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SEP < 2010

“You must have


enough confidence
in yourself to know
you’ll get there...”

Alex Gibney
on the creative process
6
20 16
Build Feel
your fear pain to
toolbox its core
2 3

contents fear.less
Publishers Ishita Gupta
4 EDITOR’S LETTER 20 FOLLOW YOUR HEART Executive Editor Ishita Gupta
Tom Kelly
Advertising advertising [at] fearlessstories [dot] com

Deputy Editor Matt Atkinson


6 MAKE IT HAPPEN 28 RESPONSE ABILITY Copy Editor Katie Byrne
Alex Gibney Brian Clark
Senior Designer Jason Ramirez

12 WALK INTO FEAR 34 THAT DAY


Jacqueline Novogratz Karen’s Preziosi

16 THE BLANK SHEET OF


PAPER
acknowledgments
Michael Paterson
fear.less magazine is built on our contributors time, wisdom, and generosity. Gracious thanks to them. We
especially thank Brian Clark and Karen Preziosi for sharing their moving stories on September 11th.

follow us online
facebook.com/fearlessstories twitter.com/fearlessstories

You’re given the unlimited right to print and distribute this magazine and we encourage you to share it. You

6 12 16 20 28 34
may not alter this in any way though, and you may not charge for it or for any of the content. The copyright
in this work belongs to the publishers, who are solely responsible for the content. All images used with
permission of contributors. Please send feedback or questions to info@fearlessstories.com. To subscribe
to the magazine for free, go to http://www.fearlessstories.com.
4 5

editor(s) letter
There is no right way. Let’s start off with works for me. Take what you like and toss
that. Fall is right around the corner (“sum- the rest. (Repeat, rest, repeat): THERE IS NO
mer with a kiss of fall,” a friend put it) and RIGHT WAY. TRUST YOUR INTENTIONS & DE-
with the seasonal change so with it comes my CISIONS. BE WARY OF ALL GENERAL ADVICE.
personal desire to shed old habits and create STOP SEARCHING. LEARN (from others. FROM
new grooves in my brain. Happy grooves. This YOURSELF), JUST DO THINGS. SO WHAT. MIS-
season of change brings relief, and I’m glad TAKES MATTER, MAKE THEM A LOT.
for it. What I’ve noticed in the latest “season”
of my life (being a New Yorker, publishing a Not very lama-esque. But Ishita-esque. It
magazine, working with inspired and creative feels like me, and as the seasons change and
people, pushing myself and getting pushed
back) is that there is no right way.

There’s no right way to be an entrepreneur


I get more comfortable in my own skin, I re-
alize how nice it is to not just be in my own
skin, but occupy it. Feels good, man.
In matters of style, swim with
the current; in matters of
(particularly lovely to know), no right way In nature there is no right way. A tree isn’t a
to publish a never before published maga- bush and it doesn’t care about being one. A
zine on a touchy topic, no right way (that bush isn’t a squirrel nor does it want to be. A
I’ve heard) to balance work and personal life, squirrel doesn’t want to be a fig (nyc squir-
rels will tell you so damnit!) Fall reminds me

principle, stand like a rock.


no right way to organize, no right way to do
crunches for awesome abs, no right phrase not to wish for a different way, but to accept
to seal the deal. I’ve had all these thoughts the way that’s unfolding in the moment (to
in varying degrees in the last year (some sil- get Buddhist on you.)
ly, some major) but nonetheless I’ve thought
Our contributors in this issue faced their own
them all.
questions about how to do it, whether it was
That’s important. creating an Oscar-winning film (Alex Gibney),
facing his deepest fears in strict ashram life
Thomas Jefferson
It shows just how often we evaluate eve- (Tom Kelly) or quitting his job to uncover his
ry part of our lives, no matter how small or creative side (Michael Paterson.)
huge, based on a “right” way. We’re indoc-
trinated by well-meaning friends and family, It wasn’t easy (is it ever, really?), no doubt
and not so well-intentioned media that show they were laughed at, told they couldn’t do
us, very specifically, the right way to feel, it, but in fact doing things their way brought
dress, smell, BE. them to the success they’re known for now.
Being this awesome doesn’t come from just
And let’s not forget another culprit – you and doing things the right way.
I. We listen to everyone but ourselves, and
drown out our intuition by searching for an- Keep reading to find more courageous folks
swers to questions we’re not even sure we’re in this issue and as we change with the sea-
asking. We lose trust in our abilities, our sons (I think that’s all of us), please share
skills. We forget that we already know what fear.less with anyone who needs to hear that
is right. their way is the right way.

I’m (clearly) not the Dalai Lama, but I’ve It’ll produce some really happy grooves.
done my fare share of searching, and though
xo Ishita
we usually shy away from general lessons
in fear.less, I want to share with you what
6 7

MAKE IT
HAPPEN
You just have to trust the
“ process.

Alex Gibney is an Oscar HYPOTHETICAL
and Emmy-winning director and HORRIBLES IN
producer. His work includes “Enron:
AFGHANISTAN
The Smartest Guys in the Room,”
“Jimi Hendrix and the Blues,” “The
I’ve had moments in
Human Behavior Experiments” and
Afghanistan where
the Academy Award-winning “Taxi
bombs exploded very
to the Dark Side,” about a taxi driver
in Afghanistan who was tortured and
near my house, and
killed at Bagram Air Base in 2002.
once a journalist
Gibney is president of Jigsaw was killed by someone
Productions an independent wearing chest
production company producing explosives at a spot
films, music documentaries and TV I had been just a few
miniseries. minutes before. So
there’s no question

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8 9
that I felt fear, but in those times, the end, and you know the end
you can’t really overcome that will be good.
fear; you just take precautions
and be sensible. You realize that You have to have enough con-
anything can happen, and all you fidence in yourself to know that
can do is be cautious. That calms you’ll get there somehow. That
you down, to some extent. realization allows you to find
the story more quickly, because
In those moments, there’s noth- you’re not crippled by anxiety
ing to do but focus on details. and you know that it’s OK not to
Instead of being frozen by hypo- know. It’s a little like being in a
thetical horribles, you focus on fog. You know sooner or later the
the immediate details in front of fog will lift, so there’s no need for
you: “How should I best accom- you to panic. 
plish this task? How can I find
what I’m looking for? Who can I ..................................
ask? Who might speak English?”
By focusing on the details, I found
IMAGINE

that my broader, more general
fear dissipated slowly.  These thoughts racked me YOURSELF
like making a documentary film.
You have a lot of trees, a lot of
FEAR IS THE
.................................. with fear for many years and SUCCEEDING
material, but you don’t know how PRICE OF
to see any order in that mate-
AMBITION
were the worst moments of my
rial or how to see your way out

A PARENT’S You’re not sure how you’re go- of the forest. As a young man, I

life. I wasn’t able to sleep, it was ing to get there, and you don’t was flailing around saying, “Oh Fear of failure and competition are
WORST FEAR know the path to reach the end, my God, we don’t know what still very much a driving force in

so consuming.

but by being confident or fooling the structure is! This is terrible!” my career. I recently read a book
yourself into a confidence that Sometimes I would impose a on sociobiology that changed my
I’m usually thinking more about
you’ll get there, it allows you to structure, to the film’s detriment. thinking about fear called “The
my family than I am about myself
go forward. If you visualize fail- It got me to a semi-finish line, Moral Animal” by Robert Wright.
in those moments, and although good school and you don’t know find the story or structure. It
ure in the forefront of your mind, but it wasn’t the best thing to He talks about how anxiety can
I’m concerned for my safety, I if you can keep a roof over their overwhelmed me to the point
heads, it’s a terrifying thought. where I felt paralyzed, unable to you’re done. You somehow have
certainly felt a responsibility for
to imagine yourself succeeding,


them. It’s much tougher to take These thoughts racked me with move forward. I was thrashing
those kinds of risks when people
are depending on you.
fear for many years and were
the worst moments of my life.
about in a desperate state, always
trying to find a way to the issue
which allows you to then move
onto a path of success. If you’re It overwhelmed me to the
I wasn’t able to sleep, it was so of the film. But in a documenta- lost in the woods and you pan-
ic, you get yourself into a much point where I felt paralyzed, un-

consuming.  ry, you’re trying to discover the

able to move forward.


The most devastating fear for worse situation than if you do
story through the material, so es-
me is to look into the future and something rationally with the
.................................. sentially you’re writing the script
imagine that you don’t have the hope that things will turn out
at the end of the process rather
ability to take care of your chil- OK. Sometimes you can actually
than at the beginning. Inevitably,
dren. It may not sound like the
fear one experiences when facing NO NEED TO you go through a process where take some comfort from admit-
ting that things are not good at
do. Allowing yourself time to find
just the right story is crucial. It
be a rather useful mechanism for
survival. If everyone was on Zoloft
a firing squad, but when you look
at small kids and you’re not mak-
PANIC you just don’t know what the sto-
ry is, you’re not certain how it will the moment but that they will get takes some time to discern that, all the time, they’d never try to
better, and you focus on making but you have to be confident that get out of the woods if they were
turn out. You just have to trust
ing any money, and your pros- them so. you’ll be able to get there.  lost. They’d be fine where they
I was overcome by anxiety early the process and visualize a mo-
pects look dim, and you don’t are because, why did it matter?
in my career during the editing ment in the not-so-distant future
know if they’ll be able to go to a They wouldn’t have any ambition,
process, thinking that I wouldn’t when you know you’re getting to Getting lost in the woods is a lot ..................................

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10 11

because they wouldn’t have fear sively and completely as possible. stories where I think some fun-
of failure as a motivator. Fear still damental wrong has been com-
motivates me - I imagine releas- When you’re done, you need to mitted. That kind of pisses you
ing a film and everyone walking envision that you’ll be judged off and makes you want to do
out saying, “What a joke.” The by other people. You don’t want something about it. I’m telling
worst thing is if people yawn and to spend too much time think- that story. I’m not worrying too
think, “Man, this is boring.” Just ing about what others think, but much about “Is Dick Cheney go-
because I’m at a certain level in you need to be aware of it. At ing to be angry with me?”
my career doesn’t mean the fear the same time, use yourself as a
has disappeared. But if it weren’t gauge. “Would I be interested in
there, I don’t think I could push this? Would I walk into a theater
myself to do the work.  to watch this?” It helps to imagine
yourself as the audience of your
.................................. film.

CHECK I don’t think the films I make are


that great a risk. Yes, sometimes
YOURSELF I make films about powerful
people, but it’s hard to imagine
that powerful people would no-
When I see new filmmakers who
tice me, or if they did, that they
have a lot of fear, I tell them to
would take me out. When I go to
focus on the essence of their
a dangerous place, that does oc-
story, to find one they think will
casionally give me pause, but I
stand the test of time and to in-
don’t really focus on the risk that
vestigate how to make it happen.
much; I focus on the interest of
They need to check themselves
the story.
upfront to make sure it’s a story
that they feel in their gut, and if
it is, then to pursue it as aggres- And usually, I’m interested in

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12 13

WALK INTO
FEAR
If anything, fear makes me
“ work harder.

Jacqueline Novogratz A LOT OF ARMS TO
is the founder and CEO of CATCH YOU
Acumen Fund a nonprofit ven-
ture fund that uses entrepreneurial
I never felt too much
approaches to redefine solutions to
fear, even as a little
poverty. Acumen Fund finances en-
kid. My mother tells
trepreneurs who bring affordable
a story about when I
clean water, housing and health care
to the poor. Prior to Acumen Fund,
was 6 and how I really
Jacqueline directed The Philanthropy
wanted to walk
Workshop at the Rockefeller Founda- to school, because
tion and founded Duterimbere, a mi- the nuns cleaned
crofinance institution in Rwanda. Her the sacristy in the
book “The Blue Sweater” tells stories morning, and it was
of a new philanthropy, emphasizing about a mile away
bottom-up solutions over traditional from our house. To get
top-down aid. there...

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14 15
I had to leave at 6:30 a.m. in the
dark, and she thought it was a GIVE LOVE TO When I first started Acumen,
someone said to me, “Tell me
terrible idea but saw that there
was no stopping me. On the first
THEM about your fear of failing.” I said,
“I don’t have a fear of failing.” He
day, she literally drove behind said, “Just visualize it for me.” I
Another aspect of being in a big
me slowly as I walked! She said, said, “I can’t visualize it for you,
family is big expectations. As
“You’re going to get yourself it’s ridiculous. I’m not going to
the eldest child, you always want
killed!” The next day, I did it by fail.” He got so frustrated with
to get good grades and just be
myself. me, because he thought I wasn’t
good – the biggest fear is failing
looking internally enough, but I
at something.
reflected on that later, that per-

“ Part of the
haps that’s the nature of being an
As a young person, the thing I entrepreneur - you can’t visual-
was most scared of was public
blessing of
ize failure, only success.
speaking. The first time I had to
talk to a big group of people, I
having a big
“ To me,
was absolutely terrified. I used to
practice my speeches 20 times if
family is that if it was a big one, and I’d be up
half the night working on it. Now
mediocrity
you fall down, I don’t practice at all unless it’s
really high stakes! But the more I
was always a
.................................. for anybody in a way that real-
ly matters. And if you are good
They’re motivating, containing
fears. The fear that will check you

there are a much bigger


enough, the world starts paying and your ego, check you and your
did it, the more I felt comfortable
with it. It took a lot of years and a
KEEPING a lot of attention to you, so you desires.

lot of arms to lot of practice.


fear than fall- YOURSELF IN have to somehow balance the
confidence in going after what
CHECK
..................................

catch you.
” ing down and
you need to accomplish with the
I just looked at it and thought, humility of knowing you’re a long
“It’s not about you. It’s about
LIMITLESS
having to pick
way from getting there.
giving a message to those peo- One of the fears of being suc-
ple out there. Your job is to go cessful is that perhaps you’ll lose POTENTIAL
Despite this, I would get really out there and be an instrument yourself back your humility. Another is that
you’ll move too far away from
I feel these fears every day. If any-
thing, it makes me work harder.


anxious about being the last kid and give love to this audience.” I
up. At some level, if I didn’t have Even as a young person, I’ve al-
talked myself into it, and then I’d the people that you’re ultimately
on the swim team. And some- ways believed that people are
serving and then be less effec- those fears, then I’d hope that
times I was the worst kid on the go and do it. It’s not that the fear capable of extraordinary things.
tive. A third fear, which abso- one of my friends would slap me.
swim team, but I just did it any- isn’t there; it’s a commitment to Human beings really do have un-
looking at the fear and walking lutely needs to be confronted, is
way. What put things into per- In Africa, there was a great deal limited potential, I have no doubt
that you’ll pay the price of losing


spective was after a race, when I through it.  of uncertainty, and I wasn’t quite
One of the
about that. I believed in starting
some of your closest social rela-
realized I survived and felt much sure what my work’s role was ini- Acumen from the thought that
tionships, that you won’t be there
the same afterward as before. I .................................. tially. I questioned, “Should I be
fears of being
bridging charity and the market-
enough for family and friends,
was lucky because I had parents here? Am I doing the right thing? place could solve big problems
because you’re so focused on the
that said, “You can’t be good at Am I good enough for this?” But
ANYTHING BUT successful is
and that the world would recog-
mission that you’re trying to ac-
everything.” Part of the blessing again, maybe it’s entrepreneur- nize more and more how inter-
complish.
of having a big family is that if
you fall down, there are a lot of
MEDIOCRITY ship, maybe it’s leadership, may-
be it’s just getting things done in that perhaps
connected we are.

arms to catch you. the world. You look at that fear, Even if those work out, it’s still
To me, mediocrity was always and you just kind of walk into it. possible you won’t be good
you’ll lose your

a much bigger fear than falling You don’t let it paralyze you. enough, that you won’t even
humility.
..................................
down and having to pick yourself know if you’re successful or if
back up. It felt much worse. you’re really changing the world

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THE BLANK
16 17

SHEET OF
PAPER
There isn’t much to be afraid of
“ besides failure.

Michael Paterson IMMERSE YOURSELF
is Creative Director at Ogilvy and
Mather Advertising in New York. He Fear is a blank sheet of
started as an account executive in paper. It’s hard to face
London after earning his masters the question, “Where
in modern languages from Oxford do you start?” as a
University. After living in Paris for creative professional.
six years, he came to New York and You address that by
progressed up the corporate ladder, making sure you’re
rising to management supervisor. In
armed with all the
2000, he abandoned his corporate
resources you can
career and, after studying nights and
possibly have. That
weekends and creating his portfolio,
means being swamped
began a new one as an art director at
Ogilvy. Michael has created extensive
in art and culture,
advertising campaigns for clients
and really being
such as IMB, Motorola, Cotton, Inc., knowledgeable about
and Lenovo. what’s going on.

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18 19
That at least ensures that you’re phy and fashion, but my previous I don’t think people really un-
equipped when you need to be, job was a business management derstand that, they forget what
so that you can solve the large job where my creative side wasn’t that means. Sure, you might take
creative problems and things engaged at all, and I became a risk, but there’s always a risk
spring to mind immediately when very frustrated. I began debating involved no matter what you do.
you confront the blank sheet of whether to switch careers. I was Sure, you might have to change,
paper. By educating yourself and thinking, “I should do this, but I and change is something I think a
immersing yourself in it, you di- don’t know if I can, or how.” That lot of people fear, but in my ex-
minish that fear. The imposing was the most fearful time for me, perience, change has always been
blank sheet of paper becomes an but I asked myself “What’s the a good thing. It’s always provided
amazing canvas to create some- alterna- tive?” I had no new avenues and opportunities,
thing original on. It’s still the things you’ve never even thought
scariest thing, but also the big- of. Of course there’s always the
gest opportunity. chance things could go wrong.
But isn’t it better to take that
The biggest fear as a cre- risk? Or is it better to look back
ative professional is, “How at the end of it and say, “I wish
good is my next idea go- I’d taken that risk.” The risk
ing to be?” I’m faced with of staying stagnant is much
worse than the risk of ex-
like work, it just feels like my
life. It’s what I do. So many times
deal.” That’s what I say to myself.
Try it. Go for it. Give it a go. The REMAINING A
that fear every day, and
as a creative person, the ploring opportunity, even people say, “I have a job, but I
really don’t enjoy what I do.” So
worst anyone can say is “No.” And
for every no there is a yes.
GENERATOR
buck stops with you. You though it’s scary. If I hadn’t
changed and made that tran- lots of people obviously don’t like
can’t turn to anybody else As you progressively become
sition in my life, I would be in where they’re at. The troubles on The creative industry is extremely
to solve the problems for more successful, the downside is
a much worse place right now.   Wall Street might be a blessing competitive, and competition is a
you, you’re the end of the that you move away from being
in disguise because maybe our very healthy inspiration for suc-
chain, and you have to solve the person who actually creates
lives won’t be so driven by money cess. It inspires people to do well,
them yourself. People come to .................................. the work and comes up with the
anymore. There’s much more to to do their best, to stay current. 
you because they want you to idea to someone more in the role
life than money, but in the past And failure’s not a bad thing. I’d
UNCERTAINTY,
solve the problem, and that hap- of enlisting and inspiring other
20 years, money has been such a say most of the things I’ve worked
pens every day, and you’ve got to people to come up with ideas.
huge driver.
handle it.
MEET on failed in one respect or anoth-
er. But I’m still proud of them be-
You begin to move away from the
reason you got into it in the first
.................................. OPPORTUNITY .................................. cause they’ve taught me some-
thing. I don’t see the time I spent
place. That’s why you have to re-
main you. You have to continue

FAILURE: GIVE
before I became an art director as doing and thinking creatively.
FROM
These uncertain times are a huge
a negative thing. If I hadn’t done You must actually generate ideas
IT A GO
opportunity for people. There are
that, I don’t think I would have
DARKNESS TO rationale for staying in business,
a lot of people who don’t like what
they do who can now choose to
the drive or enjoyment for what
as well as develop them in others,
because if you lose that connec-
SUNLIGHT so confronting my fear was the
only option.
reevaluate how they spend their There really isn’t much to be
I do now. That experience of not
doing what I loved makes this
tion to the blank sheet of paper,
you cease to become a creative
time. People will speak to me afraid of besides failure, and time that much more valuable. I person. The best creative people
Before this job I was doing some- and ask, “What do you do?” When what is failure anyway? If you try
The transition when I gave it all look at everything from that per- are the ones who continue to do
thing entirely different, so I know I say I’m an art director, I can’t something and it doesn’t work, is
up was a very exciting moment spective, that you’ve got to go those two things as they become
the difference between being a tell you how many times they’ve that really a failure? If you cause
of flowering in my life. Really, it one step at a time and learn from more successful. I couldn’t wake
creative professional and being responded, “Oh, that sounds like a problem for somebody else or
was like the sun coming out af- each experience.   up and get to work every day if
stuck in a job you’re not sure is fun. What’s it like?” And I tell you harm someone, that’s dif-
ter a huge long period of dark- them how I love getting up in the I didn’t have that motivating me.
right for you. I’ve always been ferent. But I always have in the
ness. I thought to myself, “You morning and can’t wait to come .................................. The reason I come in is the ability
creative, even as a kid, always had back of my mind, “Well, at least
only live once,” and to me it to work, which doesn’t even feel to create something. 
an interest in art and photogra- nobody died, it’s not that big a
meant, “Why not actually live?”

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20 21

FOLLOW
YOUR
HEART
You must keep utilizing what
“ works for you.

Tom Kelly
At the age of 24,
entered the Self-Realization Fellow-
ship monastic order, taking vows of
simplicity, chastity, and obedience.
There, he spent the next 25 years as
B efore I went
into the ashram
I was in college,
taking all the religion
a monk steeped in meditation and and spiritual classes
humanitarian service. In 1999, Tom I could. I knew there
left the monastic life to expand his was something in
training and share his self-transfor-
my life that I had to
mation with others. He founded the
Soul Center in Encinitas, Califor- understand – and in
nia, where he brings Raja Yoga college the knowledge
to the community through classes, was just pumping in
spiritual coaching and meditation.
Tom is an inspirational speaker who
from the inside-out – I
travels worldwide to teach the trans- didn’t feel it was right
formative power of yoga.  for me. I realized that I
wanted to try to lead
the life of a monastic...

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22 23
to become a monk. My whole enough, whether I was too world- day rolled around, I had already That same afternoon on the third no other recourse but to pray and reality. You have to create a new
spiritual life, I’ve followed my ly of a person, whether I’d miss all decided I was leaving - my things day, the head monk called me in meditate deeply. way of looking at your thoughts
heart, not my head. In college. I the things of the world if I lived in were packed. and be super imaginative and
realized that instead I wanted to the ashram. By the time the third .................................. creative about what works for you


learn the life of a monastic and to stay close to peace and out of
I didn’t

had my heart set on a particular fear. It sure won’t be easy, but
ashram. After a long year of wait-
I had so much fear in my THE DOORS nothing of value is ever achieved
ing on the wait list, I followed my
know from one CLOSED easily.
heart into the ashram and was
mind about whether I’d be able
day to the next BEHIND ME

very excited about going in. The
to live this life...

I don’t be-
day I arrived, I was over the moon
because I knew this was my life’s
how I was go- When I came into the ashram, the
purpose, and I couldn’t believe I
was actually in. After waiting for
ing to make it biggest fear in my mind was the lieve we’re put
in situations
fear of living in the strict envi-


so long, it was wonderful.
through. ronment and of leaving my fam-

that are truly


ily, and it wasn’t until the doors
actually closed behind me that

“ My whole too much for


the stuff hit the fan. All of my old
for a meeting. I still hadn’t met
tendencies that I’d tried to shed
him yet since getting in, and the
spiritual life, us.

before the ashram returned with
first thing he said to me when he
a vengeance and it felt like the
saw me was, “Why are you think-
I’ve followed ing of leaving?” I was shocked,
because I had never met him and
few years of spiritual work I’d
done before didn’t make any dif-

my heart, not ference at all. As soon as you form a lofty inten-


I hadn’t told anyone about my tion for something good for your


plan, so I thought, “This guy’s a
my head.
soul, it’s no cakewalk, because
mind reader!” So I asked him if he Nothing made sense to me. Noth-
there’s a force in this world that
was. ing. It was so hard to live with the
opposes the good, and as soon
decision I made, and it felt like
as we get serious about evolv-
life or death - just plain survival.
The second day, however, my “It’s written all over your face,” ing our consciousness, that force
I didn’t know from one day to the
head started to get in the way. I he said. Then he explained to me gets more active. But I don’t be-
next how I was going to make it
started to question: “Is this really logically that it didn’t make sense lieve we’re put in situations that
through. All I relied on was guts
right for me? This is really serious. to wait so long to come into the are truly too much for us, even
and faith, the things that got me
What have I just done? There’s no ashram and then leave after two though we think they are. There’s
in there. I actually cried a lot of
turning back from here.” I knew days. “Why don’t you just give us a spiritual guidance team behind
tears that first year. 
that this way of life was some- one year here and see if you’re everything, orchestrating what’s
thing you couldn’t just do half- not happier at the end of the going on. They’re aware that if
way - that it was going to be very year,” he said. It sounded logical, I think God wanted me inside we have to go through some bad
demanding for me personally. So and being so young and scared, I the door, with 15 other people, karma, they’ll put us in a situa-
I started to doubt my decision. didn’t have a rational argument, in a very intense environment, tion where we’ll face it and be-
I doubted all day and the strife so I said, “I’ll give it one year.” because he knew I wouldn’t be come much stronger than what’s
kept building and building all day Now, that still didn’t take any of able to leave even though I really coming at us.
long and even into the night, to the doubts or pain away, and the wanted to. The only way is to just
the point where I couldn’t sleep fears didn’t go away, but it did follow your heart, regardless of
After my first year I had another
that night because my heart was help me to at least commit for what your head, your habits, or
meeting with the head monk and
eclipsed by so much fear. I had one year. Only now do I realize the world, say to you. That’s how
he asked, “Well, are you happier?”
so much fear in my mind about that it was part of what I needed you’ll be victorious. You have to
And I had to say yes. I was hap-
whether I’d be able to live this to go through early in my life - to have “counter-intelligence,” and
pier. Perhaps because of a deeper
life, whether I was disciplined face my fears head on - and I had counter the things that seem like

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24 25

“ As soon
“ I looked
conscious awareness and skills down that day have come true ment to the next if we’re going
so that when you face some un- since I left. Not one has materi- to be alive or if our loved ones

as you form a expected darkness or tests, you


have so much in reserve to deal at each fear, alized. It’s only in leaving that I
realized that my fears were base-
are going to be alive. So we feel
fear because it’s our fundamental

lofty intention with it. Most people have noth-


ing in reserve to deal with fear, every single less. All my thoughts of “Would
I be able to make it on my own?
human right. Add the stresses of
modern-day living and economic

for something and life just takes them down.


It’s crisis management for most one, and wrote Would I stay as spiritually intense
as I was in the Ashram?” and on
pressures, and there’s a collec-
tive fear that is a major force in

good for your people. The best way to handle it


is to make a lot of spiritual effort the opposite and on weren’t even a consider-
ation. The answer was yes. Yes.
our lives. But fear and courage
are constructed from the same

soul, it’s no in phases when you’re not go-


ing through a test or a moment of each one I’m glad I addressed those fears
then, but the bottom line is: Write
entity, like different shapes on a

cakewalk.
” down.

of fear, so that you can prepare down the opposite of your fears.


Fear and
yourself for when you do. You’ll probably realize that that’s
who you really are, and then fol-
commitment to my soul, which
had given me clarity and courage
I thought, “There’s no way I can
low that. Then always follow that.
Always follow your heart even if courage are
constructed
leave here. I have to stay.” What’s


it makes absolutely no sense to
You have
to follow my heart in the past, I
interesting is that even though I your head. Follow and trust love.
was able to keep my fears at bay I’m talking about doing it right

from the same


felt fear in my heart, I didn’t re- It will take you on a path that you
to keep utiliz-
for a little while. I lived that life now. Go for it right now, wher-
ally think of them as fears at that could never dream up in your


year after year for 25 years, and ever you’re at and whatever

entity...
time; I just thought they were mind that leads you straight to
ing what you
as long as I was happier each you’re doing. There’s no time to
feelings guiding me to stay in where you need to go. 
year, then that way of life was waste. The good times are a time
the ashram – rational feelings, I

have and what


worth it for me. to make a lot of spiritual money,
thought. Everything I wrote down movie screen formed by a single
store up a lot of good spiritual ..................................
suggested that it would be a bad beam of light. When we realize
works for
.................................. energy and put it in the bank -
move to go out in the world. that we don’t have to live in de-
LIFE: THE
the bank of the soul. You’ve got


lusion, we are truly empowered.
you.
to bank on your soul. It’s the re-
BALE HAY pository, the center of the wealth Then one morning I looked at
each fear, every single one, and MOVIE When you turn inward, toward
your soul, you gain a power un-
WHILE You need to have the eye of the
of the universe. That’s the pro-
active approach to dealing with wrote the opposite of each one daunted by the “reality” of life.

THE SUN IS tiger and sense the finish line fear. down. After I wrote the first one,
I couldn’t believe how all of the
We live on a planet of change, of
duality. There’s birth and death,
SHINING
even though it might be lifetimes I still feel fear sometimes, but my
away. There’s a saying, “Bale hay sudden my heart felt lighter just sickness and health, youth and 35 years of spiritual effort has
.................................. by writing it down. I felt that
while the sun is shining,” so when age, sadness and happiness all shown me that fear can be the
things get rough, there’s no lev- when I wrote the opposite of each built into the human condition. greatest thing to help turn your
I have a lot of tools, sharpened
over many years, to recognize eling out. There’s no status quo THE OPPOSITE fear, it almost reminded me, “Oh,
that’s who I am. This fear isn’t
We don’t know from one mo- attention toward light –a great
fear and to practice things that
offset fear almost instantaneous-
on the spiritual path. You have to
have a “go-for-it” attitude, take OF FEAR who I am, this idea beyond my
motivator to change our focus
from the illusion of our world to


fear is who I am.” So I proceeded
We feel fear
ly. But that doesn’t mean that it advantage of every opportunity the potential we have within.
of good health and every oppor- When the time came that I seri- to do every single one like that,
doesn’t come back, and when
the pages upon pages of fears I
because it’s
it does, I use another tool. You tunity to meditate, because that’s ously considered leaving the ash- I try to keep my focus on that
what abundance is about. It’s the ram after 25 years, I went on a had written down. By the time I
have to keep utilizing what you thought every day. As soon as I
finished the last one, I knew: “It’s
our funda-
have and what works for you, and abundance of all those wonderful month-long retreat. I started hav- forget that truth, I’m in fear. As
efforts put in over a long period ing significant fears about leav- absolutely time to leave the Ash-
once you find them, using them soon as you choose anything but
ram.”
mental human
becomes 100 percent the focus. of time that store up amazing ing the ashram after being there truth, you’re in delusion, and in
Then you build up a bank account grace when you need it. for so long, and I started journal- delusion there’s fear. It’s that

right.

of amazing, wonderful energy, ing my fears in a notebook. After What’s really interesting is that clear-cut - there isn’t much gray.
nearly filling an entire notebook, none of those fears that I wrote

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26 27

You either choose the positive lives. Sometimes we’re so over- handle them and grow – to teach
thought and mitigate the fear, or whelmed by challenges and dif- us lessons, not to defeat us.
you choose the negative thought ficulties that we don’t realize that
and remain in the darkness of everything is still divvied up by Now, I’m approaching almost 40
fear. We’ve all been hypnotized to God. We’re only given as much years of steady spiritual living, 25
forget how to do this. It has to be as we can handle to grow but years in the monastery and when
a practice of remembrance – of never enough to smash us. I be- I’m in a state of grace, I’m fear-
steady focus. We don’t just need lieve that our trials to come to us less. And I know for a fact that
reminders every now and then, in moments when we’re able to sincere effort brings grace. Grace
we need to initiate the willpower comes when you are totally, sin-
to remember all the time. This cerely wanting to know truth,


constant practice is something
We’re only
from wanting to be a good per-
anyone can do.  son, from wanting to do the right

given as much
thing. It’s all in degrees. So the
 .................................. more that you make steady, daily

as we can han-
progress and give daily remind-

STATE OF
ers to yourself, the more fearless

dle to grow but


and in a state of grace you’ll be-

GRACE gin to feel.

never enough ..................................


We should recognize that there’s
a divine orchestration behind our to smash us..

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28 29

RESPONSE
ABILITY
THE ROOM A FEELING OF “We just came off a lower
floor, and there was flames
FALLS APART CALM and smoke. We’ve got to go
up higher.”

The first 10 seconds after the When the building came back
plane hit our building, the to vertical, I felt that I was ..................................
room fell apart. For five or six physically fine and I could
seconds, the building swayed
towards the Hudson River
think rationally. I could walk
about freely, I wasn’t trapped,
SCREAMING
about 6 feet, and then it came and I had my flashlight with FOR HELP
back to vertical and stopped. me. I had this feeling - not
During that oscillation, I was calmness, but optimism. I
I tried listening to this woman
terrified that the building was had a sense of certainty that
but was interrupted by hear-
going to fall over. I would be OK.
ing this banging noise and
muffled screaming. I shut
After the first plane hit, we Since the ’93 bombing, I had my eyes and tried to concen-
weren’t sure that it was a hi- volunteered to be a fire mar- trate on what I was hearing.
jacking. We knew it was se- shal on our floor, so I felt a Turns out it was a stranger
vere, because we could look responsibility to help people screaming for help on floor
up next door and see ma- evacuate and get to a safe 81. I left our group to go and
jor damage, but we really zone. I led a group of seven help, even though it pulled
thought it was an accident or people down the west hall- me out of the group of peo-
just a one-off situation. But way to the center core where ple I was leading down the
our tower was hit 17 minutes we began our descent down stairs. They turned around
afterward, and then I knew in stairway. The plan was to go and went upstairs, doing
an instant that it was terror- to the center, find a stairway what they thought was best
ism. and start our descent. It was and listening to that woman,
only three floors down when and I was now focused on go-
.................................. a woman came up the stairs ing to get this stranger. After
and stopped us, blocked us some probing in the smoky
from going further. She said, darkness, I found the man

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30 31
and rescued him where he was just thought, “OK, this woman is ..................................
trapped. He introduced himself right. There’s got to be flames
as Stanley. down there. I’m going to go up.”
ANOTHER
STORY
“ I had a
That’s clearly what my other
friends thought when they heard

sense of cer-
her story, but they didn’t make it
I went in on the 81st floor with
out. I only heard her talk for 10
a co-worker of mine named

tainty that
seconds as she blocked us from
Ron DiFrancesco. Ron was in
going down the stairs.
my group of six or seven that I

I would be If that woman hadn’t been there,


was leading down the stairs. It
was dark, and there was lots of

OK.

a lot of stories would be differ- smoke. We were walking slowly.
ent. I would have led that group It took awhile to move a short
down, we would have dug our distance just because it was dark
way through the debris, but Stan- and so full of smoke that we re-
When we came back to the stairs, ley would have been stuck where ally didn’t know where we were
I didn’t see any flames that the
going. We were just responding
woman had mentioned, so I went
to this stranger’s voice. Halfway


down to investigate with this
new friend of mine. Stanley and
I picked our way through the de-
That’s how it there, Ron, who was right beside
me, was completely overcome by

bris, through the 81st and past unfolded in that smoke. Stanley, who I hadn’t met
yet, was screaming, “Help, I’m


the 78th floors. There were some
flames in the wall, but we just
kept going. At the 74th floor, all
moment. buried, I can’t breathe,” and Ron,
who was 2 feet away from me,
was just sputtering, completely
of a sudden, we were in normal
overwhelmed and gasping for
conditions. The lights were on, he was and he would have died. oxygen. But somehow, around
and there was fresh air. There It’s bizarre to think about. me was this bubble of fresh air,
was about an inch of water flow-
like I was in a space helmet or a
ing underfoot from some bro-
I went because my grandmother diver’s mask. Ron left me, went
ken pipes, but once we got to
back to the stairs and went up.


instilled some simple values in

Despite my NO
the 74th, I remember thinking, Ron said he was almost asleep
me, and I put myself in Stanley’s He caught up to the other peo-
“We’re fine. We’ll just walk out of when he heard a voice within him
ple who were walking up, while I

experience, I’ve NIGHTMARES,


position and knew I would have
here and be OK.” say, “Get up” - almost a spiritual
wanted someone to help me if I continued further onto the 81st

ONE DREAM
floor and got Stanley. thing. He said he knew that he
really needed help. So in I went.

been blessed
.................................. had to see his wife and children
again, so he fought his way back
That’s how it unfolded in that Ron actually survived. He went up
with the ability Despite
to the stairs through the smoke.
A CRITICAL
my experience, I’ve been
moment. My friends didn’t make to the 91st floor, 10 floors higher.
The first upper floors weren’t blessed with the ability to fall
DECISION
a bad decision; they just made an That’s where he caught up to ev-
to fall asleep
obstructed; about 80 or 81 was asleep when my head hits the
unfortunate one. They were given erybody, and they said they were
where the damage started, and pillow. I don’t have nightmares
information at the time, and they starting to lie down on the floor
when my head about
Ron picked his way through the that day or anything like
In retrospect, the dilemma I was accepted what she was saying. thinking they could get fresh air
debris as Stanley and I had done that, but I did have one dream of
trying to understand in that ear- Maybe if I had stayed in that con- closer to the floor. He said people
hits the pil-
earlier. He ended up following us significance. September 11th was
lier moment was, “Should I lis- versation I could have convinced started falling asleep. That was
down and out of the building. a Tuesday, and on the following


ten to the woman or go to help everyone to go down and not up. the phrase he used. They were
the stranger?” If I were someone
else, I wonder if I would have
I don’t know. unconscious.
.................................. low. Monday night, I fell into a dream
where I was lying in my bed with

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32 33
my head off the pillow. To the
foot of my bed came José Mar-
peared. About two seconds later,
my alarm went off. And from that NO DOUBT from New York Telephone. Our
tech staff used the equipment to
the ones doing the comforting.
So we all went on never know-
Board of Governors of Opportu-
nity International (http://www.
rero. moment, I knew that José was create a makeshift trading floor. ing when that emotion was going opportunity.org), a global enter-
fine and my co-workers were Any doubts about my faith evap- to hit us or who it was going to prise that provides micro-busi-
fine, and I have had no trouble orated after that dream. I was hit next. And we did it together ness loans to the poorest of the


Stanley and I had passed José on
the stairs on the 68th floor - he
was walking up. He’s the only
telling this story. raised a Protestant Christian, and
of course it’s natural to question the rest of – much easier than trying to do
it alone.
poor in 29 developing countries.
In 2004, Brian was the recipi-
person that Stanley and I saw in
the stairs in our entire decent.
what’s real and what’s possible,
but now, I just have absolutely no us managed to .................................. ent of the Norman Vincent Peale
Award for Positive Thinking.

help each other



doubt about life after death and
it’s natural
We didn’t overtake anybody. No-
there being a heaven. I’ve always


THE
body overtook us. There were no
firemen or policemen walking up
to question
been accused of being an opti-
to recover.
the stairs. We didn’t see anybody mist, so it’s kind of natural for
me to continue that optimism. AFTERMATH
what’s real and
with this one exception. I said,
“José, where are you going?” He It’s not new, but it is reinforced. Two weeks after moving into the
For the next five years, until his
what’s possi-
said, “I can hear Dave Vera up temporary office, we had coun-
above, he’s on the walkie-talkie .................................. selors on the floor. We were go- retirement in August 2006, Brian
served as president of The Euro
ble, but now, I RECOVERY
helping people. I’m going up to ing to group sessions and indi-
help him.” He didn’t come back vidual therapy. Only a few people Brokers Relief Fund, a public
charity that continues to finan-
just have abso-
down. couldn’t come back to work. For
them, it was and remains a great cially support the families of his
company’s 61 victims.
lutely no doubt 11, our company had a meeting
But a week later, José came to Less than a week after September difficulty.
the foot of my bed in my dream.

about life after rebuild the company as best we


There was no tunnel of light, no where we decided that we would But the rest of us managed to Brian currently serves as presi-
flashing lights, nothing like that help each other to recover. On dent of the deacons at The

death.

- just José with this lovely smile can and financially help the fami- any given day, Susie would break Wyckoff Reformed Church and is
that he was known for. I looked lies of our victims. We lost 61 down, and five or six people in on the Board of Trustees at New
at him and I was almost accusa- people out of 250 employees in her immediate area would come Brunswick Theological Seminary,
tory. I said, “José, you’re alive! our World Trade Center office. to her area and say, “That’s OK, where he also chairs the Invest-
How did you do that? You fooled Susie, we’re here together,” and ment Advisory Council. In addi-
everybody. That’s amazing!” He then the next day it would be tion, he is on the
We were fortunate. Prudential
didn’t respond to me, other than .................................. Securities gave us a full floor of Harry who would break down,
a smile and a nod of the head. He one of their office buildings. Dell and Susie would now be one of
conveyed a message, without him came in with computers from
verbalizing it, of “You’ll figure it their warehouse. We got support
out.” So, I stared at him for an-
other second or two, and then I
shut my eyes and shook my head.
In that split second, he disap-

Brian Clark was hired in 1973 as the 10th employee of


Euro Brokers in Toronto and rose to become their executive vice
president one year later when they relocated to New York City.
On September 11, 2001, Brian was on the 84th floor of the World
Trade Center’s South Tower when the second airplane slammed
into the building six floors below him. Brian is one of only four
survivors above the planes’ point of impact from either tower.

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34 35
Having been an EMT, I thought I instead of mine for a minute. death. The destruction. Losing
could help and I walked towards co-workers, some of them great
the Trade Centers. No one could It stopped me worrying about friends. We were supposed to
get too close as it was blocked my own life, and I thought, “I’ve launch new software that morn-
off. We’re standing there, and I got to help this other person,” ing, and one of the guys who just
remember looking up and seeing because he was whimpering and had a baby said, “You don’t have
smoke coming out of the second crying. Even though I don’t have to come in. My kid gets me up,
building and that another plane kids, I went into a protective, nur- I’ll be here at 7 a.m.” On Monday
had hit, and then all of a sudden, turing mode, and it took my mind night, I watched the Giants foot-
the top of the second tower start- off of my own personal predica- ball game to the end. It went re-
ed to fall, and we started running ment. I felt stronger and some- ally late, so when my alarm went
away, and that’s when I really felt how, things started making sense off the next morning and I was
fear, when I thought this building in my head. The dust was making rushing to take the earlier bus,
was literally going to just collapse it impossible to see so I decided I thought, “Oh, others are there
on top of me. to follow the sound of breaking anyway. I don’t have to rush, I’ll
glass not knowing whether it was sleep in a bit more.” So I did that,
None of the other fear in my life an explosion or going to lead and that’s probably what ended
came to the extent of this. The to safety. Someone had broken up saving my life.
ash just overtook us – tumultuous open a window as several doors
dust and cement and asbestos on nearby buildings that we felt I don’t know if you ever make
and burning flesh, and you were for were locked. We both jumped sense of something like that.
inhaling it, not able to breathe. It through. Over time, you learn to accept
was pitch black, and you couldn’t it, but I’m not sure it ever to-
see your hand in front of you. While on that sidewalk, I re- tally goes away. There are days
People were walking the streets, member feeling that I got a little when I’ll get emotional and cry
crying, covered in gray toxic ash, strength from the thought that and days where I can talk about
everyone was scared to death. I my grandparents, and my father it like it happened to someone
was crawling on the sidewalk, who had already passed on, were else, but I don’t think you’re ever
thinking, “Oh, my God, they’re saying to me, “Get up! You can’t really over it. To this day, I have
going find my body and tell my die on the sidewalk!” Even just an emotional attachment that I’m

I
was on the bus when just in shock, and then think- mother, ‘Your daughter died the touch of another human be- not sure will ever go away. I’d say
on the streets of New York.’” So ing gave me courage to say, “I’m that by the end of August through
I saw smoke pouring ing that the top of the build- many thoughts go through your just not ready to die. It’s not my mid-September, I’m somewhat
mind. It dawned on me I was on a depressed every year. Last year
out of the buildings, ing could fall over, it was too sidewalk in NYC and within feet of
time. My life can’t be over yet.”
was the first time I went away
Something just kicked in.
and I just remember seeing much. I started screaming at me should be a door of a build- during that time to Italy, and on
ing. I realized I had to get inside the 11th, I hoped that being away
this five-story hole. I imme- the top of my lungs on this and out of the dust for clean air.
.................................. would help, but it didn’t. I woke
diately called the Help Line at bus that it was no small plane I heard another person crawling up crying about it and was mel-

work and a man named Calvin and they should all get out of
and whimpering and knew we had
to get up. I said, “Come with me,”
NOT TRAINED ancholy the whole day. No matter
where you are in the world, this
Dawson answered. He said he there. Then we got discon- to this man next to me, and I was FOR THIS day has a certain meaning, and
holding this complete stranger’s I think it’s just something that
was told it was a small six- nected. My cell phone no lon- hand, and I’m dragging him with I remember I had a lot of survi- I’ll live with the rest of my life. It
me. We’re both nervous, scared, was such emotional turmoil and
man plane that hit the other ger worked... but it helped me to have another
vor guilt. I kept thinking, “Why
so tragic. I wasn’t trained to be
am I alive and they’re dead?
building. At that point, I was person there and to be nurturing, Why was my friend up there?” It in the front line of war like sol-
worrying more about him than didn’t make any sense to me. The diers are, and even soldiers who
just me, to just focus on his fear go to war, no matter how much

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36 37
you try to train them, come back ery night for about a year after stairs, downstairs, outside, in-
traumatized. I don’t have anxiety my grandmother passed, and side, you ran down the stairs or
around it, there’s just a sadness. finally one morning I awoke real- you ran when the building was
izing I didn’t cry last night so I falling, it brought us together.
.................................. must finally be starting to heal. I To be honest, those are the only
still cried for a while but on and people who truly understand how
off as time passed, it got better. it affected my life that day.
YOU’RE YOUR
OWN BEST I embraced my pain, forcing my-
self to do things and go out, and
..................................

FRIEND at some point, it starts picking up


little by little. I don’t believe in
I’ve always gotten support from trying to numb that pain. I think

Karen
my family and friends, no mat- that just prolongs the agony. I
ter how traumatic the situation, find the more I really let myself
but more than that, I got cour-
age from my own inner strength.
feel it, the better it gets and the
less time it takes to get through
Preziosi worked as
There were weeks on end where it. I feel that that’s more realistic, the Vice President of infor-
if I didn’t get up and go to work, not courageous. What’s worked mation technology, financial
for me is to look it straight in
I lay in bed and cried. But slowly, and business software for
you get back to real life, and the eye and say, “Yes, I’m feeling
pain.” Lying in bed, wallowing in Maxcor / Euro Brokers Inc.,
over time, you get stronger. It
came from inside myself, and it and really looking at it directly located in 2 World Trade
although it took some time, I helped me get over it, although Center. The September 11,
started to feel like I could over- the transition was slow. But then
it’s two steps forward, one step
2001, attacks claimed the
come, that I could tune in to my
own inner strength and that it back the entire way. The first an- lives of 61 of the company’s
would get me through. niversary was the most difficult. employees. Karen volun-
It was like I had climbed 12 steps
teered to raise money for
up the healing ladder only to fall
You’re your own best friend, and
back down eleven of them. relief funds that stemmed
you’re the only person you can
from the tragedy and also
rely on 24/7. Even though some-
one else can talk to you, the truth .................................. produced a Euro Brokers
is, sometimes you just have to memorial website for her
go through the things you have
to go through. Everyone grieves
SHARING lost friends and colleagues,
differently, and you’ve got to find GRIEF which helped publish a re-
membrance book for the
your own way of getting through
it. Personally, and I believe this
I created a memorial website, families and friends on the
was true even before 9/11, I re-
which turned into a memorial first anniversary. Now Karen
ally needed to embrace the pain
book, and I think that hearing works in the voice brokering
of life and feel it to my
other people’s grief and talking
to them about it was therapeu-
division for BGC Partners.
core, like when my grandmother tic, in a way. Sharing grief with http://wtc.technol-
died in my arms. I believe you people at the company was help- ogyshoppe.com/
have to embrace the pain, make ful too, because although every-
love to the pain and that will get body’s story was so incredibly
you through the pain. I cried ev- different, whether you were up-

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38

fear.less
I HAVE NO COMPETITION AND NO RIVALS.
EVERYBODY’S GOT THEIR OWN PACE, THEIR OWN
TRIP. I DON’T TRY TO KEEP UP. IF YOU DON’T TRY AND
KEEP UP, YOU JUST SOUND LIKE YOURSELF, WHICH
SHOULD SOUND LIKE THE MOMENT.

Grace Jones

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