I was listening to The Tim Ferriss Show and I heard Dr. Philip Zimbardo. He is a past professor from Stanford University, was president of the American Psychology Association and wrote The Lucifer Effect and The Time Paradox among other books. He is well-known for his 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, in which students took on the roles of prisoners and guards for a 24-hour-a-day experiment. It only lasted six days instead of two weeks due to the psychological trauma on the participants. Most recently, he is studying heroism by asking what makes some people turn to evil things and others act like heroes and help others? Continue reading
Tag: Hero
John McCain’s father and grandfather were both four-star admirals which is one of the highest ranks in the U.S. Navy. He was born into a military family. Although he attended the Naval Academy, his heart was in history and literature. He loved Ernest Hemingway. After graduating fifth from the bottom of his class as a rebellious student, he didn’t really take his military career seriously until after he survived a solo plane crash and a horrific fire on the USS Forrestal aircraft carrier that killed over 130 sailors. Then he was shot down over Vietnam and captured. He was a prisoner of war for five and a half years. He was sick, starved and tortured. At one point, he was offered early freedom because of his family’s military standing. But he refused unless all those captured before him were also released. Because of his decision, he was tortured even more. Continue reading
I just finished reading Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield. What an awakening! Steven says, “When we’re living as amateurs, we’re running away from our calling — meaning our work, our destiny, the obligation to become our truest and highest selves. Addiction becomes a surrogate for our calling. We enact the addiction instead of embracing the calling. Why? Because to follow a calling requires work. It’s hard. It hurts. It demands entering the pain-zone of effort, risk, and exposure.” Continue reading
I named my book, The Treasure You Seek, after a quote by mythologist and author Joseph Campbell. He said, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” He wrote a book called The Hero With A Thousand Faces that talks about the story of the hero and how it is told in a similar fashion in myths from all cultures and religions. His book has inspired many including George Lucas when he was writing the saga Star Wars. Continue reading
Fifty-four years ago today, on November 22nd, 1963, American President John F. Kennedy was killed as he travelled in his open-car motorcade through Dallas, Texas.
Before he entered politics, he joined the navy. One night the wooden boat he was in was split in half by a Japanese war ship and the back injury JFK received plagued him for the rest of his life. But as the leader that night, he had to take care of his men. He towed one injured sailor, swimming through spilled fuel and waves, to safety. For this act he received the Purple Heart. Continue reading
In honour of Gord Downie, a Canadian poet and hero who went to walk among the stars today, I would like to share an excerpt from my book, The Treasure You Seek, which I wrote about Gord. Continue reading