For a long time now I’ve wanted to sit down and do an interview with my mother to ask her the big questions about life that we seldom (if ever) really discuss. So for this Mother’s Day, I decided it was time to prioritize this conversation, even if it meant having to suffer through the perils of recording on Zoom as opposed to chatting face-to-face.

This episode is a very special and personal one that I recorded for me, not for social media shares, not for search engine optimization, and not to grow an email list. This one is for me. But my hope is that listening to today’s conversation inspires you to reach out to your parents (if you’re fortunate enough they are still alive), or your siblings, or those who helped shape the person you are today so you can have an honest conversation just like this one.

This is the first of a 2 part interview where I’ve created a series of 20 specific questions I’m calling “20 Questions to Ask Your Mom On Mother’s Day” (which can of course be repurposed to suit your needs). These questions were inspired by a similar exercise from high performance coach Brendon Burchard in this Facebook post.

If you’d like to use the same 10 questions I asked in the first part of this interview, here they are:

YOUR BACKGROUND

When were you born, where, and what memories come to mind when you think about growing up as a young child?
What are the most formative memories or experiences you had as a child or teenager that led you to the person you have become today?
What is the most important lesson you learned from your mom?
What is the most important lesson you learned from your dad?
If your parents were still alive today and could talk to my kids (their great-grandchildren), what would they want to share with them?

YOUR CAREER

What path did you begin on in life when you first became an adult and why?
What career path (or paths) have you followed since then and why?
What do (did) you love the most about your career?
What makes you successful at what you do?
What do you believe about yourself that has helped you endure difficult times, and what is the most difficult experience you remember teaching you this lesson?

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Ep108: 20 Questions to Ask Your Father on Father’s Day Pt1 | with Al Arnold

Ep109: 20 Questions to Ask Your Father on Father’s Day Pt2 | with Al Arnold

Parenting Resources for Creative Professionals

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Guest Bio:

jane-arnold-bio

From 1995 to 2015, Jane Arnold was a part-time instructor at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Viterbo University, Wisconsin Bankers Association, Northcentral Technical College and Connected University Harper Collins Publishing. She was also a Macintosh expert at Wisconsin Public Radio.

She graduated from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in 1971 and finished her masters in 1976. She was the founder and president of Wisconsin Council for Gifted and Talented from 1975-1978 and was also involved in various gifted programs until 1982. She was also a part of the Project HAPPE from 1974-1978.

Aside from her career in education, Jane was also the Vice President of Bank One Wisconsin Trust Company. She was also active in the community, being involved in organizations such as the YWCA GREATER Milwaukee, Girl Scouts of Greater Milwaukee, University Lake School and Waukesha County Technical College.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

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