Ishmael Jackson - Moving Through Life (#8)

Ishmael Jackson, founder and CEO of The Body Academy, grew up in abject poverty in Liberty City, Miami.

He's faced discrimination based on skin color and sexual orientation since he was a kid.

As Ishmael comments, “[I’m] an African American, recently married, my partner is male, in a country that is still to this day grappling with what each means.” 

Ishmael speaks openly about the portrayal in his youth of African Americans on television as “bad guys,” and describes being fearful of police officers. “The anxiety that one would feel in the body—the feeling that I needed to run and hide—those things don’t leave us,” Ish says.

Yet through these and other challenges, Ishmael continues to put himself out there as an entrepreneur, and is writing a book to help others maximize their performance.

Ishmael has honed his skills in a specific area: movement. He helps clients unlock their mind-body connection through specific movements, which translates into breakthroughs in other areas of their lives, including business and relationships.

The working title of Ishmael’s book is Move through Life: Rediscover the Mind-Body Connection and Maximize Your Performance.

Ishmael and Aaron discuss the importance of feeling validated, recognized, acknowledged, seen, and heard.