More In Common

What is a fact?  A fact is something that is true.  Yet, today we are so conflicted about our facts because we have decided to conflate them with truth.

Truth is subjective.  What is true to you may not be true to me.  You may think The Matrix is the greatest cinematic accomplishment of the 20th century.  I may think that award belongs to Schindler’s List. 

What isn’t true is that either sentiment is a fact.  This is merely an opin...

In a postindustrial, technology centric, world we are taught to be productive, get a job, work, work, work…

We reserve play for short periods of time and for our childhood.  Yet, we are increasingly demanding more productivity of our children to get ahead. 

The thing about play, is that it is a necessity of life.  We need it.  We especially need it to improve learning and how we absorb information.  Games are a great way to help ki...

What do you think of when you think someone is homeschooled?  What do you think when someone homeschools their kids?

Homeschooling is a great example of the subtle biases we all project onto other because of our cultural influences. 

There are many reasons for homeschooling and it’s important to understand when it makes sense for your kids.  In this conversation with Krysten, we get into some of those reasons and why she made that ...

Developing a child is one of the most challenging responsibilities any parent will have in a lifetime. One of the biggest challenges is removing your ego to focus on what the child needs, not what you would need if you were the child.

We all struggle to separate these two realities. However, when we can, we will deliver the promise to our children that set them up to live the life they want to live.

We talk a lot in this part 2 wit...

Everyone goes through a journey from the beginning to the end. It's easy to look at our stories and think about our limitations and how they will prevent us from doing more.

That voice inside tells you one thing that reality doesn't seem to support. Then we focus so much on "what is" because we can't see "what could be."

Lisa is an excellent example of looking at life through the lens of what is possible while working through all t...

No matter how much effort you put into something, it's never done alone. This applies to everyone, including the smartest or most athletic.

A genius doesn't create without supplies, funding, or assistance to contribute to their field of study. Like an athlete doesn't get to show their skills if the structure of sport doesn't exist. 

This is highlighted by Ben and Fitz in this Part 2 episode of their conversation. They talk about th...

Culture is an agreed-upon set of values and norms that we accept and embrace. In organizations, if these aren't intentional and established, the company is not likely to operate at its best.

Ben and Fitz came to some remarkable conclusions about Culture in the collective time at Google causing them to write their book, Debugging Teams.

Their goal is to ensure teams operate at their best by being intentional about how they work to...

History is always 20/20 if we decide to look.  Looking at history from the present perspective is a flawed exercise loaded with past judgment.

Too often, we don't look at history from the present it once represented.  As a result, we don't see the perspectives of those that came before us and what they did to give us what we have today.

Paula beautifully discusses this phenomenon relative to those who had to stay silent for us to b...

We are with award-winning book author, TV writer/producer, and feature screenwriter Paula Yoo.  Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, she loves to spend time hanging with her family and cats. 

Her latest Young Adult narrative non-fiction book, FROM A WHISPER TO A RALLYING CRY: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement, is from Norton Young Readers (W.W. Norton & Company). Her book...

It's rare these days to get into the field you study in college, especially if you don't go onto a master's or Ph.D. program. 

The rising costs of education make it more and more challenging to pursue a field that doesn't set you back financially for a lifetime and aligns with how you want to live your life.

Brandon Stover is reimaging how to deliver education.   He envisions a practical approach that provides experiences, not ju...

Time continually evolves our needs and how we access those needs.  We have a thirst for knowledge and education, yet, it is increasingly less accessible to us. 

Especially education that captures what we want out of life.  Giving us the practical experience to pursue what we know we are good at, but it falls outside the parameters of traditional education.

We now can re-envision what education looks like for people and how it can...

Pursuing our dreams is not easy, and we want it to be, but it is a grind with daily effort to make our reality what we envision it.

Jeremiah Smart is an excellent example of someone living that before his dream is fulfilled.  It is never easy, but it becomes easier when we achieve what we set out to do.

However, in the early days, belief and a vision have to drive the perseverance to get where you want to be.  Jeremiah embodies tha...

So often, we look in the past to see how people have arrived at the present. It's easy to do because we can pick those we see as a "success" and wonder how they got there.

What is impressive about this conversation with Jeremiah Smart is that we get to initially see someone with the dreams and vision for their future that has yet to pan out.

We don't know where he will end up, but he does, and he will do what it takes to make a dif...

We all have a journey.  On our journey's we take many steps in every direction.  Sometimes, those steps have us walking in a circle, and it seems as if there is no way out.

As we talk about Elizabeth's philosophy on taking small pivots, we learn about her story.  We learn about what her first Pivot was that sent her life in a direction she never thought possible.

After 20 years in an abusive relationship, she took her first Pivot...

In life, there are significant moments that change the direction we go.  There are also big moments we choose not to take for fear of the unknown and the amount of change all at once. 

Many people say it is these moments that are necessary to pursue what you want out of life.  And, there is some truth to that.

However, there are so many opportunities to take small steps toward what you want.  Little pivots that add up over time s...

When we pursue passions, especially in a group, a decision needs to be made that the pursuit of the thing will be a way to make money. 

Making sure everyone is aligned to the goal while still maintaining the love for the thing is a challenge many people face.  How do we do this without selling ourselves out?

Banana Chant has an amazing outlook on this balance, and as a group, they find that balance seamlessly. It's not easy, but ...

We all work with people with who we don't always see eye to eye.  Sometimes it's our closest relationships that challenge us the most.  Put those two together, and it can be a challenge to accomplish what you set out to.

Banana Chant embodies the struggles and the way to resolve those struggles in order to accomplish the common goal. 

A group that produces amazing music has to navigate the nuances of relationships, responsibilities...

So many things try to dictate how we act. It's easy to follow when we don't know who we really are. 

In Part 2 of this conversation with Jessica, we really get into what it looks like to navigate acting most aligned to who you are and not what you are told.

The navigation of self within the social structures of our social ecosystems is a balance many do not achieve.  Jessica gets into what this looks like for her as she is an examp...

Life can be complex, with so many different influences on how we see ourselves.  Our identity is wrapped up in so many things that we can easily lose sight of who we really are.

Jessica is a shining example of understanding yourself.  She carries many labels.  Those labels could easily cause her to act in a way that is expected by others.

Yet, it doesn't change who she is.  She wears her labels with pride and still is able to maint...