From 600+ conversations with the world’s leading thinkers.
Performance is a mental construction. You have to be present in your own body and mind, and when you achieve that presence, you can transcend physical and mental limitations.
In fact, imposter syndrome is a symptom that we are leading because leaders are doing something that's never been done before and so of course you will feel like an imposter, because you are one! Who can guarantee something is going to work? Not you, not anyone.
Most fundamentally- we respond emotionally to music- sound is communicative, it affects us, it causes feelings and connections. Sound making and listening are communal activities, they're communicative activities… music moves us, and when we listen to it, we feel transported.
I've always believed that everyone can look like a magazine cover star. It's not about being born beautiful, it's about finding that moment, that light, that expression that makes you shine.
We all experience challenges. If you always make one thing your excuse or let other people drag you down because of something like your gender, it will become your prophecy. Whatever reason, you will never know for sure. You just have to keep fighting.
All you've got to do is- to their face- call yourself every name that they are harbouring about you, it's that simple; it means you're demonstrating understanding. Whatever adjective from your culture best describes the worst possible name they could think of for you- all you've got to do is look them in the eye and say you feel I am – that's super simple, right? The thing is, it may sound easy- but it's hard to do- but if you can do it- it can unlock a situation in a heartbeat.
It's about catching that surge of emotion, be it offense or anger, usually incited by someone attempting to ignite your social identity or signal an outgroup threat, with a likely aim to shape your thoughts or actions. The antidote lies in introspection, a slowing down of reaction, coupled with a continuous questioning of the messenger's motivations and potential gains.
These accumulating errors can foster feelings of the world being against us, a sense of continuous misfortune, and the magnification of everyday stresses and unhappiness. In earlier, more primitive times, external factors would often interrupt these negative mental states, snapping us back to a more grounded reality.
There's a place deep inside all of us that we can access no matter what we're facing—personally or professionally. No matter the adversity, challenge, or overwhelming circumstances, there's a place within us that helps us feel strong, stable, grounded, and centered. And it doesn't take much to access it.
Music is often better than speech at conveying and understanding emotion, because music has a kind of openness and ambiguity to it. Words, on the other hand, tend to put things into boxes. If I say, I'm happy, but also a bit sad, nervous, winsome, and tired, those words are still boxes. But if I play you a passage of music — maybe something by Elgar — you might think, Yes, that's exactly how I feel.
If you want a caricature, life satisfaction is your self‑smugness rating—how smug you feel about your life. Western smugness has definitely slid over the past ten years.
If someone is commanding in their presence, it directly correlates to how a group judges their skill level! Someone who is commanding in presence is often followed over someone who is far more effective but who is quiet, hesitant, or timid.