a resort – but make it special. Put the effort in. They see what you put in to your career, and they deserve the same level of energy in their relationship with you.
  15. Do you support any Charities or Not-for-profits? (Which one(s) and why?)
    Annually we support over 30 non-profits in the US and Canada. If we can afford to give back, we will as much as possible.
  16. If your life had a theme song, what would it be? Tough question.. “Outro” by M83 or “No Way” by the Naked & Famous.
  17. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
    I see our company 3X in size, and impact.
  18. What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
    I want people to be inspired, and make a positive impact in the world. I want to somehow enable that.
  19. What One book would you recommend for any Man?
    “Tales of Endurance” by Fergus Fleming. If you have anything you think is a challenge in life, reading what others have overcome throughout history will make it pale in comparison. I know my limits are way higher than I originally thought after reading this book.

Please leave a comment, we would love to hear your thoughts!
If you know a Man that is making a positive impact on the world, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at [email protected]

"Masculinity…?" – Just another label

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How many times have you heard the old phrase “Men don’t cry, crying is a form of weakness… crying is for wimps.?”
How many times have you noticed yourself apprehensive to someone else’s emotions of any extreme, and you may even recede or check out from the situation before you get emotional?
Have you ever been curious to understand why some males appear to be not as empathetic or compassionate as others? You probably linked it back to the nature of the hormonal balance that comes as a result of a man’s genetics.
There are men who are sensitive, emotional and highly attuned to higher vibration and frequencies. However, it’s not common to see emotional transparency in the male population in North American culture.
So, how did men become wired and programmed to be less revealing or open when it comes to their feelings and emotions?
All men have feelings and emotions, and we process them in different ways. But often they stay underneath the surface and we hide them until things boil over. Is this purely based on genetics and the way we were born into the world? Or perhaps this is just a matter of having a more implosive versus explosive nature?! Could it be related to the way we were raised, or the environment we grew up in, our family, friends, and social circles?
What exactly is ‘masculinity…?’
I went to Grindr and other dating apps to find out. And most of the time I would find guys who say ‘seeking a ‘‘masc’’ dude who is fit and active and is into (insert activities) and likes their beer and sports.’
There’s nothing wrong with seeking someone with those traits, interests or lifestyle. But does that actually have anything to do with being ‘masculine?‘ How did these traits become affiliated with being more masculine?
This idea that certain ways of expression, emotions and feelings are reserved for a gender or sexual preference has always baffled me.
When I was a kid, the littlest situations would bring me to tears. If someone looked at me funny or if a voice were raised to me I would cry. I am the same way today, especially if someone raised a voice to me.
When something like that happens, andI start to cry, people around me would say “stop being a girl, boys don’t cry!”
Yet tears are not always what they seem to be. Have you ever had those moments when you are purely happy, content, and before you knew it, there were tears rolling down your face, and the entire body ‘lets go?’
It’s not easy to be that open and expressive, to reveal yourself and be prone to judgment, criticism, other people’s opinions and perhaps ignorance.
When you are able to tune into your real emotion and vulnerability, a feeling of strength washes over you, you feel strong, confident and I guarantee you that you will be the most ‘masculine’ person in the room!
 

IMG_9887Hiiro Sigal Prince

Hiiro is the creator of The True Identity Project + Project Z: (Yoga | Resources for Adolescent Cancer Patients).
He currently offers public Therapeutic/Classical Restorative, Yin, Hatha and Vinyasa classes in the Lower Mainland through YYoga, Chopra Yoga Centre, and YMCA Robert Lee. Hiiro also is completing his SCHWINN Indoor Cycling training to teach Spin and completing level 1 and 2 of his Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Training with Shivani Wells in May 2015. In August 2015, Hiiro will be a presenter for the 2015 Yogathon.
Outside of his yoga practice and teaching, Hiiro enjoys his spare time pursuing his passion for photography, creative writing and visual/performing arts, enjoying float sessions, spin classes, guzzling cold-pressed green juices, wearing an awesome pair of Fluevog boots and indulging in reality TV and the occasional childhood video game session. He cares deeply for his community and is always wearing a smile on his face and arms wide-open to give the universe a hug.
Connect with Hirro through his Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Recapping An Incredible Night! – ManTalks Pursuit Of Purpose

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Well, we did it again…another epic, inspiring and sold out ManTalks Monday at our new event space at HOOTSUITE HQ!
First off BIG thanks and appreciation to the team at Hootsuite, who opened up their space, helped us set up/take down and stayed off the clock to help make this all happen for our community!
If you missed the evening, read on for a quick recap of the night and if you were there, we’ve highlighted our favourite moments and would love to hear yours.
Connor BeatonManTalks Pursuit Of Purpose kicked off with a wonderful introduction by our founder Connor Beaton.
This month we brought three local speakers to our stage to share their pursuit and journey of discovering and living their purpose.
It was a night filled with expansion, insight and major inspiration from each speaker and a brilliant vibrancy from the community who attended.
 
 
 
 
Mike MuscariThe first speaker to take our stage on Monday was Mike Muscari.
Our four biggest takeaways from Mike:

  • Without purpose life tends to lack significant meaning.
  • Purpose is something bigger than you that you may or may not accomplish in your lifetime but gets you up and out of bed and causes you to develop a strong willingness to show up for life to the best of your abilities every day.
  • The discovery of purpose is a process of trying-doing-retrying.
  • There are days along the journey that aren’t always easy and every day we have the free will to choose to live in accordance with our purpose or not. Some days we will choose not to live in alignment with our purpose, and that is ok because inevitably the inner compass called purpose will eventually steer us back on course.

 
Darren JacklinOur second speaker was Darren Jacklin
Our four biggest takeaways from Darren:

  • A key to connecting to your purpose and living on purpose is connecting with the right people who are willing to give you an honest perspective and inspect your life to help you see what is in the way of your potential and purpose emerging.
  • Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis (aka overthinking things and never taking action). Instead take one small action step to get the momentum in motion again.
  • Nothing is ever in your way it is only on your way.
  • There will be days where you don’t know what to do, days that are hard. It is when you have attracted a new problem you are in the process of levelling up. In attracting a bigger problem, you must expand yourself to come up with a new idea for how to figure it out. In facing these challenges, you are forced to step out of what is familiar and out of your comfort zone into the world of the unknown where all things become possible.

 
Brock TullyOur third speaker of the night was Brock Tully.
Our four biggest takeaways from Brock:

  • Changing our thinking is our access to experiencing the only true goal- being happy, for it is the simplest things that bring us the most joy and fulfillment.
  • It is only when we aren’t happy with ourselves do we put others down, and when we are unhappy with ourselves, we have another option available to us. Instead of picking on others or putting them down we can grow ourselves, we can get in touch with our hearts, we can connect to what is the for the highest good of all involved and act from there.
  • Kindness begins with being kind towards ourselves, being of service to others and connected to the true gift of giving unconditionally.
  • “I would rather be seen for who I am and be alone than accepted for what I’m not and feel alone.” We don’t need to go out and find our purpose, it is something that is a part of us and who we have always been, we just need to remember who we are and be willing to remain connected to our hearts even in the toughest and darkest of times to access this purpose within.

 
Our final takeaway of the night was an invitation posed to the audience from our founder:

“Go out of your way to say hello to someone you don’t know tomorrow, you never know, you might change their life and your life will forever be changed because of it.”

We want to hear from YOU!
Share your insights, takeaways and breakthroughs with us! Using the hashtag #mantalks on all social media forums will help us find you and keep the inspired conversations going!
We are taking a break for the summer!! We’ll be back in action for August and until then we’ll keep you up to date with all things ManTalks in our weekly newsletter. Thank you for being a part of our growing and thriving community and we look forward to seeing all your familiar faces soon!
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