In this snippet, Ando Eniwumide, CEO of Happening, explores the deep-seated fears that prevent individuals from stepping into their full potential. He distinguishes between the fear of potential and the fear of the demanding process required for success. Ando shares personal insights on abandoning pride, embracing "failing forward," and the real-world consequences and sacrifices, like selling houses, that come with an entrepreneurial journey. The discussion also delves into the psychological aspects of perceived versus physical reality, the profound impact of having supportive partners and networks that reinforce ambition, and the power of proximity in unlocking one's thinking.

Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nayOanNs6NI&t=2s

We're told to follow our dreams and "be authentic," but most of us live lives that contradict our deepest values. We work for companies we don't believe in, consume things that don't align with our principles, and wonder why we feel disconnected. So what does authentic living actually look like? How do we bridge the gap between who we are and how we show up in the world?

👉 Find the full playlist of episodes HERE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO6l9CNQoSFdYrSofAAHBcTdsnpYk8iYg

Johnny J Pawlik is an award-winning communications and branding expert with over 20 years of experience, based in Yorkshire (UK) and Kyoto (Japan). He is the Founder and Managing Director of Mantra Media, an international marketing and branding firm focused on ethical and purpose-driven work. He co-founded the Japanese luxury heritage brand Atelier Japan and has worked with clients including the European Parliament, UKTI, and Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Featured in Forbes as "the Ethical Marketer" and outlets like BBC and Good Morning Britain, his work emphasizes authenticity, cognitive consistency, and aligning actions with personal and organizational values—principles born from his journey from a challenging upbringing on a UK council estate to becoming a purpose-driven entrepreneur.

Today, expect to learn:

• Why most people experience cognitive dissonance between their values and actions
• How authentic living requires deep self-knowledge and trauma awareness
• What cognitive consistency actually means and why it matters for wellbeing
• How cultural intelligence can be developed by experiencing different worldviews
• Why ethical business practices aren't just morally right but strategically smart
• How to build resilience and curiosity as foundational life skills• What it means to create social good through business and purposeful work
• How to navigate the tension between individualism and collectivism in modern life
• And more...

Community Notes:

Cognitive dissonance occurs when our beliefs, values, and actions don't align, creating psychological discomfort. Research shows this misalignment can lead to stress, anxiety, and decision paralysis. Cultural intelligence involves understanding how different societies approach values like individualism versus collectivism, helping us develop more nuanced worldviews. Ethical branding represents a growing movement where companies prioritize purpose alongside profit, responding to consumer demand for authentic, values-driven organizations.

W H A T T O D O N E X T :

GUEST LINKS ~

WEBSITE: https://www.mantrahq.com

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnypawlik/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mantra_media_ltd

HOST LINKS ~

WEBSITE: https://sevenjacobs.com

SUBSTACK: https://sevenjacobs.substack.com

SOCIALS: https://sevenjacobs.com/links

SHOW LINKS ~

WEBSITE: https://sevenjacobs.com/podcast

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@lostandsearchingpodcast

ALL EPISODES (Spotify): https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/lostandsearching

ALL EPISODES (Apple): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lost-and-searching/id1771369908

Key Terms:

• Cognitive Dissonance: Psychological discomfort from conflicting beliefs and actions

• Cultural Intelligence: Ability to function effectively across different cultural contexts

• Ethical Branding: Marketing approach prioritizing values and social impact alongside profit

• Cognitive Consistency: Alignment between beliefs, values, and behaviours for psychological wellbeing

We're living through a polycrisis—climate change, inequality, migration, polarization—all interconnected and seemingly insurmountable. But what if the solution isn't top-down policy or technological fixes? What if it's about transforming how we see ourselves: from passive consumers to active citizens?

👉 Find the full playlist of episodes HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO6l9CNQoSFdYrSofAAHBcTdsnpYk8iYg ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ruth is a UK-based social innovator and community builder, best known for founding The Canvas Café—a not-for-profit, vegan café and creative venue in Shoreditch, East London (2014–2022). The Canvas became a vital safe space, offering free meals to disadvantaged and homeless locals and hosting up to 60 free community events per month. When the pandemic forced The Canvas's closure, Ruth channelled her commitment into broader grassroots activism. She now serves as Programme Manager for the charity Community Organisers and oversees the growth of the Humanity Project, a bottom-up popular assembly movement. Ruth is also a mother of two young children, and her work remains rooted in the belief that humans are amazing when given the space and opportunity to connect and collaborate.

Today, expect to learn :

• Why we've evolved from subjects to consumers but struggle to become citizens.
• How disconnection breeds fear, division, and the crises we face globally.
• What happens when you create spaces that transform consumers into active community members.
• Why assembly culture and deliberative democracy might be our path forward.
• Why people will want to contribute when given the right environment.
• What it means to build "spaces" that aren't just physical but emotional and conceptual.
• How to overcome the anxiety and fear that keeps us isolated and passive.
• Why small acts of connection can build the "muscle" needed for larger civic engagement.
• How grassroots movements like the Humanity Project are creating bottom-up change.
• What it looks like to participate in popular assemblies and citizen-led democracy.
• Why we need to stop waiting for systems to solve problems and start acting as citizens ourselves.

W H A T T O D O N E X T :

GUEST LINKS ~

WEBSITE: https://thecanvascafe.org

LINKEDIN: https://linkedin.com/in/ruth-canvas-cafe

COMMUNITY ORGANISERS: https://communityorganisers.org.uk

HUMANITY PROJECT: https://humanityproject.uk

HOST LINKS ~

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sevenjacobs.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SUBSTACK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sevenjacobs.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠

SOCIALS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mainpage.me/seven.jacobs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SHOW LINKS ~

WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sevenjacobs.com/lost-and-searching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@lostandsearchingpodcast

ALL EPISODES (Spotify): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/lostandsearching

ALL EPISODES (Apple): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lost-and-searching/id1771369908⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

SOURCES & JARGON BUSTER:

● Polycrisis: Interconnected global challenges that cannot be addressed in isolation

● Citizens' Assembly: Representative group of citizens convened to deliberate on public issues

● Third Places: Social environments separate from home and work, vital for community building