The Most Important Thing, a talk by Sean Kelly

What’s up Awesome Officers, this week we’ve got a special episode featuring a talk that Sean gave at the recent SHFM National Conference in Arizona.

In it, Sean describes what he believes to be the single most important thing - not just in the workplace, but in life - that we must focus on in order to live happy, productive and fulfilled lives. And we’ll tell you right now, it’s probably not what you think.

As Sean admits, this episode is personal. In crafting this talk, Sean strove to be as vulnerable, open, and transparent as possible in order to connect with his audience. The talk was by all accounts a success in that regard, and we hope that you’ll connect with the ideas in this podcast too. 

Key Takeaways

Sean explains why human connection is the most important thing in life, and details the evolutionary science that helps explain why this is the case. 3:46 Sean explores why gossip was actually a matter of life or death to our prehistoric forebears. 4:50 Sean explains why the common conception of the successful dominant “alpha male” isn’t quite right. 5:53 Sean points out a contradiction: why human connection is at an all time low, despite the fact that we live in the most connected age in human history. 7:00 Sean shares a personal story about growing up in Northern Michigan, and some choice advice from one of his mentors. 8:34 Sean takes a critical look at himself as an entrepreneur in his twenties, and why describes why he felt like it was him against the world. 9:29 Sean tells us how he learned he’d become something he’d never thought he’d be - a (biological) drug addict. 10:55 Sean breaks down the feel good chemicals that drive our behavior, and names the analogous street drugs that mimic their effects. 11:28 Sean describes the moment he realized he was addicted to selfish chemicals, and wasn’t focusing enough on the social chemicals the enable longer lasting happiness and fulfillment. 16:17 Sean identifies what he believes is the source of all suffering, and the quickest way to alleviate it. 16:30 Sean explains why Millennials are poised to bring about radical social change, and create a world that emphasizes social bonds and human connection. 16:50 Sean revisits the advice his mentor gave him, and modifies it in light of what he learned since he became an entrepreneur. 19:05

Links

@Seanpk on Twitter' Sean on LinkedIn

Recommended Reading

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari The Fourth Turning by William Strauss

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