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The Hardcore Self Help Podcast with Duff the Psych

419: Seth Godin - Using Strategy to Shape Your Life and Mental Health

The Hardcore Self Help Podcast with Duff the Psych

Robert Duff, Ph.D.

Health & Fitness, Robertduff, Education, Duffthepsych, Mental Health, Psychology, Selfhelp, Advice, Drduff

4.6 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 October 2024

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today’s episode of the Hardcore Self Help Podcast, I’m thrilled to sit down with marketing guru and best-selling author Seth Godin. Seth shares his near-death experience off the coast of San Clemente—a moment that became a powerful reminder of his mission to teach and contribute. We explore his philosophy of “strategy as a philosophy of becoming” and discuss practical ways to craft personal life strategies that align with our values, whether in creativity, mental resilience, or personal growth.

In our conversation, Seth and I cover a range of ideas, from recognizing societal systems that impact our lives to overcoming societal pressures and finding meaning in service to others. Seth’s “lifeguard analogy” emphasizes the importance of focusing on helping others, and his insights are full of actionable takeaways for anyone looking to lead a more purpose-driven life.

Tune in for an episode packed with practical strategies and reflections that can help you shape a life you’re proud of.

Topics Covered:

  • Breaking Down Writer’s Block and Building Creative Confidence
  • The Lifeguard Analogy: Why Starting with Generosity Can Change Your Life
  • Recognizing the Systems That Influence Our Daily Lives
  • How Strategy and Mental Health Intersect in Our Modern World
  • Building Powerful Daily Creative Habits
  • Avoiding the Trap of Playing Games We’re Meant to Lose
  • Developing Authentic Networks and Finding Your Community

Timestamps:

00:15 — Introduction: Meet Seth Godin
02:05 — Breaking Down Writer’s Block and Building Creative Confidence
06:00 — Learning Through the Lifeguard Analogy: How to Start Contributing Now
12:15 — Recognizing the Systems Shaping Our Lives
18:30 — Personal Strategy and Mental Health: How They Intersect
24:00 — The Power of Daily Creative Habits
30:40 — Real-Life Applications: Who's It For, What's It For?
36:25 — Avoiding the Trap of Playing Games We’re Meant to Lose
41:50 — How Strategy Can Help Us Cope with Modern Mental Health Challenges
47:05 — Building Authentic Networks and Finding Community

About the Podcast
I’m Dr. Robert Duff, a clinical psychologist dedicated to breaking down complex mental health topics into relatable, actionable advice. On the Hardcore Self Help Podcast, we dive deep into mental health, personal development, and practical strategies to help you thrive. Each episode features expert interviews, useful tips, and answers to listener questions, all to support your journey toward a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Guest Links:

Connect With Me:

Transcript

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0:14.8

I had a near drowning experience and what happened inside my head was I said I'm not done yet and there's things I want to teach and things I want to contribute and I was lucky enough to get through those last 50 yards. And that's not fuel that I suggest people seek out, but I share it because when we write the history of this planet,

0:29.0

this moment in time where we have billions of people connected and we have paid a huge price in terms

0:37.8

of pumping stuff out of the ground in order to have the standard of living we have, we tend to waste it.

0:44.4

As soon as we seek to be generous, we get out of our own way,

0:49.2

many people anyway.

0:51.2

And part of the nihilism and on we of our lives is we've been encouraged by

0:57.8

marketers for a hundred years to be selfish to put our own oxygen mask on first

1:02.3

before helping others.

1:04.0

There are systems that want you to be unhappy.

1:08.0

There are systems that benefit from you needing to drown your sorrows.

1:14.8

There are fewer systems that benefit from you being resilient

1:20.0

and happy and a contribution.

1:22.4

Strategy isn't just for Microsoft. and a

1:25.0

contribution strategy isn't just for Microsoft and Apple.

1:26.0

Strategy is a philosophy of becoming.

1:29.0

One of my favorite sentences in the book is this.

1:32.0

One day soon the person you are hoping to become. My favorite sentences in the book is this.

1:32.8

One day soon, the person you are hoping to become

1:35.6

is going to meet the person you are.

1:39.0

How's that meeting going to go?

1:40.2

You have agency.

1:42.4

That means you have responsibility to use it.

...

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