Feature Friday: Jesse Itzler

Entrepreneur. Author. Keynote Speaker. Dad. Life Junkie.

You pick the title, Jesse Itzler probably fits the bill. Why? Because Jesse embodies what so many of us are chasing - a life full of…well, life. Now trust me, he has plenty of claims to fame after co-founding Marquis Jet; writing New York Times bestseller Living With a Seal; owning the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks (where you can also find OU great, Trae Young by the way. #BoomerSooner!); or being married to the woman every woman loves - Sara Blakely (founder of Spanx). For most people, that would be enough, but not for Jesse. And that’s exactly why we think he’s feature-worthy for today’s #FeatureFriday.

Jesse’s mantra is to “Build Your Life’s Resume.” In fact, he has an entire training program based on this concept that is epic. Gone are the days of a neatly typed, properly presented piece of paper. With only a set number of trips around the sun, this life is all about living, and we couldn’t agree more! When you think of your life as a series of experiences then your mindset shifts. It moves from a place of stress to a place of presence. While we could spend all day writing about Jesse and his off-the-wall experiences, we’ll leave it at - go follow this man on Instagram. You will be entertained, inspired, and your life will be better. We promise.

And to Jesse, thanks for being you and inspiring a world where people are getting out and living! Keep doing what you’re doing. We’re grateful for you!

Feature Friday: Maya Angelou

Today’s feature is a woman who had a huge impact on my life even though I never met her. In sixth grade, I was assigned a project to memorize, then recite Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman poem in front of my class. As a young girl still figuring out exactly who I was at the time the poem could have easily been over my head, but in an instant - it grounded me.

You see, Angelou wasn’t just a Pulitzer Prize Award-winning author/poet, she was a civil rights activist, which meant her work was never written without intent and purpose. She wrote some of the most notable pieces of our time, but more importantly, she tasked her readers with thinking, believing and acting.

I hope that you’ll take the time to read some of Angelou’s work today and think, believe, and maybe…just maybe, even act.

Feature Friday: Jessica Cox

When we first had the idea for Feature Friday, we wanted to make it a place where you came to feel inspired, motivated, and able to conquer all things. Jessica Cox instills that exact feeling for us, or as she puts it “she believes in a future where people passionately pursue their dreams with the resilience to overcome any challenge.”

When we say Jessica is one-of-a-kind, we truly mean it. She is the only armless pilot in aviation, ever. Her enthusiasm and passion for her dreams are contagious. After being born without arms, she became fascinated by the limitless ways our bodies can overcome adversity - and my, has she overcome!

But what we think makes Jessica so feature-worthy is not just that she is overcoming adversity, but that she is translating physical limitations into mental strength and committed to helping teach others how to do the same. Jessica, today we tip our hats to you. Thank you for making the world a better place. Soar!

Feature Friday: Chip Conley

At the age of 52, Chip Conley sold the company he had spent the last 24 years building, Joie de Vivre. Some may ask “why?” After all, at 26 he transformed an inner-city motel into the second largest boutique hotel chain in America.

His point, we cannot be driven just by what can be counted. While that drives results, things that are no less important, but inherently intangible matter…A LOT. He makes every business decision based on one important metric: happiness.

You may be asking yourself, but if you can’t truly measure happiness, how can you run a business by this metric? You’d be right, it can’t exactly be measured, but he has made a career of guiding businesses by driving happiness. In order to do so, you have to step away from your spreadsheet and do the inward facing work asking the tough questions. Are you prepared? To learn more about Chip, check out his TED talk here.

Feature Friday: Sara Cunningham

On this day of love, we want to feature what we believe is a truly exceptional display of love - Sara Cunningham, founder of Free Mom Hugs. In 2011 when her son told her he was gay, it took years for her to accept it. But over time, love overcame and she began to stand up for her son and the stance that homosexuality is shameful. She not only chose her son, she chose love. And we think that is what the world needs more of.

When Cunningham learned of a couple whose parents were refusing to attend their same-sex wedding she was not only broken-hearted for them to feel anything but adored, but moved to action. She took to Facebook where she made an offer to “stand-in” for any same-sex couples who needed the loving support of a parent even noting “I’ll be your biggest fan.” Look, I consider myself so damn lucky that I am the child of parents who are not only accepting but supportive and affirming of my love for my wife. Sure, it was unexpected and maybe not in their plans, but they understand and honor that my life is not for them to plan. It is my own and everyone deserves love.

Soon, Cunningham’s statement was more than just a statement. After creating Free Mom Hugs, she has built a network of parents and allies of the LGBTQ+ community to support them, affirm them, and educate others about the issues they face. They now have state chapters in 48 states; international recognition and influence; and have given out thousands of hugs and high-fives globally.

Today’s feature isn’t about where you stand on the issue. In fact, I genuinely believe you’re entitled to your opinion and expect the same respect myself. Today’s feature is about celebrating humanity, dignity, and love. And, well, hugs. Kudos to you Sara Cunningham. You are being the parent so many are not capable of being and spreading love exactly how you’re intended to. Thank you.

Feature Friday: Robin Arzon

Robin Arzon is a survivor in every sense of the word. You see, when she was twenty-years-old she was held hostage at gunpoint. While that experience is enough to uproot just about anyone’s way of life for Robin, she used that experience to shape the world for good. The brush with death prompted her to leave her successful law career and chase her passion for fitness, health, and wellness.

Known for her no-nonsense motivation, Arzon is a favorite Head Instructor and VP of Fitness Programming at Peloton, a global ambassador for Adidas, and author of Shut Up and Run - what makes her feature worthy is that she is so passionate about using her pain to now inspire others to chase their passion without reluctance or apology. As she puts it, “sweat transforms lives” and we have bought into that mantra. Her contagious positivity and zest for life make her magnetic and we love that about her.

What we hope you can gain from Robin’s story is that overcoming hardship - whether short term or long term - happens in your own way. No one can write your story except you and my, oh, my - what a story it shall be!

Feature Friday: Kelly Holmes

What we find most remarkable about successful people is that the journey looks different for everyone. Sure, they tend to have certain characteristics in common, but most have a different path and we love hearing about all of them. In fact, that was the inspiration behind starting our Feature Friday Series in the first place!

For today’s feature, we’re celebrating Kelly Holmes, double Olympic Champion still holding British records in the 800m and 1000m. But Kelly’s road to success wasn’t paved in gold. While she was a naturally skilled runner that motivated the pursuit of her sport, track, she was plagued with multiple recurring physical injuries and disappointment. The impacts of these injuries and disappointments built over time leading to clinical depression and even self-harm that continued to impact her until just one-year before her triumphant victory at the Olympic Games.

Holmes has overcome a lot, to say the least, but like many who rise from the ashes, she is motivated to help others and do good in the world. Just one year after her historic victory, she set up the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust. The charity helps guide disadvantaged young people, getting their lives back on track by using world-class athletes to engage, enable and empower, attitudes they need to fulfill a positive life. She encourages the same philosophy that she lives by, nothing is impossible.

Feature Friday is a series where we feature incredible individuals who have shaped the lives of others, given back in a monumental way, and inspired us. Tune in every Friday for a new feature of the week and your weekly dose of positive inspiration. If you have someone you think we should feature, please drop us a line at hello@whatsyourdirection.com.

Feature Friday: Dr. Seuss

Today’s Feature Friday is our favorite children’s author, Theodore Geisel - better known to most as Dr. Seuss. Not only did he author and illustrate some of the most popular children’s books of all time, but what we think makes him feature worthy is that he inspired millions of children to follow their hearts, their passions, and their dreams.

Dr. Seuss was a storyteller in every sense of the world through vivid imagery, catchy language, and a sense of fun that left you wanting to turn the page.

We hope that Dr. Seuss inspired you the same way he has inspired so many. And maybe today, he’ll bring a smile to your face.

Feature Friday is a series where we feature incredible individuals who have shaped the lives of others, given back in a monumental way, and inspired us. Tune in every Friday for a new feature of the week and your weekly dose of positive inspiration. If you have someone you think we should feature, please drop us a line at hello@whatsyourdirection.com.

Feature Friday: Martin Luther King, Jr.

In a world where violence seems to rule the day, we want to spend this Feature Friday on someone who was dedicated to social change through non-violent resistance, Martin Luther King, Jr.

King is most famous for his 1963 March on Washington which included the famous “I Have a Dream” speech that so many of us have learned in schools.

To me, Dr. King embodies more than just inspiration that one person can create a movement and make a difference. He is an icon of hope and humanity that this world can be greater than we currently are and constantly work toward a better existence. On Monday, we will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. I hope you will take the time to remember the work he did, the difference he has made, and the work we still have left to do.

Feature Friday is a series where we feature incredible individuals who have shaped the lives of others, given back in a monumental way, and inspired us. Tune in every Friday for a new feature of the week and your weekly dose of positive inspiration. If you have someone you think we should feature, please drop us a line at hello@whatsyourdirection.com.

Feature Friday: Kirstie Ennis

Picture this: She competed in boardercross and banked slalom as a Paralympic snowboarder and then ventured into mountaineering, summitting Mt Kilimanjaro (at 19,341-feet it’s the highest point in Africa) to support the non-profit The Waterboys; then successfully climbed Carstenzs, the highest point in Oceania, for The Heroes Project; and then conquered Iliniza Norte, a 16,818-foot peak in Ecuador. She has attempted Cotopaxi, the highest peak in Ecuador, got turned around by weather on Denali, and made it to the South Summit of Everest. She hopes to complete the Seven Summits by climbing the highest peak on every continent by 2021. Oh, and she’s 28.

Got it? Impressive in its’ own right, right?

Now know this - Kirstie Ennis was injured in Afghanistan and forced into medical retirement before she did any of this. What we find most inspiring about Ennis is that she does all of this in hopes of helping others and my, has she! She has turned the concept of a “disabled athlete” on its head, proving how capable she is in spite of whether she has one leg or two. After more than 40 surgeries, Ennis is driven by helping others even creating the Kirstie Ennis Foundation which is aimed at providing financial support to deserving nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the lives of others.

Feature Friday is a series where we feature incredible individuals who have shaped the lives of others, given back in a monumental way, and inspired us. Tune in every Friday for a new feature of the week and your weekly dose of positive inspiration. If you have someone you think we should feature, please drop us a line at hello@whatsyourdirection.com.

Feature Friday: Diana Nyad

It seems like there is no better person to help us kick off our Feature Friday series than a woman who refused to give up on her dreams. That woman is Diana Nyad.

After years of dreaming up her big idea, in 2013 at the ripe age of sixty-four, Diana Nyad swam from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida. She was the first person to ever achieve this feat of the 111-mile swim without the aid of a shark cage and the grueling journey took fifty-three hours. Her mantra? “Find A Way.” But this inspiring achievement isn’t all that Nyad has achieved. Her life has been shaped by a series of extraordinary life experiences that have helped to carve her unwavering spirit.

Perhaps what we love most about Nyad is that despite her achievement being a solitary one, she has set out to inspire and help others through writing, speaking, and influencing others to chase their dreams - regardless of their age, circumstances, or any other obstacle. When Nyad finally reached the shores of Key West, Florida - she was greeted by fans where she left them with three messages. First, “Never, ever give up.” Second, “You’re never too old to chase your dreams.” And, lastly, “It looks like a solitary sport, but it is a Team.”

We hope that you can find some inspiration in Nyad’s story as we have.

Feature Friday is a series where we feature incredible individuals who have shaped the lives of others, given back in a monumental way, and inspired us. Tune in every Friday for a new feature of the week and your weekly dose of positive inspiration. If you have someone you think we should feature, please drop us a line at hello@whatsyourdirection.com.