Brian Miller on the Take Your Shoes Off First podcast with Julia Freeland

“The Magic of Intentional Curiosity”

Sometimes, when you least expect it, magic happens. 

It did for me in January of 2022 when serendipity and engagement led me to be connected to one of the few people I have ever really “fan-girled” over – Brian Miller. 
He is a magician whose words stole the show from his magic tricks in his 2015 TED talk – which has 3.5 million views!

Since all of my transformations have been ignited by understanding something I hadn’t before, most of my work centers around helping people do the same, and usually, it’s about helping someone see the perspective of another.  Brian’s TED talk, which beautifully illustrates just this idea, has been a resource I have referred on to hundreds of people. So, you can only imagine my excitement when a mutual connection made the introduction! 

Then, you can imagine my disappointment when Brian’s response to my initial message felt like he hadn’t even read it.

And this is where our podcast begins – talking about how two experts on connection started off struggling to connect! 

My favorite quote from Brian’s TED talk is this: 

“Our world is a shared experience, fractured by individual perspectives. Imagine if we could all feel understood.” 

It is with this idea in mind, Brian and I remembered to take our shoes off first and seek to understand the other.  When we did, understanding, connection, and laughter ensued. Why? Because, despite fractured perspectives, we have so many parallel passions it was easy to feel understood by the other. Our experience, which we discuss, is a wonderful case study on how to look beyond the surface of an interaction and find connection in the differences.

Today, we have spoken together for many hours and I anticipate we will do so for many more. I’m honored to have Brian on the podcast to share his wisdom, perspective, and ideas. (Yes, I’m still fan-girling.)

Get curious and join us as we wind our way through: 

• Why 2022 is calling us to be intentional.
• How parents and uncontrollable events shape the shoes we wear.
•  Why we need to take advantage of the times we are in.
•  Why he thinks it’s the communicator’s fault if they aren’t understood.
•  Why focusing on getting what you want is the wrong strategy.

This is such a great episode!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!  (We scheduled a follow up that will be releasing on his podcast in March!)