Cheers, Creative Enthusiasts,
Here at Giant Leaps Creative we are mourning the loss of a truly bright star in the world – a dear friend and one of my treasured clients – Scott Dinsmore of Live Your Legend (LYL). To quote a colleague of mine as I could not say it any better (and I am having difficulty finding words right now to honor this incredible man), “he created a community of people who wanted to live a life congruent to their best, truest, most purposeful and generous selves. And yet, he was humble, gracious, and kind all the way through. You have to understand, the LYL community is unlike any other out there, save for its offspring community, RYPL. It was the world where people who were polite rebels of the mainstream roads for both professional and personal pursuits could find and support each others' purposeful passions.”
Scott’s Ted Talk is one of the most watched Ted Talks of all time, being viewed by millions of people all over the world who were inspired by his message, passion and enthusiasm to find and do work that they love, creating and living their own legend as he did.
I first discovered the Live Your Legend community when I had turned in my resignation at my job where I had reached exactly the place I had always wanted to be: Creative Director and Vice President of an award-winning advertising agency. Yet I still felt there was something missing in my life, and after 14.5 years there, I discovered this creative gal needed a change. But I was frightened as all get out about how I was going to start my own business and forge a career for myself. I knew I needed help and I knew I needed a support system of other like-minded entrepreneurial types that I could turn to. I did a Google search for "I just quit my job, now what do I do?” and Live Your Legend popped up in the search. After reading many of Scott's unbelievably inspirational and informational blog posts, I signed up for his flagship How To Connect with Anyone course to help me through the transition from corporate life to entrepreneurial life. Immediately, I got value out of the course itself, which taught me to lead my new graphic design business with generosity and gratitude as my shining star guiding me forward. And I also made incredible lifelong connections through the course – people who have guided me every step of the way on my journey and I know will continue to do so. Thank you!
This picture warms my heart: Scott proudly wearing the T-shirt that I designed for him and his LYL community and holding a flag that he intended to hold high above his head after he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with his wife Chelsea.
As I charged forward with more confidence each day as I wrote out my business plan for my humble company, it dawned on me that I wanted my ideal client to be people that inspired me, projects that I truly believed in that I could get passionate and excited about! I wanted to work with awesome, kind and amazing people. Scott Dinsmore was one of my ideal clients! I made an offer to him to work for him for free for a specified period of time so that he could get to know my work, my high standards, and see my commitment to excellence in design. To my surprise, he accepted! My first assignment was to create the T-shirt that you see Scott proudly wearing in the above photo. As he was about to embark on his epic one year journey around the world, he asked me to create the “Do Something That Matters” flag that he is showcasing also in the photo. He said to me excitedly “Make me a flag that you can picture me holding up on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro after I climb it!" After complimenting my designs and my work ethic making me beam from ear to ear, he asked me to be one of his chosen designers to help him spread his mission around the globe, and support him on his journeys. I was absolutely thrilled and proud of my decision to pursue him as a treasured client.
As one of the ways I served Scott and his needs for building his community, I was responsible for updating his Dinsmore World Tour map as he landed at each destination. This is the map that I created for him last week. He last words to me were “You rock Cathy. Well done. :)” He was always so grateful, complimentary and respectful in all of his communications with me.
I am shocked and devastated to let you know that I received word from his wife Chelsea yesterday that Scott did not survive a natural disaster that occurred while he and Chelsea were living their lifelong dream of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro together while purposely taking themselves “off the grid” to truly enjoy nature together, each other’s company and achieving a sought after physical feat. I find comfort knowing that he transitioned from our world to the next doing exactly what he wanted to do, living his own legend with the person that he chose to spend the rest of his life with (however long that lasted), living each day without regret.
I just learned that he was only 33 years old. That's a lot of life to live, and huge impact for a young man to make in a short period of time. I would like to share with you one of Scott's favorite songs that speaks to his mission and purpose: Beyoncé’s “I Was Here.”
Scott, I know that you are shining your bright light down on all of us now from the heavens. I thank you for all that you have taught me, for your support in my personal and entrepreneurial journey, and for the love, passion and joy that you shared with all of us. I will be forever grateful. My heart and deepest sympathies go out to his wife Chelsea, their family and friends and everyone who has been affected by this tragic loss. I plan to share Scott’s life and take his legacy forward in my business and my every day life for as long as I have left here on Earth.
Scott, your work will never be forgotten and lives on in all of us. Thank you, my dear friend.
Here is an awesome (yet chilling) guest blog post that I discovered on Scott's friend's website (and one of my favorites), Zen Habits. Excellent read from an exceptional man. Your words will live on, Scott.
To your creative endeavors!
Onward and upward.
Cathy Broadwell
Giant Leaps Creative LLC