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Pause to Run


I listen to a lot of podcasts. And then I quote them. And then my husband rolls his eyes, "...another podcast story..." One series I really enjoy is "How I Built This," which tells the stories of successful entrepreneurs. Last week I listened to Blake Mycoskie, of TOMS shoes fame, describe how he has moved through his career and life, and a few mindful attributes and practices stood out to me, though he never used the word "mindfulness." Above all, he used the word "curious." Curiosity drove him to explore laundry services in Austin, country music advertising in Nashville and polo in Argentina. And that curiosity led him to a string of increasingly successful businesses and life experiences. He worked hard and courageously, yet he was willing to step away, for moments or months, to thoughtfully assess the best course of action and accept change. And he described how he begins many days with journaling, and uses that practice to sharpen his intention and attention. Now I'm very curious to know if these attributes of curiosity and noticing are woven into TOMS corporate culture, and if that's changed as the company has grown over the years.

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