A Productive Conversation

On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Eliot Wagonheim, a lawyer and the author of Fire, Aim...Ready: Management. We talk about partnerships, setting boundaries, and even touch on how improvisation can help you in your business. Some of the takeaways from our conversation include: The four key questions you need to ask before entering into a partnership or agreement. How to make contracts that really work through storytelling. Why saying “no” is extremely valuable, and it is extremely positive for a business to be able to say it. The importance of stepping back. I believe it’s incredibly valuable and sometimes I’ve been guilty of overlooking it, particularly when things get frantic. But I think you have to have a number of devices to do that. Relevant Links: Home - Farsighted Business Farsighted Business Podcast Fire, Aim...Ready: Management: The Start at the End Approach to Crushing Competition, Crafting Culture, and Cementing Relationships by Eliot Wagonheim | Amazon Eliot Wagonheim (@Wagonheim) | Twitter Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Emmy-award winning TV news producer, speaker, and author of the book Fearless and Free, Wendy Sachs joins me at the Productivityist Podcast. Wendy has also worked as a Capitol Hill press secretary, public relations executive, CNN contributor, content strategist, and editor-in-chief of Care.com. Tune in as we talk about careers, career change and ways you can move forward in your own career. Some of the takeaways from our conversation include: Thoughts on the role fear plays in career change. The importance of finding the right environment for you to thrive. How you can take action and move forward today. Relevant Links Wendy Sachs | Website  Fearless and Free: How Smart Women Pivot--and Relaunch Their Careers by Wendy Sachs | Amazon   How She Really Does It: Secrets of Successful Stay-at-Work Moms by Wendy Sachs | Amazon  Wendy Sachs (@wsachs) | Instagram   Wendy Sachs (@wsachs) | Twitter   Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Daniel Lerner and Alan Schlechter. Daniel Lerner is a clinical instructor at NYU and has a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where he serves on the teaching staff. He works with musicians, athletes, and executives to improve their performance through developing a healthy psychological state. Alan Schlechter, MD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU Langone Medical Center and the Director of the Child Psychiatry Clinic at Bellevue Hospital. He seeks to provide the best possible mental health care to the most vulnerable children and families in NYC. Wherever you are right now, I think this discussion about learning will offer you some helpful advice and practical tips you can use today. Some of the takeaways from our conversation include: Setting a good example for your kids with how you respond to situations. An airport delay can be negative or you can turn it into a chance to have a great time playing a game. The importance of play. It comes naturally for children but as adults, we have to be told to exercise. Following the right role models and learning. Students who studied Thomas Edison and Helen Keller were more likely to ask for help and to find a tutor. Framing things into perspective. If you play a short game for20 minutes, winning and losing is really like a micro-second. Would you rather have a great time for 20 minutes or hate the whole game if you lose once? The five components of happiness with the acronym PERMA. P stands for Positive emotions, E is for Engagement, the R is for Relationships, the M is for Meaning, and the A is for Achievement. What makes up willpower? Sleep can be a very important component. Relevant Links: How to Succeed in College (and Life)  Science Of Happiness Professor Dr. Alan Schlechter On Getting By   Speaker, Author, & Consultant - Daniel Lerner   Dan Lerner: The Science of Happiness, Performance, and Well Being   Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Damion Lupo, a financial mentor and co-author of Reinvented Life. Wherever you are right now, I think this discussion will offer you some helpful advice and practical tips you can use today. Some of the takeaways from our conversation include: The importance of triggers The questions to ask to find blind spots How frameworks and structure foster creativity Why we have a need for stillness and simplicity Relevant Links: Total Financial Control Reinvented Life by Damion Lupo Damion Lupo's Website | DamionLupo.com Damion Lupo | Twitter Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I met Shawn Stevenson at Tropical Think Tank in February of 2017 and his talk was phenomenal. We had a few exchanges while we were there but I wanted to have him on the show to dive deeper into some of his work. Shawn is the author Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success and if you’ve been listening to my show for a while you know that I’m definitely into the idea of how sleep can affect your personal productivity. Some of the highlights from our conversation include: Why sleep is such a hot topic these days and what goes on during sleep that has such an impact on us The controversy that surrounds some of the newer research surrounding sleep (and health in general) Why getting sun and daylight on your skin is one of the most important things you can do - and why it’s harmful if you’re not taking time to do it I had a great time speaking with Shawn on this episode. I hope you enjoy it as well. RELEVANT LINKS: Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson The Power of When with Dr. Michael Breus | The Productivityist Podcast The Model Health Show Shawn Stevenson | Twitter Shawn Stevenson | Instagram Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going! 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by engineer by day, aspiring productivity hacker, and co-founder of to-do list app Vista List, Shawn Razek. Here’s the crux of Shawn’s mission: “Time is something we are all trying to make the most of and I want to do my part to help others accomplish that through coaching and creating great tools.” Some of the takeaways from our conversation include: The transition from high school to college (and then to the workforce) is often a big change. Working longer can be a sign that you're not being productive at work. Small 3-minute and 4-minute tasks add up during the course of a day.  Shawn does a short workout every day during his lunch hour. Establish your precedents and boundaries with co-workers. We often overestimate the amount of time left for projects and tasks. Relevant Links Vista List  Vista List (@Vista_List) | Twitter  Shawn Razek | Medium  Shawn Razek | LinkedIn   Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Goins is out to prove that real artists don't have to starve. In fact, he is out to prove that they can thrive in his latest book Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age. My wife and I had the chance to spend time with Jeff at Tropical Think Tank in early 2017 and we had some fantastic conversations surrounding artistry, writing, business, family, and more. While I've hung out with Jeff at other events (including Chris Guillebeau's World Domination Summit), getting to know him better in Cebu was one of the highlights of my time there. Some of the things we discussed in this episode include the idea of how he is able to be so prolific and deliver quality at the same time, why stealing can be something an artist can do, why collaboration can be a good thing – or even the best thing – for the thriving artist, what role mindset and money have in the life of an artist, and more. Relevant Links Real Artists Don't Starve | DontStarve.com     Jeff Goins's Website | GoinsWriter.com   Why You Need to Take Personal Productivity Personally | Productivityist  @JeffGoins | Twitter  Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this episode, I went out and pursued hard so I can chat with Sketchnote creator, Mike Rohde. Mike is a sketchnoter, designer, illustrator, self-professed techy, author and speaker who is fond of simple yet impactful design solutions. A sample of such is the Daily Plan Bar which he created to make task management more manageable. Our discussion involves the origins of the Daily Plan Bar, how he came up with it and the other systems he uses to manage his work tasks and his home life. Specific points we’ve chatted about are: How his intention to get the most of his day, avoid distractions and just get away from the computer prompted him to maximize analog tools and create the Daily Plan bar. Whose systems influenced and were integrated to create Mike’s Daily Plan Bar. How he incorporates digital with analog, with his outlook calendar playing the master role from which he extracts the details of his daily plan bar. Dealing with too many tasks, prioritizing which ones to do in the day, how Mike reminds himself of what needs to be done or focus on. How to make a Weekly Plan Bar that integrated with the Daily Plan Bar, and how this allowed him to prioritize his tasks and see the week at a glance. Situations when a weekly plan may not be as helpful nor practical to maintain. How Bruce Lee’s principles based on martial arts may be applied to productivity and life. The length of testing Mike has done before he released the Daily Plan Bar for public consumption. What products Mike uses and how he recommends to do and utilize the Daily Plan Bar effectively. Mike’s simpler task-management and journaling practices for home and personal purposes. His stand on the analog-digital debate, the apps he uses, and how he prefers to do his task management. The World Sketchnote Day and how to be a part of it. Relevant Links The Sketchnote Handbook by Mike Rohde | Amazon The Sketchnote Workbook by Mike Rohde | Amazon Everyday Sketchnoting with Mike Rohde | The Mikes on Mic The Daily Plan Bar by Rohdesign | Medium Planner Hack The Dash/Plus System | Patrick Rhone The Best Kind of Paper Pushing | The Productivityist Podcast The Staying Power of Sketchnotes with Deborah LeFrank |The Productivityist Podcast Weekly Plan Bars | Matthew Lang Tools for Thinkers | Baron Fig Hobonichi Techo 2017 Mike Rohde's Books on Sketchnoting | Designer Mike Rohde Mike Rohde (@rohdesign) | Twitter Mike Rohde (@rohdesign) | Instagram A Showcase of Sketchnotes | Sketchnote Army Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a real treat chatting with this episode's guest Toku McCree. Toku is a coach, teacher and the guy behind Unexecutive.com and Samurai Coaching Dojo. His background working with rock stars and living in a Zen monastery certainly gives off a vibe that he’s less traditional than the usual, and he uses these experience to teach entrepreneurs and leaders an out-of-the-box mindset to redefine success not as the destination but as a part of the journey to an amazing life. Our conversation focused on the the idea that obsessing over tactics could actually be ruining your business, and even your life. Some of the points Toku and I covered in our discussion includes: An obsession with productivity and strategy that he's noticed working with entrepreneurs, leaders, and CEOs. The point in an individual's growth when the focus shifts from what you’re doing to what you’re being, and how this can change everything in your life, thus creating a kind of efficiency with less friction. How he had 30 jobs before he was 30 years old, and how a cycle of getting hired, learning, getting bored and leaving a job led to a realization that he remains dissatisfied. Meeting someone in a party which eventually led him to live in a monastery for two and a half years, where he learned about happiness and fulfillment. Questions to ask yourself to enable you to run your business, or life, with greater efficiency, and without being tied to a rigid process, system, tactic or tool. How vulnerability is actually a strength than can create possibilities, and enable one to be more effective in dealing with relationships, teams, and business. Why is it important for a successful person who may be so used to relating to the world in a place of strength to show and experience vulnerability. How putting tactics in place with perfection as the goal is likened to running a tank with no weaknesses, and why this is not an ideal mentality. The significance of practicing presence by stepping back and relaxing to generate insights towards improving your business and life. Relevant Links: Unexective.com Samurai Coaching Dojo | An accelerator to practice the art of deep coaching. Picking role models that matter | Toku McCree | TEDxZurichWomen - YouTube Toku McCree (@unexecutive) | Twitter Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest on this episode is fellow Canadian Corey Poirier. Corey is a keynote speaker, sales professional, entrepreneur, and the host of Conversations with Passion Radio Show where he has interviewed over 4,000 "super-achievers." A passionate speaker who wants to share with people his craft, Corey is behind the Passion Cure and The Speaking Program. It is through these avenues that he reaches out to people, coach those who are interested in developing their communication skills, and feature those who have been successful in their life’s passions. Corey and I had a similar path in our lives that took us to what we’re doing now, and that is just one of the things we chatted about in this episode. Other areas we touched on are: His journey starting with a career in sales, then shifting to stand-up comedy before finally transitioning into his passion for public speaking. Our similar background in performance arts, and things that we didn’t enjoy as much in that field. How people’s feedback propelled him into diving into passion as a speaker. What people fear when it comes to communicating and public speaking, and how to get comfortable on stage. The importance of tackling tasks and goals in small chunks that are easily achievable – whether in public speaking or productivity – until you’re ready to take on the big one. How having a buddy to practice whatever it is that you’re passionate about or want to conquer gives you higher chances of success. The structure of The Speaking Program. Questions to ask oneself to help find your true passion, and how to take that first ‘baby step’ towards living that passion. A productivity reminder to ensure that pursuing your passion is not interrupted – and becomes successful. Relevant Links: That Speaker Guy | Corey Poirier ‎Corey Poirier How People Crush Fears and Expand Comfort Zones | Corey Poirier | TEDxCanmore - YouTube Toastmasters International The Speaking Program The Passion Cure brings you the Conversations With PASSION! Radio Show Corey Poirier (@thatspeakerguy) | Twitter Weeding Your Life with Corey Poirier | Productivityist Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start going. 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.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices