Human-Centric Leadership Podcast

Episode 1: Resume vs Eulogy Goals

April 13, 2023 Michelle Nicole Martin Episode 1
Human-Centric Leadership Podcast
Episode 1: Resume vs Eulogy Goals
Show Notes

Do you ever feel like you are in dissonance with yourself? There’s a big difference between pursuing the external goals that would look great on a resume versus pursuing the internal goals that sound great in a eulogy, and many people fall into the trap of the former. In this, the first episode of Human-Centric Leadership, as we begin our journey towards leading with purpose and creating success while doing it, we look at David Brooks’s Ted talk, “Should you live for your résumé ... or your eulogy?” Tuning in, you’ll hear about the difference between resume goals (or external goals) and eulogy goals (or internal goals). You’ll learn how to self-evaluate and get clarity on what your internal goals are so that you can strategically pursue them. Tune in today for some guidance on how to realign your goals to achieve what matters most and how to bring this into the workplace to make a positive impact in other people's lives as well as your own.


Key Points From This Episode:

  • An introduction to David Brooks and his concept of living for your résumé or your eulogy.
  • The difference between resume goals and eulogy goals. 
  • The biggest problem with the habit of making everything performance oriented.
  • A personal story of how Michelle realized that she had been pursuing external goals instead of internal goals.
  • How questioning her internal goals led Michelle to coaching and team mentorship. 
  • Three meditative questions to help you find yourself or help your team find itself.
  • An exercise that you can do to get clarity on your internal goals. 
  • Business goals versus personal goals and how to achieve both.
  • How we find ourselves fighting with how we have been raised when it comes to showing vulnerability. 
  • An example of someone who lined up his internal and external goals and how his life changed as a result.
  • Why achieving both business and personal goals should be a non-negotiable.


Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

TED: “David Brooks: Should you live for your résumé ... or your eulogy?”

The Road to Character

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