We were lucky to catch up with John Thomas Benson recently and have shared our conversation below.
John Thomas, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
As a young kid I was told there are two wolves warring within each of us, the one that wins is the one we feed most often. I made the decision to feed the wolf that fights for the good of others. After doing so for a period of time I began to notice a voice within that would nudge me towards the good that I did not want to do, but knew I had to do. In grade school it was befriending the kid that made fun of me. In middle school it was befriending the kid that was outcasted. In high school it was cleaning up after my teammates even though it felt like a sign of weakness at the time.
Noticing and responding to that voice became addicting to me.
When I was in my first year of undergrad I fell into a deep depression and wanted to end my life. I longed for my life to matter and to actualize my potential for good, but the wolf of doubt was winning. Soon enough I noticed a voice reminding me of my power to choose. I began to dream about what my life could look like in distant futures and felt as though my ambition had returned. With ambition came gratitude, and gratitude looks like optimism.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I recently discovered and decided that I’m on a journey to end internal and external poverty.
My focus is to create environments of hope in everything I do and to one day employ one million people doing the work of filling needs and pushing boundaries.
For the last year I’ve been working for a startup of virtual assistants called EfficientAide and I love it. I’m learning what makes a business successful and meeting amazing people who are making a difference.
This past summer I released my first album and opened for a punk band called The Linda Lindas. My artist name is Juan Cavallo, which is the name of my great (4x) grandfather who led the Black Seminole tribe on a journey to freedom from political oppression.
This year I started my first production company called HAM Productions and we are about to launch our first webseries on YouTube before the end of this year. We are also developing original scripts to pitch to investors and collaborators.
I also recently received my masters degree in Urban Sustainability from Antioch University Los Angeles. I’m starting a regenerative design company and my first client is a local medical clinic in the historic El Sereno neighborhood.
My deepest inspiration comes from my volunteer work with a creative community of faith called Mosaic, which is where I met my wife of four years!
While it may seem that my involvement is chaotic, it is. It is also intentional. I believe how we do what we do creates ripple effects that outlast us. My hope is to encourage others to expel every drop of potential for the betterment of those around and after us.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The first that comes to mind is risk. The moments I wish I could go back and shake myself are the moments where I didn’t risk. My proudest moments are the byproduct of a risk taken steps prior. To improve: find a difficult good decision and follow through on the idea.
The second skill is hope. I mention hope often because it’s forgettable. Its viewed as a soft skill. But I believe innovation and excellence are a byproduct of hope. Hope is dangerous. Its daring. It’s essential to overcoming discontentment, doubt and exhaustion. To improve: find something you’re grateful for in the peak of stress.
The last skill is kindness. This one is mysterious to me, but I can’t imagine wanting to live in a world without it. I thought I was going to say love as the third skill, but I think kindness is a specific kind of love. I’m deeply inspired by the person of Jesus who is love, kindness and empathy all wrapped in one. To me, his most profound teaching is to love your neighbor as yourself. I’ve felt the transformative power that lives embedded in this ideal and I think of kindness whenever I hear it. When I am at my lowest, I’m incapable of loving myself, but kindness shown towards me (even memories of kindness) reminds me of my worth. Afterward, I feel empowered to share that with others. Kindness in this way can end wars both internal and external.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
My dream doesn’t exist without collaboration!
If you’re an entrepreneur, solopreneur or business owner who feels bogged down by granular tasks, I’d love to collaborate!
If you’re a designer or consultant who longs to improve spaces, I’d love to collaborate!
If you’re a writer, producer or investor who longs to tell stories that create positive ripple effects, I’d love to collaborate!
If you’re an artist, musician or A&R who views music as a tool for impact, I’d love to collaborate!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @johnthomasbenson
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnthomasbenson
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oNXnivrOIOxCP4H1ob5FZ
Image Credits
Jackson Davis, Monique Hernandez, Miguel Bandeira
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
