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In our third episode of the season, we host Tim Weber, Founder and CEO of The Artists Uncut.

Tim wants to create a corporate environment, where people feel rewarded on a daily basis, not overwhelmed thinking about the big picture. He is worried that his inability to balance the big picture thinking with the celebration of the every day is preventing him from creating such an environment. In this episode, we explore Tim’s inquiry into this very balancing of the long-term vs the short-term.

Uniqueness of Pain

When we feel
isolated
in our pain,
we can think that our pain
is unique.

No.

We can think that our pain
must be
unique.

Because we may think that
it is the only way,
we
can matter.

But when we feel
connected
with an other’s pain,
we may realize that our pain
is not unique.

No.

We may realize that our pain
need not be
unique.

Because we can see
that the pain of those
with whom we feel connected
matters
to us,
which means
so does our own pain,
by virtue
of the connection
in our pain.

Wisdom

The root
of “wisdom”
is “weid-,”
“to see.”

When we realize empathy,
we connect
our experience
with that
of another.

Experiences
we did not know
to connect.

And it is in that instant,
we come to see
something
we previously
did not.

If Steve is right
that creativity
is coming to see something
others
could not
by connecting
experiences,
then perhaps realizing empathy
is creativity
imbued with the wisdom
of love.

To Become One

To become one
is not
to be
the same.

No two “things”
can ever be
the same.

Especially so
if you consider
their locations.

To become one
can be
to become one
of a new kind.

Just as two rings
can become
one chain.

Connection

We look at our hands
and see the fingers,
often forgetting to appreciate
the spaces
between them.

Yet,
without spaces
there are no fingers.

In much the same way,
we may look at a chain
and see the connections,
forgetting to appreciate
the boundaries
between them.

Yet,
without boundaries
there are no connections.

Alone Time

We often say
we need
“alone time,”
when what we mean
is we need
connection time.”

A time,
when we can feel connected
to nature,
to an imaginary character,
to a singer who seems to understand
what we’re going through,
to our thoughts and emotions
through an author
who is willing to help us
reflect.

The Compassion Trap

A founder
was feeling burnt-out.

“When was your last vacation?” I asked.
He couldn’t remember.

“I can’t take one.
My employees are working.
I should be there to help them.” he added.

“What emotions do you experience
when you think of taking a vacation?” I asked.
“…Guilt.” he answered.
“Let that sink in.
That’s significant.” I remarked.

He first looked puzzled,
but soon his eyes widened
and he blurted out
“Oh!
I see!
We should all take a vacation!”

When we feel responsible for “others,”
it’s not unnatural
to feel concern
for their suffering.

With sufficient concern
it’s also not unnatural,
to want
to help.

This is known
as compassion.

Despite best intentions,
however,
the impact of compassion
can also make things worse for others,
and burn us out, as well.

Sometimes,
we need to tame our compassion
to put aside our need to help “others,”
and instead help our “self”
through a vulnerably creative process.

A process
by which we can realize empathy
unexpectedly,
and let emerge
a connected entity
“we”
between self and other.

A process
by which we can learn
a new choice of sight,
that synthesizes
an unpredicted form of help
that helps not other
not self,
but us.