Welcome to the Soulful Impact podcast, where we explore a path to impact and success with a whole new level of fulfillment and freedom.
Watch this episode on YouTube, or listen on Apple or Spotify.
We are so addicted to speed in our culture. It’s the water that we swim in. This is especially the case in the world of entrepreneurship — i.e. “Do More Faster” or “Move Fast and Break Things.”
Don’t get me wrong, I love going fast when that’s what is called for. Just ask my parents to tell you the story of when I was first challenged to a ski race at 4 years old.
But too much of anything — even a good thing — gets out of balance. And we are definitely way out of balance when it comes to slowness and speed in our culture.
Slowing down can be really hard to do when you’re programmed to believe that moving fast equals success, and operating from a consciousness of scarcity and threat.
But taking the time to slow down in a mindful, intentional, and soulful way is key to discovering and embodying the deeper truth of who we really are.
And it’s only after we’ve done that that we become truly unstoppable.
My guest on today’s episode is an incredible example of this.
Formerly a partner at a New York Venture Capital firm, Steve (aka Schlaf) was forced to wake up and slow down due to a lack of sustainability in his own lifestyle.
Now 10 years into a deep journey of self-healing and self-discovery, I believe Steve and Downshift are poised for a greater level of genuine impact, success, fulfillment and freedom than anything that the prior version of Steve could have imagined.
And I that’s a direct result of the consciousness and soul-rooted place that he and his team are leading from.
Steve and I discuss the difference between what we see as the the old (still dominant but increasingly outdated) paradigm of entrepreneurial leadership, and the new one we see emerging that is rooted in a more expanded consciousness and therefore creates sustainable and life-enhancing outcomes for all.
We dig into a myriad of other juicy topics, including:
The difference between leading (and building) from a consciousness of extraction vs. cultivation,
The blessing of fatherhood as the ultimate invitation to slow down and be present,
Lessons learned from Steve’s personal healing journey,
What this current moment in time is asking of us as leaders and visionary entrepreneurs, and
Steve’s recent dive into nature-based soul work and the unique value that work has brought him across all dimensions of his life.
Enjoy!
Links & Resources
Soulful Impact: soulfulimpact.co
Schlaf’s Substack: Where The Road Bends
William Stafford Poem: The Way It Is
Chapters
04:30 The Wisdom of Slowing Down
07:36 Deceleration and Connection
10:20 The Birth of Downshift
13:17 Challenges of Modern Acceleration
16:22 Facing the Fear of Slowing Down
19:32 The Cost of Speed
22:28 Confronting Personal Pain
25:34 The Journey to Authenticity
29:44 Facing the Pain of Addiction
32:53 The Journey to Sobriety
36:28 Embracing Life's Cycles
38:36 Exploring the Concept of Soul
43:40 Trusting the Inner Knowing
50:53 The Four Windows of Knowing
54:55 The Importance of Choice in Personal Growth
57:11 Navigating Existential Questions in a Changing World
01:01:02 Shifting Paradigms: From Extraction to Cultivation
01:04:46 Nature as a Teacher: Insights from Soulcraft
01:14:47 Fatherhood: Balancing Presence and Ambition
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