Amsterdam, Noord Holland, The Netherlands.
This is my second post of today. The first came out really fast and it seems I stumbled on some old childhood issues. That is all nice and all but there is more than childhood trauma. I want to explore something else so I must keep writing.
As I told in my previous post I have hired This, That & The Other to help me with getting Basic Goodness to the next level, whatever that may be. I have high hopes and expectations of them. I love their work and I feel that there is quite a big chance that they really ‘get’ me, even to a point that they ‘get me’ better than me. And not unimportantly, they ‘get’ the others, you, the audience.
In my previous post I told about how the idea of potential success terrifies me. But it also excites me. I have the feeling that magicians have crossed my path and I want them to penetrate the essence of my being and blend all the ingredients I accumulated into something tasty, innovative and appealing to all the senses, like you see these chefs do in cooking shows. I want to be put in an ejection seat and have myself launched into a vast space of endless possibilities. That means that I don’t want ‘just’ an appealing website but an idea and a strategy that serves as a springboard to travel, teach, meet inspiring people, grow, share, explore and contribute to our humanity. I want them to build a customized instrument that turns the stuff I say and do into music that benefits and inspires others and is worth spreading. When I say that it brings up 2 things: 1) that sounds megalomaniac and I feel somewhat ashamed that I feel that way but it is the truth and 2) I honestly think they can.
Last Friday was my first session. Instead of going through the conventional motions of me giving them a briefing and them coming up with a proposal they decided to do sessions with me. Which is an interesting approach already: to do sessions with the guy who does sessions and actually has done sessions with them before.
It was an insightful experience. Their questions force me to think about what I want and show me clearly that I am not very clear about – for example – what I have to offer and why people or companies should hire me. That makes sense. Until now I felt that it was my role to be honest and if the reader feels s/he could use an honest guy for private or corporate stuff s/he would feel that I was the right guy and that things would ‘just happen’. I trusted that people who felt inspired by the vibration I send out would contact me. Well.. that theory has proven to be a bit naïve. And now that I have been thinking about it: it would be more than fair to answer the question ‘who the hell is Atalwin and why should I hire him?’ properly.
During the session I formulated what my ideal client is and what my ideal assignment looks like. I want to work with teams or groups of creative, smart and authentic people and guide them through a process of individual and collective growth that brings them to a higher level of consciousness. I wish to inspire and empower people that inspire me and have the talent and desire to materialize their insights in ways that go beyond my imagination. Sounds cool, right? Now the catch: I have never asked what people or companies who fit this profile actually need help with. What are their needs, desires and obstacles? I can only guess. I am not in communication with them and have not developed a tool or a program that they can say ‘yes’ to. Seems painfully clear that I can wait a long time before my ideal client asks me to guide them through the process I have in mind for them, right?
The good thing is that I believe that teams and businesses that fit this profile are emerging all over the world. Wouldn’t it be amazing to know, empower, connect, facilitate and unite cool and creative tribes all over the planet? There are more niches that I care about (youngsters/ students/ lost rich kids, men/ alpha males, female professionals, professionals that search for meaning, to name a few) but ‘people who can inspire me’ is my favorite. Funny enough are all my favorite niches versions of me (even the female professionals, I guess).
Another insight that I received after my first session is that I find the concept of the Universal Journey, or the Hero’s Journey, important. I would like to transmit something that is universally understood. A lot of non-Western cultures lean heavily on what comes from the West and typically copy the worst we have to offer and misinterpret some of the good things. I would love to offer a perspective that has the potential to break through and transcend suffocating cultural paradigms without being patronizing or disrespectful, keeping the soul intact.
Perhaps is that what I am looking for: to create a journey that brings out the essence of the soul and/or to facilitate the creation of journeys that bring out the essence of the souls of others. I have been pondering on the idea of what it would takes to train a person into becoming a wise, compassionate and truly selfless world leader. Would it be doable in 5 years? One year with the Dalai Lama? Two years at Harvard? One year living in slums? One year of training to become a public speaker or motivational speaker? Acting classes? Facilitator training? And is it humanly possible to enter an political arena without getting contaminated? Would I have the courage and the perseverance to put myself into that?
The questions of identity and purpose that come from my session with my friends of This, That & The Other are delightful, inspiring and challenging. Like!
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