Duncan Morris, by any measure, had achieved a great deal success as co-founder and CEO of the international, 60 employees, online marketing agency – Distilled.net. And yet, something always felt off for him. At our bootcamp in June he was touched and challenged by a question from Jerry: “What if you could truly understand who you are, and lead from that place?” In evaluating this question, a new question emerged for Duncan: “What if I don’t want to be CEO?” – “What if I don’t want to be a leader of a company with 60+ people?” In this conversation with Jerry, hear how exploring these questions has ultimately changed his work, his company, and his life.
Another key quote from the episode comes from Adrienne Rich’s poem: “Diving into the Wreck:”
I came to explore the wreck.
The words are purposes.
The words are maps.
I came to see the damage that was done
and the treasures that prevail.
I stroke the beam of my lamp
slowly along the flank
of something more permanent
than fish or weed
the thing I came for:
the wreck and not the story of the wreck
the thing itself and not the myth
the drowned face always staring
toward the sun
the evidence of damage
worn by salt and sway into this threadbare beauty
the ribs of the disaster
curving their assertion
among the tentative haunters.
“Diving into the Wreck” | Distilled.net | Duncan Morris on Twitter
Key Questions:
What if I don’t want to be CEO?
What if I don’t want to be a leader of a company?
What if you could truly understand who you are, and lead from that place?
Ask yourself: What if I don’t want to be CEO? What if I don’t want to be a leader of a company? Try to truly understand who you are and explore these questions – it will surely change your work, your company, and your life.
