Pulse October 2015 | Page 46

Where ARE They Now Catching Up with Past Keynote Speakers BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON hroughout the ISPA Conference & Expo’s history, a remarkable number of speakers have graced the General Session stage—all leaving an indelible mark in the hearts of attendees who were once touched by their inspiring message of living life fearlessly, creatively and generously. For ISPA’s 25th anniversary, let’s lean back and enjoy a cup of tea while we catch up with some of the ISPA Conference’s well-loved keynote speakers. ERIK WAHL Graffiti Artist, Entrepreneur and Author of UNthink 2004 and 2014 ISPA Conference & Expo Keynote Speaker Pulse: What’s keeping you busy? Erik Wahl: I write and paint every single day. Writing is to thinking as painting is to seeing. They are the lenses by which I view the world and process new ideas. I am currently publishing my second major book in the spring of next year. I also have a production team of developers and agents creating online curriculum and films to make my writings, ideas and artwork into consumable and actionable bite-sized chunks. P: How do you productively manage your time? W: I am exceptionally disciplined in how I delegate time, including on relaxation, meditation, massage, yoga, wander walks, writing, working out, eating, relationships, research and strategy. P: How do you continue to grow your knowledge in your area of expertise? W: I consume information and musings from a wealth of different channels—from literature, art, movies, business, speakers to TED talks. I love this diversification. P: How do you handle stress in your daily work and personal life? W: Very intentionally. I am a passionate and wildly volatile individual. It is my greatest asset and my greatest weakness. To the extent that I am aware of this is the extent that I can harness 44 PULSE ■ October 2015 and manage it. As I feel stress overtaking my soul, I intentionally relax, breathe, meditate and get a massage to physically change the sight, smell and feel of the environment of my stress. P: If you have a chance to hear a fellow speaker or an expert in another field speak at an ISPA Conference, who would you like to see and hear? W: I see a different speaker every single day being on tour. I enjoy some. I learn from some. And I am bored by some. It depends as much on my current state of mind as it does on their content, skill or presence on the stage. But truth be told—I prefer live music to speakers. I get much greater ideas and inspiration from a concert than I do from an individual speaker. P: Recalling the time you spoke on stage at the ISPA Conference, what was your favorite moment? W: My favorite ISPA moment was remembering the engagement of the audience. The best kind of audience is an engaged audience—and ISPA was the best. FOR MORE ABOUT Wahl and his creative visions, visit theartofvision.com.