Brian JohnsonChairman & Philosopher in Residence at Heroic

Find Your Why And Change Your Life!

21 Nov 2025 · 1 min

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1:00

Brian Johnson leads a workshop-style talk prompting listeners to clarify their personal "why" by reflecting on heroes and motivations. He connects ancient wisdom with modern positive-psychology findings, highlighting core virtues tied to flourishing—zest, gratitude, hope, curiosity, and especially love ("the virtue that counts twice")—and frames love as the motivating force that fuels heroic action for others (business, family, partners).

Chapters

What's your why? What is it that you're excited to be here, part of this movement today, this chapter more broadly, and in your life? And when we do the workshops, we go through a who are your heroes? Meditation. You think about them, those people that have impacted you and the qualities they have. And then for who do you want to be a hero? Heroes have strength for 2 or 22. But who are those people that you are excited to have that strength for, to help create a better life? Whether that's your business, people that you're serving, families, partners? Like all of those things, love is the secret weapon of the hero. Heroes are fueled by love. Love is the virtue that counts twice. Ancient wisdom. All ancient wisdom. Traditions align on wisdom, discipline, courage, love, want to live a good life, live with those virtues, positive psychologies studied. What are the virtues most highly correlated with flourishing? Pop quiz number one, Zest. Let's go. Tied for two is gratitude and hope. And then you've got zest, gratitude, hope, curiosity is the fourth. And then love. So ancient wisdom, modern science, love is the virtue that counts twice.