What if success isn't about pushing harder but allowing yourself to be pulled toward your purpose?
In this episode, Seth Streeter shares how he helps people navigate major life transitions and discover their inspired life purpose as co-founder of Mission Wealth, a wealth management firm he started 25 years ago that now manages $14 billion in assets for 4,600 families across 34 US locations. Seth has been a financial advisor for 34 years, specializing in guiding clients through major life events while helping them live more fulfilling lives through assessments across 12 dimensions of wealth. After going through divorce and the financial crisis, Seth realized he was achieving traditional success but wasn't fulfilled, leading him to spend an introspective year attending retreats, meditating, and traveling to India. In the last eight years, Seth has led purpose-driven retreats for over 2,000 people, including nine-day retreats in Bhutan where leaders trek in the Himalayas and stay with monks. Seth spoke at Davos with Deepak Chopra on conscious leadership and leads the purpose community for YPO.
Seth reveals the relationship that transformed his life: Joe Bosco, owner of an Italian restaurant in Fort Collins, Colorado where Seth worked as a dishwasher through high school. When Seth was looking at colleges and his parents wanted him to attend Colorado State, Joe Bosco said "you should check out Santa Barbara, California" because he went there for horse shows. Seth had never heard of Santa Barbara but applied to UCSB because of Joe Bosco and spent 27 years there, founding Mission Wealth, having his children, serving on 10 nonprofit boards, starting sustainable future.org, and doing a TED Talk, all because Joe Bosco suggested he check out UC Santa Barbara. Seth also credits Chip Conley, founder of MEA, as a mentor who showed him how to move from his head to his heart.
[00:03:40] Led Two Nine-Day Purpose Retreats in Bhutan
In Asia for most of the trip
Had 25 leaders in each group trekking in Himalayas
Stayed overnight at monasteries, lived with monks
Contemplated purpose individually, within companies, within world at large
[00:04:40] Mission Wealth: 25 Years and $14 Billion
Co-founded Mission Wealth 25 years ago
Independent registered investment advisory firm
34 locations across US, manages just under $14 billion in assets
About 4,600 families, team of 200 advisors and professionals
[00:05:20] Started Leading Retreats Eight Years Ago
In last eight years started leading retreats and coaching
For different companies, leaders, different groups of people
Takes paid time off to do it, spends vacations leading retreats
About 2,000 people have gone through in-person programs
[00:06:00] The 13 Inches From Head to Heart
Great quote: "furthest distance many travel in lifetime are 13 inches from head to heart"
As financial guy, had heart in what he did, loved helping people solve problems
This work feels more intimate, more meaningful
Really helping people give themselves permission to be best version of who they want to be
[00:08:00] Started in Financial Services Right Out of College
Right out of college, needed a job
Was in student government at UC Santa Barbara, thought he'd be entrepreneur
Dad was in government, mom was teacher, brother was police officer
Family said "you need a job with benefits, security, and paycheck"
[00:09:00] Went Through His Own Tough Journey
Went through divorce, financial crisis, bumps in life
Realized success script needed to be rewritten
Was working hard but wasn't fulfilled, wasn't content
Achieving success in traditional way materially but didn't feel fulfilled
[00:09:20] The Introspective Year That Changed Everything
Decided to do whole introspective year
Went to retreats, read self-help books, listened to podcasts
Got into meditation, went to India, did all these "woo" things
That year opened up whole new framework for living
[00:10:20] Push Energy vs Pull Energy
As entrepreneur, had lot of push energy: building vision, growing team, charging hill
Used that in Ironman, marathons, running nonprofits
After personal reflection, started to adopt pull energy approach
More of allowance, trusting doors close and open for reason
[00:11:20] Speaking at Davos With Deepak Chopra
Was asked to speak at panel in Malibu with five people
Woman from Finland asked if he'd been to Davos, offered to get him in
Three months before event, confirmed: Thursday with Deepak Chopra on Conscious Leadership in Era of AI
Couldn't have pushed way into that opportunity, was being open and available
[00:14:40] 12 Dimensions of Wealth
Talk about wealth not just in financial sense but across 12 dimensions
Impact families are having, quality of relationships, physical health, intellectual growth
Seeing families grow true wealth feels very rewarding
Lead purpose community for all of YPO
[00:15:00] The Success Script and Grind Mentality
Lot of people followed success script, did what they were taught
Worked hard in school, career, moved through ranks or started company
Rinsed and repeated grind mentality to get ahead
Now 40, 50, or 60 saying "is this all there is?"
[00:17:00] Woman Going Through Divorce
Woman in mid-50s going through divorce
Two daughters just graduated high school, going to East Coast for college
Husband ended 30-year marriage right at same time
From financial standpoint she was fine, but really struggling with identity
[00:18:00] Converting Husband's Office Into Studio
She loved working with single women's nonprofits, domestic shelters
Also loved skincare, always did facials for daughters
Helped her convert former husband's office into studio
Became licensed aesthetician, did facials for women in community including free ones for women through tough times
[00:19:20] The Inspired Life Purpose Exercise
Had someone at retreat who was CEO, just exited food tech company in New York
Did exercise called Your Inspired Life Purpose
Four circles: innate gifts, skills, passion, what world needs most
Look at how those four circles intersect
[00:20:00] Paul's Life Manifesto
CEO named Paul came up with amazing idea during exercise
Went to room that night, wrote his life manifesto
Next morning: "I was up most of the night, I now have life manifesto"
Wanted to change food systems of North America leveraging technology
[00:20:40] Started a Blog, Got Recruited by Patagonia
Paul decided to start blog writing about his vision
Just couple months later, recruiter read one of his blog posts
Interviewed for new position
Became head of Patagonia's Food Provision Company
[00:24:00] Invested Heavily in Relationships Since High School
Always had lunch meetings 12 to 1, five days a week at same restaurant
Would book with clients, teammates, or people in community
City council members, students, nonprofit leaders, business leaders
Every single day asking: who is this person, what makes them tick, how can I support them?
[00:25:00] Working at Italian Restaurant in Fort Collins
Worked at Italian restaurant through high school to pay bills
Was bus boy, dishwasher, had all the jobs
Owner was Joe Bosco, owned restaurant in Fort Collins and one in Casper, Wyoming
Was thinking about colleges, parents would pay for Colorado State
[00:25:40] "You Should Check Out Santa Barbara"
Wanted to do something different, applied to UCLA and Berkeley
Joe Bosco said "you should check out Santa Barbara, California, they have university there"
Used to go there for horse shows
Had never even heard of Santa Barbara at the time
[00:26:00] Chose UCSB Because of Joe Bosco
Applied to UCSB, packet looked amazing, university on coast
Ended up choosing UCSB as his university because of Joe Bosco
Spent 27 years in Santa Barbara, half of his adult life
Founded company there, had children there, on 10 nonprofit boards
[00:31:00] Meeting Ashley Brilliant
Mom was sixth grade teacher, had cartoons called Pot Shots by Ashley Brilliant in classroom
Going through tough time in Santa Barbara, Ashley's cartoons spoke to him three days in row
Wrote thank you note to Mr. Brilliant
He replied, met for lunch at Chinese restaurant
[00:32:00] The Fortune Cookie Message
After meal, got fortune cookies
Ashley's note said: "Finally, the answer you've been looking for is sitting across from you"
Seth's said: "If at first it's a no, it may become a maybe"
Decided to help Ashley start building business around his cartoons
[00:34:40] Service Trip to Honduras
Took son on service trip to Honduras, worked at orphanage
Security guard had wooden leg, very archaic piece of wood with hinge
34 years old, probably made $2 a day, couldn't get new leg
Decided to get him a leg
[00:35:40] Getting Him a $10,000 Leg
Took almost a year but got friend who was Paralympic athlete involved
Got him fancy $10,000 leg that was molded and fit for him
Had to get it down there strategically because shipping would mean it gets stolen
He sent FaceTime video: first time he'd been able to slow dance with wife since car accident 10 years prior
KEY QUOTES
"A lot of people followed the success script, worked hard in school and career, rinsed and repeated this grind mentality. Now they're 40, 50, or 60 saying 'is this all there is? I now have success, but there's a creative in me that hasn't been out to play.'" - Seth Streeter
"The furthest distance many of us travel in our lifetimes are the 13 inches from our head to our heart. This work feels more intimate and meaningful because it's really helping people give themselves permission to be the best version of who they want to be." - Seth Streeter
"I had a lot of push energy as an entrepreneur. But I started to adopt a pull energy approach, more of an allowance, trusting that when a door closes it closes for a reason, when it opens for a reason. I was being pulled to where I was supposed to be." - Seth Streeter
CONNECT WITH SETH STREETER
🌐 Personal Website: https://www.sethstreeter.com
💼 Mission Wealth: https://www.missionwealth.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethstreeter
📱 Instagram: @sethstreeter3.0
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seth.streeter.3
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