Catalyst 2019 Live Blogging Of David Brooks

Catalyst Atlanta Live Blogging

Today, I’m live blogging from Catalyst Atlanta at North Point Church. These posts will be rough notes from the conference.

This session’s speaker is David Brooks. David is an Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times. He’s also the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute.

David is going to tell us two stories. One is his external story. The second is his internal story.

He read Paddington Bear early in life. Decided he wanted to become a writer. Found his wife. Went to the University of Chicago. Became a conservative columnist at the New York Times. Then he also writes books.

The internal portion is a bit more complicated…

He wonders what kind of sad kid he was that Paddington Bear resonated with him so much.

List the four most beautiful experiences you’ve had. Draw a line through them and see if you can connect them in some way.

We think we want happiness. What we really want is intensity. We want something worthy to admire.

Lies We Tell Ourselves

Career success can make you happy – Lie #1

I can make myself happy – Lie #2

Life is an individual journey (Oh the places you’ll go by Dr. Suess) – Lie #3

Things we value incorrectly

Productivity over people – Things we value incorrectly #1

Time over connection – Things we value incorrectly #2

Things David Brooks Has Learned

Freedom sucks – If you’re uncommitted, you’re not connected to anything

You can be broken or be broken open

Only scriptural food will fill the depths

Our hearts desire fusion with one another

The depth is your soul

He’s never met a person he’s interviewed who hasn’t wanted to be good (regardless of how bad or evil the person was)

The problem you created is not going to be solved on the same level of consciousness that created it

When you’re down in one of those seasons in the valley, you can’t pull yourself out. You have to have help.

I had to be tenderized by Him to be helped by Him.

The first mountain you build up yourself and your ego. On the second mountain, you tear down the ego. You let go of things and reach into other people’s valleys to help them.

 

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