Chris Begg is the founder and CIO of East Coast Asset Management and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia Business School, where he teaches Security Analysis in Ben Graham's seat. This is one of the most original and wide-ranging conversations I've had on this podcast.

Read the full written distillation: whatgotyouthere.com/the-distillation-of-chris-begg [https://whatgotyouthere.com/the-distillation-of-chris-begg/]

In this conversation we go deep on graph theory as a general principle for identifying the greatest compounders of the next 30 years, a word Chris coined called "Compressence" (compressing something to its essence), the simplicity on the other side of complexity, how Chris and his team built an AI analyst called Faraday in six weeks, his framework for navigating clouds of uncertainty, Value 3.0 and where the frontier of value investing is heading, the danger of putting circles around things you think you understand, three-month immersive deep dives as a learning method, right brain and left brain integration through the work of Ian McGilchrist, Lila and the Sanskrit concept of eternal play, how Chris designs his life around freedom and spaciousness, the hare over the wave and what Egyptian hieroglyphs taught him about renewal, why the best investors are also artists, and why duration is a design principle.

Chris also discusses David Whyte and the pilgrim's path and how that inspires his new music project he wrote inspired by the Camino de Santiago.

Interested in working with Sean? https://seandelaneycoaching.com

I'm Sean DeLaney [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/], a private advisor to a small number of CEOs, founders and investors on the inner game. The things that don't have a playbook and can't be brought to your board, your spouse, or your team. Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

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My Books

Masterpiece In Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted [http://masterpieceinprogressbook.com/] & Insights of the Ages: Quotes for a Life Well Crafted [https://amzn.to/48dXzR4]!

Checkout what people are saying about the book: "Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life." – Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up

"The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read." – Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils

"Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles."— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor

"Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's import

Chris Begg — An Investor's Search for What's Timeless, Beautiful, and True

On this episode of Beneath the Surface, Sean DeLaney [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] shares the foundational lessons he hopes his kids absorb not from what he says, but from how he lives every day. For parents who want to live intentionally, this episode shows how to model an authentic path, love with full attention, and give kids both roots and wings.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

Stay Connected with Sean

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who's walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/]

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

I exclusively work with high-achieving CEOs, executives, and professional athletes who, even at the height of their careers, continue to explore deeper avenues of potential. While these driven individuals aspire for elevated professional heights, they equally crave profound personal fulfillment and a distinct path to infuse their lives with more clarity, direction and purpose.

My Books

Masterpiece In Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted [http://masterpieceinprogressbook.com/] & Insights of the Ages: Quotes for a Life Well Crafted [https://amzn.to/48dXzR4]!

What I Hope My Kids Learn By Watching Me — Beneath The Surface with Sean DeLaney

In this soul-stirring episode of Beneath the Surface, Sean DeLaney [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] invites you into a deeper conversation about something every human must face—suffering.

Unlike most self-help content that offers quick fixes or tips to “overcome” pain, this episode cuts through the noise. It won’t give you shortcuts. Instead, it guides you into a new, more powerful relationship with suffering—one that can awaken the soul, deepen your life, and reveal truths you didn’t know you were ready for.

We explore suffering not as something to avoid, numb, or bypass—but as a sacred companion that, when embraced, holds the potential for radical growth and clarity.

Drawing from the wisdom of Carl Jung, Viktor Frankl, Rainer Maria Rilke, James Hollis, and more, this episode breaks down three types of suffering:

 * Inevitable Suffering – the necessary pain of being human
 * Destructive Suffering – the pain we perpetuate by avoiding what’s real
 * Sacred Suffering – the pain that initiates transformation

You’ll learn why most people unknowingly amplify their suffering by resisting what must be felt, and how shifting that resistance into curiosity can completely change the trajectory of your life.

Sean shares powerful quotes, poetic reflections, and real-world insights that will help you move through your own pain with greater awareness and dignity. This is a must-listen for anyone navigating grief, confusion, heartbreak, transition—or simply seeking a deeper, truer life.

If you’re ready to stop running from suffering and begin making meaning from it—this episode is for you.

Stay Connected with Sean DeLaney

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

 

Suffering Can Be Your Greatest Teacher — Beneath The Surface

In a world that tells us to measure our worth by what we do, it’s easy to confuse our roles, titles, and achievements for who we are. But what happens when the job changes, the title disappears, or the success fades? Who are you beneath all of that?

In this episode, we go beneath the surface to explore the truth about identity—why tying your self-worth to external success creates a fragile life, and how to build an identity rooted in values, presence, and essence. 

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
 * Why success-based identity creates burnout and emotional instability
 * How labels, even positive ones, limit your growth and potential
 * How to create a personal code that grounds you in who you truly are

Stay Connected with Sean DeLaney

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

The Identity Trap: Evolving Beyond the Role You Think You Are — Beneath The Surface

We live in a world desperate to be seen, but rarely do we slow down enough to truly see one another.

In this soul-stirring episode, Sean DeLaney explores the quiet, transformative power of presence, attention, and attunement. You’ll discover that seeing others isn’t just a relational skill, it’s a transformative act. One that can heal, connect, elevate, and awaken the humanity in us all.

We’ll explore:

 * Why presence is the most profound form of recognition
 * The difference between transactional attention and soulful seeing
 * Cultural and spiritual practices like “Sawubona” and “Namaste” that honor the sacredness of others
 * How to become an illuminator, not a diminisher, in people’s lives
 * What happens when we witness others into their own becoming

You’ll hear quotes and insights from Simone Weil, Maria Popova, David Brooks, Peter Kaufman, and more—all pointing to one truth: the quality of your attention is one of the most powerful forces in the world.

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” — Simone Weil

If you’ve ever felt unseen, or you’re ready to offer others the kind of presence that changes lives, this episode is for you.

Stay Connected with Sean DeLaney

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

The Art of Seeing — Beneath The Surface

In this powerful episode, Sean DeLaney [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] goes beneath the surface of what confidence truly is and what it isn’t. From earned self-trust to emotional fluency, from identity clarity to the quiet strength of presence, this episode will dismantle the myths you've been sold and rebuild your understanding of real, lasting confidence.

We’ll explore:

 * Why confidence is contextual, not universal
 * How self-trust—not achievement—is the root of confidence
 * Practices to train confidence like a muscle
 * How to evolve beyond confidence into liberation

You’ll learn that true confidence isn’t loud, it’s grounded. It doesn’t come from controlling outcomes, it comes from knowing who you are, even when nothing feels certain.

Stay Connected with Sean DeLaney

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

The Architecture of Confidence — Beneath The Surface

Too often, we think of art as something we create outside ourselves. But what if the most meaningful art you’ll ever make… is your life?

In this episode, Sean DeLaney goes beneath the surface and explores what it means to shift from passive participant to intentional creator and to live not by default, but by design. You’ll hear why your thoughts, your presence, your choices, all of it, are brushstrokes on the canvas of your life. And why reclaiming your authorship might be the most courageous and liberating act you can take.

We’ll explore:

 * Why your life is already your most powerful form of self-expression
 * How to shift from reaction to creation mode
 * The hidden architecture behind living a beautifully crafted life

This episode is an invitation to grab the brush and start living as the artist you already are. Because your life isn’t just happening to you. It’s a reflection of you, a dance between circumstance and choice.

Stay Connected with Sean DeLaney

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

Becoming The Artist of Your Own Life — Beneath The Surface

This episode is about the impact you make, even when you don’t realize you’re making one.

Every thought. Every word. Every choice.

It all sends ripples outward and inward.

In this episode, we explore the unseen yet undeniable ripple effects of our lives.

You’ll learn:

 * Why the smallest moments often carry the deepest impact
 * The powerful truth that your presence speaks louder than your words
 * Why every action not only ripples outward—but inward, shaping your identity
 * How to become a more conscious source of light, healing, and resonance in a noisy world

This isn’t about striving to be perfect. It’s about becoming more aware—of the legacy you leave behind in every room, every moment, every interaction.

Stay Connected with Sean

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

The Ripple Effect: You Always Leave a Mark — Beneath The Surface

So many of us live with the illusion that there’s a final moment of arrival—a place where the striving stops, the doubt fades, and we finally become enough.

But what if that place doesn’t exist?

In this episode of Beneath the Surface, we’re unraveling the myth of arrival. We explore the subtle ways this illusion robs us of presence, poisons our progress, and keeps us from experiencing the richness of what’s already here.

You’ll hear:

 * Why chasing “someday” slowly erodes your joy and self-trust
 * How to shift from a destination-based life to one rooted in presence and being
 * What it means to live from wholeness, not for it

This isn’t just a mindset shift, it’s a new approach to life. 

Because your life isn’t a finish line to cross. It’s a living expression to enjoy.

There is no arrival. And that’s the gift.

Stay Connected with Sean

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

The Myth of Arrival: Stop Chasing the Ending — Beneath The Surface

Your life expands with every act of courage. 

In this episode of Beneath the Surface, we explore one of the most essential, misunderstood, and transformational inner capacities: courage.

We’re not talking about the kind of courage that looks heroic or loud. We’re talking about the kind that shows up in unseen moments. The courage to tell the truth. To make a hard change. To say “I love you” first. 

We’ll explore:

 * Why courage requires fear—and why that's exactly the point
 * How your most courageous acts might never be visible to anyone but you
 * What it means to live with your heart on the line, and why it’s the only way to feel fully alive
 * How a single moment of truth can shift the entire trajectory of your life
 * Why real growth always invites you into the unknown, not away from it

This episode is for anyone who’s been hiding in safety while craving aliveness. For those ready to stop performing and start participating in life with their whole being.

Because every time you choose courage over comfort, life expands.

Stay Connected with Sean

🌐 Explore more at WhatGotYouThere.com [https://whatgotyouthere.com/] 📚 Get my latest books, tools & coaching SeanDeLaneyCoaching.com [https://www.seandelaneycoaching.com/] 📩 Reach out or connect with me directly Info@whatgotyouthere.com

If this resonates, share it with a friend who’s walking a similar path.

TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgotyouthere]

YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatGotYouThere]

Twitter [https://twitter.com/SeanDeLaney23]

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/whatgotyoutherepodcast/] 

I am Sean DeLaney [https://whatgotyouthere.com/about/], the executive performance coach with over a decade of experience working with CEOs, executives, and leadership teams, guiding them beyond traditional definitions of success.

Interested in working together? https://seandelaneycoaching.com [https://seandelaneycoaching.com/]

Where Courage Lives, Life Awakens — Beneath The Surface

What Got You There is a weekly podcast hosted by Sean DeLaney and is all about diving deep and hearing the journey behind some of the worlds most accomplished influencers. Guests include professional athletes, authors, professors, creatives and everyone in between. Find out more at www.whatgotyouthere.com

Sean DeLaney

Shows