John Seed was a 3-piece suit tech worker, then a meditating hippie farmer, before stumbling into his lifelong calling as an environmental activist.

He participated in the world's first direct action to preserve a rain forest in the 1970s. He co-founded the Rainforest Information Center and raised money and awareness to save the "lungs of the planet."

John soon realized that raising awareness wasn't going to accomplish the mission. After all, most people were aware of the damage humans were doing to the planet, but still weren't taking action to stop it.

His discovery of the Deep Ecology movement brought new clarity and led to the creation of new forms of activism. With Buddhist scholar and activist Joanna Macy, John developed what's now known as The Work that Reconnects (and Experiential Deep Ecology in Australia).

This work invites us to honor our feelings, even the most painful and hopeless ones. It asks us to see the possibilities that can arise when we see ourselves as part of, rather than apart from and above, nature.

In our conversation, we talk about capitalism, economics, advertising, right livelihood, psychedelics, 4 billion years of evolution that lives in each of our bodies, and the distinction between personal biographical trauma and that trauma that every living being experiences on a planet at war with itself.

I feel so lucky to be able to imbibe John's wisdom and spirit and humility.

I don't know if I have more hope than before, but I have more clarity, direction, and resolve.

I wish the same for you, and all my human relations.

JohnSeed.net

Thinking Like a Mountain

The Work That Reconnects

https://youtu.be/lqbkngcx5Qo

Let's talk about persuasion!

Whether in the form of sales, or a helpful coaching conversation, or "street epistemology" for a cause you care about, it's very useful to understand how human beings make decisions.

Today's guest is Ian Ross, a sales trainer specializing in understanding human psychology and communication.

In our conversation, Ian debunks the common misconception that effective sales techniques are inherently sleazy. Instead, he argues, sales can be all about communicating effectively so that our conversation partner makes a good decision.

It's certainly possible to misuse powerful communication skills, as with any tool. (You should see the havoc I can wreak with a reciprocating saw.) And there is a fine line between influence and manipulation — ultimately, it's all about intent.

After covering the basic principles of sales psychology, which apply to everyday interactions, we pivot into helping me become better at selling my own consulting and coaching services.

Ian helps me create a process for the sales call, including the right and wrong questions to ask, how to deal with financial issues, and how to end the call with a decision — whether yes or no — rather than a vague and wriggly "I need to think about it."

Ian's wisdom is invaluable for anyone looking to improve their persuasion skills, in both professional and personal contexts.

Vivid Selling on Instagram

Ian's Substack newsletter

Ian's Close More Sales podcast

Chris Voss on the Plant Yourself Podcast

Join me on a morning walk as I provide a stream of consciousness introduction to my latest book project while dodging traffic and pitying looks from people noticing me talking to myself with two mics attached to my jacket.

The book is about triggers — what causes us to behave in ways we don't like, out of alignment with our goals and values. Like breaking our food rules or buying sh-stuff we don't need or losing our temper with family members and colleagues.

This is the first of four episodes on triggers, and in it I cover the concept of allostatic load.

That's the build-up of stress in our nervous systems, which can turn even the most benign or insignificant glance, comment, or traffic delay seem like a life-or-death struggle.

I discuss the science of stress — how and why it occurs, and how and why it subsides — and how our big brains and modern lifestyles have colluded to turn us into constantly stressed-out beings on the verge of exploding.

And I briefly cover some strategies for reducing allostatic load, so we can be more resilient and composed in the face of the inevitable stressors that come at us all the time.

And here are some photos of the construction in La Plana, which explains some of the ambient noise that you'll hear during the episode.

Want more of this type of show? Got questions about triggers? Let me know in the comments.