188: Scott Curran on Why You Don’t Need More to Make a Difference
Overview
For many of us, success and personal satisfaction are tied to feeling a sense of purpose and our ability to make meaningful contributions in our lives and work.
But these days, finding a sense of purpose and meaning can feel impossible. Some of us might even feel like we don’t have what it takes to contribute and make a difference. Today’s guest strongly believes otherwise.
Scott Curran has spent his career helping others recognize that we are all capable of doing “better good” from wherever we stand right now. In our conversation, Scott shares his “better good” framework, how individuals and organizations can use it, and how small actions can have profound impacts. We also discuss Scott’s career journey, navigating pivots, and how doing Better Good supports sustainability.
Listen below or on your favorite podcast player.
More About Our Guest
Scott M. Curran is a social impact lawyer, adviser, and educator who has spent more than twenty-five years helping leaders and institutions turn good intentions into scalable, lasting impact. He is the founder and CEO of Beyond Advisers and a former general counsel of the Clinton Foundation, where he advised a global nonprofit operating in more than forty countries. He works across the nonprofit, corporate, and legal sectors, advising boards, executives, and organizations on governance, strategy, and systems to do good well at scale. His work spans major foundations, companies, and cross-sector initiatives tackling some of the world’s most complex challenges. He teaches social impact law—recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as "one of the coolest courses for law students"—and hosts the podcast, Better Good with Scott M. Curran. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Amy, their family, and their rescue dogs. He is the author of BETTER GOOD: A Simple System for Creating Lasting Impact. Author proceeds will go to organizations featured in the book.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
Why making an impact doesn’t necessarily require more time, money, or resources
Scott’s “Better Good” framework for understanding your profile, platform, passion, time, talent, and treasure
How to find the “Goldilocks zone” where your passions and proficiencies overlap
Why sustainability requires paying attention to your own capacity, rhythm, and changing seasons of life
The powerful lesson Scott learned from an unexpected encounter with a DoorDash driver
How to notice the “perfect moments” when we have an opportunity to do good
Learn more about Scott Curran:
Resources Mentioned
Thanks for Listening!
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