I'm Lauren Lowrey and this is AMPstigator - a podcast dedicated entirely toward helping you find purpose and fulfillment in your life.
I can't wait for you to jump into these episodes because I know they'll have an impact! But before you do, I want to give you an idea of what you're getting yourself into.
[0:24]
Recently, I sat down with 13 incredible people from all walks of life. They were all vastly different ages. Different races, different nationalities, religions, orientations. But every conversation was centered around this one topic:
"My purpose is to be an artist and underneath that, the deeper purpose is service," Mary Gauthier, Grammy-Nominated Singer/Songwriter.
"And everything just kind of made sense. I'm here to actually - for a purpose," Charlie Nelson, Co-Founder, Nelson's Green Brier Distillery.
"Today I have a clearer view of what my purpose is than I did 8 months ago," Sophie Shear, Vocal Coach.
"It gives me a sense of purpose that's just not ignited in any other way," MaryBeth Hyland, Founder and Chief Visionary of SparkVision.
[1:02]
I'm fascinated by it - that we all have wildly different experiences, moments, upbringings, tragedies, triumphs... but somehow WE all end up at the same place: a turning point...
"When I said 'you're on your own. You've gotta make this work," Ian Morgan Cron, Best-selling author, psychotherapist and speaker.
A moment of clarity...
"There were two original bottles of our Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey and the bottles had my name on them. Everything started to click," Charlie Nelson, Co-Founder, Nelson's Green Brier Distillery.
[1:25]
And eventually the realization of what we're here to do.
"I want to be an advocate. I want to speak up where I see something that's not right," Zulfat Suara, At-Large member Nashville Metro Council.
And it comes at a different point for everybody.
"I wrote a book at 55 that has been meaningful for people and for me," Ian Morgan Cron, Best-selling author, psychotherapist and speaker.
I wanted to bring together people who've had this experience because I'm willing to bet you'll see yourself in their stories.
[1:50]
"Feeling lost in the maze of life it was a catalyst for me to get on the path and find the path that I've been on now for a long time," Kristoffer Carter, Meditation Teacher, Executive Coach, Podcaster and author.
My goal was to interview two types of people:
Those I call "experts" - the authors, mentors, life coaches, and teachers who operate in this space.
"You can do this, you just have to change these stories in your head about what's going on," MaryBeth Hyland, Founder and Chief Visionary of SparkVision.
And those that I call "prototypes." They're an example of purpose. Some found it by accident..
"It's not like I've ever sat down and planned anything but things just find a way to work themselves out," Zulfat Suara, At-Large member Nashville Metro Council.
[2:20]
Others found it by listening to the whispers.
"The calling that I experienced never shouted. It was just a subtle 'try it,'" Mary Gauthier, Grammy-Nominated Singer/Songwriter.
And I wanted you to meet them so you could see how they've found a way to really hold on to their purpose since those life changing moments.
"I know if it wasn't for that 'worst time' those experiences, I wouldn't be able to do the work I'm doing today," MaryBeth Hyland, Founder and Chief Visionary of SparkVision.
[2:44]
I found each of these people through my work as a TV News Anchor.
And in that time I found that having deep, one-on-one conversations with a very specific type of person is what excited me most about my job. But I could never put my finger on what it was about them that made them so magnetic.
Was it their drive? Their achievements? Their resume? I couldn't place it... until one night in March of 2021. It was 3am and I was staring at the ceiling because I couldn't sleep. I was 36. 3 kids. A husband. A house. A career. Everything people say is a hallmark for a good life.
But I kept thinking "is this it?"
I was unhappy and I needed some major change in my life.
[3:24]
Somehow, at our lowest moments, when we feel like we have no courage at all, we have to tap into an inner bravery and ask ourselves the questions that scare us the most. For me that question was:
"what do I want?"
That's a big one and it terrified me. But I was going to answer it. I was committed. It started an intense personal journey that allowed me to uncover my true purpose: right here and now.
Spoiler alert: It's where this podcast came from - but I'll get to that in a minute.
So there I am. It's 3 AM and I have to be up at 5. But until then I'm just staring at the ceiling and thinking, and thinking, and thinking some more. And I keep coming back to these people that have inspired and captivated me? What was it about them? What are they doing right, that I'm not doing.
[4:14]
It's like the start of a joke - a rabbi, a psychic and a songwriter walk into a room. But these were actual people that had me so inspired. What did they have in common?
And there it was. Boom! Suddenly it hit me.
One word. One whisper.
Purpose. They were living with PURPOSE!
That's what I was so drawn to. They had an indescribable appeal that wasn't charm or wit. It was completely unseen. They knew their purpose and it radiated from them. They were chasing their purpose every day.
That wasn't a light bulb moment for me, it was a beacon! I was so drawn to it. Every conversation I had with them went deeper and longer. We talked about the pivotal moments in their lives.
[4:59]
I would spend more time just talking with them about their lives than the actual news story that brought us together.
Which is a little bit of a problem. Very little of those conversations ever made it on TV, and that's for two reasons:
1. We have extremely tight time limits in news. I mean... Have you tried telling a story in just 1 minute and 15 seconds?
2. And number two... there's just really not a platform for that kind of stuff.
[5:24]
The best parts of my interviews - the most uplifting, life-changing and powerfully encouraging parts of my interviews never saw the light of day. I was going to change that. I wanted -no, needed- to create a place, to build a community that was centered on the fact that we all have purpose, and that we just need to find it. And once we do... we're powerful enough to change our lives.
[5:50]
That's where AMPstigator comes from. It's a word I created by bridging "amplify" - which means to bring intensity to something.. And "instigator" which is someone who brings about - really anything. So, when you mash those two words together, you have AMPstigator: an intense person who's bringing change, bringing love, maybe they're bringing PURPOSE!
But whatever it is, it's the intense pursuit - that's what makes you an AMPstigator!
[6:19]
So now, when I ask myself that question that eluded me for my entire adult life, "what do I want," I can actually answer it. I want to be a mirror and a megaphone for purpose. I want to help other people find theirs, too.
So, for this first Season 1 release on February 15th, 2022, I've brought together 13 people who are sharing their journey of finding purpose. Each episode is something completely different from the next.
No two stories are alike. But in every single one of these interviews, these people show their pathway to purpose.
[6:53]
Some are raw, provocative and challenging.
"This is going to sound like a bummer but I do think we're all broken, but that doesn't make us bad," Ian Morgan Cron.
Others are thoughtful and uplifting.
"Just be true to yourself, know who you are and stay to your purpose," Zulfat Suara.
[7:08]
There's a lot of emotion wrapped up in this and I can't wait for you to experience it - either on my Youtube channel where we're posting the video episodes, or in the typical podcast places.
And I believe by sharing examples of purpose and how it plays out in every day life, we can all begin to connect more deeply with what we're here to do.
I am so confident in my mission, and the inspiration you'll get from this podcast, that I'm releasing all 13 of my first episodes - all of them at once on Tuesday, February 15th. Mark your calendar, and subscribe to the podcast here - or on Youtube for the video version - so you don't miss anything.
[7:45]
Your purpose is calling. Will you answer it?
