Challenge Yourself With 100 Things To Do Before You Die – Seb Terry

When you challenge yourself by setting yourself goals outside of your comfort zone, what can happen? And what if those goals are simply the 100 things you want to do before you die?

Author of the book and TV host on ESPN’s series ‘100 Things: What’s On Your List?’, Seb Terry shared a beautiful conversation about how he followed his passions and now has found real purpose in his life helping people all over the world.

The Moment He Decided His 100 Things To Do Before You Die

After graduating, Seb felt lost with no purpose. He decided to travel, and while backpacking in Canada, he got tragic news that his good friend Chris had passed away at the age of just 24. Reflecting on Chris’ life and what a life well-lived and happiness could be like, Seb created a list of 100 things to do before he died, and went on a quest to complete them around the world.

This unfolded into a journey of publishing a book on his experiences, landing a TV series with ESPN, moving to LA from Sydney, and finding his true values, passion and purpose finally in life. It seems when you challenge yourself and focus your time and goal setting to do what interests you, magic can indeed happen!

Challenge yourself to find your true calling

Seb has now created an online peer-to-peer platform for giving called Kindsum, which is facilitating meaningful connections with people around the world and creating opportunities to help and volunteer to help people from simple to deeply life changing ways. He talks more about examples of its use in the show and how you can get involved.

Watch this interview to really understand what you can do to discover your purpose and why you should set your goals based on your passions.

Resources mentioned:

• 100 Things – Seb Terry (a global movement to follow your passions in life and see what magic comes from it)
• Kindsum – the world’s best peer-to-peer platform for giving

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Transcript

Matt: 0:06

I'm Matt, Gary Fisher. And this is the burn from within

Seb Terry: 0:09

show. Each week

Matt: 0:11

I interview inspiring people who have changed their career or life to light up inside. So if you want to get excited about your Mondays work on meaningful projects and have more time for the passions and people that matter to you stay tuned. On this episode, I speak with Seb Terry. Author and TV host of ESPN series 100 things.

Seb Terry: 0:38

What's on your list

Matt: 0:39

and founder of the global peer to peer kindness platform. Quinsam this interview is a blueprint for living with no regrets.

Seb Terry: 0:48

So listen, all the way through

Matt: 0:51

as we step into the moment when Sev made a decision to change his life. We learn

Seb Terry: 0:56

how he goes

Matt: 0:57

super clear

Seb Terry: 0:58

of his real purpose.

Matt: 0:59

One, which everyone secretly, once we discover how challenging yourself gives clarity of who you are and what you are capable of and you'll spark ideas. So you can make your authentic impact on the world.

Seb Terry: 1:27

Hey guys,

Matt: 1:28

welcome to another episode of burn from within

Seb Terry: 1:33

and on

Matt: 1:33

today's show. I have a brief inspirational, um, by the name of set, Terry

Seb Terry: 1:40

said

Matt: 1:40

is a TV host and author of the book

Seb Terry: 1:44

100 things, and he's

Matt: 1:47

traveled the world. And he's

Seb Terry: 1:50

now set up

Matt: 1:51

a peer to peer giving platform called Kinson, which we'll hear about later on in the show,

Seb Terry: 1:57

but what really struck me about

Matt: 1:59

service that he's actually living his

Seb Terry: 2:02

life of

Matt: 2:02

passion and purpose,

Seb Terry: 2:04

and

Matt: 2:04

it all started from. A significant event. Like most of the people that I've interviewed in this series,

Seb Terry: 2:11

some significant event

Matt: 2:13

that change their life, change their

Seb Terry: 2:14

perspective.

2:15

And

Matt: 2:15

in steps case, it was the passing of one of his dear friends, Sidney press. So said welcome to the show.

Seb Terry: 2:25

Yeah.

Matt: 2:25

Great. Thanks. I'm great. Thanks for joining us. I know. So I talk, I talk about, on a sad note about to start the show, but we'll, we'll, we'll head out to more

Seb Terry: 2:33

positivity later on, but

Matt: 2:36

I mean, you know, sad things in life actually do change us and do make us take action.

Seb Terry: 2:40

And when you take yourself

Matt: 2:42

back to that time, when you're 24, I believe the new, uh, backpacking around Canada. And you suddenly got the news that your friend Chris had passed away. What was that like at the time?

Seb Terry: 2:54

Well, it was interesting. I mean, at that point in my life, I was just drifting, really drifting, just got a degree at that point and I just happened to be in Canada and that moment, and I got a phone call late one night. And as you say, it was the news from a friend of mine telling me that Chris had passed away. And it was the middle of the night in Canada. And I, I remember him telling me that, and then I didn't really remember much of the rest of the phone call. And like, Chris was, we were super close growing up for school. And then after that university, I went to university, Chris didn't and we carried on with our lives. So, you know, we weren't like the best mates hanging out every day or anything like that. But at one point, Chris and I worked what we used to row surf boats, play vampy and all that sort of stuff. And it just made me reflect, uh, on life. Well, firstly, on his. How he lived it and then on mine and I, to your point before the sad moments generally are the things that allow us an opportunity to get closer to brighter moments and know through positive choice. And yeah, that was it for me. I remember thinking particularly if Chris could live his 24 years again, would you change anything? What do you live in the same way? And I came to the conclusion that he wouldn't change anything. I thought, wow, he's happy know did all the things he just lived as he was, he was authentically himself. And I, so that's all that you can really ask. I mean, how amazing, you know, and then this notion of happiness, it just came to my head straight away and I thought, well, am I happy? And if I died today, would I change everything? And having never thought about life from that perspective before very quickly. I realized I would change most things. I was drifting through life. I had no idea who I was. I was in shape. I was just conforming to all the things people have told me or things. Society suggest that I do. And I did not know who I was. I didn't know how to be happy. I didn't know my values and know what lit me up inside. And, and then of course, when I thought, well, let me run a list of things that might be smile. Cause I just want to be happy. It's a thought smiling. It's kind of like the, you know, the physical manifestation of being happy. So what's gonna make me smile. And that was the beginning of my list and it changed my life and I'm still going, you know, it's been a very interesting 10 years on. More than 10 years. And it's turned from a very personal journey to try and become happier into I, this very accidental kind of global movements around people sharing their lists with me. Everyone wants to be happy. It sends out right. And then kindness is the latest thing because everyone wants to help each other out. And so it's spank completely unorganized chaos, and it's been beautiful at the same time. Yeah, it's

Matt: 5:32

amazing to have that clarity. So early on in life, about a goal of what makes me smile and, you know, I think about, you know, very successful businessman and celebrities who have all these other goals. Um, but ultimately what is their end goal and actually for all of us, it is to smile it, to be

Seb Terry: 5:52

happy, but to have that pinpoint

Matt: 5:55

accuracy of that goal. Right. What things can I do to make me smile and bypassing all of the other stuff that gets in the way of that? For me, it's inspirational, especially, you know, watching your talk and then reading your book. How did you decide to make such a big change to, to

Seb Terry: 6:13

stop.

Matt: 6:14

Creating this list and then traveling around the wellness. Was that something that was kind of really out of your comp center? You

Seb Terry: 6:21

know, it was a, this is the crazy thing. It was such a large contrast to the way I'd been living, but it was easiest decision I ever made. And it was purely because in a moment of complete roll authenticity, if you will, I just realized I wasn't happy. And I just thought about it and it dawned on me ever so clearly, like, like, you know, not to try and make this sound dramatic, but at the same time, it kind of is. I just realized for me, at least all I wanted was to be happy. That is it. That was it. And so, yeah, I just made decisions that would allow that to happen. And so it was easy. I mean, it sounds drastic. I pulled myself out of a very normal way of living like left Australia. I said goodbye to friends and family. I. I walked away from a business that had made no money at that point, but went on to make money for other people. Now, why, you know, I was 28 at the time when I actually left, I looked silly to most people, family, friends, I want supported me, but I just knew it was a step towards happiness. It was the easiest thing I ever did. And has been since which, I mean, there's so many things we could talk about, but I mean, I just think one thing, which is, I've just been talking about this with friends recently, but this idea that, you know, there's so much stuff spoken about in the world. Now I live in Denis in LA and like, you know, it's all about in the likes of men and this and spirituality and all beautiful concepts by the way. But, um, you know, concepts and realities. Yeah. I mean just life is so it should be simple. If we had all boil down the thing that we just truly, truly one, and I dare say that being happy is ultimately what we all want. We just want to feel good if we knew how to feel good. And we knew what the steps were to get to that point, we will all do it. And it's easy. It just dates. And so I, yeah, I dunno. I want to be able to say, well, no, I'm special and I've worked out a formula on how to be happy. No, I didn't. I just realized certain things I thought I could do to make myself smile more and I pursued them and. The offshoot of that is of course that it's had a big ripple effect, but, you know, in the, in the first instance it was, it was just that. And so, yeah, I did it very quickly found myself on the road, backpacking with no money, with a list of a hundred things. Just telling people when I meet people, what are you up to and say, Oh, I just got a list and I'm just trying to do these things. And now it's still kind of how I operate now, to be honest. Yeah. I think one thing that kind of

Matt: 8:37

sparks my curiosity is,

Seb Terry: 8:39

you know, people, people kind of

Matt: 8:41

pursue money a lot and they do that and then want to have security. And they often lose sight of passion. I interviewed someone recently who was a millionaire and he lost everything. He actually didn't lose his money, but he. Went in a motorbike accident, his wife died and it took him years to rehabilitate. And then he actually became a yoga instructor and it lives half of the year in India. And he said the, um, one of the learnings I had from him was that

Seb Terry: 9:09

actually he didn't

Matt: 9:10

need all this stuff. And

Seb Terry: 9:11

all of these,

Matt: 9:12

like kind of insurances boats and cars like houses. When he, when he thought about it, it didn't, none of that made him happy

Seb Terry: 9:21

and he stripped down

Matt: 9:23

the bare essentials. Now he lives in hostels in India and he has lots of money, but he doesn't need it. And he realized, and it goes

Seb Terry: 9:30

right to that point of what

Matt: 9:32

do

Seb Terry: 9:32

I need?

Matt: 9:33

To do, to feel happy. And he's like, minimize that and he's, and now he's happy with the knees he's actually ever been,

Seb Terry: 9:40

which is, which is fascinating. So I guess my

Matt: 9:44

question I had for you is

Seb Terry: 9:46

if you take yourself back

Matt: 9:47

to when you had that business and the business didn't do well, and then you, then you create this amazing movement. What was the kind of difference between then when the business wasn't working and now we've kind of created a movement to come set up a lifestyle, then in LA doing talks all around the

Seb Terry: 10:05

world.

Matt: 10:06

What was the biggest difference between you as a person, perhaps your identity or your purpose, uh, now, and, but then when you're, when you were struggling,

Seb Terry: 10:18

I think I've just learned to be me. I just think we're told to be so many different things from a very young age, by errands, by culture, by society, by business, by peer pressure, generational trends and all those things. And it's, uh, it's very easy and it's forgivable as well. It's to see people as I was just going. Okay, cool. And you sort of subscribe to all the things and that you don't allow that to influence you and you end up being a product or society. But I think in that if the risk is that you completely lose yourself. And that's what I had. I didn't even found myself. So I was just drifting. I wasn't doing it thing when I allowed myself permission, which is a really important word you give love. It was like, how are you able to do what you do? Is it because you're wealthy? Or is it cause you're lucky or brave or like, no, no, no, no, no. I just gave myself permission. To be happy. And I chose to pursue that anyway. I kind of lost my train of thought, but yeah, it was a very simple, very simple decision to step away from that. And so the difference now is that this journey and it's kind of the irony is I'm known a lot for the things I've done on my list, crazy list, it's abstract and et cetera. And it is all those things, but retrospectively I've just learned that the a hundred things list was simply a vehicle for me to. Get to know who I was better. And I dare say the secret to living a happy life in my opinion life. Well, on your final day on earth, you can look back and go. I wouldn't change a thing is if you were able to a figure out who you are, which in itself is a journey and it's always changing by the way. And B just learn to be that person. Just unapologetically, be back in every aspect, whether it's business, whether it's personal, whether you're living in the city, whether you're living in an ashram in India, you know, I I'm really fortunate. I could speak to a lot of people as you have done, you know, doing, doing this series and this book and it's, um, Yeah. I just keep finding the commonality between the people who sleep well at night, the people who were deemed themselves successful in, you know, in the way that they would be it financial or personal or whatever, they're all just being themselves. And I think I know who I am at this stage of my life, at least, and I didn't at the beginning. So it begs the question. Who are you?

Matt: 12:32

If you were to look in the mirror and say to yourself, I am, what would you say right now?

Seb Terry: 12:39

Great question. Well, I am happy spring to mind. I'm sort started. I mean, I, I don't know if you've been to the NSU in LA and for anyone who's listening or anyone who's reading for any of those were what a lot of people talk from a spiritual perspective here, you know, the sense of oneness, the sense that love is all. And I, I'm starting to say it more and more every day. So I think not to sound too weird, but I think I am loved. I think I am you, I think you are me. I think we're all completely connected to each other and some source of some, some kind that I don't know what that is, but I feel it. And I'm exploring. Yeah. But I am me. Sure. And I'm so happy to. I practice that every day.

Matt: 13:25

Yeah. I mean, I noticed that on, especially your podcast interview with Kevin, right? You said a few times, you know, if, if things don't, if you don't like something, you just don't care, you just, it doesn't bother you. You do stuff that is important to you. And if things get in the way of that,

Seb Terry: 13:42

you just don't care. It's

Matt: 13:43

not, it's not even on your radar is something I've really kind of stood out for me in that Institute.

Seb Terry: 13:49

Have you always had that

Matt: 13:51

kind of a sense of. I'm going to do what is important to me and everything else is secondary. Or is that something that changed on your journey?

Seb Terry: 14:00

No, it definitely changed. I still battle with it now, actually. I mean, I, I'm very considerate of other people when I, I do often think about the ramifications and I don't want to put people out. I don't want others. I put others first, which is a very nice thing to be able to say, but it also can be a little bit destructive. So I've worked on that. So I. Yeah. Before this journey, I used to not know who I was, everything else was. I wanted to make sure I looked okay there and I did the right thing by that person that they were okay in the last person that was me. Now I know I'm a good person and the things that I want to do. Mmm, good. In nature. In essence, there's nothing destructive about them. And I know they're important to me. And I also have a philosophy that you need to put your oxygen mask on first, before helping others. I think it's also crucial to then help others once yours is on, but I know that you have to be happy and you feel fulfilled and certainly on the way to finding your passion or purpose, otherwise you're not going to be as productive for other people in your wealth. And so, yeah, there's something that I think is very important that I do. And it's going to make me happy, although, and it okay. Yeah, I don't care. I mean, I started on cat and the results than I do. Um, relationships are another thing well together, which I'm still trying to get my head around that, but you know, how you, how you compromise and how you make sure everything's fine and balanced stuff. No, I think genuinely like, yeah, now I know what I need to be the best version of myself, which the ripple effect is having a very positive effect on others. So yeah, I'm very. I don't know what I was going to say, Greg, I'm not aggressive, but I'm a very steadfast and head strong when it comes to doing the thing that I know will make me better.

Matt: 15:40

Yeah. And you've used this metaphor, um, putting your oxygen mask on first before helping others several times. How do you know when it, when it is the point to help others, where, when you've got enough oxygen for yourself in life, because there's, you know, there's some people that are chasing certain goals and they want to become wealthy or get to a certain career level. And then they start thinking about helping others. Well, maybe they never do. And then there are other people who literally have absolutely nothing, but they're just giving, giving, giving all the time and almost detracting,

Seb Terry: 16:13

the house

Matt: 16:13

is still helping.

Seb Terry: 16:14

So how do you find that balance of

Matt: 16:16

when to,

Seb Terry: 16:17

when to give? Yeah, well, for me, I just knew, I just felt it I'd be doing my list. I ticked off full, you know, I leave the deserted Island and I delivered a baby and I did. Stand up comedy. And I walked across the County. I did all the things. And then at one point a guy who, I didn't know, who'd Mark, who, since I've become friends with, emailed me and said, can you help me do something for my list? And I thought, wow, that's odd. Interesting. I actually really feel like helping him and I, that was it. It was just a feeling I knew. And, and that sort of changed the trajectory of my journey in a big way, because I realized at that point that I'd focused on myself. I had my oxygen mask on. And then since then it's been mainly 90% about helping other people. But you mentioned, you know, how do you know when to look at others, help others? When do you look at yourself? What I've seen, what I've observed is that people typically are one or the other. They're either entirely selfish. Or entirely selfless and neither is healthy. Um, you need to have balance you, you really do. I mean, you, you need a solid foundation. You can't fit anyone else's cup until yours is full. There's a million analogies, but then equally, although it sounds fantastic to go and help other people and be of service. Yeah. I mean, you can only do that. You need to look after yourself. So I get, I get a lot of emails. I get a lot of correspondence with, um, with parents, mainly mothers, and the general tone is. I feel lost. I don't know who I am anymore. I've given all my energy to my family, my son, my daughter, and my children. They've just flown the coop. Let's say they're 18 years old and they've left and I don't know who I am. I've got no purpose. So yeah, it's very important that people understand this sense. Balance. Yeah, it brings up another point. What is purpose? What a big overwhelming question, but you know, certainly passion is tied into that, but if you understand, at least some of both, you, you know, definitely what you're passionate about and you work towards your purpose that keeps you alive. That's your oxygen mask, and you can do that in unison to helping other people along the way. So, yeah, it's a bit of give and take and it's a fine balance. Maybe a bit different for everyone, but. You got to do both.

Matt: 18:20

Yeah. One thing I noticed from interviewing purposeful people, is there

Seb Terry: 18:25

a lot of people had a shift when they started

Matt: 18:27

to do voluntary work or

Seb Terry: 18:30

do some kind of charity work

Matt: 18:32

or start helping others. So for example, one of my, one of my guests feel, uh, evangelize duty. He set up a charity in Africa because he was in Africa and started just helping people out and started giving toys to the kids. And then he just thought. Wow, this is making such a difference. And you felt it.

Seb Terry: 18:48

He felt if the actual

Matt: 18:51

physical experience

Seb Terry: 18:52

of helping someone

Matt: 18:54

in this case, helping kids in Africa, it changed, it

Seb Terry: 18:57

changed him as a person. And I see that pattern

Matt: 19:00

in you with when you were with

Seb Terry: 19:02

Mark and

Matt: 19:03

you helped him out. We had deep conversations with him and eventually I think you pushed him down. Was it the Melbourne health that.

Seb Terry: 19:11

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mark had lines, but bitten by a tick contracted pharmacies became a quadriplegic and he's dragging this out, complete a half marathon. And he asked me to push him and I pushed him. So that was the first time I've helped anyone yet.

Matt: 19:28

And so when you had the experience of helping Mark,

Seb Terry: 19:32

how did it change you as a person?

Matt: 19:34

Because for me, I've noticed that kind of prompted you to, to do a lot more stop, stop your journey of this charity, giving that you have a phenomenon that if you've you've created cancer and growing that. So

Seb Terry: 19:50

how did it change you internally? Well, interestingly, there's a lot of science around this. So physiologically you do actually change for being tired. You know, you live longer, your heart size increases. You're healthier. You reduce the risk of disease. I mean, it's, it's you sleep better. That's pleasure chemicals, fill your body. So there's a lot of physical science to suggest or prove that it's good for you. But I mean, uh, on a, on another level, I just felt like I connected with someone and I've been connecting a lot with myself. Which is what my list was initially about, but no helping Mark and helping anyone. I dare say it's about the connection. And this is what I noticed is that I felt something that I'd never felt before, which is I was being of service someone even in a small way, but I was being of service. But yeah, that they usually think about helping someone is it's a two way street. It's not that you're helping someone and that's it. They're allowing you an opportunity to be good. And that's what I think we're here to do. We're here to be good. We're here to connect. And so by someone saying, Hey, I need help. With, in his example, uh, completing a marathon, I need someone to push me. He creates an opportunity that never existed before for somebody. And it happened to be me to go, Oh, I want to help you because I want to connect with you. So I connect with him and he connects with me and it's this beautiful, you know, circular thing. So, yeah, I just felt good. I felt off service. I felt connected. And interestingly, at the end of that race, there was a few of us starting, starting the race early Melbourne, very cold through the half marathon. By the end of it, there was like 10 or 15 people that were pushing him. And so complete strangers had started to join us. And it became very clear at that point for me, very early on in this whole helping piece, that we are all here to help. We all want to, we all have this innate desire and this innate ability to help other people out. And the issue for me is the issue that I see at least is that there's a lack of opportunity. People just don't know how to be good sometimes. And it's hot. If you say someone a challenge, Hey, be good to someone that I do an act of kindness. They wouldn't really know where to go. And of course I went and talked too much about what I'm up to with kind, but that's exactly what I'm doing. Creating opportunities for people. Sure. I

Matt: 22:03

mean, I actually, I wasn't, I was interested to talk a little bit about K constant because I think, well, that started from, from this encounter with Mark and now it's growing into something. And could you tell me a little bit about some examples of that, the exchange that you've, that you've witnessed on that

Seb Terry: 22:20

network

Matt: 22:22

to

Seb Terry: 22:22

come out to you? It's a constant is a matchmaking kindness platform. It's peer to peer Xicano. It introduced to people who want to help people who need the help, but non-monetary purely based on the fact that I can't help everyone since I helped Mark a lot of peoples that ask me for help. So I stopped my list at 72, started helping a lot of people, which I'm very proud of. And it was turned into a reality show and stuff, coincidentally. And what happens to every one person we started helping. There were many more that we couldn't help. And I thought, well, last night, good. So people very naturally who were following my story online and social media, or what have you began writing to me and asking if they can help me help people. And I thought that's interesting. So I've now got this backlog of people who are unable to help myself. And I have suddenly this whole pool of people who want to help, we just need to introduce. So that was the beginning of time. So it was a platform for those people meet each other directly. So far, the stories have been so diverse, you know, from saving a dog on doggy death row, going to get put down in populate a pound. We found a new owner for fame in a day two. Currently we are looking for a kidney for someone. Who needs a kidney? It's a big one. Of course, we just saw, we relocated a war veteran who had very limited funds him and his family needed to drive across America to relocate. And it was completely sourced and driven by strangers who came together to do it. Um, what else? Um, a lady in hospital as a last week wanted to hear live music again. So there was a lineup musicians who wanted to go and play for her. There was a guy who knew who lost his elder son, and he wanted to commemorate him by building a tree house for his remaining kids. He didn't know how to go to tree house. Those, we shared the story on and 20 volunteers over three days flew to, uh, bend Oregon in the U S and build a tree house for him. So it's just. It's plentiful. I mean, even if I promote, you know, a lot of these stories all the time, so today's one is a, I've just promoted this a few hours ago, a lady she's a single leg amputee, I guess she she's in a wheelchair. She rescued a dog herself that was going to get put down and don't eat death row again in Texas. And now she wants to train the dog, um, to become a therapy dog for people in hospitals, war, veterans, all that kind of stuff. And so she's asked for someone to help train the dog. So it's stuff that, I mean, that story may not appeal to anyone, although I'm sure it'll appeal to just someone and that's all we need because given the opportunity, someone will want to reach out and help us. And that's kind of the whole philosophy of this, you know? Wow. It's an

Matt: 25:00

incredible, incredible platform. And yeah, I mean, if there's any way with the wheel that listeners can, can do to provide that then. Yeah,

Seb Terry: 25:11

I appreciate it. Well, I mean, look, I mean, one thing I was asking if there's anyone listening and needs a help. Needs an act of kindness, deserves an act of kindness will know somebody who they could nominate, go to the website and nominate them and share that story because there are people out there who would want to help them. And then we're always looking for like kindness ambassadors or people who want to find free people in their local area who need help. And, and put them on. Yeah, there's a whole bunch of ways. So if anyone's interested,

Matt: 25:41

I mean, for people that are not used to helping or giving, for example, they might be stuck in their, their career. And really don't have much time to think about helping others. I'm reflecting on the benefits that, uh, that I've had. Some of the other interviews I've had and you've had in terms of helping Mark and the difference it's made to your life. What would you say to people that are thinking about helping, but not making the time to help right now, but why? Why should I do it?

Seb Terry: 26:09

No,

Matt: 26:10

maybe not for selfish reasons, but how could, how could it make a difference to that

Seb Terry: 26:13

loss as well? Well, I think as much as it's easy to say, Hey, go there and be kind. I think kindness works both ways. You know, you can be kind to yourself too. If someone wants to be kind to somebody else and they know it, they just need to go and find the opportunity. As I said, there's sometimes a block with that. It's hard to find opportunity, but get in touch with me. You know, I don't give you some opportunities, you know, and also there's that there's kind of like false understanding that to be kind, to be of service to other people, you need to donate money and you don't. You know, there are people on the website who are lonely and just want to talk to people. And again, smiling at someone asking someone how that day is in fact being present in the conversation is a wonderful gift nowadays, which sadly is rare. Not many people are present everyone's on their phones. It's crazy, but yeah. Uh, pass that behind yourself. If you're not feeling a certain urge to be kind to someone else that's not bad, just make sure you find yourself because you'll get to a point where you, where you can be being kind to yourself, can be from, you know, again, two babysits playing a song. You like, uh, eating a food. You like connecting with people, being healthy, making a healthy decision. Maybe I'm making an unhealthy decision. I mean, it's, it's this thing of life is wonderful. There's no set formula. I don't, I think, and kindness exists in many, many ways, but regardless of whether you're being kind to yourself or whether you want to be kind to someone else, the one, the common factor that without which you won't be successful is action. You just need to do it. There's no two ways about it. You just need to do it.

Matt: 27:50

Yeah. I mean, talking of talking about shin, I think when you take yourself back to when you were starting these hundred things and then going on to do various things of being a TV host writing book, A lot of people will have limiting beliefs about, about being able to do great things and do it. And in particular doing their own thing, following their own path.

Seb Terry: 28:12

Did you have

Matt: 28:13

that, that sense of identify? I can do this because you mentioned that here that, you know, a lot of your friends and family were like, especially when you were 28, said, what are you doing like this?

Seb Terry: 28:22

Yeah. Crazy.

Matt: 28:24

How did you battle through other people's opinions of you doing your own thing, but also. Maybe more importantly, your own self doubts and perhaps limiting beliefs.

Seb Terry: 28:36

Yeah, really good question. I almost didn't go on my trip. My 100 things trip one way ticket to the U S because my best mate said, you're stupid. What are you doing? It doesn't make sense. I'm glad I did. I used to care a lot more about what others thought of me. And I think a lot less about that now. I don't care really. So within a degree, I mean, obviously there's a little bit of residue there, but we're all working on stuff. So, but no, I mean, one thing that was really interesting with me is I didn't really have a set outcome or an expectation. I just knew that I wasn't happy and I wanted to try and find it. So I just went out and explored. So there was no real pressure I wasn't attached to. Making a million dollars making a million followers or whatever. I just wanted to go out there and try and be happy personally. So I didn't mind that. It's all. I think that probably helped very much in the process. It was something that I've got a tattoo on my back, which it's a, it's from the little Prince, which is a kid's book and it's in French, but the English translation is one could only truly see with the hearts. The essential things are invisible to the eyes. And I believe that, you know, I was just looking for something that was intangible. It was something that was invisible to the eyes, but it was very important. And so, yeah, I don't know. I didn't care what other store. And I just knew that trying was the key, because I mean, the other thing on that is I back to your question is, but tend to get off questions a little bit as a default, I tend to think that we completely underestimate ourselves as humans. We don't think we're capable. And we are with each as capable as one another. We each have our physical bodies, whatever they can, whatever they can't do. That's what we have. And we each have these amazing minds to dream and think, and to conjure up for and aspire to do things. So none of us are different. Not one person is doing something because they're more special than someone else. It's just that they try it. And when you try just once on one thing, and it can be a very simple thing, I'd suggest it is a simple thing start. And I guess I'm speaking to the people out there who always find themselves on the start line, but never take the first step. Think of one simple goal. And just go for it. Don't care. What happens? Just try and you'll surprise yourself and you'll realize even just 1%, Oh, I'm slightly more capable than I thought I was. Continue that as a pattern. And you'll be at the finish line very quickly thinking that you're invincible as I do. You know, I w within reason I've made a bet it's that long, but I think I'm pretty invisible, you know,

Matt: 31:01

all the way through enlightenment, especially in Venice,

Seb Terry: 31:04

I believe is sitting in the seat right now, hovering above the ground.

Matt: 31:09

I mean,

Seb Terry: 31:09

I think

Matt: 31:10

in terms of your life, you've done a lot of travel and now you're living in LA all is from Sydney.

Seb Terry: 31:18

What effect do you think

Matt: 31:20

changing your environment has on. Finding your purpose, finding out what you care about in life. How has that helped you

Seb Terry: 31:30

perhaps? Well, I think there are different stages of life, right. And, uh, you know, whether it's they change every couple of months or whether it's more over a couple of years or decades, I think the travel at one point was very important for me. Cause it was exploration. My list was I lived a pretty sheltered lifestyle. I didn't know who I was, so I wanted to explore and try and find that. So travel was. A natural part of that. I wanted to try this particular thing in India. I wanted to, you know, I want to get a Bollywood movie in India. I wanted to marry a stranger in Las Vegas. I wanted to, I surf the Amazon river in Brazil. So travel is very much, it goes hand in hand with that stuff. So yeah, I think changing the physical environment is really healthy. I think it allows you to see, you know, different things. It just expands the mind, different cultures, a different way of being, but aye, well said, I don't think that it's wise to just continually do that. No, not necessarily. Like right now, for example, having spent probably like eight years doing a list. Now I'm in this process of building. What I think is a w what I think is going to be a very impactful kindness platform. And travel at the moment. Isn't something that is massively appealing to me. I don't want to go. I like my home base is LA and I like being here because like, it's work on this and I don't want to be traveling in gala bouncing around. So I think travel is, it's so incredible. It could be so beneficial in parts of your life where you need to do that. And in others, it's not as beneficial as feeling somewhat anchored and having a base, which is where I'm at. Now, but, um, yeah, I mean, we've all heard that saying travel is the best education you'll ever get. So I, you know, I dare say that travel is a very important piece of the pie when you're talking about how do you develop as a human yeah. Travel with one part of that. Sure.

Matt: 33:19

And I mean, it sounds like you've got quite a busy lifestyle at the moment, doing various gigs speaking gigs and like all over the world in particular, one of the States back in all

Seb Terry: 33:30

this. With such a hectic

Matt: 33:34

schedule. When does she compare your life now to have, was when it was much simpler.

Seb Terry: 33:39

How do you find

Matt: 33:40

time for balance? What is balance for you? Maybe, maybe you haven't got the balance. I don't know. Where are you

Seb Terry: 33:48

after that? Well, it's a good point. I mean, look, I I'm by no means sitting at the top thinking, being able to say this is how it works out by the way, guys. It's not that at all. I'm continually trying to work it out. Right. I probably don't have, I think. What I'd do is give myself personal time. So I have a Christmas and new year's. I went down to Mexico with a couple of friends, but no reason other than I wanted to go. And I never really do anything for myself. Kuli for my self. If that. Makes sense. And it probably doesn't to people who don't know me and just think I'm a guy who has a bucket list of things, you know? Cause essentially that is me doing the things that I want. But well, since that stopped, I pretty much work. I travel only to go and do, you know, deliver keynotes on stages to corporates around the load, which is amazing what an opportunity, but it's, that's why I travel. I never go, Oh, I'm curious about surfing in Mexico, which is why it was such a. A telling kind of trip for me. And I just got back a couple of weeks ago and I feel incredible, but no, I do think that's important. I think balanced balance is great. Now I'm grounded. I went and bought myself an infrared sauna a couple of days ago, which is super cheap by the way. And I, so it seems now that my morning routine is. I'll go for a surf. I'll come back. I'll jump in my sauna. It's an infrared sauna you can work from in there. So I get my phone out and I do a few little bits and pieces. I have my little cup of tea and then I just get stuck into some work. And I, you know, the rest of the day plays out as however it does. But if I get the morning, right, I feel that that's a good balance for me too. But yeah, everyone's different. Some people are very honed down and other people love to be out there. And, you know, I'm just one of many, many different types of people. But for me, balance seems to come right now from being anchored to a spot and occasionally traveling. I'm fortunate. I get to travel a little bit. Well, I moved to Boston in a couple of days for a really cool meeting. And then I'm back to Australia for a week in a week or two to do some talks. And I'm back here, I'm taking a couple of trips this year through 100 things, I think when you got to live with nomads and Morocco. So I'm looking for like 15 people to come with me. If you're interested. And then, yeah, so I unfortunate that it, you know, I think I've got pretty good balance being at home and traveling and working on stuff, which is really important to me. And then also personal creative projects too. You just gotta try it all. I think everyone finds their own guidance at one point.

Matt: 36:01

So, I mean, talking about working on stuff, that's important to you. Um, I think a lot of people find it difficult when, when they get given jobs or tasks,

Seb Terry: 36:09

either from their family or from

Matt: 36:10

where, where it's not, it's not aligned with maybe who they are or what's important

Seb Terry: 36:16

to them. How would

Matt: 36:17

you approach that issue? If, say for example, you got a, an offer for something, but there was something more important that, that you wanted to do.

Seb Terry: 36:26

How

Matt: 36:27

do you find it easy to say no.

Seb Terry: 36:30

Uh, yeah. Yeah, I do. Yeah. I think being able to be confident in making those decisions comes down to understanding your values. You understand your values, which by the way, always change. But if you understand your values that current time and an opportunity comes your way, you can just quite simply just see which, but value it aligns with then is it, it's not one if so, go for it. If it's not No, it's not. Don't basically, it's kind of like, ideally I guy called Tim Brown told me this he's a meditation coach in Sydney, but when presented with the fork in the road, go both ways. Well, I take boats. I think it was something like that. But the idea was you can usually do both if you can't. Yeah. That's when it's important, you do values and values is, is it's the bedrock of a meaningful list. I don't like the term bucket list, but let's, let's just use it cause we know what it means. A bucket list shouldn't be as sporadic. Kind of collection of things that you think are cool. And one moment a true meaningful bucket list should be a complete derivative from your values. So, yeah, values are crucial in many, many ways, but if you know what your values are, you can very much be proactive to seek out things in your life that empowers those values. When I did my list, it was all about adventure, travel liberation, breaking the shackles. And so my items were crazy and now my values have changed 10 years on. And so two should list. You know, your goals should change as your values change as you get older. So I don't want to do a massive amount of the venture stuff right now. I kind of liked the idea of like grounding, working hard, creating something that really has a bit of a legacy and helps other people. So, yeah. It's yeah, no is a very important word, which I only learned after starting this, this trip, you know? Sure,

Matt: 38:12

sure. And another thing that's a few people have mentioned to me about you is

Seb Terry: 38:16

you've kind of gone, you've

Matt: 38:18

followed your passion and kind of made this a career like a. Or doing talks all around the world, TV shows, et cetera.

Seb Terry: 38:26

Did you have a plan for all of that? Did it just kind of,

Matt: 38:29

did it just fall into place as you were following your passion? What, like what, what happened

Seb Terry: 38:32

there? Yeah, it just completely fell into place. I don't even know how it's funny. Cause I get so many emails. Like how'd you get into the Ted stage to speak? How do you get a TV show? How do you think that with these things? And I have no idea. I mean, well, I say that it kind of like a bit of a jug. Like I don't, it was never a plan. I never ever thought about it. My first fight, I got to invite to do a tour once, uh, my very first dog ever to a school. And I loved it, did a little school and like all these little kids were like into it, talking about lists. And then I looked up and I saw that like the teachers were all into it too. And like some of the parents were like crying and stuff with the concept of mental, math, happiness. And I thought I'd like to do this more. So I Googled and I was already kind of like three years into this journey. I Googled something like, can you be a professional speaker or something like that? And I run a calling an agency. I went inside who it was, but I can remember calling a speaking agency or speaking Bureau in Australia. And the guy who's pick up the phone was like, They basically gave me a minute monologue on to be a speaker. You've got to be, you've got to be the best in the world or something. You've got to be engaging. You got to be funny. You got to be entertaining. You got to leave people wanting more. You got all these things. And he said, do you know how many people call me up every week wanting to be a speaker? And I said, no. And he said a hundred. And he said, do you know how many people get to be speakers? I was like, no. And he said, minus three, And I thought, Oh, okay. I can't, that's too much for me. I, I, it wasn't interesting anymore. So I hung up the phone, so it all, and now I have a very busy speaking schedule somehow. And I think probably the same dose as speaking the same goes for the TV show, which I haven't reached out to any of this all come on to mind. White somehow is on just driven by my purpose. I love what I do. I wouldn't change a thing. And I think when you're in a position where you can say that truthfully. I know, bullshit. You really are the world conspires to support that. And it sounds a little bit hippity Dippity, but I've got no shadow of a doubt. That is the way that this has happened. With that said there's a lot of ways to get to a point where I am. There's a lot of people reverse engineer staff a little bit ago. Right? I want to, and there's a little workshops around this too. If anyone who is interested in reverse engineering stuff, you just want to get on the stage. It's probably not that hard. You probably, I mean, I think I teach you too, pretend that you're the person of influence in your space. Then credit social media, media accounts around that develop some kind of talk. I listened to a guy speak one time. He walked the length of India. And I w I ended up on the backend of the tool and I said, ah, afterwards, I was like, wow, I missed it. What was the context is incredible story. And he said, well, I just wanted to talk on stage about something. So I thought I should do something. So I just walked across India and I thought, Hmm. That's interesting. So look, there's a million ways to do stuff. I like the way I've done it. It's being completely accidental or driven by the right ways. And, um, I'll just say other ways aren't right. But yeah, people can be very creative when, when they want to. And which is a beautiful thing when it comes to pursuing your goal. But yeah, well, one has been a wonderful mistake. Well,

Matt: 41:33

yeah, I mean, what

Seb Terry: 41:34

a crazy

Matt: 41:35

state awesome into like an amazing life. And I think one, one thing that stands out from what, from what you just said was actually authenticity. You, you have a real authenticity about you and notice that other people kind of picking up on that as well. Where do you think that

Seb Terry: 41:52

authenticity comes from?

Matt: 41:54

And how this, cause you'd also talked about no bullshit, which relates to it,

Seb Terry: 41:58

but how do you

Matt: 42:00

clear the way? So you're so you can be purely

Seb Terry: 42:03

authentic. I've never thought how to be authentic. So I don't know. Well, I think it just stems from that first thing I mentioned, which was in grieving my friend's loss. Hi, truly came to a conclusion through writing just how I kind of deal with a lot of things. The happiness. Okay. The most important thing, but I wanted in my life and I based everything off that, every decision since has been that, how do I just feel happy either in this moment or long term, how do I from that try and find purpose, that'll support me smiling more and that's it. I just, I don't, and I just see a need to think about anything else and yeah. And that's, that's been that and because of it. I, you know, I, I say that, you know, the people who are already living in that way, know exactly what I'm talking about, but send the welcome spies to support you. I mean, nothing but good people. Nothing, but good things generally happen. Yeah, it's it is wonderful. And I, again, I just talk about a lot of random things pop in my head, but I mean, it's not the things happen that if things happen that don't always work in my favor, but at the same time, you can't control everything. And at the end of the day, nothing really matters, but you do get to control your response to things. So like whatever the situation is that you lost your job, you don't have money. You know, you you've experienced loss and grief in your life. All of those things, uh, even though, uh, against what you would ideally have, they are all ultimately opportunities for you to choose a response which aligns with who you are. And yeah, I just think are, you know, we're just pinballs going through life and you can bounce off. You can bounce off anything, really, if you choose to. Yeah. So I've never really thought about how to be authentic, but I know why I'm doing what I do. I think about that. If there's one

Matt: 43:56

thing that motivates you right now, if you could give one word, what motivates you, what would that be? Gets you out of bed makes you, gets you to

Seb Terry: 44:06

take action

Matt: 44:07

to make decisions on something. What would that be? You can have a couple of words or more if you'd like, but I'm just trying to narrow your options. So you really focus.

Seb Terry: 44:16

Yeah. I got an email recently from someone who said that they were on the verge of killing themselves, but didn't because of the stuff that we're doing with concent and under things. So I wouldn't change anything in my life for a billion dollars. And all I want to be able to do is create a platform where there are more people like that who are affected in the same way I gaining inspiration or connecting with someone. So that's it. So the one word I was going to say is now I just feel better. Like now, like now. It's now. And, uh, yeah, every day I'm just, I'm focused on that. I really am. Yeah.

Matt: 44:52

Yeah. It's interesting. You say that. I mean, I've asked some of the other interviews and this is something I'm going to ask you now is if you consider yourself burning with, from, within, as in your, your, your life you're lit up from within, and you've already said it, you wouldn't change your life for a billion dollars. So something within you is burning within that. That's making you happy.

Seb Terry: 45:13

What is the

Matt: 45:13

one thing that is contributing to you? Batting the

Seb Terry: 45:17

dead. Okay. I love your questions. They're awesome. Well, look, I think everyone's special. I think everyone's got their thing and I think if you're able to tap down into it, that's a life worth living and the more I explore what and who I am and the more, but I see that ripple effect. Getting bigger and bigger and more, more positive. I just want to bring out more of whatever it is that's within me. And there's some good stuff in there. And, uh, I hope that doesn't come across in the wrong way. You know, this self loving, overly self-loving way. I just think that, yeah, there's something happening which is very special. And the natural byproduct is that lives are getting betted and saved. I that's what I commit to doing. So. Yeah. That's, what's burning from within just more of what's happening. Yeah. I'm going to really, I mean, I, no, to make the suit conversational as if I'm talking to just a friend, but I mean, right now, the beginning of 2020, I've never been more fired up about anything and I've been pretty fired up about things for 10 years. I there's something happening right now. But it's incredibly special and I hope everyone else feels the same thing, but for me personally, there's yeah. I just feel like we're on the brink of something really special and that, and I know it and I feel it and I that's what keeps that's what gets me out of bed. That's what is burning from within? I hope that makes sense. Definitely.

Matt: 46:46

Definitely. Just the final question, just to follow up to

Seb Terry: 46:49

that. I mean, it

Matt: 46:50

seems like you have a lot of natural talents. You have a kind of

Seb Terry: 46:53

gifts.

Matt: 46:54

The way you connect with people in some way, and you, I mean, even just

Seb Terry: 46:58

watching a Ted talk,

Matt: 47:00

there was definitely a lot of emotion. I was kind of checking up on some of the things you

Seb Terry: 47:04

said,

Matt: 47:05

you know, how you've helped people. I mean, were you aware of your, of your natural talents before you started this journey? And if not, or if so, how have you leaned into them so that you see you're fulfilling this potential and this purpose?

Seb Terry: 47:21

No, I didn't know that myself when I first left, so I had no idea and I think I've become a lot just generally more confident as I've grown over the last 10 years, but I've certainly learned a lot of things about myself, which, you know, I'm really proud of, you know, for me. So thank you for the nice words and yeah, like, I, I really enjoy storytelling. I really enjoy communicating with people on things that I think matter. I really seem to be. A conduit for positive connections between people. And I also have some odd is there, it's not a skill, but this thing where people very much open up to me and I feel very blessed for that to be a thing. And equally because of the kind of person I'm learning, I am. I also like to try and do what I can for that person, either myself or connecting them elsewhere. So yeah. Long story short. No, I had no idea. I know I needed about myself and I've learned a lot of things along the way. I do all these workshops on Les and how to create and pursue less stuff. And one of the segments in there that I just think it's crucial and it's probably quite a done thing. I don't really know, but it's strengths. People find it very hard too. If I, I mean, let's do it now. If you don't mind, what are three of your strengths? I'm a good

Matt: 48:38

listener. I love making deep connections with people and I love building communities. As well.

Seb Terry: 48:48

Awesome. That's great. And to do what you, I mean, what you've just done that is quite hard for the majority of people it's almost seen as, you know, it's a bit arrogant if you no, what it is you're good at. And the truth is you have to use your skills and this is something I've learned more recently, but it'd be stupid if you didn't use whatever natural gifts that you had. In order to get to a place where you think you're making impact. Like if you think of Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of all time, let's say, and you know, he was, he was brilliant in and out of the ring. He had fast hands. He was a gifted thinker. He could out smart people. He could get people psychologically beaten before they went in the ring from his being funny and stuff. So he just used all those things. He wasn't, he wasn't ever like the most powerful hitter. He wasn't anything other, you know, he was, he was what he was. And so we trained on, but he used his best asset so that he would get the furthest and that happened to be the greatest ever. So, yeah, it makes complete sense. You should be able to look at yourself and go, I'm good at this, this and this. Therefore, I'm going to use those things too. Move forward.

Matt: 49:54

And it also helps you to discover more of who you are. That, that big question, you, you talked about it at the beginning of, well, I lost myself and I didn't know who I was. And the more activities you do, the more challenges you do, the more you get out of your comfort zone, the more you realize your strengths. And then the more you realize actually who you are and what

Seb Terry: 50:12

you're about. A hundred percent that, and back to your question, that's why traveling is important. That's why different experiences are important. That's why getting out of your comfort zone is crucial because we tend not to, because we like to be comfortable. We know what we're capable of in this small environment, but outside of that, who knows. So if you step out there suddenly. And you perform on some level that you never realized you could what a great, fine. So getting out of the comfort zone is crucial. Sure. Sarah, thank you so much.

Matt: 50:39

So many nuggets there, um, from this interview and I'll provide a summary to you and the listeners watching. And obviously this is, this is going into, into the book as well. Where can people find you and connect with you?

Seb Terry: 50:54

W anywhere really?

Matt: 50:56

Coffee shops in Venice.

Seb Terry: 50:58

Yeah. Most coffee shop in Venice, both kinds of the kindness related stuff. K I N D S U M Instagram handle with Atkinson constant.com. And then for the 100 things, stuff lists related, pursuing goals, dreams, happiness, purpose, 100 things. One zero, zero things.com that I use or at 100. Thanks. Yeah. Find me, find me in chat. Well, the good things. Perfect.

Matt: 51:24

Awesome.

Seb Terry: 51:25

And, uh, what's, what's the

Matt: 51:27

plan for, for this year? What's next for seven esoteric?

Seb Terry: 51:31

Well, so one thing I'm not good at, it's also good to identify things you're not fantastic at one thing I'm not fantastic at is business strategy and all that sort of stuff. So with kinds and with 100 things, they're essentially two quite big brands and I've never really. John anything with them. So I just been very happy doing these things more recently. I've realized that because I've limited the growth of these things, you know, in relation to how, how many people know about them, et cetera, the impact is not as big as it could be. So I want to grow. And so. Okay, 20 is what I'm going to Boston. Actually, I'm toying with the idea of getting somebody on board as a partner who is business minded, to look at this and say, right, to make the most amount of impact, this is what we need to do from a strategic viewpoint. Let's do it. And I, I, I, there's never a conversation I've had. So that's next to me growing this growing kinds of kinds of is going to be, I believe, uh, I can, I'm a real. See. Yeah, I hate using cliche terms. I think it's gonna be a bit of a game changer when it comes to kindness, you know, both in the public forum. And then also I think it can do a lot of really good stuff with corporations. So yeah, that's it kind, some growing this, taking that next step into a world that I'm not really sure about out of my comfort zone, but I just know it has to happen. So that's it. It's a I'm. Yeah. So I'm taking my first step as we all are.

Matt: 52:55

Most of them said, well, I mean, I wish you the very best of luck with that. And I'm going to be using clients straight after this,

Seb Terry: 53:04

and

Matt: 53:05

anyone watching this, you know, start using the platform stuff, getting into the habit of, of giving and, and, and also ask you for help, if you need to

Seb Terry: 53:14

and see how that see

Matt: 53:15

how that changes your life. And it changed other people's lives in that it's a stepping stone for the great things. The, I think with anyone that has good intentions, um, in terms of the actions that they take, you'll get help, you'll get help. And, and that's what content is all about. Um, yeah. Thank you so much. I'm very, very grateful for your time and this interview. And if anyone can help set to grow concept, maybe potential partners, then feel free to message me or message said, and let's get this thing really going this year.

Seb Terry: 53:50

You're awesome, Matt, best of luck with everything you're up to as well. Thank you.

Matt: 53:54

Awesome. Have a great day. Thanks for listening to the show. I wanted to give you a free gift for listening the whole way through. If you are feeling lost or empty inside or on a life or career path, you don't want to be on perhaps trapped in a cycle of stress and burnout, you might be asking what do I do rather than letting

Seb Terry: 54:23

experts. Tell you what to do.

Matt: 54:25

It might be time to really connect

Seb Terry: 54:27

with yourself.

Matt: 54:28

Most of my guests on the show, meditate, many journal to get clarity. And one powerful way I know to connect with your unconscious is through visualizations.

Seb Terry: 54:41

So before you fire off

Matt: 54:42

a load of

Seb Terry: 54:42

resumes for a quick fix

Matt: 54:44

or drown your sorrows at the weekend with unhealthy habits, download my free simple workbook and audio guide to experience with all yours. Senses

Seb Terry: 54:54

of future,

Matt: 54:55

where you're actually burning from within living full of passion, purpose, and balance. Visit www.burnfromwithin.com

Seb Terry: 55:04

forward slash experience to get

Matt: 55:07

insight and motivation from the best expert and coach in the world. You feel free to share this with a friend and until next time live with passion, purpose, and balance

Seb Terry: 55:19

and burn from within.