Jesse Israel - The Art of Keeping it Real To Build Community and Lead People
Jun 25, 2019
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Jesse Israel is a social entrepreneur, meditation teacher, and founder of The Big Quiet, known for creating large-scale meditation events. In this conversation, he dives into the importance of authenticity in leadership and community building, sharing insights on the power of supportive friendships. Jesse emphasizes the human need for genuine connections, exploring how mindfulness can counteract loneliness in the age of social media. He also highlights the significance of intentions over expectations and the role of vulnerability in personal growth and fulfillment.
Embracing authenticity is crucial for unlocking leadership potential and fostering deeper human connections, allowing individuals to express their vulnerabilities.
Setting boundaries in vulnerable spaces is essential to ensure emotional safety, encouraging participants to share insights from healed experiences rather than unresolved pain.
Attracting individuals to communities through demonstrated values, rather than aggressive promotion, creates a more inviting environment for genuine connections and lasting bonds.
Deep dives
The Power of Authenticity
Emphasizing the significance of being authentic, the episode covers how embracing one's realness unlocks leadership potential and fosters deeper human connections. Jesse Israel shares his personal journey, illustrating how he transitioned from managing a record label to creating community through meditation. He highlights that true connection occurs when individuals are willing to express their vulnerabilities, which can encourage others to do the same. An eye-opening example is provided from his first group meditation, where sharing personal truths led to collective healing and recognition of shared struggles.
Creating Transformative Spaces
Jesse discusses the importance of setting boundaries in spaces where vulnerability is encouraged, ensuring participants feel safe while sharing. He explains that not every environment is suitable for deep emotional connections, advocating for a thoughtful approach to facilitate openness. The concept of 'sharing from the scar, not the wound' is introduced, meaning individuals should share insights from their experiences, rather than diving into unresolved pain. This approach fosters genuine connection without overwhelming others, creating a supportive community atmosphere.
Attracting, Not Promoting
The conversation touches upon the strategy of attracting individuals to communities rather than aggressively promoting participation. Jesse advocates for a model where leaders demonstrate their values and beliefs, allowing others to choose to engage based on their interests. This method creates a more inviting environment, reducing resistance among skeptics. By allowing others the space to explore and decide for themselves, the potential for lasting connections and community building increases significantly.
The Role of Belonging
The episode explores the fundamental human need for belonging, highlighting how contemporary society often leads to isolation and loneliness. Jesse notes that individuals are wired for connection and tribal living, yet many now find themselves surrounded by strangers. He discusses the shift from traditional communal structures to modern social media, which may inadvertently heighten feelings of disconnection. Recognizing this longing for connection, he emphasizes the need for communities that foster real relationships and support each other.
Embracing Courage over Comfort
Drawing inspiration from Brene Brown, the discussion culminates in the notion of choosing courage over comfort in all aspects of life. Jesse articulates the challenges that come with being authentic, acknowledging the fear of judgment from others. However, he underscores that true fulfillment comes from pursuing one’s passions despite potential criticism. The emphasis on courage serves as a powerful reminder that personal growth and meaningful connections often require stepping outside one’s comfort zone.
Jesse is a social entrepreneur, community builder and meditation teacher on a mission to light up the leader in everyone. As a sophomore at NYU Jesse co-founded Cantora Records, where he signed multi-platinum bands like MGMT, advised The Wu Tang Clan’s GZA and spearheaded the label’s tech investment fund. After experiencing debilitating anxiety and panic attacks, Jesse discovered meditation. The practice was so transformative for him that he went on to found The Big Quiet - a movement that gathers thousands of people for mass meditations at legendary locations like Madison Square Garden and the top of the World Trade Center, and features performances from some of today’s most iconic musicians. Jesse speaks about community building and mindful leadership at organizations like Adidas, Ford, Google and Parson’s School of Design, and teaches meditation to next-generation leaders from around the world. Jesse’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Vice, Vogue, Fast Company, WIRED and the Wall Street Journal.
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