Task, Time, Energy: The Purpose-Filled Productivity Podcast

What is your dream right now?For the past year and a half, we've been asking our guests that question at the end of these podcast episodes.This episode is all about dreams. As we bid farewell to some dreams, new ones begin.Let's create a cooler world: https://creatingacoolerworld.com/Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

“Our core values are not in a 3-ring binder sitting on a shelf in my office. They're emblazoned on our website. They're in our conference room. We talk about it all the time.”This is one of the things you'll hear James La Barrie say when he talks about the values that guide his company, Beyond Marketing.James is an accomplished entrepreneur who now serves as president of Beyond Marketing. In this episode, James tells the story of a “crossroads moment” in his life that transformed the way he thinks about work.While on a flight to Antigua in 2012, James learned about a company with an impressive culture and an admirable approach to customer service. That company, Zappos, became his inspiration as he set out to build his own values-based business.What do “values” have to do with time management? Plenty! These values help James decide what's most important, allowing him to focus his time and energy on producing the results he wants. You'll also hear James talk about other recent shifts which are helping him manage his time and feel more satisfied with how he uses it.Learn about James' company at https://beyondmarketing.xyz/James' 20 Minute Call podcast is at https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-20-minute-call/id1700586913Register for the free one-hour online time management workshop that James mentioned in this episode! Details are on our home page: https://scottmillercoaching.comTransform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Can you imagine performing in an energetic, two-person, 90-minute play where you're on stage for almost the entire show, engaging in fast-paced witty banter with your co-star? Now imagine rehearsing and performing in that play while also performing with an improv team, teaching an Improv 101 course, and helping your mom recover from surgery. And all of this is happening while you're preparing to move from North Carolina to New York City and start a new job.To do all of this successfully, you'll probably need to do a pretty good job of managing your energy.In this episode we sit down with Lauren Foster-Lee, a multi-talented actor, vocalist, improviser, and teacher. Lauren shares some of the tricks and tools she uses to manage her time and especially her energy. She talks about the desire for perfection and how she's personally made peace with it. She also discusses “staying in your lane” and trusting others to do their jobs, which can be particularly valuable in an intricate endeavor like bringing a play to the stage.Lauren's web site is https://www.laurenfosterlee.com/You can find her on Instagram @laurenfoster_lee (https://www.instagram.com/laurenfoster_lee/)If you're near Durham, NC, check out Mettlesome: https://thisismettlesome.com/Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

How can an organization achieve dramatic growth? And how can a certain level of conflict help a team succeed?What is a "not-to-do" list, and why is it useful to have one?Ganesh Venkataramanan is the Vice President of Presales of a leading industrial software company. He has over 20 years of experience in the simulation and training domain. Ganesh has a proven track record of growing internal businesses from less than $1MM to over $50MM by building talented teams and systems that enable rapid execution.Ganesh is also the author of a fiction book, Let Me Into Heaven, that explores the journey of three computer scientists chasing the truth. In this episode, Ganesh describes how writing that book taught him valuable lessons about creating habits and making choices that allow us to accomplish our goals.He shares what he has learned about building and leading effective teams, including how to delegate effectively and communicate effectively with people who work differently and think differently than we do. He also talks honestly about the "thorny topic" of religion, and how faith helped him find purpose and meaning in his life.Ganesh's web site is https://www.letmeintoheaven.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cause_firstLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ganesh-venkataramanan-1486464/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geevesofficial/Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Traveling for work can be exhausting. How can we stay happy and healthy while doing a job that requires extensive travel?Colin Ryan is a comedic financial speaker who uses humor, storytelling, and motivation to bring the dry subject of personal finance to life. He has spoken to over 500,000 students and adults across North America, and was named one of the top 10 financial presenters in the U.S.It's probably not surprising to hear that Colin travels a lot for work. You might be surprised to hear how much he enjoys it. He hasn't just mastered the art of staying healthy and happy while traveling. His experiences with traveling have actually enhanced his wellbeing.What's his secret? A special diet? A new type of exercise routine?Nope. It's people.In this episode, Colin describes how the sincere connections he creates with other people help him manage his energy and mental health. He shares some of the experiences he's had while traveling, and how they've been so different from all the division and danger that we see in the news.“I've had the best conversations ever with shuttle drivers or the Hertz rental desk person," Colin says. "People will surprise you if you make space.”One of the stories he shares is about giving a talk to a group of teen moms in an alternative high school program. Colin describes how that experience allowed him to confront some of his own assumptions and biases. He talks about how those young moms helped him learn to be curious, give respect, and look for the intelligence in people.Learn more about Colin; his book, A Comedic Guide to Money; and his work as a speaker and coach on his website, https://www.colinryanspeaks.com/.You'll also find him on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/colinryanspeaksYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-q1vcKCISJl6f8cajHBL0QInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/colinryanspeaks/Listen to a great conversation with Colin about finance and mental health on Episode 20 of the Casual Nonsense podcast with Marc Diette:Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-comedic-guide-to-money/id1670936556?i=1000620751463Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/7AnGk0y0lxG1aYiMHthO63Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

What is Boabom? And what does it have to do with mindfulness?We've talked about mindfulness a lot in recent episodes. We've talked about research involving mindfulness, learned how mindfulness is being used in healthcare settings, and heard from successful people who find that mindfulness practice plays an important role in their lives.But it's useful and interesting to remember that meditation and mindfulness have been studied and practiced for thousands of years. Today, all around the world, people are still learning and exploring mindfulness practices that have roots in these ancient traditions.Yemado is the foremost teacher in North America of Boabom, a system of meditation, relaxation, and self defense. He has brought this practice to thousands of students around the world through more than two decades of teaching.Yemado is the Director of the Boston School of Boabom, the only school dedicated to Boabom in North America. He is the co-translator and editor of a number of books about Boabom, and is the creator of Boabom Journey, a new 5 star app that allows anyone to learn Boabom on their own schedule.In this episode, we talk about developing healthy habits, dealing with stress, and building confidence. Yemado describes how students of Boabom develop these abilities by starting with small challenges and working their way up to greater ones.Boabom Journey app: https://www.boabom.com/gift/Boabom on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boabomInstagram: @boabomjourneyTransform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Yemado is the Director of the Boston School of Boabom and the founder of the Boabom Journey App and Video Course.In this bonus episode, Yemado guides us through a short breathing exercise and breathing meditation.The Boston School of Boabom is at https://bostonboabom.com/Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

How is mindfulness being used in healthcare settings? And what lessons are being learned in those settings that we might apply in other aspects of life?Dr. Isabel Roth is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine in the Program on Integrative Medicine in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.When she was in high school and college, Dr. Roth developed a unique combination of interests in dance and neuroscience which formed a basis for her interest in mindfulness. Some of her current work focuses on implementing mindfulness practices in health systems to benefit people with conditions such as chronic pain and long COVID.In this episode, Dr. Roth explains how mindfulness is being used in healthcare settings. She talks about the work she does to help more people gain access to mindfulness programs, what she's learning from that work, and how mindfulness practice has helped her as a working parent of an active toddler. When listening to her talk, it's easy to understand how meaningful her work is and the profound sense of purpose that she gains from it.Dr. Roth's website is http://www.isabelroth.com/. You can also find more information about her work on the website for the UNC School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation: https://www.med.unc.edu/phyrehab/.Have you been to the North Carolina Botanical Garden? Visit https://ncbg.unc.edu/.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

We recently had the pleasure of recording a podcast episode with Dr. Isabel Roth, a Research Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Some of Dr. Roth's work focuses on mindfulness practices and ways of making them available to people who might benefit from them.You can hear our whole conversation in the next full episode of the podcast, Episode 32. In the meantime, Dr. Roth graciously agreed to record this short mindfulness meditation for us to share with you and our other listeners.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

“Students with social capital and family networks tend to get the bulk of the meaningful work-based learning opportunities that exist in the world.” District C is working to change that.If you think it's important for high school students to learn practical skills that will help them succeed as adults, you'll like what District C is doing.District C is a nonprofit organization founded by Dan Gonzalez and Anne Jones. Their mission is to prepare the next generation of diverse talent for modern work.Students in District C's Teamship program work together to solve real-world problems for actual businesses and organizations. The students learn to work effectively on a team, investing in each other's thinking and learning to collaborate with people whose ideas and approaches are different from their own.District C's co-founder and CEO Dan Gonzalez is our guest for this episode. Dan describes some of the important lessons that students learn in District C's programs, and how those lessons can help us all work together more effectively.He also describes how starting and running District C has been a process of learning and discovery for him.Learn more about Dan, District C, and their Teamship program at https://www.districtc.co.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Jon Kolkin is a doctor who has been practicing medicine for over 30 years. He is also a musician, an experienced international speaker, an award-winning photographer, and has been involved in humanitarian efforts around the globe for 20 years.Jon is president of the Shades of Compassion Foundation, an organization that supports women's health, education, animal protection, and other initiatives around the world. His recent book, Inner Harmony: Living in Balance has won multiple international photography awards.In this episode, Jon talks about ways that being authentic and being himself have led him to many successes and accomplishments.He talks about being dyslexic, and why he views dyslexia as an asset.He talks about the importance of using down time in a truly satisfying way and shares his thoughts about multitasking.Jon discusses the importance of mindfulness—focusing on the present moment—and how we can all find small ways to consistently practice mindfulness throughout the day.Jon also talks about compassion: what does it really mean? And why is it important?You can learn more about Jon and his work at https://www.shadesofcompassion.org/ and https://kolkinphotography.com/.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

It's not easy to make a bold decision. That's especially true if we know that other people in our lives don't approve of the decision.People will often put subtle pressure on us—or not-so-subtle pressure—to encourage us to stick with the status quo.Ten years ago, Amy Knott Parrish decided to be sober. She saw what alcohol was doing to her life. She knew that being sober was the best choice for herself and her family. That didn't make it an easy decision. Some people in her life were less than 100% supportive.In this episode, Amy and I talk about her decision and similar situations where people choose to go "against the grain.” Amy talks about the value of making choices in our careers and personal lives that we know are right for us. She talks candidly about the critiques and discomfort she faced due to certain decisions she has made, and how courageously facing that discomfort can help us build stronger connections with others.Amy's web site is https://www.amyknottparrish.com/Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Elisabeth Farnsworth Grant grew up in a very religious household where a woman's role in life was clearly defined for her.She married and started a family at a young age, but soon shifted from focusing solely on her husband and children to finishing her education and developing her own talents as an artist and musician.Building on her love of service and of giving to the community—values that she carried with her from her childhood—she learned to use her talents to support causes that she believed in while still taking care of her kids and, just as importantly, taking care of herself.In this episode, Elisabeth describes some of the challenges of living her very traditional life as a wife and stay-at-home mother. She also shares her story of growing beyond that traditional lifestyle into a new life that has allowed her to explore and express her love of art, music, and teaching while still remaining true to her core values of service and giving.Elisabeth shares tips about planning for the expected while being prepared for the unexpected. She talks about multitasking, using pockets of “down time” productively, and the importance of having genuine down time—time spent resting, decompressing, and enjoying activities that help us stay healthy and happy.Her stories and suggestions might help you find your own “basket of socks” and decide what to do with it.You can see some of Elisabeth's wonderful art at https://www.facebook.com/Efarnsworthart.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Geshe Gelek Choda became a Buddhist monk when he was seven years old. He traveled from his home in Sikkim in northeastern India to Bylakuppe in the south, where monks who had escaped from Tibet were rebuilding the Sera Je Monastery.When Geshe Gelek arrived to join Sera Je, the beautiful buildings that stand today were not built yet. The monks were living in crude tents. Geshe Gelek  immediately missed his family and his home in Sikkim. But home was thousands of miles away. In this episode, Geshe Gelek describes the monks' rigorous daily routine: waking early in the morning to spend the day attending classes and debate sessions, studying, meditating, praying, and studying more until late at night. He explains how we can all learn to think in ways that help us face difficulties and challenges, and how thinking can help us reduce anxiety, stress, and fear. Geshe Gelek is the resident teacher at Kadampa Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Learn about Kadampa Center here: https://kadampa-center.org/Learn about Sera Je Monastery here: https://www.serajeymonastery.org/Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Imagine sitting down with a skydiver who has made 16,000 jumps, holds multiple world records, and has been inducted into the Skydiving Hall of Fame. Imagine that she talks you through a world record formation skydiving attempt, from the careful planning on the ground, through the ride up in the airplane, through the jump itself, opening a parachute, landing, and then excitedly gathering with your teammates to find out if you set a new record.Imagine her sharing her story and firsthand experiences, and also sharing lessons from that experience which you can apply in your everyday life.You don't have to imagine. That's exactly what Kate Cooper-Jensen does in this episode.In addition to holding multiple world records, Kate is an entrepreneur who helped found Square One, a successful skydiving equipment store. Kate is also one of the founders of Jump for the Cause, a nonprofit which organized women's world record attempts and raised $1.9 million for breast cancer charities and treatment centers.Kate talks about maintaining focus in extreme situations; how to stay in great shape through your 60s and beyond; and flipping the switch from a "what if?" mindset to a "why not?" mindset.Bonus links: "Jump for the Cause Celebrates 10 Years Unbeaten"https://www.fai.org/news/jump-cause-celebrates-10-years-unbeaten"The 400-way Story"https://www.skydivemag.com/new/the-400-way-story/The skydive photo in the graphic for this episode is by Brian Festi.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Graham Downey is a graduate of Yale Law School who scored a 180—the highest score possible—on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). After law school, Graham taught LSAT prep courses and tutored students for a test prep company, sharing his knowledge with other people striving to master the test.The LSAT is one of the most challenging graduate-level entrance exams. It can be frustrating and stress-inducing. It's frequently confusing and occasionally infuriating.It's also an elegantly crafted exam designed to test the limits of a person's reasoning skills and their ability to think clearly under pressure. It's a test that can teach us valuable lessons about time management.In this episode, Graham shares tips for the LSAT that can also be useful in our everyday lives. We talk about learning to trust confusion, why slowing down is as important as going fast, and the value of having clear intentions.We talk about limits, how to push past them, and how the quest for perfection can get in the way.Graham's Lightweight LSAT guide is at https://lightweightlsat.com/.You'll also find information about the LSAT at https://scottmillercoaching.com/lsat.During this episode we mentioned:The Imperfectionist newsletter published by Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky.How Buildings Learn by Steward BrandTransform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

What happens when the things that give our lives purpose and meaning no longer feel… meaningful?Luke Iorio is the past President and CEO of iPEC, the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching. Luke was at the pinnacle of a very successful career with iPEC when he completely burned out. In this episode, Luke talks about what led to that personal and professional crisis and what he learned from the experience. You'll hear how this opened the door to a whole new world of success and satisfaction for him, and how it is now helping him serve others in even more powerful ways.When we're facing a choice or opportunity, how do we know when it's best to trust our “inner voice” and when it's wise to question that voice?If we let go of some very popular ideas about time and instead learn to appreciate its natural flow, what becomes possible?We'll hear what Luke has to say about these topics, too.Luke's podcast, On This Walk, is at https://www.onthiswalk.com/.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Why do time management systems so often fail to help people make lasting changes?Why do leaders sometimes have trouble helping team members manage their tasks and time?What responsibilities do leaders have—and what should their employees be doing—to ensure that teams communicate effectively about tasks and deadlines?In this episode, Dr. Beth Banks Cohn talks about these situations and other challenges facing today's leaders. We'll talk frankly about why some people who are people managers should not be managing people. And we'll discuss some creative, 21st century solutions to that problem.Beth is an accomplished Organizational Consultant, Senior Executive Coach, Entrepreneur, and Thought Leader with more than 25 years of success in the healthcare, pharma, bio-tech, IT, hi-tech, retail, engineering and manufacturing industries.  She is a sought-after speaker on key aspects of executing organizational change initiatives that stick.  Beth learned a great deal about managers and managing during her 16-year career at Johnson & Johnson. She holds a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University, and recently had an essay featured in a book titled The Secret Sauce of Leading Transformational Change.Contact Beth by email at beth@adrachange.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-banks-cohn-phd/.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Why do we procrastinate? And what can we do about it? Want to hear what a neuropsychologist has to say about this? In this episode, Dr. Nicole Byers talks about procrastination, feeling overwhelmed, and taking a healthy approach to developing habits that serve our long-term goals.A self-proclaimed "neuroscience nerd" with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, Dr. Byers is CEO of Rocky Mountain Neurosciences in Calgary, Canada and is an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor with the University of Calgary. She hosts The Bold Life podcast and has published articles in professional journals on the topics of brain health and neuroscience.She helps recovering perfectionists and high achievers get out of the cycle of overwhelming to-do lists, procrastination, and self-doubt so they can achieve their goals without burning out. Learn more about Dr. Byers on her website, www.drnicolebyers.com.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

I've enjoyed the conversations that I've had with all of our podcast guests, but this one might qualify as the most fun so far. My guest for this episode is Chris Ryan, co-founder and CEO of Silverquicken.Chris has an infectious and inspiring fascination with knowledge and learning. It's led him to some impressive successes as a student and educator. He holds a degree in physics from Harvard and an MBA from Duke. He taught physics and chemistry to high school students. As a tutor and teacher with a top test prep company, he helped MBA candidates master the GMAT.His new venture, Silverquicken, provides unique enrichment programs for students in 3rd through 8th grade. They're taking resources that are usually reserved for students in gifted programs and making them available for anyone.In this episode, Chris and I discuss the value of struggle—why we tend to view struggle as a negative thing, and why and how that should change.Chris shares stories of his own struggles with procrastination and describes the systems that help him stay organized and productive.He shares stories about wanting to control the wind, biking across Ireland, and using a stapler to make an emergency repair on a Ralph Lauren suit.You'll hear all of this and more in this week's episode.To learn more about Silverquicken, visit https://www.silverquicken.com/ or email Chis at chris.ryan@silverquicken.com.Transform your relationship with time. Visit https://scottmillercoaching.com/.

Is online dating a waste of time? Some people would say it is. In this episode you'll hear from two people who found it to be a very good use of their time.Who are these weirdos, you ask? Listen and find out!As a bonus, here's a link to the TED Talk that we mention in this episode:https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_webb_how_i_hacked_online_dating

Dr. Sara Waltz cared for animals as veterinarian before becoming Area Medical Director for a network of veterinary hospitals. She now works as a Director of Learning and Development for Petfolk, a growing veterinary practice with multiple locations in North Carolina, balancing that role with her responsibilities as a wife and the mom of two toddlers while also working with her husband to care for their small farm and 40 animals.Sara has great stories and insights to share about tackling the challenges of vet school (and occasionally tackling cows), the relationship between managing time and managing change, and creating the right balance in her career and her family life. She also talks about the importance of understanding ourselves and our own unique abilities—and those of people we lead—in order to create a path to success.You can contact Sara at sara.waltzjohnston@petfolk.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-waltz-johnston/. 

Becoming a veterinarian isn't easy. After conquering the challenges of vet school, Dr. Sara Waltz cared for animals as veterinarian before becoming Area Medical Director for a network of veterinary hospitals. She now balances the challenges of working as Director of Learning and Development for Petfolk, a growing veterinary practice with multiple locations in North Carolina, with her responsibilities as a wife and the mom of two toddlers while she and her husband also care for their small farm and 40 animals. Sara has inspiring thoughts and stories to share about managing her time, including what has worked for her, how that has changed over the years, and why it's important for each of us to discover our own paths to purpose-filled productivity.

Pop quiz!Imagine that you didn't get much sleep last night.(Maybe you don't have to imagine. Maybe you didn't!)What are five ways that a sleep deficit might be affecting your productivity and performance?What is the greatest benefit that you might gain by improving your sleep habits?My answers to these questions have changed significantly since talking with neuroscientist and sleep expert Dr. Els van der Helm. Join us for this episode and hear what she has to share. You might learn some surprising facts about the amount of sleep we actually need, what we can do to get enough quality sleep, and the ways that improving our sleep habits might impact our happiness and productivity!Learn more about Dr. Els van der Helm at https://www.elsvanderhelm.com. Find her on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/elsvanderhelm.

Louise Greene has a fairly straightforward, no-nonsense approach to completing tasks and keeping her life organized. In this episode, she shares her ideas about managing her time, the benefits of limiting the amount of “stuff” we buy and keep, and habits that she built in the past which are now helping her live life the way she wants to live.

Lenore Braford founded Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge in 2012. She has worn many hats as the Founder, interim Executive Director, and Animal Care Director at the refuge, which is home to over 120 farm animal residents including chickens, turkeys, goats, sheep, ducks, and cows rescued from lives of abuse, neglect, and abandonment.In this episode, Lenore talks candidly about how she manages her tasks, time, and energy while handling her roles and responsibilities as a leader at the refuge. She talks about the emotional aspect of her work, sharing stories about allowing herself to be vulnerable and authentic while also stepping up to support her staff and volunteers. She describes the ways that her role as a leader is changing as she navigates a transition that many founders face when an organization grows and matures.Learn more about Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge at https://www.piedmontrefuge.org.

Is being productive the thing that gives our lives value?What if we have everything completely backwards by believing that?What becomes possible when we think differently?

Imagine you're a scientist, working in a lab. You've tricked a protein into thinking that it's inside a living cell. You only have five hours to carefully conduct experiments on the protein before it's no longer viable. What would that teach you about managing your time?Dr. Susan Fetics is a biochemist with 25 years of experience in the lab. She has worked in the fields of chemistry, genetics, and structural biology and has published in all three fields. In this episode, she talks about the difference between passion and ambition, creating healthy habits that sustain her while working long hours, and what she's done to stay productive and creative over the course of her career.

How do students learn how to study? When students are given homework, are they taught how to do it? They might be taught how to solve the math problems or write an essay that's been assigned, but are they taught how to plan and organize their work so that they can actually complete the assignments on time and learn from them?As a high school and elementary school science teacher, Lauren Greene was willing to bend rules—or even break them occasionally—to help her students succeed. Listen as she shares her thoughts about time management skills for students, and the challenges that teachers face in helping students learn these skills.

What does it mean to be done? Are we ever done? Do we need to chose between “being in the moment” and “being done?” In this episode we talk with Amy Knott Parrish about starting and running our own businesses and what that's taught us about patience, taking a long view, and bringing our authentic selves to our work. We talk about having a sense of urgency: how that serves us and how it can hinder us. We also discuss the ways that disappointment and discomfort can be valuable—if we choose to see them that way.

My efforts to schedule a guest for this week did not succeed, so I started to record a short episode to talk about motivation, discipline, and staying committed to goals that are important to us. As I spoke about these ideas, I realized that they connected to something more significant. Like many people, I've felt heartbroken and disheartened by the recent senseless shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. It's natural to feel a sense of helplessness and hopelessness in the face of these tragedies. In times like these, commitment is even more valuable.Starfish image by Pexels from Pixabay.

Creating this podcast has reinforced some important lessons that I've learned over the years about being purposefully productive. I'm happy to share some of these lessons with you in this short mini-episode.

Imagine sailing across the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to Hawaii with three other people on a 40 ft. sailboat. How would that affect your ideas about the passing of time?Now suppose that you're managing a construction project at one of the big theme parks in Orlando, FL. You need to keep your crews motivated and on task, keep an eye on budgets and deadlines, and deal with unexpected delays. What lessons might you learn from that?What if you live in Alaska, where the sun is only up for four hours per day in the winter and barely sets for four hours in the summer. How do you stay happy and productive while adjusting to such a wildly changing schedule?Matt Kalush has experienced all of these adventures. He'll share his stories and wisdom with you in this two-part episode.

Imagine sailing across the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to Hawaii with three other people on a 40 ft. sailboat. How would that affect your ideas about the passing of time?Now suppose that you're managing a construction project at one of the big theme parks in Orlando, FL. You need to keep your crews motivated and on task, keep an eye on budgets and deadlines, and deal with unexpected delays. What lessons might you learn from that?What if you live in Alaska, where the sun is only up for four hours per day in the winter and barely sets for four hours in the summer. How do you stay happy and productive while adjusting to such a wildly changing schedule?Matt Kalush has experienced all of these adventures. He'll share his stories and wisdom with you in this two-part episode.

Have you ever thought about time from a plant's point of view? What might a strawberry say about FOMO, the dreaded Fear Of Missing Out?Derek Haynes, a whole botanist and inspiring science educator, shares his views on these topics and other valuable lessons from nature that guide his life.Learn more about Derek on Instagram @thechocolatebotanist, or on his website at https://www.thecrazybotanist.com/.

 Megan Dice describes herself as a “compulsive planner.” She knows a few things about organization and discipline.In school, she was a dedicated student who may have had a slight affinity for colored highlighters.Megan attended Duquesne University and completed an accelerated degree program to become a physician assistant. She is certified by the National Certifying Commission of Physician Assistants, licensed by the North Carolina Medical Board, and now cares for patients at the largest physician-owned orthopedic practice in North Carolina. She's also a wife and devoted mom of two young daughters.In this episode, Megan describes some of the habits that help her manage life at work and at home. She talks about the deceptively simple tasks that so easily evade our attention. She talks about developing a healthy, forgiving, and productive attitude toward failures; and about sharing lessons with our children in a way that leads to future happiness and success—for them and us.

What can a seasoned trial lawyer teach us about trust and vulnerability?What can a fanatical spiritual seeker teach us about using our time productively?What can a successful entrepreneur teach us about letting go of control?David Gold has lived all three of these lives. He has a wealth of wisdom to share about living a powerfully and purposefully productive life. It's an honor to have him as my guest on the very first episode of "Task, Time, Energy: The Purpose-Filled Productivity Podcast."This is Part 2 of a 2-part episode.

What can a seasoned trial lawyer teach us about trust and vulnerability?What can a fanatical spiritual seeker teach us about using our time productively?What can a successful entrepreneur teach us about letting go of control?David Gold has lived all three of these lives. He has a wealth of wisdom to share about living a powerfully and purposefully productive life. It's an honor to have him as my guest on the very first episode of "Task, Time, Energy: The Purpose-Filled Productivity Podcast."This is Part 1 of a 2-part episode.

So... what is this podcast all about? Listen to our quick introduction.