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Finding Direction


Mar 21, 2023

In this episode of the Finding Direction podcast, I interview Jen Lim, founder and bestselling author of Beyond Happiness and CEO of Delivering Happiness. We discuss the importance of values, purpose, and deep conversations in finding happiness and fulfillment in both personal and work life. Jen shares her personal journey and experiences, and offers practical exercises and insights to help individuals on their journey towards happiness and purpose. We also discuss the importance of self-care and self-discovery, especially in the context of mental health in the workplace. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the importance of reflection, self-discovery, and meaningful connections in finding direction in life.

What We Discuss:

Jen Lim's background [00:00:26] Stu Massengill gives an overview of Jen Lim's background and accomplishments.

Topics to be discussed [00:01:17] Stu Massengill lists the topics that will be covered in the episode, including happiness, values, and purpose.

Jen Lim's journey [00:02:35] Stu Massengill asks Jen Lim to share her journey and how she got to where she is today.

Pivotal moments [00:03:51] Jen Lim talks about the pivotal moments in her life, including losing her father and realizing she was chasing the wrong things.

From Asian American studies to working in thecom [00:05:24] Stu Massengill asks Jen Lim how she went from studying Asian American studies to working in thecom.

Deep conversations [00:07:08] Stu Massengill asks Jen Lim about the deep conversations she had with herself that led her to her current trajectory.

Discovering Values [00:08:09] Jen talks about how she discovered her values through deep conversations and prioritizing the people in her life, freedom, and authenticity.

Simplifying Decision Making [00:09:29] Jen shares how she simplified decision making by asking herself what is most important to her and filtering decisions through her values.

Becoming a Consultant [00:10:57] Jen talks about how she became a consultant and worked with different companies before joining Zappos as a consultant.

Navigating Uncertainty [00:15:39] Jen discusses how going one page at a time and grounding herself in her values helped her navigate uncertainty and cope with the unknown.

Jen's journey and mentors [00:16:50] Jen reflects on her journey and the importance of having mentors as examples.

Discovery of positive psychology [00:18:54] Jen and Tony discover positive psychology and the science of happiness, leading to the founding of Delivering Happiness.

Deeper conversation about happiness [00:20:45] Stu and Jen discuss the deeper questions about happiness, including its meaning, the four pillars of happiness, and finding purpose.

Magic Mind [00:24:02] Stu shares his experience with Magic Mind, a company that helps with productivity and focus, and offers a discount for listeners.

Discovering Purpose [00:26:01] Stu and Jen discuss three questions to ask oneself to discover their purpose, including what lights them up, what they are inherently good at, and how they can impact their immediate world.

Living a Purposeful Life [00:30:00] Jen shares her personal experience of discovering her purpose and how it evolved over time. Stu emphasizes the importance of living a purposeful life and how it can change one's perspective.

Happiness in the Workplace [00:32:16] Stu and Jen discuss how to increase happiness in the workplace, including doing exercises to discover one's values and purpose. Jen shares an exercise called "Happiness Heartbeats" to help identify patterns in one's highs and lows.

Reflecting on past experiences [00:34:36] Importance of reflecting on past experiences to understand and grow from them, minimizing long-term impact of trauma.

Practical exercises for happiness and purpose [00:35:54] Discussion of practical exercises for happiness and purpose, including reflection and asking three questions. Exercises available for free download on Jen Lim's website.

Going beyond happiness [00:37:26] Discussion of the concept of going beyond happiness to embrace the full gamut of highs and lows, and finding fulfillment in life.

Practice and curiosity [00:40:02] Importance of practice and curiosity in the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment, reframing failures as stumbling and learning opportunities.

Self-love and self-care [00:42:56] Jen talks about the importance of self-love, self-care, and self-compassion, especially during tough times.

Mental health in the workplace [00:43:59] Jen discusses the importance of being real about mental health in the workplace and how it can lead to feeling more fulfilled.

Finding direction through action [00:46:09] Jen suggests trying something new with a beginner's mindset as a way to start finding direction in life.

Episode Resources

  • MagicMind.co (Website) - 00:26:01
  • Beyond Happiness Book (Website) - 00:26:02
  • Delivering Happiness (Website) - 00:26:02
  • Purpose exercise - (Website) 00:27:29
  • Happiness Heartbeats exercise (Website) - 00:32:52
  • Jenn Lim's Personal Website