Why is Bob Votruba designing north*?

For most of us, reading headlines about mass killings elicits gasps of horror. The mental images sit with us for a while, and we find ourselves contemplating how on Earth any human being could do such a thing to other human beings. Eventually, the routine of daily life begins to soften the hard edges of those images, until finally they dissolve from our daily consciousness.

No so for Bob Votruba.

Mr. Votruba was so aghast at the horror of the 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting in which 32 innocent people were massacred, that he was changed forever. Or at least for the last eight years and counting.

For Mr. Votruba, the tragedy became an epiphany. He quit his job as a 35 year veteran in the home building business, sold his major possessions, and set out on a journey – more of a pilgrimage or odyssey really – to promote his new life’s mission.

“One Million Acts of Kindness is a goal, a lifetime goal, for each and every person who’s young enough. Anybody under the age of 30 mathematically can still personally perform one million acts of kindness through little things, some of them bigger things, and what I like to call ‘kind acts from the heart.’” [Quote from 27east.com]

He now travels the country in his bus, spreading his message and bestowing kindnesses upon others – an inspiration to us all.

Who knows? Perhaps your own small act of kindness will soften a hard heart at a desperate moment some day.

*Many people in this world “add a little extra” to whatever they do: their career, how they live, the relationships they nurture, or just a random act of kindness – and we consider that *designing north* – designing your life and living it just north of the average bell curve.

Bob is designing north. Are you or someone you know? Tell us. We’re looking for the global count.

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Why is Darren Swallow designing north*?

It was the day before Memorial Day, and the Wingate Nursing Home in Wilbraham, Massachusetts had no flag pole on which to wave the star and stripes. When an employee explained this to her disabled veteran boyfriend, former Army Specialist Darren Swallow, he took up the cause. He wasn’t asked, he wasn’t looking for attention, he simply wanted to honor his fallen comrades who had paid the ultimate price for freedom.

He stood for nine hours at attention, flag pole in hand, to display his respect for those soldiers our country has lost over the decades. From 3:30 a.m. until Memorial Day afternoon, he honored fellow Americans – despite the rain.

In this time of political and global unrest, this man reminded us that we are all Americans.

Read more about Darren’s story here.

*Many people in this world “add a little extra” to whatever they do: their career, how they live, the relationships they nurture, or just a random act of kindness – and we consider that *designing north* – designing your life and living it just north of the average bell curve.

Darren is designing north. Are you or someone you know? Tell us. We’re looking for the global count.
 

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Why are Marty and Seon designing north*?

The pair worked hard to achieve their dreams. And the path was not exactly paved for them. Both Marty and Seon were the first in their families to graduate from college – there was no long legacy of higher education to draft from.

Seon earned two masters degrees and a doctorate degree and serves as the early childhood education faculty chair at Vanguard University in southern California. Marty holds a law degree and served in the U.S. Navy.

Their lifelong dream was to buy a sailboat to indulge their love of the water. They were close to making that dream a reality when they attended a church sermon on charity. Instead of sailing in their own futures, they changed course and decided to help a group of 26 English-language learning kindergarteners sail to a future that will include college.

The pair committed to funding each student’s college education (two years of community college + two years at a California state university). The price? About $1,000,000.  The worth? Priceless.

Read more about Marty and Seon’s story here.

*Many people in this world “add a little extra” to whatever they do: their career, how they live, the relationships they nurture, or just a random act of kindness – and we consider that *designing north* – designing your life and living it just north of the average bell curve.

Marty and Seon are designing north. Are you or someone you know? Tell us. We’re looking for the global count.
 

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Why is Nancy Jundi designing north*?

So often we think that we have to be heroic to make a real difference in the world. Yet the reality is probably just the opposite. This story of a young woman, Nancy Jundi, taking time out of her day to connect with a little girl is priceless. In a matter of minutes she likely infused a lifetime of confidence in a young stranger. Nancy is an ordinary person who for a moment became heroic in the eyes of a little girl.

Her story, in her own words as she told it on Facebook:

Stopped for coffee this morning at 7 eleven (don’t judge) and when a little girl saw me she hid behind her mother and screamed.

When she started crying I felt really bad and had no idea what I’d done. Her mother bent down to comfort her and asked what happened. The little girl whispered something and then the mother turned to look at me.

“She thinks you’re Wonder Woman,” whispered the mom in broken English. “You’re her favorite…Could you…I’m so sorry…”

“OF COURSE!!!!”

So I bent down and had the sweetest most encouraging conversation with a 4 year old that I ever ever had outside of my own nieces.

“Why aren’t you wearing your uniform?” Sofia asked. “Well, I work with non super heroes for most of the day – even though we do super hero stuff on the computer.”

“So you fight the bad guys on the computer?” she asked.

“Sometimes, yes, but we also build some really cool stuff, too.”

“But when do you wear your boots and tiara? When do you fight crime with your bracelets?” she wondered.

“Lots. Lots and lots. I love my boots – and I’ll tell you a secret, even when you can’t see my tiara, I’m wearing a crown. It’s like my Invisible Jet. Wanna touch it?”

She froze. She was so excited. She touched my head and smiled. She said, “You have hair just like mine!”

So I asked her if she’d like my crown. “I have more, promise, but I want you to have this one.” She was so happy. So, so happy.

She hugged me, her mom thanked me and I was late for work. Because that mattered. And until something in this world tells her differently, she’ll carry herself like she’s wearing that crown.

And hopefully, that crown will help her tell the world to stick it, if and when it ever tells her she’s anything other than worthy.

Oh, God. How I love you. How thankful I am for what you give me in a day.

Go be super heroes, friends.

*Many people in this world “add a little extra” to whatever they do: their career, how they live, the relationships they nurture, or just a random act of kindness – and we consider that *designing north* – designing your life and living it just north of the average bell curve.

Nancy Jundi is designing north. Are you or someone you know? Tell us. We’re looking for the global count.

Why is Dorothy Largay designing north*?

She’s a technophilanthropist on a mission to change the lives of women living in poverty in Latin America.

Don’t let the diminutive figure of former director of worldwide leadership development at Apple, Inc. fool you.

Despite her petite frame and soft voice, Dorothy Largay is nothing but high-density energy. And we are all blessed that she is directing both that intrinsic verve and her financial resources to make the world a better place.

After receiving a ‘windfall’, both she and her husband, former Google Vice President of Engineering Wayne Rosing, decided to focus their talents and treasure on the things that interested them most. For Dorothy, that meant launching sustainable and scalable health initiatives in Latin America, and for Wayne, it meant developing a global network of telescopes to advance astronomy.

Because of Dorothy’s Linked Foundation and its dynamic partners, thousands of women and their families now have access to basic health needs through their rural pharmacies models.

Dorothy treated the foundation like a start-up. It was 24/7 to start, but is now chugging smoothly along, thanks to hard work, a great team, learning from mistakes, and sharing successes.

“My husband and I have a very nice life, but we wanted to keep it simple – uncomplicated. We didn’t want to spend our time managing our ‘things’. That has zero interest to me – too much complexity. We were excited about the potential to make real change in our own lifetimes.”

Read Dorothy’s 10-year Linked Foundation anniversary interview written by Designing North’s Head of Marketing Julie Farrell here.

Check out more on Linked Foundation’s initiatives here.

*Many people in this world “add a little extra” to whatever they do: their career, how they live, the relationships they nurture, or just a random act of kindness — and we consider that *designing north* — designing your life and living it just north of the average bell curve.

Dorothy Largay is designing north. Are you or someone you know? Tell us. We’re looking for the global count.

If you look closely, there is a question on each and every one of our business cards here at Designing North Studios. It is quite faint; but it’s a question for you.

Are you one of those people that adds that tiny bit of extra to whatever you do? You know, the kind that curls the bow tips on your already beautifully wrapped package; adds that powerful chart to the client report even though it wasn’t really required; doesn’t mind waiting the extra 15 seconds to hold the door for someone you even don’t know; puts the shopping cart back in it’s correct spot versus hitching it to the nearest curb — thoughtful, mindful, convinced that it’s life’s details that make all the difference? If you are, then you’re likely to be discovered for The Designing North Project.

We’re conducting a little side gig over here that really makes us smile.  We are on a mission to find, celebrate, and perhaps even collaborate, with those who are *designing north* in their everyday lives.  As a group of strategic designers and creative thinkers, adding that little bit of extra, just north of good work, is what Designing North Studios is all about.  As we all started working together, revealing the same set of values, same mindset, we knew we weren’t alone. Many people in this world “add a little extra” to whatever they do: their career, how they live, the relationships they nurture, even how they wrap a gift — and we consider that *designing north* — designing your life and living it just north of the average bell curve. When people do this, it adds happiness, success, peace, and love to the global experience– and that’s the biggest UX of all!  Imagine if everyone lived that way.  And so we wondered.

That’s when we decided to start the side gig (vs. the client gig) and we call it: The Designing North Project. Cause we want to know who else is living the mindset, spreading the good work, giving a little extra – we want the global count. We can’t really do it alone though, so now that we have some momentum – and few folks to share with you – we’re hoping you’ll share too.  If you, or someone you know is Designing North, drop us a line with a photo and a story that starts with: I am, She is, He is, We are, They are…  and help us spread the word; continue the global count.  We think there’s more of us than we could have ever imagined.

We are Designing North.  Are you?