Overall, Shawn’s presentation delivers a potent blend of personal anecdotes, actionable frameworks, and research-backed insights to empower the Accruent audience to embrace change and thrive in the face of ongoing disruption.

• The “End” Sign as a New Beginning: Shawn utilizes the metaphor of an “End” sign at the beach to illustrate that endings are often more apparent than new beginnings. He encourages the audience to see endings as opportunities for growth and transformation.
  
  “Isn’t that the way it is in life? The endings are always well marked. There’s no missing an ending. … But also I saw what I know you can see there, which is this wide sandy beach, the Pacific Ocean, blue skies, palm trees. I thought, man, it looks it looks a lot more like a beginning to me.”
  
  
• The Pace of Change: Shawn emphasizes the accelerating pace of change, driven by advancements like AI, and its implications for personal and professional life.
  
  “The pace of change today is the slowest it will be for the rest of our lifetimes.”
  
  
• Surviving vs. Thriving: He distinguishes between simply surviving challenges and actively thriving in the face of them. He uses the anecdote of his son Brody, who embodies presence and joy in the moment, to contrast with the adult tendency to dwell on the past or future.
  
  “If we want a simple test of whether we’re surviving or thriving, here’s the lesson from my little guru. Are you in this moment or are you trying to get through this moment?”
  
  
• The Three Tools of Creation: Shawn presents attention, attitude, and action as tools individuals can control to shape their experience regardless of external circumstances.
  
  “It’s not really our circumstances that shaped the moment… it was what are you focused on? What are you thinking about? And what are you doing? Your attention, your attitude, and your action.”
  
  
• The Five C’s to Adapt and Thrive: This framework forms the core of Shawn’s presentation:
  
  Calm: Cultivating inner peace amidst chaos through practices like box breathing, inspired by Navy SEAL techniques.
  Clarity: Identifying the problem, possibilities, purpose (“Where is the joy?”), and priorities.
  Courage: Recognizing fear as a signal of growth and taking small, intentional steps forward.
  Confidence: Building trust through past successes (“faith file”) and surrendering to the unknown.
  Community: Finding support, connection, and shared purpose with others, emphasizing its importance for well-being and success.
  
  
• Best Buy’s Purpose-Driven Approach: Shawn highlights how Best Buy, under Hubert Jolie’s leadership, redefined its purpose beyond simply selling products, ultimately contributing to their recovery and success.
  
  “We’re a company that’s in the business of enriching lives through technology by addressing human needs.” – Jolie
  
  
• The Importance of Connection: Ellis cites research from Gallup, the US Surgeon General, and Harvard’s happiness study to underscore the critical role of connection and community in mitigating loneliness, improving health, and fostering happiness.
  
  
• Community as a Competitive Advantage: He positions community not as a mere feel-good concept but as a strategic advantage in navigating the challenges of the built environment and beyond.

• Shawn encourages the audience to practice the Five C’s framework in their personal and professional lives.
• He offers free access to his “Rock the Reboot” course as a resource for navigating personal and professional transitions. (Enroll here and use promo code accruent24 by Friday, December 13, 2024 for 90 days of free access!)
• He closes with a powerful demonstration of community by leading the audience in singing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'”, reinforcing the themes of connection and collective resilience.