Seth Godin
On Meaning, Work, and Significance
Resources For Your Portfolio:
1) Read Seth’s latest book, The Song Of Significance
2) Read another book by Seth called Linchpin
3) Read Seth’s manifesto about school called Stop Stealing Dreams
5) Listen to prior podcast episodes between Seth and David: #139 and #66
Episode Notes (by minute):
2:00: Why we don’t have a profit shortage, but we have a meaning shortage
4:00: What Seth learned about the best job people had when ~10,000 people responded to a survey of his
6:00: “What people want is challenge”
7:00: “anything that we do at work that's important involves making a change happen”
11:00: How Seth got inspired by Jacqueline Freeman's work about bees before deciding to write his new book, The Song of Significance
14:00: When and how Seth further realized there was no time to waste and that he must write his new book
16:00: What we can learn about bees for work and the song of increase as Jacqueline Freeman calls it
20:00: How many times a day do you say “this might not work”?
24:00: “That is my work. That is my craft. Find someone who's enrolled and help them get to where they say they want to go.”
25:30: What Seth thinks about AI and how it is going to get very good at doing mediocre work
27:30: How when we think about great moments in our lives, they are often about doors being opened for others
28:30: Why we should keep pulling on the small threads of positive change and taking micro risks
31:00: “the people I know who signed up to be dead at work end up regretting it.”
32:30: Why Seth thinks employees should push back on bureaucracies at work
36:00: What Seth learned from Isaac Asimov about writing and teams. And how Isaac would often ask Seth, “what would make this better for you?”
40:00: How The Song of Significance book compares to a prior book by Seth called Linchpin
48:00: Why if you are a “Jill/Jack of All Trades”, you should try to look for a boss that already works with someone like you. And how it is easier than ever before for people to find those kind of bosses.
53:00: Seth’s challenge for us and suggestions for how we could create more significance in our lives
(Note: these are quick notes and takeaways by David Nebinski. Please see the episode for more accurate information)
Published Date: 8/10/23