Lecture Notes: Graham Weaver's Presentation

Introduction

• Theme: Change lives, organizations, and the world.
• Speaker: Graham Weaver, Stanford GSB graduate.

Personal Journey

• Took a corporate job, felt unfulfilled and not suited for it.
• Experience at off-site meeting in Napa led to a pivotal moment.
• Escaped to go for a run, leading to insights about personal truth.

Key Experience During the Run

• Runner's high triggered a realization: "This isn't you."
• Memorable moments:
  • Caught a glimpse of himself, feeling empowered like Rocky.
  • Encountered embarrassment realizing he was shirtless in front of colleagues.

Realizations

• The voice during the run represented his true self and inner wisdom.
• The promise made: to follow this inner voice moving forward.

Inner Conflict

• Two voices within us:
  1. Survival Instinct (Fear, doubt, anxiety): loud and persistent.
  2. Inner Truth (Intuition, soul, true self): quieter, felt in the body.
• The voice of fear leads to a small, unfulfilled life.

Promises to Make (As Graduates)

1. Take the Nail Out of Your Head (Unstuck Promise)

   • Acknowledge and remove barriers holding you back (bad habits, unresolved experiences, rules, and fears).
   • Example: Overcoming insomnia by addressing alcohol consumption.
   • Change often gets worse before it gets better.

2. Follow Your Energy (Energy Promise)

   • Emphasis on energy over passion:
     • Energy is abundant and indicates your soul's desires.
     • Introduced the "Nine Lives" exercise; envision different exciting lives.
     • Choose paths that energize you.

3. Go All In Now (Commitment Promise)

   • Avoid half-measures and commit fully to pursuits.
   • Example: His teaching journey began after overcoming fear of failure.
   • The importance of committing to actions without waiting for the perfect moment.

Conclusion

• The meaning of life: finding your own meaning.
• Power lies within and is accessed through the second voice (inner truth).
• Final question posed to graduates: Which voice will you listen to?

Key Takeaways

• Listen to your inner truth for true fulfillment.
• Commit to your dreams and remove the obstacles in your path.
• Your energy is a guide to your true self and potential.