Empathy for the perpetrator: Finding compassion for those who have caused harm or tragedy takes immense moral courage, as demonstrated by Diane Foley and explored in podcasts like 'More Better with Stephanie and Melissa' and 'A Really Good Cry'.
Finding compassion and understanding for those who have caused harm or tragedy, even in the most unimaginable circumstances, requires immense moral courage. This was exemplified by Diane Foley, who lost her son James to ISIS, and chose to meet and find humanity in one of his murderers. This theme was explored in various podcasts, including "More Better with Stephanie and Melissa" and "A Really Good Cry," which tackle topics like self-care, friendship, and emotional regulation. In "Death of an Artist," the podcast delves into the mythologized story of Jackson Pollock and his wife Lee Krasner, highlighting the importance of challenging the narratives we've been told and seeking the truth. Overall, these podcasts emphasize the power of empathy, self-discovery, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Forgiveness and Connection: Despite tragedy, finding the courage to forgive and connect can lead to healing and inspiration. Introspection, time, and commitment to legacy can help overcome initial shock and anger.
Even in the face of unimaginable tragedy, finding the courage to forgive and connect can lead to healing and inspiration. The speaker, who lost her husband, a journalist, shares how her faith and her husband's legacy challenged her to meet one of his killers, finding solace in the belief that it's what her husband would have wanted. She explains how time, introspection, and a commitment to honor her husband's legacy helped her overcome her initial shock and anger. The encounter with the killer led to a profound exchange, allowing her to share her husband's story and understand the motivations behind the crime. The experience inspired her to continue her husband's work and legacy through the Foley Foundation, which focuses on the return of American hostages, improving safety for journalists, and inspiring moral courage.
Unexpected healing through empathy: Even in extreme circumstances, finding common humanity and empathy towards those who have caused harm can lead to unexpected healing and connection.
Even in the most unimaginable situations, finding common humanity and empathy towards the seemingly unforgivable can lead to unexpected healing. The mother in this story was able to meet with the man who had kidnapped and tortured her son, and despite initial reluctance and awkwardness, they found a connection. The man justified his actions based on his own experiences of loss and Western mistakes, but also expressed remorse for the mother's suffering. The mother was ultimately grateful for the experience, but not all family members shared the same sentiment. It's important to remember that everyone grieves differently, and forgiveness and healing can take many forms.
Listening and Understanding Perspectives: Listening to different perspectives, even from those who have caused harm or disagreed strongly, is crucial for healing and moving forward. Hate and disagreement only cause suffering, and empathy and self-care are essential for growth and a happier, healthier life.
Listening to and understanding different perspectives, even from those who may have caused harm or disagreed strongly, is crucial for healing and moving forward. The Foley Foundation's nonpartisan approach is an example of this, as they seek to work with everyone and listen to each other's stories. Hate and disagreement only cause suffering, and the greatest challenge is to love and empathize with one another. This theme was also reflected in the speakers on various podcasts, including Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatrice's "More Better with Stephanie and Melissa," where they discussed the importance of self-care and understanding different perspectives, and Jesse Hempel's "Hello Monday," which featured conversations with experts on growth mindsets and the importance of long-term commitment. Radi Devluke's "A Really Good Cry" also emphasized the importance of emotional regulation and building a mindset for a happier, healthier life through understanding and processing difficult emotions.
Moral Courage, Finding Common Ground: In a world lacking moral courage, deep conversations and empathetic listening are essential for finding wisdom and understanding, bridging divides, and fostering community and belief.
In today's world, moral courage is lacking, and deep conversations and listening to one another are essential to find wisdom and understanding. People are seeking community and belief, but often these movements are fueled by fear and anger rather than wisdom and a desire for good. The loss of spirituality and values, as well as the prevalence of electronics, have contributed to this deficit. It's crucial to remember that everyone believes they're on the side of good, and finding common ground through empathetic and meaningful conversations can help bridge divides. The Foley Foundation's mission to help people find moral courage is a universal call to action for us all.
Moral obligations vs Fiduciary duties: Leaders should prioritize moral obligations over fiduciary duties to prevent suffering and harm to others, as neglecting moral obligations can lead to anger, distrust, and even death.
While some individuals and groups may believe their actions are justified based on their community feelings or fiduciary duties, the results of those actions can lead to immense suffering and harm to others. Moral obligations, which come before fiduciary duties, should be considered first and foremost by leaders. The consequences of neglecting moral obligations can lead to anger, distrust, and even death. In the case discussed, the speaker felt betrayed by her government when they failed to prioritize the safety and well-being of American citizens held captive abroad, resulting in unnecessary loss of life. It is crucial for leaders to recognize and fulfill their moral obligations to prevent such tragedies.
Listening and understanding: It takes moral courage and empathy to listen and understand those we may want to hate or disagree with, recognizing their humanity and complexity, and bringing out their good side through caring and open communication.
Finding moral courage to listen and understand those we may want to hate or disagree with is essential for growth and healing. This was evident in the speaker's experience with individuals involved in a tragic event. Despite the pain caused, she recognized the humanity and complexity of their actions. It takes courage and empathy to see beyond our biases and beliefs, and it's important to remember that good things are not possible without one another. Jim, a mentor to the speaker, believed that everyone has a good side, and through listening and caring, we can bring it out. This perspective allowed the speaker to find common ground and move forward. The podcast, "More Better with Stephanie and Melissa," will explore topics like self-care, making friends as an adult, and listening to oneself, sharing their own experiences and speaking with experts.
Moral courage: Practicing empathy, finding common ground, and focusing on moral courage are essential for building authentic communities and businesses. We can inspire and teach moral courage through our platforms to make a positive impact on the world.
Understanding and nurturing the good in ourselves and others is essential for building authentic communities and businesses. This can be achieved by practicing empathy, finding common ground, and focusing on moral courage. We are all capable of both good and bad, and it's important to recognize and magnify the good. By using our platforms to inspire and teach moral courage, we can make a positive impact on the world. While we may not all have personal experiences with specific issues, the philosophy of moral courage is universal and something we can all strive to embody. Ultimately, we are all preachers and messengers for moral courage, and by coming together and supporting each other, we can create a world where good is magnified and fruitful.
Moral courage: Moral courage is crucial for individuals and organizations to make ethical decisions and promote positive change. Listen to podcasts for insights on personal growth and moral courage to inspire and guide you.
The importance of moral courage and its impact on individuals and organizations was emphasized in the conversation. The speaker acknowledged the guest's organization as a beacon of moral courage and expressed a desire to collaborate to further promote this cause. The podcast episode also highlighted various other podcasts that offer insights into personal growth, career success, and general well-being. Overall, the discussion underscored the significance of moral courage and personal development in today's world and provided resources for listeners to explore these topics further.
Moral Courage with Diane Foley, mother of executed journalist James Foley
Recent Episodes from A Bit of Optimism
Confident Ignorance with rapper, novelist, and filmmaker Logic
Vision, not skill, is the heart of creativity. But when a creative vision gets too big for one person, the key is to ask for help.
Logic is a platinum-selling rapper who’s made waves in the hip hop world. After a troubled childhood, he started making music with a positive, introspective message, eventually receiving nominations for two Grammy Awards. But after achieving massive popular success, he decided to branch out into something different. Today, he writes science fiction novels, makes movies, and is the only rapper to also have a New York Times bestseller.
I sat down with Logic, whose real name is Bobby Hall, for a deep dive into bringing creative visions to life — especially when you have no idea what you’re doing.
This…is A Bit of Optimism.
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Wealth Is Togetherness with community organizer Kennedy Odede
The slums of Kenya are a tough place to grow up. Stealing a mango could get you killed.
Kennedy Odede grew up in Kibera, Africa's largest urban slum. A street kid at age 10, he dreamed of factory work for 10 cents a day. But after stealing a mango out of hunger, a stranger's single act of kindness changed the course of his life.
Today, Kennedy is the CEO and founder of Shining Hope for Communities, or SHOFCO. For 20 years, SHOFCO has empowered Kenya's poorest neighborhoods, helping over 4 million people access clean water, education, and Internet. In 2024, TIME Magazine named Kennedy one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Kennedy shares with me what it takes to see human goodness while surrounded by scarcity and anger, and how poverty taught him that being together is one of the greatest forms of wealth.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
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Landing Moonshots with Google's Innovation Chief Dr. Astro Teller
Before Elon Musk rebranded Twitter, X was already in use — at Google. Google X was Google's secret research lab, where Google's most imaginative ideas came to life.
As CEO and co-founder, Astro Teller's job is to harness X's wildest, most futuristic technology to solve the world's hardest problems. The same "moonshot factory" that created Google Brain and Waymo self-driving cars is also working on carbon capture, laser-beam Internet, delivery drones, and more.
I sat down with Astro to discuss how we build cultures of radical innovation. He shares some useful wisdom about unlearning what we know and why the counterintuitive approach is the key to landing moonshots.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
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Creativity Is Connection with poet IN-Q
Business and poetry usually don't mix. But vulnerability has the power to bring teams together.
Poet IN-Q has found an unlikely audience in business. A slam poetry veteran and accomplished songwriter, companies invite IN-Q to help strengthen their cultures. He works with teams to connect on a deeper level, using poetry to share something human. As he'll tell you, winning over crowds of skeptical businesspeople is an art.
In this conversation, IN-Q takes me through a powerful exercise in vulnerability. He shares some deeply personal poems and walks me through writing my own, and I learn that to truly connect with someone else, you must offer something of yourself first.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
To learn more about IN-Q and his work, check out:
The Never Ending Now poetry journal
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The Smell of Memory with scent designer Dawn Goldworm
Our sense of smell has the deepest tie to emotion and memory. But it's also the most overlooked. In business, that's a giant missed opportunity.
Dawn Goldworm knows how to use scent to evoke emotion and create loyalty. From Lady Gaga to Ferrari to books, Dawn designs signature fragrances that allow customers to connect with brands in a more meaningful way. A perfumer turned entrepreneur, her company 12.29 works with some of the biggest names in hospitality, fashion, automotive, and beyond.
Many years ago, Dawn helped me create the Scent of Optimism. I was excited to talk with her about what it takes to compose a new smell from scratch and why smell has the unique ability to make a brand instantly memorable.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
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Mastery is an Infinite Game with performance psychologist Mike Gervais
Fierce competition can lead to burnout. How do we train ourselves to maintain excellence without giving in to the pressure to perform?
High-performance psychologist Mike Gervais has a solution. He calls it mastery. Mike's approach to mastering our thoughts and emotions has helped Olympians win gold medals, the Seattle Seahawks win the Superbowl, and CEOs take their companies to the next level.
Mike and I sat down to discuss the psychological tools to fine-tune our inner voices and why focusing on purpose instead of outcome empowers us to accomplish difficult things.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
To learn more about Mike's work, check out his podcast:
Finding Mastery
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Breaking Tradition with cellist Anastasia Kobekina
Classical music could use a little disruption. For Anastasia Kobekina, that means playing outside of its rigid forms.
An accomplished soloist, Anastasia has played with prestigious orchestras all over the world. She also bangs on her cello, improvises with Vivaldi, and sings.
I was thrilled to sit down with Anastasia to discuss her musical experimentations and to hear her play some pieces from her remarkable new album Venice.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
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How to Breathe Out Fear with freediver Li Karlsen
Courage isn't about bravado. It's about staying calm.
Li Karlsen knows a lot about staying calm under the most inhospitable conditions. One of the most accomplished freedivers in the world, Li is a record-holding champion at holding her breath and diving hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.
I wanted to ask Li what freediving has taught her about managing stress and fear. It turns out the lessons she's learned in the ocean work just as well above the water. Something as simple as changing the way we breathe can have a huge impact on our own fear and stress.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
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More Thinking About Thinking with Brené Brown and Adam Grant: Part Two
In Part 2 of our conversation, Brené Brown, Adam Grant, and I continue our journey of out loud self-reflection.
We discuss identifying our values, the two types of narcissists, explanation-based parenting, and exercising judgment over our own judgment.
Listen to Part 1 here or wherever you listen to podcasts.
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
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Thinking About Thinking with Brené Brown and Adam Grant: Part One
To become more self-aware, sometimes you need a friend. Two friends is even better.
Brené Brown and Adam Grant swing by the podcast for one of our trademark conversations with no plan. It turns into a deep dive about knowing our selves and how self-reflection is sometimes best done with others. What's a little metacognition between friends?
This...is A Bit of Optimism.
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