How to Become an Effective CEO: Chief Emotions Officer 523 Comments

Written by Topics: Entrepreneurship, Mental Performance, Practical Philosophy


Chip Conley, founder of Joie de Vivre Hotels

Chip Conley is the founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, which he began at age 26 and built to more than 30 properties in California alone. In 2010, Joie de Vivre was awarded the #1 customer service award in the U.S. by Market Metrix (Upper Upscale hotel category).

Conley has also been named the “Most Innovative CEO” in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times, and I’m proud to call him a friend.

We’ve shared many glasses of wine together. He doesn’t know what I’m about to tell you, but it’s true (Hi, Chip!). When we first met, and after reading his first book on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I wondered “Is this Chip dude for real? Implementing self-actualization in a company?!?” My curiosity drove me to visit a few of his hotels, including Hotel Vitale, where I eventually concluded: these are the happiest employees I’ve ever met.

He has figured out what makes people tick.

The following post is a guest post by Chip and based on his new book, Emotional Equations. Be sure to read to the end, as there is a chance to win an expense-paid trip to SF to spend an entire day training with him.

Deal-making? Empire building? Self-fulfillment? He’s your guy.

Enjoy…

Enter Chip Conley

I graduated from Stanford Business School at age 23 with Seth Godin.

I remember talking with him and others about my aspirations as an entrepreneur and my desire to become a CEO some day. Back then, I thought in order to become a successful CEO, I would need to become superhuman, leaping tall buildings in a single bound. But, after 24 years of being a CEO (I founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality, what’s become the 2nd largest boutique hotelier in the world, and sold a majority interest to a billionaire in 2010), I’ve come to realize that the best business leaders aren’t superhuman, they’re simply super humans as they’ve learned how to become Chief Emotions Officers.

Chief Emotional Officer?

Leaders are the “emotional thermostats” of the groups they lead. If you want to dig into the support for this, read this compelling piece by Daniel Goleman, the man who popularized the idea of “emotional intelligence” in the 90s and proved that 2/3 of the effectiveness of business leaders comes from their EQ rather than their IQ or level of work experience.

There are multiple metaphors I use to describe how emotions work in our lives. One that feels very familiar to me is baggage. Our luggage in life is an apt metaphor for me – a guy who’s been a hotelier for a quarter century. Countless times I’ve seen people show up at our hotel front desks with all kinds of baggage, and only some of it the physical kind. Most of us have emotional baggage that may seem invisible to the untrained eye or invisible to the person carrying the baggage. But the results of lugging that baggage around for years is noticeable in how that person shows up at the metaphorical front desk of life. If you are a Chief Emotions Officer, you are more aware of all the bags you’re carrying and how to open your luggage up and make sense of what’s inside.

Opening up a bag, you may find a truly messy interior with things in complete disarray. But, these emotional equations create a certain logic to how you pack and unpack your bags and, in fact, being a little more conscious of what’s in your bag may allow you to discard a few heavy items that have been weighing you down. Creating your own internal logic regarding your emotional baggage will allow you to carry a lighter bag…one that’s eminently easier to unpack.

4 Emotions to Unpack

We’re going to focus on four emotions that you can start unpacking (i.e. mastering).

Think of emotions as existing on a color wheel. Isaac Newton created the color wheel long ago and helped us understand that red plus blue equals purple, for instance. I learned in my research for Emotional Equations – which allowed me to spend a couple of years with some of the world’s psychology luminaries – that there’s an emotional wheel with primary and secondary emotions: the Plutchik wheel. In my book, I evolve this wheel further so you can imagine that Disappointment + a Sense of Responsibility = Regret. And, once you understand the emotional building blocks of Regret, you can turn it from a downer into a lesson. Regret teaches. Fear protects. Sadness releases. Joy uplifts. Empathy unites. Think of your emotions as messages that give you the freedom, rather than the obligation, to respond. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning:

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

Now, let’s unpack and master the emotions of Despair, Happiness, Anxiety, and Curiosity.

DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING

I am very proud of this equation.

It’s the one that started my exploration of emotions through the lens of equations. I took Viktor Frankl’s book and distilled it down to this useful mantra at a time in my life in 2008, when I had a series of friends commit suicide, had a flatline experience myself while giving a speech in St. Louis (literally: my heart stopped, and I dropped), and the rest of my life felt in disarray. If you consider the words “despair” and “meaning” to be abstract or off-putting, consider “sadness” as a tamer version of despair or “learning” as a more concrete version of meaning.

First off, in order for the math to work, “suffering” has to be a constant. This is the first Noble Truth of Buddhism, but it’s also true, and not just in a recession. You can always find the suffering if you want to look for it. I had no idea when I started writing this book that this decade would come to resemble the 1930s in that our near Depression-like economic conditions would persist as long as they have. But while the Depression was a very difficult time for so many people, interview-based research studies show that it indirectly prepared young women for losing their husbands later in life. These women learned self-reliance, independence, and courage early in life, which served them (and perhaps saved their families) when their husbands passed.

So, consider “meaning” in the following way: many of us go to the gym to exercise our physical muscles to ensure that our physical body doesn’t bloat or atrophy. If you’re going through a difficult time right now, maybe – unwittingly – you’ve signed up for emotional boot camp and you’re being asked to exercise emotional muscles that haven’t had this kind of workout for years. But, this isn’t meant to be just agony. It’s meant to prepare you for later in life. The emotions you may be mastering today – humility, resilience, persistence, a sense of humor – will serve you well at some later point in your life, maybe in the not too distant future.

For me, having my long-term relationship end in the midst of my train wreck of a life in 2009 was the last thing I was looking for. Suffering felt ever-present, like the fog during a San Francisco summer. The foghorn that cut through this opaque time was the question I asked myself on my most sad, self-pitying days, “How is this experience going to serve me in my next relationship? How is this going to make me a better partner when I find my true soul mate?”

These weren’t easy questions to ask when I felt radioactive and couldn’t imagine anyone loving me again. But I kept the exercise metaphor in mind. The fact that I could joke with friends about my emotional boot camp helped me realize that great rewards – or meaning – could arise as a result of this painful experience. So, just know that there are fruits to gather in the valley of Despair.

HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

People often have a love-hate relationship with this equation. The proper definitions of the numerator and denominator are what create the magic. “Wanting what you have” can be translated into “practicing gratitude,” having a reverence for what is working in your life. The more tricky definition is in the bottom of this equation. To “have what you want” is an act of “pursuing gratification.” I want something and it’s my job to go out and pursue it or “have” it in order to satisfy that want.

Don’t get me wrong. The act of pursuing something can bring us a sense of accomplishment and take us into that focused “flow” state. But, the risk is that “chasing something with hostility” (some dictionaries’ definition of “pursuit”) or even with just focused attention can completely distract you from what’s in the numerator, what you already have. Socrates said it best, “He who is not contented with what he has would not be contented with what he would like to have.”

As a type-A guy who’s spent more than my share of time on the hedonic treadmill, I can tell you that it’s very difficult to simultaneously practice gratitude while also pursuing gratification. Some mystics are able to take the bottom of this equation down to zero, which may give them infinite happiness. But, for the rest of us mere mortals, the risk is not in lack of pursuit, as this is part of what modern society demands of us. The risk is that we completely diminish the power of gratitude.

So, the true power of this equation is in keeping your attention on the numerator.

Someone once said to me that feeling gratitude without sharing it with someone is like wrapping a present without giving it to the intended recipient. So, what are the ways you can show your gratitude in such a fashion that it becomes a habit or practice for you that’s ingrained in your everyday life? For me, I needed to start by having it on my conscious “to-do” list each day. I had a rule that I had to give two face-to-face expressions of gratitude each day at work, preferably to someone who found the thank you unexpected. In fact, I wrote about this in the Huffington Post after one of my recent trips to Bali. What if you thought of your expressions of gratitude like a devotional daily offering?

Let me give you a suggestion about a Gratitude Journal as well. They’re not for everyone, just like personal journals resonate with some while repelling others. The purpose of a Gratitude Journal is to help you be conscious about “wanting what you have.” An alternative means of accomplishing this purpose is to have a Gratitude Buddy. Make it a point to meet with your Buddy once a month (or more frequently if you wish) in a location where there are no distractions and ask each other, “What gifts do you have in your life that are easy to take for granted?” and “What was a recent gift that may have been wrapped up as a pain or punishment?”

For those of you who’d like to explore this equation a little further, I have two suggestions.

1. Check out a research article by Jeff T. Larsen and Amie R. McKibban where they literally put this equation to the test (with inconclusive results, but really interesting findings).

2. Watch my 2010 TED talk, in which I share my key learning from my trip to Bhutan to study their Gross National Happiness Index.

ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

After reading more than a dozen books and 50 research studies on anxiety, I was struck by the fact that 95% of the causes of anxiety seemed to be distilled down to what we don’t know and what we can’t control. You may have heard of the study that demonstrated most people would prefer receiving an electric shock now that’s twice as painful as receiving some random shock in the next 24 hours. This is why, as leaders, we need to recognize that hiding the truth, especially when it’s going to come out at some point in the near future, is a futile mistake that can often just increase the amount of anxiety your employees are feeling.

If we know that the combustible product of uncertainty and powerlessness creates anxiety, we can create what I call an Anxiety Balance Sheet to turn this around. Take out a piece of paper and create four columns. Then, think of something that is currently making you anxious. Regarding that subject, the first column is “What Do I Know” about this issue. The second column is “What Don’t I Know.” The third column is “What Can I Influence.” The fourth column is “What Can’t I Influence.” Spend enough time doing this so that you have at least one item per column but you may find that you have a half-dozen items in some columns.

After you feel complete, what do you notice with respect to the four columns? About 80% of the people I’ve worked this through with are surprised that they have more items listed in columns one and three (the “good” columns) than they do in columns two and four. The reality is that when something is making us anxious, we tend to fixate on those elements of the problem that feel mysterious (what we don’t know) or uncontrollable (what we can’t influence). So, there’s some liberation in just outlining what’s making you crazy and realizing that there may be many balancing positives to those issues that are vexing you.

Now, spend some time reviewing the items in column two (what you don’t know). Is there someone you can ask – your boss, your boyfriend, your doctor – who can help you with some needed information that will move this item from column two to column one? Maybe it’s just doing a Google search? I know it’s scary to ask your boss whether your job is in jeopardy, but remember the electric shock example I mentioned earlier. Anxiety can be more painful and debilitating than bad news. Now look at column four and truly ask yourself, “Are you completely powerless about the items on this list?” I’ve found that having a smart friend sit with me can sometimes help me uncover ways to move items from column four to column three.

In sum, just the act of unpacking your anxiety bag and knowing what’s inside can have a profound effect on reducing your fear of the future.

CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

We’ve had a subtraction, a division, and a multiplication equation so far. Now, we’ll finish with an addition equation around the experience of curiosity. Recent studies have shown that curiosity is one of the most valuable emotional qualities people can leverage during periods of crisis. Fear and most negative emotions train us to narrow our scope. “Fight or flight” reactions are evolution’s means of helping us avert danger. But, oftentimes, we need to move from narrowing our attention to the “broaden and build” way of thinking that Barbara Fredrickson talks about in her book on Positivity. Getting through your own emotional recession may require bigger thinking rather than narrow execution.

When you’re living in a place of fear, it is hard to be curious. But, I’ve found that so much of it comes back to defusing my natural tendency toward reactivity. In other words, it’s learning to pause. Curiosity is not a reactive emotion. It’s one that takes a certain amount of reflection and a willingness to admit what you don’t know. So, ask yourself, “What habitats allow me to be more curious?” I first had to make a list of which habitats made be less curious: the office, any conference room, investor meetings, and spending time with people who I wanted to impress.

So, I knew that these were not places that were going to help me stoke up bigger thinking. Ironically, when I made my list of curious habitats, I found my list to be longer than I expected: anywhere in nature but especially near a beach with crashing surf; hanging out with kids; museums or other experimental spaces with art; zoos; places with a big night sky and lots of stars; my backyard cottage; and any place where I felt comfortable laughing from my gut (it’s hard to be full of humor and full of fear at the same time).

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that seeking the sacred in life opens up my sense of awe and my ability to connect with curiosity.

I’ve recently made a decision to seek out a sacred festival somewhere in the world each quarter as a means of committing to finding habitats for curiosity. As Tim F. knows (he was a fellow citizen of my camp Maslowtopia), I’ve been an aficionado of Burning Man for many years and some of my best business ideas have come out of my time in the desert marveling at transcendent art and having non-linear conversations.

So, if you’re feeling “on empty” creatively, know that curiosity is the fuel you need to seek. In author Liz Gilbert’s 2009 TED talk (TED is another habitat for curiosity), she shares the fact that the genesis of the word “genius” comes from “genie” and that the most creative people in the world are able to become vessels for the genie to inhabit them. My experience is that these genies prefer inhabiting curious places in the world and that’s where they’re most likely to tap you on your shoulder and give you the gift of inspiration that may change your life.

In sum, the more the external world becomes chaotic, the more we rely upon internal logic. This was true in the 1930s when Nazism and political and religious fundamentalism rose. But, that decade also sprouted new thinking from people like Norman Vincent Peale, Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, Viktor Frankl, and Reinhold Niebuhr (who created the Serenity Prayer).

I hope that you find these emotional equations help you to think differently, live better, and truly become the Chief Emotions Officer of your own life. It’s worth the introspection.

—

TIM:

Chip is offering an exclusive to readers of this blog: the chance to spend a full day with him in San Francisco.

He’ll cover economy airfare from anywhere in the US (if you’re international, you’ll need to get yourself to the US), and he’ll also cover two nights at Hotel Vitale on the water, or the best alternative if they’re sold out. The usual legal stuff applies: must be older than 18, void where prohibited, no purchase required to enter, etc.

No later than this Friday (1/20/12) at 5pm PST, leave a comment below and answer the following, in order, and in no more than 300 words:
1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

Only the first 100 entrants are eligible, so the earlier the better!

###

Odds and Ends: The Crunchies, Winners, and More

The Crunchies, something like the tech Oscars, are currently in the finals, and quite a few of my start-ups have made the cut (I’m honored to be involved with all of them). If you like these products or people, please click through to give them a vote! All of the candidates, many of them friends, are outstanding.

CEO of the Year – Phil Libin (Evernote) and Dick Costolo (Twitter)
Angel of the Year – these folks are all incredible, but I have to vote for my man, Kevin Rose.
Founder of the Year – Leah Busque (TaskRabbit) For the story of how Leah and I met, as well as how she got me to be an advisor, see this article: “How to Turn $750 into $1,000,000″

Best Tablet App – StumbleUpon
Best Mobile App – Evernote and Taskrabbit
Best Location App – Uber (check out the San Francisco grid)

For all of the categories and finalists, go here.

Posted on January 19th, 2012

Leave a Comment or Question

Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That’s how we’re gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch for the inspiration)




523 Comments

  • RobStorm — January 19th, 2012, 6:16 am

    1. “Define your nightmare, the absolute worst that could happen if you did what you are considering.” Not trying to suck up but this and the following questions from 4HWW helped me move to Germany. Everything is going well =)

    2. As a video game designer, the curiosity equation is one of the equations I work with frequently. In trying to build a whole new world virtually, I have to have an understanding of the world around me whether its architecture, anatomy, math, music, and how humans will react to different scenarios. By always remembering how complex and deep each of these elements are, I can find myself in constant wonder and awe, which really pushes me to learn and further my creations.

    3. A chance at this trip would help me solidify and affirm my goals of self sustainability and independence. I’m working hard to take my developments to the next level and people like Tim and Chip have gotten me there. I’ve often dreamed of making a video game or interactive experience that goes into these kinds of emotional and psychological experiences in life. Chip’s break down here and the mathematical approach make it much more feasible to turn into a type of virtual experience so I’m wondering what he would think of that. I would definitely love to know.

    Great post!

    Cheers,
    Rob

    Reply

    • Chip Conley — January 19th, 2012, 4:33 pm

      Thanks, Rob. Yes, I think some kind of virtual experience where people could go inside their body and understand which sensations or feelings tend to be a precursor to an emotion would be pretty fascinating and educational. We’re working on a diagnostic test that people could take that would allow them to understand their proclivity to each of the emotions in the book from Authenticity to Narcissism to Joy to Regret.

      Reply

      • RobStorm — January 19th, 2012, 6:53 pm

        Great Chip, thanks for the quick response and I’m glad you’re into the idea as well. I’m not sure that I will win this competition, but I would certainly love talking about it regardless. If you’d like to reach me at Rob(at)ProjectStormos.com or rstorm000(at)gmail my ears will be wide open. Thanks!

        Reply

    • Martin — January 27th, 2012, 12:24 am

      Hey Rob, I believe you can do it

      Reply

  • Rick — January 19th, 2012, 6:30 am

    1)Not really an actual inspirational quote but more so a concept-

    -Why be realistic?
    -it was unrealistic to think that when you walk in to a room and you press a switch light would appear until some one thought otherwise..
    -it was unrealistic to have a piece of moulded metal fly over an ocean until some one thought otherwise
    -it was unrealistic to think that you could speak to some one without having to see them face to face, until someone thought otherwise
    -it was unrealistic to think that you could eat whatever you like for one day of the week and still lose weight until some one thought other wise :)

    2)ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    I’ve never really heard of the study about where people would like to take an electric shock now rather than later but it really does make sense and seems rather intuitive. I think this holds the most substance for me since it provides me with an actionable logic as to why I should deal with issues head on and not postpone them for later because I am ‘busy’ etc….

    3)I wouldn’t really know what I would like to change so I ‘d be more so inclined to understand things that chip is talking about on a deeper level. The concept of emotional intelligence really struck a chord with me even though I’ve only really come in to contact with it after reading this blog post. I think by proxy I would end up changing many things just by actually understanding what he is describing and the concepts he would go through.

    To say I know what I would like to change would be a lie since I think that would all change when I meet him since the goal posts would shift. If I could build some thing it would really be a greater understanding (similar to the change I guess) of emotional intelligence and how I can practically apply it on my self and others. For example the points mentioned about gratitude earlier seemed like actual actionable points and not just some roundabout advice about how you should practice gratitude. I would love to be able to take what I spoke to chip about and help make other people lives better as a result of it.

    That’s all folks!

    Reply

    • cole — January 19th, 2012, 10:53 am

      you know your comment is over the 300 word max?

      Reply

    • Adam — January 19th, 2012, 11:02 am

      Perhaps one of my favorite quotes from George Bernard Shaw is what you were trying to express. “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

      Reply

  • Erik — January 19th, 2012, 6:31 am

    As a former Sociology/Psychology teacher, I have a very warm place in my heart for Maslow and his hierarchy. I have always thought that it was a great way to break down many aspects of life to evaluate and even predict happiness. To see Chip Conley use it as the basis for running his business is fantastic.
    I wish more CEO’s considered the baseline emotional security of their employees when making decisions. The world would be a happier, more productive place. Thanks for sharing this story!

    PS: I’ve lost 13 pounds and 1.5% body fat on the diet in under 2 weeks. SWEET!

    Reply

    • Chip Conley — January 19th, 2012, 7:44 am

      I believe the MOST NEGLECTED FACT IN BUSINESS is that we’re all human. So, why not use an iconic theory on human motivation (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs) to run your company? If you’re relying on trucks to ship your product, you better have an operating manual for your truck. Same goes for being a leader of an organization full of humans. Thanks!

      Reply

      • NK — January 19th, 2012, 11:27 pm

        agree- with you chip. And people are wired so differently. Im a very senior executive at a startup and I manage more than half the people in the company- all w varying skill sets and emotions and ways of being! I try to treat the all differently and as they need to be guided! I’m often praised for my content but I know I come off completely wrong at times! I’m working every day on the eq piece and I agree, starting w meditation and practicing mindfulness is a wonderful way to have your brain be ready to lead and emotionally prepared. I can’t wait to learn more from you! :)

        Reply

    • Dave K — January 19th, 2012, 9:36 am

      1) My favorite philosophical comment to people is “Happiness is a choice.” All day, I’m around people who are just negative about everything and when they start complaining (whining) to me, I tell them “happiness is a choice.” I can’t give credit to who may have said it first because I don’t remember…but it’s a great philosphy!

      2) HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
      I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I have had an excellent career by most people’s standards; but there is still something missing. I want to have more freedom that I currently do; I want to be in charge more; etc. 2012 is a year of focus for me – and this is one of the big things I’m focusing on.

      3) My goal for a day with Chip would be to get is his head as much as possible. I’d like to learn what has worked, and what hasn’t. You are who you hang around with-and Chip would be an excellent person to spend some time with.

      Reply

      • Caroline Hoste — January 19th, 2012, 9:35 pm

        Dave

        Reading through all these interesting posts, I wanted to say I hear where you are. When you are living a dream to most people’s standards it can be hard to walk away or even share with others that it isn’t enough. Hard even to work out exactly what is not enough when we are so blessed in so many ways.

        It is always encouraging to hear of others feeling similarly.

        Thank you for sharing!

        Caroline

        ps My post is below – I chose the same quote.

        Reply

  • Ed Fordyce — January 19th, 2012, 6:32 am

    1) “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

    2) DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING I’m putting a new meaning to a 15 year addiction that is giving me a true purpose

    3) I would like to quickly build a community of athletes, business owners, and champions that want to live a fulfilled life on all levels and have the privelege to coach them as a group.

    Reply

  • Stacey Kirkpatrick — January 19th, 2012, 6:33 am

    Where do we submit replies for Chip’s offer-chance to win a trip to San Francisco and a two night stay at Hotel Vitale?
    Thanks

    Reply

  • Suzy — January 19th, 2012, 6:38 am

    1. Happiness is not something you postpone for the future, it is something you design for the present.
    2. Happiness is wanting what you have/having what you want.
    Really taking the time to focus on my life and the things in it will help me with this equation rather than always looking to add things.
    3. I have a plan to start my own company and I think this day with Chip would be very helpful and inspirational for helping me achieve that.

    Reply

  • Dave Hilton — January 19th, 2012, 6:43 am

    1. “Our virtues and our failings are inseparable, like force and matter. When they separate, man is no more.” ~ Nikola Tesla

    This quote reminds me that no matter how hard I strive to succeed & improve, I can’t forget to accept & use my failures as a guide. Without combining both the good & bad experiences & traits- I would not (& could not) be the person I am now.

    2. ANXIETY = Uncertainty + Powerlessness

    By applying the simple four column idea, I clearly see my anxiety (about the time it’s taking to build my muse) is really just a mental negotiation where, because of past failures & fear of the unknown, I seem to be focused on the worst possible outcomes of my decisions rather than the best possible outcome or even the most likely outcome.

    3. Meeting with Chip gives me an opportunity to talk one-on-one with someone who can show me how to effectively take the first steps to improve my tendency to use a “logic only” approach to my decisions when, in reality, emotions (albeit hidden/repressed ones) are clearly impacting them.

    Reply

  • Oliver Manalese — January 19th, 2012, 6:53 am

    1. You can preach a better sermon by who you are then what you say. – Robin Sharma

    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have / Having what you want

    I used to get gratitude but until I actually started practicing it regularly did it show up in other areas of my life. This equation makes it much easier for me to implement and stick with my habit of journaling about what I’m grateful for. I used to come up with many things I was grateful for like “having a car that takes me from point A to point B” or “closing a deal” and so on.

    I’ve been gaining greater benefit after getting even more basic but also deeper like “my hands that allow me to create words, music, food, express affection and love” or “my organs that process and function so that I can assimilate nutrients, use it for energy and productivity throughout my day and repair my muscles after hard workouts.”

    I’ve gotten so much more connected with my experience of the present moment that so many other emotional matters seem smaller.

    3. I am already on a entrepreneurial journey that revolves around this holistic approach to life and business. Everything is connected and this is the new shift in the business paradigm that I am truly aligned with.

    I want to build my real estate business with solid relationships and principles that reflect this type of self-knowledge and awareness. As well I am working on a web series called The Holistic Entrepreneur where I am making videos, blogs and lessons so that as I learn, expand and live by these principles I can share them with more entrepreneurs with the same mindset.

    Reply

  • Henry — January 19th, 2012, 6:56 am

    1)”Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream. You gotta protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they’re gonna tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period” Will Smith – The pursuit of happiness film

    2)CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    3)How to change my present activities to follow my dreams that I want for me, my family and our world.

    Reply

  • Justin Gardiner — January 19th, 2012, 6:57 am

    My favorite quote would have to be “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” -Dr. Wayne Dyer. This quote transcends in to many areas of my life. I find it extremely helpful when hitting on your first equation, despair=suffering-meaning. Curiosity=wonder+awe is the equation that will affect my life the most. At this point in my journey getting out of my comfort zone and learning from other cultures and personalities is a huge goal. This would allow me to take my experiences and look at them through a different lens. After spending a day with Chip I would like to build a vision that helps people through their journey by enhancing their health. I want to create an experience for people that will change the way they look at things by enhancing the mind, body, and spirit. Thank you guys for all the inspiration.

    Reply

  • NK — January 19th, 2012, 6:57 am

    1. “No bees, no honey; no work, no money.” W.P. Proverb
    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    Uncertainty, in many cases, just is uncertain, so we won’t discuss that now.
    I’m a highly passionate, happy person that makes things happen, but I’m a worrier. The above equation is heaven sent. Using it shows me – how much power I really do have. Thanks. I have a zest for life that is infectious. Many times people, even strangers come up to me and say “you have such an incredible energy about you.” I want to make sure I am not overshadowing the great with worry. I plan to use this equation regularly as I find it freeing and helps unleash creativity by putting anxiety at ease.
    3. I want to learn how to be a great CEO! Specifically the tools to be emotionally effective when dealing with under performers you can’t fire or outsource. I’m a highly emotional human being- that’s in touch and empathetic, but I’d like to channel that emotion and learn to react more effectively.
    People fascinate me; I think I’d learn a great deal.

    Reply

  • Will M. — January 19th, 2012, 6:58 am

    1. “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” To me, this means whatever you want to go after in life…do it. Damn the torpedoes and do it.
    2. Wow! So many gems in Chip’s message! In the equation: CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I never thought about curiosity as something you have to work at, “It’s one that takes a certain amount of reflection and a willingness to admit what you don’t know.” Knowing that now, I can choose to be more curious. Choose to find more inspiration in life to push myself and those around me to higher levels. That inspiration that can change my life, is what I seek. Always improve and always dig deeper in life. I am making my list now in one of my curious places, under a large oak tree in the middle of a large field. Action!
    3. I believe we are most like the people we surround ourselves with, so Chip is a great person I would love to spend time with if just for a day. After spending a day with Chip I would like continue practicing the little day to day actions he practices. The little daily habits creates who we are so by replacing the ones I don’t like with some I learn from Chip I will essentially change myself. Which is not only good for me, but good for those around me. By becoming a better person I am helping everyone around me: friends, family, strangers…everyone. Essentially, changing the world! I look forward to meeting you Chip! Thanks for the article! – Will M.

    Reply

  • Divya — January 19th, 2012, 7:03 am

    1. “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love, and belonging, and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” –Brene Brown

    2. Happiness = wanting what you have/having what you want. Gratitude is often lost on my generation (in their 20’s) because we’ve been raised to believe we’re entitled to all of our blessings. And I’d like to change that. I would apply this equation in my life by connecting with at least 3 people (teachers, friends, relatives etc.) that have been my light and guidance thus far and thank them. I would tell them how the small things they said and did impacted my life in big ways. But the maximum benefit would come from connecting unconditionally – no expectation for anything in return.

    3. I’d like to make a small change in the way young women are socialized. Despite massive progress in education, many women are concentrated in to the most female-traditional jobs, make on average considerably less annual income than men, and hold few senior management positions. Many of the skills that require success in these positions can be learned. I’d like to build a platform where they can learn these skills.

    Reply

  • Clinton Wu — January 19th, 2012, 7:04 am

    1. Less is More

    2. Adding the happiness equation to my life and specifically focusing more on the numerator would bring the max benefit. Physically writing the equation somewhere where I see it on a daily basis would benefit me greatly since I’m currently in “pursuit” mode feverishly caught up on the denominator.

    3. I’d like to work on the anxiety emotion and building control over it. I’m a confident individual, who is comfortable meeting new people and having conversations. But when the amount of people in the room approaches a certain threshold, I get anxious. After thinking about the anxiety column worksheet, I realize it may be for many reasons I can’t influence.

    On top of all this, would just be happy to meet someone I can learn from.

    Reply

  • Rick — January 19th, 2012, 7:05 am

    1. A unique quote I believe in by Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas is, “We have 8,000 stores, but if I’d graduated high school we may have 16,000.” As an educator, this is a quote I found in one of Dave’s books several years ago. Now, as superintendent, I actually have this quote on my wall. I think it’s important.

    2. I would apply the “HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT” theme for maximum effect. Again, as an educator in a small rural district in northern Michigan has its unique advantages, as well as disadvantages. We are small, so our pay scale for all employees is less than our neighbors (and less than much of the state). We are able to “make some things up” with a calendar with frequent breaks and things like that. Since I’ve been the superintendent here, we have done some things to improve the conditions and focus on marketing the great things we are doing as a school. We believe in our employees because they are the ones who believe in the kids. And it’s all about kids.

    3. After a day with Chip in San Francisco, I would like to understand that it’s all right to try different things in education to build a school district. I would also like to gain some insight into how to step outside the box and build the new education system. I have some ideas, but would like to flesh them out. Moreover, I believe that education sets on the threshold of becoming the next “Big 3″ or even the next Kodak if we don’t figure out WHAT PEOPLE (staff, students, families, community, etc.) REALLY WANT!

    Reply

  • Oscar — January 19th, 2012, 7:06 am

    1) This is a quote I created, myself. “Consequences teach better than moral concepts. We obey pain” It came to me after I realized that, although I have a propensity to learn from other’s mistakes that sometimes, I have to feel the pain myself in order to learn.

    2) Happiness = wanting what you have / having what you want. I’m currently a federal employee who works in the social sector of government. I enjoy the help I give others, but I often feel unhappy despite the fact I know I’m making a difference in people’s lives. I think if I could appreciate this fact, I could solve this dilemma.

    3) I would like to increase morale at the office. It’s abysmally low. As for building, I have considered volunteering, here locally. I live near the Gulf of Mexico and I love the beach. One day, it would be nice to create a non-profit that helps take care of the beach or the gulf.
     
     

    Reply

  • Collin — January 19th, 2012, 7:11 am

    1. “Stay hungry. Stay foolish” – Steve Jobs

    2. The ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS equation is wonderfully applicable. To boil it down, if one can gain any sense of control over the situation or knowledge about the situation – the anxiety can be reduced exponentially. One could use this equation to effectively apply the 80/20 principle to an intangible thing like anxiety. Awesome!

    3. Chip understands that we’re all just people being people. I’m working on an exciting project now that focuses on the fact that humans are still very much stuck with the evolved mental architecture of our ancestors. We’re designed to live in communities of 20-200, not cities of 10 million. I’m studying the various problems we face as humans as a result of our (perhaps dated) mental evolution existing in a modern civilization. Due to his interest in human emotion and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I imagine Chip would have a lot to say on this topic. On the business side, his wisdom on empire-building would definitely help as well.

    Reply

    • William Robson — January 19th, 2012, 1:02 pm

      FYI:

      Steve Jobs compared The Whole Earth Catalog to Internet search engine Google in his June 2005 Stanford University commencement speech. “When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation…. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along. It was idealistic and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.” During the commencement speech, Jobs also quoted the farewell message placed on the back cover of the 1974 edition of the catalog: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”

      Reply

      • Collin — January 20th, 2012, 12:07 pm

        I knew the origin story so perhaps I should have credited The Whole Earth Catalog circa 1974 instead of Jobs!

        I’ve watched the commencement speech several times. Always good for inspiration.

        Reply

  • Alpesh — January 19th, 2012, 7:16 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “The mind has to be empty to see clearly” – Jiddu Krishnamurti

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    The Anxiety equation is one that resonates with me in understanding things I cant control or being anxious about things that are irrelevant when I am in the present. Unpack that bag to realize there is little to fear.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I would like to build a happiness quotient into my daily life.

    Reply

    • Chip Conley — January 19th, 2012, 4:38 pm

      Love this quote, Alpesh. It reminds me that for many in the world (those who meditate), the best praise you can give them is that they’re “thoughtless…” In other words, thoughts can sometimes get in the way of experience and essence. I’m writing this as I sit on a sandy Hawaii beach ready to catch some waves. Time for me to be thoughtless!

      Reply

  • Matt — January 19th, 2012, 7:18 am

    1. When a person can no longer laugh at himself, it is time for others to laugh at him. -Thomas Szas

    2. Anxiety. As someone who loves watching people interact and figuring out how to they tick, I think anxiety is one of the largest motivating forces behind decision-making. Also, as someone who leads people in a few different areas, I believe it falls on the leader’s shoulders to cast a vision, and empower the follower to reduce anxiety. Having a group of people plagued by anxiety they will never be able to produce anything from a place of strength. Anxiety kills creativity and the desire to do something in well.

    3. Right now I’m working a day job as a UI designer/web designer, and working towards launching an app/website that has to do with giving. Being around Chip, and understanding how/why he does what he does would be priceless. You don’t often find leaders (business, personal, or otherwise) who understand emotion and how to inspire those following him or her. It would be an amazing opportunity to take a couple days and be a sponge.

    Reply

  • Tess J. — January 19th, 2012, 7:20 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Life is about getting it less wrong; not right.” Paul Grobstein, Neurobiologist

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    Many people don’t know what they have. Sometimes I forget. It’s easy to forget and to fall out of tune. The thing is, everyone has potential – infinite, unbounded potential. Everyone has a purpose. That purpose is often clouded, but it is there. Everyone has the ability to give freely. Everyone has the ability to be loving and accept love. Everyone has the ability to connect. Everyone has rights – the right to change, to stop, to start, to start over. Everyone has the ability to create and sustain pure bliss, to tune in to the self, to achieve their ideal self, and to create perfect health. I mean, if you think about it, what more could you want? Yes, money is great. Dream jobs are great. But that which we already have, that which is inherent to being human, already gives the potential to create and sustain happiness without chasing pursuits, without supreme attention, without building businesses. We have far more than we realize, if we just expanded our minds and tapped into the right, big picture side of our brains.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    To pursue Ayurvedic medicine studies. To build a yoga business and Ayurveda healing center near a national park, perhaps my old stomping ground: Yosemite. To have the means to travel. To make good money freelancing. To practice and internalize Chip’s emotional equations. To develop stronger emotional intelligence.

    Reply

  • Ron Story — January 19th, 2012, 7:20 am

    Great Post

    1. “We were not placed here to invest in someone else’s idea of what we should be.”

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS – As an entrepreneur I struggle with the anxiety of a new idea. New ideas or improvements to my current business make me nervous because I’m not sure if I can control the outcomes. I guess I get anxious when I’m not in control of things and have to trust others, hence I only place individual sports like bowling, golf, and chess and I’m currently self employed.

    3. After meeting with Chip, I would hope to have learned how to put that anxiety to rest and to trust others to perform to the best of the abilities and beyond my expectations. I would immediately look to hire some one to help me to grow my business so that I can stop doing everything myself.

    Reply

  • Margaret Reffell — January 19th, 2012, 7:21 am

    1. “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” ~ Albert Einstein

    So simple, yet I see it happening day in and day out. Take responsibility and make the change.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    I see this everyday. I have the privilege of working with some extremely affluent members of the community, and the one thing that I have realized is that money exaggerates who you already are, it does not determine it. You can travel to the ends of the earth, but ultimately, you are still stuck with your own company because everywhere you go, there you are.

    3. I currently own an online Nutrition business and outdoor Fitness Bootcamp company. My dream is to open a retreat for CEO’s, Entrepreneurs and business owners that immerses them in a lifestyle that fosters their creativity, improves their health, teaches them to cook, eat healthy while travelling, workout and connect with other like-minded professionals. I am close to making this a reality, and would love Chip to be along for this awesome ride :)

    Reply

  • Todd Noren-Hentz — January 19th, 2012, 7:23 am

    1. “‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; 21nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.” – Jesus, Luke 17:20-21

    2. Despair = Suffering – Meaning – I serve as a pastor in the United Methodist Church and am in the business of helping people find meaning and purpose, particularly in the tragedies of their lives.

    3. I would like to explore teaching about emotional equations in the context of a spiritual community.

    Reply

  • John Smiley — January 19th, 2012, 7:25 am

    Thanks! I’m looking forward to reading Emotional Equations! Love the concept of applying logical construction to life circumstances… this book is right up my alley.

    For my entry:

    1. “In the province of the mind, what one believes to be true either is true or becomes true.” ~ John Lilly

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I have always fancied myself a curious man, but I have admittedly thought little about it. I see the conscious application of this formula being a boon for problem solving and community service. To approach any given circumstance combining wonder and awe, I believe, can have tremendous practical application in imagining possible outcomes and constructive scenarios. I am often in wonder, and occasionally in awe; to harness these two at once will cultivate an open mind (to borrow a phrase from Michael Gelb).

    3. I have chosen to live a life focused on the pursuit and propagation of joy. I have yet to find a manner in which I can consistently apply the “propagation” aspect in a workplace setting. With Chip’s employees as happy as Tim says they are, I want to know how I can implement this in my own surroundings.

    Reply

  • MT — January 19th, 2012, 7:29 am

    1) I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. ~ E.B. White

    2) CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I typically wonder about things, but have lost my sense of awe. With 7B people on the planet, human feats don’t see surprising and global connections have brought even the most remote brilliance in our living rooms on a daily basis. So I will look for ways to remind myself that something is truly awe-some rather than just shrug my shoulders and say “that’s cool”. It’s not just search that makes us curious, but the impact on us of what we find.

    3) I’d use my time with Chip to help find focus to change myself and serve others. My energy, time and passions span multiple areas and I often move onto something new before having the deep impact on others that I could have if I pushed a little further. I’d like to explore the equations for Purpose, Perseverance and Action as a means to strengthen my community in the areas of health and wellness. Thank you for your time.

    Reply

  • Rob — January 19th, 2012, 7:30 am

    1. What matters most is how well you walk through the fire. Charles Bukowski
    2. The happiness equation stands out in my mind. It reminds me to appreciate that I have so much (including latent, unused and unexplored talent) and that I must work to streamline my life to eliminate that which I have that I do not want.
    3. I would like to change my relationship with fear. Fear holds me hostage in many ways. I would like to disarm it, embrace it and learn from it.

    Reply

  • David — January 19th, 2012, 7:32 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up.” – Jesse Jackson

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for
    maximum benefit?
    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    Ishita Gupta at http://fearlessstories.com/ has taught me a lot about fear. It is paralyzing, detrimental, and avoidable. Your equation on Anxiety directly relates to fear, something I have been slowly working to overcome. I still have a lot of fear in asking for what I love so that I can be passionate in my works.

    Reducing the uncertainty and powerlessness of Anxiety, what many of my college friends fear, will not only increase my confidence. Saving others, showing people that they can be in control — that’s what I want for the world.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I want to create an audio-blog series on preparing college students mentally for how to enter their new world after college.

    Reply

  • RJL — January 19th, 2012, 7:34 am

    1. Every stroke of my brush is the overflow of my inmost heart. – Sengai
    2. On a personal level, continue to reduce my anxiety by embracing my powerfulness, which reduces the factor of powerlessness to a fractional level or to zero. Cultivating powerfulness may also contribute to a feeling of clarity. Accepting that one is capable of helping oneself, can lead to visioning of what can be/do or the possibilities one may wish to explore. This has really helped me recently make progress with personal and professional goals.
    Sharing this equation can also help others in my life. I can see my partner and clients benefit from reflecting on this equation.
    3. Learn the language of emotional equations as a start. Explore the equations to see how “my baggage is organized” and how I may want to rearrange things.
    My gut says this will be helpful to integrate into the work I do in a large multi-national in the fields of coaching, talent management, and development of leaders and high potentials.

    Reply

  • Daniel Gomez — January 19th, 2012, 7:34 am

    1. Carpe Diem!

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS We spend a lot of time worrying about things that we don´t even know if are going to happen… and if they are going to happen and we can´t avoid it, what´s the point on worrying about it?

    To obtain maximum benefit from this equation you just have to deeply understand it and then take out ANXIETY from your LIFE equation, and then the outcome will be more HAPPINESS.

    3. I can´t tell you that I would change or built something after a day with Chip. What I can tell you is that for sure it will be a wonderful experience and a privilege. I have no doubt that I will learn a lot from him (and perhaps he will learn something from me hehe). The dots will connect later.

    Reply

  • Steven W. Siler — January 19th, 2012, 7:34 am

    1. Bear and Forebear

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    We seem consumed with chasing external drivers of happiness…acceptance, approval, or a myriad of other nouns that never touch the crux of the matter. It lies within us, and our choices.

    I am a firefighter/medic, and a business owner. It is the perfect balance. My day job reminds me of where I could be in the blink of an eye…not always a pleasant prospect. And my business allows me the pleasure of empowering and educating others who work for me.

    It seems that waking up every day (that act in itself is a gift) grateful, drives internal happiness toward infinity. Much more preferable to a fraction that leaves one less than whole!

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I would like to learn more on minimizing the distractions within our organization and my people’s lives, so that they find more happiness and purpose, and are better able to share that with each of their spheres of influence. If I am a better leader, both in the Fire Service and in our company, they will be stronger themselves and as acolytes to their worlds.

    Reply

  • Kristopher — January 19th, 2012, 7:35 am

    1. Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. – Napoleon Hill

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY X POWERLESSNESS

    At 29 years old I have had my share of anxiety. I battled anxiety not as a clinical problem but as a result of the powerlessness I felt as a former company that I founded at 25 years old expanding too quickly to 10 figure revenues and then crashed shortly thereafter into BK. As I look back at the success and failure of that venture today I see that the anxiety (uncertainty x powerlessness) I experienced was keeping me from taking bold action to change the ultimate outcome. Being able to deconstruct the emotion of anxiety into a formula to clearly define “what I can influence” and what is clearly out of my control will allow me to immediately begin crafting better actions through even tough and uncertain times to achieve the ultimate blessings I seek for myself / my family.

    3. My deepest desire has been to be a great leader to my future employees and family. The impact on the lives of the 50+ employees I had to let go (including my parents) at the collapse of my company in 2009 was impacted greatly by my inability to work through the anxiety to lead us out of troubled waters to success. I have launched a new venture that is gaining traction and will far surpass the “success” of my previous venture. I owe it to my employees now and those that come on board in the coming months/years to be the best leader I can be to ensure for them happy and secure employment. I seek to build an organization that fosters a sense of community and pride.

    Reply

  • Benjamin MacLeay — January 19th, 2012, 7:36 am

    1) …we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope… (Romans 5:3-4)

    2) I am full of wonder, but my curiosity is lagging at some points. So if I just focus on awe the curiosity will abound. Awe is more easily tapped into when something is new. The first time you felt a plane take off, your first kiss, watching oxygen create the human sunrise on the skin of a new born child as she takes her first breath. I will start signing up for new things to simply get awed. Awe is like wine, you can feel after the glass is gone but only for so long, and therefore, it is not just about doing something new but then harnessing that awe into other areas of your life. As in the book “Zen Mind, Beginners Mind” I will push myself not forward always, but back into the beginner, into the awe.

    3) A day with Chip would be a day of examining how to become two things that Chip excels at; a better leader, and bringing amazement into the physical world to a tech dominated consumer mindset. I am 28 and recently transitioned away from a job at a fortune 500 company to become the COO of web start-up, I desperately want to lead a team of people to a better them, not just a better bottom line.

    Reply

  • Angelo Pardo — January 19th, 2012, 7:38 am

    1) “…and in the process, she found joy.” Julia Powell, the Julie/Julia project

    2) Curiosity. The real world has gotten the best of me, my inner genie (creativity) retreating and the realistics of life setting in. The land has transformed itself, with curiosity disappearing and practicality reigning. To be able to reinvite that genie back into my space would also usher in the return of a fulfilling and abundant life. Creativity is the secret ingredient that is often able to make sense out of our curiosities; it is that genie that grants us our wishes, allowing us to renew a desolate space and making it spring back to life again. Knowing the curiosity equation allows me to seek out places where the genie resides; maybe it is just merely looking around me or exploring my own mind in reflection. The equation challenges me to look at life with wonder and awe again.

    3) Being able to stay at Hotel Vitale would refresh my mind and allow my creative juices to start flowing once more. Chip clearly practices what he preaches, which has allowed his creations to flourish and prosper. I feel like if I could spend a day with Chip and surround myself with such positive and profound energy; I could feed off of that. That kind of energy, stemming from appeased curiosities and infectious creativity, is what I want to witness and take back with me to my home and people I love. It is a viral positivity that would be wonderful to be around! Genie, if you’re hearing me, I want this, I’m curious about it, and even if I don’t get this trip, I know I already have it in me. The experience is icing on the cake.

    Reply

  • Gary — January 19th, 2012, 7:39 am

    1. Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.
    Charles Spurgeon

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    I think the problem identified in the quote is defined by the equation. So often, people (including yours truly) fall short of their potential because of the anxiety caused by either uncertainty or their feeling of powerlessness in solving it. Though not often spoken, this limiting behavior is the difference between significant success and boring mediocrity.
    3. Chip appears to have done a ton of research on this anxiety issue, and I suspect has silently suffered with it over his tremendously successful career. I’m intrigued about how he could help me solve these issues for both myself and my team. If he could help me with strategizes on neutralizing (not eliminating) anxiety, I think both me and my company could soar to new heights.

    Thanks for the consideration!
    Gary

    Reply

  • Outi — January 19th, 2012, 7:39 am

    Having been a math person before I turning into a feelings-and-needs person, I’m absolutely thrilled seeing this stuff presented as equations! I’m actually quite stunned :D

    1. There’s many quotes I like, but this one speaks to my Innermost Self: “When once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” —Leonardo Da Vinci

    This for me means that now that I’ve seen how whole I can feel, there’s no way I ever want to go back. I’ve tasted the freedom of being my true self, which to me is tasting flight :)

    2. Curiosity has always been “the” thing for me, so that would be the obvious one to pick. But maybe I feel like that I already have that, since it’s the anxiety one that I find I’m going back to. That’s something new to me. Anxiety = uncertainty * powerlessness. It’s quite grim, but I think I’m in love with it :D

    I often write when I feel anxious, to get to the root of my feelings. I think next time I’m going to try the Anxiety Balance Sheet. I’d better prepare it beforehand, as I don’t see myself being interested in drawing grids and stuff when my anxiety hits!

    3. I’m always looking for mentors. Most of my mentors are authors who have no idea I even exist (like you, Tim, have been since me finding your 4HWW). It would be amazing to actually get to know one of them! I have absolutely no idea what exactly I would change or build after that. I think I would do as I always do, go there with an open curious mind, and see what comes out :)

    Reply

  • Gia Pascarelli — January 19th, 2012, 7:40 am

    1) “I believe that you can reach the point where there is no longer any difference between developing the habit of pretending to believe and developing the habit of believing.” -Umberto Eco

    2) Anxiety equation. All of the above equations resonate with me. I am trying to improve the relationships in my life – all of them – to the greatest degree possible. My family circumstances are such that a lot of decisions are outside of me. Working with this and accepting it is helping me be quiet my stress and take care of myself and the things that I can control. On the professional side of things I have just moved into a position in the company that I work for that is a touchstone for other employees and the people we represent in the market. My role can make them feel heard, understood and assisted on a daily basis.

    3) If I can spend a day with Chip I would like to learn more about Buddhist practice – in work and daily life – and Chip’s own personal tips for working toward a rewarding experience in personal and professional life.

    Reply

  • Oscar — January 19th, 2012, 7:42 am

    1) This is a quote I created, myself. “Consequences teach better than moral concepts. We obey pain” It came to me after I realized that, although I have a propensity to learn from other’s mistakes that sometimes, I have to feel the pain myself in order to learn.

    2) Happiness = wanting what you have / having what you want. I’m currently a federal employee who works in the social sector of government. I enjoy the help I give others, but I often feel unhappy despite the fact I know I’m making a difference in people’s lives. I think if I could appreciate this fact, I could solve this dilemma.

    3) I would like to increase morale at the office. It’s abysmally low. As for building, I have considered volunteering, here locally. I live near the Gulf of Mexico and I love the beach. One day, it would be nice to create a non-profit that helps take care of the beach or the gulf.

    Reply

  • Chip Conley — January 19th, 2012, 7:48 am

    Thanks for so many great entries already. Looks like that Anxiety equation is resonating with people. I guess it’s a sign of our times that most people are commenting on that one rather than the Happiness equation. In any case, look forward to more entries and to meeting one of you out here in San Francisco.

    Just remember, becoming emotionally fluent is smart as your emotions are one of the few things you carry with you your whole life.

    Reply

  • Steven Wright — January 19th, 2012, 7:49 am

    1. “If your not growing, you’re dying.”
    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. Over the last 4 months I’ve become aware of gratitude. Before I had seen it/heard it, but was not mindful of its ability to affect, create and defeat negative emotions. This equation is going to solidify it in my mind, and most importantly the fact that it is a division equation. Truly understanding the mathematical relationship between the numerator and denominator is the POWER. Being type-A, it’s very easy to find too many faults to change (or wants) but the brilliance of this equation is that my wants are usually a means to an end of happiness. Therefore The only way to actually ensure happiness is to at least double my efforts in the numerator and the wants will take care of themselves.
    3. I want to learn curiosity x happiness. Change is infinitely accelerated with the help of someone who has done it. They can see the next steps that are sometimes the hardest to take. With Chip I would want to solidify and grow my gratitude “muscles” as well as understand how he creates the conditions for daily curiosity. I’m learning that running a company and helping people from a place of gratitude is the most powerful mindset to operate from. Investing in me, I’ve learned is the fastest way I can help others, and using this equation I can forever power my ability to grow personally and then change the lives of people with digestive problems who are not getting their needs meet by current medical practices.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  • Jess — January 19th, 2012, 7:49 am

    1. “To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” -e.e. cummings

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

    I consistently produce a variety of story ideas (I’m a writer) and business concepts, but often find myself hitting a wall and leaning back on old routines that I’ve already deemed unproductive. Nine times out of ten, this is due to anxiety once I get to the delivery stage of the process. The Anxiety equation, and the related Anxiety Balance Sheet, will help me focus on what I can control and eliminate lingering feelings of powerlessness that hold back a lot of my projects. This would enable me to increase my production and better craft my life to the goals I’ve already determined, but not yet followed through on.

    3. With Chip’s help, I would like to establish a new mental approach to recognizing the individual emotions that pop up in the creation process. This would provide a great foundation for moving forward in my writing career, which I would like to gear up into a professional environment. By recognizing the individual emotions holding me back, I can change my approach of dealing with criticisms (my own and others) and better strategize my career path.

    Reply

  • Julie L — January 19th, 2012, 7:50 am

    1. “God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take which you please–you can never have both.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

    2. The anxiety equation is both powerful and practical. I suffer from anxiety and it has always paralyzed me to the point of inaction. I can follow the method of creating the four columns and pinpointing the positives and negatives. With the anxiety mapped in this way, it would likely allow me to take action.

    3. I would like to get Chip’s perspective on courage. Sometimes, I think the only thing standing in my way is a lack of courage to follow through on my dreams.

    Reply

  • Todd Dow (@toddhdow) — January 19th, 2012, 7:50 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “Live with purity of thought and purpose.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    Anxiety = uncertainty x powerlessness

    My 4 year old daughter Katie has Cystic Fibrosis. I am constantly anxious that Katie’s health will fail and she will die before a cure is found. Currently, Katie’s health is good, but that could change at any time. A cure does not currently exist. So, I fundraise to help researchers find a cure or effective control so that Katie will be able to live a long, healthy, stable life.

    I feel uncertainly that Katie’s health will remain strong until a cure is found. And, I feel powerlessness to help affect positive change in the search for a cure. My fundraising dollars feel like a drop in the bucket when I look at the total $ raised to help fund research.

    I’m going to use Chip’s Anxiety Balance Sheet to help me narrow my uncertainty and to identify potential areas of powerlessness that I can turn into areas of focus that I might be able to pursue.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I’d like to:
    a) identify the ways that I could best influence the search for a cure (based on my personal strengths); and then
    b) build a plan to influence the search for a cure based on the ways identified above;

    Reply

  • Karla Ticona — January 19th, 2012, 7:50 am

    1. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”. – Eleonor Roussevelt.

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS.

    I just applied the exercise from the anxiety equation. It worked wonders (thank you Chip!!!). For a number or reasons I felt anxious about all the success and joy I am recently experiencing, sort of “God is this for real?”
    After this exercise I realized that regardless of what I can control or know; everything is “figurable” and that the most important thing is to focus on what makes me happy; which comes from the satisfaction I get when I am in tune with my values. The most wonderful benefit I see is to ask myself “what can I do to let God flow through me” instead of brewing an anxiety attack.

    3. Build our network marketing business in Latin America. Prolife (www.prolife.com.pe) is a Peruvian company dedicated to distribute natural products and allow their executives to attain financial freedom following a 2-4 year plan (working 7-10 hours per week). Being with Chip in SF will help me lead my team to expand and ROCK OUT our business.

    Reply

  • Nathan — January 19th, 2012, 7:51 am

    While serving in the Marine Corps from ’99-’04, I picked up many powerful quotes. But because of it’s usefulness, my all time favorite is:

    “Retreat Hell! We’re just attacking in another direction.”

    When you feel surrounded and obstacles seem insurmountable, use your head to get yourself in a better position… always be in the offensive mindset.

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    As an entrepreneur it’s easy to get focused on the demoninator. After all, every entrepreneur is looking to the future of what (s)he envisions their company to be. Sometimes I feel this is really unhealthy. It causes you to feel older than you are because you’re constantly putting your mind into the future. You feel you’re running out of time, when in reality you still have a lot of life to live. Focusing on the numerator (i.e. – filling the void), is a theme this very blog has discussed many times over. Being a math type though, learning of this equation is my ‘A-ha’ moment.

    Not saying I’m some socially inept weirdo, but I know there are subconscious emotions that prevent me from acting on improving my social / business network. I’d like to learn how to measure emotional intelligence, identify it’s weaknesses, and how to improve upon them to build a stronger network.

    Thanks for a really great post and an introduction to Chip’s work.

    Reply

  • Mona — January 19th, 2012, 7:54 am

    Ridiculously fantastic read… Just what I needed.I have a BA in psychology, though I went on to get my MBA and currently work in the telecommunications sector, so I really appreciated this in-depth fusion of my two passions. Emotions are incredibly important in the work atmosphere and it’s scary how many bosses, managers, etc. don’t realize that. Thanks Tim and Chip!

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    The final test of a gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible value to him.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING

    Poweful… I am currently remodeling an apartment, which has been incredibly stressful and packed full of suffering, but I know that if I don’t take away as much meaning as possible and go on to cherish it, my negative emtions will have been for naught.

    I feel as though suffering + meaning leads to a truly empathic person, who can understand those around them, including their employees, leading to a more pleasant existance and work atmosphere.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I’d like to change HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. I need to work on getting that denominator closer to 0. I was not raised in a religious household, but rather by an atheist father and an agnostic mother, but I feel as though meditating upon this prinicipal will make me a better person and lead to a more fulfilled life. It’s hard when your surrounded by people who are consumed with their desire for material goods… I’d like to learn how to separate myself.

    Reply

  • Diego Velasquez — January 19th, 2012, 7:54 am

    1) “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” Really though, what better time than now? :)

    2) Anxiety = Uncertainty + Powerlessness. This formula punched me in the face. These mornings, I’m often rudely awakened by Anxiety. Even though I’ve accomplished some of my biggest goals thus far, I’ve seemed to hit a threshold that I have yet to overcome. Just a year ago, I used to wake up feeling like a champ–on top of my game. Now, uncertainty in certain aspects of my life has crept in, producing a deep feeling of powerlessness. Needless to say, I’ll be dissecting Chip’s method to unpack my emotion of Anxiety.

    3) A day with Chip would be phenomenal. Chip’s experience of understanding human beings/emotions is light-years ahead of conventional CEO’ism and would be far superior than 20 years of trial and error. Learning just a smidgen of his knowledge would provide the greatest foundation in my passion for creating value and solutions. After a day with Chip, I would love to build a conglomerate of [progressive] start-ups all solving fundamental needs. I would also hope to take my learning’s and share them with as many hearing ears as possible.

    Reply

  • Colleen — January 19th, 2012, 7:55 am

    1. It’s more of a poem than a quote.
    “It doesn’t interest me
    what you do for a living.
    I want to know
    what you ache for
    and if you dare to dream
    of meeting your heart’s longing.

    It doesn’t interest me
    how old you are.
    I want to know 
    if you will risk 
    looking like a fool
    for love
    for your dream
    for the adventure of being alive.
    It doesn’t interest me
    what planets are 
    squaring your moon…
    I want to know
    if you have touched
    the centre of your own sorrow
    if you have been opened
    by life’s betrayals
    or have become shrivelled and closed
    from fear of further pain.
    I want to know
    if you can sit with pain
    mine or your own
    without moving to hide it
    or fade it
    or fix it.
    I want to know
    if you can be with joy
    mine or your own
    if you can dance with wildness
    and let the ecstasy fill you 
    to the tips of your fingers and toes
    without cautioning us
    to be careful
    to be realistic
    to remember the limitations
    of being human.
    It doesn’t interest me
    if the story you are telling me
    is true.
    I want to know if you can
    disappoint another
    to be true to yourself.
    If you can bear
    the accusation of betrayal
    and not betray your own soul.
    If you can be faithless
    and therefore trustworthy.
    I want to know if you can see Beauty
    even when it is not pretty
    every day.
    And if you can source your own life
    from its presence.
    I want to know
    if you can live with failure
    yours and mine
    and still stand at the edge of the lake
    and shout to the silver of the full moon,
    “Yes.”
    It doesn’t interest me
    to know where you live
    or how much money you have.
    I want to know if you can get up
    after the night of grief and despair
    weary and bruised to the bone
    and do what needs to be done
    to feed the children.
    It doesn’t interest me
    who you know
    or how you came to be here.
    I want to know if you will stand
    in the centre of the fire
    with me
    and not shrink back.
    It doesn’t interest me
    where or what or with whom
    you have studied.
    I want to know 
    what sustains you
    from the inside
    when all else falls away.
    I want to know
    if you can be alone 
    with yourself
    and if you truly like
    the company you keep
    in the empty moments.”
    -Oriah Mountain Dreamer

    2. The Curiosity = wonder + awe equation is the most interesting to me, as the idea that we could create inspiration rather than just waiting on it to strike is interesting to me. As entrepreneurs sometimes we get bogged down in the details and forget that it’s our job to be curious. Finding ways to access that port during times of low energy or low inspiration would be invaluable to me. 

    3. My husband and I are entrepreneurs who currently own a restaurant and a consulting business. We have many ideas for future ventures , which will happen regardless of meeting with Chip, but we find consistently high customer service to be one of the hardest things to deliver. Also, we are very inspired by EQ vs. IQ and we are always trying to expand our knowledge base on becoming more E.Q.  for our teams to be successful. 

    Reply

  • John P Morgan — January 19th, 2012, 7:55 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” – Albert Einstein

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    Massively increase gratitude, which will ensure maintaining a constant happiness while at the same providing space for more aggressive pursuits. A hyper-focus on gratitude (i.e. journaling daily, sharing thanks with people, public speaking about generosity) will allow me to achieve what I desire without sacrificing happiness during my pursuit. In essence, maximising gratitude would be a direct method to helping me to ‘enjoy the journey’.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I’d like to change people’s perspective from local to systemic so that they relieve themselves from the burdens of strictly cause and effect thinking, allowing them to find greater individual success and to generate social harmony. I’d like to do this through the delivery of systemic stories, metaphors and experiential exercises via public speaking and writing to business, charities and private audiences.

    Reply

  • Nick — January 19th, 2012, 7:56 am

    1. “It is easier to act yourself into a better way of feeling than to feel yourself into a better way of action.” – O.H. Mowrer

    2. Curiosity is my favourite emotion, and it’s difficult to see where it comes from. I have this “need to know” that’s there sometimes, and not there other times. I agree with Chris, that there are places that for some reason, create barriers to creativity. For me, the office is sometimes that, and sometimes not. My suspicion is that when I need to work with people to do something creative, the office is where I need to be. And when I need to work alone to be creative, the office gets in the way. I’ve never explored exotic locations for the purpose of being creative. But if awe and wonder are key ingredients, then I should absolutely look for inspiriational places to create ideas.

    3. I want to create “places condusive to human flourishing”. It’s one of the reasons I want to start lots of companies. Because I think employers have really dropped the ball on creating workplaces that people want to be at. Everyone should love where they work. (Not more than their family, or friends, or leisure time, but still love it) Why can’t everyone who goes to work know that they are creating value, and making the world a better place? Whether EQ or Maslow’s Heirachy, I want to use every tool available to me to achieve this.

    Reply

  • Todd — January 19th, 2012, 7:57 am

    1. Of all the quotes I have ever read, only one seems to ground me. And, it’s not even a quote. Rudyard Kipling’s “If”
    2. Without a shadow of a doubt, the equation that I could see the most benefit from is Happiness=Having What You Want/Wanting What You Have. That “hedonic treadmill” is getting tiring.
    3. I’d like to take the experience and priniciples and apply them to my life and my business. I would like to help make the people around me happy too!

    Reply

  • Doug — January 19th, 2012, 8:01 am

    1. One of my favorites that came to mind when reading this post was “Men are governed only by serving them; the rule is without exception.”—V. Cousin. It appears that Mr. Conley has definitely figured this one out.

    2. Despair = Suffering – Meaning. This plays on the widely held belief that all change is painful but it takes it a step further. It reminds us of the lessons that can be learned from the struggles in our lives. The feeling of despair can be eased when paired with the knowledge that can be pulled from this event and can also begin the path towards success.

    3. I believe leaders like Chip who truly understand the human factors that are found in our businesses radiate when in their setting. I would love to observe and interact with him and take that back into my own business.

    Reply

  • Adam — January 19th, 2012, 8:01 am

    1. What gets measured gets managed (Peter Drucker) — applies to both business and aspects of life, when you think about it.
    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS; I think my big takeaway from this equation is to not dwell on items that it’s impossible for me to know, and impossible for me to act on. Focus instead solely on what I can learn and what I can change/act on; and the rest will play out as it will.
    3. I would like to build a thriving community of first-time entrepreneurs after a day with Chip. Helping folks overcome the resistance, the uncertainty, the powerlessness. Learning about funding ventures even if you’re tight on cash. And how to take that big, but rewarding, leap.

    Reply

  • John — January 19th, 2012, 8:05 am

    1. Write your first draft with your heart. Re-write with your head.

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    As a budding screenwriter, any level of anxiety I have for my future comes from this equation, and it was really neat to read it summarized in such a simplistic form.

    The nature of my work will always be uncertain until I start to build some traction (or in other words, empower myself). The only way to do that is to do things that will put me closer to a position to make something happen. First, have a script in hand ready to go, next, make the industry work for me, whether it be through meeting the right contacts, entering contests to have my stuff read, there is no one equation to success so it’s about trying things until I find something that works.

    3. What would I want to build or change? I think I take this topic too seriously. Life in general. I would want to change in myself, the ability to let go. I’ve accomplished a lot at 25, for my peer group, but at times I think about the sacrifices I’ve made to have the determination I’ve had. It will pay off when I succeed, but I think what I’ve also lost is some of that ability to just “let go”. I’m always “on.” Chip sounds like a guy, who, through his years of experience I think would recognize that, and I would just love to have dinner with him and hey, let’s film it and show the world a conversation with Chip from a readers perspective.

    Reply

  • Annie — January 19th, 2012, 8:05 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary – Cecil beaton

    2. Despair = suffering – meaning

    For most people, there are inevitably events that can cause sadness or depression, for example. the grief of losing a loved one, the serious illness of a close family member, the loss of a relationship or losing a job. The sadness that those experiences generate can be debilitating, not only when those events occur, but also when those experiences are recalled, (as painful experiences so often can be), years later. Finding meaning in the suffering that accompanies despair can be a great way to combat that destructive effect of suffering. I almost had a nervous breakdown while working for a large company, being pushed to do work that I didn’t want to do and dealing with a destructive relationship. It was a horrible experience, but looking back and identifying how beneficial those experiences have been in my life makes me appreciate what I have in my life now. I’ve also learnt so much more from those periods, becoming a far more confident person, and able to avoid or deal with similar experiences that I might encounter in the future.

    3. I would like to explore ways in which I can create an alternative income stream and build my muse.

    Reply

  • Nando — January 19th, 2012, 8:07 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “In the province of the mind, what is believed to be true is true, or becomes true within certain limits to be learned by experience and experiment. These limits are further beliefs to be transcended. In the province of the mind. There are no limits.” – John C. Lilly

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    Keeping the mind supple, removing dogmatism and using the word “Maybe..” more to keep curiosity and creativity flowing

    3. By trade and curiosity I am interested in user interfaces and software development. I’d like to see if there are any software development opportunities and needs within his network that my team and I can help out with.

    Reply

  • Arseny — January 19th, 2012, 8:10 am

    Tim, I think you could also add LinkedIn share button as much of your posts are business related (as is LinkedIn). Hope this helps =]

    Reply

  • Clint Shoemaker — January 19th, 2012, 8:13 am

    1. “Let the unseen days be. Today is more than enough.” Tolkien

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness.

    Worry and anxiety about future and past events, about what others think of me are things with which I struggle. Instead of using my limited resource of attention to others, anxiety needlessly ensnares my focus inward. These worries take me away from the present and distract me from all the wonderful things that I have in my life. Conley’s Anxiety Balance Sheet is a powerful exercise with concrete steps to help name your fear and master your emotion.

    3. I’d love to spend a day with Mr. Conley to help change my perspective on people’s needs and emotions, to help me build better relationships and to share his wisdom with others.

    Thanks for the great post and article!

    Reply

  • David DeRam — January 19th, 2012, 8:14 am

    The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

    The equations resonated deeply with me but especially CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I have been building a philosophy of youth athletic competition around fascination and wonder instead of fear and aggression. The central point is that competitive greatness is about elimination of fear. The kids I am focused on are high school athletes. When they square up with the kid across from them they are typically looking to dominate and crush that kid mentally and physically. They are impatient, reactive, and over anxious when they should be relaxed and playful. Playful does not imply a loss of intensity but an increase in intensity as attention turns inward to what is possible. What are my limits? Breakthrough performances have that dimension of fascination. Trash talking and TD dance celebrations can’t happen there. There’s infinitely more interesting stuff going on.

    Adding curiosity to the mix and specifically ‘curious habitats’ expands the idea space and builds a bridge to expand and complete the philosophy.

    That philosophy is one part of a much bigger idea. My software company works with at-risk kids through our foundation. The mission is to give kids with few options unlimited options. After a day with Chip we will generate ideas, energy, and understanding that will directly impact thousands of lives.

    Reply

  • Miguel A. — January 19th, 2012, 8:17 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “You have blessed me with many gifts, God, but I know it is my task to realize them. May I never underestimate my potential, may I never lose hope. May I find the strength to strive for better, the courage to be different, the energy to give all that I have to offer. Amen.”

    This prayer has helped me redirect my mission not only for myself, but also enabled me to inspire my clients and help them realize the power of their decisions, that they aren’t just victims to how or what their body looks like (I’m a Personal Trainer). Discover the inspiration of strength, rather than the fear of all the health problems life can have, and discover what this strength can do for you in any situation.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    It’s funny that the author of the post is proud about an equation that he has about despair – no one wants to feel it yet he naturally gravitated towards it. I feel the one equation that I naturally gravitated towards (in my own life) was always curiosity. However, in terms of emotional equations, I’m probably weakest when it comes to the Anxiety Equation. I always seem like I need to plan into the future, trying to control every variable that I can at my fingertips. But I can’t control everything, namely people and how they react, and quite frankly this scares me. Powerlessness was the word used, and I feel it quite often. So understanding this one equation can certainly preface my growth not only professionally, but also in my familial and personal life as well.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I’ve come to the realization (after many sleepless nights) that the key to achieving any goal is through changing your behaviors and habits (in this case, clients achieving their dream body). Just as Chip had an aptly used metaphor for the luggage we carry throughout life, he has also hit another nail on the head – physical workouts vs. emotional workouts. As a Personal Trainer, I often joke with my friends and family saying that I’m more of an Emotional Trainer, because I’m often learning how the person works and what makes them tick, so I can “undo” these triggers and help them achieve a more sound physical body. What I would propose is developing a manuscript, all based around the emotional components holding anyone back from achieving their physical goals. Not so much remaking the wheel, but *discovering* how we can apply a new wheel, namely the Plutchik-Wheel, and further evolve this wheel to allow myself and my students to carry the message of growth and freedom, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

    Reply

  • Michelle — January 19th, 2012, 8:20 am

    1) Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” This quote is so meaningful because we can’t count on others to do everything for us. We each have to do our part to make this world a better place.
    2) HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. I love this equation because I think it is so important to be grateful for what you have, but never lose that drive to keep doing better. I also like the part about “feeling gratitude without sharing it with someone is like wrapping a present without giving it to the intended recipient.” This inspires me to not only look for what makes me happy in life, but to find ways to bring happiness into the lives of others.
    3) I want to achieve my full potential in life by finding something that I am passionate about and giving it 100%. I don’t know what that something is yet, but I know that no matter what I want to give back to other people on this earth that need help. Spending a day with someone that has figured out how to master your emotions in order to achieve success would be such an inspiration for me.

    Reply

  • chris w. — January 19th, 2012, 8:21 am

    “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” – Einstein

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    This equation resonates with me. People so often seem so opposed to change, even if it is for the better. Curiosity is a core foundation towards human achievement. With curiosity comes exploration, problem solving, challenge, and achievement.

    To spend time with Chip, would mean working on, exploring and further developing my knowledge of leadership. I relish the opportunity to learn more about leading and engaging people. To help other to become engaged as part of a team while also striving for their own goals.

    Cheers, Chris.

    Reply

  • Gary Devenish — January 19th, 2012, 8:22 am

    1. “Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense” – Winston Churchill
    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY + POWERLESSNESS. My family will be relocating once again after only 7 months (job -related), this has made my wife extremely anxious, and I plan on sitting down with her tonight to work through this equation and hopefully relieve some of the anxiety.
    3. As a manager, AND ESPECIALLY AS A FATHER, I need to increase my overall EQ (and learn how to keep working to increase it) to make me a better boss and husband/father. I have often accused of being in-sensitive, and looking back it has affected both my career and home life.

    Reply

  • Mark — January 19th, 2012, 8:22 am

    1. “A character rich in integrity, maturity, and the Abundance Mentality has a genuineness that goes far beyond technique, or lack of it, in human interaction.” Stephen Covey.

    2. Employing the CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE equation would have the biggest impact for me. I have founded and successfuly sold a small company and I have founded a boutique business law firm where I earn significantly more than I did at the big law firm I was with but I now work about 15 hours a week. (Thanks, Tim, for your tremendous insights. You have really changed my life.) But while I have moments of great curiosity, I can go months and months without the creativity that comes from being curious. I need to be more proactive about creating curiosity, and I really like Chips thoughts on the topic. I, like Chip, find great curiosity in nature, especially hiking, which is slow and allows me to take-in the suroundings and look within myself. I also find curiosity in inspiration books by people with new ideas and paradigms. I’m going to commit to be more proactive about creating curiosity.

    3. I am a big believer in win/win, mutually beneficial organizations. I believe that it is hard to fail if we are as focused on our clients “winning” and our employees “winning” as we are about winning ourselves. Given a chance to spend some time with Chip, I would hope to build many more win/win organizations where the lives of customers, employees, and partners in a small sphere are a little better off because of what I helped create.

    Reply

  • Jordan Reasoner — January 19th, 2012, 8:24 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Stoic apatheia is rather the maintenance of equanimity in the face of life’s highs and lows – getting carried away by neither.” – Unknown

    I have ??????? or “apatheia” tattooed across my chest

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    Every accomplishment in my life up to this point never satisfied me… no matter what I did I was regularly left empty and craving the next shiny object.

    For example: my “side-business” generated $66K last year and I still wasn’t happy, I was depressed actually… that it wasn’t enough for me to quit my job.

    Only recently did I realize that gratitude was missing, and this equation explains why. I just opened a new journal to incorporate gratitude in my life everyday by writing it and speaking it out loud when I wake up in the morning.

    It’s time for me to “want what I already have”…

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would create a consortium of the greatest health minds in the world to establish a standard “Gut Healing Protocol” for every doctor to follow in treating Inflammatory Bowel Diseases such as Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease, Celiac Disease, and IBS.

    - Jordan

    Reply

    • Jordan Reasoner — January 19th, 2012, 1:47 pm

      **EDIT** to “I have ??????? or “apatheia” tattooed across my chest”

      Apologies for the ???????, I typed out the actual Greek letters for “apatheia”, which it did not like :-)

      - Jordan

      Reply

  • cedric — January 19th, 2012, 8:25 am

    1) “mind like water” and “stay hungry, stay foolish”
    When I need to adress something, these reminds me to act on it or not ,and to resonate my reaction to it.

    2) anxiety = uncertainty X powerlessness
    Uncertainty is no problem when you have the power to over come it (when you have a big tolerance for uncertainty) and use your energy to take the uncertainty, look at it and search for ways to empower you in your actions.
    In that way you can expand the equation to: anxiety = (uncertainty X powerlessness)/power
    Take actions and you will get there, you get empowered.
    I’ve just read “Uncertainty” by Jonathan Fields and his approach is congruent with this equation.
    When I decided to combinate work and studying I was checking courses ( which ones, which load, ..) , there was definitely uncertainty. I hadn’t been a “student” for 8 years, those 8 years I struggled with my health (lower-back pain, operations, no pain relief). But I decided to go for it , I outlined my options , how I would do it , how I could adapt, …. This took a lot of uncertainty and especially anxiety away.

    3) uhm: deal making, empire building and foremost self-fulfillement!
    I love to learn new things, I love to think of myself as someone with a wide spectrum of interests.
    I have a coupe ideas to make information products, especially to make a guide for other (young) people who are in the same situation as I was “in pain”. I struggled to find solutions and now want to put them in the hands of people who will benefit from it. I want to improve my life everyday, and after reading this post I had to enter because I think a day with Chip would help me in a lot of ways.

    Reply

  • Eileen — January 19th, 2012, 8:26 am

    1) “Great things tend to be undoable things. Whereas small things, lovingly done, are always within our reach.” -David Duncan

    2) Happiness equation, especially “keeping attention on the numerator”. I like that it doesn’t just dismiss the denominator, but gives you a nice place to file those thoughts and feelings away.

    3) I run 3 separate businesses and I’d like to change my relationship to them with regards to time — it’s very easy to get caught up in the small stuff and run myself ragged!

    Reply

  • Eva — January 19th, 2012, 8:29 am

    1. “Energy flows where attention goes”

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    I agree with him on focusing on gratitude. We are so condition to only focus on the negative or the lack of, but we don’t show or feel enough gratitude towards others or towards what we have. I like the gratitude buddy idea or even group. To focus on what we do have.
    I appreciate the reminder to be thankful for those that help us and are around us. Its so easy to make some one smile and uplift them just by acknowledging what they do and saying thank you. How different would things be if we where grateful with each other, Rather then critical.
    Thank for taking the time to write this article. :)

    3. What would I like to build after a day with Chip? I would like to build myself to be who I aspire to be. We spend so much time in fear and in doubt of ourselves. I would love to learn to express who I am, and to have the confidence to do what I dream of doing, and inspire others to be who they truly are also. We are all super humans, hiding and thinking we are less then that.
    Meow

    Reply

  • Udi Milo — January 19th, 2012, 8:30 am

    1. “Be yourself, everybody else is already taken”

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    I have been focusing on growing the top for a long long time with a good amount of success, I would love to be able to shrink the bottom one as much as possible. Happiness is what I desire as it is the key to a full and rich life, both personal and professional. It is one of those things that only grow when you give to others or share with loved ones or with people around you. I would apply it to everything that I do, my family, my job, my soon-to-be-born boy, everything that I have is a gift and I would like to share this perspective with everyone around me in a way that will empower and enrich others.

    3. I would like to change myself and build interpersonal tools that will allow me to share this growing happiness with people all around me, and not only that, but also help other build that tool. I would like to build a real life, happiness meme that will go and expand and grow. I would like to be able to make people lives just a little bit better.

    Reply

  • Richard Goldberg — January 19th, 2012, 8:30 am

    Hi Chip,

    You have asked your readers what their favorite inspiration or philosophical quote is, but realistically nobody should be able to provide you with just one. My experience is that quotes are recorded to provoke thought and curiosity. Saying that, I will provide you with my favorite category of quotes and provide you a few. Questions! Tony Robbins – “Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” Wolfgang von Goethe – “Ignorant men raise questions that wise men answered a thousand years ago.” Chinese proverb – “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. “

    As an inspired individual, when I read an article, I strive to learn at least one fact that I can implement in my life. In this case, I learned a lot about human behavior in each section. My quick summary of the article is that it advises people to step outside themselves, which allows them to really see what situation they are in and what emotions they are truly experiencing. I will strive to know myself in every situation I put myself into. If I’m feeling despair or sadness, I can now determine why I’m feeling this way and alter my surroundings, which will in turn alter my emotions.

    Similar to your story, at 24 years old I’m ready to get started in the business world. I am in the process of planning to build a software company, which will increase the productivity and employee satisfaction in the insurance industry. To answer your question, after a day with you, I will change how the insurance industry interacts and I will build my understanding of the world. In conclusion, there is never a shortage of ideas in this world, so if fail at one of my ideas, I will take away knowledge and move onto the next idea with the knowledge you have provided me.

    Thank you for this opportunity and I look forward to meeting you!

    Reply

  • Wiktor Kostrzewski — January 19th, 2012, 8:30 am

    Here we go:

    1) “That which we are, we are” – Tennyson, “Ulysses.” The entire poem sounds like it was written just for me – it’s a sailor’s monologue, after all – but this line, surrounded by lofty and motivating ideas, is even more powerful. It tells me that I can still do awesome things with all my emotional baggage by my side (or because of it!). Listen to it here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC29p46q7XI

    2) HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. I’ve recently relocated to a country where it’s a lot more customary to go for more money, have a mortgage, car payments and credit card debts. And it just happens to be the most walkable, charming and friendly place I’ve lived in. I want to stay, but on my terms, not under social norms and peer pressure. So going for what I want, and away from what I don’t want, is a big project for me right now. This equation will help me sort it out. Thanks, Chip!

    3) In my work, I’m in charge of 10 amazing teachers and dozens of demanding learners. At home, I’m happily, but freshly married. And in my past, there were things and events whose significance I still have to figure out. A day with Chip in SF is another chance for a fresh perspective on “that which I am” – a chance for me to progress to being a happier educator, husband and lad.

    Reply

  • Michael Z. — January 19th, 2012, 8:32 am

    1) Favorite Inspirational quote at this time in my life:

    “I cannot fail, I can only learn and grow.” – Steve Siebold.

    For me it highlights that any perceived risk / challenge in life can be a positive experience no matter what as long as you have a healthy perspective on it. Whether you think something is good or bad, you’re right.
    It also helps me abolish any fear or self-doubt I may encounter.

    2) Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness

    This is the equation that I feel can have the greatest impact in my life at this point. I truly believe that the majority of our anxiety stems from sources that we simply don’t know enough information about and/or we have little of no control over. Firstly, being able to recognize the anxiety is critical, upon that awareness I need to first ask, “do I have all the facts?” and then “what action can I take towards this?”
    I work in a family business where my father can create an extraordinary amount of anxiety in me, using this equation can definitely minimize the anxiety I feel at times.

    3) MY favorite question to answer!
    I would most likely take a shit-load of inspiration after a day with Chip and use that to continue fueling the ultimate vision my brother and I have together in starting a Yoga Studio / Float tank Center. We literally want to use yoga and floating as a way to help guide facilitated introspection within a beautiful community of people from all walks of life. This is our vision! We are creating the business plan now and have focused on this idea for a long time, with countless discussions / brain-storming sessions. We just let our imaginations explode in every direction. Our whole business concept in the beginning is to not even take a share, our biggest desire is to gets this thing up and running, make it as affordable as possible while maintaining utmost quality and to let it grow with the development of human consciousness and emotional intelligence, which is spreading like wild-fire!

    Thanks for this opportunity to share. I enjoyed the article very much.

    Reply

  • TC — January 19th, 2012, 8:33 am

    1. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King Jr.

    2. Anxiety – Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    After a couple if miscarriages, currently being pregnant in the early stages creates a tremendous amount of anxiety hoping that everything will turn out well. When I saw this formula for the first time this morning, I was hit by how powerful it can be in reducing our fears and focusing on what we can influence.

    3. Working at an energy efficiency non-profit, I would like to talk through effectively scaling operations with Chip to maximize our impact on helping to create the Third Industrial Revolution – the convergence of renewable energy with communication technology.

    Reply

  • Matt Hertzman — January 19th, 2012, 8:36 am

    One of my favorite inspirational quotes is: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” – Steve Jobs

    The equation HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT really hit home. Just by focusing on being grateful for what I have I am going to be immensely happier.

    After a day with Chip I would like to change how I respond and help others to change how they respond to certain stimuli.

    Reply

  • Jules — January 19th, 2012, 8:36 am

    1) “Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something” – TinyBuddha

    2) Curiosity = Wonder & Awe is the emotional equation that surprised me the most on the list, and is also the one I align with the most. I believe many of the grand challenges we face in the world today (climate change, global health, education, equity) stems from a problem of habit in taking this Earth for granted. We have lost the emotional connection to waking up every day to the wonder of nature and awe of our individual and collective potential for good. Grand challenges, as linked to the quote above, are too big for each of us to fight in person, but if everyone engaged, nothing is impossible.

    3) For one day in San Francisco I would like to build with Chip an idea to take the transformation pyramid to youth entrepreneurs in developing countries. In resource-poor environments, survival is key, but survival AND innovation will the tools necessary to break out of the poverty trap. Flash success can be blinding in these environments, so how can we help these youth entrepreneurs instill values of higher transformation?

    Reply

  • Musa — January 19th, 2012, 8:37 am

    Thank you Tim for featuring Chip on this post. I loved it, it was educationally enlightening! Lol.

    Musa

    Reply

  • Dilanka Wettewa — January 19th, 2012, 8:41 am

    1.) “..You can’t control the contour of your face, but you can control its expression…” – Unknown

    2.) The notion of how living in a place of fear prevents curiosity strikes me the most out of Chip’s post. The current environment is one that helps me use as an excuse to impress particular power players and friends instead of guiding my actions based on my own internal compass. This is not an easy task, but sometimes the only solution is to amputate the problem – in my case changing environments. While I have not figured out how to explain to the people around me *yet* – This is how I plan on applying to this my own life.

    3.) I am willing to commit myself 100% to server Chip in any capacity – not because I want to kiss his ass, – but to allow myself to get a slight glimpse into the way Chip operates. I am only interested in focusing on gaining insight from Chip to improve one big challenge I am having. Screw the hotel – I’ll be happy to exchange the 2 days at the hotel to do a mini-internship with Chip for the same amount of time. Chip or Tim, if you are reading this..STOP right now and pick me :)

    Reply

  • Trish Ryan — January 19th, 2012, 8:41 am

    1. “Things tend to get done.” – My friend Jon from law school, who would say this during finals month as he watched golf on TV while the rest of us were freaking out over Torts. He was right. I’m much calmer because of him!

    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe. Thinking of curiosity as a way of moving past fear intrigues me. I suspect that this will be a game changer in both my writing (not shrinking back from controversial subjects–and I write about faith and romantic relationships, so everything is controversial!) and making bolder choices about chasing down things that catch my attention even when they seem random or off-topic.

    3. My dream is to help people be so encouraged about their lives that they’re filled with excitement (rather than fear and dread) about going to their college reunion. I want to build a collection of resources that encourage people to see their lives as a narrative arc, rather than a series of static moments: A book of stories of people who have overcome via faith and supernatural intervention, a tour of people willing to share their stories to encourage others, and a website offering book reviews, products, quotes, and smiles to uplift and encourage people to move THROUGH tough times.

    Reply

  • Jon — January 19th, 2012, 8:48 am

    Oops, the Greek got garbled. Here’s a translation:

    Don’t fear god,
    Don’t worry about death;
    What is good is easy to get, and
    What is terrible is easy to endure

    Reply

  • Paul — January 19th, 2012, 8:49 am

    1. “I shall seize Fate by the throat; it shall certainly not bend and crush me completely” – Ludwig Van Beethoven

    2. I am currently pursuing many things in my career while still trying to have a personal life. Between my graduate studies, research assistant position, part-time marketing job, and in the middle of the starting a business, finding time to show gratitude for the gifts I’ve been given seems like more minutiae. But, my cofounder and I, during countless evenings of cooking and working have become enamored with the sheer amount of things we’re both involved in, the things we’ve learned in the past 6 months, and the mentors, advisors, family, friends, and significant others that have helped along the way. My gratitude buddy and I can certainly utilize a few minutes every evening to reflect and give thanks. You’re suggestions on expanding this gratitude process will do wonders to enhance my relationships today and in the future.

    3. I would like to learn more about how Chip utilized the unpacking of emotions to enhance his business venture and help those who work for him. Then I would like to build upon these recommendations with him to see how they could work with other types of businesses, organizations, and/or governments.

    Reply

  • Bobby Huang — January 19th, 2012, 8:49 am

    1. “Life is hard if you live it the easy way, and easy if you live it the hard way.” – Joe Polish

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

    I likely spend 80% of my life in anxiety over things which may not happen for years. This equation is powerful for me because now I have the ability to flesh out exactly what I’m worrying about and clarify it and see what I can do about it.

    Using the “What Do I Know” about this issue helps me understand the scope I understand of the problem.

    The second column is “What Don’t I Know” help me understand that I usually know more about my anxiety than I realize.

    The third column is “What Can I Influence” tells me what factors of the situation I can steer or navigate toward what I want.

    The fourth column is “What Can’t I Influence” helps me understand that some factors are out of my control, no matter what I do, which is powerful for my anxiety.

    Basically, this equation I’m using in my life to benefit me by taking more action and worrying less in anxiety about problems which are usually not as big as I thought.

    3. With chip, I really want to build my CEO (Chief Emotions Officer) skills. While I’ve been working on gauging and understanding people as much as I can, I still lack some vital skills to manage people, get along with folks emotionally, and constantly show my true self.

    I sort of get into a rut of quiet calm reflection in a group of people, and people in turn think I’m cold, and in turn, disapprove of me, which hurts personal, and business relationships.

    I want to change how I respond in groups with people, and build my ability to truly understand people, so I can in turn help my relationships and other people in whatever ways I can.

    –

    Thanks for the opportunity Chip and Tim!

    With respect,

    Bobby Huang

    Reply

  • rashelle — January 19th, 2012, 8:51 am

    1. live! life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.

    ~auntie mame

    2. ?(wonder+awe) + ?(uncertainty x powerlessness) = a more courageous rashelle

    3. i’d Love to build a sustainable foundation that allows my genie the freedom to share, learn, grow, play, make connections & bring verdant joy, marvelous wonder, and easy awe to myself & others

    Reply

  • Gabe — January 19th, 2012, 8:51 am

    1. It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. – Teddy Roosevelt

    2. Apply the Anxiety = Uncertainty and Powerlessness to stop worrying about the future and focus on what is in front of me.

    3. After a day with Chip I would like to implement learnings in my company’s sales processes as that is the first experience a future customer has with the company and I want their experience to be the one that Tim experienced at Hotel Vitale.

    Reply

  • Eric Siegfried — January 19th, 2012, 8:52 am

    1. “Would you like me to give you a formula for… success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You’re thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all… you can be discouraged by failure / or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember that’s where you’ll find success. On the far side.” -Thomas J Watson, founder of IBM

    2. For me Curiosity has been the most useful emotion in my life. It helps me grow slowly but constantly, as well as deal with challenging situations in life with an open heart. Staying in a state of curiousity is something I want to cultivate, and I feel it’s core to a spiritual path. I can be more present and accepting by being curious, and there’s so much to learn.

    3. My company has grown from 2 employees a year ago to 8, with more on the way. Our core mission is to help people find financial independence, so that they can live their passions. This is a deep desire for everyone in my company, as well as our customers. I want to be a steward of healthy growth, as opposed to losing ourselves as we scale. I’d want to lead through love of my employees. How can I best serve them as my company grows? I think Chip could help me do this.

    Reply

  • Valentina — January 19th, 2012, 8:52 am

    My favorite quote comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Most of the shadows in this life come from standing in our own sunshine.” Too often, self-sabotage prevents us from making the most of our opportunities: we block the light which could make us grow strong and unafraid.

    Lately, personal tragedies have drained me emotionally and prevented me from moving forward. Within the past fifteen months, one of my friends committed suicide and I lost the grandparents who raised me. As a college student, it’s been extremely difficult to focus on schoolwork, and I’ve found my grades slipping, confidence failing, and self-worth depreciating.

    Chip’s anxiety equation hit particularly close to home because over the past year and a half I have been feeling both uncertain about the future and powerless to affect its path – how could I be sure I wouldn’t lose more loved ones, and how could I prevent it from happening? This anxiety carried over to other parts of my life, most recently to my future career: how can I find a good job after college? What am I good for, with my BA in History?

    But Chip’s explanation has helped me put things into perspective, made me see just how much I can influence my situation and that it’s not so dire after all. I attend one of the most prestigious universities in the world and have been given plenty of golden opportunities – and it is time for me to start seizing them again. Meeting Chip would inspire me to pursue my dreams of owning a company one day, and maintaining my integrity and respect for others as I do. It’s time to take charge of my life again by ending this cycle of defeatism, and reading this blog-post has prepared me for that – thank you, Tim and Chip.

    Reply

  • CS — January 19th, 2012, 8:52 am

    1) “If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.” – Albert Einstein

    2) HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    I see “verbal diarrhea” (a.k.a. B.S.) as one of the most disturbing disease of our time (see quote 1). Its growth rate seems to be exponentially related to the advances within the field of communication technology. With all the irrelevant “buzz” that constantly surrounds us, finding your true inner voice becomes harder and harder. In a world in which everyone tells you what you should have or do it’s even harder to find times to reflect on where you’re going but especially what you’ve already achieved. Spending time on both meeting with a “Gratitude Buddy” as well as writing a “Gratitude Journal” based on the equation above would help me to stay focused on what’s really important / relevant in life and learn to be thankful again.

    3) Change the way I lead /develop my company. Make the following equation a reality: PROFIT = INFATUATED CUSTOMERS + HAPPY EMPLOYEES

    P.S.: Thanks Tim for asking those specific questions. Even if I should not win the trip – taking the time to reflect on the equations and writing this post (this is my first post after “consuming” this blog silently for over two years) has already made a big difference.

    Reply

  • Marty Cornish — January 19th, 2012, 8:56 am

    1. “The only thing greatness asks for is an opportunity.”

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness. I spent 2 years working in the paint industry. If there’s one thing people feel uncertain and powerless about, it’s paint. I founded and am CEO of EasyPaint, which is working to bridge the gap between those who are certain and knowledgeable about paint (painters) and those who feel uncertain and powerless about paint (their customers) using a single site. The goal is to create something which diminishes this anxiety, and this equation illustrates a simple way of thinking about it.

    3. EasyPaint has yet to launch to the public, so learning from Chip about how to be a more effective CEO would be huge for me before we start helping customers and employing people. I hope to create something that maximizes efficiency, and would love to shorten my learning curve for effective leadership. I am also President of a baseball training company (Round Trip Baseball), so learning about motivation from the best would help me better interact with both my instructors and customers as I continue to grow that brand.

    I also love the curiosity equation, and try to apply that to my daily life. The more curious we are, the more able we are to innovate and create real beneficial change for society.

    Reply

  • John Halliay — January 19th, 2012, 8:58 am

    Tim/Chip – Great article! I’ve visited a few Joie de Vivre properties and have really enjoyed them. I’m fascinated by how much a company reflects the culture of it’s leaders – in a positive fashion like JdV or in a negative manner, especially in regards to ethics and true customer focus. I found the framework for understanding emotions very enlightening. It’s the Dupont Financial Analysis for emotions. I’d appreciate the opportunity to spend some time with Chip in San Francisco. So here goes:

    1) Favorite Quote – “Only in this moment, is life.” Thich Nhat Hanh. Life is lived in the moment, not the past or the future. Or, be present.

    2) ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS – I’ve been experiencing much anxiety about future career direction and this helps frame some of my issues. By eliminating some of the uncertainty and gaining more influence on my direction I can reduce the anxiety I’m experiencing.

    3) After spending a day with Chip I hope to gain more insight into how he utilizes his different cultural experiences (festivals, etc.) to be more effective at guiding the company and leading his team to collective success.

    Reply

  • Seth Werkheiser — January 19th, 2012, 8:59 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.”
    ? Robert M. Pirsig

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS. I need to write out my problems, and include others in my life when it comes to certain situations. Too often I isolate and don’t let people help, which I think just fuels my powerlessness.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I’m already working on some projects revolving around heavy metal (news, writing) and robots (my artwork), but I’d love to begin work on expanding these in more meaningful ways. I want to bolster these creative outlets for both myself and my talented friends so we can do even more stuff that matters in the coming decade.

    Reply

  • Peter Bujok — January 19th, 2012, 9:02 am

    1. My favorite quote is actually the ending lyrics to the song Lateralus by Tool, I really think it visualizes lifestyle design like Tim describes, and it points at becoming an individual who constantly searches for more meaning and purpose in the life that we live:

    With my feet upon the ground
    I lose myself between the sounds
    and open wide to suck it in
    I feel it move across my skin.
    I’m reaching up and reaching out,
    I’m reaching for the random or
    what ever will bewilder me,
    what ever will bewilder me.
    And following our will and wind
    we may just go where no one’s been.
    We’ll ride the spiral to the end
    and may just go where no one’s been.

    2. Curiosity comes to me when I’m surfing in the ocean as well, it has been a huge source of inspiration for me to be out in the simplicity and complexity of nature. Simple because when I’m staring out to the ocean sometimes I see only 2 colors; the blue of the sky and water, and the white of the clouds and white caps. Complex, because that same landscape changes to storm clouds, then colorful sunsets, then feeding frenzies with the fish birds, and (ahem) bigger creatures. Being in this environment is an application of your equation because it gives me a chance to put business and other worries on hold and simply focus on the wonder and awe of being in this world.

    3. I would change my shirt after a day of working with Chip because of all the work we would accomplish (haha just kidding). No, but seriously I would watch Chip and how he manages his time and employees. This would let me know how a CEO of a big company manages to get goals accomplished. I would also watch for any pushes towards the quality of his product, because I believe that the quality of your resources that you put into your company, interaction with customers and employees, products and services, etc. well outweighs any other factors. Finally, I would watch for how Chip manages his personal life, any phone calls from home he may receive, how he takes a break, etc.

    Thank you for the quality information that you are willing to share with your fans Chip and Tim!

    Reply

  • Eric — January 19th, 2012, 9:02 am

    1. “Make mistakes of ambition, not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer.” — Niccolò Machiavelli

    2. Happiness = Wanting What You Have / Having What You Want
    About a month ago I would’ve chosen the anxiety equation without hesitation and related it to the oft-overwhelming anxiety of being jobless. But now that my career situation has seemed to solve itself, I can shift my main focus to embracing happiness/contentedness. The denominator of the equation, as mentioned in the post, is certainly the more difficult. In just a few seconds I can list off several aspects of my life that qualify as “what I have”: a beautiful, wonderful wife (of less than a month—hooray for newlyweds!); a loving, supportive family (on both sides now); and an entertaining, fun circle of friends in a new home city. The tension arises in balancing happiness with what I have and ambitions for the future.

    3. In light of my above answer, what I’d like to “build” both during and after a day with Chip, is more of a sense of balance in the tension of happiness. I’d love to unpack his thoughts & feelings upon graduating from Stanford through the lens of his happiness equation. Did he feel contentment/happiness early on? Or did he discover it along the way? Or has he found happiness to be an ongoing process? Where his answers & our conversation leads would determine the “change” I would affect afterward, both in my general attitude toward my life and in how I interact with my wife, my family, my friends and the wider world.

    Reply

  • Sharon — January 19th, 2012, 9:02 am

    1. An uncomfortable feeling is not an enemy.
    It’s a gift that says, “Get honest; inquire.”
    We reach out for alcohol, or television, or credit cards,
    so we can focus out there and not have to look at the feeling.
    And that’s as it should be, because in our innocence we haven’t known how.
    So now what we can do is reach out for a paper and a pencil,
    write thought down, and investigate.
    ~ Byron Katie

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    This one resonates with me. I remember going through natural childbirth and having people question why I did that when epidurals were available. They couldn’t process choosing to “suffer”. I didn’t suffer. I was in pain, but it was pain that I understood. Pain that had a clear purpose. It also taught me that I can go through fire if I know what’s on the other side, but pain without meaning or purpose will drive me to distraction.

    Applying this to my life, whenever I’m feeling emotional pain, I have to stop and ask myself the purpose of that pain. In many cases, the pain is from fighting with reality. As Byron Katie says, “I fight with reality and reality only wins 100% of the time.” It’s usually as simple as the thoughts in my head about how things *should* be that are causing the pain, when reality isn’t any more or less painful than it always was.

    3. I would like to acquire the tools to create the kind of “conscious company” that I believe is possible: one where profits do not have to come at the expense of the spirit of the people doing the work, but they come *because* of the spirit of the people doing the work. I’ve hesitated starting a company because making money was never my purpose. I can do that just fine working for somebody else. But creating an self-sustaining entity that gives other people purpose? Now *that* is one hell of a good purpose to endure the pain of a start-up, no?

    Reply

  • Marcy — January 19th, 2012, 9:04 am

    1. To develop a complete mind: study the science of art; study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else. -Leonardo da Vinci

    2. Applying the curiosity=wonder+awe equation more would have huge benefits for me. Often I find myself in an office feeling frustrated that the ideas just aren’t flowing. I look at my curious habitats list and laugh as I remember that my best idea popped in to my head as I galloped full-tilt on my horse. Starting now, I’m going to find more curious habitats to inhabit on a regular basis.

    3. With Chip, I would like to use his equations to build a new scheme for how I approach my start-up.

    Reply

  • Kevin — January 19th, 2012, 9:08 am

    Hey Tim,

    Awesome article. This is one of those that needs to be read more than once!

    1- Stronger the Wind Stronger The Trees, Good Timber Does Not Grow With Ease

    Great quote that helped me through my Martial Arts training.

    2- Probably this one: HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    I’ve lived in Asia, Europe, America, and off to South America soon, but I still find myself searching for more and not fully appreciating what I have.

    Whether that is business, women, etc…

    As for the second part, it’s a lil hippiesh but, it would be nice to be able to fully appreciate what you have while kicking even more a$$ in your endeavors.

    3- As you know, inspiration will lead you down unknown paths that you never even imagined before. So I can only answer this question with, “I have no f***ing clue!

    But I know it would be a life changing experience and would lead to a bigger and better path.

    -Kevin

    Reply

  • Jim Tierney — January 19th, 2012, 9:08 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.” – Seneca

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    As a salesman, I’m constantly filled with anxiety over my next sale/next deal/next prospect. Using the ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS equation and the “balance sheet” exercise will help me take stock of the reality of my situation. While there are some uncertain factors (client response, competitive factors, etc.) over which I have little control (highly uncertain), I can reduce anxiety by being aware of and always increasing the things I have power over – my activity, new meetings, cold calls, etc. Reducing this anxiety will help me think more clearly and improve my relationships with friends and family!

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I’d like to find a way to make time to “be curious” – the most important personal and professional growth I’ve had in my life has come after periods where I sought out new ideas and relationships. But knowing that, I still don’t do it enough and as a result I go through periods of stagnation. I’d like to make curiosity a regular part of my worldview to ensure I continue to grow.

    Reply

  • Kathryn — January 19th, 2012, 9:08 am

    1. “Let go of the parts of life you honestly don’t want.” Unknown

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    When I read this particular equation one word popped into my head. “Yes.” It summed up everything I am currently dealing with. My questions as to whether I am capable of running my own business, being a successful artist and sculptor, of even surviving on my own. I constantly find myself not breathing as I attempt to decide which actions to take next, ultimately leading to not accomplishing anything at all. I am uncertain what the “right” step is and have an intense fear of getting it “wrong” with what limited resources I have so my wheels spin and nothing positive happens, though a great deal of negativity does.
    Simply knowing this much has helped me identify the source of the anxiety and will hopefully give me the resources to deal with it. I may be uncertain but I am not powerless. That part I can change. When faced with the panic of indecision I now see that I am only powerless if I let myself be. There are always options. Always choices to be made. They may not always be correct but doing nothing is also a choice and it will most definitely get me nowhere.

    3. I would like to build a more confident center in myself that has the capability of interacting with others in a positive way. I would like to learn to set the fear, pain, and disappointment that I feel aside, to use the knowledge that I’ve gained through it without the panic, and truly embrace my art, travel, business, and life.

    Reply

  • Claire Spencer — January 19th, 2012, 9:10 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “With enough courage you can do without a reputation.” Clark Gable

    In very simple terms, this, for me, is a reminder to be unafraid to be bold. Fall down, get up, fall down, get up – the people that laugh at me are too afraid to try and are justifying their own inaction, and everyone else is amazed and inspired by my forward motion. Nobody notices your bruises and scratches at the summit.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING

    This is pertinent in two ways for me. On one hand, it helps tremendously to be able to re-frame a difficult experience into a learning experience; it becomes tolerable and sometimes I can even turn it into something I enjoy, as I am able to end the despair by creating meaning from the suffering.

    The second way has to do with my own dna. I have had to manage chemical depression on and off since my teenage years. One of the most difficult aspects is, initially, the self-hate that arises. My parents are wonderful. All my problems are first-world white people problems – nothing, in the grand scheme of things. And yet, I would find myself miserable. About what? This equation is a good reminder (for me) that sometimes despair isn’t circumstantial. If part of the equation is missing – in chemical depression it is the “meaning” aspect – then it allows me to be more human to myself. If I can’t create meaning out of my suffering, then it is not so much a “learning experience” but an imbalance, and I don’t have to feel ashamed of finding another way to balance the equation.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would like to continue developing and seeking ways to improve my way to “re-frame” things for the happiest, most productive outcome. Many times it is our reaction to an event that holds us back or stops progress. I would like to continue to improve and be able to share skills to be able to take adversity and challenges in stride by managing my interpretation of them on an emotional level. We cannot control the outside world, but we can choose how to interpret it. I would like to gain more tools to be able to share with people and a greater capability to communicate them.

    Reply

  • Kay Walten — January 19th, 2012, 9:16 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Only those are fit to live who do not fear to die; and none are fit to die who have shrunk from the joy of life and the duty of life. Both life and death are part of the same great adventure.” – T. Roosevelt

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT This equation for me, is not only a gratitude but an awareness of what I actually want that will bring true happiness, and looking at what I have and learning to detach and let go of the things in my life that do not bring happiness, and holding the items that bring true happiness sacred.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF? I would like to build more confidence in what makes me happy. With joy in my heart I want to go out into the world and help others by giving them an opportunity to have what they want, even if that means basics like water, food, education. I want to create awareness and hopefully funds for the empowerment of the women of East Africa.

    Reply

  • grace anderson — January 19th, 2012, 9:18 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up.” “Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense” Winston Churchill
    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    This equation, believe me speaks volumes about my life right now: My son was in an awful accident, I am dealing with an aging parent, my good friend has breast cancer, but didnt tell me ’til after her surgery and I have a bad bout of mid-life compare-itis, questions that I must ask myself about my relations with family friends colleagues ? What is my legacy? What will the rest of my life be if I keep on doing what I am doing?

    3 A day with Chip: I need to formalize a plan. A strategy on being foremost the CEO of my life, and then my home-life, family and then career.
    Ever optimistic,
    Grace

    Reply

  • Marcus — January 19th, 2012, 9:18 am

    1. “What doesn’t transmit light creates its own darkness”– Marcus Aurelius

    2.Happiness = Wanting What you have / Having what you want

    Quite simply, I am going to start counting and being conscious of my gratitude. First, I will change my personal rituals to include a moment of reflection as the day is winding down where I account for the gratitude I have shown in a personal journal. I will focus on delivering the present of gratitude to at least one meaningful and influential person in my life each day. It is also important that I offer gratitude to someone who has improved my life even if I don’t know them; be they a bus driver, waiter, or cashier. These unexpected moments of gratitude are what I am most excited about.

    3. After a day with Chip I personally hope to build a system of reflection and accounting for my emotional states and how I have affected the world around me. I also would love to discuss and build a framework for how to inspire emotional connections outside of a personal and business setting. What if you could impact the emotional equations in a small neighborhood setting and inspire a “habitat for curiosity” within your living area? With Chip I would like to build a “Gross Neighborhood Happiness Index” that allows you to account for and build upon the emotional equations of your community and gives you actionable ways to improve them.

    Reply

  • Czarto — January 19th, 2012, 9:21 am

    Great post, and great insight. Being a math guy, I love how you’ve broken down these emotions into equations. Very cool stuff.

    1. A good definition of fairness is that “Everyone gets what they deserve”. However, everyone is different. So by definition, to be fair, you must treat everyone differently.

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    The more you realize that you have the ability to respond, that you do have the power to change things, the less anxiety you will have. This equation can be re-written as: CERTAINTY * POWER = CALM (not the ideal word, but whatever the opposite of ANXIETY is). In a nutshell: Know what you want and empower yourself to achieve it.

    3. What to change or build will depend on how the conversion goes, but what is most valuable is usually to start building a friendship!

    Reply

  • Jean Knowles — January 19th, 2012, 9:22 am

    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good. – Minor Myers, Jr.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    I use this and will need to continue to use this for the balance of my life. How I view the world and framing what I have as what I want changes my perspective and what I attitude I project onto others, It is the attitude I bring to life and the world which dictates what the world rolls out at my feet each and every day as well as the richness of the relationships I cultivate in this world. I live a busy, hectic life which is full of challenge and chaos; however, my perspective is that all of these circumstances are an opportunity. I welcome opportunities and challenges, embracing each challenge and situation as an opportunity is “wanting what I have. “The universe has in return given me innumerable opportunities, situations and success in return. What I like about this equation is that it has nothing to do with money, status, career, or other likely symbols of what people perceive as necessary for happiness. The equation proves that it’s within us to be fully capable of happiness. I appreciate the hope, promise, empowerment and responsibility of this equation as it’s within us to be extraordinarily happy whatever the circumstance.

    3. I’d like to advocate, pilot, and offer life skills as a course in school not unlike sex education. It would offer basically a new operating system/reboot for kids. Kids are taught subjects but not the process to operate in their life, use or misuse of judgment, acceptance, aren’t given the tools to exercise compassion, empathy, and other skills so relevant to success in life.

    Reply

  • Mustafa — January 19th, 2012, 9:22 am

    1. “You are what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions”-Elizabeth Gilbert.

    2. ‘Anxiety=Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    The fear of the unknown speaks to me in a business sense because I’m torn between many things; choose passion over money, choose stability over uncertainty, choose responsibility over freedom. I constantly remind myself and have to give myself permission to do what I want to do in life, and not what my family and friends expect me to. The fear hits me when I make the decision to do what I want but if it doesn’t work the first few times or if it takes much much longer than expected and I’m left looking foolish when a few years ago I was once very promising. What I need to do is go over all the worst case scenarios, find out all the different things which inhibit me and talk myself through them in order to confront the unknown. Then I can realise that it’s not as scary as it seems.

    3. After a day with Chip in SF, I would like to begin building a lifestyle which supports me financially, fulfils me emotionally and leaves me completely independent. I want to be excited by life’s possibilities everyday and truly live it on my own terms.

    Reply

  • Ryan Riegner — January 19th, 2012, 9:22 am

    1. “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre’ Gide 

    2. I am the founder of a startup graphic design agency in New York City. Since September, I’ve been working harder than ever in my life to combat the anxiety that my first company could somehow fail. But I know that feelings of worry and nervousness only lead to uncertainty and stagnancy, which is a precursor for the imminent failure of the business. As a test this morning, I applied Chip’s Anxiety Balance Sheet to this issue and I was completely blown away by the results. Of my 52 responses in all four columns, 43 (82%) were good and realistically achievable. Of the 9 “bad” responses, 6 of them are either unnecessary to consider or are easily turned into something that I can know and change. This means that 94% of my anxiety is unnecessary and easily solved, which in return multiplies my rate of possible progression exponentially. Unbelievable.

    3. I have big dreams for being a young (23 years old) and little guy (5’7”). But we are living in very critical times where design can have an increasing impact on our world. My vision is to create a conglomerate design agency that not only creates self-initiated projects, such as products, services, tools, and communities for the world at large, but that also collaborates with large corporations and other movers and shakers to make things that we think are needed in the world. A day with Chip would be invaluable in helping me learn how to achieve this vision. Learning how to become a better CEO is something that I’m fascinated about and ever curious to learn how to do better. Thank you Chip and Tim, for this wonderful opportunity.

    Reply

  • Adam — January 19th, 2012, 9:24 am

    1. “Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    As someone who is an aspiring author of fiction, I find that all too often, my creativity reserves become depleted. I viewed curiosity as a reactive emotion, though, and I chose to seek out various ways or means to inspire myself. Now, I will choose to pause, reflect, and find habitats that spawn my own curiosity, since I realize the components of curiosity are not reactive in nature. They come from somewhere within, and that’s where I feel I will seek my curiosity now so that I can create amazing worlds, characters, and stories. I made my list of habitats and found that I tend to do most of my creative work in those places that impede my curiosity, and that I am really not taking advantage of the habitats that encourage it. I’m going to reverse this trend and focus on “broadening and building” my way out of a creative slump. And I need to have more non-linear conversations with my best friends, as nothing really beats those…thanks for the reminder!

    3. I would like to build my emotional foundation with Chip, if I may have the opportunity. While I feel that the exterior of my emotional structure appears in fine shape, the foundation has noticeable flaws that I feel could be easily fixed with the correct guidance (Chip!). I am fairly young, so I feel that now is the perfect time to learn these lessons and build this foundation. I guess I just want to build sort of an emotional guide that I can always turn to in times of need, be it with work or family or really anything. I know that Chip has the wisdom and I’m hungry for his guidance!

    Oh, and I’d love to visit SF, as I’ve never been! Cheers!

    Reply

  • TL Carlson — January 19th, 2012, 9:24 am

    1. ” . . . living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.” – Michael Josephson

    2. Happiness equation beautifully demonstrates the balance you can create in a life without giving up or using up your authentic power. The maximum benefit from internalizing this teaching, would be to see it reflected in my children as they grow and pursue their passions.

    3. A day with Chip has the possibility to help me outline what changes to make in my current family role as COO to become the Carlson CEO.

    Reply

  • I. Currie — January 19th, 2012, 9:24 am

    1. “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” Anne Lamott, quoting her father in Bird by Bird.

    2. Despair = Suffering – Meaning. The use of this insight is obvious but profoundly difficult. It helps me to remind myself of the words and example of Frankl, and the path of the Buddhists, and search for meaning in suffering. I find that practicing in small ways that seem inconsequential, builds resilience and wisdom, and enables me to remember the truth contained in this equation when I encounter deeper difficulties.
    Today, right now, I am going to walk out into extreme winter conditions. The cold will be temporary and harmless suffering, but will give me a chance to practice the lessons of the equation for when I am faced with an significant and otherwise negative experience. As I walk to work I will do my best to experience the cold and accept it and think about what I can learn from the experience of pain.

    3. My challenge is building relationships, and that is what I would like to build after a day with Chip in SF. I would like to see and learn from Chip how he has built his business relationships to help me to learn to build stronger, authentic ties with the people who work with me, so that I can lead with genuine emotion.

    Reply

  • Blaine — January 19th, 2012, 9:25 am

    1. It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique – it’s not easy. But if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. My personality drives me to be in constant pursuit of gratification, yet only on very rare occasions am I able to step back and feel gratitude for all the blessings I have in my life. I intend to use this equation or philosophy to both feel and practice gratitude. I need to show my gratitude more frequently to the important people in my life and I need to feel gratitude as well. I want this to become habitual.

    3. After a day with Chip, I would like to change the way I consider my emotions – to evaluate them more qualitatively; to improve my emotional intelligence and create my own internal logic regarding my emotional baggage. Once I’ve learned to do as much, I would like to apply what I’ve learned to my personal and business relationships for continued emotional success and improved happiness (getting that denominator closer and closer to zero).

    Reply

  • TJ Lawson — January 19th, 2012, 9:25 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” – Proverb of Solomon.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    This idea has been pushing and calling me to something different for sometime now. The idea of curiosity has been an idea that I have been working through for the last several months. If I could learn to use this more I am not sure what would be in store for me.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    A community. Change how people think, how they live.

    Reply

  • Agustin — January 19th, 2012, 9:27 am

    1-”Don’t try, do or not do, there is no try” (today) speaks to me about perseverance, commitment & belief.
    2- I like the happiness formula. With a family of five,sometimes things are tight but the most valuable thing we could ever hope for is righ in from of us, “time with ourselves”
    3- Hopefully this helps me “dislodge” myself from the day-to-day and start thinking outside the 8-5 mentality where I reside.

    Reply

  • Grace — January 19th, 2012, 9:28 am

    1. Take a step back and smell the flowers. I have to constantly remind myself to practice what I preach and that reminder sometimes doesn’t come for months. Sometimes, I become too focused on my work- my schoolwork and extracurricular activities. I find myself adding this task and that event to my calendar to barely squeeze enough time for some sleep. Yet, there is nothing as valuable in life as enjoying yourself, smelling the flowers.
    2. This week, I got news about getting an interview for a job that I really wanted. However, that moment of happiness was very brief as I quickly started to panic about all of the potential mistakes that I could make and what would happen if I didn’t get the offer. However, when I stumbled across this blog and the equation of Anxiety = Uncertainty * Powerlessness, I realized that there was a lot more that I could influence and that I do know. I have the ability, knowledge and personality to do great on this interview and if I do not get the offer, it was due to something that I could not have foreseen and changed.
    3. I would learn to better understand people. I would get the chance to receive exclusive feedback on how to manage my negative Type A personality tendencies and use it for the improvement of my well-being and my contribution to society.

    Reply

  • Nick michell — January 19th, 2012, 9:28 am

    1.Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. Victor Frankl

    2. Curiosity = wonder+awe, having lead a very reactive existence, learning to step outside my emotions, observe and allow the waves to settle, i’m amazed how a situation can seem so different. Immersing myself in the natural rhythms of nature helps me do this far more effectively.

    3. I’m working on a project to design an environment where wellness, art and commercial business intertwine, Chip seems to have encompassed an enriched portfolio of achievements, its always inspirational to be in that kind of company.

    Reply

  • David — January 19th, 2012, 9:29 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “The right decision is the decision made”- my father
    He’s always stressed the fact that although I should feel extremely committed and confident with a decision made, I must also look back from time to time and learn from my past decisions. The key he has stressed is it to only look at these decisions with curiosity being the main reason and not regret.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    Curiosity= wonder + awe. Even at the ripe age of 58 my father continues to inspire me with the way he continues to grow his company. I’ve had the privilege of learning from him at home, seeing him apply lessons with the family which I’ve seen him develop as a business man and seeing him grow increasingly curious towards life and work. Similar to Chips revelation late in life about becoming incredibly curious, I’m lucky at my age to realize this and continue to increase my curiosity. I will continue to develop my company because I’m curious about all that I can LEARN and NOT all that I can EARN.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I’m the founder and CEO of a commercial real estate company in New York City. My goal after meeting and learning from Chip will be to grow the firm into the largest commercial real estate company in New York City within the next 3-5 years. I feel that his experience in growing his company is aligned very well with mine.

    Thank you Tim and Chip for publishing and sharing this.

    Reply

  • Ben Doke — January 19th, 2012, 9:30 am

    1. “Do or do not, there is no try” ~ Yoda
    2. The quote on happiness resonated soundly with me today. I love the balance of gratitude and going after things. This is important with both the tangibles (house, car, muse, etc.) and the intangibles (family, friends, spirituality, etc.) at least these are the two areas I thought about after reading this post.
    3. I’m already the president of a small company and I’d like to build an effective plan to expand my company where it will keep people loyal and happy and eventually become one of my muses. I love learning more about what makes people tick and I look forward to growing even more in this area, I always want to keep learning. I’d also like to build a plan to change my paradigm in interacting with others where I can be a colossal influence on the world around me.

    Reply

  • Steve P — January 19th, 2012, 9:31 am

    1. “Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”
    ? Dalai Lama XIV

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    I’ve been trying to incorporate this principle into my life for some time now, but I thought your equation was a really cool way to put it into more concrete terminology.

    It’s hard to have gratitude! It’s hard to be grateful for what we have, when we are constantly chasing the next thing. On the one hand, drive to succeed is what keeps us going, keeps us from being stagnant. But on the other hand, it can be cancerous. Always striving to achieve bigger and better things and never taking a moment to appreciate the many beautiful things we’re already surrounded by.

    I’m a musician, and spend about half the year on the road, touring with my rock and roll band. Since childhood, it was always my dream to be in a touring band, just playing a show every night in front of a couple hundred appreciative people. It was all I wanted, all i thought about, and after several years of hard work, I found myself having achieved that goal, and now I’m struggling every day to appreciate it. At times I find myself wracked with envy, looking up to the bands that we’re opening four, thinking why aren’t we BIGGER, filling arenas instead of rock clubs, making more money, playing cooler music and on and on and on. Taking a step back to think about what I have and how cool it is, to appreciate the experience, and not worry so much about the end goal definitely helps. I even set a daily alarm on my phone to remind me that this day is a gift :) But I know I still have a long way to go, and it’s something I try to work on every day.

    3. I think I could learn a lot from Chip’s management skills. I act as the manager of my band (which is a small business at the end of the day), and I know I could be more direct, more assertive, and also probably more empathetic to the other members, which I’m sure would in turn drive them more and keep us moving in the right direction.

    In addition to playing music, I’m heavily involved in my families business. It’s a small but growing company, and as I’ve taken on more marketing/management responsibility, I’ve found myself growing frustrated. We have a website that generates great traffic, yet sales are slow. I feel like there are several relatively simple things that we could do to maximize conversions and increase revenue, yet it’s hard, especially given that I’m working with family, to get anyone within the company to take action. I feel like Chip could probably offer some good advice in terms of how I can push the other employees to make the company the best it can be, while at the same time letting some stuff go, and focusing on the things that I can actually have a meaningful, direct impact on.

    Lastly, and I hope this doesn’t come off as cheesy because it is quite sincere, thank you for posting this “contest.” Regardless of whether or not anything comes of this, or anyone even reads this, it was a great and spontaneous reflection to start my day.

    Steve

    Reply

  • Mark — January 19th, 2012, 9:31 am

    I read a great quote/thought just seconds before reading this post. It goes: “Passion is the driving force that catapults us forward even when our motive, intellect, and character are called into question.”

    What this tells me is that if an organization and its leaders can create the conditions for people to express and cultivate their passion in relevant and meaningful ways at work, the organization has a great chance of succeeding. The people will be encouraged to explore their Curiosity, which will help them create results of Wonder, that in turn create actions that Awe.

    I’ve had an idea for a long time about positively engaging the underprivileged for a profitable, charitable cause. I’d like my day with Chip to help put it in action.

    Reply

  • Tyler G — January 19th, 2012, 9:31 am

    1. Favorite Quote: “Your Network = Your Net-worth” –Not sure who originally quoted this but i got it from your recent interview with Chase Jarvis.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    – All were great but if I had to choose one I would pick- HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. This really stuck with me for many reasons. It really makes you think and reflect when you put this equation in your own life. What makes you truly happy? Are you truly great full for what you have? and what about the reasons for wanting the things you don’t have yet? Showing gratitude is very important and to be honest is most of the time easier said than done and truly think everyone can grow from applying this more in their lives.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    –If I had a chance to spend the day with chip in SF I would like to learn how to better apply his emotional principles in not only my business life but personal life as well. I own and run a Specialized Travel Agency based out of Aspen, CO. This industry and sales industry in general is truly like an emotional roller coaster. I know I could learn a lot that I could turn around and apply in my company and pass on to my employees.

    Reply

  • Kristina Kovalyuk — January 19th, 2012, 9:33 am

    1. “The difference between greatness and mediocrity is how an individual views a mistake”

    2. Despair = suffering – meaning
    I would use this by consciously asking myself “What else could this mean?” when faced with a situations or feelings of sadness, despair, being down, upset, etc. By asking this again and again your brain will be forced to come up with other answers to why this is happening or happened – and those other meanings will make it more empowering or help me realize a lesson. Would also use this questioning when talking to friends when theyre down

    3. I would seek to incorporate his way to thinking into more companies as I do strategic consulting. However its hard to say, someone said “the meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed” – so there will likely be other things that come out of meeting with Chip that might just set a chain of events that are hard to predict now

    Reply

  • Brett — January 19th, 2012, 9:35 am

    1. “When you develop yourself to the point where your belief in yourself is so strong that you know you can accomplish anything you put your mind to, your future will be unlimited.”
    - Brian Tracy

    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe

    In our connected Universe, our environment plays a major factor in our mental state, thus determining our thoughts, behaviors and results. Using this equation (and the cool habitats exercise!), I can carefully choose my environment/habitats – those that will inspire me and build my belief and curiosity whilst negative emotions are non-existent or easily rejected, which will result in the attainment of my most desired outcomes.

    3. “True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” -Unknown

    After a day with Chip in SF, where I will have built the psychological foundation I need to succeed, I will build a group of leaders that create change in the world, specifically, leaders in the field of NLP. They can help others to reach their desired outcomes and levels of acceptance, gratitude and happiness whilst also inspiring them to do good in the world, in whichever way they choose.

    I see this strategy as ultimate leverage i.e. I could help 1,000 people with their emotional issues and help them to become happier OR I could teach 1,000 “leaders” to do this, which would effectively help 1,000,000 people.

    Thanks in advance for your consideration ;)

    Reply

  • Teresa McEachern — January 19th, 2012, 9:36 am

    Great article. I was just diagnosed with lupus so the timing for these thought provoking equations couldn’t be better.

    1. “Take what you need and leave the rest”

    2. The exercise metaphor really clicked for me. 2012 has brought changes in practically every area of my life, including losing weight. Exercise requires commitment, the right attitude, corrected habits (to name a few) which are the same requirements when exercising emotional muscles. To see this time as an “opportunity” to change emotionally to prepare for the future gives hope and meaning. Mind-bending!

    3. This article is very intriguing and causing a paradigm shift when I really need it. I’ve started to make changes in my life to lessen my anxiety and stress, a year ago I moved and gave away literally half of what I own to make my life simpler and live the “being happy with what you have”, and I’ve gone off painkillers that clouded my ability to think and compressed my naturally bubbly personality. I would love, love, love the opportunity to discuss the wonder and awe equation with Mr. Conley to renew my curiosity and enjoyment in life.

    Reply

  • Pam Grout — January 19th, 2012, 9:37 am

    1. Favorite quote: “I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.” The Beatles

    2. Favorite equation: I love the happiness equation, especially the part about gratitude. We only see “problems” because we ask “What’s wrong?” Once we shift that paradigm and only ask “What’s right?” (i.e. What am I grateful for?), life makes a tectonic shift.

    3. Favorite thing to build: A TV series set in an ecovillage. Logline: “Occupy” is a quirky TV dramedy following six 20-something’s who live at the Milagro Springs ecovillage. Besides being green and sustainable, Milagro Springs is a retreat center that hosts weekly “self-help” workshops that draw new characters and love interests for the gang to wrestle with each episode. I jokingly call it “Sex and the Country.” As Time magazine predicts, “The Dropout Economy” (people living off the grid, powering their homes and vehicles with wind generators and solar panels) is going to be one of the top trends in the next decade.

    Reply

  • Todd Galde — January 19th, 2012, 9:37 am

    I’m trying to type this response while standing and/or jumping up and down, and it’s quite difficult! Deep breath… sip of coffee… relax. Ok, much better. The entire article is incredible but it’s the overview of the 3rd emotion, anxiety, that has me so giddy, or “eyes wide open!”. Without further ado, my answers to the three questions, and my explanation for the excitement reference above:

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    – Love this question. I happen to carry with me a small black journal that I use to collect quotes from famous (and not-so-famous, thank you Jeff!) people I meet, as well as written phrases from books I’m reading (currently, Unbroken). Hard to choose a favorite, but in light of the excitement I’m feeling right now, here it is: “What the fuck have you done lately?!” This is the end of the very last scene of Wanted, where James McAvoy kills his nemesis and then turns to the camera (http://bit.ly/wlcQEk). Incredible! The first time I saw this I jumped out of my seat and shouted, “Yea!” :)

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    – Now, to explain my excitement shared above: My career profession is as a Mortgage Advisor for a local mortgage bank here in Northern California, in the town of Danville. I’ve been in the mortgage and home loan business for 10+ years. The way Chip breaks down the emotion of Anxiety, asking ourselves the four questions, is precisely what is SO frustrating, nerve-wracking, and stressful for home loan clients these days. The unknown! Most people, both borrowers and loan officers alike, don’t know what to expect with regards to the home buying or refinancing process. There are so many hurdles, so many pitfalls, and so many restrictions. I am going to begin using these four questions immediately with every new client I begin working with. I am confident this will make a huge difference in the way we approach the transaction, the emotional smoothness of the ensuing 30-45 days, and their eventual response to how they “felt” about the entire experience. Thank you, Chip!

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    – One month ago I set for myself a monster goal for loan production in 2012. It is a goal, quite frankly, that I’ve never reached in my 10+ years in the business. I believe that my “glass ceiling” this past decade has always been my mindset, not believing deep down that it was possible. I would like to spend a day with Chip and work to understand the framework for building the mental acumen it takes to BELIEVE one can reach goals that appear too lofty to reach. Chip obviously has this component and I want to attach myself to him, like a pilot fish to a great white, for a day. Bring it! :)

    Todd Galde

    Reply

  • Hubbard — January 19th, 2012, 9:38 am

    1) “There are no chains of houses; there are no crowds of men. The colossal diagram of streets and houses is an illusion, the opium dream of a speculative builder. Each of these men is supremely solitary and supremely important to himself. Each of these houses stands in the centre of the world. There is no single house of all those millions which has not seemed to someone at some time the heart of all things and the end of travel.”
    –G. K. Chesterton

    2) Curiosity = Wonder + Awe. I try to listen more than I talk (this is a New Year’s Resolution), since every person around me knows more than I do about something. Each person is a universe to himself or herself, and listening to them gives us a chance to make wonderful discoveries.

    3) Traveling is often terribly stressful, even for people who love traveling, and I’d love to see how he manages to make people happy in tough times. Reading books is great, and I’ll try to check out his soon, but nothing compares to meeting someone in person–there’s a whole universe out there, after all.

    Reply

  • Cody — January 19th, 2012, 9:38 am

    1) “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want”

    2) “Curiosity = Wonder + Awe” fits me just perfectly. I am constantly working to structure my life in a way that nurtures these emotions. I work hard to avoid people, places and things that rain on my Wonder + Awe parade. As a partner in a restaurant, my team of coworkers is made up of teenagers and twentysomethings. I can use this equation to help them stay curious about life….about what could be….about what they’re capable of.

    3) I want to design a restaurant business model that allows for higher wages, benefits (in addition to health, vision, dental, etc) that maximize happiness, and ongoing educational opportunities. In our industry, the Operations team does all of the hard work and does not get enough credit. I want a company that pays these great people back for the service they provide to our community.

    Thanks Tim & Chip!

    Reply

  • Bryan — January 19th, 2012, 9:38 am

    Hi

    1. “Its not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change” – Charles Darwin

    2. I would choose the Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness equation, there is a huge advantage to finding a way to overcome anxiety. I like Chip’s way of putting pen paper and making a table so you can break down your anxiety into smaller more manageable situations. I’ll definitely use this.

    3. Spending a day with Chip I would like to get as much of my emotions under control as possible especially my anxiety with uncertain situations especially business related. I would also love to hear more about his trip to Bhutan and seeking out sacred festivals all over the work which sounds fascinating. Hopefully Chip would also learn something from me, therefor expanding both our knowledge.

    Thanks for the time.
    Bryan

    Reply

  • Jarie Bolander — January 19th, 2012, 9:38 am

    1. “By Endurance, We Conquer” which is the family motto of Sir. Ernest Shackleton who understood how to motivate his people under tremendous stress and difficult situations. He truly cared about his people and was in tune with their wants, fears and needs. He had true empathy and wanted to see all of his people succeed — not just him. That’s the reason he made it back from his South Pole Trip and Robert Scott did not.

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING. When I have to endure through challenges and setback’s, it make me suffer tremendously. What I need to do more is look past the SUFFERING and find the deeper MEANING in what I’m doing.

    I think DESPAIR is why most people can’t see their way out of difficult situations. By having a deeper MEANING to what you are doing, it reduces DESPAIR so that all the other equations can be applied.

    A life full of DESPAIR will lack HAPPINESS, be filled with ANXIETY and only have CURIOSITY about eliminating DESPAIR — that’s hardly a happy or productive life.

    3. I’m an entrepreneur that is trying to launch a new business and blog. Most of my training and experience is on the technical side (I’m an electrical engineer). I find it hard to connect the needs of potential customers to my potential offerings.

    The reason for this is I lack how to put myself in the customers shoes. That’s what I want to learn from Chip — how to walk in my customers shoes and offer them value without loosing who I am and want to be.

    Reply

  • Brett — January 19th, 2012, 9:38 am

    Had to repost – grammatical error in the last one ;)

    1. “When you develop yourself to the point where your belief in yourself is so strong that you know you can accomplish anything you put your mind to, your future will be unlimited.”
    - Brian Tracy

    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe

    In our connected Universe, our environment plays a major factor in our mental state, thus determining our thoughts, behaviors and results. Using this equation (and the cool habitats exercise!), I can carefully choose my environment/habitats – those that will inspire me and build my belief and curiosity whilst negative emotions are non-existent or easily rejected, which will result in the attainment of my most desired outcomes.

    3. “True leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” -Unknown

    After a day with Chip in SF, where I would have built the psychological foundation I need to succeed, I will build a group of leaders that create change in the world, specifically, leaders in the field of NLP. They can help others to reach their desired outcomes and levels of acceptance, gratitude and happiness whilst also inspiring them to do good in the world, in whichever way they choose.

    I see this strategy as ultimate leverage i.e. I could help 1,000 people with their emotional issues and help them to become happier OR I could teach 1,000 “leaders” to do this, which would effectively help 1,000,000 people.

    Thanks in advance for your consideration ;)

    Reply

  • Philip — January 19th, 2012, 9:42 am

    1. “We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and — in spite of True Romance magazines — we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely — at least, not all the time — but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don’t see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”

    -Hunter S. Thompson

    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have/having what you want
    I think that this is the most applicable and relevant equation on the board because gratitude really is a gift that you can give endlessly. It takes nothing from the giver and can make a world of difference in the life of the receiver.

    The best way (for me) to apply this equation in everyday life would be for me to remember to thank the people that I walk by everyday. People that don’t expect thanks, but work to make my life easier. For example, I always make a point to thank the drivers of the shuttle at my university (which I use everyday), who spend hours on end driving in circles and loading and unloading students. Also, the maintenance crew that wash the windows in the mornings of the buildings I attend class in.

    It’s easy to throw out a complimentary “thanks” in passing, but I think that is more like throwing a wrapped present at someones feet as you walk by. Gratitude is best conveyed by giving up something of ours: Time. I need to stop and face those people, everyday on the street, it could even be the person who makes my coffee at the cafe. Look them in the eyes and sincerely say “Thank you”. I think the response is worth the 2 milliseconds spent and I intend to administer this new “Thank you” technique whenever applicable.

    3.What I would like to build on in a day with Chip would be to become a better leader. Someone who genuinely cares about the people around him/her, makes a positive change in their lives, and strives everyday to make them feel on top of the world. Because I believe there is no point in being a leader and striving for excellence in your own life to be a “super human”, if the people around you don’t feel like actual superhumans.

    Reply

  • Christine de la Garza — January 19th, 2012, 9:42 am

    1. “Before Enlightenment, Chopping Wood and Carrying Water. After Enlightenment, Chopping Wood and Carrying Water.”
    I’ve embraced this quote since the first time I came across it some 20+ years ago and I share it often. It’s relevance has informed my life personally and professionally.

    Chopping Wood and Carrying Water = The Details of Everyday Life. Enlightenment = Perspective.

    When I actively choose to approach the mundane or the unexpected (good or bad) with gratitude or trust or curiosity or joy, for example, it makes the moment or the task at hand come alive in a whole new way and it inspires me to be present and in the moment. I’m no guru, but occasionally, I get a gliimpse into the wonder of it.

    2. Every point Chip makes/shares resonates for various reasons, but HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT is what I’d choose to actively and consciously apply in my life. I do already spend time in gratitude mode, but generally I’m multitasking, i.e. I’ll be taking a shower or cleaning the kitchen and thinking about what I’m grateful for and giving thanks – it’s like my prayer time… but obviously, it’s not dedicated time. So, I would (will) change that up immediately and take time out to make a practice of Gratitude. That said, I’m a nurturer by nature and so, I’m really good (and conscientious) about giving love and appreciation to those around me – at work and at home, but like Chip, I’m also heavy on Type A energy. I get things done. And in all that doing, I definitely find that I don’t always appreciate the fruits of my own labor. I generally feel that I’m never doing enough. Or that I’m not where I ought to be at this stage in my life or I feel fearful that I won’t accomplish and “have the life I want”… So, I will seriously sit with this and give myself some much needed loving too.

    3. After a day with Chip, I would get back to my vision to bring a new venture to fruition and I’d pursue it with more inspired confidence. And, I assume, I’d come away with some helpful guidance and lessons learned that will inform next steps as I pursue creating the life that I want. I’ve actually pivoted about every 10 years in life – singer/songwriter/artist to global advertising executive to bootmaker and designer. And now, I have a vision for creating a lifestyle brand that brings the best of all I ever wanted and loved to fruition. Not merely for my own satisfaction but to inspire others to live creative lives. And I look forward to great success so I can give back in bigger ways. I do this already, but with more reserves, more good works are possible.

    In closing, I want to share that 2 years ago, I stayed at a Joie de Vivre hotel in Huntington Beach – The Shoreline. LOVED IT! As a seasoned brand strategist and savvy marketer, I was thrilled to see a brand that resonated authentically across all every consumer (me) touchpoint. I was so inspired, I researched the company (not Chip) and I shared a promotion link across my social media channels along with a lot of exclamation points. So, I am adoring this blog posting – totally inspired… yet again!

    Reply

  • Neha Aggarwal — January 19th, 2012, 9:43 am

    1. The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time ~ Abraham Lincoln. An associate added- the past is what it is, as is, but the future is good cause it is in your control.

    2. Sadness = Suffering – Learning. I spent 2011 unemployed by choice, immersing myself in learning various trades that wouldn’t fill the void for my calling. 2 weeks of obsessive social media + reading and a nervous breakdown later, I finally woke up in 2012 knowing that I would never have felt this motivated if it weren’t for the ride.

    3. I hope to build relationships. Also, hope to not be the only one gaining value from this link but also the other way around.

    Reply

  • Victoria — January 19th, 2012, 9:43 am

    1. “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” Said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

    “What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

    I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.

    Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.

    -A.A. Milne, “The House at Pooh Corner”

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE/HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    My husband and I planned a great escape from the bitter Midwestern winters this year and managed, using Tim’s 4HWW techniques and a lot of effort, to land in Hawaii for 3 months for free, working at an organic coffee & mac nut farm in the mornings, afternoons spent snorkeling in the ocean or lolling on the lava beaches. By all appearances this seems like a dream come true, and in many ways, it is. However, the dream has not come without a price. It’s true to be careful what you wish for, as you just might get it.

    Through some errors in judgment while screening the farm where we would be living, we ended up at a place where we are 5-6 miles from the nearest ammenities, with no transportation, working for people who seem to be rather bitter about the fact that they need free labor in order to make the place run profitably, and don’t seem to want us here or appreciate the 60 hours/week of labor we are putting into keeping their farm running. Because this takes such an emotional toll (it’s hard to be criticized constantly for doing free work for others), I have been doing a lot intentional gratitude exercises to offset this negative emotional environment.

    My evening ritual includes climbing to the top of the highest hill on the property to view the sun sinking down towards the ocean. It includes reminding myself that I am not shoveling or shivering this winter, nor am I paying any rent or high heating bills. I get to live and work with my sweetheart, sharing the labor, the trials, tribulations and good times. During our days off, we are visiting places like Mauna Kea and swimming with dolphins. I am getting tan. In January.

    I have thought about quitting nearly every day since our arrival. I believe my exercises in gratitude, in keeping the focus on the numerator if this equation, is what has allowed us to continue our work here and keep our focus on all the good things about being here, and about all that we are learning and how we will do things differently on our own farm.

    3. When we return to the Midwest in late Feb., we will be homeless, all of our possessions being locked up in 3 storage units in preparation for our winter escape. After retrieving our 3 cats, 12 chickens and 6 alpacas from various homes and farms around the Midwest, we will be looking to put down roots in the La Crosse, WI area. It is our dream to build a small, sustainable farm of our own, a place to grow our own food and be a teaching farm for others who want to reconnect to their food chain. I would look to Chip to help us create the plan for building a profitable, unique farm business, a challenge in an industry that is traditionally full of hard-working farmers going bankrupt at incredible paces. We have some ideas for what we’d like to do, but would welcome input from an innovator like Chip.

    Reply

  • Dan — January 19th, 2012, 9:44 am

    Favorite quote. Inspirational to me, anyway.

    1.
    “Ring the bells that still can ring,
    forget your perfect offering,
    there’s a crack in everything,
    that’s how the light gets in.”
    -Leonard Cohen, Anthem

    This quote is my favorite quote of all time. I’ve considered tattooing it.

    I think it demonstrates a lot of the equations already here. But the line about the crack and how the light gets in… that to me demonstrates that even if there’s despair, meaning comes from it. There may be something negative that happens (the crack), but sometimes that’s exactly what you need to bring new meaning and freedom into your life. It’s about growth, man.

    2. Applying one of the equations:
    I am already using the anxiety equation. And I love it. I’ve been frustrated at work and there’s been a lot of uncertainty. So, as a result, I figure, I’m powerless to stop a lot of it. Instead, I’m focusing on where I still have power… That involves reaching out to freelance and learning things on my own time. Building out my skills so I can adapt. And, of course, only worrying about what I can control at work (such as keeping my sense of humor around people, building them up and keeping them calm). It really has reduced a lot of my anxiety about the situation. In fact, I’ve been told that I’m one of the people with the coolest heads on my team right now (which is amazing since I suffer from strong anxiety).

    3. What would I change?
    I would spend more time working on developing even more creative ways to be powerful in the face of anxiety. I think anxiety is integral to our current culture. I want to become more comfortable with it by showing how I can be powerful. So, I can continue to “ring the bells that still can ring.”

    Actually, there are more than a few fears I would love to conquer and I would want to know his own take on how to conquer them. And I would love to have a discussion with him on my views on depression. I actually overcame my own depression because of the quote above and I’d like to talk to him about how it helped me. I guess it still comes down to the despair equation, but I think he’d love to hear the story.

    —-

    Also, I love this post. I have personally noticed that the best leaders are those who are aware of their environments and the emotions of the people who work with them and for them. It’s great that someone is actually writing a book on it!

    Reply

  • Gary Baier — January 19th, 2012, 9:47 am

    Quote:

    “THINK about the person you would like to become. BELIEVE in yourself, based upon the thinking you have done about the person you would like to become. DREAM big dreams, based upon your belief in yourself and the thinking you have done about the person you would like to become. DARE to make your dreams come true. Think, believe, dream and Dare!!”
    Walt Disney

    Curiosity=Wonder+Awe:

    I own and operate a private camp for girls in Northern Wisconsin. The spirit and joy that emanates from the girls every day is truly amazing and uplifting!! It really is a fountain of youth and makes us all feel young. But, I still feel like we leave some cards on the table and that there are so many more opportunities for us as staff and leaders to expose the kids at camp, our families and friends to the wonder and awe around us.

    I would like to inspire people I have a connection with to be more curiious and to look for the wonder and awe that is around us every day, but also to pursue the mind boggling wonders in our world!!

    A Day with Chip Conley

    Wow! What an opportunity! We are both in the “hospitality” industry. I would like to find out what he finds to be the key differentiators (is that a word?) that have allowed him to separate his business from the rest of the boutique hotels.

    We “compete” with many wonderful camps in our area and we all offer many of the same activities. What can I do to improve the way we care for our families and girls and what can we do to clearly distinguish ourselves as having quality and service that is second to none.

    Reply

  • Ian OSullivan — January 19th, 2012, 9:48 am

    No later than this Friday (1/20/12) at 5pm PST, leave a comment below and answer the following, in order, and in no more than 300 words:

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “The truest desire of the human heart is not to be rich or famous, but to be heard… and remembered.” (my own words)

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    Reply

  • Mike Hartmann — January 19th, 2012, 9:50 am

    My favorite inspirational quote is
    “Shared pain is lessened shared joy is increased. Thus we refute entropy.” By the author Spider Robinson.

    The equation I like is the one on happiness. Wanting what you have and having what you want. I need to seek more balance.

    If I could spend a day with Chip, I would like to have the skills to start applying his principles. Like what to look for etc. How to approach people.

    Reply

  • Tyler — January 19th, 2012, 9:51 am

    1. “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Einstein

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    = practicing gratitude / pursuing gratification

    To maximize happiness one needs to increase practicing gratitude while keeping pursuing gratification at bay.

    In my life I always seem to want to have more or to be pursuing gratification. But when you actually sit down and reflect on at what you are pursuing lots of the time it not truly satisfying. One needs to identify what is truly working pursuing before pursuing it, and only pursue what is worthy of your pursuit. Practicing gratitude can be difficult because lots of times once you have something you don’t actually want it or you don’t realize you want it till its gone. Sitting down and looking at what you have and being grateful for what you have on a regular basis I have found increase ones happiness profusely.

    3. I would love to meet Chip to pick his brain at how he was able to be a Chief Emotional Officer and truly use emotions in his business. I would then use what I have learnt from him in building my next venture to use emotions to keep customers satisfied, employees happy, and build myself in to a great Chief Emotional Officer.

    Reply

  • Lisa — January 19th, 2012, 9:52 am

    1. “Breathe and show up – it is much easier to course correct than it is to get the plane off the ground.”

    2. The anxiety equation is a tool I can see myself using at the inevitable moments where I find myself unable to move forward due to anxiety. I tend to get into this cycle from the fear of the unknown, and this equation looks like a logical way to break the cycle. I plan to give it a try today.

    3. I will use Chip’s insights in human relationships to increase both the positivity and productivity in the environment surrounding both my business ventures and my personal life.

    Reply

  • Michael hardy — January 19th, 2012, 9:52 am

    (1) T. Roosevelt quote:
    It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

    (2)
    Chip’s idea around curiosity hit home for me. It reminds me of how important it is to place yourself in an environment that breeds creative thought and alligns you to people & places that inspire love/wisdom.

    (3)
    I would want to learn Chips habits and impliment those that work for me to imrove my own life.

    Reply

  • Zack — January 19th, 2012, 9:53 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “It’s so tempting to shut people down, to limit the upside, to ostracize, select and demonize. It makes things a lot simpler. Not seeing means you don’t have to take action. Not opening means it’s easier to announce that you’re done. And not raising the bar means you’re less likely to fail. Just about all the things we treasure in our world were built by people who were intent on making things bigger, enabling things to be better, opening doors for us to achieve. The line between a realist and an optimist is hard to draw. And both might be self-fulfilling.” -Seth Godin (this really is one of my favorite quotes; I am not pandering to the post!)

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    The curiosity = wonder + awe equation really sticks with me. I know in my day to day life of waking up groggy, sitting at a computer all day, and then maybe making time for the gym that I am missing out on what Chip calls “broadening and building.” I need to make time to understand myself and my innate curiosity so that I can become a bigger person.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF
    Believe it or not I am planning to attend business school in the Fall (don’t judge!). I am hoping that just one day with Chip will help put me on a path to figure out what industry I want to go into and how I can help make peoples’ lives better through my work.

    Reply

  • John "Widgett" Robinson — January 19th, 2012, 9:54 am

    1. “My center is giving way, my right is retreating, situation excellent, I am attacking.” -Ferdinand Foch

    2. This will probably knock me out, but the one I really need help with isn’t in this post. “Disappointment = Expectations – Reality.” Reality and I have never been on very good terms, I’m afraid. So coming up on 40 and not being where I want to be…that’s been the hardest to contend with.

    3. The thing I think I would get out of a day with Chip is I would like to see somebody that this works for. I tend to be fine and then things happen and happen and pile up and I find myself overwhelmed. And the emotions shut off, like a safety valve slamming shut. To see this sort of thinking Working for Someone…to see, in essence, a walking practical case study, would help me do what I need with my emotions so that they are helping rather than hindering me.

    Thanks for the post.

    Reply

  • Naomi — January 19th, 2012, 9:54 am

    1. “The only measure of what you believe is what you do. If you want to know what people believe, don’t read what they write, don’t ask them what they believe, just observe what they do.” Ashley Montagu

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    My husband and I have recently become debt free. We did this because we were sick and tired of not being able to pursue some of the things we equate with happiness due to the shackles of debt. Well, we found we still weren’t completely happy once those shackles were shaken and in looking at this equation, I think I know part of why. Gratitude. My mind doesn’t go there when I think of happiness. I can see how the focus of gratitude can balance the pursuit of gratification, and open the doors to true and lasting happiness that is not based on circumstances but on an outlook on life. This is something I can start applying today. I like Chip’s suggestion of a gratitude journal and of sharing gratitude with others. I have a blog that I can use as a public declaration of gratitude and share how expressing gratitude is changing my conscious embracing of wanting what I have. I also want to gift others with my gratitude and will seek out ways to daily share with others why I am grateful for who they are and what they bring into my life.

    3. I would like to learn more about the curiosity equation. I’m a project manager, beginner life coach, wife and mentor. I want to build the practice of curiosity into my life because I have this sense many things flow out of curiosity.

    Reply

  • Mike — January 19th, 2012, 9:55 am

    two quotes: the first from, who else, Neitzche:
    “Forgetting our objectives is the most frequent of all acts of stupidity”
    and
    “The affirming reality is that you do not need a lot of preparation to do huge things”
    Can’t remember who wrote the second quote – but it’s truly excellent. Pre-eaten doughnut to the person who can tell me who wrote it.

    Reply

  • Todd Dow — January 19th, 2012, 10:00 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “Live with purity of thought and purpose.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    Anxiety = uncertainty x powerlessness

    My 4 year old daughter Katie has Cystic Fibrosis. I am constantly anxious that Katie’s health will fail and she will die before a cure is found. Currently, Katie’s health is good, but that could change at any time. A cure does not currently exist. So, I fundraise to help researchers find a cure or effective control so that Katie will be able to live a long, healthy, stable life.

    I feel uncertainly that Katie’s health will remain strong until a cure is found. And, I feel powerlessness to help affect positive change in the search for a cure. My fundraising dollars feel like a drop in the bucket when I look at the total $ raised to help fund research.

    I’m going to use Chip’s Anxiety Balance Sheet to help me narrow my uncertainty and to identify potential areas of powerlessness that I can turn into areas of focus that I might be able to pursue.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I’d like to:
    a) identify the ways that I could best influence the search for a cure (based on my personal strengths); and then
    b) build a plan to influence the search for a cure based on the ways identified above;

    Reply

  • Kari — January 19th, 2012, 10:01 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    From Ralph Waldo Emerson: Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
    (I’m really not this brave, rather have a fairly strong compass in terms of what I need, plus some dumb(?) lack of fear of failure.)

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    All four equations involve things I need to work on, but curiosity is a trait I value most. Have always been the sort of person that wonders how things work, and finds fascination, with what makes the biological world tick (have an MS in microbiology). Love to try to understand and explain how things work to others by writing (am a science writer/ blogger at work).
    Think that opening up more to my interest—taking time to write more, possibly writing about science and the natural world full-time—would allow me to educate others about health and science-related topics and help me return to a passion I’ve had since childhood, about writing.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    1. Would like to better understand my emotional self and leave behind emotional baggage that gets in the way of doing what I really love (after reading some of the above, will be on the way to this before spending a day in SF!).
    2. Want to build a life that involves more research and writing about scientific discoveries that can help people live healthier lives. I believe that dogs (and cats, other pets) can make healthy contributions to peoples lives—we’re learning so much about intelligence in dogs that isn’t really surprising to those that pay attention. I think people can learn to better understand and appreciate their pets, through information about research that’s being done on animal intelligence. Pet owners and others can enrich their animals lives through this information, and I know this will thus enrich the lives of the people as well. Through therapy animals we can spread this further, to persons that don’t own animals.

    Reply

  • Maria — January 19th, 2012, 10:05 am

    This article found me during a very appropriate time in my life. So, thanks Tim and Chip!

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    – I am responsible for what I see. I choose the feelings I experience and set the goals I will achieve. And everything that seems to happen to me I have asked for and receive because I have asked. — Deepak Chopra meditation

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

    When I look back at some of my missteps in life, I realize how much those mistakes have been driven by anxiety. Sometimes anxiety is so paralyzing, it causes to you not make a decision, and by not being decisive, you are letting outside factors dictate your life for you.

    Writing down your uncertainties and fears almost seems too simple, but as I ran through some of my immediate anxieties, I quickly realized this tactic would work. Acknowledging the uncertainties turns this abstract feeling of fear and anxiety into something more concrete and manageable, and since I would be proactively tackling my anxiety, it feels like an antidote to simply reacting to everyday fears.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I’d like to build a life that I feel lives up to my true potential. Few people get to achieve this, but I feel like I can be one of them. I’d love to start working for myself in a way that feels fulfilling, satisfying, and maybe just leaves the world a better place when I’m gone.

    Thanks Tim and Chip for the opportunity. You’ve already helped me in ways that you may never know.

    Reply

  • Keith Rickett — January 19th, 2012, 10:05 am

    1 – It is important not to have the unrealistic expectation that we will find a magic key to help get rid of all suffering. It takes determination, patience, and more than one week. -Tenzin Gyatso

    2- HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. I feel am constantly pursuing something I want to earn or obtain instead of appreciating what I already have or have accomplished. Learning to have a true appreciation of what you have, will allow you to appreciate what it is you truly want.

    3 – I’d like to have a better understanding of using my emotional intelligence (EQ) to improve my work as well as my personal life. Then using my EQ to start my own business with less fear and anxiety.

    Reply

  • Tom — January 19th, 2012, 10:05 am

    A fantastic post, thank you.

    1. “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but nothing left to take away”. Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    This resonates – I try to practice the awareness that what you have in the present moment is the only way to influence happiness. One cannot retrospectively be happy in the past or initiate future happiness, other than through the present. Therefore the equation reminds us that present gratitude is everything.

    If we remove ‘wants’, do we kill curiosity (therefore wonder + awe)? In fact, in my humble experience, through experiences like vipassana and moments of flow – which feel to me like moments of presence rather than pursuit – I’ve understood that wonder or awe is not removed by not wanting, and in some cases it is heightened. Reminded of this, I know I will not be ‘numbed’ to life by removing wants/desires.

    I agree re: the mystics’ reduction to 0 being impossible in the mortal realm.

    Awareness helps application, but proves difficult if merely conceptual.

    So, I actively try to determine what I have. If I achieve/get something, how does it affect me? Or, if I lose something? Was I happiest when I had most? I’m trying to build gratitude mnemonics like writing, reminders to simplify, not-to-do lists, moments to appreciate, rather than pursue.

    The application feels harder than the understanding.

    Your passage also reminded me of the (Chinese) proverb, re: giving gratitude, “Fragrance clings to the hand that gives the rose”.

    3. To better understand and apply the equation mentioned above. To try to enable more businesspeople (not just CEOs) to become more emotionally intelligent in business – by example, and by spreading the word.

    Reply

  • Steve — January 19th, 2012, 10:06 am

    1. “When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” – Jacob Riis

    2. “Despair = Suffering – Meaning.” This equation spoke to my entire life experience. I was raised Catholic, and subjected to endless hours of education on the saints and their particular acts of martyrdom. Perhaps because the “meaning” part of the equation was simply assumed (even for pre-adolescent elementary schoolers), the focus of these lessons was always focused on the suffering. And, although I have since moved past my Catholic roots and intellectually rejected the idea that suffering is necessarily good, a lot of that philosophy has remained with me — to the point that, five years after reading the 4-Hour Work Week and fantasizing about mini-retirements, I continue to work 70-80 hour weeks as an attorney building my law firm, neglecting my fiancé and family, using my schedule as a weapon to lay enormous guilt trips on anyone who expresses an interest in doing anything with me socially, and taking a perverse pride in how busy and miserable I am. My solution, thus far, has been simply to try to cover up my despair with forced happiness. It has worked only on the most superficial of levels. What the “D=S-M” equation has highlighted for me, however, is that until I convert my life to one of meaning, the suffering will continue to cause a deeper despair. More important still, if my goal is to avoid a life where despair and helplessness is the norm, it does not mean attempting to avoid suffering, but ensuring that the suffering is undertaken only in the pursuit of real meaning.

    3. Chip’s construction of a life based on purpose, and a company based on moral and emotional fulfillment, is fascinating to me. In an era when most unhappy corporate employees (and executives) fantasize about dropping out of this world, it appears that Chip has taken the exact road I am currently attempting to take: Pursuing spiritual fulfillment through modern work in the modern world. Three months ago, my law partner and I launched a not-yet-successful attempt to reorganize the philosophical structure of our law firm around Don Miguel Ruiz’s “Four Agreements” in an effort to further this aim, and bring more meaning to our personal and professional lives. Reading that Chip has succeeded in a similar endeavor is nothing short of inspirational to me, and I would relish the opportunity to obtain more insight from him about how he converted the intellectual understanding of these concepts into real-life results.

    Reply

  • Michael Leading Horse — January 19th, 2012, 10:06 am

    1. I know it might seem like I’m trying to suck up, but I actually have this printed on my wall right now with the last sentence in red. “If you’re insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is, too. Don’t overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.” –Tim Ferriss

    2. Why just one? The one I’ll probably use most immediately is Curiosity. I teach martial arts and keep interest can be a challenge after awhile.. particularly since I plan to expand my teaching. Moreover, curiosity is a big motivator for me and I see it at work in others in marketing and copy writing. I find curiosity and inciting it fascinating. Meta-curiosity? Creating it, enhancing it, and using it in myself and others is of prime and immediate interest to me.

    3. Maslow has always been fascinating to me. I hope to use whatever I might learn to start my entrepreneurial pursuits for good. After a few false starts, its time to really do this with or without winning this. At any rate, I will be reading Chip’s book.

    Best of luck,

    Reply

  • Michael Ogle — January 19th, 2012, 10:06 am

    1) “Let each man pass his days in that endeavor where in his gift is greatest.”
    -Propertius

    2) ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    So much of my life is limited by anxiety. It is the most useless of all personal habits that I have. I have never thought of it in such a distilled fashion, which really helps to be able to move through it. Thinking in this way I am able to wade through some heavy emotional baggage that has been keeping me in near stasis for a very long time, and it frees me to the limitless possibilities of what can be.

    3) I desire to start a youth program that would not only teach these fundamentals listed above, but also outdoor skills, meditation, cooking and sustainable living to the youth. I have some very vectored questions on the “how to” that I feel could be answered through such a mentorship.

    Reply

  • Carl — January 19th, 2012, 10:07 am

    1. “If you come to a fork in the road, take it!” Yogi Berra

    2. Happiness: Wanting what you have/ Having what you want

    I feel happiest when I can use all of my skills for a certain task. When I can be fully engaged. There needs to be a realistic relation between wanting what I have and having what I want as well as between doing more than necessary and doing just enough. Somewhere between watching paint dry and writing a New York Times Bestseller. Finding that balance of being content with what I have (and what I am able to do) and getting what I want (while matching my skills) is what I get from that equation and that is when I am the happiest.

    3. I would like to utilize Chip to find that stage of matching a my personal skill level to a challange and achieving more happiness. I would like to get his input and assessment about what is possible for me. Ultimately I would like to help people do the same thing. I want to be a CEO, I want to go to work and be happy and challenged and use all of my skills and work with a team that fosters that kind of atmosphere. Ok, maybe you can be part of it.

    Reply

  • Greg — January 19th, 2012, 10:07 am

    1. “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve” -Napoleon Hill

    2. Anxiety=uncertainty X powerlessness
    Taking the time to stop and preform the exercise of writing down my emotions when I’m feeling anxious will have a direct impact on both of those components. That worksheet seems like a great tool that not only defines certain vs uncertain and what I have power over, but also a great way to take a “mental breather” from the built up anxiety and just purge all the thoughts onto paper.

    3. I’d like work with Chip to dig down deeper into recognizing how my feelings effect my everyday decisions. My intent wouldn’t be to gain better “control” over my emotions but to get more insight of how I currently might be reacting to my emotions.

    Reply

  • Derek Wood — January 19th, 2012, 10:07 am

    1) Gandhi – “Be the Change you wish to see in the world.” Its overused, I know, but it applies to every aspect of life.

    2) Tough to give just one, as each equation is right on, each fitting well into my life. I would have to choose the last: CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. My kids keep this component ever present in my life, and its something I want more of every day. Its something I think I lost some of until I had kids in my life.

    3) After more than 20 years in the hospitality business myself, I’ve followed Chip’s company and books because I enjoy the trade we’re in together. His success here is certainly legendary. Specific to emotions, I think, their are forgotten all too often in hospitality. Even many of the best hotel names in the world seem to follow SOP/protocol over what Emotional Equations teach us. Since “you are who you hand around”, spending time with a mentor is one thing I’m always trying to do, and Chip would certainly fit the bill for me in many fronts. I’d like to hear more thoughts on Maslow, as well as how his thoughts on emotions can re-frame my personal & professional life.

    Reply

  • Eric — January 19th, 2012, 10:08 am

    1. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. – This helps keep me moving when fear would otherwise immobilize me.

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE – I think I have done fairly well with the other equations up to this point in my life, but still have trouble recapturing my curiosity. One way to really help with that, would be spending more time with my children in places like Chip describes rather than in front of the TV.

    3. After a day with Chip, I believe I would change my approach to people and how I deal with them, helping to build me into a better leader. I could continue that on through every endeavor I take.

    Reply

  • Isabelle Bouchard — January 19th, 2012, 10:09 am

    1- Current inspirational quote: “My deepest fear is not that I am inadequate. My deepest fear is the I am powerful beyond measure.”-Marianne Williamson.
    2- Anxiety = uncertainty x powerlessness
    I am a worrywart. When things are not going well I worry and when they go well I worry they may not last. It isn’t easy to admit but it is true nonetheless.

    3-I am at a point in life where all the energy spent worrying has tired me out. If for no other reason, I no longer have the energy, the time nor money to worry as much. I wish for techniques, insights and guidance to help me change this. If only by 5 degrees. That is all that is needed to start changing one’s course in life. I know enough to recognize the moments when the worrying hits I now need someone to provide me with the next step in tackling this.

    Reply

  • Caro — January 19th, 2012, 10:09 am

    1. „If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there“.
    This thought gives me relaxation when I feel lost. Life always holds changes and unexpected. That’s what makes it an interesting journey. If you don’t have a certain goal, never mind, a path will open up and lead you to something new.

    ?2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    I was very aware of the first part of the equation and already practice a great deal of gratitude for what I have and what surrounds me (I’m mostly talking about emotional things here, rather than materialistic. I take time to appreciate certain people in my life, the fact that I’m my own boss, …).

    However, sometimes I get too focused on part 2, that I don’t feel happy, even though I have all these good things in my life.

    Reading this equation black on white, it totally makes sense when I’m not happy (enough) to a) be more grateful or b) let go of something that I’m trying to have. I need to ask myself „Do I really want this or has it become the idea of having it? Will it make me happier to keep on trying?“ If not, I can let go this „want“ and the equation gets better.

    Especially when it comes to relationships with other people you can’t always control their behavior to get what you want. I guess this is where ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS comes in. ;-)
    (btw. Those equations are fantastic! Thanks!)

    ?3.The beauty is that I don’t know. (See No. 1. ;-) ) But I do know that new paths will open which – right now – I can’t see. Right now I’m very CURIOUS to meet him!

    Reply

  • Lewis — January 19th, 2012, 10:10 am

    Thanks for the opportunity to meet with Chip.

    1) “We are used to thinking of compassion as an emotional state based on our concern for one another. But it is also grounded in a level of awareness. … as people see more of the systems within which they operate, and as they understand more clearly the pressures influencing one another, they naturally develop compassion and empathy.” – Peter Senge

    2) DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    I love this formula as I can now, by looking at all aspects of my life where I feel suffering is occurring, search and find meaning and thus release myself from continual despair.

    3) I’d like to work with Chip and discover, change and build upon my perceptions of what inner and out resources I have and to implement this process as a self-sustaining system. Then take this system and create a new equation of the expansion of the self and share it with others. Also I am curious to explore the statement that, “Sadness releases”. If DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING then does SADNESS = DESPAIR + MEANING ?

    Reply

  • Sean O'Connor — January 19th, 2012, 10:11 am

    1. “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” – Albert Einstein

    2. I was really taken with “HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT.” I find gratitude to be an underrepresented emotion. Days when I wake up and acknowledge that I have a great life tend to be my best.

    3. As someone who is preparing to graduate college in a few short months, I believe the chance to meet with Chip would be incredibly powerful. After reading this post I’m sure that his insight will help me to develop a clearer path for my life.

    Reply

  • Aidan — January 19th, 2012, 10:12 am

    1. “Do not go where the path may lead but go where there is no path and leave a trail.” Henry David Thoreau

    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have/ Having what you want.

    My father who passed away used to say this but alas, I didn’t really believe or understand what he was “really” saying. Today I get this – the challenge is applying it on a daily basis. Pain can become the gold in our lives but the catalyst is acceptance.

    3. I want to leave a legacy. I’d like to hear Chip speak as I believe Motivation = Ideas + Action :-) (forgive me formulating my own equations here Chip!). I bought the book on Amazon before I finished reading the post and thought that it would be interesting to have a cup of coffee with this guy. I never enter contests like this – however I live in the SF Bay Area so I don’t need airfare and I don’t need accommodation. I want to live a life where I inspire and be inspired – new ideas and fresh thinking make that possible. Be well!.

    Reply

  • Hope — January 19th, 2012, 10:13 am

    1. “Don’t worry about what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman
    2. I definitely want to find ways to increase my curiosity and love the idea of finding/cultivating sacred spaces.
    3. After a day with Chip, I’d like to have learned how to be a better leader.

    Reply

  • Kade Dworkin — January 19th, 2012, 10:14 am

    1. “You never stumble upon opportunity by standing still.” One of my grandfather’s favorite sayings.

    2. The one equation that really resonated with me was DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING. Previously in my life, I’ve been able to do incredible things when I was willing to take on temporary suffering for a clear and obvious reason. School both times certainly was one, the patents another.

    3. As I finish clearing the master’s school loan out later this year I’m very interested in getting Chip’s perspective on how to constructively shape a new lens when the last one is no longer relevant. Makes no sense for me to continue to focus entirely on debt payments and living with less for the simple reason of appropriately applying that cash elsewhere. Very interested in hearing how he has evolved through those life transitions himself or helped those around him do so.

    Reply

  • Kit S. — January 19th, 2012, 10:14 am

    1. “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”

    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe: For me curiosity = creativity. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I embrace curiosity and creativity in so many parts of my personal life and hobbies, but not even the slightest bit in my professional life. I feel like the idea in the post above about examining the habits of curiosity (and then structuring your life to support them) is one of those life-changing exercises I can’t believe I haven’t done before now.

    3. I was raised in a family that ran a construction business where the pervasive management technique was to find the biggest, toughest guy in the plant that had screwed something up and then crush him. Nothing like a big guy in tears to motivate the troops. I started managing people using that philosophy at 22– a 5’3” girl who could use every variation of the term “motherfuck” in a development discussion. Terrifying. Almost a decade later (and in a much more refined industry) I think I’ve smoothed down some of those rough edges in my management style (and life philosophy, if not in my vocabulary) but I still struggle to fully embrace the principle of self-actualization in business, even though it’s a central part of who I am outside of work. I think a conversation with Chip would be a step closer to tearing down the mental delineation I’ve made between what work is and how it should be approached vs. “who I am”– someone who embraces self-actualization in my life and hobbies. This is something I believe has stopped me from pursuing a different path in my life and career even when the opportunities have presented themselves.

    Reply

  • Kim Fleisher — January 19th, 2012, 10:15 am

    1. Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.
    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    This year I am committing to seeking the sacred places and events that inspire me. I’ve been hit on the head recently with the glaring observation that I’m not getting any younger (just turned 36) and I have to create space for doing all things I really want to do. This post echoes LOUDLY (shocking! I’m being sarcastic) that realization that if I make space to do what inspires me, my work becomes more inspired and joyful, and creative, and amazing too. Sacred not serious is something close to my heart that I need to be reminded of!
    3. The Reiki School + Clinic , my business and passion, is both a business and a sacred, spiritual practice. It just turned 13 January 1st and I still have a lot to learn! I love learning from people who can translate making the world a better place into something that also helps pay the bills. Any time I could spend learning from Chip would be directly applied to continuing to create my own and others happiness through our work at The Reiki School, building a thriving community of amazing beings in Philadelphia. …And maybe we’ll also see you guyz at burning man! Look for the giant geodesic dome with the lovely music emanating from inside : )

    Pick me pick me pick me! I’ll actually use the knoweldge

    Reply

  • David — January 19th, 2012, 10:16 am

    A favorite quote: “Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out alive.” – B. Bunny.

    Chip’s despair equation spoke to me. I’ve been dealing with major depression since my early teens, and despair is a constant companion. It’s the dark, yawning gap between me and my goals. Seeing Chip break it down to its components helps shake loose some new ideas for altering the equation. The depression circuits in my brain might be intractable, but I could work on finding meaning: the space between stimulus and response that Frankl spoke of.

    I’ve read Frankl, I’ve read about rational-emotive therapy (or whatever the shrinks are calling it now), and I’ve put some of it into practice in my life. It would be amazing to spend a day with someone like Chip who has put Frankl’s approach into practice so thoroughly and effectively.

    After a day with Chip, I’d identify ways to change the despair equation and take concrete steps toward building a writing-based small business that I’ve been thinking about and planning for since I first read 4HWW.

    Reply

  • Chris — January 19th, 2012, 10:18 am

    1. Life, if lived well, is long enough. –Seneca

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    I have often left things undone for fear of an unknown result. Lacking certainty, I have hesitated and lost opportunities. If I were able to have a clearer understanding of what I do know and what I can influence, on a consistent basis, countless opportunities that would have been lost would become paths taken. At this moment, I am about to embark on a business venture and have found myself in an all too familiar state: anxious.

    3. I want to start the business I have been delaying for months and would like to return from San Francisco with a clear plan for doing this.

    Reply

  • Susan Dupre — January 19th, 2012, 10:19 am

    LOVE THIS POST! TIM & CHIP

    1. “Barn’s burnt down… now I can see the moon.”
    Masahide, Japanese poet Life happens and sometimes if we pause long enough, look long enough or just plain decide we are going to find the gold in adversity we do.

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE I love this idea of being a witness, deeply noticing and instead of defaulting to fear or anxiety choose to be curious about it. We can do it with emotions too to create to more wonder in our lives, ahhh, there is my old friend (or fiend) Fear, be curious, ask yourself, what is happening here that fear runs in like a firefighter to a flame? what is underneath? what is fear protecting? stay, breathe and find the joy!

    3. I am getting ready to launch the New Doll Army (NDA) which is about creating right livelihood and new dollars for women entrepreneurs who do not want their creativity, vision or voice to be swallowed up in the face of fear.
    I feel so close to realizing my vision and know that my contribution on this planet is inspiring women (and men too) to create their vision whatever it might be. I think Chip understands what it means to lead from your inner power and I am deeply interested in speaking about this. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Casey Berman — January 19th, 2012, 10:20 am

    1. I first saw this quote in the Sunbeams section of Sun Magazine – it helps me better welcome the Unknown we encounter in Life, and mitigate my nemesis, Anxiety: “Life is like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.” -E.L. Doctorow.

    2. I can definitely apply Chip’s Anxiety equation to better maintain my confidence, to shed light on what makes me nervous about the unknown, about what I can’t control, about these various “doomsday” scenarios (that won’t likely happen, of course) but nonetheless rip up my insides. I’ve got some powerful tools now, with Chip’s equation and Seth Godin’s trusty quote (“Anxiety is nothing but repeatedly re-experiencing failure in advance”). Thanks Chip.

    3. I’m born and raised and still live in the City. We have two young kids. While this would take (much) more than a day, one thing I’d really like to explore with Chip is how to improve our public school situation. Of course money is always the paramount issue, but I am particularly interested in working to instill confidence in parents to enroll their children in our public schools (many don’t). If the government can’t (or just won’t) do this, the community needs to. One small baby step.

    Thanks. Casey Berman

    Reply

  • Jesse — January 19th, 2012, 10:21 am

    great guest post and thanks to Chip for dropping some knowledge on us!

    1. “success leaves clues”
    our access to people that have done it, thought it, leaved it etc is unparalleled in this day and age. the maxim “work smart, not hard” is more true than ever! (though some hard work may still be required)

    2. as an artist the curiosity equation applies the most to me and that quote about genius being a genie may have to replace my answer to number 1.

    3. developing proactive methods for connecting with my customers, fans and readers, both existing and new. As a comic writer/artist they are the lifeblood of our business fueling motivation, curiosity and inspiration.

    thanks Tim,
    -J.

    Reply

  • John Park — January 19th, 2012, 10:21 am

    1. “As a type-A guy who’s spent more than my share of time on the hedonic treadmill, I can tell you that it’s very difficult to simultaneously practice gratitude while also pursuing gratification.” This struck a cord with me. I’ve always had a hard time appreciating my life because I was so focused on looking at the goals ahead.

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness. This equation would help me most by implementing and sharing it with my employees. I run a 1000+ person company (casinos) and I see anxiety from my employees every day. I want them to know where they stand with their managers and the company at all times. I want them to feel that their work is at least one place they can feel confident and secure in their life.

    3. After my day with Chip, I hope to put a roadmap together to better the life of my employees and in turn learn ways I can be a better leader, Husband, Father and person.

    Reply

  • Brian — January 19th, 2012, 10:22 am

    1. “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it”

    2. My favorite equation is ANXIETY. If we distill the anxiety equation down to identifying what causes feelings of anxiety and facing them head-on, we’re all better people in the end. Affecting and Influencing the things that **are** in our sphere of influence allows us to prepare to minimize the unknown. As we consciously step through this process, it produces feelings of level-headedness and reassurance that we’re doing all that we can to be proactive in bettering our situation.

    There will always be some sort of anxiety in life, but if we can “plan for the unplanned” then we can minimize that to an exponential extent. Lastly, there are elements of every situation that will ALWAYS be out of your control (weather, geopolitics, the economy) that have to be dealt with as such. It’s important to recognize those elements and to build the consequences that they may offer into our contingency plans.

    3. I’d like to build an online/interactive training resource (video, checks on learning, case studies, etc) for professionals who are involved in high-touch service industries whose job and reputation depend on their ability to provide the utmost in service. I’ve heard of individual consultants (from Ritz, Four Seasons, etc.) who have struck out on their own to do speaking series’ on this, but I’m not aware of a resource where someone like Chip could send his people to learn some of the fundamentals (and eventually advanced concepts) in customer service and emotional IQ.

    This concept could be broken down by industry (hospitality, professional services, legal, luxury, etc) and tailored to specific groups of corporate and individual “handlers” who deal with the most senior of influencers in the world. This is especially critical in a global economy where the people who are offering the customer service need to understand the different varieties of clients from different parts of the world (Asia vs. Western vs. Middle Eastern, etc…)

    Reply

  • Danielle — January 19th, 2012, 10:23 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    Failure will never overtake you if your determine is strong enough. Og Mandino

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    I live in Michigan and within 2 years of graduating I experienced 3 lay offs. I now co-own a website with my fiance and have a full time job, but I would not be where I am if it wasn’t for the anxiety I felt during that period of transition. At times it was disabling but eventually it motivated me to make a change. It still seems relevant now, many of my friends are having difficulty finding work and with Detroit’s latest problems anxiety is in the air again.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I don’t necessarily have a change in mind, I would simply like to learn from someone with more experience. I’m sure I will want to change many things afterwards. It’s a rare opportunity that I’d love to take advantage of.

    Reply

  • David Khem — January 19th, 2012, 10:25 am

    1. My favorite inspirational quote is from Desolation Angels by one of my favorite writer and he’s also from my hometown, Jack Kerouac.

    “…live, travel, adventure, bless, and don’t be sorry.”

    This quote is short, simple, and it inspires me to live life to the fullest, take risks, and have no regrets.

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    This equation would benefit me because I always wanted to learn about new places, doing new things, and finding habitats that will allow me to be more curious. I once traveled solo to NYC by bus and it was an amazing experience. The second I stepped off the bus in Chinatown, I felt energized, I just wanted to explore and talk to people. I learned to take the subway and read the map, checked out landmarks, and tried the different hotspot eateries all over the city. I’m planning on backpacking in a couple of years with friends to explore my parents’ homeland of Cambodia and the rest of Southeast Asia to learn about the struggle they endure in the late 70s. That trip would definitely help me open my mind, have a better understanding of that era, and be more creative.

    3. A day with Chip in SF would be awesome. I would be able to pick his brain about his business and learn the best places in town to explore and eat that he recommends. Hopefully I can learn how to build and run a good business like Chip.

    Reply

  • Jacob — January 19th, 2012, 10:32 am

    1. “It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested.” – Lucius Seneca
    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE : If you look at the “bullet point” history of my life I believe it shows that I’ve had success (great family, profitable business, good health), but inside I have a permeating feeling that I’m stagnant. I shudder to think that I would “waste much” of life as Seneca described. I feel that this equation helps reveal what I am missing, curiosity. It is now up to me to get out of my places of fear and explore my curious habitats.
    3. After a day with Chip I would hope to “open up my sense of awe” to become more curious. I’d love the opportunity to get out of my everyday routine, expand my field of vision, and just get to know a smart guy. Thanks for considering me.

    Reply

  • Steven Place — January 19th, 2012, 10:33 am

    Look, this is going to sound really nerdy.

    But the quote I live by comes from the movie “Serenity.”

    A massive battle surrounds the ship. And the pilot, Wash, tries is best to navigate through the exploding debris and giant laser beams.

    As he does this, he repeats the phrase, “I am a leaf on the wind – watch how I soar.”

    You can watch the clip here: http://bit.ly/zrG9iX

    There is so much power packed into that sentence.

    He recognizes that there are so many externalities to life, and how very few things that guide him are under his control.

    And yet, he is proud. He freaking boasts about it.

    Look at me, look at my flight and my grace– and even though I control little of it, I can still claim it.

    This kind of outlook can have a tremendous impact on your life– if you have ever suffered from existentialist angst, focus on this sentence and feel the liberation and pride that comes with being completely human.

    This is where we can improve on Skip’s 3rd emotion: Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness.

    Powerlessness is a perception, and using the outlook above, we can actually reduce our anxiety by being proud of how we navigate these externalities.

    Embrace the conditions you can’t control, recognize that without them life would be really freaking dull. Soon the big P turns into a little p, and anxiety is reduced.

    A day with skip would be an exercise in using these concepts to maximize my focus. I’ve about 8 projects running in parallel and to see one get finished would create a snowball effect as each project builds on the other.

    Reply

    • Micah C — January 19th, 2012, 10:56 am

      Hope the quote doesn’t count against total words. :)

      1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

      “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. … No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.” – Martha Graham

      2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit??

      HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

      Like a software programmer, I iterate. Everything. All the tiniest parts of my life are subject to untenable scrutiny and pressure for improvement. Sometimes, I feel wholly incapable of appreciating the wonder of the life that I’ve created because of my obsessive need for perfection. This drives me to great heights.

      But it’s also destructive; when I decide, often incorrectly due to frustration, something can be improved no further, I discard or destroy it and move on to “the next big thing” because I crave the nascent stages of projects, relationships, and ideas when the perfection I imagine is still possible.

      Because I thrive on the challenge itself and creating something special, the equation’s application is to remind myself every day that the greatest challenge of all for me is to keep iterating, to go further instead of destroying or abandoning what I’ve already built, to want the challenges I already have instead of new ones. In so doing, I could go further than ever before to create the life I’ve always dreamed of and thus not only want what I have (my challenges), but also have the life I want.

      3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

      A set of emotional tools for determining when and how to stay focused, to dig deeper and go further with the challenges and goals in my life, and when to let go and move on.

      Reply

  • Lisa Mochizuki — January 19th, 2012, 10:33 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Atlas wasn’t forced to hold up the world. He was convinced that if he didn’t, the world would fall.” Mark Nepo, Author

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING

    After an accident in 2010 robbed me of mobility for over a year and the one job out of four that I had the most passion for (personal training), I allowed the poison of my negative emotions to leach out into all facets of my life: My relationship with a new love interest (eliminated) and with my immediate family (strained), my primary work as a legal consultant and real estate broker (no contingency cases won, no commissions garnered, and no new business acquired), and to my charitable contributions (left all boards and relinquished a giving heart). I lost the ability to gather any fruit in the valley of my Despair. With my Japanese heritage firmly in place, suffering came easily and quickly siphoned all gratitude from my mind and spirit. This equation is ever applicable to my life in this day itself, as today I am reworking my career scenario, building a relationship, reconnecting with my family and my local community. Suffering not a constant and meaning is taking on a greater value such that despair will not be equal nor shall it define me.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    My favorite style of personal training to unleash is raw, barebones, body weight bootcamp. I would like to continue to build my positive momentum for valuing myself and my time in an emotional bootcamp with Chip vis-a-vis. No better way to put all of the emotional equations to the test or to gain deeper understanding of their underpinnings than through the master himself. As my mother always advises me, “Don’t waste time. Go to the source.”

    Reply

  • Lisa Mochizuki — January 19th, 2012, 10:35 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Atlas wasn’t forced to hold up the world. He was convinced that if he didn’t, the world would fall.” Mark Nepo, Author

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING

    After an accident in 2010 robbed me of mobility for over a year and the one job out of four that I had the most passion for (personal training), I allowed the poison of my negative emotions to leach out into all facets of my life: My relationship with a new love interest (eliminated) and with my immediate family (strained), my primary work as a legal consultant and real estate broker (no contingency cases won, no commissions garnered, and no new business acquired), and to my charitable contributions (left all boards and relinquished a giving heart). I lost the ability to gather any fruit in the valley of my Despair. With my Japanese heritage firmly in place, suffering came easily and quickly siphoned all gratitude from my mind and spirit. This equation is ever applicable to my life in this day itself, as today I am reworking my career scenario, building a relationship, reconnecting with my family and my local community. Suffering not a constant and meaning is taking a greater value such that despair will not be equal nor shall it define me.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    My favorite style of personal training to unleash is raw, barebones, body weight bootcamp. I would like to continue to build my positive momentum for valuing myself and my time in an emotional bootcamp with Chip vis-a-vis. No better way to put all of the emotional equations to the test or to gain deeper understanding of their underpinnings than through the master himself. As my mother always advises me, “Don’t waste time. Go to the source.”

    Reply

  • Jacob — January 19th, 2012, 10:35 am

    1. It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested. – Lucius Seneca
    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE : If you look at the “bullet point” history of my life I believe it shows that I’ve had success (great family, profitable business, good health), but inside I have a permeating feeling that I’m stagnant. I shudder to think that I would “waste much” of life as Seneca described. I feel that this equation helps reveal what I am missing, curiosity. It is now up to me to get out of my places of fear and explore my curious habitats.
    3. After a day with Chip I would hope to “open up my sense of awe” to become more curious. I’d love the opportunity to get out of my everyday routine expand my field of vision and just get to know a smart guy. Thanks for considering me.

    Reply

  • cindy Robinson — January 19th, 2012, 10:35 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote? In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein
    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? Happiness=Wanting what you have/having what you want. Oh my gosh this is so true-most of the time whatever it is , is usually right under or noses. As a single mom, small business owner and cancer survivor, I have to keep reminding myself of this. When I finished treatment I went back to school to “exercise” my brain after the chemo messed with it. The school was less than 5 miles away and I graduated with top honors with a Paralegal degree! Maybe these kind of accomplishments in our lives can remind us to keep going. I never would have gone back to school if my brain had not needed the ‘exercise’.
    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF? I would like to change the perspective that alot of patients going through cancer treatment have regarding their situation. In the midst of it it is a horrible thing-and good things can come of it if you look for them. Life can be enriched through what seems like an impossible situation.

    Reply

  • John — January 19th, 2012, 10:36 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    Someday is now. The road to someday leads to a town that is nowhere. ~ Tony Robbins
    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    I can use much more focus on the numerator of the happiness equation. Obsession with the denominator is creating anxiety.
    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    An greater awareness and expansion of my emotional intelligence.

    Reply

  • David Romanelli — January 19th, 2012, 10:37 am

    GREAT POST…so rich with inspiration and information! THANK YOU

    1. “Life is just a series of moments. If you miss the moments, you miss your life.” Robin Sharma

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    I teach people how to live in the moment by embracing everyday passions as rituals. My main method is yoga combined with chocolate, wine, and music. But I’ll be the first to tell my students I’m teaching what I’m learning and anxiety slaps my ass around from time to time. The idea of having a strategy to take control of anxiety is priceless.

    3. After a day with Chip, I’d like to learn how to better harness my emotions. I’ve learned much from the yogis, my main field of study, but to learn from a business leader would be tremendously helpful as I try to crossover from yoga and share my message with a broader population. My sincerest hope after a day with Chip would be that I will finish “seeking freedom FOR life, not FROM life.”

    Reply

  • MikeK — January 19th, 2012, 10:38 am

    1) I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.

    2) Curiousity = Wonder + Awe
    We are living in an era where the curious have an unparalleled set of open, free, connected tools and resources to rapidly explore, create and inspire new ways of thinking–>designing–>doing. No matter whether it’s art, science, business, etc. never before has a curious mind been so capable.

    3) I would gain Chip’s insight and further develop a community driven concept that allows an individual to give to his/her favorite charity in a new, simple and recurring way.

    Reply

  • kamal — January 19th, 2012, 10:38 am

    1. One day the sun admitted,

    I am just a shadow.
    I wish I could show you
    The Infinite Incandescence

    That has cast my brilliant image!

    I wish I could show you,
    When you are lonely or in darkness,

    The astonishing Light

    Of your own Being!

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

    Very simple, the pure act of running a startup is an act in uncertainty. As a founder and leader, to apply that to myself and share with the team during stressful periods can only make us more effective, and ultimately, more successful.

    3. I’ll continue to build what I do best, internet startups, but will apply what I’ve learned from him to them as well to the ones I advise. Oh, and write a book as well.

    Reply

  • Shane — January 19th, 2012, 10:38 am

    Chip- your post hit some emotional hot buttons.

    1. Favorite Quote- ‘What you focus on expands’ (Tony Robbins)

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS – for me, when I focus on unknowns in life, I create my own anxiety. It’s as if, when things are going really well, I stop myself and say- “wait, don’t get too happy, remember things can go wrong. Or, you never know what is lurking around the next corner”. I know its crap, but it doesn’t stop it from entering my mind.

    An interesting thing happens when I focus on being grateful- its impossible to feel anxious or overwhelmed. An exercise I did (credit to Darren Hardy) was keeping a journal of what I was most grateful for each day regarding my wife. Forced me to focus on finding an awesome thing she did each day. The result was spectacular for her and me.

    The equation for anxiety is bang on. For a guy who wants control and certainty, its unsettling to know there are things I can’t control. We just had a little girl and wow, becoming a dad has opened my eyes to what its like to really worry and love someone. I don’t want to be ‘that’ over protected dad who soothers their kid.

    3. I’d like to change the way I let negative thoughts enter my mind and take over. I’ve noticed (in my journal) when I’m most productive (happy) are times when I’m taking action on fulfilling what I believe is important and useful to me and others. However, with so many distractions each day, looking to steal space in my mind, it is difficult to stay in the zone.

    I guess I’d like help with- how to control what I think about most of the time.

    Reply

  • Ryan B. — January 19th, 2012, 10:42 am

    1. “Only that in you which is me can hear what I’m saying” ~Baba Ram Dass

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    It seems to be the more obvious equation of the four yet the most overlooked my most, or at least myself. In aspiring to “be” more everyday, to set high goals, to dream of achievement and success for myself and my family, it takes constant awareness and practice not to intertwine all of the physical/emotional/cognitive “wants” that are available to us… This equation reminds me of how simple the pursuit of happiness can really be. As a founder of a startup based in Napa, CA, I can use this equation to remain grounded in the essentials, enjoy the ride, and share it with others through action.

    3. I want to learn how to be a GREAT CEO. I want to learn the tools and the mindset of Chip so that I can pass them along and create a business that gives more than its product.

    Thanks for the opportunity and the great post!

    Reply

  • Mark — January 19th, 2012, 10:42 am

    1) “There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is on a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
    2) Happiness = Wanting what you have/having what you want – This is perfect for me. I’m too often looking at what I don’t have and not enjoying and sharing what I do have. It’s the perfectionist in me that wants to not give it my all if I don’t have it all figured out. So I look to what I don’t have and it fills me with lack and makes me apathetic. BUT when I am grateful for all the things in my life, the people, the accomplishments and my experience, I’m filled with a strong will to push past those blocks.
    3) I think the opportunity to have a day with Chip would help me answer some of these questions I have about myself and what’s blocking me. I loved the concept of the baggage and how we don’t even know we have it. Love to have the clarity to compartmentalize that stuff and be more productive and be able to help more people accomplish their goals and dreams.

    Reply

  • Dana Strode-Tritle — January 19th, 2012, 10:43 am

    1. When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. Rummi
    2. Anxiety = uncertainty x powerlessness, I used this to deal with an issue and immediately saw that it was the vague uncertainty that was creating the discomfort rather than the reality of what I could impact.
    3. What I would like to change is that while I have utilized multiple strategies and they have worked at various times in my life I seem to have a set point that I return to in times of stress. My father almost died several times in the last two year, he is still alive, yet very ill and it has rocked my world. It has opened up an underlying sense of shame that seem to raise its head when I am feeling totally in the flow, unencumbered and free to be totally myself. I want to act from my soul and feel the river of joy moving through me. Is that too much?

    Reply

  • Danielle — January 19th, 2012, 10:43 am

    I’d like to add on to my original comment! What I would like to change or build would be my customer service and management skills. With both my online business and full time job I have to manage customer requests and I could learn to be more empathetic and patient with others. As far as management, we have used virtual interns for the past 2 years for our website and as the site grows I’d like to know how to better manage people and determine when it’s necessary to hire. I think we’ll have a hard time letting go of certain responsibilities.

    Reply

  • Patrick — January 19th, 2012, 10:44 am

    1. “You’re free to do that” This is what i tell myself when dealing with people, it reminds me to stop trying to control people and deal with them as they are.

    2. I already feel fairly content in my life. The equation on Happiness is something I already applied to get there. I use the gratitude part to remind myself how lucky I am. If I am scared of failure, i just remind myself that at least I’m not hot, tired, thirsty, hungry, or cold- that when I already have these bases covered I don’t need to worry unnecessarily about whatever it is I’m scared of failing at.

    3. I would love to understand chip’s philosophy on hiring and dealing with people. I am starting a fairly labor intensive company where I foresee doing a lot of hiring and I’m not quite sure how to do it correctly. His insight would help get it right so that employees would be happy and customers would be happy. I would love to build an understanding of how to hire people so that my employees could also be the happiest employees you’ve ever met.

    Reply

  • Cameron Webb — January 19th, 2012, 10:44 am

    1. “How often does a man say as he wakes in the morning, “I had a wonderful dream last night,” and relate how Mercury or this or that philosopher appeared to him in person and taught him this or that art. But then the dream escapes him and he cannot remember it. However, anyone to whom this happens should not leave his room upon awakening, should speak to no-one, but remain alone and sober until everything comes back to him, and he recalls the dream.” – Paracelsus, Spagyrical Writings

    2. The happiness equation teases out an interesting tension: it’s not just about either having what you want or vice-versa…but neither is it both, otherwise it would be an addition equation. It’s something else, more nuanced, revealed in an individual by how they draw their circles of wanting and having. I suspect that division line translates to: “mix in consideration for others.” In romance, for example, what counts as “having?” We could reflect on this equation to help stay cool when two peoples’ different notions of “having” inevitably come under scrutiny.

    3. I think it would be great to have a set of conversations about how a humanist, not spectacularly skilled in any particular thing, can best contribute to important issues that affect everyone alive, but that appear, from the outside, to require technical specialists. One of my biggest frustrations is what I perceive to be the gross misuse of employee energy in large, profit-oriented organizations. I’d like to lay the conceptual groundwork for a new theory of HR.

    Reply

  • Leslie — January 19th, 2012, 10:44 am

    1. “Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.”

    2. HAPPINESS = wanting what you have / having what you want.

    I came out of the womb as an overachiever with high expectations of myself. That drive was extraordinarily valuable in my younger years, when I was forming an identity around my first-place accomplishments: piano competition wins, attractive boyfriends, degrees from Duke and Carnegie Mellon, a string of management-level positions in my first 10 years out of school.

    Fast-forward to age almost-35, and my biological clock had started to tick. Loudly. But it wasn’t about having a baby. I was desperate to create a more authentic life.

    Quit a job? In this economy? Teach piano while I “figured it out?” Had I gone Type-B crazy? Tim’s book set the wheels in motion, and while I can’t say I haven’t looked back fondly on my salary, there is a new self emerging that I couldn’t have predicted.

    I am defining happiness differently. In removing all of the things I “should” be doing because of my qualifications, opportunities, degrees, etc., I’m finding that I can contribute more, be more present, lead more effectively, and “try” less. From the outside I’ve given up a lot. But from the inside, I’m right where I need to be.

    Am I certain that things will work out? Not yet. But Chip’s equation is a powerful reminder that my most important tool is a mindset of gratitude.

    3. It took almost 8 months of a less hectic existence to change my perspective from “work-till-you-drop” to “appreciate what you have”. But I’m itching to jump back in. And high on my to-do list for my next career move is integrating self-actualization into the workplace for myself and my team. The opportunity to spend a day with Chip and learn from what he has accomplished would be invaluable. And with my background in the hospitality field, it would be both relevant and tons of fun!

    Reply

  • Archie Cunningham — January 19th, 2012, 10:45 am

    Figured I’d send this in, as it would be awesome to go to SF.

    My favourite quote: “Impossible is nothing” Muhammed Ali, incredible man.

    I love Curiosity = Wonder + Awe, that’s exactly how I live my life, always learning, always asking questions. How would I apply it? Every day I ask myself how I can improve my current emotional state, even if I’m feeling really good, and amazingly, I constantly seem to be finding ways of doing it. The answers are everywhere, all around us, in an infinite number of forms. How does that impact to maximum effect? Well think about it, if you’re feeling really good, you have an effect on the people you interact with, you make better decisions unconsciously, and you smile a lot. Seriously, to me, those kinds of ripples have effects far beyond what we realise.

    What would I change or build after I meet Chip? Well, honestly there would be nothing that I would change that I’m not already in the process of doing. We are our own mentors, regardless of who we meet. So really, what am I building? I’m building an incredible life, with amazing people who I am surrounded by every day, I’m enjoying my work, I’m being productive, I’m training in Crossfit, and I’m getting qualified to teach it, I have a wonderful girlfriend, and a fantastic group of friends. My life already awesome, but would be seriously cool to meet Chip.

    Thanks Tim and Chip for such a thought provoking post.

    Archie

    Reply

  • cole — January 19th, 2012, 10:45 am

    1. “Every person as they are today is the result of his/her thoughts from yesterday”. N. HIll

    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have / Having way you want. This is something I keep coming across when reading books to develop a positive mental attitude. I feel I need to express more gratitude toward the people have in my life and to the things I have in my life each day. I believe this will lead to a more humble state of mind.

    3. After a day with Chip I would like to eliminate all internal mental barriers and I will have gained vast knowledge and wisdom from him on how to take an “idea” and turn it into a profitable business.

    Reply

  • Erin C. — January 19th, 2012, 10:46 am

    1. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.”

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    The last time I truly felt Awe was in the first grade after gaining an understanding of subtraction. While, minuscule to many people it took a very long time for me to understand this concept. In this moment the world shifted; from hours of confusion to a moment of comprehension. I felt in my soul, I could learn anything!
    My life’s work is Experiential education. When spending time dancing in and out of awe I have produce my best work, building programs that allow the participant’s to enter into moments of happiness.
    This equation practiced and not stumbled upon, will push me further into producing programs that inspire. The ability to further produce programs that inspire is how this practice would benefit me.

    3.
    build a stronger understanding of how to use metrics to measure happiness

    In the workplace, How does Chip help change feelings of powerless with his less well paid employees

    I would like to change my inner conflict; want of things versus a desire of minimalism

    Build a better understanding of my desire for increasing levels of success versus contentment

    Reply

  • Martina lin — January 19th, 2012, 10:47 am

    1. You don’t change by solving your problems; you solve your problems by changing.
    (Samuel Sagan)

    2. happiness equation is the one I am resonated most with this stage of life now. I was an engineer who started to practice meditation and study spirituality and now is a stay at home mother. I have a longing want to share my experiences. About two years ago, I started to try to understand what I want and what I am looking for besides my amazing role of motherhood. I started my website – circle of changes. Evey step I took out of my comfort zone, though I am scare but there is so much joy. Recently there is some difficulty that reading about express gratitude is a form of divine offering, really does something to my heart and remember in the midst of creating, what is important and what to appreciate even my emotional reactions.

    3. I want to learn! I want to learn to do outside of my box and create something that is resonate my passion – spirituality, parenthood and life! I hope to take what I learn to refine and continue.

    Thank you,
    Martina

    Reply

  • Randall Hughes — January 19th, 2012, 10:48 am

    1. Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    WOW! I am currently riding out the perfect storm in my business and personal life. I’ve pondered substituting these definitions, suffering=challenges,
    Meaning=all thoughts are impermanent, in turn , never despair

    3. To listen, learn, and absorb like a human sponge the energy of a great leader so I can take this back to my life.

    Reply

  • Charley Mitchell — January 19th, 2012, 10:50 am

    1. “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who overcomes his enemies, for the hardest victory is the victory over self.” Aristotle
    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have / having what you want
    Too often I am seaking something else that I want in my life. This causes me to forget how many great things I already have in my life. Taking an old piece from Tim’s blog about a year ago and adding it to this equation I am going to wear a bracelet and rotate it from wrist to wrist when I practice gratitude. Not the thought of being thankful but the physical act of expressing thanks.
    3. After meeting with Chip I would like to build a gym centered around lifestyle coaching not purely exercise coaching. I see a lot of members in my gym go and just try to beat themselves down physically thinking it will make things better. I want to connect with people through coaching on the overall lifestyle quality. How is the sleep, how is the nutrition, how is the stress and then work in the physical activity. Quality of life is a balance but I see so many people flatlining through life thinking that if they do crazy hard workouts they can eat like shit which causes sleep to suffer from over exerting and poor nutrition which causes high stress. Too many coaches see members as $$$ and do not touch on the persons life outside of the gym.

    Excellent read, Thank you for the post!

    Reply

  • Ryan — January 19th, 2012, 10:50 am

    “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to put to rout all that was not life and not when I had come to die discover that I had not lived.” –Thoreau

    Despair = Suffering – Meaning

    Life is Dukkha– a challenging truism. However, I really like the concept that meaning can lessen suffering. Living deliberately and exploring your relationship with yourself and your relationship with the world is no doubt a challenging process, but hopefully a rewarding one. After working abroad in the private equity world I have lived through the trappings of the modern world and can attest to their shortcomings. However, I am excited to be on the cusp of starting a new chapter of my life where I am now more focused on building meaning in my life. I hope to work with a non-profit micro-finance organization to further develop Muhammad Yunus’s concept of social business as a way to alleviate poverty. I am hopeful that through this experience I will not only be able to affect sustainable positive change in the world but also build meaning in my own life.

    Historically, I have found business success through the traditional tenets of leadership. I would take my time with Chip to better understand how I can utilize the concept of EI leadership in my new role, how I can better leverage Maslow’s theories to catalyze motivation in my organization to affect change, and lastly I would love to explore how we could better spread these concepts of self-realization, continued learning, and self-discovery to make a more meaningful society.

    Reply

  • Stacy Hayden — January 19th, 2012, 10:53 am

    “Those who can not command themselves to relax have yet to know their command” – Yogi Bhajan

    I’m a single mother, freelance web/graphic designer, marketing consultant and manager for people who dedicate their life to uplifting others, physically, mentally and emotionally. I do more work, have more responsibilities and have to rely and trust in myself more than I ever. I have never been happier. Why? Because I have meaning to my life. The more I realize that I have value to offer others which makes all of our lives happier and more prosperous through the achievement of purpose, the less suffering I endure from stress. Stress is still there. There are things to be done, deadlines to get them done by and a solid base of clients who continue to grow and always need support… sometimes all at the same time. And that’s great. I care about what I do, so when I look ahead at my long day, full of tasks, there is no despair. I take a deep breath, and move forward. Staying relaxed in the midst of activity allows me to stay out of the reactive mind and into the mind of choice. I choose meaning in my life for maximum benefit – everyday!

    Working independently, I am well versed in self-motivation. I also spend time inspiring others through yoga and writing. However, when I put on my “manager’s hat” I find myself not as equipped to successfully motivate the staff I manage for clients. Noticing this I am reluctant to take on my own staff. Spending my day with Chip would help me build the confidence and skills needed to grow into this area in order to help and support more clients, who in turn, help and support even more people!

    Reply

  • Jesse Lee — January 19th, 2012, 10:55 am

    1. For what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but, forfeit his soul? – Mt 16:26.

    2. I used ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS and the Anxiety Balance Sheet to solve the first anxiety that presented it self as I was reading the post.
    Problem: My 5 yr old daughter a month from starting school won’t wipe her self in Bathroom without a Wet wipe causing us to bring her one when she is on the toilet.

    Our Balance Sheet:
    Jade won’t wipe:
    1. We Know:
    - Doesn’t want to get hand dirty when poops.
    - Want’s wipey.
    - Improving.

    2. Don’t know:
    - if she will wipe herself in school.

    3. Control:
    - Wipey container in bathroom.
    - rule one wipey per visit.

    4.Can’t Control:
    - What she will do in school.

    Solution to Anxiety: Wipey in WC

    3. A plan for a successful new Vacation Rental Website that will be built to sell for 100′s of millions in a short period of time.

    I don’t know if my example is what you had in mind but, the principle had good results in the application. And I put it right to work.

    Reply

  • An — January 19th, 2012, 10:56 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”

    So beautifully simple, though deconstructed, has deeper meaning. As a philosophy, living this way means living a conscious life of awareness every moment.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    Anxiety = uncertainty x powerlessness

    My childhood was filled with uncertainty on a daily basis – couple that with a small child’s lack of agency, I developed a heightened sense of anxiety. In an effort to stop taking anti-anxiety meds, I read a number of authors, mediate and practice yoga.

    This equation breaks anxiety down into its constituent parts – decreasing one or both multipliers will decrease anxiety. So, decrease uncertainty by driving towards clarity or additional information if more information exists that would affect decision making. Make a decision as soon as you have enough information. Accept the consequences. Appreciate consequences result from agency, which is one’s personal power.

    Moving forward, I’ll look for sources in my life drive uncertainty or places where I’m not embracing and using my power when I feel anxious.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I’m currently in the process of enacting change, both personally and professionally. I’d like to incorporate the lessons I’ll learn with Chip into my professional projects and empower junior staff to (a) be happier; (b) feel less friction as they develop. Personally, I’d like to discuss with Chip how to become a vessel of love and light, especially when I’m in situations that especially seem to lack either or both.

    Thanks for providing us with a platform to share our thoughts on points worth pondering!

    Reply

  • Kate — January 19th, 2012, 10:57 am

    1. “…everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor E. Frankl

    2. The equation that resonates with me most is Happiness = Wanting what you have / Having what you want. I go in waves and have times where I can easily focus on all that I have and feel utterly grateful for everything in my life, but I quickly follow that with a week where all I can think about is what I WISH I had and how to get what I want. Practicing gratitude for everything I already have is a habit I’ve been trying to master for some time.

    3. Rather than pick one thing that I’d like to change or build on after a day with Chip, I would hope to spend the day with an open mind, learning more about the equations presented in his post, observing his leadership in action and see what changes spark from that day. I have no doubt that I’ll be able to take the experience, better myself with it and then use those tools to help those around me better themselves and their lives as well.

    Reply

  • Fletcher — January 19th, 2012, 10:58 am

    1) “Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today.” -Seneca

    2) Happiness = practicing gratitude / pursuing gratification: It’s good to have ambition, but there’s a fine line between being goal-oriented and goal-fixated. This post has finally convinced me (I hope) try out an idea that I have always thought sounded appealing, but have never put into practice, probably because of the benefits being so intangible: I plan to spend at least 15 minutes every morning for at least the next 30 days meditating on the Buddhist concept of “mudita,” selfless joy, both reminding myself of all the things in this world for which I am grateful and finding happiness in the good fortune of those around me. I hope that these inward thoughts will spill over into outward expressions in my daily life.

    3) I have started and involved myself with a number of small muse-type business with the goal of Making Money. I’m ready to progress to the next step of Making a Difference, and I hope that spending some time with an emotions guru like Chip will help inspire me along this path.

    Thank you, and thanks for the great post!

    Reply

  • Bruce — January 19th, 2012, 10:58 am

    Henry David Thoreau said (from Walden):

    “Nay, be a Columbus to whole new continents and worlds within you, opening new channels, not of trade, but of thought.”

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    As I raise two young children with my wife we try to practice the act of removing ‘clutter’ from our lives. We believe this act will help us gravitate towards the numerator. The difficulty lies in the denominator because we’re constantly discussing what we ‘need’ to buy (really ‘wants’) and it takes so much time away from truly enjoying what we have. I truly believe that Thoreau’s suggestion about self discovery can only be realized through some degree of voluntary poverty. How can I teach my kids to be happier unless I practice this philosophy?

    On the back of a truly mind-blowing experience with an expert in Emotional Intelligence, I would hope to supersede some of my older models of thinking and to become more proactive in life (business & family). I would accomplish this by learning how to empathize more quickly and on a deeper level.

    Cheers!

    Reply

  • Adam L. — January 19th, 2012, 10:59 am

    “Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.” – Mark Twain

    Curiosity = Wonder + Awe – I have noticed in my short time on this earth, that when a time of crisis occurs and we should be most curious as to how to solve a problem, most revert back into a shell. This, from my experience, seeps down from the people at the very top. We have too many leaders, and too few of those who lead. A leader is a person with power or authority, where as a leader inspires and motivates us. Many people go for the job that might have the most prestige but that limits your ability to express your true self. You find yourself trapped in the confines of a system that vacuums creativity and only benefits the few. If I could properly apply this equation to every aspect of my life, it will not only benefit me, but most importantly the ones surrounding me as well.

    These two, I believe, go hand in hand. Any person on this earth has the ability to change any injustice they believe to be true. Yet few accomplish this, good and bad intentioned alike. In order to have not just change, but successful change, you have to lay a strong foundation for that change to be built upon. And that change cannot just be only what you envision, but a collage of the wants, needs, and desires of others. Don’t be a tyrant of change, but a facilitator. I want to learn as much as possible about being the facilitator. To be able to identify, understand, and most importantly, implement a plan around the intangibles that is present in every person on this earth. I believe Chip has that knowledge in him.

    Reply

  • Rob Aaron — January 19th, 2012, 11:01 am

    1. My favorite inspirational quote is from the song, Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Lurhman, “Do one thing, everyday, that scares you!” Even when I am afraid to do something, to take some action that I know I need to take, I remember this and do it anyway.
    2. I could start appreciating my friends, family, and my favorite barista, on a daily basis, and do it in front of them, looking them in the eyes. As a backup, I could do it on the phone. This feels good just talking about it.
    I believe in the law of Karma and I know that being grateful, other than feeling good to me and the person on the receiving end of it, will come back to me in untold ways. (I love the book by Geshe Michael Roach, “The Diamond Cutter…” Changed my life.
    3. I would finish my book on health and get it published. Oh, and i would love to join you at Camp Maslowtopia this year at burningman. This will be my 11th year in a row. (Yes, I am doing a little bit of that, trying to impress thing!)

    Reply

  • Sean — January 19th, 2012, 11:04 am

    1-“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
    ? Michael Jordan

    2-HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    There is so much I want to do; remodel my new house, travel, get away from having a job and move into creating and internet marketing firm, but that all revolves around ambition, the other side of the blade to success. Still for weeks, or months I’ve lost track of time, gratitude keeps pushing its little head through. “Sean, you’re doing well in life and that’s great and all but you are not paying enough attention to me”. A year ago I found the power in giving to charity; this was my first step to creating a continuous gratitude platform. I plan to take one moment each day to have a conversation with a stranger, find about her day a give that person a chance express her exciting on goings.
    3-My deepest desire is to run a program that teaches people to how harness their potential. Developing myself, and understanding how I did it throughout my lifetime, has always had a secondary motivation beyond pure self improvement. It has also been a lifetime of putting together concepts that I could pass onto others in a clear and executable practice. With Chip Conley’s help I could build a platform on how to verbally communicate my information to others. The goal is to create a training program to move past one’s preconceived notions on life.

    Reply

  • Raelin — January 19th, 2012, 11:04 am

    1. Tis better to light to light a candle, than to curse the darkness.

    2. The anxiety question : I’m convinced I could do so much more with life if I didn’t worry

    3. Start with changing tomorrow, and try and achieve all the things I’ve dreamed of, but keep panicing about starting.

    Reply

  • Suzanne Peterson — January 19th, 2012, 11:04 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive. One extra degree. Seemingly small things can make a tremendous difference.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    I love the thought of CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I have a new life philosophy to be open to all new experiences and perspectives allowing me to be receptive to whatever lessons and incidents the universe has to offer. I implemented this new philosophy following a HUGE life upheaval (divorce, job change and move all within a few months last year) in an effort to see the world differently and get out of any ruts I may have found myself in. I can further my effort to be curious by continuing to be open to anything and not allowing fear to hold me back from my ultimate potential. I am so looking forward to more awesome happenings and wonderful things that come up and continuing to be as curious as absolutely possible.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I have a belief that everyone comes into your life for a very specific reason and at a very certain time in your life. I think I am currently in the process of transforming my life into a new stage and changing where I will be in the future from what I was in the past. I view every contact with new people as a sponge is in a pool of water. I extract as much as I possibly can from conversations to gain new knowledge, insight and wisdom. I would hope that at the end of a day with Chip, that I could both give and receive a positive influence, interaction and experience.

    Reply

  • John Etcheverry — January 19th, 2012, 11:07 am

    1- “A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, can even enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.”
    ? Daisaku Ikeda, The Human Revolution
    2- Applying the equation: Despair = Suffering- Meaning. I’m constantly trying to apply this to my daily life at work. I work at SF Veterans Medical Center and deal with many different types of injured veterans. Some physically, some psychologically, some emotionally, etc. This population is hard to reach at times, but by giving them a different perspective I try to impact them at each encounter.
    3- I’d like to build a company or organization that truly cares for the veteran population and provides better information on available resources; empowers the veteran to make changes and improve their life; Inspires veterans and families to live a contributive life.

    Reply

  • Divya — January 19th, 2012, 11:09 am

    * Submitting again, just concerned that perhaps my previous post was missed in moderation

    1. “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love, and belonging, and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” –Brene Brown

    2. Happiness = wanting what you have/having what you want. Gratitude is often lost on my generation (in their 20’s) because we’ve been raised to believe we’re entitled to all of our blessings. And I’d like to change that. I would apply this equation in my life by connecting with at least 3 people (teachers, friends, relatives etc.) that have been my light and guidance thus far and thank them. I would tell them how the small things they said and did impacted my life in big ways. But the maximum benefit would come from connecting unconditionally – no expectation for anything in return.

    3. I’d like to make a small change in the way young women are socialized. Despite massive progress in education, many women are concentrated in to the most female-traditional jobs, make on average considerably less annual income than men, and hold few senior management positions. Many of the skills that require success in these positions can be learned. I’d like to build a platform where they can learn these skills.

    Reply

  • Evan Owens — January 19th, 2012, 11:11 am

    1. “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” – Steve Jobs

    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe. I love this. If you stop being curious, then you stop learning. If you stop learning, then what are you living for? I will endeavor to increase my curiosity every day.

    3. After a day with Chip, I would like to continue to build my startup, pogoseat.com and continue to grow into the CEO role. I have no doubt his advice and guidance will be invaluable.

    Reply

  • Ray — January 19th, 2012, 11:11 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.” – Roger Bannister

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    Curiosity = wonder and awe

    I work in an office. It’s actually a nice and somewhat large office, at least in comparison to other offices I’ve had. I have a couple of pictures on the shelf, a few degrees framed on the wall, and an unopened bottle of wine given by a vendor a few years ago. This is where I do 95 percent of my work, which requires quite a bit of curiosity. I honestly never realized how much my job – or at least my ability to be good at my job – depended on curiosity until I read this equation. Already, this equation has provided a benefit simply because of this insight. For maximum benefit, I am going to foster this curiosity. I will spend less time in my office. Less time at my computer. And, less time staring at the same problems, hoping that a creative solution will just come to me. I’m curious already to see what happens.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    The nature of my job, which I mostly enjoy, inevitably requires some time spent in my office or in front of a computer. I want to build a place in my office and in my home that fosters curiosity. There will be art. And maybe some books on architecture and cooking and running. I would like to change these environments in a way that facilitates wonder and awe and then curiosity. I’m not quite sure how to do that yet. I would like to ask Chip why the crashing surf, the kids, the museums, and the animals in the zoo stoke up bigger thinking. I think this could lead to big changes.

    Reply

  • Elizabeth Stein — January 19th, 2012, 11:11 am

    1. “Do not think like a human. You have the ability within you to create anything you wish. Take responsibility for your journey and make no adjustments out of fear.” Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE : I’m in a place in my life of massive recreating/redesigning. I’m creating the life I have always wanted. In the past, I felt board with my life and current work situation. I love the idea of finding Wonder and Awe in what I already have in order to generate curiosity and more experiences. I had never considered curiosity as a key ingredient to creating ‘big thinking’, but when I think about the people I know and who inspire me most, these people almost always act from a place of constant curiosity. From this equation, I’m going to create a list of what inspires curiosity to inhabit my life and what seems to block it’s inhibiting. I’m hoping my findings will help me too, learn to create the ideal environment to generate more curiosity.

    3. I’d love to learn more about emotional intelligence from Chip along the lines of working with people and helping to inspire them. I’m in a place in my current job where I am taking on more leadership roles. I’ve never had very strong manager skills, but I’m seeing, how important it is to learn what makes people tick and helping them to also achieve their dreams in the context of the work environment. I’d also like to find and fine tune my natural skills in working with people and EQ and I think Chip can help with this given his many years of positive experience working with others.

    Reply

  • Elizabeth — January 19th, 2012, 11:12 am

    1. Quote that deeply inspires me:
    “If you’re frightened of dying, and you’re holding on, you’ll see devils tearing your life away. If you’ve made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the Earth.” From the film – Jacob’s Ladder – written by Adrian Lyne.

    2. Equations = Maximum Benefit! I’m all on fire with the idea that these equations are on a wheel, each a spoke and key to the structure and movement of my life. So today I find myself wanting to turn the wheel from the Curiosity = Wonder + Awe spoke. When I’m fearful or anxious I lose touch with the wonder of the world and the whole wheel stops. I want to fill my tank today with more curious places and let the sacred sing to me again. Let the wheel play and roll through my life, learning and celebrating with each turn.

    3. I want to talk and jam ideas with Chip about education/professional development through gaming for leaders.

    Reply

  • Roderick Pittman — January 19th, 2012, 11:12 am

    1.”The Most Important Thing You Can Do Daily Is… Ask Questions Relentlessly”. -Mike Murdock

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I have utilized this equation throughout my life. I grew up in Mississippi in a small town with a population of 7,300 people. This environment was one that stifled dreams and creativity through backwards thinking. My curiosity of the world partnered with hope in Christ has allowed me to persevere through the harsh realities of my life.
    3. Recently I have been researching Maslow’s work and have attempted to eliminate things that are stumbling blocks to me becoming a better person. If granted this opportunity I would return and begin work on a nonprofit named “EDGE” (Educating Dynamic Generations Everywhere). This organization would focus on exposing under privileged youth to different perspectives and new experiences. It is tough growing up with little and not having any positive influence in your life. This organization would give youth a peak at what this world has to offer and challenge them to achieve their full potential.

    Thank you for your time and consideration. As always great post Tim.

    Reply

  • Jamie — January 19th, 2012, 11:12 am

    1. these emotional equations create a certain logic to how you pack and unpack your bags and, in fact, being a little more conscious of what’s in your bag may allow you to discard a few heavy items that have been weighing you down. Creating your own internal logic regarding your emotional baggage will allow you to carry a lighter bag…one that’s eminently easier to unpack.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    I have spent years chasing after career and financial success. Although i have attained some of it (definately not all), it is so important to MAKE time for the things important to you and around you. Making sure to never forsake time with the people you love, because you are chasing something that matters ALOT less than they do

    3. If I had the day with Chip, I think I would use the time to ask him about altering thought processes. Instead of focusing on negatives, turning things around to be about positives. No matter what the situation is, because it is always easy to see the negative in any situation, but to really figure out how to take the positive out of ANY situation would be just a fabulous asset to have!

    Reply

  • Neil M — January 19th, 2012, 11:13 am

    1. “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” ? Jon Kabat-Zinn

    2. – Curiosity = Wonder + Awe

    I recently switched Jobs and moved Stateside from the UK, then got made redundant after 3 months. Now I’m back home sitting here trying come up with ideas to best invest the money I earned and start my own business. You just helpfully reminded me that I’m not going to come up with a solution just by trying really hard, but ultimately sitting here in front of the computer being endlessly distracted by the unimportant fleeting ideas that die as soon as they appear. It’s not easy to achieve these moments of wonder and awe, but it’s more important than ever, and using curiosity as a starting point now I have somewhere to kick off from.

    3. – I want to build a successful business that I love, easier said than done. But I want to know how how Chip got from A to B to C to D, and the improvements he saw when he started focussing on mastering his emotions.

    Reply

  • Joe Snyder — January 19th, 2012, 11:13 am

    Favorite quote- “Here’s to the Crazy Ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the square holes.
    The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo.
    You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore
    them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them
    as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think
    they can change the world – are the ones who DO!”

    I can apply Happyness= Wanting what you have/ having what you want. In order to gain real momentum and instant results from this experience. I am a self made man who never went to College. After building a multi-million dollar real estate investment company I lost most of my wealth in the crash of 2008. Parlaying some investments at the time into real business since then has allowed me to stay in business and continue to employee people and live comfortably with my family, however I have felt unsuccessful over the last 3 years and I think I have been disregarding the truely great things in life and focusing on the fact that I ahve not risen back to the levels that I hold myself and my company to. 4HWW/TF really changed my perspective on life in general (i read it for the first time 4 months ago and have since made groundbreaking changes to my life)
    I would like to change into more of an “emotional thermostat” for my businesses and family, investigating, understanding and applying your ideas and principals in life can and will assist me in moving my world forward in a positive, motivated, exceptional way.

    Reply

  • Trey — January 19th, 2012, 11:13 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “Constant effort is life’s greatest shortcut!!” –Coach Kamogawa, Hajime no Ippo
    This quote actually comes from a boxing manga that I read as a teenager, and it really got me pumped about not only going for bigger and better goals, but to continue to learn and grow from each and every experience I have. There is so much wisdom in that manga. And honestly it has pushed me forward in achieving my physical goals.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    I can definitely apply the anxiety=uncertainty x powerlessness. I’ve been waiting for a while to go teach English in some other parts of the world, because it would excite me, (thanks Tim) and it really draws upon my strengths and life goals. Part of that entails waiting to hear back from a placement company. I’ve been waiting for a while, and it kind of stresses me out not knowing what’s going to happen. Right when I read this my mind started working out the different angles of how I can break down this feeling, and come up with an actionable plan.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I would like to see how I can develop a curriculum that not only teaches students how to speak another language, but also empowers them to become understand their world, and how they become successful in it. I think that’s something worth creating.

    Reply

  • J. Favour — January 19th, 2012, 11:14 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Just do it.” Not very profound, simple but empowering.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    Of these equations. I’m most drawn to Happiness. I’m curious how the equation is a division of the having and wanting and not an addition of the two. I would like to how we quantify the division.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would love to apply some of Chip’s insight to fulfill my own life dreams more completely. Emotionally, spiritually and economically. I would love to meet Chip.

    Reply

  • Cynthia — January 19th, 2012, 11:14 am

    1. “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – Teddy Roosevelt

    However, though I love sharing inspirational quotes, I’m not really entering the context. I bailed out of the corporate world to become a writer, so I have what I want — words, world travel, and lots of flexibility. But I did want to say BRAVO to Chip for doing what so many — well, I can’t say they failed to do it, because they didn’t even try — so for doing what almost no one even thought of, but which anyone who thinks should immediately recognize as valuable. The book of Proverbs says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” We have certainly seen that worked out in the corporate world today. Great to know there is someone who has the kind of vision that infuses life back into the picture.

    May your own joie de vivre grow exponentially over the years.

    Reply

  • Josh Bell — January 19th, 2012, 11:18 am

    1)”It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

    “Citizenship in a Republic,”
    Theodore Roosevelt Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

    2) ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    At 30 years old I am going through a divorce and custody battle for my 3 year old son. Her silence in the matter has left me with uncertainty as to what she will fight for. This uncertainty of the issues contained in such a topic as divorce and child custody makes me feel powerless over my future. I am currently going to college part time and in the military full time (12 years) and iI have always wanted to have my own fitness and nutrition center, but that now seems unattainable as my mind is rittled with anxiety.

    3) I would like to build some type of bridge over this river of anxiety. Listening and interacting with a self-made succssful person may be able to help lay the plans to build that bridge.

    Reply

  • Scott — January 19th, 2012, 11:21 am

    1. “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people” – Eleanor Roosevelt

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS. Taking the time to actually analyze an issue and what I can do about it can drastically cut down on time wasted worrying, as I often find myself worrying about things that do not require any worrying about at all. This, of course, would allow for me to focus on my goals as well issues that are actually important. Also, the speed of learning increases immensely by asking questions of the unknown opposed to merely waiting to find out an answer.

    3. After a day with Chip I would like to understand his ideas more thoroughly so that I can promote positive changes within myself and, in turn, the people around me. Breaking these ideas down into simple equations is a great way to inspire change, and by exploring all of the facets of the equations, one can truly make the changes needed to become happy.

    Reply

  • KA — January 19th, 2012, 11:25 am

    1. It is better to get lost than to never start the journey.
    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING. A top character strength of mine is curiosity. However, as I reflect now on the lowest lows personally and professionally, I see I have focused my curiosity on looking back, not looking forward. For example, I look back and I ask what I could have done differently and what learning I can gain from that. I have not looked forward and asked how this will serve me in the future. I am focusing on the negative, not the positive. I am applying this immediately, and already more optimistic regarding a current challenge!
    3. I want my spark back, and I want it stronger and more contagious than ever. I believe these equations can help me do this and make a profound impact on not only myself, but many others. I do this today, but not to the extent I am capable. I am a wife, a mother, a manager, a leader, an entrepreneur, a volunteer, and much more. Each is unique and I am grateful for the experiences (and experiments) each bring. I need to take a risk in my career; I have very different paths I may pursue. Executing on this choice with passion would be my focus after a day with Chip. I can’t do it all and have the equations work as I want them to. I am ready for anything. What I’m changing will be my best future and I would be honored to spend a fun day in SF with Chip – we’ll have a blast!

    Reply

  • Brian — January 19th, 2012, 11:26 am

    1. From the movie Lucky Number Slevin- “The unlucky are nothing more than a frame of reference for the lucky. You are unlucky, so I may know that I am. Unfortunately the lucky never realizes they are lucky until it’s too late. Take yourself for instance; yesterday you were better off than you are off today but it took today for you to realize it. But today has arrived and it’s too late. You see? People are never happy with what they have. They want what they had, or what others have. The grass is always greener on the other side.”

    2. Following suit to the quote I believe the happiness equation would benefit me the most. Living in the present and enjoying what I have is something I have been trying to master before it is simply a memory.

    3. The time with Chip would be best spent re-setting my “emotional thermostat” as he put it. The moods of those around you are directly related to your mood, being able to inspire better emotions would make life, work, and relationships all more enjoyable.

    Reply

  • Jason — January 19th, 2012, 11:26 am

    1. “Work hard.” — My grandfather. “Fake it till you make.” — usually attributed to AA, but I don’t know. “Stay mindful.” — Buddha. “Dont be such a pussy.” — guy interviewing me for a job during my last semester of college, about 13 years ago

    2. As a designer I initially thought Curiosity = Wonder + Awe would have the biggest impact, but on a second read I realized I am just chock-full of anxiety. I missed this at first as I interpreted anxiety as worry and, being a laid-back person, pride myself on not worrying about much. At least not the little things. But I make up for that in deeply rooted fear that leads to a paralysis of sorts. So if I think of anxiety as fear, then Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness is essential. I started the exercise balance sheet as explained, but had to put it aside because it was taking much longer than anticipated. Just listing my points of anxiety (unpacking my anxiety bag) was enlightening and satisfying. I’m at a point where there is a lot of uncertainty (starting a business, growing a company, twins due in May, etc) so listing out exactly what I know and can control vs what I can’t is a huge help and good reality check.

    3. I have a small business in the service industry I’m trying to grow and am in the midst of creating a startup in the health industry that would both benefit hugely from Chip’s insight, not to mention just the general personal growth.

    Reply

  • Daniel — January 19th, 2012, 11:29 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Love of peace is common among weak, short-sighted, timid, and lazy persons; and on the other hand courage is found among many men of evil temper and bad character. Neither quality shall by itself avail. Justice among the nations of mankind, and the uplifting of humanity, can be brought about only by those strong and daring men who with wisdom love peace, but who love righteousness more than peace. ” -Theodore Roosevelt

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    I am going to apply “WONDER + AWE = CURIOSITY” to keep focused on the most important factors; to keep me distracted from whats not; and to solidify the meaning of my life and end suffering.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I am going to build “excitement + curiosity” for the discipline it will take in carrying out the robotical daily habits required to provide a comfortable home for the genie.

    Reply

  • Margaret McCue — January 19th, 2012, 11:30 am

    1. “There are those who think they can and thos who think they can’t and they are both right.” Henry Ford – I use this to remind myself to believe that I can.

    2. Curiostiy = Wonder + Awe
    I spent a good deal of my life doing what I thought I was supposed to do or raised to do. Go to college, get a degree, get a job with health benefits, get married, and so on. One day I found myself crying in my driveway. I had everything I was suppose to have – the house, the sports car, the good job, two beautiful children, a good husband – so why was I crying? Fast forward more than 5yrs. I am divorced, I left the job, I’m selling the house. Luckily I came across Tim Ferriss and what he is teaching. It is how I want to live my life. This is where the equation comes to life. To implement what I am reading in the 4hr Workweek, I need to be really curious about how to make it work and to be in awe of those who life the life I know is the life I want to live, but never knew how to make it work. I want to show my child that there are many ways to live your life.

    3. After spending the day with Chip in SF, I want to begin working on two things. (1) I would like to find a habitat for curiosity. That really speaks to me. I am sort of paralyzed with the thought of how to change the way I am living and implement what I am learning int he 4hr workweek. (2) I want to begin my own business, I want to take some action, not just read and wonder.

    Reply

  • Claire Spencer — January 19th, 2012, 11:34 am

    Shorter version! (oops 300 word max!)

    “With enough courage you can do without a reputation.” Clark Gable

    Be unafraid to be bold. Fall down, get up, fall down, get up – the people that laugh are afraid to try. Nobody notices your bruises and scratches at the summit.

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING

    I can turn suffering away from despair and (possibly) into something I enjoy, as long as I create enough meaning.

    The second way has to do with my own dna. I have had to manage chemical depression and one of the most difficult aspects is, initially, the self-hate that arises. All my problems are first-world white people problems – and yet, I would find myself miserable. Remember that sometimes despair isn’t circumstantial. If part of the equation is missing – in chemical depression it is the “meaning” aspect – then don’t feel ashamed of finding outside help to balance the equation.

    3. Many times it is our reaction to an event that holds us back or stops progress. I would like to continue to improve and be able to share skills to be able to take adversity and challenges in stride by managing my interpretation of them on an emotional level. We cannot control the outside world, but we can choose how to interpret it. I would like to gain a greater capability to communicate this.

    Reply

  • Adam Gibson — January 19th, 2012, 11:35 am

    1.”In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times.” Buddy Kane, American Beauty.
    “You were born an original, don’t die a copy.” John Mason
    These are the quotes I live by when time and/or money slips through my fingers and anxiety creeps in.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    The maximum benefit from this equation is something every man in America should write on the mirror for his significant other. Keeping our Attention on the Numerator. I believe having a happy household can be an amazing landing beacon for all successes. The viewpoints in this equation are enough to last a lifetime because in today’s unfortunate world of materialism, it is good to know Chip and Tim make products and talking points that won’t end up in a land fill. When one is happiest, true maximum benefit to all things in mankind can be attained.

    3. If I am fortunate enough to be chosen, I would utilize Chip’s time to become the best sponge in the world for that day. Learning from Chip would help me better understand how to launch my start up and focus on what I feel is the most important issue in the business in the world: Customer Service. I would love to shake up the beverage business and some of the products we are hypnotized by each day. I am part of a team that will not lose even if I do not succeed in this opportunity.

    Reply

  • Matt Krems — January 19th, 2012, 11:40 am

    1. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    To me, uncertainty implies attachment to the future which I try to avoid. Uncertainty is inevitable but by focusing on the present, I think you can decrease uncertainty’s impact. I would focus on decreasing powerlessness by developing habits which are beneficial to my development and learning. By defining what my core values are, I can make small habits which will lead me to those values.

    3. After a day with Chip, I would like to change the way I approach work as an independent entrepreneur. Many of the great entrepreneurs of our time have had partners. It will most likely be an important step for me at some point to find a good partner, but right now, I do not want to wait to start building amazing products. I want to make changes to figure out how to do this better.

    Reply

  • Nina Cherry — January 19th, 2012, 11:40 am

    For a day with Chip ~

    1) “When it’s over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world in my arms.” — Mary Oliver

    2) I have found self empowerment from spending time alone in nature. I resonate with your formula, Chip, of CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE!

    I love to hike in solitude and through my explorations in the wilds, my life has become joyful and I am on the path to self-actualization. I share this passion of nature with you, Tim!

    Whenever I feel down, I go to power places like the 10,000 ft Maui volcano crater. Pristine nature has the power to heal emotional ailments. Your formula, Chip, is also a solution for anxiety and the despair.

    In the last three years I have been taking people who feel troubled about their lives to the sacred spots on Maui with wonderful results. They have experienced a deep connection to life and God, a safe place to share their deepest feelings and pain, the wonder of creation, and a profound gratitude of being alive.

    The maximum application of your formula in my life would be to lead many more people who feel starved about their lives on inspiring nature retreats.

    3) A day with you, Chip, would help me build a broader base for reaching more people to take on retreats. I have the training and the wisdom and the power to transform people. I have done it for 25 years as a counselor, executive coach, workshop leader, and trainer of psychotherapists, clergy and doctors.

    Your amazing expertise could aid me in building and expanding my business to help more people become self actualized. A day with you would be off-the-charts inspiring.

    Reply

  • Adrien — January 19th, 2012, 11:43 am

    1. “When somebody moves, those who stand still say he’s running away” – Jacques Brel (sounds better in French though…)

    2. The second equation about happiness sounds like the best advice to me right now.
    As a first-time bootstrapper I gave up a lot of comfort to be able to focus on what I believe will make me happy, but I forget what I already have. I mean, I already know it is something I have to work on, because I have already been told I don’t show my gratitude enough to my loved ones or even coworkers, but it’s one thing to notice it, and another thing to actually improve yourself.
    I like the practical advice of putting it in my to-do list for every day. Thanks for the tip!

    3. It seems that Chip and I have the same interest in buddhism and philosophy in general. I would like to know more about how he actually applied these philosophical considerations in a capitalist, business-oriented environment and do the same with my company project. Because sometimes it seems a bit paradoxical.

    Reply

  • blake harrison — January 19th, 2012, 11:46 am

    1. “Most people only focus on the treasure that lies at the end of the Legend, and not in creating the Legend itself.”
    In 2004, Neurology experts deemed me “disabled forever”, “They told me I could never play sports, go to college, never leave the care of my parents. That was their vision
    In 2007 I was awarded the Medal of Valor for risking my life to save another. The victim was submerged nearly 4min. No heartbeat, not breathing. I managed to get his heart started again and swam him to the ambulance. NOTE: water infested with flesh eating bacteria. (Verify: http://vimeo.com/23237891 ) To amplify my prayers for this man, I went on a 4 day vision quest, fasting to pray that he could receive a second chance. Nobody knew more than I the significance of a second chance when everyone else gives up hope. I will never forget the day, 2 weeks after admission the victim was dropped from the critical list. I had never been so ‘on Fire” with Happiness.

    2. Happiness- At that most dynamic moment, I asked myself “What is the greatest gift that I can give to the world with my 2nd chance at life”? To give everyone in the world a 2nd chance at life. A man will only experience his ultimate happiness when he gives his highest self’s greatest gift to the world.
    So I embarked on a Soul searching mission into the rainforests of Central America.
    4 years tribal style in the Jungle, deep in meditation. ( http://vimeo.com/23231805 ) . We have manifested the true Fountain of Youth; anti-aging, anti-cancer miracle formula, that till now did not exist. Coincidentally we flew here from Central America to meet with Tim Ferris.

    3. Launch the healthiest beverage a human can place inside their body temple.

    Reply

    • Simon — January 20th, 2012, 2:43 am

      @Tim: Thank you for the post. Chip’s post and the comments were all very insightful.

      @All: Thank you for your posts. I took down some of the quotes you mentioned and hope that you all achieve your goals.

      (Q2) @Chip Conley: Thank you very much for your thoughtful post.

      You write that Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness. Our biggest uncertainty is our meaning in life and what happens when we die. No wonder we our anxious. There is infinite uncertainty about death and there is nothing we can do about it. Heidegger said that we are in a constant state of anxiety, as a being toward death. Some people have religious faith or spiritual experiences, which is not the same as certainty. In Kierkegaard’s concept of the leap of faith is that to have faith, we have to leap across the chasm of uncertainty.

      These two issues: death and meaning are the enigmas of life. I thought a lot about the issues in Frankl’s ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ after both of my grandmothers died in the same month and when visiting the city where my ancestors had lived before the Nazis killed all the Jews there.

      And now death and despair have revisited me again. A friend of mine tried to commit suicide recently, so your equation “Despair = suffering – meaning,” hit home. Maybe you had the same feeling after the people you knew committed suicide: how can this be prevented? What is at the root of despair and suicide?

      This is what I wonder: Why do some people have the ability to overcome suffering and other people fall prey to suicide? What is it in the mind that is the difference? What’s that equation? And is there a way with all the brain technology at our disposal to make that shift for people?

      In reading the comments on this post, I was struck by one comment in particular about a young man who had been kicked in the head after graduation and consequently suffered brain damage and lost the ability to move or form memories. He was told that he wouldn’t leave his parents’ care. He could have been lost in despair and committed suicide. But instead he learned to walk and now is an accomplished athlete, because he believed in ‘miracles’.

      (Q1) I am reminded of the quote: “When it looks impossible and is said to be impossible, give it a try and see if it is possible.” (Zhuan Falun) As I understand it, some people can choose to believe what ‘experts’ say is impossible and then oftentimes it becomes possible.

      @blake harrison (the one who believed in ‘miracles’): what is your take on this issue of why some people choose to live and flourish and some choose to die? Why did you believe? Was it because people told you couldn’t, so you wanted to prove them wrong? Was it from your religious faith or what?

      Unfortunately, cases like Blake’s are the exception instead of the rule. But maybe it doesn’t need to be that way. There is so much information in the world today, but we still don’t have a foolproof way to change the mind from despair to hope. Anxiety and Depression and other types of ‘mental illness’ affect 1/4 of the population. There are various antidepressants and antianxiety medications, but it doesn’t help at all for for at least 1/3 of the people taking them. Cognitive Therapy has shown to be effective, but doesn’t help everyone either, according to studies, and its computer based form is still in its infancy, though maybe has much potential. We teach students many things, but not happiness. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10-24.

      (Q3). Could we figure out a way to apply Emotional Equations to retraining people’s minds? If Big Blue can defeat the best chess player in the world, then we should be able to develop a computer program that overcomes every single ‘bad mental move’ that someone could develop. Things like ECT and TMS are brute force approaches to something that is much more nuanced and complex. Could we figure out a way to eliminate the thought patterns that lead to anxiety and depression and suicide. Could people learn to rehabituate their minds with proper emotional equations? Maybe some will say it is impossible, but I say, we could give it a try. It would be good to have a chance to discuss this issue and possibility with you.

      Best wishes you all,
      Simon

      Reply

  • Rebecca — January 19th, 2012, 11:52 am

    1. We create ourselves by our choices. -Kierkegaard
    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. How much more beautiful is life with wonder and awe in the equation. And how much easier to tackle all other supposedly negative emotions with curiosity by your side. Not even counting failures, and terrifying adventures and all those other things that usually keep us right where we are.
    3. Honestly, I’d like to see how Chip applies this stuff in his every day interactions in life. And maybe learn how to do the same thing… to become a force of change in the world through every day actions (not by force of will or telling everyone else how they should be living), that’s something I would be proud to be living.

    Reply

  • Shawn C — January 19th, 2012, 11:54 am

    1. “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” – steve jobs

    2.HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    Whats the point without happiness? I’m chasing some things way to hard and not remembering the numerator. My gratitude needs to be more promenintly shared with my family and friends. Such and such didn’t work out. so what? you still have what you truly want – happiness.

    3. I would like to build a relationship with an inspirational person, and begin acting upon my dream of owning my own business.

    Reply

  • CH — January 19th, 2012, 11:56 am

    1. “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…to leave the world a better place…to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

    2. D + R = R – Once feelings are realized as regret, positive changes can occur. Life’s lessons are bountiful and I need to master the lessons I’ve been fortunate enough to experience. I can use this tool to affect my family, business…the world.

    3. I would like to change the experience people have when they come to my business; dance is only a conduit to the experiences people want in life. They want joy, fitness, love, happiness, lifestyle; i want to give them what they truly want. I want to build a business model that encompasses what I want to change, this new business model will help me open a new studio. This studio will be a model that can be replicated and possibly franchised. The systems can be taught to other Ballroom studio owners to better their business and the lives of their clients.

    Reply

  • Steve S. — January 19th, 2012, 11:58 am

    1. Most inspirational quote: “One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.” — Leonardo Da Vinci

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT:

    I am a husband, father and sales professional. Using a gratitude journal has been very helpful in appreciating the relationships I have forged in my life on my way to pursuing excellence. Happiness is my rock solid foundation, and gratitude always keeps my on track.

    3. I would like to be able shed my self-limiting belief that keeps me from thinking that a 40-something guy can’t go for his dream of becoming a screenwriter just because I have a family, mortgage and a stable job/career.

    Reply

  • RK — January 19th, 2012, 11:59 am

    1. “It’s not how good you are; it’s how great you want to be.”
    2. Happiness = wanting what you have / having what you want.
    I have done well in my career, but I have recognized lately that it has come at the expense of my happiness. It sounds odd, but the reason for this is that I’ve been motivated to succeed by a desire for more in my life-power, money, success. In the process, I forget to enjoy what I have and be grateful for what I have. Time spent every morning listing my gratitudes is key to growing.
    3. I’d like to improve my ability to create spaces (metaphorically)and places (physical,actual) for me to build my curiosity and creativity every day.

    Reply

  • Pete R. — January 19th, 2012, 12:01 pm

    1. I find the serenity prayer to be helpful in grounding my thoughts and emotions. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
    Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.

    2. My belief is the curiosity equation would be most beneficial to me for sparking ideas and bringing them to light.

    3. I would like to change my circumstances and how I have been pursuing this change in the past with regard to building a business to not only give me and my family more time and financial freedom, but also impact the world in a positive way even if it is a small step at a time.

    Reply

  • Irene — January 19th, 2012, 12:01 pm

    1) “Life is the dancer and you are the dance” Eckhart Tolle

    2) I’ll always remember the story when some of my friends took a newbie to ski. In the evening the excitement of that day was how he’d hit a pole. Not such an unusual thing for a newbie to do. What they couldn’t understand, though, as they were watching him skiing down, was how he managed to hit that pole that was on a side of a wide slope, not steep and not crowded. When questioned later about it, he said that he was trying to read what was written on the pole. Of course, the notice said not to hit the pole when skiing, by the time he was close enough to read it, hitting it was unavoidable.

    That story taught me the importance of looking in the direction where I WOULD like to go. So, from all the interesting equations above, my favorite is
    HAPPINESS=WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE/HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    Wanting what you have is focusing on the happiness at hand (is there any other kind?). That means choices. Given a whole mountain, one can choose to focus on a pole and not on the wide open space. The opposite is also true. I keep reminding that myself all the time. I find this a great idea to hang on to.

    3) What I would like to learn from a day with Chip in San Francisco is how some brilliant people or at least one brilliant person turn their ideas and aspirations into reality and live life on their own terms. I would like to get inspired from that example to materialize my own ideas.

    Reply

  • Chris — January 19th, 2012, 12:02 pm

    1. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is no an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS: I have a two year old, a kid on the way, and a family that depends on me. I am very good at my job and it’s stable employment in a time when it seems like many are struggling. Still, I feel that I’m capable of more than being just another face in a large corporation.

    Should I pursue the uncertainty of changing careers, fields, professions, or locations? At the same time, I feel like I am powerless to take such a huge risk when I have others counting on me. And so it makes sense why I’m anxious about the future, my family’s well-being, and my own long-term happiness.

    3. I see so many people struggling with using technology and how to benefit from it. I see education is need of major reform (as of this morning, apparently Apple sees this too). I have my own ideas of how an education system should run and thoughts on how to build a scaffold curriculum that could integrate into the current system.

    So, how to build a company that could do it? How to get started. That’s what I would get out of a day with Chip.

    Reply

  • Paul — January 19th, 2012, 12:03 pm

    1. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS. I work with people who are anxious about things here all the time. Will there be layoffs? Who will be the new director? What will our budget look like next year? Helping people unpack their “anxiety bag” to relieve this will be very good for not only my fellow employees but the work atmosphere as a whole.

    3. I’m already a manager in my line of work. I want to transition to being a leader so I can make a positive impact not only on those my work touches, but to fundamentally transform and renew how we impact the greater institution as a whole.

    Reply

  • Michael Taylor — January 19th, 2012, 12:03 pm

    This is my entry:

    “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” (Winston Churchill) is a quote that has always got me through those tough moments in life. It keeps me grounded and inspired and at the same time moving forward. This quote catalyzes the meaning of many of my favourite quotes and is simple enough to be an effective daily mantra.

    Simple, powerful ideas are the easiest to grasp; gratitude/gratification is a wonderful mathematical representation of happiness. If I find myself falling into sadness, first I stop and freeze my train of thought, second I take a minute to be thankful for my wife, family and friends and the amazing world around me. The amount of positivity becomes immeasurable and through taking the time to consider my numerator I am easily brought back to reality. Thank you world!

    You are a product of the environment you put yourself in; you create your own reality. By surrounding yourself with intelligent, grateful and inspiring individuals you can make permanent changes to your life. Chip is a strong business leader mixing success with happiness, this article and his TED talk have already made a significant impact on the way I define success. The experience of exchanging ideas and philosophies would invariably create immense positive changes to my outlook and direction in my professional life.

    Thank you for this opportunity!

    Reply

  • Americo Pagliuca — January 19th, 2012, 12:05 pm

    1] “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have.”

    This quote really hit home for me when I came upon it from, of all places, the lid of an Honest Tea! I am an analytical nerd with a burgeoning sense of the expansive self that precedes my ego. A major barrier of entry for me into this new shift in understanding was the old descriptions I would use to describe such talk. “Hippy nonsense” would sum it up. This quote helped push me further along the path of accumulating whichever wisdom heals me most, regardless of what prior descriptors I used to describe myself.

    2] ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

    I feel anxiety when even considering attempting something. This formula has already shifted my thinking surrounding that anxiety. No longer shall I waste time and energy panicking over the infinite uncertainties and holding on to powerful beliefs about my inability to change them. Instead, I shall use the formula to release [originally wrote ‘fight’] anxiety thusly:
    1) Know as much as I can about what really is and leave the unknowable to {fate|chance|god}
    2) Increase my power to effect change [step 1 being: believe it’s really possible]

    Winning the contest would be icing. But this is some powerfully delicious cake you’ve given away, and you have my sincerest gratitude.

    3] Change? The world. Build? I would like to build on what Chip has already started. Unveiling the mask of polite deceit we all wear daily and reconnecting humans to their humanity in a way that feels safe. Above all I love music, comedy and food and would love to intersect them meaningfully.

    Reply

  • Bryan — January 19th, 2012, 12:07 pm

    Hi

    1. “Its not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change” – Charles Darwin

    2. I would choose the Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness equation, there is a huge advantage to finding a way to overcome anxiety. I like Chip’s way of putting pen paper and making a table so you can break down your anxiety into smaller more manageable situations. I’ll definitely use this.

    3. Spending a day with Chip I would like to get as much of my emotions under control as possible especially my anxiety with uncertain situations especially business related. I would also love to hear more about his trip to Bhutan and seeking out sacred festivals all over the work which sounds fascinating. Hopefully Chip would also learn something from me, therefor expanding both our knowledge.

    Thanks for the time.
    Bryan

    Reply

  • Chris Hopf — January 19th, 2012, 12:11 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    I posted the following on Twitter some time ago after reflecting on success while writing a blog post. Most importantly, the last four words I find quite an inspiring philosophical question: What is still possible?

    Success is never fully achieved. What you thought was success, is really reaching a new perspective of what is still possible. – Chris Hopf

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    I agree with your approach of selecting one of the equations, as often the most significant barrier to positive change (progress) is getting started . . . turning ideas (thought) into action (reality). However, your post makes a compelling case to apply each equation, as the benefits are exponentially greater and the impact ready to scale.

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE applied to a curiosity about people is great place to start. Here is why:

    Business is always about people. The better you understand people, the better you understand business. – Chris Hopf

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would like to build now, where WebApps are headed. The Future of WebApps will be via successful leaders and teams that have reached a new perspective of what is still possible. Innovation is perceived as difficult, and rightly so, thus I see the near future being innovation that leads to more strategic CONSOLIDATION of successful WebApps and continued improvements with respect to how well they INTEGRATE with internal and external technology and solutions that help people – together – achieve, share and redefine success.

    Free market capitalism and limited government provides the best opportunity for a better life for the most individuals around the world. – Chris Hopf

    Reply

  • Omar Martinez — January 19th, 2012, 12:13 pm

    1.- “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.”

    2.- The balance sheet to reduce anxiety is a great tool. I realized that I have a lot of anxiety in different areas of my life created by lack of information or untested assumptions (“this will never work”) that create powerlessness. This exercise forces me to look into the issues that are creating my anxiety instead of just looking the other way hoping that they will be solved on their own, something that rarely happens.

    3.- Spending a day with Chip will be helpful for 2 reasons: 1) It would shift my mentality about what’s possible (similar to Tim’s exercise about contacting celebrities), and that by itself would be a huge gain in my life. 2) I recently started to read about ROWE and I want to implement it at my office. I live in Mexico and I realize that there’s no reason that I couldn’t start the ROWE movement in my country. Learning from him about how he makes his employees happy would be very helpful when I implement ROWE here.

    Reply

  • FlaviaBerys — January 19th, 2012, 12:14 pm

    1. Favorite inspirational or philosophical quote:
    “You can sell your time, but you can’t buy it back.” Author unconfirmed.

    2. Here’s how I will apply one of the equations in this post to my life for maximum benefit:
    I am going to focus on being grateful for all of the things I am thankful for. My cousin is part of an email group where each member emails the group a message about the things that person is grateful for that day. They have set up various rules for how to participate. Although that group is already established and I do not think I could join, it gives me an idea: I want to find my own group of friends to set up something similar. I will choose the group to invite based on how much I think a friend could benefit from this. In other words, I will invite those friends who seem especially sad or in despair, and who need to refocus on what’s truly important in life. This gratefulness group will benefit all of us, and I plan to make it a daily practice.

    3. Here’s what I would change or build after a day with Chip in SF:
    Although I work full time, I have started several side-projects (“muses” in TF vernacular) and I will use the meeting with Chip to refocus my path and pursue these dreams with more certainty and less hesitation. I plan for the meeting to erase the last remnants of uncertainty and doubt that remain in my life right now. And even though I am not as accomplished as Chip in the world of business, I hope that I too have something to offer to the meeting and that Chip will benefit from it as much as I would, because with very meeting and connection there is the possibility of many unexpected benefits and ripples.

    Thank you for your consideration.

    Reply

  • Ryan Riegner — January 19th, 2012, 12:15 pm

    1. “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre’ Gide

    2. I am the founder of a startup graphic design agency in New York City. Since September, I’ve been working harder than ever in my life to combat the anxiety that my first company could somehow fail. But I know that feelings of worry and nervousness only lead to uncertainty and stagnancy, which is a precursor for the imminent failure of the business. As a test this morning, I applied Chip’s Anxiety Balance Sheet to this issue and I was completely blown away by the results. Of my 52 responses in all four columns, 43 (82%) were good and realistically achievable. Of the 9 “bad” responses, 6 of them are either unnecessary to consider or are easily turned into something that I can know and change. This means that 94% of my anxiety is unnecessary and easily solved, which in return multiplies my rate of possible progression exponentially. Unbelievable.

    3. I have big dreams for being a young (23 years old) and little guy (5’7”). But we are living in very critical times where design can have an increasing impact on our world. My vision is to create a conglomerate design agency that not only creates self-initiated projects, such as products, services, tools, and communities for the world at large, but that also collaborates with large corporations and other movers and shakers to make things that we think are needed in the world. A day with Chip would be invaluable in helping me learn how to achieve this vision. Learning how to become a better CEO is something that I’m fascinated about and ever curious to learn how to do better. Thank you Chip and Tim, for this wonderful opportunity.

    Reply

  • Jessica W. — January 19th, 2012, 12:15 pm

    1. “Bonno soku bodai”. It’s a Japanese Buddhist saying.
    Bonno = earthly desire, suffering, defilement
    soku = is
    Bodai = enlightenment.

    While one interpretation of Buddhism is that suffering is something to be eradicated, the statement means that enlightenment does not come from the elimination of suffering but from suffering itself. One cannot exist without the other, however one can lead to the other, if we can only find the means.

    It clues into the “Despair = Suffering – Meaning” equation quite nicely.

    2. I’m a PhD student in neuroscience. “Curiosity = Wonder + Awe” hits home because my research is predicated on curiosity and awe out of how awesome the brain is, but sometimes the academic climate is such that it can squelch creativity under external stress and crippling self-expectation.

    I try to rekindle my sense of awe in what I do by leading volunteer initiatives to teach youth about neuroscience. It’s gratifying to not only become excited over explaining things to children, but to see their faces light up and start gushing over how cool it is.

    I also practice martial arts and teach Tai Chi. Not only is it physically and philosophically gratifying, but I can find joy in the flow of movement, and an appreciation for the neural machinery involved (I research motor control).

    3. After some time spent in some great research environments and some not-so-great ones, I want Chip’s help to build a new research/life philosophy, one based on play, collaboration, and a free exchange of ideas without ego or politics. I especially want to learn skills in networking and in connecting with people for the sake of learning.This would help me in my graduate career, in eventually running my own laboratory, and in teaching people why I love what I do.

    Reply

  • TODD — January 19th, 2012, 12:15 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change”

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING

    I can offer my personal experience of how this equation can play out and prepare a person for new levels of challenge.

    The difficult and premature birth of our son prepared us for leaving family, friends, home, business and the place where we grew up in and lived for 40 plus years with no idea where we were going? This emotional education prepared us for the brutal murder of my mother which set the stage to deal with and survive stage four Lymphoma of which the physical, mental and emotional pain I could not begin to express.

    This is not a pity plea it is a vivid demonstration of this equation in action and how it can help a person master the most difficult of times. I certainly do not want to experience the next degree of challenge but I do recognize the gifts this equation has to offer.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    Well, that’s what I would love to find out?

    Reply

    • Jean knowles — January 19th, 2012, 7:30 pm

      As an engineer by schooling I love the idea of encapsulating these relationships arithmetically as Chip has done. I thing there are other derivatives and like equations they can have proofs to illustrate these relationships.

      Like kids are taught algebra in school, I wish these equations were taught. How would people treat each other and themselves differently.

      Much to meditate on but grow upon as well. Thanks for the challenge and insight you share Chip. Best of luck.

      Reply

  • jl — January 19th, 2012, 12:16 pm

    1.An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “ A fight is going on inside me,”
    “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil- he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “the other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person, too.”

    The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

    The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

    ?2. Despair = Suffering – Meaning. I find this helpful as I am recently experiencing difficulty in my life. In the fall I had a lawn mower accident and almost lost my foot. I had found out two days prior I was 6 weeks pregnant. I cannot begin to explain the ups and downs I have experienced in the last 19 weeks. Nor can I explain the fact I am still recovering, but I am alive and it is a miracle. The equation helps to answer the question- why me? This is a hard one to get past, but the above equation helps to resolve it. Life will unfold the answer later, and the skills I have obtained through enduring this situation will become a foundation.

    3. I would change my career. I would like to know more about being an entrepreneur, especially as a female and learn how to not let money or fear stop you. ( I could do the four column thing too, I guess:)

    Reply

  • P.J. — January 19th, 2012, 12:16 pm

    1. “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretzky

    2. Curiosity = wonder + awe….I definitely think that people should be more curious in their lives. I tie curiosity to thinking outside the box. So many people lock themselves in their daily routines and either don’t take chances on something they were thinking of doing/starting or just let their life pass then by , every day being the same.
    3. Meeting Chip would be amazing as I m a kind of person who responds great to positive inspiration. As well as Chip I thrive on positive communication between people.Since I’m also involved with managing people and always look for the ways to improve myself as a leader this would be a fantastic experience. I would also love to get some advices on an idea that I’ve had for some time but never actually managed to go through with it.

    Good luck to everyone and congrats to the person who ends up getting this chance – make sure you make the most of it ! :)

    Regards,

    P.J.

    Reply

  • Ben — January 19th, 2012, 12:16 pm

    1. Try not to become a man of success but a man of value – Albert Einstein
    I live by this quote because I strive to be successful, but if my success only benefits me, then what have I done really? Who would I share that success with?
    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe I love this equation because I find myself getting caught up in the details too much at times. Trying to bull doze a path when all I need to do is stop, look around, and see that there are far more options to consider. Many of which I have never thought of before!
    3. I would like to build my understanding and mastery to become a Chief Emotions Officer. Once a person can deeply understand and connect with another person, the opportunities are limitless. Not only would this opportunity allow me to improve myself, but through my actions help those I interact with. I love the idea of mastering emotions and the emotional ques of others because the world would be incredibly different if people understood each other. Imagine the power that would hold!
    Thank you for this opportunity and I would be elated to meet you Chip!

    Reply

  • Michael Armentrout — January 19th, 2012, 12:18 pm

    1. “Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges his weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions…” James Allen
    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have/Having what you want
    Realizing that happiness starts from within; become consistently aware of the things I do have. First by creating a habit that resonates within and draws my focus to gratitude frequently enough to reinforce itself. As that circle of gratitude expands, the ability to internalize the fact that I already “have” what I need. I simply need to make peace with the internal and cease looking externally for validation.
    3. I would like to step out of my mental, physical, geographical comfort level and have an extended period of focus on addressing these equations in such a way as to develop an awareness or practice to take with me afterwards. Taking that experience and modeling/teaching it to those in my life. I would like to wrap and give presents every day.

    Reply

  • C.D. Onofrio — January 19th, 2012, 12:18 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “the most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.” – Albert Einstein

    I just find it to be true.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    I think curiosity = wonder x awe contains in it all the benefits I could seek. The universe seems to respond when we look into it with wonder. It is a silent form of appreciation, and I think in a secret way the world likes to be looked at with curious eyes, it opens up and shares it’s beauty when the curiosity is honest and not self-serving. A Sikh man once taught me that to say the Sikh word for God you must say it with an exclamation of wonder “Wah!”, he said, lifting his arms up openly pointing to nothing in particular, but everything at once.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would like to emphasize the perspective of wonder and awe in my community after a day with Chip in SF. I live in Niagara Falls, a place full of wonder and awe, yet a place that has been exploited so often without appreciation or reverence. I would contribute to growing the culture here to frame the Falls with the wonder and appreciation that it deserves.

    Peace.

    Reply

  • Caroline Hoste — January 19th, 2012, 12:19 pm

    1. Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. ~ Anais Nin ~

    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have / Having what you want.

    I am closing my music management company that I have run since I was 21 years old. Through those 13 years I learnt so much about myself, it felt like a boot camp in self awareness. I am proud to get to a place in my life where I am ready to shut it down, move on, and dig deeper.

    I live on Vancouver Island and nine years ago gave up a life in Manhatten to move to a Gulf island that was “off the grid”. I wanted to live a more “balanced” life where I could grow my own food, learn more about sustainability and spend some more time reflecting and not just “doing”.

    I managed to continue my job and grow the company from my BC Island paradise, buy 5 acres and develop the property, marry the man of my dreams and constantly travel all over the world staying very connected and part of my incredible music community.

    This equation resonates with me particularly because it reminds me that just being me is enough and the most important foundation upon which to build. It also reminds me to be true to what I really want and not compromise.

    I am closing the company knowing that I have been a somewhat successful entrepreneur but that I have a lot more to give to the world. By finding gratitude in what is around me I can find “true” success.

    3. I am starting a Creative Agency with partners in San Francisco. I would love Chip’s input on the business plan and to find out as a brand what challenges he faces.

    Reply

  • Mimi Plevin-Foust — January 19th, 2012, 12:22 pm

    First, I have to say this is the m.ost insightful and thought-provoking blog post I’ve read in weeks and possibly months. Thank you both.

    My favorite inspirational quote: ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.’ –Goethe

    For me, the equation I plan to use is: Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness.
    I have anxiety around my business and life choices because I have many interests, passions and exciting ideas for projects I’d like to bring to life. Figuring out which ones to choose to create and in what order and fearing I won’t accomplish many of them, brings me anxiety and Chip’s exercise will help me become empowered to make those tough choices.

    I’d love to spend a day with Chip in San Francisco to get his take on my different project and business ideas and how to sequence and launch them successfully. (One of them could also enhance his hotel chain in a fun and creative way.) Thanks for the opportunity–it’s fun to think about.

    Reply

  • Christopher Sweeney — January 19th, 2012, 12:22 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote? ?

    “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”
    -Robert A. Heinlein

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? ?

    DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    This is something that I already incorporate not only into my own life, but also in my students with whom I teach. Having had many life changing moments in my life which included much suffering and pain, both physical, emotional, and spiritual, I decided to understand where the suffering was and what I could learn from, and hopefully to not repeat it. Sentient Beings and Sa?s?ra (cycle of life and death) incorporated with my teaching helped me to come to self-realization and completeness. This helped me to understand that all beings are sentient and have suffering, but that is part of the journey and that there is hope, not just despair, and that like the phoenix, you can arise from the ashes and soar.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    If I was chosen, I would like to build upon and implement some of his ideas into a public classroom, which can help my students, many of which live in abject poverty near Philadelphia. I already use many things Tim mentions he hits upon in his research, especially Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs, which I have used personally, and in my research in the field as and art educator. Perhaps there would not be a physical product, but it would be a seed with which can be planted and used for years to come and help those that want to do better in life, my students. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Ron — January 19th, 2012, 12:23 pm

    1. “The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you.” – David Foster Wallace
    2. I am going through a horrible financial period in my life, without full-time work, dangerously close to foreclosure, and just starting grad school, with a family to support. Though I can definitely see the application of the Despair equation to my circumstance, and have already been consciously doing Stoic/CBT exercises around the Anxiety equation, what struck my from your post was Curiosity. My greatest strength in life is that I’ve always been weird. I just think differently. I’m often wrong, but when I’m right, it’s because my naivete allowed me to see something different from the rest of the group. I know what opens me up to curiosity. I am really curious about how I hold up, how my marriage holds up, and how my kids and I react together emotionally to the toughest situation we’ve ever been in. Can I manage all of my family relationships (my real priority) while creatively avoiding or at least managing the loss we are going through? Can I handle discovering the whole truth about myself under pressure, and the quality of my relationships under the greatest of stress? I’m really curious.
    3. Losing a relationship is different from losing financially, but stress is stress. If I spent some time with Chip in SF I would like to learn how he did it all. How do you hold your life together and maintain or grow in integrity of character when the walls are closing in on you? I’m a big fan of imitating those who have gone before me. Nothing matters to me more than strengthening my family through this ordeal.

    Reply

  • Lauren — January 19th, 2012, 12:24 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are, when you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” – Lao Tzu

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    So often in life it is ourselves that detain us from reaching higher, running faster, digging deeper. We forget that it is that childlike wonder that led us to have dreams in the first place. Whether or not it is finding a job in a hopeless economy, making enough money to put food on the table or finding the strength to fight for who and what you love, nothing can be done without visualizing it can happen in the first place. Believing it can happen and having enough curiosity to figure out how you can accomplish something is the surest way to ensure that it will. Without wonder there is no hope, without hope there is no curiosity and without awe there is a whole lot less meaning to life.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I would like to change my outlook on life and help others to do the same. I believe a Battered Women’s Shelter could benefit from Chip’s ideas and if we could change just one person’s outlook on their situation then DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING could turn into HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT.

    Reply

  • Gina M — January 19th, 2012, 12:26 pm

    No later than this Friday (1/20/12) at 5pm PST, leave a comment below and answer the following, in order, and in no more than 300 words:

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “When is the best time? – now. Who is the best person? The one you are with.  What is the right thing to do?  What is best for the person you are with.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    Happiness = wanting what you have / having what you want”
    I am starting a new relationship which is a great turning point in my life and one in which there is a certain balance between looking back – to see what you want and do not ,  who you were and who you are , what you want to keep about yourself and what you want to discard or improve .  Gratitude for all that you have been .  Having what u want is the challenge to define what your future will be –  who? What? Where? When and how?  And knowing these answers will create a plan for happiness .
    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I want to be fully emotional and engaged, relaxed and focused.   How hard could that be ??  Haha

    Reply

  • Hao — January 19th, 2012, 12:32 pm

    1.”All limitations are self-imposed limitations.” — James P. Carse

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT – This is a wakeup call for me, as I realized that I have been focusing to increase the “having what I want” factor while unconsciously reducing “wanting what I have” throughout my life – no wonder I felt true happiness so infrequently! I have decided to block a day this weekend to fully review my current life, identify how much of each I have, and come up with actions to build routines into my daily life in order to systematically “optimize” happiness

    3. I’d like to identify the areas and issues that are “blocking” me from reaching higher level of self-awareness and from discovering (and accepting) my true passion – and how I can break through from them. By making these changes, I’d like to proceed with starting a business that reflects my self-knowledge and passion.

    Reply

  • Drake — January 19th, 2012, 12:34 pm

    “Vision looks inward and becomes duty.Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration.Vision looks upward and becomes faith.” Steven Wise

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    There’s a silver lining in the cloud of economic distress– a re-awakening of appreciation for simpler pleasures, re-orienting purpose to build relationships over possessions, and reaffirming the joy that comes from lending a hand to others. I think these are vital ingredients for “having what you want.”

    A day with Chip and other creator/doers would be the founding of a new “CEO” network, with the purpose of helping ourselves and others become their best emotional self– aware, connected, intentional and supported.

    Reply

  • Bryan Cush — January 19th, 2012, 12:36 pm

    1. Many of our blessings bring bane to us; for memory recalls the tortures of fear, while foresight anticipates them. The present alone can make no man wretched.

    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have / Having what you want. The dichotomy of this division holds more truth than most realize. I recently was removed from a job I saw as “perfect” because of health reason of my significant others family. The forced relocation brought me literally closer to me own family whom I realized I was ignoring. My job was just distracting me from what really mattered and what I always had. Understanding that balance more will allow the denominator to become true, and not just a distorted reality I thought was true.

    3. I am in the midst of a startup that will define history and its relation to modern day society through the physical artifacts and antiques that have travelled through it. All the pieces are in place, but a cohesive management/direction is needed for the final push. Something chip could shed some light on. The physical world is slowly diminishing and the history some of the items hold is being lost or the interest in them is being lost. I want to transform a brick and mortar industry into the digital world.

    Reply

  • Mary Baker — January 19th, 2012, 12:38 pm

    1. “Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.”

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    In 2009 my beau and business partner of 13 years dumped me for a younger woman and forced me out of the business because his shiny new gf wanted my position (we owned a winery). So overnight I lost my man, my home, my job, my entire career. I’m turning my healing experiences into a novel that I hope will bring laughter and healing to women going through a similar experience. I could blame him entirely, and yes, he was a douche. But I’ve learned that looking at the part I played made me realize that I made naïve mistakes, and that sharing those mistakes with others can bring me joy.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I have a shiny new life, a career I love, a loving family and great friends, so I have gratitude all over the place. What I don’t have is self-discipline. Although I get in an 8 hour client day, in order to achieve my dreams I need to break through that barrier. It seems to be a combination of indulgent habits and a fear of success. I think Chip’s insight and coaching can help me push through that membrane and become more productive, helpful and joyful.

    Reply

  • MJ — January 19th, 2012, 12:39 pm

    Tim, Thanks for sharing Chip’s article. I have recently watched a couple of his talks thanks to Michael’s (Ellsberg) recent email, so this is a natural extension.

    I’m inspired by a quote attributed to Seneca, “As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters”. This quote and other stuff that I experienced and read in the past year have got me thinking that *creating quality* in every single aspect of my life (health, relationships, career etc) should be my ultimate goal.

    I want to start a business but the prospect of getting started gives me anxiety and so the “Uncertainty x Powerlessness” equation struck a chord. I find myself pondering over which is the best and most executable of my ideas, whether I should leave my well paying job to start the business and other “should I’s” and end up paralyzed. The equation suggests that if I researched my ideas well, honed in on a couple and figured out the skills necessary to execute I’d reduce my anxiety by a huge amount.

    I don’t yet know exactly which of my business ideas I want to start and build, but I do know that I want it based in Africa, with customers around the world that consider its product or service to be of top quality. Since listening to Chip’s Leading@Google talk, I realize that I should also aspire to have employees and other stakeholders that are fulfilled at the highest level of the pyramid. A day with Chip would be a chance to have a conversation about how he faced uncertainty and fears of incapability on his own entrepreneurial path and hopefully I would leave better prepared to do what I want to do.

    Reply

  • Mahyar Hassid — January 19th, 2012, 12:39 pm

    1. Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini – Middleweight Boxing Champion –
    “A single negative thought is what gets you hit in the face (in the ring)”

    2. The Happiness Equation stood out to me because it was the most relevant. After stumbling across the above quote a week ago, I recently implemented a new trick in my life. A snap to the wrist by a rubber band any time a single negative thought came to me. Ever since my life has completely changed. I find myself more energetic around people and having fun, which allows others to do the same. I envision my goals and I go out and accomplish them. I appreciate the things I have that I can’t change and I strive to be better. I was never like this, I tended to think of myself as an insecure negative person, rationalizing why I’m better when someone outperformed me or did anything to make me feel small. I would want to quit at the first sign of failure. But ever since my little friend the rubber band came into the picture, I take EVERY experience as a learning experience, anyone who is better than me is a teacher to me, and it allows me to grow past all my prior limitations. And due to the fact that I am growing, I realize I feel even better when I help my friends and family do the same.

    3. With Chip’s help, I want to maximize my growth, become a realistic optimist that strives to better himself as well as all those he works with. I have a couple product ideas inspired by Tim Ferriss, and I feel Chip’s input would benefit the way I plan out and act on my goals. Also, I’m only 19, I feel great about my future.

    Reply

  • Chris Rogers — January 19th, 2012, 12:42 pm

    What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote? – “For all of the most important things, the timing always sucks.” – Timothy Ferriss

    How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? – CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE – Sadly, a large percentage of the population that lives from day to day by waking up, doing a job they do not enjoy and then going to sleep to simply repeat it all over again. Living in the realm of “curiosity” seems to be the way to stay out of this trap… that so many of us know all too well.

    What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF? I am a volunteer for dog rescue group in New Jersey. To date, we have saved thousands of dogs from kill shelters prior to euthanasia. I am constantly amazed as to how the organization functions on a shoe string budget. I am sure that spending the day with Chip would provide much insight as to how to create new ways to fund and promote the goals of the organization.

    Reply

  • Justin Treptow — January 19th, 2012, 12:45 pm

    1. “Discipline needs motivation. Like a flower needs a bee” -Matt Steel

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    To gain more happiness i should increasing my desire(want) for what I have which would be contentment. Or I could decrease my desire to have additional things in my life. Either way I should be happier.

    I’m apply this concept in my life right now as I slowly pull myself out of debt. It’s been a tremendous struggle to get to a point where I can live with in a budget (decreasing the denominator) and where I appreciate the things that are already in my life (increasing the numerator).

    These two variable will undoubtedly continue to vary during my financial struggle, but with some discipline and a supportive community I “should” be able to find HAPPINESS > 0.

    3. After spending a day with Chip, I would hope to pick up on some actionable entrepreneurial skills that I could practice and develop in order to aid in my exit from debt.

    Reply

  • Ryan Belcher — January 19th, 2012, 12:46 pm

    1. Since you mentioned the Serenity Prayer, I’ll have to go with that.
    2. I think the happiness equation is the most profound. How to balance being thankful and grateful for the joy that is already in my life (faith, family and simple pleasures) and hungry in pursuit of the things I want? These things are often in tension with each other. Balancing them is difficult, but I think being aware of that equation is the best first step.
    3. I’ve been wanting to write a book, but also have several other projects I’m working on. I would hope Chip would help me find a balance where I can create something meaningful while not diminishing what I already have that is meaningful.

    Reply

  • Anthony Peters — January 19th, 2012, 12:48 pm

    1. “Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important?” Charney, The 4-Hour Workweek.

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS – I think applying this to my life would make the biggest difference as I often focus on what I can’t change than what I do, but without even realizing it. Writing it down like you mentioned is a great idea. It puts it all in front of me like a menu at a restaurant, with all the out of season dishes marked out. For example, I often worry about problems stemming from family and friends, some which I can affect, and others I’m dragged into. I’m going to try now to isolate those things I can affect to strengthen my relationships, while leaving the drama for everyone else.

    3. If I had a day with Chip I would try to learn how he builds relationships with good mentors. It seems like he has a good understanding of interperson dynamics and I would like learn that so I could build my own entertainment brand. It seems like the one big missing piece in my self improvement journey.

    Reply

  • Neha — January 19th, 2012, 12:50 pm

    1)”To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

    2)
    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    I cannot agree further with this quote. Very well written and has a lot of depth and meaning especially in our world today. As an MBA student with a full time job in Corporate America and a part time yoga teacher I tend to juggle a fair bit and it is easy to let go of the numerator. My goal is to be able to think of the wonderful gifts and opportunities I have in my life and express gratitude to the people who have made me who I am. In addition, I hope to remind myself that the denominator will always be there but make sure it doesn’t take over the numerator

    3)
    I think there is a huge need to bring in compassion, well-being and mindfulness in our workplaces and I am greatly inspired to be committed to this action. At a fundamental level, I think we need to bring this topic to the forefront in our educational systems and develop creative ways to make this accessible to mainstream America. There is still a belief of labeling emotions as signs of weakness and purpose & meaning to be something we get in a yoga class or life coaching session but I am motivated to make this a way of how we live, accepting our emotions, vulnerabilities and fears to live a more authentic and full life. As a Presidio MBA student and a yoga/meditation instructor I am working on developing the skills and tools and building relationships by which I can make this change happen in my lifetime and Chip Conley is one of the greatest role models in my life. It would be an honor and a dream to meet and learn from him in person.

    Reply

  • William Robson — January 19th, 2012, 12:51 pm

    Thank you for this article. I remember hearing Chip speak about his hotel and it was a hilarious and inspirational speech.
    1. “To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget.”
    ? Arundhati Roy
    This is a difficult way to live, but once there, life is beautiful.
    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? Curiosity = Wonder + Awe. I love to inspire people and help them see in a different way, using this formula like this will help me focus on creating an experience which engages the audience.
    3. I would seek to continue my passion of building a unique transformational music festival, like Lightning in a Bottle or Burning Man, but with a different identity and in British Columbia. I am meeting with the makers of TowardsEden next week, I want to use their core and build on it from there. Meeting Chip will not help me change, but he would give me a great sense of insight into human needs and hopefully connect what he knows with my passion. My dream is to create a TEDX Music Festival that seeks to transform and inspire not just the mind but the soul and human spirit. Alas, I will graduate college in just over a year!

    Reply

  • Jody H. — January 19th, 2012, 12:51 pm

    1. If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
    Henry David Thoreau

    Reply

  • John Clarke — January 19th, 2012, 12:52 pm

    God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

    My daily subconscious struggle is coming to terms with the fact that I have very little actual control over many of the events in my life. The serenity prayer attempts to give us the freedom to accept the fragility and uncertainty of life, along with the power through contemplation to make changes where we can.

    No surprise that the Anxiety=uncertainty+powerlessness equation resonated with me. I tried the exercise Chip suggested and I was stunned at how many of the challenges I had filed away as “out of my control” had elements that I could actually control and that writing them down and delineating them out gave me a sense of power and reduced anxiety and the ultimate realization that my life had become an un-examined exercise.

    I honestly can’t imagine what could be accomplished in a day with someone like Chip. I imagine I’d do a lot more listening that talking, trying to soak up as much information as I could in the hope of beginning a journey of transformation. I’d like to find some light at the end of my emotional boot camp.

    Reply

  • Gabriele — January 19th, 2012, 12:52 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    All you have to do is know where you are going. The answers will come to you of their own accord. - Earl Nightingale

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    For me, ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY X POWERLESSNESS hits home. I am currently in the position of starting all over again. I know I don’t want to go back to doing what I did before so I have decided upon a new business and career. The exercise you gave was so enlightening because I didn’t have a clear understanding of the cause of my anxiety. I knew I had it, I just couldn’t explain why. Even after considering the inspiration quote above on a daily basis, I wasn’t ready to just allow the unknown to continue being unknown until the time it was ready to reveal itself. The quote told me that I had to do it but each day was still a struggle because of the feeling that I don’t yet know enough in my chosen field. Now, I realize that my uncertainty of embarking upon a new endeavor coupled with a perception of lack of knowledge, and no control over the outcome is the culprit. I am making changes about this starting right now; probably the hardest thing I have ever done.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    After a day with Chip, I would like to build my new business in a manner that clearly identifies what I wish to give to the world as my own little contribution – going forward without any anxiety.

    Thank you both for the great post.

    Reply

  • Jessica — January 19th, 2012, 12:52 pm

    1. “[The finish line] is also the starting line.” – Wendelin Van Draanen, “The Running Dream.” This quote reminds me that reaching a goal is not the end of something – it’s really just a pit stop in life’s journey, preparing you for the next leg of your adventure.

    2. One of my goals for this year is to face several things that have been making me anxious. I took the first steps last week in obtaining more information about what I need to do to complete my thesis and finish graduate school. It took me two hours to compose a 3-line e-mail, but after a meeting where I learned what I need to do, I could feel the anxiety flowing out of my body. Without knowing it, I was already applying the equation “Anxiety = uncertainty x powerlessness.” I look forward to continuing to apply it to graduate school, to finding a job, and even to helping me go out and meet potential love interests. I really like the idea of making the four columns, especially realizing I have control over my reactions to situations.

    3. After a day with Chip, I would like to become more proactive. I have several business ideas, but no idea on how to start pursuing them. I tend to gather too much data (I have an abundance of curiosity) but put off making decisions, and learning how to overcome this tendency would be very helpful. I’m also a big fan of sustainability and green living, and I would enjoy learning how Chip balances luxury with environmental considerations in his hotels, and hopefully be able to incorporate some of his ideas in my own life and future businesses.

    Reply

  • Brian Gagliardi — January 19th, 2012, 12:55 pm

    1) “This above all: to thine own self be true.” -Shakespeare
    This can be looked at many ways and from many angles, but in the end it rings true to every being. If you are true to yourself, you will not only be happy and a better person, but hopefully the truthfulness in yourself will radiate through you and out into the world. It is the idea of paying it forward to yourself first, and coincidentally, that will create a better future for all who encounter.

    2) Curiosity = Wonder + Awe
    This equation and the explanation afterwards says so much. As an undergraduate student entering my last 2 quarters of college I am faced with the impending situation of entering “the real world.” While the current economic situation is not necessarily extremely promising at the moment, I see tremendous potential for myself and everyone else. Often times we talk about the limits–energy, land, jobs rate, etc–but what we often fail to realize is that we are limitless in our ability to change our lives, but to do so we have to change the way we think about things. This equation sums up the inner child in all of us, the world is limitless in its potential, we just have to figure out what our goals and aspirations are and devise a strategy of how we might be able to get there. At least for me, as long as I am working towards my eventual destination, I am confident I will some day reach it…and if not I will have a great time trying.

    3) After a day with Chip, I hope to create better environments for which we all live, work, and enjoy. I believe the saying rings true, “We are products of our environments.” If this is indeed the case, we need to holistically think about our everyday environments. Whether it is our homes/apartments, urban areas, work places, schools; we need to fundamentally evaluate what we are doing and ways in which we can make our “environments” better. My hope is to make an impact on any level in making our environments more livable and more enjoyable to be a part of.

    Reply

  • Adon — January 19th, 2012, 12:56 pm

    1. “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.” -Yoda

    2.I feel that this applies to the “HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT” equation very well. From experience I am learning that you cannot just assume that you are grateful for the things/life that you have, you have to make a daily practice of being grateful. Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools I am continuing to study. It is allowing me to start viewing my goals from a place of fullness and clarity rather than lack and fear.

    3.I would love to discuss with Chip more on the topic of being a living example of emotional balance so I can help others in business and my life feel more productive and fulfilled :)

    Reply

  • Max Porter — January 19th, 2012, 1:00 pm

    1. “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”-Friedrich Nietzsche
    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have/Having what you want. I’m currently working at one of the most prestigious law firms in LA and billing roughly 70 hours a week. I’ve decided that the legal world isn’t for me but out of a desire to uphold my commitments and hefty student loans, I’ve decided to stay with this job for at least a year. Instead of focusing on how terrible the hours are and how unsatisfying the work is, I’ve learned to create a perspective of gratitude reinforced by the above mentioned equation. The reality of my situation is I have a great paying job while most kids my age are lucky to have one at all. Having limited time outside of work has forced me to put quality over quantity regarding the time I get to spend with friends and family. Above all, I’m learning a work ethic that will enhance my professional abilities in years to come. You can’t taste anything sweet if you haven’t already tasted the bitter.
    3. I would like to write a book aimed and kids like me who are just getting out of college, drowning in debt from student loans, and who need a positive perspective when contemplating their future. The experiences I’ve had in the past couple years, combined with Chips philosophies would provide an invaluable catalyst for the professional/emotional success of this generation.

    Reply

  • Erik Huss — January 19th, 2012, 1:03 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    It is simple, I do not know the maker of this quote but I always ask myself this before doing something difficult: Do or do not, there is no try!

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    I answered the question: “What habitats allow me to be more curious?”

    And wrote up a list of places were i feel curious and get inspiration from (Actully the bathroom is one of them ;) ). And I wrote up places where I don’t feel inspired (the office)
    I also expanded the list and added people to it. So now I know which I am going to spend my time with! Thank You Chip!

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I want to learn how to fully understand peoples different emotion so that I can become a better leader & a better human being!

    Reply

  • Soul Patel — January 19th, 2012, 1:03 pm

    “What you seek is seeking you” – Rumi

    1. I chose this quote as in one short sentence it brings a profound sense of peace. And can unpack and potentially master so many emotions, including Despair and Anxiety.

    2. The equation I would apply would be Curiosity = Wonder + Awe.
    That equation makes me think of approaching the world through a child’s eyes, as I once heard it said. To approach what you do with that wonder and awe and curiosity – that for me would create magic in whatever I was doing, keeping me fully present, fully engaged.

    With this you can find the sacred in everyday life too, from the objects and people around you, your hands, your eyes… Just thinking about the fact that you can see, feel, touch or even exist at all has something pretty remarkable about it.

    3. What immediately got me interested about Chip was the comment about “Implementing self-actualization in a company”. To actually have that ambition and make it come about, to figure out what makes people tick, and build it into an enterprise. That is what I would look to get out of a day with Chip, and then take that learning (albeit only a day’s worth I know) and use it to build up my own company in that image.

    That ambition has been with me since I was young – to build a great company that expands and grows its employees as a core function of what it does. That for me would be a self-actualisation of my own.

    Reply

  • Gilberto — January 19th, 2012, 1:05 pm

    -Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.
    John F. Kennedy

    -Anxiety is the multiple of powerlessness and uncertainty. The logic behind the application of this equation is the simple way of exploring the obstacles that lay between you and your goal. Thereby allowing you to eat the cake in small bite size pieces rather than all at once. This is applicable to every aspect of your life from love to finances.

    -I believe I would change the manner in which I look at running a business, and what it is that drives success for the “entire unit”. Along with lay the foundation for a shift towards a wellness and satisfying life.

    Reply

  • Jody H. — January 19th, 2012, 1:06 pm

    1. If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step tot the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
    Henry David Thoreau

    2. Happiness = wanting what you have/having what you want

    In the past I have usually lived my life in accordance with the quote above. My interests volley between the creative and the analytical so, my career path has reflected this. At this point in my life I want more than I have. In my mind that looks like more security for the future this is creating anxiety and affecting my happiness equation. .I would like to figure out how to use my talents to bring more balance to the equations of my life once again.

    3. I would like to build on the strengths that I have in order to obtain the new happiness I seek.

    Thanks,

    Jody

    Reply

  • Mike — January 19th, 2012, 1:07 pm

    1) “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

    2) CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    Ever worry that you have too many interests and then when you want to try to specify for a short while to become that 90% expert to understand enough to avoid the obvious pitfalls, but yet still be curious and adventurous enough to test the laws of physics one more time.

    I was able to attend a Tedx conference in Denver about two years ago, and it was great to discuss all the great presentations there as well as viewing online, however, making a connection with someone and pursuing an idea was a bit tough afterwards. Lots of excitement but little action. Having learned lessons from previous business failures I understand the energy it takes for a starting endevour and finding that energy in others has been elusive.

    3) This trip would throw fuel on the fire for me to have an intimate chat with a successful entrepreneur. I have been seeking to find my muse over the past few weeks, having read the 4HWW over Christmas, the toughest part has been filtering out the noise when I need to get to work while allowing my instincts to guide me and focus on the goal.

    À vos souhaits

    Reply

  • Adam Gibson — January 19th, 2012, 1:07 pm

    1.”In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times.” Buddy Kane, American Beauty.
    “You were born an original, don’t die a copy.” John Mason
    These are the quotes I live by when time and/or money slips through my fingers and anxiety creeps in.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    The maximum benefit from this equation is something every man in America should write on the mirror for his significant other. Keeping our Attention on the Numerator. I believe having a happy household can be an amazing landing beacon for all successes. The viewpoints in this equation are enough to last a lifetime because in today’s unfortunate world of materialism, it is good to know Chip and Tim make products and talking points that won’t end up in a land fill. When one is happiest, true maximum benefit to all things in mankind can be attained.

    3. If I am fortunate enough to be chosen, I would utilize Chip’s time to become the best sponge in the world for that day. Learning from Chip would help me better understand how to launch my start up and focus on what I feel is the most important issue in the business in the world: Customer Service. I would love to shake up the beverage business and some of the products we are hypnotized by each day. I am part of a team that will not lose even if I do not succeed in this opportunity.

    Reply

  • Wilmar — January 19th, 2012, 1:11 pm

    1. “The Man in the Arena” by Theodore Roosevelt. This has inspired me several times to take action in spite of fear or self-doubt.

    2. Despair = Suffering – Meaning. I lost my brother to suicide and it sent my life into upheaval. Fortunately my good-nature eventually uplifted me. This equation serves as a conscious reminder to exhibit faith and stay true to my core essence. I am going to post this equation around my house and at my desk as a consistent reminder to persevere and remain true to myself during adversity.

    3. After meeting with Chip I want to put into action the building of a legacy where I transmute my attributes and skills to positively impact and inspire lives I come into contact with. To be a becon of “what can manifest” instead of “what could have been.”

    Reply

  • Jeremy — January 19th, 2012, 1:14 pm

    1. “Get busy living, or get busy dying.”-Shawshank Redemption

    2. Anxiety=Uncertainty x Powerlessness
    Many times in my life I feel like I have been paralyzed by anxiety. Whether I was trying to talk to women or taking a challenging step towards a goal I have let anxiety control me too often. I could start using anxiety balance sheets to help me realize that I actually do have power in difficult situation. I could then take on new challenges with confidence.

    3. I am currently changing my career path. I’m leaving a 4 year university to pursue a 2 year certification. I have reasons to believe that this is a good choice for me, but I feel like I may not be living up to me true potential. Growing up I was always told I was very gifted, and I may have attached too much of my identity to this. I believe I could fulfill my potential in other ways not directly related to my career like blogging. After all I think sharing my ideas through blogging could be most helpful to other people.

    If I had a day with Chip I would like to learn how to deal with my emotions about this issue better, and improve my gratitude.

    Thank you for the opportunity!

    Jeremy

    Reply

  • Ari SP — January 19th, 2012, 1:16 pm

    1. “cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once.” Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

    Anxiety is a close friend of mine, I always have my own end in mind. In everything I do the question is always in the back of my head, “am I being the best I can be?” The answer is never easy. I like the four column method very much, because sometimes the question bears down on me, when the reality of it is not as bad. Taking a step back to look at the bigger picture always helps ease my mind.

    3. I would like to change my demanding attitude towards everything and everyone in my life, I would like to build a sustainable online business that gives more than it makes.

    Reply

  • Stu Cooke — January 19th, 2012, 1:16 pm

    1) “Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend.” ~ Bruce Lee

    2) The equation I would use relates to anxiety. I have suffered from anxiety for a very, very long time and have used many methods and attempts to manage it. Seeing my anxiety as an equation would help to reduce. I find I’m a pragmatic individual, and taking steps toward reducing that anxiety through things I can ac t on (my power, certainties in my life) would allow me to reduce that anxiety. I find that it’s anxiety that holds me back from pursuing that which I really love.

    3) I would like to change my approach to solving personal developmental problems. I think that seeing things through these equations, and figuring out how they can be used in different ways – it would help me to find a measure of control in the process – a measuring stick – something to help me along the way.

    Reply

  • James — January 19th, 2012, 1:19 pm

    1) “If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path.” -Joseph Campbell

    2) ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    I’m a recent university graduate who took some time off to travel. Now I’m back in the United States with significantly more gratitude for what I have, but lacking a certain amount of direction. The uncertainty in knowing the next step can be unpleasant, but focusing on what is in my control versus what is not greatly improves that. There’s a quote to that effect out there somewhere…

    3) In addition to enlightening and improving my relationship with myself, I would change my approach to dealing with and leading people. I hope to lead a team if not start a company in the near future and time with Chip would greatly inform my understanding of managing people, something I could pass on to others over the course of my life.

    Reply

  • Dave — January 19th, 2012, 1:22 pm

    1. A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both. -L.P. Jacks

    2. Applying the happiness equation to express more well-received gratitude. I have a sarcastic personality and when I try to express my gratitude to someone, they think I’m mocking them. This equation can help me shift from a snarky demeanor to a more positive one, where when gratitude is given it is enjoyed.

    3. I would like to change how people view me when I meet them. Chip obviously has a way with people that make him successful as well as the ability to inspire those around him to want to be their best. I would love the opportunity to interact with someone like that to improve myself so that I can build up those around me to strive for their happiness.

    Reply

  • Blake Harrison — January 19th, 2012, 1:23 pm

    1. “Most people only focus on the treasure that lies at the end of the Legend, and not in creating the Legend itself.”
    In 2004, Neurology experts deemed me “disabled forever”, “They told me I could never play sports, go to college, never leave the care of my parents. That was their vision
    In 2007 I was awarded the Medal of Valor for risking my life to save another. The victim was submerged nearly 4min. No heartbeat, not breathing. I managed to get his heart started again and swam him to the ambulance. NOTE: water infested with flesh eating bacteria. (Verify: http://vimeo.com/23237891 ) To amplify my prayers for this man, I went on a 4 day vision quest, fasting to pray that he could receive a second chance. Nobody knew more than I the significance of a second chance when everyone else gives up hope. I will never forget the day, 2 weeks after admission the victim was dropped from the critical list. I had never been so ‘on Fire” with Happiness.

    2. Happiness- At that most dynamic moment, I asked myself “What is the greatest gift that I can give to the world with my 2nd chance at life”? To give everyone in the world a 2nd chance at life. A man will only experience his ultimate happiness when he gives his highest self’s greatest gift to the world.
    So I embarked on a Soul searching mission into the rainforests of Central America.
    4 years tribal style in the Jungle, deep in meditation. ( http://vimeo.com/23231805 ) . We have manifested the true Fountain of Youth; anti-aging, anti-cancer miracle formula, that till now did not exist. Coincidentally we flew here from Central America to meet with Tim Ferris.

    3. Launch the healthiest beverage a human can place inside their body temple.

    Reply

  • Jamie — January 19th, 2012, 1:25 pm

    1. “Do it now” – the most effective way to bring about change in one’s life

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    This equation is likely very relevant to many readers of this blog, as we are trying to break out of the rut of a ‘normal’ lifestyle. I certainly feel a ton of anxiety about trying new business ideas and potentially leaving the safety of a cushy job. The uncertainty variable will always be there to a certain extent, however taking concrete action every day can quickly eliminate the powerlessness variable. And if I can get the powerlessness down to 0, then there will be NO anxiety!

    3. After a day with Chip I would like to build the courage and DRIVE to attack finding and executing ideas to create financial and time freedom in my life. This would give me the two fold benefit of the excitement and learning of a new venture and the time and money to live my life as I see fit.

    3.

    Reply

  • John — January 19th, 2012, 1:25 pm

    Lao Tse “when the great leader’s work is done, the people will say “we did it ourselves.”
    To me, this truly embodies what the great corporations do. They empower people to believe in themselves assuring that the tools required are at hand and removing the obstacles that might hinder success. Then the leader finds a place to lend a hand as a “follower” to support someone in their drive toward success.

    Anxiety = uncertainty + powerlessness
    In most cases, you can work hard to eliminate the powerless part. Uncertainty will always exist. Hard work, learning, new experiences will reduce the powerless feeling and thereby reduce the anxiety. A recent diving scare made me anxious on each subsequent outing. To eliminate, I am doing added training as well as repetitive dives. In business, I practice role playing with a friend/mentor critical to eliminating anxiety.

    Encouraged by several people I trust and whose opinion I value, I would move to start a new career in the personal coaching for business executives. I am driven to do this by my desire to help people and find solutions to big problems. I believe that I can help others succeed and have fun doing it.

    Reply

  • Kevin — January 19th, 2012, 1:27 pm

    1. “Don’t quit before the miracle happens”

    2. Anxiety = Uncertainty X Powerlessness – Since college, I’ve always wanted to start my own successful business. I’ve had numerous failed attempts since then. Recently I had an idea for a business. And it’s exciting because for the first time it’s with a service that I have extensive knowledge (and success) with regard to selling. That success has been on a local level though working for a small business and I want to try it and see if there’s a market for it on a national level (ergo my own business). However, in getting my feet wet these past few weeks preparing for the launch I’ve realized I definitely have some scars from previous failures that I need to address. You’re anxiety balance sheet is/has helped tremendously. It’s been a huge benefit.

    3. I’ve had a lot of business training (leadership, sales, etc) and I always take away business ‘aha’s from that training. With Chip, one on one, I want take away life ‘aha’s. I want to learn what Chip knows about life and take what’s applicable to me and apply it.

    Reply

  • Angela Bowman — January 19th, 2012, 1:28 pm

    1. The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. Ann Landers

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    I just gave my resignation to a corporate job I’ve held for over 10 years. This is the first time I have not had a job since I was 14 years old. I’m about ready to turn 40 and have a great opportunity to start my own thing, relating to my curiosities and passions. Can’t wait! I also want to apply this curiosity equation to my two kids – I need to do my part to ensure they never lose their sense of wonder and awe.

    3. I’d love Chip’s guidance and thoughts on my ideas, involving creativity, generosity, and especially gratitude. I desperately need a mentor in my life right now, and his sweet-spot combo of both meaning and business really appeals to me. I especially value Chip’s focus on gratitude. I’ve had an online business idea centered on the concept of gratitude for quite awhile…I’d love to see what he thinks about it. This would be my very first trip to SF!

    Reply

  • Drew — January 19th, 2012, 1:29 pm

    “The grass is greener where you water it.” – Anonymous

    This quote rocked my world and became a mantra for me. It’s a simple reminder that the answer, the success we are searching for, the happiness we desire – it’s not somewhere over there, nor is it something that other people have that you don’t. It’s the result of tending your garden – taking steps towards your mission, making choices that lead to happiness, rather than wondering how everyone else got there.

    This simple principle has taken me from surviving to thriving – and the quote is posted prominently to remind me every day to diligently tend my garden.

    The natural reference is also meaningful for me. I connected with Chip’s equation CREATIVITY = WONDER + AWE. It inspires me to do more of what inspires my creative best – which has included holding as many meetings outdoors as possible. I’ve found that doing so keeps thinking expansive, and the fresh air does us all good!

    Working in marketing for a non-profit, I have long been a fan of curiosity to drive positive change – the reminder that wonder and awe are part of that equation is something we spoke about this morning, carrying into our next newsletter – reminding our subscribers of the wonder and awe around us that propels us to our best.

    I’d be very grateful for the opportunity to meet with Chip – I work for a non-profit retreat center, which is a social enterprise also serving as the largest NGO in the poorest district of Hawaii. Connecting the aloha spirit that infuses what we do here with the strategies for infusing emotional intelligence throughout the organization would be an exciting boost at a very opportune time.

    I look forward to the opportunity!

    Aloha, and mahalo nui loa,
    Drew

    Reply

  • Mike — January 19th, 2012, 1:32 pm

    1. The wrong question has no right answer.

    2. I need to work on finding ways to press pause. Not just at the moment when a decision needs to be made, but each day to life as a whole. So far the best place I’ve found to do this is in my kayak, which makes it hard come winter.

    3. I’m working on creating a “social hub” in my town. I want to create an environment that allows people to inspire themselves and each other.

    Reply

  • Donovan — January 19th, 2012, 1:33 pm

    1. Diane Court: No one really thinks it’s going to work do they?

    Lloyd Dobler: No. You’ve just described every great success story.

    Say Anything 1989

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT Often I find my self living in the future. Waiting to cross the milestones and attain the next item that will bring a bump in happiness, but invariably the elevated happiness of crossing said milestone is fleeting and only lasts until I come up with my next milestone to chase. I think in the pursuit of bigger, better, more, I could greatly benefit from more often internalizing all the awesomeness that is already in my life.

    3. After a day with Chip, I would go forward with my plans to expand my manufacturing, retail and web based upcycling company. Specifically, I’m interested in how to be an awesome CEO from my employees perspective, as I’m just starting to grow into employees and want this endeavor to be about more than my financial bottom line.

    Reply

  • Nick — January 19th, 2012, 1:35 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Beside the river stands the holy tree of life. There doth my father dwell, and my home is in him. The heavenly father and I are one”. -The Essence of Gospel of Peace

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    Curiosity = Wonder + Awe
    Hang around with kids, drive home different ways every time, try doing different things, try different sports, go to the opera, theatre, brainstorm, start writing things down at night, keeping up a small notepad always with me, reading bios of creative people, listen to my intuition, hang around with gays, punks, homeless, CEOs, immigrants, just thinking and doing things differently than I normally do while creating that curios space within.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I would like to build my own small hotel chain (in Europe) and give love, gratitude and support to the people who need it in my circle of influence

    Reply

  • Joshua — January 19th, 2012, 1:37 pm

    1. “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”
    -Marcus Aurelius

    (Second would have to be; “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” -Abraham Lincoln)

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    Recently this understanding has freed me from a lot of internal anxiety over what “should” be and the flawed idea that if I have, I will be. This doesn’t change my course only the manner in which I get there. Being happy with what I have alleviates my fear of failure knowing that I will constantly and relentlessly strive for more, and that achievement will undoubtedly be satisfying, but I have much to be happy for and failing in furthering myself or my position will not take away what I have. In essence, I can put my chips on the table and my happiness is not dependent on the outcome.

    3. If I knew what I wanted to change or build after a day with Chip, I would not wait until after a day with Chip. Rather, my hope is to experience a different way of thinking, have a great experience, meet someone who has achieved, and to leave with new thoughts, ideas, and inspirations.

    Reply

  • Jeffery Cann — January 19th, 2012, 1:43 pm

    I could not agree more with the importance of Emotional Intelligence and successful leadership.

    Most of the people I have either worked for or worked for me sometimes get too focused on executing tasks and activities in the workplace – as if somehow we all check our emotions (or in the words of Chip Conley) / baggage at the door.

    In my experience, when employees are frustrated it is often because they have not been heard. In addition, I do not (as a manager) have to solve these emotional problems. I simply need to be available to listen carefully to them and express genuine concern.

    Understanding someone’s emotional make-up enables you to understand the best way to work with an individual. I pay keen attention to the words people use when we talk because they are clues to their emotional state of being / how they see the world. It also helps tremendously when you simply (in a 1:1 or over lunch) ask the person some key questions:

    1. What is important to you?
    2. What do you love about your position? Why?
    3. What do you hate about your position? Why?

    Last point to make is a reference to a presentation (just this week) at a professional organization. The slide discuss emotional intelligence and motivation for employees. Reply to my comment if you want a link to the presentation deck.

    Reply

  • Ally — January 19th, 2012, 1:49 pm

    1.”‘Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. “- Steve Jobs

    2.ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS

    Even though I know better, it is often easy to spiral into a negative mindset and feelings of helplessness. Training my mind to focus on the positive and opportunities can instantly change my reality. The key is to remember to do it. Take a step back, and focus on the good. In a heartbeat you can go from a victim to a survivor. If I am feeling lonely, rejected, insecure, others must feel it too. It helps me understand and empathize with others.

    3.I am not a very good fortune teller. Perhaps a day with
    Chip will help me channel my own “genie”. You can learn something from anything/anyone. I would ask a lot of questions, that’s for sure. As for what I would change or build? I cannot give you any specifics without an NDA, but 100% guarantee it will be rad. Hopefully something for the greater good of all mankind.

    Reply

  • Craig — January 19th, 2012, 1:52 pm

    1) Courage is not the absence of fear…but the ability to overcome it.

    2)Anxiety = Uncertainty x powerlessness
    Anxiety may have been the best and worst thing to ever happen to me. I never understood panic attacks nor did I think they were real. My mother used to get them and I just thought she was being irrational. Just being a woman and being emotional. I lost my father early in life. I lived a selfish life. I drank every night, smoked two packs a day and started smoking weed. Then one day (age 27) I was high and realized one day I will die. Needless to say I had a major panic attack and I thought “I have not done anything significant or worthwhile in life”. I quit smoking and drinking cold turkey and started running. A person like me hates not being in control. In a car I can control where the car goes if I crash, in an airplane I have no control (even though they are suppose to be safer).
    The idea of death scared the hell out of me until one day I accepted it. ? was not easy. Death made life beautiful to me. Death motivated me. Anxiety helped me realize death.
    Once I accept some things (death) are out of my control and that I cannot live in fear of “what ifs” I have been living a happier life. I look at other people who go through such hard times and I use to wonder how they do it. It’s courage. The knight still freaks out about fighting the dragon..but courage pushes him to go for the prize. What makes him happy?

    3) I realize that what makes me happy is seeing others become their best. I would love to help people.

    Reply

  • Charles Phillips — January 19th, 2012, 1:52 pm

    1. “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” -Bruce Lee

    2. Curiosity is the driver of mankind. I think it’s impossible to have too much of it. Although I think I understand the curiosity equation internally, to externally apply it would be a force multiplier. Curiosity very often leads to self motivated learning, so if I can invoke curiosity in others, I can essentially help the world to learn. I’m a filmmaker, and this idea keeps me up at night. My goal is to process the world around me and make it fantastically more interesting, wonderful, and enticing to others. If others can see the beauty of something they’ve never tried before, I think they’re much more apt to try it. Then, if I can empower them to invoke curiosity in others, the cycle continues indefinitely and the world becomes a better place.

    3. I would change the idea that learning can only be experienced in an educational institution. So much can (and should) be learned outside of school, but few people realize or act upon this idea. If I could double the rate of learning in the world, the forward progress of mankind could increase exponentially.

    Reply

  • Andy E — January 19th, 2012, 1:52 pm

    “When you learn to die, you learn to live”
    -Bhuddist proverb

    Despair=suffering minus meaning
    -I’m in a very strange place in my life right now. I just turned 32 and have began to feel tinges of this sort of despair that is spoken of. Up until now, I have had very little legitimate financial success in my life. Bills and Rent are barely being paid, if at all, and help from friends and family are what have gotten through these recent tough times. It seems to stem from a lack of focus, or perhaps meaning in what I’m doing. I have done some incredible things in my life: Was an all american golfer in college; Traveled to China and France for extended stays; Played hundreds of music concerts and released a solo CD; Learned hypnosis. It just seems at my age, I’m getting a little behind by not having a solid project that produces income and spirtiual satisfaction. These jobs that I take for quick money, waiting tables, for ex., are so spiritually void that I rarely last more than a month. It is my goal to find something in my life that provides meaning and motivation, that I can work at with zest, build and enjoy, and provide positive change to people in their lives. This is what I envision a day with Chip is San Fransisco doing; crystallizing the meaning and developing the vehicle.

    Reply

  • Jake D — January 19th, 2012, 1:55 pm

    1. “The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.” Carl Rogers, On Becoming A Person (1961)

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    I am a doctoral student and work for a Native American tribe. In my research, I’m exploring how visual media and technologies can inspire tribal members to share and reflect about their culture together. I believe inspiration is woven with the threads of curiosity, and these people are inspiring me as much as I am them. The wonder and awe when a grandkid asks their elderly grandparent to tell a story from the old day, their roots, and giving them the chance to capture that moment with a Flipcam and share it with others is what makes me curious.

    3. I met a man last fall: retired two-star general, corporate VP, entrepreneur, speaker, professor, philanthropist, executive coach, guest on news programs… all with a remote work arrangement. One night we were at the same party. After everyone left, we stayed, did the dishes, and cleaned the house, because the woman who had us all over lived alone and had been through a tough emotional time. I caught a feeling like he was giving me a cosmic nod. I emailed him a week later and asked him if he would mentor and/or coach me. He agreed. We instantly hit it off and now we talk on the phone and email each every month. I asked him how he managed people remotely, and he said, “I don’t manage, I *lead*.” He is teaching what it means to be leader. If I had a day with Chip, I want to learn how to change myself into an inspirational leader. I want to inspire people to be creative and curious.

    Reply

  • Martijn Wiedijk — January 19th, 2012, 1:56 pm

    1. “The sign of life is enthusiasm; the sign of succes is smile and joy” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
    Since I’ve come across these, they guide my life. Christian Pankhurst calls it: Finding your juice. In dutch, ‘juice’ translates to ‘sap’, which doesn’t sound cool. So I translate ‘juice’ with ‘enthusiasm’ (in dutch: ‘enthousiasme’) and use this as my primary compass for making decisions and taking action.

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    The fact that I was a computer geek while friends were surfing and chasing girls in the sun made me enjoy life more when I became a cool guy. The fact that I started to enjoy life more and just relax a little, is a much deeper experience, because I’ve been living in a blur for years.

    Recently it feels like all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together and the universe provides me with whatever I need at any time. So for me, the meaning of it all became clear when I stopped trying to find it. Still, I can so easily imagine a life where I would just have continued trying and suffering. Scary stuff.

    3. I have been walking around with a business idea since I was 14. So I would fint it extremely inspirational to brainstorm with Chip about this, and walk away with a piece of paper in my back pocket containing the first three practical things that I can take immediate action on when I get back home, in order to start realizing my dream of adding value to thousands or even millions of lives.

    Reply

  • Andrew Undem — January 19th, 2012, 1:58 pm

    1. “employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for”

    -Socrates

    2. Happiness = wanting what you have/ having what you want

    I think this is incredibly important. Like many young adults, I have had a lot of advantages (that i take for granted)many of have not had. Healthy. Good home. Able to attend college and pursue a lucrative career. And my main motivation is earning money instead of pursuing happiness. If you really think about this equation, it makes perfect sense. There needs to be a balance of wanting what you have and having what you want. All the most important things in life are free – family/ friends/ hopes/ dreams/ freedom etc… And all the things money can buy are easily replaceable.

    3. I would like to change the way people motivate and express themselves. To reflect honestly and often. And to encourage people to GIVE gifts of gratitude, not just wrap them.

    Reply

  • Marco Di Mattino — January 19th, 2012, 2:07 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “don’t give back, just give”
    Of course acknowledge those who got you to where you are, but you don’t have to label it as giving back. When you learn and understand that it is better for you emotionally to just be kind and give to others, you will find a much clearer and easier path to happiness. When you “give back” you are just reconciling a debt you feel you owe. And giving by no means has to be monetary. It is whatever you have to give that another person needs. Conversation, knowledge, curiosity, technical expertise, etc…

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    To me as a CEO (chief emotional officer) I believe that the equation with most value and opportunity is CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. As a leader, whether CEO, manager, employee, or friend, there is only so much you can do alone. But if you are able to understand this equation and harness the ability to inspire curiosity in others, your effect on the world knows no bounds. There are only 24 hrs in a day and rather than fill it with as much stuff as possible, sit down and have a conversation with your employees (or whoever you are leading) and inspire them, fill them with the curiosity to become the best they can be. Only through curiosity do people create innovations. And innovation is the foundation of change. 

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I will be graduating from Babson College this coming May and I plan on revolutionizing the grocery industry (first). I hope to open a progressive grocery that doesn’t focus on being “green” or “organic” but rather sustainable. I agree that local organic food is the best for someone to eat, but it is an unrealistic solution to the worlds food problem. Even here in the US, 23 million Americans live in what is now coined a “food desert”. (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_desert) I am sure that only an hour with Chip would exponentially increase my ability to build curiosity in others. 

    Reply

  • Andy B — January 19th, 2012, 2:21 pm

    1. “All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power.”

    2. The equation concerning happiness truly resonated with me because it is the subject of an internal struggle being waged within me. The brief version of this story is my friend collapsed and died of a heart condition he possessed (unknowingly) while we were enjoying a morning run. This event left me in a state of bewilderment, questioning the purpose of my life and criticizing my lack of appreciation for all that life has to offer on a daily basis. This is where the happiness equation becomes a key player in this experience. For years, I have struggled with my intense focus on becoming a more successful person. This focus has troubled me because my friend’s death at 26 years old causes me to question my goals, passion, and future. “Should I just be thankful for what I have and settle with the contentment of still being alive?” or is it justifiable to say “Damn it, I know I have it good – but I want to be better!” I know your explanation and equation for happiness has answered both of these questions. In fact, I will use this equation to quell the ongoing internal struggle I spoke of earlier.

    3. After a day with Chip, I would like to build a network of health & fitness boutiques that present our society with a completely different approach to attaining a nice physique, quality nutrition, success, relaxation, and inspiration – all in one place. I dream of creating a facility in which a person can gain access to almost any kind of workout he/she desires, eat a healthy & organic post-meal, listen to the inspirational words of a successful investor, fitness guru, or survivor of an ill-fated misfortune, and then be pampered with an eastern-style massage. All of this in one day!

    Reply

  • Jeff — January 19th, 2012, 2:22 pm

    1. If you are not growing, you are dying. – Anthony Robbins is where I heard that, but I am sure some version of that has existed for centuries.

    2. Happiness Equation
    Situation: My biggest struggle is the dichotomy between planning for the future and living in the now. With 3 healthy sons and an amazing wife it is easy to want what I have. Being an entrepreneur it is almost mandatory to focus on reaching for something more.

    Application:
    I am applying the equation by creating a daily Google calendar Gratitude appointment for each morning. In it I will write down one thing that I am grateful about. Each day that I enter in a new gratitude I will be skimming over my earlier gratitudes which will make for a daily quick reminder that I have a lot that I want. After a year I would have found 365 small and large things that are already great about my world.

    3. Change/Build
    Situation:
    I am taking my family on an indefinite ‘around the world’ trip starting in June (at least 1 year, maybe 2, hopefully more). We will be toting 3 boys under 6 for this adventure, so it won’t be like the backpack travel my wife and I did together over the years.

    I own a growing business that is going through a major re-launch in February and I am planning to add one more ‘location idependent’ business into the mix before I leave. Probably an informational/membership type product to show local businesses how to create a local online footprint that makes them money.

    Build Request:
    I would be grateful to have Chip help me design a lifestyle that enables me to have balance with my growing personal life(sons, wife, world travel) and my growing professional entrepreneurial life.

    Reply

  • Dan — January 19th, 2012, 2:26 pm

    1. Speak truth to power – 18th Cent. Quaker saying
    2. Happiness = (Wanting what have)/(Having what want)
    I am blessed with family, friends, education, and health. Attitude is critical as I transition out of a long run at academia, so recognizing the conflict between happiness and pursuit will help reduce disappointment (and thus regret). Additionally, the higher my aspirations the more gratitude is called for to keep my positivity.
    3. With Chip, I would like to deepen my understanding of how knowledge can translate to business skills. That he uses the language of psychological equations resonates with me, as a long-time follower of the work of Prof. Piers Steel. The day in SF, from a CEOs viewpoint, will be invaluable in learning how to sell myself to executives as a consultant.

    Reply

  • mark pinto — January 19th, 2012, 2:30 pm

    1) The root of ALL suffering is desire. –Buddha

    2) These equations backed with your motivation (the prize) to actually make sense of it all, has helped me to gain a much deeper meaning and understanding of the practice of Wu Wei (non or goalless action). It has helped me to connect the dots by just having a visual of these equations. I am grateful for doing this exercise because I am better off than I was 30 minutes ago. This is the big picture that I see now. In order to be happy (life’s ultimate goal) the numerator has to be greater than the denominator in the happiness equation. And the greater the difference between the two (with the numerator always being the greater one) the more your happiness increases. This can be accomplished by leaps and bounds though visualization. Visualizing or feeling what you want as if you have it in the moment turns your “pursuing gratification” into “practicing gratitude” which decreases the denominator and increasing the numerator. And when you come out of the visualization/feeling you practice gratitude for what you have now, you have increased your happiness two fold. So instead of “pursuing gratitude” less you dramatically reduce it or eliminate it by transforming it to “practicing gratitude” through visualizing/feeling you have it now. Mixed with beliefs of faith in life/GOD that is it always working in your favor whether it’s a learning experience or exactly what you wanted (to remove UNCERTAINTY) and faith in yourself that you always find a way or are good enough for whatever (to remove POWERLESSNESS) you will be free of ANXIETY/fear to be lead by curiosity and find inspiration to take you full circle to your unattached goal.

    3) I would love to enjoy this amazing life experience, dramatically increase my emotional control and leave the matrix sometime this decade ? !

    Reply

  • Heather — January 19th, 2012, 2:32 pm

    “The secret to a happy life is to find one thing each day to be happy about – no matter what the circumstances.”

    Reply

  • Dan Richey — January 19th, 2012, 2:49 pm

    1. “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” -Proverb

    I believe in consistent daily improvement. When I learn something new or a better way of doing something, I try my best to immediately implement it regardless of how I have done things in the past. Tim is a master of this.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    People seem to ALWAYS be chasing the “next thing” in pursuit of happiness. They seem to always feel they will reach “happiness” WHEN they graduate college, or WHEN they get a great job, or WHEN they get married, or WHEN they buy a house. Being happy is about being fulfilled in life and grateful with where you are and what you have. Happiness now is about having joy in your life journey.

    This post resonated with me and helped me introspectively look deeper into my own life and recognize where I am happy and where I can be happier in my life with where I am at. I am going to apply this post to my life by starting a gratitude journal and begin a lifelong pursuit of being ‘conscious of what I have’.

    3. Chip is so inspirational to me already. Prior to spending a day with Chip I would read his two books: Peak & Emotional Equations.

    After spending the day with Chip, I would set up a conference at SEO.com (where I work) and teach the 100+ employees what I have learned from the two books and from Chip himself. Eventually I would share all I have learned from him with my future companies I will be involved with.

    Reply

  • Ann Marie — January 19th, 2012, 2:50 pm

    1) I have so many favorite quotes I cannot choose, so I’ll post the first one that popped into my head:
    “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”– Dr. Wayne Dyer
    Besides being both inspirational and philosophical, it works! I also like that this quote applies to quantum physics—where matter can by defined as both a solid particle and as an immaterial force field or wave, which is what Einstein’s theory of relativity recognized, concluding E=mc2.(Now that’s an equation!) And, quantum physicist Werner Heisenberg uncertainty principle reveals the impossibility of knowing both “a particle’s position and its speed because, in measuring one parameter, the observer distorts the other.” “Spontaneous Evolution Our Positive Future” by Bruce Lipton and Steve Bhaerman. (p. 157)Hay House, Inc. 2009
    2) Maximum benefit in my life could come from applying the DESPAIR= SUFFERING – MEANING equation. Again, I have grappled with situations involving all the equations in the post, but I think the one I chose here is the most important, because it addresses the idea of giving up on life and the consequences: existence as an empty shell or suicide. Having had several relatives commit suicide, this one is close to my heart and experience. Although I make time daily for gratitude and am relearning that life can be a lot of fun, I understand that despair can overcome me without constant vigilance. This equation invites me to remember the importance of meaning and purpose. I even wrote a blog post about it on my blog, after reading “Man’s Search for Meaning.”
    3) I would like to change or build my relationship with Life in ways that happen when taking focused, conscientious and insightful actions, such as meeting with a mentor named Chip.
    Thanks for post!

    Reply

  • Lacey — January 19th, 2012, 3:18 pm

    I think I’ve missed the first 100 entrants which is too bad since I could definitely benefit from a day with someone inspirational like Chip right about now in my life. Also Chip would be saving on airfare since I live in Napa. But just as chance I’ll try to enter anyways.

    1) “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal. ”
    Hannah More (1745-1833)

    2) I could apply the equation Despair = Suffering – Meaning, towards my life right now. I’ve been able to take situations in the past and learn from them and have been able to look back and say that I’m a better person for experiencing a specific situation. Right now I’m coming out of a three year battle with an illness and am trying to start looking forward again instead of focusing on dealing with being sick. I know once I find meaning again in my life I’ll be able to look back at this dark point and also say I’m a stronger person because of it. Just writing that makes me feel like I’m moving forward and gives me hope.

    3) What would I like to change or build after a day with Chip? How about changing my life? Actually I’ve been in limbo with a business project that got put on hold because of my illness. I’m trying to find a way to get excited about it again and start moving forward with it and pull it off the back burner. I’m hoping that spending the day with someone as inspirational as Chip will give me the confidence and motivation to start moving forward again. Sometimes it’s best to learn from example.

    Reply

  • Bill Montgomery — January 19th, 2012, 3:22 pm

    1. My favorite quote is by Mark Devine, ” Find happiness in the short term misery of discipline so that you don’t suffer the long pain of regret.”

    2. Despair = Suffering-meaning This is the best one for me because it gives me hope. As a 66 year old man finding a good job has been very difficult unless I want to work for McDonalds (and I don’t). Maybe all this is to prepare me for something later (of course I haven’t got a whole lot of later).

    3. I would like to learn how to make the most out of the next 40 years.

    Reply

  • Debra Durham — January 19th, 2012, 3:28 pm

    1) “Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.” Theodore Isaac Rubin (via End Malaria, Michael Bungay Stanier, Ed.)

    2) I love to learn new things and to help others do so. These practices are richer when they start from the place described by Chip’s equation Curiosity=Wonder+Awe. A simple, elegant equation. Truth be told, wonder and awe are all but missing from much science, learning or teaching. It’s tragic. I can realize I don’t know something then find another source of info to fill that gap. But where’s the wonder in that? If we just hoard facts and knowledge, they’re of no good at all. For me, it’s about doing something good with what I know. (Hence, the quote shared in #1). More of Chip’s kind of curiosity would lead to the good stuff of discovery, learning and inspiration. I think that’s where the genies come in. A potential knock-on equation: Inspiration=Curiosity+ Genies? Seems fitting so I also want to include the genies, too.

    3) After a day with Chip, I want to build programs that help others cultivate their curiosity and find genies. These would require exploration during journeys to wild places bursting with wonder and awe. The day with Chip would be an amazing chance to work on some Emotional Equations useful for charting that path.

    Reply

  • Philip McKenzie — January 19th, 2012, 3:32 pm

    1. “There is no greater fool than he who spends the greater part of his life earning his living” – Thoreau
    2. Curiosity = wonder + awe ..this equation/thought has been the basis for my forming Influencer Conference and looking to connect with creatives globally. My entire road has been predicated upon asking questions, challenging the status quo, and empowering those around me to live life passionately.
    3. I would like to build a better capacity to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with my friends and those that I build meaningful and sustainable projects with globally.

    Reply

  • Justin — January 19th, 2012, 3:38 pm

    “Some mystics are able to take the bottom of this equation down to zero, which may give them infinite happiness.”

    Honestly, Chip, with the right meditation technology this isn’t that hard. Enlightenment is far easier than getting a college degree or running a company (I know from experience). Practicing objectifying and then surrendering to experience with the right amount of concentration is the tried-and-true mix. You are unenlightened to the extent that you are embedded in experience.

    Many of the guys on Kenneth Folks’s forum are getting it done in a couple years or less, with the first major milestone of stream entry coming quite quickly.

    http://kennethfolkdharma.wetpaint.com/

    Reply

  • Kerstin — January 19th, 2012, 3:40 pm

    1. “Waking up this morning, I smile,
    Twenty four brand new hours are before me.
    I vow to live fully in each moment
    and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.”
    ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

    2. I like the anxiety balance sheet. It is actionable and a wonderful tool to see a challenge with a wide angle lens, realizing that one’s perception does not always equal reality. I am going to use this tool whenever I experience anxiety or overwhelm and will share it in my work.

    3. My vision is to create a process that takes a person through a process of awareness and healing. A process that is based on learning through experience, rather than on knowledge. Together with Chip, I’d love to see how this can be best realized with the tools I already have in place, leaving with a plan of action.

    Reply

  • Chuck Root — January 19th, 2012, 3:44 pm

    Tim, Chip
    Thank you so much for sharing this valuable information.

    #1
    My favorite quote is by Marianne Williamson, and made a big difference in my thinking.
    Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
    Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
    It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
    We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,talented and fabulous?
    Actually, who are you not to be?
    You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
    There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
    We are born to make manifest the glory of God thats within us.
    Its not in some of us, its in everyone.
    As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
    As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

    #2. I apply gratitude to everyone every day. Its amazing how you get so much better service by a simple question. Tell me your name, and then say thank you “john” etc.
    I even thank the cook in a restaurant.

    #3
    I am building a Wealth management company with the same concepts as Chip has build his hotels. I’m on a quest for a few good men/women. I would use the time to model Chips behavior for myself.

    I rarely respond to these kinds of requests, but felt that this was the right time.
    Thanks again.
    Chuck Root — Dragon Master
    Wealth Preservation Speciallist

    Reply

  • John Brader — January 19th, 2012, 3:55 pm

    Really cool stuff people!!!

    1. “When I consider myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.” Albert Einstein

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT – It is the quickest get rich/get happy scheme in the world. Be grateful for what you have. Life is simple when you realize that control of it resides in the 5 1/2″ between your ears.

    3. Establish an enterprise with the purpose teaching such techniques as Chip’s. Decide what avenues for distribution are in scope but include the private sector only. Depart with a plan for execution for a period of time, then have a review of the results and course adjustments as necessary.

    John

    Reply

  • Gregory — January 19th, 2012, 4:04 pm

    1. Work Hard, Play Hard.

    2. Many times I find myself looking to keep up with the Jones’s and get sad that I don’t have these nice things “everyone” else possesses. Thankfully, I stop and remind myself that I am doing pretty well. I eat daily; have a roof over my head, a car, an amazing wife, and lots of friends. My garbage disposal eats better than millions of people in this world. Happiness is not a product, person, or service. Happiness starts on the inside. I am blessed. I like the equation because it gives a techie like me an equation to help quantify this concept/feeling. You can’t manage what you do not measure. Now I have a much better tool for measuring this and keeping it in check. I hope to use this throughout my years to keep happiness in check.

    3. I would like to change my relationship with myself, my spouse, and my environment in a way that benefits everyone in a positive manner. I aim to succeed in everything I do and this would be an amazing opportunity to be enlightened by an inspirational and accomplished person.

    Reply

  • Brian Mac — January 19th, 2012, 4:08 pm

    Thank you TFerris for the Shortness of Life post awhile back.

    1. “It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested” – Seneca

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    Think this really draws on what I really got the most out of 4HWW in the first chapter in the sense of really defining what people want when they mean to be happy. When we keep life exciting we are constantly curious about the time we are investing and keeping ourselves in WONDER+AWE.

    3. Living in Oslo, from Toronto originally it would just be great to visit SF for the first time since there is so much energy and excitement in tech but being around the attitude of challenge would be a great emotional boost. More importantly from sitting down with Chip would really like to get more out of understanding the components of emotion to 1) regulate my own internally as the last 2 years running my own business has taken a rollercoaster ride of emotion that has been detrimental to some personal relationships. 2) integrate it into the cultures of companies I am evaluating joining to pursue my tech passion (Thank you Ramit for your Dream Job content really made a difference that I am choosing between 2 great jobs, one in SF, the other in Oslo, while the job market is tough).

    Reply

  • Rosanette — January 19th, 2012, 4:10 pm

    My favorite quote, from Thoreau’s Walden: “We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour. If we refused, or rather used up, such paltry information as we get, the oracles would distinctly inform us how this might be done.”

    The equation that resonates most powerfully with me: ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS. I am a teacher and I have students who have endured seemingly unimaginable heartache and deprivation, yet they continue to try to rise above their circumstances, It is often as hard for them to see above their obstacle mountains as it is for me to see how to move that mountain from their paths. The ability ti change my point of view to find a path for them would help us all to be happier and more successful.

    Maybe I could get enough fuel for thought from Mr. Ferriss that I could germinate a more acute insight for developing connections to my students in such a way that they could see a path to their own highest selves. Maybe I could learn how to help them to envision and grasp the idea of their own highest selves in such a way that the attainment seems real and achievable. Thanks. This was a nice exercise.

    Reply

  • Dave — January 19th, 2012, 4:11 pm

    1. From a martial art that I trained in:
    Think carefully because what you think becomes what you say.
    Think again before you speak, as what you say will become what you do.
    Think before you act because your actions become habits.
    Think carefully about your habits because habits form your character.
    Examine your character because it becomes your future.

    2. Curiosity — I love to learn, but I rarely give myself the time or space to feel wonder, and awe. I did that a lot when I traveled over the last few years, but back home there’s always some other distraction. Its time to change that.

    3. I’m in a transitional period in my life of discovering “what’s next”. Working with Chip would be mind-blowing for me, to spend time with someone who’s done such an incredible job in building an amazing business. I’d love to see how he thinks, how he talks, how he acts, and, most importantly, how he relates to others so that I might learn from his example.

    Reply

  • Vincenzo — January 19th, 2012, 4:35 pm

    1 henry ford. if you belive you can or if you belive you cant your probably right. i read his book and was impressed how like you he helped his workers to live and work less in better conditions.
    2 i always seem to be aiming for higher then finding reasons to stop. like counting. i feel i need to start counting the things that matter. i am happy and content but some times slip and want more. the article reminded me again. some of the best things in life are free.
    3 I would like some inspirational time to learn how to develop myself. i also hope i could talk about my experiences and share with you where i am today

    Reply

  • Phil von Stade — January 19th, 2012, 4:40 pm

    1. “Every day I wake up torn between a desire to save the world, and an inclination to savor it….”
    2. While I found the equations interesting (and familiar), I found the concept of an ‘emotional officer’ to be the key to getting the best from people, including all of us who took the time to answer these questions and share our thoughts – thanks….
    3. My wife and I now live in Berkeley (So, you might say, I’m a cheap date :) after having sold my software/market research company and lived on a boat for 4 years in the islands. I’m building up an interesting network of folks towards the goal of creating a foundation to coordinate world-wide research in the field of Cognitive Assistance Technologies – i.e. memory enhancement, especially for seniors and people with dementia. (We ARE our memories, I think?:) It’d be a pleasure to share some ‘non-linear’ time with Tim.
    Cheers!
    Phil

    Reply

  • Matt — January 19th, 2012, 4:45 pm

    Can we stop trying to ‘Tim Ferriss’ comments? If you want more ‘orange’ boxes of Ferriss helping us out lets try asking short questions. Maybe with a short comment at the end, and he could potentially answer multiple people with a single post.

    Reply

    • Matt — January 19th, 2012, 5:51 pm

      Horrible timing to not read an article and then comment. Feel like an idiot and I am. Also apologize for bad sentence structure. haha damn

      Reply

  • Michelle Graves — January 19th, 2012, 4:49 pm

    1. Life is short. Party naked!

    2. The gratitude equation – amazing. Sometimes the universe throws you a bone. This entry is a nice big rack of ribs served up for me. Hasnt been the best start to the year and without realising it i have completely taken my eye of the main prize – that is to take pause and be thankful for what I have.

    3. With Chip as my coach I would like to build a self actualization academy in my work place, opening conversations with my team about their current emotional bootcamp and creating gratitude walls of photos showing how much we all really have.

    Reply

  • Michael — January 19th, 2012, 4:49 pm

    What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    You must be born again – Jesus (it’s deep)

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    Seeking out lateral thinking experiences is how I found Tim Ferris.
    Need more curiosity adventures on the calendar.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    Leverage this meeting to design a “youth run” out reach to at-risk teens in Brockton MA

    Reply

  • Charlie Rex — January 19th, 2012, 5:09 pm

    1. “The map is not the territory” – Alfred Korzybski
    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. This is a great reminder of the importance of gratitude and one that I will apply immediately by expressing my gratitude for others in my life directly to them. It is also a reminder that striving for something even better doesn’t have to feel guilty, and I will use this to avoid the guilt I sometimes feel over wanting more.
    3. I would love to use insights from our conversation to expand the work that my wife and I do with other married couples and build better relationships.

    Reply

  • Michelle — January 19th, 2012, 5:17 pm

    I know I’m well over number 100, but here’s my two cents:

    1. Favorite words strung together: Do Unto Others…Otherwise known as The Golden Rule. Treat people as I wish to be treated. I am not religious, however I do consider myself spiritual, continually seeking.

    2. Which leads me to the quote which best speaks to me:
    Curiosity = Wonder + Awe.
    Lately, I can’t learn enough. I have a deep-knawing need to discover and figure out that which flips my intrigue button. Starting with Eckart Tolle’s nudge, I like remaining open to what is. Kind of deep, perhaps far too introspective, but advice that clicked for me.

    3. Well, here I go again. Regarding the build or change question, I’d like to listen, learn and gain perspective from Chip. I can tell from his blurb above that he is someone whom I share some philosophy and a good dose of respect. Who wouldn’t benefit from spending time with someone who can teach one a thing or two? As a benefit, I’m a Bay Area gal who can take BART to the city, so no transportation costs will be incurred :)

    Reply

  • Lewis — January 19th, 2012, 5:30 pm

    1. “It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested.” Lucius Seneca

    2. The equation that I would focus on to achieve maximum benefit is: ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS (see answer to next question for description…)

    3. I would like to build a better way to reach new fathers of daughters to help them overcome the tremendous anxiety that being in that situation entails. As a father of two young girls (age 4 ½ and almost 3) I know first-hand that this is an area that is ripe for improvement – improvements in understanding and in providing guidance for things men may not have thought about in columns 1 and 3 of the Anxiety Balance Sheet (as well as better resources to reduce the items in columns 2 and 4!) I’d love the opportunity to discuss with Chip ways to apply the other emotional equations to address this issue. In my opinion improving (or in some cases changing) the relationships that fathers have with their daughters has enormous potential to benefit the world.

    Reply

  • Colin — January 19th, 2012, 5:31 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote? ‘Don’t worry, ’bout a thing….” Marley
    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT – Through showing/acting/being grateful for what little (or lot) I have, I can stop being trapped by materialism and the need for the next high whatever that may be.
    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF? I’d like to build a blueprint to unite people in my city to come together and share ideas on how to push this small town into the 21st century. A meeting that actually accomplished things, and expands our ideas on what we as a small community can do.

    Reply

  • Tyler — January 19th, 2012, 5:38 pm

    1. “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – ghandi

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    I feel like I have been living in my own mental prison for the past year or so after leaving a company I started, only to start five more. And with each day passing in 2011 preparing, inventing, creating, learning and sharing, I have found myself wanting to know the answers to the looming questions… i.e., when Will get funded? When will we get the stamp of approval? What’s going on with my health that the doctors haven’t been able to figure it out for over 5 years?
    I became so frustrated just wanting to know answers, wanting direction, and often times felt helpless/powerless. What I realized was that a lot of my life came down to choices, and that in many cases, I had control of a few factors that are now helping me deal day to day. But I could use SO much more help in this arena.
    My brain is ALWAYS on! I wouldn’t mind a shut off switch every now and then. Granted it allows me to be the creative person that I am, but it also can feel debilitating at times.

    3. I would like to build my dream MUSE/company, and truly take it from concept to creation. It would be an honor of a lifetime to spend time with Chip. Mentors are incredibly powerful, and I know that experience would last my entire lifetime.

    Reply

  • Brad R. — January 19th, 2012, 5:43 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “Come to the edge, He said.
    They said: We are afraid.
    Come to the edge, He said.
    They came. He pushed them,
    And they flew…”

    Guillaume Apollinaire

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    Despair = Suffering – Meaning

    2012 started off with a bang as I found out my girlfriend of 4 years was cheating on me. I turn 28 next month and I have realized that I have been living in fear my entire life. I have been afraid to take chances, being rejected, and being afraid to let the awesome person I really am be shown to the world. I am a good guy, but for some reason I self sabotage most things in my life. This year I have to decided to do serious reflection and figure out exactly why I am selling myself short. After being at the lowest point in my life I am not allowing myself to settle for anything but the best – period.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    To take a realistic approach as to understanding what fear is and to take immediate action steps to prover to my inner self that it’s nothing but an illusion that I have to created to protect myself from invisible threats.

    Reply

  • Leah — January 19th, 2012, 5:45 pm

    THE GUEST HOUSE — RUMI
    This being human is a guest house.
    Every morning a new arrival.
    A joy, a depression, a meanness,
    some momentary awareness comes
    as an unexpected visitor.
    Welcome and entertain them all!
    Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
    who violently sweep your house
    empty of its furniture,
    still, treat each guest honorably.
    He may be clearing you out
    for some new delight.
    The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
    meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
    Be grateful for whatever comes.
    because each has been sent
    as a guide from beyond.

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING. As someone who has been actively investigating the causes and meaning behind my own suffering for a couple of years, I realize now that its meaning has been to help me move toward self-acceptance, remove self-delusion, and also so that I may better help others.

    3. I want to find the guts, the means, and the flow to publish guidebooks for kids and teens to teach them ways to manage strong emotions such as anxiety, anger, and despair. As a therapist, I help one child at a time. As an entrepreneur, I could help thousands and more. I think I could use a variation of the Anxiety Balance Sheet in it, if that’s OK with you!

    Reply

  • Chip Ottley — January 19th, 2012, 5:47 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “It is in the religion of ignorance that tyranny begins.”
    -Ben Franklin

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    I already do. The hair is still standing up on the back of my neck from being made aware of this article. I may have learned all of these things the hard way, but our similarities in thought are incredible! I am in the process of designing and building my own company which………well, let’s just say it’s pretty weird for me to have randomly encountered this article (I’m not in the hotel business either, so no angle or anything). If Mr. Conley cares to hear my story, he can email me, or I’ll pay to fly myself out there (funny thing is: I was just in San Francisco). I love linking up with like minded people. The world needs more of this!

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would love to continue contributing to the true progress of the human race. I think we can all win.

    Reply

  • bs — January 19th, 2012, 5:56 pm

    I know I’m too late for the contest, but I wanted to post anyway! Thanks for the great blog Tim and thank you for the great entry Chip.

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    There is no elevator to success, you must take the stairs.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    despair=suffering-meaning
    About a year ago I co-founded a video production company. From the beginning, it’s been our goal to only take on projects that stand for something. From time to time however, we steer away from that goal in order to pay the bills. Every time that happens we end up hating our lives until the project is done. This equation puts into perfect words what we’ve been figuring out over our first year: stick with what matters and good things happen.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    After a day with Chip I would build on his emotional intelligence work by spreading it through my every day interactions as well as my film and video skills. Feature length documentary Chip?

    Reply

  • Cyn — January 19th, 2012, 6:09 pm

    1. “Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.” ? Rainer Maria Rilke

    2. DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING.
    As a young Arab woman, being disowned by my family seemed to be the ultimate zenith of my despair and long term suffering. Today it is my working piece to hand off as a tool (in my consulting) to empower young women out of violence (both indirect and direct) and into owning their self-worth and empowering them to gain speed in reaching their goals.

    3. After a day with Chip, I hope to have a better (practicing) understanding of what it means to be a Chief Emotional Officer. I hope to have a close and long-term mentorship with him to better aid me in my own actions as CEO. And perhaps exchange a few metaphor as I have some clever ones of my own:-)

    Thank you, Tim. Thank you, Chip.

    Reply

  • Eric — January 19th, 2012, 6:14 pm

    1) Be the change you wish to see in the world. – Gandhi

    2) Anxiety

    My wife is considering a divorce and I’m still having difficulty finding a job that is not a step backwards from where I was prior to obtaining my MBA. I need to figure out how to address the uncertainty and powerlessness in the former situation (she doesn’t want to talk about our issues or find a direction resolution currently – she wants space) and the uncertainty in the latter. I also have been struggling against headhunters and friends who keep telling me it’s the economy and that there’s nothing else I can really do, as that makes me feel powerless when it seems unjustified to me.

    3) I want to develop tools and methods to become more emotionally resilient. I’m great at planning to minimize hardship, but I don’t deal as well with disappointment as I’d like and I’m not sure how to remedy this.

    Reply

  • TJ Mackey — January 19th, 2012, 6:37 pm

    1. “We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims.” R. Buckminster Fuller
    2. I work in education. Teaching students (children) about all 4 of these aspects is vital to help create change in education. Our system feeds anxiety, but doesn’t teach understanding. Our system kills curiosity in the name of regurgitation. It teaches chasing more, not discovering self and the nature of happiness.
    3. My goal is to build change in education. I want Chip’s help building the path.

    Thanks for this opportunity.

    Reply

  • Corina Bega — January 19th, 2012, 6:40 pm

    1. “It’s the attitude, not the aptitude, that will drive your altitude.” – Zig Ziglar Many years ago I had this good friend of mine telling me: “I’ve never f**ked a woman, I’ve always f**ked an attitude”. So when I stumbled upon Zig Ziglar’s quote I thought that I found the next step on the staircase.
    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    I love this one because it’s an addition equation to start with, it keeps one’s doors to the world wide open and not lastly bridges those positive traits from our childhood all the way to seniority. I could apply this equation to my life for maximum benefit as a constant reminder to “stay young, stay foolish”,
    3. After a day with Chip in SF (I haven’t been to SF yet) I would make a plan on how to stay more connected to the feelings of the interlocutor and reduce the ping-pong back to me & forth. I know change doesn’t come about on the spot, it’s a process and my day with Chip will ignite the engine.

    Thank you, I’m grateful for this opportunity!
    Corina

    Reply

  • Chris Whittaker — January 19th, 2012, 6:57 pm

    1.) QUOTE: “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

    2.) EQUATION: CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE; it’s difficult to cut through the every day mundane tasks that keep life going around to do any real deep thinking, to be truly curious, and to find those things in your life that inspire wonder and awe. I would like to use this equation to improve my life by identifying those things, people, times, and locations that can get me back to my childlike curiosity so that I can find wonder and awe again as an adult.

    3.) I would like to change some of my time management practices, build toward a stronger pursuit of making money with my writing on the side. I think spending a day in San Francisco with Chip could be of enormous benefit by hearing and experiencing firsthand someone who has put all of these equations into practice in his own life with great results.

    Reply

  • Ryan — January 19th, 2012, 7:38 pm

    1) Charlie Parker:
    “Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all of that bullshit and just play.”

    2) ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    I just spent the past few months clawing myself back from the worst parts of myself, to the best parts of myself. I went through a horrible breakup and health scare as I was unsuccessfully launching a startup, but have since seen other people, took the opportunity to get healthier and refocused our team into something amazing. I plugged myself then, and myself now into the four column equation and was so grateful to see how they aligned.

    3) The foundations for an even better me. I know I need to focus on HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT, now I want to learn it. Then that better me can reflect throughout all the other aspects of my life, happiness, family, relationships, health, work and everything else.

    Reply

  • Garth Beyer — January 19th, 2012, 7:45 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “If you don’t try, you fail”
    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    Curiosity. With how young I am and how much I want to learn, I need to remember the real meaning and emotional calculations behind it.
    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I am working on my book Infinite Positivity. After reading the post, I know it would be exactly what I need to make my book TIP. (Tipping point reference)

    -Garth E. Beyer

    Reply

  • Ted Cory — January 19th, 2012, 7:52 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    This too shall pass

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS- I am known for being “negative” but instead I’m just anxious about the unknown and things I don’t have power over. Applying this template can

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I’d like to change the fact that I feel like I can’t strike out on my own and be successful as an entrepreneur. I’m smart, educated, well read, and this should be a layup. I still don’t feel like I can pull it off. I know this is the *hard* part..

    Reply

  • Shelley Prevost — January 19th, 2012, 7:58 pm

    1. “The Wright Brothers never had a pilot’s license.”

    2. Disappointment + a Sense of Responsibility = Regret.

    I woke up today thinking about regret. An acquaintance of mine died this morning from ovarian cancer and I hugged my kids a little tighter. I cried, not for her—I didn’t know her that well—but for me. Selfish, perhaps. Like a fierce slap to the face, I became acutely aware of something I know—that I am given this one, little life. I feel much responsibility for making my corner of the world a bit better. I don’t want to fizzle away without contribution; none of us do, I guess. It’s time to get on with it!

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    The world. I want to live in a world that champions humanism and happiness alongside profit margins, and I believe businesses are the ones that will forge this path. It is my responsibility, and every other business leader’s responsibility, to galvanize corporations, and ultimately societies, to challenge the status quo of what we collectively value. I embrace my role in mobilizing that effort, but I know it can’t happen without thought leaders, like Chip, leading the way. I not only want to learn from Chip and his pragmatic idealism, but I also want to share ideas and create ways to wake people up to a better way.

    Reply

  • Alex Chua — January 19th, 2012, 8:13 pm

    1. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi. This quote inspires me by helping me remember a couple things. 1) The world is not perfect, but we can make it better and 2) Change is something that starts with you and you have the power to change the world.

    2. The equation that has the maximum benefit for me is “ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS.” For me, uncertainty comes from not knowing. So, by increasing your knowledge you decrease uncertainty and decrease anxiety. Anxiety can be paralyzing and this equation can help get rid of it by either gaining knowledge or by getting power.

    3. I would like to change myself to get rid of some of my weaknesses if I had a day with Chip. I feel like I am always trying to learn more about myself and self-improvement and knowledge of my feelings will help me lead a happier life.

    Reply

  • Nick — January 19th, 2012, 8:24 pm

    1. “Why does no one admit his failings? Because he’s still deep in them. It’s the person who’s awakened who recounts his dream, and acknowledging one’s failings is a sign of health. So let us rouse ourselves, so that we may be able to demonstrate our errors.” -Seneca

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    I’ve actually been actively putting this to use. Seeing things for what they are, and accepting both negative and positive aspects in life and opportunities to grow mentally.

    3. I would like a chance to get a perspective on a true entrepreneur or a direction to go in to liberate myself from the 40 hour work week. I’ve read some of tims book but it seems the monkey mind is quite an obstacle!

    Reply

  • David A. Iverson — January 19th, 2012, 8:31 pm

    1. It is more fitting for a man to laugh at life than to lament over it. -Seneca
    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I think exploring this equation will help me reconnect with the child inside of me that always wants to come out and play.
    3. I would like to master and better understand my own anxiety ridden emotions as I teach financial advisors to with their clients (it’s my job). Even after meditation, yoga, healthy eating, exercise, belly and tears laughing and a spiritual awakening I still find myself not always maintaining my “stoic calm.”

    Reply

  • Stefan Armstrong — January 19th, 2012, 9:39 pm

    1. “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right”
    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS – write down what i have control over to reduce anxiety.
    3. Build my .com

    Reply

  • Barbara Cox — January 19th, 2012, 10:18 pm

    1. If we did all the things we’re capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves. Thomas Edison

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE – I used this emotion to save my life when I was told by doctors I was supposed to die and to go from a homeless kid to a biz owner. I will use this emotion to continue to learn and to grow foundations that foster positive societal change – to teach people all the things they can do and astonish the world – to be in awe.

    3. I will use the information from Chip to grow an eco-housing foundation, along with other social change agent projects – Chip -with your mentoring, my project is to bring more wonder and awe to the world – thanks in advance!

    Reply

  • Joanne — January 19th, 2012, 10:26 pm

    1. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of a small mind – Emerson
    2. My curiosity would expand my creativity if I got to go to the beautiful city of San Francisco, because I left my heart there.
    3. I would like to open a hypnotherapy cafe for behavioral changes and developmental growth.

    Reply

  • Tarra Christoff — January 19th, 2012, 10:35 pm

    Great blog post! I was also impressed with the book and was fortunate to meet Chip briefly once at Esalen. He’s a great, down-to-earth guy and I too noticed how happy his employees are.

    Reply

  • Zach Negin — January 19th, 2012, 10:35 pm

    Though I’m well past the 100 mark, Chip’s post has inspired me enough to leave a comment nonetheless.

    1. ?”[There's] no excuse for just taking the week off to go hammer shopping when there are nails to be driven.” -Brett Kelly
    [My back up would be "Woooooo!" by The Nature Boy Ric Flair]

    2. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    Identifying/becoming more aware of the spaces that enable my curiosity and putting myself in them more often will be extremely helpful. Too often I pound the square peg into the round hole.

    3. I’d like to build my life around intentional living.

    Thanks to the both of you!
    -Zach

    Reply

  • Miranda R. — January 19th, 2012, 10:58 pm

    Thank you for this post. It was what I needed to read.

    1. My favorite quote is this one from Martin Luther King Jr.;

    “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

    2. I can implement the equation “Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness.” I am too often inspired to be a leader and then become overwhelmed by anxiety. My passion has been to organize a TedX Conference in my town, but the unknowns make me second guess myself. I am overcoming the anxiety by taking the list and tackling one item at a time. The confidence given to me from doing this is an incredible gift. The comparison helps me keep perspective. While bringing up the idea of TedX and talking to people about their passions has moved me. The things people can overcome when they find their passion is incredible, especially so when compared to the things that stall them when they do not.

    3. I would like to organize a TedX Conference in my home town. I have seen incredible people here who given the chance could make a lasting impact on our community, and maybe more as well. I believe that being able to meet with Chip Conley would give me the momentum I need to make this conference successful.

    Reply

  • Brendon — January 19th, 2012, 11:04 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    Wei Wu Wei – translated “action without action.” Action without action is the core idea from the Tao De Ching, and implies an entire philosophy of setting an intention and working with the universe to allow it to bring you what you need, rather than struggling and reaching for what you don’t have.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING is pretty powerful. I feel like any time I feel like giving up, I’ve forgotten the meaning of what I’m doing, and need to redouble my focus on that in the face of whatever hardship I’m dealing with. The idea that anxiety comes from uncertainty plus powerlessness is also relevant, because often my anxiety blinds me to the ways I can change a situation.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I’d like to find the formula behind powerlessness and end that pattern forever. (Or at least plant the seed. After all, we’re only talking a day.)

    Reply

  • TJ Nelson — January 19th, 2012, 11:12 pm

    1. Favorite Quote – “Absolute Vulnerability is the Ultimate Courage.”

    2. Happiness = Wanting What You Have/Having What You Want.
    I could apply this for maximum benefit by stopping throughout the day and doing what the Stoics called “Negative Visualization.” By visualizing a worse scenario, or what it would be like if my friend died, I would appreciate the situation or my friend that much more. Whenever I start to complain, I could stop, and instead of bitching about my car breaking down, I could say, “Well, at least I have a car!”

    3. I would like to change the way this country deals with Mental Illness. Through my own journey, I am convinced that for the majority of us, pills can only be a temporary solution. I fixed my 12 year depression (with a few manic episodes) with nutrition and natural methods. It is scary to me that we prescribe people pills that doesn’t solve the core problem. Do you know that depression can be caused by a yeast infection? Vitamin deficiency? Food allergies? I have worked with organizations such as NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), giving speeches, etc. and created a website dedicated to it. My goal is to change the way we help people overcome this epidemic in the United States.

    I would be honored to spend a day with Chip.

    Reply

  • Ken M. — January 19th, 2012, 11:34 pm

    1.) The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Thoreau (In my teens, I committed that I will NOT be one of these men, and committed to daily learning and self improvement). (Now I’m in my mid 30s.) Its working.
    2.) Curiosity = Wonder and Awe. Do my best to only be in environments and around people that aligns to the curiosity equation.
    3.) Build billion dollar venture that impacts the world positively.

    Reply

  • beanfraise — January 19th, 2012, 11:42 pm

    1. “I only have myself to look at in the mirror each morning and night, no one else is gonna do what I can do” – myself
    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. I would take this equation and look at possibilites for reframing, studies show the more choice we have as societies the less happy we are, so learning to REALLY enjoy the things we have is the key. Perhaps the equation should be Happiness = being present with what you have and appreciating it all. Ironic because I was unhappy for many years, but actual cuz it works by making you solely responsible for your own happiness.
    3. After a day with Chip in SF, I would like change how I interact with employees, and be the ripples that permeate out from a dropped rock in a pond, sharing what I learn with patients, colleges, mentors, friends and students. I’m too chatty for them to stop me anyhow….

    Reply

  • Will Yale — January 20th, 2012, 12:35 am

    It’s past the 100 comment mark, but I thought I would leave this anyway.

    1) “It isn’t that, by knowing the answers myself, I perplex other people. The truth is rather that I infect them also with the perplexity I feel myself.” – Socrates in Meno. Recently found this quotation from another great thinker to come out of the 1930′s, Hannah Arendt.

    2) I suppose Despair=Suffering-Meaning, but I struggle with that because some suffering is truly meaningless. The grief from losing a parent as a child, for example, doesn’t make one stronger, it makes one weaker.

    3) I would try to answer this question: how do you, like Socrates, convey that inner sense of curiosity (wonder+awe) to inspire other people?

    Reply

  • Outi — January 20th, 2012, 12:43 am

    Chip, I’m wondering about despair=suffering-meaning. I agree that if your suffering does have meaning, then there’s maybe zero despair. And at the same time I think despair can be larger than suffering, if there’s no meaning. I think despair can go to infinite. I would write this one as despair=suffering/meaning.

    On the other hand, in your version of the equation, despair can get a negative value, and that’s an interesting notion. What does negative despair mean? Does it mean that if you have enough meaning to your suffering, then not only you get no despair, but something good out of the experience? That’s a powerful one to think of. That you could actually not just relieve your bad feelings, but actually end up feeling good, when bad stuff happens to you. That’s limitless. No matter what happened, you would only get more happy and strong. I think I’ll see if could do this. What a potential! You know, the feeling like your horizon just widened :)

    LOL turns out I might after all like your version better than mine :D

    Reply

  • Penny Chow — January 20th, 2012, 1:14 am

    “Stay foolish,stay hungry” in the words of Steve Jobs.

    He never let life get the better of him. Even in trying circumstances, he pushed on and eventually created many wonderful products that changed the way people live and communicate with one another.

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE
    This is a wonderful equation especially in starting a new venture or new phase in life. Curiosity represents the positive side of changes in every circumstance.

    I would like to change my working habits. Cut down hours in the office and spend more time outdoors and with nature.

    Reply

  • Amanda Evans — January 20th, 2012, 3:16 am

    1.”For attractive lips speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes seek out the good in people. For poise walk with the knowledge you will never walk alone” -Audrey Hepburn
    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS. I have recently left an academic career in a well-known university working that was not very emotionally healthy for me. I am currently living in a new country, learning a new language and trying to establish a discipline and career shift while keeping both faith and integrity intact. On the days I accept my feelings of uncertainty and powerlessness, the anxiety clouds shift away and leave me with the glow of meaning, gratitude and a glorious sense of curiosity about my grand brand new adventure. However the winds of change do not blow everyday and I often find myself returning to the substance of this equation in order to keep myself appreciating the flow – very inspirational and useful.
    3. I could definitely use some help training myself to be more emotionally aware. I am very interested in what Chip is doing as I have already seen how powerful an effect emotional intelligence can have, both professionally and personally. I have been part of research groups where it was not used at all (people were unproductive and resentful) and also where it was used to its full extent (people were incredibly creative and happy). I wish to further my understanding and use of my own emotional intelligence in order to both better my own projects and interactions and also to be able to effectively lead and pass on to others the gift of empathic interaction. As humans, our ability to empathise and cooperate is one of our greatest strengths – we are weakened in isolation. I want to learn more. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Kobus — January 20th, 2012, 3:17 am

    Q ” Opposite of success is boredom” Tim Ferris in 4 Hour Work Week

    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS the path of seeking success takes risk and therefore is followed by anxiety. Jumping out buying 2 new businesses selling half of one, moving 4000 miles to run the new business, going from 7 employees to 50 overnight, from 40 clients to 450, having lived the 4 hr week for many years, traveled the world for 5 years with wife and 2 toddlers.

    Now to put that lifestyle/goal aside for the moment to be able to build the next enterprise to be the tool/tools to enable us to live the 4 Hour Week or less for the rest of our lives. To learn from Chip about customer service, how to get our employees to STAY happy and motivated even when, or especially when we are not present and to be able to teach/train them just as they are to us the Most Valuable Persons (MVP) and we serve them to be the utmost, in the same way they must show our clients that they, our clients, are the MVPersons and to serve the clients to be satisfied repeat customers- and then afterwards we would like to take all our key staff to experience first hand hospitality and to get the taste of the satisfaction that staff has from doing the right thing of being of service to people. Ultimately that is what life is about, about people.

    Reply

  • Nico — January 20th, 2012, 5:14 am

    - My favorite quote is from Goethe and translate something like this: “Whatever you can do or dream of doing, start it now. Daring has genius, power and magical force. Start it now.” Original german: “Was immer Du tun kannst / oder erträumst zu können / Beginne es jetzt. Kühnheit besitzt Genie, Macht und magische Kraft. Beginne es jetzt.”

    - ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS. Too often in life I’m hold back by anxiety. This happens in business as well as private life and keeps me from good opportunities to enhance my business and (even worse) to connect with people and enrich my life.

    - I want tt train with Chip on how I can reduce my anxiety level and increase my curiosity. So I can in the short run bring my business to a success. And in the long run to enrich my own life and the lifes of the people around me.

    Thank you for the great post and the valuable insights.

    Reply

  • David Alpuche — January 20th, 2012, 5:57 am

    1. “Imagination is more important than knowledge” by Albert Einstein.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? I don’t know if it was for “maximum benefit” but actually I applied the idea of being grateful today. I read this article early in the morning but didn’t have time to leave a comment so I put it into my to-do list for later. All day long I kept thinking about the article and so it happened that at work that day we had a a few issues we had to take care of and my boss was extremely helpful with us, you know, more than he had the obligation to. When the day was over and I was about to leave I suddenly recalled this article and went to say a sincere thank you to him for helping us… and you know what? He looked really surprised with it, but in a good way. Felt good, and in the end, it’s better if everyone in the company feels appreciated, and that includes the boss.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    Sadly I don’t qualify anymore, but I would take his email and the chance to ask him a few questions. You know, just throwing that out there….

    Have a great day.

    Reply

  • Stew Houston — January 20th, 2012, 6:09 am

    [ 1 ]: Inspirational quotes from philosophy

    “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” — Aristotle (via Will Durant)

    “The greater the difficulty, the more the glory in surmounting it.” — Epicurus

    [ 2 ]: Curiosity = Wonder + Awe

    “Wonder is the desire for knowledge.” — Thomas Aquinas

    If curiosity is triggered in the presence of events, observations or thoughts that don’t fit into our present understanding of the world, then, like a good scientist trying to disprove his own hypothesis, I ought consciously put myself in novel habitats and circumstances, allowing my mind free rein to bend and twist and merge new perceptions, even if it makes my gut sink and my sphincter clinch.

    “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities … because it is the quality that guarantees all others.” — Winston Churchill

    [ 3 ]: A day with Chip Conley

    I’d like to accompany Chip to his curious habitat du jour and work in tandem writing a song; whatever flows. Intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, outro; or something like that.

    Curious?

    Reply

  • Rob Havard — January 20th, 2012, 6:24 am

    1.

    “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
    ? Ralph Waldo Emerson

    2.

    I’m clearly past the first 100 entries and picked this up too late. Do you think Tim/Chip would look this up despite this fact? = Anxiety.

    Am I powerless? Maybe by explaining in my answer that I can overcome this I get the call to go to SF from the UK. Maybe if I show that I’m willing to fund an airfare from England they might take notice to how much I’m willing to give for this opportunity. Maybe I’m not so powerless after all and this experience leads me to lead the farming world in a better direction and also give chances to kids who never had a chance. Interested? Pick me.

    3.

    I’ve just turned my farming business upside down to do something that no one has done before. I’m on that journey and will need to build a culture and craft a narrative to catch the imagination of my future customers. I’m also involved in building a new charity offering private school education to fostered children at a farm school. Teaching these kids the self discipline necessary to care for the animals properly and directing that new discipline and care towards their learning. It is awesome. I love it.

    Reply

  • Anne — January 20th, 2012, 6:55 am

    1. A PRAYER FOR RECOVERING EXPECTATION ADDICTS

    Lord, Shiva, Yaweh, Saraswati, [insert your own deities here] pimp my shizzle and deliver me to where it’s best.

    Yess’m, Jesus, life, cosmic intelligence, Milky Way Magi, take the wheel.

    I know you’ve got my back. I know that you know how intensely my heart burns, how sweet is the honey at the center of my center, how much I am capable of.

    And God knows (that’d be you) how game I am to collaborate with you to make good stuff happen.

    I accept my calling: to show up and shine. Unfurled and honest. Determined to be only that which I am.

    I’m here to give…my all.

    I trust that pure intention counts for plentiful support.

    I trust we’ll get where I’m going, together — once I learn to be where I am.

    I’ll go make my art now.

    I have faith that you’ve got the rest covered.

    Amen. Om shanti. Shalom.

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    Finding this balance has always been a struggle for me. When you have a super ambitious type A personality, ‘having what you want’ seems counter intuitive. By being at peace with what I have, I know I can focus on creating a business that will allow me to have more of the things that I want to have.

    3. I would like to change my business model so I am operating at a profit- not a loss. I would like to build relationships with like minded people who are going through the same business struggles that I am.

    Reply

  • Sheyi — January 20th, 2012, 7:26 am

    It is not really painful that I am finding this blog this late but I just got stucked to your blog and could not continue or work on mine. I wonder how you get things happen so big. You rock man. I wish I was here earlier to partake in the free hotel nights give-away but it is all good.

    Sheyi

    Reply

  • Mike O. — January 20th, 2012, 7:44 am

    1. Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for the second time in the history of the world, humans will discover fire.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe. I have reached a place in my career where I am acknowledged as good at what I do. I do this day in and day out, day after day after soul crushing day. I have found myself not being curious anymore and joy of unexpected discoveries don’t come like they used to. I will apply this equation to ask more “What if?” questions rather than “What now?” questions.

    3. I’d like to see what creative ideas are sparked in our conversations on how to bring more meaning to what I currently do and how I can be more effective in helping others achieve their dreams. (Helping others unselfishly is one of the largest drivers of my happiness I have ever discovered in my life)

    Reply

  • Matt Pinckley — January 20th, 2012, 8:20 am

    “The world is not a problem; the problem is your unawareness” Bagwhan Rashneesh

    The happiness equation has been the most helpful. When I teach and facilitate goal setting groups, I often emphasize the difference between being abundant and having abundance. The first is a state of mind that supports contentment and gratitude, The latter is based on external things that can be lost at anytime and it also implies lack when you don’t have. The happiness equation gives a simple way for showing the importance of gratitude to other people and the effectiveness of being abundant vs. having abundance.

    I am already building what I want, I just think a day with Chip would provide me with more material, realizations, and ideas to connect with other people and make a difference in their lives. My life is defined by the people who I have impacted in some way, and after a day with Chip, I believe I could be more effective helping other people make sense of their lives.

    Thanks Tim.

    Reply

  • Alan — January 20th, 2012, 8:22 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    Thoureau —
    “To affect the quality of the day that is the highest of arts. In any weather, at any hour of the day or night. I have been anxious to improve the nick of time, and notch it to my stick too; to the meeting of two eternities, the past and future which is especially the present moment; to toe that line.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    Our best angel = love + competent leadership

    I could apply this equation as follows —
    Learn to engage people with a sense of spirituality/reverence. Express love in a leaderly way, by not allowing a default in my better self. Unlike the
    conventional wisdom, believe in Goethe’s view that it is best to love people, not for who we are, but rather for whom we could and ought to be.
    Believe in limitless possibilities.
    Express my love through my duty to my primary community and our great & worthy common cause which is to learn to live great lives (imagining what is
    possible and developing the competencies to accomplish what we imagine).

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    After a day with Chip, I would like to build a community (see above) which is emulated worldwide.

    Reply

  • Kelly Nevins — January 20th, 2012, 8:25 am

    1. All of us are in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.- Oscar Wilde

    2. I loved the idea of the gratitude journal. Like a food journal or any other kind of tracking tool, this would create a personal record of all the things that happen in my life to be grateful for (even things that at the time may feel “icky” but that teach a lesson).

    3. Spending the day with Chip in a city I’ve never experienced would surely be a way to inspire creativity in my life. While I also am in the hospitality business and would love to see how his emotional equations in practice help improve customer service, I am also a lifelong learner and adventurer and believe exploring new ideas/places/foods/etc… is a great way to improve all aspects of life.

    Reply

  • Sara — January 20th, 2012, 8:40 am

    “The agony of breaking through personal limitations is the agony of spiritual growth. Art, literature, myth and cult, philosophy, and ascetic disciplines are instruments to help the individual past his limiting horizons into spheres of ever-expanding realization. As he crosses threshold after threshold, conquering dragon after dragon, the stature of the divinity that he summons to his highest wish increases, until it subsumes the cosmos. Finally, the mind breaks the bounding sphere of the cosmos to a realization transcending all experiences of form – all symbolizations, all divinities: a realization of the ineluctable void.”? Joseph Campbell, The Hero With a Thousand Faces

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT: The balance between gratitude and gratification is an equation that I struggle with. I work counseling graduate students by day and am transitioning to a life where I embody aspects of the body and soul teaching yoga at night. I want to find a way to engage counseling as well as body and soul work together (quickly of course) but find that the more I pursue the more I realize that the process of knowing and loving what I already hold is as- if not more- important to my process than pushing myself to work harder to develop a business that is soulless. Gratitude is knowing that where I am will help grow what I want to do – I can’t force it.

    I wish to walk away with a mentor who can help my business develop in a way that embodies and supports personal and cultural growth. Growth in others, growth in me as well as growth in the world through outreach development. I believe in a business/nonprofit that does good work – embraces seva, is based in a philosophy that honors all people and can these ideals like wildfire. My primary focus in yoga and counseling and I would like to combine these things to create a business but also to create a structure that can help unify others with like minds to work together. There are many nonprofit organizations out there to help the less fortunate via yoga but not a group that provides free or low cost ways to interact, unify and create a global message.

    Reply

  • Maureen Bowes — January 20th, 2012, 8:49 am

    1. “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.” The Little Prince by Antoine du Saint Exupery

    2. Happiness = Wanting What You Have/Having What You Want
    I’m really keen to move house. I’ve lived here14 years as my children have gone through their educational years, but the person I was 14 years ago isn’t who I am now. Home and creativity are deeply important to me so I’ve learned via Chip’s equation that instead of being dissatisfied with what our home now lacks, I can value how it’s served us and continue to appreciate all its many qualities.

    3. After meeting Chip Conley, I would use my personal experience of time with him to illustrate there is living proof of authenticity as a Chief Emotions Officer, that Transformational Leadership is very possible. I would develop this experience via my work to show ‘here’s how…..’

    Reply

  • Dan Pierson — January 20th, 2012, 9:49 am

    Hi Chip,

    “Make the impossible possible, the possible easy, and the easy elegant”.

    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    This equation almost seems like a mathematical expression of the main Buddhist tenet of Nirvana—a place where desire is discarded in favor of a perfect state of contentedness. I’ve been miserable with 50k in my bank account scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and ecstatic working my butt off for free, doing something I love. I’ve never felt closer to attaining this equation than I am at this very moment. It’s really exciting.

    I actually live in SF, and have been talking to Linda, Ann, and Karlene about empowering JDV concierges with super easy, streamlined online rental for guests through Rentcycle. 100% free for JDV, as our commission comes from our rental partners. I’ve talked to concierges across the city, and they LOVE us—now just looking to management to help us scale.

    I’d love to turn the offer of airfare into a ticket to Hotel Heroes. It sounds like an amazing event, and one I’d be thrilled to attend.

    All the best,
    Dan

    Reply

  • Joe Geary — January 20th, 2012, 9:58 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “This too shall pass.” If it requires explanation, I personally feel this to be the same truth that Heraclitus spoke of, when he spoke of a universe constantly in flux. In this way, it speaks to all of my senses and to every depth at which I exist in any given moment.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    The equation, CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE places emphasis on how we make our minds, logically, emotionally, etc. I study creativity with a purpose of replicating it, but sometimes I focus too much on cognitive initiatives, because the metrics are easier to understand.

    In fact, so much depends upon the affective outlook and I think this equation can be applied to ensure that I attend to the Wonder and Awe. I can appreciate that they are required in order for people to make that decision to go “down the rabbit hole”, for a deeper, more rewarding understanding, and thus, a more holistic creativity.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would like to build an educational model that attends to people creativity and emotions. Having studied educational science, I feel that the current model seems to focus on developing a cold academic perspective. The most effective teachers are the ones that get inside your heart (or limbic system) and make you emotionally invest in what you’re learning. We don’t have many models that cater for that.

    Reply

  • Barney — January 20th, 2012, 10:02 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end”
    -Ursula K. LeGuin
    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    I believe that part of” having” is the willingness to also give and that one is not able to give what they do not already have. I have just finished a personal project that was an exercise in this very thing. I came into some money and decided to take a chunk of it and give it away $50 at a time to random people in my life. I stuffed a $50 in a tip jar at a coffee shop, gave a $50 to a checker at the grocery store the Friday before Christmas because I wanted to. In sharing 10 $50 bills I gained an appreciation for what I have in my life and what we all share in this world.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I would like to put together a program for management and service training in my home area. It is a big tourist area but there are huge gaps in service and management of so many of the local businesses. There is a tremendous gap between those that “have” and those that “do” in my area and I think I can help both ends of the spectrum to realized what the other end of the spectrum has to offer them.

    Reply

  • Chris H — January 20th, 2012, 10:12 am

    1. “To speak to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. To speak to a man in his language, that goes to his heart.” ~ Nelson Mandela

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    Until last week I was the head of a 75 person sales department at one of my country’s fastest growing tech companies. At 25, many people thought I couldn’t be happier. It wasn’t true. I quit (much to the chagrin of my family) because I was unfulfilled and could not recognize how I was making a difference in people’s lives. That being said I quit to start a new company where I feel I will have an more dramatic impact. But not knowing what I don’t know I have been bouncing between feelings of believing I can conquer the world one minute and sh*tting my pants asking myself, “who the hell do I think I am doing this?”
    Until I read this post, I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off fretting about customers, funding, legal, pretty much everything. So I’m making 4 columns now to get clear. I believe everything will work out if I’m clear and follow my gut.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I already own Peak by Chip and knowing that a team is only as good as its leader I want to build the best pyramid from the beginning. I owe it to my future team, investors and customers. Also, I would visit Alcatraz and the Golden Gate as I love architecture :)

    The best is yet to come…

    Reply

  • Jill Rowe — January 20th, 2012, 10:21 am

    My favorite inspirational quote is Marianne Williamson’s ~ Our Deepest Fear
    The equation that resonates the most with me right now is Happiness. I feel it best expresses all of the emotions, because without happiness and a true understanding of how to attain it on a daily basis, the other equations are much, much more difficult to reach. I have learned that through meditation and the act of ‘being present’ as much as possible I can better see the wonder, hope, curiosity and delight in the ‘now’. Because now is all we have. The past is no longer with us and we cannot know the future. Realizing this allows and frees you up for the pleasure of ‘now’. When I realize that I cannot be any other place than where I am right now, I know that each moment is perfect and unique and something for me to learn from. I also practice each day the ability to witness my world and what I can learn from it. Be willing to see the world differently and be open to change. Shift my perception of my world view to allow abundance into my life. To be grateful for all that I have. Forgive. When I practice these principles, I actuate happiness in my life, release the outcome and invite abundance. I then receive everything I need and more. Therefore I am utterly content with what I have as I know it is exactly what I need.
    I would like to build a workshop devoted to plumbing the depths of people’s inner spirit so that they too can understand fully the wealth that resides deep within them and will give them the ability to host all four equations and better serve their world through sharing those gifts.

    Reply

  • Richard Regitano — January 20th, 2012, 10:56 am

    1. What is your favorite quote: My favorite inspirational quote is “I was early taught to work as well as play, my life has been one long happy holiday, Full of work and full of play, I dropped the worry on the way, and God was good to me everyday” John D Rockefeller.

    2. ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS: I am currently in the process of buying a house and starting a new job both of which i know how the process will go but both have me very anxious for the unknowns. Unfortunately the unknowns are unknowns and I have to stay positive and focused.

    3. After my meeting with Chris I believe that I would be able to conquer not only my anxiety but also take the next step in life, potentially getting advice to work on my own projects and ultimately start a company.

    Rich

    Reply

  • Ramiro — January 20th, 2012, 10:58 am

    1) “The fact is that we’re vanishing creatures in time and space, we’re disappearing organisms in history. What does it really mean to be a featherless, two-legged, linguistically conscious creature born between urine and feces? We are not here that long, and the move between womb to tomb has to do with what kind of choices will you make, what kind of human being will you choose to be in that short time.” Cornel West.

    Reply

  • Robert Bluestone — January 20th, 2012, 11:07 am

    Five quotes, actually.

    1. ‘Creativity is the Currency of the Twenty First Century’. Robert Bluestone
    2. ‘Worry is interest paid in advance on a debt that may never come due’. David Mamet
    3. The purpose of being alive is to: ‘Enlarge the soul, liberate the spirit, light up the mind’. Tom Robbins
    ‘The purpose of music is to make the soul susceptible to divine influence’. Boethius
    ‘Success is going from failure to failure with no apparent loss of enthusiasm’ Anon

    During the Q & A at a conference I recently attended, I asked Seth Godin to comment on the last quote during his keynote. He said he like it so much that he was going to steal it.

    I am impressed with the cogent and practical application of all the emotional equations that Chip Conley presents. If I had to choose one, it would probably be ‘Curiosity = Wonder + Awe’. I am a touring classical guitarist and do a lot of public speaking about creativity and healthcare as well. Whenever I go to a community I play for and have a conversation with school groups of all ages. I love to play for them, tell them about my journey with the guitar and inspire them to find their own personal muse. The C=W+A is an eloquent way to give them a portal into the road to finding engagement with something that grabs them. For me, it is enormously rewarding personally to be a model for kids in empirically showing them myself, a guy who was found by the guitar and the authentic and fulfilling path it has taken me upon. If you treat kids with respect, it comes right back at you.
    It seems to me that a day with Chip Conley would be enlightening. Lots of things to be learned. His post opened a doorway beyond which I sense a wealth of wisdom.

    Reply

  • S.P. — January 20th, 2012, 11:25 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “As long as the daily number of positive thoughts you have is greater than that of the negative thoughts, you will be a-okay.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    I can apply the “Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness” equation to understand that there are many things outside my sphere of influence, and that I can’t account for all the variables in the world. These understandings would allow me to focus on what I do know and what I can change to minimize second guessing and overall stress.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would love to learn how to build upon what Chip has written in order to fully internalize the wisdom.

    Reply

  • MF — January 20th, 2012, 11:32 am

    1) My quotes: “As long as our orientation is toward perfection or success, we will never learn about unconditional friendship with ourselves, nor will we find compassion. ” ? Pema Chödrön; “Perhaps the biggest tragedy of our lives is that freedom is possible, yet we can pass our years trapped in the same old patterns…We may want to love other people without holding back, to feel authentic, to breathe in the beauty around us, to dance and sing. Yet each day we listen to inner voices that keep our life small.”
    ? Tara Brach

    2) CURIOSITY = Wonder + Awe
    I’m a curious person by nature – it is one of my strengths. But I never considered how my environment impacts my ability to apply that strength. Ironically, this is a key principle I teach my clients. I’ll apply this equation by 1) identifying what habitats nurture and inhibit my curiousity 2) increase exposure to the former and decrease exposure to the latter, and 3) look for ways to enhance my work environment to naturally inspire more wonder and awe.

    3) After a day with Chip, I’d like to build practices to defuse my reactivity – especially to some current challenges and past experiences that allow fear to continue to be a familiar friend of sorts in my life. I think Chip’s emotional equations will help me “unpack” these things whose emotional charge has previously made this difficult. These practices will allow me to be more present and fearless in my life and more effective in helping my clients utilize their potential to impact change in the world. I also hope it will allow me to live with more equanimity through the process of international adoption and be a better parent to the child I hope to bring into my life.

    Reply

  • carole — January 20th, 2012, 11:38 am

    Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. Marie Curie

    The comments on anxiety are well framed. I see colleagues, dear friends, relatives — basically everyone around me feeding their anxieties and not facing what could be beneathe. It makes certain people hard to be around and sometimes the boundary that I try to keep in place to protect myself gets thinner and thinner. I’m always fascinated by people who disguise anxiety as worry or apprehension or simply because it has never occurred to the person to question why they feel a certain way. A soothing approach, an encouragement for truth and a hug can go a long way.

    Leaders who “get it” emotionally simply fascinate me. I would enjoy a day of emotional beauty with such a forward thinker.

    Reply

  • William Sedland — January 20th, 2012, 11:52 am

    1)

    “A weak man is just by accident. A strong but non-violent man is not just an accident.” Gandhi

    I believe Strength, as a psychological state, is the extent to which you internally believe you have a right to exist as yourself, and act on that belief. Successful businesses that I have studied seem to project a state of making individuals feel uniquely strong.

    2)

    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    This is such a powerful equation for human behavior. All actions performed by man that limit their own growth or the growth of others seem to flow from this equation.

    3)

    My goal in life is to still be an idealist at fifty, sixty, and hopefully beyond. I’m a software designer that has a passion for being part of Education2, or the next wave in formal education. I would enjoy spending part of a day with someone like yourself that has given a great deal of thought into human behavior, but has also created tangible business successes that are powerful metaphors for overcoming old business templates, and creating in people desires they never knew they had.

    Specifically I would like to get your thoughts on:

    The difference between nice and being an emotional thermostat. How a skeptical customer can be turned into a loyal customer, or a customer that sees “wonder + awe”. Why despite the fact that so many tourist to California comment on the bad service of California hotels and restaurants, owners smile and change nothing. You said, “The more the external world becomes chaotic, the more we rely upon internal logic”. I was intrigued by this and curious of your thoughts of how successful businesses are frameworks by which individuals can use flexible structures that allow them to transcend chaos.

    Thank You
    William Sedland

    Reply

  • Kumudu — January 20th, 2012, 11:54 am

    1. “Concepts without precepts are empty, precepts without concepts are blind” Immanuel Kant

    2. despair = suffering – meaning

    Happiness is when you understand the suffering. I would apply this to my relatioships to get the best out of them. At the end of each day I will spend 10 minutes conteplating on the moments of that day and take them as lessons of life.

    3. Design rest of the time I will spend on this planet to be meaningful and objective.

    Reply

  • Barry Gottlieb — January 20th, 2012, 11:58 am

    1) Favorite Quote; “Every day is a gift, and the quality of your life is your gift to yourself.
    2.)Happines= Wanting What You Have/ Having What You Want: I would write a children’s book… for children of all ages… This would be an alphabet book where the reader would write 5 things that they were grateful for for each letter of the alphabet… I would give the profits to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital
    3)I would like to build a following for the “TGIT” (tig-it) movement. TGIT… Thank God It’s Today… a mantra of appreciation and gratitude for each and every day.

    Chip and Tim… Thank you for this post. It is awesome. I am grateful.

    With respect,
    Barry

    Reply

  • Remy J. Schrader — January 20th, 2012, 12:28 pm

    “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”
    – F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Crack-Up” (1936)

    ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    The four column exercise is genius. I’m part of a community of Improv comedy performers here in Los Angeles. A big “A-ha!” insight in my development was the moment I realized definition eradicates fear and all of the defensive behavior that fear fosters. When my scene partner and I walk out on stage, it’s empty until one of us does something. But say my partner tosses an imaginary something into the air, then takes a swing at it like he’s gripping a baseball bat, and I react by turning my head and watching the “ball.”
    “Great hit Uncle Charlie! Right over the bleachers!”
    Boom. Now we know what we’re doing, where we are and who we are to each other. In one exchange of action/reaction and one line of dialogue, we’ve got the foundation for a scene. And we’re free to explore in a hundred different directions because we defined taken a moment to establish a few key definitions.
    So in business this is your budget, your schedule, your processes, your vision and mission values. I find these come out in discussion with my stakeholders (partners, investors and clients), but taking the time to record what we discover — like filling out those four columns — dusts away my day-to-day anxiety and frees me up to perform at my peak ability.

    JOY IN COMMUNITY
    What I want to build after a day with Chuck is a catering company that will revolutionize the hospitality industry through profit-sharing. I’ve banded together with three partners who share this vision. In the same way Ray Anderson embraced green technology at his company Interface to show sustainability was not only beneficial to the environment but better for the balance sheet,
    (http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ray_anderson_on_the_business_logic_of_sustainability.html)
    we want to prove that hospitality companies can not only afford to pay their people a non-exploitative wage, but will reap greater rewards. Our goal is nothing less then a complete culture change in hospitality, one that sees service not as a resource extracted from unfortunates on the lower rungs of society, but as a gift from people who’s passion is Joy in Community.

    ~r

    Reply

  • Zack — January 20th, 2012, 12:30 pm

    1.) I have many quotes that I truly love. Though, my favorite would have to be: “This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel,” -Horace Walpole

    2.) HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT.

    This really hit me on a deep level. I’m guilty of being too forward focused and completely forgetting to truly appreciate the gifts I currently have. I’ve known to practice gratitude intellectually but from my behavior you would not be able to tell.

    3.) After meeting Chip, I would continue to build on my existing Life Coaching practice. I know to really help of others to make change in their life, I can’t just speak from a place of understanding but knowing.

    Even if I’m not selected, I’m greatly appreciative of this post. I look forward to reading the book.

    -Zack

    Reply

  • Matt Friedrichs — January 20th, 2012, 1:00 pm

    1) Happiness is when what you say, what you think, and what you do are in harmony – Mahatma Gandhi.

    2) Anxiety = Uncertainty x powerlessness: I feel that anxiety is perhaps my largest piece of baggage. It weighs on me and, at times, I fee that it prevents me from doing both the things I need to do and the things i want to do. Understanding it and where it comes from then mastering doubt, I hope, will make me better able to achieve the harmony from my featured quote.

    3) A more sustainable world: Now that is a big topic. There is the environmental side, but there is also this feeling I get that the world is becoming more and more chaotic and is proceeding towards some breaking point. I guess the question I want to address is how can you show people that not only does curbing the blind pursuit of “growth” help the environment on which we rely, but also ourselves. In order to address that a deep understanding of human nature is needed. Something to begin exploring on a day in SF. Its a big topic, but hey I am only in college.

    Reply

  • sarah francis — January 20th, 2012, 1:10 pm

    “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”-Howard Thurman

    anxiety=uncertainty x powerlessness. I have learned that you can always do what you can, with what you have from where you are. I have also learned that you have the power to vision your life, and if you take your eyes off that vision you will see things that seem out of your control. They are typically illusions. Even when bad things happen you don’t have to be anxious…ask better questions, i.e., “how does this serve me” because everything can serve you if you ask the question.

    After a day with Chip, I would hope to be better equipped to build Sarah Francis Wines into a brand that inspires people to pause, express gratitude, and gather to ask better questions.

    Reply

  • Dave G — January 20th, 2012, 1:48 pm

    1. “Live Slow” – not sure?
    2. Happiness = Wanting what you have / Having what you want – My life and my desires are totally out of balance. Being a professional, entrepreneur, new father, husband, and man constantly looking for more out of life, I find it is easy to both get lost in my dreams/creating my future, and stuck in the monotony of the everyday. The key to both of course is to get out of your head and live in the present… or Appreciate.
    3. I would love to throw around ideas about the future (or fall?) of organized religion as it pertains to community (non-virtual), happiness, and values. It used to be that Work, Religion, Family, and Health (not necessarily in that order) were common priorities. Seems now more are focusing on the Work (and the money it creates – Consumerism), and less on the other important aspects of a balanced life. Chip seems to be a scholar of both society and religion, incorporating a variety of teachings to his philosophies. Being spiritual but anti-organized religion, I feel there is a space to be filled in the lives of younger generations of critical thinkers. I would love to create some ideas of how to bring back community and non-monetary values to modern US society. In doing so, I think more life balance can be created and a space to enjoy and appreciate… and increase Happiness.

    Reply

  • Mike Rudd — January 20th, 2012, 2:26 pm

    1. Favorite quote: MLK JR “Your life begins to end when you become silent about the things that matter.” A great leader, speaker, and words to live by!
    2. I can apply the addition equation to my life because every day I want to learn more about business, life, and our society and curiosity is what I need more of every day to take what I learn and read and apply it to my life and help make the world better every day!
    3. I would further build my brand of MarketingFunWithMike. I currently write a blog and it is personal brand that I have created and I want to expand into a series of E Books exploring our country and giving people a reason to laugh and make themselves stronger and more passionate about what they love every day.

    Thanks for the chance (open to more than first 100 please!) and great post!

    Reply

  • MK@MANFORTHEAGES — January 20th, 2012, 2:27 pm

    Powerful post here my favorite in a long time. Got me thinking about math in a whole new way and how it can be applied to help with all sorts of problems.

    Here is my equation for the new field:

    MATH BASED PSYCHIATRY = EINSTEIN + FREUD – SEXUAL OBSESSION

    Reply

  • Allison — January 20th, 2012, 2:49 pm

    What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    A favorite quote of mine is, “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” – Paulo Coelho

    How could you apply one of the equations above to your life for maximum benefit?
    I work for a small start up company called Master Networks, and one of the passions of our business is supporting small business owners and independent contractors in their growth as professionals and individuals. That’s why the CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE equation stood out to me. Just as in my own life I carve out time to explore in nature and discover new things by reading and learning from others, our networking chapters have a built in segment each week focused on personal and professional development. Our members value improving themselves and learning how to live up to their potential. We also provide other resources for their growth and development and encourage them to be curious about their work and life.

    What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    If I had the opportunity to spend a day with Chip in San Francisco, I would carry that experience back with me as I work to provide meaningful and rich content to the small business owners we reach. I would build an awareness of the emotional components found in quality leadership and networking and help to educate people to create strong local networks and really root for each other as fellow business owners.

    Reply

  • Ike — January 20th, 2012, 2:58 pm

    1) Action is the enemy of thought.
    2) Curiousity = Wonder + Awe. I work in a creative field, and spend most of my time creating original content. Most of the time however, I’m too afraid to succeed, and stop halfway. This equation will help me be in awe and wonder for the things I come up with, and will help me finish them.
    3) I would love to build my own empire, one that is colourful, musical, philosophical and loving. One centered around people, not money.

    Reply

  • Carolina V. — January 20th, 2012, 3:03 pm

    Chip,

    Your post shares incredible insight into the value and importance of being emotionally attuned and self-aware. You are truly wise and have intentionally searched and developed a courageous and admirable self-awareness. It’s inspiring.

    I very much identify with your metaphors for understanding our emotional selves – baggage and exercise. In my own quest for understanding my emotional self I’ve used the idea of unpacking a really messy suitcase, understanding (in my own way) every piece in there and re-packing in a way that nourishes my strengths, dreams and desires. Much like our physical selves, our emotional muscles may be weak in some areas and strong in others. Knowing the weak points and understanding the value in strengthening them, can set us in the direction of our hopes and desires. Thanks for echoing these ideas, it’s nice to be in good company.

    A good friend and I are working on a blog that helps people find their truth and reach their dreams through improved communication and interpersonal relationships. Please visit us and share your thoughts http://www.utterlyou.com. We’re trying to provide content that helps people become more self-aware.

    My entry might be beyond the 100 limit, but here goes:

    1) ?“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
    -Ralph Waldo Emerson

    2) ?The curiosity equation is important to keep in mind and apply on a daily basis. Much like our bodies need nourishment from food to thrive, our minds can reach their potential with care and nurturance. The idea of deliberately making time to stimulate one’s creativity is useful and can be key to nearly all of the emotional equations presented in this blog. Taking time to consider the wonder, awe, and resulting curiosity that comes up for us can help me become more understanding and aware of my despair, anxieties and happiness.

    3) After a day with Chip, I would hope to glean knowledge about what’s worked and what hasn’t for him professionally and personally. Learning about him, his business and what keeps him going will provide inspiration, insight and information to help me continue to work on my goals. My friend and I just endeavored on the http://www.utterlyou.com blog and want to develop it to be something useful to people. The experience of a day with Chip will enhance my ability to continue to improve the blog and motivate me to persevere my inner truth.

    Reply

  • Patrick — January 20th, 2012, 3:22 pm

    Likely very much too late but…I’d pay for my own ticket Chip…would love to learn

    1; The future is now, make sure to parent it.

    2; I would need to learn to apply all – to myself and to the people around me. always on the look out for great colleague motivation.

    3; Change my frame of reference to become a true CEO

    All the best and great article!

    Reply

  • Priyanka Ripley — January 20th, 2012, 3:23 pm

    1. “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
    This was the quote I used for my senior year of highschool. Six years later, it’s something that has stuck with me, and I see real life examples every day. Chip seems like the embodiment of this. He built the one of the most successful businesses in one of the most competitive industries, and the crux of his success is caring about his people. This is the kind of leader I want to be – someone who really knows their stuff, but puts their people first.
    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe
    I loved that Chip pointed out that Curiosity is a habit we have to cultivate as we get older. I never thought of it as something you could actively work at, but it makes so much sense now! As a child, I was naturally curious, naturally filled with awe and glee when I experienced new things. I have noticed that as I get older, I’m losing that, and it makes me sad. Most of the older people I’m surrounded by have lost that sense of wonder, and so I took losing Curiousity as a natural part of getting older. No more! I will hereafter be evergreen!
    3. A Day With Chip
    I’m starting a business that offers psychological therapy online. I want to help people that are clinically diagnosed, but my dream, however, is for this service to be accessible and appealing to every day people, with every day fears, anxieties, and suffering. I would use my day with Chip to learn how best to build a company like that, how to foster self-actualization and happiness within my own team. If that’s what I’m offering to the world, I figure it should start at home.

    If I don’t get to meet you, thank you for your story. I hope I become a great Chief Emotional Officer some day!

    Best,
    Priyanka

    Reply

  • Stephen Balkam — January 20th, 2012, 3:32 pm

    Inspirational! Thank you.

    1) My favorite quote comes from Richard Back in “Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah”

    “You teach best what you most need to learn.” So true. And so hard to get the lesson for myself.

    2) Happiness equation: Love the notion of wanting what you have. Making it all about appreciation, gratitude and acceptance. We have more than enough. We live like kings and queens, yet we strive like paupers.

    As the Bee Gees so eloquently put it:

    Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe
    And to love you

    3) I’d like to build a web-based portal for doing great things online and create it specifically for kids and teens, their parents and teachers. Allow them a space to build on some positive messaging, video, games and then allow them to mash it up and send it out – making good viral.

    I’d like to raise awareness that social networking and the web has created a new kind of possibility for empathy, compassion and wellness. I want to incorporate the new neuroscience and the findings that being online can be healing and restorative. And, above all else, using forgiveness as a secret weapon.

    Reply

  • Samuel — January 20th, 2012, 4:10 pm

    Hi, I’m Samuel.

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    “Lucrative opportunities always come my way.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    I will definitely apply the curiosity equation to my life. The goal is to discover those places where I am the most curious and creative, which in turn will increase my productivity and output, creating a fluid and pleasurable environment at work.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    I will build a fashion empire.

    Reply

  • Sean Johnson — January 20th, 2012, 4:20 pm

    1. “Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?” – Sun Tzu

    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe

    To me, this equation holds the key to creativity. In the past, it has been rare for philosophy and creativity to make an appearance in the business world, however it’s success in this period of rapid change has shown how powerful it can be. Entrepreneurship has provided me with a balance between my ambitions and drive, and my deep interest in philosophy and personal fulfillment. What comes from this harmony is the ability to enact meaningful change. The ability to stay curious is what will help me to maximize my impact and become the best version of myself.

    3. I want to build something that helps people to redefine success from financial gain to their impact on the world. Social entrepreneurship has begun to do this, and its rise shows how powerful our ideas can be. By engraining this idea of success into everyday life and inspiring people to be soulfully ambitious, we can harness the whirlwind of change in this period of history to accomplish things that will leave the world a better place. Chip’s expertise and wisdom in the areas of happiness and motivation could have an enormous influence on this project and it’s benefit to the world.

    Reply

  • Dan Cronin — January 20th, 2012, 4:22 pm

    1. “You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however.” ~ Richard Bach
    2. Applying: “Curiosity = Wonder + Ave”: When I am feeling curios or want to avoid fear, anxiety or anything negative; being in the woods hiking or fishing brings that out in me. That’s where life lessons from Nature reveal themselves! That’s where ideas happen and we can step outside our, often, greedy selves. I would apply the above equation by consciously find the wonder and awe moments in everything upon waking and learning to share with others for a shared experience and atmosphere at home and work!
    3. I’ve always had a desire to build/consult/coordinate an eco-community within our cities. To bring natural lifestyles and environmental awareness to our ever-growing cities. Most kids today are completely cut off from Nature and are unaware of consumptive and throw-away-lifestyles. When you know Nature you know better. I often think of this quote when my curiosity has peaked and I feel most alive: “Ideas are very important to the shaping of society…they’re more powerful than bombings or armies or guns…They are behind all the choices we make…They can transform the world in a way that governments and armies cannot…With ideas, we can make real change that lasts.” ~ Ron Paul
    Thank you Tim F. for the Blog and Thank You Chip for the article your highlighted resources. I appreciate you both.

    Dan Cronin, OR, USA

    Reply

  • Karan — January 20th, 2012, 4:24 pm

    1)
    We try to change something other than ourselves; we try to order things outside us. But it is impossible to organize things if you yourself are not in order. When you do things in the right way, at the right time, everything else will be organized.

    -Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.

    2)
    Like a lot of people, I worry. I’m the guy that checks his backpack two minutes after he walks out the door to make sure he has everything, the one with insomnia over insomnia.

    I’ll apply rule #2 (anxiety=uncertainty x powerlessness) to hash out what I can control and can’t control. I’m graduating college this year, and want to start my own business à la Tim Ferriss. But I’m worried—I’ve never done it before, and there are so many failed businesses. Equation in hand, I’ll decide what I can influence and what I can’t. My friends and I have had ideas, but I’ve been scared to execute. By focusing on what I can influence, I can expand the scope of my influence and take the leap.

    3)
    After meeting with Chip, I’d like to build a product that helps others harness their own depths of power. I’ve been depressed, I’ve felt friendless, and I’ve felt like my life is going nowhere. I’ve felt this despite being on the cusp of graduating from MIT. A lot of what I practice now centers on this: I practice aikido, read Zen/Taoist books, do The Sedona Method, take Literature classes—trying to access my intuitive knowingness. Yet my major is Math with Computer Science: logical subjects. At the intersection of logic and intuition, I think I can reach people on both sides.

    Reply

  • Chris Seferyn — January 20th, 2012, 4:25 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    Reply

  • Chris Seferyn — January 20th, 2012, 4:34 pm

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    – “An entrepreneur is someone who has the soul of an artist and their expression is business…” – Bernie Goldhirsh, Founder of Inc. magazine

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    – HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT. I’m working on this one every day. I work to be grateful for what I do have and not spend as much time thinking about what I don’t have. I am working hard to allow the universe to feed me instead of chasing down prey and killing it.
    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF? I am a long time CEO and business owner and I’d like to come and feed off the brain of the smartest guy in the room for a day. I believe that only way you grow is to work with people who are better faster smarter or all three and challenge yourself to try things that you’re really not sure you can do. I have accomplished a lot but this would be a great way to stretch myself and develop my cEo aptitude..

    cheers

    chris

    P.S. please remove that earlier accidental comment…

    Reply

  • Karan — January 20th, 2012, 4:35 pm

    [I submitted minutes ago, but I had to edit #3. Sorry!]

    1)
    We try to change something other than ourselves; we try to order things outside us. But it is impossible to organize things if you yourself are not in order. When you do things in the right way, at the right time, everything else will be organized.

    -Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind.

    2)
    Like a lot of people, I worry. I’m the guy that checks his backpack two minutes after he walks out the door to make sure he has everything, the one with insomnia over insomnia.

    I’ll apply rule #2 (anxiety=uncertainty x powerlessness) to hash out what I can control and can’t control. I’m graduating college this year, and want to start my own business à la Tim Ferriss. But I’m worried—I’ve never done it before, and there are so many failed businesses. Equation in hand, I’ll decide what I can influence and what I can’t. My friends and I have had ideas, but I’ve been scared to execute. By focusing on what I can influence, I can expand the scope of my influence and take the leap.

    3)
    After meeting with Chip, I’d like to build a product that helps others harness their own depths of power. I’ve been depressed, I’ve felt friendless, and I’ve felt like my life is going nowhere. I’ve felt this despite being on the cusp of graduating from MIT. But in pain I’ve learned to access great strength. Much of what I do centers on this: I practice aikido, read Zen/Taoist books, follow Pavel’s Power to the People Program, do The Sedona Method. I try to access my intuitive knowingness. Yet my major is Math with Computer Science—logical subjects. I’d like to help people with a combination approach.

    Reply

  • Susan Rose Riskind — January 20th, 2012, 5:13 pm

    I have 1 favorite quote and 2 personal mottoes that I live by. The 1st, “Please have the goodness not to throw reason and logic in the path of a visionary.” is from an old English movie, The mottoes are from painful experience: The price of evolution is fear. I do know now what I wish I had known then. They have helped me move through a lot of hard times.
    The equation that means the most to me right now is Anxiety=Uncertainty X Powerlessness. It reminds me to focus on what I can do, and the certainty that if I take action the results will be more beneficial than the fear in my brain allows. I need to learn how to use his Anxiety equation to get out of my own way. I would love to spend a day with Chip working on just that: Anxiety over what I don’t know has kept me form launching a new business even though I know the product works. It is time to turn ,this roadblock into a cornerstone.

    Reply

  • Michael Young — January 20th, 2012, 5:22 pm

    The inside cover of my journal reminds me daily that “Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough.” George Washington Carver’s statement applies to the fruits of persistent inquiry in the field, laboratory, or library and to the people with whom we live. Including ourselves.
    Respectful questioning and listening underlie successful life-coaching, an integral part of my life’s work as an academic, a university administrator, a scholarship director in the philanthropic world. As I begin my career as an independent consultant, I want to help others identify their most audacious aspirations, the tools and strategies needed to realize them, and the sources of inner courage to act on and realize them.
    A productive coaching/mentoring relationship suggests that both parties possess significant interest in discovery, both of the client’s self and the larger universe which s/he shapes and is shaped by. Similarly, both benefit from the capacity for surprise (“I would not have thought that…” or “I never realized…”). And with surprise, the acknowledgement of how much remains to be known, how much more vast is the created and creative universe. Seeking and inquiry of any time are driven by a foundational curiosity, sustained by wonder, and find expression in an acknowledgement of the vastness of what still remains to explore and that will likely remain known only incompletely: Awe.
    What I do not know is measureless. A day with Chip offers a chance to impose some dimensions on that expanse: how to create creative environments with and on behalf of other persons (my coaching clients), how to induce them in an uncertain (even unstable) world to take risks both personal and professional, how to determine their own standards of success. And to share these gifts with clients in a spirit of authentic respect and yes, even love.

    Reply

  • Sima — January 20th, 2012, 5:23 pm

    I know I’m definitely not in the 100 entrants, but I like this exercise :)

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    My dad always says, “You don’t have to like anyone, but you must be nice to everyone, because you’ll never know when you’ll need their help.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS I already feel better applying this one to my current project. The four columns ideas is a stroke of sheer genius. I wish I would have thought of that. I’ll be handing it out to my clients when they have anxiety issues.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF? I’d like to create a platform to encourage teenage girls to choose a career in sciences. As a woman in science myself (BSc Chem), I would like have a website where girls can experiment making cosmetics for themselves at home, such as lip balm and mud masks. Since I am nerd, I would want to go through the science of why these cosmetics in hopes I’ll see some of the ideas when I judge the local science fair.

    Reply

  • Susie and Jackie - sisters — January 20th, 2012, 5:29 pm

    1) Solon the Greek Legislator was said to say, “the observation of the numerous misfortunes that attend all conditions forbids us to grow insolent upon our present enjoyments, or to admire a man’s happiness that may yet, in course of time, suffer change. For the uncertain future has yet to come, with all variety of future; and him only to whom the divinity has [guaranteed] continued happiness until the end we may call happy.”

    Or, in more plain terms, as Yogi Berra put it: “it ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings.”

    2) CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    Having recently re-read the Power of Now (Ekert Tolle), we believe that while most of the world is asleep, or burdened by their past or anxious of their future, we strive to live in the moment, awake, and in a state of constant amazement.

    3) What would we like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    What we hope to build from this is a launching, or momentum, of our non-profit business that promotes animal welfare by encouraging empathy through children.

    Reply

  • Lynn — January 20th, 2012, 5:57 pm

    1. One quote, just one? Inspiration is the most important moment of the day. For some, it helps them get out of bed and start their day. For others, it is what gives them closure and see possibility in the future. And for many, like me, it fills our appetite to obtain that special knowledge that will help us achieve our purpose. With that said, every day is about living in the moment and being the best you can be now. So, I always carry a piece of Ralph Waldo Emerson with me: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matter compare to what lies within us.”
    2. Curiosity = Wonder + Awe. In my life, this equation is 100 percent required to have the ability to experience any of the others. It truly is what allows me to grow, which affords so many additional opportunities. I am able to see things (I know, general term but all-inclusive none the less) in a new way. Understand failure. Value respect. Deliver gratitude. Enjoy fun. Appreciate appreciation. Offer love. Give hope. This equation is a place that we can all go for just a moment or for a lifetime.
    3. Create more meaningful and powerful human connections that spread positivity and knowledge throughout the nation and ultimately the world.

    …just before 5 p.m. (PST)

    Reply

  • Elizabeth — January 20th, 2012, 8:36 pm

    “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    I am a very curious person by nature, and I’ve developed a guilt about it; I feel that reflecting my innate curiosity portrays me as immature, inexperienced, and vulnerable. I’m insipred and re-assured by CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE. I feel that I should rather take my curiosity and market it :D

    I would love to talk business with Chip. I think he sounds like an innovative man, and I’d love a taste of where he draws inspiration. I would like to brainstorm with him; listen to his ideas, draw upon them, etc.

    This entry is too late, and I’ve probably misunderstood the article.

    Que Sera!

    Reply

  • Alan D — January 20th, 2012, 9:09 pm

    “Bad habits are like chains that are too light to feel until they are too heavy to carry.” -Warren Buffet

    That bit about Uncertainty really gave me a good sense about understanding others. I’m interested in seeing this work on other men and women. That moment when the bulb clicks. That from then on they’ll be able to empathize better with others they know.

    I’d like to be his competition. I just took a bootcamp in December. Some of it resonated with me and some things sounded kind of sleazy. Offering discount motels to be recession proof while serving an underprivileged or challenged customer, yet charging exorbitant fees for certain services and Disney world markups for other essential simple things.

    After reading Chip’s Bio I ordered his books and am going to try to get in touch with him regardless because a lot of what he said hit home because of my psych background. I’d like to build a Hotel that delivers needs as well as wants. Seeing someone who fuses compassion with business successfully is such a rare thing. More is in fact more here so I’m going to do my best work on it.

    Thanks Timmy for giving me the opportunity to be a student of yet another excellent person. You’ve got me on Ramit’s stuff and through him MMMoustache. Together that’s made me about 30% on my already low expenses. I can’t thank you enough for those 20lbs lost 10lbs gained last January.

    A trip out to Cali would mean a whole lot to me personally, I’ve got family out there who I haven’t seen in over a decade. It would be an excellent chance at growth for me. I don’t just listen, I do the work too.

    Reply

  • Liz Alton — January 20th, 2012, 10:07 pm

    1. Be yourself; everyone else is already taken – Oscar Wilde.
    2. You say, ‘curiosity is one of the most valuable emotional qualities people can leverage during periods of crisis.” The curiosity = wonder + awe formula resonates so clearly with what I am spending every minute thinking about. In times of transition, crisis, reflection, and deliberate growth, connecting with oneself is the foundation of radical shifts and progress. From here, we know who we are and can outline our direction and pursue it. I’m 32, recently shifting gears from a career helping entrepreneurs in developing countries to trying to figure out my own path as an entrepreneur. A profound sense of gratitude, finding fearlessness, and taking time to remember who I was before/after a decade of 90 hour workweeks is my main concern. An open heart and finding a way to connect with wonder and awe, to fuel the curiousity needed to ask hard questions and explore…..that’s where I am at.
    3. In one day with Chip I would focus on one outcome: how can these concepts be used to help people become the best possible version of their authentic self, and how can they be applied to and shared with entrepreneurs in developing nations around the globe. Access to this kind of knowledge can literally transform entire economies, not just lives.

    Reply

  • jonathan — January 20th, 2012, 10:42 pm

    1. ” If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of” “Knowing is not enough, you must apply; willing is not enough, you must do.”

    2. I’ve applied Curiosity to my life before I even could articulate that equation. your article and TED talk put into words what I have been living, and i’m grateful for learning a few of the other equations.

    I decided recently instead of digging in and entrenching myself, to literally go all out in my life and explore my mind through art. Every business person I know, family, friends, etc… think i’m crazy, but the effects in my life have been profound instead of letting fear work.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I would like to help others change their perception globally and apply, like you have with business, to their own lives these ideas of EQ. Fundamentally, I believe that if that occurs, and you can see traces of it happening already, the earth would be unstoppable and things would be in alignment to solve real problems and not just tangible silly problems.

    Reply

  • sudan gautam — January 21st, 2012, 9:06 am

    Namaste!
    Tim and Chip from Nepal.

    I had watched Chip’s TED talk few months back and it is still one of my personal TED talk show i have watched so far. Let’s get back to the question:
    1. Quote: Live neither in the past nor in the future, but let each day’s work absorb your entire energies, and satisfy your widest ambition.- Sorry i don’t remember you quoted it.
    2. Curiosity = Wonder+ Awe
    My curiosity level has raised after reading few blogs like Tims and Ramit. I feel i need to get more curios about the thing people share and want me to hear than the only thing i want to hear all about.
    I shall apply this equation to provide WOW moment to myself and to people with whom i shall meet more often. I want to WOW them with my curiosity on their conversation.
    3. I would love to learn from him and also meet Tony Hesigh from Zappos so that i could stand as a role model to people who hate HR.
    God bless people like them who have taken simple approach but worked to change the world to some extend. Thanks Tim for providing a great opportunity to know about Chip.

    Reply

  • Anita Brattina — January 21st, 2012, 10:06 am

    Favorite Inspirational Saying: “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”

    Favorite Formula: “Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness

    Reason to Win despite missing deadline = Chip’s honesty and willingness to share his concepts and Tim’s endorsement are compelling. I founded a company with three partners two years ago. We have 29 employees and growing. Yet, the greatest challenge we have faced is the emotional strength of our partners and employees. Over the holiday break I analyzed our lessons learned from the last business year and overwhelmingly, it was the personal demons and opinions and anxieties of ourselves and our staff that held us back. Externally, we had a fantastic year. But on Thursday we had a company meeting. When I looked at the faces of our employees as we presented our 2012 plan, I thought, “how do we get through to them? How do we help them feel powerful and freely contributing to our success and the success of our customers?” Over the last 25 years I have founded 4 companies. Each one had its own success. Yet Chip and Tim are profoundly correct–it is the personal opinions and beliefs of our colleagues that drive their actions. I am hungry to learn more.

    Reply

  • sang — January 21st, 2012, 11:15 am

    I was told by Amazon that you and/or your agent requested to REMOVE books with title of “four hour”. They have refused to respond, and obviously they want to do anything to please you whether there was actual violation of trademark.

    I’d like to ask you and/or your agent’s comments.

    1. Trademark/copyright laws allow fair use exceptions, e.g. Commentary and Criticism.
    2. Did you register “four hour body” as a trademark as well as “4-hour body” because trademark should be specific?
    3. Trademark infringement does not occur unless there is likelihood of confusion.
    4. Given these facts, why do you consider there was trademark violation, and books have to be REMOVED without any opportunities for us to defend/communicate?

    Reply

  • CT — January 21st, 2012, 1:07 pm

    A great article Tim, I really like how there are so many ways to continue researching from the reference links within as well. I only have one particular point I have to contribute. With 10yrs experience as a personal trainer, I have dealt with many very busy, successful people and also so many different conditions and ailments. Being raised in a relaxed country home/food environment and then moving to the city. The most predominant thing I see across the masses is the lack of attention to balanced nutrition as the first step in stopping
    “ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS”
    Balancing blood sugar, by food type, portion size and then timing, is the number 1 mistake I see. Not following this, leads to anxiety, depression, wine(sugar) drinking every night etc…Seek out a nutritionist people, a good trainer, learn about “The Zone” by Dr.Barry Sears and become aware of what the glycemic index is. This is law inside the human body, most people spend more time researching what TV they’re going to buy, rather than learning about food they eat everyday and how it controls how they feel.

    Reply

  • sang — January 21st, 2012, 5:28 pm

    Congratuations on Tim Ferriss’ signing with Amazon Publishing.

    4-hour chef is soon to be ready, and Amazon is preparing by REMOVING book with execuse of trademark violation. They even supressed a book titled “Slow Carb Diet Recipes”!!!!

    Tim Ferriss does not and cannot own a trademark of “slow carb diet”.

    It is not a big deal in monetary terms. However there are LAWS concerning trademarks, and I do not want to be discriminated/retaliated/defamed of trademark violations. I do not think this is what Tim Ferriss wants, at least on public eyes.

    Please correct me if I am wrong: Tim Ferris owns a trademark of “4-hour body” “4-hour work”, not “four hour” or “slow carb”. Review of his books can have titles of “4-hour work”, “4-hour body” “four hour work” “four hour body” or “slow carb.”

    Regards,

    ===

    I’d like to ask you and/or your agent’s comments.

    1. Trademark/copyright laws allow fair use exceptions, e.g. Commentary and Criticism.
    2. Did you register “four hour body” as a trademark as well as “4-hour body” because trademark should be specific?
    3. Trademark infringement does not occur unless there is likelihood of confusion.
    4. Given these facts, why do you consider there was trademark violation, and books have to be REMOVED without any opportunities for us to defend/communicate?

    Reply

  • sean koon — January 21st, 2012, 6:34 pm

    Chip,
    This is a well, put together article with great info (it’s obvious that you’ve been through the book proposal/writing process.)
    Gratitude has done magical wonders for me as well.
    In reference to your anxiety balance sheet, I’m intrigued by the idea that we are drawn to the “mysterious” or anxious void. It’s as if we take the known for granted “I’ve got that handled”, and urgently search for the one thing that could really jack us up.
    I wonder if it’s an issue of buffer–that is to say that few people have the kind of buffers in time, relationship, money, that will allow us, for example, to be 1/2 hour late for work “if something bad happens” or to pay for major damage to the car, or to have enough positive “equity” in a relationship, so that we don’t freak out that they might have “misunderstood me”. When all the margins are close, there is some urgency to knowing the “unknown”.

    Reply

  • AJ — January 21st, 2012, 9:03 pm

    My Team Leader sent this to me and I had to respond even though the deadline was missed.

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    Harvey Mackay: Overcoming Obstacles (great inspirational video on not letting failure define you. YOU define yourself).

    “Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.”

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?
    HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT
    How I love this because it speaks to the truth to finding your happiness in your life and it is about doing the math (your personal math). You have to focus on being honest with yourself, the math doesn’t lie.

    I’ve come to realize I have everything I need all within myself to be happy.
    It took years to realize this. It took participating in chasing games our cultures wants us to participate in to help keep the economy going. For example, you’ll be happy when you have that sports car, that house with picket fence, with that trip to Disney Land. .

    However “our cultures” math only made me come up short changed (literally and figuratively), unsatisfied and empty.

    Now I realize all the wonderful “haves” in my life!
    Applying this equation when evaluating “wants vs need” really reveals the truth of my personal math on an emotional and material level. This equation makes decision making much easier now and am personally more happier.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    Being happy is contagious, each day I put my best foot forward and ensure the people around me know they matter and they are heard. If the opportunity were to be made available to me to meet with Chip I know I would learn from the experience and pay it forward so others can benefit from my experience. The More You Know :-)

    Reply

  • tim slechta — January 21st, 2012, 11:25 pm

    It’s funny, tonight I was watching X-Men Origins: Wolverine on FX (I’m obviously super busy on saturday nights) and the hosts (mainly Jennifer Lothrop) mentioned during the break that Hugh Jackman would regularly take ice baths in preparation for his role in this movie. Apparently, he wanted to “know how wolverine felt in the scene where he comes bursting out of the water”. ok. And then I remembered that you had mentioned in a previous interview that he (Hugh Jackman) had read the 4-Hour body. Then it all made sense :)

    Reply

  • Jamie Cunningham — January 22nd, 2012, 5:05 am

    Great post Chip & Tim. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  • Tristan — January 22nd, 2012, 6:06 pm

    Interesting perspective and a great read.

    Just voted for KR for #1!

    Reply

  • Sam — January 22nd, 2012, 7:16 pm

    My favorite inspirational quote is one by Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, “Believe deep down in your heart that you’re destined to do great things.” This quote means so much to me, not only because I’m a Penn State student, but also because of its personal meaning. To me this quote says do not worry about all of the set backs along the way, some day you will be wildly successful and all the bumps in the road in the past will be looked at with a smile. Thinking of this quote helps me move through the rough times and know success is right up ahead.
    I would like to implement curiosity= wonder + awe. As an engineering student, a majority of my coursework is a very set and linear in its nature. Although I am curious about how this all works, the classroom environment isn’t always the best place to display new and innovative solutions. I’m going to make an effort to find places that pique my interest and take more classes that stretch my mind.
    After a day with Chip, I would like to stretch myself outside the box of college coursework. I would like to get involved with some local entrepreneurship groups and interact with more people who are actually creating value. Meeting with Chip would give me more insight into how I can help and lead in these groups.

    Reply

  • Joshua Allen — January 22nd, 2012, 11:09 pm

    As a 19 year-old who is returning to high school for his diploma, where should I even start? What I mean by this is, since I spent most of childhood and teenage years goofing off and never taking school seriously, how can I turn the direction of my life around and start working towards “success.” Focusing on finishing school seems like the obvious decision. But then what?

    I come from a poor family, so I never had any hopes of ever making it to an expensive college. I only just recently started to understand the importance of a good education. Am I too late? Is my bad high school career going to follow me for the rest of my life?

    I know I have the brains that I can make something of myself, given the right resources (maybe the key is to come up with my own resources….) When I talked to my school counselor just recently about what I would need for my diploma, she was almost dumbfounded that I never finished, even referring to me as part of the “elite” in my grade class. So my problem has never been having smarts. It’s using them in the right way.

    This might come off as long or too broad, but I’m hoping I can still find some advice on here.

    Reply

  • Kevin C. — January 23rd, 2012, 6:10 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    Live as though this were your last day, learn as though you would live forever.-Mahatma Gandhi.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    This as you say has two sides, although I’m not sure they’re love & hate. This is very thought provoking, and requires thought and analysis. We need to learn to be satisfied. As Socrates asked is it better to scratch and itch, or to have never had the itch to begin with? I think that as humans, we still need/want some itching and scratching…

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    Take a leap of faith and free myself career and otherwise.

    Inspiring, Thank you Chip and Tim

    Reply

  • John — January 23rd, 2012, 1:07 pm

    Interesting article, thanks for sharing.

    I liken the Crunchies to more of a tech version of the People’s Choice Awards more than the Oscars.

    Reply

  • Claire Spencer — January 23rd, 2012, 3:47 pm

    After a few days of consideration, I think that if I could have a day with Chip in SFO, I’d like to either work at a school or community garden, or go do some art somewhere, by volunteering or heck, just paying. My friends’ at Smoky’s Tangle in Oakland do weird stuff all the time, there are plenty of middle schools that don’t even have an arts program… I think that the most benefit can come not so much from picking someone’s brain but seeing how they approach work and a challenge. I learn the most from people when we try to create something together or when we’re both working towards a shared goal. Also, talking can be boring and doing is pretty darn fun.

    Reply

  • Chinwuba Okafor — January 23rd, 2012, 4:10 pm

    1. “As long as you live, keep learning how to live. – Seneca”

    2. The Anxiety equation resonates with me because I sometimes doubt my own ability. I know I’m not powerless, but being uncertain about how it should be used and to what degree, makes me doubt how much power I have so I flounder. Many “problems” are often a case of unclear vision. I’ll try to use the column approach to see my problems in truth rather than the monster my imagination makes of it.

    3. I work with students who are tasked with getting their peers involved. To quote our mission statement to, “promotes the holistic Growth of student(s) and the value of Generosity.” I see this dynamic playing out on an emotional level. I want to be able to equip my students with the ability to see this charge as creating an experience rather than a series of tasks. To help them connect with their peers on a level that will work to build community.

    Reply

  • mike tobias — January 23rd, 2012, 4:57 pm

    As an entrepreneur with a mathematics degree, I must say that I just love your equations. Great stuff. We are three part beings, mind-body-spirit. Emotions play a huge role in making anything happen. Our emotions are what get us over dealing with illogical situations!

    Great stuff. Thanks for posting.

    Reply

  • Manny — January 23rd, 2012, 6:28 pm

    “submitted January 19th 2012 :) ”

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    An unhealthy soul whether deliberate or from external forces requires a healthy body. How we treat this bit of flesh we’ve been given says a lot about what we will become on the inside.

    -Haruki Murakami

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    I need this more than anything in this phase of my life. I feel like a sponge and I need to get out into the world to find more inspiration and creativity. Only time will tell how I will harness the power of my curiosity in months to come. I’m looking for that magical moment when I KNOW my work will make a difference in people lives.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    Nothing immediately. I want to spend the day with Chip and try to get to vibe with him. Maybe convince him to party with me at burning man! I’d like to chat about the relationship that changed him. I’ve lost some pretty important relationships in the past. I just want to soak up as my knowledge as I can, and then figure out what I will do with all those golden nuggets!

    Reply

  • Alia Poonawala — January 23rd, 2012, 10:38 pm

    Tim Ferriss,

    I adore thee.
    Everything I like/want/look into, you have SOMETHING for my curious soul.
    I think I desire to meet you one day.

    Ciao guaptio! And godspeed!

    Reply

  • Darren — January 24th, 2012, 5:28 am

    Yep. Read the book. It is funny how Goleman says that the only human trait positively related to success is self-restraint. Tame the beast and the rest will follow.. but, but… beasty is so much fun!!

    Reply

  • Qu-Yen — January 24th, 2012, 9:32 am

    Thank you for post. Recent inspire quote: “The purpose of souls is to assist others.” – Shah.

    Happiness = wanting what you have / having what you want

    Thank for this equation to keep me thankful for everyday that people and things I have. Build a meditating center in OC.

    Reply

  • Rodrigo @ The Brave Man Blog — January 24th, 2012, 9:34 am

    Every now and then all the people around me start getting into my mind and I start doubting on my path, most of the people in this country are very negative, but when I see something like this I remember:

    who am I going to listen? the ones with a mediocre lifestyle or the ones that are having an incredible life?

    and then the answer becomes very obvious :)

    thanks to posts like this I find the strength to keep going towards my dreams :D

    Reply

  • Anya Arsenault — January 24th, 2012, 11:22 am

    Hi Tim,

    You are my business/ life style guru.

    I am about to embark on the adventure of expanding my business in to a national/global restaurant chain, despite your sage advice not to do so.

    Creating business concepts and food are two of my greatest passions. When we get the 1.5M capital investment we are seeking I may need your advice on getting out from under my self-created love/hate relationship at some point, and your insights regarding business in the Asian marketplace could prove very helpful.

    Once we are automated I will then focus my time on becoming a sport fishing expert, a world renowned sharp shooter and starting new concepts.

    I am hoping you’ll allow your PA’s to forward my email so we may develop a mentor relationship. Heck, maybe you’ll find me and my business challenge interesting, if not at the very least, amusing.

    I am not creepy, people think I am actually quite fun and a great cook. This is my first attempt to get in touch with you. I will keep trying. You’ve brought this upon yourself. :)

    Kindly,
    Anya

    Reply

  • Chase — January 24th, 2012, 4:10 pm

    Happiness=Wanting what you have/having what you want is my favorite!

    Quick question for anyone who has shipped/imported goods from China before:

    I want to buy 100 frisbees, about 39lbs, and ship them from China to FL, USA. So far, the cheapest shipping that I’ve found is $400… which is almost as much as the entire order of frisbees. Is there a better way to ship?

    If anyone knows any companies/resources to get cheap shipping, please fill me in and feel free to email me!

    Muchas Gracias,
    Chase

    Reply

    • Ramiro — January 25th, 2012, 3:28 pm

      @Chase. Use a freight forwarder and have the shipment be sent to the US via vessel rather than airfreight.The shipment should be a minimum charge (not per ton/m3). Maybe about USD 100 or up to USD 200… Check Kuehne + Nagel, Danzas, Panalpina, DHL. Again, use an ocean freight consolidator rather than an airfreight service. The downside is that the shipment will take about 1 month to get to you. But other than that, there is no “free lunch”. What you have been quoted is probably an airfreight shipment from China.

      Reply

  • John hayder — January 24th, 2012, 6:16 pm

    These emotional equations are a good thing to know, but I wouldn’t rely on them for a cure to suffering. Biology teaches that emotional problems are created from a belief and a series of emotional associations to that belief. Then from there a person can develop phobias or intense amplified uncontrollable emotional reactions that react more like a reflex to certain triggers. And these bad reactions become more sensitive over time. More awareness or meditation does not neutralize these problems but helps calm them. To cure the problem you can try something called EFT by robert smith on youtube for free or 3D mind by Tom Vizzini from Essential skills . Google them as well. Enjoy

    Reply

  • Kevin C. — January 25th, 2012, 12:56 am

    Gents: I wrote this on January 23rd:

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    Live as though this were your last day, learn as though you would live forever.-Mahatma Gandhi.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT

    This as you say has two sides, although I’m not sure they’re love & hate. This is very thought provoking, and requires thought and analysis. We need to learn to be satisfied. As Socrates asked is it better to scratch and itch, or to have never had the itch to begin with? I think that as humans, we still need/want some itching and scratching…

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    Take a leap of faith and free myself career and otherwise.

    Inspiring, Thank you Chip and Tim

    I also want to add that I live in Tokyo. I would drop the cash to fly and meet with yourselves in a heartbeat. Thank you.

    Kevin

    Reply

  • Jorge Morales — January 25th, 2012, 6:58 am

    I know I’m late…

    “That which you are afraid of the MOST,
    is what you MOST need to do.”

    Ever since I heard this, it completely changed me. The quote first allowed me quit my regular job to join a friend on his business for the both of us to achieve a freedom which wouldn’t have been possible had we stayed stagnant.

    Since then, I’ve paraglided (in spite of my vertigo), been 15 under 48 degree water (I needed to see if I could do it), and I build up the courage to tell my now girlfriend that I loved her (very hard for me).

    I would use the experience to meet with Chip for the sole purpose of understand the reasons for which I own a business besides making money. I feel like I have a greater purpose in this life which I haven’t fulfilled.

    Have fun brother.

    Reply

  • Ingrid Phaneuf — January 25th, 2012, 6:26 pm

    1. Favorite inspirational quote: Nobody looks good in brown lipstick — Frank Zappa. My favorite quote because it’s succinct, hilarious and puts personal truth at the forefront.

    2. I think the anxiety equation and the exercise that follows is most useful for me — I have a tendency to make myself miserable by focusing on what I don’t know and what I can’t control.

    3. I would like to become a better therapist and better at helping others to realize their dreams.

    Reply

  • Joshua Mineroff — January 26th, 2012, 9:05 am

    1. “Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” ~ Albert Einstein
    Knowing oneself is the most important achievement in our live. Without knowing yourself, you can never make honest decisions that guide you towards happiness. After gaining awareness of oneself, it is just as important to use that understanding to direct your desire to improve.

    2. “CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE.” As we go through life, we are constantly changing (improving?) our paradigms through which we view the world. The difficulty involved to think back to your view with an older paradigm is known as “the curse of knowledge.” Allowing myself to feel more wonder and awe, even in things that I feel I understand, motivates me to appreciate the world and develop my worldview in more interesting directions.

    3. I would use the lessons learned with Chip to guide my research on the combination of rigorous engineering and emotive design in the direction that can have the largest transformative effect.

    Reply

  • Greg Marshall — January 26th, 2012, 5:31 pm

    Being a Ceo without a doubt is all about emotions and most importantly people. You need to know how to communicate with people in an effective way. Empathy is a key emotion that is crucial for communicating because that hits the core of the people you are leading. Emotions are what make the world go around and you have to be able to speak right to them and handle them or nothing will happen.

    Reply

  • Martin — January 27th, 2012, 12:30 am

    Would love to be in San Francisco but that may be another time Tim. With that said, I must say you laid down some challenging facts here. Being on top of your emotions is not that easy. In the BIBLE, it is clearly stated that if you have control over your emotions, you are more powerful than the NAVY SEAL :D (Martin’s translation)

    Reply

  • Pete — January 27th, 2012, 6:42 am

    Hi Tim,

    Thanks for publishing this. I’ve just been blindsided by my spouse asking for a divorce and this came at the perfect time for reflection.

    Reply

  • Nathan Meffert — January 27th, 2012, 9:37 am

    “Recent studies have shown that curiosity is one of the most valuable emotional qualities people can leverage during periods of crisis.”

    Where can I find these studies? Anyone?

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    Reply

  • Nathan Meffert — January 27th, 2012, 10:18 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    Right now, it’s: “‘Hell is other people.’ But so is heaven.” – Jonathan Haidt and Jean-Paul Sartre, The Happiness Hypothesis

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    Oh man. CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE really struck me. I used to work with kids and adults on this very equation on a regular basis. As part of a citizen science program to identify the corridors that mountain lions were using in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco. I was teaching them to access wonder and awe in nature, which we observed unlocked curiosity. Fully activated curiosity plus the wildlife inventory skills and technologies we were training them in resulted in amazing, community-driven insights into the lives and habits of lions, coyotes, bobcats, golden eagles, even salmon, seals, and sharks.

    When I made the transition to entrepreneurship (I owned and operated an ecological design business for years), I could sense that there was a need for many of those “emotionally intelligent” skills and tools, but it took me a while to begin to understand how to transfer it.

    Now, I’m working in the family business (sold to Mitsubishi Materials Corp about 15 years ago), and a huge part of my job is culture and sustainability. We are working in the manufacturing industry in the shadows of Detroit. Where others see an uphill, or even losing, battle for Michigan manufacturing, I see a great opportunity for business/social leaders who know how to access curiosity. In fact, this article helped me see that the emotion of curiosity can actually transform the basic motivations behind business. In my personal experience, short term thinking in life and in business is usually driven by fear.

    The big wins in social entrepreneurship, creativity, organizational learning, and sustainability are going to come through activating both personal and organizational curiosity. And we have to do this on a massive scale, as soon as possible. (Of course, starting with ourselves!)

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    As I said, I am working at the family run special machining business (a subsdiary of Mitsubishi Materials Corp) as the Special Projects and Sustainability Coordinator. I am working with an design strategy team to design and execute a collaborative program (bottom-up) “to tie production goals to goals for constant improvement, sustainability, happiness, and community contribution”. Ummm… needless to say, time with Chip would help me to do this even better.

    My next goal will be to move this project to a broader scale – to train a team that will advise other subsidiaries like ourselves, and possibly Mitsubishi itself, to do the same. I see moving out into the manufacturing industry as a whole from there. And other industries from there. During this phase, I will most likely focus on speaking and strategic advising in exchange for equity, I think.

    At the same time, I am working to develop two other businesses: 1) a real estate development business that will focus on “regenerative land use planning” on the suburban scale (ie, beyond sustainable – adding value rather than value neutral) and 2) a product-driven social venture of some sort [I want to be the next Tom's Shoes in my own category!].

    So, yeah. I need all the help I can get. :)

    Reply

  • Cheryl — January 27th, 2012, 11:21 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?
    You carry all the ingredients to turn your life into a nightmare–don’t mix them! (Hafiz, from the poem “To Build A Swing.”)

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit? ANXIETY = UNCERTAINTY x POWERLESSNESS
    This was one of the best exercises I had done in a long time and it reaffirms that sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and keep moving forward.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?
    After reading the 4-Hour WorkWeek and having some major life shifts, (the death of my mother from pancreatic cancer), I started a non-fiction indie publishing business in the hopes of one day quitting my day job and having the income to engage in public service on a global scale. After a day with Chip I would scale up my business by expanding and accelerating my vision and goals; book a plane ticket to another continent and write my resignation letter with a fixed departure date.

    Reply

  • Mary — January 28th, 2012, 12:20 am

    “I do not know what anything means, including this, and so I do not know how to respond. And I will not use my own past learning as the light to guide me now.” ACIM ch14.

    Loved the Happiness formula. I suffer from forgetfullness most of the time and need to remember what I have, all of which I am truely grateful……as long as I don’t forget!.

    Would like to learn how to remember my happiness automatically.

    Reply

  • Dan MacFadgen — January 28th, 2012, 8:34 am

    Missed the deadline, I was busy reading 4HWW while unplugged in Mexico. Came home with a whole new plan. Actually the day I got back I was invited to a conference in SF. Don’t know details yet but if we’re not in one of Chip’s hotels I plan to bookend my trip with one or two of them. Thought I’d do the exercise anyway:
    1. Quote: “Life is just what happens to you, while you’re busy making other plans” -John Lennon, Beautiful Boy(Darling Boy).
    2. Equation: “Disappointment + Sense of Responsibility = Regret”. I did media, marketing and advertising for about 25 years because I was good at it and it paid the bills. A few years ago I began to realize that the things I used to accomplish things in my business life could be applied with higher levels of satisfaction to my personal life. So I put together a kickass rock band with some of the best musicians around that enabled me to develop contacts with musicians that could work with me in the studio I built in my new house. I only do marketing now for my own businesses, made that decision about 2 years ago and cannot believe what a load that lifted off my shoulders and how much fun it can be, again.

    So if the plans you are making don’t get planned into your day you will be left with regret. Conceive your reality, go about your work and enjoy the moment when what you conceived comes together.

    3. I have a day planned at the end of my week in SF to meet with someone who will be part of a relationship that will be beneficial to both of us, and others. As I read through everyone’s comments about what they would like to change or build after meeting with Chip it occured to me that so many have already conceived what they want with this exercise they may be too busy to make the trip. Great stuff!

    Tim-thanks for your work, I picked up 3 copies of 4HWW yesterday for close friends and associates.

    Dan

    Reply

  • Patricia Jensen — January 30th, 2012, 8:34 am

    But what minutes!  Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.  ~Benjamin Disraeli

    DESPAIR = SUFFERING – MEANING
    The purpose of life is a life of purpose. Finding this purpose can be a difficult journey fraught with much suffering. Loss of love, loss of friendship, physical ailments, and daily disappointments can make us give up and lose our way. Feeling stripped of connections to the outer world we can end up consumed by despair.

    Luckily, life is bursting with a myriad of opportunities to find deep meaning and alleviate despair. Religion was created in part to explain suffering and give us a key to seeing order in a chaotic world. Raising children allows us to imprint our values onto the future . Building a company spawns a legacy of personal spirit and determination. Philanthropy allows us to focus on others suffering and by alleviating it forge deep connections with our community.

    The reality is that we will probably never know the true meaning of why we are here; so we must seize the short moments we have and infuse them with purpose. Filling our lives with layer upon layer of connections can ensure that when one connection grows thin, the others will sustain us.

    I find that disparate experiences can become highly connected when you are open to them and I get the sense that this experience would fall in that category. I ran a not for profit organization for twelve years before starting my company. While I am currently creating an awesome company and have accomplished the elusive four hour work week for myself I need to reconnect with my community and find a truly effective way to give back. This would be my path to generate intense meaning in my life.

    Reply

  • Patricia Jensen — January 30th, 2012, 8:37 am

    Regarding the above submission: I know I missed the deadline, but I wanted to participate in sprite of this. Just writing things down, helps things become clearer for me. Thanks for the opportunity to do so!

    Reply

  • Noch Noch | be me. be natural. — February 1st, 2012, 3:52 am

    emotions tell us a lot about ourselves. but sometimes our surface emotions might not be what it is we really feel. e.g anger – beneath is is actually hurt, sadness, frustration…? dealing with whats inside at the core is most important
    Noch Noch

    Reply

  • Oscar Barona - Hechizos de amor — February 1st, 2012, 10:04 am

    emotions are a sign of the home where we came from. I say this from experince where a mother to give your home father tenderly love pocitivismo Rest assured that we at home when we started nuetra the same samples of tender love joys. of course they’re coming at some point some reason to feel sad disagreements or for any reason but love makes miracles. when those motives become a continuous and bitter comiensas and your partner does not cooperate it’s time to say goodbye to not bitter or upset others. to life must be healthy and beautiful emotions is so short little life and so nice that you have to discard all negative.
    thanks for the input

    Reply

  • Alexandre FOURNEL — February 1st, 2012, 5:45 pm

    Great article!

    Here are my answers.
    I’ll keep it short and easy to read.

    1 – What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    “It’s a beautiful day to be alive, my friend. Be grateful to be still in the game.”
    -Unknown

    2 – How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    Being genuinely grateful for my life should yield great improvement in my baseline level of happiness.
    So I’ve devised a routine that I do right upon waking up and before going to bed:
    – I go in front of a mirror
    – I look deep into my eyes, exhale all the way and hold my breathe
    – Now I say to myself “It’s a beautiful day to be alive, my friends. I am grateful to be still in the game.” and then I keep on saying “Thank you” until I really, powerfully and genuinely mean it. The last occurence usually feels very intense, especially when I look deeply into my eyes. Then I allow myself to breathe.

    I do that three times in a row.

    This probably sounds scary and extreme, but it’s incredibly effective, fast and it’s free!
    Talk about a good ROI.

    3 – What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    As a part-time philanthropic startup advisor and considering myself a fire-starter, I will spread and apply Chip’s best practices for well-being in the startup context.
    Also, I’d like to take this as on opportunity to build a lasting, trusted and value-giving relationship with Chip.

    Thanks everyone!

    Reply

  • Rafael T — February 2nd, 2012, 10:11 am

    I know it’s over but I still would like to share.

    1. “Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts.” Og Mandino

    2. HAPPINESS = WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE / HAVING WHAT YOU WANT.
    I think this equation puts it perfectly by balancing gratitude with ambition. I’ve been in a constant internal battle between wanting to achieve vs. being happy with what I have. This equation clearly laid out that working towards achieving your goals is perfectly fine, AS LONG as you remain grateful with your current situation. At the end of the day, it’s about enjoying the path that’s getting you towards your goal.

    3. I’d like to learn how you start building real estate wealth at a large scale without currently having the capital to invest.

    Reply

  • Christiaan Remmelzwaal — February 3rd, 2012, 1:45 pm

    Mr. Ferriss and Mr. Conley, Thank you for this article! Perhaps I may suggest you have a look at a book called ‘the Ethics’ by Spinoza, who was a philospher in the 17th century influenced by stoic thought. Spinoza gives a very detailed analysis of our emotions. I’ve made a summary of his ‘emotional equations’ and I could send it to you if you’re interested. (It’s too big for this blog or the facebook contest.) Kind regards from Switzerland. CR

    Reply

  • Albers — February 7th, 2012, 2:06 am

    If you want “life” quotes, you can’t go past Michel de Montagne, a French philosopher in the 1500s. Here’s a small sample:

    “A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears. “

    “A straight oar looks bent in the water. What matters is not merely that we see things but how we see them. “

    “Age imprints more wrinkles in the mind than it does on the face. “

    “He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak. “

    “There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.”

    “How many condemnations I have witnessed more criminal than the crime! “

    “How many things we held yesterday as articles of faith which today we tell as fables. “

    “I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.”

    “I write to keep from going mad from the contradictions I find among mankind – and to work some of those contradictions out for myself.”

    “If there is such a thing as a good marriage, it is because it resembles friendship rather than love.”

    Reply

  • Nabarun — February 7th, 2012, 9:30 pm

    Hi,

    Your words bring out the untermed emotions in me.I am a very emotional entrepreneur. I mix up emotions with business. I always thought that emotions is not good for business. Maybe its true. But your words give a completely different perspective to CEO. Its truly the baggage we carry with us that shows up on the front desk of life. And being the leader of my organization, a lot of discretion is expected from me.I realize, emotions are not bad but to take time and judge how to react between the gap of stimulus and reaction gives the edge.

    Your words do guide me to a better individual. If you have a book which talks about this same concepts, do let me know.

    regards

    Nabarun

    Reply

  • Frederic Solam — February 8th, 2012, 1:31 am

    I love this quote Leaders are the “emotional thermostats” of the groups they lead. I believe that emotional responses will be the basis of your success. On how you respond to a certain issues in life. Therefore, we must not be ruled by our emotions. Emotions should not be our master.

    Reply

  • Gheeneil — February 8th, 2012, 1:43 am

    Such a very sensible thing to say, and I bet, a lot, if not all, would agree to those equations. Despair= Suffering – Meaning, for one, holds true. Life has its ups and downs, and to those who are getting much of the latter without figuring out what is the sense in every sacrifice, then it’s gonna be unproductive life they are leading to. Well, emotion really is just very strong that it could kill the weak. If anyone surrenders at a few attempts to victory, then one foot might be joining the other into the grave.

    Reply

  • Shaun — February 11th, 2012, 9:02 am

    I know that I’m late on this but I’m going to say “How you do anything is how you do everything.”

    I posted this around my house. It’s a reminder that when I procrastinate in my business, I also procrastinate in working out. When I don’t practice discipline in my morning routine, I am less disciplined throughout my day. When I give gratitude for one thing I have in my life, it carries to many other things.

    I have been going on an all out assault on my undisciplined tendencies and this quote has helped me focus. I see it and I have to stop procrastinating.

    Reply

  • linsany01 — February 12th, 2012, 7:22 pm

    Don’t fear god, don’t worry about death. I like this very much!

    Reply

  • Bill Blair — February 15th, 2012, 1:29 pm

    Tim may say he struggles with every word of prose but this piece is damn well written!

    Reply

  • Kevin — February 15th, 2012, 5:58 pm

    This is great!

    Reply

  • Bill Blair — February 15th, 2012, 9:42 pm

    1. “Don’t Curse the Darkness -Light a Candle”!

    2. Despair = Suffering – Meaning – I work with the Prison Fellowship helping families of inmates

    3. I want to work with baby boomers as the get into “new middle age” and show them the possibilities before them, just like Tim Ferris does with younger folks.

    Reply

  • Jeff — February 16th, 2012, 11:32 pm

    I was hoping Chip would read this.. No need for a prize.

    1. You don’t change reality by fighting the existing model, you create a new model that makes the old one obsolete– Bucky

    2. Despair= Suffering-meaning.

    Life is suffering, is a poor translation of what Buddha says. I liked this one the most.. These are desperate trying times and for some they always will be. I am going to suffer to define my meaning. Thanks Chip.

    3. One day with Chip. I would like to create an organization that facilitates the reconciliation of artifical constructs with the actual capability of Human beings. We can do better, we have to.. We just need the socioeconomic incentive. To sum it up, I am building a better model.

    Reply

  • Dan Barrett — February 17th, 2012, 6:17 am

    1. What is your favorite inspirational or philosophical quote?

    The year is ending:
    I have not left my heart
    behind.

    -Hankai

    Written on the author’s death bed. Tears came to my eyes when I first read this. It sits on a photo of my fiancee at my desk. Never enough time.

    2. How could you apply one of the equations in this post to your life for maximum benefit?

    CURIOSITY = WONDER + AWE

    I’m a musician that also runs a small record label. Lately, I’ve been struggling with the needs of the organization (packing orders, running the website, promoting releases) and maintaining my creative drive. Ironic, since creativity is what brought me what success I’ve had.

    I think the grind of business has, in some ways, killed my sense of wonder; I need to disconnect a bit, change my environment and learn what drives my sense of curiosity about the world.

    3. What would you like to change or build after a day with Chip in SF?

    I currently run a struggling after-school program. With 100 kids and 20 staff members, constant interruptions, problems, and chaos overwhelm much of my ability to do long-term planning or thinking. Looming over my head is the threat that we could lose our funding if the program doesn’t improve.

    I’m not a CEO. I want to learn to really instill in my staff a desire to help kids, a desire to excel; I need to improve the program and boost attendance, but I’m not sure how. At the same time, I need to solve a fundamental divide within myself: how can I pursue what I love (helping kids, music) without being completely overwhelmed?

    Thanks.

    Reply

  • Ken Barton — February 17th, 2012, 3:22 pm

    Leaders are the “emotional thermostats” of the groups they lead. – GREAT QUOTE! Love the post :)

    Reply

  • Nikhunj — March 6th, 2012, 12:25 am

    Lots to think about. I try to post things relevant to those who are on our Fan but not actually promote our competitors. It’s a tough balance. I decided to jump into Social Media for our business because I could see there were casual conversations occurring on Facebook and the community was often working together to answer questions. I try to provide what the other groups aren’t providing. I am not sure I am going about it the right way with both a FanPage and a Group but we shall see. We’ll also see if Twitter becomes an effective way to connect. Some of our customers do not use the Internet. Many are online but are not using Facebook or Twitter just yet. I don’t know if I am a little ahead of the curve or heading down the wrong road….

    Reply

    • Nikita — March 11th, 2012, 10:38 pm

      All CEOs are responsible for determining the overall strategy of a company. For example, the CEO of a car company would have to decide …

      Reply

  • Jorge — March 16th, 2012, 5:14 pm

    Hi, I remembered reading this article from Chip while I was looking for a hotel in West L.A. and found Hotel Angeleno. Any specials for Tim/Chip fans to stay there for two nights this weekend? – I’m sorry for the bluntness.

    Reply

  • Chip Conley — March 17th, 2012, 3:14 am

    Hi Jorge,

    It may be a little too late to get you a discount this weekend since it’s now 3 am PST on Saturday morning (would need to work through some of the staff that’s there on weekdays). Feel free to call the hotel directly and say you’re a friend of Chip and see if that helps…..it will really depend upon how full the hotel is this weekend….not sure about that.

    Best,

    Chip

    Reply

    • Jorge — March 23rd, 2012, 12:41 pm

      Hi Chip, I apologize for not responding earlier. My family and I REALLY enjoyed our stay at Hotel Angeleno despite bleak weekend weather. I didn’t feel the need to use the “friend” chip (pun intended) but thank you so much for responding at 3AM !!
      I’ll take this opportunity to share a simple equation (not sure if it qualifies as an emotional one): Being alive = happiness OR sadness. The point is to draw attention to what’s behind the emotions of happiness or sadness (or others). I think this attention realizes a feeling of gratitude and grace irrespective of the situation one is in.
      Best regards,
      Jorge

      Reply

  • Gregory O'Donnell — April 10th, 2012, 5:14 pm

    Great article, I love reading these success stories and the fact that this story is about a very old industry that has been improved.

    Too many people are looking for the next best thing, when we have a significant amount of opportunities to improve what is already out there.

    This can be done in so many industries and a major profit can be made. Forget about India, China & Mexico competition. Think about how the client purchases and what they and you purchase and walk back from there and improve along the way.

    Take the car dealership, you bring your car in at 6:00 am and you wait for your car (if you don’t take a shuttle to your office) while you wait you walk around the show room and not a single person is in to talk with you about your car or the cars on the floor.

    Further your sales guy does not even know that you are going to be in for service as the operations between the shop floor and the sales floor are not linked.

    One simple process to improve and billions of processes out there.

    Great blog, keep up the good work.

    Gregory O’Donnell

    Reply

  • Sheldon Moylan — May 1st, 2012, 2:37 pm

    Hey Tim

    I love your information you spread to the world. One of my mentors models alot of his stuff on your teachings. I outsource 60% of my work that is done 120% better than doing it myself and about 300% quicker at the moment increasing my income further and increasing my home time as well.

    Keep up the great information.

    Reply

  • avraham — May 1st, 2012, 9:52 pm

    I know the contest is over. I want to share a qoute thats helped me get through some tough times. I heard the saying based on a story. There was a king who asked all his subjects to make for him an item that when hes sad and looks at it he will be happy and when hes happy and looks at it he will be sad. no one could come up with anything that fit the parameters till finally a tinsmith made the king a ring. on the ring he wrote “this too shall pass”. the concept has helped me place many challenges into perspective.

    Reply

  • dee — May 15th, 2012, 10:20 am

    This post has inspired me to move forward. Thanks Tim!

    Reply

  • Diego Velasquez — May 18th, 2012, 9:24 am

    Hi guys,

    As I said I would, I wanted to share my experience and what I learned from hanging out with Chip for a day. You can read about it here:

    http://diegovelasquez.com/3-lessons-i-learned-from-chip-conley/

    Tim, thank you so much for your blog and constantly providing excellent material for us readers. And a big ‘Thank You’ to Chip for taking me under his wing and letting me peer into the life of a successful Chief Emotions Officer.

    All the best,
    Diego

    Reply

  • Philip — October 16th, 2012, 10:06 pm

    I love the last part of this article. It gives great reason to read the first 100 comments.

    Reply

  • Carl Francis Ayeng — February 27th, 2013, 7:53 pm

    Great write up. I love it.. I love the last of this article…

    Reply

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