Good Life Project

Is creativity tied to your biological clock? A 2010 Global Chief Executive Officer study by IBM revealed the most sought after trait in emerging leaders. It’s not work-ethic or efficiency. It’s not motivation or productivity. Creativity is the trait most desired by those in charge. Understandably so. Because the ability to come up with new ideas, […]The post Unlock Creativity: Time of Day Matters appeared first on Good LifeProject. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is our second experiment, with a new show format, we're calling 9Things™. What is it? A three-person roundtable, where each person shows up with three topics to jam on. And, the thing is, nobody knows what the other person's topics will be until they hit the conversation.My guests for today's episode of the 9Things format are two good friends, Gabra Zackman and Dan Lerner.Covered in this episode:Hashtags: funny new weird thing or business tool?Hamilton on Broadway: the birth of creative geniusInnate Goodness: are we wired to be helpful?Yazidi Women and the brutality of ISISFoodie Culture: more than what's on the plateBizarre Bat Discovered: fascinating that we can still discover new speciesFour Year Long Collaborative Online Story: oops...I didn't mean to end it that wayGarbage: how can one person collect so much?Workplace Culture: people are the new greenFrom Lawyer to Children's Entertainer: helping others pursue their interestsIt's fast-paced, fun, utterly unscripted and at times a bit raw, but always good-natured and very real. Enjoy! Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you spent more time making?We tend to spend our work lives dancing between two modes: maker mode and manager mode.The idea first came to me through a friend, Brad Feld. Maker mode is where we are immersed in the process of creation, innovation, problem-solving, artistry. It's a powerfully generative state that often creates the giant leaps forward, the big ideas and awakenings that propel us.Manager mode is all the administrative, process-driven stuff you need to do to breathe life into the genius that emerges from maker mode. It's a necessary adjunct and, for some, it's also the place where they become most alive and aligned.Problem is, they often have trouble happening at the same time. One pulls you almost violently from the other and you end ping-ponging between the two and never really make much progress on each.What if you took a different approach? What if you created designated, longer-term windows for each. Then took it even farther and, when in maker mode, focused only on the 2% of making that yielded the most stunning outcomes?That's what we're talking about in today's short and sweet GLP Riff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dale Partridge was riding high, or so it seemed.A serial entrepreneur and founder of the cause-driven venture, Sevenly, the media loved him and thrust him into the spotlight. Sevenly venture was not only making money, it had also raised more than $4 million for hundreds of causes and more than a million people.From the outside looking in, everything was fantastic. But, inside, he was dying. Living a life at a pace that was destroying him, pulling him away from his family, ruining his health and making him question everything.Eventually, he hit the wall. And he decided to make some major shifts. Stepping away from the company he started, he picked up his family and moved to Bend, Oregon, a small town 3 hours from Portland to start the painstaking process of rebuilding his life, his health and his living. Reconnecting with the people and things that mattered, starting with his family.His recent book, People Over Profit, shares this story, taking you inside the lifestyle implosion that led to a good life evolution.I had a chance to sit down with Dale in his recording studio in Bend this summer to talk about everything from entrepreneurship to family, design and community, why people share things ("people don't share ugly!"), why being different matters and even the potential impact city-living has on life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you didn't have to change?What if everything you wanted, everything you needed, everything you aspired to become, you already had and were.What if living a good life was more about liberating and revealing than changing and becoming?The words transformation and evolution have become buzz-words across the landscape of personal development.The implication is that you, on the deepest level, are not who you need to be. That you need to become or step into something different and better before you can live your best life.But, what if that was a lie?What if deep down, you already were your best self and the work was really just about revealing it, removing the illusion, then living it?That's what today's short and sweet Good Life Project Riff is all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When people talk about Seth Godin, they often attach a variety of labels.Entrepreneur, marketer, mega-bestselling author, acclaimed speaker, trusted-advisor, provocateur, raconteur extraordinaire and ruckus-maker.He is all those.But, when I think of Seth, the first word that comes to me is generous. Seth is a stunningly insightful thinker and doer. But beyond that, he is kind, compassionate and fiercely curious. And, I'm fortunate to also call him a friend.So, when I had a chance to sit down with Seth to record a conversation about everything from his love of books and technology, creativity and making, fear and experimentation and what it really means to live a good life, it was one of those conversations I didn't want to end.We first aired this conversation as a GLP TV episode. I'm so excited to share this "Best Of" episode with you now as a podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if entrepreneurship wasn't just about what you create, but who you become along the way?Most people look at entrepreneurship as a quest, a desire to create something from nothing. The goal, to get to a substantial, viable, impact and revenue generating place as fast as humanly possible.Problem is, with rare exception, the path to success in the world of entrepreneurial dream manifestation just doesn't work that way.On a daily basis, the life of the entrepreneur ranges from intentional meandering, testing and "pivoting" to violent, non-stop jags, head-spinning problem-solving and night-sweats. And that's when things are going well!If your goal is simply to get swiftly to the end-state, you are going to suffer more than needed. You are also going to miss a huge opportunity for grace and growth. And you will likely ignore many critical signposts and possibilities that would've made the experience profoundly different in a way that's better. For you and for what you're trying to create.What if you approached entrepreneurship not as a mad-dash, but a daily practice?How might that change both the way you experience it and your likelihood of success? That's what I'm talking about in today's Good Life Project Riff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The average person spends an almost obscene amount of time working tirelessly to avoid failure. We're terrified that we'll put everything we have into an endeavor, only to come up short.Failure, we're told, is something to be avoided at all costs. In some parts of life and professional cultures, it's not only frowned upon, it is fiercely punished.So, every day, a little bit at a time, we confine ourselves into a supposedly safer and safer, smaller and smaller box with the hope of avoiding failure. We stop taking risks, go only for the most certain options and, in doing so, we destroy any semblance of life, freedom, discovery and possibility in our lives.It's bad enough when we make these choices for ourselves. But, what happens when we impose our failure-adverse lens on our kids, students or anyone others who might look to us to figure out how to live in the world?We end up not only teaching them to avoid failure, we also erect cages around them. Ostensibly to "protect them from both others and themselves." Sometimes, and on some levels, that may be necessary.But, increasingly, it may do as much if not more harm than good. Because it protects them from outcomes we assume have a high-probability of happening, yet, in truth, have little or no place in reality. And even when they do happen, failure often sets the mandatory elements in motion for growth. When we kill any possibility for failure, we also kill any possibility of confidence, discovery, self-reliance and growth, all critical underpinnings of a life well-lived.Today's guest, Jessica Lahey, knows this cycle well. As a teacher, education advocate and writer, she's been on nearly every side of this dynamic and seen the toll it takes. In January 2013, she wrote a provocative article on the topic that nearly melted the internet. She's now expanded upon her wisdom in her tremendous new book, The Gift of Failure, How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed.Join us, and if you're inclined, share this eye-opening and deeply-informative conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We see it around us every day. And, yes, we've been that person.The one who wants something so badly we'll take it any way we can get it. Including hoping the person or organization we're up against, our competition has a really bad day.But, is that really winning? Is that what it's all about? No matter the "objective score," will it make us feel the way we want to feel?Or, will it lead to a paper win, but a hollow heart?Beating someone else's bad day isn't the same as stepping into your best.What if you could go about it differently? What if you could reframe winning on both a deeper and larger scale?What if you could not only win, but change the zero-sum structure of most games in a way that elevated not only you, but the human condition.That's what this week's GLP Riff is all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest, Dr. Alice Wilder, is one of the creative geniuses behind some of the biggest kids' "edutainment" juggernauts in history, from Blues Clues to Speakaboos and the recent Emmy Award-winning Amazon Kids program, Tumble Leaf.Her entire journey, though, might never have happened but for the fact that one person, in her case a teacher, noticed something special and "sparked" her curiosity and, in turn, her life.In this week's conversation, we talk about her fantastic adventure. We discover how "being Josh" in the famed Tom Hanks movie, Big, fueled a dream that then turned into a profoundly rewarding living and life. We dive into what the word "sparking" is all about, how a single person or moment can change everything and how you can be that catalyst both for others and for yourself.And, we talk about the power of curiosity, of reconnecting with your inner kid, a willingness to try and fail and just move on. We explore the joy and illumination that comes along with learning from and working with kids and the absolute egoless honesty they bring with them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever found yourself saying, "if only I had more [insert missing ingredient], I'd be able to succeed on a totally different level?"Yeah, me too. Thing is, with very rare exception, that's never true. Taking your game, your craft, your career, your creative or innovative juices, your art and outcomes to the next level is often not about more, but about less.Less money, less ability, less resources, less freedom, less of everything. When you are constrained, it forces you to operate on a whole different level. And, that's often where the real magic happens.That phenomena, why we're wired that way, and a fun bit of research is what this week's GLP Riff is all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By the time people living with autism hit their mid-20s, they often "age out" of all the services and support available to them. Many, in fact, 80-90% end up unemployed, often for life according to this week's guest, Tom D'Eri.Tom wasn't about to let that happen to his little brother, Andrew, who'd been diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Obsessed with entrepreneurship as a kid, and following in his dad's footsteps, Tom and his dad decided to create an entrepreneurial venture designed to both employ and provide community for those living with autism. They also wanted to show the local community and corporations that people living with autism can be wonderful contributors to a workforce.The perfect vehicle, amazingly enough, was a car wash that came to be called Rising Tide Car Wash. What happened with that business, it's astonishing success, how it changed not only his brother, but also the lives of so many others, including him and his family, that's the conversation in this week's episode of Good Life Project.Along the way, we also talk about Tom's dramatic change at age 11 from an overweight, non-athletic kid to the captain of nearly every major team and what triggered to metamorphosis. And we explore how autism affected the entire family, including Tom's dad's decision to stay true to his entrepreneurial calling, even in the face of six-figure therapy and medical bills. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s this odd thing that happens the moment after we ask for help.While we’re asking, we stand in a place of surrender. We hit a point, often deeply uncomfortable, where we’re riddled with uncertainty and we step into a place of vulnerability and say, “please, I don’t know where to go from here. Can you give me some help?”We feel great for a moment. And, then those we ask for help do exactly what we wanted. But then, something we never expect happens. They abandon us. Worse, they get angry at us. And, we’re left even more alone and in need than before.What we don’t realize is, they’re not the problem. We are.They didn’t choose to abandon us, we forced them to.We made it impossible for them to help. We asked for guidance, then refused to receive it. And, we don’t even realize we’re doing it.How and why this happens, and what to do about it, is the focus of today’s GLP Riff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you knew why you were here from the time you were six years old? Cara E. Yar Khan is a what I’d call a “purpose outlier.” Most people never discover a driving purpose in their lives, or even a collection of fierce interests. If they do, it most often happens later in life […]The post Undeterred: From Devastating Diagnosis To Radiant Life appeared first on Good LifeProject. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're all guilty of it...It's something we all do. For some, it's not a big deal, intruding on rare occasion. For others, though, it literally controls your life. It fills each day with what feels like an impenetrable level of suffering and it's often accompanied by a stifling level of hoarding, both emotional and physical. Especially when the that hoarding of things and states helps to delude you into desperately yearned for feelings of certainty and security.What is it?Grasping.We hold mercilessly onto certain pain, rather than release into uncertain possibility.Thing is, we don't often realize the suffering is coming from our own refusal to let go of our death grip on the very thing or relationship or experience that is causing unease until we've been metaphorically and, sometimes, physically hammered into letting go.How this unfolds, why we do this and what to do about it is the focus of today's GLP Riff. And, along the way, you just might learn a thing or two about...waterskiing (you'll have to listen to find out what that's all about).So, I'll leave you with a question...What are you holding onto now that's smothering you under the weight of your own unrelenting grip?Now, go listen now. And if you know anyone this might help, please feel free to share it around. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the time he was a kid, Sean McCabe was obsessed, strike that, possessed, with letters.The shape. The form. The curves and nuances. Not just the fonts you see on computers, but the ones drawn painstakingly by hand, what's come to be known as hand-lettering, consumed him.A few years back, Sean began posting his work online. Nothing happened for the better part of two years. Then, lighting began to strike. In part, riding along with and, in part, helping to fuel a massive resurgence in both the practice and demand for hand-lettering, Sean's posting began to catch fire.People wanted to not only buy his work and hire him, though, they also relentlessly asked "how" he did what he did. Both as an artist, and as a professional who'd built a career hand-lettering.That demand kicked off a journey Sean never saw coming. One that's now led him into what he terms the next "season" of his life, moving away from the practice of hand-lettering and into his role as a leader and teacher in the business-side of art. He's built a tremendous educational resource with his Learn Lettering course, a broadcast-quality podcast and video series with a global audience and an emerging career as a keynote speaker. And, there's lots more in the works.In this week's episode, we dive into the exact steps along his journey. We explore how he developed his skills as a hand-letterer, then shifted his focus to cultivate the same depth of expertise in business and media. Sean is incredibly transparent and generous and he also shares a mountain of strategies for building not just a business, but a life. In fact, this conversation was recorded during one of his "7-week sabbaticals," a one-week window that he takes work-free every seven weeks. We talk about how that began and, also, how sacred and important it has become.Oh, and P.S. - An all-new Learn Lettering 2.0 classes will launch on July 27th, 2015. I was a student of the first one and I was blown away by both the depth of the content and the production values. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How often have you put off doing something uncomfortable and told yourself the timing's just not right?The timing will be better when, if, then, because, after.So you wait. And you wait. And you wait.Did you do what you said you were going to when you got more money, more time, more resources, more stability? More often than not, you probably didn't.Sometimes, bad timing is a legitimate issue. But, equally if not far more often, it's not. Instead, it's an excuse for avoiding the uncertainty of doing something new. It's not based on sound analysis and intelligent exploration, but rather fear and avoidance. Driven largely by the desire to not have to wade from a place of certainty back into the uncertain abyss, even when that place of unknowing is the gateway to stunning possibility.That's what today's Good Life Project Riff is all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if there was a single trait that was a virtual unlock key for an extraordinary life?Ok, maybe there's not a single magic trait, but there is something I've observed that seems to be omnipresent in the lives of those who live great lives.It doesn't matter whether, they're movers, shakers, artists, makers, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, caretakers or anyone else. This one trait seems to be some kind of good life ignition switch.What is it? Curiosity.Turns out...Curiosity is a key driver of a life well-lived. (tweet this)And that brings up a question...Is curiosity a childlike state of wonder you are born with or can you develop the trait of curiosity by following a set of practices?The answer may surprise you. We dive into this question and come up with some eye-opening and actionable answers in this week's GLP Riff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years of launching, building and selling technology ventures, Brad Smith was at a crossroads. Starting almost accidentally, he parlayed a self-taught expertise in computers and then design into a series of ventures that kept him busily creating. But when the company that bought his last venture was sold, destroying his ability to run the business the way he wanted, he realized it was time to exit.He took a wild contrarian leap away from technology and joined the team at The Great Discontent to help take their soulful online magazine and grow it into what is quickly becoming a stunningly beautiful "artisanal" print magazine. Some would view this move as nuts. I mean, print is dead, right?In this week's episode, we explore his sometimes crazy journey, his entry into entrepreneurship and his journey through various startups, mergers, burnout, pulling the kill switch, self-care, time off, the timing of opportunities, making something extraordinary to help people, and returning to the roots of what inspired you in the first place.Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a moment that nearly brought me to tears...As an entrepreneur, a writer, a creator, a big part of why I do what I do is simply the hardwired need to create. I do the thing I "can't not do."The process of creation breathes me.Being able to write, to build, to produce, these things all light me up. But there's another part of the equation. It's the part about how the things you create land in the world. How other people experience them.It's part about whether they matter not only to you, but to those who might, in some small way, engage with what you make. To those who might just be left changed, or at least moved in a meaningful way.Often times, you never get to see this part.But, every once in a while, you stumble onto them. This week's Good Life Project Riff is about one of those moments. It happened through pure serendipity. It involved a guy named Steve and a venture he called Exit Plan B. The image in this post created by him.Neither of us knew what was really happening or how we'd truly affected each other until we'd been working together for months.Until the moment everything came full circle. And it left us both jaw-dropped.Enjoy the story! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January 2013, Susan Cain published a book that would spark a global conversation and change the world. Her stunning, international bestseller, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, gave voice to nearly a third of the human race, those who'd often walked through life believing that their quiet nature, their love of smaller groups, individual conversations and solitude was something "to be fixed." Something that would hold them back in life, keep them from the good jobs and from rising to embrace their potential.Quiet was shock to the system. It validated this often-maligned social orientation with a fierce attention to science and revealed the stunning creative and social power of introverts. Cain let the quieter set, of which I am a member, know we're okay, better than okay, we are blessed. She also pulled back the curtain on how society and the corporate world build structure and culture that supports and rewards extroversion, while downplaying the value of introverts and stifling their ability to do the often game-changing work needed most.This week's conversation with Susan features not only what her book and ideas have done to the lives of millions, but also what the book has done to and for her. How it's changed her, thrust this previously introverted, solitude-loving writer onto the global stage and how she has found a new normal in her role as a leader and a public introvert.Follow Susan: Website | TwitterCheck out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One the fastest ways to accelerate your growth, personal or professional, is to seek out and ask for guidance from mentors. People who've been where you're looking to go and are open to sharing their stumbles, wins and wisdom.But, there's something that often happens when a mentor gives feedback that does not validate or, even worse, straight-up shoots down what you want to do. You fight the feedback, and often, the mentor.When I'm in the playing the role of mentor and this happens, it's not unusual for me to ask a mentee who is refusing to open to a new possibility or give up a position or decision that's being proven increasingly wrong..."how's that working out for you?"Why this refusal to open to the input of those we seek to guide us is pretty interesting. Because you were looking for the wrong thing. You wanted validation, but the mentor's job is to speak truth, at least their truth.Because, when you're trying to create something great...You don’t need validation, you need truth.We talk about this phenomenon and what to do when it happens in this week's short and sweet Good Life Riff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want a job at Google, a gorgeous hideaway on Airbnb, a spot on the Stanford faculty, a romantic partner or even a kidney?Good news, bad news. You have a say, but so do they.It's all part of a phenomenon called "matching markets."Markets are what make businesses possible. But not all markets operate on the exchange of cash for goods. In fact, some of the most important markets go so far as to outlaw cash. In other markets, like romance, many societies just find cash morally repugnant. And, no matter how much you may want something, there's another person who'll have a say in whether you get it.When you understand these often complex and hidden markets, the nuanced rules and games that get played, you end up in a better place to both get what you need from them and give more effectively to those you seek to serve.That's what we're talking about in this week's conversation with Nobel Prize-winning economist, Stanford professor and author of the fascinating new book, Who Gets What - and Why: The New Economics of Matchmaking and Market Design, Al Roth.This discussion pulls back the curtain on why we are willing to do so much, for one thing, person or opportunity and yet so little for another and how that is redefining our options, how they are presented, and how much control we really have over any of it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You want to be a better writer, write and study the craft of writing. Want to be a better maker, make more stuff and study the art of making. Want to be a better entrepreneur, build more businesses and study the process of birthing businesses.But, don't stop there. The really big leap, the thing that launches you from really good to world-shaking, is not skill. Transcendent output happens when you go beyond craft and do the work to become a better person.Because WHO you are flows into and through your work as much as HOW SKILLED you've become.This is what we're talking about in today's Good Life Project Riff. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tamsen Fadal is an award-winning broadcast journalist and television anchor on the evening news in New York City.She's worked incredibly hard to get where she is, traveling the world, entering war-zones and extreme settings, giving a voice to the voiceless and a serving as a trusted guide through times of extreme tragedy, disaster and misfortune.While she'd become comfortable being the face and voice of the news, though, she never thought she'd actually be the news. But, that's exactly what happened, and not in a good way, when her relationship with her husband and business partner in a match-making side-business fell apart.The news hit the papers and she was faced with not only navigating the extraordinary pain of a crumbling love, but the surreal task of doing it all under the microscope of the media, while also being the media. The tabloids and the internet were not kind. She was, after all, a very public person and someone positioned as an expert in finding love. And, now she was struggling.She would've loved to just pull back, to work things through in private and recover. But, it was her job to show up and put on the face of calm confidence on television.She found herself living two lives. Cool, upbeat, friendly newscaster by day and the falling apart human by night.In this week's conversation, we dive into Tamsen's life in journalism, the moments that have forever changed her and how the media is evolving. And we talk about her relationship, surviving what should be private in the most public way and then rediscovering her sense of identity and healing. She shared much of this journey, as well, in her new book, The New Single.This conversation is not just about transitioning from a marriage, it's about how to move through shattering challenges in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You wake up one day with pain in your lower back. Happens to the best of us.Popular wisdom says, “oh, you’ve got lower back pain, you need to strengthen your abs to support your back and it’ll go away.” Or you need to strengthen this or that or the other muscle, your problem is weakness.A similar thing tends to happen across all parts of life. You've got a problem, it must be caused by some weakness somewhere. Easy fix, find the weak link, strengthen it and build around it.Problem is, there's often something much deeper going on. A level of misalignment and dysfunction that's causing the pain. In your body, and yes, even in your life. And when you try to strengthen into that more fundamental dysfunction, very often you end up making the pain even worse. It actually deepens the dysfunction.So, what do you do instead? That's what this week's short and sweet Good Life Project Riff is all about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you could instantly trace your connection through an online family tree to nearly anyone on the planet?Put another way, what if every person alive was your cousin?Enter A.J. Jacobs, the master experimenter and mega-NYT best-selling author known for running crazy, year-long experiments on himself.In the past A.J. has spent a year living every rule in the Bible (in NYC), tried nearly every health and fitness tip ever offered in an attempt be the healthiest person on the planet, and even read the entire encyclopedia. Each adventure became a book, and together, they became a fascinating life.In our conversation, today, A.J. outlines his newest, boldest experiment, and this time, he's making it about you. Jacobs is on a quest to build the biggest family tree in history, then invite everyone on it to the largest family reunion . . . ever.In fact, every person on the planet is invited to his Global Family Reunion on June 6th in NY. And, since we're all his "fave" cousins, A.J. has graciously set up a special link where you can register for 25% off.In this week's episode, we talk about what inspired A.J. to run yearlong experiments with his life, then turn them into books. We explore how showing we're all related is really about a much bigger mission to cultivate tolerance and understanding. And we also dive into the creative process, the writing life, habits, the downside and upside of choice, fear of rejection, faith, atheism and so much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How often have you told yourself, "I'm not good enough, old enough, accomplished enough, credentialed enough, or any other 'enough' to get paid real money or get the gig I want more than anyone else?"Newsflash, there's a good chance you're right.It may well be true that there ARE indeed plenty of other people and organizations who are better at what you do than you are. But, there's also a dirty little secret in the world of business and success.Very often the job, opportunity, gig does not go to the most qualified person. You can still get the plum position, sweet job and serious paycheck if you understand why.In today's Good Life Riff, we're busting the old "I'm not good enough" myth and revealing what matters, oftentimes even more than qualifications.So, stop beating yourself up for being "along the road to higher value." And start understanding what people really want and what you need to give them to create the opportunities you most desire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can lose almost any part of your body, except one, and still be you.What is that one exception? Your brain.Because...The brain is the seat of your memory and your identity.Which is why brain injuries can be so devastating. And taking care of your brain is so incredibly important to a life well-lived.Question is, how do you do that?Turns out, there's a lot of "neuro-myths" floating around today. We love to spout all sorts of supposed facts about the brain. Things like, "the average person only uses 10% of their brain." Or, "you can completely rewire your brain through meditation." And, "exercise is like Miracle Grow for the brain."To find out what's fact and what is fantasy, I sat down with today's guest, Dr. Wendy Suzuki.Wendy is an award-winning neuroscientist and NYU professor. She runs an acclaimed research lab, teaches classes, and is the author of the new book, Happy Brain Happy Life. She is obsessed with how our brains either fuel or hold back our best lives.But as she explains in our conversation, her dogged quest to become a leading researcher and professor came with a cost. She gave up nearly every other part of her life. A few years back, she awakened to her reality and set in motion a series of radical changes in a renewed quest to reclaim her life.In this week's conversation, we explore her personal journey, do a bunch of myth-busting and discover how best to optimize our brains for life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not the box society puts us in that limits who we become, it’s the box we put ourselves in.There's no secret to success. No magic bullet. No pixie dust. Success in any endeavor is about doing the work, every day and not running for cover when things get hard. Because they always will. Even when it's right.Taking fierce, consistent action, though, is easier said than done. Especially when that action potentially exposes you to failure, or being judged or ridiculed, or cast out of a family or group or community. So our “seemingly” rational brains assume into existence all sorts of reasons not to act.This week's Good Life Project Riff is the first in a series about the lies we tell ourselves that keep us from doing great work and living extraordinary lives. With each new offering in the series, we’ll do a bit of myth-busting and box-breaking, then offer something to do. Sometimes, multiple things.Today, to kick off the series, we're starting with something we've all said, many, many times...Life-sucking Lie #1: I don’t have timeSure, there are some people for whom this claim is legit. But as you're about to discover in this week's Riff, that person is likely not you. And, not to worry, we won't leave hanging. Jonathan will also share 4 key elements to reclaiming time and turning time into an ally in your quest to live an extraordinary life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is sponsored by Camp GLP, the ultimate summer-camp for entrepreneurs, makers and world-shakers, recently featured in USA Today!+++"Brand is the exhaust fume of the engine of your life."A show of defiance at the age of 18, Nilofer Merchant packed a box, declared she was leaving home and walked out the front door. She though her departure would last an hour, it turned into a lifetime.Since then, her fierce intellect, bundled with a relentless curiosity and drive to learn, uplift and serve has fueled an astonishing career and life. Working in some of the largest companies in technology, she became known as the "Jane Bond of innovation," finding ways to not only generate more than $18 billion in revenue for those businesses, but also rebuild teams and ventures deemed unsave-able.She's written numerous books, spoken all over the world, taught at Stanford and even inspired millions to trade sitting for walking in her famed TED talk. In fact, this entire podcast was recorded standing up in our Manhattan studios.Maybe more impressive than the depth of her curiosity and the quality of her ideas, though, is the size of her heart and her willingness to be real. To walk the walk of someone who is committed to inciting profound change in the world and to sharing her vulnerability and humanity along the way.This is a conversation you will likely want to listen to a few times over and share with friends and colleagues.Links we mention:Nilofer MerchantAdam GrantTim CookHeidi RoizenMad MenTom PetersCarol DweckCandle CafeAustin KleonFollow Nilofer: Website | Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Don't make people work to learn what you know."Today's short and sweet Good Life Riff is about the increasing value of ease and simplicity in a world that seems designed to overwhelm and pummel.It shared an experience I had in law school, one that revealed the power of brevity and respect in a massively stressful environment and, in turn, led to a dream outcome.A few lines from the episode:When you force the person who you seek to serve to be pummeled by the spray of the firehose as a precursor to receiving the true nuggets of wisdom you have to share, how receptive do you think that person becomes? Contrast that with listening deeply, thinking more deeply, taking your time and then offering pre-digested, immediately-actionable tactical strikes with less frequency.Not only is this more helpful and respectful to the recipient, it’s also more likely to keep those in a position to judge you in a state of mind that makes them not only place a higher value on your contribution, but want more. More of what you have to share. More of what you see. More of you.This is especially true in the world in which we live today. Because, increasingly, we live and breath into a barrage of constant connection and information. A firehose world.How do you shine in that world?"Be a source of value. But more important. Be a source of ease."Enjoy the Riff, and if you're inclined, feel free to share with friends! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"The creative act is surrendering to not knowing."There's this scene I have etched in my mind. This week's guest, Cynthia Morris is dancing around a fire in Costa Rica, giggling mercilessly, utterly at home in her playfulness as another friend plays guitar and belts out 80s hits. In that moment, she's the person I wish I could let go enough to be on my best days. Yet, for Cynthia, it's simply who she is. Every day.Beyond an alluring level of ease with her essence, Cynthia is also a gifted writer's coach and creativity coach, a multi-time author, both fiction and nonfiction, an international workshop facilitator and, more recently, she's taking her seat as an illustrator.What started as her own personal process for visual note-taking as she traveled and learned turned into a form of arresting artistic expression. Her main canvas was the little-known accordion Moleskine journals. And it's led to not only a burgeoning career illustrating, but also her powerful Capture the Wow process, which she teaches in workshops around the world. Cynthia's energy and viewpoint on trusting the creative process are profound. We discuss how she found her way through her varied creative pursuits, how she crafted a fulfilling career out of them, and how she's built a very real living traveling, creating, laughing, teaching and speaking French.This episode is for everyone who wants to be an artist but thinks they don't have it in them, or they could never make a living doing it.Follow Cynthia:Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter"True power is our resourcefulness."Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After years of paying to wear your favorite shoes, you're getting paid to be seen in them.After years of speaking for free and paying to travel, you're now getting paid to speak.After years of buying your favorite meals, jewels and gear, you're getting paid to eat, wear and use them.After years of writing for free, you're getting paid to contribute.How did this happen? How do you go from working for "free" or even paying for the "privilege" to getting paid to do the exact same thing?It's all about a little thing called “brand hand." It's the defining element in your ability to make the leap from paying to learn to being paid to build your own brand.And it's what we're diving into in today's Good Life Project Riff.Along the way, we'll bust some huge myths about what's really happening when you're working for "free." We'll come to the realization that it's never really about free versus paid, but rather cash versus non-cash compensation.We'll dive into how and when "free" is not only okay, but smart, when it should be off the table and how to leverage this experience to make the leap from non-cash compensation to cold, hard money.If you'd like to read the full text of this week's Riff, you can find it here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine this...A financial genius spends his life developing a complex financial model with the intention of telling you what stocks to buy and sell, and when, in order to make the most money and minimize risk.You'd expect that model to out-perform a single rule that says something like "just split your money evenly between 20 stocks." Except, according to today's guest, Simple Rules co-author, Donald Sull, when that very experiment was run, the simple rule beat the expert every time.As amazing as technology and sophisticated systems are, they often end up performing no better than far simpler, yet often ignored simple answers. Same holds true for life. We spend so much time looking for the fancy methodologies, systems and technologies. We assume they've got to better than something that appears so simple. So we ignore the simple and waste tons of time and money building something that makes us feel better, but doesn't beat the easy answer. And that is a huge mistake.In this fascinating conversation, Sull draws on everything from his experience as a bouncer at a biker bar to his experience teaching entrepreneurship at Harvard and building and advising global brands to prove a simple point. With rare exception, from weight loss to wealth, simple always wins. If you've been feeling overwhelmed with complex problems, take a deep breath and listen to this episode.Follow Don:Website | Twitter | LinkedIn"Willpower is a reservoir, not a stream."Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you watch kids create something, it's like watching an artist who is given complete permission to explore, experiment, and express. There's no sense of censorship or fear of judgment...at least not until we're a bit older.Working with your hands just plain does something to you. It drops you into a place of pure creativity and consciousness. You become the process, you get lost in it. And that sensation is pure bliss.But, as we get older, we tend to go to that place less and less. We leave our artist maker side behind. And, in doing so, leave a part of us behind as well.This week's Good Life Project Riff shares a story and an invitation. To reconnect with your soul through your hands. Jonathan offers up a near-tactile story about how, with no workshop and a modest NYC apartment, he started building tables as a way to not only express his jones to "make," but also reconnect with that primal experience of pure creative consciousness.And, in case you're interested, here is one of the finished products, a little 150-pound table known as the Concrete Behemoth. If you want to read the full story (and see pictures) on Jonathan's blog, you can at http://www.jonathanfields.com/god-in-grain/Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In February 2006, Sir Ken Robinson stepped onto the TED stage and delivered a scathing indictment of the modern educational system, entitled "How Schools Kill Creativity." That talk exploded into the public's consciousness and has since become the most watched TED Talk in history, with more than 32 million views and more than 250 million people estimated to have seen it. While it may not have started the conversation on education, it brought a level of global attention to the problem like never before.In the intervening 9 years, Robinson has continued to speak and evangelize a different approach to education built not around order and conformity, but passion and personalization. And he's written a series of bestselling books with his newest, Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution that's Transforming Education, featuring inspiring "schools done right" case studies to both learn from and build around.Even more remarkable than Robinson's fierce intellect and provocative ideas is where he came from. Growing up in post World War II Liverpool, he was stricken with polio at the age of four, forever changing the course of his life and exposing him to the profound injustice that awaits so many kids labeled as "different."In this week's conversation, Sir Ken and Jonathan sit down for a rare conversation about not only Robinson's ideas, but where those ideas came from, his childhood battle and then lifelong experience with polio and his extraordinary will to make a difference. He reminds us to ask not "how intelligent are you?" but rather, "how are you intelligent?"Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much of your life are you living in your head?If you're like most people, an awful lot. It's great to have a rich inner life, but when that noggin-talk stops you from engaging with the world around you, it's time to stand up and say, "I've got a problem!"This week's 6-minute Good Life Riff is a wake-up call.I'm known among my friends as a straight-shooter. In part, because I've seen far too many brilliant would-be entrepreneurs, artists, authors, world-changers, etc. keep themselves in analysis paralysis while their incredibly important ideas go to waste.So I'm calling out the over-thinker, the inner-debater and the cranium critic in each of us.Get out of your head, and into your life!Read the print version of this episode on Jonathan's blog at http://www.jonathanfields.com/life-is-a-contact-sport/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"One of the biggest struggles we deal with as parents is making decisions for our children that feel safe for US."I have been interested in getting to know today's guest for months, ever since I interviewed her husband Rich Roll for Good Life Project a couple of years ago. If you haven't watched that interview, I definitely recommend it for an amazing story of transformation and re-birth.The conversation in today's episode is equally inspiring and fascinating as I talk with Julie Piatt, the plant-based chef, healer, wife, mother, and artist who has created a remarkable health movement with her husband and co-authored the fantastic new book - The Plantpower Way.One of the things I loved about Julie, her plant-based philosophy and book, is that she defies all stereotypes, keeps it beautifully real and absolutely accessible and inclusive. Put another way, there are no "shoulds," only invitations to explore. In this wide-ranging conversation, we delve into her childhood in Alaska being raised on game meat and salmon, her journey through raising 4 children with an ultra-endurance, plant-powered athlete husband, and her extraordinary story of healing an "un-healable" cyst in her neck by changing what she ate. We also take an unexpected, yet eye-opening look into the world of homeschooling, and the power of supporting children in finding their own paths, and then moves into the vibrant plant-based lifestyle Julie and Rich have created both in their home and in the world.No matter what your ideas about food are, this conversation will open your eyes to think in ways I'd venture you haven't before.Follow Julie:Website | Instagram | Facebook"You have to be the healer of your life."Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Will you step into purpose and connection and expression, or leave them for dead?"There's nothing quite like getting up on stage in front of a crowd to share something creative you made.It's terrifying for most (if not all) of us.But sometimes we feel compelled to do it because we know that facing THAT fear will open the door to purpose and potential.On today's GLP Riff episode, I share the story of one of our GLP Immersion members, Barry Solway, how he literally and figuratively faced his fear of being a writer on stage at Camp GLP last year. And how the incredible GLP community rallied around him to help turn his poem into a published illustrated children's book in a matter of weeks.This story is about more than facing fears however. It's about making the choice to either stay in your comfort zone, locked down by self-imposed stories, or to step outside of that and shine the light onto what you are capable of.Here's an excerpt from the blog post where I tell Barry's story:I love Barry’s story.Not just because he’s part of our GLP family. Not just because he’s bringing a wonderful story into the world and stepping into his craft as a writer.But because his journey has been a beautiful example of what can happen when you commit to a process of discovery and openness and vulnerability. When you allow all the assumptions about what you should be to fall away and step into what you are. When you’re willing to share your voice with the world, hold yourself out to be on the one hand, judged, but on the other, embraced and lifted.If you'd like to read this full story, it's written on Jonathan's blog at http://www.jonathanfields.com/courting-monster/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Creativity [happens] not necessarily because we have no limits, but because we have found ways to solve problems within limits."Growing up in China, Jia Jiang dreamed of coming to the United States to make his mark as an entrepreneur. But his first attempt found him living with criminals in small-town Louisiana as an exchange student.Jia didn't give up, though. He found a new family who cared, then devoted everything he had to build his career. Until he came face to face with a crippling fear of rejection.If you're human, you're probably not all that different. To overcome this fear, Jia mounted a stunning and very public 100-day rejection adventure that not only "cured" his fear, but also turned him into a viral video phenomenon, speaking and author of the new book, Rejection Proof.This story is both inspiring and vulnerable as Jia Jiang takes us behind the scenes of what it looks like to stare rejection down.Follow Jia:Website | YouTube | TwitterCheck out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So many people head into the world of entrepreneurship with high hopes, only to end up miserable and running back to a J.O.B. We call this "entrepreneurial failure to thrive."It doesn't have to be that way.We had great feedback on our first short and sweet Good Life Riff, so we're teeing up a new 7-minute piece about a huge miss in the world of startups and entrepreneurship One that leads to misery-infused money.We also share 11 critical questions for every entrepreneur, business-owner and aspiring entrepreneur, oh heck, every living human with a pulse, to consider when trying to build something that both serves a need and also serves your own desire to craft a fantastic life.Here's a quick excerpt:Entrepreneurship is not about building a great business, it’s about building a great life!But, you will never get what you want from the way you contribute to the world until you learn how to align your actions with your essence. And you cannot do that until you know who you are.If you’d like to read the entire essay, read and answer the 11 questions offered, you can find it here on Jonathan’s blog. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Rather than making perfection the goal, make improvement the goal."If your work environment and culture empty you out, it will make it near impossible to live a good life. Along the way, it'll make the business you're working for grind to a halt. And, if you happen to own that business, then you end up in a personal and professional world of hurt.So, what makes for a great work culture and environment?We point to companies like Google as a shining example of incredible performance based on a creative culture, a beautiful campus and innovative and engaging projects with plenty of time to do crazy things.But, what's really going on there? Turns out there's science behind it.Today's guest, Ron Friedman, is a genius in this realm. He has spent years of his career researching, coaching, and writing about the actual levers that aid in creating the best places to work.In our conversation, he breaks down the academic studies into layman's terms, cites fascinating examples from real companies who are changing the norm, and shares nuggets from his new book The Best Place to Work. We even talk about video games and how we should structure work progression like them.No matter if you're an entrepreneur, working in a large company, or preparing to enter the workforce, this episode is so important to understand what is changing in our work methods and what still needs to change.Some questions I ask:Is having meetings outside scientifically supported as being more productive?How do you deal with managers who are the problem with the company culture?Is it possible to grassroots a cultural change in a company from the bottom up?What have you seen around the culture of failure?What surprised you the most about what benefits work in your research for this book?Follow Ron:Website | TwitterCheck out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a Good Life Project "Riff."What's that? A short, punchy riff on one particular topic that matters to a life well lived. Generally no more than 5 to 10 minutes.As always, these won't replace our weekly in-depth conversations, but if you like them, we may produce more and add them in as supplements to the weekly conversations. So let us know if you want more over on Facebook or Twitter.This week's Good Life Riff is entitled - The Killer App is You. It's about the mistake we've all made when we try to make a mad grab at success by doing the wrong things and relying on delusion and illusion.Here's a quick excerpt:The best of the best, the people who are now and will in the future eat you for lunch, build themselves, through fierce effort and expert guidance, into unstoppable human engines of intelligence, creativity, intuition, compassion, service, expression and heart. Then, they build a culture that empowers the people they bring into their endeavors to do the same.They exalt self-knowledge, personal growth and meaningful expression as the heartbeat of success.And they are hyper-aware that they, on an individual level, are both the keys to the castle and the sand in the machine. Equally capable of fueling acceleration and impact or delusion and collapse."If you really want to invest in something, invest in you."If you'd like to read the entire essay, the story was originally told on Jonathan's blog. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Nothing about them without them."Sometimes you hear stories about the horrors of what people go through in other parts of the world and it just seems hopeless.Who are you to help change traditions and practices that have existed for centuries?And why would people listen to you as an outsider?These questions and challenges have not deterred today's guest from making an incredibly important impact in places like Africa and India.Jane Mosbacher Morris spent years working in the US Department of State, the McCain Institute, and with organizations around the world learning about the actual issues that surround practices like early childhood marriage and violence against women. And then she made an important discovery.No matter how much you give aid to a woman who is a survivor of these kinds of trauma, you can't give her freedom without helping her become economically independent.Jane founded a company to do just that last year, To The Market, and in our moving conversation, she explains how it helps women survivors gain income and freedom.We talk about her experiences meeting women and girls in the red light districts of India, her work with the UN, and her vision for what this company can become.This is a powerful and raw conversation that will inspire and educate you about what you can do to share what you have where it matters most.Some questions I ask:What is a woman's life actually like in the parts of the world you are working in?How do you bridge the gap between the rules on the books and the deep-rooted beliefs of the culture?How do you tell the stories of these survivors while still honoring their humanity?What's your greatest hope for the survivors?Links we mention:UN WomenTo the MarketMcCain InstituteTomsFollow Jane:Website | Twitter | FacebookCheck out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Your activity needs to flow from your identity."It seems that A LOT of people struggle with the question, "What should I do with my life?"So I was really interested to have a conversation with today's guest, Jeff Goins, because that very question is at the heart of his new book, The Art of Work.Interestingly, he ended up re-writing entire book after realizing he had sanitized his own story of becoming a writer, and needed to find and share a deeper set of truths.In this conversation, we also talk about the idea of polymaths - multi-talented people - and what a "portfolio life" is.If you've ever wondered what your calling is (and if you have one), you'll find this episode with Jeff Goins very interesting.Some questions I ask:How do you define vocation?Is there just one purpose for each of us to accomplish in life?What is a "portfolio life"?Can you master multiple talents? Or just practice them?What do you think about leaving a legacy?Follow Jeff:Blog | Twitter | FacebookCheck out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the next few months, we'll be testing a few different show and segment ideas. Not to replace our current weekly in-depth interviews, but to potentially add to them.Yes, you heard right. There just might be more GLP to engage with on a regular basis, real soon.And, today's our first experiment, with a new show format we're calling 9Things™.What is it? A three-person roundtable, where each person shows up with three topics to jam on. And, the thing is, nobody knows what the other person's topics will be until they hit the conversation.My guests for the premier episode of the 9Things format are two good friends, Gabra Zackman and Erin Moon.As you can imagine, this leads to moments that range from seriously funny to seriously soulful and, well, seriously not-safe-for-work (headphones might be advised for this one, toward the later parts).We absolutely want your feedback on this new format and episode, so please share your thoughts in the comments below or by tweeting me @jonathanfields.As I mentioned, it's not going to replace out weekly conversations, we're just playing with potential additional show formats to add into the mix.Covered in this episode:Bronies: adult men My Little Pony lovers - Freaky or soulful?Depression: is it okay to own it, and what's the opposite?Maniacal taskmasters: do you need one to become the best in the world?Negotiating with terror: where do human rights begin and end?Vision-boarding: silly myth or scientific tool?Paying for faith: will people give more if they don't have to give at all?Online dating: full frontal pics, where's the lineTrue love, twice found: is it possible to have two loves of a lifetime?Manly beards: because, c'mon, hipsters are people too!Links we mention:Rethinking Positive ThinkingMisfitBeard InstituteFollow Gabra and Erin:Gabra ZackmanErin Moon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everything you've been told about building and breaking habits may well be wrong. Or, at the very least, missing a critical middle step.In this week's episode, we bust myths and share how to do it right (hint, there are 4 different approaches and if you choose wrong, you will fail).Creating good habits is one of the master keys for living a good life. But, it's hard. Really hard. And, it turns out, the reason it's so hard may not be your fault. It may, in fact, be that you've been given misinformation.According to mega NYT bestselling author of The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin, in her new book, Better Than Before, there's been a missing piece in the habit puzzle, and she's got the answer.In this fast-paced, incredibly-revealing conversation, Rubin lays bare they myth of the one-method-for-all-people approach to habits. To create or change a habit, she offers, you first need to understand which of four key personality types you are. Then, tailor your approach to your specific personality needs.We dive into each type, how to figure which you are and how that changes the way you'll need to build or change your habits. By the end of this episode, you will definitely be interested in knowing which you are, so I've linked the online personality typing tool she's created below to figure out yours.Some questions I ask:What are your thoughts on how The Happiness Project has evolved into a brand?Is the audience that loves The Happiness Project who you thought it would be?What's the difference between a behavior and a habit and why does it matter to turn one into the other?What is the role of forming habits in living a good life?Links we mention:Better Than BeforeThe Happiness ProjectTake the Habits QuizFollow Gretchen:Website | Twitter | FacebookCheck out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As busy, productive humans living in the 21st century, one of our most common responses to the question "How are you?" is "Fine. Busy."Especially if you're a New Yorker.And it's true. We are.But have you stopped to think about what you fill your time with that makes it slip through your fingers so quickly?Today's guest, journalist and author, Laura Vanderkam, analyzed peoples' time diaries recorded over 1001 days and came up with some startling discoveries. You may not be nearly as "at the will of life's demands" as you think you are.In our conversation, we start out exploring the truths of the writer's life, then dive right into the truth about time, how to really harness it, how we lie to ourselves about sleep and so much more. In, the end, we find more hope than anything else.How we spend our time, it turns out, is not a matter of fate, it's a matter of choice.Some questions I ask:When did you decide that being a writer was your thing?Are you okay with not having much time to write for yourself anymore?Do you believe no one is a natural at writing?What surprised you from your time diary studies?Can you have it all?Links we mention:How to Make Work Feel More Like Summer CampThe Artist's Way - morning pagesFast CompanyIRSAGretchen Reynolds - HIITPareto PrincipleJoAnne WilsonI Know How She Does It - out June 9thFollow Laura:Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn"The reality is rosier than the glasses." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Someone who is stressed out needs mental health as much as someone who has bipolar disorder."There are few subjects as delicate as mental disorders and the best way to treat them.I'm guessing most of us tend to avoid the topic in general, we're pretty ignorant about what is involved.Until it affects us or someone we're close to it.That's why I was so interested in learning from today's guest.Ross Szabo is living proof that living with a mental disorder, in his case bipolar, does not have to define or isolate you.Through extreme mood swings, substance-abuse, denial, secrecy and erratic, sometimes harmful behavior and thoughts (as well as see his brother go through the same), Ross eventually found his way back to a dynamic peace with bipolar, and devoted his life to becoming a national advocate for better mental health education.His story is powerful and raw and he shares an honest look into what it's like to "feel the tentacles" of your disorder creeping up on you.We discuss his process of working through self-hatred as an adult after years of coping through alcohol abuse. He shares his viewpoint on the terminology we use around mental illness and we talk about the alarming trend in schools to cut programs like physical education and art (which are key in supporting mental health for kids).Fundamentally, Ross is about hope and education, building and sharing his curriculum with thousands of schools through his Human Power Project and speaking on the topic globally.Some questions I ask:Do you remember your first manic episode?What's the connection between anxiety and bipolar disorder?How did you get into the Peace Corps since you were exposing yourself to change, loss, and lack of sleep?What is it like to feel the tentacles of the disorder coming at you?How do you publicize a brand about mental disorders?Links we mention:The Human Power ProjectJoseph CampbellBehind Happy FacesScott HarrisonFollow Ross:Website | Twitter"I was a functional mess-up."Check out our offerings & partners: My New Book SparkedMy New Podcast SPARKEDVisit Our Sponsor Page For a Complete List of Vanity URLs & Discount Codes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.