A sense of wonder is an active ingredient in a passionate life. Even suffering and restlessness can be seen with curiosity, says Levoy. Making space in our minds for the unknown, and allowing creativity to flow, he says, can keep us from being pulled into the “burden of purpose.” Levoy talks of the powerful effects of small actions and the importance of saying “yes.” Gregg Levoy is a former adjunct professor of journalism at the University of New Mexico, and former columnist and reporter for USA Today and the Cincinnati Enquirer. He’s written for the New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, Omni, and Psychology Today. He has presented lectures and seminars for the Smithsonian Institution, Environmental Protection Agency, Microsoft, National Conference on Positive Aging, American Counseling Association, National Career Development Association, and others. He is the author of Vital Signs: The Nature and Nurture of Passion (Penguin 2014) and Callings: Finding and Following An Authentic Life (Random House 1998) 

Interview Date: 4/16/2015   Tags: MP3, Gregg Levoy, awe and wonder, passionate life, cognitive upgrade, taking risk, adventure gene, trimtab factor, trimtab effect, Carl Sagan, kindergarteners, vitality, enthusiasm, not knowing, ask questions, football, stop and smell, mammalian brain, ten percent, restless, suffering, wild kingdom, critic and creator, momentum, source not resource, nature, aliveness, relationships, spark, space, passion and security, commitment, gap for spark, paradox, indecision, excuses, say yes, Personal Transformation, Relationship/Partnership/Sexuality, Philosophy, Art & Creativity, Writing