
My Wakeup Call with Dr. Mark Goulston
I’m Dr. Mark Goulston, and this is My Wakeup Call. Everybody has personal wakeup calls, but not everybody wakes up. In this podcast, we speak to people who did. In fact, they not only woke up, but their wakeup calls changed their lives, often helped them discover their purpose and then changed how they would spend the rest of their life. In most cases, the wakeup call was not pleasant, sought-after, and often shook people to the core of their being. But in every case, it made our guests more authentic, better at life, better in life and better human beings. I hope you will listen in and become as inspired as I am from every episode. I also hope it will help you persevere if you are going through a wakeup call and haven’t yet gotten through the pain of it, or landed in your future as the better person you’re meant to be, with the better life that you’re meant to have.
DISCLAIMER: Any information or advice I give is purely based on my own experience. Comments made are as a coach- this is not medical or psychiatry advice. There is no guarantee as there are many variables that will impact outcomes. Everything stated should be taken as opinion.
Latest episodes

Jul 17, 2023 • 1h 5min
Ep 524 - Alicia Dunams
In this episode I speak to Alicia Dunams, author of, "How to Talk to Your Enemies: 101+ Ways to Turn Hostility into Peace," mediator, executive coach, and owner of, "Best Seller in a Weekend," whose wakeup call was learning to be a peacemaker between her multi-racial parents. https://www.aliciadunams.com/

Jul 14, 2023 • 55min
Ep 523 - Laura Gassner Otting
In this episode I speak with Laura Gassner Otting, Author of three books, "Wonderhell," "Limitless," and "Mission-Driven." Laura’s 30-year resume is defined by her entrepreneurial edge. She served as a Presidential Appointee in Bill Clinton’s White House, helping shape AmeriCorps. A recent and near devastating wakeup call was coming down with a severe autoimmune illness during Covid and her coming back from it. https://www.lauragassnerotting.com/

Jul 12, 2023 • 57min
Ep 522 - J.C. Lapierre
In this episode I speak with J.C. Lapierre who serves as Chief Strategy and Communications Officer for PwC, who is a visionary leader and helped launch PwC’s Trust Leadership Institute and helped create and guide PwC’s CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion. Her origin story was being completely inspired by her grandfather to be of service and earn your success everyday. Her wakeup call was learning she couldn't have children, getting divorced and going on a long journey to discover her purpose and who she really was. https://www.pwc.com/us/en/contacts/j/jc-lapierre.html

Jul 10, 2023 • 54min
Ep 521 - Terri Cole
In this remarkable episode, Terri Cole, author of, "Boundary Boss-The Essential Guide to Talk True, Be Seen and (Finally) Live Free," gives the equivalent of a mastery class in explaining and setting up boundaries. This is a not-to-miss episode. Her wakeup call was was learning the cost of not setting up boundaries which helped her to overcome alcoholism because she hadn't been. https://www.terricole.com

Jul 7, 2023 • 52min
Ep 520 - Michael Beckwith
In this episode I speak with Michael Bernard Beckwith, Founder and CEO of Agape International Spiritual Center, Author of Life Visioning, Spiritual Liberation, The Answer Is You, Transcendence Expanded and the originator of the Life VisioningTM Process whose wakeup call was becoming aware that the universe was calling out to him to help the world spiritually. https://michaelbeckwith.com/

Jul 5, 2023 • 1h 8min
Ep 519 - Paul H Smith, PhD, (ret) Major, US Army
In this episode I speak with Paul H. Smith, Phd, (ret) Major US Army, who served for seven years in the U.S. government’s remote viewing program at Fort Meade, Maryland, author of, "The Essential Guide to Remote Viewing," President/Chief InstructorPresident/Chief Instructor Remote Viewing Instructional Services, Inc., whose wakeup call was after being fascinated by science fiction and ESP as a child and then growing skeptical of it, discovering a division of the US Army that utilized it in reading the enemy's mind. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-h-smith-ph-d-996316a/

Jul 3, 2023 • 1h 3min
Ep 518 - Steven Kotler
In this episode I speak with returning guest, Steven Kotler, multiple NY Times best selling author with his most recent book being, "Gnar Country: Growing Old, Staying Rad." He is an award-winning journalist, and the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective and his wakeup call was drilling into how flow and peak performance into aging can revolutionize the concept of getting older. https://www.stevenkotler.com/

Jun 30, 2023 • 1h 10min
Ep 517 - Vitaliy Katsenelson
In this episode I speak with Vitaliy Katsenelson, CEO of IMA USA, financial writer, value investor, author of two financial books and his recent book, "Soul in the Game," and whose wakeup call was wanting to write a more personal book that he could give to his three children to pass on what he has learned from life. http://investor.fm

Jun 28, 2023 • 51min
Ep 516 - Donna Bond
In this episode I speak with Donna Bond, spiritual life and business coach, author, and thought leader. After a 28-year long run as a corporate marketing executive who “had it all”, had a wakeup call and decided to change course and get a master’s in Spiritual Psychology. Donna helps people to live with reverence by activating their entelechy - the fullest realized expression of who they came here to be, from the inside out. https://donnabond.com/

Jun 26, 2023 • 1h 11min
Ep 515 - Ken Blanchard
In this episode, I spoke with returning guest and beloved guru, Ken Blanchard, Co-Founder and Chief Spiritual Officer of Ken Blanchard Companies, to mine his mind for collected wisdom from his career. I love this guy and you will quickly understand why. https://www.kenblanchard.com/About-Us/Meet-the-Team/Ken-Blanchard
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