“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”
— Peter Straub (Shadowland)
Tom Shadyac, Film Director and inspired High School Students
That quote was referred to in the last answer Hollywood director Tom Shadyac gave the group of high school students who asked “If there is one advise for life that you would give, what would it be?” Do not listen to your surrounding saying you can’t be this or you can’t be that. Ask yourselves: What do you love to do? What do you want to do? What is the theme of your life? Make sure they line up.
I couldn’t more than agree. I am in awe after having been to the SF Premier and pre-screening of Tom Shadyac’s latest award winning documentary “I AM”, presented by the Compathos Foundation at the Hub SoMa last night.
This movie brings up very important questions right now: What is wrong with our world? What will we do about it?
Dalai Lama’s direct answer to the question was: “Critical thinking followed by action. Figure out where your talents will make a change. Focus on that talent that makes your heart sing, because then other people will follow.”
People think “I am within” – but that is not what is happening. What you think, who you are, what you put out there – your whole being, impacts the rest of the world. It’s scientific. “We are not separate. Nothing is separate. There are no separation fundamentally.” Institute of Noetic Sciences
And that my dear friends is becoming more and more obvious. Even at the most subtle levels. Are you feeling it? Are you seeing it?
Mark your calendars for February 2010. As Tom added to a comment in the Q&A afterwards about the need of more humor in the communication of these questions: “Absolutely, we need to walk lightly. The humor hits the gut and we feel it. We get it.” That is true for this movie. Go see it.
Starla Sireno, Founder Fearless Women Entrepreneur Network, Tom Shadyac, Hollywood Blockbuster Film Director, Johanna Nilsson, Founder Herringbone
Film savy person said: “I didn’t like any of your other films but this one. I liked this one.”
My comment would be “I haven’t seen any of your other films – but I LOVED this one!”
Tom Shadyac said “This is different. This is my story.”
And what my (Johanna’s) calling is, is to bring fourth your story. I am sure it is equally powerful, in so many ways.
Johanna Nilsson
Herringbone – Get heard
*Herringbone is a San Francisco/Stockholm based company that provides coaching and social media consulting for clients who want to make their voices heard and create a profound impact in this world. The long-term vision for the company includes a social media based platform that will enable and capture historical journeys of change worldwide.
Loving Life Blog 
First off, cute picture of us. Even more importantly is how incredible this film and Tom Shadyac were. The two messages – bringing forth your gift and that we are all interconnected – resonated deeply. I LOVED the movie and couldn’t stop talking about it when I got home.
Tom, if you’re reading this, this is a message that needs to be told to Fearless Women Entrepreneurs who are struggling to silence the voices of the outside world and listen to what is within them.
I AM comes out in February and it is a MUST-SEE!
Starla