Marc Hauser

Interview with Marc Hauser

You are the world record holder in speed tracking. How do we have to imagine this sport?

I live the neverending dream about the human flight. I fly spread-eagled ahead and cross landscapes and cities high up in the air. I jump out of an airplane at an altitude of 4000 meters and fly downwards headfirst  like a torpedo. In that phase, I fly even faster than a descending plane and the feeling is unbelievably intensive. There is no need for wings, the parachute is my only equipment. After almost a minute of free fall, I deploy my parachute and smoothly land on the ground again. It makes me feel like a real superhero, although I am actually really chicken-hearted.

You state about yourself that you actually have vertigo. Why jump out of an airplane then?

I started parachuting in order to fight my vertigo. It was a very simple thought that led to this decision: the bigger the fear, the more extreme the therapy should be. In the end, I never really overcame my vertigo but I learned to cope with it. I can accept it as a part of me now. One of my lessons learned is that fear helps us to stay cautious and be attentive. Fear does not have to be overcome –  it has to be integrated.

You have been a successful keynote speaker for a while now. What are your core messages?

There are three important key messages that I want my attendees to take away:

• Dream Big – a wake up call for your strongest wishes.
• Be the designer of your own future – we all can be heroes and artists.
• Shout them out loud – dreams can only become true when they have a name.

The video and pictures of the world record in speed tracking are the perfect introduction to a vivid and interactive keynote. In collaboration with my audience, we fill my sessions with laughter, curiosities and lessons to be learned. All attendees take home directly applicable learnings. Whether in private or in business life, the audience will be able to shine with all tricks and dodges. It may not be enough to set a world record themselves… but who knows.

You are the founder of a naming agency. It is your daily business to help clients find names for brands and products. How important is the right name for business success?

The name is definitely a success factor. A name is a proof of existence. If something does not have a name, it is not referable to and hence, does not exist. Imagine, a new species of insects is discovered in the Amazonian Rainforest. It will only ever be known to the rest of the world when it has been given a name. In Switzerland for example, children need a name within three days after their birth or their existence cannot be registered with the authorities.

Every time we create a name for a company or a product, we witness the same effect. As soon as there is a name, it sparks life and starts the project off. I want to transfer this observation into real life. I am convinced that as soon as we are able to shout our big dreams out loud, we become their designer. That’s what I want to teach you in my presentation.

You advocate that people should also name their daily tasks. How does naming my personal issues contribute to solve them?

One of our main problems is the unfulfilled life. By naming our dreams, we shape them. Everybody knows the “just do it” credo, but how do you actually live up to that? The people who look back on a fulfilled and happy life are mainly the ones who actually shaped it themselves. They did not let others tell them what to do, but kept things firmly in hand themselves. This is only achievable through the realisation of your own dreams. Finding a name can be the key to happiness. I can show my attendees how to name a dream and bring it to life. I can teach anyone to become a decision-maker.