Through his tireless work, Sam continues to be committed to the betterment of communities as a speaker, educator and storyteller. In 2016, Sam received the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Volunteer Medal as a past recipient of the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award. Also, in 2012 he received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Rick Hansen Difference Maker medallion.
Over the last 20 years, he has helped and supported 45+ not-for-profit organizations from establishing a strategic vision to engaging stakeholders to rolling up his sleeves and doing whatever work is needed. As a community activator, his passion is to inspire and motivate others in their personal and professional development through his many adventures and reflections on life’s journey. It is about helping people establish and build their personal autobiography through storytelling.
As a writer and blogger, Sam published his book, Personal Storytelling: Discover the Extraordinary in the Ordinary to help others share their stories. His reflections on life help others vision and build their stories.
Sam has mentored and coached hundreds of individuals in life and career. He is also an accomplished speaker and in 2011, spoke at TEDxSFU where he created the signature phrase, ‘Discovering the Extraordinary in the Ordinary’. Sam has delivered countless keynote speeches, workshop facilitation and panel discussions over the years. Since 2004, Sam has found his calling at the Beedie School of Business and Fraser International College at Simon Fraser University. His purpose is to help individuals in life and career and as a result, Co-founded GradusOne which recently merged with the League of Innovators.
Through his tireless work, Sam continues to be committed to the betterment of communities as a speaker, educator and storyteller. In 2016, Sam received the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Volunteer Medal as a past recipient of the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award. Also, in 2012 he received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Rick Hansen Difference Maker medallion.
Over the last 20 years, he has helped and supported 45+ not-for-profit organizations from establishing a strategic vision to engaging stakeholders to rolling up his sleeves and doing whatever work is needed. As a community activator, his passion is to inspire and motivate others in their personal and professional development through his many adventures and reflections on life’s journey. It is about helping people establish and build their personal autobiography through storytelling.
As a writer and blogger, Sam published his book, Personal Storytelling: Discover the Extraordinary in the Ordinary to help others share their stories. His reflections on life help others vision and build their stories.
Sam has mentored and coached hundreds of individuals in life and career. He is also an accomplished speaker and in 2011, spoke at TEDxSFU where he created the signature phrase, ‘Discovering the Extraordinary in the Ordinary’. Sam has delivered countless keynote speeches, workshop facilitation and panel discussions over the years. Since 2004, Sam has found his calling at the Beedie School of Business and Fraser International College at Simon Fraser University. His purpose is to help individuals in life and career and as a result, Co-founded GradusOne which recently merged with the League of Innovators.
Welcome to a magical life. I'm your host, Magic Barclay. And today I'm joined by Sam Fiara. Sam is a professional who has created a personal journey as a speaker. Storyteller, writer, educator, mentor, coach, entrepreneur, problem solver, and community activator. His goal is to engage individuals in their personal and professional development, work with teams and organizations on alignment. And the 45 plus nonprofits that he has worked with over the years. Presently, he teaches at the Beatty school of business at Simon Fraser university, and is also the founder and chief motivating officer at ignite the dream coaching and consulting a platform that engages his audience to define their own path, A key element is transformational practices where he has become an expert in career coaching for the 15 to 40 year olds with over 5, 000 conversations to date and supporting teams and organizations. He has authored two books, one on storytelling and the other, a travel memoir about his journey to India to find his ancestral roots with a faded photograph, Which is now being working into a screenplay. He's also spoken at two different TEDx conferences. Sam's tagline? Everyone's life is an autobiography. Make yours worth reading. Welcome, Sam!
Sam Thiara:
Oh, thank you for having me here today. And I hope that I can share some insights that, uh, might engage and, uh, provide insights to, you know, further personal development for your
Magic Barclay:
listeners. Fantastic. Look, we're going to get straight into my standard three questions because I'm looking at the show notes here and your answers look quite fun and interesting. So here comes your first one. What can your expertise do to accelerate health, be it physical, emotional or spiritual?
Sam Thiara:
What it all is about is the fact that I think that. Individuals, they get on a track and a trajectory, and really what I try to do is disrupt it in a positive way by asking questions to help them realize who they are over what they do over many of those conversations which I have. Oftentimes when you talk to people they're sharing with me, you know what they do and it's almost like a running resume but then I'll stop them and I'll say but tell me who you are. And then that's the part that I really try to engage them in is really discovering who they are because what that will unlock and unleash then is a better appreciation and understanding for who they are. And then as a result of that, it not only guides them to the career path that they need, but a better and a more engaging life that they seek, whether that is spiritual, personal, professional. But the emphasis is really trying to focus and identify who they are. And embrace that and then help them on that trajectory to, uh, to really discover fulfillment in life.
Magic Barclay:
And as we know, fulfillment in life leads to better hormone health, you know, better regulation of all of the systems of the body and leads to physical health. So. That is a great thing to strive for.
Sam Thiara:
Yeah. And, and to your point as well, they, they definitely are all related. I mean, if you're, in a position and it's the routine and you're just getting a paycheck and you're, you know, just going through the motions of it without realizing it, or maybe people do realize it, it has a profound impact on the other aspects of your life. But when things are in alignment, then you know, all of the things just start making sense and clarity emerges. And as you said to that point, it just sort of, you know, layers into all the other components. It's, it's not like we're unilateral. We are multidimensional and as a result of being multidimensional individuals, each and every one of us is. Making sure that they are in alignment and then, you know, you're able to support yourself to, that piece that we call fulfillment.
Magic Barclay:
So our next question is about wealth. I'm looking at your podcast show note answers here. It's quite interesting. And I want you to really draw this out for me because I've got the biggest smile on my face looking at these answers. without further ado. What are your top three tips to create wealth, not just financial, but also personal and emotional wealth?
Sam Thiara:
working with the 15 to 40 year olds, it's always been interesting because when you're younger, really the emphasis and focus is on wealth. It's financial wealth and, uh, wanting to make money and, uh, you know, hopefully lots of it. And that'll make me financial free, et cetera. I think wealth needs to be redefined. Wealth is this. sense and feeling of personal and professional accomplishment that again goes back to alignment. And, you know, wealth is this feeling and sense of, of satisfaction that, you're doing what really matters. Wealth is, uh, again, it, it traverses into health. psychological, personal, professional. I consider myself to be one of the wealthiest people around and it's not from a financial standpoint, but it's from that intrinsic peace that, you know, I wake up every morning and it's, it's like I'm excited and, and looking forward to the day and throughout my day, it's like you add so much wealth and a sense of purpose into your day. And a lot of it has to do with how your perception of, of the things around you, and it goes back to that first TEDx speech that I did, which was discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary. In other words, embedded in the ordinary, which is what our lives can sometimes be, are these tremendously extraordinary experiences. And when you can unlock and unleash those extraordinary experiences, all of a sudden, it becomes much more clear and you are on a pathway that actually provides you that, intrinsic feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, success. Oftentimes, some people may define it by financial wealth. I define success by, you know, how much do you contribute back to society and not be a bystander in life? And success is You know, taking on a challenge that you know, maybe you had some concerns about and, all of a sudden you accomplish what you set out to do. It wasn't easy, but you accomplish what you set out to do. And as a result of that, that, that becomes the wealth that I really strive towards and that I try to get other people to realize, unfortunately, for those who are more senior that I've consulted or that I've worked with, they Capture it, you know, much later in life that actually wealth and purpose are the focus and that, you know, maybe I, instead of focusing just on the financial wealth, I should have focused on something else. The final thing I just want to add on this is the fact that, if there's fulfillment and if there's that alignment. The wealth, again, from an intrinsic, as well as extrinsic, materializes because the clarity is there. oftentimes when I'm teaching in university, you know, I use this analogy of a corner store and Starbucks. And I said, okay, it's a beautiful sunny day today. You need to buy a pair of flip flops, the corner store, they basically carry food, lottery tickets, coffee, fried chicken, hardware. Would you go to Starbucks to buy a pair of flip flops? And people are like, absolutely not. I mean, they're tea, coffee, and food related items. Could you go to the corner store? And they're like, well, potentially they have it. The idea of wealth... And this alignment piece is you want to have your personal brand to become like that Starbucks where opportunities come to you because people have clarity of what you're able to provide and what you're able to do. Now, people may argue, isn't it better to be the corner store where you provide all of those things and maybe you have The shoes. Well, the challenges is that from a public standpoint and business standpoint, what people are looking for, rather than spending time possibly going over here, they want to find the person that can actually help them exactly what they need. So again, if that alignment is there, you want to strive to build that personal brand. The wealth becomes that fulfillment that you have and that confidence that you can move forward in. Thank you. And as a result of that, you have this greater sense of purpose in life, which then permeates and becomes your personal brand. And other people will then start providing you opportunities because of the fact that it's a, it's a very stable, solid piece. And, you know, that's where the intrinsic and the financial wealth align itself.
Magic Barclay:
And so what do you say? In the wealth space to people that are really scared of obstacles, you know, things might get in a way I don't have the right qualifications, or I don't have the right circles that I'm mixing in, like there's always obstacles.
Sam Thiara:
Well, and it goes back to one of my favorite quotes that obstacles are actually the necessary bricks on the road to success. You can't fear the obstacles, you must embrace the obstacles. And, to that point as well, you don't just run right into something. This is where, when I talk about really understanding who you are over what you do, provides you the confidence to actually move forward. So for example, there are five things that guide and direct me in life. Servant leadership, story sharing, activator igniter, champion enabler, and a community do gooder. I've reflected and really added purpose and meaning to realize those five things that I'm not willing to compromise in life and career. The benefit is, when an opportunity is presented, and very much this morning, same thing, uh, I went for a walk with a personal friend of mine, who I hadn't seen in a couple of years prior to COVID, well, we started talking about potentially working on speaking sessions and retreats, and again, it just goes back to Working with him. It's five out of five with regards to what we'd be able to share and contribute and build. So for anybody who's interested in really understanding reinforcing that yes, what I'm doing is correct, or I'm not quite sure. That's when what I'd like to do is work with them and ask them a critical question. What are the five things you are not willing to compromise in life and career? Now that can sound very daunting, because it's like, well, I could pick any word, but what I do is I ask them, okay, why is this important to you? And, you know, I'll ask them, I say, okay, tell me about your current position or past positions you've held. What did you like about those jobs or positions? What did you not like about it? And when they start talking, I like to listen to them. And then I ask even deeper questions of, tell me, okay, well, why? And then we keep going down a process there. Okay, tell me about when you were in school. What courses did you like? Which ones did you not resonate with? Why? What do you like to do in your spare time? And I'll give you an example. Oftentimes. What people will share with me is family. They'll say, well, family is something I'm not willing to compromise. I said, okay, tell me why. And they go into extensive detail, and I'm listening, and it's very common for the words, well, the connections and relationships I have with these individuals, and, you know, further, you know, they'll talk more. and Does that apply to the work environment? And they're like, Oh, for sure. Does that apply in your, you know, when you were in school and did that matter? And they were like, Oh, for sure. What about in your social life? And they're like, Oh, I have to have that. So I said, can we replace family with relationships and connectedness as one of your five things you're not willing to sacrifice? Well, the benefit here is, you know, eventually when we go through this exercise and they have five, you now have an opportunity to compare it with where you are in life. Maybe it hits one or two out of five, maybe it hits three or four, but now you can see what's missing. And then you can start striving towards, well, how do I incorporate that? Maybe one thing is missing out of your life. maybe the present job hits four out of five. And the one thing that's missing is, you know, maybe, relationships and connectedness, is one of the five that's missing. But now you know this. You can now go to your supervisor, your, your VP, whoever is, in that circle around you to say, you know, one thing that really would help me is an opportunity to engage more with our stakeholders. This is something that really matters to me. Is this something we could work on or is there a way that I could maybe start shadowing or doing. And you'd be amazed that, you know, oftentimes the manager or your, your next direct report. We'll be like, okay, let's see what we can work on and get you where you need to go. If it's not possible, then maybe it's time to reflect of what do I need to do? Who do I need to talk to? and that's where I talk about champions and enablers, activator, igniters, those individuals who aren't there to tell you what to do. But how can I support your journey? Really, when I talk about those five core elements, that exercise I take people on in this journey, all I'm doing is laying down a foundation. To build a house, you need a solid foundation. To build a life, we need a solid foundation. And these words will change over time. So all we're doing is saying, Instead of the normal progression through university career, which we never really put much thought into is as things just naturally fall into place, but are these the right things? So I'm just, all I'm doing is helping them become more reflective and realize the journey and pathway they're on.
Magic Barclay:
So that can be applied personally, not just
Sam Thiara:
in business. Oh, absolutely. Oh, correct. In fact, I always say. you know, what are the five things you're not willing to compromise in life and career? So I see them as, almost joined because, I, I don't see them as separate, like really fulfillment means you have no idea where work and pleasure, they just sort of blend together and that you get to work on things that, just become automatic and just really enjoyable. Like where, where I am in life. And the multiple projects I'm working on, apart from marking final exams and midterms, that feels like work, but the rest of the teaching bit, or being an author, screenplay writer, mentor, coach, speaker, none of that feels like work to me because it just feels Really resonates with the things I'm not willing to compromise to your point, which I think is a really good one is the fact that it's life and career that you need to focus on and not just career. And I think there's a caution here as well. You don't want to look at your job and align the five core elements to the present job to say, Okay, I've got to make it fit the where I am in career. I always say let's put this aside. And let's build the five things that you're not willing to compromise. And then we'll go back and compare
Magic Barclay:
terrific. And there was one other thing I had in the show notes and I love this and it's the acronym of care. Can you explain what that is?
Sam Thiara:
Yeah, I mean, every single person has been impacted by COVID on the face of this server. Every single person. And, again, it goes back to this whole aspect of alignment and, and it goes back to this whole idea of, can I contribute back? And I looked at, you know, rather than just, COVID is present. I said, okay, how can I support? Individuals, teams, organizations, educational institutions and nonprofits, through their journey as we slowly are emerging out of COVID. What C. A. R. E. stands for, or the idea that I use, is the fact that really we need to care. And people are always not going, yeah, no, we do have to care. I said, no, no, what C. A. R. E. stands for is collaboration, adaptability, resilience. And empathy. What I'll, I'll do is I'll share each one of them. Collaboration, everybody has something to contribute, but we're also not made up where we have everything. So, we must look at what we hold, and how can I collaborate with another individual. As I mentioned, I was on a walk with a dear friend I hadn't seen prior to COVID. Collaboration, he's got this wonderful, of conversation and I've got all of the space on personal development self care and mindfulness. Collaboration is how can we bring this together. Adaptability is this idea that instead of, oftentimes people are afraid of change. But adaptability is inevitable and adaptability, we've all gone through it with regards to how COVID has impacted us. Rather than being afraid of change, embrace adaptability, and if we collaborate, we now have an opportunity to have more confidence to be adaptable because we're not in it by ourself. Resilience is this idea that Life is not a hundred meter dash. COVID is not a hundred meter dash. it's a marathon. And resilience means that, yeah, there's going to be times where it's flat and easy as a, run, you know, where things are actually falling into place and everything has got flow. Then there's times where it's going to be tough as well. You're going to go up some hills in life and resilience is how do we build up the resilience in our life so we can tackle those hills, those obstacles, and empathy. I think we really do need to show more care and compassion to each other. We don't know what people are going through with mental health and with mindfulness and self care. Empathy just means let's show more care and compassion to each other, but they all blend together to collaborate, allows us to become more adaptable. Which enables us to actually tackle those really tough problems and we can show the resiliency. And if we show empathy towards each other, maybe we have much more in life that we can actually have a better place to live in.
Magic Barclay:
Great. And our final question is, have you ever battled your weight? If so, what was the trigger to losing it? And what can you offer the listeners around reducing stress? Because we know that's a key issue in weight battles.
Sam Thiara:
Yes. Uh, funny enough, that's what I was having a conversation with my friend this morning, uh, about health and, uh, growing up, I was skinny as a rail and metabolism was so fast. And then all of a sudden, I think it just sort of one day, your body plays terrible trick on you where you wake up and you're like, wait, what's this little bulge happening here? really, the more. self confidence. You can have and that you have this fulfillment piece. It provides you more of a reason that you know what health is really important. And that's something that I have to personally, Sometimes remind myself on is that, uh, how can I be more healthier? The mindfulness and self care is a component of this as well, because it again becomes a whole holistic piece. My life is not rainbows and cotton candy, clouded worlds and unicorns. There are real challenges in my life that I must endure and face. But I've always said that, I think one of the things that resonates for me is the fact that, uh, there are things I have no control over, but what I can control is how I'm going to react to it. So what that also means is, I have control over deciding... Do I need that extra piece of cake? Or, I really need to go for this walk today, which I wound up going for this lovely walk. so it's like incorporating this into your lifestyle and into your life. But, and it's not a matter, and this is what we were talking about this morning on our walk, is, you know, it's not a matter of just losing the weight. It's how do we sustain that healthy habit and again the more you build into your life with regards to this, self fulfilling piece and confidence, you then have more of an opportunity to have more, of yourself available to actually try to sustain it but you also get the champions who are there to help you and maybe go for more walks with you having these conversations rather than sitting in a A coffee shop with a, you know, a cinnamon bun and a cup of tea. We just went for a walk and, uh, you know, again, that's where sometimes it's just a matter of changing those habits and, keeping it so that we can sustain it.
Magic Barclay:
Some terrific tips there. Now, listeners, you can find sam@www.samtheara.com. That's T H I A a.com. You're also on LinkedIn, Instagram at Sam Theara. Facebook at Sam dot thera. This has been a great episode, Sam, please rejoin us in 227. I really want to dive into this trip to India. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. Listeners. Thank you for your time. Go forth and create your magical life.
