Podcast 633: Reach A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone with Andy Molinsky

There are certain things in this world that we have to do that make us feel uncomfortable, such as firing someone, delivering bad new of any kind, going to networking events or asserting yourself with friends and colleagues.   Author and psychologist Andy Molinsky has studied our behavior under these uncomfortable situations and has some very sound advice to help us not only get through it but to not feel so bad in the process.

Author and psychologist Andy Molinsky has studied our behavior under these uncomfortable situations and has some very sound advice to help us not only get through it but to not feel so bad in the process.

In his new book entitled ” Reach A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone,” he informs the reader that there are five (5) key avoidance tendencies: authenticity, competence, resentment, likability, and morality.  

We need to feel, for instance, the what we are doing is authentic to who we are and that it is the right thing to do. Confronting these challenges will help identify the “gap” in our behavioral style that we can then bridge by using the three C’s: clarity, conviction, and customization. 

Reach is full of rich stories and anecdotes across a range of professions from managers and executive to entrepreneurs, rabbis, priests, baristas, and stay-at-home moms, and even goat farmers.  If you want to find the out how to implement the three C’s of clarity, conviction, and customization to help you bridge these uncomfortable situations, then listen to this podcast with psychologists and author Andy Molinsky about his new book “Reach A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone.”

If you want to learn more about the book and Andy, please click here to be taken to his amazing website.  There you will find free downloads, video of his talks and free questions for stepping out of your comfort zone.

 

 

Podcast 632: Momentum Dash with Levi Bucsis

I was recently was told about a Chrome extension called Momentum Dash from my good friend Lee Regan.  I don’t usually review software, but this particular software caught my attention–so much so that I reached out to the founder  Levi Bucsis and requested that we do a podcast.

If you’re like me you have lots to do and very little time to complete your work in.  Your days are filled with various projects and you are juggling between tasks.  Does this sound like any of you?

At this point, I hope I have your attention because Momentum Dash works incredibly well at increasing your focus and the outcome is improved productivity.  Levi Bucsis and his amazing software development team have created an awesome Chrome extension piece of software that it makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs–you have to get this extension software now!!!    

So what are the features, beautiful pictures of nature to look at and ponder which will take you to a meditative state of being–not doing.  This particular feature forces me to slow down and ponder, reflect and thus makes my next though that much more poignant.  It has an API to the to-do list I subscribe to which is Todoist.  I can turn it on and off at will, and add to the list when I have another to-do–the key is being able to hide it and only look at the prompts when I am ready.

Momentum Dash Podcast clock Momentum Dash Podcast percent Momentum Gift Page

The software prompts you for your daily focus for the day, and there is a countdown timer and clock if you choose to use it. It also has awesome quotes that change daily, and these quotes seem to really make a connection for me.  All the features can be turned on or off dependent on your particular workflow.

This is must try software, you can download the free version of the extension by clicking here, or you can subscribe for $29.95 and get all the features and options.

I hope you enjoy my wonderful interview with a very creative software engineer and student of psychology, Levi Bucsis.

 

 

Podcast 631: The Religion of Tomorrow with Ken Wilber

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I was honored to interview Ken Wilber for his new book “The Religion of Tomorrow-A Vision for the Future of the Great Traditions.”   This is a wonderfully written book and informs the reader of the insights about what will be required to transform religions if are to stay relevant into the future.  As Ken states “Religions can only stay relevant if they embrace the discoveries of science and the insights of psychology to offer an “integral” approach: bringing together the wisdom of many paradigms and respecting the individuality of seekers.

Ken and I speak about the esoteric and exoteric religions and the great differences that these two movements have created in the evolution of religion.  As we discuss Ken states that the exoteric religions have always cooperated and shared insights and wisdom while the exoteric religions have done more to divide people and create chasms in people’s beliefs.  Experts state the 70% of the world’s population is at a fundamentalists stage of development, where their given religion is taken to be the literal word of God and mythic stories become fact. Ken explains how we can help this percentage of the population to “grow up” and embrace more inclusive views that will help curb violence and global conflict.

Ken’s long-awaited “The Religion of Tomorrow” is a definitive text on spirituality and religion in the modern world.  The Great Traditions from Christianity, to Islam and beyond have failed to evolve, unlike nearly every other dimension of modern life.  If you want to learn more about what Ken believes the “Religion of Tomorrow” will look like I encourage you to listen to our interview.

If you want to learn more about Ken Wilber you can click here to go to his Integral Life website.

 

Podcast 630: The Five Longings with David Richo

 

richo I recently had the opportunity to interview author David Richo. This is his sophomore appearance here at, Inside Personal Growth. This time around David and I discussed his new (and may I say excellent!) book entitled, ” The Five Longings-What We’ve Always Wanted and Already Have.”

Have you ever had a vague sense that something’s missing from your life? It’s a feeling that I believe many of us can relate to. Embrace it. David explains the longing for something better is intuition, awareness of our discomforts and desires to grow are a sign of being fully alive. David states that it is when you carefully identify the things you long for–like love, meaning, freedom, happiness and growth–you not only discover deep truths about yourself, but also find the things you long for were never really “missing at all.”

In our interview this week, we explore the “five longings,” that are a prominent part of our human experience. As David says, “Life keeps showing us that what we want or cling to doesn’t last. This fact does not mean that what is impermanent is not necessary or of less value than what is permanent–a common bias. The fact that something will not last can mean that it is very precious indeed, precisely because it will be with us so briefly.”

Enjoy this insightful podcast with author David Richo about his new book, “The Five Longings“. For more information about David click here to be directed to his website.

 

Podcast 629: A Stroke of Faith with Mark Moore

 

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It is not often that one gets hit in succession with nearly two fatal strokes, but that is what happened to Mark Moore my guest on this podcast, and the author of a new book entitled “A Stroke of Faith-A Stroke Survivor’s Story Of A Second Chance At Living A Life of Significance”. 

Mark Moore was a successful CEO of a thriving company that he and his partner founded and was also in apparent great health when his strokes occurred.  Mark’s story is about his triumph over adversity that this event caused in his life.  One day he was fine, then the next day he was lying in a hospital bed in a coma.  He had to learn how to walk, tie his shoes, sign a check and all the normal activities that we all take for granted.

We speak in the podcast about the strains an illness like this takes on the family, but also how this event brought Mark and his wife and children closer together. Mark’s family and the strength they provided him were the single most compelling reasons for his survival and willingness to fight for his life.

Since the stroke, Mark has made almost a complete recovery and has run a marathon on the one-year anniversary of his stroke.  Through his life will never return to his pre-stroke normality, he has now chosen to dedicate his life to philanthropy, his family, educating others about stroke awareness and prevention, and inspiring those who have suffered similar events.

I hope you enjoy this inspiring interview with Mark Moore the author of ” A Stroke of Faith“.  You can learn more about Mark by visiting his website by clicking here.

 

Podcast 628: Barking Up The Wrong Tree with Eric Barker

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Eric Barker the author of a new book entitled “Barking Up The Wrong Tree-The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong.  

x160In our interview together we discuss what compelled Eric to write the book, and more importantly how his blog which now has a following of over 300,000 people following Eric became the place where he compiled the academic and expert opinions regarding success in life.  If you want to access Eric’s blog just click here.

Eric exposes lots of Mythbusters during our interview about the success that flies in the face of conventional wisdom.  He shares with us what separates extremely successful people from the rest, and teaches us what we can do to be more like them–or in some cases find out why it’s best that we are not like them.

In the chapter on ” Do Nice Guys Finish Last,” he conveys a compelling story about Dr. Michael Swango who was one of the most successful serial killers ever. By this third year in medical school, hospital patients he interacted with were dying at such a rate that his fellow student took notice. ( You have to read the story and get the book to know what happened to Swango.)  The real reason for the story is to ask the questions, do people who cheat and break the rules succeed more often?  Is the world fair? Can good people get ahead or are they doomed to be suckers? Do nice guys really finish last?

Come take a journey with Eric and myself and get the answers to these questions and more.  If you want to learn more about Eric Barker and his new book please click here.  If you want to go to his blog, just click here.

I know you are going to enjoy this interview with Eric Barker about his new book “Barking Up The Wrong Tree-The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong.

 

Podcast 627: Filter Shift-How Effective People See the World with Sara Taylor

Our internal filters are natural–and they are automatic, and that’s the problem.  In her new book entitled “Filter Shift-How Effective People See the World” author Sara Taylor explains how the filters that each of us use daily are not something that we think about but are having a significant impact on how we see the world–and others in our world.

Sara states that one of the reasons so many of us are ineffective in our interactions across difference is that we have yet to be taught how to operate differently.  We also perpetuate the ineffectiveness with each other.

Filter Shifting is the ability to see ourselves, see others and see approach.  Sara defines the acronym SEE as, See-the objective description and articulation based on observation. E stands for explain-subjective analysis and articulation based on our culture, individual experiences, and personal opinions, and E-evaluate, assignment of value judgment based on what we see and how we explain that.

Throughout Sara’s book, she unlocks the keys to what she refers to at “effectiveness interaction across difference”  Understanding this methodology will transform anyone from having lesser effectiveness to greater effectiveness in their abilities to identify their biases allowing for more effective communications.

If you want to learn more about Sara Taylor you can click here to be directed to her company website, or you can go to the book website where you can access free tools to assess your own filters.

I hope you enjoy this great interview with author Sara Taylor about her new book entitled “Filter Shift-How Effective People See the World“.

 

Podcast 626: Boomer Reinvention with John Tarnoff

I had the pleasure of interviewing author John Tarnoff; who just happens to be one of my prior classmates at the University of Santa Monica where we both graduated with Master’s degrees in Spiritual Psychology.  John’s new book Boomer Reinvention-How to Create Your Dream Career Over 50 John Tarnoffis an instruction guide for any boomer looking for ways to become a valuable asset to any employer, and as an entrepreneur.

As John points out many of the baby boomers have been the collateral damage of the economic downturn of 2008, thus they have lost a significant amount of their retirement portfolio forcing many to remain actively engaged in the workforce to support their lifestyles.  Boomers will continue to be, excellent choices for today’s and tomorrow’s workforce. But for the moment, the message from the top to the bottom of the American enterprise is that older workers need to be weaned out before they hit sixty-five.

Reinventing is about manifesting something out in the world and changing your career and by extension, your life. Reinvention implies a deep willingness to surrender the old ways that you use to live and work. It is reinvigorating, inspiring and energizing.  John provides the reader with inspiring examples of real people that have reinvented their careers and we discuss what he coins as the “boomer reinvention methodology.   This methodology works with anyone with the willingness to rebuild a new career or become a consultant.  John explains to the reader how they have to reprogram their thinking and actions to become a success in our new competitive work world.

I hope you will listen to our podcast, and more importantly, listen to the advice that John provides to boomer’s that are attempting to build a new career and or become independent consultants.

If you want to learn more about John Tarnoff you can visit his website by clicking here, or you can watch his Ted-X speech where he addresses the issues of boomer reinvention.

 

Podcast 625: Extreme You-Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat-with Sarah Robb O’Hagan

If you want to listen to an author that has been engaged in corporate America to the extreme, then Sarah Robb O’Hagan would be your woman.  She has climbed the corporate ladder at Virgin Atlantic, Nike, Gatorade and Equinox all while being a wife, mother and endurance athlete.  She was fired twice, but that did not stop her.

In her book Extreme You, she takes the reader on her personal journey as well as incorporating stories from some of the most successful people she could find to interview for the book.  She let’s the reader know that to reach your greatness success and tap your human potential is requires that we continually improve ourselves no matter what our circumstances. She says that we should not succumb to the accepted norms because this type of behavior will stifle our talents and squelch our opportunities.

Extreme You, shows the route to success is far different from what we’re usually told. Achieving success is not about conforming, hiding your weaknesses, or reaching a pre-planned destination.  Instead, it is about continuously developing yourself to the max.

I hope you will take the journey with Sarah and I as we explore stories from her life, and the life’s of others who have inspired Sarah on her journey.  You will be inspired as well as learn some of the secrets to living the life of your dreams.

If you want to learn more about Sarah and the book “Extreme You” click here to be directed to her website. Also take the Extreme You Quiz to learn your Extreme You traits.

You can visit Sarah on Facebook.

 

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