#288 ‒ The impact of gratitude, serving others, embracing mortality, and living intentionally | Walter Green
Feb 5, 2024
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Walter Green, philanthropist and author, discusses embracing mortality, focusing on others, and the impactful 'Say It Now' movement. Topics include Walter's challenging childhood, the importance of expressing sentiments to loved ones, thinking in reverse, and creating memorable experiences. They also touch on mental health, celebrating friendships, and the power of gratitude.
Express gratitude and appreciation to others while they are still alive to hear it.
Cultivate deep, authentic relationships and focus on the quality of connections.
Be intentional, focused, and embrace purposeful living while cherishing and appreciating loved ones.
Deep dives
Recognizing the Power of Gratitude
The speaker shares their personal journey of realizing the importance of expressing gratitude to others while they are still alive. They reflect on experiences such as attending Tim Russert's funeral, where people spoke highly of him but he never got to hear it. This led the speaker to question why people don't show appreciation until it's too late. They had their own transformative experience at their 50th birthday, where they celebrated their friends and expressed their gratitude for them in a public and meaningful way. The speaker then embarked on a year-long journey at the age of 70, visiting 44 individuals and sharing personal experiences with them, along with expressing their immense impact on the speaker's life. This experience further solidified the importance of showing appreciation and gratitude to others in life.
Deliberate Relationship Cultivation
The speaker emphasizes the significance of cultivating deep, authentic relationships. They discuss how their own life experiences and the lack of meaningful friendships during their younger years shaped their perspective. They explain that their journey of expressing gratitude to others is rooted in authenticity, empathy, and compassion. The speaker highlights the value of taking the time to understand how individuals have impacted their lives and the role that shared experiences play in fostering deeper connections. They encourage listeners to focus on the quality of relationships rather than superficial acquaintanceships and to recognize the richness that genuine connections bring to life.
The Urgency of Appreciation
The speaker shares moments of profound realization, including the impact of attending Tim Russert's funeral and hearing stories of lives left unappreciated. They highlight the urgency of expressing gratitude and appreciation while individuals are still alive to hear it. The speaker discusses their own transformative experiences, such as celebrating their 50th birthday by expressing gratitude to friends and embarking on a year-long journey to personally connect with individuals who made a significant impact on their life. They stress that life is unpredictable, and it is essential to seize the opportunity to express appreciation and improve relationships while there is still time.
Lessons from Personal Growth
The speaker reflects on personal growth and the importance of being intentional and focused in life. They discuss how their own journey of self-discovery and learning as an experiential learner has shaped their mindset. The speaker shares insights gained from their mentoring experiences and engaging in heartfelt conversations with close friends in men's groups. They emphasize the power of authenticity and the value of deep relationships, encouraging listeners to be open, honest, and compassionate in their interactions. The speaker concludes by highlighting the impact of their book, 'This Is The Moment,' which has resonated with readers worldwide and reinforced the importance of gratitude and meaningful relationships.
Expressing Gratitude and Tribute
The podcast episode discusses the importance of expressing gratitude and paying tribute to individuals while they are still alive. The speaker shares their personal experience of starting the "Say It Now" movement, which encourages people to express appreciation and gratitude to others. By sharing stories of how simple gestures of gratitude have had a profound impact on people's lives, the speaker emphasizes that expressing gratitude is not complicated and can make a significant difference in strengthening relationships.
Finding Purpose and Peace at the End
The podcast episode explores the concept of finding purpose and peace at the end of one's life. The speaker shares their own journey towards finishing strong and highlights the importance of having a sense of purpose that goes beyond oneself. By engaging in meaningful activities, expressing gratitude, and prioritizing relationships, the speaker has found a sense of fulfillment and peace. They encourage others to embrace purposeful living and to cherish and appreciate their loved ones while they are still alive.
Walter Green is a remarkable philanthropist, mentor, author of This Is the Moment!, and founder of the impactful “Say It Now” movement. In this episode, Walter delves into the unique insights gained from his challenging upbringing, discusses embracing mortality, and highlights the mindset of “finishing strong.” He shares insights on intentionality, thinking in reverse, saying “no,” prioritizing relationships, and the essence of focusing on others. The conversation focuses on the “Say It Now” movement, which stresses the importance of expressing sentiments to loved ones well before the end of life.
We discuss:
How Peter and Walter met through Ric Elias [2:45];
The unique perspectives and life lessons provided by Walter’s challenging childhood [5:30];
Walter’s harrowing experience with a sudden mental breakdown and his subsequent recovery with the help of therapy [11:15];
A diverse professional journey ending in great success [18:15];
The birth of a movement: celebrating friendships through public tributes and expressing gratitude to those who have shaped your life’s journey [22:30];
Intentionality, thinking in reverse, saying “no”, and other guiding principles for Walter [30:00];
Walter’s global journey of gratitude on his 70th birthday: visiting friends and creating memorable experiences [39:15];
The profound impact of acknowledging and expressing gratitude for the people who contribute to our lives [46:15];
The key elements for creating meaningful connections and cultivating deep, authentic friendships [52:15];
The “Say It Now” movement: the inspiration behind the remarkably impactful initiative [58:30];
What “finishing strong” means to Walter [1:07:30];
Finding peace at the end of life through expressing gratitude and finding purpose in serving others [1:16:00];
Resources to learn about “Say It Now” [1:26:15]; and