Debbie Millman has an ongoing project at PRINT titled “What Matters.” This is an effort to understand the interior life of artists, designers, and creative thinkers. This facet of the project is a request of each invited respondent to answer ten identical questions and submit a nonprofessional photograph.
Jacob Harold is a social change strategist and executive. He served as President & CEO of GuideStar, co-founded Candid, and wrote The Toolbox: Strategies for Crafting Social Impact.
What is the thing you like doing most in the world?
Sitting under a tree reading a book— with my kids playing nearby.
What is the first memory you have of being creative?
About three years old… running through the corn fields of Davidson County, North Carolina with my dog Jesse, dreaming of adventure.
What is your biggest regret?
Failing to tell people how much I cared about them.
How have you gotten over heartbreak?
Time and motion.
What makes you cry?
Videos of soldiers coming home to their families.
How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?
Usually less than a day. Then it’s on to the next thing.
Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?
Yes, but only in the most general sense: our bodies return to the Earth and we live on in new forms, our legacies scattered in a future we won’t see.
What do you hate most about yourself?
My inertia. It takes a lot for me to get started.
What do you love most about yourself?
I try to weave together different perspectives on a problem— which helps build patience and compassion.
What is your absolute favorite meal?
Bi-Rite ice cream.