Pivot with Jenny Blake

Don’t bench yourself before the game begins. Be willing to be the exception. What problems can you solve during this unique time? What skills can you teach yourself? For any disempowering article or statistic, what if the opposite were true?Systemic inequality, student debt, lack of social support — these are massively broken systems in America. But that doesn’t mean you need to hang your head in defeat from now until forever.This episode is a message to 2020 grads (and anyone else who needs to hear it): do not let headlines like the one below hang over your head like dark, depressing rain clouds for the rest of your career, no matter how tough the job market might be right now. Shake it off, and be willing to be the exception (even if statistically speaking, we can’t all be).Just this week The New York Times published on the front page, Facing Adulthood With an Economic Disaster’s Lasting Scars: “Those entering the job market in a downturn may never catch up in pay, opportunities or confidence.” It continues, “The question is what kind of scars this will leave in the hearts, minds and pockets of younger people.”See this scar as a good thing: how is it uniquely shaping your heart, mind, and pocket? What lessons are you learning that will serve you for the rest of your career?If you are a recent grad looking for a portable coach to help you hold your highest vision even while navigating the nuts-and-bolts of adulting during these challenging times, check out my first book Life After College (first launched 2011, revised edition launched 2018). Compliment it with Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One, and you’ll be well-equipped to navigate change now and in the future.Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/221I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Part 3 of Wandering with Michael (Part 2 here) — we talk about my favorite band, how to protect your flame, the importance of not planning or problem-solving too much around one’s creative process . . . and then! Around minute 22, Michael jumps into facilitating (his first!) spontaneous guided meditation with more passion than most :)More background: Feeling stuck and bored for the first time in a loooong time last Saturday, Michael and I decided the only thing that would alleviate our Groundhog’s Day discomfort on yet another freezing New York City weekend would be to hop on the podcast mic with no direction in mind (his idea not mine!). This is the third of several such sessions we recorded that day :)Get show notes from this episode at http://pivotmethod.com/220Leave us a message at http://pivotmethod.com/ask Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Everything is the pandemic’s fault,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of nascent streaming platform Quibi last week. Is it? I share my thoughts in this week’s riff on how streaming companies are responding and piloting during this time.Building on episode 142: Creative Economy Lessons from “The Great Race to Rule Streaming TV”, I share a tale of two platforms — and encourage you to examine where you might still be stuck in unhelpful thinking.I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/surveyCheck out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/213 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m releasing exactly the kind of episode I can’t usually stand . . . but maybe that’s a good thing? Michael even said in all seriousness, “I don’t think you should release this one on the main channel.”We cover everything and nothing, and digressions in-between. Welcome to Part 2 of Wandering with Michael. Our alternative titles for this one are, “Infinitely Boring” and “The Household Ramble”— so listen at your own risk! More background:Feeling stuck and bored for the first time in a loooong time last Saturday, Michael and I decided the only thing that would alleviate our Groundhog’s Day discomfort on yet another freezing New York City weekend would be to hop on the podcast mic with no direction in mind (his idea not mine!). This is the second of several such sessions we recorded that day :)This is decidedly not an episode with a clear agenda, takeaways, or template! In fact, you’ll probably wonder how we even manage to get along given our completely different approaches to life. Opposites attract as they say ;-)Our biggest hope is that we provide just a little entertainment and reprieve on any future day you might find yourself bored too . . .Get show notes from this episode at http://pivotmethod.com/218 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life on lockdown means a perfect opportunity to capture spontaneous thoughts from a very special guest . . . and no, it’s not Ryder :)Feeling stuck and bored for the first time in a loooong time last Saturday, Michael and I decided the only thing that would alleviate our Groundhog’s Day discomfort on yet another freezing New York City weekend would be to hop on the podcast mic with no direction in mind (his idea not mine!). This is the first of several such sessions we recorded that day :)Listen at your own risk, as this is decidedly not an episode with a clear agenda, takeaways, or template! In fact, you’ll probably wonder how we even manage to get along given our completely different approaches to life. Opposites attract as they say ;-)Our biggest hope is that we provide just a little entertainment and reprieve on any future day you might find yourself bored too . . .Get show notes from this episode at http://pivotmethod.com/217 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dani Zoldan is a lifelong entrepreneur. In 2008, he purchased Stand Up NY, the famous comedy club on the Upper West Side of Manhattan that made its name in the 80’s and 90’s with many of the world’s best comics including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Robin Williams, Louis CK and Jon Stewart.Today, (at least pre-pandemic when we could still gather in person!) the club has been home to many current A-listers including Amy Schumer, Michael Che, Pete Davidson and Judah Friedlander.I met Dani through James Altucher, who bought into club ownership in 2016, and was honored to participate in their inaugural Podcast Row. When I saw Dani quoted in the New York Times March 18: Open Your Laptops, the Comedy Show Is About to Begin, as businesses started shutting down, I knew he’d have an interesting Pivot perspective to share!Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/216 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are so many of us allergic to the word innovation, solving the wrong problems, and experiencing idea-fatigue? Because, as Stephen Shapiro brilliantly shares in his new book, Invisible Solutions: 25 Lenses that Reframe and Help Solve Difficult Business Problems, what we’re really aiming for is relevance.How can you apply the 5D’s of disruption to solve difficult problems? We dive into that and so much more during this conversation—one I can’t wait to listen back to at least twice more to absorb all the powerful pivot-related concepts! I’ll tell you one thing: you’ll never brainstorm the same way again . . .Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/215 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seth Godin recently described Mitch Joel (in celebration of his 700th episode) as “in the pantheon, one of the greats.” I couldn’t agree more.Mitch is a well-respected friend and colleague to so many of us in the business, writing, and speaking communities. He sees trends and platforms coming long before they hit mainstream, and his output, ideas, and incisive interviewing style consistently leaves me with inspiration and new information.He was gracious to have me on his Six Pixels of Separation Podcast when Pivot launched, and the conversation (among dozens and dozens) left such a mark on me that I quoted him in the afterword for the paperback edition of Pivot in 2017 the following year. Here’s an excerpt: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building on the previous episode that covered virtuous circles (or cycles), this is an excerpt from my Pivot to Profit course where I go deeper into Jim Collins’ Hedgehog and Flywheel concepts. This will help you think more strategically about the highest impact activities in business and career that create self-perpetuating, unstoppable momentum.Join us in Momentum at http://pivotmethod.com/momentumI’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/surveyHelp us tip Pivot over the 200 reviews on Amazon milestone! At the time of recording, we are just TWO reviews short!! Visit http://bit.ly/PivotpaperbackCheck out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/213 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can virtuous circles (or cycles) help us think more strategically about the highest impact activities in business and career that create self-perpetuating momentum? That’s the topic of this episode; how we can transform even “time for money” or marketing activities into something more.I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/surveyHelp us tip Pivot over the 200 reviews on Amazon milestone! At the time of recording, we are just TWO reviews short!! Visit http://bit.ly/PivotpaperbackJoin us in Momentum at http://pivotmethod.com/momentumWork with a Pivot Coach at http://pivotmethod.com/coachingCheck out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/212 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices