My Intent is a simple yet powerful initiative started by Chris Pan, and we are joined by Chris on the podcast today to talk about his journey and the steps in his path that led to starting this organization and what inspired his choices. With My Intent, Chris aims to create connection and alignment for people by identifying a specific intention and word which is then etched into a bracelet. It can be a reminder or motivation to stick to one's commitment or goal, or just a reinforcement of something to focus on. The bracelet is thus much more than just jewelry or a hip way to display your character, although since the business has grown in the last few years, it has definitely found some mainstream appeal! We hear from Chris about some of the difficulties of his younger years, moving around a lot and being alone for most of his time. He talks about his college years and how he embraced student leadership and community work in order to connect and build his resume, and from there we talk about his forays into business. Chris stands as a testament to the power of being able to bounce back as many of his initial projects and goals did not quite work out.  It was only through an ongoing curiosity and determination that he was able to get closer to his calling and find his lane. We talk about the common threads through the years, what led him to leave a position at Facebook, and the chance encounters and serendipity that allowed him to dive into the My Intent project. So for this special story from a special friend, join us on the show today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Chris' favorite childhood toys and how he would occupy himself by playing alone. 
• The move from Taipei to the US and Chris' mental and emotional state at the time. 
• Taking up the opportunity to become a student leader during college.
• Abandoning medical school and enrolling in business school classes.
• The failure of Chris' first business and then taking up a job at McKinsey. 
• Moving from New York to Shanghai and taking up a position at PepsiCo.
• Some tough times in Shanghai looking for new work after another failed startup.  
• Chris' move to Palo Alto and taking up a position in product marketing at Facebook!
• Leaving San Fransisco and the encounter that inspired the beginnings of My Intent. 
• Hosting the first SpiritLab events in Los Angeles and connecting with new people.
• Momentum starting around the bracelets that Chris was making. 
• The bracelets that Chris made for Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Kanye West.
• A trip to Bali for yoga that did not go as planned and the Kanye TIME cover!
• The My Intent feature on The Today Show and the immediate spike in sales as a result.
• A special story about a 'Courage' bracelet and what it meant to someone going into surgery. 

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