How Will You Measure Your Life? Clay Christensen at TEDxBoston

Short Summary:

Clay Christensen, a renowned business professor, discusses the concept of "theory of causality" and how it applies to both business and personal life.
He explains how theories like "disruption" and "jobs-to-be-done" can predict the success or failure of companies and individuals.
Christensen argues that the pursuit of immediate achievement, often seen in careers, can lead to neglecting long-term investments in family and relationships, resulting in unintended consequences.
He emphasizes that God doesn't employ accountants, suggesting that our lives should be measured not by hierarchical success or wealth, but by the positive impact we have on individual lives.

Detailed Summary:

Section 1: Introduction to Theories of Causality

Christensen introduces the concept of "theory of causality" as a framework for understanding cause-and-effect relationships.
He mentions several theories developed in the field of business, including "disruption," "preservation of modularity," and "jobs-to-be-done."
He explains how these theories can be applied to various levels of a nested system, from nations to individuals.

Section 2: The Theory of Disruption and its Impact on Companies

Christensen uses the example of Cisco disrupting the telecommunications industry to illustrate the theory of disruption.
He argues that successful companies often fail because they focus on maximizing immediate profits, neglecting long-term investments.
He highlights that individual decisions, seemingly rational in the short term, can collectively lead to disastrous outcomes.

Section 3: The Pursuit of Achievement and its Impact on Personal Lives

Christensen draws a parallel between the pursuit of immediate achievement in business and personal life.
He observes that individuals often prioritize career success over family relationships, leading to unintended consequences like divorce and strained relationships with children.
He emphasizes that the pursuit of immediate gratification can lead to neglecting long-term investments in relationships, which are the true source of happiness.

Section 4: How God Measures Our Lives

Christensen challenges the conventional view of success based on hierarchical positions or wealth.
He argues that God, having an infinite mind, doesn't need to aggregate data and instead focuses on the individual impact we have on others.
He concludes that the true measure of our lives is the positive influence we have on individual lives, regardless of our career achievements or material possessions.

Notable Quotes:

"The reason why successful companies fail is they invest in things that provide the most immediate and tangible evidence of achievement."
"God doesn't employ accountants or statisticians."
"When I have my interview with God at the end of my life, he's not going to show me how high I went into anybody's org-chart, or how much money I left behind in the bank when I died, but rather he's going to say, 'Oh, Clay, I put you in that circumstance. Now, can we talk about the individual people whose lives you help to become better people...'"