Last weekend I attended The School of Life Conference in LA. 3 days of focused learning on emotional intelligence and self-understanding in one of my favourite parts of the world. Yes please!
I was joined by around 400 like-minded individuals from all over the globe. We met as anonymous people, but we were quickly connected through real and deep conversation, collaboration and challenge. Activities like ‘vulnerability tennis’ quickly took us beyond surface chatter, deep into each other’s souls.
The agenda covered a wide range of subjects, and the fantastic team at the School of Life, led by Alain de Botton, took us through a symposium covering everything from leadership to love, communication to calm and sociability to success. I’m going to be writing about some of the most relevant topics to my coaching and consulting work in the coming weeks. Here’s the line-up.
What really stood out to me was the essence of perspective. Noting where we stand as human beings on earth in 2019 – in the context of everything that has gone before and everything around us. Humans being united in imperfection and yet all delightfully different. The idea that everybody is ‘normal’ until you get to know them! Using this context to shift our often unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. It was refreshingly pragmatic, real and human. Helpfully pessimistic with an often razor-sharp wit, delivering ideas that will stick with me forever.
