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. big dreamer. lady in red.
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]
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
soul
Chuck Longanecker
web advisor. experience shaper. digital telepath.
Chuck Longanecker founded Digital Telepathy, which builds products that make the web easier to use. He's advised web entrepreneurs and companies like Hard Rock, Mozilla, and MySpace. [www.dtelepathy.com]
It’s important to me to have experiences in every moment of every day that I enjoy – whether it’s a good moment or a bad moment. Why make only one thing out of ten special? Why do something if there’s no meaning in it? Everything should be special. I put all those moments together and call them soul experiences.
What helps me create soul experiences is what I call experience DNA. There are things we consider hereditary, like being six-foot-two and having blue eyes. I can’t really change those things, or the other things I’ve inherited. But there are also things that happen in our lives, including things we strive for and make happen, and that create experience DNA.
If I read a book that moves me and makes me look at things a bit differently, or if I go to an event that’s so incredible it makes me look at things differently, those changes stay with me over time. They become part of my experience DNA – part of who I am.
I think of my authenticity as traveling with me. Too often, we relate our surroundings, our people, and our comforts to who we are. If I’m in a foreign place, can I maintain who I am? A quest I’m on is finding my authenticity and taking it with me everywhere I go – being brightly who I am, wherever I am.
When we look at the people we admire the most, not only for their accomplishments, but for who they are, what we appreciate about them is their authenticity. People we love the most aren’t perfect. They may be fun, but they’re not hiding their imperfections.
Internally, I’m always striving for that kind of authenticity. I’ve found that it helps to start with the people around me first – being as vulnerable and intimate and authentic with them as I can, giving them everything of who I am. Next is doing that with everyone else. I don’t know if achieving that is around the corner or on the horizon … but the path is fun.
– Chuck Longanecker
Explore More Meaning
-
innovative home schooler. lifelong learner. possibility seeker.
Pamela Beere Briggs is a filmmaker, writer, and the mother of a happy teen. Her passions include good food, engaging books, and re-thinking the wisdom of middle school. [www.TwointheMiddle.com]
-
campbell resurrector. storyteller. hero inspirer.
Pat Solomon is the producer and director of Finding Joe, an exploration of famed mythologist Joseph Campbell's studies and how they provide a narrative for living a fully realized life. [www.findingjoethemovie.com]
-
insightful speaker. obstacle climber. destiny fulfiller.
Dawn Shaw authored her memoir Facing Up to It about living with a facial difference. This creation inspired her to become a speaker. She also raises and trains Icelandic horses. [www.facinguptoit.com]
-
new media publisher. social media strategist. mythic storyteller.
Kelly Holtzclaw is a writer, racer, and wine lover. He's the founder of Facetious VSS, an interactive agency. He writes about marketing, mythic story, and film. [www.kellyholtzclaw.com]
-
intuitive. writer. journey sharer.
Danielle is a writer, coach, and intuitive who simply must share her journey with honesty, love, and beautiful words. She's married to her best friend and has two delicious children. [http://danielleboonstra.com]
-
communications coach. author. master of charisma.
Richard Greene, an author and international expert in the field of communication, coaches clients using powerful techniques that transform careers and lives. [www.richardgreene.org]
-
grief embracer. courageous survivor. midlife midwife.
Jennifer Boykin's vision is to "rebrand a gazillion crones." She speaks, teaches, and writes as the Creative Visionary and Chief Rabble-Rouser of the MidLife Reinvention site Life After Tampons. [www.LifeAfterTampons.com]
-
million dollar dreamer. x factor finder. passion pursuer.
Thomas F. La Vecchia, MBA, is the author of “The X Factor Selling System: The Sales Expert’s Guide to Selling” teaching others easy steps which can be used in the business world or in everyday life.
- More
Comments