Armed with an uncanny ability to understand the lifeblood of fledgling entrepreneurs, David Howitt, a recovering lawyer, has turned into an innovative business leader and a white knight mentor who advises and guides really disruptive cool consumer brands. Howitt has developed a special approach to helping small business owners distill their passion and use it to grow their brand to its maximum potential, creatively and financially.
Heed Your Call is David Howitt’s modern-day manifesto for those who seek excellence so sweet and powerful that it disrupts the status quo, breaks through to rocket businesses to new heights, and achieve life-saving and world-changing socially responsible relevance.
“Life is not an either/or prospect—you can have it all,” says entrepreneur and author David Howitt. “It is for the innovator whose creativity is stifled, the job hunter losing hope, the spiritual seeker afraid of financial success, and the professional who no longer feels connected and fulfilled.”
Howitt says, “Our world is fractured. It is broken; societally, economically, environmentally and in other ways. We need to repair the world. We need to talk about how we can do that.”
The Founder’s Journey
He shares the stories and the lessons learned about how he and others achieved unique success using what he calls The Founder’s Journey, where there is a hero who lives in the known world and must embark on a journey to discover his or her purpose. Along the way there are challenges which must be overcome. There are numerous shoulds and numerous shouldn’ts. There are things that we feel we are supposed to do, that we had to do, and things that other people require of us.
And many times those things are in opposition to what is inside of us, but all too often we buy into that known world and we stay there. Think about books like Death of a Salesman with Willy Loman. That’s what happens when you stay in the world.
Heeding Your Call
But what happens when you venture out? When you heed the call and step out you allow yourself a moment to get in touch with that quiet voice inside that’s whispering and saying you have a purpose. Something lights you up and makes you feel alive.
What happens?
You’re now on your journey and when you’re on your journey, mentors and guides will show up and they will help you along your path, and you will be transformed.
Although it can be found in almost every culture, in the Judaic tradition, the concept is described as ‘Tikkun Olam’ which literally translates to ‘repair the world.’ It is closely related to another idea called ‘Ruach Elohim’, which translates to ‘Breath of God.’
So how do we repair the world?
We repair the world by living from moment to moment with the Breath of God. We recognize the divinity that resides inside of us. We discover our heroic purpose. The thing that lights us up that makes us special. And when we take our journey and step out of the shoulds and shouldn’ts and we choose to live in a place of purpose, we start to tap into the energy that comes from the Breath of God.
And in doing that, we begin to live so that we actually start to repair the world.
What are the tools that we need? What are the tools that we can utilize and bring to bear that are going to help us to repair the world and to bring abundance our way?
Embrace The ‘Power of And’
Unfortunately, we are brought up in educational systems that teach us to believe that we have to make ‘either or’ choices. We either can be left brain or right brain. We have to choose to be successful executives, lawyers, doctors, or some other respected profession. In business we are told our failure or a success is in the numbers. We’ll have amazing analytics, we’ll be really great with numbers, we’ll balance our checkbook, we’ll have five year plans, we’ll forecast the future…
But the ‘either or’ choice often results in us feeling like we give up our inner dreams and have a lack of meaning and purpose in our life. We are forced to give up our hopes for total absolute satisfaction that doesn’t allow us to tap in to our empathy, our intuition or our creativity.
So the net result is we’re told we’ll have a lot of money and nice things, we’ll belong to cool social clubs, but we will not really be in touch with our happiness or our soul. Or we’re told you can be a poet or an artist, a creative, a luminary, a thought leader, and you’ll have amazing relationships and a ton of intuition and empathy and really feel purpose in your life, but you’ll be broke.
That’s not going to get us to the future. That’s not going to help us repair the world.
We can choose to live in the world of ‘And.’ We can integrate what we are. We can be both – analytical and artists. We can have knowledge, facts, wisdom and heart. We can be a poet and a professional.
The Dalai Lama has been quoted as saying something to the effect that the world doesn’t need more executives, more successful people. The world needs more healers, more poets and more thought leaders.
But what David Howitt sees is that the world needs more executives and CEOs and professionals who are also poets, healers and thought leaders.
“It’s not either-or. It’s the Power of And,” says Howitt. “That’s where we are all headed. The future belongs to the people who embrace And.”
Many of the most successful executives got that way because they figured out how to be dreamers and doers. Result: innovative, stylish products that pack a profit. Some examples:
TOMS, a company that has amazing business structure and an incredible P&L, is profitable, it runs a really good business with great logistics, sales, marketing, distribution; all the things you need to do to be on that left brain side. And it also has the deep heart and soul and integrity. And it’s not that they just formed a committee to decide that. It is woven into the actual DNA of the brand and product offering. They pretty much invented the gifting economy, “Buy One Pair of Shoes, We Will Gift One”.
Apple Computer, is another great example. Are they a technology company or a consumer brand? The answer: they are both. And as a result, they are the most valuable company in the history of commerce.
Howitt’s own business, Oregon Chai started in their home kitchen and was one of the first certified organic fair trade companies in the world back in the early 90s. That company not only had great business chops but also focused on putting out a heart centered, differentiated product in the market. Some people call Howitt “The Innovator’s Innovator” because of his ability to create profitable disruptive businesses for his clients.
Focus on the Heart
Disruption occurs when you do that. You relentlessly look at the world and decide where has there been a lack of innovation, where has the consumer been deprived of newness.
“We need to create a revolution evolution and bring to the world products that are better for business and better for the world.”
Heed your call, take your journey, and live in alignment with your souls’ deepest desire. Here are just some of the things you will experience on your journey:
Use Your Imagination. It’s the brain candy and the vitamin that kids love. It is still in stock for anyone who wants to bust locked dream doors. Stuck? Wind up your mental punch.
Build it up. Midcareer? Retired? Recent grad? It’s not too late for your field of dreams. Focus on what jazzes you.
Stay at work. Are you ready for that career change? Don’t toss out the salary. Tilt your mind-set. Find a middle way that satisfies your need to be renewed so you can still buy the groceries!
Sail across the abyss — Realize that you are going to experience a sudden feeling of terror that grips even the most ambitious goal-seekers just after they get going. Go for it any way. Jump in. To all those who are worriers: You’re smarter than your anxieties.
Practice due diligence. Say ‘thank you’ to those who are looking out for you — including your inner critic, who can list a hundred reasons you should quit — and embark on your journey.
“Every one of us is going to have a part that is about safety and security,” Howitt said. “It’s important that we have that part. That’s the part of us that sets the alarm clock and balances the checkbook. But it is only a part of us.”
Look for places to anchor. Are you lost? Look for mentors. They can lend you priceless advice, support and the key contacts you’ll need for reaching that distant shore.
Flex Your Muscles with Your Team. Tough afternoons go down easier if you think of your ambition as being a collaborative effort. “We alone do not create our future,” Howitt noted.
The way up has countless bumps — the market, your personal life or the occasional mistake. Cure: Maintain your mission. Tweak it as you progress. Scan for opportunity.
Pounce on Your Desires. Howitt shares the story of Denise Bevers, who, as a youngster, envisioned a distinct path for her life. “I wanted to be a veterinarian,” she said. “I was one of those kids who had mice and hamsters and turtles and hermit crabs.”
Fresh out of college with an undergrad degree in zoology, Bevers was on that vet track. She aimed for the jungle, where she could tend to elephants. To pay the bills, though, she took a job as a medical assistant at a research hospital. She rocked that gig. It turned into leadership posts at pharmaceutical research companies. “I never made it to vet school,” she said. No worries. “It was about following whatever was in front of me at the time.”
Now Bevers is the chief operating officer of Kindred Biosciences (KIN), a pharmaceutical firm that changes human medicine into formulations for dogs, cats and other pets. She gets to take care of the animals every day. It’s a dream come true — in a slightly different hue.
Go for it. Trust your instincts when you glance at job descriptions. If you have a passion for the work, but lack a few skills, go ahead and apply.
Heed Your Call expands on Howitt’s philosophy of finding a work and life balance and the many ways about “integrating myth, science, spirituality and business.”
“It’s OK. You can have bacon for breakfast and go for a run later in the day.”
HEED YOUR CALL:
Integrating Myth, Science, Spirituality and Business
David M. Howitt
$24.99
Beyond Words/Atria
Trade hardback 192 pages
ISBN: 978-1-58270-484-5
Available wherever books are sold. For more information visit www.heedyourcall.com
About the Author
DAVID M. HOWITT is the founder & CEO of Meriwether Group. He is an inspiring thought leader and accomplished entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience providing financial, strategic, and brand counsel to early stage and Fortune 100 companies. He has the unique ability to integrate vision and growth strategies with mission and purpose, and has provided guidance to Oregon Chai, Stumptown Coffee, Pendleton, adidas, Voodoo Doughnut, Salomon, yogitoes, Klim, Bloch, Dave’s Killer Bread, ABC Carpet & Home, Living Harvest, and many others.
What People Are Saying
“In the spirit of Joseph Campbell, David Howitt takes his readers on a Hero’s Journey for the twenty-first century. This book is for anyone looking for reassurance and guidance as they seek to carve a unique, examined life out of this modern wilderness.”
—Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell Is Human and Drive
“HEED YOUR CALL speaks to all of us. It challenges us to be authentic and complete. This thoughtful book is a must read for all who are seeking a way to integrate happiness, purpose, and business.”
—Clare Hamill, vice president, Nike Growth Initiatives and founding board chair for Children’s Cancer Association
“David has unlocked the tools to truly ‘heed my call.’ As a career women trying to balance a high-pressure job with parenting two children, I’ve found that his constructs are invaluable and if followed, can dramatically supports us living our best lives—filled with love, material wealth, peace, and most important, fun. David’s voice in HEED YOUR CALL resonates deeply with me and will for all who are ready to take the journey.”
—Lara Spencer, co-anchor of Good Morning America, New York Times bestselling author of I Break For Yard Sales, and creator, executive producer, and host of HGTV’s Flea Market Flip
“David Howitt believes your life and career should be a spiritual journey, not just a job. His remarkable new book weaves together myth, science, spirit, and business as never before. HEED YOUR CALL is gripping, irreverent, and relevant. Read this book. It will change your life.”
—John Kroger, president, Reed College
“Reading HEED YOUR CALL, I realize many of us have been too heedless in our pursuit of success of the American dream. We need to pause and listen, and the first person we should listen to is David Howitt. As we tune in to others like him, we tune in to ourselves and can pursue our dreams more wisely. This is critical reading for entrepreneurs who want to integrate business, purpose, and authenticity for success.”
—John Howard, founder and CEO, Irving Place Capital
“David Howitt crystallizes the intuitive, demonstrating how tapping into the power within plugs us into the frequency of pure potential and guides us home to ourselves. HEED YOUR CALL is an essential toolbox filled with insight, authenticity, truth, and wisdom— a gift toward your personal and professional transformation and to manifesting your true purpose.”
—Paulette Cole, CEO, ABC Carpet and Home
“A truly rare and extraordinary book, filled with inspiration and practical wisdom. David Howitt is a gifted business adviser and entrepreneur who fully understands the importance of bringing deep empathy and intuition into our personal and professional lives. This is a must-read book for every person—CEOs, entrepreneurs, MBA students—anyone who wants to enrich their business and personal lives . . . a seamless integration of spirituality, values, and sage advice that will help readers find the perfect balance in work and life. Bring these core principles—this hero’s journey—into corporate America and you will make the world a better place to live.”
—Mark Robert Waldman, professor, College of Business, Loyola Marymount University, and author of Words Can Change Your Brain
“Today’s world critically needs the guidance and insight David has laid out in HEED YOUR CALL. For those who are ready, this book is the formula, encouragement, and incentive needed to empower you to take the next steps on your unique personal journey towards living a fulfilling, inspired, and abundant life. Applying its wisdom could be the difference between monotone versus technicolor existence—the kind of life that can only be realized by living out your truest vision of yourself. David explains how to do it, what you are missing if you don’t, and why doing so makes the world a better place. Be encouraged.”
—Liz Clark, Patagonia-endorsed professional surfer, captain, writer, spiritual and environmental activist
