We all have journeys into uncharted territories that we must take alone. But I have learned we aren’t necessarily alone. No matter how dark the moment, brave souls have already walked the same path. The purpose of this book is to shine a light on the path each of us takes.” – me, in Perseverance
Growing up, I watched in awe as my parents lived passionately every single day, using their passion to work tirelessly for what they believed in. They were always learning new things about the world and themselves. Most importantly, they never gave up when things got tough. My parents were the first to demonstrate to me that there is no one way road to success.
Individuals who have found unconventional paths to success and redefined what it takes to be successful have had a profound impact on my ability to create and live an unconventional life – defined primarily by passion. The road has never been easy; yet, giving up has never been an option.
The purpose of this post is to redefine what you recognize as the realm of the possible. To do this, I will introduce you to individuals I consider to be modern-day pioneers. Hopefully, they will open your eyes to an entire world of possibilities and motivate you to create your own unconventional success, to overcome feeling intimidated by the daunting task of pursuing a personal dream.
I wrote down the names of these individuals long before the idea for this post took its final shape since each of them have helped me realize that there is indeed light on the path I am taking—even though it often feels scary and lonely. I look to these individuals for courage and inspiration on a regular basis. I hope that you find inspiration through these individuals as well.
In this post, I will discuss six individuals organized within three different categories.
{It may look like a lot of information to read, so take a deep breathe and read at your own pace. Check out links during downtime – for inspiration and motivation!}
-> Redefining Change: From Curing Cancer to Eradicating Child Poverty
Josh Sommer
I met Josh while I was an undergraduate at Duke University. After I met him and his mom, Simone Sommer, my life has never been the same. Before meeting for the first time at dinner, I knew very little about Josh and expected a quick meal, nice conversation, and a definite conclusion. Of course, fate had different plans that night. Clearly, Josh and I were united for a much greater purpose. Ultimately, Josh would become one of my closest friends. What follows is a short bio to give you a better understanding of why Josh redefines what is possible and inspires me to extend past the limits of my comfort zone. For those who received an advanced release copy of Perseverance, you’ll be surprised to notice an addition to the book: the first page of the book has been changed; it is written by Josh Sommer.
Josh Sommer is the executive director of the Chordoma Foundation, an organization he co-founded with his mother, Dr. Simone Sommer, after he was diagnosed with a clival chordoma in 2006. Josh believes that patients should play an active role in facilitating treatments for their own conditions, and that the patients themselves represent a largely untapped source of funding, energy, and know-how in the treatment development process.
After finishing his junior year in May 2008, Josh was awarded a two-year Echoing Green fellowship for social entrepreneurs. Subsequently, he took a leave of absence from Duke to lead the Chordoma Foundation along with his mom. To complement his work for the foundation, Josh has joined Duke’s Program on Global Health and Technology Access as a Fellow in Strategic Philanthropy and Health. Further, Josh continues to participate in research in Dr. Kelley’s lab and helps coordinate collaborations with a network of chordoma researchers at other institutions worldwide.
You can read this article/watch the video clip for a quick overview; I’m sure he’ll leave you speechless. A link to the overview of Josh’s story is here.
Follow Josh on Twitter!
Marian Wright Edelman
At my sister’s graduation from the University of Miami, Marian Wright Edelman gave the keynote speech. It was the first time I had ever heard her life story. From her biography:
Mrs. Edelman, a graduate of Spelman College and Yale Law School, began her career in the mid-60s when, as the first black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar, she directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office in Jackson, Mississippi. In l968, she moved to Washington, D.C., as counsel for the Poor People’s Campaign that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began organizing before his death. She founded the Washington Research Project, a public interest law firm and the parent body of the Children’s Defense Fund. For two years, she served as the Director of the Center for Law and Education at Harvard University and in 1973 began CDF.
I found the speech awe-inspiring, and it left me—as it did most of the audience—speechless. You can watch online the speech Mrs. Edelman gave at Whittier College, and you can read a short excerpt from the speech here. Additionally, you can read Mrs. Edelman’s “Child Watch” column every Monday on the Huffington Post.
-> Trailblazers in Online Unconventional Success: From the Art of Nonconformity to Zen Habits
Chris Guillebeau
I “met” Chris Guillebeau via twitter and realized immediately that I had no choice but to check out what he was doing. How could I not? After all, the name of his Web site, and the common thread that links together his incredible ventures is The Art of Non-Conformity. Once there, I read the title to his free PDF: “A Brief Guide to World Domination.” I have to admit that I was more than a bit wary at first. The concept of “World Domination” is indeed somewhat lofty—but then I read the guide. Through his writing, Chris has redefined world domination and serves as a personal example of someone who walks the talk. Surprisingly, his manifesto has been read by more than 100,000 people in 60 countries. Talk about world domination!
The essence of Chris’ philosophy on World Domination:
Quoted from Chris’s site:
(1) You don’t have to live your life the way other people expect you to.
(2) You can do good things for yourself and help other people at the same time.
(3) There is usually more than one way to accomplish something.
(4) If you don’t decide for yourself what you want to get out of life, someone else will probably end up deciding for you.
Follow Chris on Twitter!
Leo Babauta
Leo Babauta is the author of a recently published, best-selling book, “The Power of Less,” and the wildly popular blog, “Zen Habits,” which was named a top 25 blog by Time Magazine and has more than 125,000 unique subscribers.
Leo has become incredibly successful through his authenticity, creativity, and a lot of hard work. He wasn’t an overnight success and talks openly on his blog about personal issues, such as exercise and living frugally. It’s very easy to relate to Leo and his strong, thought-provoking posts. He places great value in the quality of his posts and doesn’t sacrifice quality for quantity. The blog’s design also reflects his strong belief in the power of less: the blog is dedicated primarily to content and saves room for just one ad. Nor has Leo sacrificed his personal values for professional success—something most people similarly affected struggle with on a regular basis. His most recent publication is sure to be read by most of the online community: “The Essential Motivation Handbook,” which is a collaboration between Leo and Eric Hamm of the blog, “Motivate Thyself.”
Follow Leo on Twitter!
-> Changing Lives One Word at a Time: From Creating A Beautiful Ripple Effect to the Power of One
Christine Mason Miller
In December 2008, I opened a free account on Wordpress to begin a personal blog. At the time, I had just received my copy of Christine Mason Miller’s book, “Ordinary Sparkling Moments” and had read a few passages before I felt compelled to begin writing. This was a huge step for me, and it marked a passage in my life. I was going through a difficult period at the time, and this book literally became the catalyst for changing my life, embracing my difficulties, and knowing that I would emerge stronger because of the experience. My first post, written on December 18, 2008, is entitled: Ordinary Sparkling Moments. I wrote the post, clicked submit, and began my personal blog journey. In fact, the title of my blog, A Beautiful Ripple Effect, is taken from Christine’s book, and captures the purpose of this blog as well as this new series of posts on unconventional success and redefining what is possible.
When we focus our energy towards constructing a passionate, meaningful life, we are tossing a pebble into the world, creating a beautiful ripple effect of inspiration. When one person follows a dream, tries something new or takes a daring leap, everyone nearby feels that energy, and before too long they are making their own daring leaps and inspiring yet another circle.”
- Christine Mason Miller
Follow Christine on Twitter!
Maya Angelou
I have been a fan of Maya Angelou’s work since I began reading it in middle school. Still, it wasn’t until I entered Duke that Maya Angelou made a profound impact on my life through the power of her presence and words. I wrote about Maya Angelou in February in response to the following question posed by Michelle Ward: If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?
Maya Angelou. Read “why” below.
During my first week as a freshman at Duke, Maya Angelou spoke to my entire class, the Class of 2007. I was very close to the stage and could literally feel every single word she spoke. Every word had intention. I remember thinking to myself, one day… I want to have that impact on others. Her words — at that moment in my life — left a mark that set me on a path… a path that I wouldn’t even understand until years later. She was living and breathing each moment in and paying attention to the smallest details, such as eye contact and speech. She filled Duke’s Chapel with more energy than I ever experienced on other occasions. Just Maya Angelou alone on stage. She lit the spark inside of me — the little whisper that said… Wake Up! I heard her speak to each incoming freshman class until I graduated in 2007.
Today, when I listen to Maya Angelou speak, my eyes fill with tears, and those tears are filled with myriad emotions and memories. More than anything, I feel hopeful that I too will “sing.”
How incredible for one person to have such an impact on so many lives. It’s an impact that all too often goes unrecognized because it becomes so deeply rooted within each individual touched. I had to untangle the details to reveal the big picture and realize the etching Dr. Angelou created in my soul. It feels as if it’s always been there. But it hasn’t. Maya Angelou’s words remain with me — and often whisper in my thoughts to do that thing called “living” — even when the skies are filled with clouds and my heart feels heavy. I hear the powerful voice and remember that now — this moment (not the next moment) — is absolutely everything.
Future Directions
In my next post, I will focus on four more individuals. Then, we’ll look at how you can utilize the three essential ingredients with the lessons learned from the 10 pioneers featured. We’ll start thinking about the “what” – what do you want to create, what are your dreams? I’ll begin to weave in a bit of my personal story as well. If you have any specific questions, please let me know in the comments and I’ll try to address them!
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Life unfolds every moment. There are good moments and bad moments. I am learning that even during these awful, yucky moments we have the ability to experience something beautiful. I am learning this through practice. Prior to becoming more mindful, bad moments meant dark clouds, tears, and sadness. I only saw black and white. I didn’t realize that there were other options. Of course, sadness is felt; however, it does not have to be the only emotion present. During rough experiences, I felt as if the only direction I could go was down. And so I went down… until my eyes finally opened and the pieces of my life started to make sense. They don’t fit perfectly together and I’m embracing that.