We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful D.J. Vanas . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with D.J. below.
D.J. , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
A game-changing risk I took was deciding to leave a military officer career (at the midway point of 10 years into a 20 year career) to start my own speaking business. I left the stability, structure and safety of one life to pursue something that I was passionate about and felt compelled to do — but had no guarantees of anything, let alone success. I remember the week before turning in my paperwork to separate from the military, I was waking in the middle of the night with crushing anxiety. I remembered the quote “leap and the net will appear” and it helped tremendously. I’ve found a better one since… “leap and grow your wings on the way down.” I found that there is great focus that comes from operating without a net. I learned quickly, got out of my own way when it came to asking for guidance, and got laser-focused on what to say yes to and what to say no to (or not now). That clarity helped me forge a new, successful journey that I’ve been on ever since.
D.J. , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m a tribally-enrolled member of the Ottawa Tribe from Michigan and was born to teenage parents in poverty. I grew up having aspirations of using education to transform my life and serve others. I received an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy and got to serve as a diversity recruiter after I graduated. I went out speaking to Native communities about the Air Force Academy, the experience of it, the power of education, etc. and that opened a door to the world I’m in now, one I didn’t know existed…
I’m now a speaker and author and have chosen to impact my world through those abilities. I provide programs (keynotes, trainings) and books like my latest, The Warrior Within (Penguin Random House), to show people how to use our traditional Native American warrior principles to stay strong, resilient, lead with courage and serve at our best regardless of circumstances. These ideas address the big challenges in our society and workplaces, like a lack of engagement, focus, self-belief, and benevolence in leadership — as well as countering burnout and the condition that arises when hope is absent… apathy. I know we were put here to serve others and hopefully leave the world better than we found it. We can’t do that if we’re overwhelmed, distracted and falling apart. My work is different because it leans heavily on the concepts of our nation’s first peoples and principles that are timeless, proven and needed now more than ever.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The lesson I had to unlearn is that coloring within the lines puts you in the same category as everyone else. Coloring outside the lines is where our creative expression and true abilities all emerge for the world to see. However, it comes with running the risk of criticism and judgement. I was a good student, followed the rules, and colored within the lines for the most part. Except when it came to talking. Every single progress report in middle school, I was admonished for “talking too much in class”. It was my “coloring outside the lines” in a different way — I loved being around people, sharing stories, making people laugh and helping where I could. Even though I got castigated for it as a kid, the irony is that I’m now a professional speaker and I get paid to talk. I look at my programs as performance art, a mix of educating, empowering and entertaining, and I’m so grateful I didn’t have this ability trained out of me when I was young.
Have you ever had to pivot?
The big pivot for me came during the pandemic, when I went from a full calendar in 2020 to a blank one in a matter of days. It was gut-wrenching as my business income depended on delivering programs and all those trips were canceled. I had never done virtual programs before this and got up to speed quickly. But I hated it. Going from being with people in person to looking at a tiny camera felt frustrating and hollow. But I realized I was putting that time and energy into resisting change and letting my own preference (and ego) get in the way. An effective pivot needs both the right behavior change AND the right mindset shift. I finally shifted my mindset, got out of my own way, and starting delivering with the same energy, joy and commitment I had in my in-person programs.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.nativediscovery.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buildingwarriors
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/djvanas
- Twitter: @DJVanas
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/buildingwarriors