Who would you like to meet?

Imagine that you can meet 5 people who are still alive who you admire for something. Who would these people be?

Often, the reason why you admire them is something that is reflected back on to you as your own value and good. As a great coach, Derek Rydall, commented on this in one of his podcasts, it’s a reflection of the good that is within you, that you have perhaps not fully owned and this is an opportunity to own it. On a similar note, Jan Mühlfeit and Melina Costi wrote in their book The Positive Leader: ‘Often your personal values are elements that you admire in others’.

Have you ever thought about it in this way? That the people you admire have some qualities and values that you possess too? That the good that attracts you to them resonates with you because it’s in you too and it might be that you haven’t fully owned it yet?

I was thinking about the people I would like to meet. I came with these:

Alex Honnold, climber and free soloist; Christine Kane, coach and business owner; Scott Jurek, ultramarathon runner; Pavol Barabáš, film director, adventurer and traveler and Roger Federer, professional tennis player.

Gordon Buchanan, a Scottish wildlife filmmaker would have been on the list too but early this year I had a chance to meet him and speak to him at a Photography Show in Birmingham where he had a talk. It was an amazing encounter. I respect him for all the work he has done. Next month, I am going to a talk with Nicola Mendelsohn, Vice-president of Facebook for EMEA who is an inspiring woman and a great leader. She is another person who is on my list - but not for long!

To be honest, the list above could have been a lot longer! But it’s a good start.

Where would you start?

Who would you want to meet?