Conversations with Anna; Stories to Move Your Life Forward

In this groundbreaking episode, Collective Energy is revolutionizing how research insights are delivered. Through the power of Google's Notebook LM AI technology, Dr. Anna is presenting critical findings from her latest white paper, "Closing The Double Skills Gap for Today's Managers: Empowering Technical Leaders for Multigenerational Success"Discover why organizations are facing an unprecedented challenge in leadership development: a troubling gap between the skills leaders have and the skills organizations desperately need. But there's more – we've uncovered a second, hidden gap that's amplifying this crisis.Key insights you'll hear:Why traditional leadership development is failing modern organizationsThe surprising connection between Gen Z expectations and leadership effectivenessHow the double skills gap is affecting talent retention and organizational growthCritical strategies for closing both gaps simultaneouslyThis episode showcases the future of content delivery, combining cutting-edge AI voice technology with essential organizational research. You'll experience firsthand how emerging technologies can transform complex insights into engaging audio content.Want the complete research, including detailed frameworks and implementation strategies? Download the full white paper at the Double Skills Gap page. You'll get access to:In-depth analysis of both skills gapsData-driven insights from extensive organizational researchPractical frameworks for skills assessment and developmentStrategic recommendations for HR leaders and organizational development professionalsJoin us for this innovative exploration of modern leadership challenges, and witness the future of research presentation through AI technology.

In this episode, I sit down with Brittany Fountain, Chief Humanity Officer of Britt Joy & Co. Brittany openly shares her story of growing up with a single mom, working her way through college, and spending 15 years in diverse corporate roles before courageously launching her own culture consulting business. We dive into the challenges and opportunities around workplace culture, preparing for the future of work, and the power of intuition in decision making. Brittany's candid and insightful perspective will leave you inspired to approach your own career with more curiosity, authenticity and intentionality. Don't miss this thought-provoking conversation!Episode Quote: "Curiosity is the engine of achievement." - Ken RobinsonCollective Challenge: This week, make a conscious effort to cultivate curiosity in your daily life. Each day, identify one situation where you can pause and ask deeper questions – whether it's about your own thoughts, ideas, and actions, or those of others. Embrace the opportunity to lean in and learn more. Notice how this curiosity impacts your interactions, decisions, and overall perspective. At the end of the week, reflect on your experiences and consider how you can continue to integrate curiosity into your personal and professional life. Share your insights with others and encourage them to join you in this curiosity challenge!Show Notes:00:00 - Anna introduces Brittany Fountain and the episode theme of curiosity04:36 - Brittany shares her childhood background and lessons learned from her single mom09:46 - College experience as a first-gen student and entering the workforce during 2008 recession17:33 - Overview of Brittany's 15 year corporate career across various industries and roles25:01 - The launch of Britt Joy & Co in 2021 and identifying the need for culture consulting32:13 - Challenges in getting leadership buy-in for prioritizing workplace culture38:52 - Brittany's experience giving a keynote speech with her baby strapped to her45:05 - The importance of staying curious and experimenting to identify gaps and solutions51:50 - How organizations need to prepare for Gen Z and the future of work58:16 - Balancing customer experience with employee experience and engagement1:04:30 - Navigating ambiguity as a consultant and establishing metrics for success1:09:59 - Learning to trust your intuition when making decisions about opportunities1:12:07 - The value of reflective thinking and being the last to speak in a room1:15:10 - Anna's closing thoughts on Brittany's openness and insightsMusic by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Anna Stumpf sits down with Josh Brammer, an entrepreneur, growth strategist, Storybrand Guide, and founder of Hello Lantern. Josh shares his profound journey of self-discovery, navigating the turbulent waters of entrepreneurship and finding his true "sweet spot."From his beginnings in youth ministry to building a successful marketing agency, Josh's career has been marked by a relentless pursuit of clarity and impact. He vulnerably recounts the identity crisis that led him to question his passion for marketing and embark on a transformative path of exploration.Through candid insights and hard-won wisdom, Josh offers invaluable guidance for professionals at any stage seeking to unlock their potential, reignite their joy, and align their work with their deepest values. His story serves as a powerful reminder that true fulfillment often requires courage, self-awareness, and a willingness to pivot – even when it means walking away from apparent success.Whether you're an entrepreneur, creative professional, or simply seeking greater meaning in your work, this episode will inspire you to embrace your unique gifts and forge a path that sparks genuine joy and unlocks your full potential.Episode Quote:  "The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle." - Steve JobsCollective Challenge: Reflect on your current professional role or business. Identify one aspect that aligns with your strengths, interests, and passion – your "sweet spot." Commit to focusing your energy on nurturing and expanding that aspect over the next week. Notice how it impacts your overall sense of fulfillment and joy. OR identify one aspect of your professional life where you may feel stuck or unfulfilled. Take one small, actionable step towards addressing this area. This could be as simple as scheduling a conversation with a mentor, enrolling in a short online course to develop a skill you're passionate about, or dedicating time to reflect on your career goals and writing them down. This challenge encourages you to take proactive steps towards personal and professional development, fostering a sense of progress and self-awareness.Show Notes:0:00 - 3:35: Introduction, quote from Steve Jobs3:35 - 13:55: Josh's background and pivot from agency to consulting business13:55 - 22:45: Discovering his "sweet spot" and mission of unlocking potential and sparking joy22:45 - 30:10: Balancing work with personal life, managing scope creep30:10 - 37:20: Biggest career challenge - starting his own business37:20 - 41:25: The importance of narrowing focus for creatives41:25 - 47:45: Keeping a narrow focus, avoiding shiny objects47:45 - 54:10: Collaborating with a collective group, importance of trust54:10 - 59:02: Josh's family life, final thoughtsMusic by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

Join Dr. Anna Stumpf as she talks with Coach Julie Downey about living an energized and purpose-driven life. Julie shares her journey from real estate to coaching entrepreneurs, prioritizing self-care and wellness, empowering women, and embracing change and new opportunities. Gain insights on discovering your unique abilities, achieving mastery, and finding alignment between your passion and purpose.The books mentioned in the podcast episode are:"Unique Ability" by Dan Sullivan This concept and book have been adapted by a new author who offers this book and workbook. You can google Dan Sullivan and his many appearances and coaching business. "Happy Money" by Jason Vitug "The Gap and The Gain" by Dan Sullivan Quote of the show: " Asking the right questions takes as much skill as having the right answers"- Robert HalfThe Collective Challenge: Our collective challenge for this show is to figure out some of your mastery in your innate talents, unlock some new levels, maybe of your confidence and some exploration.  Ask five to 10 people across different areas of your to describe you or your impact may be on them. Ask them for five words, and then look for themes in their responses, maybe some patterns. The other thing you can do is make a list of activities where you get into that like flow state or you lose track of time or it doesn't feel like work and look for themes of where you're getting energy and enjoyment. The third thing you can do is identify tangible skills that come really easily for you. And remember, you don't have to love these. They're just skills that you have.  Maybe even start like a journal page. Then, fill these skills, words, tasks, or themes over time as you run across them. Ultimately, take a look at all of these strains of genius where you have people's descriptions of you, you have lists of activities where you kind of get lost in you have some of your tangible skills, and take a look at the impact the energy, the skills, and what kind of unique ability, unique themes, tie these together, and then start to brainstorm ways to use these abilities more, maybe through a pivot, volunteering, a passion project, whatever that might be just some sort of discovery is always the first step. And living on purpose is the fun part.Show Notes with Timestamps:00:07 - Introduction by Anna Stumpf and overview of the episode01:21 - Julie Downey shares her background and initial career choices05:09 - The shift from real estate to personal coaching10:42 - Julie discusses the challenges and breakthroughs in her journey16:12 - The evolution of Julie's career and her move towards coaching21:27 - Discovering coaching as a calling through self-awareness exercises26:39 - Julie talks about the impact of coaching and her approach32:28 - Strategies for work-life balance and personal well-being39:09 - Future aspirations and the importance of community and connection44:27 - Mastery and the power of saying no48:01 - Julie's recommendations for personal development and resources

Have you heard about the Energy Coin? Learn about it here or in this previous episode.Today's episode gives four examples of energy coin impact just to give you a boost of energy! Enjoy!Music by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

Collective Insights Newsletter: Because you are a collective of your roles, this newsletter serves to off you boosts of energy in your leadership of self, work, home, and connections.If you would like this content delivered via email to your inbox every week, sign up on our website, at the bottom of the home page. Learn more about the EQ-i 2.0 here. The Hidden Costs of Not Showing EmotionsNavigating Emotions in the Workplace: Responding to Crying with EmpathyEmotional Intelligence: Bridging Work and Home LifeBeyond Transactions: Cultivating Meaningful Connections for Extended InfluenceMusic by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

Justin Demaree seemed to have it all - a successful corporate career, loving family, and active social life. But when the pandemic hit, it sparked an existential crisis that led Justin and his wife to ask themselves "are we living our best lives?" The conclusion that the answer was no launched Justin on a journey to pivot careers entirely, start creating YouTube videos, move his family to Florida, and ultimately leave corporate America behind to become "Bearded Tesla Guy." Justin shares his incredible story of change, risk-taking, fearlessness, and what he learned about finding career fulfillment along the way."There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living". Nelson MandelaShow Notes/Timestamps:2:38 - Justin and Dr. Anna's memories from his MBA program4:09 - How Justin's passion for Teslas started8:00 - The conversation with his wife that sparked major life changes10:38 - Taking the leap and moving from Indiana to Florida15:14 - Learning to balance being excellent at work with not sacrificing family time21:18 - What prompted Justin to start a YouTube channel25:22 - When the YouTube channel began making real money27:25 - The best parts of Justin's life now33:13 - Tuning out the news and negativity37:14 - The supportive community among YouTube content creators42:19 - Examples of Justin's leadership style and mentorship43:53 - The difficulty of an individual contributor role vs. leading teams45:56 - Prioritizing community service47:55 - Justin's favorite podcasts and people to learn from55:40 - Justin's future plans and new channels58:39 - Justin's key pieces of advice for others1:07 - Anna's Collective ChallengeNow that we've heard from Justin, your collective challenge this week, is to set aside as much time as you possibly can, maybe 30 minutes every day, try it for a week, figure out whatever passion project, new hobby, something you've been wanting to explore, don't put any judgments and no expectations on yourself. This is just an experimentation phase, your do not have to be perfect. As we talked about multiple times in the episode, you could just be doing research online, maybe starting a mini project, maybe a tiny piece of content, whatever it is that you've been wondering, and think about like atomic habits, that great book, little small pockets of time just to build on. So just start something that's all Justin said for us to do. Let's make that our collective challenge this week. Bearded Tesla Guy on LinkedInBearded Tesla Guy You Tube ChannelBTG InstagramBTG TwitterAll Things BTGMusic by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

Dr. Anna Stumpf is launching an initiative called "Collective Energy Coins" to spread positivity. She sent individually numbered wooden coins to 100 people who have inspired her. The coins have unique QR codes linking to stories of their impact. Recipients will pass their coin on to someone who energized them, sharing why that person mattered. Anna will track these encounters on her website to chronicle how connections and good energy are spreading in the world.Today's episode is the explanation. Starting next week will be a weekly podcast of the stories from the coin encounters to give us all inspiration to share our contagious energy!

A conversation with O'Brien McMahon, host of the acclaimed People Business podcast. We explored themes of self-awareness, lifelong learning, finding your passion, and continually working to become the best version of yourself. O'Brien shared fascinating insights from his own personal growth journey as well as from the wide array of guests he's interviewed on his show. Whether you're an ambitious professional, curious explorer, or someone seeking inspiration, I think you'll get a lot out this episode!Find O'Brien's book, "How You Become You" here.  Follow him on LinkedIn here. "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." – Ralph Waldo EmersonShow Notes with Timestamps:00:00-03:35: Introduction to Collective Energy Conversations and guest O'Brien McMahon.03:36-06:24: O'Brien shares his journey and the philosophy behind his children's book.06:25-08:04: Discussion on the diversity of podcast guests and balancing personal life with professional aspirations.08:05-10:40: Insights into writing, creativity in sales, and the importance of storytelling.10:41-22:06: Exploring the balance between hustle culture and personal fulfillment.22:07-24:06: The significance of engaging in diverse activities and the impact on professional and personal development.24:07-30:39: The benefits of podcasting and learning from guest experiences.30:40-33:17: Reflections on humility and its role in success across various professions.33:18-37:31: The practice of journaling and seeking coaching for personal growth.37:32-41:35: The importance of self-awareness and communication in personal and professional relationships.41:36-48:56: Encouraging young people to explore, learn, and be open to various experiences.48:57-58:10: O'Brien and Anna discuss the power of skill development and the impact of parental influence on children's growth.Collective Challenge:Think about how you can communicate better with yourself, to learn more about yourself and where you could make explorative decisions, better conversations, enhance your relationships; just more in depth knowledge of yourself. One of the things we talked about on the podcast was journaling. So there are journaling apps, some of you may already very good at journaling, very good habits around that. For those of you aren't just take one small step towards this goal and take some of the advice that O'Brien gave about challenging yourself with questions and prompts and different things. Take some dedicated time this week for self reflection. And if it's not through journaling, maybe it's through more intentional conversations with someone close to you or spend some time in your own thoughts. We're very bad at that sometimes with our phones and our feeds and all of the commitments that we have. But if you can challenge yourself to have some progress in this area, I think it will give you greater clarity and appreciation for your unique story and the journey that you're on becoming who you are meant to be. Music by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

New name! New graphic! New Format! The episode is a significant pivot point for the podcast, transitioning from "Conversations with Anna" to "Collective Energy Conversations." Dr. Anna Stumpf discusses her journey through the pandemic, personal and professional challenges, and the evolution into starting a growth coaching business. The podcast's new direction aims to explore growth, connectivity, and self-awareness through collective challenges and guest conversations.New website: www.collectiveenergycoach.comShow Notes with Timestamps:00:12 Introduction to the episode's unique nature and the podcast's evolution.01:00 Reflection on the journey since the pandemic and the shift towards personal and professional transformation.03:20 Announcement of Dr. Anna's coaching business and the pivot to "Collective Energy Conversations."04:45 Overview of the new podcast format, including guest episodes, collective challenges, and the "Energy Coin Movement."06:30 Invitation to the audience to engage with the podcast's new direction and challenges.07:50 Introduction to the podcast's social media channels and encouragement to connect.08:40 Closing thoughts and the importance of community and collective energy in fostering growth and change.Music by Music Unlimited from Pixabay

This is Part II of the conversation with Dr. Ray Sylvester  where we discuss the more practical application of digital identity for college students. With so many mixed messages and nuances to this arena people at all ages and stages are confused about the idea of authentically participating in professional networking, especially on a platform. However, we believe this is incredibly important for a college student. This conversation covers all of that and concepts for an approach to LinkedIn as well as an assignment of an informational interview that the students are about to embark on for this amazing course that Ray is teaching this year. If you missed Part I, we laid the foundation of  WHY Ray and I find this to be critical for young people, how it fits into our own research, life experiences, and journey, and more. 

After almost two years, here I am! I have had quite a bit of personal and professional change since I last recorded an episode (haven't we all?! It's the 2020's after all!). My good friend and colleague Dr. Ray Sylvester, who you will recall from Episode 9 and Episode 28, is teaching a course on personal brand management and suggested the best way to have me as a guest speaker on digital identity, story telling, and LinkedIn for his students was to record a podcast. This is Part I of the conversation where we lay the foundation of a WHY Ray and I find this to be critical for young people, how it fits into our own research, life experiences, and journey, and more. Join us for Part II where we discuss the more practical application and approach to LinkedIn and an assignment of an informational interview that the students are about to embark on for this amazing course!

Meet Ryan Sawrie who, after a decade in digital content creation has written a fantastic book, one which I am now a super fan of, Build Your Digital Strategy: Every Step From A to FRyan's book is a concise guidebook that I found to be applicable to many areas of your personal and professional life. True to the purpose of this podcast, I challenge Ryan to take us through this 7 steps as they apply to our personal growth and experience. You can tell from this episode that he's as talented as a spouse and father as he is a digital strategist. Visit the link above to find the book on Amazon. This is the book's website which is full of resources!

So much around quitting is negative, especially with older generations and outdated mindsets. This can be related to a career, a friendship, relationship or even family. In a time when mental and emotional health is finally taking a front seat, quitting is a positive and can actually be the best thing you can do for yourself and your relationships. This conversation focuses on how you know when to quit and why it is so tied to our self worth. Here are the resources mentioned in the episode:NPR article: Setting BoundariesLinkedIn article: Why Quitters Are Often The Real Heroes Behind The StoryAnnie Duke's Twitter thread on quittingFast Company article: Ask Yourself These Four Questions Before You Quit Something

Moving toward better self monitoring on a journey toward authenticity, we have to understand that we are natural storytellers and also how we tell those stories internally.  This episode is meant to serve as a reminder that your patterns, self-talk, and your inner dialogue are a result of your experiences, your self worth, and often your mindset. You also need to constantly seek the input of other voices in your story.The TED Talk I referenced in this episode can be found here.

Based on questions from Gen Z in college classrooms around the difference between being authentic and being socially aware/politically correct, I started to research this a bit. This episode and these links are what I found to be helpful in explaining true authenticity and also self monitoring:Psychology Today's Self Monitoring AssessmentHave We Got Authenticity Wrong?Adam Grant: “Unless You're Oprah, ‘Be Yourself' Is Terrible Advice.”Brené Brown: “My Response to the Adam Grant's New York Times Op-ed: Unless You're Oprah, ‘Be Yourself' Is Terrible Advice.”

I had the opportunity to hear a professor talk about the dominate type of your Myers Briggs Type (MBTI) recently, how pairing around your type works, and more importantly how different types take on and react to stress. WOW! I was blown away that I didn't realize the power of the information available around the Myers Briggs!Here are the links mentioned in this episode:https://eu.themyersbriggs.com/en/Using-Type/Stress-heads-Type-tablehttps://ap.themyersbriggs.com/content/Quick_Tips/VT_Type_stressors_and_reactions.pdfhttps://www.psychologyjunkie.com/2015/08/02/how-each-mbti-type-reacts-to-stress-and-how-to-help/https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/understanding-mbti-type-dynamics/function-pairs.htm

Transferrable skills are a difficult list to cultivate if you are not living your truth. If you don't believe in YOU and if you aren't doing what fulfills you then it is even more difficult.  In this episode I challenge you to think about your transferrable skills, the evidence you can offer to demonstrate these skills, the social proof around them, but more importantly how you can ultimately describe then confidently to someone else so that they know what skills and value you offer. I'm seeing too many people right now still focused on the "what". What does the job title say, what does the job do, what does the job pay, what does the upward mobility look like, what will I tell people about it, how will it look on my resume? Not enough WHY but that's because the why is hard and it is directly related to YOU and your ability to live in your truth. I hope this episode gives you something to think about. I want you to intentionally research and start to list/explain your own transferrable skills!

If you don't know yourself, love yourself and live your authentic life you will often find yourself defining yourself by your career, your to-do-lists, your outcomes and others. You have to find times to constantly sit with yourself and evaluate. This conversation is about helping you identify those times and boundaries.The Brene' Brown Wholehearted InventoryExcellent article from Vox on dealing with the post pandemic pressures

I had the occasion to hear from a Gen Z connection about some confusion and desperation regarding a career path. This was truly too good of a textbook case study on starting with YOU and allowing that to lead your career search, not trying to fit in many boxes and compartments that aren't made for you.

"Manage your energy, not your time". I heard that simple sentence this week and it shook me. Part of it is that this is my first week back from a vacation, but it still shook me in terms of how much the authenticity and truth in your life leads to your energy level.Amazon Affiliate Link to book: The Power of Full Engagement; Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal RenewalHarvard Business Review Article Manage Your Energy, Not Your TimeManage Your Energy AssessmentHelpful Article on Manage Your Energy Not Your TimeAtlantic Article on Pandemic SenioritisAxios Article: 1 in 4 Plan to Bolt from Their Job Post Pandemic

In this episode I talk about how you can apply a growth mindset and "living in the present" to your resume, LinkedIn, portfolio, etc. Being without the pressure of a deadline will allow you to do the best work on these artifacts and tell your most authentic story of yourself, your skills and outcomes. I hope you enjoy this lens of growth mindset!

It has been a while since we have had a conversation! I needed the space and grace to accept and grieve the unexpected loss of my dad. I wasn't ready to have conversations, until today. Today I wanted to talk about the ways in which preparing for and having so many conversations on this podcast helped me know, accept, love and manage myself through one of the hardest times in my life. I hope this helps you too.

Katie and David have become two of my best examples of what it means to live your truth. They work hard at it. They hold one another accountable. They support one another and even have great text tips for when they need each other. "Do you have the headspace...?" and "Who do you need me to be?"I appreciate this conversation where they are open and vulnerable about their past, present, therapy, and friendship.David Braidwood and Katie Meloche share and discuss that their friendship, which the the

Much of what I have covered in this podcast is great to hear, it's easy to talk about and to assume you're implementing, but when faced with something hard, are you ready? If you're truly self aware, self accepting, truly authentic then tests are sometimes easier. I lived through a unique experience over the Christmas 2020 season and I really have to say, I'm proud of myself and my reactions and proactivity both mentally and emotionally. I leaned quite a bit on my truths and looked for red flags. In reflection, I overall feel like I owe the work I put in on this podcast for making what could have been a difficult experience a little better for myself and my family.Also, my word for 2020? Truth. Imagine that!

After reading a LinkedIn article by Shane Snow I was knocked back to process how often I interchange the words thinking and feeling. As a feeler, I know from my marriage (to a thinker) that I have to often preface what I communicate with "where I am" and what I need from him as a deliberative processor. The internal response to starting sentences with "I think" or "I feel" is important, but most important when we do it wrong. When we say we feel something but it is really an opinion not a thought, of vice versa is one reason we have confusion internally and in our interactions with others.Recall your Myers Briggs or 16 personalities outcomes, as those are built upon Jungian Type Theories. Be aware and do better! I challenge you to intentionally inventory your use of these two simple words for a bit to see how you do!

Cheryl Burke is a life coach. What does that mean? How is that different than a career coach or therapist? How long does a person need a life coach (your whole life?!?)? What does it cost? How do you choose one? All of these questions are answered in this conversation along with some amazing gold nuggets of information and even some quotes. I took so many notes during this episode!Cheryl's WebsiteCheryl on LinkedInCheryl's Facebook PageCheryl on IGICF Certified Coach Finder

I knew the first and only time I met Liesel in person, a real coup in 2020, that she was someone I wanted to stay connected to and that I could learn from. I was right. Liesel has created so many moments of clarity on her website and social media platforms in the past year that have helped me grasp reality and perspective in all that 2020 had to offer. Hear her story, learn about her work and just listen as she shows her authenticity; it's a gift to witness for sure.Find Liesel Mertes:WebsiteHandle with Care; Empathy in the Workplace PodcastLeading with Empathy blog post Meet the avatars!TwitterLinkedInFacebook

Despite the dictionary definition, think about the courage it takes to live your truth. Or as E. E. Cummings said "It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are. "The Psychology Today article that covers 7 Core Qualities of Authentic People is discussed. As is the difficulty of being a professional vs your true self, reference made here to the Harvard Business Review article The Authenticity Paradox.Overall, this conversation is a reminder what it means to live a true life and be yourself.

I have known Emily Hepp since she was 15 and I taught her in high school. Since those days she used a notebook to earn a position at Southwest Airlines in the Culture Department. She has been on The Today Show with Kathi Lee and Hoda, She has been on The Ellen Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, she has written a book, she has been a keynote speaker, she also started a virtual mentor program during COVID, and she's also been unemployed by choice and by default a few times. Currently, she is awaiting a call from the Hallmark Channel in response to an Instagram project. She's just amazing.What's the best thing about Emily? The fact she tells us about how she found her true self very early on, she has the ultimate Golden Ticket story in my opinion (I'm super biased as her high school teacher though!). But, she's using her gifts to empower others and it is such a wonderful thing.Check out Emily's Book on Amazon: She Is More Than The Freshman Fifteen: Fifteen Life Lessons for CollegeConnect with Emily on InstagramConnect with Emily on LinkedIn

On your journey to self awareness, you have to consider the external environment. This conversation focuses on those outside influences of family, friends, love, loss, and more. Once you understand more about what framed you, you'll be closer to true self awareness. That leads to the the rest of The Golden Ticket of then accepting yourself, loving yourself and then sharing your gifts with the world.

This conversation is about how our thoughts actually create our emotions. If you we are more aware of that, we can start to really take back control and power over some of our responses to various people and situations. With a brief overview of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy we are introduced to Cognitive Distortions. This list is an example of those covered in this conversation. Ultimately, deciding if how you are thinking, the resulting feelings and your behaviors are providing you with the best version of yourself is how we use this conversation to be more aware of how we can live a more authentic life, leaving more room for positive emotions.

This episode was going to be about shame. However, I realized early in studying it that we cannot have a conversation about shame without talking about guilt. There is a major difference in the two. Also, there is healthy shame and healthy guilt. If you're struggling, this conversation may be just what you need to give yourself permission to seek help and have perspective.

I'm so pumped about this episode! I teach amazing graduate students who continually blow me away with the amount of effort and energy they put into their transformation. This episode is just one example of robust conversations we have around how they are growing into future leaders using not only IQ, but more importantly EQ. Paul asked a question of me around some ideas from a class and rather than answer them myself I thought this would be a great time to bring in Dr. Ray Sylvester. Ray was featured in Episode 9 and was already a favorite of Paul as he had attended a few sessions with Ray over the past several months.This conversation is two professors talking through the questions of a graduate student in the Ball State University CICS Online Masters Program. I think you will find some helpful examples and feel very close to some of the concepts discussed.This is a list of Ray's references made throughout:George Herbert MeadErving GoffmanAs discussed in Episode 26 The Johari Window Model Mirroring27 ClubThe Long Tail by Chris AndersonThe Social Dilemma Wayne DyerEmily in Paris Napoleon Hill Think and Grow RichTwenty One Pilots Grammy Award

Not exactly a continuation of Episode 26 about seeking feedback. But, more along this same line, in a more cautionary approach. Are you ready for others to lean in on your work regarding knowing, accepting and loving yourself? Some feedback, influence and environmental factors can add fog to your lens. This episode discusses some pitfalls and perspective on the idea of feedback.

A more authentic life and even your own self discovery cannot happen alone. This conversation involves when and how to let others into your self awareness process. I borrowed some insights from the 50's psychological model, The Johari Window. There are various Johari related lists of adjectives and worksheets, but this one is all online and you can share/collect from others using the same list. I find this to be an excellent exercise whether you use a list or not on how you can invite others into your journey. The Golden Ticket concept is knowing yourself, accepting yourself, loving yourself, and then going out into the world to share your gifts. However, I would be remiss if I didn't highlight that the real work involves others at every stage. Go out and seek feedback, look at that Johari Model and see what paradigms and facades you may be dealing with!My websiteTwitterLinkedIn PageFacebook PageFacebook Group

I've often said I wanted to teach parents, more so than Gen Z. I wanted to start with what made them a unique generation; the parents. I have a curriculum in mind, I am super serious about this. But, a pandemic has really magnified quite a bit, especially with our parenting. So, this rant, er, conversation is meant to offer some perspective. I recorded an hour and then started over. I do not mean to minimize anyone's journey. I realize I'm speaking from quite a bit of privilege and a unique perspective. My true intent is that no matter where you are in your parenting journey, that you find something in here to help you give yourself permission to parent different now and later. High School HamsterwheelHSHW Facebook PageMy first interview on High School Hamsterwheel My interview on High School Hamsterwheel Jay's Life After 12 WebsiteJay’s Life After 12th Facebook GroupTim Elmore Website (follow him on social media too!)

This episode covers the "public victory" of the final four habits highlighted in Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, a continuation of Episodes 22 and 23

This is an overview of the first three, or the "private victory" of building an effective life. Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has been such a powerful and transformative part of my life, I wanted to cover it with you. From reading it for the first time at 23 years old to really living out these habits, as best I can, for decades. This is a conversation explaining and story telling around the first three habits; Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind and Put First Things First.

You may remember in many episodes I talk about my journey with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book by Stephen Covey. I was able to attend the Covey Institute in the early 90s, was a trained facilitator, and have been impacted by this material since then. There are so many stories from my training days and my experiences that I want to share my experiences. This episode covers the concepts Covey discusses prior to the habits. Concepts like paradigms, the emotional bank account, P/PC and more. I hope you find value in hearing my stories about this amazing book.

A back porch. A young man telling his dating woes. A storytelling teacher with her old tales of hope for high school boys. That's today's conversation. What can we learn about ourselves, about others and about boundaries from teenage dating advice? Check out this conversation to hear more!

This episode is dedicated to the ones who lament that they don't know what they are passionate about. The answers are inside you, they are part of your truth. Have you uncovered that yet? This conversation is about understanding how you can better act on what you probably already know and how to lean on life's best teacher, experience. Let's discuss how passion and purpose are part of your truth and, like every conversation about it, can be important when trying to find your way.

In the dictionary, re·sil·ience: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. But, a recent listener email said "I would love to hear your opinion on how to handle "failure"/rejections and how young adults can see that as a redirection but first of all how to handle that logistically and realistically after we put so much hope into that job or career path."What a very loaded request. One that is constantly on the minds of many young adults, but many adults even beyond their careers. What we are talking about here isn't failure, rejection, or hope; it is resiliency.It is also many of the attributes, practices and mindsets I've discussed in previous episodes. So, join this conversation where I explain why that show request is a lot to unpack.

This conversation with Jay is important to all. Obviously, if you are a Gen Z or parent one, you're going to really enjoy hearing his path to and approach helping 15-18 year olds determine how they are "wired" and how to, punily enough, plug into the right career path early. The work Jay does is so important, and I recognize that so clearly after having been in the high school and college classroom. Jay also talks about intuition and "harvest" journaling with me. He's a very interesting person and I am thrilled to have had this conversation with him!Jay's Website: MapInMeJay on LinkedInJay's Facebook Group, Life After 12th

This conversation is about how to identify co-dependent behaviors in yourself and others. Mostly, the concepts of patterns and boundaries are, once again, the major takeaways. Knowing yourself is key; knowing about your childhood, your triggers, your tendencies and your WHY in terms of decisions and relationships. But, then accepting yourself is the next step in utilizing your Golden Ticket. In order to truly accept yourself, you have to know yourself and hang on, not lose yourself in others or in the hiding behind others.

This conversation is not about the television show, but kudos to you if you caught that reference! This is more about the comment I made in Episode 1, "Be Your Own Best Friend". We talk about how you have to know, love and accept yourself before you will be fully present to recognize others who are living in their truth. This is important work, this conversation is full of excellent reminders.Shout out to the Breaking Sales Podcast Episode 7 for a great analogy!

This conversation is a real mixed bag, based on many past conversations and a working knowledge of social media algorithms. Algorithms are based on our interests and past engagement, we sometimes need to take inventory of those. The Golden Ticket Prof explains why and how a recent Facebook hiatus has led to better self awareness, breathing, better personal boundaries, introspection and more. It is also a great review of the past fifteen episodes around truly understanding, accepting and loving yourself then using your Golden Ticket. Jay DuSold is mentioned and here is where you can learn more about his high school coaching. Conversations with Anna Facebook Group

Join us from a previously recorded live session where Kiley Schmitz, VP of Talent for a sales coaching firm with certifications in 16pf coaching and EQi-2.0 and EQ 360, is going to conduct a live coaching session with me on my 16pf Personality Assessment Report. A sample of the report is here so you can visualize what we are talking about. Hopefully you find this to be helpful in your own experiences with personality assessments and coaching sessions. It is very interesting and validating to hear how these personality attributes link together and create a unique person, but how you can lean on and benefit from others. The power of coaching!If you would rather watch the video (and see my report as we discuss it) you can catch it on my Facebook page or our Facebook group for this podcast.Be sure to tune into Kiley's Mindset Monday IGTV show every week, such great content and guests.Leave a review of this podcast if you find these conversations helpful, anywhere you listen should have a way to review.

How times have you thought or said "it just isn't a good time"? This conversation pairs well with Episode 12, Power of No where I discussed boundaries and expectations. When I feel like something isn't the right time, that's usually a symptom of something bigger and deeper. Or it is the excuse I give my son hoping he will move on to something else! But, the in reading and reflecting, I've decided that these "uncertain times", as every marketer and brand for weeks has been describing, are the perfect times to really think about our timing, our momentum and our past in terms of why isn't this a good time? When will there be a good time? There are absolutely times that aren't right for many things. However, do you really have full control over that? Is it a cop out? Listen to this Conversation with Anna to determine if you are approaching this in a healthy manner and where you can start to look if you are not.“It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living.”-Eckhart TolleThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life bookJoin our Facebook Group

This pandemic has us rethinking "normal" in terms of distance, time and routines; it feels like a healthy time to look at how we establish boundaries and expectations and our use one of the biggest words in our vocabulary; no. This conversation focuses on managing expectations and boundaries to help you trust yourself or your instinct more. Also, how to approach healthy use of the word "no" and the difference between hurt and harm when you do so.Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life bookInterview with Shonda Rhimes: Overcoming Her Fears and Journey to 'Year of Yes'Shonda Rhimes Year of Saying Yes TED TalkYear of Yes bookBest Yes book

Most of us have heard of Impostor Syndrome. I have certainly dealt with bouts of it in my lifetime, but do we truly understand what it is, how to identify and manage it? I didn't before I started researching this episode. This topic was one of my most requested. I talk about what it is, how to identify it within yourselves or others, types of impostors and coping mechanisms. This is an important topic as 70% of the population identify with having it at some point, we can all do better by knowing more.Links:Dr. Valerie Young, Ed.DAshley's Blog PostThe Surprising Solution to the Imposter Syndrome, Lou Solomon, TEDxCharlottePink Power Ranger