We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rohan Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rohan below.
Rohan, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I believe that travel is a powerful source of inspiration and a key element in keeping my creativity alive. Experiencing new cultures, landscapes, and perspectives ignites my imagination and fuels my creative processes in various ways.
When I travel, I immerse myself in unfamiliar surroundings, which challenges me to think outside the box and approach situations from different angles. The sights, sounds, and smells of a new place stimulate my senses and trigger unique ideas. Meeting people from diverse backgrounds introduces me to fresh viewpoints and narratives, broadening my understanding of the world and enriching my creativity.
Exploring new destinations also encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace uncertainty. Whether it’s navigating through a foreign city or trying local cuisine, these moments of spontaneity foster adaptability and a willingness to embrace the unknown. This openness to change and novelty often translates into my creative endeavors, enabling me to experiment and take risks in my work.
Furthermore, the act of travel itself – the planning, the anticipation, and the actual journey – serves as a metaphor for the creative process. Just as a traveler navigates uncharted territories, a creative individual explores uncharted ideas. The highs and lows of travel mirror the emotional journey of creating something new, reminding me to persevere through challenges and celebrate accomplishments.
Ultimately, travel refreshes my mind and soul, allowing me to return to my creative projects with renewed energy and enthusiasm. It provides a wellspring of experiences to draw upon, infusing my work with authenticity and depth. By embracing the adventure of travel, I ensure that my creativity remains vibrant and ever-evolving.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I work at the intersection of tech startups and investor relations. I’ve been in the tech scene for closer to a decade now and have been able to work with and work on some dope projects and people. My current day to day is spent on various tasks, which includes creating more transparency through the private equity space with a non-profit called As You Sow. What’s most exciting about the work I do is being to see impact in real-time. I’m able to get gratification whether it be from the work at the non-profit of the tech events throughout the world I cohost.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Reflecting on my journey, I consider persistence, patience, and awareness to be the three most impactful qualities that have shaped my path. These attributes have been instrumental in overcoming challenges, achieving goals, and fostering personal growth. For those who are early in their journey, here’s how they can develop and improve on these qualities:
Persistence:
Persistence is the unwavering commitment to continue striving for your goals, even in the face of obstacles and setbacks. To cultivate persistence, it’s crucial to set clear objectives and break them down into smaller, manageable steps. Embrace failures as opportunities to learn and adjust your approach. Surround yourself with a supportive network that encourages your efforts and provides valuable feedback. Remember, success rarely comes without setbacks, and the ability to persevere through tough times is often what sets achievers apart.
Advice: Create a roadmap for your goals, maintaining a balance between optimism and realism. When challenges arise, view them as chances to refine your strategy rather than roadblocks. Seek inspiration from stories of individuals who persisted against the odds, and remind yourself regularly of the reasons you embarked on your journey in the first place.
Patience:
Patience is the ability to maintain composure and stay focused even when progress is slow or results are not immediately apparent. Developing patience requires a mindset shift from instant gratification to long-term fulfillment. Practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation to cultivate a patient approach. Break down your expectations into achievable timelines, acknowledging that great accomplishments often require time to mature.
Advice: Embrace the journey itself, finding joy in the process rather than solely fixating on the end result. Keep a journal to track your progress, celebrating even the smallest victories along the way. Surround yourself with mentors and role models who have demonstrated patience in their own endeavors, and learn from their experiences.
Awareness:
Awareness involves being attuned to your surroundings, your emotions, and your personal development. It requires self-reflection and a willingness to adapt based on new information and experiences. Cultivate self-awareness by regularly evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. Pay attention to feedback from others, as their perspectives can offer valuable insights that might not be immediately apparent to you.
Advice: Develop a routine of self-assessment and goal refinement. Seek out diverse experiences that challenge your perspectives and broaden your horizons. Engage in activities like journaling, meditation, or discussions with mentors to enhance your understanding of yourself and the world around you.
In the early stages of your journey, remember that personal growth is a gradual process. Be kind to yourself as you work on developing these qualities, as progress is often nonlinear. Recognize that success is built upon a foundation of persistence, patience, and awareness. By cultivating these qualities, you’ll be better equipped to navigate challenges, maintain your motivation, and make meaningful strides towards your goals.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
“The Originals” by Adam Grant has been a transformative book that greatly influenced my personal and professional development. This book offers a wealth of insights into how individuals can foster creativity, challenge conventional thinking, and bring about meaningful change. A few of the most valuable nuggets of wisdom that I gained from “The Originals” include:
Embracing Procrastination and Doubt:
One of the most striking ideas from the book is the concept of “productive procrastination.” Adam Grant suggests that delaying action on a project can actually lead to more innovative solutions. By allowing ideas to percolate in the back of your mind, you can come up with fresh perspectives and unexpected connections. Similarly, acknowledging doubt and seeking out criticism can lead to more refined and original outcomes.
Balancing Risk and Safety:
“The Originals” emphasizes the importance of calculated risk-taking. It challenges the notion that successful individuals always take enormous risks. Instead, it highlights how successful innovators often manage risk by adopting a “risk portfolio.” This involves diversifying projects and ideas, which provides a safety net while still allowing for experimentation and innovation.
Challenging Groupthink:
The book underscores the significance of dissent and constructive disagreement within groups and organizations. It encourages us to speak up against prevailing opinions and to cultivate environments where diverse viewpoints are welcomed. This can lead to better decision-making and the avoidance of complacency.
Cultivating Confidence and Humility:
“The Originals” discusses the balance between confidence and humility. It emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty and admitting mistakes while maintaining self-assurance in your abilities. This blend of qualities allows individuals to take bold steps while continuously learning and growing.
Nurturing Originality in Children:
The book explores the idea of fostering originality in children by encouraging curiosity, exploration, and creativity. It challenges conventional educational methods that prioritize conformity over independent thinking. By nurturing children’s natural inclination to question and explore, we can lay the foundation for a more innovative future.
“The Originals” has encouraged me to question the status quo, challenge my assumptions, and approach problems with a fresh perspective. It has given me the courage to embrace uncertainty, value dissenting opinions, and strive for a balance between confidence and humility. This book’s insights have influenced not only my thinking but also my actions, guiding me toward a more innovative and impactful approach to life and work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: realrohanbrown
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohan-brown/
