Podcast 182: The Power of Adversity with Al Weatherhead

Al Weatherhead We have all been effected by adversity during the course of our lives, but  Al Weatherhead, the author of “The Power of Adversity“, has certainly had more than his fair share of adversity.  Al has struggled through the death of an infant son, two failed marriages and a life long battle with alcoholism not to mention the heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

The key point to Al’s message is that we gain strength from adversity when we change how we view the challenges we are faced with. He says instead of asking “Why me? he advises asking “Why not me.”  Embrace positive thinking and recognize that adversity is the impetus to look for creative solutions.  Al has four techniques for mastering adversity:

  • Attitude and the Mind-The Power of Positive Imagery–Developing a positive attitude about adversity is essential to tapping its power to enhance and improve your life. If you think positively, with the right imagery, your battle is all but won.
  • Meditation: The Art of Letting Go–How doing Nothing Can Be Everything–Practicing meditation creates and sustains your positive mindset. Without this mindset, you place an unhealthy emphasis on your goals and adversity that prevents you from reaching them. Daily meditation helps you rejuvenate and rebuild yourself, and to come to realize firsthand that adversity is just another name for a series of choices called life.
  • Communication-Articulating the Speech of the Heart–A great gift of adversity is coming to understand that you can resolve your problems when you share your life with others. You simply must reach out to others, or you will never overcome adversity.
  • Sharing, Not Managing–Don’t Confuse the Need to Control with Love–As you truly connect with other–revealing, extending, and expressing your innermost self–the layers of adversity will peel away like an onion, revealing choices an solutions that would never be apparent to your on your own.

I invite you to set down, relax and enjoy this wonderful interview with an author who not only knows how powerful adversity can be he is the living embodiment of a wise soul who has lived with adversity and survived and created a very meaningful and fulfilling life. If you would like to know more about Al Weatherhead I encourage to you visit his website by clicking here.

Podcast 181 : Happiness At Work with Jessica Pryce-Jones

Jessica Pryce-JonesDo you remember what Walt Disney used to say about Disneyland? –That is was the happiest place on earth.  If you have ever visited Disneyland or Disney World then you will experience a culture of people that really love their work.

I recently learned that of the trillions we are spending on health care in our country,  that 70% of the dollars spent are allocated to five chronic diseases of which depression is one of the aliments.  This is a staggering amount of money being spent to keep our workforce happy and more productive.  What I am wondering is why are so many of us reverting to anti-depressants to just sustain our life, and why can’t happiness be a natural life occurrence?.

If you have some of these same questions, then you are going to love my interview with author Jessica Pryce-Jones about her new book entitled, “Happiness at Work“. In our interview together we explore the mindset that is part of a happy productive person and the associated workplace environment that fosters happiness.  Jessica spent over five years studying 3,000 people and compiling data on what creates happiness in the workplace.  She discovered that there are five main components of happiness at work, and they are:

  • Contribution: For individuals, this means achieving one’s goals, having clear objectives, raising issues that are personally important, and feeling secure in one’s job. It also consists of being listened to, getting positive feedback, being respected by one’s boss, and feeling appreciated.
  • Conviction: This means being motivated, feeling effective and efficient, showing resiliency when time are tough, and perceiving that one’s work has a positive impact on the world.
  • Culture: People who feel they fit well at work enjoy their jobs, like their colleagues, appreciate the values the workplace stands for, believe they are being treated fairly, and feel that they have control of their daily activities.
  • Commitment: Means identifying your overall purpose, finding meaningful work, being interested in your job, and believing in the vision of your organization. Increasing commitment is just as much an individuals responsibility as it is a corporate one–the company’s vision and strategies should be understood at every staff level.
  • Confidence: It’s important to choose jobs, goals, and challenges that push the boundaries of one’s comfort zone in order to grow confidence. Increasing confidence also means creating safety mechanisms and support when trying new and difficult things.

So, if you want a workplace filled with happy workers who are more productive, engaged and willing to contribute, then you need to read this wonderful book by Jessica Pryce-Jones.  You can also visit her website by clicking here to learn more about her company iOpener, and the studies she has completed.

Enjoy this wonderful interview with someone who know what it takes to make a workplace the happiest place on earth.

Podcast 180: Awakening Joy with James Baraz

James BarazI believe that everyone would like to have a little more joy and happiness in their lives.  In my interview with James Baraz we explore the 10 steps that James believes will help us in claiming our joy.

In James new book entitled, “Awakening Joy–10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness“, we explore the elements that are important to having more joy and happiness in life.  James states that you can decide to be happy.  For years, James’ online Awakening Joy course has offered participants from around the world the benefits of this simple but profoundly radical proposition.  Grounded in simple Buddhist principles but accessible to people of all faiths—or no faith at all–this concept provides the jumping-off point for a transformational journey toward a richer, more meaningful, more positive outlook on life.

Now readers everywhere can follow the same ten steps James teaches to his program participants.  In this down to earth guide, you will learn how to

  • make  happiness a habit by inclining your mind toward states that lead to well-being.
  • find joy even during difficult times and avoid the pitfalls that prevent you from achieving the contentment you seek.
  • cultivate effective practices for sustaining joyfulness, such as reclaiming your natural sense of wonder and finding joy in the midst of everyday life.

If you are seeking more joy and happiness in your life, and would like to understand some very valuable steps that can assist you in claiming the joy that is your right, then I highly recommend that you read James’ new book, “Awakening Joy–10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness“.  You will thoroughly enjoy our interview, while learning more about the steps toward joy.  Please go to James’ website by clicking here for more information on his workshop, book and videos.

By the way here is a link to a video that James’ mother did that is just downright hilarious. She speak about how her son the author James ruined her life because he Awakened her to Joy in her life.  A great video for those who love Jewish mother humor.  Click here to watch the video.

Podcast 179: Mindbloom with Chris Hewett

Chris Hewett I fell in love with Mindbloom the moment I started playing around with Internet based software.   I became so hooked on this immersive, and engaging software that I took the time to go up to Seattle, WA and visit Chris Hewett the founder of Mindbloom and his incredible team of developers and business associates.

In my interview with Chris Hewett, the founder, we explore what drove Chris to develop Mindbloom and the passion he has for helping people transmit patterns in their life that don’t serve them, and utilize a very cool and engaging product to help them stay focused while sharing and being supported by people they trust to help them along their own personal pathway of personal growth and mastery.

This new Internet based software is has been built like a game, designed to keep the user engaged in the process of setting and achieving their goals.

The objective of Mindbloom’s Life Game is to grow the life you want by creating and maintaining a Life Tree where the branches represent areas of life that matter to you (e.g. health, spirituality, relationships, leisure, lifestyle, finances, creativity, and career) and the leaves represent specific goals, passions, or dreams.

By taking small steps towards those goals, passions, or dreams on a regular basis (e.g. drink 8 glasses of water) you will not only grow and maintain a healthy tree (and life!), but you will earn seeds (i.e. points) that you can spend on additional branches, leaves, and actions.

Also, as you earn more seeds your tree will be automatically “upgraded” to new environments.  With each “upgrade” (i.e. “level up”) you are learning one of the most important life lessons – we all have the ability to grow the life we want if we take at least one small step every day.

The higher the level you achieve, the more “experienced” you are becoming in Mindbloom.  This “experience” will come in handy if and when you decide to encourage family and friends to play their own Life Game in Mindbloom.

It’s important to remember that like life itself, the game is not about the end result, but it’s about the journey.  Know that your goals, passions, and dreams will continually change and as long as you are taking small steps everyday and having fun, then you’ve already won!

I highly encourage any of my listeners to check out the Mindbloom experience.  This is truly transformative software if only you will use it.

Please take a listen to a true visionary, and someone that I believe will change the whole process of goal setting through the Mindbloom experience.

Podcast 178: When Turtles Fly with Nikki Stone

Nikki StoneWhat a great interview with a fascinating Olympian!  Nikki Stone shows us all that you can accomplish anything if you stick your neck out! Nikki’s latest book entitled,  “When Turtles Fly”,  is a compilation of others who, like Nikki, accomplished remarkable goals against all odds.  Named for a story Nikki’s mother told her as a child, you will be inspired by Nikki’s incredible journey and how she became the first American to win the Olympic gold in the sport of inverted aerial skiing at the 1998 Winter games in Nagano, Japan.  What made this performance so unbelievable was the fact that less than two years earlier, a chronic injury prevented her from standing much less skiing down a slope at almost 40 miles per hour.

The title of her book, “When Turles Fly”, was based on a philosophy taught to Nikki by her mother called, The Turtle Effect. She taught Nikki that to be successful you need to act like a turtle.  Be soft on the inside  – which is your passion for what you love; Have a hard shell –  to help you over come adversity and Be willing to stick your neck out to accomplish your goals and find success in your life…..plus inspire others.

Nikki has used this outlook to overcome a spinal injury, win an Olympic gold medal and to graduate magna cum laude with her Bachelors degree and summa cum laude with her Masters degree in Sports Psychology.

Nikki’s earliest role model was Nadia Comaneci, the 14 year old Romanian gymnast who scored a perfect 10 at the 1976 Olympic games in Montreal.  At age 5, Nikki was inspired by Nadia to be the best and at that early age, she set her sights on Olympic gold.  We discuss the inspirational stories in her book from many well known and some not so well known heroes such as:   Lindsey Vonn, Dr. Stephan Covey, Shaun White and Corporal Jason Dunham.  Her book is broken down into chapters entitled: Passion, Focus, Commitment, Overcoming Adversities, Confidence, Risk and Teamwork/Support…all key ingredients and strengths needed to succeed.

Nikki’s bright outlook and motivation to overcome all obstacles shines through in her interview as well as her book, “When Turtles Fly” .  These stories will move you and show you the tests that the strength of the human spirit will endure to become the best.  She has not only put together this book filled with powerful life changing stories, she is also generously donating 25% of the net proceeds to the American Cancer Society.  Nikki comes from a long line of strong women.  Not only her mother who passed along the turtle effect philosophy, but also her grandmother who shared this wise quote with Nikki: “ Brave don’t live forever but cautious don’t live at all.”

Be sure to pick up this book and be ready to be inspired by not only Nikki’s personal story, but all of the 40 great people she carefully interview and included in her book. It will make you think about who you are and will ignite your drive to chase your dreams and fulfill your goals. All the profiles showcased outline the core principles of success and that anybody can make it no matter the background, conditions, or timing.

Enjoy this interview and to find out more about Nikki and her availability for motivational speaking engagements, go to her site at: www.nikkistone.com or to find out more about her book, go to: www.whenturtlesfly.com

Podcast 177: A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Elisha Goldstein Ph.D

Elisha GoldsteinI thoroughly enjoyed my interview with Elisha Goldstein the co-author with Bob Stahl of, “A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reductions Workbook“.  This new book is a wonderful guide and playbook for anyone who is seeking to understand the how’s of mindfulness.

Elisha Goldstein and Bob Stahl don’t just write about why the practice of mindfulness is beneficial for you, they really instruct you on the how’s and the benefits of mindfulness.

This book is designed for the person who really wants to integrate the practices of mindfulness in their life.   As the title states if you are having any symptoms of stress such as feeling anxious, irritability, muscle tension, burnout, apathy, restlessness, headaches, fatigue, stomach stress, difficulty in concentration, worry, overwork, substance abuse, smoking, eating problems, sleep disturbances, or feeling overwhelmed, this workbook will definitely help.   I don’t think that there is a single soul reading this blog entry that has not had at least one of these symptoms.

The authors define “mindfulness” as, the practice of cultivating nonjudgmental awareness in day-to-day life.  What a perfect definition, the key is creating nonjudgmental awareness.   This book will certainly assist anyone who wants to cultivate more joy, peace and fulfillment in the experiences of every day life.

Today mindfulness has expanded beyond its spiritual roots and even beyond psychology and mental and emotional well-being.  Physicians are prescribing training in mindfulness practices to help people deal with stress, pain and illness. Mindfulness has entered the mainstream in the West and is becoming a very popular practice.

If you would like to learn from the masters, then this book is a great place to start.  I highly recommend this book for both the beginner and the experienced practitioner alike.  You can also learn more about Elisha Goldstein by clicking here to be taken to his website.

Please enjoy this wonderful interview with a true master teacher in the field of mindfulness.

Podcast 176: The Most Successful Small Business In The World: The Ten Principles with Michael E. Gerber

Michael E. Gerber I believe most people in small business know author Michael E. Gerber.  Michael has written a new book entitled, “The Most Successful Small Business in the World: The Ten Principles“.  Michael is a fascinating and dynamic man, not to mention a prolific writer.

In his 70’s Michael still travels the world speaking his message with great passion and zest for life.  In my interview we explore one of his new ventures entitled “Origination‘”.  I would highly recommend that you click on the link and watch his compelling video.  I am not someone to watch a 20 minute video on the Internet, but this video was quite compelling and intrigued me enough to learn more about what Michael is up too.

Michael reveals in “The Most Successful Small Business in the World: The Ten Principles” is a must read for any person in business.  Gerber’s ten principles will help you to break out of the vicious cycle before it starts in your new business. He’ll help you to embrace the energy of exploration with a road map for taking your vision beyond the obvious.  Only then can you build a company that provides continuous fulfillment and personal growth, and can expand the income, services and positive contribution to your employees and community.

Gerber’s ten principles will help you to: 1) identify your company’s essential “system”–its highly differentiated way of doing business that will be the cornerstone of your success.  2) Build a business of great imagination;a self-reliant “reach” that will create economic certainty in any climate. 3) Create a center of growth and learning for your employees, that will in turn develop you business beyond any standard that formerly existed. 4) Instill a higher purpose that can move yourself, your business, and your customers to greater levels of fulfillment and growth.

If you are looking for a truly different business book with wisdom, guidance and simple formulas for success—then you have landed on the right book.  Please visit Micheal’s website by clicking here for more video, audio, radio shows and more.

The website is beautiful and loaded with great free content. Enjoy this lively interview with a true master at small business,  Michael E. Gerber.

Podcast 175: The Leader Who Had No Title with Robin Sharma

Robin Sharma What a wonderful interview with a fascinating man and prolific author.  Robin Sharma has just released his new book entitled, “The Leader Who Had No Title”.

This is a fable in which Robin eloquently weaves into the storyline the advice of a character by the name of Tommy Flinn to our main character Blake Davis about important lessons in life and leadership.  Robin’s message of “The Leader Who Had No Title” is very timely considering the major challenges our world is facing, and many examples we can pluck out of the news about leaders who have fallen from their so called thrones due to indiscretions or lack of integrity.

Robins main message revolves around the fact that everyone is a leader, we all have roles of leadership at work, home and or community.   We need not play down our roles as leaders but embrace the good that we do as a result of our leadership roles.  Robin tells that that we have just entered what he calls, “The Decade of Leadership”.  Leadership has become democratized, we don’t have to be executives to be leaders.

Robin articulates what he refers to as nine smart moves you can make today to start changing the game and create exceptional results:

1)    Remember You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader

2)    Shift form Victimhood to Leadership

3)    Innovate or Stagnate

4)    Become a Value Creator Versus a Clock Watcher

5)    Put People First

6)    Remember that Tough Times Build Strong Leaders

7)    Go to Your Limits

8)    Leader Yourself First

9)    Give Back a Legacy.

I highly recommend this great fable with a wonderful message about how we are all leaders, and we are now living in a age where we all need to step up and become leaders in our own right.  This book is loaded with wonderful advice and practical actions we can take to become the best leaders we are capable of.

Please go to Robin’s website which has loads of video and reference material by clicking here.  Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Robin’s new book by clicking on any of the links in this blog entry.

Enjoy this wonderful interview.

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