The Plant Yourself Podcast

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know.You don't hear the word joy thrown around a lot in business. And that's why I'm delighted to share this conversation with you with business psychologist Simi Rayat.Simi is the author of the upcoming book Productivity Joy. And her thing is, are you a joy to be around at work, at home, on the streets? It's such a great question. It reminds me of my friend Howard Prager's trademark question: “How can I make someone's day?”They’re both a sort of mantra that allows you to orient your whole life towards a really beautiful goal. And for Simi, it's about being a source of joy for others; being someone that other people actually want to be around. And if you think about it — what a powerful focus for the workplace, for our volunteer organizations, for our families, for anywhere that we want to have a positive changeThere’s so much wrong with the world and there's so much to be angry about and there's so much to be sad about. And if we want to mobilize people to action, to make a difference, to make a change, we can't just run on the fuel of negativity. We also need joy. And the harder it is to generate that joy, the more it's needed. So I'm really excited to share this conversation. It's chock full of science. It's chock full of joy. And I hope it helps you bring about the world that you want to see. Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo.Support the show

Dr. Richard Hodge, a brilliant thinker, introduces the insightful four-quadrant model for tackling complex problems. He emphasizes the importance of starting with 'why' to clarify meaning and values. The discussion covers how to build connections, strategize effectively, and anticipate impacts, relevant for both personal and organizational challenges. Hodge highlights the distinction between long-term sustainability and short-term thinking in governance. With relatable examples, he showcases how structured approaches can enhance communication and foster collaboration to tackle societal issues.

Dr. Richard Hodge, an expert on indigenous knowledge systems and Aboriginal culture, discusses how these perspectives can help us navigate today’s complex challenges. He emphasizes the importance of totems, like the dragonfly, in fostering connection and collaboration over control. Hodge presents his Dragonfly Model for deep systemic change, highlighting the value of shifting our perception and values. He also explores the transformative impact of parenthood, the significance of community engagement, and the need for emotional courage in effecting meaningful social change.

Dr. Richard Hodge, an expert in individual potential and a systems thinker, shares his inspiring philosophy that everyone matters and can create impact. He discusses the importance of value and relevance in driving actions and explores the necessity of doing no harm amidst complex societal issues. Richard illustrates his points with a fascinating story about Heathrow's Terminal 5, emphasizing collaboration over bureaucracy. They also tackle personal values and the potential of every individual to make meaningful contributions.

Divya Ramachandran, a coach and advisor to startups, shares her insights on cultivating clarity and energy in leadership. She discusses the complexities founders face and emphasizes the need for emotional awareness in decision-making. Divya introduces the spectrum of energies and highlights the importance of self-awareness in managing stress and personal triggers. She explores the dynamic of energy in interactions and how it influences team productivity. Ultimately, her message is about fostering courage and community to drive personal and professional growth.

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know.Hey, jan Tokawi here, and we're going to be talking about languages.jan Tokawi is my Toki Pona name. Toki Pona is a language that I had not heard about until three weeks ago. It's a Conlang, a constructed language, meaning that it was created by, in this case, basically one human being and then a community formed around her.The entire language consists of somewhere around 140 words or so.And as I'm learning Spanish and dealing with 50 or so different forms of each verb, there's something very appealing about a language I can learn in a weekend.When I encountered the Toki Pona community, I became intrigued about the implications of communicating using such a limited vocabulary.What's it like trying to get complex ideas across? How do we make sure that our conversation partner or reader understands what we mean?And then I thought, Gee, I've got that same problem in my native tongue. Maybe there's stuff I can learn here that can make me a more effective communicator in English.I reached out to jan Usawi, who is a proficient speaker of Toki Pona, and also a musician who write lyrics in the language.In our conversation, we explore lots of philosophy and epistomology and other long Greek words.To my delight, we even tied it into transformational healing and the linguistics of radical mindset shifts.And — and this will make sense if you watch the video — we explored the function of jan Usawi's antlers.Enjoy!LinksSina – song by jan UsawiDivergent Translation presentation by jan UsawiToki Pona official siteRobWords video intro to Toki Ponajan Usawi on YouTubejan Usawi on Bandcampjan Usawi on PatreonNo Bad Parts, by Richard Schwartz (book about Internal Family Systems)Maria Mison – gamesClick to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo.Support the show

Christopher Miller, a passionate advocate for psychological well-being and author, shares his journey through bipolar disorder and personal loss. He discusses his new book, which emphasizes leveraging strengths over fixing weaknesses, and the delicate balance required to prevent strengths from becoming weaknesses. Miller highlights the importance of love in both personal and professional realms, practical tools for self-awareness, and how these insights can help navigate grief and foster resilience while leading a fulfilling life.

Elise Kushner, co-author of The Listening Book, discusses the power of deep listening for creating connections, memory reconsolidation, common communication disconnectors, and practical listening skills. She emphasizes coherence, patience, and curiosity as key elements for better listening.

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know.What can the rest of us learn from Olympic athletes about doing our best under pressure?Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo.Support the show

Thoughts on the episode? Let us know.The world needs us to show up and stand out. So how do we get over ourselves and shine our lights?Click to subscribe to the Mindset Mastery Memo.Support the show