Meet Matthew Gaston

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matthew Gaston a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Ever since I was about 3 years old, all I wanted to make people happy. As a child, I simply said I wanted to “make people happy” as that was the extent of my lexicon. I thought that if I could help make someone smile or laugh for even a moment, then I had helped improve their day by at least a smidgen. So, I wanted to be a comedian. Friends and parents would give me comedy books with jokes that I would practice to myself, but then when I had the opportunity to perform them in front of a wedding party – I froze. Kid Matthew quickly pivoted from the idea of being a comedian and switched to dentistry as all folks seemed to be so happy visiting the dentist. This was not the case as it was just me who enjoyed the dentist. At this point, I had become very interested in plants due to a summer camp at my local botanical garden. I had always a big interest in plants and when I was in undergraduate I studied genetics and plant biology. I had some open slots, and I needed to find some fun classes to take, so I looked into education. I recalled my tremendous fear of public speaking and decided that presenting lessons to students would be a proper way to reduce my anxiety. Sure as sunshine, I had a grand old time talking and teaching about plant science that I ended up minoring in math and science education and was one class away from being a licensed California school teacher. I realized at that point that getting folks excited about the natural world and facilitating learning opportunities was what gave me the most purpose. I could share my happiness and excitement about plants with others and help make them feel a greater joy and appreciation for the natural world. My desire to make people happy manifested in a different way, but now everyday that I am able to share my passions for plants I feel a great sense of purpose.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am chiefly motivated by fun and nonsense, and as the Education Director at Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, Texas, I am able to have both fun and engage in nonsense. I oversee the education department at the Garden which includes field trips, workshops, tours, camps, educational outreach, and our internship program. I work for the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy, which is a non-profit that focuses on plant education and community building – two of my favorite things. My educational philosophy aligns with inquiry-based learning in which an educator facilitates collaboration and construction of knowledge between participants. This results in a more participant focused approach that draws upon the individual’s interests and experiences. How dreadful it would be to have someone talking at your for hours.

My job is quite rewarding as I am able to share my passion for plants with others. When I began the job, I thought I would be working with adults mostly leading workshops. I quickly realized that I would spend most of my time with kindergarten field trips as so many of these groups want to visit. One day, I was leading a small group of 2nd graders. Half way through the tour of the Garden, this girl comes up to me and says “Matthew, last night I couldn’t sleep.” I was so concerned and asked why she couldn’t sleep. She said, “I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited to visit today.” I got very emotional that she was excited because I was that same kid in 2nd grade who would get excited to visit Gardens. About 15 minutes later, she came up to me and said she had never been on a hike before. I asked if she was enjoying it, and she replied that she was having so much fun and that she loved it. I had to hold back my tears because this moment was so sweet and sincere. I will never forget that moment and I think about it every time I welcome field trips to the Garden.

When I am not running around the Garden dressed like a cowboy or pirate trying to ensure that folks have a lovely time, I might be reading field guides, hiking, creating educational video, making music, or playing video games. My social media handle is @mckgaston where you can see what I have been up to.

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?

There are a plethora of things that I think are critical tidbits for people to know and accept. I will share the first three that come to mind:

1. Be Gentle: We are but animals on a rock in a vast universe. Our existence is phenomenal and our actions and thoughts are informed by thousands of years of evolution. We do not have as much control over our world as we might think. Be gentle with yourself.

2. Be Brave: We are so often filled with doubt about ourselves and our abilities. An interesting thing is that most people do not actually know what they are doing, but they trust themselves to figure it out and it usually works out. If it doesn’t work out then what a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow. Be brave, make mistakes, and learn.

3. Be Playful: We have to choose to make our days full of play and whimsy. A good sense of humor can get you a long way and brighten even the darkest day. Life is best when not taken seriously – it is all too short for that. Be playful and laugh through the days.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself to be gentle and to be playful. I find that I need to remind myself that nothing is that serious, my health and well being are more important than anything else. Then I think about what it would look like if I did not get everything done that was overwhelming me. It turns out, every time, the world would not end, but maybe something gets delayed. What a relief to know that the earth will not explode if I do not get everything done in time. People are more kind and gentle than we often realize. I would even tell the associated parties that I feel overwhelmed and then they can assist in soothing that. After that, I will remind myself to have fun and be playful. Life is here to be enjoyed not to be stressed and overwhelmed, so I should make it fun! I will usually try to gamify things by making it like a quest list in a video game.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @mckgaston
• Twitter: @mckgaston