What Would You Ask One of Your Heroes?

by Travis Hellstrom

What would you ask one of your heroes if you're able to sit down with them for an hour?

I don’t ask that lightly. I mean it.

In my case I had a page of questions prepared when I sat down with one of my heroes, Brian Johnson.

After following and admiring Brian (CEO of en*theos) for six years I was finally able to sit down with him for an interview during our Everyday Humanitarians conference. I picked his brain on everything from meditation and what inspires him to get up in the morning, to how each of us can best optimize our lives and what his 110-year old self would tell him now.

Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe his answers. From his PhilosophersNotes, to his book, to the wonderful values en*theos is built on, Brian is an inspiration. He has had a huge impact on my life and it was an honor to sit down with him to ask my favorite questions.

Who are your heroes? Have you ever told them how much they mean to you?

Here are some things you can do today to turn your heroes into your friends:

  1. Send Them a Note - Send them a tweet or facebook message or find them on their website and write to them! If you can find their email address or a contact me page on their website, send them a heartfelt message. It will mean the world to them.
  2. Be Specific - Be as concise and clear as possible when you explain what they have meant to you, when you first found out about them, and how they have made an impact on your life.
  3. Send Them a Gift - Is there something special you could send their way? Maybe something simple like an article or video that might find inspiring, or an actual book or handwritten note that you could put in the mail. Ask their assistant or team for a mailing address and put something in the mailbox. Everyone loves getting things in the mail.
  4. Think About How You Can Help Them - Everyone needs help, especially incredible people changing the world. Think about what you might be able to offer that could help your hero, or their cause, or their organization. Then do it. :)

I hope you have a chance to check it out Brian’s amazing answers when our conference goes live next week. I know you’ll love it and I hope it inspires you to reach out to your heroes too!