Community Archives - The Certior Group

Experiencing Awe Through Your Child’s Eyes

September 1, 2021 by Avi Kantor

“A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life.” – Rachel Carson (1907-1964), author, naturalist

There’s something to be said for experiencing life as an adventure where one approaches every moment and situation seeking to discover what is new and interesting. Some call it a beginner’s mind. Others call it a sense of awe. Either way, I see this way of being, this mindset, as a vital part of practicing Gratitude. My own son recently reminded me of the benefits of such a mindset. We were on a father-son hiking and camping trip in the Gros Ventre Wilderness in western Wyoming. After driving for two hours on a paved road and another hour and a half on a gravel and dirt road, we arrived at one of the most remote ranches in the 48 states. From there we hiked 6 miles in national forest land, along with a handful of other campers, to our campsite at the base of a pristine waterfall.

My 14-year-old experienced the views, the natural world, and the hours of hiking with seemingly endless wonder and joy. While adults might consider hiking 6 miles into a bare basics camp a chore or hard work, he found it fun. When we were caught in a sudden rainstorm an hour and a half from camp, he enjoyed sloshing through the mud and fighting the rain just to see the path ahead. For him, it was all one big adventure, one moment after another of awe and inspiration.

Our time in the wilderness contained most, if not all, of the elements of practicing Gratitude. Certainly, there was respect for nature first and foremost. There was appreciation for the other people on the trip, the opportunity to be in such a wonderful locale, the small conveniences we enjoyed (tents, cots, sleeping bags, hot food, etc.), and the great experiences we had over the three days in the wilderness. And there was generosity. Since we had very little, consideration and sharing became as much a privilege as it was a necessity.

“Awe binds us to social collectives and enables us to act in more collaborative ways that enable strong groups, thus improving our odds for survival” – Dacher Keltner, PhD I also experienced what Dacher Keltner mentions in the quote above; namely, a shared experience of awe binds people together. It’s something we all might consider cultivating, especially during these times of disruption and especially with those closest to us.

Focusing on Post-Traumatic Growth

April 22, 2021 by Avi Kantor

Our colleague, Ron Nakamoto, recently spent 6 weeks on the beach in Mexico, and as he put it, “recovering from pandemic-driven ‘VUCA’ – volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity” (his words). Since his return, he has remarked that the experience gives him a sense of how we might better shape our post-pandemic futures.

Having had time to rest, recover, and rejuvenate from his pandemic experience, Ron now believes that we are experiencing (or will experience) broad-based, societal post-traumatic stress. He’s not alone in thinking this.[1] New York Times writer Sarah Lyall suggests that grief, depression, and malaise have become commonplace.

“…Margaret Wehrenberg, an expert on anxiety and the author of the book “Pandemic Anxiety: Fear, Stress, and Loss in Traumatic Times ” (said), “A year of uncertainty, of being whipsawed between anxiety and depression, of seeing expert predictions wither away and goal posts shift, has left many people feeling that they are existing in a kind of fog, the world shaded in gray. When people are under a long period of chronic, unpredictable stress, they develop behavioral anhedonia (meaning the loss of the ability to take pleasure in their activities). And so they get lethargic, and they show a lack of interest…”[2]

Not surprisingly, Ron’s focus has been on post-traumatic growth. Again, he’s not alone in his thinking. Several studies have indicated that the pandemic has the potential to trigger:

1. Positive growth in important personal relationships;

2. Greater appreciation for what’s good in one’s life;

3. Spiritual growth, appreciation for nature and the environment; and

4. A newfound ability to embrace new opportunities, possibilities, while accepting uncertainty.[3]

What Ron and all of us at The Certior Group believe we can contribute to this notion of post-traumatic growth are our fundamentals: practicing Gratitude, a True Wealth mindset, and a focus on building community. The brain’s hardwired negativity bias has been fully activated by the pandemic and other recent events. Our research-backed Gratitude practice has demonstrated empirically over time to be an effective antidote to the negative emotions that the events of 2020-2021 have precipitated. Having and maintaining the energy and discipline to remain focused on what truly matters most (i.e., having a True Wealth mindset), while others are faltering is vital…but it can be very challenging. That’s why having the support of a handful or a community of like-minded people can be invaluable.

By remaining true to our fundamentals, we at The Certior Group intend to support all of you in recovering from 2020-2021 and creating a better post-pandemic life.

[1] Post-COVID Stress Disorder: Another Emerging Consequence of the Global Pandemic, Phebe Tucker, MD, Christopher S. Czapla, MD, Psychiatric Times, Vol 38, Issue 1, Volume 38, Issue 01, January 8, 2021

[2] We Have All Hit the Wall, Sarah Lyall, The New York Times, April 3, 2021.

[3] Study Identifies “post-traumatic growth” emerging from Covid-19 lockdowns, Science Daily, February 8, 2021.

Remaining Hopeful in the New Year with Leadership

December 30, 2020 by Avi Kantor

Prior to 2020, we would begin our presentations with the statement, “We live in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world.” We would then ask people for examples of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in their personal lives. They were often slow to come up with any examples, as if VUCA was an abstract idea that applied mostly to others. 2020 has changed that.

First, it was a virus that might (we didn’t know for sure) kill us.

Sanitize everything. Stay home and stay away from people.

Businesses and schools shutdown…

Stimulus money…

Masks…

Elections…

Protests…

Cyber attacks…

Vaccines…herd immunity?

What hasn’t changed is our view that healthy mindsets, practices, and supportive communities are what counteract VUCA. In 2020, we’ve learned that whatever is happening in our lives, we can choose to be grateful. Despite adversity and things not going the way we’d like them to, we can still notice what’s good in our lives, even if they’re small things. Perhaps 2020 has made you more aware of what matters most to you and to those around you. Optimizing True Wealth – what matters most to us – in every phase of our clients’ lives, has always been the primary vision for our work. We may all look back on 2020 and realize that this year gave us deeper insights and clarity into what True Wealth means to each of us. Perhaps 2021 will be a year where we plan and reorganize our lives around what truly matters most.

With this year’s VUCA have come widespread challenges to our individual mental health and sense of wellbeing. Instances of anxiety, depression, addictive behaviors, domestic violence, and suicidal thoughts have spiked as basic safety, security, and human needs have been threatened. To counteract the mental health and wellbeing threats we face, our approach is to develop and nurture the practices and habits that support our True Wealth. Specifically, the work of James Clear and his book Atomic Habits provide guidance on how we might form and sustain the habits of an anti-VUCA, True Wealth lifestyle. We’ll have more to say on this in 2021. Finally, 2020 has made it clear to most of us that human beings are social creatures. It’s never been more apparent that we flourish when we’re around others who bring out the best in us. Certainly, the trend towards more remote, technology-enabled work will continue. But whether it’s virtual or in person, our families, groups, and communities are and will be a big part of how we can make 2021 and beyond better for us all.

Man Plans and God Laughs: Insights from Our Family Road Trip

August 4, 2020 by Avi Kantor

Thanks to COVID-19, I believe that my family will look back and fondly remember our recent vacation as both the “VUCA” and the “True Wealth” road trip. I’ll explain why in this post.

For years now, our family has accepted the idea that we live in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world. I’ve written before about the term; it was coined by the Army War College to describe the conditions that would exist with the collapse of the Soviet Union and has subsequently caught on with academics and the business community.

According to the American Automobile Association, the overall number of summer road trips will decline this year because of the increase in new cases of the coronavirus, activity restrictions in certain parts of the country, and fears about asymptomatic spread of the virus. Nevertheless, we decided that, despite some concerns about COVID-19, we could take appropriate precautions and travel safely. It turned out that the virus was only one of the VUCA factors we would encounter on the trip.

Our original plan was to spend a month on the road, first touring several National Parks we had never visited before – Bryce Canyon and Zion in Utah and the Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona. From there, we planned on stopping in Las Vegas before driving eastward through New Mexico, on to Austin, TX, and then to New Orleans where I attended college at Tulane. From there, we planned to head back to Jackson via Dallas, New Mexico and Colorado.

Upon returning home, my son reminded me of an old Yiddish proverb, “Man plans, and God Laughs” (Der mentsh trakht un Got lakht). Our trip was an example of this truth.

The national parks were stunning but it was very hot hiking during the day. As my daughter Jordyn would later remark, the weather taught us “tolerance”. That, being cooped-up as a family in small hotel rooms every night, and dealing with the reality of COVID-19 in every situation and encounter with strangers became a master class in patience, understanding, and self-regulation under stress for not only her but for all of us.

Then there was a fire on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, which forced us unexpectedly to drive all the way around to the South Rim in order to experience the Grand Canyon’s stunning scale and beauty.

As the trip unfolded, the spread of COVID-19 began shutting down some of our planned destinations. After stops in St. George, UT, Las Vegas, and Sedona, AZ, it became clearer that our plans could be even further disrupted if we attempted to travel on to emerging “hot spots” like Houston and other parts of Texas. Reluctantly, we decided as a family to cut our trip short and make the long drive back to Jackson, WY.

Despite having to alter our plans, there were many memorable moments and big “ah ha’s”. Unanimously, we remember hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park as a highlight of the trip. The Narrows is the narrowest part of Zion Canyon where the Virgin River has carved a gorge that at times is only a few feet wide in a one thousand foot tall ancient rock canyon. It’s not a cliché to say that it’s “awesome”.

My “ah ha” is that humans are relative newcomers on this planet, scurrying around with our seemingly important plans and aspirations. Meanwhile, nature evolves and changes at its own pace. For millions of years, the Virgin River has flowed down from the mountains, slowly, inexorably shaping Zion Canyon. There’s nothing like the gratitude that awe inspires. And it was certainly awe and gratitude that we experienced in The Narrows. Sensing those millions of years of rocks, river, and weather that had led up to our few moments of shared True Wealth, it was a part of what we’ll long remember about the Summer of 2020.

Time is Money

May 23, 2020 by Avi Kantor

We’ve all heard the phrase “Time is Money”. This metaphor permeates much of our language and thinking about time. Many of our household and personal gadgets are “time-saving devices”. Sometimes we judge the depth of our commitments and efforts by assessing the “time we have invested”. When someone is struggling with a serious health condition, we say that they’re “living on borrowed time”.

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

-Jim Rohn

How we “spend”, “budget”, “leverage”, and “invest” our time are all abstract notions derived from the basic idea that “Time is Money”. So, time has value. But unlike money, we don’t all agree on what that value is. Furthermore, the way we actually use our time belies what we say it means to us.

One of the consequences of our Covid-19 experiences is that we’ve all had our schedules and daily routines disrupted. We’ve had to adjust and use our time differently.

Tell me what you value and I might believe you; but show me your calendar and your bank statement, and I’ll show you what you really value.

-Peter Drucker

If we value our time, how do we actually “spend” it? For some, Covid-19 has created opportunities for more quality time with family members; time spent home-schooling kids, cooking and eating meals together; watching movies, playing board games, and going for walks and hikes. For others, this period of time has been anxiety-producing, leading to negative thoughts, unproductive behavior, and time-wasting.

Habits and fixed behavior patterns; fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear in general; and human laziness are common underlying reasons why we waste time. Former Navy Seal, now author and podcaster Jocko Willink says that “discipline is freedom.” What he means by this is that the discipline to build and maintain skillful practices allow us to better learn, grow, achieve, and help others. In our work, “The Path to Mastery” begins with positive, intentionally-designed daily routines and habits. How might you utilize this Covid-19 era to rethink your routines and habits to better serve yourself and your family? How might you rewire to better optimize your True Wealth?

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