110. Seeking Deep Connection: Kevin Ashton, Author of How to Fly a Horse, [reads] ‘Finding the Mother Tree’

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The book I’m writing at the moment is about relationships. I’m neither a relationship expert nor a psychotherapist, but they do say you should write so that you can teach what you need to know. This means I’ve been reading some of the big names: Esther Perel, John Gottman, and most recently, Terry Real, who has a brand new book out called Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. A phrase often used as part of this book’s marketing that chimed deeply with me is this: ‘At a time when toxic individualism is rending our society at every level, Us provides the tools to find our way back to each other through authentic connection and fierce intimacy.’ It’s a big question – how much are we our own person, and how deeply must we connect? 

Kevin Ashton’s latest book is called How to Fly a Horse, and, if nothing else, that’s a title that will get you curious. Kevin is also the guy who named the Internet of Things, and he’s been a key player in its evolution. Before any idea becomes a big deal, though, it starts as a crackpot’s mad imaginings. Even though the IoT was an idea that nobody really got, it was one that Kevin couldn’t get rid of, and he had a self-created sense of urgency that said, ‘If I don’t act on this now, I never will.’ Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast 

Kevin reads two pages from ‘Finding the Mother Tree’ by Suzanne Simard. [reading begins at 19:50]

Hear us discuss: 

What it takes to cross the threshold: “Life is too short to get wrapped up in doing things just because you want the glory.” [24:57] | Knowing when it’s time to move on: “Don’t be a cliche.” [27:43] | “It’s okay to move on from one thing before you move on to another.” [34:57] | What we can learn from trees: “Trees are intelligent.” [35:07]