Over the last 30-days, I have had time to reflect, work on passion projects and talk to many friends since I left the CEO post that I held for 8-years, a lifetime in the ad business. At first, it was an adjustment; not speaking with the same people every day, working the strategic plan and seeing my colleagues and friends over Zoom. But earlier this year on 1/1, I tweeted some of my intentions for 2020. One was to combine my skill set with my passions and purpose + work with likeminded people. And to that, I have had the good fortune to work on some incredible projects and meet some amazing people that I would’ve not imagined meeting or speaking with even 6-weeks ago. The world opened up to me because I opened my heart and mind to it. I also discovered the Japanese theory of Ikigai, the visual representation above. Ikigai is a framework and a mindset that revolves around your “reason for being” and aligning what you do for a living with passion and purpose. It could be as simple as being a farmer with your passion for bringing things to life and feeding the world or in my case, building brands and leading people through a transformation in sports, entertainment, or wellness-related areas. I have been working on projects and working with people over the last weeks where it does not feel like work. Working 12-14 hour days but still having the energy to go longer. Being tired but not tired because the work is meaningful and I am in the flow-state or Ikigai. I feel lighter, clear and focused.