Change Wired

Big goals shouldn’t feel like hauling a suitcase of rocks up a hill.We’re talking about how ambitious people accidentally strap on extra weight with the wrong scorecard - chasing outcomes, timelines, and approval - when the real leverage lives in daily process, commitment to daily work, clear systems, and consistent action.Today, I'm walking you through a practical high-performance exercise that reframes control, so you can stop measuring what you don’t own and start optimizing the inputs you do.We dig into concrete examples across life and work: training vs winning, habits vs goals, preparation vs luck, and systems vs willpower. On the communication and leadership side, we unpack speaking clearly vs being understood, authenticity vs approval, boundaries vs reactions, and decision quality vs outcome certainty. In creative strategy, we anchor on experimentation, iteration, and feedback instead of perfection and prediction, showing how curiosity and small learning loops speed up real progress and reduce burnout.We'll finish with 2 grounding questions that tie it all together, 2 questions you must ask yourself whenever life, goals and work feel heavy.If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or judged by an external scoreboard, this conversation gives you a lighter way to travel - focused, energized, and resilient over the long haul.If the episode resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s chasing something big, and leave a quick review to help others find it.Then tell me: what controllable input will you commit to this week?Also, try my new GPT - Negative Self-Talk Trainer: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68f9e96bb94c81918b16bc403c31adfe-self-talk-trainer  Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

In this special episode of Change Wired, I sit down with Claude Silver, the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, to celebrate the launch of her new book, Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart.Together, Angela and Claude unpack how to build cultures of belonging -where people don’t just fit in, they flourish. 🔑 Episode HighlightsWhy “fitting in” is outdated and how belonging unlocks performance. Claude explains that belonging is about psychological safety, while fitting in is about conformity. Teams thrive when people feel seen, not when they match.The 3 Emotional Pillars of Heart-Led Leadership:Emotional Optimism — believing things can get better and seeing possibility even in hard moments.Emotional Bravery — having the difficult conversations with compassion and self-awareness.Emotional Efficiency — creating clarity and speed through empathy and trust.The Lie Exercise: A simple self-awareness tool Claude uses to help people challenge limiting beliefs. Write down the lie you tell yourself (“I’m not smart”) and find evidence that proves it wrong. Replace it with a truer, kinder statement (“My intelligence shows up in many ways”).Culture Fit vs. Culture Add: Great companies don’t clone culture, instead they expand it. Claude shares how curiosity and openness to difference build stronger, more creative teams.How to Retain Top Talent: Don’t wait for exit interviews, instead do stay interviews. Listen before people leave. Create opportunities, mentorship, and moments of appreciation.Running on Calm: “When I get anxious, my team gets anxious,” Claude says. She shares practices like grounding, breathing, and visualization to help leaders find calm under pressure.💬 Practical TakeawaysAsk yourself: What part of me am I not bringing to work? Reflect on what it costs you—and your team—to hide that part.Practice Emotional Bravery: speak up when something feels misaligned, with respect and curiosity.Make time for self-awareness rituals: journaling, stay interviews, reflection moments, or asking your team, “What do you need from me this week?”👩‍💼 BIOClaude Silver is the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, working alongside CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to build a people-first culture that powers creativity and growth. A pioneer in emotional intelligence at scale, she’s on a mission to bring more heart, humanity, and authenticity into the workplace. Claude has been honored with Campaign US’s Female Frontier Award and AdWeek’s Changing the Game Award, and has spoken at Meta, Google, the US Armed Forces, and more.She lives in New Jersey with her wife and two children.🔗 Links🌐 Claudesilver.com📘 Be Yourself at Work 💌 Newsletter & Resources via Website 💬 Connect on LinkedIn and Instagram    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

When a tough week whispers “You’re a failure,” what do you do next?  We dig into a fast, 4-question CBT flow that turns harsh self-talk into a clear plan you can act on in minutes feeling confident, empowered, hopeful and motivated again - we demo a custom Self-Talk Trainer that guides the process and exports a one-page PDF you can use as a mental training log.  We start with a core premise: thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are linked, and high performers are often tripped up not by skill but by the voice in their head. Using a relatable example - missing sales targets for a few weeks - we will do a live walkthrough of the Self-Talk Trainer, a custom GPT I designed to help you rewire negativity in your head into positive action that helps you grow and make progress despite the challenges.  This sequence in under 60 seconds.  It prompts you to capture the situation, analyze distortions like catastrophizing, craft a better thought you actually believe, and choose one small action. It then generates a clean PDF recap so you can track reps and see your thinking evolve over time - perfect for leaders, founders, and anyone who wants to perform under pressure without being dragged by rumination or self-attack.  This is the start of our “mind gym” approach: short, consistent drills that condition your inner voice to be precise, fair, and forward-moving. If you’ve ever spiraled after a setback, this tool and framework will keep you learning, adjusting, and taking action.  Try the Self-Talk Trainer, share it with someone who needs a mental reset, and tell us what shifts for you. If this conversation helped, subscribe, leave a review, and send the episode to a friend who could use a stronger inner coach.  Try Self-Talk Trainer here -> https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68f9e96bb94c81918b16bc403c31adfe-self-talk-trainer    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

Ready for a life boost that doesn’t require another app, hack, or supplement?   Today we unpack why sleep is the hidden engine behind emotional stability, sharper decisions, and real learning, and how a few consistent habits can transform your days by fixing your nights.  We start with the brain, how chronic restriction (yes, even 1-2h a night) quietly erodes attention, working memory, processing speed, and reasoning. If you lead teams, negotiate deals, parent, or simply want to grow faster, “sleep on it” isn’t a cliché; it’s a strategy.  Then we get practical.  We lay out the core behaviors that reliably improve sleep quality.  Finally, we show you how to make these shifts stick with a simple habit loop: trigger, action, reward. Pick one change per week, set hard boundaries around your schedule, and anchor it to a personal why that matters more than late-night distractions.  This is a warm, candid guide for anyone who wants better focus, calmer emotions, and faster growth without grinding harder.  Subscribe for more science-backed tools, share this with someone who’ll keep you accountable, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. What’s the one sleep habit you’ll start tonight?   Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

Ever notice how big goals melt into "some day land" when the day gets messy?  On today's episode, we break down a simple, evidence-backed tool that turns “I should” into “I did,” replacing fragile motivation with clear cues and automatic actions. Instead of relying on willpower, we show how to script your behavior like software: a specific trigger, a concrete next step, and a defined finish line that delivers a quick reward your brain actually remembers.  Who does what, when, where, how often, and with whom?  A fundamental question to answer if you want to get good at programming your brain for challenging, consistent action.  You’ll hear a practical running example that moves from vague hopes to precise routines: when to act, what to wear, where to go, and how to know you’re done. We layer in environment design to remove hidden friction and temptation bundling to make new habits feel rewarding right away. The goal is less decision-making in the moment and more doing on cue.  Then we add the secret amplifier: WOOP—Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan. By naming likely blockers upfront - low energy, surprise tasks, bad weather - and writing alternative if-then plans for each, you keep momentum even when the day doesn’t cooperate. You’ll learn how to apply the same structure to leadership, feedback, learning, and communication, so your next move is already decided when it matters. Fewer negotiations with yourself, more consistent action, and a system that sticks.  If you’re ready to trade hope for a reliable plan, press play and build your first brain program today!  3-minute blog this episode is based on: The simple trick that 2X your chances of doing what you said you would. Programming your brain to follow through 101  Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

What if feeling your best days weren’t random at all but designed by what you did over the past 3 days?  We break down a simple, repeatable system to engineer energy, calm focus, and confident decisions by auditing the last 72 hours of sleep, food, movement, people, media, and thought patterns. Instead of chasing motivation, we build fertile “soil” so your potential has a fair shot to grow and your good choices become the default, not the exception.  Along the way, I share my own checklist for feeling and doing my best.  The goal isn’t perfection; it’s predictability.  With a simple morning question you can replicate great days on demand and avoid the patterns that lead to regret. If you’re ready to design your state, improve your decisions, and grow the next version of you, this playbook will help you take off.  If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to build their own 72-hour playbook.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

Growth doesn’t vanish because we lack motivation; it stalls because we never gave it a place to live on our calendar.  Today we dig into the most unglamorous yet powerful practice that top coaching schools use to build mastery: making the time.  I share how small, protected commitments beat bursts of inspiration every time.  We walk through concrete examples - from a daily 30-minute fitness slot that compounds strength, to relationship check-ins that turn intentions into trust, to a personal miss on public speaking that proved how plans without scheduled time go nowhere. You’ll hear how to set alarms and triggers that support follow-through, how to scale tasks on low-energy days without breaking the streak, and how to be honest about the hours excellence requires. This isn’t about being busy; it’s about building a reliable system that matches your goals.  By the end, you’ll have a simple playbook - if you’ve been stuck at “almost ready,” this is your reset, choose a slot, protect it, and watch momentum return. If this resonates, tap follow, share the episode with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review so more people learn how to turn intention into progress.    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

What if optimism isn’t personality but practice?  And what if it's the best practice to unlock your full potential?  We dive into a simple, repeatable way to build a more optimistic outlook—without fluff, forced positivity, or ignoring reality. Think of it like strength training for your mindset: small, consistent reps that shift how you see options, make decisions, and take action. Along the way, we connect the dots between optimism and procrastination, and why believing your effort matters is the difference between starting now and stalling out.  We break down two beliefs that power action—“I can handle this” and “this will be worth it”—and show how most of us inherited mental habits that over-index on risk. Then we offer a counterweight: 3 pragmatic questions you can use anywhere to reframe doom-and-gloom thinking into possibility.  What opportunity might be hiding here?  What’s one thing that could go right?  What small silver lining can I find?  Full Blog Here: https://angelashurina.posthaven.com/optimism-reps-cure-procrastination-3-questions-to-shift-your-doom-n-gloom-thinking-that-keeps-you-stuck  By running these questions for one minute at a time, you’ll train your attention to see hopes instead of only hazards, which changes your energy, your presence, and your results.  If this episode helps you -  share it with someone who could use a mental spotter, then subscribe, rate, and leave a short review so more people can find the show.  Your next rep starts now - what’s one thing that could go right?    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

Strong emotions can be fuel or friction. Which one is it for you?  We walk through 6 practical tools - from CBT reframes to visualization - that help you stay steady in hard conversations, handle feedback without spiraling, and turn “I blew it” into “that was a rep.”  We get tactical with spatial distancing to cool heat in the moment, temporal distancing to choose what future you will respect, and distancing self-talk to access the clear advice you’d give a friend. Each tool lowers emotional noise and raises cognitive control, so you respond rather than react.  We then move into reappraisal, and close with athlete-style visualization to prime calm, confidence, and clean execution. Along the way, we share simple cues, real-life examples, and a practice plan you can run this week: pick one tool, choose specific situations, and debrief quickly to lock in gains. By stacking these methods, you’ll build a repeatable way to navigate stress, stay connected in tough conversations, and keep momentum on the goals that matter.  Let's grow together!    Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant

Why do we invest millions changing customer behavior but ignore how people behave inside companies?In this thought-provoking conversation, behavioral scientist and author Matt Wallaert returns to Change Wired to explore the next evolution of behavioral science: internal change.We discuss why most organizations treat employee behavior as fixed or random — and what it takes to build systems where people grow continuously, without relying on luck, politics, or the next big program.🔍 In this episode:The economic bias behind why companies fund customer change but not employee change.How to make behavioral science practical inside organizations — linking people systems to business outcomes.3 pillars of employee motivation.The problem with measuring value of employees through opportunity instead of capability.The Boy Scouts model of development: advancing by demonstrated skills, not politics.The trap of “participation-trophy culture” — and how to make growth easier without lowering standards.How leaders can start — by documenting their own growth goals first.The future of meaningful work: designing systems where people stay not because they have to, but because they can grow.💡 Key Takeaways:Growth is not a perk — it’s a human need and business driver.People don’t resist growth and change — they resist misaligned systems that make it hard.Making it easier ≠ lowering the bar; it means adding clarity and support.The simplest place to start culture change? Write down where you’re going and how you’ll get there.Companies that measure capability, not just output, unlock deeper innovation and resilience.🎯 Why you should listen:If you’re leading transformation, culture change, or talent growth strategy — this episode gives you a blueprint for building systems that make growth inevitable. Matt offers practical, evidence-based steps any leader can apply, starting tomorrow.  👉 Listen to the full episode to learn how to turn growth into your company’s competitive advantage — one behavior at a time.  👤 Matt Wallaert – Short BioMatt Wallaert is an applied behavioral scientist, author, and public speaker known among other things for pioneering how behavioral science can drive organizational change. He currently serves as a Chief Experience Officer at Oceans, leading initiatives that combine behavioral insights with systems design to help companies improve performance, motivation, and growth.Previously, Matt was Microsoft’s Director of Behavioral Science, the Chief Behavioral Officer at Clover Health, and the author of Start at the End: How to Build Products That Create Change. He has advised Fortune 500 companies, governments, and startups on building behaviorally informed systems that make doing the right thing the easy thing.📚 Learn more and connect:🌐 mattwallaert.com 💼 LinkedIn: Matt Wallaert 📚  Book: Start at the End  Text Me Your Thoughts and IdeasSupport the showBrought to you by Angela Shurina Behavior-First, Executive, Leadership and Optimal Performance Coach 360, Change Leadership & Culture Transformation Consultant