Now what?
"Shadow owes its birth to light."
Standing in the empty streets of Galesburg, Leon thought, “I’m screwed. What the hell am I doing here?” He needed to find an inexpensive place to sleep. Soon. Which would prove difficult since he only had $5 a day to use for a meal, a night’s stay or transportation.
Today, Leon runs Shankly Productions, a company that spends 95% of its time developing and producing unique, innovative and commercial TV programming, and the other 5% prank-calling studios… Shankly strives for creative excellence, originality, and the widest possible domestic and international audience.
But Leon wasn’t always a gregarious studio owner. Once he worked at a London-based brokerage and was a self-proclaimed “extrovert masquerading as an introvert,” avoiding attention and living in the shadows. Until that fateful day when he decided to trade in his luxury car and briefcase for a backpack and some walking shoes.
The reason? Simply, Leon wanted change. So, to escape the rut of isolation, he forced himself to connect with others by relying on the kindness of strangers. With his backpack, walking shoes and a budget of $5 a day, he set out on a cross-country pilgrimage that was one part self-discovery, one part social experiment.
In Galesburg, the emptiness of the streets was breeched by an old lady in a car who offered him $20, which he declined due to the rules of his “experiment.” So, she called her son Bob who went above and beyond to help get Leon to his next stop—Denver.
Leon’s story goes on and on and is an uplifting account of one man’s transformation from introverted recluse to extroverted socialite, all born of a desire for a deeper emotional connection with others. And you’ll be able to see it soon via Fox and National Geographic in the series: Amazing Adventures of a Nobody.
As Leon puts it, “There are moments in our lives when we have the choice to embrace opportunity and redefine ourselves or continue down the well-trodden path of mediocrity.”
Late in his journey, Leon came to a clarifying conclusion. “The true essence of life is found in the sweet connection of two souls. It’s a high that can’t be reached by getting the newest [gadget] or following the latest celebrity scandal.”
In this modern day of high technology, opportunities to connect with one another deeply are waning. Those brave enough to harness their humanity and retain the ability create real, emotional connections will realize the greatest kind of success.
Source: Psychology Today (April 2009) Page 44, Tour de Force by Leon Logothetis
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