Russell Simmons comes to Seattle

The Seattle Public Library's Microsoft Lecture Hall had a different feel to it on February 24th.  The large amphitheater style room was packed with an unusually raucous and excited crowd.  People were joking, laughing, telling stories and sharing secrets all because of the speaker that was sequestered in a back room surrounded by beefy bodyguards, Russell Simmons.

Mr. Simmons had agreed to come back to Seattle after a 4 year absence to promote his new book Super Rich.  The book is a follow up to his New York Times bestseller Do You! and the themes of the book pick up where the other left off.

The book's main themes are about redefining success in society by stripping away the need for material greed and refocusing towards living a more fulfilled life that is centered on giving, relationships and spiritual fulfillment.

Mr.  Simmons began his talk with his telling of how his Yoga practice lead him to a vegan lifestyle that made him realize that all his actions had consequences and he was connected to his world on more than just a material/needs basis.  He began to reevaluate his priorities and goals to align them with the peace and connection he had found through his studies of Yoga scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita, and other spiritual texts that emphasized a life of giving.

He spoke for about twenty minutes outlining his philanthropic foundations, training programs and his for profit enterprises speaking of each with equal pride as he emphasized through his intention and words that work needs to be an object of building self worth.  "Work is prayer," he said in response to an audience question about finding work that is meaningful.  "Not everyone has a passion in their life, but in order to be happy you need to make whatever you are doing into a passion."

Simmons then started taking questions from the audience and the questions ranged from hip hop to business to spiritual matters in nearly equal doses.  I was struck by a question from the audience that asked how most successful philanthropists seem to have two phases in their lives.  One phase is the gathering of material wealth to the exclusion of all else and the second phase is giving back/philanthropy. The young man then asked for advice for people in the first phase.  His question was shared by the majority of the room.  Heads nodded and a few people even gave some old fashioned church encouragement phrases.  Mr. Simmons smiled and answered that in life you cannot do the work or create something thinking about the results.  The results are not in your control only your actions are in control.  The reason he had success in anything he did was because he was in love with the work and putting forth his best effort.  The reward should be found in the doing.

He continued to say that when you are doing something and you know it is good that is the feeling that you should bring to all the work you do.  Do not be content with passable, be exemplary.  It reminded me of something my grandfather said to me once.  He told me, "No matter what you do be the best there is.  Be the best janitor, the best teacher, the best fry cook.  It doesn't matter the what, it matters the how."

Simmons then answered more questions about what it is like being rich and famous.  He shared a story about how he does not have to pay for anything when he goes out.  He said that the fame however only should be used to help others.  He started talking about how Kim Kardasian and Ashton Kutcher have more Twitter followers than the president.  He postulated that if they began to tweet about social justice issues, or peace issues they could mobilize an army that would bring changes to this country.

"I'm liberal, I'm farther to the left than Kucinich, Olberman, all of them, but I focus on basic needs for the poor and the working poor.  Livable wages, health care, high quality education, those things should be available to everyone who wants it.  We give tax breaks to the wealthy, I got a tax break and I don't need it, and then we turn around and tell the poor there is no money."  The crowd erupted in applause as he returned to this theme over the course of the night that there is plenty of money to go around it is just our lack of political will that is keeping it from being used where it needs to be.

The night ended with a book signing and a large group of mostly young men hanging around trying to have private words with Simmons.  The audience was a mix up of young and old, male and female and many ethnic groups.  Mr. Simmons even said at the beginning of his lecture that Seattle had the most diverse group he has seen in his book tour.  The crowd loved that one too.