
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]

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]

Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]

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]

Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]

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]

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]

Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]

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]

Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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
slowness

We’re moving so fast as a culture. Although there are infinite benefits to all of this growth and evolution, I also think it’s forcing our natural rhythms to buckle. What would once have been a normal workday of a meeting or two, work on a proposal, the real work (whatever that may be), and then home by 5:30 has turned into hundreds of emails, Facebook updates, Tweets, texting, blogging, vlogging … and the idea that with more exposure comes more success.
I’ve chosen a lesser version, despite the advice of many small business experts. Even as a small business authority myself, I sometimes find it challenging to tell entrepreneurs that if they take more time to garden, walk, read the paper, dig into a novel, bake bread, or take a bath, it’s actually good for business. With only 16 non-sleeping hours in a day, something has to give if you’re going to get outside and plant the basil!
What’s so strangely ironic right now is that although we’re busier than ever, 90% of what we do isn’t really our core work. The times we live in require a ton of work “around” the work. I sometimes get “ambition fatigue” from all of this jostling to the top. Sometimes I pine to be a scientist who’s dedicated only to research, analysis, and articulation (as if that weren’t enough!). Modern entrepreneurs have not only their craft to hone and execute, but are also expected to be a mammoth marketing department of one.
I’ve found that I’m most content when listening to the water fountain in my yard, chatting with my husband as he takes an outdoor shower, watching my naked toddler tumble across the lawn, and making faces with my other baby as the sun sets behind the palm trees. I really relish those timeless moments. In them, I find not only meaning, but the context through which the rest of my life is meaningful.
– Amy Swift


Explore More Meaning
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branding guru. joy receiver. authenticity connector.
Andrei Najjar is an award-winning pop culture brand strategist who has curated large-scale initiatives and global campaigns for over 30 top-tier brands. He is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Vice-Chairman for the largest chapter of Meals on Wheels in the US. [www.ateliercollective.com]
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