A Productive Conversation

Keynote speaker Brian Tracy discusses the importance of time management for students, handwritten vs digital notes, and timeless problem-solving strategies. Learn about setting goals in the present tense, the role of self-esteem, and the magic wand exercise for success in life.

As a specialist in delivering presentations and workshops to empower leaders, I’m excited to share with you today’s guest Dave Delaney – an expert on being nice. Today Dave Delaney joins the show, creator of the NICE Method™. He’s a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and the author of the acclaimed book, New Business Networking. He’s worked with the likes of Google, LinkedIn and UPS. I’m excited to speak with the fellow Canadian and comedy fan, to learn more about his approach to simply being… well, nice. We know the world could do with more of that! Tune in as we discuss practising empathy, the “Yes, and…” mindset, being open-minded – and my love for Ted Lasso on Apple TV. Talking Points Leaning into ‘niceness’ Dealing with jerks The link between happiness and niceness How to not treat it as a throwaway word Being authentically nice The skill in considering other people’s opinions and beliefs The NICE Method™ framework The impact of music Quote “First and foremost, be nice to yourself.” Helpful Links Ted Lasso Brené with Jason Sudeikis & Brendan Hunt on Ted Lasso How to Fend Off a Jerk The Master Communicator’s Secret Weapon Episode 274: Humor That Works with Andrew Tarvin Nice Maker Newsletter DaveDelaney.me Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since hosting his first virtual event in 2015, Liam Austin knows the formula to making a success of it. I learnt heaps from today’s interview with virtual events expert Liam Austin. As the world has gone radically digital for so many businesses this year, find out in today’s episode why a virtual event is a great way to grow your business and community. Liam is the co-founder of Entrepreneurs HQ and Virtual Summit Academy, which organizes many virtual summits and publishes marketing tactics of top entrepreneurs. When he had over 15,000 people register to attend his first virtual event in 2015 – Liam knew he had to share what he did to the wider business community. In this interview we explore producing live versus pre-recorded events, building tight funnels, how to stand out from other events, and how to make sure you attendees get the most out of the session. Talking Points What you can leverage from hosting virtual events How to stand out amongst the virtual noise The rough timeline needed when creating an event How can attendees get the most out of online events Optimizing what to do post-event Quote “Reverse engineer from your end goal.” Helpful Links Episode 308: Talking Slack with Phil Simon Zoom For Dummies | Amazon EntrepreneursHQ.com Virtual Summit Academy  Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With over 15 years of coaching busy, high-achievers, Tripp Lanier shows how to stay present and be guided by your internal direction. Tripp Lanier is a professional coach, author of This Book Will Make You Dangerous: The Irreverent Guide for Men Who Refuse to Settle, and host of The New Man Podcast. I loved interviewing Tripp as he’s an honest guy who asks thought-provoking questions.  Since 2005, Tripp has spent thousands of hours coaching people all around the world to get out of the rat race, become an authority in their field, and make a great living doing the work they were put on this earth to do.  As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get trapped in the hustle cycle. This episode will help release you from this trap and focus on what really matters to give you that ‘aliveness’. Tune in as we discuss issues with saying ‘no’, setting dangerous missions, unfulfilling vision boards, and reading old journal entries. Talking Points The correlation between being dangerous and being productive Managing uncertainty The comparison game How to identify what really matters to you Dealing with resistance The relationship between finality and productivity Creating missions as experiments Four questions to ask yourself at the beginning of your day Quote “A high-performing sheep is still a sheep.” Helpful Links This Book Will Make You Dangerous | Amazon Conscience | Amazon Gary Vaynerchuck The War of Art | Amazon My Shot – Hamilton Episode 227: Why You Need Atomic Habits with James Clear Atomic Habits | Amazon Clear Habit Journal The New Man Podcast TrippLanier.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After analyzing companies for almost 30 years, Paul Pagnato, shows how we’re in an exponential era. Find out how transparency is the key to growth. We can feel pretty vulnerable when being transparent. But real change happens when we start to be more honest with ourselves and those around us. This is why I’m so excited to have Paul Pagnato on the show today to deep dive into how we can adopt the transparency mindset. Paul has spent much of his career managing capital as a wealth advisor. From studying so many companies, he came to the realization that society has grown through massive waves of transformation over the last 500 years. And we’re going through one now – The Transparency Wave.  His latest book Transparency Wave: Exponential Changes That Will Transform Our World is an impactful read that dissects how an increasingly connected and technologically-advanced world presents exponential opportunities. Join us as we discuss his 6Ts of Exponential Transparency™, embracing fear, genomics – and yogis.   Talking Points What the Transparency Wave is The exponential element of transparency The 6Ts of Exponential Transparency™ The challenges when adopting a transparency mindset How we can apply this mindset to our personal lives The challenges with accountability The role of longevity How we can embrace failure Quote “Transparency changes everything.” Helpful Links Transparency Wave | Amazon The Compound Effect | Amazon Atomic Habits | Amazon Growing Young | Amazon Episode 318: Growing Young with Marta Zaraska TransparencyWave.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As host of NPR’s What We Do, Doug Fraser is not afraid to dive deep and follow his curiosity. Today we learn about the craft of clarity. My guest this time round is Doug Fraser, a creator, producer, and host of NPR’s What We Do. He’s a true expert when it comes to storytelling… be it the history of rats to kitchens. He’s not afraid to ask questions, which makes him a very exciting guest to have on the show. After years in the ad agency world, Doug now follows his own path to provide a valuable one-on-one marketing experience for businesses of all sizes. From pizza joints to multi-billion-dollar car dealerships, he’s helped brands achieve copywriting, social marketing, and videography success. Doug and I spend time talking about being present and seeking clarity through simplicity. Join us as we explore taking on new hobbies, capturing ideas, and knowing when it’s the right time to quit. Talking Points The impact curiosity has across all aspects of Doug’s life Energy from learning new things Balancing the time between learning and working Everyday tactics to help stay present His 4-step process for success Overcoming the sunk cost fallacy What simplicity shows us Process to note new ideas during a podcast interview Doug’s most invaluable tools Journaling and useful frameworks Quote “Everything that we’re learning is adding up in us.” Helpful Links What We Do Podcast What We Do: The College Curiosity Crisis What We Do: Becoming the Voice of Porky Pig What We Do: Creating National Geographic’s Photo Ark Photo Ark Ron Finley Teaches Gardening Headspace Brené Brown Episode 238: How to Keep Going with Austin Kleon The Dip | Amazon Episode 343: Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth Godin Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen Getting Things Done | Amazon Baron Fig Deep Work | Amazon Episode 229: Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport The Five Minute Journal Day One DougFraserDigital.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest works 25 hours per week since she had kids 10 years ago. Tune in to find out about her impactful approach to productivity. Racheal Cook is a business strategist and business development consultant. Through her signature online mastermind The CEO Collective, Racheal helps women entrepreneurs start and scale businesses without the hustle or burnout. Being a mother herself, I was fascinated by her approach to being a productive CEO. As a sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, marketing, and productivity, Racheal’s work has been featured on US Chamber of Commerce, Entrepreneur on Fire, Female Entrepreneur Association, Inc, Fast Company, Forbes, and more. She’s the author of Fired Up & Focused and Your Business Sweet Spot. Tune in as we discuss ways to structure the week, results-based outcomes, making personal and family time a priority – and what we can learn from meal planning. Talking Points Motherhood forcing clarity on productivity The Model Calendar Approach Being a morning person Setting aside “buffer” time The evolutionary nature of the Model Calendar Identifying your high-value tasks Niching down and serving women The CEO Date Quote “Productivity is about protecting myself from myself.“ Helpful Links The CEO Collective The CEO Planner  Episode 334: Endless Curiosity with Derek Sivers Fired Up & Focused | Amazon Your Business Sweet Spot | Amazon The 4-Hour Work Week | Amazon ‘Most Likely to Succeed’ Documentary  RachealCook.com/TheProductivityist Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re much closer to success than we think we are. Today’s guest Greg Reid will help you see what’s possible. Greg Reid is a fascinating character, and he’s testament to achieving great things despite the odds. Even with dyslexia, he is the ultimate master storyteller. He has been published in over 78 books, 32 bestsellers, five motion pictures, featured in many magazines, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He’s a highly sought-after keynote speaker, entrepreneur, with a strong win-win work ethic. I’m excited to catch up with Greg to learn more about his journey, and dive into his book Three Feet From Gold: Turn Your Obstacles into Opportunities!. Join us as we explore timeless authors, unexpected opportunities, and modernizing Napoleon Hill’s principles for success. Talking Points Why you need to stop planning The story behind the title Three Feet From Gold Why is Napoleon Hill synonymous with success? Greg’s CPC acronym for success Ways to stop us from getting in our own way An interesting path into filmmaking Being a dyslexic author Why you need to seek counsel, not opinion Quote “Seek counsel and not opinion.” Helpful Links The Napoleon Hill Foundation Think And Grow Rich | Amazon Episode 258: What You Can Learn from Napoleon Hill with Jeffrey Gitomer Getting Things Done | Amazon Wealth Made Easy | Amazon Think And Grow Rich ‘Stickability’ | Amazon Make-A-Wish Foundation Wish Man The Secret | Amazon You Were Born Rich | Amazon Rich Dad Poor Dad | Amazon The Millionaire Mentor | Amazon Chicken Soup For The Soul | Amazon Greg Reid’s Instagram Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seth Godin is a consistent player in the entrepreneurial space, influencing millions to embrace their inner-creative and best serve their audience. In today’s episode, we uncover how you can make that impact. Seth Godin has had a huge influence over my career, so I’m excited to bring him on (again) to hear about his latest projects and new book ‘The Practice: Shipping Creative Work’. As my first guest on the podcast I did as a productivity parodist, there’s lots to catch up on. This interview is full of countless gems, but what really stands out is being consistent with whatever it is that you want to achieve. In his own words, the toughest part is that “you have to show up, even if you don’t feel like it”.    Seth blogs daily. He’s been doing it for years now. He’s built a huge following with over a million readers, and is the author of over 19 books, including Purple Cow, Linchpin, and This Is Marketing. He’s also the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, which runs online seminars that have transformed the work of thousands of people.  Join our conversation as we explore indispensable tools, inbox zero, working with intent – and his 16ft cedar strip canoe. Talking Points Applying assertion to our work Why Imposter Syndrome doesn’t go away You don’t even need to meet your mentors Seth’s daily boundaries Impact of 2020 on his blogging Seth’s attitude towards uncertainty Defining good taste What we actually mean by ‘hacking’ Seth’s relationship with ‘trap’ emails The trap people fall into when chasing authenticity Quote “Know what your audience wants ten minutes before they do.” Helpful Links The Practice: Shipping Creative Work | Amazon Episode 334: Endless Curiosity with Derek Sivers Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction | Amazon  The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy | Amazon  ‘How To Get Your Ideas To Spread’ TED Talk Necessary Endings| Amazon  Ron Finley Teaches Gardening Masterclass Freewrite Inbox Zero: How to Stop Checking Email and Start Finishing It | Amazon Glowforge The Authentic Swing | Amazon TrustYourself.com Seths.blog Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Delegation is overwhelming. But it’s an essential part to any business, so expert Barbara Turley joins the show to explain where to begin. How often do you get caught up with small business overwhelm? Today’s guest Barbara Turley, CEO of the Virtual Hub, is a true expert when it comes to hiring and onboarding staff for small businesses. Barbara is an investor and entrepreneur with a keen interest in scalable business models, systems, processes and automation, content marketing and the power of inspired and empowered teams.  The mission of the Virtual Hub is to eradicate small business overwhelm by simplifying the offshore outsourcing process and facilitating cost-effective business scalability. Hiring support is not easy, so I’m excited to hear what Barbara has learnt from hiring some of the best VAs. Join our conversation as we explore setting expectations, the “huddle” concept, and learning from the mistakes we’ve made. It’s time to get out of the loop of being stuck in the busy work trenches, and start thinking about the bigger picture. Talking Points The simple steps to overcoming overwhelm The story behind The Virtual Hub A long-term thinking mindset Busting the common myths behind ‘I can’t delegate’ Procrastinating behind busywork The most effective way to recruit and onboard a VA Providing structures through tools The first step of delegation Quote “Delegation percolates and evolves.” Helpful Links The 4-Hour Workweek | Amazon The E-Myth Revisited | Amazon  Scaling Up | Amazon  Asana TheVirtualHub.com/Productivityist  The Virtual Success Show Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices