Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life

Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of 'Supercommunicators', shares his insights on mastering the art of connection in our digital age. He discusses the importance of aligning conversation types to avoid misunderstandings and highlights supercommunicator habits like active listening and vulnerability. Duhigg emphasizes creating psychological safety in discussions, especially in high-stakes environments. The conversation also underscores how storytelling and empathy can transform interactions, making communication not just clearer, but deeply meaningful.

Pat Flynn, author and entrepreneur known for his passive income strategies, shares insights from his latest book on effective learning. He argues that information overload can stifle productivity and suggests 'just-in-time learning' as a solution. Pat introduces the Inspiration Matrix to help assess where you focus your energy. He emphasizes that mistakes are valuable teachers and that micro-mastery accelerates growth. Additionally, he highlights the importance of mentorship and community in reclaiming focus and achieving meaningful outcomes.

Alan Gannett, a Marketing CEO and author of The Creative Curve, unpacks the misconception that creativity is a mere gift. He reveals that creativity thrives at the intersection of familiarity and novelty, which anyone can cultivate with practice. Gannett discusses how intentional exposure to ideas enhances creativity and emphasizes that failure can stem from being either too innovative or too derivative. He encourages listeners by asserting that creativity is a learnable skill, achievable through structured routines and collaboration.

In this engaging discussion, bestselling author and speechwriter Michael Long shares insights from his work on dopamine and its effects on our lives. He explains how dopamine drives craving and distraction in the digital age. Michael offers practical strategies like dopamine fasting to help regain focus. He emphasizes the importance of aligning our work with values for lasting motivation and joy. Additionally, he explores the potential of newer treatments like GLP-1 drugs for managing cravings while advocating for meaningful life experiences.

Ingrid Jansen, a professional organizer and co-author of *Reset Your Home*, shares her insights on the emotional roots of clutter. She emphasizes that decluttering is an ongoing process rather than a one-time project. Starting small, like focusing on the kitchen, can build your 'decluttering muscle.' Daily resets and understanding your clutter personality can ease the process. Jansen also suggests not to buy more storage bins but to declutter intentionally to create clarity in both your space and mind.

In this engaging conversation, Bill McGowan, a communication expert and author of Speak Memorably, shares insights on captivating audiences and enhancing clarity. He discusses the power of storytelling over statistics, emphasizing the importance of strong openings and closings. McGowan advises on pacing to reduce filler words and suggests using memorable language techniques like metaphors and creative labels. He highlights that a light touch of humor builds trust, making your communication more effective and impactful.

Join Paul Kirby, an accomplished artist and engineer, as he explores how to blend passions into a compelling life vision. Discover his FUSE framework—Find, Upgrade, Start, Evolve—designed to guide your journey towards fulfillment. Paul emphasizes the power of internal motivation and shares a unique journaling exercise to uncover your core interests. With inspiring anecdotes, he illustrates how embracing your unique path can lead to a more meaningful existence, perfect for anyone feeling lost or unfulfilled in their pursuits.

Zorana Pringle, a leading researcher in creativity psychology and author of The Creativity Choice, shares insights on how creativity is a series of conscious decisions rather than mere inspiration. She challenges the myth of the 'creative type', emphasizing that everyone can be creative across various domains. Zorana discusses how constraints can actually boost creativity, the significance of risk tolerance, and the interplay between motivation and attention. By understanding problem finding versus problem solving, she reveals how reframing challenges can unlock our creative potential.

Discover the transformative power of simple daily habits that build momentum and confidence. Jeffrey and Jamie Downs reveal how small, consistent actions can lead to long-term identity shifts. They discuss the importance of patience and how each completed action boosts self-credibility. The 'Cal Ripken Effect' highlights how consistency becomes inspiring, fueling further motivation. Even minor commitments like a one-mile walk contribute to your personal streak. This conversation offers a refreshing perspective on sustaining momentum for your goals.

James Kimmel, author of The Science of Revenge, joins the show to unpack one of the most overlooked forms of distraction and emotional hijacking: revenge. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and decades of legal and public health research, James reveals how revenge isn’t just an emotional reaction—it’s an addictive cycle that can derail our focus, well-being, and relationships. If you’ve ever ruminated about a workplace slight, stewed in a sense of injustice, or mentally put someone “on trial,” this episode offers a powerful, science-backed path forward.In this episode, we cover:What Makes Revenge So Addictive: How grievances activate the same reward centers in the brain as drugs, gambling, and other addictive behaviors.Revenge as a Productivity Killer: Why revenge always focuses on the past—and how it hijacks our mental and emotional bandwidth in the present.The Courtroom in Your Head: James explains the mental trial many of us run daily, casting ourselves in all the roles—prosecutor, judge, jury, and warden.Grievance vs. Reality: The neuroscience behind how imagined slights are often just as powerful as real ones.Workplace Revenge Culture: How toxic tit-for-tat behavior spreads through teams and how leaders can disrupt it before it takes root.Rewiring the Feedback Loop: How revenge follows the same cue-craving-reward cycle as other habits—and how to break it.The Science of Forgiveness: Why forgiveness isn’t “soft,” but rather a neurological off-ramp from pain and rumination that reactivates the decision-making part of the brain.The Wonder Drug in Your Brain: How practicing internal forgiveness shuts down pain networks and reduces stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels.Practical Tools for Release: James shares how his free app helps users safely process their grievances through guided mental courtroom exercises.Healing as Productivity: Why letting go doesn’t just make you feel better—it frees up your energy for purpose-driven work and emotional clarity.Connect with James and his work at jameskimmel.com and find The Science of Revenge wherever books are sold.Connect with Erik:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This Podcast is Powered By:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Castmagic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rodecaster Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Top Productivity Books List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways. Make sure to support the show by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ checking out the sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.