What If You Just Did The Thing You Love? (Paul Millerd)
How to make this actually work
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My friend Paul Millerd is the author of The Pathless Path, and new book called Good Work. In preparation for this conversation, I read Good Work and ended up finishing it in a single day! It’s a great read for anyone seeking greater alignment and aliveness in their work.
I deeply admire Paul for the journey he’s been on and how comfortable he has become just being himself. This shines through in everything from how he spends his time to how vulnerable he is about parts of his life like money.
In this conversation, Paul shares how to discover what your best work is and how to actually pull off making it a regular part of your life (and even profession). We also explore a new definition of ambition that resonates immensely.
Ideas that really stuck out to me:
1. Paul shares the story realizing that he can actually do what he loves and call it work. It’s interesting how counter this is to our conditioning
2. Paul describes his relationship to work as chasing a feeling of aliveness. For seem reason this seems risky, but the alternative of staying in a soul-crushing job comes with hidden costs
3. The path less traveled is lined with judgment and insecurity. But there's a deep knowing that propels you forward and you can learn to trust this as a reliable compass.
4. Following Good Work often requires you to reprice your life: Paul turned down a $150K job for a life of uncertainty and creativity. Now he prices his time writing and being with family at millions per hour.
5. Good work fuels your soul. Good enough work funds it. Bad work drains you. The key? Minimize the bad, optimize the good enough, and prioritize the soul-stirring. It's a constant puzzle, but one worth solving.
6. Ambition redefined: ambition isn’t about climbing corporate ladders or chasing bigger paychecks. True ambition is doing what you actually care about, even if it doesn't make sense financially.
7. The hidden benefits of choosing your path are better relationships, authenticity, and work that lights you up. The costs are visible (less money, status), but the rewards are priceless. What hidden benefits await you on your authentic path?
8. Good work often requires you to rewrite your life's script. The old narratives like needing to suffer at work and achieve status might have served a purpose at one point, but that doesn’t mean you need to carry you forward.
9. Feeling safe isn't about job security or steady paychecks. True safety is waking up as yourself every day, fully present for your family, doing work that matters. It's counterintuitive, but alignment brings a deeper sense of security.
10. Living an aligned life isn't just about you - it's a gift to your family and an example to your kids. Show them curiosity, creativity, and the courage to follow their own path.
I think you’ll find Paul’s perspectives refreshingly honest and original.
I hope you enjoy this conversation!
- Scott
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Episode Transcript
Show notes:
00:00 - The Aha Moment: Discovering Good Work
02:52 - Embracing Risk: The Journey to Fulfillment
06:13 - Navigating the Balance: Good Enough Work vs. Bad Work
09:09 - The Evolution of Ambition: Redefining Success
12:03 - Finding Your Path: The Importance of Personal Growth
14:49 - Living Authentically: The Role of Inner Work
18:02 - Cultural Scripts: Rewriting Your Life's Narrative
21:12 - The Hidden Costs of Comfort: Choosing the Hard Path
24:08 - Creating a Life of Meaning: The Pursuit of Good Work
That was a thought provoking interview. Checking out his book The Pathless Path.
As a subcontractor and freelancer, I work embedded in a corporate setting but I’m not really part of it. I watch those around me getting bogged down as employees, and calcifying. They seem to get stuck and afraid of change. They don’t love their lives, but they’re hooked on the security.