When Money Stops Mattering FIXED Ep 307

In a candid discussion, Mr. Pittman explores the philosophical aspects of happiness, joy, and meaning in life, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of material success and the importance of aligning actions with values. He differentiates between happiness as a reaction to external circumstances and joy as an internal state, suggesting that true fulfillment comes from living in accordance with one's values rather than chasing external achievements. Through personal anecdotes and interactions with participants like Peter, Patrick, Jason, and Mackie, Pittman underscores the significance of finding joy in teaching and learning, and the lasting impact of nurturing values that transcend the physical plane.

• The podcast is a platform for discussing customer acquisition, increasing customer value, and retention.
• The podcast also explores failures and lessons learned in business.
• The host encourages interaction and questions from the audience.

Welcome to the game where we talk about how to get more customers, how to make more per customer, and to keep them longer, and the many failures and lessons we have learned along the way. I hope you enjoy and subscribe.

This quote sets the stage for the podcast's focus on business strategies related to customer engagement and learning from past mistakes.

• The host, Mr. Pittman, invites the audience to participate by asking questions or sharing updates.
• The floor is open for discussions on various topics, including pending decisions, strategies, and personal acknowledgments.

Today, I want to open the floor up to ask you guys, because I'm sure because it's been 30 days since last time we spoke. So if you guys have questions in the chat, burning things, decisions that are impending, things you are unsure about, strategies that you need to validate, or even just a verbal high five, please put it in the chat.

Mr. Pittman encourages active audience participation, indicating a desire to engage with the audience on a wide range of topics.

• The audience member, Speaker C, inquires about the concept of happiness as discussed in the podcast.
• Speaker C reflects on their own financial situation and questions the balance between wants and needs.
• The audience member is influenced by the podcast and is re-evaluating their approach to happiness and wealth.

So, in your podcast, you talk a lot about how happiness is, like, the equation of wants versus needs. And I had a million cash in the bank, but I was living off of 30 grand or something like that.

Speaker C is seeking advice on the philosophical approach to happiness, particularly how it relates to the balance of wants versus needs, influenced by their personal financial experience.

• Mr. Pittman has been contemplating the relationship between wealth and happiness for the past 18 months.
• Despite the success of his companies, Mr. Pittman finds joy in activities beyond financial gain.
• He participates in calls and enjoys updates from individuals like Peter because they bring him joy.

Man, that's a loaded question. That question has been the primary thing that's occupied my mind space in the last 18 months.

Mr. Pittman acknowledges the complexity of the question regarding happiness and wealth, indicating it is a significant topic he has been considering.

And so, for context, I don't talk as much publicly about what we do, but between all of the companies that we own, we're doing just under 2 million a week. I don't need to take these calls.

The quote reveals Mr. Pittman's financial success and implies that his participation in the calls is not financially motivated but rather for personal fulfillment.

• Mr. Pittman finds meaning in witnessing the progress and success of others, such as Patrick moving forward in the chiropractor business, Jason setting up his lead generation, and Mackie pursuing dance.
• The fulfillment comes from seeing others achieve their goals and milestones, like Michael's first sale.
• Mr. Pittman suggests redefining the pursuit from happiness, which is reactive and dependent on external circumstances, to joy, which is a proactive choice and internal.
• Joy can coexist with sadness and sorrow, allowing for a more complex emotional experience that is not solely reliant on external factors.

"And so I think, first off, if you redefine the term from happiness, which is based on outside circumstances, you are happy as a reaction. Joy comes from within, which means that I can be sad and sorrowful and filled with joy."

This quote emphasizes the distinction between happiness and joy, suggesting that joy is a deeper, more resilient state of being that isn't dependent on external factors.

• Mr. Pittman discusses the temporary nature of external achievements and their limited impact on the physical plane.
• He challenges the common motivations for success, such as leaving a legacy or making an impact, by highlighting the impermanence of physical accomplishments.
• The conversation leads to a philosophical reflection on the meaning and lasting value of one's actions and achievements.

"But the reality is that everything that you do that is external achievement is ephemeral. And what it means is it literally only exists on the physical plane. And that physical plane is temporary, which means it will end, which means that all of the achievements and all the things that you're doing on this plane, literally, by definition, will have no lasting impact."

This quote addresses the existential reality that all physical achievements are temporary and questions the long-term significance of such accomplishments.

• Mr. Pittman expresses his commitment to helping entrepreneurs without running ads or selling products on his podcast.
• He asks his audience to support the podcast by leaving a review, which he believes is a small action that could lead to significant change for others.
• The request for support is framed as a way to contribute to the broader community of entrepreneurs by enhancing their ability to make money, support their families, create better products, and improve experiences for employees and customers.

"Real quick, guys, you guys already know that I don't run any ads on this, and I don't sell anything. And so the only ask that I can ever have of you guys is that you help me spread the word so we can help more entrepreneurs make more money, feed their families, make better products, and have better experiences for their employees and customers."

This quote is a call to action for listeners to engage with the podcast by leaving a review, which Mr. Pittman believes is a simple yet powerful way to assist in the growth and success of the entrepreneurial community.

• Life is compared to a casino, where individuals play with tokens (representing their resources and efforts).
• The game is continuous, with players comparing their winnings (achievements and material possessions).
• Unlike a real casino, in the game of life, you can't cash out your winnings when the game ends (when life ends).
• The possessions one accumulates don't leave with them after death; they are left behind.

And so the way that I like to think about it is the analogy of a casino. And so I think all of us are given a token when we come of age and start to get into the game.

This quote introduces the casino analogy, suggesting that life is a game where everyone participates with the resources they have from the start.

But the difference between that casino and the casino of life is that at the end of the day, you leave the table with your chips still on it and you don't cash out.

This quote highlights the futility of material accumulation, as unlike a casino, you cannot take your 'winnings' with you after life ends.

• Material success and accomplishments are seen as ultimately meaningless as they do not last beyond one's life.
• There is an observation that joy in life is not necessarily connected to material wealth, exemplified by a person in India with no shoes but potentially more joy than someone with great wealth.
• Material possessions are compared to tools used to dig holes that will be filled in after death, implying their temporary nature.

And so I THINK WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU CAN BUY A cASTLE OR YOU CAN BUY A HOUSE, AND THERE'S A PERSON iN INDIA wHO HAS NO sHOES, WHO HAS MORE jOY IN tHEIR LIFE, YoU REALIZE THAT nONE OF THE THINGS THAT wE DO TO aCcOMPlish seRVE aNY rEAl mEANING whATsOEVEr.

This quote emphasizes the realization that material possessions do not equate to happiness or meaning, as demonstrated by the contrasting levels of joy between someone with great wealth and someone with very little.

• Personal joy comes from engaging in activities that one inherently enjoys.
• The speaker finds joy in learning and teaching, which is how they derive meaning in life.
• Dedication to eternal aspects, such as values, is seen as meaningful as they persist beyond physical existence.

And so it's like, what shovel do you want to use to dig your hole?

This metaphorical question asks what tools or pursuits one chooses to find meaning in life, despite the inevitability of death.

• Shifting from outcome-based decisions to value-based decisions aligns actions with personal identity.
• Experiencing alignment between beliefs, words, and actions leads to a sense of authenticity and integrity.
• Many people experience dissonance by making decisions, saying things, or doing things that contradict their beliefs or thoughts, leading to a lack of harmony in life.

And so if you can shift your decision making process from outcome based decision making process to value based decision making process, you'll always feel in alignment with your identity.

This quote suggests that making decisions based on values rather than outcomes will lead to a life that is in harmony with one's true self.

And so I think that a lot of us have made decisions or say things that are contrary to what we believe, or we do things that are contrary to what we say, we do things contrary to what we think.

The quote acknowledges the common human experience of dissonance when there's a mismatch between our beliefs, words, and actions.

• Mr. Pittman reflects on deriving meaning from work by dedicating life to eternal values.
• The pursuit of meaningful work is linked to personal beliefs and values that outlast one's lifetime.
• Work can be a reflection of what an individual finds meaningful and a way to embody eternal values.

"And my life is a reflection of those things which I believe to be meaningful. And I can dedicate my life to that eternal value, and that value will exist after I die."

This quote emphasizes the idea that the work one does can be a manifestation of personal values and beliefs, which can have an enduring impact beyond one's lifetime. It highlights the significance of aligning work with one's sense of meaning.

• Speaker C inquires about how one defines their values, such as integrity and courage, and how these values translate into actions, particularly in a business context.
• Mr. Pittman acknowledges that individuals can sometimes compromise their values by cutting corners, even in seemingly insignificant ways.
• True alignment between beliefs and actions is when one's behaviors match the values they profess to others.

"And so every time you do that, you live outside of the values that you have for yourself. And so I think that you feel like you live in alignment when what you say to others about what you believe is actually what you do."

Mr. Pittman points out that living in alignment with one's values means that there should be no discrepancy between what one says and what one does. This quote underscores the importance of consistency between one's declared values and their actions, especially in the minutiae of daily work.

• Mr. Pittman challenges the notion of hard work, suggesting that many people claim to work hard but do not actually live up to that claim.
• He compares work ethics across cultures, highlighting that what is considered hard work in one culture may not be as impressive in another.
• The speaker questions the value placed on working hard for activities that should bring joy and meaning, suggesting that being praised for enjoying one's work may be misplaced.

"Man, I outwork everyone. I was like, go to fucking China where they work six days a week, 12 hours a day, and that is their 40 hours work week. And tell me how hard you work."

This quote is Mr. Pittman's way of illustrating the relative nature of hard work and challenging the listener's perception of their own work ethic. It implies that the concept of hard work is subjective and culturally dependent.

"So why should we be louded for doing things that we find joy like that we derive joy from?"

With this question, Mr. Pittman is provoking thought on why society often celebrates working hard on tasks that ideally should be enjoyable. He is questioning the societal norm of praising hard work when it should be natural to find joy in meaningful activities. This quote is a critique of the common attitude towards work and the pursuit of joy through one's profession.