The first time I heard anything about Jonathan Fields was when he gave a TED Talk on how to turn fear from a source of anxiety and paralysis into fuel for action and achievement. It got my attention. With nuanced humor, he tends to kick you in the butt and make you take notice of what is going on in your life.
I mean, here’s a guy who followed his heart’s direction under what some might believe, were the worst of circumstances (9/11). It might not have worked out. But it did. Laid back, honest and with a head that’s screwed on tight, in the talk Jonathan leads you through the lessons he’s learned while trying to live a productive and meaningful life. That TED talk is a 20 minute reminder of what is really important – a gentle and yet powerful wake up call.
In the talk, Jonathan mentions Steve Job’s quote – “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” And that’s it right there. How many of us, Jonathan asks, are paralyzed by fear, afraid to even try? How many of us are not doing what it is we were meant to do simply because we think we can’t?
And following your heart is what Jonathan is all about, that and teaching others. His blog has a wealth of information on social media, running a business, and things you might encounter as you journey on the path you were meant to take.
In short, Jonathan is a stand-up kind of guy, someone you want your kids to know. Someone you want yourself to know.
Over the years, I’ve exchanged a few emails with Jonathan (he’s had some amazing and insightful posts) and when I found out that he was going to have another book published (Uncertainty – Turning Feat and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance) I thought that maybe, just maybe, he would do a Good-Egg interview with me so that I could name one of our babies from this past Spring “Jonathan-Fields.”
Here’s the thing about requests like that, if they are never asked, they will never happen. But if they are asked, well then there’s a chance isn’t there?
I asked and Jonathan agreed.
So here we go, here is Jonathan Fields’ Good-egg interview and the introduction of our newest named member of the flock “Jonathan-Fields.” This one makes me very happy.
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What is the best advice an older relative or family member gave you?
Just be you, everyone else is taken.
If you were given one wish to use anyway you wanted, what would you wish for?
My daughter to be happy, healthy and loved all her life.
If you were allowed the use of a large billboard over a well traveled road, what would you put on the billboard?
“Scratch here for the secret of life.” And it’d have a giant quarter dangling from a rope.
What’s the passion that drives you to get up every morning?
My family and my work, what’s not to love about hugs, kisses and evil plans?
What is your ideal dinner? What would you eat and with whom would you share it?
Sacco’s pizza (54th St. & 9th Ave in NYC) and my sister’s apple crisp (hey, I’m easy). I’d eat it with my family.
Do you have any favorite chicken stories or memories?
Wish I did, now you’ve got me thinking about material for my next book!
Introducing our newest Good-egg - "Jonathan-Fields" - how lucky we are to have her in our flock
And may I add that Jonathan does indeed now have a chicken story to take out of his back pocket for when the time comes.
Thanks for all your help, Jonathan, proving to all that you’re a Good-egg.
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Jonathan Fields is a former private equity attorney turned lifestyle-entrepreneur, blogger, marketer, speaker and author of Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love(Broadway 2009) and Uncertainty – Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance. He writes about the crossroads between family, passion, entrepreneurship, social media and marketing at JonathanFields. com and has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and hundreds of magazines, radio shows and websites. And, BusinessWeek named him one of the 20 people entrepreneurs need to follow on twitter (@jonathanfields). When not writing, speaking or building something, you can usually find him dancing around his living room with his wife and daughter.
