The Great Discontent and The Good Life: Brad Smith

06/30/15 • 70 min

After years of launching, building and selling technology ventures, Brad Smith was at a crossroads. Starting almost accidentally, he parlayed a self-taught expertise in computers and then design into a series of ventures that kept him busily creating. But when the company that bought his last venture was sold, destroying his ability to run the business the way he wanted, he realized it was time to exit.

He took a wild contrarian leap away from technology and joined the team at The Great Discontent to help take their soulful online magazine and grow it into what is quickly becoming a stunningly beautiful "artisanal" print magazine. Some would view this move as nuts. I mean, print is dead, right?

In this week's episode, we explore his sometimes crazy journey, his entry into entrepreneurship and his journey through various startups, mergers, burnout, pulling the kill switch, self-care, time off, the timing of opportunities, making something extraordinary to help people, and returning to the roots of what inspired you in the first place.

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Check out our offerings & partners:

My New Book Sparked
My New Podcast SPARKED
Visit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

A Crazy Story About Creative Karma and Work That Matters

It was a moment that nearly brought me to tears...

As an entrepreneur, a writer, a creator, a big part of why I do what I do is simply the hardwired need to create. I do the thing I "can't not do."

The process of creation breathes me.

Being able to write, to build, to produce, these things all light me up. But there's another part of the equation. It's the part about how the things you create land in the world. How other people experience them.

It's part about whether they matter not only to you, but to those who might, in some small way, engage with what you make. To those who might just be left changed, or at least moved in a meaningful way.

Often times, you never get to see this part.

But, every once in a while, you stumble onto them. This week's Good Life Project Riff is about one of those moments. It happened through pure serendipity. It involved a guy named Steve and a venture he called Exit Plan B. The image in this post created by him.

Neither of us knew what was really happening or how we'd truly affected each other until we'd been working together for months.

Until the moment everything came full circle. And it left us both jaw-dropped.

Enjoy the story!

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Next Episode

Is Curiosity The Secret to an Extraordinary Life?

What if there was a single trait that was a virtual unlock key for an extraordinary life?

Ok, maybe there's not a single magic trait, but there is something I've observed that seems to be omnipresent in the lives of those who live great lives.

It doesn't matter whether, they're movers, shakers, artists, makers, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, caretakers or anyone else. This one trait seems to be some kind of good life ignition switch.

What is it? Curiosity.

Turns out...

Curiosity is a key driver of a life well-lived. (tweet this)

And that brings up a question...

Is curiosity a childlike state of wonder you are born with or can you develop the trait of curiosity by following a set of practices?

The answer may surprise you. We dive into this question and come up with some eye-opening and actionable answers in this week's GLP Riff.

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