Podcasts about Midas

What if the most transformative thing you can do for your writing craft and author business is to face what you fear? How can you can find gold in your Shadow in the year ahead? In this episode, I share chapters from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words. In the intro, curated book boxes from Bridgerton's Julia Quinn; Google's agentic shopping, and powering Apple's Siri; ChatGPT Ads; and Claude CoWork. Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty [MoonShots with Tony Robbins]; and three trends for authors with me and Orna Ross [Self-Publishing with ALLi Podcast]; plus, Bones of the Deep, Business for Authors, and Indie Author Lab. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn  Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. What is the Shadow? The ‘creative wound' and the Shadow in writing The Shadow in traditional publishing The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author The Shadow in work The Shadow in money You can find Writing the Shadow in all formats on all stores, as well as special edition, workbook and bundles at www.TheCreativePenn.com/shadowbook Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words The following chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn. Introduction. What is the Shadow? “How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also if I am to be whole.” —C.G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul We all have a Shadow side and it is the work of a lifetime to recognise what lies within and spin that base material into gold. Think of it as a seedling in a little pot that you're given when you're young. It's a bit misshapen and weird, not something you would display in your living room, so you place it in a dark corner of the basement. You don't look at it for years. You almost forget about it. Then one day you notice tendrils of something wild poking up through the floorboards. They're ugly and don't fit with your Scandi-minimalist interior design. You chop the tendrils away and pour weedkiller on what's left, trying to hide the fact that they were ever there. But the creeping stems keep coming. At some point, you know you have to go down there and face the wild thing your seedling has become. When you eventually pluck up enough courage to go down into the basement, you discover that the plant has wound its roots deep into the foundations of your home. Its vines weave in and out of the cracks in the walls, and it has beautiful flowers and strange fruit. It holds your world together. Perhaps you don't need to destroy the wild tendrils. Perhaps you can let them wind up into the light and allow their rich beauty to weave through your home. It will change the look you have so carefully cultivated, but maybe that's just what the place needs. The Shadow in psychology Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist and the founder of analytical psychology. He described the Shadow as an unconscious aspect of the human personality, those parts of us that don't match up to what is expected of us by family and society, or to our own ideals. The Shadow is not necessarily evil or illegal or immoral, although of course it can be. It's also not necessarily caused by trauma, abuse, or any other severely damaging event, although again, it can be. It depends on the individual. What is in your Shadow is based on your life and your experiences, as well as your culture and society, so it will be different for everyone. Psychologist Connie Zweig, in The Inner Work of Age, explains, “The Shadow is that part of us that lies beneath or behind the light of awareness. It contains our rejected, unacceptable traits and feelings. It contains our hidden gifts and talents that have remained unexpressed or unlived. As Jung put it, the essence of the Shadow is pure gold.” To further illustrate the concept, Robert Bly, in A Little Book on the Human Shadow,uses the following metaphor: “When we are young, we carry behind us an invisible bag, into which we stuff any feelings, thoughts, or behaviours that bring disapproval or loss of love—anger, tears, neediness, laziness. By the time we go to school, our bags are already a mile long. In high school, our peer groups pressure us to stuff the bags with even more—individuality, sexuality, spontaneity, different opinions. We spend our life until we're twenty deciding which parts of ourselves to put into the bag and we spend the rest of our lives trying to get them out again.” As authors, we can use what's in the ‘bag' to enrich our writing — but only if we can access it. My intention with this book is to help you venture into your Shadow and bring some of what's hidden into the light and into your words. I'll reveal aspects of my Shadow in these pages but ultimately, this book is about you. Your Shadow is unique. There may be elements we share, but much will be different. Each chapter has questions for you to consider that may help you explore at least the edges of your Shadow, but it's not easy. As Jung said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure, however, is disagreeable and therefore not popular.” But take heart, Creative. You don't need courage when things are easy. You need it when you know what you face will be difficult, but you do it anyway. We are authors. We know how to do hard things. We turn ideas into books. We manifest thoughts into ink on paper. We change lives with our writing. First, our own, then other people's. It's worth the effort to delve into Shadow, so I hope you will join me on the journey. The creative wound and the Shadow in writing “Whatever pain you can't get rid of, make it your creative offering.” —Susan Cain, Bittersweet  The more we long for something, the more extreme our desire, the more likely it is to have a Shadow side. For those of us who love books, the author life may well be a long-held dream and thus, it is filled with Shadow. Books have long been objects of desire, power, and authority. They hold a mythic status in our lives. We escaped into stories as children; we studied books at school and college; we read them now for escape and entertainment, education and inspiration. We collect beautiful books to put on our shelves. We go to them for solace and answers to the deepest questions of life. Writers are similarly held in high esteem. They shape culture, win literary prizes, give important speeches, and are quoted in the mainstream media. Their books are on the shelves in libraries and bookstores. Writers are revered, held up as rare, talented creatures made separate from us by their brilliance and insight. For bibliophile children, books were everything and to write one was a cherished dream. To become an author? Well, that would mean we might be someone special, someone worthy. Perhaps when you were young, you thought the dream of being a writer was possible — then you told someone about it. That's probably when you heard the first criticism of such a ridiculous idea, the first laughter, the first dismissal. So you abandoned the dream, pushed the idea of being a writer into the Shadow, and got on with your life. Or if it wasn't then, it came later, when you actually put pen to paper and someone — a parent, teacher, partner, or friend, perhaps even a literary agent or publisher, someone whose opinion you valued — told you it was worthless. Here are some things you might have heard: Writing is a hobby. Get a real job. You're not good enough. You don't have any writing talent. You don't have enough education. You don't know what you're doing. Your writing is derivative / unoriginal / boring / useless / doesn't make sense. The genre you write in is dead / worthless / unacceptable / morally wrong / frivolous / useless.  Who do you think you are? No one would want to read what you write. You can't even use proper grammar, so how could you write a whole book? You're wasting your time. You'll never make it as a writer. You shouldn't write those things (or even think about those things). Why don't you write something nice? Insert other derogatory comment here! Mark Pierce describes the effect of this experience in his book The Creative Wound, which “occurs when an event, or someone's actions or words, pierce you, causing a kind of rift in your soul. A comment—even offhand and unintentional—is enough to cause one.” He goes on to say that such words can inflict “damage to the core of who we are as creators. It is an attack on our artistic identity, resulting in us believing that whatever we make is somehow tainted or invalid, because shame has convinced us there is something intrinsically tainted or invalid about ourselves.” As adults, we might brush off such wounds, belittling them as unimportant in the grand scheme of things. We might even find ourselves saying the same words to other people. After all, it's easier to criticise than to create. But if you picture your younger self, bright eyed as you lose yourself in your favourite book, perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what you longed for before your dreams were dashed on the rocks of other people's reality. As Mark Pierce goes on to say, “A Creative Wound has the power to delay our pursuits—sometimes for years—and it can even derail our lives completely… Anything that makes us feel ashamed of ourselves or our work can render us incapable of the self-expression we yearn for.” This is certainly what happened to me, and it took decades to unwind. Your creative wounds will differ to mine but perhaps my experience will help you explore your own. To be clear, your Shadow may not reside in elements of horror as mine do, but hopefully you can use my example to consider where your creative wounds might lie. “You shouldn't write things like that.” It happened at secondary school around 1986 or 1987, so I would have been around eleven or twelve years old. English was one of my favourite subjects and the room we had our lessons in looked out onto a vibrant garden. I loved going to that class because it was all about books, and they were always my favourite things. One day, we were asked to write a story. I can't remember the specifics of what the teacher asked us to write, but I fictionalised a recurring nightmare. I stood in a dark room. On one side, my mum and my brother, Rod, were tied up next to a cauldron of boiling oil, ready to be thrown in. On the other side, my dad and my little sister, Lucy, were threatened with decapitation by men with machetes. I had to choose who would die. I always woke up, my heart pounding, before I had to choose. Looking back now, it clearly represented an internal conflict about having to pick sides between the two halves of my family. Not an unexpected issue from a child of divorce. Perhaps these days, I might have been sent to the school counsellor, but it was the eighties and I don't think we even had such a thing. Even so, the meaning of the story isn't the point. It was the reaction to it that left scars. “You shouldn't write things like that,” my teacher said, and I still remember her look of disappointment, even disgust. Certainly judgment. She said my writing was too dark. It wasn't a proper story. It wasn't appropriate for the class. As if horrible things never happened in stories — or in life. As if literature could not include dark tales. As if the only acceptable writing was the kind she approved of. We were taught The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that year, which says a lot about the type of writing considered appropriate. Or perhaps the issue stemmed from the school motto, “So hateth she derknesse,” from Chaucer's The Legend of Good Women: “For fear of night, so she hates the darkness.” I had won a scholarship to a private girls' school, and their mission was to turn us all into proper young ladies. Horror was never on the curriculum. Perhaps if my teacher had encouraged me to write my darkness back then, my nightmares would have dissolved on the page. Perhaps if we had studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or H.P. Lovecraft stories, or Bram Stoker's Dracula, I could have embraced the darker side of literature earlier in my life. My need to push darker thoughts into my Shadow was compounded by my (wonderful) mum's best intentions. We were brought up on the principles of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and she tried to shield me and my brother from anything harmful or horrible. We weren't allowed to watch TV much, and even the British school drama Grange Hill was deemed inappropriate. So much of what I've achieved is because my mum instilled in me a “can do” attitude that anything is possible. I'm so grateful to her for that. (I love you, Mum!) But all that happy positivity, my desire to please her, to be a good girl, to make my teachers proud, and to be acceptable to society, meant that I pushed my darker thoughts into Shadow. They were inappropriate. They were taboo. They must be repressed, kept secret, and I must be outwardly happy and positive at all times. You cannot hold back the darkness “The night is dark and full of terrors.” —George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords It turned out that horror was on the curriculum, much of it in the form of educational films we watched during lessons. In English Literature, we watched Romeo drink poison and Juliet stab herself in Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. In Religious Studies, we watched Jesus beaten, tortured, and crucified in The Greatest Story Ever Told, and learned of the variety of gruesome ways that Christian saints were martyred. In Classical Civilisation, we watched gladiators slaughter each other in Spartacus. In Sex Education at the peak of the AIDS crisis in the mid-'80s, we were told of the many ways we could get infected and die. In History, we studied the Holocaust with images of skeletal bodies thrown into mass graves, medical experiments on humans, and grainy videos of marching soldiers giving the Nazi salute. One of my first overseas school field trips was to the World War I battlegrounds of Flanders Fields in Belgium, where we studied the inhuman conditions of the trenches, walked through mass graves, and read war poetry by candlelight. As John McCrae wrote: We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Did the teachers not realise how deeply a sensitive teenager might feel the darkness of that place? Or have I always been unusual in that places of blood echo deep inside me? And the horrors kept coming. We lived in Bristol, England back then and I learned at school how the city had been part of the slave trade, its wealth built on the backs of people stolen from their homes, sold, and worked to death in the colonies. I had been at school for a year in Malawi, Africa and imagined the Black people I knew drowning, being beaten, and dying on those ships. In my teenage years, the news was filled with ethnic cleansing, mass rape, and massacres during the Balkan wars, and images of bodies hacked apart during the Rwandan genocide. Evil committed by humans against other humans was not a historical aberration. I'm lucky and I certainly acknowledge my privilege. Nothing terrible or horrifying has happened to me — but bad things certainly happen to others. I wasn't bullied or abused. I wasn't raped or beaten or tortured. But you don't have to go through things to be afraid of them, and for your imagination to conjure the possibility of them. My mum doesn't read my fiction now as it gives her nightmares (Sorry, Mum!). I know she worries that somehow she's responsible for my darkness, but I've had a safe and (mostly) happy life, for which I'm truly grateful. But the world is not an entirely safe and happy place, and for a sensitive child with a vivid imagination, the world is dark and scary. It can be brutal and violent, and bad things happen, even to good people. No parent can shield their child from the reality of the world. They can only help them do their best to live in it, develop resilience, and find ways to deal with whatever comes. Story has always been a way that humans have used to learn how to live and deal with difficult times. The best authors, the ones that readers adore and can't get enough of, write their darkness into story to channel their experience, and help others who fear the same. In an interview on writing the Shadow on The Creative Penn Podcast, Michaelbrent Collings shared how he incorporated a personally devastating experience into his writing:  “My wife and I lost a child years back, and that became the root of one of my most terrifying books, Apparition. It's not terrifying because it's the greatest book of all time, but just the concept that there's this thing out there… like a demon, and it consumes the blood and fear of the children, and then it withdraws and consumes the madness of the parents… I wrote that in large measure as a way of working through what I was experiencing.” I've learned much from Michaelbrent. I've read many of his (excellent) books and he's been on my podcast multiple times talking about his depression and mental health issues, as well as difficulties in his author career. Writing darkness is not in Michaelbrent's Shadow and only he can say what lies there for him. But from his example, and from that of other authors, I too learned how to write my Shadow into my books. Twenty-three years after that English lesson, in November 2009, I did NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, and wrote five thousand words of what eventually became Stone of Fire, my first novel. In the initial chapter, I burned a nun alive on the ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River. I had watched the bodies burn by night on pyres from a boat bobbing in the current a few years before, and the image was still crystal clear in my mind. The only way to deal with how it made me feel about death was to write about it — and since then, I've never stopped writing. Returning to the nightmare from my school days, I've never had to choose between the two halves of my family, but the threat of losing them remains a theme in my fiction. In my ARKANE thriller series, Morgan Sierra will do anything to save her sister and her niece. Their safety drives her to continue to fight against evil. Our deepest fears emerge in our writing, and that's the safest place for them. I wish I'd been taught how to turn my nightmares into words back at school, but at least now I've learned to write my Shadow onto the page. I wish the same for you. The Shadow in traditional publishing If becoming an author is your dream, then publishing a book is deeply entwined with that. But as Mark Pierce says in The Creative Wound, “We feel pain the most where it matters the most… Desire highlights whatever we consider to be truly significant.” There is a lot of desire around publishing for those of us who love books! It can give you: Validation that your writing is good enough Status and credibility Acceptance by an industry held in esteem  The potential of financial reward and critical acclaim Support from a team of professionals who know how to make fantastic books A sense of belonging to an elite community Pride in achieving a long-held goal, resulting in a confidence boost and self-esteem Although not guaranteed, traditional publishing can give you all these things and more, but as with everything, there is a potential Shadow side. Denying it risks the potential of being disillusioned, disappointed, and even damaged. But remember, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes. Preparation can help you avoid potential issues and help you feel less alone if you encounter them. The myth of success… and the reality of experience There is a pervasive myth of success in the traditional publishing industry, perpetuated by media reporting on brand name and breakout authors, those few outliers whose experience is almost impossible to replicate. Because of such examples, many new traditionally published authors think that their first book will hit the top of the bestseller charts or win an award, as well as make them a million dollars — or at least a big chunk of cash. They will be able to leave their job, write in a beautiful house overlooking the ocean, and swan around the world attending conferences, while writing more bestselling books. It will be a charmed life. But that is not the reality. Perhaps it never was. Even so, the life of a traditionally published author represents a mythic career with the truth hidden behind a veil of obscurity. In April 2023, The Bookseller in the UK reported that “more than half of authors (54%) responding to a survey on their experiences of publishing their debut book have said the process negatively affected their mental health. Though views were mixed, just 22%… described a positive experience overall… Among the majority who said they had a negative experience of debut publication, anxiety, stress, depression and ‘lowered' self-esteem were cited, with lack of support, guidance or clear and professional communication from their publisher among the factors that contributed.” Many authors who have negative experiences around publishing will push them into the Shadow with denial or self-blame, preferring to keep the dream alive. They won't talk about things in public as this may negatively affect their careers, but private discussions are often held in the corners of writing conferences or social media groups online. Some of the issues are as follows: Repeated rejection by agents and publishers may lead to the author thinking they are not good enough as a writer, which can lead to feeling unworthy as a person. If an author gets a deal, the amount of advance and the name and status of the publisher compared to others create a hierarchy that impacts self-esteem. A deal for a book may be much lower than an author might have been expecting, with low or no advance, and the resulting experience with the publisher beneath expectations. The launch process may be disappointing, and the book may appear without fanfare, with few sales and no bestseller chart position. In The Bookseller report, one author described her launch day as “a total wasteland… You have expectations about what publication day will be like, but in reality, nothing really happens.” The book may receive negative reviews by critics or readers or more publicly on social media, which can make an author feel attacked. The book might not sell as well as expected, and the author may feel like it's their fault. Commercial success can sometimes feel tied to self-worth and an author can't help but compare their sales to others, with resulting embarrassment or shame. The communication from the publisher may be less than expected. One author in The Bookseller report said, “I was shocked by the lack of clarity and shared information and the cynicism that underlies the superficial charm of this industry.” There is often more of a focus on debut authors in publishing houses, so those who have been writing and publishing in the midlist for years can feel ignored and undervalued. In The Bookseller report, 48 percent of authors reported “their publisher supported them for less than a year,” with one saying, “I got no support and felt like a commodity, like the team had moved on completely to the next book.” If an author is not successful enough, the next deal may be lower than the last, less effort is made with marketing, and they may be let go. In The Bookseller report, “six authors—debut and otherwise—cited being dropped by their publisher, some with no explanation.” Even if everything goes well and an author is considered successful by others, they may experience imposter syndrome, feeling like a fraud when speaking at conferences or doing book signings. And the list goes on … All these things can lead to feelings of shame, inadequacy, and embarrassment; loss of status in the eyes of peers; and a sense of failure if a publishing career is not successful enough. The author feels like it's their fault, like they weren't good enough — although, of course, the reality is that the conditions were not right at the time. A failure of a book is not a failure of the person, but it can certainly feel like it! When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Despite all the potential negatives of traditional publishing, if you know what could happen, you can mitigate them. You can prepare yourself for various scenarios and protect yourself from potential fall-out. It's clear from The Bookseller report that too many authors have unrealistic expectations of the industry. But publishers are businesses, not charities. It's not their job to make you feel good as an author. It's their job to sell books and pay you. The best thing they can do is to continue to be a viable business so they can keep putting books on the shelves and keep paying authors, staff, and company shareholders. When you license your creative work to a publisher, you're giving up control of your intellectual property in exchange for money and status. Bring your fears and issues out of the Shadow, acknowledge them, and deal with them early, so they do not get pushed down and re-emerge later in blame and bitterness. Educate yourself on the business of publishing. Be clear on what you want to achieve with any deal. Empower yourself as an author, take responsibility for your career, and you will have a much better experience. The Shadow in self-publishing or being an indie author Self-publishing, or being an independent (indie) author, can be a fantastic, pro-active choice for getting your book into the world. Holding your first book in your hand and saying “I made this” is pretty exciting, and even after more than forty books, I still get excited about seeing ideas in my head turn into a physical product in the world. Self-publishing can give an author: Creative control over what to write, editorial and cover design choices, when and how often to publish, and how to market Empowerment over your author career and the ability to make choices that impact success without asking for permission Ownership and control of intellectual property assets, resulting in increased opportunity around licensing and new markets Independence and the potential for recurring income for the long term Autonomy and flexibility around timelines, publishing options, and the ability to easily pivot into new genres and business models Validation based on positive reader reviews and money earned Personal growth and learning through the acquisition of new skills, resulting in a boost in confidence and self-esteem A sense of belonging to an active and vibrant community of indie authors around the world Being an indie author can give you all this and more, but once again, there is a Shadow side and preparation can help you navigate potential issues. The myth of success… and the reality of experience As with traditional publishing, the indie author world has perpetuated a myth of success in the example of the breakout indie author like E.L. James with Fifty Shades of Grey, Hugh Howey with Wool, or Andy Weir with The Martian. The emphasis on financial success is also fuelled online by authors who share screenshots showing six-figure months or seven-figure years, without sharing marketing costs and other outgoings, or the amount of time spent on the business. Yes, these can inspire some, but it can also make others feel inadequate and potentially lead to bad choices about how to publish and market based on comparison. The indie author world is full of just as much ego and a desire for status and money as traditional publishing. This is not a surprise! Most authors, regardless of publishing choices, are a mix of massive ego and chronic self-doubt. We are human, so the same issues will re-occur. A different publishing method doesn't cure all ills. Some of the issues are as follows: You learn everything you need to know about writing and editing, only to find that you need to learn a whole new set of skills in order to self-publish and market your book. This can take a lot of time and effort you did not expect, and things change all the time so you have to keep learning. Being in control of every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to cover design to marketing, can be overwhelming, leading to indecision, perfectionism, stress, and even burnout as you try to do all the things. You try to find people to help, but building your team is a challenge, and working with others has its own difficulties. People say negative things about self-publishing that may arouse feelings of embarrassment or shame. These might be little niggles, but they needle you, nonetheless. You wonder whether you made the right choice. You struggle with self-doubt and if you go to an event with traditional published authors, you compare yourself to them and feel like an imposter. Are you good enough to be an author if a traditional publisher hasn't chosen you? Is it just vanity to self-publish? Are your books unworthy? Even though you worked with a professional editor, you still get one-star reviews and you hate criticism from readers. You wonder whether you're wasting your time. You might be ripped off by an author services company who promise the world, only to leave you with a pile of printed books in your garage and no way to sell them. When you finally publish your book, it languishes at the bottom of the charts while other authors hit the top of the list over and over, raking in the cash while you are left out of pocket. You don't admit to over-spending on marketing as it makes you ashamed. You resist book marketing and make critical comments about writers who embrace it. You believe that quality rises to the top and if a book is good enough, people will buy it anyway. This can lead to disappointment and disillusionment when you launch your book and it doesn't sell many copies because nobody knows about it. You try to do what everyone advises, but you still can't make decent money as an author. You're jealous of other authors' success and put it down to them ‘selling out' or writing things you can't or ‘using AI' or ‘using a ghostwriter' or having a specific business model you consider impossible to replicate. And the list goes on… When you acknowledge the Shadow, it loses its power Being in control of your books and your author career is a double-edged sword. Traditionally published authors can criticise their publishers or agents or the marketing team or the bookstores or the media, but indie authors have to take responsibility for it all. Sure, we can blame ‘the algorithms' or social media platforms, or criticise other authors for having more experience or more money to invest in marketing, or attribute their success to writing in a more popular genre — but we also know there are always people who do well regardless of the challenges. Once more, we're back to acknowledging and integrating the Shadow side of our choices. We are flawed humans. There will always be good times and bad, and difficulties to offset the high points. This too shall pass, as the old saying goes. I know that being an indie author has plenty of Shadow. I've been doing this since 2008 and despite the hard times, I'm still here. I'm still writing. I'm still publishing. This life is not for everyone, but it's my choice. You must make yours. The Shadow in work You work hard. You make a living. Nothing wrong with that attitude, right? It's what we're taught from an early age and, like so much of life, it's not a problem until it goes to extremes. Not achieving what you want to? Work harder. Can't get ahead? Work harder. Not making a good enough living? Work harder. People who don't work hard are lazy. They don't deserve handouts or benefits. People who don't work hard aren't useful, so they are not valued members of our culture and community. But what about the old or the sick, the mentally ill, or those with disabilities? What about children? What about the unemployed? The under-employed? What about those who are — or will be — displaced by technology, those called “the useless class” by historian Yuval Noah Harari in his book Homo Deus? What if we become one of these in the future? Who am I if I cannot work? The Shadow side of my attitude to work became clear when I caught COVID in the summer of 2021. I was the sickest I'd ever been. I spent two weeks in bed unable to even think properly, and six weeks after that, I was barely able to work more than an hour a day before lying in the dark and waiting for my energy to return. I was limited in what I could do for another six months after that. At times, I wondered if I would ever get better. Jonathan kept urging me to be patient and rest. But I don't know how to rest. I know how to work and how to sleep. I can do ‘active rest,' which usually involves walking a long way or traveling somewhere interesting, but those require a stronger mind and body than I had during those months. It struck me that even if I recovered from the virus, I had glimpsed my future self. One day, I will be weak in body and mind. If I'm lucky, that will be many years away and hopefully for a short time before I die — but it will happen. I am an animal. I will die. My body and mind will pass on and I will be no more. Before then I will be weak. Before then, I will be useless. Before then, I will be a burden. I will not be able to work… But who am I if I cannot work? What is the point of me? I can't answer these questions right now, because although I recognise them as part of my Shadow, I've not progressed far enough to have dealt with them entirely. My months of COVID gave me some much-needed empathy for those who cannot work, even if they want to. We need to reframe what work is as a society, and value humans for different things, especially as technology changes what work even means. That starts with each of us. “Illness, affliction of body and soul, can be life-altering. It has the potential to reveal the most fundamental conflict of the human condition: the tension between our infinite, glorious dreams and desires and our limited, vulnerable, decaying physicality.” —Connie Zweig, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul The Shadow in money In the Greek myth, King Midas was a wealthy ruler who loved gold above all else. His palace was adorned with golden sculptures and furniture, and he took immense pleasure in his riches. Yet, despite his vast wealth, he yearned for more. After doing a favour for Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, Midas was granted a single wish. Intoxicated by greed, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold — and it was so. At first, it was a lot of fun. Midas turned everything else in his palace to gold, even the trees and stones of his estate. After a morning of turning things to gold, he fancied a spot of lunch. But when he tried to eat, the food and drink turned to gold in his mouth. He became thirsty and hungry — and increasingly desperate. As he sat in despair on his golden throne, his beloved young daughter ran to comfort him. For a moment, he forgot his wish — and as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, she turned into a golden statue, frozen in precious metal. King Midas cried out to the gods to forgive him, to reverse the wish. He renounced his greed and gave away all his wealth, and his daughter was returned to life. The moral of the story: Wealth and greed are bad. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is described as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner.” He's wealthy but does not share, considering Christmas spending to be frivolous and giving to charity to be worthless. He's saved by a confrontation with his lonely future and becomes a generous man and benefactor of the poor. Wealth is good if you share it with others. The gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: 14-30, tells the parable of the bags of gold, in which a rich man goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with varying amounts of gold. On his return, the servants who multiplied the gold through their efforts and investments are rewarded, while the one who merely returned the gold with no interest is punished: “For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Making money is good, making more money is even better. If you can't make any money, you don't deserve to have any. Within the same gospel, in Matthew 19:24, Jesus encounters a wealthy man and tells him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, which the man is unable to do. Jesus says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Wealth is bad. Give it all away and you'll go to heaven. With all these contradictory messages, no wonder we're so conflicted about money! How do you think and feel about money? While money is mostly tied to our work, it's far more than just a transactional object for most people. It's loaded with complex symbolism and judgment handed down by family, religion, and culture. You are likely to find elements of Shadow by examining your attitudes around money. Consider which of the following statements resonate with you or write your own. Money stresses me out. I don't want to talk about it or think about it. Some people hoard money, so there is inequality. Rich people are bad and we should take away their wealth and give it to the poor.  I can never make enough money to pay the bills, or to give my family what I want to provide. Money doesn't grow on trees.  It's wasteful to spend money as you might need it later, so I'm frugal and don't spend money unless absolutely necessary. It is better and more ethical to be poor than to be rich. I want more money. I read books and watch TV shows about rich people because I want to live like that. Sometimes I spend too much on things for a glimpse of what that might be like.  I buy lottery tickets and dream of winning all that money.  I'm jealous of people who have money. I want more of it and I resent those who have it. I'm no good with money. I don't like to look at my bank statement or credit card statement. I live off my overdraft and I'm in debt. I will never earn enough to get out of debt and start saving, so I don't think too much about it. I don't know enough about money. Talking about it makes me feel stupid, so I just ignore it. People like me aren't educated about money.  I need to make more money. If I can make lots of money, then people will look up to me. If I make lots of money, I will be secure, nothing can touch me, I will be safe.  I never want to be poor. I would be ashamed to be poor. I will never go on benefits. My net worth is my self worth. Money is good. We have the best standard of living in history because of the increase in wealth over time. Even the richest kings of the past didn't have what many middle-class people have today in terms of access to food, water, technology, healthcare, education, and more. The richest people give the most money to the poor through taxation and charity, as well as through building companies that employ people and invent new things. The very richest give away much of their fortunes. They provide far more benefit to the world than the poor.  I love money. Money loves me. Money comes easily and quickly to me. I attract money in multiple streams of income. It flows to me in so many ways. I spend money. I invest money. I give money. I'm happy and grateful for all that I receive. The Shadow around money for authors in particular Many writers and other creatives have issues around money and wealth. How often have you heard the following, and which do you agree with? You can't make money with your writing. You'll be a poor author in a garret, a starving artist.  You can't write ‘good quality' books and make money. If you make money writing, you're a hack, you're selling out. You are less worthy than someone who writes only for the Muse. Your books are commercial, not artistic. If you spend money on marketing, then your books are clearly not good enough to sell on their own. My agent / publisher / accountant / partner deals with the money side. I like to focus on the creative side of things. My money story Note: This is not financial or investment advice. Please talk to a professional about your situation. I've had money issues over the years — haven't we all! But I have been through a (long) process to bring money out of my Shadow and into the light. There will always be more to discover, but hopefully my money story will help you, or at least give you an opportunity to reflect. Like most people, I didn't grow up with a lot of money. My parents started out as teachers, but later my mum — who I lived with, along with my brother — became a change management consultant, moving to the USA and earning a lot more. I'm grateful that she moved into business because her example changed the way I saw money and provided some valuable lessons. (1) You can change your circumstances by learning more and then applying that to leverage opportunity into a new job or career Mum taught English at a school in Bristol when we moved back from Malawi, Africa, in the mid '80s but I remember how stressful it was for her, and how little money she made. She wanted a better future for us all, so she took a year out to do a master's degree in management. In the same way, when I wanted to change careers and leave consulting to become an author, I spent time and money learning about the writing craft and the business of publishing. I still invest a considerable chunk on continuous learning, as this industry changes all the time. (2) You might have to downsize in order to leap forward The year my mum did her degree, we lived in the attic of another family's house; we ate a lot of one-pot casserole and our treat was having a Yorkie bar on the walk back from the museum. We wore hand-me-down clothes, and I remember one day at school when another girl said I was wearing her dress. I denied it, of course, but there in back of the dress was her name tag. I still remember her name and I can still feel that flush of shame and embarrassment. I was determined to never feel like that again. But what I didn't realize at the time was that I was also learning the power of downsizing. Mum got her degree and then a new job in management in Bristol. She bought a house, and we settled for a few years. I had lots of different jobs as a teenager. My favourite was working in the delicatessen because we got a free lunch made from delicious produce. After I finished A-levels, I went to the University of Oxford, and my mum and brother moved to the USA for further opportunities. I've downsized multiple times over the years, taking a step back in order to take a step forward. The biggest was in 2010 when I decided to leave consulting. Jonathan and I sold our three-bedroom house and investments in Brisbane, Australia, and rented a one-bedroom flat in London, so we could be debt-free and live on less while I built up a new career. It was a decade before we bought another house. (3) Comparison can be deadly: there will always be people with more money than you Oxford was an education in many ways and relevant to this chapter is how much I didn't know about things people with money took for granted. I learned about formal hall and wine pairings, and how to make a perfect gin and tonic. I ate smoked salmon for the first time. I learned how to fit in with people who had a lot more money than I did, and I definitely wanted to have money of my own to play with. (4) Income is not wealth You can earn lots but have nothing to show for it after years of working. I learned this in my first few years of IT consulting after university. I earned a great salary and then went contracting, earning even more money at a daily rate. I had a wonderful time. I traveled, ate and drank and generally made merry, but I always had to go back to the day job when the money ran out. I couldn't work out how I could ever stop this cycle. Then I read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, a book I still recommend, especially if you're from a family that values academic over financial education. I learned how to escape the rat race by building and/or accumulating assets that pay even when you're not working. It was a revelation! The ‘poor dad' in the book is a university professor. He knows so much about so many things, but he ends up poor as he did not educate himself about money. The ‘rich dad' has little formal education, but he knows about money and wealth because he learned about it, as we can do at any stage in our lives. (5) Not all investments suit every person, so find the right one for you Once I discovered the world of investing, I read all the books and did courses and in-person events. I joined communities and I up-skilled big time. Of course, I made mistakes and learned lots along the way. I tried property investing and renovated a couple of houses for rental (with more practical partners and skilled contractors). But while I could see that property investing might work for some people, I did not care enough about the details to make it work for me, and it was certainly not passive income. I tried other things. My first husband was a boat skipper and scuba diving instructor, so we started a charter. With the variable costs of fuel, the vagaries of New Zealand weather — and our divorce — it didn't last long! From all these experiments, I learned I wanted to run a business, but it needed to be online and not based on a physical location, physical premises, or other people. That was 2006, around the time that blogging started taking off and it became possible to make a living online. I could see the potential and a year later, the iPhone and the Amazon Kindle launched, which became the basis of my business as an author. (6) Boring, automatic saving and investing works best Between 2007 and 2011, I contracted in Australia, where they have compulsory superannuation contributions, meaning you have to save and invest a percentage of your salary or self-employed income. I'd never done that before, because I didn't understand it. I'd ploughed all my excess income into property or the business instead. But in Australia I didn't notice the money going out because it was automatic. I chose a particular fund and it auto-invested every month. The pot grew pretty fast since I didn't touch it, and years later, it's still growing. I discovered the power of compound interest and time in the market, both of which are super boring. This type of investing is not a get rich quick scheme. It's a slow process of automatically putting money into boring investments and doing that month in, month out, year in, year out, automatically for decades while you get on with your life. I still do this. I earn money as an author entrepreneur and I put a percentage of that into boring investments automatically every month. I also have a small amount which is for fun and higher risk investments, but mostly I'm a conservative, risk-averse investor planning ahead for the future. This is not financial advice, so I'm not giving any specifics. I have a list of recommended money books at www.TheCreativePenn.com/moneybooks if you want to learn more. Learning from the Shadow When I look back, my Shadow side around money eventually drove me to learn more and resulted in a better outcome (so far!). I was ashamed of being poor when I had to wear hand-me-down clothes at school. That drove a fear of not having any money, which partially explains my workaholism. I was embarrassed at Oxford because I didn't know how to behave in certain settings, and I wanted to be like the rich people I saw there. I spent too much money in my early years as a consultant because I wanted to experience a “rich” life and didn't understand saving and investing would lead to better things in the future. I invested too much in the wrong things because I didn't know myself well enough and I was trying to get rich quick so I could leave my job and ‘be happy.' But eventually, I discovered that I could grow my net worth with boring, long-term investments while doing a job I loved as an author entrepreneur. My only regret is that I didn't discover this earlier and put a percentage of my income into investments as soon as I started work. It took several decades to get started, but at least I did (eventually) start. My money story isn't over yet, and I keep learning new things, but hopefully my experience will help you reflect on your own and avoid the issue if it's still in Shadow. These chapters are excerpted from Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness Into Words by Joanna Penn  The post Writing The Shadow: The Creative Wound, Publishing, And Money, With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

In this episode, we talk with Justin Thomas about how insurance agents can use digital advertising and funnels to create consistent, high-quality conversations without chasing cold leads. Justin shares his journey from insurance to building Insurance Advertising Masters, where he helps agents bring marketing in-house using Facebook and YouTube ads. We cover the impact of iOS changes, why traditional lead models fall short, the difference between P&C and life and health marketing, and why owning your traffic is critical for long-term success.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

In this episode, we talk with Justin Thomas about how insurance agents can use digital advertising and funnels to create consistent, high-quality conversations without chasing cold leads. Justin shares his journey from insurance to building Insurance Advertising Masters, where he helps agents bring marketing in-house using Facebook and YouTube ads. We cover the impact of iOS changes, why traditional lead models fall short, the difference between P&C and life and health marketing, and why owning your traffic is critical for long-term success.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

¿Por qué algunas personas parecen ganar siempre... y otras siempre pierden? ¿Qué sucede exactamente en tu cerebro cuando tienes éxito? ¿Por qué el poder cambia a las personas... y cómo evitar que te pase a ti?En este episodio analizamos El Efecto Ganador, de Ian Robertson (The Winner Effect, 2012), un libro que revela los mecanismos neurobiológicos más profundos del éxito y el fracaso humano.Ian Robertson no es el típico autor de autoayuda. Es profesor de Psicología en Trinity College Dublin, profesor visitante en University College London y científico en el Instituto de Investigación Rotman de la Universidad de Toronto. Es miembro de la Academia Real Irlandesa y ha dedicado décadas a estudiar cómo funciona el cerebro humano bajo presión, bajo estrés... y bajo el poder.Lo más valioso: Robertson descubrió que ganar literalmente reprograma tu cerebro para más victorias —a través de testosterona y dopamina— pero también que el poder puede corromperte sin que te des cuenta si no construyes los sistemas adecuados para protegerte.

¿Por qué algunas personas parecen ganar siempre... y otras siempre pierden? ¿Qué sucede exactamente en tu cerebro cuando tienes éxito? ¿Por qué el poder cambia a las personas... y cómo evitar que te pase a ti?En este episodio analizamos El Efecto Ganador, de Ian Robertson (The Winner Effect, 2012), un libro que revela los mecanismos neurobiológicos más profundos del éxito y el fracaso humano.Ian Robertson no es el típico autor de autoayuda. Es profesor de Psicología en Trinity College Dublin, profesor visitante en University College London y científico en el Instituto de Investigación Rotman de la Universidad de Toronto. Es miembro de la Academia Real Irlandesa y ha dedicado décadas a estudiar cómo funciona el cerebro humano bajo presión, bajo estrés... y bajo el poder.Lo más valioso: Robertson descubrió que ganar literalmente reprograma tu cerebro para más victorias —a través de testosterona y dopamina— pero también que el poder puede corromperte sin que te des cuenta si no construyes los sistemas adecuados para protegerte.

In this episode, we're joined by Jason Levine for a candid conversation about building, growing, and sustaining an insurance agency in an ever-changing market. Jason shares how his path into insurance wasn't planned, from early ambitions in aviation to stepping into the family business and discovering the strategic depth of the industry. With experience in enterprise-level agency planning, human resources, and VIP account management, he brings a risk-aware mindset shaped by years of evaluating financial exposure and maximizing outcomes for clients and businesses alike.Jason dives into the realities of agency growth, including the shift from captive to independent, the importance of understanding underwriting and carrier operations, and why serving existing clients well often drives stronger, more sustainable growth than constantly chasing new leads. He also speaks openly about hiring challenges, market volatility, and the importance of staying adaptable, building the right team, and leading with clarity in uncertain times. This episode offers practical insight, real talk, and perspective for anyone navigating leadership and growth in today's insurance landscape.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Les langues aiment transformer les lieux réels en idées abstraites. Certaines rivières ont ainsi quitté la géographie pour entrer dans le vocabulaire courant. Pactole, méandre et Bérézina en sont trois exemples célèbres : chacune a donné naissance à un mot, parce qu'un événement marquant s'y est déroulé ou parce que sa forme était si singulière qu'elle est devenue symbolique.Commençons par le Pactole. Cette petite rivière de l'Antiquité coulait en Lydie, dans l'actuelle Turquie. Selon la mythologie grecque, le roi Midas, condamné à transformer en or tout ce qu'il touchait, se serait lavé dans le Pactole pour se débarrasser de ce don empoisonné. Le fleuve se serait alors chargé de paillettes d'or, faisant sa richesse. Historiquement, le Pactole charriait effectivement de l'or alluvial, ce qui a contribué à la prospérité de la région. Résultat : le mot est devenu synonyme de source de richesse abondante. Aujourd'hui, « toucher le pactole », c'est trouver une manne financière inespérée.Passons au méandre. Le mot vient du Méandre, un fleuve d'Asie Mineure célèbre pour son tracé extraordinairement sinueux. Ses courbes étaient si nombreuses et si prononcées que les géographes grecs en ont fait un modèle. Peu à peu, le nom propre est devenu un nom commun. Un méandre désigne désormais une courbe naturelle très marquée d'un cours d'eau, puis, par extension, un cheminement compliqué, tortueux, intellectuel ou administratif. Quand un raisonnement « part en méandres », il serpente au lieu d'aller droit au but.Enfin, la Bérézina. Il s'agit d'une rivière de Biélorussie entrée brutalement dans la langue française à cause d'un événement historique précis : la retraite de Russie de Napoléon en 1812. Lors du franchissement de la Bérézina, l'armée française subit des pertes humaines effroyables dans des conditions chaotiques. Militairement, l'opération permit pourtant d'éviter l'anéantissement total. Mais dans les esprits, l'épisode est resté comme une catastrophe absolue. C'est ce souvenir collectif qui a fait de « bérézina » un synonyme de désastre complet, souvent employé bien au-delà du contexte militaire.Ces trois mots montrent comment la langue fonctionne par mémoire symbolique. Le Pactole incarne l'abondance, le Méandre la complexité, la Bérézina l'échec. À chaque fois, un fleuve réel devient une image mentale durable.En résumé, si ces rivières sont devenues des mots, c'est parce que leur histoire ou leur forme a frappé l'imagination collective. La géographie s'est effacée, mais le symbole, lui, coule toujours dans la langue. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Navin Chaddha of Mayfield joins Nick to discuss A 17 Time Midas Lister on Greatness, the $6T AI Teammate Market, Why AI Sovereignty Is Critical, and Who Wins the Battle Between Incumbents and Startups. In this episode we cover: Challenges in Early Internet Video Lessons from Interacting with Tech Luminaries Investment Philosophy and Evaluation Process The Role of Psychology in Venture Capital The AI Collaboration Era Geopolitical Implications of AI Investment Strategy in a Competitive Market Guest Links: Navin's LinkedIn Navin's X Mayfield's LinkedIn Mayfield's Website The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.   Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

In this episode, we sit down with Eric, Accredited Accident Reconstructionist, Ohio Peace Officer, Marine Corps veteran, and founder of Crash Tech Reconstruction Services, to discuss the real-world risks of car accidents and the staggering costs of being underinsured. Eric shares insights from his nationally recognized reconstruction work, illustrating how one accident can lead to $600,000 in liability, why young adults and seniors are often at higher risk, and the importance of proper property damage and liability coverage.We also dive into the misconceptions around price versus value in insurance, explaining how professional guidance and thoughtful conversations can protect not just your assets, but your livelihood. Packed with real-life examples, expert advice, and actionable tips, this episode is essential for anyone looking to make informed insurance decisions and understand the true stakes on the road.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

In this episode of the DecaMillionaire Decoded Podcast, Justin lays the foundation for a year-long exploration of "success secrets" by debunking common myths about wealth and mindset. Drawing from a personal encounter where a client attributed his success to a "Midas touch", Justin explores the delicate balance between business growth and spiritual principles. Learn more about Relentless Value Coaching:  https://www.justingoodbread.com/coaching/

STARMER vs BLAIR? Who was the best PM? #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #Live #StarmerVsBlair #TonyBlair #KeirStarmer #UKPolitics #LabourParty #PrimeMinister STARMER vs BLAIR – Who Was the Better Prime Minister? | Today's live debate asks a blunt question: was Tony Blair a once-in-a-generation political talent – and is Keir Starmer his opposite? Tony Blair entered Downing Street in 1997 riding a wave of optimism, confidence, and cultural change. Cool Britannia, economic growth, falling unemployment, peace in Northern Ireland, and a sense that Britain was finally moving forward.  Blair had an extraordinary political antenna — he understood public mood, knew how to frame policy, and sold change with optimism rather than fear. Even controversial ideas, from public service reform to ID cards, were presented as part of a broader national project.  Keir Starmer, by contrast, has entered office as one of the most unpopular Prime Ministers in modern polling history, and his problems appear largely self-inflicted. From chaotic U-turns on the winter fuel allowance, to repeated failures to "stop the boats", Starmer's government has struggled not just with delivery — but with political judgement. Policies are announced, abandoned, and reframed, reinforcing claims that Starmer has a Midas touch in reverse: whatever he touches becomes politically toxic.  On immigration, Blair embraced freedom of movement as part of a confident, outward-looking Britain, even if the long-term consequences were underestimated. Starmer talks tough on the small boats crisis, yet crossings continue and legal obstacles mount, with human rights law frequently cited as both a constraint and a shield.  Critics argue he has managed to look authoritarian to liberals and ineffective to voters — the worst of both worlds.  This debate will confront uncomfortable questions: Did Blair's optimism and presentation mask serious long-term flaws — or is that exactly what leadership requires? Has Starmer's focus on "hard choices" simply translated into constant bad news and broken promises? Are ideas like ID cards, once rejected under Blair, now being revived out of desperation rather than vision? Is Starmer a serious reformer — or a technocrat who lacks the political instincts needed to lead?  Blair changed the national mood. Starmer reflects it. Ambition vs anxiety. Optimism vs apology. Political instinct vs political tin ear. Join Jon Gaunt live, challenge me and decide for yourself: Was Blair Britain's last truly dominant Prime Minister — and is Starmer proof that competence without politics isn't enough? ⬇️ Like, subscribe, and drop your verdict in the comments. #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #Live #StarmerVsBlair #TonyBlair #KeirStarmer #UKPolitics #LabourParty #PrimeMinister #CoolBritannia #SmallBoats #FreedomOfMovement #HumanRights #IDCards #PoliticalLeadership #BritishPolitics  Jon Gaunt, Jon Gaunt TV, Live, Starmer vs Blair, Tony Blair, Keir Starmer, UK politics, Labour Party, Prime Minister debate, Cool Britannia, small boats crisis, freedom of movement, human rights, ID cards, political leadership, British politics  This is political blogging and hard-hitting social commentary from Triple Sony Gold Award-winning talk radio legend, Jon Gaunt — former host on BBC, Talk Radio, and Sky News. On Jon Gaunt TV, we cut through the noise and say what others won't. No political correctness. No censorship. Just real conversations that matter.

Kelly Donahue, a public speaker and consultant with over a decade of experience in the local insurance agency space, joins Insurance Dudes to break down what it really takes to build a profitable, future-ready insurance agency. The conversation explores leadership at the agency-owner level, creating a strong internal culture, and using systems instead of shortcuts to drive sustainable growth. From sales processes and account rounding to marketing, technology, and accountability, this episode highlights how agency owners can align their mission with smart business strategy, adapt to industry changes, and build teams that perform consistently while delivering long-term value.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky se dit optimiste sur les chances de faire avancer les discussions visant à mettre fin à la guerre entre la Russie et l'Ukraine et annonce une rencontre avec Donald Trump dimanche 28 décembre en Floride. Les questions sensibles, telles que le sort du Donbass, devraient être abordées. Sous pression de l'administration américaine pour conclure un plan de paix, Volodymyr Zelensky a connu une fin d'année délicate. Il parvient malgré tout à conserver la confiance des Ukrainiens.  Donald Trump voulait un accord avant Noël. Son vœu n'a pas été exaucé. « Beaucoup de choses peuvent être décidées avant le Nouvel an », veut croire Volodymyr Zelensky, au lendemain de discussions avec les envoyés de la Maison Blanche. En dépit de cet optimisme affiché, le président ukrainien est soumis à forte pression, d'autant que les positions russes restent, pour l'heure, inflexibles. Mardi, Volodymyr Zelensky a détaillé devant la presse le plan de paix révisé en 20 points, le présentant comme la meilleure tentative de l'Ukraine de mettre fin à la guerre. Le document aborde un large éventail de questions, allant des éventuels arrangements territoriaux aux garanties de sécurité que Kiev souhaite obtenir pour prévenir toute future agression russe, en passant par les plans de reconstruction du pays ravagé par la guerre. Selon Volodymyr Zelensky, les diverses sections du plan « reflètent en grande partie la position commune ukraino-américaine ». Reste quelques points de blocage, à commencer par la question épineuse de l'avenir du Donbass. La Russie exige que les forces ukrainiennes se retirent des territoires de la région de Donetsk qu'elles contrôlent encore. Le président ukrainien ne peut accepter cette demande. À écouter et à lire aussiVolodymyr Zelensky, président ukrainien S'il cède, « il n'aura plus d'avenir politique », tranche le politologue Volodymyr Fessenko du centre Penta à Kiev. « En Ukraine, le sentiment qui domine est qu'il est impossible d'accepter de reconnaitre juridiquement les territoires occupés comme étant russes. Si, en cas de cessez-le-feu le long de la ligne de front, une partie du territoire ukrainien restait sous contrôle russe, la plupart des Ukrainiens pourraient accepter ce scénario mais à condition que ces territoires ne soient pas reconnus juridiquement comme étant russes. » Militairement, l'Ukraine ne peut pas se permettre de céder des zones fortement fortifiées de Donetsk, note pour sa part la chercheuse ukrainienne Olena Prokopenko, du centre de réflexion German Marshall Fund. « Céder des territoires fortifiés sans combat offrirait à la Russie une base idéale pour intensifier son invasion. Si l'Ukraine acceptait ces concessions, notre position sur la ligne de front serait gravement affaiblie. Les abandonner sans combat, donner à la Russie des territoires qu'elle n'a pas réussi à conquérir en onze ans depuis l'invasion du Donbass, constituerait une décision militairement désastreuse », explique-t-elle.  Le scénario dans lequel Volodymyr Zelensky se verrait contraint de céder tout le Donbass à la Russie « ne pourrait se produire qu'en cas de situation catastrophique sur le front ou dans le secteur énergétique, qui ne lui laisserait pas d'autre choix », avance Volodymyr Fessenko. Concessions territoriales  Quoi qu'il en soit, le président ukrainien n'en sortirait pas indemne. Seule concession à laquelle Volodymyr Zelensky se dit prêt : l'Ukraine pourrait retirer ses troupes des zones de l'ouest de la région de Donetsk encore sous son contrôle, pour les transformer en une zone démilitarisée dans le cadre d'un éventuel accord de paix avec Moscou, à condition que la Russie retire ses forces d'une zone équivalente. En tout état de cause, Volodymyr Zelensky estime que la création d'une zone démilitarisée doit être approuvée par le biais d'un référendum. Parallèlement aux discussions autour du plan de paix, le président ukrainien a dû affronter une tempête intérieure ces derniers mois. L'affaire Midas, vaste affaire de corruption qui touche le secteur énergétique ukrainien, a poussé les ministres de la Justice Herman Halouchtchenko et la ministre de l'Énergie, Svitlana Hryntchouk à démissionner le mois dernier. Volodymyr Zelensky a ensuite dû se défaire de son plus proche conseiller, Andriy Iermak. En écartant le chef de l'administration présidentielle, qu'il n'a pas encore remplacé, tout en maintenant une ligne relativement ferme dans les pourparlers de paix, sa côte de popularité est remontée. Selon une enquête récente menée par l'Institut international de sociologie de Kyiv (KIIS), 61% des Ukrainiens lui font confiance. « Aussi étrange que cela puisse paraître, la confrontation autour du plan de paix de Donald Trump a une fois de plus aidé », affirme Volodymyr Fessenko. Le plan de paix amendé par Kiev prévoit également la tenue d'élections en Ukraine dès que possible après la signature d'un accord de paix. Le mandat présidentiel de cinq ans de Volodymyr Zelensky aurait dû expirer en mai de l'année dernière, mais il a été prolongé en vertu de la loi martiale en vigueur depuis l'invasion russe de 2022. Le chef de l'État a chargé le Parlement de réfléchir à des modifications de la législation électorale pour examiner la possibilité d'organiser une présidentielle. Olena Prokopenko y voit une « démarche habile » tant sur le plan intérieur qu'à l'international. « Cela envoie le signal qu'il redonne un rôle central au Parlement, qui a été largement marginalisé ces dernières années, en lui confiant une décision potentiellement historique. Sur le plan international, cela montre qu'il est prêt à participer à des élections et qu'il ne fuit pas ses responsabilités », explique-t-elle. Sur le plan international, cette initiative est vue comme importante car elle renvoie la pression vers Donald Trump, qui accuse son homologue ukrainien d'utiliser la guerre comme prétexte pour éviter une élection et se maintenir au pouvoir. « En acceptant de préparer un cadre législatif, Zelensky contraint Trump à faire pression sur Vladimir Poutine afin d'obtenir un cessez-le-feu, que ce dernier a rejeté à plusieurs reprises ces derniers mois. Cela permet de mettre en évidence que l'obstacle à la paix n'est pas l'Ukraine, mais bien la Russie », note Olena Prokopenko. Élection présidentielle  Dans le cas, très hypothétique, où une élection présidentielle pourrait se tenir avant la fin des hostilités, quelles chances Volodymyr Zelensky aurait-il de remporter le scrutin ? La probabilité d'une victoire du président sortant est « très forte », selon la chercheuse du German Marshall Fund, « non pas parce qu'il n'existe pas de griefs à son égard, mais parce que l'Ukraine a besoin d'une unité maximale pour résister à la pression de l'administration américaine dans le cadre des négociations de paix. Ses chances de victoire seraient aujourd'hui bien supérieures à ce qu'elles seraient après la guerre ». La perspective pour Volodymyr Zelensky de remporter le scrutin est plus élevée aujourd'hui, abonde Volodymyr Fessenko : « Les citoyens qui lui sont favorables ou neutres évaluent positivement son rôle comme chef de la politique étrangère et commandant en chef. Après la guerre, surtout s'il devait conclure un accord de paix perçu comme défavorable, ses chances pourraient diminuer. » Dans ces conditions, certaines figures de l'opposition estiment que Volodymyr Zelensky pourrait être tenté d'organiser au plus vite des élections. Conformément aux engagements pris par le président auprès de Donald Trump, la Rada, le Parlement ukrainien s'apprête à examiner la question de l'organisation d'élections. Cependant, « il existe une faible probabilité qu'un projet de loi sur les élections en temps de guerre voit le jour. Son adoption reste incertaine. Le scénario le plus probable pour l'an prochain serait la tenue d'élections uniquement si un accord de cessez-le-feu était conclu au premier semestre », pronostique Volodymyr Fessenko, qui constate que « même au sein du parti présidentiel Serviteur du peuple, nombreux sont ceux qui s'opposent à des élections en temps de guerre. Si l'opposition et les députés réticents se mobilisent, l'adoption d'une telle loi sera impossible », souligne le politologue. En Ukraine, l'opinion publique estime, dans une très large majorité, qu'aucune des conditions sécuritaires, juridiques ou structurelles ne sont réunies pour organiser des élections, note Olena Prokopenko. « Les Ukrainiens comprennent que ce n'est pas le moment. Il n'existe aucune demande sociale en ce sens, et ce débat est principalement ravivé sous la pression de la Russie et des États-Unis ». Selon le sondage récent du KIIS, seuls 9 % des Ukrainiens soutiennent l'idée d'élections en temps de guerre. À lire aussiGel du front, élections, Otan: ce que contient la dernière version du plan américain pour la paix en Ukraine

"Alles wandelt sich - die Zeit, die Götter, sogar unsere eigene Gestalt". Als der Weingott Bacchus dem König Midas die Gabe verleiht, alles in Gold zu verwandeln, was er berührt, beginnt sogar der dumme Midas zu begreifen, was dieser Satz bedeutet... Von Publius Ovidius Naso WDR 2025 www.wdrmaus.de Von Publius Ovidius Naso.

Bugün cüzdanımızdaki paradan çok daha değerli, harcadıktan sonra asla yerine koyamayacağımız tek varlığımızı, yani "zamanı" konuşuyoruz. Midas Podcast'in bu bölümünde; Pareto ilkesinden (80/20 kuralı) derin çalışma tekniklerine, zamanın getirisini (ROIT) hesaplamaktan "kurbağayı yemek" prensibine kadar üretkenliğin matematiğini masaya yatırıyoruz. İyi dinlemeler. Midas uygulamasını indir: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://app.getmidas.com/gmih/mie6gpeu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X (Twitter): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/getmidas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/get_midas/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@midasplus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@midasinkulaklari⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Midas'ın Kulakları: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.getmidas.com/midasin-kulaklari⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Not: Bu içerik, içeriğin yayınlandığı günkü veriler ve haberler baz alınarak hazırlanmıştır. Eğer varsa içerikte geçen hedef fiyat tahminleri, uzman ve analist yorumları bu içeriğin yayınlandığı tarihte geçerlidir. Bu tahmin ve yorumlar zaman içinde değişkenlik gösterebilmektedir. Bu podcast'te yer alan haberler ve haberlerin içerdiği şirketler hakkındaki bilgiler yatırım danışmanlığı kapsamında değildir. Bahsi geçen hisselerdeki; hisse adı, fiyatı ve grafikleri de dahil temsilidir, yatırım tavsiyesi değildir.

Den sista delen i miniserien om Ukraina. Därtill det sista avsnittet med Joakim och Jacob. Den här podden lever vidare med ny besättning efter årsskiftet, och Joakim Rönning hörs inom kort i ny podd hos EFN. Tack för allt! God jul och gott nytt år!

Faizler yükselirken altının düşmesi gerekmez miydi? Midas Podcast'in bu bölümünde, ezber bozan bu yeni ekonomik denklemi, Merkez Bankalarının rezerv stratejilerindeki köklü değişimi ve gümüşün sanayi metali olmaktan çıkıp nasıl bir "sigorta"ya dönüştüğünü konuşuyoruz. İyi dinlemeler. Midas uygulamasını indir: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://app.getmidas.com/gmih/mie6gpeu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X (Twitter): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/getmidas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/get_midas/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@midasplus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@midasinkulaklari⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Midas'ın Kulakları: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.getmidas.com/midasin-kulaklari⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Not: Bu içerik, içeriğin yayınlandığı günkü veriler ve haberler baz alınarak hazırlanmıştır. Eğer varsa içerikte geçen hedef fiyat tahminleri, uzman ve analist yorumları bu içeriğin yayınlandığı tarihte geçerlidir. Bu tahmin ve yorumlar zaman içinde değişkenlik gösterebilmektedir. Bu podcast'te yer alan haberler ve haberlerin içerdiği şirketler hakkındaki bilgiler yatırım danışmanlığı kapsamında değildir. Bahsi geçen hisselerdeki; hisse adı, fiyatı ve grafikleri de dahil temsilidir, yatırım tavsiyesi değildir.

The Daily Quiz - General Knowledge Today's Questions: Question 1: In phonetics, the j in 'juice' is an example of what kind of sound? Question 2: What does the "touch of Midas" turn everything? Question 3: In 1911 Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach where? Question 4: Which word is defined as 'to waste time or busy oneself aimlessly'? Question 5: What is the term for the backward momentum that a person feels after firing a gun? Question 6: What is the result of the mathematical operation obtained by subtracting the number of Snow White's dwarfs from the original title number of 'Disney Dalmatians'? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kevin Stein, founder and CEO of Delos Insurance Solutions, shares how he is transforming wildfire insurance through cutting-edge AI and innovative MGA structures. With an aerospace background and advanced degrees from Stanford and UC Berkeley, Kevin explains how his team models wildfire risk with remarkable accuracy, providing coverage for homes in high-risk areas where traditional carriers often can't. He delves into the development of the wildfire risk model, the importance of real-time exposure assessment, and how MGA solutions allow for dynamic portfolio management while helping agents retain clients. Tune in to discover how technology, strategy, and empathy combine to protect communities, solve complex insurance challenges, and create scalable solutions in an increasingly fire-prone world.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

STARMER: Stand Down Now to Save the UK | General Election NOW  #Starmer #UKPolitics #LabourParty #StarmerOUT #GeneralElection #JonGaunt #Live Keir  Starmer's end-of-year review has exposed a brutal truth: he may be Prime Minister, but he is not in control.  Approval ratings in the gutter. A Labour Party briefing against its own leader. MPs openly restless. And now, heading into Christmas, doctors preparing to strike, pushing the NHS deeper into chaos. Starmer promised seriousness, authority and competence.  What the country is seeing instead is drift, division and weakness. Borders still not secure. Small boats still crossing. A so-called "one-in, one-out" deal with France that sounds tough but delivers little. Leadership pledges quietly abandoned. Principles rewritten when they become inconvenient.  Even Starmer himself admitted today that his leadership is under strain — a staggering admission from a man sold as the "safe pair of hands".  This is leadership by press release. Government without grip. A Prime Minister in office but not in control. Everything he touches seems to go wrong — the reverse Midas touch. And now his own MPs are circling, because they know what the public already feels: this government is running on empty.  Britain cannot afford paralysis, party games and permanent crisis. If Starmer cannot lead, he should stand down. If this government cannot govern, the people must decide. General Election NOW.  

2025 has been the Year of Superman, and Missing Frames has been celebrating James Gunn's new film by sitting down with some of the writers, artists, and actors who help make the Man of Steel so special. Past conversations have included comic legends Dan Jurgens, Mark Waid, Tom King, and Phillip Kennedy Johnson, reflections on Richard Donner's iconic film with Lauren Shuler Donner, and even a chat with Ma Kent herself, Neva Howell.Today's guest is another incredible talent: Jonah Lees, who appears in Superman as Dean Farr, one of Lex Luthor's LuthorCorp cronies, alongside his real-life twin brother, Christian. But Jonah's career extends far beyond Metropolis. A highlight of the conversation is his work with Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke on Blue Moon, as well as his recent portrayal of John Lennon in the Brian Epstein biopic Midas Man. An actor, songwriter, musician, and director, Jonah is a multifaceted creative whose range is as impressive as it is exciting. What begins as a Superman celebration quickly becomes a love letter to many shared passions: Superman, Richard Linklater, and The Beatles.

In this episode, we sit down with Galen Hair, founder of Insurance Claim HQ, to uncover the human side of insurance claims. With over 25 years of experience recovering over $1 billion for policyholders across the U.S., Galen shares how empathy, transparency, and simply being there for clients can make all the difference.From hurricane-struck Louisiana to nationwide property claims, Galen reveals how emotional support, honesty about what agents can and can't do, and building trust transform client relationships and elevate your brand. Whether you're an insurance agent, legal professional, or policyholder, this conversation offers actionable insights on navigating claims while keeping compassion at the center.Tune in to learn why the simplest human gestures, like listening and showing care, can have the biggest impact.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Dalam mitologi Yunani, Raja Midas mendapat berkah dari dewa Dionysos: segala yang disentuhnya akan berubah menjadi emas. Midas bergembira. Ia menyentuh pohon, batu, bahkan istananya—semua berkilau keemasan. Namun kegembiraan itu tak berlangsung lama. Ketika ia hendak makan, roti berubah jadi emas. Anggur mengeras di tangannya. Yang terburuk: ketika ia memeluk putrinya, sang buah hati membeku menjadi patung emas. Apa yang semula tampak sebagai berkah justru menjadi kutukan paling mengerikan. Seperti itulah sawit!

Ukraine has been hit by a corruption scandal. One that strikes at the core of the political establishment in a way never before seen—and this in a country with a long and turbulent history of corruption. It has toppled President Zelensky's right-hand man. It could mean the President himself won't survive re-election when the war is over. And the timing couldn't be worse—right in the middle of a peace deal Ukraine has had little part in composing.The Economist's Ukraine correspondent, Ollie Carroll, has been following the scandal and the investigation that brought it crashing to the surface for months. On The Weekend Intelligence he takes us deep inside "Operation Midas”.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Music by Blue dot and EpidemicThis podcast transcript is generated by third-party AI. It has not been reviewed prior to publication. We make no representations or warranties in relation to the transcript, its accuracy or its completeness, and we disclaim all liability regarding its receipt, content and use. If you have any concerns about the transcript, please email us at podcasts@economist.com.Read more about how we are using AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine has been hit by a corruption scandal. One that strikes at the core of the political establishment in a way never before seen—and this in a country with a long and turbulent history of corruption. It has toppled President Zelensky's right-hand man. It could mean the President himself won't survive re-election when the war is over. And the timing couldn't be worse—right in the middle of a peace deal Ukraine has had little part in composing.The Economist's Ukraine correspondent, Ollie Carroll, has been following the scandal and the investigation that brought it crashing to the surface for months. On The Weekend Intelligence he takes us deep inside "Operation Midas”.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.Music by Blue dot and EpidemicThis podcast transcript is generated by third-party AI. It has not been reviewed prior to publication. We make no representations or warranties in relation to the transcript, its accuracy or its completeness, and we disclaim all liability regarding its receipt, content and use. If you have any concerns about the transcript, please email us at podcasts@economist.com.Read more about how we are using AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we uncover the real reasons most insurance agencies struggle to grow and why relying on old-school sales tactics is no longer enough. We're joined by Andy Neary, who shares how he rebuilt his career from scratch in a market where no one knew him and why building a powerful personal brand became the game-changer that transformed his business.From the importance of patience in marketing, to the 90-day “this isn't working” phase, to the moment the hockey-stick breakthrough appears, this conversation is packed with the mindset, discipline, and strategy agency owners desperately need today. If you want to understand the core pillars of an effective marketing strategy and how consistency compounds into massive growth, this episode is your roadmap.Perfect for agency owners, producers, marketers, and anyone ready to stop surviving and start scaling.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

It's the one you've all been waiting for - David finally gets his chance to ask Joe about co-starring in the Waitrose Christmas advert. And more importantly, what it was like kissing Keira Knightly? What with him being in one of the biggest adverts of the year and the huge success of The Celebrity Traitors, this really has been Joe's Midas month! So settle back and relax as Joe, somewhat reluctantly, tells David how he's feeling about his newfound fame. FOR ALL THINGS CHATABIX'Y FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE/CONTACT: YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@chatabixpodcast⁠ Insta: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chatabixpodcast/⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@chatabix⁠ Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/chatabix⁠ Merch: ⁠https://chatabixshop.com/⁠ Contact us: ⁠chatabix@yahoo.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we're joined by Dan Garzella, a highly respected entrepreneur and the founder of The Garzella Group, one of the fastest-growing independent insurance agencies in the U.S. Dan has built multiple successful businesses, mentors leaders across industries, and continues to guide entrepreneurs on scaling teams, simplifying systems, and creating long-term, sustainable success.In this episode, we talk about building confidence when you don't feel ready, why showing up consistently is more about mindset than motivation, what most new creators get wrong about visibility, how Dan built systems, discipline, and clarity during the hardest seasons of his life, and strategies to grow without burning out.If you've been struggling with motivation, self-doubt, or the pressure to “perform,” this conversation will feel like a warm, grounding pause.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Erik Wetterling, Founder and Editor of The Hedgeless Horseman website, joins us to review the dichotomy between gold and silver stock fundamentals versus market reactions based on investor sentiment; which is oscillating quite a bit in both directions over the last 2 months.   We review how the sentiment and investor reaction towards company financings has changed a great deal over the last few months.  Now upsized financings, like the one we saw announced for Silver Viper Minerals Corp. (TSXV: VIPR) (OTCQB: VIPRF) for $15 million, are having positive reactions after the news is released; instead of it being a reason to sell the stock down.   Erik points out that now investors are more hesitant to just sit on the sidelines, because they see the risk being to the upside if the upsized capital raised can then lead to further news and value creation from the company.   Next we discussed what kinds of other resource sector news is getting the best reactions or most traction from the market, from fundamental milestones to merger and acquisition transactions.  Erik highlights that he often likes to search for sector news that may still be impactful for juniors that  he is positioned in, even if the news is not directly associated with a given company.   He highlights the news out today from Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL) focused on exploration at their Midas Project as potentially also beneficial to Headwater Gold Inc. (CSE: HWG) (OTCQB: HWAUF) exploring nearby in their JV with Newmont Gold.   “Hecla Mining Company today announced exploration results from its Midas Project in Nevada, where initial drilling of the previously untested two mile long Pogo Trend has discovered high-grade gold mineralization with visible gold on a new structure. Exploration success at the Midas gold-silver project in Nevada is validating the potential to restart operations at significantly lower capital intensity than comparable development projects, given the existing permitted 1,200 tpd mill and permitted tailings storage facility that remains substantially empty. With the foundational infrastructure already in place and permitted, Nevada's supportive regulatory environment could facilitate timely permitting of additional requirements, positioning Midas as a low-capital-cost opportunity to expand the Company's production profile in a world-class mining district. The Company also reported the advancement of Aurora exploration permitting to FAST-41 Transparency status.”   * In full disclosure, the companies mentioned by Erik in this interview, are positions held in his personal portfolio, and also may be site sponsors of The Hedgeless Horseman website at the time of this recording.    Click here to visit Erik's site – The Hedgeless Horseman   For more market commentary & interview summaries, subscribe to our Substacks:   The KE Report: https://kereport.substack.com/ Shad's resource market commentary: https://excelsiorprosperity.substack.com/     Investment disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, an offer, or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Investing in equities and commodities involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Guests and hosts may own shares in companies mentioned.

Ara que sembla que ja no es porten els grups de guitarres, els Wunderhorse ens demostren que el rock sempre torna. 01 "Midas" 02 "Teal" 03 "Leader of the pack" 04 "Purple" 05 "Atlantis" 06 "Girl behind the glass" 07 "Epilogue" 08 "17" 09 "One for the pigeons" 10 "Silver" 11 "Arizona" 12 "Girl" 13 "Emily" 14 "Cathedrals" 15 "July" 16 "Rain"

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Michelle O'Connor, a seasoned insurance professional with over 25 years of experience, to talk about the ins and outs of growing a successful business. From mastering follow-ups and building consistent sales processes to leveraging technology and AI to better serve clients, Michelle shares practical insights that any entrepreneur or agent can apply.In this episode, she opens up about managing teams, implementing structure without losing flexibility, and creating systems that make business easier and more efficient.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

In ep 148 of “How Do You Say That?!” sponsored by britishvoiceover.co.uk, George Weightman joins Sam and Mark to talk about the world of character creation for video games. We ask what does "Victorian London" sound like to an American audience? There's a hesitant note of seduction, how to bring a snouty feel to a character, and the total embodiment of a woman scorned... not to mention a starring role for Peppa's Daddy Pig. Our VO question this week is all about our question is about taking taking the visual element out of acting - and George brings a great bit of acting advice all about authenticity - direct from the Moscow School of Arts.Get involved! Have you got a Wildcard suggestion that we should try or an idea for the show? Send it to us via Mark or Sam's social media or email it directly to podcast@britishvoiceover.co.ukScript 1Christmas Eve, 1853.Step into the heart of Victorian London… where darkness comes alive. The candles gutter, the snow falls, and somewhere in the fog — a whisper calls your name. This holiday season, journey beyond the ordinary — into a world of ghosts and forgotten tales. Where every spirit has a story to share.Discover the magic in every haunting at “The Christmas Séance”… Listen. The ghosts are waiting.Script 2We have a picture of the character in this script - and you can see that on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093692320140 'I don't care if the workshop scares you. Deliver the gold or face your punishment.''If any of you see Midas in the field, you know where to aim. I want those golden hands mounted on the walls of my study.' 'Then why are you talking and not shooting!' 'There are outlaws in my home...what am I paying you for? ELIMINATE THEM!' 'If you want to become wealthy beyond imagining, Bring me the man with the golden hands.' We'd love your feedback - and if you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, hit the follow button today!**Listen to all of our podcasts here - you can also watch on YouTube, or say to your smart speaker "Play How Do You Say That?!"About our guest: George Weightman was awarded Voice Artist of the Year 2025 at the One Voice Awards UK and Best Actor in an Indie Film at the New York Film Awards. Having trained in the UK and Russia, George has used his extensive versatility, both vocally and physically, to develop a career in screen acting, voice over and motion capture. His roles include Obelix in the ongoing series of Asterix & Obelix games, the lead villain of Spencer in the British indie feature film 'Tiny Little Voices', Fletcher Kane in 'Fortnite' and Daddy & Grandpa Pig in 'Peppa Pig Tales'. He also played a guest lead on the BBC's 'Doctors', was award nominated for his roles in 'Black Myth Wukong' and contributed to the BAFTA winning game 'Metaphor: ReFantazio', among many others. He has also narrated over 70 audiobooks. George's Website @georgeweightman on Instagram Resources:

2025-11-18 | Silicon Wafers 059 | Kyiv has doubled down on the line: “He's on a planned trip, not a fugitive”. They are referring to former defence minister Rustem Umerov and the persistent rumours he has “left the country and refuses to return”. The government vehemently claims these rumours spreading like wildfire on social media, are ‘very explicitly' false. So, is this scandal or psyop? Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation (CPD) has now refuted the story of “Umerov fleeing and refusing to return”, but it's clear that Russian propaganda has been handed a gift that it won't let go of easily. The officially sanctioned story is that he is on a scheduled official trip, “working in the United States” and holding meetings “aimed at strengthening international support for Ukraine,” and that he “remains in constant working contact with the state leadership.”----------SOURCES: "The CCD refuted fake news about Umierov's escape What they say | Censor.NET"https://censor.net/en/news/3585492/the-ccd-refuted-fake-news-about-umierov-s-escape-what-they-say "Umerov to return to Ukraine, probably on Thursday - source | УНН"https://unn.ua/en/news/umerov-to-return-to-ukraine-probably-on-thursday-source "The NSDC officially announced the date of Umerov's return to Ukraine • ANTIKOR portal"https://antikor.ua/en/amp/articles/803699-snbo_ofitsialjno_nazval_datu_vozvrashchenija_umerova_v_ukrainu "Ukraine seeking exchange of 1,200 prisoners with Russia"https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-seeking-exchange-1200-prisoners-with-russia-2025-11-16/ "Top 7 most brazen facts and episodes from the Mindich case"https://english.nv.ua/nation/midas-case-reveals-corruption-influence-and-private-ties-in-ukraine-s-energy-and-defense-sectors-50561071.html"Umerov denies Mindic's influence in 2025 | Ukrainian News"https://news.liga.net/en/politics/news/the-sapo-reported-mindichs-alleged-influence-on-umerov-the-nsdc-secretary-responded "Corruption in the energy sector - the Midas scandal exposed the influence of Bankova Street and the escape of the main suspect - ZN.ua"https://zn.ua/eng/operation-midas-how-absolute-power-was-built-one-dollar-at-a-time.html "The Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine is in no hurry to return"https://eadaily.com/en/news/2025/11/16/the-secretary-of-the-nsdc-of-ukraine-is-in-no-hurry-to-return-there-is-a-lot-of-work-on-prisoners----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------

We're joined by Brian Greenberg, founder of True Blue Life Insurance, to discuss how agents can combine AI, automation, and traditional strategies to grow their business. From improving lead conversion and designing effective landing pages to harnessing client reviews and maintaining persistence in sales, Brian breaks down the tools and mindset that make modern life insurance sales effective.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Ukrajinou hýbe tento týden odhalení rozsáhlé korupční struktury v energetickém sektoru kolem společnosti Energoatom. Jejím hlavním organizátorem je podle vyšetřovatelů Timur Mindič, blízký spojenec ukrajinského prezidenta. Do jaké míry Volodymyr Zelenskyj o těchto praktikách věděl? Nejen to probírají Josef Pazderka a Ondřej Soukup v bonusovém materiálu k podcastu Na Východ! a jako vždy přidávají tipy na čtení a poslech doplňujících informací o současné situaci na frontě.

The GASP team has opened Pandora's box of spanking!  Join us to hear about the Herculean task the GASP team and volunteers are pulling off this time. All your favorites are back, plus some new and exciting additions you'll hear about here first! Are you ready for: merriment, games, a dionysian feast, activities, classes, Littles tents, vending, a summer camp experience, and lots more?? There's even room for the Tops to join in the activities this year! Do you have the Midas touch? Even if you don't, the spanking Bottoms sure hope you have the spanking skill set to deliver a sound and welcomed spanking.  And of course, there will be plenty of bratting, mischief, antics and all the revelry GASP is known for. Who knows what the faces that launched a thousand ships may have up their sleeves. Rubber duckies? Sass? Insolence? Or something else?  Join us at the spanking Elysian Fields for GASP 2026.

Alan sits down once more with Dr. Tim Anderson to dive deep into the rapidly evolving landscape of digital dentistry. The episode begins with a hilarious, relatable discussion about the terrors of crashing recording software and the potential (and pitfalls) of AI, touching on everything from homework help to its role in revolutionizing clinical notes and reading X-rays. The conversation quickly pivots to Dr. Anderson's journey from engineering and architecture interests to his passion for the dental lab and in-house manufacturing, fueled by his residency and the purchase of a CEREC system. He reveals why he moved past early zirconia and EMAX to embrace new technologies. Dr. Anderson then shares his excitement for SprintRay's Midas, explaining how its new "Digital Press Stereo Lithography" technology is a game-changer, not just an evolution of 3D printing. He believes this new class of manufacturing, especially combined with AI, is poised to unlock limitless potential in restorative dentistry, particularly for procedures like onlays and eventually even complex bioprinting applications. He concludes by emphasizing that while technology is crucial, the biggest hurdle for dentists is often the software and the willingness to integrate and innovate. Some links from the show: Tim's Instagram The Last Invention podcast SprintRay Midas Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy," "Lipscomb" or "Gary!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code "VERYDENTAL10" you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!  

In this episode, we're honored to have Nathan Glass, founder of Utopia Risk, to explore the strategies behind making smarter business decisions. Nathan shares his insights on identifying the right people to work with, whether it's for hiring, partnerships, or long-term collaborations. He dives into how everyday conversations reveal values, why understanding someone's life outside of work matters, and how subtle red flags in planning or approach can signal bigger issues down the line.Listeners will gain practical guidance on building trust, aligning with the right people, and knowing when to step back early, turning every decision into a more intentional, thoughtful move for their business.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Bioloog en schrijver Midas Dekkers schuift aan bij Gijs Groenteman in de archiefkast voor een filosofisch gesprek over het menselijk tekort, ouder worden en de drang naar levenslust. Dekkers vertelt over zijn nieuwste – en volgens hem laatste – boek Het menselijk tekort, over de imperfecties van de mens en het leven. Met Groenteman bespreekt hij de zin en onzin van hoop als voortstuwende factor en de romantiek van een leven vol vergankelijkheid.Bekijk ook de video. Presentator: Gijs Groenteman Redactie: Julia van Alem Video: Lisette Spiegeler Eindredactie: Corinne van Duin, Jasper VeenstraSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Flockhart, founder of Valor Insurance Group, shares his journey from exploring different roles in the insurance industry to building one of the most trusted independent agencies. He dives into how he combined his experience in sales, content creation, and training to create a system that helps clients and agents thrive.In this episode, Mark talks about the strategies that set him apart, from leveraging digital content to educate clients, to identifying the right opportunities and leads and scaling a business while maintaining a personal touch.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Discover the real power with the impact of empathy with Dr. Nicole Price. Nicole is an amazing speaker incorporating her skills into human connections and eliminating the missing parts required to strengthen sales, relationships or leadership.Her Book “Spark the Heart: Engineering Empathy in Organization” has great lessons to understand the meaning of empathy by not judging and making sense of everything. Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

In this episode, we explore the remarkable journey of Susana Gibb, who transitioned from a theater major and professional actress to a thriving insurance entrepreneur. Susana's story demonstrates how creativity and entrepreneurship can flourish together, from performing on stage to running her own agency.Susana discusses how her acting background has influenced her communication, confidence, and leadership approach. She offers insights on growing a successful agency, fostering team accountability, and leveraging creativity as a key business asset.Tune in to know how blending passion with purpose can lead to remarkable success both on stage and in the insurance industry.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!

Midas was granted the magical touch from a trickster demon. He thought it would be a great gift to touch everything and turn it to gold, as he was not content with his wealth. His selfish desire led to disastrous results, reminding us to be mindful of the potential negative outcomes of our desires. As we reflect on this age-old fable, a gigantic monetary reset is on the way. How gold and silver are performing now indicates the inevitability and direction of the financial market. Gold is screaming higher, and that's concerning to everybody who is paying attention. This coveted and magical precious metal has been actively suppressed by the West for so long that we now have to ask if they have finally lost control of its inherent value. Listen to Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis M-F from 7-10 pm, pacific time on groundzeroplus.com. Call in to the LIVE show at 503-225-0860. #groundzeroplus #clydelewis #gold #Reset #banking #money

Alan welcomes back Dr. Tim Anderson to discuss the transformative impact of digital technology on modern dentistry. The episode kicks off with a brief mention of Dr. Anderson's recent "Midas tour" focused on partial coverage restorations, which serves as a springboard into a deeper discussion about the dramatic technological shift since their dental school days at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Anderson reflects on what he'd tell his younger self, highlighting the near-unbelievable advancements in: Intraoral scanning and the power of AI in design. 3D printing and same-day ceramic restorations. The doctors agree that while technology is crucial, the patient interaction and communication it enables are the real game-changers, using large monitors and engaging patients in the co-discovery process. They delve into the exciting evolution of 3D-printed materials, moving beyond simple resins to explore high-translucency ceramics and "digital press stereolithography" (Midas), which opens the door for layered, customized restorations that mimic natural tooth anatomy. The conversation touches on the enduring debate between full-coverage crowns and partial coverage (onlays), noting the current culture's tendency toward black-and-white treatment planning. Dr. Anderson expresses excitement for new workflows and materials that bridge the gap between traditional artistry (like gold inlays) and digital precision, ultimately focusing on how technology empowers better patient care and education. Some links from the show: SprintRay Midas Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy," "Lipscomb" or "Gary!" The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! -- Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you'll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! -- The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! -- Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! -- CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!  

Well the wait is over as the brilliant actor Mark Bonnar finally join's David and Joe to discuss all things Inspector Lynley. And most importantly, what he thought of David's performance and behaviour on that fateful evening filming his scene in Series 6 Episode 2 of the show - Know Thine Enemy. As well as all that, he also chats about playing a killer on Taggart, working with Ridley Scott & Joaquin Phoenix on Napoleon, self-tapes, auditioning, dealing with rejection, David's Midas-month and moody film-set technicians. It's a proper Chatabix classic! FOR ALL THINGS CHATABIX'Y FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE/CONTACT: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chatabixpodcast Insta: https://www.instagram.com/chatabixpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chatabix Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chatabix Merch: https://chatabixshop.com/ Contact us: chatabix@yahoo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Art World Infamy is a special series from the team behind The Art Angle, investigating the scandals and schemes that have rocked the art world. In the first chapter, told over four episodes, senior market reporter Eileen Kinsella unravels the rise and fall of dealer Inigo Philbrick.   After a bombshell $13 million lawsuit from angry collectors, Inigo Philbrick vanished. What followed was a cascade of international claims from clients who had entrusted him with millions, drawn in by his supposed Midas touch in the art market. From art fairs to gallery openings to gala dinners, the question on everyone's lips was the same: Where's Inigo? In this third episode, we examine the fallout from Philbrick's fraudulent deals, and the frenzy that erupted in the art world after his sudden disappearance.

Sing along to this one. LOVE TRIVIA WITH BUDDS? CHECK OUT THE MNEMONIC MEMORY PODCAST!  "Forget forgetting—The Mnemonic Memory Podcast makes learning unforgettable.” http://www.themnemonictreepodcast.com/ Fact of the Day: In 2006, Midas ran an "America's Longest Commute" award, won by electrical engineer Dave Givens. His commute was 186 miles each way, and he'd drink 30 cups of coffee per day. He was willing to make this long commute so that he could live in a scenic horse ranch. Triple Connections: File, Shark, Chain THE FIRST TRIVIA QUESTION STARTS AT 01:32 SUPPORT THE SHOW MONTHLY, LISTEN AD-FREE FOR JUST $1 A MONTH: www.Patreon.com/TriviaWithBudds INSTANT DOWNLOAD DIGITAL TRIVIA GAMES ON ETSY, GRAB ONE NOW!  GET A CUSTOM EPISODE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES:  Email ryanbudds@gmail.com Theme song by www.soundcloud.com/Frawsty Bed Music:  "EDM Detection Mode" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://TriviaWithBudds.com http://Facebook.com/TriviaWithBudds http://Instagram.com/ryanbudds Book a party, corporate event, or fundraiser anytime by emailing ryanbudds@gmail.com or use the contact form here: https://www.triviawithbudds.com/contact SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MY AMAZING PATREON SUBSCRIBERS INCLUDING:   Mollie Dominic Vernon Heagy Brian Clough Nathalie Avelar Becky and Joe Heiman Natasha raina Waqas Ali leslie gerhardt Skilletbrew Bringeka Brooks Martin Yves Bouyssounouse Sam Diane White Youngblood Evan Lemons Trophy Husband Trivia Rye Josloff Lynnette Keel Nathan Stenstrom Lillian Campbell Jerry Loven Ansley Bennett Gee Jamie Greig Jeremy Yoder Adam Jacoby rondell Adam Suzan Chelsea Walker Tiffany Poplin Bill Bavar Sarah Dan  Katelyn Turner Keiva Brannigan Keith Martin Sue First Steve Hoeker Jessica Allen Michael Anthony White Lauren Glassman Brian Williams Henry Wagner Brett Livaudais Linda Elswick Carter A. Fourqurean KC Khoury Tonya Charles  Justly Maya Brandon Lavin Kathy McHale Chuck Nealen Courtney French Nikki Long Mark Zarate Laura Palmer  JT Dean Bratton Kristy Erin Burgess Chris Arneson Trenton Sullivan Jen and Nic Michele Lindemann Ben Stitzel Michael Redman Timothy Heavner Jeff Foust Richard Lefdal Myles Bagby Jenna Leatherman Albert Thomas Kimberly Brown Tracy Oldaker Sara Zimmerman Madeleine Garvey Jenni Yetter JohnB Patrick Leahy Dillon Enderby James Brown Christy Shipley Alexander Calder Ricky Carney Paul McLaughlin Casey OConnor Willy Powell Robert Casey Rich Hyjack Matthew Frost Brian Salyer Greg Bristow Megan Donnelly Jim Fields Mo Martinez Luke Mckay Simon Time Feana Nevel

In this episode we have Andrew Engler, the Co-founder and CEO of Kettle who has built groundbreaking strategies that combine insurance, technology, and real-world mitigation to lower premiums, reduce risk, and protect communities.This conversation is bold, refreshing, and packed with insights that could redefine how we approach risk in the modern world.Join the elite ranks of P&C agents. Sign up for Agent Elite today and get exclusive resources to grow your agency!