walk and talk | Derek Sivers

A walk-n-talk works like this: gather 5-10 curious, kind, generous, patient, inspiring people and set a walking course through the countryside for a week, plus or minus a day or two. A week works well because it may take a day or two or three for people to open up, for the so-called “situational extroverts” to fully emerge from their shells, for th... See more

Anyone can organize a walk-n-talk, and walk-n-talks can happen anywhere. We’ve done a couple in Japan, one in Spain, and one in China. We’ve found it most useful to do them where luggage forwarding is possible since it’s much nicer to walk with a simple day-pack than 10kg of gear. This also increases the breadth of folks able to participate. Kevin ... See more

This is the superpower of the Walk and Talk — putting adults into a situation they may not have experienced since they were a kid: new people, unknown environs, continuous socializing, intense conversations. The walls breakdown quickly on a Walk and Talk and by the third or fourth day, you are no longer walking with strangers but seemingly old frie... See more

Brainstorming, talking through creative challenges, and iterating on ideas happens especially well on walking meetings. My theory is that stepping away from screens prevents obsessive note-taking and reduces screen-induced anxiety. Walking helps ideas come and go naturally. It’s easier to relax, listen, and stay present.

My walking meetings tend to feel more conversational, exploratory, and creativity-inclined than Zoom meetings. I can engage for longer without feeling burned out. And there’s the obvious benefit of increased physical activity.