Change Wired

Ever feel trapped in a cycle of perpetual busyness?  Wonder why, despite your best efforts, you never seem to have enough time to create better time management systems? The answer lies in what behavioral scientists call "the scarcity tunnel", a fascinating cognitive phenomenon that explains why the busier we get, the worse we become at managing our time.  When we're short on time, our brains enter a survival mode where only immediate tasks matter. Like a jar filling with pebbles, each small task occupies precious mental space, leaving no room for strategic thinking or system-building. This creates a cruel paradox: precisely when we most need innovative solutions to our time problems, we're least equipped to develop them.  This episode dives deep into the science of scarcity and its impact on decision-making.  You'll discover why even intelligent, capable people make shortsighted choices under pressure, and how this affects everything from financial decisions to daily time management. More importantly, you'll learn the counterintuitive step required to break free from this cycle, deliberately setting aside time for strategic thinking when you feel you have none to spare.  Your calendar doesn't lie; it reflects where your life is heading. By understanding the psychology behind time scarcity and implementing the practical strategies shared in this episode, you can escape the tunneling effect and build systems that create more meaning, impact, and fulfillment.  Don't just survive each day - design a life you'll be proud to look back on.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

Willpower is a lie that's been sold to us for generations.The truth?  Even Elon Musk doesn't wake up every morning relying on "discipline" to build rockets and trillion-dollar companies. Something far more powerful is at work.  Gamification expert Yu-kai Cho has identified 8 core drivers that move humans to action. This stuff make us want to do hard things consistently without the struggle of forcing ourselves through sheer willpower. When Yukai needed to write his book despite a packed schedule, he didn't set calendar reminders or try to "be more disciplined." Instead, he used used 8 core drivers to make doing irresistible.  The research is clear: willpower depletes quickly.  Even simple choices between cookies and carrots drain our mental resources. But by designing your environment, schedules, and processes to activate your unique motivational drivers, you transform difficult tasks from obligations into engaging challenges you actually want to pursue. This isn't just theory, it's the hidden mechanism behind every significant achievement and consistent behavior change.  Tune in - let's learn to push our buttons to win the game of life 🕹️    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

Ever feel like you're constantly busy but not making real progress toward what matters most?  That's the frustration horizon planning solves.  Your time is the only truly finite resource you have, 24 hours a day that, once spent, you never get it back. While the demands and options competing for your time multiply endlessly.  Without a clear framework connecting your daily actions to your life's purpose, even the most productive days can leave you feeling empty.Introducing Horizon Planning Methodology.  Horizon planning creates that vital connection, working from your highest vision down to your daily calendar. Based on David Allen's Getting Things Done methodology but simplified for practical application, this system starts with your "North Star", identifying your purpose, principles, and the person you aspire to become. From there, it cascades through progressively shorter timeframes: your 3-5 year vision, 1-2 year goals, short-term projects, and finally, your daily actions.  The magic happens when these levels align.  Decision-making becomes faster and less stressful. Saying yes or no to opportunities feels clear rather than guilt-inducing. Most importantly, your limited time builds toward something meaningful instead of evaporating on endless urgent-but-unimportant tasks.  Ready to eliminate overwhelm and create more impact with your limited time?  Download our free horizon planning worksheet HERE and schedule your first planning session. Your future self, looking back on a life of purpose and meaningful achievement, will thank you.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

What truly determines success in creating lasting change? Contrary to popular belief, it's not motivation, willpower, or even your inherent abilities. The research reveals something far more fundamental: your ecosystem shapes your outcomes far more than your genetic makeup.  Your zipcode matters more than your genetic code.  How do we shape ecosystems that bring the best in us?  From Silicon Valley entrepreneurial ecosystems to Blue Zones where centenarians thrive. The social dimension of change proves particularly powerful, with studies showing proximity to high performers can boost your productivity by 15%, while nearby low performers can decrease it by 30%.  When designing for sustainable change – whether for yourself, your team, or your organization – we often focus on motivation and clear communication. But what happens when energy wanes, time disappears, and routines get disrupted? This episode introduces the critical concept of "guardrails" – systems designed specifically to prevent failure when people are at their worst.  Ready to transform how you approach change?  Discover why social accountability outperforms willpower, how to design ecosystems that naturally encourage positive behaviors, and practical strategies for creating guardrails that catch people when they fall. Whether you're a leader driving organizational transformation or someone committed to personal growth, these research-backed tools will fundamentally change how you approach the change process. Listen now to build systems that make change stick – even when the going gets tough.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

Is this feeling of never catching up normal? What if nobody, not even that person you admire who seems to have everything together, has actually figured it all out?  This episode introduces a powerful 3-step Frustration List Technique that transforms how we handle the anxiety of unfinished tasks and unrealized potential.  Drawing from well-researched strategies in stress management, wellness, and productivity science, this approach creates immediate relief and sustainable progress.  The freedom comes not from completing everything, but from making peace with the unfinished nature of life while focusing your energy where it matters most.  Your brain doesn't need you to finish everything, it simply craves progress and attention on what's important. By implementing this technique, you'll experience more presence, joy, and fulfillment, even with a long list of things still undone.  Ready to stop feeling like you're always behind?  Listen now to discover how writing it down, sorting what matters, and taking small actions can transform your relationship with your to-do list and ultimately, with yourself.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

Ever catch yourself frustrated by a lack of progress despite feeling like you're working hard? You're not alone. It's the most common reason for quitting ... early.  The disconnect between effort and results often comes down to a simple truth: we expect extraordinary outcomes from ordinary input.  Looking at myself in the gym mirror recently, I realized something powerful. I've achieved better physical results than most gym-goers not because I've obsessively chased fitness goals, but because I've consistently shown up for an hour every day.  This pattern holds true across all domains of achievement, whether building a business, advancing a career, or mastering a skill.  When my consulting clients express disappointment with their progress, I ask them one critical question: "Is it reasonable to expect the results you want from the work you've put in?"  Objectively?  There's a profound difference between subjective effort (how hard something feels) and objective effort (what's actually required).  To bridge this gap between action and achievement, I've developed a 3-step system that prioritizes repetitions done right over goal-fixation. More hard work won't get you there. More work with strategy will!  Ready to transform your approach to achievement?  Tune in!    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

Ever wonder why thousands of people willingly sign up for grueling marathons and obstacle courses, yet struggle to maintain basic health habits?  Games!  The answer lies not in the level of difficulty, but in how our brains perceive challenges when they're framed as games rather than obligations.  In this fascinating exploration of gamification, we decode the psychological techniques that companies like Facebook use to keep you hooked, and how you can harness these same powerful tools to achieve your personal and professional goals. When you transform mundane tasks into compelling quests with clear win states, visible progress, and milestone celebrations, you tap into the brain's natural motivation systems.  The most disciplined people don't actually rely on discipline at all!  They craft personal missions that generate intrinsic motivation, making hard work feel like play.  Whether you're building healthier habits, developing professional skills, or pursuing ambitious personal goals, these gamification techniques can transform your approach to change.  Ready to level up your life?😉🏆  Listen now to discover how to turn your biggest challenges into your most rewarding adventures.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

Have you ever felt that nagging impatience when working toward an important goal? That almost physical itch wondering why success isn't happening faster?  You're not alone.  The truth is that transformative change rarely feels significant in the moment. While we expect to see daily improvement, real progress accumulates invisibly, only revealing itself after consistent effort over extended periods.  What do you do while waiting for progress to show up? How do you stay consistent? How do you know it's working?...  When we examine the journeys of those we admire—whether entrepreneurs, authors, or leaders—their success appears almost magical. What we don't see are the countless hours of imperceptible progress, the years of showing up when results weren't evident. Their "overnight" success typically represents decades of incremental improvement that went unnoticed by the world and sometimes even by themselves.  The answer?  Setting up better systems for tracking "the invisible" progress.  And that's not all!  Often, when pursuing goals that take decades, we decide to "entertain" ourselves with many other goals, just in case" this one doesn't work out.  Often, stealing that success we desire so much.  The episode also tackles another critical obstacle to achievement: our tendency to spread ourselves too thin. Much like trying to prepare a feast with only enough ingredients for one good meal, we dilute our impact when we distribute our finite resources—attention, energy, and time—across too many objectives. Research confirms that focusing on just one habit change dramatically increases success probability, while attempting multiple changes simultaneously often leads to complete failure. This explains why many people remain perpetually busy yet never achieve their most meaningful goals.  Ready to transform your approach to growth?  Listen now to discover practical strategies for tracking progress, maintaining motivation through invisible growth phases, and focusing your resources where they'll create the most significant impact.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

TUNE IN TO LEARN:  How to you practically become a better you?  You got your Enneagram, or results of StrengthsFinder, what's now? How do you develop new habits of being you... just different you?  This episode explores the disconnect between how we approach career development versus character development, and why that gap keeps us from becoming who we truly want to be.  What if the same systems that helped you excel professionally could transform your character?  Drawing from coaching experience with high-performing leaders, this episode unpacks a practical framework for developing traits like courage and discipline. You'll discover why most character development fails (hint: it's not your psychology) and how to create effective feedback loops that drive measurable growth.  You'll learn why focusing on just one character trait dramatically increases your chances of success. Rather than overwhelming yourself with multiple improvement areas, this targeted approach creates momentum that can transform how you show up in every aspect of life. Whether you're feeling stuck in patterns that limit your potential or simply ready to grow beyond your expertise into wisdom, this episode provides the roadmap for meaningful personal evolution.  Ready to finally make progress on becoming the person you aspire to be? Schedule that meeting with yourself today and work on your character development plan with this strategy.  Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH

Do you ever feel like you're stuck in a loop, making the same decisions day after day despite your best intentions to change?You're not alone.  In this episode we'll explore this fascinating fact how 75% of our daily thoughts are nearly identical to yesterday's, creating a cycle that keeps us living in our past rather than growing into our future.  Discover groundbreaking research that shows people with a close, friendship-like relationship with their future self make demonstrably better decisions today. Brain scans reveal that different neural pathways activate when we think about our future self as a friend rather than a stranger. This connection translates into healthier eating, better financial choices, and greater life satisfaction. I share insights from John Sonney's powerful "The Bridge" meditation technique that helps strengthen this crucial connection between your present and future selves.  The key to meaningful change, bringing our future selves into the present sooner lies in understanding the psychology of habit formation.  Whether you're struggling with health goals, productivity habits, or leadership development, these evidence-based techniques will help you bring your future self into your present reality much faster.  Ready to break free from recycling your past and start embodying who you're truly meant to become? Listen now and share this episode with someone who needs to hear this message.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the show Brought to you by Angela Shurina EXECUTIVE & OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE COACH