#170 Apprenticeships, Sabbaticals & "Good Work" — Steve Schlafman & Matt Yao on slowing down, deprogramming, unlearning, learning from others, deciding to quit, going on a sabbatical, not being jealous anymore, competitiveness and enoughness, finding good work, ambition, the apprenticeship, Downshift, decelerator, marriage, family and reframing money
Mar 18, 2024
auto_awesome
Steve and Matt discuss slowing down, unlearning, sabbaticals, finding good work, letting go of jealousy, competitiveness vs enoughness, Matt's apprenticeship, Downshift program, ambition, marriage, family, reframing money, launching decelerator.
Transitioning from monetary success to meaningful coaching career
Reevaluating career priorities after becoming parents
Embracing mentorship and collaborative growth in an apprenticeship
Deep dives
Steve's Journey and Career Reinvention
Steve Schlaffmann, a former venture partner, transitioned to a coaching career after realizing that monetary success didn't bring the fulfillment he sought. His focus shifted to helping others navigate life transitions. Matt Yao, immersed in chronicling his sabbatical experiences, found early influences in his parents' immigrant background that shaped his understanding of work's importance. Despite initial setbacks, both Steve and Matt embraced personal growth outside traditional success metrics.
The Influence of Parenthood on Career Perspectives
Becoming parents prompted Steve and Matt to reassess their career priorities. Steve's dedication to engaged fatherhood led to a significant reduction in work hours, shifting focus to family, service, writing, and health. Matt's experiences in Southeast Asia revealed the joy in living each day purposefully. Parenthood became a catalyst for both individuals to reevaluate and prioritize fulfilling, multi-dimensional lives.
Exploration of Coaching and Mentoring Dynamics
Matt approached Steve for an apprenticeship in coaching, initiating an experiential learning journey. The collaboration evolved into a fluid mentor-mentee relationship, emphasizing weekly meetings, resource sharing, and mutual development. Acknowledging the value exchange, a structured payment plan was established to ensure reciprocity and fair compensation for Matt's contributions. The dynamic highlights the importance of mentorship, continuous learning, and collaborative growth.
Navigating Networking and Relationship Building Without Agenda
The episode delves into the speaker's experience of networking and relationship building without a hidden agenda. They highlight how establishing genuine connections and helping others without expecting anything in return can lead to valuable conversations and opportunities. The speaker emphasizes the importance of following genuine curiosity and being patient, consuming information from potential contacts before reaching out for a conversation.
Redefining Ambition and Success Through the Decelerator Program
The discussion shifts towards redefining ambition and success through the concept of a decelerator program. The program focuses on exploring one's conditioning around achievement, money, and work, emphasizing introspection and alignment with personal values. By embracing downshifting and incorporating measured experiments, participants aim to integrate a people-first approach to work. The program comprises a mix of in-person retreats, lectures, group discussions, and personalized coaching sessions to facilitate this transformative journey.
Steve is a professional coach and the founder of Downshift — the world's first decelerator. He has left a career in venture, but he remains ambitious, it's just that his ambition is now to have a good, multidimentional life, where he can be a good dad for his kids. Matt has left a traditional path early on to write, travel and discover his own path. When he met Steve, he offered him to become his apprentice and joined Downshift.