Thrill: The High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person is the book that I wrote for all Sensitive Sensation Seekers to better understand their traits and their potentialities and challenges.

Thrill has now been translated into Japanese and was commissioned as a 160 minute video ‘lecture’ that I completed this past December for the Japanese audience. I have often questioned why the interest level is so strong and enduring around Sensitive Sensation Seekers and have come to two conclusions:

– there’s so little out there on Sensitive Sensation Seekers and comparatively SOOOO much more on HSPs, thus, the interest level sustaining over many years.

– Sensation Seeking is an EASIER entry point to understand/allow/accept than Sensory Processing Sensitivity, meaning I have not met anyone who did not understand Novelty and new experience seeking, thrill and adventure seeking, boredom susceptibility, and disinhibition. I have met many who, when hearing descriptions of Sensory Processing Sensitivity, are instantly confused, “highly sensitive to what?” or “Ohhhh, I know those kinds of people….touchy and moody, ouch!” even, “Being easily offended is a choice….” So, two very different traits, yet one is simple to understand because it has a name that does not put anyone on the defense instantly and is easily identified with ‘fun’ and who doesn’t like a ‘fun’ trait??

The job then has been to communicate how the two traits can coexist in one human being and do so with great synergy and balance. That’s what Thrill does well.

Thrive is as relevant now in 2023 as it was when I wrote it because the way we experience career will always be similar. The opportunities that exist now for working from home or working from anywhere (digital nomads) are certainly different to some extent but the fundamental narrative around the need to adapt our lives to our needs, rather than the reverse, remains true in perpetuity…

“I wish I had this book when I was young. This is a must read for any sensitive males as well as the parents of sensitive males. If you are not into reading, I strongly suggest the audible version. Larry does an outstanding job reading this book. I found the answers to so many questions in this book.” Amazon reviews~

https://www.wired.com/story/remote-work-labor-economy/

Working from home at times and in ways that work for us is exactly what I have advocated for as presenting the greatest flexibility allowing us to balance work with our twin need to create our work spaces and how we work that are uniquely suited for our needs. Now, it appears that ‘top talent’ has committed to a new cultural shift that will filter down to all other echelons.

Ironically, I just read another article about Disney’s CEO sending a company-wide email to employees stating that they “must return to the office at least four days a week.” The old guard of wealth and power is loath to acknowledge people do not require constant supervision, nor do people enjoy open-office floor plans or incessant office chatter and bland, mundane corporate bureaucratic platitudes brainwashing employees to think of them as ‘family.’

Smaller, more agile companies and startups have largely already pivoted to embrace work from home or work from anywhere strategies. It’s less overhead, less stress for employees, and if productivity is equal or better, there is no case for forcing employees to work in an office full of distractions, stress, and mandates, let alone require travel commutes that are a continual source of stress and unease with most workers.

If your job cannot be done at home or from anywhere with an internet connection then this post is not for you. Obviously, there will be careers that rely on in-person performance of job duties but if your career choice offers the practicality of more time at home where you can control your environment to suit your needs, more time and attention to family, and far less travel time, this is an exciting cultural shift that should become as embedded in the working culture long-term.

If your career choice does not allow for work from home perhaps it’s time to think about doing something different in 2023? In the past, we could only outline a sketch of what a temperament-appropriate career’ might look like but now here it is and, if you need to make changes to take advantage of the new realities allowing for work from home or work from anywhere NOW is the time to skill-up, level-up, and adapt your life to YOUR needs…

Episode #64: High Sensation Seeking & The Highly Sensitive Person—You May Be Surprised!