The Satisfaction Equation

Another Simon Sinek podcast to share with you today. I love that guy.  In his “A Bit of Optimism” podcast, Sinek recently interviewed Arthur Brooks, and they talked about a number of things including Brooks’ new book, From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of life. Here is the link to this podcast. 
 
Why did it captivate me? Two main points resonated with me: 
 
#1:  “The Satisfaction Problem”  (around minute 11:30)
 
As he prepared for this book, Brooks asked the Dalai Lama how to solve “the satisfaction problem.” We think of satisfaction as getting what we want, achieving something, of having things: “If I have that job, that relationship, that car or house, THEN I’ll be happy.” The Dalai Lama’s answer was that to get stable happiness, we need to stop striving to have what we want and start wanting what we have.
 
The real way to understand this: our satisfaction is what we have divided by what we want.  HAVES/WANTS. 
 
SO, if we spend less time WANTING, our satisfaction equation increases. Instead of, “I wish I had the new,” it’s “I love the thing I’ve got.”  
 
#2:  “Fluid Intelligence” vs “Crystallized Intelligence”  (around minute 21)
 
And then, how do we continue that satisfaction into the second half of our lives? Around age 70, the population splits: ½ continues to be happier all the way to the end of life; the other ½ starts experiencing decreasing happiness. Why?
 
As we age, our intelligence shifts from “fluid intelligence” to “crystallized intelligence.”  The first is defined by our energized, innovative, and creative work; the second reflects a different set of skills, wisdom, and intelligence, that we can capitalize on as masters/teachers and sharing that learning with the next generation. We can transition to becoming other-focused.
 
Brooks shared the example of Johann Sebastian Bach, an innovative musical genius, who made the transition to master/teacher. He was the creator of high baroque style, among the most prolific composers in history. One of his sons, Johann Christian Bach, created a new style of music – classical style. That son ultimately eclipsed his father. Instead of striving to compete, the father spent the rest of his life as a master teacher of the forms. He was beloved, happy, surrounded by family and students…. he spent the second half of his life in service to others. All by remodeling his life and embracing the transition.  
 
Really inspiring to me – starting each day with a sense of fullness and satisfaction and focusing on how to serve others…. I hope it inspires you as well! Speaking of podcasts, listen to my latest episode of B's Table Talk featuring Amanda Rome, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at Xcel Energy and check out the archives here. ​
 
See you in the trenches.
B​

• Minnesota’s first test-to-treat site for COVID-19 opened this past Friday.
• COVID-19 levels are down 16% in the Twin Cities wastewater.
• Free COVID test about to expire? Minnesota’s tests have longer shelf life than listed.

• The Federal Reserve Federal Open Market Committee will hold its monetary policy meeting Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, during which the central bank is widely expected to raise the key benchmark interest rate by a half-percentage point. In light of the latest inflation data, Chair Jerome Powell's remarks on the Fed's inflation expectations will be closely watched. 
• Liz Reynolds, special assistant to the president at the National Economic Council, will be among the speakers discussing the competitiveness of the U.S. economy at a Bipartisan Policy Center event, "Defining Competitiveness: Why It Matters." The event will be broadcast live at noon on Tuesday. 
• Inflation: $5 gas is here: AAA says nationwide average hits new high – for the first time ever. Inflation at new 40-year high – up to 8.6% in May. And most Americans expected it to get worse.
• EDA: By September 30th of this year, EDA will announce the recipients of the final phase of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC). This $1 billion competition is the largest economic development program in the nation in the last decade, and the marquee program of EDA’s American Rescue Plan programs.  

Regional

• Pay increase coming to minimum wage earners July 1.
• St. Paul approves six tiny homes for the homeless near Lake Phalen. Last Wednesday Saint Paul’s City Council approved zoning required for a micro-neighborhood of portable tiny homes.
• The Hillcrest redevelopment project takes another step forward. City Council approves master plan for the site.
• Changes coming to County Boards across the East Metro.

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• Lots going on in downtown St. Paul: check out the Downtown Alliance calendar of events and plug in!
• Black Tech Talent Summit:  June 17- 18, online Friday and in-person at the Science Museum Saturday
• Check out your Chamber’s calendar of upcoming events as well, which includes:
  • Come meet some new people at our next free monthly mixer!  June 30, 4-6 PM: Chamber Connect at Holman’s Table
  • July 14, 8-9 AM: Shifting Work Environments & Staff Shortages - Business Education Series (Hybrid)
  • July 19, 11 AM-1 PM: Annual Foundation Luncheon at the St. Paul Event Center
  • August 1: Golf Classic and Golf 101 at Mendakota Country Club

• Regarding the great resignation:  great article on “conversational capacity”; this especially resonates with me: “bad communication may not be the big reason they are leaving, but it is the big reason why they might stay.”

• The Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) Board recently received an update on the first round of funding from the City’s 30% AMI Deeply Affordable Housing Fund. Approximately one-third (~$12 million) of the previously announced $37.5 million American Rescue Plan (ARPA) investment will be deployed to support these projects, which will increase the supply of deeply affordable multifamily rental housing in St. Paul. 
• Building equity in multifamily housing: “Building Family in Small Multifamily Ownership” initiative is entering 2nd year, so far has helped 16 people buy 2-4 unit properties in the Twin Cities. Its goal is to reduce racial gaps in homeownership and help BIPOC households to build wealth as owner-occupant landlords.
• MBOLD selects 4 Minnesota businesses for food and ag entrepreneurship program. The coalition includes Target Corp, General Mills, Cargill, and Land O’Lakes. This year’s cohort includes: Step One Foods; Local Create; HidrateSpark; Bizzy Coffee.
• Minnesota has one of the best business climates for LGTBQ+ people, according to a new index by Out Leadership. With a score of 86 – up 2.5 points from last year – Minnesota ranked 11th on the index.

• Sustainable: ‘Passive’ housing gains active support. Sherman’s Verdant apt bldg. at 85 S Livingston Ave. is ​​St. Paul’s first “passive house” multitenant development (focused on energy efficiency through design and construction approaches). ​
• Study: remote work could slash office valuations by $500B by end of 2020s.
• Hmong grocery store owner buys St. Paul warehouse for wholesale tropical-produce market. Mo Chang bought the 30K SF bldg. at 141 W Lafayette Frontage Rd. (formerly Dragon Star Supermarket). This site will be an extension of Mo’s Tropical Market at 2128 – 11th Ave. in North St. Paul.