152. What If You Were Living a False Life?: Hal Gregersen, Author of ‘The Innovator’s DNA’ and ‘Questions Are the Answers’ [reads] ‘Let Your Life Speak’

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I’m working on building community at the moment, and I’ve noticed I have two types to focus on. The first is a wider net - I know a lot of people a little bit, and I’d like to know some of them more. Inspired by the book The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, I’ve been hosting monthly events where I pull everyone together and ask them all to answer a question, which effectively seeds the next round of introductions and conversation. The second type of community is a deeper vessel. I invite other men at about the same stage of life as me, and we discuss what it means to be an elder in our different worlds. Here, my hope is that I’m asked questions that’ll help call me forth. Two different communities, but for each, good questions right at their heart. 

Hal Gregersen is a man who loves questions, perhaps even more than I do. He’s dedicated his life to it as an author, speaker, and former Executive Director of the MIT Leadership Center. Hal and I both believe that questioning can transform the future of learning and make the world a better place.   

Hal reads an article titled, ‘Let Your Life Speak’ by Parker Palmer. [reading begins at 21:20]  

Hear us discuss: 

The greatest gift that trust brings. [5:04] | Maintaining an open heart and a healthy relationship with trust. [6:57] | How heartbreak can sometimes be a good thing: “Life is fleeting; it comes and goes faster than we think.” [31:05] | The feeling of deep gladness: “When you have that moment where eyes light up - that’s deep gladness.” [36:59] | Alexander Papaderos, Elie Wiesel, & the meaning of life: “For a lot of my life, I was trying to get rid of this bad part of my past instead of understanding and embracing it … it’s not only okay, but it’s you.” [40:35]