author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. www.jackcanfield.com
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. www.huffingtonpost.com
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. www.squidoo.com/linchpin
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. www.yogaforyouth.org
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. www.normanlear.com
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. www.leilanimunter.com
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery’s penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. www.freetheslaves.net
mom. TED-talker. no-bullsh**er.
Sophie Chiche, founder of lifebyme.com, is the single mom of an amazing 16-year-old, Leah, and wicked step-mom of 22-year-old, Sarah. They all live in LA. You can find them boxing, cooking, collaging, hosting brunches, laughing their head off or bickering over who’s washing and who’s drying the dishes.
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. www.TheDailyLove.com
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. www.lizphair.com
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. www.tutu.org
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. www.womenforwomen.org
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He’s a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. www.timetostand.com
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. www.kiamiller.com
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. www.simonmainwaring.com
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. www.getupgirl.com
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He’s a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. www.candytangerine.com
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
innovate
Danielle LaPorte
strategist. innovator. fire starter.
Inspirational speaker and business strategist Danielle LaPorte is the creator of WhiteHotTruth.com, which helps entrepreneurs rock their careers with integrity, audacity, and their truest strengths. www.whitehottruth.com
What’s most meaningful to me right now is my creative edge, which has everything to do with innovation. How do I get to my innovative, creative edge and how do I stay there? I do it by constantly asking myself if what I’m making is as true as it can be. “What I’m making” is anything from the book I’m writing or the article I’m creating to the conversation I’m having and the love I’m giving. Is it as true as I can make it? Is there useless filler? Am I coming from the past? Am I rounding up rather than staying true? Am I rounding off my edges to try to make things acceptable? Trying to make things acceptable can be deadly to creativity.
What also keeps me on my creative, innovative edge is my devotion to being of service. So I also constantly ask myself if what I’m doing is useful. Is it useful , or is this me just talking to hear myself talk? Am I giving only because it feels good to give or am I really being inclusive and connected and intentional about what I’m giving?
If I fall off my creative edge, away from my own creative sweet spot, it usually has do with fear. Everybody wants to love and be loved, including me. When I round up or layer things just to get love, that’s when things get unnecessarily complicated. To mitigate or dissolve that fear, I accept that I’m a work in progress and that fear is going to be present in any creation of art. Art is risky business. If I’m not afraid that everyone’s going to see me naked, then I’m not really creating at a meaningful place. I take my fear to the edge with me.
I also look back. I have a body of work and truth and love and consciousness to draw on now. I spoke my truth in a loving way. I affected someone with compassion. I wrote something brilliant. So I think I can do this now. I’ve done it before.
The Dalai Lama says, “The truth is that which works.” Truth feels elegant. It’s very simple. It’s not complicated. A truth may not feel good in this moment, but it’s going to sustain me and move me forward in a meaningful way.
If I can find a way to make what I make and do what I do be different and still full of integrity, then I’m all for it. No faking it to make it anymore.
- Danielle LaPorte
Explore More Meaning
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Author. Speaker. Empowerer.
Best-selling author Mary Morrissey has been a consultant for over 30 years. Her transformational talks and seminars have made her one of the world’s leading teachers in the human potential movement. www.marymorrissey.com
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strategist. buddhist. light bearer.
Marc Sachnoff is a television producer, entrepreneur, marketing strategist, and a practicing Buddhist. He brings the Buddha to business, combining timeless wisdom and modern technology. www.enlightenedent.com
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Author. Speaker. Professional Thinker.
Mary Jane Ryan is one of the creators of the bestselling Random Acts of Kindness series. She specializes in coaching high-performance entrepreneurs and leadership teams around the world. www.mj-ryan.com
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publisher. contributor. FOUNDer.
Davy Rothbart, creator of Found Magazine, is an author, frequent contributor to the radio program This American Life, and the subject of a documentary released in 2011. www.foundmagazine.com
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community maven. yoga instructor. living example.
Rita James is a community events expert who realized that if she didn’t go within she’d go without. What resonates from within is teaching yoga and being an example to her children.
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hotelier. author. inner seer.
Bestselling author Chip Conley is the founder and executive chairman of Joie de Vivre, America’s second largest boutique hotel company. He writes about his company’s techniques and transformational leadership practices. www.chipconley.com
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Author. Teacher. Intuitive.
Sonia Choquette - spiritual teacher, intuitive guide, and bestselling author - has a powerful ability to instantly liberate people from limitations and fears into a far more effective, spirit-guided life. www.trustyourvibes.com
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mindfulness coach. author. moment expander.
John Selby, author of more than twenty books, has worked as a therapist and mindfulness coach for two decades. www.tappingdaily.org
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