The Growth Guide: Self-Improvement | Greatness | Impact | Creators | FI |

It is difficult to feel you have lost a loved one when they have no idea who you are. It is frustrating to watch them forget things they have known their entire lives. It is tough to watch them appear to fade away before your eyes. In today's episode, we have a very informative conversation with Lisa Skinner, an expert in the behavioral aspects of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. She has dedicated her career as a teacher, advisor, and public speaker to teaching people how to manage brain disorders efficiently. Lisa has worked as a community counselor, regional director of senior care facilities, trainer, lecturer, and private consultant for over 25 years, assisting hundreds of families and caregivers in understanding the overwhelming issues associated with brain disease. Also, she provides counter-intuitive methods and techniques to help people manage brain disease symptoms efficiently.Starting the conversation,  Lisa shares her story of witnessing seven of her family members progress through the stages of a dementia-related illness until the end of their lives. The irony in her narrative is that, in addition to seven family members suffering from dementia, her 17 1/2-year-old cockapoo, Oliver, has been diagnosed with doggie dementia! Her first encounter with dementia occurred when she was a teenager, and her adoring grandmother began exhibiting some strange habits. She has shown various behaviors, including paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions, all of which are symptoms of dementia. At the time, little was known about dementia. Having seen her loved ones going through struggles with dementia, she has made it her mission to be there for those going through the same ordeal.Fast-forwarding 40 years, since 1996, Lisa has worked in the senior housing business, assisting thousands of families in understanding how to interact with a loved one who has dementia. She has established programming in memory care homes and taught employees in dementia care. Additionally, Lisa holds an administrator's certification from the State of California's Department of Social Services. While pursuing a master's degree in psychology, she chose to focus on dementia-related illnesses and educate families on improving the quality of their relationships with their loved ones via education. While working in the aging care business, she became aware that there were still relatively few resources available on this issue, despite the critical need for families to understand it.Throughout the conversation, she delves deeply into several facets of Alzheimer's and Dementia patients, most notably how to engage with them with compassion and care. Also, she highlights that the most significant barrier for family members, carers, and those living with dementia is efficient communication. Moreover, she points out that it is a process of education, and it can be incredibly beneficial and bring joy to everyone's life.Resources:Connect with Lisa:Facebook: facebook.com/notallwhowanderneedbelostLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-skinner-05259b14/Website: allseniorssafeandsound.comMentioned in the episode:Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost: Stories of Hope for Families Facing Alzheimer's and Dementia: goodreads.com/en/book/show/27880238-not-all-who-wander-need-be-lostamazon.com/Lisa-Skinner/e/B016CEABE2/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

In recent years, the concept of neural plasticity, the revelation that the brain can rewire itself, has become more commonly accepted. However, few people are aware of how quickly this is occurring, how broad brain alterations can be, and how much influence each of us has over the process at this point. But, as science is now revealing, this brain plasticity does not take place over months or years, as previously thought. Instead, it is happening swiftly, and it has the potential to rewire entire neural networks in the brain over time. In today's episode of the pursuit of learning, we have a fascinating and mind-blowing conversation with someone who delves deep into cutting-edge science and uncovers startling evidence of rapid and drastic brain transformation in the process. As explained in his book: Bliss brain, we may induce significant changes in our brains in as little as eight weeks of practice, 12 minutes a day, employing the appropriate approaches. Furthermore, he believes that these changes make us calmer, happier, and more resilient. Also,  he teaches people how to apply the latest breakthroughs in energy psychology to their health and athletic performance through EFT Universe, one of the largest alternative medicine websites on the internet. Dr. Dawson Church, award-winning author and thought leader, joins today's episode to share his wisdom and incredible experiences to guide us to a bliss brain. Dawson begins the talk by sharing his life experience, which has taken him from being an unhappy person to being a happy person. He states how his experience of facing a wildfire changes his life. As he mentions, when he returned to the office, the filing cabinets, desks, computers had been destroyed to the point that he couldn't even tell where they were. There had been molten bundles of metal on the ground and among the ash. The only item that survived had been a statue of the Buddha as everything around him goes up in flames; Buddha merely sits there serenely in the ashes, watching everything. It had stuck Dawson as a metaphor for how compassion, love, joy, and thankfulness are the only things that will go on in perpetuity. Sharing that experience, Dawson highlights that nobody can extinguish gratitude.Furthermore, he discusses the seven primary stages that help to elevate emotional states during a conversation with someone. He also shows how science can regularly transport you to a bliss brain, which is fascinating. Furthermore, he delves into various meditation perspectives and explains the neuroscience underpinning these discoveries in detail. Most importantly, he engages in a brief physical activity during the conversation, which appears to be highly effective and fruitful. Also, he demonstrates how "the seven neurochemicals of ecstasy" are released in our brains during intense meditation. Finally, as the conversation comes to a close, Dawson encourages the audience to expose themselves to the unconditional love of the universe and to express gratitude.Resources:Connect with Dr. Dawson:Website: dawsonchurch.com/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dawson-church-68b4a8/Email: support@eftuniverse.comMentioned in the episode:Bliss Brain by Dawson Church: blissbrainbook.com/https:/blissbrainbook.com/EFT Essentials: eftuniverse.com/eft-related-press-releases/your-free-gift-from-dawsonHow Enlightenment Changes Your Brain: The New Science of Transformation: goodreads.com/book/sh

Most of us believe that leadership is not for everyone. Also, very often, we doubt our ability to lead. My guest today challenges these perceptions about leadership through his most recent book. He demonstrates how to harness this doubt, uncertainty, and insecurity to develop into the extraordinary leader you were born to be. He has decades of experience leading organizations and teams. He is the CEO of Concord Leadership Group. His failures and successes compelled him to study leadership for over three decades, culminating in completing a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and certification as a Franklin Covey Coach. Marc Pitman, a CEO, author, personal & organization leadership expert, coach certification provider, leadership keynote speaker, joins with today's episode of pursuit of learning to share his million worth wisdom and experience on leadership. Starting the conversation, he highlights the significance of focusing on our strengths rather than on what we lack. Also, he describes how his frustration with people not knowing about executive coaching ended up with his recent book - The Surprising Gift of Doubt: Use Uncertainty to Become the Exceptional Leader You Are Meant to Be. Besides his recent publication, he is also the author of Ask Without Fear!, which you can find in several languages, including Dutch, Polish, Spanish, and Mandarin. Marc assists leaders in leading their teams more effectively and with less stress by combining his ongoing education with his own experience. He is also the executive director of TheNonprofitAcademy.com and a former member of Rogare's Advisory Panel; a prestigious international think tank focused on fundraising. We discuss our own experiences with the evolution of leadership and the various forms of leadership during the chat. Throughout the interview, he brings up various topics from his works. Most importantly, he discusses the issue of using predefined templates in coaching rather than developing individualized ways to solve problems. Apart from that, Marc divides leadership into four quadrants and provides an in-depth explanation of each component in a mind-blowing manner. In the latter part of the conversation, we talk about numerous personal assessments, their validity, and the takeaways. Marc's knowledge and enthusiasm captivate audiences worldwide, both in person and through online presentations. As a result, he has garnered attention from various media outlets, including The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Real Simple, SUCCESS Magazine, NBC, Al Jazeera, and Fox News.Resources:Connect with Marc: ConcordLeadershipGroup.com/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcapitman/Instagram: @marcpitmanTwitter: @marcapitmanMentioned in the episode:The Surprising Gift of Doubt: Use Uncertainty to Become the Exceptional Leader You Are Meant to Be: goodreads.com/book/show/56953397-the-surprising-gift-of-doubt?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Qv57DpA0Cl&rank=1The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America: goodreads.com/book/show/32191706-the-color-of-law?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=J19bcVl6st&rank=1Podcast: By the book: bythebookpod.com/Podcast: From founder to CEO: fromfoundertoceo.com/podcasts/

Every start-up and entrepreneur faces the challenge of reaching and attracting clients. However, content marketing comes in handy when surviving and thriving in the industry without pitching the goods. Hence, developing an online content platform that draws new clients is critical to business success. First, however, it is vital to understand how to position yourself as an informational leader in your niche and create well-liked content produced by traditional media companies. Today, our guest is someone who coined the term "content marketing" way back in 2001. It has since grown to become the fastest growing industry in the internet marketing industry. Joe Pulizzi, the author of 'Content Inc.: How Entrepreneurs Use Content to Build Massive Audiences and Create Radically Successful Businesses,' joins us today to share his wisdom on content creation and content marketing.Content Inc. has been a top direct marketing bestseller since September 2015. Through this book, Joe introduces a new business model that uncovers how entrepreneurs with limited resources can build a massive online audience as the engine that drives their entire businesses. In addition, this book suggests a systematic process any entrepreneur or small business owner can use to dominate the market without initially selling anything.Other than being an author, Joe is a successful entrepreneur, speaker, and podcast host. Over his career, Joe has spoken at over 400 sites in 16 countries to promote content marketing. From Fortune Magazine's Leadership Summit to SXSW to NAMM to Nestle to DuPont to SAP to HP and Dell, he has given keynote talks at various high-profile events and organizations.Starting the conversation, Joe states how his two children and his desire to help people motivate him right now in his life. Joe started his career in publishing, and then he found out something called content marketing. Although Joe shifted his writings to mysteries and thrillers later, he is back as a content creator, focusing on a whole new business. In his words, these days, he is going down the rabbit hole. In 2007, Joe left a six-figure job as an executive to start his own business. He has founded several companies, including the Content Marketing Institute (CMI). It is the top content marketing educational resource for enterprise brands, which Inc. magazine named the fastest growing business media company in 2014 and 2015. Moreover, Joe is the founder of The Tilt, an email newsletter. Through this, he aims to assist lonely content creators in turning their business into a content empire. The Content Council named Joe as the winner of the 2014 John Caldwell Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, fortune Magazine named Joe's third book, Epic Content Marketing, one of the "Five Must Read Business Books of the Year" in 2013. Killing Marketing, his most recent book, was released in September of this year. ResourcesConnect with JoeLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joepulizzi/Twitter: twitter.com/JoePulizziInstagram: instagram.com/joepulizzi/Mentioned in the podcastContent Inc.: How Entrepreneurs Use Content to Build Massive Audiences and Create Radically Successful Businesses: goodreads.com/book/show/26222932-content-inc?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=0nro1aQ24E&rank=1MrBeast YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/MrBeast6000

Most organizations, at some point in their lifecycle, come to points where they have to carefully navigate through volatile and uncertain times. And throughout the last couple of years, we all have been going through a period of extreme uncertainty. One of the keys to successfully handling volatile times is the ability to change. Since not all organizations are built the same way or with the same culture, some are better at change and transformation than others. In today’s episode, we have a deep conversation with Vanessa Akhtar and Gaurav Gupta, co-authors of Change: How Organizations Achieve Hard-to-Imagine Results in Uncertain and Volatile Times.We start the conversation by asking our two guests what motivates them personally and professionally. They also share their message to our listeners. In the last two years, our lives were drastically changed due to COVID and its ripple effects. Although this has been the same for organizations, many industries have been changing rapidly over the last century. We dive into the discussion by talking about what change means to organizations and people.According to Gaurav and Vanessa, there are two aspects of our minds that they call the survive channel and the thrive channel. The survival channel is an instinct we’ve developed over millions of years that responds to threats in the environment. Thrive channel, on the other hand, is what enables us to look for new opportunities. We dive deep into how these two sides of our minds come into play in today’s work environments. We talk about how organizations can implement practices that allow the members to activate thrive and how it helps organizations progress in volatile environments.Project management is another key aspect we talk about that is important for many organizations. We analyze some of the project management frameworks that became popular for some time and then faded away, why they failed, and how to overcome the shortcomings that caused the failures. We also touch on how organizations can approach restructuring the right way. Towards the end of the episode, we talk about how we can utilize these concepts in our personal lives for family decision-making. Resources:Change: How Organizations Achieve Hard-to-Imagine Results in Uncertain and Volatile Times:goodreads.com/book/show/57961293-changeConnect with Vanessa:linkedin.com/in/vanessa-loverme-akhtar-86530624Connect with Gaurav:linkedin.com/in/gauravguptadc

We have all seen people with a certain amount of grace, poise, and overall ease of movement. Yet, we sometimes overlook the primary reason behind them: practice makes perfect. Even a corporate athlete’s success is based upon and directly related to repetitive practice inside a set schedule. In today’s episode of the pursuit of learning, we have a fascinating conversation with someone who transforms the skills and tools he learned in sports into corporate leadership. Punit Dhillon is the founder and CEO of Skye Bioscience. Also, he is a director at YELL Canada. Other than that, Punit is a corporate athlete. Starting from nearly drowning in a swimming pool when he was nine years old, he completed his first Ironman Triathlon twenty years later. In addition, he is the author of the book Catapult: How to Think Like a Corporate Athlete to Strengthen Your Resilience.Punit begins the conversation by sharing the factors that motivate him. He expresses his aspiration to unlock entrepreneurship with sports to close the achievement gap of the social issues we experience today. Punit believes that there is a great deal of value to be gained from athletics to answer the burning issues in the present world. Additionally, he explains how nicely being an athlete and then transitioning into entrepreneurship work together. According to Punit, adversity stimulates our will to excel. Troubles and hardships may become our motivation with the proper training and mindset. He teaches us how to disrupt the status quo, leave a legacy, and genuinely make a difference in the world through his book. Suppose you are genuinely attempting to comprehend yourself as an individual and character to identify your passions. In that case, his book will help you a lot. Another point he highlights in the conversation is the significance of having an arrangement in our lives. Although he states that we cannot have a structure for everything in life, he emphasizes that a framework can keep us focused on our purpose and give us a foundation for achieving our full potential. He says that it keeps us focused and on track, ensuring that we never lose sight of our objective. A structure involves repetition for everything to become automated over time, allowing you to devote more time to pursue your dreams.Moreover, we talk about the role that coaches play and their necessity in our lives. Finally, Punit concludes the discussion by emphasizing the importance of checking all the boxes in the various categories that make us happy while achieving our personal goals.ResourcesConnect with Punit:Website: punitdhillon.com/Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/punit-dhillon/Instagram: instagram.com/punitdhillon/Catapult: How to Think Like a Corporate Athlete to Strengthen Your Resilience: goodreads.com/book/show/58261324-catapult?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=BKquEiAmuy&rank=1Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life / The Little Book of Lykke / Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living: goodreads.com/book/show/40534545-ikigai?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=BqElhSpoBe&rank=1

Writing is a skill, and like any other skill, we get better at that when we practice it more. As writers, we should think about what we say. First, however, it is mandatory to think about how we say it. Likewise, we may not have a clear idea of how to be a writer, although many of us want it at some point in our lives. That is why we decided to have a deep conversation with someone who specializes in writing. Paulette Perhach, the author of "Welcome to the Writer's Life: How to Design Your Writing Craft, Writing Business, Writing Practice, and Reading Practice," joins us on the podcast today to share her wisdom with our listeners.Other than being an excellent writer, Paulette Perhach is a writing coach and entrepreneur. She has worked for publications such as Health and Coastal Living, and by now, she has her work in even in New York Times. In 2013 a nationally recognized writing center in Seattle, Hugo house, awarded her the Made at Hugo House fellowship. She also won the title as one of BlogHer's Voices of the Year in 2016 for her work.Staring the conversation by talking about the factors that motivate Paulette these days,  she continues expressing her views about the role of money in life. During the conversation, she shares her experience of becoming a writer from scratch with a proper balance between earning and passion. Of course, we need to make money to live. But, on the other hand, we need to give our souls time to heal. Highlighting those points, she explains the necessity of balancing our earnings with our passion. A successful writer is not just born. It is a process of hard work and persistence. Most importantly, it is not smooth and easy to continue. Paulette dives deeply into these facts. She shares tips and tricks to awake the writers within ourselves. We talk about the habits and rituals we can embed in our life to become successful writers. Writing is not easy as it sounds. Creating characters that people love and maintaining proper dialogues between them needs much work. Paulette dives deeply into the way to do it while sharing her experiences as examples. In the latter part of the conversation, we talk about sources for writing and the ways to benefit from them. Finally, wrapping up the episode, we discuss the importance of social media profiles to a writer and the tips and tricks to have a better social media presence.ResourcesConnect with Paulette:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pauletteperhach/Instagram: instagram.com/paulettejperhach/Facebook: facebook.com/pauletteisawriterMentioned in the episode:A Very Important Meeting: averyimportantmeeting.com/Welcome to the Writer's Life: How to Design Your Writing Craft, Writing Business, Writing Practice, and Reading Practice: goodreads.com/book/show/39711925-welcome-to-the-writer-s-lifeFrom Monk to Money Manager: A Former Monk's Financial Guide to Becoming a Little Bit Wealthy---and Why That's Okay: goodreads.com/book/show/44597551-from-monk-to-money-manager?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=rpFTE119Vr&rank=1Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence: goodreads.com/book/show/13126099-wired-for-story?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=SRxY5T1cXk&rank=

Creating an environment where everyone can come together and be themselves is essential in every ecosystem. Yet, despite its impact, most of us are less aware of doing it correctly. Today we have Michael Bath, award-winning and best-selling author and global executive with tremendous experience in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. In today’s episode of pursuit of learning, we dive deep into his book, “Birds of All Feathers” where he broadly addresses doing the diversity and inclusion right. As usual, we start the conversation with Michael’s current motivation. Along with that, he mentions how much he is concerned about his work after George Floyd’s death. As the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion founder and CEO, Michael is a dedicated and accomplished individual who tries to create a space where everyone is accepted. In his book Birds of All Feathers, he deeply discusses implementing diversity and inclusion correctly. It is a best-seller in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and Amazon. Moreover, his book won the silver 2020 Nautilus Book Award in Rising to the Moment by the National Book Foundation. On the other hand, the title of his book has a deep and exciting meaning. Instead of a bird of a feather, it is birds of all feathers. It means that it does not matter what kind of bird you are; the nest is for you. With diversity and inclusion, we try to build nests where all birds can come together. In other words, with diversity and inclusion, we are trying to create a space where everyone can bring themselves to work. So, no one has to leave something at the door. No one has to hide whoever they are. Before diving deep into the content of his book, we discuss the terminology Michael has used in his book. At that point, stating the term intersectionality, Michael emphasizes the importance of understanding it as a part of this conversation around inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.Correctly implementing diversity and inclusion in an organization lets the people with the right talent and skill achieve the highest. He simplifies diversity and inclusion as the shade of grey at their finest. We analyze the overall impact and the results of several models for diversity, discussing the negative and positive effects. Another vital concept to pay attention to as an organization is equality of opportunity versus equality of outcome. Michael shares his insights regarding that with a comprehensive explanation. Furthermore, we talk about organizational malpractices, such as tokenism and the better ways to implement diversity and inclusion. In the latter part of the conversation, we talk about how leadership in an organization affects diversity and inclusion and vice versa. In addition, we discuss how to combine intersectionality with our day-to-day work and life as well. As an end note, Michael shares the exciting news about his new book Alphabet Soup: The Quintessential Guide to LGBTQ2+ Inclusion which arrives on March 29, 2022. ResourcesConnect with Michael Website: michaelbach.com/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/themichaelbach/?originalSubdomain=caInstagram: instagram.com/themichaelbach/Facebook: facebook.com/TheMichaelBachOfficialMentioned in the episode Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right: goodreads.com/book/show/54816817-birds-of-all-feathers

Student debt, financial literacy, and mental health are all intertwined. However, striking the correct balance between these three components is not as simple as it sounds. In today's episode of the Pursuit of Learning, we are having a mind-blowing conversation with someone who has mastered the art of balancing above three elements mentioned above through the complex and long journey she had. Melanie Lockert, a freelance personal finance writer, podcaster, event organizer at Lola Retreat, and a mental health advocate,  joins us today to talk about how she reached her debt-free life after years of hard work. We started the conversation with her story behind her first blog post to her first book, Dear Debt: A Story About Breaking Up with Debt. Interestingly her first blog happened to be a result of her depression about debts, and she documented her path out of $81,000 in student loan debt on her blog. Since then, she has been aspiring to write relatable, sympathetic, and helpful material, hoping to make a difference with her words. As of now, she has her work featured on Allure, Vice, Credit Karma, and Business Insider.Aside from that, she is the host of the podcast The Mental Health and Wealth Show and the organizer of the Lola Retreat, a women's money-focused gathering. We talk about her experience in arts education and nonprofits, where she worked before entering the finance industry.  On the other hand, five years ago, by the age of 31 years, she could pay off all her debt. However, until that, she had not invested at all.  She broadly explains the sacrifice she had to become a debt-free person today. Wrapping up the discussion, she emphasizes the necessity of changing our minds to become the person we want to be. ResourcesContact with MelanieLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/melanie-lockert-9b6b551ab/Dear debt: deardebt.com/The Mental Health and Wealth Show: mentalhealthandwealth.com/Lola Retreat: lolaretreat.com/ Mentioned in the episodeDear debt: goodreads.com/book/show/31434842-dear-debt?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=1tZqWmrezv&rank=1Super Coach: goodreads.com/book/show/43849232-super-coach?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=kinvnpk2Ao&rank=1Happy Money: goodreads.com/book/show/40539212-happy-money?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=pK4z3Ih14U&rank=2

The whole philosophy behind the Pursuit of Learning podcast is based on the love of learning. And one of the drivers for creating this podcast is ultralearning, which is a concept our guest today emphasizes in his book, “Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition and Accelerate Your Career.” Scott Young, entrepreneur, programmer, and author, joins us today to explore how we can outsmart the competition by mastering hard skills. Throughout the episode, we dive into some of the key concepts Scott covers in his book and how to implement these concepts in your journey of learning.We start the discussion with a brief look at what Scott is currently working on and what motivates him throughout his life journey. Scott’s story of ultralearning started back when he was in university. We talk about how he got involved in extreme learning challenges that really pushed people to their limits. Inspired by these challenges, Scott pursued another extreme challenge where the goal was to finish the curriculum of a four-year degree program in one year without attending classes. Later Scott moved on to more of these challenges, going to four different countries where he mastered four different languages. Scott shares with us these amazing stories about his experiences and what he learned from them. Diving into the key concepts, we talk about the mindset. Scott emphasizes the value of developing a learning mindset and how the mindset we develop while going through the school system deviates from the mindset we need for learning things on our own terms. According to Scott, learning about learning is as important as learning itself. We talk about this concept of meta-learning and how we can use it to improve our learning efforts.  Sometimes as we progress through our lives, we may reach plateaus where we don’t see significant growth or a change. Scott shares his wisdom on how to get out of plateaus and get on a path of learning and growth. We also talk about how to maintain focus, why math seems hard for many people, and why we need to question the ability of standardized testing methods such as IQ tests. Wrapping up the episode, Scott shares with us how we can grow our careers by combining seemingly unrelated skills to create a unique combination of skills that most people do not possess.Resources:Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Careeramazon.com/Ultralearning-Master-Outsmart-Competition-Accelerate/dp/006285268XConnect with Scott:Website: www.scotthyoung.comPodcast: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/scott-h-young-podcast/id1281747833LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-h-young-867ab21