Sunday, April 8, 2012

Inspired By Who You Meet - In Person & Through Social Media

YOU INSPIRE THE WORLD!
This week I did two book signings & a couple of workshops to show people how to draw your dreams into reality and promote my new book Drawing Solutions:  How Visual Goal Setting Will Change Your LIfe.  I was completely inspired by who I met and the stories they told.  Here are a few of them:

You are resilient and committed to self-actualization despite the odds.

At 3rd Place Books in Lake Forest Park north of Seattle, I heard an amazing story.  One of my participants recalled an employee meeting at her job where the boss showed them Maslow's chart of hierarchy of needs.  He said "With this job you will never become self-actualized.  You will only meet your most basic needs.  You will be able to pay your bills and buy a new refrigerator if you need one.  And that is it.  If you want to become self-actualized, leave now.  We are never going to do anything to make this job any better!"  This woman said she stuck it out for many years, while growing more and more miserable.  


She realized she needed to build her strength and courage, accept that she was going to have to create a change. Then, she watched the Draw Your Future TEDxRainier video and shortly thereafter heard a Billy Joel song playing in the store where she worked, "This job is going to give you a heartattack-ack-ack-ack..."  and she said, something snapped.  She went right into her boss's office and quit.  Now she is off on a big adventure - first traveling, then setting up the business she's always dreamed about and despite not having it all buttoned up, she's never been more excited.


You pursue your dreams.
Emily didn't even see the talk or the video, but when her mother showed her this template, something clicked!  Now she is running her own Vision to Reality groups on Orcas Island.

You want to make a difference.
Diego saw the video on YouTube and he contacted me through social media.  He and his team are helping to lift kids out of poverty by teaching them innovation and creativity skills in some of the poorest schools where he lives in Chile.  He contacted me because he was using Alex Osterwalders' business model innovation.  He is teaching young people how to become micro-entrepreneurs and he wanted to add our Snapshot of the Big Picture process to his toolkit.  Would I let them use it?Absolutely.  Like Diego, I am committed to offering tools to everyone, everywhere.

You inspire all of us to dream big dreams and work hard to make them happen.
Aaron is a fantastic cartoonist who came to my workshop at the San Juan Island library.  He is working hard on his vision and building his team, despite the health issues he has to deal with everyday.  He's also got great support, his very cool brother.

I know you have big dreams.  Draw them and send them to me so I can share them with the world.  Every one of us matters.  Your dreams elevate the rest of us.  Thank you for being here.

Love,
Patti

2 comments:

  1. Dear Patti,

    It was great meeting you. Thank you again for your encouragement, it continually inspires me to achieve my goals.

    Love,

    Aaron

    ReplyDelete
  2. So great to have you there Aaron!

    ReplyDelete