Anousheh Ansari is the CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation and Co-Founder of The Billion Dollar Fund for Women. She captured headlines around the world when she embarked upon an 11-day space expedition, accomplishing her childhood dream of becoming the first female private space explorer, first astronaut of Iranian descent, first Muslim woman in space, and fourth private explorer to visit space.
In this episode, Ms. Ansari and Dr. Paryavi explore the keys to finding passion and purpose in life, while drawing upon Ms. Ansari's inspiring journey. They shed light on how we can become curious explorers and the steps we need to take to fulfill our biggest dreams.
Episode Notes from Maliheh Paryavi, PhD:
One of the themes that keeps coming up in my work as The Leadership Ellevator is about the importance of cultivating curiosity. Curiosity is an essential skill that can be developed and is accessible to all of us. It can help individuals break internal and external barriers, find creative solutions to challenging problems, and discover new horizons. I was fortunate that a long-time mentor and dear friend introduced me to Anousheh Ansari, who is an excellent example of someone who has had a lifelong practice of cultivating her curiosity. I flew across the U.S. to meet Anousheh, and it was definitely worth it! She is truly one of the most inspiring individuals I have ever met. She shared how trusting her curiosity has empowered her to pursue her passions and continue to find new ones. She also had some wonderful advice on how we can find our passion, achieve our dreams, and change the world for the better. Enjoy!
Episode Breakdown:
01:15 - What has propelled Anousheh to break so many barriers?
02:48 - Origins and significance of cultivating curiosity
05:25 - How did Anousheh deal with resistance to her curiosity and passions?
06:45 - Importance of asking questions
09:43 - How to overcome fear of failure
11:19 - How to discover your passion
12:55 - What Anousheh felt when she was about to launch into space
15:19 - How to connect the dots in life
16:13 - How to identify and take the first step towards your passion
21:40 - How to find your life purpose
24:00 - Anousheh's advice for dealing with naysayers
26:03 - How to challenge the status quo: I introduce my idea of imagining a "Women Designed World" and discuss it with Anousheh.
27:50 - How is Anousheh redesigning her world?
32:33 - Anousheh's take on work-life balance and her self-care practice
EXERCISE: IMAGINE A "WOMEN DESIGNED WORLD"
For the most part, we have inherited a world that was originally designed by men, for men. Imagining what I call, a "Women Designed World" is an exercise to help us identify the gaps in our world, challenge the status quo, and create systemic changes that will improve everyone's lives.
I talked to Anousheh about this (starting at 26:03), but I first introduced this idea in Episode 2 with Harvard's Iris Bohnet, so make sure to check out that conversation as well. Next, allow yourself to imagine a different life in a different world. What do you think a woman designed world would look like? What would it be like to live in a world designed by women? If you can't think of anything, start by imagining how you would redesign your own life to better meet your unique needs. What would you love to change?
Share your ideas! #womendesignedworld
And remember:
You have the power to redesign your life, your organization, and your world!
