This principle came to life for me through the insight of my friend and MEA alum Ben Davis, who, many years ago, helped me see the common theme in my career: being a "social alchemist" who is an expert mixologist of people. That revelation wasn't just a label; it was a new lens, a pair of glasses that helped me understand and appreciate my mastery or gift in a whole new light. 

Recently, another MEA alum, Bill Apablasa, helped me see that I was a "butterfly whisperer," someone who hangs out near the chrysalis, inspiring (or coaxing) mid-lifers to emerge from their safe but dark cocoon. Bill even suggested that I should create an anthology of MEA community members with the subtitle "Poems and Musings on the Joy of Becoming."

Okay, it's your turn. If you could distill your mastery down to two words, what would they be, and how would that influence how you show up in the world? One of my favorite MEA repeating questions you can reciprocate with a friend is, "What mastery or gift do you (or can you) offer the world?" Let your friend ask you that provocative question five times, and you will answer each time with a different answer. Make sure there are no distractions, and you're in a place where you can dig deep like it's an archeological dig for your purpose in life. 

-Chip