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MASTERS & MENTORS

I first met Arianna Huffington in 2012. I was a delegate to the Jeff Skoll World Forum for Social Entrepreneurs in Oxford, and she was presenting about one of our favorite subjects – the power of storytelling. I’ll never forget something she said to me that day,

“Whoever controls the story, controls the world.”

As someone who had devoted the prior 25 years to helping tell stories in Hollywood, the message resonated with me. It also dawned on me that it was no coincidence that we were brought together by our host – the same visionary who had launched Participant Films with the sole intention of leveraging the power of storytelling for good, Jeff Skoll.

Ariana had just sold The Huffington Post to AOL. They were expanding, and she invited me to write a column on music and wellbeing. With her invitation as the catalyst and her encouragement as fuel, I wrote the WHY Music Series, launched the WHY Music Campaign, and took a deeper dive in the world that would eventually fill the pages of my upcoming book by the same name.

Arianna was co-founder of the Huffington Post, is the author of 15 books, and founder, and CEO of Thrive Global. She has been named to Times Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people and the Forbes most powerful women list. Beyond being an undeniable force of nature, a prolific author and business visionary, Arianna has long been an advocate creating positive impact through great storytelling.

In the past decade, Arianna has also become a much-needed voice and catalyst for the Wellbeing Movement – helping millions to rethink unhealthy business practices and create better work-life balance. She shares her own story and her mission in her culture-shaking international bestsellers Thrive and The Sleep Revolution.

I have learned much from Arianna. Millions have. I have learned that it is good to think differentdifferently, necessary to dream big, worth it to persevere, and critical to be an exemplar for radical self-care as I work to serve others. In a recent article in Inc. Magazine, Arianna reflects on turning 70 and shares the lessons she has learned with all of us. It is, like most of her writings, a highly insightful read. I’m convinced that the world could use Arianna’s help in shaping the cultural discourse and rewriting our future now more than ever.

Sandra de Castro Buffington is another leading exemplar, friend and mentor. Sandra is also a leading advocate for use of storytelling for positive global impact. And she walks the talk. In the short timespan between 2009 – 2012, she helped Hollywood’s creative community improve the integration and proliferation of health-related stories into top television shows and films, resulting in 565 storylines that aired on 91 television shows across 35 networks. For her groundbreaking work, Sandra was named one the “Nation’s 100 Most Influential Hispanics” by PODER Hispanic Magazine.

I met Sandra de Castro Buffington around the same time as I did Arianna. Sandra was Director of the USC Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood Health and Society. Under her guidance, the organization empowered the creators of Hollywood’s most popular programs to take on sensitive topics that would shape the beliefs and behaviors of audiences around important health and social issues. I was naturally honored when she invited me to join the jury that granted the coveted awards for the creators of those highly impactful stories.

Sandra went on to create UCLA’s Global Media Center for Social Impact and took her mission and successful model to Bollywood to help filmmakers do the same in India. Leading research and working extensively with creative communities in Hollywood, India, Egypt, and Brazil among others, has given Sandra, in her own words, “a global perspective on the profound impact storytelling has on consciousness and behavior, and the limitless possibilities for the role media can play in transforming culture worldwide.”

It was not hard to recognize upon first meeting her that Sandra was another force of nature. I had met few people, especially in the industry, who were as spiritually grounded, unshakably focused, and charmingly influential as Sandra. It was immediately apparent to me that everything she did and stood for was part of a higher calling, executed with excellence, and designed to have a highly scalable and measurable positive impact on humanity.

Sandra has also been a great friend and role model to me. I learn more each time I speak with her – both about the possibilities of shaping the future through storytelling and about myself as another human called to serve through the power of music and storytelling. Beyond her words, Sandra teaches me through her presence and her actions – about integrity, compassion, and perseverance. She has also taught me not to hide my values nor my spiritual nature in the face of opposition. Rather, to stand tall within them – to show up fully, shine forth from that inner light, and to always take time to nurture my own soul along the journey.

So, now – you might ask why I write about both of these remarkable women in the same article. For me, they are very interconnected. As integral to my mission as the science and art of storytelling ate to the processing and transformation of human hearts and minds. They are both current and timely, while their lessons and approaches are timeless. They are both kind and compassionate, while their focus and commitment are unwavering. I am honored to share an excerpt from their stories, and humbled to stand between them.

Sandra and Arianna area also connected to each other. They first met in person at the Mind & Life Institute conference, founded by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Because their last names sound so similar, Sandra said that people call her Huffington (instead of Buffington) quite often.

I am grateful for all I have learned from each of them (Ladies Huffington and Buffington). I remain inspired by their lead as we all work together to rewrite a future in which everyone thrives, and we use the power of storytelling to open the gate to that future.

Want to Learn More?

To learn how we can use music to create a better world, and support music programs and research for empowering those in need, check out our work at the WHYMusicCampaign.com.

For an exclusive preview of my new book Amplified, check out Amplifiedthebook.com.

To learn more about how you can use the Power of Music to Unleash Your Potential, check out the FREE AMPLIFIED MASTERCLASS.

To learn more about upcoming programs, books, music, and film releases,  Sign up here.

Looking to book me as a speaker? Learn more here.

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About the Author 

Frank Fitzpatrick is a Creative Visioneer, Engagement Expert and High-Performance Coach on the Faculty of Singularity University’s Exponential Medicine.

To connect, go to FrankFitzpatrick.com

To learn more about working 1-on1 with Frank, go to BeyondPerformance.Life

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