A Productive Conversation

On this episode of the podcast I fly solo! I talk about why I’ve added a second episode to the podcast each week and present (nearly) all of the story of how I’ve built my business as per a request from a podcast listener. While I’ve shared my story in bits in pieces both on this podcast and elsewhere, listener Jeffrey Fate wanted me to try to share how I’ve built my business in one fell swoop somewhere. I asked him if he’d like that somewhere to be a single episode of The Productivityist Podcast, and he loved the idea! So I share my long and winding journey from Costco to today, with all (or most of) of the “built my business” highlights and waypoints along the way. I also discuss why I’ve decided to double the amount of episodes I produce per week and what that means for the future of this podcast. Helpful Links Jeffrey Fate and Me: The Twitter Thread that Led to This Episode’s Topic Effing The Dog: The Podcast | Episode 3 from 2008 (Effing is short for Efforting) The posts I’ve written for GTD Times My posts at WorkAwesome Articles I’ve authored for Cult of Mac My posts at The Next Web Check out what I’ve written for Lifehack My posts at Lifehacker What The — Happened to Lifehacker? Time to Say Goodbye | My Lifehack Farewell Post System.ly (from Greg Hickman) The Daily Driver: Get my FREE daily paper planning tool 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

On this special episode I’m joined by Chase Reeves LIVE at The BIG Ready to talk about many things, including something Chase calls “creative menopause.” Chase co-founded Fizzle.co — the first education platform designed for modern indie entrepreneurship — as well as the Chase Reeves YouTube channel, where he makes 60 minute reviews of backpacks that somehow people love watching. When I asked Chase to join us at The BIG Ready I knew that having him record a live edition of this podcast was the way I wanted him to present. Chase has a natural gregariousness that simply fit this model, especially in front of a live studio audience (of sorts). We talked about productivity, his journey from Fizzle to creating a YouTube channel where he shares his insights and ideas on bags of all shapes and sizes, creativity, and much more. It’s an engaging, entertaining, and endearing conversation that I’m certain you’ll get a kick out of. You may even learn a thing or two! Talking Points Why did you choose the word Fizzle for your business? Chase talks about if he taps into or uses willpower at all in his life and work What was so promising to Chase about switching to do YouTube and bag reviews? How important is sitting with questions for Chase? Chase touches on letting go of things and how that can lead to moving on and making new things This is what the word BIG means to Chase How important is patience when it comes to work and knowing when to stop? Quote “We’re constantly stepping in without certainty.“ Helpful Links Corbett Barr Fizzle.co The Fizzle Show #338: The Best Productivity Routines with Mike Vardy and Chase Reeves The Productivityist Podcast #164: Faster Than Normal with Peter Shankman The Diagram of Success Twyla Tharp Alan Watts The Productivityist Podcast #54: Voice Lessons with Todd Henry Seth Godin Chase’s YouTube Channel The Productivityist Podcast Pick of The Week: The Knowledge Project 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

As we head towards the end of March, I wanted to share another bonus episode of the podcast featuring every episode from March 2019 of my inactive daily podcast 3 Minutes of TimeCrafting. On this bonus episode you'll hear me discuss the following: How your to do list can be deceptive The concept of "overchoice" and how it can derail your productivity Why just getting through today is plenty productive Insights on wasting time The reason your to do list is a story ...and much more! This stretch of episodes also includes a mini-series called "Work By Mode" that deals with one of the primary elements of my TimeCrafting method and philosophy: Mode-Based Work. http://productivityist.com/fivedollars/ (Take my 30 Days of TimeCrafting fundamentals course) Want to discover some of the books mentioned in this episode on Scribd, my reading app of choice?https://www.scribd.com/g/9a8d8 (Click here.) 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 https://productivityist.transistor.fm/subscribe (here).Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Hyatt returns to the show for this excellent episode of the program. Michael is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Michael Hyatt & Company. He is also the author of several New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling books, including Platform, Living Forward, Your Best Year Ever, Free to Focus, and his newest book The Vision-Driven Leader. Michael has scaled multiple companies over the years, including a $250M publishing company with 700+ employees and his own leadership development company that has grown over 60% year over year for the past 4 years. Under his leadership, Michael Hyatt & Company has been featured in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America for three years in a row. He enjoys The Double Win with his wife of 40+ years, five daughters, and nine grandchildren.  I spoke with Michael about the journey he took to get to this book, what it takes to become a vision driven leader, the importance of having a vision, and much more. As always, it’s fantastic to speak with Michael about his work – he’s someone who truly embodies everything that he delivers to the world – and I know you’ll get plenty out of this discussion. Talking Points Michael talks about why he wrote this book now and if it was a progression of his past books or if now was just the right time What does vision mean to Michael? We discuss the difference between a manager and leader Michael shares whether or not you must use the steps to become a vision driven leader in order… or if that is not all that important What can you do to help a leader who has so many ideas and visions execute those ideas and visions? Michael talks about what he would do if someone isn’t really understanding (or interested) in “The Vision Script” that a vision driven leader attempts to bring to life This is the person that Michael considers to be a vision driven leader that he looks up to We talk further about the term “vision zag” What are some things people can take away from the book that they can use if they are not running a company but simply want to run their lives better? This is the first step to becoming a vision driven leader Quote “Leadership by its very definition means that you’re heading towards a destination and if you’re not clear on the destination you really aren’t gonna be leading people anywhere.“ Helpful Links The Productivityist Podcast #239: Free to Focus with Michael Hyatt Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want A Special Offer from Michael Hyatt for You (Bonuses available until 2020/04/04) The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: That Creative Life 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

After stopping the short-lived first edition of 3 Minutes of TimeCrafting, I decided to get back into the idea of producing a daily podcast in February 2019. I began producing shows in earnest following Groundhog Day 2019 (February 2nd) and kept it going for several months. In this lengthy episode, you'll hear me offer insights and ideas on the following: Why you need to make time to sit with feedback Making self-care a part of your productivity practice Embracing the concept of "mise en place" How to get your week to behave better Why theming your days saves time with your kids And that's just for starters. There are 26(!) episodes combined in this lengthy episode, so take your time with it. There's a lot that I offer so spread out your listening as you see fit. And if you like what you hear, let me know. Email me at podcast@productivityist.com to tell me directly or leave this podcast a rating/review wherever you're listening to podcasts these days. Thanks for listening. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode I’m joined by Pete Mockaitis. Pete is, among plenty of other things, the founder of How to Be Awesome at Your Job and he hosts the popular podcast of the same name. Pete is an award-winning trainer who has served clients in over 50 countries. His work has enhanced Fortune 100 corporations, high-growth startups, and major nonprofits. He’s conducted one-on-one critical thinking coaching sessions for over 700 thinkers from every Ivy League university and numerous world-class organizations such as Apple, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey & Company, and the United Nations.  There’s a lot to unpack in this episode – and it’s one that could have gone on much longer than it did. Pete and I talk about prioritization, effectiveness and how to measure it, experimenting with different tactics and tools, and more. I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of this conversation. I know I did! Talking Points Pete shares the reasons for starting his podcast This is how Pete makes it a priority to get his podcast episodes ready for production What are some of the tactics that Pete has put in place to make sure that stays a priority? Pete offers up a tool that he’s found that helps him prioritize – a tool that he didn’t think would work When it comes to The ONE Thing, Pete shares how you can break the bias of giving a credible answer to what your “one thing” is Here is one of the things that Pete has tried that didn’t work for him as well as he’d imagined What is The Effectiveness Ratio? How important is it to let go of things? Pete and I discuss why the thinks people are drawn to certain words, along with the expectations that come with those words and terms Quote “The critical stuff isn’t just a smidge more important but it has sixteen times the impact.“ Helpful Links How to Be Awesome at Your Job #80: Finding and Doing the One Thing with Jay Papasan The ONE Thing Pocket Biases Why I Stopped Doing GTD: Part 1 Why I Stopped Doing GTD: Part 2 Why I Stopped Doing GTD: Part 3 Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen Understanding the Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule) Breakthrough Advertising Warren Buffett’s “2 List” Strategy: How to Maximize Your Focus and Master Your Priorities I Will Teach You to Be Rich Pete’s Website Getting started with the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: Imaginary Worlds 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

In the following bonus episode, I've combined all of the episodes from the March 2018 run of my now-concluded 3 Minutes of TimeCrafting podcast. The topics I discuss include: Using small but effective boundaries The leap forward to Daylight Savings Time and how to ward off its effects on your productivity Why Mondays might not be the best day to kick off your week Why one question I get asked a lot is a very challenging one to answer I hope you enjoy this bonus episode of the podcast. I'm going to be publishing the archives of 30 Days of TimeCrafting as bonus content over the next several weeks here as well as a bit of an experiment. If you like this episode, please consider leaving a rating and/or review in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you are listening to the show. Thanks for listening. See you later.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast I’m joined by J. Elise Keith, co-founder of Lucid Meetings and author of Where The Action Is: The Meetings That Make or Break Your Organization. We dive into an area of our work lives that can have a direct impact on our overall productivity both individually and organizationally. That area is… meetings. Meetings can be a real productivity killer. But they don’t need to be. I was grateful to have the opportunity to talk with Elise about her comprehensive book – which is a “must read” if you’re looking to make better meetings happen. We talked about designing meetings that matter, how to break the bias that meetings aren’t productive, and much more. Meetings are going to happen, so why not make them happen in a way that works? This discussion is just the thing to help you turn your meetings from interruptions to productivity to instrumental for purposeful productivity. Enjoy! Talking Points This is what Elise has to say to people who are hesitant when going into meetings because of their aversion to them We talk about words or phrases you can use instead of the word “meeting” What are the 16 different types of meetings and how did they make their way into the book? How does someone get started using these different types of meetings without being overwhelmed with such a drastic change in culture? Elise shares with me her thoughts on “holacracy” and whether or not she’s explored that in conjunction with her work We discuss the five focus areas that Elise brings up in the book that will help you make your meetings better This is one of the key takeaways Elise would love for you to have when reading her book What’s one thing someone can takeaway from this podcast to make their meetings more productive? Quote “Every time we put a meeting on the calendar in this company or in this team, we’re going to include in the calendar why we’re meeting and what we expect to get out of it at the end.“ Helpful Links Where The Action Is Lucid Meetings Resources for Having Great Meetings Holacracy 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

I’m excited that my friend Courtney Carver returns for this episode of the program. We focus our conversation around her book Project 333: The Minimalist Fashion Challenge That Proves Less Really is So Much More, which is a project I’ve undertaken and am still committed to several years later! Courtney is always a delight to chat with and this episode is no exception. We delve into the core elements of Project 333, some of the things that can hold people back from taking on this challenge, how the challenge affects more than just what’s taking up space in your closet, and more. I hope after listening to this episode that you’ll pick up Courtney’s book and give Project 333 a try. It’s been working for me and I know it can work for you. Talking Points What is Project 333? While it appears geared towards women, is this something men can do as well? These are some of the benefits that Project 333 offers beyond having just a clean closet Courtney talks about decision fatigue What are some of the ways you can “hack” Project 333, if any? Courtney shares an unexpected Project 333 success story What do you do when you’ve added something new and have gone above the limit? We discuss how receiving gifts plays a role in this project How can someone keep the momentum of Project 333 going? What factors does the weather play in Project 333? Courtney discusses what to do when you’re sentimental about certain clothing items These are some tips that Courtney uses to help someone break through the bias that they can’t do Project 333 Quote “We’re spending our resources, our time, attention, and energy on things that we don’t care about.“ Helpful Links Be More With Less The Productivityist Podcast #91: The More of Less with Joshua Becker Weed Out the Clothes You Don’t Wear with a Simple Hanger Trick Everything You Need to Know About Project 333 Check out Courtney’s Instagram! The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: Naval The Productivityist Podcast theme song is Nothing at All by Fictions (courtesy of Epidemic Sound) 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

I’m happy to welcome to Chris Krimitsos as the guest for this episode. Chris is a father, husband, community builder and ever-evolving innovator. He loves people and their stories and has leveraged his gifts of connecting others to build communities around entrepreneurship, podcasting, and multimedia. Chris was profoundly affected at 16 years of age when he watched his father lose a restaurant he had bought with sweat equity and eventually put the keys in for the last time giving it back to the bank. He vowed then that he would make it his mission to help business owners the world over to avoid that terrible fate. His book, Start Ugly: A Timeless Tale About Innovation & Change is an extension of that promise and a story that can be understood by all who read it. Talking Points Chris shares the premise of Start Ugly and why it’s been such a powerful thing for him Why did Chris decide to write the book as a parable of sorts? Does starting ugly help with the ability to deal with change? If so, how? This is the single step of the seven Chris shares in the book that he believes is a barrier for most people Chris and I discuss the role that comfort plays when starting something ugly What does Chris have to say to people who are worried about the risk factor and forging a path that seems uncertain? How has Chris taken his family and personal obligations in mind when starting something ugly? This is what Chris sees down the line for the podcasting community Chris and I talk about how he is able to handle all of his obligations… of which there are plenty! We talk about the importance of being nimble What are some of the other biases that Chris has come across and realized that the book may have helped break? Quote “The way you’re going to start is never going to be as perfect as where you’re going to end up, so it’s always going to be an ugly start.“ Helpful Links Chris Krimitsos The One Minute Manager The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea The Productivityist Podcast #222: How to Fight a Hydra with Josh Kaufman Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life PodFest Adam Curry RODECaster Pro Podcast Production Studio Start Ugly: A Timeless Tale About Innovation & Change The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: The Good Life Project The Productivityist Podcast theme song is Nothing at All by Fictions (courtesy of Epidemic Sound) 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