Don R. Elliott Distinguished Presidential Lecture
Thursday, November 5, 2026 5:00 PM-8:00 PM
George Shinn Event Center
This year, Lipscomb is excited to feature Greg McKeown, author of two New York Times bestseller, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less and Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most, as the keynote speaker of the annual Elliott Lecture. A reception will be held at 5 p.m. and the lecture and interview will begin at 6 p.m.
The annual Elliott Lecture series features best-selling authors and thought leaders at the intersection of psychology, leadership and business. It is hosted by the College of Leadership and Public Service. No cost to attend, but registration is requested.
McKeown's talk will explore how to do less, but better, and the systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution toward the things that really matter.
About Greg McKeown
McKeown is the host of the popular self-improvement podcast, The Greg McKeown Podcast. In this podcast, he engages in weekly conversations about prioritizing what truly matters and advocates for doing less but doing it better. Additionally, he leads the Essentialism Academy, where he trains professionals from over 100 countries to live more deliberately. His books have sold 3 million copies and have been published in 40 languages.
Since its publication, Essentialism has become a part of the wider culture. Kanye West declared himself an "Essentialist" on The Joe Rogan Podcast. It's Steve Harvey's favorite book. Former First Lady of California, Maria Shriver, shares insights from the book at her coveted Sunday luncheons. Hundreds of thousands receive his 1-Minute Wednesday newsletter.
He holds a Master's from Stanford University and is conducting doctoral research at the University of Cambridge. His clients include Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Nike, X and the Navy Seals.
About the Elliott Lecture
The Don R. Elliott Distinguished Presidential Lecture Series is designed to expose the Lipscomb University campus and the surrounding community to individuals of influence on one or more contemporary issues. Recent speakers have included Jonathan Haidt, Daniel Pink and Dan Heath.
An endowment established at Lipscomb by the Don R. Elliott Foundation provides primary funding for the Elliott Distinguished Presidential Lecture. The lecture series is named in memory of Don R. Elliott, a native of Kerr, Arkansas, who was a professor of economics and political science at Little Rock University, Randolph-Macon College and Vanderbilt University. He founded Don Elliott and Associates, a fundraising consulting firm that directed campaigns for Lipscomb University and a host of other universities, colleges and private schools.