Superpowers for Good
Superpowers for Good: Empowering Changemakers for Social Impact via Regulated Investment Crowdfunding from the SuperCrowd.
Author: ‘Purpose Is Our Greatest Superpower’
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Author: ‘Purpose Is Our Greatest Superpower’

Concert Pianist and Author Jade Simmons Shares Insights About Finding and Intentionally Building Our Personal Purpose
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Devin: What do you see as your superpower?

Jade: My biggest superpower is that I see big people. I see people about 10 to 100 times larger than they see themselves. I believe that I have a special ability to help them see that for themselves and finally leap and do the big thing that they feel called to do.


“I believe that purpose is our greatest superpower,” says author and concert pianist Jade Simmons. “One of the things that I've been lamenting is that we've given the idea of big purpose or meaningful purpose or important purpose over to the superheroes. We begin to see ourselves as the extras.”

Inspired by the reaction of audiences to her spoken message about finding purpose, she felt compelled to expand her ideas in a book, Purpose the Remix.

“It can be hard sometimes to see these historical figures like Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa and think, well, if I'm not doing that kind of work, then whatever else I'm doing is smaller.”

Jade defines your purpose as people's reaction to you when you show up fully, revealing who you are. 

She says:

The goal of the book was first to help us believe that we have purpose. The most important thing we can do is figure out, look back and see what the effect is we've always been having, and then decide into the future to be more intentional about delivering that effect on purpose.

Finally, I say in the book, we've got to learn to protect that purpose once we uncover it because it is designed not only to fuel us, but I believe it's also designed to unleash others. Operating in purpose has dual importance. Uncovering it will unleash many of the solutions that we still find ourselves looking for in this world.

Jade is walking her talk. She leverages her superpower–seeing big people–to perform her work, helping others find and realize their full potential through purpose.


AI Episode Summary

  • Devin Thorpe introduces Jade Simmons, CEO of Jade Media Global and the author of Purpose The Remix, during the "Superpowers for Good" show.

  • Simmons talks about how her idea of purpose being the effect on others, rather than the task itself, garnered a strong reaction from people and inspired her to write a book on the concept.

  • She believes that purpose is our greatest superpower and laments that people often see themselves as lesser in comparison to historical figures who have made significant impacts.

  • Simmons aims to encourage people to embrace their purpose and the effect they have on others, which can lead to powerful change.

  • She discusses her use of music, particularly the piano, as a powerful tool to inspire and unleash audiences.

  • Simmons explains that she discovered her purpose through a period of difficulty in her early career as a pianist, which led her to incorporate storytelling and engagement with the audience into her performances.

  • She took purpose-based risks by infusing different genres of music into her concerts and breaking the traditional format, which differentiated her and led to her being known as classical music's number-one maverick.

  • Simmons shares that her purpose is to activate people into being bigger and bolder versions of themselves, and she sees big potential in others, helping them see it for themselves.

  • She talks about her experience running for president in 2020 and how she had to constantly remind herself of her qualifications and vision despite being new to the world of politics.

  • Simmons offers tips for uncovering and embracing purpose, including looking back at behavior patterns, being intentional, and pressing through challenges and obligations. She encourages saying yes to purpose and no to things that don't align with it.

  • She invites viewers to visit her website, jadesimmons.com, to learn more about her work, including her book, her shows, and her consulting services. Additionally, purposetheremix.com offers resources for uncovering purpose.

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How to Develop Seeing Big People As a Superpower

Seeing other people and their potential has helped Jade see her own power. 

In 2020, I probably did the wildest thing I've ever done, if you're looking from the outside, which is that I actually ran for president of the United States. To make it worse, as an independent candidate, I didn't join up with either party. I'd been courted by both parties in the past for political opportunities, but for reasons that we don't have time to get into, I felt led to do that in 2020.

The biggest challenge was not in bolstering my own belief that I had vision to offer and capability to offer. It was suddenly having to translate the fact that I'd never been in the world of politics to this world of leadership. 

Suddenly, I was in a position to have to prove myself where even the unicorn status that had established me in other industries was presenting as a detriment in this one. I remember constantly having to remind myself of why I was doing it, what the vision was behind it, and I had to constantly reassess what winning would mean. 

The challenge of that is when we dare to put ourselves out there, when we take those big risks to offer ourselves up for the leadership that we crave, we're putting ourselves in the spotlight. 

You can definitely face fraud factor, and you can start to discount all the value of the things that you've done before that point. I was constantly having to remind myself of why I was qualified to lead. And I think when you're in leadership, you don't think you're going to have to prove that again. And I had to prove it on a very major level.

The most rewarding thing was to find out that when you were listening to people, and they were telling you what they wanted in their leaders. If you listen carefully, you could hear yourself in their answer. And that was the most wonderful validation possible.

Jade offers some advice for seeing yourself the way she sees you. “When you're finally putting yourself out there, remember why you're doing it and why the life you have led up to this point qualifies you for the brave move that you're making.”

She offers a few tactical tips, too:

  1. I don't believe purpose was designed to be a struggle. I do believe it gets to be an exciting investigation.

  2. Talk to people who know and love you. Ask them what it is they've come to expect from you.

  3. Once you've uncovered that you've been having an effect, let's decide now to have it on purpose.

By following Jade’s example and advice, you can learn to see others–and yourself–at your full potential. With practice, you can make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.


Guest Profile

Jade Simmons (she/her):

Founder & CEO, Jade Media Global

About Jade Media Global: Electrifying, transformative experiences are the essence of the Jade Media Global brand.

From speaking on world stages, performing cutting-edge concerts to content creation and so much more, we strive for “impactful disruption” to keep individuals and organizations buzzing long past our interaction. We are a purpose-centered, transformation-obsessed organization that values the growth of its employees and its audiences alike.

Website:

https://jadesimmons.com/

Twitter Handle: https://twitter.com/jadesimmons

Company Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JadeMedia

Other URL: https://jadesimmons.com/purpose-book/

Biographical Information: Jade Simmons is an internationally acclaimed creator of mind-blowing, transformational experiences and one-of-a-kind, inspirational adventures designed to activate audiences into becoming the biggest, boldest version of themselves. The world-class concert artist has been called a “musical force of nature” with an “uncanny ability to connect with the sounds of today.” Jade is the CEO of Jade Media Global, which is a revolutionary, live experience and global content distribution company specializing in 360o personal development and strategic transformation.

Twitter Handle: @jadesimmons

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jade-simmons-pianistceo/

Instagram Handle: @officialjadesimmons/


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Superpowers for Good
Superpowers for Good: Empowering Changemakers for Social Impact via Regulated Investment Crowdfunding from the SuperCrowd.
We host changemakers who are using regulated investment crowdfunding for social impact--impact crowdfunding--as impact investors or social entrepreneurs, catalyzing change with leadership skills we call superpowers.