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At age 7, Dr. Jordan Grumet lost his father. This early loss shaped his career path \u2014 he became a physician, following in his dad\u2019s footsteps. But by 2010, feeling burned out from internal medicine, he took an unexpected turn: he became a hospice doctor.<\/p>\n
In this episode, Dr. Grumet joins us to discuss what he\u2019s learned from thousands of conversations with people in their final days.<\/p>\n
These discussions have revealed a pattern: people don\u2019t typically regret their bank balance on their deathbed. Instead, they regret not pursuing the activities and dreams that truly lit them up.<\/p>\n
Dr. Grumet explains the difference between what he calls \u201cBig P Purpose\u201d versus \u201clittle p purpose.\u201d Big P Purpose involves major life goals like becoming president or curing cancer. Little p purpose, by contrast, focuses on the process \u2014 finding activities you enjoy regardless of the outcome.<\/p>\n
He shares the story of a young professional who loved competitive cycling. While working a demanding nonprofit job, this person started fixing bikes at races on weekends. This side project combined his skills and passion, eventually creating enough income for him to reduce his full-time hours.<\/p>\n
Dr. Grumet introduces three key concepts for building more purpose into your life:<\/p>\n
\u2013 Joy of Addition: Add activities that excite you, even if just for 15 minutes daily<\/p>\n
\u2013 Art of Subtraction: Remove activities that drain you<\/p>\n
\u2013 Substitution: When you can\u2019t add or subtract, swap one activity for another<\/p>\n
He emphasizes that money isn\u2019t the only tool for creating change. Youth, energy, relationships, skills and community can be equally valuable resources. A 22-year-old might lack funds but has the advantage of time and stamina that a 51-year-old doesn\u2019t possess.<\/p>\n
Dr. Grumet references the Harvard Adult Developmental Health Study, which found that strong relationships \u2014 not achievements or money \u2014 most strongly correlate with happiness. He suggests that pursuing activities you enjoy naturally leads to building these vital connections.<\/p>\n
The episode closes with a powerful story about his grandfather, who loved math and became an accountant in the 1950s.<\/p>\n
This passion influenced Dr. Grumet\u2019s mother to become a CPA, which in turn helped young Jordan develop confidence in math, despite his reading challenges. Years later, this mathematical thinking helped him diagnose a rabbi\u2019s rare condition \u2014 proving how small actions can create ripple effects across generations.<\/p>\n
Timestamps:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths.<\/em> 1:06 Transition from medicine to hospice as side hustle<\/p>\n 2:21 Hospice shifts from medical to emotional care<\/p>\n 4:12 Palliative care vs hospice care explained<\/p>\n 5:05 Age range of hospice patients<\/p>\n 6:55 Life priorities and deathbed regrets<\/p>\n 13:46 Harvard Adult Developmental Health Study on happiness<\/p>\n 20:00 Purpose, happiness and flow states<\/p>\n 26:35 Joy of Addition and Art of Subtraction explained<\/p>\n 33:30 Using youth when lacking money<\/p>\n 41:18 Calendar evaluation strategies<\/p>\n 48:45 Managing family disappointment<\/p>\n 56:08 Regrets as purpose anchors<\/p>\n 1:03:26 Common end-of-life regrets<\/p>\n 1:09:06 Small actions, big legacy<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Thanks to our sponsors!<\/p>\n Shopify<\/strong><\/a> Quince<\/strong><\/a> NetSuite<\/strong><\/a> TurboTax<\/a><\/strong> <\/div>\n
0:00 Introduction to Dr. Grumet, hospice doctor discussing end-of-life insights<\/p>\n![\"listen](\"https:\/\/affordanything.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/listen-to-afford-anything-on-itunes.png\")
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