Meet Scott Perry

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Scott Perry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Scott, thank you so much for making time for us today. We’re excited to discuss a handful of topics with you, but perhaps the most important one is around decision making. The ability to make decisions is a key requirement for anyone who wants to make a difference and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your decision-making skills.
Decisions matter. They matter a lot.

Why?

First, every decision to do something is also a decision not to do many other things.

Second, deciding not to do something is a decision and works precisely the same as above.

Third, a bad decision can end your ability to make any future decisions.

So, how do you decide?

My process is inspired by some principles from Stoic philosophy that I reframed into three questions I ask myself to choose my next best step into possibility.

1. Notice – The first step is to bring awareness to what’s happening. This awakens consciousness and calls it in to help you process the situation.

2. Name – Acknowledge what’s happening as plainly as possible (no value judgments, adjectives, or adverbs). This helps you work the situation instead of letting it continue to work on you.

3. Navigate – Now, you can reframe what’s happening, unpack all your choices, and decide what to do next with greater integrity and intention.

Answering these three questions helps me be a more mindful decision-maker and act on those decisions with focus, boldness, and discipline.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My life has been a journey of hearing and heeding the call of vocation. Life has called me to adventures in teaching at famous schools, a long career as a professional guitarist and studio owner, a 5-year gig as a head coach for Seth Godin’s Akimbo Workshops, and now, as an Encore life Coach.

Everyone possesses unique abilities and gifts that need to be shared. As an encore life coach, I am privileged to help people define, develop, and deliver the difference only they can make. Purpose-driven living allows them to find fulfillment, forge meaning, and make an impact. Instead of leaving behind a legacy of money or monuments, my clients learn to live their legacy.

Your life is speaking to you because it wants to speak through you. Don’t die with the difference only you can make still inside. Let your life speak!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three principles that most help me navigate my life’s ups and downs are those I apply to my work with clients: reasoning from first principles, systems thinking, and micro-stepping.

First principles thinking helps define and focus only on what’s necessary to achieve a goal. Systems thinking helps create efficient and effective strategies for achieving that goal. Microstepping helps create a daily habit of doing the required work while mitigating risk, remaining receptive to unforeseen opportunities, and being resilient when faced with unanticipated obstacles.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I was introduced to Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” and the “Bhagavad Gita” in the seventh grade. Both have informed and inspired every role I play (teacher, coach, husband, father, and grandfather).

My favorite quote from Marcus is “Think of yourself as dead. you have lived your life. Now, take what is left and live it properly.”

My favorite quote from the “Gita” is, “You are entitled to your labor, not the fruits of your labor.”

Marcus’ quote is a pointed reminder that our time here is finite and that any meaning it has comes from what you do with it while it is yours to do something with.

The quote from the “Gita” is a poignant reminder that we are not entitled to the rewards we often chase (fame and fortune) and that a life lived with intention and integrity is its own reward.

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Image Credits
Scott Perry Lisa Perry

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