For Ethan Zohn, winning CBS’s Survivor: Africa was the springboard to an exceptional young life of entrepreneurship, social purpose, and advocacy. It was also the prelude to an incredible personal story—one of perseverance, accomplishment, and enduring spirit in the face of once- unthinkable challenges—through which he continues to inspire countless others around the globe. His message, for young people, the business community and academia alike, emphasizes character, leadership, resiliency, service, and seeing challenges as strengths as keys to a happy, healthy society.

A fit, active thirty-something and professional soccer player who had traveled the world on behalf of the international health community and Grassroot Soccer, the NGO he founded just years earlier, Ethan, at 35, became the unlikely face of cancer. Diagnosed not once, but twice, with the rare CD 20+ Hodgkins Lymphoma in the span of several years, Ethan endured combined years of aggressive treatment—including two stem-cell transplants—while confronting life decisions that relatively few in his peer set ever face. Never losing optimism, spirit, or humor, despite the extraordinary rigors and setbacks, Ethan used his journey, and considerable platform, to connect with others—young adults in particular—and offer inspiration, advice, and comfort, even chronicling the chapters of his experience for People. While undergoing treatment, he ran, and finished, the New York City and Boston marathons—as a fundraiser for Grassroot Soccer.

Ethan’s predisposition toward advocacy, social enterprise, global health, and self-empowerment truly took shape in 2002, when he, with a portion of his winnings from Survivor: Africa, co-founded Grassroot Soccer, a first-of-its-kind NGO using the sport to teach young people self-reliance and critical life skills, such as HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, for the betterment of at-risk communities. It was the realization of an idea that first came to light while playing soccer professionally in Zimbabwe, where he first came face- to-face with the toll and scale of the AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa. Since inception, the international organization has scaled up to 50 countries in Africa and worldwide, impacted over 2 million lives, and worked with scores of public- and private-sector partners. Ever the tireless and creative promoter, Ethan in 2008 did nothing short of dribble a soccer ball 600 miles on his own — Boston to Washington, DC — as a campaign to drum up visibility, awareness, and support.

Jesse Harless, M.A., is a Life and Recovery Coach, group empowerment facilitator, motivational speaker, author, and Entrepreneur in Recovery. Jesse recently released his first book Smash Your Comfort Zone with Cold Showers now available on Amazon. Jesse is the founder of Entrepreneurs in Recovery, a platform to help people in addiction recovery reach their full potential. He works with several addiction treatment centers and programs in the Northeast U.S. where he facilitates his Appreciative Recovery Facilitation model.

Social media: Instagram : @jesseharless221

Facebook: @jesseharless22

Website: www.jesseharless.com/newbook

Hello! When I entered 6th grade, I suddenly had crippling separation anxiety from my mom that prevented me from going through a full day of school. While the separation anxiety lessened, it stuck with me through high school and dictated many parts of my life.

I remember going to bed every night for years secretly wondering how I would ever be able to go to college. And then, the time came, and I decided to lean into my fear. Looking back, I decided to Scare My Soul. I committed to a university 2.5 hours away from home.

Four years later, I have studied abroad in Arezzo, Italy as well Moscow, Russia, for a semester each. That decision four years ago to push myself and scare myself would change me entirely. It opened up doors that allowed me to grow into my own as well as continue scaring myself.

I am an actor, stage combatant and fight choreographer, yoga instructor, and always-student. I have my own blog, Explorrior, and look forward to pushing myself and others in new and supportive ways.

Best,

Ariana

Hi! I’m Abby and I’m excited to scare my soul along side you.

I have a passion for dancing, biking, being outside and enjoying the world around us, celebrating who we authentically are and creating new experiences. I currently work in admissions at a private school for kids with learning disabilities and in my past life I was the director of a Jewish summer day camp.

Growing up, people would have described me as shy, kind, sweet and smart. For a long time, I was happy with this. I didn’t get into fights, I always followed directions and I kept quiet making sure not to stir conflict. Earlier this year a friend told me that she thinks of me as assertive. I had never heard that before and could barely even believe it. After years of community leadership, posting my insecurities on social media and becoming more mindful with who I have in my life, I had gotten to a point where the first describing word for me wasn’t sweet. And I was thankful. Thankful for my therapists who helped me work through the crap, thankful for my mentors who taught me that being perfect isn’t allowed, thankful for my family and friends who accepted the changes happening within me, and thankful for myself for leaping out of my comfort zone.

Sometimes I feel like I know who I am and what I want, and sometimes I feel like I’m growing right along side my students. But that’s the fun part, right?

Let’s figure it all out together as we scare our souls!

After 10 years of anxiety, horrible eating disorders, lack of purpose, and, at times, seemingly no reason to live…something inside of me realized there had to be more.

I didn’t really know where to turn, so I picked up running, and found solace and joy in working out. Once I finally had something (the gym) to get me up in the morning, I started to feel more in tune with my body, and, in turn, more in tune with my Spirit.I started to read books that taught me to follow my gut and see to the signs The Universe was trying to show me. I started to meditate, hoping to further ease my anxiety and depression. I started to clear my head enough to tune in, and then I heard it-my first download from The Universe: “Yoga teacher training.” I literally looked up at the sky and said, “Really?”

At the time, I was going to yoga once a month, MAYBE. Nevertheless, something came over me, through me, so I applied for a new credit card and signed up for not only yoga teacher training but also an online intensive Life Coach training. Over the course of 10 months, as I went through both trainings, I experienced my first phase of what I can only call awakening. I had always been aware of my physical body, but through these trainings, I finally had access to my spiritual one. I learned about the Law of Attraction and quantum physics. I learned about chakras and energy centers and the fact that we ARE energy. I learned about the brain, neural networks, and that thoughts really do become things. And so it was, the door had been open, and ever since then I have plunged head first into the realm of mindset, manifesting, and the ways of metaphysics.

Over the past 3 years, I went from not being able to get out of bed and and making myself sick after eating, to healing, starting a business, hosting a podcast, and road tripping across the country for 3 months. Was any of it easy? Nopeeee. I have cried more, fought more, surrendered more, and faced more than I ever had in my entire life, but if I have learned one thing, it is that doing the things that scare you is what will change your life, and that is why I am here.

I am here to help people scare themselves into not only a better life for themselves, but also for the Greater Good for all. I am here to scare my soul, and help others do the same, because that is what life is all about, right?

Anthony Milia is the owner and founder of the award-winning firm Milia Marketing. He’s proud to have helped countless companies increase their traffic and revenue, build solid customer foundations, and take their business to the next level.

His goal is to demystify marketing and counter common misconceptions which business owners can easily fall prey to.

Anthony currently resides in Cleveland, OH with his indispensable counterpart. When he’s not working, he enjoys travel, going on adventures, hiking in the great outdoors, and reading.

Public Speaking has always been my #1 fear and it’s one of the most critical components to getting to the next level as a thought leader in the Marketing space. My #scareyoursoul challenge is getting out of my comfort zone with speaking engagements, workshops, training, and filming video content.

miliamarketing.com

Instagram @anthonymilia