Patrick Sallee reviews Jessica Ann’s new podcast. This week, Jeff Pulver talks about vulnerability as strength.
___
A great new podcast just launched earlier this month, The Art of Humanity, from Jessica Ann Media. To steal from her site:
The Art of Humanity with Jessica Ann is a weekly podcast that explores creativity and consciousness with artists, leaders, authors, and entrepreneurs. Listen for visionary insights on personal development, leadership, art, technology, marketing, and humor all rolled into one.
The first episode launched last week with a great interview of Jeff Pulver, co-founder of Free World Dialup, Vonage, and Zula. While Jeff spent some time talking business, he spoke more about life and his approach to his career.
There are some great nuggets for men here.
Vulnerability as strength
Each person is different in how they view strengths and weaknesses, but the power of being vulnerable and how it enables you to connect to people is universal. Pulver says,
Vulnerability, at some level, creates immediate intimacy and being able to connect with someone that is vulnerable. Whether it is a lyricist, singer/songwriter, poet or you … when someone can hear or feel the presence of vulnerability it is a key that unlocks people’s souls.
Don’t like ads? Become a supporter and enjoy The Good Men Project ad free
The strength of vulnerability isn’t in taking advantage of it in another, but to appreciate the moments and work to recreate similar ones.
We often view the vulnerability we show to others as weakness, but in reality it is strength, viewed both from the person hearing you talk, reading your writing, or listening to your music; as well as from the inside. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable with others makes you more comfortable in that place, standing on your own two feet and knowing you can do it again and again.
Being in the now
Jeff makes some great points about being in the now, actually, being in “your” now … because this now is different for each person. He says, “I’ve never understood why people outsource their life to people that have nothing to do with them.” He’s right. We are so often concerned with what other people might think, or how they may respond to a particular circumstance, but you are the one who has to live with yourself, and it’s your judgment that matters.
Other people can provide perspective, and being educated on what is happening in your current industry market is critical to success, but we are the ultimate authority and the buck stops with us in terms of supporting ourselves. We are the only ones who have our backs, and we have to live with the decisions we make. So “ultimately, people have to be comfortable with who they are and come to terms with what that means.”
Jessica and Jeff go on to discuss ways to get in touch with your true self and focus on owning your goals and direction. They offer wise and accessible advice and a thoughtful conversation. Jessica definitely hit the ground running with this brand new podcast. I’m excited to hear from other leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists as they engage around the connection between creativity and consciousness. And I’m excited to share more with readers.
Photo—Julia Bobkoff