Hi Reader,

Welcome back to Renaissance!

This newsletter is meant to:

• Teach you cool stuff
• Inspire you to take bold action
• Make you pause, smile, and maybe even laugh

It's part of my mission to live a story worth telling while helping YOU do the same.

If you're ready to create more meaning, fulfillment, and adventure in your life, click the button below:

Why wait any longer?

What I'm learning about 🧠

The benefits of showing up in places where you are unique.

If you're reading this newsletter, I know that you're special.

You're intelligent, witty, and ridiculously good looking.

And here's how you can start to maximize your unique gifts.

No, the answer isn't TikTok dances or starting an OnlyFans account.

Instead, start showing up in spaces where there are a few of you.

This idea comes from professional matchmaker Paul Brunson.

In this short video clip, he explains how at the beginning of his career, he had a big idea.

His first thought was to sell it to someone who was already more "successful" than him.

But when he attended a conference full of the top matchmakers in the world, he had an epiphany.

Out of a room of 250 people, he was:

• The only man in the room
• The only person under 35
• The only person of color

Paul suddenly realized that he should be the one to implement his big idea because he was the most unique person in this room.

So he kept his idea, believed in himself, and became one of the top matchmakers.

In a world that's becoming more and more homogenous, being different is a major competitive advantage.

The things you tried to hide about yourself in middle school (to fit in with the cool kids) are the same things that make you extraordinary.

So this week, I encourage you to do two things:

1. Let your freak flag fly and bring your total weirdness to the table
2. Show up in places where there are a few (or just one!) of you

What I'm thinking about 💭

Incredible stories that are probabilistically impossible.

Without knowing much about him, Paul Brunson (mentioned in the section above) is quickly becoming my guy.

PB and GB has a nice ring to it, maybe it's time we became besties?

I first heard about Paul when my friend Brian told me his story.

And like any great story, this one starts at 35,000 feet.

On a private jet.

WITH OPRAH!

***Cue "eating popcorn" GIF***

At the beginning of his journey, Paul gave away his services for free.

He wanted to maximize his impact so he also started a YouTube channel.

One of his early clients was a woman who (unbeknownst to Paul) worked for O Magazine as an editor.

In case you have the inference capabilities of petrified wood, that's Oprah's magazine.

One day, this editor was sitting on Oprah's private jet when she heard Oprah say:

"I'm looking for a fresh voice for my new relationship show."

The editor, who happened to be seated just a few seats ahead, turned around and asked "have you heard of Paul Brunson?"

Oprah said no and when she googled him she found his YouTube channel which only had 23 subscribers!

To make a long story short, Oprah loved Paul's content and hired him as the host of her new show.

This catapulted Paul into the spotlight and he went from an unknown matchmaker to a worldwide celebrity basically overnight.

Here are three reasons why this story FIRES ME UP:

1. Paul put himself out there by working with clients (for free) and starting a YouTube channel.

Taking that first step is so important, but it's the one that most people never do.

2. He didn't let the fact that he only had 23 YouTube subscribers discourage him.

He knew that if he continued doing great work, people would discover him eventually.

3. This story is probabilistically impossible.

The probability of getting selected to host Oprah's new TV show with only 23 YouTube subscribers is ZERO.

Mathematically, this scenario should not have happened but it did!

That's what's so beautiful about the world we live in and that's the reason you have to keep going.

Most people give up when they don't get thousands of subscribers from their first YouTube video.

Thank god Paul didn't.

His story highlights the magic that happens when you follow your dreams and take bold action.

Things stop making sense.

Doors start to open.

And you meet incredible people in the most extraordinary ways.

So if you've been looking for the inspiration to start chasing your dreams, here it is.

Use Paul's unbelievable story as fuel to take that first step.

Your future self (who might be homies with Oprah) is thanking you!

_

P.S. I'm here to help you take the first step. Schedule a free discovery call with me here and start taking action on your big dream!

Quote of the week 📜

“Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.”

- Kurt Vonnegut

What I'm creating 🎨🎬🎤

My first paid publication!

I am starting a publication on Substack called:

Sweaty Palms: Terrific tales from outside the comfort zone.

It's where I am shifting all my longer-form writing.

Sweaty Palms will document the lessons I learn on my strange and exciting adventures as I continue to step outside my comfort zone.

Eventually, it will encompass transformational stories of others too!

For a limited time it's free and you can sign up here.​

You can also choose a paid option if you deem that I am worthy 😉

Sign up by 9 am tomorrow and you'll get access to my first post!

I am re-sharing one of my favorite stories of all time - one that encapsulates the essence of Sweaty Palms.

P.S. Renaissance and my writing on Linkedin will always remain free, but Substack is a fun opportunity for me to monetize my writing!

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Sent with love,

Gregory Russell Benedikt

Website: gregoryrussellbenedikt.com

Podcast: The Dare to Dream Podcast​

Connect: Instagram & LinkedIn