Four years ago, MKP USA decided to step into the arena of online learning and we kicked off this new initiative with the Power of Purpose Global Summit in 2013.
Since that first event we’ve developed a number of online learning programs including the second POP Summit in 2014, the Man on Purpose 7-Week Online Course, the RISC Relationship Course, and the Conscious Men Summit with John Gray & Arjuna Ardagh.
I feel proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, and I’m honored and grateful to have been a part of creating these new offerings.
And it’s been amazing and gratifying to hear the stories about people who have grown and been transformed by these programs. That’s what has been most important and meaningful for me and the team.
After four great years of taking the lead on our online learning offerings, it’s time for me to hand off the torch to another person so that new ideas and energy can flow into MKP USA’s Online Training Program.
So, I’m excited to share with you that Matt Kelly (certified Full Leader in the ManKind Project) will be guiding MKP’s Online Programs. Matt brings a strong skill-set and great ideas for developing the next wave of our online offerings. I asked Matt to share a bit about himself below.
And so I leave with this Irish blessing (my roots):
May you always have walls for the winds,a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,laughter to cheer you, those you love near you…and all your heart might desire.
To your sacred purpose journey,
Chris
Meet Matt Kelly
So who is Matt Kelly? Good question. And one I ask myself all the time.
Like Chris, I’m a ManKind Project New Warrior. This month I’ll celebrate my 22nd wedding anniversary, my son’s 16th birthday, and my 51st birthday. I am currently living in Philadelphia. PA. Our permanent home is in Durango, Colorado.
Cheri, Malcolm, Lulu (our dog) and I are living for three-month stretches in different cities around the United States for a year. A year of travel had been a dream for Cheri and me since before we were married. When people started telling Malcolm, who is an aspiring chef, all the places he should get to “some day,” we figured out how to make it possible and left Durango in June of 2016 on this adventure.
Adventure…I could tell you all the great things or all of the challenges that have come up as we traveled from Durango to San Francisco, Boston, Honolulu, and Philadelphia. Cheri works as a traveling speech therapist – making this all possible, Malcolm traded in project-based learning for online high school and the opportunity to work in fabulous restaurants, and I am fortunate to be able to work as a personal finance coach and serve the ManKind Project from the road.
One of the most important things to know about me is my mission:
I co-create a world where souls dance by living courageously.
Newsletter Changes
Some changes are coming to the On Purpose Newsletter. The two most significant changes, aside from me taking over from Chris, are format and frequency. We are going to move from an HTML format to a text format. I want this to be more like a conversation. You can always hit reply, and I’ll answer. Give it a try right now.
Frequency — I’m going to start writing two times per month. The first and third Sunday of each month. Maybe I’ll move to weekly as I find my voice.
Thank you for your service, Chris Kyle!
Since the start of the On Purpose Newsletter Chris has been the steward of this newsletter and the community of readers who are committed to being on purpose. “Thanks, Chris!” Does not adequately convey my gratitude for all he has given. Now is the time for Chris to be on purpose in other parts of his relationships, life, and career; so it is that he is passing the keyboard to me. Join me in wishing him continued challenge, success, and joy.
Thanks for being a part of this conversation. I look forward to getting to know you.
Matt
[Featured Story]
Passion, Purpose, and Community
by Matt Kelly
It’s easy to get stuck in a ‘hero complex’ when we start living our highest purpose in the world. The ‘lone wolf’ syndrome that Chris Kyle talks about so well in the Man on Purpose Course is vicious.
For some, this might work out for a while. I witness passionate men and women pushing into the unknown with grit and determination, hustling to make it happen, only to burn out and drop out when it’s time to up-level.
Going it alone only works for so long. It’s been a great eye-opener for me to watch people who are absolute superstars in their expertise run into a wall when it comes to manifesting over time.
Some make it through. Others don’t. And I would say that the key to success for those who make it … is the teams they build when they know it’s time to grow. And the success of those teams comes from the shared passion and purpose. A Purpose Project can become the commitment of a whole community.
Each year, the ManKind Project celebrates service to the community through an award called the Ron Hering Mission of Service Award. The variety and scope of the work being done by individual men and groups are outstanding.
During the award ceremony, I was struck by the way teams who come together to do purpose projects acknowledged the ebb and flow of energy, with different members of the team stepping forward as others step back in the course of time, and yet each remains committed to making a difference. And the sustainable impact of a team.
So even as you are the champion of your unique vision, and even as you pour your time, energy, and resources into bringing your work to the world, don’t miss the chance to let your vision build a community. A mutually supportive community.
There are two types of mutually supportive communities:
- A circle of support for you and your personal growth.
- 1,000 true fans who support your work.
Circle of Support
Your circle of support is the group of five to seven people you gather with regularly to help each other be accountable, overcome obstacles to your goals, celebrate what’s working in your life and examine what’s not.
Creating and nurturing this kind of group requires a high level of trust and commitment. Trust comes from:
- Showing up regularly.
- Being accountable.
- Compassionately telling the truth.
- Challenging yourself and others.
- Being willing to withhold judgment.
Sitting in such a circle has been life changing for me. For the past eight years, I have been sitting in men’s circles as part of my involvement with the ManKind Project.
True Fans
True fans root for your success. They look forward to interacting with you, connecting with your purpose and benefiting from the value you provide the world. On average, you can expect a true fan to spend or donate a day’s wages on what you produce or your cause. Some will give more, some less, but on average they will each contribute about $100.
Multiply that by 1,000 true fans – a good living while achieving your own fulfillment and serving your community.
Being part of a mutually supportive community will challenge you to grow and confront your self-imposed limits.
An exercise for you to try.
Journal about you could achieve with a mutually supportive community cheering for you.
[In The Know VIDEO]
What the ‘New Power’ Looks Like
With Jeremy Heimans, Founder/CEO of Purpose.com and Avaaz
We can see the power of distributed, crowd-sourced business models every day — witness Uber, Kickstarter, Airbnb. But veteran online activist Jeremy Heimans asks in this TED Talk: When does that kind of “new power” start to work in our culture and politics? His surprising answer: Sooner than you think. It’s a bold argument about the future of politics and power.
Go here to watch: What the New Power Looks Like
[Inspiring Quote – Mitch Albom]
— Mitch Albom, author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “For One More Day”
