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Notes from Graham Weaver's Presentation

Jul 29, 2024

Lecture Notes: Graham Weaver

Introduction

  • Speaker: Graham Weaver
  • Audience: Class of 2024
  • Background: Graduated from Stanford GSB, took a corporate job that he wasn't excited about.

The Escape Plan

  • Workplace Experience: Attended a brutal three-day offsite meeting
  • Situation: Reading from PowerPoint slides with excessive text at a slow pace.
  • Response: Designed a plan to escape during a break
  • Event: Hit a runner’s high during an unscheduled run, leading to a realization to follow his true calling.

Key Experience on the Run

  1. Inner Voice Revelation
    • Acknowledged the inner voice urging him to change.
    • Promised himself to follow this voice and leave the corporate job.
  2. Memorable Moments
    • Ended the run on a high, experiencing Eye of the Tiger by Survivor.
    • Moment of embarrassment: Re-entered the meeting shirtless, realizing everyone noticed.

Life Conflict: Two Voices

  • Voice of Fear:

    • Instinct associated with survival and filled with doubt and anxiety.
    • Represents inner critic and is often loud and overwhelming.
  • Voice of Truth:

    • Quieter voice related to intuition, inner wisdom, and true self.
    • Connects with dreams and true path, often felt in the body rather than the mind.

Accessing Your True Voice

Three Promises

  1. Promise #1: Remove the Nail (Unstuck Promise)

    • Concept: Many of us have a 'nail' preventing progress (bad habits, unresolved experiences, etc.).
    • Need to speak your truth and address these issues.
    • Categories of Nails:
      • Bad habits, unresolved experiences, self-imposed rules, and fear.
    • Importance of admitting the problem to remove it.
  2. Promise #2: Follow Your Energy

    • Debunking Passion:
      • Following passion implies a single lifelong pursuit, which is unrealistic.
      • Instead, follow what gives you energy at any moment.
    • Exercise: Nine Lives
      • Imagine nine parallel lives starting from your current situation.
      • List alternative lives based on what excites you.
      • Gather energy from exciting ideas and use it to spark current endeavors.
  3. Promise #3: Go All In

    • Avoid being hedged: One foot in, one foot out prohibits progress.
    • Shift identity: Fully commit to endeavors without hesitation.
    • Personal anecdote: Overcame fear of failure by going all in on teaching.
    • Stress and burnout arise from not aligning with your true purpose, not from doing something for a long time.

Conclusion

  • Life’s Key Decision: Which voice will you listen to?
  • Life's fullest experience comes from accessing personal power through listening to inner truth and following the energy.
  • Final Message: Class of 2024 should make these three promises as they prepare for their future.