Podcast appearances and mentions of Thomas J Watson

In this episode, we continue exploring Walter Russell in the context of the upcoming release of the NeuroHarmonic Method. Once again, the key point is that while Russell—who passed away in 1963 and is still regarded as one of the most accomplished figures in history, was a fourth grade drop out who always gave full credit for his success to his ability to tap into the intelligence of the higher power within him. When I first began researching Russell several years ago, I came across a book called The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe. Its author had spent considerable time interviewing Russell, who explained that he lived by five basic rules for success. The author then offered Russell's explanation about each one of them. What struck me when I first read them was how different they were from the usual advice about achieving success that I had read. They didn't emphasize hard work, setting goals, or carefully planning a strategy. Instead, Russell focused on cultivating inner states of consciousness that align us with the higher intelligence within us. He believed that accessing these inner conditions naturally lead us our best selves. Now, I had long been aware of the idea that there is an incredible inner world within us—one we can uncover through practice and awareness. But I had never considered that this inner world might be essential to achieving outward success. Somehow, those two things had always seemed separate to me. But Russell insisted the opposite: success begins inwardly, not outwardly. He taught that if you look reverently within, toward your higher inner self, you will be amazed by what you discover. And one of his principles that surprised me even more, was that he emphasized joy. He said joy is not optional but essential to our success, because it replenishes consciousness and reveals our natural state. This is a far cry from the “head down, work harder, push to the goal” approach that most of us are taught in school. With all this in mind, let's dive into this episode, and explore Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success.   The Five Laws of Success   In the last episode, I discussed some of the research I've done on Walter Russell. As I mentioned, a chance encounter with a stranger led me down this unexpected path. I had never heard of Russell before and I was completely amazed by what I found. Not only was he one of the most accomplished people in American history, a self-made millionaire, master painter, sculptor and musician, architect and builder, friend of presidents and kings, as well as scientist and teacher, but incredibly, he was a fourth-grade drop-out, with almost no formal education.           And if that wasn't remarkable enough Russell claimed that due to some extraordinary events he had experienced, he was able to tap into the intelligence that powers the entire universe. He said not only was this intelligence within him, he also claimed that it's inside everyone of us, and we all have the potential to tap into it like he could.           While enticing, I found these ideas to be pretty incredible, but as he used to say, his life spoke for itself. In that regard, Thomas J. Watson, a close friend and associate, and the legendary founder of IBM, said that Russell had achieved seven lifetimes worth of accomplishments and that he had “reduced the philosophy of thought power to a science, and demonstrated that science in his own achievements.”            One of the books I had purchased about Russell called “The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe' included a section in which he listed what he called his Five Laws of Success. I found them to be intriguingly different from what I had expected. Russell didn't stress hard work, long hours, detailed planning or setting goal benchmarks. Instead, he stressed the power of nurturing certain inner states of consciousness that naturally expand our ability to focus on the higher levels of intelligence that are within our awareness. These inner states help bring about the best in us.  And the more we align with the best parts of ourselves, the more we naturally do our best, and ultimately become our best. So here is a very brief overview of Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success. It's pretty simple, but I've read it hundreds of times, and I still don't think I'm really getting it.     The first Law of Success is humility. When it comes to true success in any area of life, it all starts and it all ends, with humility. According to Russell, nothing of real value, nothing that brings authentic, lasting fulfillment, can be done without a humble understanding of our true position in the larger scheme of things. We need to truly understand that we are each 100% dependent on our breath to survive. We simply cannot live without it. And no one, no matter their position or accomplishments, has any control over it whatsoever. Life comes to each one of us by its own power which is, and probably will remain, far beyond human comprehension. And, according to Russel, we need to surrender to that power to accomplish anything of real significance, indeed be truly fulfilled.               He said, “Early in life I found that to achieve greatness one had to go only one inch beyond mediocrity, but that one inch is so hard to go, that only those who become aware of God in them can make the grade, for no one can achieve that one inch alone.” According to him, our own individual awareness is actually just a part of the larger universal intelligence.  “The ‘I' must be forgotten,” he said.  “One must not be the part; he must be the whole. Until one learns to lose oneself, he cannot find himself.”     From this humble awareness, a natural desire to help others begins to flow, increasing in power, continually elevating the consciousness to higher perspectives. Russell said he often felt like he was “placing himself within all others through acts of thoughtfulness and service.” So, the first step is authentic humility. There is no substitution for it. Although our miniature ego may always be around, expressing its miniature opinions, we have to surrender to the highest. Afterall, as he observed, “No great man has ever wise-cracked his way into greatness.”   The second Law of Success is reverence. He used to say that when he was entering his workplace, he felt like he was entering a cathedral. He once put it this way, “I learned to cross the threshold of my studio with reverence, as though I were entering a shrine, set apart for me to become co-creator with the Universal Thinker of all things.”           When I first read this, it was a completely new idea to me because it was so radically different from any concept I had about work. Like most other products of the Puritan Work Ethic which was the foundation of the American education of my early years, my idea of work is that it was a form of drudgery, something you had to do. Like I had been consigned to a life of hard labor.           This was like night and day, saying that you can experience a grateful reverence for the opportunity to apply your intelligence in joyful service to the greater good. Russell said that there is a hidden gem within every action we make, and we can uncover it by becoming conscious of the innate greatness of life itself. This has vast implications.              As he said, “If you look reverently in the inward direction toward your inner self, you will be amazed at what you will find. If you are alone long enough to get thoroughly acquainted with yourself, you will hear whisperings from the universal source of all consciousness which will inspire you.... You will soon find yourself using the cosmic forces. instead of working blindly in the dark.”   The third Law of Success is Inspiration. We all know that acting from inspiration represents an ideal state of being. We say that we saw an inspiring movie or play or someone sang an inspired song or gave an inspired speech. Or we saw an inspiring painting or sculpture.  There are thousands of examples.  But, in our way of  thinking, inspiration is something that we stumble upon every once in a while. It doesn't have to be this way, according to Russell. He said that inspiration is always present within our consciousness, we just ignore it. We haven't been taught to value it, so, we just take it on a hit or miss basis. But he said we can do much better than that.     “Inspiration is that deep awareness of the consciousness of Being, which differentiates the genius or mystic from the being of average intelligence,” he said. “It is the language of light, through which man and God inter-communicate. Inspiration comes only to those who seek it with humility toward their own achievements and reverence toward the achievements of God.” He taught that through humility and true inspiration, a higher access to knowledge can be gained.  “Knowledge is yours for the asking,” he said. “You have but to plug into it. You do not have to learn anything. In fact, all you have to do is recollect it, or recognize it, for you already have it as your inheritance.” I guess it sounds easy enough.     The fourth law of success is Deep Purpose.    According to Russell, you have to learn how to focus your energy exclusively on completing your purpose. As he put it, “You have to gather your energy together, conserving it and insulating it from dissipation in every direction other than that of your purpose.” But he also took it a little deeper. According to him, we have two parts of our consciousness, one part is connected to the finite world and the other part is connected to the Infinite. And to produce a truly great accomplishment, we need to be conscious of both.   Our finite purpose is the obvious goal that we wish to accomplish. But along with it, our infinite purpose is to continually grow in consciousness where we can be living and expressing what he called, “The Life Triumphant.”  This is the state of being where you are giving out far more than you are receiving. He said a fruit tree in full bloom was a perfect example. The tree is taking in what it needs in terms of nutrients from the soil, water and air. But it is giving out far more than it is taking in, constantly supplying beautiful, nutritious, delicious fruits, with each bearing seeds that can be the source of more trees, indeed of entire forests.   This is the ultimate goal of living, to embody what he called the divine plan behind creation, which is the constant multiplication of giving. This is the law of nature. But sometimes humans get out of tune, producing creations that are not in harmony with the big picture. And nature doesn't go along with it. As he warned, “You may command nature only to the extent that you are willing to obey her.”             The final Law of Success is Joy.             Russell had a unique point of view regarding the importance of happiness and joy. He said inner joy carries a power in it that replenishes our consciousness in a way that is unmatched because the very essence of our being is actually happiness. Joy is our natural state. And we function best when we are in it.  That's when we are truly successful.           It surprised me to hear that he put such an emphasis on being happy. I hadn't been expecting it. But Russell said it was more than just being happy. He said he was ecstatic. “By ecstatic I mean that rare mental condition which makes an inspired man so supremely happy in his mental concentration, that he is practically unaware of everything which goes on around him extraneous to his purpose, but is keenly and vitally aware of everything pertaining to his purpose.” He went on to say that this ecstatic state was common among great artists and he described it this way, “Inspiration in man is accompanied by an intense mental ecstasy which is characteristic of all who become intensely conscious of their closeness to God. The great composers, sculptors, painters, inventors and planners of all time were in such an ecstatic condition... By ecstasy I mean inner joyousness, and by inner joyousness I mean those inspirational fires which burn within the consciousness of great geniuses.” It may not be obvious on the outside, but as he said, “There is nothing dramatic about it. But there is some subtle light in the eye of the inspired one, or some even more subtle quiet emanation which surrounds the inspired thinker, which tells you that you are in the presence of one who has bridged the gap which separates the mundane world from the world of spirit.” So that's a quick overview of Russell's Five Laws of Success. It seemed to me that they were designed to tune your consciousness to its highest levels of intelligence. Because our conscious intelligence is the source of all our thinking, emotions, intuition and ultimately decision making, it is the very compass that we use to navigate our way through life. And in that regard, what could be more valuable than tuning your consciousness to the Infinite Intelligence? It reminds me of a famous quote from Lincoln, who spent a number of years in his youth as a woodsman, chopping down trees. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree,” he said. “And I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Again, here is something that makes perfect sense, but you would hardly ever think of it, unless, of course, you actually knew what you're doing. So, to me Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success are pretty amazing, as surprising as they are enlightening. But the obvious question is, of course, do they work? And for me the obvious answer is – try them and see. The upside potential seems so great, and I don't see a downside.  Maybe we won't have the kind of results that Russell had. Maybe we won't suddenly become concert pianists, great painters, sculptors or scientific geniuses, but I always feel like if something makes me a truly better person, even by a fraction of a percentage point, it's still a major win. Now not to get over mercenary here, but one half of one percent of ten billion dollars is still fifty million. And it might be tight, but I think I could get by on that. Well anyway, that's the end of this episode. As always, keep your eyes, mind and heart open, and let's get together in the next one.

As we continue shaping the introduction to NeuroHarmonics, we're presenting a three-part series on Walter Russell. We touched on his work a few years ago, but we're returning to it now because his life so clearly illustrates what our method is all about. Since NeuroHarmonics blends timeless human wisdom with insights from modern brain science, we'll begin with some core wisdom principles and then see how Russell's extraordinary life embodied one of its deepest truths. Here are a few key teachings to consider: 1.    There is an infinite intelligence behind all creation—call it God, or any name you like. 2.    Our understanding of this power is always limited by our finite minds. 3.    This remarkable power lives within every person and can be called the “Indwelling God Presence.” 4.    Because it is always within us, we can choose to uncover it and connect our awareness to it. 5.    Focusing on it makes us better human beings and greatly increases our inner fulfillment and happiness. Now, how does Walter Russell fit in? Born in poverty in Boston in 1873, he left school after the fourth grade. Yet he became a world-renowned painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, and spiritual philosopher. He was also a multi-millionaire New Yorker and a close friend of presidents, kings, poets, and artists. So how did this disadvantaged fourth-grade dropout achieve such heights? Amazingly, Russell claimed it was simple: he tapped into the Indwelling God Presence within him, which was the source of his wisdom, creativity, and initiative. This first episode in our Walter Russell series offers the amusing story of how I first heard of him, along with an overview of his extraordinary life. As it unfolds, keep in mind that he credited everything to the Indwelling Presence he contacted within himself. And most important of all, he insisted that anyone could do the same. In his view, the question was never if it works—the only question was whether you will try it. Enjoy the story…    Episode 40 – Self-Bestowed Genius                         I have found that every once in a while, some unexpected information can come from an unexpected source and make an unexpectedly major change in your outlook on life. Something like that happened to me a few years ago.             I was in the pool behind our condo and a stranger came over and introduced himself to me.  We struck up an informal conversation with one random topic casually leading to another. At one point he asked me if I had ever heard of someone named Walter Russell. I drew a complete blank. The name meant nothing to me at all and I said so.             Looking surprised at my ignorance, he launched into a string of hyperboles about this person I'd never heard of - that he was one of the most multi-talented people who ever lived, that his rags-to-riches story was one of the classics in American History, that he was a teacher of Consciousness Evolution, who claimed that we can all become geniuses if we want to and that Walter Cronkite had called him the “Leonardo DaVinci of our time,” when he announced his death on national TV in 1963. And on and on and on.            Then, he said with a sly smile, that Walter Russell was so brilliant and so prolific that he made Benjamin Franklin look like a “schlepper.”           Now, I'm pretty familiar with US history and culture, and I've been aware of Consciousness Evolution since the idea first caught my eye in the early 70s, and in all this time, I had never once heard of Walter Russell. So naturally, I was skeptical. After all, if this Russell guy was so great, how come I had never heard of him?           The stranger's looks didn't help dispel my doubts either. He was obviously a bit “out there.” A not-quite-former hippie in his mid-sixties, it seemed like he had not-quite-returned from wherever it was that his last acid trip had dropped him off.            And frankly, his Ben Franklin “schlepper” comment rubbed me the wrong way. Schlepper is a fairly nasty Yiddish term with a host of meanings, one more pejorative than the next.  It's basically a lazy dim-wit who can only perform menial tasks and can't be trusted. Just your average dolt. Now, I have always been a huge fan of Franklin's, and idea of applying the term to him just didn't sit well with me.           Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the stranger in the pool did a perfect Groucho Marx impersonation. It turned out that he did Groucho impressions for a living, and he broke into a string of jokes that were actually pretty funny. Impersonation seemed like it was second nature to him.              Then, he looked over to the far corner of the pool, rolled his eyes, sang “Hello, I must be going” and swam away. An instant later, he was playing Groucho to a few well-groomed ladies who had just come into the pool.           It was a mildly amusing event at the pool during a pleasantly uneventful summer, and I made a lukewarm mental note to look this Walter Russell up someday. I jotted the name down, stuck it in a junk drawer and forgot about it.           At least six months must have gone by before I stumbled on the note again. I was sort of killing time, which is something I've been known to be a master of, so I thought I'd do a quick Google search.           I was expecting to find a few miniscule bits of information that I'd browse for a few moments, then move onto something else. But what I found really was something else and in a matter of seconds, I couldn't believe what I was reading. And I don't mean that as a figure of speech. What I mean is that I actually couldn't believe what I was reading. It seemed preposterous, like it couldn't possibly have been true. I had never seen anything quite like it before.           Walter Russell had been a prominent 20th century figure, a self-made millionaire who lived in New York City and had a studio in Carnegie Hall.  A master painter and sculptor, he had also started a large architect firm in the city and had been intimately involved with the construction and financing of seventeen significant buildings. He owned a stable of Arabian horses in Central Park and was a renown equestrian. He took up figure skating in his forties and won the US national championship against competitors in their twenties. And later in life, as he got involved in the study of chemistry, he helped upgrade the periodic table of elements.           His name was always in the papers and he ran with quite a crowd - Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Edison, Nicola Tesla and FDR, to name just a few. Not to mention his close friend Thomas J. Watson, Sr., who founded IBM.           And yet not one person that I knew had ever heard of him. It was incredible. How could someone who had accomplished so much, in so many different fields, on such a grand scale, be so unknown? It didn't make sense. After all, this wasn't ancient history and it certainly didn't happen in a vacuum.           I was astounded and kept reading. Two books that were several decades old caught my eye – “The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe,” and “The Secret of Working Knowingly with God.” The titles surprised me. I didn't see their connection to the subject matter I had been reading.           I looked them up and the price was right, so I ordered them blind. When they came a few days later, it was immediately clear that this whole story ran much deeper than I thought.  I was stunned by the books and couldn't put them down.           To begin to grasp the depth of the story, the first thing to understand is that Russell was basically uneducated. Born into a very poor family in Boston in 1871, his parents got him in a job in a grocery store when he was about 10 years old.  To help support the family, he dropped out of school after the fourth grade and never went back. So, amazingly given all that he had accomplished, he had no college, no high school or even junior high.           Yet, he went on to become one of the most accomplished people in history - a self-made millionaire, friend to presidents and kings, an internationally renowned painter, sculptor, musician, architect, scientist, sportsman, businessman, and master teacher. His resume was obviously well-documented and his vast accomplishments were completely verified.           Although what he did was truly amazing, even more amazing was how he said he did it. According to him, from the time he was a young boy, he experienced a series of inner illuminations that continued throughout his entire life. And these inner illuminations tapped him into a vast storehouse of wisdom, indeed the wisdom of the universe.           It all started when he was seven years old.  He was playing marbles with some friends and suddenly, “Something tremendous happened to me, something indescribable, something so beautiful, so wonderful, a sort of complete blotting out of everything concerning the physical universe, concerning my body.           “A great burst of changing colors – blue, violet, orange seemed to fill and pervade all space and me. I was swallowed up in it. Then that ceased and there was a blinding flash and I stood motionless.”           He couldn't function at all for several hours and it took him over a week to recover his normal consciousness. But he really wasn't the same. In fact, he was never the same again.           It happened to him again the following May. And then it happened every May for the rest of his life. Every seven years the episode would be particularly intense, lasting for several days at a time. Once, he was in the altered state, in tune with this universal intelligence for 39 days.           Following each experience, he would find that he was different, as though his whole being had been elevated. Sublime understandings would crystallize in his mind. He seemed to have direct access to new levels of information. His existing talents would deepen or he would develop new ones.           For example, he could play the piano at a young age, but following one of the episodes, he was suddenly able to write and play advanced musical compositions, with a depth of emotion and pathos that was extraordinary. Everyone noticed the changes and several of the formal pieces he composed were played by symphony orchestras throughout the world.           The exact same thing happened with his skill as an artist. He had some talent and training, but it expanded exponentially after one of his episodes and he started churning out masterpieces. He soon became the artistic director of Colliers Magazine, and his series of pictures called, “The most beautiful children in America” won several awards.      He drew a portrait of Teddy Roosevelt's children that hung in the White House for a time.             On another occasion, his talent as a sculptor manifested instantaneously. He created over fifty masterpieces including busts of Thomas Edison and Mark Twain that are breath-taking in their level of realism.           Soon afterwards, in a completely different arena, he invented the concept of the co-op apartment in Manhattan and personally drew-up the first co-op lease in history, which his lawyer said was perfect in its legal detail.           It was all so hard to believe, not to mention that it was all done by a fourth-grade dropout. But he said that he had been granted the ability to transcend his mind's normal thought processes and tap directly into the intelligence of the universe which, he said, is all-knowing.            This intelligence is divine in nature and is the home of all our noble human virtues including wisdom, love and compassion, according to him.  He termed it the very life force which sustains us all and carries the genius of our consciousness on every plane - physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual.           Russell's work output continued to explode, much of which required extreme precision. And his incredible achievements were acknowledged at the highest levels. For twelve consecutive years, he was the main trainer of the entire IBM sales force. Thomas J. Watson, the company's Founder and President, said that Russell's accomplishments were equal to seven lifetimes of achievement, all performed at peak levels of excellence.           His life became an example of a most lofty ideal – that of being able to live in a state that he termed “ecstatic joy,” while remaining completely grounded and succeeding brilliantly in his life.            According to him, this rarified state, where the inner and outer worlds are in complete harmony, is not only completely natural, it is the way we are meant to live.  And he said that it doesn't diminish with age. In fact, it increases.               He was living proof. He remained in good health well into his old age, with his awareness fully intact, enjoying profound happiness and fulfillment. He finally passed away exactly on his 92nd birthday, and that was in 1963, when the average life expectancy for an American man was sixty-six!           He always held that this genius intelligence exists within every single one of us and we are each capable of connecting with it exactly as he had. We can all become much greater than we think, but we have to make the decision to open up to it ourselves to it and connect with it in a way that is our own.           “Many have asked if I could more specifically direct them how to kindle that spark of inner fire which illuminates the way to one's self. That I cannot do,” he wrote. “I can merely point the way and tell you of its existence. You must then find it for yourself.” And he famously added, “Mediocrity is self-inflicted. Genius is self-bestowed.”           Now if you're like I was when I first got exposed to this story, with all of its implications, you're probably pretty blown out. It's a lot to absorb, on many levels.           He left behind an enormous amount of material on the subject of consciousness evolution and expansion.  His writings are vast and the subject matter is profound. A great place to start is with his “Five Laws of Success.”            In the next episode, we'll explore them and you may be surprised by how simple, natural and powerful they are. Like all of Russell's teachings, they are meant to be practical. You just try them on for size and see how they fit.           Well, that's the end of this episode. As always, keep your eyes, mind and heart open, and let's get together in the next one.

Greetings, Leaders. The leader you aspire to be and the thoughts you allow to shape your mind are pivotal in defining your leadership. Engaging in self-reflection and understanding why you react and the statements you make are critical steps in this journey. From ancient times, leaders were encouraged to guard their thinking. "For as you think, so you are!"  "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts." Proverbs 4:23 GNT Why is this so important? What we focus on tends to shape our thought processes and influence our emotions. Our hearts, the deep part of us, are reflected in our speech.    "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45 Have you reacted to a situation and made hasty statements you wish you could retract? Sometimes, we want to justify our behaviors with statements like, "That is just how I am. I had to speak what was on my mind." This thinking needs to be corrected!  We can radically affect our thought lives by focusing our thinking and guarding our speech. Here are three actions we can take. First, ask God to help you change your thinking and your heart. With God, all things are possible to the believer.Second, seek Godly counsel from others who demonstrate by their actions that they are walking with God.Third, practice pausing and thinking before you speak or act. These steps are the beginning of becoming the new you, and the leader God wants you to become. The process of changing our thinking is lifelong and challenging. Thomas J. Watson, Sr., once profoundly stated,  "All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work."Thomas J. Watson, Sr.  "My dear friends, you should be quick to listen and slow to speak or to get angry. If you are angry, you cannot do any of the good things God wants done." James 1: 19-20 CEV  Here is an insight I gained from King David. Begin every day with this request to God. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." - King David, Psalm 19:14 ESV. Remember and reflect on the things that lift your thinking. You can experience peace.  "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8 NLT Victory is in store for you. Ask God, and He will provide for you at the right time. "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. " 2 Chronicles 16:9a Victory!   

We live in a world shaped by the work of Thomas J. Watson Jr. During his tenure as CEO of IBM he set the foundations for personal computing and paved the way for the digital age. He was pioneering, principled and ethical. Yet his personal story reveals a man who was also volatile and prone to bouts of depression. In today's episode, Watson's biographer Marc Wortman guides us through his fascinating life, the painful personal decisions he had to take and the huge risks he took to turn IBM into one of the world's most successful businesses. We discover what enduring qualities make an innovative leader and ask whether, in today's world of short-termism, could a figure like Watson exist today? Marc Wortman is an historian and journalist and co-author, alongside Ralph Watson McElvenny, of 'The Greatest Capitalist Who Ever Lived: Tom Watson Jr. and the Epic Story of How IBM Created the Digital Age'For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthewFor more information on The Forward Institute, visit: https://www.forward.institute/podcasthttps://www.linkedin.com/company/forward-institutehttps://twitter.com/ForwardInstA Tempo & Talker Productionhttps://www.tempotalker.com/In today's world of short terms and shareholder power, could a figure like Thomas J. Watson Jr. exist today? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The International Business Machines Corporation (doing business as IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American multinational technology corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York and is present in over 175 countries.

Share this episode: https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/making-sense-episodes/330-the-doomsday-machine Sam Harris speaks with Carl Robichaud about the ongoing threat of nuclear war. They discuss the film "Oppenheimer," the ethics of dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the false lessons of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the history and future of nuclear proliferation, the logic of deterrence, cyber vulnerabilities, the history of de-escalation, the war in Ukraine, war games, the nuclear taboo, growing tensions between the U.S. and China, artificial intelligence, getting to nuclear zero, the role for private citizens in mitigating nuclear risk, the Longview Nuclear Risk Policy Fund (https://www.longview.org/fund/nuclear-weapons-policy-fund/), and other topics. Carl Robichaud co-leads Longview’s program on nuclear weapons policy. For more than a decade, Carl led grantmaking in nuclear security at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a philanthropic fund which grants over $30 million annually to strengthen international peace and security. Previously, Carl worked with The Century Foundation and the Global Security Institute, where his research spanned arms control, international security policy, and nonproliferation. Robichaud holds an MPA in public policy and international affairs from Princeton University and a BA from Wesleyan University. He is a 1999 Thomas J. Watson fellow and a 2003 Harold W. Rosenthal fellow for international affairs and security at the Stimson Center and the Council on Foreign Relations. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Elsie Kagan, a painter. Website: https://www.longview.org/fund/nuclear-weapons-policy-fund/ Twitter: @carlrobichaud Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That’s why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life’s most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.

 Greetings, Leaders. Life and Career require decisions, and decisions require knowledge, Wisdom, and, at times, courage. Are you wise, knowledgeable, and encouraging? The dictionary defines Wisdom as "the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting." Conversely, knowledge is "information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance." Knowledge can exist without Wisdom, but not the other way around. I can be knowledgeable without being wise.  Great leaders focusing on creating value in the lives of those they serve embody each of these qualities. I love quotes from great leaders because their lives testify to applying the principles they share in their life and career journey. A great leader once shared this quote regarding Wisdom and its impact on leadership, life, and Career. "Getting Wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. If you prize Wisdom, it will make you great. Embrace it, and it will honor you." I observed his leadership and impact for over twenty years! "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." "By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." Confucious  How can we acquire Wisdom, and what does it look like? Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will open to you. Faith in asking is vital to receiving. What does Wisdom look like in practice? It is said, "The Wisdom from above is, first of all, pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere." I began practicing what I observed in the lives of great leaders and began to experience the benefits in my relationships, decisions, clients, and everyone I met on my journey.   Along with seeking and practicing Wisdom comes the opportunity to encourage others on their life and career journey, just as others inspired you. The more you encourage others, the more encouragement you receive.   Great leaders seek Wisdom and courage. Wisdom says, "I love them that love me, and those who seek me early will find me." "You must have Wisdom. Without Wisdom, knowledge is useless. Wisdom is the power that enables us to make practical use of our knowledge." Thomas J. Watson, Sr., Founder of IBM. Here are three steps to begin.  Start seeking and practicing Wisdom. At each decision, ask, "What is the wisest choice now?" Consider, observe, and emulate the patterns of wise leaders. Take note of the outcomes and impact as you go on your life and career journey. Become an encouraging voice in the lives of those you care for and serve. "Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be." ― Ralph Waldo Emerson Victory!   

En este episodio de 'El Reloj de la Singularidad', exploramos la fascinante intersección de la neurociencia, la psiquiatría computacional y la inteligencia artificial con el Dr. Guillermo Cecchi, Director de Psiquiatría Computacional y Neuroimágenes en el Centro de Investigación Thomas J. Watson, de IBM Research y líder en el uso de la lingüística computacional para cuantificar condiciones psiquiátricas.   Pueden ver la conversación en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqnyFHrKb48&t=135s   Más información sobre el trabajo del Dr. Cecchi: https://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/view.php?person=us-gcecchi   Si desean conocer más sobre mi trabajo y proyectos, les invito a visitar mi página web: https://shifterlabs.com   Socials: https://linktr.ee/ivancastpodcast   Timestamps and titles (en YouTube): 00:00 - Introducción 2:15 - Conociendo al Dr. Cecchi 4:14 - La complejidad del cerebro ¿Cuánto conocemos realmente sobre el cerebro humano? 7:10 - ¿Por qué tenemos los humanos el impulso de dominar el medio ambiente y la fascinación por avanzar tecnologicamente? 10:37 - CHAT-GPT - la fascinación por la posibilidad de construir un Dios y poder vivir para siempre. 12:30 - ¿Estamos ya en camino hacia la IAG? ¿Es CHAT-GPT un modelo autónomo de inteligencia? La situación actual, limitaciones y posibilidades. 20:37 - ¿Qué ha cambiado desde la llegada de CHAT-GPT para la psiquiatría y que relación tienen los modelos de lenguaje generativos con las lineas de trabajo del Dr. Cecchi? 24:44 - ¿Cuales son los retos de la neurociencia que podrían ser resueltos con la IA? 26:15 - La neurociencia y el cerebro como objeto - la tradición filosófica cartesiana. 28:20 - El impacto de Chat-gpt en la neurociencia 31:40 - Entendiendo la Neuroimagen y la Esquizofrenia 36:40 - Como la voz y patrones del lenguaje pueden revelar condiciones de salud - la complejidad del lenguaje desde la perspectiva computacional 42:00 - El proceso metodológico computacional para identificar condiciones psiquiátricas ¿Qué pasa en el laboratorio? ¿Qué es un modelo de lenguaje? 50:28 - ¿Qué es brain imaging? 53:03 - El internet, las redes sociales y el impacto en la salud mental de las personas 58:45 - El impacto en la sociedad y los cambios culturales con la introducción de nuevas tecnologías. 1:01:52 - Los cambios sociales con la introducción de Chat-gpt 1:04:01 - ¿Qué es la conciencia y el dolor? 1:09:25 - ¿Qué se ha aprendido de estudiar al dolor? 1:12:50 - Consejos para los jóvenes interesados en la neurociencia 1:14:35 - Biología molecular 1:16:40 - últimos pensamientos sobre la vida

Greetings, Leaders. Congratulations!  You are entering the most productive and exciting times in your lifetime. Your perseverance, patience, and practice of faith have contributed to your success thus far. You persevered and adapted. You believed and encouraged others along the way. Someone once said, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."  We are at the edge of breakthrough growth in every area of our lives. How should we navigate the events and decide on the opportunities ahead of us?  Great leaders seek wisdom to lead well. Someone asks, "What does wisdom look like?" and receives this response. "Wisdom from above is pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." Now is our time to continue practicing the vital disciplines for every leader. None is as important as seeking and acquiring wisdom. Someone once highlighted the rewards of wisdom, saying, "joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. Wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. It is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare to her."  I remember reading a quote, "The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom, and with your possessions acquire understanding." Many great leaders before us discovered the value of wisdom in their lives and careers. For example, Thomas J. Watson, Sr. emphasized the vital quality of wisdom in our career success.  "In these times... all businesses are looking for something that will aid them. You will have to explain more things to more people, but that is all to your advantage because, in that way, you obtain more training. In connection with that point, do not forget that you will need something in addition to knowledge. You must have wisdom. Without wisdom, knowledge is useless. Wisdom is the power that enables us to make practical use of our knowledge." Thomas J. Watson, Sr.  Continuous learning and growth are essential in every leader's life. The distinctive quality of wisdom is what helps our leadership and success endure in all circumstances.  Our families, colleagues, clients, and communities are the beneficiaries of the benefits of our wisdom. Wisdom allows us to discern the right decision and timing, even though it may seem counterintuitive.  Someone once said, "before you accept an invitation, implement a plan, sign your name to anything, agree to participate in any venture, ask yourself three questions. What is the wise thing to do based on my previous experience? What is the wise thing to do considering my present state of mind? What is the wise thing to do considering my future vision, goals, and dreams?"  The benefits of wisdom in our business help us acquire new clients, serve existing ones, grow as leaders, and impact everyone we meet. Someone once said, "Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment. The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm." The best future awaits you because you practice wisdom!  Victory! 

 Greetings, Leaders. Where are you on your life journey? Rejoice if all is well with you, your family, your work, and your health. If you find yourself in a storm, again, rejoice!   Leaders are navigators, and storms in life and career are inevitable. Someone wisely stated, "You are either coming through a storm, entering one, or emerging from one." Here are some truths to keep in mind when navigating your storms. I call them "The three V's in navigating a storm."  Vision, Valuation, and Victory! Vision is essential in life and career. Without vision, people perish and lack the restraint and discipline needed to endure the challenges we face in fulfilling our good works. Your vision for the impact of your life, the "good works" created in advance that you should walk in them, and the outcomes of your faithfulness are motivators."Write the vision; make it plain that one who reads it may run." Valuation says, "How important is your becoming the person and fulfilling the vision to you?"  The power of the vision is proportional to the value you place on the outcomes. It is the estimation and appreciation of the worth, merit, or character of something important to you. Think your vision through. Who will benefit from your endurance, perseverance, and faith? You, your family, friends, clients, company, community, nation, and the world are beneficiaries of your faithfulness. One great leader says, "Let us go to the other side! Don't give up! Where is your faith? Peace be still!" as we navigate the storms of life and career. Currently, I am in a storm challenging my faith, hope, and love. I am practicing the "Three V's for Navigating Storms in life!" Be encouraged, my friend; you are victorious! Life's storms will last only as long as necessary to accomplish their purpose in us. Remember, don't complain. Every leader's faith will be tested. Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Be careful with the words you speak. Be grateful and rejoice in the victory that is yours and mine for asking, obeying, and believing.   For those desiring more excellent results, I share this quote from Thomas J. Watson, Sr. "The only things we need are knowledge, faith, determination, and the will to make up our minds that, regardless of how small a position we hold in this company, before twelve months roll around, we are going to think out something, that we are going to make a suggestion that will add to the growth and development of this business." Believe it! All things are possible to the one who believes. "According to your faith, be it done unto you!" Victory! 

 Greetings, Leaders!  Think about a time when you helped someone, and you witnessed the expressions on their faces. What feelings do you recall as you reflect on these experiences?  If joy, fulfillment, satisfaction, and purpose describe your emotions, you share a collective experience with all great leaders. "it is more blessed to give than to receive."  Treat people the same way you want them to treat you, your family, and your descendants.  I recently had several discussions with a group of early career leaders and a professional with over three decades of work experience regarding the value and rewards of volunteering.  The first things I noticed during our conversations were the elevated excitement in their voices.  Then a glow appears on their countenance, the gratitude, and the discoveries they made through their selfless giving of themselves to help someone on their journey in life.  If you are starting on your life and career journey or a three-decade established professional, now is the best time to seek opportunities to volunteer.  Throughout history, wise advisors have pointed to the hidden value and rewards of serving others and using our talents, gifts, and abilities to empower others. Quotes from smart leaders look to the hidden treasures found in helping others.   'We reap what we sow, more than we sow, later than we sow." "Do not grow weary in doing good, for you will receive a reward if you do not give up." "Give, and it will be given to you."“Give back before you get to” -  (the accomplishment of your goals)  The rewards are sometimes immediate. One early career leader shared that he gained an insight that was a "defining moment" through a new volunteer opportunity." "I am convinced the volunteering helps me at the age of twenty-one see the bigger picture of life, discover my purpose and my value to others."  As he talked, you felt his passion and conviction.  "I want all of you to resolve to stand for something big and fine outside of your business life. That is the way to grow; that is the way to develop; that is the way to become real leaders in the company, in the community, and the state." Thomas J. Watson, Sr.  What joy there is in  working with leaders who serve with the desire to help through their giving. They desire to give, and wisdom says, "those who give to the poor will lack nothing." Victory

Welcome to Episode One of Season Two of the Stop Making Yourself Miserable podcast. I had to take a slightly longer hiatus because I'm now working on something called Higher Mind Training which will be the next release of the Better Angels Publishing company.           The basic concept of Higher Mind Training is that we each have an enormous amount of potential within our consciousness and most of us have tapped hardly any of it. But there's a part of us that is a truly noble and incredible part of our intelligence and Higher Mind Training is designed to be a guide that the normal, everyday person can use to access these highest and best sides of ourselves and realize our highest potential.     Our inner nature is actually quite a bit more than we might have imagined.  I had mentioned in an earlier podcast episode the idea of something called the Indwelling God Presence. This was a big deal for me when I first heard about it because as a product of Western religion, I had always been taught that God was somewhere far away, somewhere on the outside - maybe up some mountain or beyond some cloud. One way or another, we've all grown up with these theories and concepts, powerfully portrayed in books and movies.   But when I began opening up to some newer understandings I came upon this idea of the Indwelling God presence, which basically means that God (which is a very limiting term, but still a workable one) is within each person, and is actually an integral part of our consciousness. There is an energy that keeps us alive and this understanding says that this energy actually is God, dwelling within us. It was a radical for me to conceive of, and it took a long time for me to begin to even accept the idea, because it was the antithesis of the framework of original sin and separation, where you have to earn your way back into the divine good graces. Afterall some of the stuff in the Bible is pretty intense, that God was so angry at Eve for the whole snake thing that he threw us out of the safe and beautiful garden and he condemned her to suffering horrible pain in childbirth. It was a tough road ahead of us, filled with abandonment, separation, guilt and fear, all blocking our way back into paradise lost. So, it was quite liberating to come upon this idea that – no, God isn't far away from you. It's closer to you than your own breath. And no, God never deserted you. God never left you. God's love is always with you, and you don't have to earn your way back. You don't have to have the blood of somebody be spilled so that you can be redeemed from all this horrible sin. All you really have to do is open up to this divine presence within and accept it.   It was pretty radical for me and there were a two other expressions of the idea that made it all the more powerful. The first one comes from some information I had discovered when I was learning about Walter Russell, a figure you may remember from one of the earlier podcasts. Russell was probably the most accomplished person in American history. A fourth-grade dropout with very little formal education, something happened to him when he was eight or nine years old. Some inner illumination occurred and he was able to tap into this inner part of himself which producing amazing wisdom and talents in his awareness. He was an architect.  He was a businessman.  He made millions of dollars. He was a scientist and helped re-redefine some of the periodic table. He was also a close friend with Thomas J Watson, Senior who was the founder of IBM and Russell trained their sales force for twelve years. He was also a brilliant artist, sculptor and musician, and he used to say that he had the ability to go within himself and tap into the infinite intelligence which was in there. And he also used to say that everybody has the same ability to do it, but it was just untapped. So once, when I was reading one of his lectures, he said an incredible thing about this inner power we all have. He said that what's inside of you right now is not your higher self. It's not your God presence. It isn't the part of you that's connected with the infinite. No. What's inside of you right now is God Almighty.  It was a pretty heavy thing for me to read because it seems so hard to accept the idea that within, inside of you, right now is God Almighty. Then, in a completely different framework, I came across the same idea from the works of a mystical poet named Kabir from the 15th century. He also said that within you right now is this almighty power. Coming from a Hindu background, he said that even the creator preserver and destroyer and all the other gods, they all pray to this being. Like Russel, he said that it's within us right now, keeping us alive. And like Russel he said we have complete access to it, but we basically ignore it and continue chasing after the illusory pleasures of Earth-life.  Of course, this is really hard for our minds to understand. In fact, it's impossible, because if there really is a God, it would have to be infinite and our mind is a purely finite instrument. As an example, try this with your mind. Think about what is the largest number that could possibly exist. Your mind will spin and spin because no matter what number you come up with you can always add a 1 to it, or even a minute fraction, and that will always make it bigger. Your mind can't handle the riddle because it bumps up against infinity. You can also try to picture a box that is so large that there is no more space outside of it. Again, the mind just can't handle the idea of something with no end to it. It can grasp the theoretical concept of infinity, but it can never really understand the reality of it. Which brings up an interesting point about the actual nature of our inner make-up. We have a finite capacity for suffering and pain, but we have an infinite capacity for happiness and joy. In essence, we seem to be biased towards the highest. So, as an example, if you happened to meet a renown accurate psychic who told you that unfortunately, for the rest your life your suffering and pain was just going to keep getting worse and worse. Five years from now you're going to be in 50 times more pain. And 10 years from now you going to be in 1000 times more pain. Whether it's physical, emotional or psychological, it would be a terrible thing for anyone to hear. But what about if that same psychic said I've got some incredible news for you. Five years from now you're going to be 100 times happier. You're going to feel 100 times greater about life. You'll have 100 times more love in your heart and things are going to be 100 times more wonderful than they are now. And by the way 20 years and now it's going to be 10,000 times better. You're going to feel 10,000 times happier, or even more. And it's just going to keep on getting better and better. Now every human being who ever lived would love to hear that news. And what does that really tell us about ourselves. Maybe it says that the inner essence of our being is positive and all the negative thoughts, feelings and emotions are the just the results of learned behavior. And one critical thing to remember about learned behavior – it can always be unlearned, especially when it comes in contact with something greater than can turn it positive. Well, that wraps up this episode. Because of the work I am doing in preparing Higher Mind training, my time is a bit more limited, so you may find that the episodes in season two may be a little more casual than they were in season one. But the basics will still be the same. I'll be presenting a lot of different information for your consideration and as before, just allow the ideas to come into your awareness and see where they take you. And as always keep your eyes mind and hearts open and let's get together in the next one.

The most common complaint we get from clients about their sales team is that they are too passive.  They are great at farming, but not great at hunting, growing the size of the existing business and finding new buyers.  “It is as if they were working for the buyer and not for our company, because they bend over backwards to keep the client happy. Maybe too happy”, is not an unusual comment.  On the other end of the scale is the American style hard sell effort which takes no prisoners, brooks no hesitation and keeps pushing until a deal gets done.  For Japan, that will never fly, so we need something in the middle.   Where is the line though?  When is too much, too much?  Some schools of thought are that you need to push until you get regular resistance, because that is the point where you realise you have taken it to the limit for Japan.  This whole equation is complex.  Ultimately, I believe we need to become the trusted partner of the buyer.  When they feel we are working to help them succeed, we are on the right track, without forgetting who we are working for and who pays our salary and commissions.    In my view, weak salespeople just fold in the face of every client demand, no matter the consequences for their own firm.  This is especially painful when it comes to revenues.  Many times, these salespeople are earning commissions on what they sell, so you would expect that their own self-interest would dictate that they do not discount too heavily to win the business. Unfortunately, because they don't have skills around explaining the value, they cave and drop the price every time, even though it hurts them financially.  Their view is that they would rather have a client gained at a big discount, because finding new clients is so much harder.   Generally speaking, in Japan starting low and then trying to elevate the buyer's appetite to pay more for the existing solution doesn't work all that well.   Once they get you down to a low price that then becomes the ceiling, not even the floor, for them no matter how hard you explain this is a once in a lifetime case, a rarity, an exception, an instance of the planets in the Milky Way aligning once every thousand years.  They just see that as the ceiling and then try to work you lower.  When I was selling solutions from Australia, I had to tell the Aussie suppliers not to go in with their “best price” in Japan, because they would then be on the back foot trying to defend it, as they came under assault for more discounts.   I used to do a lot of networking at events in the good old days before the pandemic.  We might finally be getting back to some of that in Japan, wearing masks and trying to avoid super spreader events.  You need a thick skin to use networking as a tool for gaining clients.  Foreigners can be brutal.  We have a 50/50 split between multi-national and domestic clients, so I attend a lot of foreign chamber sponsored events. I was walking into an event and this guy refused my business card when I offered it, because he said he was only there for the information and didn't want to meet anyone.  Ouch!  At another Chamber event, a businessman saw me heading his way and started complaining “You are always spamming me!!”. Ouch!  At another event when I caught the attention of a potential client, to engage him, the guy he had been talking to, snidely noted “Here you are Greg, always stealing people's attention”. Ouch!   What is too much?  Whenever people complain that I am doing too much networking, or networking too hard, internally, I have a little smile to myself.  Usually, the people making these comments are not in sales and have no idea how hard it is to land a new client.  I had one of my staff come back from a Chamber networking event very upset.  They were telling  me that someone there was badmouthing me.  What do you do about this type of thing?   My answer to these few critics is simple.  I try to explain that as a sales leader, I don't ask my team to do prospecting that I won't do myself. I try to lead from the front, as a role model and example.  I continue to explain to them, “that is why I am working hard to find new people we can help, because we know what we do can make a difference in improving their businesses”.  Then I lower the boom, I hit them with the big one, I smash them when I say, “Wouldn't you want your sales leaders and sales teams making the maximum effort to find new buyers, to expand the range of companies you can serve?”.   There is really nowhere to go in response to that argument.  If they still say “it is too much”, then you can respond with, “does that mean your competitors are inactive and you have the market to yourself and you don't have to constantly keep pushing for new business?”.  Very few people can withstand this line of reasoning. Secretly, they are flooded with shame, shortcomings and guilt because they know their sales teams are passive, maybe great farmers but timid hunters and they wish their people had more of our grit and determination.   What about the damage to the brand?  This is a concern. In business, getting a bad reputation is bad anywhere, but in Japan bad news travels at hyper speed.  Even worse, amongst the multi-national company leaders, we foreigners are living in a small village here in Tokyo and again you don't want mud being attached to your name. I recall one prominent person here posting a note on LinkedIn, asking about the whereabouts of another well known personality, because they owed them money.  That kind of stuff takes your breath away and sends a cold shiver up your spine.   The reality is the worst that critics, rivals and the jealous can say about you is that you were aggressive or pushy or unreasonable or annoying.  One person saying that is just that one voice.  If multiples of people are going around condemning you, then you have a major problem.  Frankly, if you operate with integrity and have a passion for helping other's businesses succeed, then these outrageous slings and arrows will bounce off you.   I would rather be pushing, striving, working hard than worrying about what nobodies have to say.  The people we serve well will know our value and values and they are the people to refer us and to keep using us.  This is the key audience for us and we shouldn't be shy about trying to grow their number.  For salespeople this Winston Churchill quote is apt, “You have enemies? Good.  That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life”.  Also, remember Thomas J. Watson of IBM fame noted, “nothing happens until something gets sold”. That is our job – to keep the wheels of industry turning by selling solutions which transform people's careers and businesses.    

 Greetings, Leaders. At this moment, each of us is experiencing change. You may be in a new assignment, your company may be undergoing restructuring, or you may be experiencing a challenge in your personal or career life journey. Often, we face the temptation to resist change, even if it is for our good. Regardless of our circumstances, there are several proven steps great leaders employ when facing change, good or bad. Our perspective about the change is most critical. With the proper view, we can see beyond the current to the future state. Someone once said, "Vision is seeing the invisible." Walking by faith, leading by faith, and living by faith are phrases we attribute to leaders with vision.   Your current circumstances may be the test of endurance and perseverance you will need for the journey. Over thirty years ago, Matt, an IBM intern, shared his favorite quote. He looked up from his desk and said, "count it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Since then, I am noticing that great leaders have a "don't quit" attitude when facing changes and challenges in life and career.   They persevere. If you are facing a challenge right now, one of the wisest actions you can take is to reflect, renew and resolve to move forward in faith. Reflect: When facing similar challenges in the past, what happened that enabled me to move forward to where I am now? How did I respond? Usually, you can identify perseverance as an attribute you exhibited.Now, it is time to persevere and not quit. It is always too soon to quit. Renew:  Change can cause weariness, especially if it challenges our beliefs. Day and day and moment by moment, new adjustments, work opportunities, or health challenges all contribute to mental and physical fatigue.   How do we rise above all of it and gain new strength?  By recalling the past victories on our journey, faithfulness and insights gained along the way.  Cease striving and know that taking time to wait can give our minds time to regulate our emotions. Those who wait gain new strength. Resolve:  Commit to the journey. This season will, in time, pass, and the new one begins. You will be better prepared to enjoy what lies ahead when the time comes.  One of the most incredible benefits of enduring trials, changes, and tests is the reward of strength, comforting and encouraging others, and the character we gain as leaders. "Strength of character is the one basic trait that will be found in all people who achieve greatness." Thomas J. Watson, Sr. My friends, someone once said, "endure hardship as a soldier." I pray we all gain new strength for our journey ahead.  Don't quit but stand firm! We believe the best is yet to be. Victory!   

In the last episode, I discussed some of the research I've on Walter Russell. As I mentioned, a chance encounter with a stranger led me down this unexpected path. I had never heard of Russell before and I was completely amazed by what I found. Not only was he one of the most accomplished people in American history, a self-made millionaire, master painter, sculptor and musician, architect and builder, friend of presidents and kings, as well as scientist and teacher, but incredibly, he was a fourth-grade drop-out, with almost no formal education.             And if that wasn't remarkable enough Russell claimed that due to some extraordinary events he had experienced, he was able to tap into the intelligence that powers the entire universe. He said not only was this intelligence within him, he also claimed that it's inside everyone of us, and we all have the potential to tap into it like he could.             While enticing, I found these ideas to be pretty incredible, but as he used to say, his life spoke for itself. In that regard, Thomas J. Watson, a close friend and associate, and the legendary founder of IBM, said that Russell had achieved seven lifetimes worth of accomplishments and that he had “reduced the philosophy of thought power to a science, and demonstrated that science in his own achievements.”              One of the books I had purchased about Russell called “The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe' included a section where I listed what he called his Five Laws of Success. I found them to be intriguing different from what I had expected. Russell didn't stress hard work, long hours, detailed planning or setting benchmarks. Instead, he stressed the power of nurturing certain inner states of consciousness that naturally expand our ability to focus on the higher levels of intelligence that are within our awareness. These inner states help bring about the best in us.  And the more we align with the best parts of ourselves, the more we naturally do our best, and ultimately become our best. So here is a very brief overview of Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success. It's pretty simple, but I've read it hundreds of times, and I still don't think I'm really getting it.     The first Law of Success is humility. When it comes to true success in any area of life, it all starts and it all ends, with humility. According to Russell, nothing of real value, nothing that brings authentic, lasting fulfillment, can be done without a humble understanding of our true position in the larger scheme of things. We need to truly understand that we are each 100% dependent on our breath to survive. We simply cannot live without it. And no one, no matter their position or accomplishments, has any control over it whatsoever. Life comes to each one of us by its own power, which is, and probably will remain, far beyond human comprehension. And, according to Russel, we need to surrender to that power to accomplish anything of real significance, indeed be truly fulfilled.                 He said, “Early in life I found that to achieve greatness one had to go only one inch beyond mediocrity, but that one inch is so hard to go, that only those who become aware of God in them can make the grade, for no one can achieve that one inch alone.” According to him, our own individual awareness is actually just a part of the larger universal intelligence.  “The ‘I' must be forgotten,” he said.  “One must not be the part; he must be the whole. Until one learns to lose oneself, he cannot find himself.”     From this humble awareness, a natural desire to help others begins to flow, increasing in power, continually elevating the consciousness to higher perspectives. Russell said he often felt like he was “placing himself within all others through acts of thoughtfulness and service.” So, the first step is authentic humility. There is no substitution for it. Although our miniature ego may always be around, expressing its miniature opinions, we have to surrender to the highest. Afterall, as he observed, “No great man has ever wise-cracked his way into greatness.”   The second Law of Success is reverence. He used to say that when he was entering his workplace, he felt like he was entering a cathedral. He once put it this way, “I learned to cross the threshold of my studio with reverence, as though I were entering a shrine, set apart for me to become co-creator with the Universal Thinker of all things.”             When I first read this, it was a completely new idea to me because it was so radically different from any concept I had about work. Like most other products of the Puritan Work Ethic which was the foundation of the American education of my early years, my idea of work is that it was a form of drudgery, something you had to do. Like I had been consigned to a life of hard labor.             This was like night and day, saying that you can experience a grateful reverence for the opportunity to apply your intelligence in joyful service to the greater good. Russell said that there is a hidden gem within every action we make, and we can uncover it by becoming conscious of the innate greatness of life itself. This has vast implications.                As he said, “If you look reverently in the inward direction toward your inner self, you will be amazed at what you will find. If you are alone long enough to get thoroughly acquainted with yourself, you will hear whisperings from the universal source of all consciousness which will inspire you.... You will soon find yourself using the cosmic forces. instead of working blindly in the dark.”   The third Law of Success is Inspiration. We all know that acting from inspiration represents an ideal state of being. We say that we saw an inspiring movie or play or someone sang an inspired song or gave an inspired speech. Or we saw an inspiring painting or sculpture.  There are thousands of examples.  But, in our way of  thinking, inspiration is something that we stumble upon every once in a while. It doesn't have to be this way, according to Russell. He said that inspiration is always present within our consciousness, we just ignore it. We haven't been taught to value it, so, we just take it on a hit or miss basis, but he said we can do much better than that.     “Inspiration is that deep awareness of the consciousness of Being, which differentiates the genius or mystic from the being of average intelligence,” he said. “It is the language of light, through which man and God inter-communicate. Inspiration comes only to those who seek it with humility toward their own achievements and reverence toward the achievements of God.” He taught that through humility and true inspiration, a higher access to knowledge can be gained.  “Knowledge is yours for the asking,” he said. “You have but to plug into it. You do not have to learn anything. In fact, all you have to do is recollect it, or recognize it, for you already have it as your inheritance.” I guess it sounds easy enough.     The fourth law of success is Deep Purpose. According to Russell, you have to learn how to focus your energy exclusively on completing your purpose. As he put it, “You have to gather your energy together, conserving it and insulating it from dissipation in every direction other than that of your purpose.” But he also took it a little deeper. According to him, we have two parts of our consciousness, one part is connected to the finite world and the other part is connected to the Infinite. And to produce a truly great accomplishment, we need to be conscious of both.   Our finite purpose is the obvious goal that we with to accomplish. But along with it, our infinite purpose is to continually grow in consciousness where we can be living and expressing what he called, “The Life Triumphant.”  This is the state of being where you are giving out far more than you are receiving. He said a fruit tree in full bloom was a perfect example. The tree is taking in what it needs in terms of nutrients from the soil, water and air. But it is giving out far more than it is taking in, constantly supplying beautiful, nutritious, delicious fruits, with each Bearing seeds that can be the source of more trees, indeed of entire forests.   This is the ultimate goal of living, to embody what he called the divine plan behind creation, which is the constant multiplication of giving. This is the law of nature. But sometimes humans get out of tune, producing creations that are not in harmony with the big picture. And nature doesn't go along with it. As he warned, “You may command nature only to the extent that you are willing to obey her.”               The final Law of Success is Joy.               Russell had a unique point of view regarding the importance of happiness and joy. He said inner joy carries a power in it that replenishes our consciousness in a way that is unmatched because the very essence of our being is actually happiness. Joy is our natural state. And we function best when we are in it.  That's when we are truly successful.             It surprised me to hear that he put such an emphasis on being happy. I hadn't been expecting it. But Russell said it was more than just being happy. He said he was ecstatic. “By ecstatic I mean that rare mental condition which makes an inspired man so supremely happy in his mental concentration, that he is practically unaware of everything which goes on around him extraneous to his purpose, but is keenly and vitally aware of everything pertaining to his purpose.” He went on to say that this ecstatic state was common among great artists and he described it this way, “Inspiration in man is accompanied by an intense mental ecstasy which is characteristic of all who become intensely conscious of their closeness to God. The great composers, sculptors, painters, inventors and planners of all time were in such an ecstatic condition... By ecstasy I mean inner joyousness, and by inner joyousness I mean those inspirational fires which burn within the consciousness of great geniuses.” It may not be obvious on the outside, but as he said, “There is nothing dramatic about it. But there is some subtle light in the eye of the inspired one, or some even more subtle quiet emanation which surrounds the inspired thinker, which tells you that you are in the presence of one who has bridged the gap which separates the mundane world from the world of spirit.” So that's a quick overview of Russell's Five Laws of Success. It seemed to me that they were designed to tune your consciousness to its highest levels of intelligence. Because our conscious intelligence is the source of all our thinking, emotions, intuition and ultimately decision making, it is the very compass that we use to navigate our way through life. And in that regard, what could be more valuable than tuning our consciousness to the Infinite Intelligence? It reminds me of a famous quote from Lincoln, who spent a number of years in his youth as a woodsman, chopping down trees. “Give me six hours to chop down a tree,” he said. “And I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Again, here is something that makes perfect sense, but you would hardly ever think of it, unless, of course, you actually know what you're doing. So, to me Walter Russell's Five Laws of Success are pretty amazing, as surprising as they are enlightening. But the obvious question is, of course, do they work? And for me the obvious answer is – try them and see. The upside potential seems so great, and I don't see a downside.  Maybe we won't have the kind of results that Russell had. Maybe we won't suddenly become concert pianists, great painters, sculptors or scientific geniuses, but I always feel like if something makes me a truly better person, even by a fraction of a percentage point, it's still a major win. Now not to get over mercenary here, but one half of one percent of ten billion dollars is still fifty million. And it might be tight, but I think I could get by on that. Well anyway, that's the end of this episode. As always, keep your eyes, mind and heart open, and let's get together in the next one.

I have found that every once in a while, some unexpected information can come from an unexpected source and make an unexpectedly major change in your outlook on life. Something like that happened to me a few years ago.             I was in the pool behind our condo and a stranger came over and introduced himself to me.  We struck up an informal conversation with one random topic casually leading to another. At one point he asked me if I had ever heard of someone named Walter Russell. I drew a complete blank. The name meant nothing to me at all and I said so.             Looking surprised at my ignorance, he launched into a string of hyperboles about this person I'd never heard of - that he was one of the most multi-talented people who ever lived, that his rags-to-riches story was one of the classics in American History, that he was a teacher of Consciousness Evolution, who claimed that we can all become geniuses if we want to and that Walter Cronkite had called him the “Leonardo DaVinci of our time,” when he announced his death on national TV in 1963. And on and on and on.            Then, he said with a sly smile, that Walter Russell was so brilliant and so prolific that he made Benjamin Franklin look like a “schlepper.”           Now, I'm pretty familiar with US history and culture, and I've been aware of Consciousness Evolution since the idea first caught my eye in the early 70s, and in all this time, I had never once heard of Walter Russell. So naturally, I was skeptical. After all, if this Russell guy was so great, how come I had never heard of him?           The stranger's looks didn't help dispel my doubts either. He was obviously a bit “out there.” A not-quite-former hippie in his mid-sixties, it seemed like he had not-quite-returned from wherever it was that his last acid trip had dropped him off.            And frankly, his Ben Franklin “schlepper” comment rubbed me the wrong way. Schlepper is a fairly nasty Yiddish term with a host of meanings, one more pejorative than the next.  It's basically a lazy dim-wit who can only perform menial tasks and can't be trusted. Just your average dolt. Now, I have always been a huge fan of Franklin's, and idea of applying the term to him just didn't sit well with me.           Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the stranger in the pool did a perfect Groucho Marx impersonation. It turned out that he did Groucho impressions for a living, and he broke into a string of jokes that were actually pretty funny. Impersonation seemed like it was second nature to him.              Then, he looked over to the far corner of the pool, rolled his eyes, sang “Hello, I must be going” and swam away. An instant later, he was playing Groucho to a few well-groomed ladies who had just come into the pool.           It was a mildly amusing event at the pool during a pleasantly uneventful summer, and I made a lukewarm mental note to look this Walter Russell up someday. I jotted the name down, stuck it in a junk drawer and forgot about it.           At least six months must have gone by before I stumbled on the note again. I was sort of killing time, which is something I've been known to be a master of, so I thought I'd do a quick Google search.           I was expecting to find a few miniscule bits of information that I'd browse for a few moments, then move onto something else. But what I found really was something else and in a matter of seconds, I couldn't believe what I was reading. And I don't mean that as a figure of speech. What I mean is that I actually couldn't believe what I was reading. It seemed preposterous, like it couldn't possibly have been true. I had never seen anything quite like it before.           Walter Russell had been a prominent 20th century figure, a self-made millionaire who lived in New York City and had a studio in Carnegie Hall.  A master painter and sculptor, he had also started a large architect firm in the city and had been intimately involved with the construction and financing of seventeen significant buildings. He owned a stable of Arabian horses in Central Park and was a renown equestrian. He took up figure skating in his forties and won the US national championship against competitors in their twenties. And later in life, as he got involved in the study of chemistry, he helped upgrade the periodic table of elements.           His name was always in the papers and he ran with quite a crowd - Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Edison, Nicola Tesla and FDR, to name just a few. Not to mention his close friend Thomas J. Watson, Sr., who founded IBM.           And yet not one person that I knew had ever heard of him. It was incredible. How could someone who had accomplished so much, in so many different fields, on such a grand scale, be so unknown? It didn't make sense. After all, this wasn't ancient history and it certainly didn't happen in a vacuum.           I was astounded and kept reading. Two books that were several decades old caught my eye – “The Man Who Tapped the Secrets of the Universe,” and “The Secret of Working Knowingly with God.” The titles surprised me. I didn't see their connection to the subject matter I had been reading.           I looked them up and the price was right, so I ordered them blind. When they came a few days later, it was immediately clear that this whole story ran much deeper than I thought.  I was stunned by the books and couldn't put them down.           To begin to grasp the depth of the story, the first thing to understand is that Russell was basically uneducated. Born into a very poor family in Boston in 1871, his parents got him in a job in a grocery store when he was about 10 years old.  To help support the family, he dropped out of school after the fourth grade and never went back. So, amazingly given all that he had accomplished, he had no college, no high school or even junior high.           Yet, he went on to become one of the most accomplished people in history - a self-made millionaire, friend to presidents and kings, an internationally renowned painter, sculptor, musician, architect, scientist, sportsman, businessman, and master teacher. His resume was obviously well-documented and his vast accomplishments were completely verified.           Although what he did was truly amazing, even more amazing was how he said he did it. According to him, from the time he was a young boy, he experienced a series of inner illuminations that continued throughout his entire life. And these inner illuminations tapped him into a vast storehouse of wisdom, indeed the wisdom of the universe.           It all started when he was seven years old.  He was playing marbles with some friends and suddenly, “Something tremendous happened to me, something indescribable, something so beautiful, so wonderful, a sort of complete blotting out of everything concerning the physical universe, concerning my body.           “A great burst of changing colors – blue, violet, orange seemed to fill and pervade all space and me. I was swallowed up in it. Then that ceased and there was a blinding flash and I stood motionless.”           He couldn't function at all for several hours and it took him over a week to recover his normal consciousness. But he really wasn't the same. In fact, he was never the same again.           It happened to him again the following May. And then it happened every May for the rest of his life. Every seven years the episode would be particularly intense, lasting for several days at a time. Once, he was in the altered state, in tune with this universal intelligence for 39 days.           Following each experience, he would find that he was different, as though his whole being had been elevated. Sublime understandings would crystallize in his mind. He seemed to have direct access to new levels of information. His existing talents would deepen or he would develop new ones.           For example, he could play the piano at a young age, but following one of the episodes, he was suddenly able to write and play advanced musical compositions, with a depth of emotion and pathos that was extraordinary. Everyone noticed the changes and several of the formal pieces he composed were played by symphony orchestras throughout the world.           The exact same thing happened with his skill as an artist. He had some talent and training, but it expanded exponentially after one of his episodes and he started churning out masterpieces. He soon became the artistic director of Colliers Magazine, and his series of pictures called, “The most beautiful children in America” won several awards.        He drew a portrait of Teddy Roosevelt's children that hung in the White House for a time.             On another occasion, his talent as a sculptor manifested instantaneously. He created over fifty masterpieces including busts of Thomas Edison and Mark Twain that are breath-taking in their level of realism.           Soon afterwards, in a completely different arena, he invented the concept of the co-op apartment in Manhattan and personally drew-up the first co-op lease in history, which his lawyer said was perfect in its legal detail.           It was all so hard to believe, not to mention that it was all done by a fourth-grade dropout. But he said that he had been granted the ability to transcend his mind's normal thought processes and tap directly into the intelligence of the universe which, he said, is all-knowing.            This intelligence is divine in nature and is the home of all our noble human virtues including wisdom, love and compassion, according to him.  He termed it the very life force which sustains us all and carries the genius of our consciousness on every plane - physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual.           Russell's work output continued to explode, much of which required extreme precision. And his incredible achievements were acknowledged at the highest levels. For twelve consecutive years, he was the main trainer of the entire IBM sales force. Thomas J. Watson, the company's Founder and President, said that Russell's accomplishments were equal to seven lifetimes of achievement, all performed at peak levels of excellence.           His life became an example of a most lofty ideal – that of being able to live in a state that he termed “ecstatic joy,” while remaining completely grounded and succeeding brilliantly in his life.            According to him, this rarified state, where the inner and outer worlds are in complete harmony, is not only completely natural, it is the way we are meant to live.  And he said that it doesn't diminish with age. In fact, it increases.                 He was living proof. He remained in good health well into his old age, with his awareness fully intact, enjoying profound happiness and fulfillment. He finally passed away exactly on his 92nd birthday, and that was in 1963, when the average life expectancy for an American man was sixty-six!           He always held that this genius intelligence exists within every single one of us and we are each capable of connecting with it exactly as he had. We can all become much greater than we think, but we have to make the decision to open up to it ourselves to it and connect with it in a way that is our own.           “Many have asked if I could more specifically direct them how to kindle that spark of inner fire which illuminates the way to one's self. That I cannot do,” he wrote.  “I can merely point the way and tell you of its existence. You must then find it for yourself.” And he famously added, “Mediocrity is Self-inflicted. Genius is Self-Bestowed.”                     Now if you're like I was when I first got exposed to this story, with all of its implications, you're probably pretty blown out. It's a lot to absorb, on many levels.           He left behind an enormous amount of material on the subject of consciousness evolution and expansion.  His writings are vast and the subject matter is profound. A great place to start is with his “Five Laws of Success.”            In the next episode, we'll explore them and you may be surprised by how simple, natural and powerful they are. Like all of Russell's teachings, they are meant to be practical. You just try them on for size and see how they fit.           Well, that's the end of this episode. As always, keep your eyes, mind and heart open, and let's get together in the next one.

Greetings, Leaders. Rejoice! Again, I say rejoice! It's a new season!  Every leader goes through seasons of life and career.Your attitude and perspective significantly impact the effectiveness of your work and the outcomes. Be outcome-focused on your vision coming to fruition! Someone said, "The vision is for an appointed time. Though the vision tarries, wait for it. It will surely come!"   Recall and reflect. Remember when it seemed impossible for you to overcome some obstacle or receive the desired outcome. The two attributes that come to mind are "faith" and  "perseverance' - You did not quit. You did not give up! You kept the faith! "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not yet seen." Don't stop believing! Keep focusing moment by moment, day by day, on your vision. Sometimes, no progress occurs, but trust the process; things are moving. Testing our faith producing perseverance, let perseverance have its perfect work so that you may be complete, lacking nothing - fully equipped for the opportunities ahead. Keep serving and growing where you are now. Seasons are providentially sent and have a set time to accomplish their purpose. Our life and career journey are similar. We encounter setbacks, trials, and storms. Why do we need these events? Why can't we just read them in a book and pass the test? It's for our good. Our character is revealed and developed in testing. We will never know what we can do and who we are until we are tested and pass the test. When we gain victory, everyone benefits - you, your family, clients, colleagues, the team, and the nation.    Regardless of your circumstances, keep the faith and your vision. Persevere in all seasons of life and career. You will gain new strength, soar on wings like eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint. As one leader shared with us, remember, "It's a sprint marathon!" "None of us can ever hope to get anywhere, be of any real use to ourselves, our community, or our country unless we have the character, moral courage, and spiritual strength to accept responsibility. Strength of character is the one basic trait that will be found in all people who achieve greatness." Thomas J. Watson, Sr. So, my friends. Keep believing! You are making progress and impacting for good as you go. It has been said, "All things are possible to the one who is believing." "One person with the belief is greater than ninety-nine who have only a casual interest."   Together we are better. Let us, please, continue in our commitment to walk by faith and not by sight.  Commitment precedes power! Victory!

There is an urgency to making the work and getting it out there so that you can find the people who respond to it, but it becomes much harder to accomplish much of anything if your body aches from the physically demanding work you do, or your shoulders are tense from hunkering over the computer all afternoon, or you're living on caffeine and wine, or especially if you aren't sleeping. If you want to improve your productivity, and your health, then it's time to focus on your self-care. What are you doing to take care of yourself? To keep up your energy, maintain a positive mindset, balance out the hours in the studio and on the computer? Is balance even necessary when you're doing what you love? In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Maria Coryell-Martin, a busy mom with a thriving art career and companion business that supports her family. With all that she has going on, Maria makes time for almost daily swims and cold, open water, healthy eating, and plenty of sleep. Listen to hear how she does it. Highlights Maria's expeditionary art combines her passions for science, art and education. (2:20) The motivation behind splitting Maria's two artist endeavors. (4:57) An income breakdown from Art Toolkit and Expeditionary Art. (7:44) Maria's art takes her all over the world. (10:31) “I want to be a capable, useful person in the field.” (14:39) How Maria successfully solicits funds for her expeditions. (17:17) Self-care is the rock for Maria's sanity. (19:25) The physical aspect of making art requires taking care of your body. (24:06) A typical day for Maria starts with getting enough sleep and swimming in the ocean. (28:21) Monitoring energy levels, controlling what you're eating, responding to stress. (35:15) Setting boundaries around your time and energy. (40:57) Getting the help you need so you can do your best work. (42:45) The simple first steps for starting self-care today. (46:00) Mentioned Bon Appetit Lentil Burgers Cooper Island Black Guillemot Research Maria Coryell Martin's Expeditionary Art Art Toolkit @ExpeditionaryArt @ArtToolkit Resources Show notes, images, and listener comments Artist Planning Sessions Free e-course: The Artist's Annual Review Quotes “Ask for what you need. You may not get it, but at least you'll learn something.” — Maria Coryell Martin “I've developed tools and habits over my life that are my rock for my sanity.” — Maria Coryell Martin “Work is like a river. You dip your toes in and do what you can and then you take your toes out and it keeps flowing.” — Maria Coryell Martin “Mistakes are part of everything you do, but you've just got to move forward and let mistakes happen.” — Maria Coryell Martin Guest Bio Maria Coryell-Martin is an expeditionary artist following the tradition of traveling artists as naturalists and educators. She graduated from Carleton College in 2004 and received a Thomas J. Watson fellowship to explore remote regions through art from 2004-2005. Since then Maria has worked with scientists, local communities, and travelers in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and the Antarctic Peninsula. In the field, Coryell-Martin sketches with ink and watercolor, and collects multimedia recordings to build her palette of place, a record of experience, climate, and color. This led her to create the wildly popular Art Toolkit.   This work became the basis for exhibits of large-scale studio and field paintings, as well as multimedia presentations and hands-on workshops for audiences of all ages to promote observation, scientific inquiry, and environmental awareness. First posted: artbizsuccess.com/self-care-martin-podcast 

Guest: John Lindaman of the Thomas J. Watson Library at The Met. First broadcast November 19 2021. Playlist at https://www.wrek.org/?p=36658 "It's not that much of a passion, actually."

Greetings, Summit Leaders. Setting goals is essential in accomplishing your purpose, vision, and results on your life and career journey. Great leaders set goals that challenge their faith and grow them as leaders as they go. The beauty of leadership is that all receive the call to serve and lead. The key is accepting the call and setting your goals and living by faith. Think about great leaders. Who comes to your mind?Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Thomas J. Watson, Sr., and Joshua are a few that come to me. Their goals are "Big Hairy Audacious Goals."   In their book, Built to Last  Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, Jerry I Porras and Jim Collins believe that visionary companies commit to "Big Hairy Audacious Goals," while others resist. These goals provide the catalyst for innovative companies, and I will add leaders to move forward. Identity matters when setting goals. Great leaders discover that believing and faith are the critical first steps. Commitment precedes power. Someone once said regarding leadership, "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." These are growth mindset affirmations that impact and extend the reach of servant leadership. The real evidence of great leaders is the way they act. In Saltwater Leadership, Second Edition - A Primer on Leadership for the Sea Services, Second Edition, the authors point out that fully 97% of leadership is a growth mindset. They point to height, intelligence measured by IQ account for 3%.   The 97% includes attributes we can learn and develop - character, empathy, integrity, communications ability, hard work, bravery, compassion, competence, and resilience - through study, discernment, and practice. Patience, perseverance, and training are essential in becoming a great leader. This week a Summit Leader shared his desire to find his calling and make an impact by focusing his passion on the right thing.  Discernment and sound judgment are required. "Goals are a great way of thinking long. Goals are well-defined dreams that are measurable." "Goals are dreams with deadlines. If you don't give your dream a deadline, it will be dead before you know it. Deadlines keep dreams alive. Deadlines bring dreams back to life." Mark Batterson       Saltwater Leadership, Second Edition gives some practical advice for leaders.  Learn by reading books. Observe others. Take courses. Practice leadership principles. Seek growth experiences. Find a mentor or coach. Embrace the acronym "SPOM: Study, Practice, Observe and Mentor." Someone once said about leaders who set goals and live by faith, "For indeed we have the good news shared with us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard." Take time to listen and set your goals by faith. Be bold, brave, and believe. Be strong and courageous. Where are you now? Begin with your vision. What is your dream?"Write down the vision, make it plain on the tablets, so that the reader may run with it. Keep it within your sight, for the vision points ahead to an appointed time.Even if there is a delay, wait for it. It is coming and will come without delay.    Victory!   

Greetings, Summit Leaders. I love Summit Leaders! They are focused, dedicated, and disciplined for their life and career journey. Great leaders are continually growing in their knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, as well as sound judgment. They remember the battles they fought against fear, doubt, unbelief, and pride. They are intentionally alert to other enemies seeking to derail them on their life and career journey.   Two strong enemies are complacency and presumption. Everyone who has a leadership capacity is under continual attack by the enemy. Great leaders from long ago remind us to stay alert, for our enemy roams about like a lion seeking someone to devour. They overcame the enemy's tactics because they were steadfast in their faith. In starting our life and career journey, we tend to be on "high alert," giving our best, doing our best, and being our best. However, victory day by day can lull us into a sense of "I know the way." "I already know what to expect; therefore, I do not need as much preparation, insight, and wisdom." Thinking like this is deceiving—one of the tactics of our enemy.  The truth learned by every great leader is every day is a battle I have not experienced before and must meet with practiced disciplines, reflection, and discernment. They seek the truth about every circumstance. Someone once said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."  Great leaders are thankful for their victories and often reflect on their progress, and the victories won. In the process, they develop competency, character, empathy, gratitude, humility, and thanksgiving.  "Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself."Thomas J. Watson  What did I learn during that battle fought and won years ago? How did I respond when the odds were against us? What was my thinking like then and now? How do I best prepare for what I will face today? What am I most grateful for in my life and career journey? Who am I, and what will I become? What impact am I having in the lives of others?    The answers cause new pathways of thinking to be developed. Neuroscience says we build a new neuro pathway that leads to transformative thinking when we repeat a thought process enough times."Neurons that fire together wire together." As a person thinks in their heart, so they are. Out of gratitude, we seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, gentleness, and not just to get ahead by ourselves. A clean heart, clear conscience, and confident mind are qualities in every great leader. The future of a leader who practices the disciplines for leadership growth is one of the more remarkable things yet to come! The outcome of a focused, dedicated, and disciplined life is an expanded capacity to serve and influence others. "Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will stand in the presence of kings. He will not stand in the presence of the unknown." Great leaders expect, anticipate, and prepare for their future and those they serve.  Thank you for being that type of leader! Victory!  

Today's good news story should be inspiring to anyone at any age. There's always more adventures ahead! And, while adventuring, we suggest celebrating chocolate cupcakes along the way. ☕️ Today's To-Go Cup Quote: “Don't make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to level yourself up." ~ Thomas J. Watson Are your friends just comfortable? Or do they force you to level yourself up? ***************************** Add a bit of zen in your mornings with our http://www.connectovercoffee.link/mmm (Morning Moment Matter Box) where we guide you through a practice that engages your body, mind, and heart in the time it takes to brew your morning coffee! We'd love to connect with you on https://www.facebook.com/connectovercoffeepodcast (Facebook) or https://www.instagram.com/connectovercoffee (Instagram) at Connect Over Coffee! http://connectovercoffee.net/ (Connect Over Coffee)

Watson, a supercomputer by IBM, shot to fame in 2011 as the ‘brain' that beat two of the best contestants of Jeopardy! to win a million dollars. This system that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated analytical software to answer questions was widely deployed in many industries. The supercomputer was developed in IBM's DeepQA project and was named after IBM's founder Thomas J. Watson.

Join me and my guest Doug Cooper for a great discussion. Doug is an Author, Editor, and Writing Coach. Before semi-retiring, he had a three-decade career as an environmental scientist, during which period he wrote and published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in technical journals and was elected Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology. He served on the faculty at Harvard and was a Research Staff Member at IBM's Thomas J. Watson, Jr., Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY. Currently, he is using my recent experiences in writing and publishing books to aid others in writing and publishing their fiction or nonfiction works. Broadcast on: LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gbqAuac2 Facebook: https://lnkd.in/gDBYsCgx Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gEWkVhgM Connect with Russ: Website: www.russhedge.com Email: russ@russhedge.com Connect with Douglas: LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gu3Ms8dv Website: WriteYourBookWithMe.com Email: douglas@tingandi.com #writers #writingcoach #authors #publishers #editors #Inspiration #inspirationalstories #InspirationSpecialist #RussSelfie

Greetings, Summit Leaders. Rejoice! Again, I say rejoice!   We have a great opportunity before us to experience what great leaders enjoy every day. They lead themselves in intentionally living purposeful lives.  A Summit Leader shared this quote, "Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself."Thomas J. Watson We are together on this journey in life and career. If you are starting this month or have many years of your life and career journey, the exciting truth is that you can always be fruitful and productive. See a person diligent in their business. They will stand before kings and not obscure people. Early career professionals and experienced career leaders coming together with a common objective is a powerful combination. Each one profoundly respects the other, and as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Someone once said, "Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors, they succeed."Today, an IBM sales veteran shared this insight with a new Summit leader during this week's training conversation. "You know what you are going to do. You don't know who you will meet. People will propel your career. Know who you are and why you are doing your work. That person you meet may touch your life and make a difference in your life journey." Think about someone who touched your life and made an impact for your good. Seek to be that person now in another's life. At the start of your journey, there is a great promise; "you will be like a tree planted by rivers of water; yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither and whatever you do it will prosper." Understanding and embracing the promise gives the courage to start, perseverance to keep moving forward, and strengthens you for continuing the race before us.Those ahead of you have their promise, too; they will be fruitful and still green with vigor and life even in the coming seasons.Someone once said,"They will still produce fruit in old age and will stay fresh and green." Who can you team with on your journey in life and career, knowing that a productive and fruitful life awaits you? Think about the impact of pouring yourself into another and that person. Life and career grow sweeter, more fulfilling, and adventurous when we work together.   There is power in caring for each other, and that's the culture and attitude Summit Leaders worldwide are embracing. What are we building when we exercise caring for one another? When we love our neighbor, as we do ourselves, we create impact and legacy.What is your impact as a caring leader? •Culture: Who we desire to be. •Attitude: A mindset of optimism. •Reimagine: Innovation, Envision the vision. •Engage: Collaborate for action. •Skills: Commit to growth for all.  Summit Leaders care! Victory!        

Curcumin: modulator of key molecular signaling pathways in hormone-independent breast cancer Monash University Malaysia, August 10, 2021 According to news reporting originating from Selangor, Malaysia,  research stated, “Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide.” Our news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from Monash University Malaysia: “Despite the overall successes in breast cancer therapy, hormone-independent HER2 negative breast cancer, also known as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), lacking estrogens and progesterone receptors and with an excessive expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), along with the hormone-independent HER2 positive subtype, still remain major challenges in breast cancer treatment. Due to their poor prognoses, aggressive phenotype, and highly metastasis features, new alternative therapies have become an urgent clinical need. One of the most noteworthy phytochemicals, curcumin, has attracted enormous attention as a promising drug candidate in breast cancer prevention and treatment due to its multi-targeting effect. Curcumin interrupts major stages of tumorigenesis including cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis in hormone-independent breast cancer through the modulation of multiple signaling pathways. The current review has highlighted the anticancer activity of curcumin in hormone-independent breast cancer via focusing on its impact on key signaling pathways including the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, JAK/STAT pathway, MAPK pathway, NF-qB pathway, p53 pathway, and Wnt/b-catenin, as well as apoptotic and cell cycle pathways.” According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Besides, its therapeutic implications in clinical trials are here presented.”     Ultrasound remotely triggers immune cells to attack tumors in mice without toxic side effects University of California San Diego, August 11, 2021   Bioengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a cancer immunotherapy that pairs ultrasound with cancer-killing immune cells to destroy malignant tumors while sparing normal tissue. The new experimental therapy significantly slowed down the growth of solid cancerous tumors in mice. The team, led by the labs of UC San Diego bioengineering professor Peter Yingxiao Wang and bioengineering professor emeritus Shu Chien, detailed their work in a paper published Aug. 12 in Nature Biomedical Engineering. The work addresses a longstanding problem in the field of cancer immunotherapy: how to make chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy safe and effective at treating solid tumors.   CAR T-cell therapy is a promising new approach to treat cancer. It involves collecting a patient's T cells and genetically engineering them to express special receptors, called CAR, on their surface that recognize specific antigens on cancer cells. The resulting CAR T cells are then infused back into the patient to find and attack cells that have the cancer antigens on their surface. This therapy has worked well for the treatment of some blood cancers and lymphoma, but not against solid tumors. That's because many of the target antigens on these tumors are also expressed on normal tissues and organs. This can cause toxic side effects that can kills cells—these effects are known as on-target, off-tumor toxicity. “CAR T cells are so potent that they may also attack normal tissues that are expressing the target antigens at low levels,” said first author Yiqian (Shirley) Wu, a project scientist in Wang's lab. “The problem with standard CAR T cells is that they are always on—they are always expressing the CAR protein, so you cannot control their activation,” explained Wu. To combat this issue, the team took standard CAR T cells and re-engineered them so that they only express the CAR protein when ultrasound energy is applied. This allowed the researchers to choose where and when the genes of CAR T cells get switched on. “We use ultrasound to successfully control CAR T cells directly in vivo for cancer immunotherapy,” said Wang, who is a faculty member of the Institute of Engineering in Medicine and the Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, both at UC San Diego. What's exciting about the use of ultrasound, noted Wang, is that it can penetrate tens of centimeters beneath the skin, so this type of therapy has the potential to non-invasively treat tumors that are buried deep inside the body. The team's approach involves injecting the re-engineered CAR T cells into tumors in mice and then placing a small ultrasound transducer on an area of the skin that's on top of the tumor to activate the CAR T cells. The transducer uses what's called focused ultrasound beams to focus or concentrate short pulses of ultrasound energy at the tumor. This causes the tumor to heat up moderately—in this case, to a temperature of 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit)—without affecting the surrounding tissue. The CAR T cells in this study are equipped with a gene that produces the CAR protein only when exposed to heat. As a result, the CAR T cells only switch on where ultrasound is applied. The researchers put their CAR T cells to the test against standard CAR T cells. In mice that were treated with the new CAR T cells, only the tumors that were exposed to ultrasound were attacked, while other tissues in the body were left alone. But in mice that were treated with the standard CAR T cells, all tumors and tissue expressing the target antigen were attacked. “This shows our CAR T-cell therapy is not only effective, but also safer,” said Wu. “It has minimal on-target, off-tumor side effects.” The work is still in the early stages. The team will be performing more preclinical tests and toxicity studies before it can reach clinical trials.     Lycopene ameliorates diabetic osteoporosis via anti-inflammatory, antioxidation  Shaanxi University of Technology (China), August 10, 2021 According to news originating from Shaanxi University of Technology research stated, “Diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) is one of the complications of diabetes, with high morbidity, and high disability rate. Here, we established a diabetic rat model and administered lycopene to observe its effect on DOP.” Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Shaanxi University of Technology: “Our results showed that ten weeks lycopene treatment lowered blood glucose, improved diabetic induced polydipsia, overeating and body weight loss. Lycopene treatment also enhanced bone mineral density, restored bone mechanical and bone Micro-CT parameters of diabetic rats. Subsequently, lycopene decreased serum inflammatory cytokines levels and increased serum anti-oxidant indicators levels. Moreover, lycopene reduced the number of bone marrow adipocytes, and osteoclasts numbers of diabetic rats. The serum bone turnover markers levels were down-regulated after lycopene treatment. Meanwhile, the bone and serum OPG, RUNX 2 expression levels were up-regulated by lycopene in diabetic rats, and the OPG/RANKL ratio was also up-regulated.” According to the news editors, the research concluded: “This study showed that lycopene could ameliorate diabetic induced bone loss via anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, and increasing OPG/RANKL ratio in diabetic rats. Lycopene could be used for nutritional intervention in patients with diabetic osteoporosis.”     Research shows just 8 weeks of meditation studies can make your brain quicker Birmingham University (UK), August 12, 2021 Researchers at Binghamton University scanned students' brains before and after eight weeks of meditation training. Credit: Binghamton University Millions of people around the world seek mental clarity through meditation, most of them following or inspired by the centuries-old practices of Buddhism. Anecdotally, those who meditate say it helps to calm their minds, recenter their thoughts and cut through the "noise" to show what really matters. Scientifically, though, showing the effects of meditation on the human brainhave proved to be tricky. A new study from Binghamton University's Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science tracked how practicing meditation for just a couple of months changed the brain patterns of 10 students in the University's Scholars Program. The seed for the research came from a casual chat between Assistant Professor Weiying Dai and lecturer George Weinschenk, MA '01, Ph.D. '07, both from the Department of Computer Science. Weinschenk is a longtime meditation practitioner whose wife worked as an administrator at the Namgyal Monastery in Ithaca, which is the North American seat of the Dalai Lama's personal monastery. "I developed very close friendships with several of the monks," he said. "We would hang out together, and I even received instruction from some of the Dalai Lama's teachers. I took classes there, I read a lot and I earned a three-year certificate in Buddhist studies." Dai has studied brain mapping and biomedical image processing, and while earning her Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh, she tracked Alzheimer's disease patients using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. "I'm interested in brain research to see how our brains are really functioning and how all different kinds of disease affect our brain," she said. "I really have zero medical training, but I pick up all this knowledge or background from reading the literature and talking with the experts." The two faculty members had neighboring offices and shared a conversation one day about their backgrounds. Weinschenk mentioned that he had been asked to teach a semester-long class for the Scholars Program on meditation. "I told Weiying, 'Yeah, meditation really can have a transformative effect on the brain,'" Weinschenk said. "She was a little skeptical, especially about whether such a short amount of time spent learning how to meditate, whether that would make any difference. She suggested we might be able to quantify such a thing with modern technology." For the fall 2017 semester, Dai secured grant funding, and their collaboration began. Near the beginning of the semester, she took the participants to Cornell University for MRI scans of their brains. Weinschenk taught students how to meditate, told them to practice five times a week for 10 or 15 minutes, and asked them to keep a journal record of their practice. (The syllabus also included other lessons about the cultural transmissions of meditation and its applications for wellness.) "Binghamton University Scholars are high achievers who want to do the things they are assigned and do well on them, so they didn't require much prompting to maintain a regular meditation routine," he said. "To guarantee objective reporting, they would relate their experiences directly to Weiying about how frequently they practiced." The results, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, show that meditation training led to faster switching between the brain's two general states of consciousness. One is called the default mode network, which is active when the brain is at wakeful rest and not focused on the outside world, such as during daydreaming and mind-wandering. The other is the dorsal attention network, which engages for attention-demanding tasks. The findings of the study demonstrate that meditation can enhance the brain connection among and within these two brain networks, indicating the effect of meditation on fast switching between the mind wandering and focusing its attention as well as maintaining attention once in the attentive state. "Tibetans have a term for that ease of switching between states—they call it mental pliancy, an ability that allows you to shape and mold your mind," Weinschenk said. "They also consider the goal of concentration one of the fundamental principles of self-growth." Dai and Weinschenk are still parsing through the data taken from the 2017 MRI scans, so they have yet to test other Scholars Program students. Because Alzheimer's disease and autism could be caused by problems with the dorsal attention network, Dai is making plans for future research that could use meditation to mitigate those problems. "I'm thinking about an elderly study, because this population was young students," she said. "I want to get a healthy elderly group, and then another group with early Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment. I want to see whether the changes in the brain from meditation can enhance cognitive performance. I'm writing the proposal and trying to attract the funds in that direction." Though once skeptical about the subject, "I'm pretty convinced about the scientific basis of meditation after doing this study," she added. "Maybe I'll just go to George's class when he teaches it so that I can benefit, too!"   Study shows how food preservatives may disrupt human hormones and promote obesity Cedars-Sinai Medicine Institute, August 9, 2021  Can chemicals that are added to breakfast cereals and other everyday products make you obese? Growing evidence from animal experiments suggests the answer may be "yes." But confirming these findings in humans has faced formidable obstacles - until now. A study published in Nature Communications details how Cedars-Sinai investigators developed a novel platform and protocol for testing the effects of chemicals known as endocrine disruptors on humans. The three chemicals tested in this study are abundant in modern life. Butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) is an antioxidant commonly added to breakfast cereals and other foods to protect nutrients and keep fats from turning rancid; perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a polymer found in some cookware, carpeting and other products; and tributyltin (TBT) is a compound in paints that can make its way into water and accumulate in seafood. The investigators used hormone-producing tissues grown from human stem cells to demonstrate how chronic exposure to these chemicals can interfere with signals sent from the digestive system to the brain that let people know when they are "full" during meals. When this signaling system breaks down, people often may continue eating, causing them to gain weight. "We discovered that each of these chemicals damaged hormones that communicate between the gut and the brain," said Dhruv Sareen, PhD, assistant professor of Biomedical Sciences and director of the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Core Facility at the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute. "When we tested the three together, the combined stress was more robust." Of the three chemicals tested, BHT produced some of the strongest detrimental effects, Sareen said. While other scientists have shown these compounds can disrupt hormone systems in laboratory animals, the new study is the first to use human pluripotent stem cells and tissues to document how the compounds may disrupt hormones that are critical to gut-to-brain signaling and preventing obesity in people, Sareen said. "This is a landmark study that substantially improves our understanding of how endocrine disruptors may damage human hormonal systems and contribute to the obesity epidemic in the U.S.," said Clive Svendsen, PhD, director of the institute and the Kerry and Simone Vickar Family Foundation Distinguished Chair in Regenerative Medicine. More than one-third of U.S. adults are considered to be obese, according to federal statistics. The new testing system developed for the study has the potential to provide a much-needed, safe and cost-effective method that can be used to evaluate the health effects of thousands of existing and new chemicals in the environment, the investigators say. For their experiments, Sareen and his team first obtained blood samples from adults, and then, by introducing reprogramming genes, converted the cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. Then, using these stem cells, the investigators grew human epithelium tissue, which lines the gut, and neuronal tissues of the brain's hypothalamus region, which regulates appetite and metabolism. The investigators then exposed the tissues to BHT, PFOA and TBT, one by one and also in combination, and observed what happened inside the cells. They found that the chemicals disrupted networks that prepare signaling hormones to maintain their structure and be transported out of the cells, thus making them ineffective. The chemicals also damaged mitochondria - cellular structures that convert food and oxygen into energy and drive the body's metabolism. Because the chemical damage occurred in early-stage "young" cells, the findings suggest that a defective hormone system potentially could impact a pregnant mother as well as her fetus in the womb, Sareen said. While other scientists have found, in animal studies, that effects of endocrine disruptors can be passed down to future generations, this process has not been proved to occur in humans, he explained. More than 80,000 chemicals are registered for use in the U.S. in everyday items such as foods, personal care products, household cleaners and lawn-care products, according to the National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While the program states on its website that relatively few chemicals are thought to pose a significant risk to human health, it also states: "We do not know the effects of many of these chemicals on our health." Cost and ethical issues, including the health risk of exposing human subjects to possibly harmful substances, are among the barriers to testing the safety of many chemicals. As a result, numerous widely used compounds remain unevaluated in humans for their health effects, especially to the hormone system. "By testing these chemicals on actual human tissues in the lab, we potentially could make these evaluations easier to conduct and more cost-effective," Sareen said.   Social activities help dementia patients stay sharp, avoid depression University of Sheffield (UK), August 12, 2021 Approximately 6 million people in the U.S. are suffering from dementia, as well 50 million people worldwide. There is currently no cure for the degenerative condition and medical treatments often have side effects such as vomiting, loss of appetite, and muscle pains. Now, researchers say patients can greatly benefit from a type of treatment that doesn't come with such downsides and helps their brain avoid additional decline. A new study suggests that mixing with other people helps dementia patients stay sharp and fend off depression. Scientists say the type of treatment known as “cognitive stimulation” could make living with dementia easier for hundreds of thousands of people. “Dementia is one of the biggest global challenges that we face,” says senior author Dr. Claudia von Bastian, of the University of Sheffield, in a statement. “Our research highlights that cognitive stimulation can be a safe, relatively cheap, and accessible treatment to help reduce some of the core symptoms of dementia and may even alleviate symptoms of depression.” The researchers analyzed the use of cognitive stimulation as an effective treatment for people with dementia. They found that getting patients involved in social and group activities helped combat depression and boost global cognition. Global cognition refers to five types of brain function: attention, memory, verbal fluency, language, and awareness. “It's great that governments now recognize the importance for people to live well with dementia. We've seen far more energy and resources put into developing initiatives to support this, such as cognitive stimulation, which is now used widely across the world,” notes co-author Dr. Ben Hicks, of Brighton and Sussex Medical School. “We still need to learn more about the key ingredients of cognitive stimulation which lead to these benefits and how they influence the progression of dementia. However, the absence of negative side-effects and the low costs of this treatment means the benefits are clear,” adds Dr. von Bastian. More research is needed to determine whether cognitive stimulation and other non-pharmaceutical treatments could help the growing number of people who suffer fromdementia.    “Our research is the first to comprehensively interrogate the evidence base for its effectiveness, using the most up-to-date statistical techniques. While early signs are positive, there's an urgent need to improve the rigor of evaluative research and better assess the long-term benefits of cognitive stimulation. People with dementia need effective treatments, and, as a research community, this is what we must deliver,” added Dr. Hicks.     Resveratrol supplementation improves arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetics Toho University (Japan), August 18 2021 A randomized, double-blind study reported on in the International Heart journal found improvements in arterial stiffness and oxidative stress among type 2 diabetics who were supplemented with resveratrol. The trial included 50 diabetic men and women who received 100 milligrams resveratrol or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI, a novel diagnostic measure of arterial stiffness that is a marker of atherosclerosis) and blood pressure were assessed at the beginning and end of the study, in addition to blood assessments of oxidative stress and other factors. At the end of the study, subjects who received resveratrol had significantly lower blood pressure, less oxidative stress and decreased arterial stiffness in comparison with values obtained at the beginning of the study.  Participants who received a placebo experienced no significant changes in these areas. “The primary finding in the present study was that oral supplementation of resveratrol for 12 weeks decreased CAVI in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,” authors Haruki Imamura, MD, and colleagues at Toho University Sakura Medical Center in Japan write. “Many previous studies have demonstrated increased CAVI in atherosclerotic diseases such as acute coronary syndrome and stroke, and these reports indicate that CAVI reflects organic atherosclerosis.” They suggest that a reduction in oxidative stress may be one mechanism involved in the improvement in arterial stiffness observed in this study among participants who received resveratrol. Improved endothelial function via increased nitric oxide production may be another mechanism.

Greetings, Summit Leaders. Congratulations!   You are emerging from some of the most challenging times in our lifetime. Your perseverance, patience, and faith all contributed to your ability to navigate the storm. You persevered and adapted. You believed and encouraged others along the way. Someone once said, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."   We are at the edge of breakthrough growth in every area of our lives. How should we think about navigating the events and making the decisions in our daily lives?  Great leaders seek wisdom to lead well. Someone asks, "What does wisdom look like?" and received this response. "Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." Now is our time to continue practicing the disciplines so vital for every leader. Perhaps none is as important as seeking and acquiring wisdom. I remember reading a quote that said, "The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with your possessions acquire understanding." Many great leaders who have lived before us discovered the value of wisdom in their lives and careers. For example, Thomas J. Watson, Sr. emphasized the vital quality of wisdom in our career success.  "In these times... all businesses are looking for something that will aid them. You will have to explain more things to more people, but that is all to your advantage because, in that way, you obtain more training. In connection with that point, do not forget that you will need something in addition to knowledge. You must have wisdom. Without wisdom, knowledge is useless. Wisdom is the power that enables us to make practical use of our knowledge." Thomas J. Watson, Sr.  Continuous learning and growth are essential in every leader's life. The distinctive quality of wisdom is what helps our leadership and success endure in all circumstances.   Our families, colleagues, clients, and communities are the beneficiaries of the benefits of our wisdom. Wisdom gives us the ability to discern the right decision and timing even though it may seem counterintuitive.  Someone once said, "before you accept an invitation, implement a plan, sign your name to anything, agree to participate in any venture, ask yourself three questions. What is the wise thing to do based on my previous experience? What is the wise thing to do in light of my present state of mind? What is the wise thing to do in light of my future vision, goals, and dreams?"  The benefits of wisdom in our business help us acquire new clients, serve existing ones, grow as leaders, and impact everyone we meet. Someone once said, "Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And with your wisdom, develop common sense and good judgment. The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm." The best future awaits those who practice wisdom!  Victory! 

  This episode is about striated caracaras, or rather, one man's obsession with them.  The man in question is Jonathan Meiburg who is a musician, author and bird lover.  In 1833, a young Charles Darwin was astonished by a strange animal he met in the Falkland Islands: a handsome, social, and oddly crow-like falcon that was “tame and inquisitive,” “quarrelsome and passionate,” and so insatiably curious that it stole hats, compasses, and other valuables from the crew of the Beagle. Darwin met many unusual creatures in his five-year voyage, but no others showed an interest in studying him—and he wondered why these birds were confined to islands at the tip of South America, sensing a larger story. But he set this mystery aside, and never returned to it. Almost two hundred years later, Meiburg picks up where Darwin left off. These rare and unusual birds—now called striated caracaras—still exist, and A Most Remarkable Creature reveals the wild and fascinating story of their history, origins, and possible futures in a series of travels throughout South America, from the fog-bound coasts of Tierra del Fuego to the tropical forests of Guyana. Along the way, Meiburg draws us into the life and work of W.H. Hudson, a Victorian writer and naturalist who championed caracaras as unsung wonders of the natural world, and takes us to falconry parks in England, where captive caracaras perform incredible feats of memory, problem-solving, and friendship. A Most Remarkable Creature is much more than a book about birds: it's a quest for moments of first contact between humans and animals, science and religion, and the mismatched continents Europeans mistakenly called the New World.  In 1997, Jonathan Meiburg received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to travel to remote communities around the world, a year-long journey that sparked his enduring fascination with islands, birds, and the deep history of the living world. Since then, he's written reviews, features, and interviews for print and online publications including The Believer, Talkhouse, and The Appendix on subjects ranging from a hidden exhibit hall at the American Museum of Natural History to the last long-form interview with author Peter Matthiessen. But he's best known as the leader of the band Shearwater and as a member of Sub Pop recording artists Loma, whose albums and performances have often been praised by NPR, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Pitchfork. His unique career between the sciences and the arts makes him an ideal guide for a journey that takes in the deep history and landscapes of an entire continent, from the lush forests of Guyana to the windswept Falkland Islands. He lives in central Texas. “Caracaras are not like other birds, or even other birds of prey. Curious, wide-ranging, gregarious, and intelligent, the ten species of caracara are a scientific puzzle that has intrigued biologists since the days of Darwin. And this book — as curious, wide-ranging, gregarious, and intelligent as its subject — is not like any other book that I have encountered.” Charles C. Mann, author of 1491.  Image credit: Bryan C. Parker Summary of the episode 1:00 What are Caracaras? 3:00 Falklands from Tierra del Fuego. 5:25: Bird life in the Falklands per Darwin. Striated caracaras. 8:30 Black-browed albatrosses.  140,000 birds sitting on their nests in the summertime.  Royal and Wandering albatrosses. 10:00 Jonathan imitates bird sounds. 12:00 Antarctica used to be warm before the Cretaceous extinction. The ancestors of falcons lived there and came to North America later on.  Greatest diversity of the various falcon species are in North America. 13:00 True falcons-- what are they? 14:00 Specialist versus generalist approach to life. 15:00 Are Caracaras intelligent? Ten species of Caracaras.  Only one is endangered: Striated Caracaras.  Why are they only in the Falklands? This is what Darwin asked. Jonathan has a theory about why Striated Caracaras are stuck in the Falkland Islands. 20:00 Who was William Henry Hudson? The book has both these characters? What did Darwin think about the function of music? 24:00 Guyana trip to look for tropical caracaras.  About the red-throated caracaras.  They nest in bromeliads, sometimes 200 feet off the forest floors.  Feed on wasp combs, litter their nest with millipedes (pest control?) 27:00 Genetically, falcons are closest to parrots.  Not hawks and eagles. 28:00 The Guadalupe caracara.  30:00 Flamingoes on Andes Mountains 33:00 The future of striated caracaras.  

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://quiteaquote.in/2021/02/17/thomas-j-watson-company/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/quiteaquote/message

Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use. Thomas J. Watson Before you can put your time and knowledge to the proper use, you first have to know what the proper use IS. That takes vision and purpose, knowing yourself, understanding your gifts and talents, and discovering the creativity God has given you. The "proper use" is putting that vision to work creating impact on the lives of other people. Discover your vision, put your time and knowledge to work ON that vision. That's power. That is WISDOM!!

“Don't make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up.” — Thomas J. Watson Dari beberapa peserta pelatihan yang saya fasilitasi, ada sebuah mindset yang menurut saya menarik : Saya tidak mau berkembang, karena tidak enak dengan teman, kerabat, bahkan keluarga. Menarik ya? Mendahulukan kebahagiaan orang, baru kebahagiaan diri sendiri. Yang niatnya ingin membahagiakan orang, prosesnya menjadi lebih sulit. ... Bagaimana jika ada cara berbeda?  Belajar dari Pembunuh yang sedang menyekap lakon utama di film TGWDT Yang saat anda praktekkan, anda dapat berkembang dengan lebih mudah. ... Dan untuk teman dan kolega anda yang ingin lebih percaya diri dalam public speaking, saya sedang merancang mini course yang akan di launching di bulan Juli : Hypnotic Presentation : Membuat Orang Percaya Hanya Dalam Waktu 3 Detik. Yang akan anda sukai dalam pelatihan berbentuk online course ini adalah  Berbentuk rekaman video online (kajabi) Dapat dinikmati kapan saja dan dimana saja (sesuai waktu senggang anda) Hanya memakan waktu total 1,5 jam Mindset public speaking berbeda Anda nyaman presentasi dan orang akan terinspirasi. Informasi selengkapnya, serta pdf Gratis download menjadi magnet keberlimpahan dengan Law of Attraction www.berkembangbersama.com  

Greetings, Summit Leaders. Be encouraged, my friends, because you are preparing now for the best! I am always inspired when I speak with Summit Leaders and recently a group of IBM Summit Interns by their optimism about the future. As I listen to their stories and journey thus far, it is impressive to see the leadership attributes they developed during times of challenge and testing. Qualities such as perseverance, persistence, practice, honesty, and vision are their leadership attributes. Every great leader develops distinctive qualities by responding appropriately to their challenges on their life and career journeys. Now, today is the day to prepare for the best in your life and career! There is an excellent opportunity for significant and growing work that is open to us now. And there are many adversaries. Great leaders exercise their faith and step into the possibility. Every time we receive a new opportunity, one of the wisest things we can do is think back on our journey and the faithfulness we experienced in gaining victory over fear, "imposter syndrome," doubt, and unbelief. Remember, Reflect and Resolve. Remember the victories won thus far. How did you respond then, and what is your best response now? Reflect on the insights you gained along the way as you persevered, persisted, and practiced disciplines to win. One leader described being homeless for a while but persevered, kept her faith, completed school, and is now thriving as a college student and IBM intern. Resolve to keep going and not quit. Never give up! is the attitude I repeatedly hear in the stories of Summit Leaders. The opportunity is tremendous, and to whom much is given, much is required—faithfulness matters on the journey. One Summit Leader speaks of the disciplined practices that help him perform at his best and be adaptable to changing circumstances. Preparing for the vision you have for the future is a step in faith great leaders take and encourage us to do the same. "Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" - Anne Frank. Great leaders believe and are optimistic about the future. They envision their vision even during the most challenging of times. They have a confident assurance, and they encourage others as they go. The open door ahead of us requires we step through by faith. It requires study to show ourselves approved—expecting, anticipating, and preparing for the best! All the Summit Leaders I know are: • Hard workers. • Strive toward the extraordinary. • Creative. • Building skills and confidence to prepare for the best for themselves. • The new clients they will serve. • The communities where they live. • Their families. "The future is going to demand more of us than the past has demanded, and it is going to give us more in return. If we measure up to our job, if we give to this world everything that is in us, we shall get more in return in the future than we ever did in the past." - Thomas J. Watson, Sr. "Foreseeing a Century of IBM Progress" Closing Address, 1932 One Hundred Percent Club. January 25, 1933, New York, NY. Be encouraged, Summit Leaders! The best is coming. Let's get ready! Victory!

Greetings, Summit Leaders. In part 1, we heard from a Summit Leader enjoying his first ten years at IBM and his vision for the next ten years. What's your strategy for resiliency? Great leaders focus on building a system in preparation for the inevitable challenges they know will come on their journey. "Yes, I know. It doesn't seem like it's been that long. I remember coming into IBM and sticking close to the adults in the room/mentors to learn enough to survive. Now when things get crazy, I look around and think, "I am the adult in the room." which is terrifying Ha-ha." "Things are going well, though. IBM has been pretty good to me, and I'm looking forward to the next ten years!" Summit Leader. It's beautiful to see leaders growing in their life and career. What will we all need to do to ensure the next ten years are more fruitful and prosperous? How can we ensure we are building resiliency in our lives and business? 1. Wisely choose where and how you will build your life, career, and business. 2. Select your advisors and accountability partners wisely. Someone once said, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." "Walk with the wise and become wise, associate with fools, and get into trouble." 3. Inspect your foundation regularly for structural integrity. 4. Continue practicing the disciplines daily for successful building. Consistency in doing the right things has a compounding effect. 5. Keep your vision and seek your purpose. "If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you." - Steve Jobs. 6. Practice mindfulness. We use our five senses, Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Touch, to control our thinking. Being present, focused on the here and now, keeps us alert and allows us to concentrate on who we are - our identity. 7. Volunteer in serving. In the process, we gain a sense of belonging, community, and connection. Building delays are part of the process. Sometimes, things outside of the control of the builder require a pause. Weather conditions may cause delays. Wise builders understand that delays are not denials. Waiting is one of the hardest things to do when our vision for the building is in place, and the work is underway. Why wait? Timing and perspective are vital in life, career, and business. During the time of waiting, continue practicing what you know to do now. Our inclement conditions are tests to strengthen our resiliency for the journey ahead when building resumes. Many believe that waiting tests our character. "None of us can ever hope to get anywhere, to be of real use to ourselves, to our community or our country, unless we have the character, the moral courage, and the spiritual strength to accept responsibility. Strength of character is the one basic trait that will be found in all people who achieve greatness." - Thomas J. Watson, Sr. Believe that the best is yet to be. Keep your vision. Expect, anticipate, and prepare for the realization of the dream. It will surely come! Victory!

When you look at immunity, you're looking at wellness. Immunity is about peak optimal performance; that your needs are met, you're not stressed or anxious, and you're able to focus. I think animal wellness supports that in terms of providing optimally nutrient dense food and with minimal inflammation. Our immune system is compromised when we're inflamed and inflammation comes primarily from junk that's in our food. Eating whole, high nutrient dense, and anti-inflammatory foods is so important for boosting immunity. - Anya Fernald   Get 15% off your CURED Nutrition order with the code WELLNESSFORCE   ---> Get The Morning 21 System: A simple and powerful 21 minute system designed to give you more energy to let go of old weight and live life well.   JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP | *REVIEW THE PODCAST* Wellness Force Radio Episode 393 Co-Founder and CEO of Belcampo, Anya Fernald, shares her mission to revolutionize the meat industry from the inside out, explains how ethically raised meats can boost your immunity while also helping the planet, and explores our spiritual and emotional connection to food.   How do we create and consume animal products that are good for people, the planet, and the animals themselves?     Join us as Anya shares her mission with Belcampo to revolutionize the meat industry by farming meat the right way with regenerative agriculture and positive climate practices.   Belcampo Farms Get 20% off of your first Belcampo order with the code WELLNESSFORCE Belcampo was founded with a purpose: to create meat that’s good for people, planet and animals. What started as one mom’s desire to feed her family the healthiest meat possible became a mission to revolutionize the industry from the inside out. Belcampo is the pioneer of hyper-sustainable, organic, grass-fed and -finished, Certified Humane meats, broths, and jerkies. The company is on a mission to revolutionize the meat industry for the well-being of people, the planet, and animals by farming meat the right way – with Certified Humane, regenerative, and climate-positive practices, which means it’s better for you, the planet and the animals. Conventionally raised animals are confined to feedlots and eat a diet of inflammatory grains, but Belcampo’s animals graze on open pastures and seasonal grasses resulting in meat that is higher in nutrients and healthy fats.     Listen To Episode 393 As Anya Fernald Uncovers:   [1:30] Meat You Can Feel Great About Eating Anya Fernald Belcampo Food Network | Anya Fernald What Belcampo and its mission means to her. Her background in food and how she came to be a artisanal cheesemaker in Italy. Obstacles and changes she faced as an expat in Italy for 8 years. The ambitious drive that led her to get out of her comfort zone and seek work outside of the US. Her own personal health shift in Italy compared to how she felt when she lived in the US and had struggles with moodiness, dry skin, split ends, and cavities. Unpacking the slow food movement that Italians live by compared to other countries. What food actually means for our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Why good food doesn't necessarily mean it's been prepared by a professional chef but that it is clean and both whole ingredients and methods have been used. The importance of slowly growing our food, using micronutrient rich soils, and being mindful about consumption. How she has become such a strong leader for Belcampo by tuning into her intuition, speaking her truth, and being driven by their mission.   [19:00] Revolutionizing Meat: People, Planet & Animals 357 Robb Wolf The fundamental ethics that Belcampo stands behind with the treatment of their animals including raising them outdoors to support their customer's wellness. Why it's so important to raise animals in a way that is aligned with their own evolutionary context. Unpacking this fight between ethical consumption of meat and people who don't believe in eating meat. How PETA harassed her for two years including one time when she was giving a talk while also 9 months pregnant. Why PETA's question to her, "Would you eat your dog?" doesn't even make sense from a pathogen perspective as dogs are carnivores. The empathy that she has for people in PETA and why she believes their success is her success because they are fighting for the same thing: the end of animal confinement in agriculture. Belcampo's positive impact on agriculture yet the amount of grass-fed and finished farms is still less than 1%. Why many of the vegan movement messages are correct when it comes to confinement agriculture.   [27:30] Food's Connection To Spiritual and Emotional Health 376 Mike Salemi  How humans have lost the instinct to seek out whole foods as our sense of smell has decreased with the use of food packaging, processed ingredients, and marketing. Her mission to give people a product that smells amazing, has a great story and you can both connect with and feel good about purchasing. The challenge that she has for the health and wellness movement now with the simplification that food is fuel or that protein is protein powder to the point that it's playing the agroindustrial game. Why adding mindfulness to food can help us win against the agroindustrial game of processed and poorly raised, grown, or created food. Unpacking the fact that the most uncommon food to eat comes from pigs because of it being an omnivore and fear of getting sick from something such as trichinosis. Why it doesn't make sense for humans to eat carnivorous animals because they have a very similar microbiome to us and any parasites they may carry could then live in our guts. Her life as a vegetarian and experiencing poor skin conditions, low energy, weight gain, and depression  for almost 10 years before adding meat back into her diet when she moved to Italy. How she got into artisanal cheese making after being a traditional baker using whey. Why she's not anti-vegetarian and believes it works great for some people, it just didn't work well for her body.   [32:30] Healing Energy From Ethical Meats The fact that a lot of raw meat is often eaten in northern Italy and thus it became a regular part of her diet while she lived in that area and felt great because of it. How her health got worse when she came back to the US as she gained a lot of weight, felt lethargic, was grumpy, and had brain fog. Exploring how her focus on better health for herself helped launch the start of Belcampo. The real cost of food and why it's affordable to eat grass-fed and finished meat such as that from Belcampo. Unpacking the truth about organic and the hidden costs of not eating organic food. Her own rules for buying organic foods for own household. Why cows are able to process and filter out toxins such as GMOs unlike fruits and vegetables. Exploring the slow movement of grass-fed, organic meat and why the health of these animals are important for your health too. How the amount of protein in her animals differs compared to conventionally raised meat. What meat labels you should look for at the grocery store: grass-fed and grass-finished, 100% grass-fed, and pasture-raised.   [40:30] The Issues With Raising Conventional Chickens Joel Salatin 362 Zach Bush MD The fact that most common medicine in the US is antacid and most people have GI issues. Why it's so important to pay attention to what our bodies are telling us if we eat foods that make us feel sick. How eating meat again was an important piece of Anya's gut feeling better again. The fact that the third largest greenhouse gas emitter is meat that we throw away as we overproduce meat that is raised in extremely poor conditions. Why pricing is an important factor in being mindful of what we buy and put into our bodies. Exploring the impact of raising chickens either the conventional or natural way Morgan Spurlock - SUPER SIZE ME 2 Official Trailer - Holy Chicken The fact that conventional chickens can be processed by being bathed in chlorine and pumped up to be sold at higher prices with less nutrient value.   [47:30] How Conventional Chicken Is Raised In Stressful Environments Why chicken can be really complex as we our meat consumption of it is 60% and it is the most changed as far as pricing and perceived cultural value in the past 6 decades. How the high-stress environment that chickens are raised in and continuous exposure to antibiotics suppresses their microbiome and leads to rapid weight gain. The fact that some chickens are under so much stress from being kept to lay eggs to forced molting in their environment. The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of America's Food Business by Christopher Leonard The horrible conditions that some people work in and how it can also impact those who live nearby the farms. Why you should go for pastured, organic, air-chilled chicken if you are going to buy it. What happens when you degut an animal and why contamination is low for beef but high for chickens. The fact that on average even USDA approved chicken, 48% of them have some fecal matter on them. Doctors Sue USDA for Ignoring Concerns Over Fecal Contamination of Chicken How to know if your chicken has been dunked in a bleach bath because a gooshy, white liquid solution will come out.   [53:30] Ethical Meats & Immunity How to build and boost your immunity with ethical meat consumption. Why a lot of our gut health issues have to do with a the glyphosate, antimicrobials, and bleach that is in our food. The fact that all flour is now treated with antimicrobials because of the issues with E.coli. Why you might not be intolerant to gluten but have a strong reaction to antimicrobials in your food. How the strong antiviral and antimicrobial sprays on planes while traveling has affected her gut health lately. The power of nutrient dense foods to boost our immunity and wellness. Why bloating and holding onto water is a sign that there is inflammation in the body. 365 Dr. Paul Saladino The fact that most people who start eating higher amounts of animal proteins reduce their inflammation and physically look less puffy. Anya's experience following a strict carnivore diet and the healthy benefits she received from it but why she isn't following it in the long term. Why not everyone's body can handle a ton of fruits and vegetables and so they find that a meat-based diet is better for their bodies. The problem the US is facing with land that is not sustainable for growing crops yet animals can still graze on them and help redistribute seeds. Historical records of agriculture and the planting of crops that have succeed and failed such as from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl eras. The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan   ] [1:06:30] How Anya Has Become A Leader For Women In Business The biggest trigger that Anya has faced: Being dismissed as somebody who is good at marketing. Why she doesn't waste her time worrying about the other competition. How they've determined their prices based on their cost and allocation of resources. Why she focuses on spending every single moment of the day taking care of herself or making things better for her company and employees. Words of wisdom she wants to pass on women who also work in the world of business. How social media has helped her rediscover herself as an authentic leader. The feminine characteristics she is proud of in addition to being a boss. Why eating ethical meats helps us balance our masculine and feminine energies. Breaking down why healthy animal protein does allow you to have more vital femininity. What wellness and self-care practices she has invested in for personal growth and self-discovery. The benefits she has received from having a mentor to help and guide her path. Start With Why by Simon Sinek breathwork.io M21 Wellness Guide Wellness Force Community   Power Quotes From The Show Clearing Out GMOs, Bleach, & Antimicrobials In Our Food   "A lot of the issues that we have with digestion have to do with the glyphosate, bleach, and antimicrobials that are in our food. For example, all flour is now treated with antimicrobials because of the E.coli issues so you don't get sick if you eat raw cookie dough. So, when people think they're intolerant to gluten, they may actually be reacting to a strong antimicrobial that their food is infused with. From an immunity perspective, clearing out glyphosate, bleach, and antimicrobials in our food is the number one thing to do." - Anya Fernald   The No. 1 Rule About Eating Organic Foods "There are certain things I will never eat if they are not organic and that is anything that has a very thin skin and no protective exterior membrane. So, something like a blueberry, a strawberry, zucchini or lettuce. Avocado? No problem; I'll eat a non-organic avocado. Corn occasionally? Sure; It has a husk. If there's a cabbage that's not organic, I'll peel off the exterior sections before eating it but that's not my everyday choice. Be rational - the thinner the membrane as well as the sweeter it is inside, the more careful you need to be about organic foods. What about meat? These animals have all these organs that make them great at processing and filtering out toxins. Will you get glyphosate from a cow that ate GMOs? No way; you can't make a better machine that is able to filter out toxins than a cow but eating organic animals is more about being the change that you want to see in the world." - Anya Fernald   Human Wellness Is Supported By Animal Wellness   "From a fundamental integrity perspective, the most important factor of ethical meat is to raise the animals outdoors. This is a key piece to human health. Evolutionarily, human wellness is supported by animal wellness. We need to look at systems that allow animals to live in an evolutionary context; in systems that are aligned in a way with their own evolution." - Anya Fernald     Links From Today's Show  Food Network | Anya Fernald 357 Robb Wolf 376 Mike Salemi  Joel Salatin 362 Zach Bush MD Morgan Spurlock - SUPER SIZE ME 2 Official Trailer - Holy Chicken The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of America's Food Business by Christopher Leonard Doctors Sue USDA for Ignoring Concerns Over Fecal Contamination of Chicken 365 Dr. Paul Saladino The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan Start With Why by Simon Sinek Leave Wellness Force a review on iTunes breathwork.io M21 Wellness Guide Wellness Force Community Anya Fernald Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Belcampo Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube   About Anya Fernald Anya Fernald is the Co-Founder and CEO of Belcampo. She is an entrepreneur, chef, and agriculture expert, appearing as a judge on the Food Network's Iron Chef America, Iron Chef Gauntlet, and The Next Iron Chef. After experiencing the positive effects that eating clean meats had on her own health–and recognizing the impact of the quality of life of the animals we eat–she set out on a journey to produce the highest-quality meats there are, both in the ethics of how they’re raised as well as pure deliciousness. Fernald was born on a raw-milk dairy farm outside Munich, Germany, while her parents were teaching and researching abroad. When she was 3 years old, her family moved back to the United States, eventually settling in Palo Alto, California. After graduating from Wesleyan University with a degree in political science, she received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, leading to work as an itinerant cheesemaker in Europe and North Africa. In November 2012, the first Belcampo Meat Co. storefront opened its doors in Marin County, California, following the opening of Belcampo Butchery, a 20,000 square foot, USDA-approved multi-species slaughter facility designed by animal welfare expert Temple Grandin, and a nearby 27,000-acre (11,000 ha) farm. It has butcher shops and restaurants in Los Angeles, Marin, Santa Monica, San Francisco, San Mateo, Oakland, and New York. Belcampo also sells meat in Erewhon Grocery Stores. Fernald co-founded the company and serves as its CEO.   Build Immunity. Breathe Deeply. A simple, powerful 21 minute morning system designed to give you more energy to let go of old weight and live life well. Get Your Calm Mind + Immunity Building Guide  *6 science based morning practices guaranteed to give you more energy and less weight in 21 Minutes. *7 day guided B.R.E.A.T.H.E breathwork included.   More Top Episodes 226 Paul Chek: The Revolution Is Coming (3 Part Series) 131 Drew Manning: Emotional Fitness 129 Gretchen Rubin: The Four Tendencies  183 Dr. Kyra Bobinet: Brain Science 196 Aubrey Marcus: Own The Day 103 Robb Wolf: Wired To Eat Best of The Best: The Top 10 Guests From over 200 Shows Get More Wellness In Your Life Join the #WellnessWarrior Community on Facebook Tweet us on Twitter: Send us a tweet Comment on the Facebook page Watch full interviews on YouTube

Fi Sullivan, a Colorado native began singing at age four. She has spent years exploring extended vocal possibilities through new sonic realms in electronic music. Transcendently influenced by the beauty and complexity of nature. Fi has researched Intersections of Technology and Human Vocal Continuity as a 2019 recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. She lived and performed in Berlin, Linz, Reykjavík, Nuuk, Dublin, the Hague, Sydney, Canberra, and Buenos Aires before returning to the United States in March 2020. Fi will release her first EP, Shades of Forest, this Spring. For more info. visit the podcast page www.talkingjoy.org

Greetings, Summit Leaders. Today, in business, we see leadership displayed through genuine caring for each other. Our emotions are significant drivers in our life and career success. Someone once said that "faith, hope, and love will remain, but the greatest of these is love." Love is caring for another person. It is one of the most distinctive qualities of a leader. I am encouraged with Summit Leaders' expressing this type of heartfelt desire to see their colleagues, and ultimately our clients succeed. It's fantastic to see love become part of our culture of caring for each other. The practice is not new. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." The opportunity is ours when we begin building this mindset into everything we do. With practice, the response of love, doing things for others with the right motivation becomes hard-wired in our brains. Love moves us to action and builds resiliency. When we love what we do, choose to express love for those we serve, work with and lead, transformation occurs. Think of someone who demonstrates love through genuinely caring about you and your best interest. Seek to be that kind of person. Love is a character quality we admire and remember. "Strength of character is the one basic trait, which will be found in people who achieve greatness." Thomas J. Watson, Sr. There is something about this type of leadership that changes the atmosphere wherever they go. People feel empowered by them and willing to give their best to the mission, the company, the family, and friendship. Love is a difference-maker in employee engagement and client satisfaction in the business. People working in cultures where they feel free to express compassion and care for each other were more satisfied in their roles, committed to the organization, and accountable for performing with excellence. Great leaders and growing leadership understand the impact of love in empowering people to overcome obstacles; "perfect love casts out fear" and enables one to perform at their best. "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love." – Martin Luther King, Jr. Great leaders practice the little actions of love. They give a warm smile, a kind note of appreciation, have a sympathetic ear. They persistently practice these habits daily and help create a culture of love, high employee engagement, productivity, and the leap in client satisfaction that comes with it. Love is not a substitute for competency, hard work, discipline, and dedication. Love is a multiplier of these qualities in leadership. Relationships are essential in business and life. Love is the highest level of a leadership relationship. From ancient times we are encouraged to "pursue love." Love never fails. Be persistent. So, how do we begin showing acts of caring motivated by love? 1. Think about the other person first. How can I add value to their lives today? Sometimes, it can be in the tone of voice when we leave a voice message during a cold call campaign. 2. Patience: Love is patient. 3. Be honest, especially if there is a problem. 4. Listen. 5. Recognize love in others and seek to emulate it. Be courageous and bold. Perfect love casts out fear! Victory! References: 1. "Employees Who Feel Love Perform Better" by Sigal Barsade and Olivia A. O'Neill, Harvard Business Review 2. SELDI PODCAST: "The 3 P's are invaluable. - Overcoming Worry." a. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-3-ps-are-invaluable-overcoming-worry/id1339827812?i=1000436376408

Friendship Quotes “Don't make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up.” — Thomas J. Watson “The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” — Elisabeth Foley “Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.” — Tennessee Williams “Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you; spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” — Amy Poehler -------------------------------------------------- As from the BDSA Team, we love you and appreaciate you and speak life into you. Peace and Love. ########################## Follow: INSTAGRAM: bit.ly/371VNVf GOOGLE PODCAST: bit.ly/2HmmHhw SPOTIFY: spoti.fi/3fmqOFQ APPLE PODCAST: apple.co/3fkJhnk Support us via our patron link www.patreon.com/babydaddysa ##########################

Honestly, at this point, I feel like Captain America because life keeps punching me and knocking me down but I keep getting up and telling it that I can do this all day. The only problem is that the only super-soldier serum I know is cocaine, and we're not going down that road again so I'm going to need life to chill out… "If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work." - Thomas J. Watson --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/john-kalu/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-kalu/support

Greetings, Summit Leaders. In 1999 I received a memento during a meeting recognizing a group of people for their volunteering efforts. I did not realize the magnetic keepsake held advice that would change my life and business career. I placed it on my refrigerator. Now, over twenty years later, I see it as one of the most valuable insights in my career. The quote on the refrigerator was there for years before I began to see the highlighted value of wisdom. "I love those who love me, and those who seek me early will find me." In my early career as a seller, I felt the need to rush to action. My zeal was an attribute that needed the knowledge to help. However, I could not create value and lasting partnerships in business with my clients even with this combination. In 2001, I began intentionally asking myself this question; "What is the wisest thing to do at this time?" Asking this question became a habit in my business and life. I wish I could say I consistently practiced this discipline in every circumstance. But I began noticing my decision making and timing associated with winning were improving. There is an enormous opportunity for focused, dedicated, and disciplined leaders. Wisdom and timing are game changers. Wisdom is the principal thing. Please make acquiring it a priority on your journey. Thomas J. Watson, Sr. encouraged a group of leaders during a pivotal point in our history with this statement on July 12, 1932. "In these times, all businesses are looking for something that will aid them. Do not forget that you will need something in addition to knowledge. You must have wisdom. Without wisdom, knowledge is useless. Wisdom is the power that enables us to make practical use of our knowledge." p. 34 The World's Greatest Salesman. Here are several observations that may help us apply the wisdom so vital in winning the battles of life and business. Develop a habit of asking yourself, "What is the wise thing to do now?" - Become thoughtful in consideration of the timing and desired outcome. "Whenever you face a problem repeatedly, your brain begins to automate the process of solving it. Your habits are just a series of automatic solutions that solve the problems and stresses you face regularly. Clear, James Atomic Habits (p. 45). Discipline your thinking by applying knowledge and wisdom in building value and a differentiated client experience. The process will allow us to decide based on the combination of knowledge, experience, and intuitive understanding. Wisdom is for big things and little things. Wisdom is for every part of life. All the little things and habits add up to make our life what it is. So, I encourage you today, seek out the truths that wisdom offers and apply them to your business and life. Put wisdom to work in your heart, thinking, home, family, and serving clients in a distinctive fresh way. Exalt wisdom, and it will promote you and bring you favor. Try it! Your outcomes will be long-lasting. Victory! Reference: “Timing in Life and Business” https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/seldi/episodes/2020-10-21T18_48_07-07_00

Today's episode is another where it is me discussing a quote I find inspirational and meaningful. This quote comes to us from Thomas J. Watson, the former CEO of IBM. His quote is a really good one for leaders to consider they idea that before they lead others, they must first be able to lead themselves.

Tal Rabin. A professor at the University of Pennsylvania . Former head of cryptography research group at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center and Algorand Foundation. We discuss the history of the IBM crypto research group and its legacy in the field.

Elite distance runner Becky Wade Firth, a standout at Rice University in Texas, was expected to turn pro after graduation. Instead, she chose a different plan that changed her life and how she looks at running and training. Becky decided to travel the world, but not just to see and explore like a typical college-age kid.  She applied for and won a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to travel the world to learn how others run. Over the course of 12 months, Becky traveled solo to 22 countries including Switzerland, Ethiopia, New Zealand, and Japan to learn about some of the world’s most fascinating running traditions, and she captured her experience and findings in her book RUN THE WORLD.  Coach Claire talks to Becky about how her year abroad affected her and what she learned from this incredible experience. They also get into Becky’s cross training, her experience with orthotics, similarities between recreational and pro runners, and Becky’s perspective on running in a year without in-person races. Becky is still an avid writer and in addition to her book, you'll find her work all over the web in places like Runner's World, Outside, Podium Runner, Women's Running and more. She is also a food lover and traveler. Part of two sets of twins born 20 months apart, Becky grew up in Dallas, Texas, before making her way to Rice University on a track scholarship. There, alongside the world’s greatest teammates and coach, she fell in love with the distance running lifestyle and by the time she graduated, was a junior national champion, an All-American in cross-country and track, and an Olympic Trials qualifier in the 10K and 3K steeplechase. Since then, Becky has moved up to the marathon, signed with Flynn Sports Management, relocated to Boulder, Colorado, and gotten married. She’s competed in three more Olympic Trials (4 total: 2 in the 3K steeplechase, 2 in the marathon) and qualified for 2 senior USA teams (2018 and 2020 World Half Marathon Championship, the latter of which USATF sadly pulled them out of). She now has her eyes set on the 2021 US Olympic Track Trials, faster PRs over all distances, and many more writing projects—ideally a second book before too long!     Questions Becky is asked:   3:54 Instead of going directly from college to the pros, you took a year off to travel to 22 different countries to learn what runners do all over the world.  What were some of the biggest similarities and differences you found when compared to American running?    5:19 Some of the countries you went to are obviously the big running countries that we all think about, Japan and Africa, New Zealand, all of these places, but you didn’t end up just going to those places; you took a couple of detours. Anything you want to tell us about that and what you learned about that?   7:17 Were you worried at all before you left? Because people who are on track to do amazing things in whatever sport it is, they kind of get nervous about change, they kind of get nervous about getting out of their schedule. Were you worried when you took off for a year that your running might suffer?   9:01 I think that if you want to learn more about your own country, the only way to do it is to leave it, so I highly encourage everybody who can in college just to get out of America to see what the rest of the world is like.   9:43 What was it like coming back to the States after that experience?  Do you think it made you a better runner?   10:51 Recreational runners think the same thing as professional runners, “Are we doing enough? Should I be resting? Should I be doing heel lifts?” Or whatever it is. You just think that “I’ve got to do it in such a perfect way,” and there’s room for flexibility.   11:44 2020 has been obviously a very strange year for everybody, but I'd love to know how you are doing specifically and how you've been training.   15:12 Let’s talk a little bit about your cross training. I’ve looked through your Instagram. There’s a lot of pictures of you in the pool and I know you aqua jog. Can you help us out and give us some tips to make aqua jogging less boring?   20:03 Besides your book, you are a pretty prolific writer. You write articles for lots of running magazines and online places, so what are some of your tips? I know you recently wrote an article for Runner’s World about challenging the conventional rules of running. Do you want to talk a little bit about that?   22:26 Why do you wear orthotics? What is it for you?   23:28 We think of orthotics as a temporary solution, but to hear that you’ve been wearing them for 10 years, that’s super interesting.   23:55 Another conventional rule of running you challenged in your Runner’s World article was the 30-minute window, that you have to eat 30 minutes after you stop running, and you found that not to be true.   25:08 One thing I’ve been asking almost everybody this year is without in-person races, s really hard for a lot of people to find motivation, and for a lot of people it’s going to be a really long time until we race again. Do you have any tips or any suggestions to kind of keep that spark, and what can you do as far as training goes in a world without races?   28:51 What’s coming up for you in the future? What have you got your sights on? Questions I ask everyone:   30:00 If you could go back and talk to yourself when you started running, what advice would you give?   31:02 What is the greatest gift running has given you?   32:01 Where can listeners and charities connect with you?   Quotes by Becky:   “It really allowed me not only to see how the best runners in the world train, and some of the strongest, most kind of iconic running traditions are, but I also got to see so many just passionate recreational runners and see how running influences their life to just the same degree as someone whose career it is but in a different way.”   “I think there are maybe components of successful training systems that people maybe can apply, but there’s really not that. I think one of my fears was that I was going to go travel and see that what it takes to be a really good runner is to be like 100% dialed into running. That’s your life. That’s all you do. You do everything perfectly, and I literally never saw that, so that was kind of validating.”   “I think there are a lot of things you can do, nothing that is exactly like racing because I just find like the whole atmosphere, and like official results, and the community and everything, that’s really what makes road racing special to me and to a lot of people I think, but there are other ways to I think really stay engaged with the sport and stay on top of training and still work towards goals.”   Take a Listen on Your Next Run Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel Mentioned in this podcast:   Becky Runs Away Run the World book Thomas J. Watson Fellowship Runner's World Article: When You Can Challenge Conventional Running Wisdom Runner's World Article: Alternative Outlets for Your Competitive Fire Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community RunnersConnect Facebook page claire@runnersconnect.net https://www.precisionhydration.com/ Follow Becky on:   Instagram We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top. The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use. The more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, the more I can reach out to and get top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you!  

Seventy-one-year-old Lucinda Watson, the granddaughter of IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, Sr. and the fourth child of six of Thomas J. Watson, Jr. who ran IBM from 1952-1971, calls her debut collection of poetry The Favorite because, she says, she WAS her father’s favorite, “the pretty one” of five daughters. But in the title poem, “The Favorite” she intimates that although she was “the one chosen to travel /on long trips and / to sleep in his room,/ while everyone else stayed home,” the relationship was fraught with fear and unhappiness. The 24-line free-verse poem segues at line seven into a dark theme that defines many of the poems in this confessional memoir: “Once, my mother dressed me up / like the woman he was sleeping with.” A loaded line that suggests the psychological abuse Watson endured from both parents. And in “Seeing Lake Tahoe” her recollection moves from remembering the brilliance of the “electric blue of the lake and sharp bright harshness of the sun” to seeing in her

Business Psychologist Michael Costello meets one of the most influential thinkers on leadership of our era…Mr Jim Collins (who rarely gives an interview!). Having authored or co-authored six books that have sold in total more than 10 million, Jim is releasing Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 to crack the challenge 'How do you turn your business in to an enduring great company?' Reed Hastings at Netflix stated that the original book had more influence on his leadership than any other person or any other book. Jim shares his thoughts on his time with Steve Jobs (during Jobs's wilderness years at 'NeXT') but also shares lessons from leaders at Xerox, Gillette and Netflix on what they did to grow personally & challenge their business. The conversation pulls on the leadership behaviours of George Washington, Winston Churchill and President Kennedy to break the challenging business issues of today & offer a perspective on what we need from the American President Joe Biden during the Covid Crisis. Agenda: Bill Lazier / The definition of leadership / Advice for Joe Biden John F Kennedy’s decision making / The artistry of leadership Why Joe Biden needs to confront the brutal facts….and why its “Stockdale paradox time” Don’t bet against the US and the UK’s “Deep Resilience” during Covid “Who Humility” Culture to drive action after debate & George Washington’s Silence Jim Collins’ time with Steve Jobs’ “Totally in the Wilderness” / Steve Jobs 1.0 and Steve Jobs 2.0 Abraham Lincoln’s Restraint (“Never Signed and Never Sent”) The Personal Touch in Leadership… “A Deep respect and love of your people” From IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Jnr’s Open Door to Tactile Leading by Zooming Around “The Window & the Mirror” of Steve Jobs What the greatest CEO’s do to get the Right People in the Right Seats Ever Forward…Alive & Kicking at Netflix & Amazon & the Future of Leadership Jim’s message to Business Leaders…Is this the time for Big Hairy Audacious Goals?! What’s the most important thing that Jim Collins has learnt? Podcast notes: Website: www.https://www.jimcollins.com & Twitter: https://twitter.com/level5leaders B.E. 2.0 (Jim Collins & Bill Lazier): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/538708/be-20-beyond-entrepreneurship-20-by-jim-collins-and-bill-lazier/ Jim Collins “Good to Great”: https://www.jimcollins.com/article_topics/articles/good-to-great.html John Gardner: https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/07/14/self-renewal-gardner/ The Stockdale Paradox / Jim Stockdale: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-War-Jim-Stockdale/dp/0553253166 Ron Chernow – George Washington: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Washington-Life-Ron-Chernow/dp/0143119966 In Search of Excellence: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Search-Excellence-Americas-Best-Run-Companies/dp/1861977166 Robert Kennedy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/342103.Thirteen_Days Ed Catmull: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creativity-Inc-Overcoming-Unseen-Inspiration/dp/0593070097 Anne Mulcahy: https://discoveryourtruenorth.org/anne-mulcahy-just-keep-fighting/ Image Credit: MATT NAGER FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jointheevolution/message

LOS EXITOSOS BUSCAN EL FRACASO Thomas J. Watson, fundador de IBM decía que «la forma de tener éxito es doblar el porcentaje de fracaso». Mientras los pobres de mentalidad están todo el tiempo postergando la acción, el inicio, tratando de evitar los fracasos al máximo, el exitoso camina sin ningún miedo de lo que puede suceder. Hay una frase que retrata muy bien la vida del que nunca logra nada: "una vez que me decido estoy lleno de indecisiones".  Los exitosos: 1.- SABEN LO QUE QUIEREN Napoleón Hill, dijo: «el punto de partida de cada logro es desearlo». Cuanto dinero quiero lograr este mes? Cuantos nuevos clientes estoy buscando? Cuantas nuevas ciudades? Cual facturación y cual utilidad? Cual es la meta de gasto que quiero tener? QUE QUIERO? 2.- SE FUERZAN A ACTUAR Teodoro Roosevelt, uno de los más grandes líderes iniciadores del siglo XX fue capaz de decir, «No hay nada brillante o destacado en mi historia, excepto quizás esto: Hago las cosas que creo que tienen que hacerse ... y cuando me decido a hacer algo, lo hago». 3.- SE ARRIESGAN MÁS John F. Kennedy afirmó, «Hay riesgos y costos para un programa de acción, pero son mucho menores que los riesgos a largo plazo y los costos de no hacer nada». 4.- SE EQUIVOCAN MÁS El senador Robert Kennedy lo resumió así: «Solo los que se atreven a fracasar en grande pueden alguna vez lograr lo grande». 5.- TRIUNFAN MAS!!! Los exitosos usan cada fracaso como el siguiente escalón a su éxito!!! Carla Cortez!!

Takeaways from today's episode: “I was not put on earth to follow your wishes”, you have to help yourself and reach out to good people who can mentor you. Don’t compromise on your dreams. Get mentorship from multiple sources.You should not self-censor, this is a result of socialisation. Don’t be afraid to speak up.Ask for support when you need it and stop trying to be superwoman and negotiate a partnership which works.ResourcesSome inspirational Women leaders in STEM from: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/research-action/women-leaders-global-healthInsights from Women Leaders: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/research-action/women-leaders-global-health/insights-women-leadersShubha’s article in nature; Mentorship comes from many sources: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-018-0189-x?WT.feed_name=subjects_neurogenesisInspirational words from Shuba Tole: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr6l3GckVNIShubha Tole on not compromising on your dreams as a woman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7s7bP40gk0Marriage, women and STEM: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/entrepreneurship/how-societal-norms-work-against-women-choosing-stem-careers/articleshow/60804962.cmsReview of gender inequities in sub-saharan Africa: http://genderandset.open.ac.uk/index.php/genderandset/article/view/652/0Mansplaining: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180727-mansplaining-explained-in-one-chartInterviews with Women in STEM podcast (In French): https://www.iybssd2022.org/20-a-podcast-where-women-in-science-and-tech-talk-about-themselves/ Guest informationProf. Shubha Tole obtained her BSc (1978) from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, and a PhD (1994) from Caltech, USA.  After a post-doc at the University of Chicago, she joined the faculty of the Tata Institute in Mumbai, India in 1999.  Tole actively engages in public outreach and is an engaged mentor. Connect with Shuba on twitter @shubhatole. Website: https://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/faculty/stolelab/Home.htmlProf. Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha is a Senior Specialist on HIV for UNICEF’s global programmes. A medical doctor with specialist training in pediatrics, infectious disease and child health, she has extensive experience as a public health professional; and in academia including as chair and professor of paediatrics at the University of Nairobi. @DeeMboriNgachaKyla Roland completed a B.S. in Biology at Davidson College in 2019, and during her senior year she was awarded the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship.  Currently she is a Post baccalaureate IRTA Fellow at the National Institutes of Health, where she will pursue an independent research project with implications for understanding the spread of human diseases. AcknowledgementsEditing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/Research: Christine Boinett and Alice MatimbaProducers: Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer) and Emmanuela Oppong (Producer).Host: Christine BoinettMedia and Marketing: Catherine HolmesMusic: https://freesound.org/s/477388/ Sponsors:Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific ConferencesWellcome Sanger InstituteSocial Entrepreneurship to Spur Health 

This is the second part of a two-part episode in which we will learn about how Wilmer became a teacher. If you have not listened to the first part, please do so, it will help you understand where his passion for education comes from. In this second part we will learn about how his hard work and multicultural experience led him to be one of the 2 top-rated teachers in the state of New Mexico, and about the things that motivated him to become a school principal. More importantly, Wilmer encourages us to advocate for our children's education, and to hold teachers and administrators accountable to deliver it; however, don't forget to be kind… to yourself and others, because we are all in this together.Some of the opportunities mentioned in this episode:Thomas J. Watson Fellowship:https://watson.foundation/fellowships/tj

In this 227th episode of "Marketing Today," host Alan Hart interviews Andy Zimmerman, president of Frog, a company that assists leading businesses in designing, engineering, and bringing meaningful products to market. Zimmerman began his career as a writer traveling with the circus around Europe. "Life is just a circus," he says whenever someone asks him about his past. He likes to think of himself as a storyteller, inspiring clients to try new things and put themselves out there. Zimmerman believes it's essential to "make functional designs but also designs that touch people at an emotional level." We talk about how Frog has spearheaded HBO Max's creation, pushing to create a social platform that is "a combination of Spotify and Netflix." He then talks about how the experience industry has begun to blend and where that takes the industry in a future that includes COVID. "To be a leader, you need to show your vulnerability so that other people feel comfortable to show theirs," and Zimmerman tries to keep that in mind as he leads Frog into a new world! Highlights from this week's "Marketing Today": Andy traveled with the circus as an aspiring writer and novelist. 1:28 Having such a wide array of experiences has given Andy unique opportunities. 4:02 Andy has always fallen into the next new thing. 4:59 The fascinating 50-year history of Frog. 6:28 How the founder of Frog came to design for Steve Jobs and Apple. 8:15 Frog has been able to have a massive impact on the world while staying relatively small. 9:45 Creating HBO max and all the challenges that came with it. 10:15 HBO Max has added a social element to movie platforms. 11:20 Aligning with Tuesday Capital has been a mutually beneficial relationship. 12:45 Frog has been successful at separating themselves from their competition. 15:38 Service providers have begun to blend for multiple reasons. 17:53 Design touchpoints are beginning to blur. 20:10 COVID has led a massive push to digital and ARVR. 21:20 Definitions of on-site and off-site are beginning to change. 22:55 Andy had an experience that led to his spiritual awakening. 24:12 A casual conversation sparked Andy's search for spiritual insight. 25:30 How religion as a child can shape your beliefs later in life. 27:15 Don't ever lose who you are as you grow older. 28:50 Spotify has been the most impactful purchase for Andy this year. 29:45 Companies that are working to decrease the carbon footprint deserve credit. 31:23 Bellwether brings an eco-efficient solution to coffee-making that helps 3rd-world farmers. 32:50 The trend of digital dominance is threatening the world of digital marketers. 34:07 Discovery challenges that await the retail industry in the future. 36:59   Resources Mentioned: Frog Andrew Zimmerman Thomas J. Watson Fellowship PWC Accenture IdeaLab Ethan Imboden Hartmut Esslinger (founder of frog) "form follows function" --> "form follows emotion" (Esslinger) Human-Centered Design Federated Republic of Germany (FROG) Convergent Design Apple HBO Max (article about interface) Tuesday Capital Frog partnership with Tuesday Capital A novel by Zimmerman, "Journey" Capgemini – 2030 Carbon Neutral – Other European Companies Bellwether Coffee Ikea, Ikea Foundation MPOW USB Headset Spotify Marketing Today - Website   Subscribe the podcast: Listen in iTunes (link: http://apple.co/2dbdAhV) Listen in Google Podcasts (link: http://bit.ly/2Rc2kVa) Listen in Spotify (Link: http://spoti.fi/2mCUGnC ) Connect with the Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewzimmerman1/ https://twitter.com/zimmermanandy https://twitter.com/frogdesign Connect with Marketing Today and Alan Hart: http://twitter.com/abhart https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhart http://twitter.com/themktgtoday https://www.facebook.com/themktgtoday/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketing-today-with-alan-hart/   Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/marketingtoday See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the earliest computing devices was the abacus. This number crunching device can first be found in use by Sumerians, circa 2700BC. The abacus can be found throughout Asia, the Middle East, and India throughout ancient history. Don't worry, the rate of innovation always speeds up as multiple technologies can be combined. Leonardo da Vinci sketched out the first known plans for a calculator. But it was the 17th century, or the Early modern period in Europe, that gave us the Scientific Revolution. Names like Kepler, Leibniz, Boyle, Newton, and Hook brought us calculus, telescopes, microscopes, and even electricity. The term computer is first found in 1613, describing a person that did computations. Wilhelm Schickard built the first calculator in 1623, which he described in a letter to Kepler. Opening the minds of humanity caused people like Blaise Pascal to theorize about vacuums and he then did something very special: he built a mechanical calculator that could add and subtract numbers, do multiplication, and even division. And more important than building a prototype, he sold a few! His programming language was a lantern gear. It took him 50 prototypes and many years, but he presented the calculator in 1645, earning him a royal privilege in France for calculators. That's feudal French for a patent. Leibniz added repetition to the mechanical calculator in his Step Reckoner. And he was a huge proponent of binary, although he didn't use it in his mechanical calculator. Binary would become even more important later, when electronics came to computers. But as with many great innovations it took awhile to percolate. In many ways, the age of enlightenment was taking the theories from the previous century and building on them. The early industrial revolution though, was about automation. And so the mechanical calculator was finally ready for daily use in 1820 when another Frenchman, Colmar, built the arithmometer, based on Leibniz's design. A few years earlier, another innovation had occurred: memory. Memory came in the form of punchcards, an innovation that would go on to last until World War II. The Jacquard loom was used to weave textiles. The punch cards controlled how rods moved and thus were the basis of the pattern of the weave. Punching cards was an early form of programming. You recorded a set of instructions onto a card and the loom performed them. The bash programming of today is similar. Charles Babbage expanded on the ideas of Pascal and Leibniz and added to mechanical computing, making the difference engine, the inspiration of many a steampunk. Babbage had multiple engineers building components for the engine and after he scrapped his first, he moved on to the analytical engine, adding conditional branching, loops, and memory - and further complicating the machine. The engine borrowed the punchcard tech from the Jacquard loom and applied that same logic to math. Ada Lovelace contributed the concept of Bernoulli numbers in algorithms giving us a glimpse into what an open source collaboration might some day look like. And she was in many ways the first programmer - and daughter of Lord Byron and Anne Millbanke, a math whiz. She became fascinated with the engine and ended up becoming an expert at creating a set of instructions to punch on cards, thus the first programmer of the analytical engine and far before her time. In fact, there would be no programmer for 100 years with her depth of understanding. Not to make you feel inadequate, but she was 27 in 1843. The engine was a bit too advanced for its time. While Babbage is credited as the father of computing because of his ideas, shipping is a feature. Having said that, it has been proven that if the build had been completed to specifications the device would have worked. Sometimes the best of plans just can't be operationalized unless you reduce scope. Babbage added scope. Despite having troubles keeping contractors who could build complex machinery, Babbage first looked to tree rings to predict weather and he was a mathematician who worked with keys and ciphers. As with Isaac Newton 150 years earlier, the British government also allowed a great scientist/engineer to reform a political institution: the Postal System. You see, he was also an early proponent of applying the scientific method to the management and administration of governmental, commercial, and industrial processes. He also got one of the first government grants in R&D to help build the difference engine, although ended up putting some of his own money in there as well, of course. Babbage died in 1871 and thus ended computing. For a bit. The typewriter came in 1874, as parts kept getting smaller and people kept tinkerating with ideas to automate all the things. Herman Hollerith filed for a patent in 1884 to use a machine to punch and count punched cars. He used that first in health care management and then in the 1890 census. He later formed Tabulating Machine Company, in 1896. In the meantime, Julius E. Pitrap patented a computing scale in 1885. William S Burroughs (not that one, the other one) formed the American Arithmometer Company in 1886. Sales exploded for these and they merged, creating the Computing-Tabulation-Recording Company. Thomas J Watson, Sr joined the company as president in 1914 and expanded business, especially outside of the United States. The name of the company was changed to International Business Machines, or IBM for short, in 1924. Konrad Zuse built the first electric computer from 1936 to 1938 in his parent's living room. It was called the Z1. OK, so electric is a stretch, how about electromechanical… In 1936 Alan Turing proposed the Turing machine, which printed symbols on tape that simulated a human following a set of instructions. Maybe he accidentally found one of Ada Lovelace's old papers. The first truly programmable electric computer came in 1943, with Colossus, built by Tommy flowers to break German codes. The first truly digital computer came from Professor John Vincent Atanasoff and his grad student Cliff Berry from Iowa State University. The ABC, or Atanasoff-Berry Computer took from 1937 to 1942 to build and was the first to add vacuum tubes. The ENIAC came from J Presper Eckert and John Mauchly from the University of Pennsylvania from 1943 to 1946. 1,800 square feet and ten times that many vacuum tubes, ENIAC weighed 50 tons. ENIAC is considered to be the first digital computer because unlike the ABC it was fully functional. The Small-Scale Experimental Machine from Frederic Williams and Tom Kilburn from the University of Manchester came in 1948 and added the ability to store and execute a program. That program was run by Tom Kilburn on June 21st, 1948. Up to this point, the computer devices were being built in universities, with the exception of the Z1. But in 1950, Konrad Zuse sold the Z4, thus creating the commercial computer industry. IBM got into the business of selling computers in 1952 as well, basically outright owning the market until grunge killed the suit in the 90s. MIT added RAM in 1955 and then transistors in 1956. The PDP-1 was released in 1960 from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). This was the first minicomputer. My first computer was a DEC. Pier Giorgio Perotto introduced the first desktop computer, the Programmer 101 in 1964. HP began to sell the HP 9100A in 1968. All of this steam led to the first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, to be released in 1971. The first truly personal computer was released in 1975 by Ed Roberts, who was the first to call it that. It was the Altair 8800. The IBM 5100 was the first portable computer, released the same year. I guess it's portable if 55 pounds is considered portable. And the end of ancient history came the next year, when the Apple I was developed by Steve Wozniak, which I've always considered as the date that the modern era of computing be.

详细内容请关注周日微信，或登录以下网址： http://english.cri.cn/7146/2014/10/20/2582s848529.htm This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. Here is the news. Australian scientists have made the alarming discovery that sea levels have risen more in the past century than at any other comparable period in the past 6,000 years. Researchers from the Australian National University, based in Canberra, say that the 20-centimetre rise in sea levels since the start of the 20th century was unprecedented. The rise was caused largely by global warming and the melting of polar ice. The ANU study is a lengthy analysis of historical sea level trends. It found that levels have remained steady for thousands of years before rapid rises over the past 150 years, since global industrialization. The study found that the sea level has been quite stable in the last 6,000 years before the modern onset of sea level rise. The study has been described as the most comprehensive of its kind looking at the period. The scientists say the sea levels will continue to rise for some centuries to come even if carbon emissions are kept at present day levels. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife are donating 25 million US dollars to the CDC Foundation to help address the Ebola epidemic. The money will be used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Ebola response effort in the world where Ebola is a threat. The grant follows a 9 million-dollar donation made by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen last month. Zuckerberg and his wife are making the grant from their fund at the nonprofit Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page that people need to get Ebola under control in the near term so that it doesn't spread further and become a long term global health crisis. He believes the grant is the quickest way to empower the CDC and the experts in this field to prevent this outcome. The World Health Organization has said that West Africa could see up to 10,000 new Ebola cases a week within two months. It confirmed that the death rate in the current outbreak is 70 percent. The disease has killed more than 4,000 people, almost all of them in West Africa. The WHO has called the outbreak "the most severe and acute health emergency seen in modern times". You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. The Singapore government is working with IBM to adopt a supercomputer system that can answer personalized questions on government policies and services, in a bid to boost efficiency in government consultation. This is the first time any government works with IBM on its cognitive computing system called Watson, a supercomputer that can process and analyze large amounts of data, to come up with solutions to solve problems. The system was named after IBM's first CEO and industrialist Thomas J. Watson, and is capable of answering questions posed directly in natural language, which is different from traditional way of using computer codes. Singapore will first use Watson to deal with consultations in areas such as income tax, employment and work pass, and workplace health and safety. The pilot project will go live next year, and will answer enquiries about the above areas based on its analysis. Singapore hopes the collaboration with IBM will bring about a transformative change in how the government can better interact with citizens and address their needs. This is NEWS Plus Special English. China's ailing moon rover Yutu has entered its 11th dormancy as the lunar night falls, with its functions degrading gracefully. The rover is currently in good condition and works normally, but its control problem persists. Yu Dengyun, deputy chief designer of China's lunar probe mission, says that Yutu has gone through freezing lunar nights under abnormal status, and its functions are gradually degrading. He said that the moon rover and the lander of the Chang'e-3 lunar mission have completed their tasks. The rover's designed lifetime is three months, but it has survived for over nine months now. Chang'e-3 mission was the second phase of China's lunar exploration program, which includes orbiting, landing and returning to the Earth. The program is scheduled to end around 2020. The Chang'e-4 mission is under further analysis. As the backup probe of Chang'e-3, Chang'e-4 will verify technology for Chang'e-5. The more sophisticated Chang'e-5 and 6 missions are aimed for tasks including unmanned sampling and returning to Earth. China plans to launch an experimental recoverable moon orbiter before the end of this year to test technology vital for the success of Chang'e-5.