Hello MAC⁶ and Heroic Arizona Communities, and beyond,

First as a statement of truth, at least my truth, we are not nearly as divided as we are made to feel by modern day media.  

Why? Science tells us that our brains evolved to focus on negativity—an adaptation from the days when quick responses to threats like saber-toothed tigers were critical to survival. Only in more recent times have we been able to truly stop and “smell the roses.”

Phil Stutz, in Heroic terms, describes the challenges and opportunities of modern-day life:

• “You have three aspects of reality that nobody gets to avoid: pain, uncertainty, and constant work.”
• “The highest creative expression for a human being is to be able to create something new right in the face of adversity, and the worse the adversity, the greater the opportunity.”
• “True confidence is living in uncertainty.”

With Election Day upon us, many of us are feeling the weight of these words. No matter what the outcome, many will be unhappy. The question is: will we let that unhappiness consume us, or can we refocus on what we can control and influence in our own lives?

If we look around our MAC⁶ Community of Communities and beyond, we’re reminded that most of us are not divided, we’re simply getting on with life. Just two weeks ago, we hosted the HeroicAZ Launch Event at MAC⁶, with over 140 people joining together for an evening of inspiration, laughter, and connection. If we took a poll that night, we’d likely find diverse perspectives on today’s election—but what mattered most was our shared commitment to making a positive impact.

True confidence is living in uncertainty. Let’s all lean into uncertainty as we forge a better world together.

As I personally contemplate today’s election, one of life’s most interesting curiosities is how people bonded by shared values can still propose very different solutions to our society’s challenges. Are conservatives and liberals truly so different?

• Conservatives most often simply want to preserve what’s best about America.
• Liberals most often simply seek to fix what’s wrong.
• Ultimately, aren’t the great majority of us somewhere in the middle, aiming to both conserve what works and improve where it’s needed? Of course we are!  And we need free and civil discourse, not rage, to help us navigate to the best answers we can all agree on. Often messy work… my seeming truth may be different from yours... but work we need to do as we work together to create a world of flourishing.

If your mind feels like it’s racing today, there are tools that can help: Ancient Wisdom + Modern Science + Practical Tools. Heroic provides a practical way to address the stress and anxiety we’re experiencing, and the answer is to QUADRUPLE DOWN.

Heroic’s Founder and CEO Brian Johnson put it clearly in today’s Heroic +1: QUADRUPAL DOWN “THE GREATER THE CHALLENGES WE FACE (individually and collectively), THE GREATER COMMITMENT we need to have to dominating our protocol (individually and collectively).”

What’s a daily protocol? Simply a checklist of habits and actions we take to be our best. Just as pilots run through checklists before flying, a daily protocol helps us navigate life’s turbulence. What are your small daily habits in Energy, Work, and Love that support you through challenging times?  Today and every day. Not only when you are feeling great, but most important when navigating troubling times, personal or societal.

If you haven’t established a daily protocol yet, MAC⁶ and HeroicAZ are here to help.

• ·         Join us for the weekly HeroicAZ Round Table every Thursday at MAC⁶ (or virtually) from 11 a.m. to noon.
• ·         Join us for our HeroicAZ Monthly Meeting on 12 November – we are a community of fellow travelers bonded by common values. 
• ·         If you haven’t already done so, Join HeroicAZ and get the Heroic Premium App free for a full year ($149 value).
• ·         Not ready to join, then simply sign up for our HeroicAZ Newsletter to stay in touch.
• ·         And finally, if you are curious about our how MAC6 is building communities where people and businesses thrive – join our MAC6 Growth Weekly newsletter or check us out for a TOUR.

Although the election is not the focus, it’s a place to connect with like-minded people who can support you in your unique journey. 

Together, let’s activate our heroic potential, no matter the challenges we face.

Best,
Scott McIntosh

Dad and co-founder of both MAC⁶ and HeroicAZ