How Seb Terry’s “100 Things” List Changed Lives: Goal Setting, Kindness, and the Science of Happiness
Download MP3Well, hi, everyone, and welcome to the MGMA podcast. I'm Daniel Williams, senior editor at MGMA. And I am thrilled, today that we have a guest who is one of our keynote speakers, Seb Terry and he is going to be speaking at our MGMA Leaders Conference which is going to be in Orlando. The dates of those are everybody at September 28 through October 1. And Seb is our closing keynote speaker and we're super excited to have him there.
Daniel Williams:And I'll just give you a little bit of background then we're gonna take a deeper dive into what Seb is all about. He is the founder of one hundred Things. It's a movement born from his own journey of writing down 100 life goals and setting out to achieve them. I'm glad he's our guest because I need to write down some goals. I'm so excited about that.
Daniel Williams:So, Seb, welcome to the show.
Seb Terry:Hi. Thanks for having me, Daniel.
Daniel Williams:I often get asked about my accent. I'm from the South here in America. Where where are you from originally, or where does your accent come from?
Seb Terry:I I'm Australian. So I I I'm from Sydney. Although I've been living, of course, in in The US for about nine years now. So I I think it's I think my accent's neutral, I would say, but I'm I'm not sure. I actually got, I went back to for a talk recently, I got into a taxi, and the cab driver asked where in America I was from.
Seb Terry:So I don't know.
Daniel Williams:Well, this is so interesting now. Something that I've noticed because I love film. I love movies, and Eric Bana is one of your exports to America. I'd seen him in American movies for twenty plus years, and then I saw an Australian movie, The Dry, and he used he's spoken his natural accent. It's the first time I'd ever heard him speak in an Australian accent, and it was so
Seb Terry:I tell you what. Actually, if if you and for anyone listening likes Eric Banner or Australian movies, he's in two that I would highly, highly recommend. One is called The Castle, which is an Australian comedy. It it it's probably 20 old. And for anyone who just who likes Australian culture, it's brilliant.
Seb Terry:It's one of his first I think it was his first movie. It's a comedy. And then there's another one called Chopper, which is based on a do you know Chopper? Bay based
Daniel Williams:familiar with the film. I've unfortunately never seen it, though.
Seb Terry:Oh, well, he's it's a it's funny in Australia because we love the underdogs. Mhmm. And Chopper is a a a a criminal. He's, you know, serial killer, but he celebrate he celebrated, for some reason, in Australia. Not for the heinous crimes, but, like, his attitude.
Seb Terry:He he he he's very anyway, Eric Bana portrays Chopper in this movie, and it's brilliant.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. Those are two great movie choices, everyone. So if you're an Eric Bana fan, you will have to go out and see those. So thank you so much for clarifying that. So, Seb, take us back to the beginning.
Daniel Williams:As I let off, you have developed this program, 100 Things. Where did this come from? What's the origin of it?
Seb Terry:Well, I mean, I I think, like many people, I was kind of just sort of living the blueprints that were set out for me, and I it didn't feel quite right. And then I just sort of had a few things happen in my life that made me take stock properly of the direction I was going in. And so I think one of them was getting I got a degree, which didn't really mean too much to me. I started a business that didn't really mean too much to me. And then I I lost a friend.
Seb Terry:And the combination of all three of those things sort of just weighed in in one moment where I sort of broke down, really, and I just questioned everything. And I realized I was very unhappy and I was disconnected to any sense of purpose or people, certainly impact. I was just drifting. I didn't know who I was, very unhappy. And I just decided to grab a piece of paper and pen and write down a list of things that I thought might make me smile more often.
Seb Terry:And then I thought, well, what could be more important than that? So I I essentially dropped everything in my life to to achieve this this list. And it's been going for about sixteen years now. And I I've, of course, done many things from this list, which are bizarre and weird and quirky and all of that stuff. But the most beautiful thing is that it's created this ripple effect that's gone on to touch many, many lives.
Seb Terry:And I've been fortunate enough to not only achieve many of my goals, but support others with theirs as well. And that's I'm sort of I'm answering probably every question you're gonna ask, but I you know, that's developed into, a book and a show and and obviously speaking. And, I feel very, very grateful for for it all. And I yeah. I certainly feel different to when I started.
Daniel Williams:What is the secret then of putting down a goal and then achieving it? Because a lot of people here, we will, you know, when the new year hits, we'll, put it put out put down those goals for the year. Like, I'm gonna go to the gym. I'm gonna lose weight. I'm gonna do this.
Daniel Williams:I'm gonna do that. And then it gets to about mid January and, you know, you've already quit doing those things. So what is different here? How are you putting these goals down and then sticking to them?
Seb Terry:Well, I mean, there's so many different ways to to think about it. I mean, one thing over time that I've realized is the the the very same things that stop us from taking action towards a goal end up being the very same things that people on their deathbed regret. And, you know, ultimately there's a book actually called Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware. She lists the five most common regrets of the people she looked after before they passed. She was a palliative care nurse.
Seb Terry:And the first thing is I wish I hadn't lived a life expected of me. I wish I'd lived a life true to myself. The second was I wish I had let myself be happier. I wish I had worked less, not meaning to work less, but prioritize other things as much as we tend to with work. I wish I had expressed myself more, my feelings, my emotions.
Seb Terry:And finally, I wish I'd stayed in touch with with people. And I think all of those things speak to what's interesting that they're all choices. We can we can address them immediately, all of us. But linking them to the things that stop us from actually achieving goals now in the present, I think one thing that we don't do is we're not crystal clear on goals. We goals are sort of quite vague for many of us.
Seb Terry:And the more vague they are, the less likelihood there is of them coming true. So I think the first thing is we have to be crystal clear on goals. And there's a whole science and psychology to actually coming up with the goal in the first place. I'll be talking about that on stage, of course. But we have to crystal clear with goals that are meaningful to us.
Seb Terry:The second is using accountability, surrounding ourselves with people who support, inspire, encourage us. We can share with, they can share with us, etcetera. So we need to create accountability and that can be as simple as simply just telling someone what your goal is. And then thirdly, we, the thing that holds many of us back is just actually finally taking that first bold step. So, I mean, look, I think New Year's resolutions and I want to lose weight and all that sort of stuff, I think they're fine.
Seb Terry:But I think what they are missing is true thought and consideration and then an action plan and an accountability group. I mean, in addition to that, you know, from a psychological point of view, we, of course, fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of change, you know, those things hold us back as well. And again, in talk, I'll be addressing some of that too.
Daniel Williams:Sure. One thing that interests me is we keep using the term goals, but you call it 100 things. Was 100 goals taken or did you? Yeah. Does things fit better what you actually are achieving here?
Seb Terry:No. I wouldn't look into that too much, be honest, Daniel. I it was just a name. I I just you know, I just have a 100 things that I'm trying to do.
Daniel Williams:Okay.
Seb Terry:It's very casual, I suppose. But, yeah, whether it's a goal, a dream, an ambition, you know, a milestone, it's, you know, it's it's something that we're we're planting a a a flag in the ground and saying, that's what I want to do. So, you know, I think we we in the workplace, you know, of course, we we have people to tell us usually. If we're not a leader themselves, we we we have milestones, we have targets, we have action plans, we have accountability through our teams, but I think on a personal level, we tend not to do it that way and we let it slip. That's why work goals get done far more frequently than personal goals because we don't have that accountability or sense of framework around our personal goals.
Seb Terry:I mean, yeah, look, they're dreams, they're goals, they're all of the above. The only important thing is not what you call them, but just that you know what they are, you know?
Daniel Williams:When you developed this program, did you have one at the top of the list that you said, I'm doing this one first? Or how did that process go about? Because the reason I'm asking that is you could put down a 100 things and then just look at the list and be totally overwhelmed by it because the sheer volume of things. How are you kind of taking a bite out of each one of these?
Seb Terry:Well, firstly, it doesn't have to be a 100 things. Mean, truly, you only need one, right, to to feel that sense of purpose. In fact, by simply writing down a goal, not even a genie from writing it down, serotonin and dopamine are released into into the body. And I think now it's sort of everyone knows this stuff. But as a reminder, you know, serotonin makes us feel good.
Seb Terry:It gives us confidence. It makes us feel happy. You know, dopamine, same sort of stuff. It's addictive. It reduces it has the potential to reduce depression, regulate anxiety.
Seb Terry:Like, essentially, it allow us to feel a lot more positive in in many different ways. And those again, those chemicals are released into the body not when we achieve a goal, but from the moment we identify the goal. So one goal is enough for us to start turning things around. So, yeah, that's it. So no one needs to be listening to this.
Seb Terry:I'm not coming on the stage saying, everyone needs to create a 100 goals. I will say the benefit of a though is that some goals we can't just finish straight away and it takes time and we have to wait for events and external forces to be ready or right, timings of whatever. So the benefit of a list is you can sort of chop and change between those things. You can push one boat out as far as you can, and then you can pivot to the next one and push that out. It's sort of almost spinning plates in a way.
Seb Terry:And again, if you think of all the aspects of our lives, I think a bucket list is like I think it could stand to be rebranded. I think typically we think it's adrenaline seeking, jumping out of planes naked, etcetera, which it can be, but that only represents one thing. You know, a bucket list might benefit from kind of really enforcing and that it's actually just a list of things that represent every aspect of our lives from, you know, sure, travel and adventure and creativity, but to romantic love, key relationships, giving back in the world, professional development, personal development. So we find that when we have a list, you know, there might be something as, you know, weekly date nights with my spouse might sit next to completing a marathon, which might sit next to meditate more and be kinder to myself. So, you know, yeah, one one goal is enough, but I I I do think a list is is is preferential.
Daniel Williams:Okay. I have one more question about your list, then I want to expand it because your 100 things has expanded worldwide. Of the things on your list that perhaps you've accomplished or developed as a habit, what's one you really take a lot of pride in or really feel like that was a great accomplishment for you to check off the list or include on your list?
Seb Terry:Well, to be honest, the one that meant the most to me was helping somebody. Mhmm. I I helped a gentleman. I won't give too much away now.
Daniel Williams:But Sure.
Seb Terry:I I helped a gentleman, achieve a really important goal of of his, and and he was a quadriplegic. And I I was fortunate enough to, you know, be able to work with him on something quite special. I'll share that from stage. But, I mean, outside of that, I I I find them I'm really proud of all the things I've done. And it's not to say that I think they're the best things in the world and everyone
Daniel Williams:should be doing
Seb Terry:it because I think Liz is a relative, you know, to to individuality. But I I represented Mauritius, an island nation just off the Southeast Coast Of Africa at rugby. And it was we get I was just really happy with that. My mom's in Mauritius, and I always wanted to sing the national anthem as part of a sporting team. I And was just never quite good enough to do it in Australia.
Seb Terry:So I I found that I I I found out that I could get a passport to Mauritius. I flew there, tried out every sport that they had, and I got accepted for the rugby team. And then we got flown to Botswana, and we played in the national African championship and we won. And and I had to learn the national anthem on the way out there. That that's always something that I quite like because it was really sort of unlikely.
Seb Terry:And I real I really had to put in the effort, and I, you know, I wasn't guaranteed to make the team, and I'm stoked that I did.
Daniel Williams:That is remote. What a great story. I love that. I wanted to ask you about now how this has grown. Talk about that, what your reaction to this is.
Daniel Williams:I mean, when you began making this list, did you imagine that it would become this worldwide thing and you'd be touching the lives of everyone? Was that even one of your dreams that perhaps it could go What's that going
Seb Terry:No, had no zero idea. I mean, I I hadn't published a book on there Okay. Which I thought might be interesting, but I actually had a kid's book in mind, and at which I actually had I'd written about six books, drafted six books Mhmm. About the boats on Sydney Harbour and how they all had personalities and like and I still would love to do it. I think it's a great idea.
Seb Terry:Yeah. But, no, it kind of just all happened. I I what I realized immediately is that it resonated with people. I would just tell someone without really doing anything. Oh, this is what I'm gonna do.
Seb Terry:I have a list of a 100 things, and I'm just trying to be happy. And people would see themselves in me because I'm not the only person who felt at one point very, you know, disconnected to myself and the world around me. I think many of us do. And so immediately, it started I saw that there was something to it. And then I was asked to speak on one occasion at a travel show in England, and I did it, for free.
Seb Terry:And then I got asked to speak at a school in Canada, and I did that. And I was just I I loved it. And I saw the reaction of the the kids as well as the adults. So it was quite profound. And everything sort of just developed accidentally.
Seb Terry:But now I'm in this position where I I really do see the the impact it has, and, you know, you couldn't stop me from doing doing what I I I literally get emails from people who are, you know, in a very, very, you know, dark place contemplating self harm and all that sort of And because they hear of this story, they decide to make a positive choice in their life. So I I can't stop this because it, you know, it really does make a difference. I'm really proud of that too.
Daniel Williams:Yeah, that's wonderful. We have time for a couple more questions. So, I want to let you know a little bit more about the MGMA audience. These are medical practice administrators, some are doctors, some are nurses, but in this healthcare world, people are, many of them, many, many of them are overwhelmed. They're overburdened by administrative tasks, by understaffing, by all the other things.
Daniel Williams:So you've probably heard previously someone might come to you and go, I want to have a list. I want to know things, but I'm just too overwhelmed to even sit down and begin a list. So when you hear people who are just either stressed out or short on time, what's your advice to them so they can begin to apply this to their own lives?
Seb Terry:Well, I would say that I completely get it. We do live in a fast paced world depending on the industry and what have you. But when you're in the we really are on the front line of helping people as the audience will be, it's true. There is a lot of stress. There isn't much time to ourselves.
Seb Terry:But I would also say, although that is true, it's equally important to start considering what's going to allow us to feel good about ourselves so that we can actually serve others you know, in our family, our friends, or professionally, you know, our patients, the people we actually serve in a better, more productive way. And I think that does come from being able to identify important, meaningful goals and taking towards them. The truth is, sitting down and giving yourself fifteen minutes just to consider one thing is beneficial for our mental health in a world where burnout and disengagement and disconnection is so common. Yet we do have to go internal We don't find the answer to that stuff externally. And the goals don't also have to be world changing.
Seb Terry:It's not necessarily that you have to, you know, move to Tibet for six months, become a monk, and, you know, climb a mountain. Although, by the way, that does sound fun. I I I feel like you can just be kinder to yourself. You could actually just, you know, carve out thirty minutes to, or ten minutes to meditate, or, you know, you could finally watch that movie you've always wanted to. And I go through this all the time, by the way, that I, you know, there are projects and things that I've put to one side for a long time and I don't feel good about that.
Seb Terry:And I convince myself I have no time to do that. I'm on the road or I'm, you know, whatever is my version of busy. And then finally I get around to doing that one thing, sitting down, finally addressing a project or writing something down and instantly I feel better and I feel like, why didn't I do that earlier? And everyone knows this to be true. So to those people out there who are really burdened, would say, although it feels counterintuitive, just take a moment for yourself to identify what's important to yourself, even just one thing, and then just take a micro step towards that and that'll help.
Daniel Williams:Okay. Last question then. You've mentioned kindness several times during this discussion and in researching you, that's a core part of your mission. So what role has kindness played in shaping your journey? Tell us about that.
Seb Terry:If I look back at everything I've done, it's not because I've been a, you know, a beacon of strength and, you know, a a a maverick and some pioneer, and that's couldn't be further from the truth. Everything I've managed to do in my life has been because of other people and connection. And I find that story to be true for anyone. The biggest things we ever achieve in our lives, the biggest impact we might create, the biggest legacy that we might be lucky enough to leave behind us in or out of the workplace doesn't come just by way of us being strong or able. It actually comes by, I believe, be the depth of the connection that we have to the people around us.
Seb Terry:You know, that that a lot of you know, in other words, we are strong as individuals, but we're better together. There's that quote, know, if you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together. And it's something like that anyway. And it's and I just find that to be true.
Seb Terry:I genuinely think that the biggest untapped resource on the planet is kindness. I just feel we all have it. We all innately have the ability and desire to help or support people around us, but we're just not sure how. And so that's why that is the added benefit of being very clear with our goals because once we share them with loved ones or accountability partners, we light up in others the ability to think about supporting each other. And that's why, again, of course, I'm a big proponent of people being clear with their goals and sharing them.
Seb Terry:So yeah, I think kindness exists. I'm lucky enough to see it every day. And for all of the stuff that people may hear of me doing for other people, it's only because I realize that's what people were doing for me in the first place.
Daniel Williams:All right. Well, Seb, Terry, thank you for joining us on the MGMA podcast today.
Seb Terry:Thanks, Daniel. Pleasure. Can't wait to see you in person.
Daniel Williams:All right. Well, everybody, Seb is going to be speaking, Wednesday, October 1, at our MGMA Leaders Conference. So if you haven't registered yet, or you want to read more about it, go to mgma.com/leaders. You can learn everything about it, register, sign up, do all those good things. So until then, thank you everyone for being MGMA podcast listeners.
