A Place of Higher Learning 

What is the value of achievement if we are unable to attain or maintain joy after having reached unimaginable success? How much of our education or scholarly research is applicable to passing the ‘tests’ we will be given throughout life, regarding career, money, family, creativity, love, work and living in joy? Most of us would agree it would be inappropriate to address such subjects in literature class or before a statistics exam, so where do these questions get addressed?

The great thinker and Rhodes Scholar, E. F. Schumacher, believed that all through school and university we are given guidance about life and knowledge, and generally this guidance had little relevance to the things that people cared about or the way they conducted their lives—the way life is really lived. The ACADEMi of Life was founded to fulfill Schumacher’s observation … to provide the place for people to discuss the things they cared about and the things that mattered most in life that they were never taught in school.

The ACADEMi of Life, a place of higher learning, is dedicated to providing insights and training that much traditional education lacks. They are engaged in what would be one of the least expensive classroom experiences available in New York City. What’s different about the Academi, is that there are no right or wrong answers, no definitive paths to result or a definitive outcome, no interpretation of data that will deliver either a passing or failing grade. There is only the ability to decode and apply the wisdom learned from another person’s success and failures to an individual’s own life, in pursuit of a more whole and meaningful life.

In the current volatile, uncertain, chaotic and ambiguous world, people are seeking new ways to cope with their everyday lives. The hunger is undeniable. In this decade, people will stop thinking about filling their closets, and look to feed their inner self. In these disillusioned times, many are suddenly desperate for tools to help them live lives that are more joyful, more meaningful and have a higher purpose.

What The Academi of Life offers, reflects a new mood of soul-searching, a desire for self-inquiry and authenticity. People want more intellectually demanding things to see and hear, not fewer. They want more connection to the self, more connection to family and friends, more connection to work, more connection to love and more connection to fun and happiness. New information from the social network people say that, ‘the profile we look at the most is our own. We are very interested in how we present ourselves to the world. But perhaps more important, we are interested in trying to figure out ourselves.’

The Academi of Life’s commitment is to gather the world’s thought leaders for lectures, ‘how to’ classes, impact movies and intimate conversations that bring practical and enduring value to the things that really matter in life. This new method of learning aims to stimulate thinking, to deepen and enrich lives, and ultimately make the world a better place. They are committed to building a world that is infused with the values of beauty, truth, wisdom, justice, generosity, empathy, fidelity, joy, courage and honor.

Individuals who attend events at The ACADEMi are aspirants committed to self-mastery and a balanced life. They are wise and are lifelong learners who are eager to discuss ideas to discover and perfect their inner lives. They are well-educated, well-read and intellectually curious people who endorse The Academi of Life’s motto: ‘there is no work more important that the inner personal development and the mental and emotional well-being of a human being.’

I have a certain way of seeing people. I run them through my internal dialogue and out pops my perspective. There are times when my perspective stems from how I was brought up, my belief systems, or my experiences in life – things people do. Unfortunately, I also have to add insecurities to the list of the origination of my perspectives. When my perspective stems from my insecurities, get ready for totally delusional thought patterns where deductive reasoning, any reasoning at all, flies straight out the window.

It’s not something I want to readily admit, that the way I see things is clouded by my insecurities, or fears. I pride myself on being a rational person, one who values facts. But when I dig really deep, I realize what I see, my perception, is sometimes based on my baggage from whichever story of the month I am telling myself. And do I have baggage to shape my stories!

So where should I start with insecurities that cloud my thinking/my perspective? Oh, I’ve got a big one. My parenting insecurity. Whatever happens with my child is filtered through my internal dialogue. Am I being a good parent? Am I doing it right? Am I going to mess up my child? That’s the dialogue I have deep down. I am constantly agonizing about how I am doing as a parent.

And if my perspective is not being shaped by my insecurities, I may take my preconceived notions for a spin. Where what I see, what I perceive, is preset. The story that runs in my head dictates what I see, dictates my actions. I go into a situation already expecting something, already filled with assumptions.

I have a plan of action: I have got to get new stories, great thoughts to filter my stories through. Like how awesome I am! How capable I am in general, and as a parent – you know, positive things, positive beautiful thoughts. Or, how many great people are in this world!

And I am going to abandon preconceived notions. My new thing is called – in the moment perception. This is where my perspective is not tainted with what happened, or what may happen, it’s filled with what is happening now. So that’s what drives my understanding/perception of the present moment is the present moment.

I will see how that works out!

True to the theme of his new book, 64 shots : Leadership in a Crazy World, Kevin Roberts, leadership expert and Saatchi and Saatchi Chairman walked on stage and proceeded to punch out a series of anecdotes about leadership that were relevant and important for all generations. Moderating the conversation was Alexis Glick. The event, held on Wednesday June 15, was created and hosted by The Academi of Life and held at The Center for Social Innovation. Listening to the conversation, one could not help but sit on the edge of their seat, reflecting a similar stance that Kevin took as he spoke about Leadership in a Crazy World.

So, why now? What is different about today’s leadership requirements?

Instant. Constant. Connected. Three words describing today environment where “the medium is the consumer” and measurements of success are correlated to the speed at which you learn, fail and fix. The military coined the term VUCA to describe a methodology that goes beyond strategy to real time situation management. In military terms, the acronym stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. For Roberts, the business leadership definition of VUCA is Vibrant, Unreal, Crazy (as in one person with one idea can change the world) and Astounding (as in speed). To both the military leaders and the business leaders, the message is blunt: Stop strategizing and assessing what actions to take. Be ready to do it NOW.

Everyone, Everyone, Everyone Needs a Plan

We are all quick to help and to advise others. However, critical to a leaders’ ability to lead others is the development of their own plan. Doing that means:

• What is your one-word equity? Bruce Springsteen is The Boss. What is your essence?
• When are you at your best? Variables might include time of day, environment, and available resources.
• What will you never do? Things are instant, constant and connected. What if something changes faster than planned; what was “reasonable” before may no longer be reasonable now.
• What is your five-year dream? The next five years only happen once.
• List three challenges that you will hold yourself accountable for over the next 12 months.

Kevin signed copies of his book while participants discussed their favorite anecdotes. For those who want to do it again, Alexis put the conversation on Periscope. Find it here. Join the conversation and let us know which leadership advice makes the most sense to your situation.

Sharon Lewis wrote this post: Sharon thrives on the research discovery process as a means of uncovering customer insights that will resonate and differentiate. Follow her @sharonlewisnyc.

As I get older, I am recognizing that on my journey of seeking love, peace and harmony, there are times when I don’t communicate well at all. I try to avoid things or call it picking my battle or simply say, I don’t want to deal with it. But, for my mental health, I don’t have that luxury because whether I choose to deal with “it,” or not, somehow “it” ends up dealing with me. Unresolved issues have a way of seeping out when I least expect them. So, I am an advocate of- rock the boat, tip the boat over- in other words, “just say it.”

Why just say it? Because sometimes we need to get things off our chest instead of them having the internal volcano effect. Case in point, I know a woman in her fifties who is scared to have a conversation with her mom about who her real father is because the person she was told doesn’t add up. She thinks it’s not the kind of conversation you should have with your mother. I think, if not her, then who?

Why just say it? Because sometimes we tell ourselves stories that may be very different from what is actually happening. Here is an example of one of those times. My son is responsible for taking out the garbage. Week after week I “corrected,” without him seeing me, the way he placed the handle of the garbage bin. In my mind, to help the garbage collectors, the handle should face the street so they can grab it easily. I am thinking to myself, why doesn’t he pay attention, be more considerate? I eventually asked him why he didn’t place the handle the way I do. And he said, because the directions on the bin say to place the handle the way he does. Oh, so all this time I thought he was being inconsiderate, I was the one not paying attention.

I could go on and on with examples of moments when having a conversation with someone totally changed what I was thinking for the better. Times when I was carrying around unnecessary resentment, worry, fear or whatever. Refusing to have a conversation about something to not rock the boat does not serve me very well. Actually, that’s kind of futile for me because if I am not communicating with my words, my face is telling you everything you need to know. And that boat that I am not supposed to be rocking is crashing against thoughts in my mind that eventually set my lips, or my actions, a loose. And even if I try a poker face, in my experience, what I think usually seeps out of me anyway, whether through action, energy, or words.

Some people say the way you get if off your chest is also important and I agree- definitely no violence! And try to say it a constructive way… I am definitely a work in progress there. And, yes, I am referring to personal relationships, relationships with your boss, they are another story, unless you are independently wealthy.

Conversations can be very difficult but are often necessary for clarity, to stop the nonsense story I have in my head or simply to get something off my chest so it doesn’t consume me. There are useful and meaningful conversations that can be had when I “just say it.”