Editor’s note: Sebastian Terry, an author, TV host and founder of the 100 Things philanthropic movement, will be the opening keynote speaker at ISACA Conference North America 2021, a virtual event to take place 4-6 May. Known worldwide for pursuing an incredible list of ‘100Things’ that he wants to achieve before he dies, which also has been turned into a reality TV show, Terry recently visited with ISACA Now to discuss his approach to goal-setting and life balance. The following is a transcript, edited for length and clarity:
ISACA Now: You once asked yourself if you were happy, and the answer was ‘No.’ How did you grow from that realization?
It’s only when we realize that something is broken that we find an opportunity to fix it. This is exactly what happened with my life in the moment that I found out that I lost a close friend. The realization that I was unhappy allowed me a moment to consider what my personal version of happiness might be. For me, this took the shape of my list of 100 things. Through identifying a list of values-driven goals, I had created a blueprint to how I could lead a purpose-driven life from that moment on. It was the striving for each goal that allowed me to experience true growth.
ISACA Now: You came up with 100 things you want to do before you die. Was there a clear #1 on that list?
Funnily enough my list isn’t written in any particular order. My belief in fact is that our goals can be looked at in the same way you might look at spokes on a bicycle wheel. No one spoke is more crucial than the other, it’s the fact that together they are all as important as one another. If the ultimate goal is being happy, you could therefore say that jumping out of a plane naked is just as important as finding purpose within your work role. The important part to consider as we strive for happiness is balance.
ISACA Now: Is it helpful for organizations to create their own bucket list, so to speak?
Meaningful and relevant goals are ultimately founded upon a true understanding of foundational values, whether we’re talking about an individual, a family, a community or indeed an organization. The importance of goal-setting therefore is undeniable. Goal-setting catalyzes the foundational values of an organization into tangible action points for individuals, teams and organizations as a whole.
ISACA Now: What has been your biggest takeaway from the ‘100Things’ show?
The show allowed me to understand the true power of community. If we are able to develop a community founded upon the same values and beliefs, we find that the members of the community not only feel comfortable to share and strive for their own personal goals, but as we saw in the show, they are also driven toward helping others with their goals as well. Without a shadow of a doubt, the 100Things show reconfirmed for me that at the end of the day, people are good. Ultimately, we all have a desire and ability to help others, we just need the opportunity.
ISACA Now: What goes into effective goal-setting on a personal level?
In the 100Things workshop, we believe there are four steps that are required In the process of creating your list.
Step one is permission, the simple idea that it is important to think about yourself. Often, we wait for permission to be given to us in life, but step one is all about making a decision to allow yourself to be self-focused.
Step two is reflection, the idea that we need to understand the patterns and behaviors that have gotten us to this point so far. Although we can’t change these patterns and behaviors, understanding how we’ve been operating and what we’ve been influenced by allows a solid footing for step three.
Step three is spokes. What are the spokes to your wheel of life? If you imagine a bike wheel for one moment, we see that the spokes give structure to that wheel. If we then use that wheel as a metaphor for our own lives, the question is what gives structure to your life? What are the most important spokes in your life? It could be love, career, adventure, spirituality, personal development, humor, etc. The list goes on. Once we’re able to identify our personal spokes, we can then move on to step four.
Step four of course is then creating your list! Looking directly at your spokes, you can identify multiple goals that would strengthen each spoke. For example, if health were one of your spokes, what are three goals that might strengthen this? From meditating and running three times a week, to eating healthy and joining a gym, the options are endless. Creating the list is a creative and wonderful activity and one that I’m very proud to be able to help with!