Pillars of Inspiration

Three Voices.
One Truth.
Your Journey.

Humbrella didn't appear from nowhere. It grew from the intersection of three remarkable thinkers whose work, taken together, reveals something none of them could say alone: that freedom is available to anyone willing to question what they believe, understand why they believe it, and share what they find with honesty.

We found peace and clarity in their work, and we trust them. We think you will too.

BK
Byron Katie
The Method
TA
Tom Asacker
The Why
RM
Robert Middleton
The Difference

Where They Converge

Three different disciplines. Three different decades. The same conclusion.

?

Question the Story

Katie asks: Is it true? Asacker asks: Why do you believe it? Middleton asks: What's your real value beneath the story you're telling?

♡

Desire Over Information

All three agree: knowing isn't enough. Katie's inquiry works because it shifts what you want, not just what you think. Asacker explores this through his work on desire and belief. Middleton lives it every day.

☀

Freedom Through Honesty

Katie asks Is it true? Asacker asks What can I know? Middleton asks Who will you be?

The Method

Byron Katie

"A thought is harmless unless we believe it."

— Loving What Is

What They Teach

Katie teaches that suffering doesn't come from what happens to us — it comes from the thoughts we believe about what happens. Four simple questions can dissolve a lifetime of pain. Not by changing reality, but by meeting it honestly.

The Connection to Humbrella

The Work is the engine of everything we do at Humbrella. Byron Katie's four questions and turnarounds form the inquiry process that our Freedom Becomes You course, Emotional Weather tools, and Shelter Cards are built around. Katie and our pillars have inspired us to take a close look at what isn't working, question our thinking, understand the emotional impact, and realize we have much more potential than we give ourselves credit for.

The Four Questions Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet Turnarounds Self-Inquiry
Current Work

At Home with BK

on YouTube

Live inquiry sessions Mon–Wed on Zoom, recorded and shared on YouTube. Real people. Real thoughts. Real freedom.

Watch on YouTube →
✦ Start Here
Oprah's Super Soul: Set Yourself Free
The most accessible introduction to The Work — Oprah and Katie explore the four questions together.
49 min
Key Works
Loving What Is (2002)
The foundational text
I Need Your Love — Is That True? (2005)
A primer on inquiry for life's hardest questions
A Mind at Home with Itself (2017)
With Stephen Mitchell
Visit thework.com →
The Why

Tom Asacker

"People don't buy the best product. They buy the one they believe is best for them."

— The Business of Belief

What They Teach

Asacker reveals that information doesn't change behavior — desire does. We don't act on what we know; we act on what we want. Understanding this is the key to understanding why personal transformation requires more than a book or a lecture.

The Connection to Humbrella

Tom answers the question Katie's Work raises: why do we cling to beliefs that cause suffering? His research into desire, identity, and behavior change explains why simply knowing the truth isn't enough — and why Humbrella's experiential approach works where information alone fails.

Belief & Desire Behavior Change The Age of Unknowing Self-Liberation
Current Work

The Age of Unknowing

on Substack

Self-liberation for sensitive overthinkers. Tom writes about belief, desire, and what it means to be fully alive. Plus live Zoom discussions with subscribers.

Read on Substack →
✦ Start Here
Why TED Talks Don't Change People's Behaviors
His TEDxCambridge talk with nearly 1 million views — 16 minutes that explain everything.
16 min
Key Works
The Business of Belief (2013)
Why we believe what we believe
Unwinding Want (2023)
His deepest philosophical work
Sandbox Wisdom (2000)
Timeless lessons on business and life
Visit ageofunknowing.substack.com →
The Difference

Robert Middleton

"The world does not need louder rage. It needs steadier consciousness. The character we embody in this moment — that is still ours to choose."

— Ordinary Visionaries

What They Teach

After 39 years helping self-employed professionals attract clients through authenticity, Robert discovered something bigger: everyone is an Ordinary Visionary. His current work celebrates people who generate creative ideas and put them into action to make a difference — no fame required.

The Connection to Humbrella

Robert teaches us that real connection comes from sharing genuine value — not clever tactics. His 39 years of helping people find their authentic voice is the DNA of how Humbrella communicates. When we say "Shelter from the Storm," that's Robert's philosophy in three words: life will continue.

Authentic Marketing Ordinary Visionaries Being a Light Making a Difference
Current Work

Ordinary Visionaries

on Podcast & Newsletter

Weekly interviews with everyday people making a difference, plus Tuesday newsletters exploring what it means to be a light in the world.

Watch Interviews →
✦ Start Here
Ordinary Visionaries Interviews
Real conversations with real people about vision, purpose, and making a difference.
Various
Key Works
InfoGuru Marketing Manual (2000)
150,000+ copies distributed
The Unstuck Process (2018)
Breaking through resistance
Ordinary Visionaries (2024–present)
50+ interviews and counting
Visit ordinaryvisionaries.com →
"

I live with these ideas every day. Not studying them from a distance — living inside them. Katie's Work changes how I relate to my own mind. Tom's writing explains why the change sticks. Robert shows me how to share it without pretending to be something I'm not.

Humbrella is my effort to make a difference that lasts, using what has worked for me. Katie's method has helped people of every age, background, and walk of life — and I'm committed to building a platform that does the same. No matter who you are or what storm you're facing, this work meets you where you are.

Gary Jesch
Founder, Humbrella

Who Is Your Inspiration?

Everyone carries ideas that changed them. Bring your favorite authors, thinkers, and influences to our community — we'd love to hear who inspires you.