MeiMei Fox knows something about how to write and give a successful TedTalk! In her recent talk, How Storytelling Can Heal Trauma and Our Divided World – MeiMei CRUSHED it.
But even more than this she is a powerful story coach, and in this interview I ask her about HOW to get on the TED stage, how to write a talk, how to deliver one – and MeiMei delivered BIG time in this interview.
Listen to my full interview with MeiMei to learn the 7 steps to write a TED talk – with a precise, step-by-step program for how to get on that epic stage.
The full transcript is below – but listen to it above! I interview the most amazing humans – and if you want to be on the LIVE calls with people like MeiMei make sure to sign in and become a member of my Inner Circle community! We are changing the world from the INSIDE out….
Big Love, Todd Jason
Full Episode Transcript:
MeiMei: I do think that ultimately writing your story and sharing your story in part is a of letting go. There is a way of releasing it as you put it out there into the world. And I think that that’s an important piece of the entire spiritual journey, starting with the getting the words on the page and then sharing it with others and then let go. All right. Welcome everybody. I am super excited for today’s episode because I’m sitting with MeiMei Fox, who’s not only a two time New York Times bestselling author, TEDx speaker and a writer for Forbes and all this amazingness. She’s also a good friend of mine. So we’re going to have a little fun on this one, MeiMei, right?
Todd: And I’m just excited that you’re here and we’re good friends here. So this is going to be a little bit different than what I usually do here on this program.
MeiMei: Well, I so appreciate your having me, Todd. been excited about it since you first mentioned that it was in the works a few months ago, so thank you.
Todd: Here we are, here we are, we are launched and we’ve been doing amazing conversations.
And this one is really going to be amazing. And, the purpose of these talks is to give practical advice for how to live our most fulfilling, creative, and joyful life. And I think that’s at the core of the work that you do around story. Like I said, you’ve had a lot of success writing stories and providing them in the books you’ve written and on the big stage at TEDx, which I watched.
And I’ll give a link to it here in the postscript because I want people to watch your amazing talk. I think you did such an amazing job, by the way, like you were slow and purposeful, and the message was great. You’re also the CEO of a company called Your Best Selling Book because you train people how to tell stories.
And we can also talk about that and, Lastly, just not to vibe on your bio so much, but you’re also, if you’re not busy enough, the chair of the board of the Hope Foundation USA, while also having two kids and a husband. I mean, you got a lot going on, MeiMei. And, I’m just grateful for your time, you know, that you’re here.
MeiMei: So it’s all a juggling act, right? I know you know.
Todd: Aww yeah, it is. It is. So let’s kind of jump in. And like I said, take notes here because things are going to pop for you in this conversation. I promise you that. So MeiMei your passion is around story. I know that you believe in the power of harnessing positive storytelling that can not only heal people’s lives, but also make change in the world, like real change in the world through the power of story and understanding what it is.
And you call this the story cure, and that’s what you talked about in your TED talk. So why don’t we start there, if you can define what the story cure is, and how this is beneficial for us.
MeiMei: So there is a quote in my TED Talk, so it’s a little bit of a spoiler here, but I came across something that Mr. Rogers said, and you know, we all grew up with, well, we, our generation grew up with Mr. Rogers. There’s been a beautiful film about him, if you haven’t seen it, gorgeous human being, deeply spiritual. And he said, there isn’t anyone you can’t learn to love once you know their story. And I just love that. So to me, the story cure is not only about how when you write and share your story, you are able to tap into your own innermost being and really surface what’s most important to you and what your message is for the world.
I mean, that’s one aspect of it is it’s very healing and there’s neuroscience research around that and lots of psych studies on it. But there’s another aspect of it, which is the way that it impacts the world around you so we often think of that as somewhat self promotional, right, like I’m writing my book to put myself out there, I want to be a thought leader, I want to take this stage, I want to get more press attention, you know, I want to be in the media, I want to be a talking head on CNN, and that’s all great.
It’s wonderful. You know, that, that is, a beautiful part of this, telling your story and sharing your story and finding your voice. But really the, the most profound aspect of it is how you touch other people’s lives. Because I firmly believe that even if you think a million people before you, have shared your wisdom, or oh, there’s another spiritual book or there’s another business book.
You have a unique voice and your unique voice is based on your unique life experience that no one else has had. And your particular way of saying it and sharing it might touch someone who, even if they’ve encountered it a dozen times before, and even I’ve been in the bookstore browsing the spiritual books, let’s just say, and they’ve looked at like a dozen books, but there’s something about you and your message that hits home and resonates with them.
It really has the power to change people’s lives to hear your story.
Todd: It’s fascinating. I never really thought about it this way. And as you’re sharing it, it almost feels in your view, it’s like, It’s almost a responsibility to share your own story for the purpose of not self aggrandizement, but more of that there’s something about what you say and how you say it that can actually really help somebody else.
And it doesn’t mean that you have to go ahead and have a bestselling book. It could mean that you write an article or you do an interview or you start talking to people. But the point is, in your view, that part of our life’s purpose and mission is to communicate ourselves and to ask ourselves the deeper questions about why we’re here.
And I remember in your Ted talk, you talked about one of the people that you trained to write a book. And in the process, he had a idea he was, that he was going to write about, but you had them do a lot of journaling. And I know you believe in journaling and that’s what I want to ask about right now, as a way to access information in the past, what does that do?
So why is journaling such an important part of your practice?
MeiMei: Yeah, I mean, I think that there is lots of research on that too, on psychological research on the power of journaling, it’s a way of just free flow access to your unconscious in my opinion. And once you just get in the mode of sitting down with your pen on paper, which is what I prefer, I really prefer pen on paper.
I think that there is a more direct. link through the body and spirit when you’re holding a pen versus sitting at a computer. But you can also sit at a computer and type nothing wrong with that, or you can even dictate into your phone these days. I mean, the dictation apps are amazing and some people get really frozen up and uncomfortable with like sitting down to write.
So just pick up your phone and talk. But you start to access your unconscious the minute that you get into that mode. You know, um, I love Liz Gilbert, um, who’s the author of Eat, Pray, Love, you know, that turned into a movie and she runs a community now on, uh, Substack, around the idea of letters to God or letters to love, however you want to define it.
And She talks about this. She says like every day she sits down and writes a letter to love. She starts the letter, dear love, what would you have me know today? Which I think is a gorgeous prompt, a gorgeous prompt. So you can think of your journaling as just speaking to your higher self, God, love, however you want to define it.
But It’s like you start to channel this other part of you. And that’s what I think the power of journaling is. It’s just accessing that unconscious self. And it’s also really helpful for just like freeing yourself from a lot of the negativity. Like, I don’t know about you Todd, but I mean I, I tell other people, please don’t ever read my journals.
You are not gonna see the best in me in that journal. By the way, you’ll see some of my letters to love and you’re also gonna see my bitching and moaning, and complaining, and like, you know, this fight happened and I’m so pissed about this, and this is what I find. If I pick up my journal and write that down, it releases it.
It like lets it go and it’s not ever to be read or shared by anyone. It’s just for me and a way of exercising myself.
Todd: Why I can’t even tell you I’m laughing as you’re sharing because this is such a deep practice for me in so many different ways. And I love that we’re talking about it because if you haven’t fully tapped into free writing or free speaking, and we’re going to talk about this, you’re really doing yourself a disservice. And I’ve woken up in the middle of the night thinking about myself dying. And then my wife finding my Google doc, which I’m not going to say the name of it, cause she’ll come onto my computer. Cause she’s probably listening to this and read it.
And I get terrified because it is true. And what I find in it is that sometimes I come on with stress and I, and I just allow my fingers to go. And I found the practice from Julia Cameron in her practice called morning pages, which I’m sure you’re familiar with. It’s a big practice in her book, The Artist’s Way. it’s called morning pages. And you just like, you, you, you write and you just let your fingers go until it does become channeling. And oftentimes I’ll start off just kind of bitching and moaning, you know? All of a sudden, new information comes out, and I’ll tell you that, MeiMei, like, businesses that I’ve run have started from that process.
People that I needed to reach out to that all of a sudden end up being, you know, serendipity, hey, came out from that process. There is so much information stored in our subconscious and in our unconscious that we have access to, and these practices give us that bridge to be able to get it out. And one last piece before we move on, is the self talk.
Now, I love the writing with a pen and paper, but one of my main practices for the last several years is to walk around my neighborhood with my phone plugged in, and it looks like I’m talking to someone on the phone because I don’t want to look like a freak, but I am literally self talking. And I am just talking it out and I’ll do this for an hour sometimes and I will record it as well and then come back and download the recording, sit on it for a few weeks and then I’ll listen to it and I’ll be like, oh my God, like so much gem was in there about what I need to do and how we need to act and what my best self looks like.
So I love that this is really deeply embedded in your practice and what you do.
MeiMei: I love that idea, and I do encourage people a lot now to use, voice to text as well. And I encourage people also to do what you said, so I love that you brought that up of like, take it on a walk, take it while you’re driving.
There are people commute an hour each day, you know, or more. It’s like you could be talking into your phone during that time and doing some really fantastic inner work while you’re stuck in your car driving.
Todd: Yeah, absolutely. So I think that this is just a superpower practice that’s sitting there for all of us to do.
And I love that you do that. And so with this story cure, right, let’s get back to the main drag here, right? The story cure, you say that, okay, there’s a lot of healing that can happen by doing this. What about changing the world? Cause you also relate this to the idea that we can have an impact on their greater world by telling our stories and being really authentic.
Share it with me a little bit about that. What you mean by that?
MeiMei: Well, I’m glad that you just brought up the word authenticity because I think that is the really the root core of it all in terms of positive impact on the world. There are plenty of people who are out there writing the books, getting on podcasts, getting on the press, sharing their story with the sole purpose of intention of self promotion, but when you come with it from an authentic place, and you think of someone like Brene Brown, right, who’s done all this research into vulnerability and speaks a lot about it, like, I mean, she has changed literally millions of people’s lives, right?
And that started from her own authentic place of looking at herself and saying, hey, where am I struggling? Where am I falling down? How can I show up as a more authentic person? So, The key to really impacting others is the authenticity and wanting to share some piece of wisdom. I think that can be intimidating to some people, but it’s really life experience at its core.
That’s what it is. It’s like, what is your lived and felt experience? And you are sharing that. And everyone has been through something, right? Like whether it’s an illness, the loss of a child or a parent or the loss of a job or a breakup or, you know, thinking that their life was going to go one direction and then they had to pivot and go another direction.
So I always look at those, what I call movie moments. If you think of like any movie or show that you love, right? Every scene in that movie or show has a story. Each scene is a story, and each scene is either introducing a conflict, or resolving the conflict, or somehow pushing the story forward.
And so, one thing that you can do is you begin to think about, you know, your story, what you want to share, is to think about the movie moments in your own life. Which is like, if I were going to write a movie of my life, you know, what would those pivotal moments be, which is like, you know, the moment when, my parents dropped me off for college or the moment when I told my husband that I wanted a divorce or, the moment when I sat down for my first 10 day silent Vipassana retreat, whatever it is, right.
But we all have those. And so that’s a really nice way to find the authenticity and the vulnerability, especially if you can then bring to it some element of I was suffering. This is how I screwed up. This is what I wish I’d done differently. So you’re not just coming at it with the bravado of like, look, all that I’ve achieved, right?
It’s not about listing your resume and all of your achievements and accomplishments. It’s like, this is where I fell down. This is where I stumbled. And then this is how I recovered. And I think that that is what really impacts the world and other people.
Todd: I really love that. And I’m curious as you’re speaking, I’m thinking about people listening to this and thinking like, okay, like they’re right.
I’m going to be more open and be more vulnerable around my story. And what about the idea of being attached to a result, right? Some people want to be a bestselling author, like the name of your company, or some people want to have that big YouTube channel, or they want to have some big impact because they really believe beautifully that they have some gift to share, but oftentimes in 20 years of coaching, I’ve seen that.
Wants get in the way of sharing authentically and vulnerably because you’re trying to actually fit it within a box that you think for some reason is going to sell better or resonate with more people. And we also do see out there, let’s be honest, some things that we see, especially in my space of pop spirituality, where people are sharing things and it’s like not that great, but they have millions and millions of followers.
How do you help people and coach them around this idea of being authentic of wanting to be of service to the world and also checking their ego and their attachments at the door to some extent, right? So it’s a dance I’m guessing here. And how do you, how do you do that yourself as well? Because I know you deal with this too.
And how do you coach others?
MeiMei: such a good question, Todd. I’m curious to hear more of your thoughts on that. I will say that, you know, entitling the course and the company, your bestselling book, alone was challenging for me. I resisted that. I had a couple of friends, Who are very successful entrepreneurs and business people who said, you know, you’ve got to make it really obvious and really hard hitting to cut through all of the noise.
But it felt uncomfortable to me for exactly that reason, because I said, I don’t want to just attract people who only want a bestselling book. And you know what, the last cohort that we ran in spring, we had four grandmothers and they were the most beautiful, incredible, soulful, open hearted women and three of them could care less if they even ever publish a book, you know, that wasn’t why they were there.
They were there to dive into themselves, think about their life, reflect, and leave behind a legacy for their children and grandchildren, like a really enduring legacy. It was so beautiful, you know, and it made me think about exactly what you’re talking about. It’s like, it’s not about the outcome.
It’s not even about a book in that case, much less a bestselling book. And so I do try to emphasize like in all of my marketing material. And, you know, when I’m talking to people in the course as well, it’s like, You are here primarily to do the inner work on yourself. And then beyond that, I encourage you to do this exercise.
But 25 years ago when I started my career, none of this existed. The internet barely existed, barely. You know, there was no Amazon where you could order every book from. There was no social media. And so if you were an author, your definition of success was to have an event at a bookstore and have 20 people show up.
Now, can you even wrap your head around that? I mean, this is what I tell people who are in my course who are worried about having best selling books. It’s like, you would have been delighted to have 20 people show up at a bookstore and listen and pay attention and then sign their books and then connect with them and see the impact that you’re having on them.
So dial your expectations way, way, way back. And imagine 20 people getting excited about your book. Would that be success for you? And imagine, what if your book saved one life? One life. Would that be success? I mean, everybody says yes. And so it’s, it’s the danger of this, current kind of social media climate that we live in.
And it’s true for all creators, right, Todd? I mean, it’s like, whether you have a podcast, whether you’re a musician, an artist, a clothing designer, I mean, I don’t care. It’s any type of creator is going to go through this same struggle, which is you create in part because you want to share your work with the world, but also
it’s so hard to cut through the noise and you have to manage your expectations. And also, you have to be prepared for the minute that you catch traction, assuming you do, the trolls and the haters to come out and then they’re attacking your most vulnerable, authentic self. So watch out for that as well, because that has happened with an author that I worked with who had a New York times bestseller and then was attacked profoundly and profusely.
And it was very tough moment for her. So, you know, that happens too. So I also tell people as much as I encourage them to be vulnerable and authentic and think through these movie moments, if there’s anything that’s truly deeply, deeply personal that you feel like if you put that out there and you got attacked for it, it would be too much for you to handle, then don’t include it.
So you do have to have boundaries.
Todd: Be smart, right? This world we’re living in is different and it’s evolving very quickly. And who knows where this is going with AI over the next five, 10 years. And it’s just, it’s a, it’s really absurd, but you know, the essence of what you’re saying brings me back to one of my mentors that he told me years back, which was this idea of leaving behind artifacts about ourselves, that the purpose of this life, the purpose of this body.
Right. You know, if we’re going to get a little more spiritual in this conversation, we are literally just these pass throughs, you know, of information that we will, we are here now, but it is very fleeting, you know, and one of the things that I always do in my programs, I have people try to imagine who their great, great, great, great grandparents were four greats ago.
Usually I have one person like, I know who they were, but you know, often I don’t, they’d have no idea. And then I say, look, these are people that live just like you and me. Um, they had their own problems, their money issues, their relationship challenges, their health issues, they lost people, they themselves got sick, they passed, like, we’re all in the same boat, and we don’t know who those people are or were, but we’re here because of them.
Right? So it’s always a good reminder to see the fleeting nature of our existence. But David, my mentor, Just reminded me that the purpose of this life is to learn and gather information and process it in your unique way, and then give it back. And not necessarily that you have to have a New York times bestselling book to give it back, but that it could be one person.
It could be your child, right? It could be someone I mean, we all have a different way of giving it back, but if we start to look at our lives as that pass through, and our job is to give back artifacts. And I like that word because it’s tangible. Like a book is an artifact, right? You know, podcast is an, artifact you know, all these things are artifacts.
And I, that’s why I love what you do. And I want to bring you on because you’re helping people really express their humanity, right? Cause our real purpose is to take in information, then it communicated back and pass that wisdom down. And when you let go of the attachment to what it needs to be, that’s often where you find the most success, isn’t it?
When you let go of, Oh, I need to be X, Y, Z. And you’re just like, Hey, I’m just going to do this thing because it feels right. That’s where the flow tends to open up. Have you found that in your life and with your clients?
MeiMei: Oh, that’s so beautifully stated. I love that word. What a beautiful word artifact. That’s great. And yeah, I agree. And it’s the same thing with the writing process itself, which is, you know, where people get stuck the whole idea of writer’s block, well, what is writer’s block? It’s not like you can’t put words on a page. I guarantee you, if I sat you down in front of your journal and said, you have to put words on a page for five minutes, you can do it. I mean, the voices in our head never stop, right? Never. so just put those words on the page or whatever those voices in your head are saying right now, put those words on the page and that’s coming back to morning pages and gratitude journal or letter to love or whatever it is, it’s the same thing.
You get into the flow. Right? And I, I know that you love flow state and, all that research, but that is so magical, right? I mean, that’s what we live for as writers, like part of it is touching other people, but part of it is like entering that flow state where we are so deeply open to the energy of the universe. And also I like that you use the word channel because that’s when I feel like I do my best work when I am just letting go, flowing and channeling. And it’s almost like sometimes I don’t even know what voice is speaking through me. And that is amazing too.
Todd: What do you think it is? I’m just curious. So let’s go deeper there. The channeling, where’s that information coming from? Is it just, you’re moving away all the egoic stuff and the limitations and the fears and the blocks and allowing the, the universal force that was always there to come through, through you get living your purposes.
I mean, how would you describe it? I’m just curious. I mean,
MeiMei: Exactly. I think it’s like getting away from the expectations, from the shoulds, from the, what do I need this to be? What’s going to sell the most books? What’s going to attract the most followers and instead just, what is this energy?
How am I connected to this energy of the universe? And I don’t know, I kind of believe that whether it is love or God, that we have some kind of a higher self that we, when we get in these flow states, we tap into that, you know, guardian angel or, the connection to all of the living beings. So. Yeah. I think writing is one of the many ways.
Todd: And an important one. Right? This is one of the ways that we’ve always communicated. So I want to ask you this question. I mentioned this to you before, but being on a spiritual path, which I know that you are because we’re friends and we’ve talked about a lot of things and you’ve done a lot of meditation retreats and, you’ve really explored yourself.
And a lot of that work in terms of spirituality is, in some essence, to remove ourself from the story, or to remove ourself from the incessant, never ending chatter, as you said, in our mind, and to become the observer or the witness to it, because we can’t fully stop it, but really to create that separation and that awareness.
Which is really at the basis of all the meditative and, wisdom traditions that I’ve studied, which, they all share this component. What is your impression of the relationship between that deeper esoteric practice of observation and then the story? If that makes any sense.
MeiMei: I mean, I think it’s a beautiful and deep, deep question because I think part of what you’re asking is like, well, if we spend so much time thinking about and writing about and telling about our story, isn’t that, doesn’t that kind of get us caught up in ego?
And it does. Because we are always in this, story of our life where we are the main character. I mean, when, when are you ever not the main character in your own head? Rarely. There are moments, right? Like parenting, definitely you have those moments and other activities.
I do think that ultimately writing your story and sharing your story in part is a of letting go. There is a way of releasing it as you put it out there into the world. And I think that that’s an important piece of the entire spiritual journey, starting with the getting the words on the page and then sharing it with others and then let go.
Because we can get in our own way in that regard, right? And also one of the beauties of the story cure, is giving us the power over our story because there are so many people in this world who have felt powerless or had their power taken away from them in a way that is profoundly traumatic and damaging.
And I believe, and I believe the research is there that when you write your story, you can actually rewire your brain. and create new neural pathways. So when you tell your story with yourself as the hero and you own that narrative, it is so powerfully healing and helpful in ultimately letting go of some of that, trauma along with other tools.
I don’t believe it’s the only one, you know.
Todd: Are you talking about the idea of almost rewriting your story, talk to me a little bit about that. Cause I’ve heard of some of this work in therapeutic environments where you’re doing this work of reflection and thinking about things that have happened, but then infusing a new level of awareness or thinking about that and actually rewriting the story.
Is that
MeiMei: Yeah so, it is, that’s exactly the research and what I’ve witnessed in my own work with other people is, let’s just say that, you have experienced some kind of trauma, right? Repair, like, like sexual abuse as a minor, something horrific and unreal, right?
When you can retell that story with some aspect, even if it’s like, this was a horrible, terrible thing. This person was a monster. And then where did I take that? Where did I go with that? What did I do with that? You know, and down the road, and maybe along the way, this is a real story from a client I’ve worked with.
MeiMei: I will, you know, she remains anonymous, but it led to addiction. You know, it led to suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, eventually years of therapy, you know, going into a treatment facility, coming out. So where is the rewriting of the story? It’s not like she’s going to tell a different story that happened.
She needs to share that story, but it’s kind of seeing what did I do with that? How did I survive that? How did I emerge from that with so much compassion? For other people who have suffered and now I’m going to use that horrible thing that happened to try to help other people heal. That is so empowering.
You know, so it’s a rewriting of the story. Not like I’m literally rewriting, like it’s saying, oh, this happened when it didn’t happen, but more a kind of seeing where did that lead down the road. And then if you can write that as the hero’s journey, where you are saying like, oh, well, I encountered, these people who put me down, criticized me, traumatized me, but I encountered these people who were my angels, who helped me.
And then I gained this piece of wisdom, this lesson, this learning, this message, and I’m bringing it back to the rest of humanity to share it, to help other people as they heal is very powerful.
Todd: Yeah, this is profound, actually. And as you’re sharing, I’m thinking that if you’re listening to this, no matter what trauma you have, there’s not somebody out there, but many people out there who have gone through a similar thing, maybe even worse.
And have come out the other side with incredible empathy and clarity and learning about it through their sharing of that story, whether it’s through a book or a podcast interview or something. And you need to find that and you need to focus on that possibility because there’s also people who do end up on the other side of that negative story and don’t come out of it.
And so the power of story, just as we’re uncovering, this is really. And the choice to find the most uplifting versions of that story and attach ourselves with those and become one of those people who is able to resurrect and get to the other side. So that way you can then share as we began this conversation, your own unique, specific going through that story because not only are the people that can help you, but there’s people that you can help along the way. And it’s, it’s you as the vehicle that can share that story. And as I’m thinking about this right now, it’s like, what have I gone through uniquely that people can resonate with me that I can then talk about my story that can help them.
And I think that’s the essence of how you think about it. Is that correct?
MeiMei: That’s exactly how I think about it. just think about AA or Al Anon, I mean, , all of those support groups, what is the power of that? The power of that is going and sitting in a circle and people share their stories, right?
Every single meeting, someone shares their story and it’s like, Oh, I’m not alone. Others have been through this before me. There is a way through, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it doesn’t have to be something so atrocious, either it might be, but it could, it could be a breakup, you know, it could be like something that we might consider quite pedestrian or ordinary, like I said, losing a job, you know, mean, those can be quite traumatic too, and there are people who want to listen to that story as well.
Todd: Absolutely. I want to talk about your, your process, right? You teach a course where you’re teaching this, and I think we’ve now laid out a really nice foundation of kind of what is story, how does it relate to kind of our spiritual practice?
And we talked about the idea of, getting in, into the subconscious through journaling, and even self talk, which I shared. What are some other ways that you help people do this? self healing process through the ideation and creation of a story or a book. I’m just curious about, yeah, where does it go from here?
MeiMei: first of all, I must say one of the beauties of the course and the most powerful thing about it that people love, and if you end up going and watching our video testimonials, it’s like what everyone is most excited about is the community. It’s the fact that, so we have 10 people in each group and me.
So I’m in the zoom call each week for six weeks with 10 people who are writing their books and we share our stories, right? That’s what we do. Everybody picks a little excerpt that they want to read and share. If people want some constructive feedback, they’re allowed to say whether or not they want it.
Some people don’t. It’s too early in the stage of writing and they just want an audience to listen. And other people want some feedback, but it’s, it’s all couched in like, act as if you are talking to your best friend, your mother, your child, your brother, we are here to uplift, support, and cheerlead each other.
And that piece of it is so powerful too, because writing is so solitary and a lot of the spiritual work is so solitary. I mean, other than like working with a coach or a therapist, a lot of it you’re doing alone, right? So it’s wonderful to have a group of people around you supporting and cheerleading you.
And it endures, those connections endure, you know, we’re still like chatting on WhatsApp months later because we’ve all shared our stories.
Todd: There’s something really, beyond profound around that. And I found this too, you know, is that we all crave that connection to that community more than we realize.
And when you find, even if it’s for a short period of time, that shared mission with a group of people. I can imagine as you’re sharing, I’m thinking about these people coming in there and getting on the calls and talking about their idea and their story, they become family for a moment, right?
You know, I ran men’s groups for many years and, it’s like very powerful. I’ve had three guys today reach out to me from years ago, because when you create that environment where they’re growing together, there’s just this feeling of camaraderie.
That is the power of not just telling your own story, but hearing others and understanding that they, and it could be something totally different, but you learn from it and connect to it and you feel camaraderie with that. Right. So I think that that group program that you’re running is probably tapping into some of that.
Yeah.
MeiMei: Absolutely. I think we’re all looking for more and more of that in this era of online and social media and AI more than ever, is the human connection.
Todd: What’s your plan? Like, so you’re going to run more cohorts of this or is there a bigger vision or just running more cohorts? What is your thinking to get the story cure notion out there to really have an impact in the world?
MeiMei: Well, I’m glad you asked because I haven’t shared this with anyone. So Hey, Todd podcast listeners coming in hot is the latest in the world, MeiMei Fox and your bestselling book. I will continue to run the cohorts around your bestselling book.
I think probably twice a year. It’s like help people who really have that objective of a book. A lot of people who joined the program, they want to do more speaking and they want to do more press appearances, they’re coaches, they’re therapists, they’re CEOs, entrepreneurs, professors, and they want to build their platform.
And it’s a wonderful tool for that in addition to sharing your wisdom. And we are also going to launch a course community initially that is going to open then to anyone who wants to join our community that is all about the story cure. So it’s not about your bestselling book. You don’t have to be writing a book.
You don’t have to be writing anything at all. You could be thinking about a podcast or you’re just journaling daily or whatever it is and we will have a community where people can share their writing. We’ll have like twice a month open office hours where I just sit there and you can come in and ask me questions and then we’ll have twice a month open mic nights where I’m really excited about this where you can just come in and read.
Whatever it is that you’re working on, or read from your journal or whatever it is. And then there will be, of course, the online aspect of it where you can post and chat with each other and share. So it’s, it’s exactly with this intention, you could not have stated it better yourself, Todd, how are you going to take this story cure out in the world?
And the idea is let’s have this going on all the time at low cost, easily accessible to anyone. Yeah. And then also to have retreats and probably targeting next spring for our first retreat.
Todd: Okay. I love it. I mean, this is really the, the way of things, you know, I mean, I, as you know, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some really big thought leaders in the personal development space, like Tony Robbins, right.
Eckhart Tolle, like Deepak Chopra, like people that were like the first really big names, you know, in personal growth. Cause they had the big books. This is before the internet. They wrote the big books in the 2000s. So I worked for them, like writing their newsletters and stuff like that and developing their marketing campaigns.
My opinion is that the world of the next huge Tony Robbins, Deepak or even Elizabeth Gilbert, you know,
it’s kind of like over, I think where we’re evolving towards is more micro communities where we find people that are, you know, like you said, at a low cost, but a consistent place on a platform where you can access this guidance with group of people that resonates around this idea has got a great charismatic leader like you, that are like constantly transforming and growing together. And I think that’s the way of things right now.
MeiMei: Right. I love that. I’m so happy you feel that way. And a critical piece of that is that I don’t want to be anybody’s guru.
I don’t want that. The answers are coming from you. You have answers within you. Right. And I know this is your whole philosophy you run men’s groups and stuff. And see that in my course everybody’s like looking to me as you’re the two time New York time selling author and you’re the Forbes contributor.
You know what? Within one week, everybody’s sharing their feedback. Everything they say is equally, if not more valuable than what I have to say, Everyone has the wisdom within.
Todd: That’s the key. And that’s the nature of a great community, right? When you as a guide, Hey, I’m the one putting it together.
I’m the one ringing the bell. And I’m going to do this, but you all come in here and let’s co create and let’s play. Right. And so I just love that for you. Let me know when that launches and like, we’ll get it out there. Thank you. This has been fun, friend. You know, it’s good having a friend.
Sometimes I get on the phone, these people, you know, I feel a little stiff. But this one has been very chill and relaxed, but really informative. And so I’m really grateful for all the work that you do. And thank you so much for doing this and, we’ll, do more soon.
Thanks, MeiMei.
MeiMei: Thank you. All right. Take care.
