Podcasts about Writing

Former bank robber Joe Loya reveals how childhood trauma transformed him into a prolific criminal — and how he found his way back. [Part 2 of 2 — catch up with Part 1 here!]Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1265What We Discuss with Joe Loya:Trauma fragments your sense of the future. When Joe kept robbing banks while out on bail, it wasn't recklessness — it was survival mode. Unprocessed trauma keeps you focused only on getting through today, unable to imagine or protect a future that feels impossible anyway.Compassion beats forgiveness as a healing strategy. Instead of bestowing forgiveness from a position of moral superiority, Joe learned to accept his abusive father by understanding his formation — a beaten child who grew into a broken adult. It wasn't personal; any son would have been beaten.Self-examination is scarier than any external threat. A man who fearlessly robbed 30 banks and survived federal prison found confronting his own grief and dismantling his rage infinitely more terrifying than anything the outside world could throw at him.Your survival armor can become your prison. Joe needed his rage and menacing persona to stay safe in prison, yet that same emotional armor prevented him from healing — forcing him to project violence while secretly working on becoming a more sensitive, self-aware person.Transformation begins with telling your story honestly. Writing became Joe's tool for self-investigation — processing grief, rebuilding conscience, and eventually sharing his journey with his daughter and the world. Start documenting your own growth; the act of articulating your past can illuminate your path forward.And much more... [Part 2 of 2 — catch up with Part 1 here!]And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: Huel: Get free shipping, a shaker, and a t-shirt with your first order at huel.com/jordanShopify: 3 months @ $1/month (select plans): shopify.com/jordanCookUnity: 50% off first week: cookunity.com/jordan or code JORDANHomes.com: Find your home: homes.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy New Year 2026! I love January and the opportunity to start afresh. I know it's arbitrary in some ways, but I measure my life by what I create, and I also measure it in years. At the beginning of each year, I publish an article (and podcast episode) here, which helps keep me accountable. If you'd like to share your goals, please add them in the comments below. 2026 is a transitional year as I will finish my Masters degree and continue the slow pivot that I started in December 2023 after 15 years as an author entrepreneur. Just to recap that, it was: From digitally-focused to creating beautiful physical books; From high-volume, low cost to premium products with higher Average Order Value; From retailer-centric to direct first; and From distance to presence, and From creating alone to the AI-Assisted Artisan Author. I've definitely stepped partially into all of those, and 2026 will continue in that same direction, but I also have an additional angle for Joanna Penn and The Creative Penn that I am excited about. If you'd like to join my community and support the show every month, you'll get access to my growing list of Patron videos and audio on all aspects of the author business — for the price of a black coffee (or two) a month. Join us at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Leaning into the Transformation Economy The Creative Penn Podcast and my Patreon Community Webinars and live events Finish my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture Bones of the Deep — J.F. Penn Add merch to CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com How to Write, Publish, and Market Short Stories and Short Story Collections — Joanna Penn Other possible books Experiment more with AI translation Ideally outsource more marketing to AI, but do more marketing anyway Double down on being human, health and travel You can find all my books as J.F. Penn and Joanna Penn on your favourite online store in all the usual formats, or order from your local library or bookstore. You can also buy direct from me at CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com. I'm not really active on social media, but you can always see my photos at Instagram @jfpennauthor. Leaning into the Transformation Economy I've struggled with my identity as Joanna Penn and my Creative Penn brand for a few years now. When I started TheCreativePenn.com in 2008, the term ‘indie author' was new and self-publishing was considered ‘vanity press' and a sure way to damage your author career, rather than a conscious creative and business choice. It was the early days of the Kindle and iPhone (both launched in 2007), and podcasting and social media were also relatively new. While US authors could publish on KDP, the only option for international authors was Smashwords and the market for ebooks was tiny. Print-on-demand and digital audio were also just emerging as viable options. While it was the early era of blogging, there were very few blogs and barely any podcasts talking about self-publishing, so when I started TheCreativePenn.com in late 2008 and the podcast in March 2009, it was a new area. For several years, it was like howling into the wind. Barely any audience. Barely any traffic, and certainly very little income.  But I loved the freedom and the speed at which I could learn things and put them into practice. Consume and produce. That has always been my focus. I met people on Twitter and interviewed them for my show, and over those early years I met many of the people I consider dear friends even now. Since self-publishing was a relatively unexplored niche in those early years, I slowly found an audience and built up a reputation. I also started to make more money both as an author, and as a creative entrepreneur. Over the years since, pretty much everything has changed for indie authors and we have had more and more opportunity every year. I've shared everything I've learned along the way, and it's been a wonderful time.  But as self-publishing became more popular and more authors saw more success (which is FANTASTIC!), other voices joined the chorus and now, there are many thousands of authors of all different levels with all kinds of different experiences sharing their tips through articles, books, podcasting, and social media. I started to wonder whether my perspective was useful anymore. On top of the human competition, in November 2022, ChatGPT launched, and it became clear that prescriptive non-fiction and ‘how to' information could very easily be delivered by the AI tools, with the added benefit of personalisation. You can ask Chat or Claude or Gemini how you can self-publish your particular book and they will help you step by step through the process of any site. You can share your screen or upload screenshots and it can help with what fields to fill in (very useful with translations!), as well as writing sales descriptions, researching keywords, and offering marketing help targeted to your book and your niche, and tailored to your voice. Once again, I questioned what value I could offer the indie author community, and I've pulled back over the last few years as I've been noodling around this. But over the last few weeks, a penny has dropped. Here's my thinking in case it also helps you. Firstly, I want to be useful to people. I want to help. In my early days of speaking professionally, from 2005-ish, I wanted to be the British (introvert) Tony Robbins, someone who inspired people to change, to achieve things they didn't think they could. Writing a book is one of those things. Making a living from your writing is another. So I leaned into the self-help and how-to niche. But now that is now clearly commoditised. But recently, I realised that my message has always been one of transformation, and in the following four areas.  From someone who doesn't think they are creative but who desperately wants to write a book, to someone who holds their first book in their hand and proudly says, ‘I made this.' The New Author. From someone who has no confidence in their author voice, who wonders if they have anything to say, to someone who writes their story and transforms their own life, as well as other people's. The Confident Author. From an author with one or a handful of books who doesn't know much about business, to a successful author with a growing business heading towards their first six figure year. The Author-Entrepreneur. And finally, from a tech-phobic, fearful author who worries that AI makes it pointless to create anything and will steal all the jobs, to a confident AI-assisted creative who uses AI tools to enhance and amplify their message and their income. The AI-Assisted Artisan Author. These are four transformations I have been through myself, and with my work as Joanna Penn/The Creative Penn, I want to help you through them as well. So in 2026, I am repositioning myself as part of The Transformation Economy. What does this mean? There is a book out in February, The Transformation Economy by B. Joseph Pine II, who is also the author of The Experience Economy, which drove a lot of the last decade's shift in business models. I have the book on pre-order, but in the meantime, I am doing the following. I will revamp TheCreativePenn.com with ‘transformation' as the key frame and add pathways through my extensive material, rather than just categories of how to do things. I've already added navigation pages for The New Author, The Confident Author, The Author-Entrepreneur, and The AI-Assisted Artisan Author, and I will be adding to those over time. My content is basically the same, as I have always covered these topics, but the framing is now different. The intent is different. The Creative Penn Podcast will lean more heavily into transformation, rather than just information — And will focus on the first three of the categories above, the more creative, mindset and business things.  My Patreon will continue to cover all those things, and that's also where I post most of my AI-specific content, so if you're interested in The AI-Assisted Artisan Author transformation path, come on over to patreon.com/thecreativepenn I have more non-fiction books for authors coming, and lots more ideas now I am leaning into this angle. I'll also continue to do webinars on specific topics in 2026, and also add speaking back in 2027. It's harder to think about transformation when it comes to fiction, but it's also really important since fiction books in particular are highly commodified, and will become even more so with the high production speeds. Yes, all readers have a few favourite authors but most will also read a ton of other books without knowing or caring who the author is. Fiction can be transformational. Reader's aren't buying a ‘book.' They're buying a way to escape, to feel deeply, to experience things they never could in real life. A book can transform a day from ‘meh' into ‘fantastic!' My J.F. Penn fiction is mostly inspired by places, so my stories transport you into an adventure somewhere wonderful, and they all offer a deeper side of transformative contemplation of ‘memento mori' if you choose to read them in that way.  They also have elements of gothic and death culture that I am going to lean into with some merch in 2026, so more of an identity thing than just book sales. I'm not quite sure what this means yet, but no doubt it will emerge. I'll also shape my JFPennBooks.com site into more transformative paths, rather than just genre lists, as part of this shift. My memoir Pilgrimage always reflected a transformation, both reflecting my own midlife shift but I've also heard from many who it has inspired to walk alone, or to travel on pilgrimage themselves. Of course, transformation is not just for our readers or the people we serve as part of our businesses. It's also for us. One of the reasons why we are writers is because this is how we think. This is how we figure out our lives. This is how we get the stories and ideas out of our heads and into the world. Writing and creating are transformative for us, too. That is part of the point, and a great element of why we do this, and why we love this. Which is why I don't really understand the attraction of purely AI-generated books. There's no fun in that for me, and there's no transformation, either. Of course, I LOVE using Chat and Claude and Gemini Thinking models as my brainstorming partners, my research buddies, my marketing assistants, and as daily tools to keep me sparkly. I smiled as I wrote that (and yes, I human-wrote this!) because sparkly is how I feel when I work with these tools. Programmers use the term ‘vibe coding' which is going back and forth and collaborating together, sparking off each other. Perhaps that I am doing is ‘vibe creation.' I feel it as almost an effervescence, a fun experience that has me laughing out loud sometimes. I am more creative, I am more in flow. I am more ‘me' now I can create and think at a speed way faster than ever before. My mind has always worked at speed and my fingers are fast on the keys but working in this way makes me feel like I create in the high performance zone far more often. I intend to lean more into that in 2026 as part of my own transformation (and of course, I share my experiences mainly in the Community at patreon.com/thecreativepenn ). [Note, I pay for access to all models, and currently use ChatGPT 5.2 Thinking, Claude Opus 4.5, and Gemini 3 Pro). So that's the big shift this year, and the idea of the Transformation Economy will underpin everything else in terms of my content. The Creative Penn Podcast and my Patreon Community The Creative Penn Podcast continues in 2026, although I am intending to reduce my interviews to once every two weeks, with my intro and other content in between. We'll see how that goes as I am already finding some fascinating people to talk to!  Thank you for your comments, your pictures, and also for sharing the episodes that resonate with you with the wider community. Your reviews are also super useful wherever you are listening to this, so please leave a review wherever you're listening this as it helps with discovery.  Thanks also to everyone in my Patreon Community, which I really enjoy, especially as we have doubled down on being human through more live office hours. I will do more of those in 2026 and the first one of the year will blearily UK time so Aussies and Kiwis can come. I also share new content almost every week, either an article, a video or an audio episode around writing craft, author business, and lots on different use cases for AI tools.  If you join the Patreon, start on the Collections tab where you will find all the backlist content to explore. It's less than the price of a coffee a month so if you get value from the show, and you want more, come on over and join us at patreon.com/thecreativepenn My Books and Travel Podcast is on hiatus for interviews, since the Masters is taking up the time I would have had for that. However I plan to post some solo episodes in 2026, and I also post travel articles there, like my visits to Gothic cathedrals and city breaks and things like that. Check it out at https://www.booksandtravel.page/blog/  Webinars and live events Along with my Patreon office hours, I'm enjoying the immediacy and energy of live webinars and they work with my focus on transformation, as well as on ‘doubling down on being human' in an age of AI, so I will be doing more this year. The first is on Business for Authors, coming on 10 and 24 January, which is aimed at helping you transform your author business in 2026, or if you're just getting started, then transform into someone who has even a small clue about business in general!Details at TheCreativePenn.com/live and Patrons get 25% off. In terms of live in-person events, it looks like I will be speaking at the Alliance of Independent Authors event at the London Book Fair in March, and I'll attend the Self-Publishing Show Live in June, although I won't be speaking. There might be other things that emerge, but in general, I'm not doing much speaking in 2026 because I need to … Finish my Masters in Death, Religion, and Culture This represents a lot of work as I am doing the course full-time. I should be finished in September, and much of the middle of the year will be focused on a dissertation. I'm planning on doing something around AI and death, so that will no doubt lead into some fiction at a later stage! Talking of fiction … Bones of the Deep — J.F. Penn The Masters is pretty serious, as is academic research and writing in general, and I found myself desperate to write a rollicking fun story over the holiday break between terms. I've talked about this ‘tall-ship' story for a while and now I'm committing to it. Back in 1999, I sailed on the tall-ship Soren Larsen from Fiji to Vanuatu, one of the three trips that shaped my life. It was the first time I'd been to the South Pacific, the first time I sailed blue water (with no land in sight), and I kept a journal and drew maps of the trip. It also helped me a make a decision to leave the UK and I headed for Australia nine months later in early 2000, and ended up being away 11 years in Australia and New Zealand. I came home to visit of course, but only moved back to the UK in 2011, so that trip was memorable and pivotal in many ways and has stuck in my mind. The story is based on that crossing, but of course, as J.F. Penn my imagination turns it into essentially a ‘locked room,' there is no escape out there, especially if the danger comes from the sea. Another strand of the story comes from a recent academic essay for my Masters, when I wrote about the changes in museum ethics around human remains and medical specimens i.e. body parts in jars, and how some remains have been repatriated to the indigenous peoples they were stolen from. I've also talked before about how I love ‘merfolk' horror like Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter, and Merfolk by Jeremy Bates. These are no smiling fantasy mermaids and mermen. They are predators. What might happen if the remains of a mer-saint were stolen from the deep, and what might happen to the ship that the remains are being transported in, and the people on board?  I'm about a third in, and I am having great fun! It will actually be a thriller, with a supernatural edge, rather than horror, and it is called Bones of the Deep, and it will be out on Kickstarter in April, and everywhere by the summer.  You can check out the Kickstarter pre-launch page with photos from my 1999 trip, the cover for the book, and the sales description at JFPenn.com/bones Add merch to CreativePennBooks.com and JFPennBooks.com I've dipped my toe into merch a number of times and then removed the products, but now I'm clear on my message of transformation, I want to revisit this. My books remain core for both sites, but for CreativePennBooks, I also want to add other products with what are essentially affirmations — ‘Creative,' ‘I am creative, I am an author,' and variants of the poster I have had on my wall for years, ‘Measure your life by what you create.' This is the affirmation I had in my wallet for years! For JFPennBooks, the items will be gothic/memento mori/skull-related. Everything will be print-on-demand. I will not be shipping anything myself, so I'm working with my designer Jane on this and then need to order test samples, and then get them added to the store. Likely mid-year at this rate! How to Write, Publish, and Market Short Stories and Short Story Collections — Joanna Penn I have a draft of this already which I expanded from the transcript of a webinar I did on this topic as part of The Buried and the Drowned campaign. It turns out I've learned a lot about this over the years, and also on how to make a collection, so I will get that out at some point this year. I won't do a Kickstarter for it, but I will do direct sales for at least a month and include a special edition, workbook, and bundles on my store first before putting it wide. I will also human-narrate that audiobook. Other possible books I'm an intuitive creative and discovery writer, so I don't plan out what I will write in a year. The books tend to emerge and then I pick the next one that feels the most important. After the ones above, there are a few candidates. Crown of Thorns, ARKANE thriller #14. Regular readers and listeners will know how much I love religious relics, and it's about time for a big one! I have a trip to Paris planned in the spring, as the Crown of Thorns is at Notre Dame, and I have some other locations to visit. My ARKANE thrillers always emerge from in-person travels, so I am looking forward to that. Maybe late 2026, maybe 2027. AI + religion technothriller/short stories. I already have some ideas sketched out for this and my Masters thesis will be something around AI, religion, and death, so I expect something will emerge from all that study and academic writing. Not sure what, but it will be interesting! The Gothic Cathedral Book. I have tens of thousands of words written, and lots of research and photos and thoughts. But it is still in the creative chaos phase (which I love!) and as yet has not emerged into anything coherent. Perhaps it will in 2026, and the plan is to re-focus on it after my Masters dissertation.  I feel like the Masters study and the academic research process will make this an even better book, But I am holding my plans for this lightly, as it feels like another ‘big' book for me, like my ‘shadow book' (which became Writing the Shadow) and took more than a decade to write! How to be Creative. I have also written bits and bobs on this over many years, but it feels like it is re-emerging as part of my focus on transformation. Probably unlikely for 2026 but now back on the list … Experiment more with AI translation AI-assisted translation has been around for years now in various forms, and I have experimented with some of the services, as well as working with human narrators and editors in different languages, as well as licensing books in translation. But when Amazon launched Kindle Translate in November 2025, it made me think that AI-assisted translation will become a lot more popular in 2026. AI audiobook narration became good enough for many audiobooks in 2025, and it seems like AI-translation will be the same in 2026. Yes, of course, human translation is still the gold standard, as is human narration, and that would be the primary choice for all of us — if it was affordable. But frankly, it's not affordable for most indie authors, and indeed many small publishers. Many books don't get an audiobook edition and most books don't get translated into every language. It costs thousands per book for a human translator, and so it is a premium option. I have only ever made a small profit on the books that I paid for with human translators and it took years, and while I have a few nice translation deals on some books, I'm planning to experiment more with AI translation in 2026. More languages, more markets, more opportunities to reach readers. More on this in the next episode when I'll cover trends for 2026. Ideally outsource more marketing to AI, but do more marketing anyway You have to reach readers somehow, and you have to pay for book marketing with your time and/or your money. Those authors killing it on TikTok pay with their time, and those leaning heavily on ads are paying with money. Most of us do a bit of both. There is no passive income from books, and even a backlist has to be marketed if you want to see any return. But I, like most authors, am not excited about book marketing. I'd rather be working on new books, or thinking about the ramifications of the changes ahead and writing or talking about that in my Patreon Community or here on the podcast. However, my book sales income remains about the same even as I (slowly) produce more books, so I need to do more book marketing in 2026. I said that last year of course, and didn't do much more than I did in 2024, so here I am again promising to do a better job! Every year, I hope to have my “AI book marketing assistant” up and running, and maybe this will be the year it happens. My measure is to be able to upload a book and specify a budget and say, ‘Go market this,' and then the AI will action the marketing, without me having to cobble together workflows between systems. Of course, it will present plans for me to approve but it will do the work itself on the various platforms and monitor and optimize things for me. We have something like that already with Amazon auto-ads, but that is specific to Amazon Advertising and only works with certain books in certain genres. I have auto-ads running for a couple of non-fiction books, but not for any fiction. I'd also ideally like more sales on my direct stores, JFPennBooks.com and CreativePennBooks.com which means a different kind of marketing. Perhaps this will happen through ChatGPT shopping or other AI-assisted e-commerce, which should be increasing in 2026. More on that in trends for the year to come in the next show. Double down on being human, health and travel I have a lot of plans for travel both for book research and also holidays with Jonathan but he has to finish his MBA and then we have some family things that take priority, so I am not sure where or when yet, but it will happen! Paris will definitely happen as part of the research for Crown of Thorns, hopefully in the spring. I've been to Paris many times as it's just across the Channel and we can go by train but it's always wonderful to visit again. Health-wise, I'll continue with powerlifting and weight training twice a week as well as walking every day. It's my happy place! What about you? If you'd like to share your goals for 2026, please add them in the comments below — and remember, I'm a full-time author entrepreneur so my goals are substantial. Don't worry if yours are as simple as ‘Finish the first draft of my book,' as that still takes a lot of work and commitment! All the best for 2026 — let's get into it! The post My 2026 Creative And Business Goals With Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

SUMMARY In this episode, Jeremy Lesniak and Andrew Adams discuss various aspects of setting and achieving martial arts goals for the upcoming year. They delve into the importance of consistency in training. The conversation also covers the significance of defining clear goals, converting kata, and the essential steps to opening a martial arts school, emphasizing the need for a suitable location and actionable sub-goals. They also discuss the importance of commitment in martial arts, the necessity of setting realistic goals, and the discipline required to achieve them. They emphasize how martial arts training can support broader life goals and the significance of addressing physical limitations. The discussion also covers the value of consistent training, the journey to achieving black belts, and the personal reflections on facing mortality. They conclude with insights on effective goal setting and the importance of accountability in achieving one's aspirations.   TAKEAWAYS Setting realistic martial arts goals can enhance motivation. Goals must be clearly defined to be effective. External motivation fades; internal motivation is key. Converting kata requires focus on differences between styles. Opening a martial arts school involves more than just passion. Finding a location is the most critical step in opening a school. Sub-goals help in managing larger objectives effectively. Setting realistic goals is crucial for success in martial arts. Discipline is essential for achieving any goal. Consistent training, even in small increments, leads to significant improvement. Achieving black belts requires dedication and a clear plan. Facing personal challenges can be a journey of self-discovery. Writing down goals increases accountability and focus. Empowering language in goal setting can enhance motivation.   Join our EXCLUSIVE newsletter to get notified of each episode as it comes out! Subscribe — whistlekick Martial Arts Radio

#734 Want to turn LinkedIn into your best business-building tool? In this episode hosted by Brien Gearin, we're joined by Joe McKay, a LinkedIn expert and ghostwriter who helps online entrepreneurs scale their businesses from scratch using smart content strategies and authentic outreach. Joe shares how he transitioned from a government job in Australia to launching a thriving LinkedIn-based business in France — all while raising a young family. You'll learn why the best content isn't created, it's found in your daily work, how to overcome the fear of posting (a.k.a. FOPO), and how to use LinkedIn's features — from Premium to profile views — to drive real conversations and conversions. Joe also breaks down the three types of content every business owner should post, what not to do when prospecting, and why consistency and being a real human beat going viral every time! (Original Air Date - 5/15/25) What we discuss with Joe: + Why LinkedIn beats other platforms + Overcoming FOPO (fear of posting) + Finding vs. creating content + Three essential post types + How to prospect without spamming + Using LinkedIn Premium effectively + Writing strong hooks and captions + Why virality isn't the goal + Leveraging profile views for outreach + Balancing consistency and strategy Thank you, Joe! Join Joe's weekly newsletter, ⁠Solo Success School⁠. Follow Joe on ⁠LinkedIn⁠. Watch the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠video podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ of this episode! To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be sure to visit https://dwtbpodcast.com for more information and add your name to start receiving their newsletter. If you'd like to support this show, rate, subscribe and leave a review on your podcast app.Books/Resources Mentioned:Joyspan, by Dr. Kerry BurnightScaling Up, by Verne HarnishThe Alter Ego Effect, by Todd HermanAJ's Authorship Planning WorkshopConnect with AJ & Mike:AJ Harper, website Write A Must-Read  Free resourcesAJ's Socials:FacebookLinkedInMike Michalowicz, websiteAll books Mike's Socials: IGFBLinkedIn

Home/Money/Career Does God care about where you live, where you work, how much money you make and how you spend it? Absolutely. Jesus tells us to look at the birds and notice how God takes care of them, then know how much more valuable you are than the birds to God. Jesus tells us God […]

Erin Nance is an orthopedic surgeon who has seen firsthand how often patients—especially women—are misdiagnosed, dismissed, or overlooked. In this conversation with Guy Kawasaki, she unpacks why curiosity and humility matter more than hierarchy, how AI is reshaping diagnosis, and why being believed can be lifesaving. Drawing from her book Little Miss Diagnosed, Erin challenges how medicine is practiced and shows how patients and doctors alike can do better.---Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable.With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy's questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People.Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable.Episodes of Remarkable People organized by topic: https://bit.ly/rptopologyListen to Remarkable People here: **https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827**Like this show? Please leave us a review -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!Thank you for your support; it helps the show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Carrie Newcomer and Parker J. Palmer for a beautiful conversation with author/contemplative photographer Christy Berghoef. Christy is a published author, speaker, mother of four, common good communications consultant, contemplative photographer, musician, wanderer, and wonderer. Christine is a graduate of Calvin College with a degree in Political Science and later a doctor of Ministry in The Sacred Art of Writing .She spent a year on Capital Hill working for a Congressman. Christy has two books; Cracking the Pot: A Memoir of Spiritual Expansion and her newest book Rooted: A Memoir of Coming Home – which describes her return to the sacred ground of her family's 40-acre farm. In Rooted Christy visits the themes of spiritual transformation, social justice, motherhood, the healing wisdom of the land, and the meaning of belonging. She also explores her journey from a conservative evangelical upbringing to a more inclusive, justice oriented progressive faith. She has a beautiful Substack offering called Willow and Wheat

Creativity is not just for artists or makers, so how can we build creativity and move from having an idea to doing something with it? Joining Jill for this conversation is Zorana Ivcevic Pringle, a senior research scientist and the author of The Creativity Choice. Zorana discusses her journey into the world of creativity, the broader definition of creative acts beyond the arts, and how our emotions play a crucial role in creative processes. She emphasizes embracing discomfort, finding inspiration in frustration, and the necessity for community and collaboration in creative endeavors. This episode is a must-listen if you're curious to explore your own creative potential and bust the myth that creativity is just for the naturally gifted artists.Listen and Learn:How a formative childhood experience with art and creative differences sparked Zorana's lifelong passion for studying creativityHow creativity isn't limited to the arts; it can appear in everyday life, work, and problem-solving, showing that everyone has the potential to be creativeOvercoming fear, uncertainty, and the ‘gap trap' by embracing discomfort, practicing creative self-efficacyWhy creativity is less about sudden inspiration and more about exploring problems deeply, asking questions, experimenting, and allowing solutions to emergeHow both positive and negative emotions serve as valuable information that can inspire creativityWhy creative blocks are a normal part of the process, and why approaching them with self-compassion can help overcome them and restore creative flowHow creativity and community intersect, and how collaboration or social connections can support the creative processResources:Zorana's Website: https://www.zorana-ivcevic-pringle.com/The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas Into Action: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9781541704329 Zorana's Substack Newsletter: https://creativitydecision.substack.com/ Connect with Zorana on Social MediaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zorana-ivcevic-pringle/ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/z-i-pringle.bsky.social Twitter: https://x.com/ZoranaPsych Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZoranaIvcevicPringle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.z.i.pringle/About Zorana Ivcevic PringleZorana Ivcevic Pringle, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Zorana studies the role of emotion in creativity and well-being, examines the role of the arts and art-related institutions in building creativity, and wants to know how we move from having an idea to doing something with it. She edited the Cambridge Handbook of Creativity and Emotions, publishes research in creativity studies, and speaks to diverse audiences about creativity and how to make it happen. Zorana received the Award for Excellence in Research from the Mensa Education and Research Foundation and the Berlyne Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement in psychology of aesthetics, creativity, and the arts from the American Psychological Association.Related Episodes:247. Find Your Unicorn Space with Eve Rodsky288. The Fun Habit with Mike Rucker294. Yes And: Improv in Psychology with Kelly Leonard345. Writing for Personal Growth with Maureen Murdock376. The Art of Therapy with Michael Alcee410. Creativity and Making Things with Kelly Corrigan and Claire Corrigan LichtySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Earn NSCA CEUs with The Movement System courses:  https://www.themovementsystem.com $1 Program Design Masterclass (0.2 NSCA CEUs):   https://www.themovementsystem.com/offers/RLf5Xsfz/checkout

In this podcast, Eric LaRocca talks about his influences for the Burnt Sparrow trilogy, short stories, repeated choruses, and much more. About Eric LaRocca Eric LaRocca is a 2x Bram Stoker Award finalist and Splatterpunk Award winner. Named by Esquire as one of the “Writers Shaping Horror's Next Golden Age” and praised by Locus as … Continue reading

Get in Babes, We're Going to the Cottage. Amy, Lia, and Megan take a departure from Seoul and dive headfirst in Canada to talk about our new obsession, the queer hockey romance TV series, Heated Rivalry, based on the Game Changers book series by Rachel Reid. This isn't a deep dive, and instead we discuss all the ways that the show's creator Jacob Tierney nails the romance novel conventions and gives us the best romance adaptation we have ever seen. Also, we learn rivalry is a hard word to say out loud repeatedly.Books mentioned:Hamartia by Scarlett DrakeShow Me Wonders by Riley NashThe Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi LeeReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Sacha and Rachael get real in their annual Lessons Learned show! Don't miss it! Write in the Junkyard! https://rachaelherron.com/online-writing-retreat-2026/

Every January starts with fresh goals and big intentions, and then life hits, momentum fades, and by February most people are restarting again. In this New Year's Eve episode, Kelly breaks down what momentum actually is, why it matters, and how to build it in a way that lasts, not with hype or burnout, but with consistent weekly actions that compound over time. He reframes momentum as simple forward motion, the stacking of small and significant wins, and shows how consistency is what creates the “overnight success” people think is luck.Kelly then delivers a practical momentum playbook you can apply immediately: write 15 to 20 goals by hand, create an early win by finishing one task you have been avoiding, and make the Move the Needle list a weekly non negotiable. He challenges work life balance in favor of work life coherence and lays out the habits that keep momentum alive, consistency over intensity, repeatable weekly processes, fewer priorities, tracking small wins, launching early, protecting your calendar, and staying in motion while others pause, so when the year truly starts for everyone else, you are already moving.Key Takeaways: 1. Momentum is not motivation or luck, it is simple forward motion created by consistently completing the right tasks week after week. 2. Small wins matter more than big bursts of effort because progress compounds when you keep stacking completion over time. 3. Consistency will always outperform intensity because extreme effort is temporary but repeatable action builds lasting results. 4. Writing goals down by hand dramatically increases follow through and forces clarity on what actually matters. 5. Momentum accelerates when you create early wins by finishing something you have been putting off. 6. Weekly focus beats daily chaos when you commit to a Move the Needle list and prioritize only the highest impact actions. 7. Processes create momentum while random tasks drain it, because rhythm removes decision fatigue. 8. Reducing priorities increases results since momentum dies when everything feels urgent. 9. Tracking progress builds belief, and belief fuels momentum even when results are still forming. 10. The people who win long term keep moving when others pause, downshifting if needed but never fully stopping. 2026 Title Sponsor

Kristin, Molly, Andrea and Kate look back at the cookbook media landscape of 2025 and discuss the Anthropic settlement, their thoughts about AI in the food media sphere and share their inclinations about its usage. Each of the hosts share some wins they had this year with Kristin speaking about working on the Turtle Island book and Andrea joining in to share her thoughts on finding balance in collaboration projects. With a dash of astrology and numerology each host reveals what keeps them following this creative path and what they've let go of over the years along with the role persistence and perseverance plays in this journey. Finally they end the episode by sharing some of the books, people and ideas they are excited to follow into 2026. Hosts: Kate Leahy + Molly Stevens + Kristin Donnelly + Andrea NguyenEditor: Abby Cerquitella MentionsJoin The Local Palate Cookbook ClubAnthropic SettlementAI Duped My Cookbook and Made a Mess, by Adam EraceKristin Donnelly on Co-Writing One of the Year's Biggest Books from Cookbookery Collective Visit the Everything Cookbooks Bookshop to purchase a copy of the books mentioned in the showTurtle Island, by Sean Sherman. Kate Nelson & Kristin DonnellyHeart Shaped Tin, by Bee WilsonFeast on Your Life, by Tamar AdlerOn Eating, by Alicia KennedyThe Last Sweet Bite by Michael Shaikh 

Episode 86: Writing can be a powerful tool for healing. This episode explores how storytelling, poetry, and journaling help people clarify emotions, process trauma, and make meaning from life experiences — both painful and joyful. It opens with a powerful Holocaust survival story that highlights writing as an act of healing, and continues with reflections on identity, resilience, and self-discovery, including a personal story about turning inward during the pandemic and finding a voice through poetry.

Jawad Mian is the founder and managing editor of Stray Reflections, serving elite hedge funds and family offices worldwide, while uniquely integrating deep spiritual wisdom with global macro investing through his acclaimed book and podcast.3:00 - Jawad shares how seeking his entrepreneur father's approval shaped his drive for success, revealing the subconscious motivation behind his ambitious twenties working in finance.5:30 - The evolution of motivation: 20s spent seeking dad's approval, 30s deepening spiritual life, 40s focused on marriage—how Jawad's purpose transformed across life decades while pulling more from himself by showing up for others.7:00 - Why Jawad walked away from launching his hedge fund at 30 despite Market Wizards aspirations: "I realized I'm not the same guy who had that dream when he was 20."11:00 - The pivotal Quranic verse that reframed everything: "Competition in worldly increase diverts you until you visit the graveyards"—realizing material pursuits alone weren't enough after witnessing his father's success without contentment.21:00 - Inside Stray Reflections' boutique model: serving 30-40 elite clients at $30K+ annually, rejecting scale for depth, quality, and protecting creative freedom from institutional pressures.28:00 - Big Idea: "There's a certain magic in the mundane" - Jawad's discovery that extraordinary insights emerge from ordinary moments through journaling, not just dramatic events.38:00 - The contrarian case for indexing: Why Jawad holds 80% in passive index funds despite being a macro analyst, acknowledging his cognitive biases and preserving mental bandwidth.46:00 - Writing as meditation: How daily writing became spiritual practice, processing experiences and ideas without agenda, leading to unexpected business opportunities.55:00 - Information diet philosophy: "I'm only reading to write...I trust that what is important will come to me" - shifting from consuming everything to intentional, curated knowledge.59:00 - Redefining success through faith: "Wealth in excess of daily provision isn't a blessing, it's a test" - the Islamic framework of stewardship over ownership that transforms how Jawad approaches money and achievement.Podcast Program – Disclosure StatementBlue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser and the opinions expressed by the Firm's employees and podcast guests on this show are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice.Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.

Send us a textIt's the last day of 2025, so Hannah and Laura are sharing their favorite books, movies, and things of the year! Thanks so much for listening and supporting OWWR podcast in 2025!*CW for the episode: discussions of infertility, mental illness, grief, depression**This episode contains minor spoilers for The Pitt and Severance.Media Mentions:Sinners---HBO MaxOf Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara TrueloveFrankenstein---NetflixVinland Saga by Makoto YukimuraJujutsu Kaisen by Gege AkutamiBlack Sun by Rebecca RoanhorseThe Bloodsworn Saga by John GwynneSeverance---AppleTVUp---Disney+Coco---Disney+The Pitt---HBO MaxThe Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuireNghi Vo's worksThe Memory of the Ogisi by Moses Ose UtomiAnimus Paradox by Adam BassettDigital Extremities by Adam BassettHollow Knight: Silksong the videogameAzul the board gameCascadia the board gameWingspan the board gameA Gentle Rain the board gameCalico the board gameThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the trick-taking gameFlamecraft the board gameRoot the board gameDisney Villainous the board gameA Place for All My Books the board gameHowl's Moving Castle---HBO MaxKPop Demon Hunters---NetflixThe Woods All Black by Lee MandeloRevenge Arc by Cat VoleurAnnihilation by Jeff VandermeerThey Came in the Night by Ravi NovaisJester by Tim CarterLightfall by Ed CrockerParable of the Sower by Octavia ButlerKing: A Life by Jonathan EigStephen Graham Jones' worksSchool Spirits---NetflixAndor---Disney+Arcane---NetflixSunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne CollinsGlitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story---Prime VideoTaskmaster---YouTubeWould I Lie to You? ---YouTubeN.K. Jemisin's worksTana French's worksJordan Ifueko's worksThe Diplomacy of the Knife by C.M. CaplanCello's Gate by Maurice AfrichJendia Gammon's worksRebecca Crunden's worksAlison Cochrun's worksSoultaming the Serpent by Tar AtorePetition by Delilah WaanHaroun and the Study of Mischief by Lynn StrongAshes Fall at Dawn by Kara M. ZoneOne Shot by A.C. WonderlandThe Dresden Files by Jim ButcherLegenborn by Tracy DeonnSupport the showBe sure to follow OWWR Pod!www.owwrpod.com Twitter (updates only): @OwwrPodBlueSky: @OwwrPodTikTok: @OwwrPodInstagram: @owwrpodThreads: @OwwrPodHive: @owwrpodSend us an email at: owwrpod@gmail.comCheck out OWWR Patreon: patreon.com/owwrpodOr join OWWR Discord! We'd love to chat with you!You can follow Hannah at:Instagram: @brews.and.booksThreads: @brews.and.booksTikTok: @brews.and.booksYou can follow Laura at:Instagram: @goodbooksgreatgoatsBlueSky: @myyypod

Send us a text In this Play it Again episode from Season Four of Bookworthy, Valerie interviews Amanda Cleary Eastep, author of the Tree Street Kids series. Amanda shares her inspiration for her recent trip to India and how it influenced her writing. She discusses the fifth book in the series, The Beastie of Brambly Bald, and the themes of family dynamics and curiosity that are explored. Amanda also talks about engaging middle-grade readers and the importance of playfulness and humor in children's literature. She shares her favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird and A Wrinkle in Time, and the impact they had on her. Finally, Amanda discusses her future projects and where to find more information about her and her books.  Takeaways Travel experiences can inspire and influence writing. Engaging middle-grade readers requires playfulness and curiosity. Children's literature should explore themes of family dynamics and different perspectives. Books have the power to impact and inspire readers. Future projects include continuing the Tree Street Kids series and exploring new adventures.  Chapters  00:00 Introduction and Random Question 01:25 Inspiration for Trip to India 03:40 Inspiration for Book: The Beastie of Brambly Bald 07:05 Engaging Middle Grade Readers 10:27 Writing Playful and Curious Stories 15:07 Themes in The Beastie of Brambly Bald 17:01 Exploring Relationships and Different Perspectives 18:26 Favorite Books: To Kill a Mockingbird and A Wrinkle in Time 21:36 Impact of Books and Writing 23:36 Future Projects 25:03 Where to Find More Information 26:00 Conclusion Amanda Cleary Eastep – Author, Tree Street Kids series   Let's discover great books together!Follow for more:FB: @bookworthypodcastInstagram: @bookworthy_podcastYouTube: BookWorthy Podcast - YouTubetiktok: @valeriefentress

Send us a textOrder a copy of my debut film, Cape Cod Cthulhu!Happy New Year's Eve!We conclude 2025 and begin 2026 with a special bonus episode of the podcast. Episode 225 consists of something typically reserved for Patreon members.Back in October 2023, I launched a Patreon page. One of the perks I came up with for those who put up their hard-earned money to support me is monthly bonus podcast episodes. These are different than the main show as I look back at, and attempt to decipher, posts from the original Initial Impressions blog that I wrote from about 2010-2013.I wanted to share this to give everyone an idea of what I do on Patreon. So what exactly makes up the very first Patreon bonus podcast? I'm glad you asked.Two blog posts get broken down. The first is what I called the 'Pilot Blog,' dated May 20, 2010. Initial Impressions was meant to be a behind-the-scenes companion to my official travel blog. So the first post is a look at a trip I took to the North Shore in Massachusetts. It included Lynn, Saugus, Nahant, and Revere. There are random stories and thoughts sprinkled in on this trip.The second blog post from May 26, 2010, is the true debut of Initial Impressions. It is a slice of life as I share some of the things I saw and experienced that week. We look at Quiznos, beach sticker blues, gym meatheads, and more.For those who enjoy the format of this bonus episode, there are currently 26 of them on Patreon now. Happy New Year to all of my listeners!You can support my work by becoming a member on Patreon. Or you can Buy Me A Coffee!Helpful Links from this EpisodeBuy My New Book, In Their Footsteps!Searching For the Lady of the Dunes True Crime BookHooked By Kiwi - Etsy.comDJ Williams MusicKeeKee's Cape Cod KitchenChristopher Setterlund.comCape Cod Living - Zazzle StoreSubscribe on YouTube!Initial Impressions 2.0 BlogCJSetterlundPhotos on EtsyListen to Mixtape #3 hereSupport the show

Grace Ogren writes novels for young adults and educational content that helps people find addiction and mental health treatment. She has one published novel, one in the works, and many more planned. She has worked as a freelance writer, copywriter, and editor over the last 4 years, honing her voice as an author and her goals for the future. You can find her work on Recovery.com and Amazon. https://www.graceogren.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/inspiring-stories--2917948/support.

E Jean Carroll was once described by one of her editors as being “institutionally incapable of being uninteresting” - and Carroll is exactly that. Elizabeth “E” Jean Carroll is a journalist, author, and advice columnist. Her “Ask E Jean” column was one of the longest-running advice columns in American publishing, featured in Elle magazine from 1993 to 2019. In addition to Elle magazine, she has written for New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Esquire, and Outside Magazine. Carroll is also the author of six books, including her 2019 book What Do We Need Men For?: A Modest Proposal, in which Carroll accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in the mid-90s. As a result, Carroll faced Trump in court and has since won multiple civil cases against him. In this conversation Carroll reflects on her career of honest and bold writing, and her own resilience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A special episode from Meg & Amy's other podcast, Campus Killings while Meg & Amy take some time off for the holidays. In this episode, we explore the 2014 disappearance and murder of Hannah Graham; an 18 year old student at University of Virginia. She vanished on September 13 of that year. A large scale search for her was conducted, which to this day, is still the largest missing persons search conducted in the state of VA. Unfortunately, nothing was found. Then, five weeks after she vanished, her body was found on an abandoned property. She had been murdered. Police had a potential suspect early on; an unknown man who was captured on surveillance cameras leaving a bar with Hannah. He was finally identified as Jesse Matthew, and when police investigated him, they discovered that he was a serial predator. To listen to every episode of Campus Killings ad-free and get other benefits, simply visit our channel page on Apple Podcasts to get started with an AbJack Insider subscription. Follow Campus Killings on Social Media via the following: Facebook - Instagram - Threads - X Formerly Twitter - BlueSky - Tik Tok - Twitch - Youtube Or find ALL of our social media platforms with one link: https://linktr.ee/campuskillings For news, information, and updates about Campus Killings, or to contact the show, visit our website Campus Killings is hosted by Dr. Meghan Sacks and Dr. Amy Shlosberg. Research and Writing by Abagail Belcastro Produced by Mike Morford of AbJack Entertainment Be sure to listen to Amy and Meghan's other podcasts: Women and Crime & Direct Appeal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GILGAMESH AND THE BIRTH OF WRITTEN LEGEND Colleague Moudhy Al-Rashid. Al-Rashid discusses Cuneiform, a writing system used for over 3,000 years to record languages like Sumerian and Akkadian. She details the Epic of Gilgamesh, a tale of a tyrannical king who finds wisdom and friendship with the wild man Enkidu. While Gilgamesh was likely a real historical figure, his story evolved into high poetry about mortality and leadership. The segment notes that kingship was believed to have descended from heaven. NUMBER 3 1896 UR

This week, I'm joined by Melinda Underhill, the powerhouse VP of Human Resources at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, aka the largest event of its kind in the world. With over 36,000 volunteers, 109 committees, and a year-round operation, Melinda offers a behind-the-scenes look at how RodeoHouston runs like a well-oiled (and wildly passionate) machine. We talk about how they cultivate volunteer leadership, create accountability without burnout, and keep communication flowing across thousands of people. Melinda also shares her thoughts on leading with integrity, building family-first cultures, and the powerful role that celebration and recognition play in long-term success. This is a masterclass in people-first leadership, whether you're running a local booster club or the biggest rodeo in the world. Resources & Links: Peloton Dare to Lead by Brené Brown Join The Directory Of The West Get our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job Description  Get our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your Internship Get our FREE resource: 10 Resume Mistakes (and how to fix them) Get our FREE resource: How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Employers Make Email us at hello@ofthewest.co Subscribe to Of The West's ⁠Newsletters List your jobs on ⁠Of The West Follow the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Follow on Instagram @rodeohouston Visit the website Connect with Jessie: Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarv Follow on Facebook @jobsofthewest Check out the Of The West website Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finally, someone's written the book for creative people who need to use their time to care for loved ones. How do you set aside perfectionism and guilt? Fan favorite Donn tells us how! Donn King is an author, podcaster, and communication coach who helps writers and speakers say what they really mean without losing the personality that makes them worth listening to. A longtime professor turned publishing sherpa, he blends clear storytelling with a warm, wry voice that leans more Anne Lamott than corporate handbook. Through his books, his podcast The Alignment Show, and his teaching, he helps people live and create in courageous alignment with their values. His latest book is entitled Creating While Caring: Practical Tips to Keep Creating While Caring for a Loved One.Links mentioned: The Alignment Show: http://thealignmentshow.comAnd creating a care community: donnking.com/creatingcarecommunity Donn also appeared on episode 439 of this podcast! ✏️ Writing in the Junkyard Online Writing Retreat! Join us! http://rachaelherron.com/retreat

Writers Tom Gammill and Max Pross discuss being comedy writing partners and then not being partners on SNL, Gary Shandling's Show, Seinfeld and dozens of great comedies, while Marc Wolodarsky and Jay Kogen, also former writing partners, do the same.  They discuss the state of show business, what's life like after writing, becoming an EMT, writing novels, pilots with puppets, development hell, pitching shows to people who weren't born when we started, Harvard Lampoon, David Letterman, and The Simpsons! Tom Gammill was writing partners for 40 years with Max Pross before Max dumped him. Their credits include “SNL” “Letterman” “Seinfeld” and “The Simpsons”. After the breakup Tom wrote and starred in the play “A Morning With Ernie Bushmiller” which ran for one performance, and was a Consulting Producer for the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”.Wally Wolodarsky began his career as a writer on The Tracey Ullman Show. Writing with Jay Kogen, he received an Emmy. Wally was a writer and producer on The Simpsons for the first four seasons, where he won his second Emmy. With his wife Maya Forbes he has written several features and television shows including Monsters vs. Aliens, A Dog's Purpose and The People vs. O.J. Simpson. Wally produced Infinitely Polar Bear starring Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana. Together, Maya and Wally wrote and directed The Polka King starring Jack Black and The Good House starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline.Max Pross spent forty-two years writing for television, and now atones by working as an emergency responder.”

What did you think of this episode?Writing is a business. Knowing which laws impact you is a must for every career-minded writer. Today's guest offers tips to help you stay on the right side of the law when you write. Welcome to Your Best Writing Life, an extension of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, held in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. I'm your host, Linda Goldfarb. Each week, I share tips and strategies from writing and publishing industry experts to help you excel in your craft. I'm so glad you're listening in. In this episode, you'll learn "What Every Writer Should Know About Law."My industry expert, Ilena Alvarez, is a Florida-based attorney specializing in estate and business planning, probate, and guardianship law. She holds both a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Cooley Law School (now Western Michigan University). With a passion for legal education, Ilena has spent over a decade teaching as an adjunct professor at Broward College, where she teaches courses in legal writing, business law, and litigation. In addition to her legal work and teaching, she is currently co-authoring a nonfiction book with Patricia Hartman, CPA, and is also working on a contemporary fiction novel. Alright, let's head into our content for today… "What Every Writer Should Know About Law"(1) The importance of separating the writer from the business.(2) Other Legal Minefields (such as legacy planning or copyright law).LINKShttps://word-weavers.com/ilena-alvrez Visit Your Best Writing Life website.Join our Facebook group, Your Best Writing LifeYour host - Linda Goldfarb#1 Podcast in the "Top 50+ Must-Have Tools and Resources for Christian Writers in 2024". Awarded the Spark Media 2022 Most Binge-Worthy PodcastAwarded the Spark Media 2023 Fan Favorites Best Solo Podcast

This week, Joe Shearer joins me to review Francis Lawrence's Stephen King adaptation, The Long Walk in a feature review and then, in this week's secondary review, we share our thoughts on Charlie Polinger's The Plague. Joe and I also discuss movie events around Indianapolis, and pay tribute to Rob Reiner and James Ransone. Watch the Video Version of this Episode Here Timestamps Show Start - 00:28 Introducing Joe - 02:28 Remembering Rob Reiner - 17:47 Remembering James Ransone - 28:51 Feature Review The Long Walk (2025) - 33:00 Spoiler - 1:03:05 Secondary Review The Plague (2025) - 1:22:55 Closing the Ep - 1:43:47 Patreon Clip - 1:46:47 Related Links Rob Reiner, 'When Harry Met Sally,' 'The Princess Bride' and 'Stand by Me' Director and 'All in the Family' Actor, Dies at 78 in Apparent Homicide James Ransone, 'The Wire' and 'It: Chapter Two' Actor, Dies at 46 Joe's Letterboxd Joe's Writing on Midwest Film Journal Joe's 2010 Rob Reiner Interview for "Flipped" at Heartland Joe's 2017 Rob Reiner Interview for "LBJ" at Heartland Joe's Review of The Plague Joe's Review of Five Nights at Freddy's 2 Joe's Glengarry Glen Ross Essay Joe's The Firm Essay My 2025 Podcast and Writing Archive The Long Walk Book Reactions on Patreon IT: Welcome to Derry Episode Reactions on Patreon Patreon Potpourri - 035 - "Awards Season 2025" - Splitsville (2025), Bob Trevino Likes It (2025), If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025), and The Perfect Neighbor (2025) - Nov 17-Dec 24, 2025 Patreon Companion Episodes Collection Indianapolis Theaters Alamo Drafthouse Indy Kan-Kan  Living Room Theaters Keystone Art  Flix Brewhouse Ways to Support Us Support Us on Patreon for Exclusive Content Official OV Merch Buy Me A Coffee Obsessive Viewer Obsessive Viewer Presents: Anthology Obsessive Viewer Presents: Tower Junkies As Good As It Gets - Linktree Start Your Podcast with Libsyn Using Promo Code OBSESS Follow Us on Social Media My Letterboxd | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | TikTok | Tiny's Letterboxd   Mic Info Matt: ElectroVoice RE20 into RØDEcaster Pro II (Firmware: 1.6.8) Joe: Tonor USB Microphone in Riverside FM   Episode Homepage: ObsessiveViewer.com/OV497   Next Time on the Podcast OV498 - IFJA Top Ten Films of 2025  

In this episode of the Ordinary Christian Podcast, Craig Thompson interviews Chris Grainger, the host of The Lion Within Us. Chris shares his journey of starting a men's ministry, the importance of spiritual leadership, and how he uses his secular career to impact others for Christ. He discusses the challenges he faced, including personal struggles and the significance of encouragement in relationships. The conversation emphasizes the need for authenticity in faith and the role of community in spiritual growth.TakeawaysChris Grainger emphasizes the importance of being a spiritual leader in the home.Encouragement from others can significantly impact one's journey.Breaking his ankle led to unexpected spiritual growth for Chris.Men's ministry is crucial for helping men navigate their faith.The Bible app offers valuable resources for men seeking spiritual guidance.Authenticity in faith is essential for effective ministry.Language and communication style can reflect one's faith.Physical challenges can lead to deeper spiritual insights.Community support is vital for personal growth and accountability.Every individual has the potential to make an impact in their sphere of influence.TitlesUnleashing Your Inner Lion: Chris Grainger's JourneyThe Power of Encouragement in Men's MinistryChapters00:00Introduction to Chris Grainger and His Mission03:06The Birth of The Lion Within Us06:09Utilizing the Bible App for Men's Ministry09:03The Impact of Writing and Publishing11:51Encouragement and Its Power15:13The Importance of Affirmation in Relationships22:07The Power of Compliments in Relationships24:25Lessons from Physical Challenges30:00Finding Ministry in Secular Work41:04Embracing Spiritual Leadership at Home

Let help uncork your memoir through a 12 week memoir mentorship program: https://mikecarlon.com/memoir-cohorts/ "Writing is work. It's challenging, it's hard—but it's a skill, and it takes time. If you have patience with yourself, you'll get there." — Jen Braaksma In this episode of Uncorking a Story, I sit down with Jen Braaksma—former journalist, high school English teacher, and now full-time book coach—to talk about her journey from writing fiction to embracing memoir. Jen shares how her love of storytelling began in childhood, why she pivoted careers during the pandemic, and what she learned about vulnerability while writing her latest book, Befriending Betsy. If you've ever wondered what it takes to write a memoir or how a book coach can transform your writing, this conversation is packed with insights and inspiration. Key Themes: The power of persistence: Jen's advice to her younger self—and to all writers—is simple: keep at it, even if it's just a few minutes a day. Memoir vs. biography: Memoir isn't just a timeline of events; it's about introspection and writing from the scar, not the wound. The role of a book coach: Coaching isn't just about editing words—it's about guiding the person behind the story. Vulnerability matters: Writing Befriending Betsy taught Jen to embrace authenticity and share her own story. Healing through writing: Every memoirist Jen has worked with has experienced unexpected catharsis during the process. Writing is a skill: Like any craft, it takes time, patience, and practice—don't expect perfection right away. Everyone's story matters: You don't need to be a celebrity to write a memoir that resonates. Buy Befriending Betsy: A Memoir Amazon: https://amzn.to/4iVNeQ5 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798896360209 Connect with Jen Website: https://www.jenbraaksma.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/JenBraaksma Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenbraaksmabookcoach/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #UncorkingAStory #JenBraaksma #BookCoach #MemoirWriting #AuthorInterview #WritingTips #BefriendingBetsy #WritersLife Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We uncover David Fincher’s “Zodiac” and discuss: Cinematography, angles, handheld vs stable; Story & Writing, true crime stories, identifying with the characters; and other such stuff and things and stuff. “There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.“ – Alfred Hitchcock Notes & References: Supports us on our Patreon here! […] The post Ep 351: “Zodiac” appeared first on The Pestle.

What makes someone quit a six-figure advertising career to write books that help people think differently? In this episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Karen Salmansohn—bestselling author, behavioral change expert, and the creative force behind NotSalmon.com—whose sharp wit and mortality-driven wisdom will make you rethink everything on your to-do list. Karen shares why fun isn't frivolous—it's fuel. She breaks down the science of why laughter literally shakes ideas loose, explains why her "e-pee-phanies" in the bathroom cracked more creative codes than caffeine ever did, and reveals the mortality marble jar that transformed how she spends every single month. With disarming honesty, she opens up about hiding her intelligence to be liked and finally "coming out" as a smart person in her sixties. Together, Cathleen and Karen explore the fatal flaw of to-do lists, why your identity is the puppet master of your habits, and how writing your own eulogy can wake you up from a "near-life experience." This conversation is for anyone who's tired of sleepwalking through their days and ready to design a life their future self will actually thank them for.   Episode Timeline: 00:05:36 How funny are you? Karen's son vs. Jon Stewart's verdict  00:06:34 Fun as a high-performance fuel (and meditation on steroids)  00:09:23 Manifestation, energy, and why confidence attracts results  00:14:48 From advertising to authorship: quitting the senior VP job her parents hated  00:19:38 The Häagen-Dazs theory on productivity: only pick what excites you  00:22:35 Procrastination strategies: turn your pain into purpose 00:27:03 Writing your eulogy: the wake-up call that changes everything  00:29:41 The fatal flaw of to-do lists (and why you need a to-die list)  00:33:31 The seven core values that minimize regret: A to G  00:38:31 Identity-based statements: "I am loving, so I find a way to Connecticut"  00:44:34 Feisty then, feisty now: how Karen sold the book her agent didn't want  00:46:33 Hiding her intelligence to be liked, then embracing it fully in her sixties 00:57:14 Hedonia vs. eudaimonia: why happiness isn't the goal  01:00:16 Life as a den of pleasure AND a laboratory for growth  01:12:51 Near-life experiences: when you're scrolling instead of living  01:16:07 The mortality marble jar: 437 marbles and a monthly reckoning   Key Takeaway: Your Identity Is the Puppet Master of Your Habits: Who you think you are determines what you actually do. If you walk around thinking "I'm sloppy," you'll do sloppy things. If you think "I'm a loving person," you'll find a way to get to Connecticut for your friend's birthday—even without a car. Studies show people who identified as "voters" were three times more likely to show up at the polls than those who just heard clever slogans. Change your identity statement, change your behavior.  To-Do Lists Prioritize Productivity, Not Meaning—That's Their Fatal Flaw: You can check off every box on your to-do list and still waste your life. Karen created a "to-die list" alongside her to-do list—a place for meaningful habits tied to core values, not just tasks. The top regrets of the dying? Working too hard, not spending time with friends, not allowing themselves to be happier, not living true to themselves. Your to-die list is the bridge between current you and the person your eulogy will describe.  Life Is a Den of Pleasure AND a Laboratory for Growth—You Need Both: We're addicted to instant gratification—scrolling, avoiding discomfort, waiting for "someday." But here's the truth: you can't seize every day. Aristotle said the goal isn't living pain-free; it's learning lessons that grow you into your best self. Emotional diversity is what makes you flourish. Instead of "seize the day," try "seize every other day." The moments in the laboratory of growth—where you get curious about your patterns and repair what keeps repeating—are what make the pleasure meaningful. The Mortality Marble Jar: Math That Shakes You Awake: Karen calculated how many months she has left if she lives to 100 (she promised her son). She bought that many marbles, put them in a jar, and every month she moves one marble to her "past" jar. The first time she did it, she couldn't remember what she'd done that month. Depressing. Now she intentionally plans meaningful experiences—dancing with friends, theater nights, time with her son—so when she holds that marble, she has something to report. The question that changes everything: "Is this really worth a marble of my life?"   About Karen Salmansohn: Karen Salmansohn is a bestselling author, behavioral change expert, and the founder of NotSalmon.com, where 1.5 million followers get their daily dose of psychology wrapped in wit. A former senior VP creative director who walked away from advertising in her twenties—despite her parents' protests—she's sold over 2 million books including How to Be Happy, Dammit and Think Happy, and her work has appeared everywhere from Oprah's platform to Psychology Today.Her latest book, Your To-Die-For Life, tackles mortality, regret, and the art of living intentionally—complete with a marble jar in her kitchen that tracks every month she has left if she lives to 100. Karen teaches that fun isn't a bonus, it's fuel, and that your identity is the puppet master of your habits.   Connect with Karen Salmansohn: Website (NotSalmon): https://www.notsalmon.com/  Book (Your To Die For Life): https://yourtodieforlife.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notsalmon/  Twitter/X: https://x.com/Notsalmon  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Notsalmon/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NotsalmonTV  Substack: https://notsalmon.substack.com/    Connect with Cathleen O'Sullivan:  Business: https://cathleenosullivan.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathleen-osullivan/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legendary_leaders_cathleenos/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LegendaryLeaderswithCathleenOS   FOLLOW LEGENDARY LEADERS ON APPLE, SPOTIFY OR WHEREVER YOU LISTEN TO YOUR PODCASTS.

If you've ever felt stuck in a mental loop, replaying conversations, spiraling into insecurity, or feeling something is wrong but you can't quite name it—this episode is for you.In this episode of Top Self, Shanenn sits down with Annette Furio, founder of Season Journals, to talk about how journaling can help you slow down, make sense of your thoughts, and create space between what you feel and how you react.f your brain feels loud or stuck, this episode is about giving those thoughts somewhere to go so you can think more clearly.Together, Shanenn and Annette break down why your brain gets stuck on repeat, how journaling helps close mental loops, and how even five minutes can shift your clarity, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.Golden Episode Nuggets

Episode 164: Haiku Tonic delivers some thoughts and feelings about one of our most popular poetic forms--the haiku. Writing a haiku can be a tonic for the heart and soul. Take the Haiku Tonic challenge!

In this episode, Rashidah interviews Susanna, who shares herdeeply personal journey of parenting a daughter diagnosed with autism at a young age. Susanna discusses the emotional challenges and the process of seeking a diagnosis while advocating for her child. She highlights the culturalnuances of dealing with autism within her Taiwanese and American family dynamics, as well as the lessons she's learned about self-care, advocacy, and authenticity. Susanna also talks about her book, 'Your True Self Is Enough,' which details her experiences and offers advice to other parents navigatingsimilar journeys. Throughout the conversation, Susanna emphasizes the importance of being present, embracing one's true self, and speaking one's truth.  In this episode, we talk about:00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Susanna 01:14 Discussing Self-Care and Sephora 02:00 Arizona's Diagnosis Journey Begins 02:22 Early Challenges and Realizations07:02 Navigating the Healthcare System 12:03 Diagnosis Day and Emotional Impact 20:00 Cultural and Family Dynamics 23:09 Self-Care and Family Support 24:12 Journey of Self-Discovery 25:47 Cultural Expectations and Parenting 27:38 Embracing a New Career Path 30:24 Writing and Publishing the Book 37:28 Advice for Moms on Acceptance 42:14 Final Thoughts and Encouragement  We are grateful to Susanna for sharing her profound insightsand hope that her story will inspire many others navigating similar paths. Connect with SusannaFor more insights and to get Susanna's book, visit herwebsite or connect with her on Instagram. Your True Self Is Enough: Lessons Learned on My JourneyParenting a Child with Autism by Susanna Peace LovellAvailable on Amazon:Your True Self Is Enough: Lessons Learned on My JourneyParenting a Child with Autism: Lovell, Susanna Peace: 9798989446704:Amazon.com: BooksWebsite: Susanna Peace Lovell | Life Coach for Special Needs FamiliesInstagram: www.instagram.com/mamapeaceLinkedIn: Susanna Peace Lovell  If this episode resonated with you:Instagram: www.instagram.com/theabmpodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/theabmpodcastTik Tok: autismforbadassmomsYouTube: autismforbadassmomsJoin us every Tuesday for more inspiring stories andinsightful discussions that empower and uplift. And don't forget to connect with Susanna PeaceLovell to learn more about her work and book.  

On this episode of Restorative Reading & Writing for Wellness, I'm revealing my 2026 notebook stack: all the notebooks I'm using and loving and why. I'll begin by answering the top 3 questions I receive every time I release my annual notebook stack episodes: Why so many? Why are they so different? How often do you write in them? Plus, I'll share why I'm shifting my focus a bit this year, too. Then, I'll walk you through each of my notebooks: what they are for, what they look like and how they feel, how I'll use it and how often I'll write in it.Finally, I'll end with a mic-drop question that could change the way you think about notebooking and journaling forever.You'll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here: https://www.alitlife.com/2025/12/30/my-2026-notebook-stack/Love this podcast and want more? Consider this your invitation to join my Get Lit(erate) Substack community! Each month, we take a deep dive into one bookish theme and work to bring it to life in our own lives. You'll get bonus episodes, book calendars, live book club and notebook sessions, special events and much more. Learn more at www.getliterate.co. Get your own Get Lit(erate). notebook to take notes on the books you want to read and notebook ideas you want to try: https://amzn.to/44wELKNIf you'd like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some Get Lit(erate). merchandise from my Zazzle store: https://www.zazzle.com/store/alitlifeAll earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support!Follow Stephanie:Website: http://www.alitlife.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AffinitoLitTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/AffinitoLitInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/AffinitoLit

Show Notes/Brief Summary/Blog Post:In this episode of the We Have Hope podcast, host Kim Dully interviews author Christine Devane about her children's book, Elephant Beach. Christine shares her journey from being a shy child to becoming a teacher and author, emphasizing the importance of understanding different personality types, particularly introverts and extroverts. The conversation explores the writing process, the significance of community support, and the challenges of navigating grief through literature. Christine also discusses her future projects and the impact of storytelling on children, encouraging patience and acceptance for shy kids.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Elephant Beach02:00 The Inspiration Behind the Story04:51 Understanding Shyness and Personality Types07:20 Finding Your Voice and Overcoming Shyness09:33 The Importance of Feedback in Writing12:50 The Process of Writing a Children's Book15:40 The Journey to Publication18:07 Connecting with Young Readers22:27 Engaging with Children in Classrooms23:52 Future Writing Projects25:55 Books on Grief and Loss28:46 Navigating Grief in Children31:28 Understanding Shyness in Children38:14 Encouraging Individuality in KidsEpisode Highlights:Christine Devane wrote Elephant Beach to address the experiences of shy children.The book features a shy girl who learns to embrace friendship with elephants.Storytelling can help children understand their emotions and personalities.Community support is crucial for writers, especially in children's literature.Writing a children's book involves careful consideration of language and structure.Perseverance is key in the journey of publishing a book.Engaging children through interactive storytelling enhances their learning experience.Literature can be a tool for discussing difficult topics like grief.It's important for parents to accept their children's personalities without pressure.Children can learn to navigate social situations at their own pace.Learn more about Christine Devane:Purchase Elephant Beach on AmazonPurchase Lola and Sophie's ABC Adventure on Amazon Follow Christine on InstagramMore on Love Your School/Links Mentioned in Episode:Visit Our Show Notes Page HERE!Questions? Email Us! kim@loveyourschool.org www.loveyourschool.orgVisit our Facebook HERE!Visit our Instagram HERE!This show has been produced by Love Your School WV.

We curated the best episodes to teach you how to write killer headlines, eye-catching postcards, compelling blogs, and more.

Welcome to the final countdown of 2025. Together, we will use these final days to fully seek God for guidance in planning the new year of life in the offering. What will you do with 2026? How will you live your days? What will you pursue? Who will you become? Life can just happen to […]

Jeremy Utley reveals why many aren't getting the results they want from AI—and how to fix that. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The #1 mistake people are making with AI 2) ChatGPT's top advantage over other AI platforms (as of late 2024) 3) The simple adjustments that make AI vastly more useful Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1010 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT JEREMY — Jeremy Utley is the director of executive education at Stanford's d.school and an adjunct professor at Stanford's School of Engineering. He is the host of the d.school's widely popular program "Stanford's Masters of Creativity.” • Book: Ideaflow: The Only Business Metric That Matters • Article: "For Conversations You Dread, Try a Chatbot" • Article: “Don't Let Gen AI Limit Your Team's Creativity” • Website: JeremyUtley.design • LinkedIn: Jeremy Utley • Podcast: Beyond the Prompt • Course: AI Bootcamp— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Term: Einstellung effect • Podcast: Huberman Lab • Video: #NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest) with Dr. Andrew Huberman • Book: That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Mark Randolph • Previous episode: 903: How to Save Time Using ChatGPT at Work with Donna McGeorge• Previous episode: 1111: How to Get Better Results from AI to Amplify Your Productivity with Gianluca Mauro— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Vanguard. Give your clients consistent results year in and year out with vanguard.com/AUDIO• Quince. Get free shipping and 365-day returns on your order with Quince.com/Awesome• Cashflow Podcasting. Explore launching (or outsourcing) your podcast with a free 10-minute call with Pete.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why does Samuel Pepys's diary still matter 200 years after it was first published? In her new book, The Strange History of Samuel Pepys's Diary, historian Kate Loveman examines how Pepys's extraordinary consistency as a diarist has made his writing one of the richest records of everyday life in Restoration England. Writing almost daily for nearly a decade, Pepys's diary documents everything from politics and scientific discoveries to theater and fashion. Even in times of crisis, Pepys reveals life's ordinary concerns, from worrying about the source of hair for wigs during the Great Plague to safeguarding a wheel of expensive Parmesan cheese during the Great Fire of London. He also offers a rare glimpse into contemporary theatergoing, recording audience reactions and his own opinions, including Shakespeare. He famously dismissed A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this episode, Loveman explores how Pepys's diary has been edited, published, censored, and rediscovered over centuries, entertaining readers from the Victorian era to the COVID-19 pandemic in the 21st century. Pepys's daily observations show how careful, habitual record-keeping can transform ordinary life into an invaluable historical resource. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published December 30, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. We had technical help from Hamish Brown in Stirling, Scotland, and Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Final mixing services provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Kate Loveman is Professor of Early Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Leicester and an internationally recognized expert on Pepys and Restoration literature. She is the author of Reading Fictions, 1660–1740: Deception in English Literary and Political Culture; Samuel Pepys and his Books: Reading, Newsgathering, and Sociability, 1660–1703; and The Strange History of Samuel Pepys's Diary; and the editor of The Diary of Samuel Pepys for Everyman.

Jenna Udenberg is a lifelong resident from the Northshore of Minnesota and is a former music educator of 19 years. She has used a manual wheelchair since the age of 8 due to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Jenna is a 2017 Blandin Foundation Community Leader, a 2020 Bush Fellow, and a 2025 Shannon Leadership Institute Fellow. Writing for the Lake County Press in her column, Local View from 4 foot 2, inspires vulnerability and the sharing of lived experiences from the seated perspective. Within My Spokes: A Tapestry of Pain, Growth & Freedom is Jenna's published memoir which you can find on the A&BWU website, on Amazon or wherever you find your books. In her free time, you can find Jenna outdoors on paved trails or fishing with friends, playing board and card games, as well as coaching the Robo Dweebs, a LEGO robotics team. Jenna is the founder of the non-profit, Above & Beyond With U, which works to increase accessibility and inclusion in Minnesota and beyond.Takeaways:Jenna Udenberg emphasizes the importance of creating accessible and inclusive environments for all individuals.The principle of universal design plays a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to spaces and services.A significant aspect of Jenna's work is fostering conversations around disability and breaking down societal misconceptions.The sentiment that all humans have needs is central to Jenna's advocacy for kindness and understanding in community interactions.Jenna's experiences as a wheelchair user illuminate the barriers present in everyday environments and the need for thoughtful design.The phrase 'nothing for us without us' encapsulates the necessity of including disabled individuals in discussions about accessibility.Chapters:00:10 - Jenna Udenberg: A Journey of Resilience01:29 - Creating Inclusive Spaces: The Mission of Above and Beyond10:24 - Understanding Disability and Accessibility25:56 - Understanding Disability in Education32:51 - Reflections on Teaching and Growth Mindset37:18 - Empowerment and Resilience in Leadershiphttps://www.aboveandbeyondwithu.org/https://www.instagram.com/aboveandbeyondwithuhttps://www.facebook.com/people/Above-Beyond-With-U/100091881005060/https://www.linkedin.com/company/91173822Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE) https://nape.org.uk/Find out more about their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

Filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld joins Trey Elling for the first of a two-part chat on his book, BEST POSSIBLE PLACE, WORST POSSIBLE TIME: TRUE STORIES FROM A CAREER IN HOLLYWOOD. Topics include:Writing a second memoir (0:00)Shooting BLOOD SIMPLE in Austin (2:45)The unique look of RAISING ARIZONA (10:25)De Nero instead of Hanks in BIG? (14:07)Making Tommy Lee Jones funny in MEN IN BLACK (17:25)Making Gene Hackman funny in GET SHORTY (20:06)The greatness of Dennis Farina (27:35)

Episode 381 reframes Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich for sales professionals, reviewing Chapters 1–3 to show how thought, desire, and faith create predictable sales results. Andrea Samadi connects these timeless principles to practical steps—how to set burning goals, build unwavering belief through repetition, and transfer certainty to buyers. Listeners will get actionable frameworks (a five-step belief plan and the six steps to impress desire) and a clear roadmap for aligning mindset with sales execution, plus a preview of the next episode continuing the series. Welcome back to our final series of SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren't taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I'm Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That's why I've made it my mission to bring you the world's top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We'll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results. Connecting Back to Our 6-Part Think and Grow Rich Series (2022) For today's EP 381, we are connecting back to our 6-PART Series from 2022[i], where we covered the well-known book, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, to make 2022 our best year ever. Today we will cover: ✔ Chapter 1: The Power of Thought: A 5 STEP Plan to Improve Sales (Outer World) by Improving Your Thoughts (Inner World) ✔ Chapter 2: Desire With a 6 STEP Plan to Achieve ANY Goal ✔ Chapter 3: Faith With 3 Ways to Build Unwavering Faith That Will Change Your Life Back in 2022, we didn't just read Think and Grow Rich—we lived inside it as we launched 2022. Over a 6-part podcast series that began the beginning of January 2022, we walked through this book chapter by chapter, not as theory, but as a personal operating system for growth, performance, and results. This series will always be special for me, as I had heard that my mentor, who inspired me to study this book, Bob Proctor, became ill while I was writing the last episode in the series PART 6. He passed away before it was released, and I'll always remember this episode series, connected to the many people, globally, that he inspired through his work. At the time, the focus of our 6 PART Series was broad. We covered: Personal development Mindset mastery Vision, purpose, and belief We covered the BASICS of this book that Bob Proctor studied for his entire lifetime (over 50 years) that can be applied to whatever it is that you want to create with your life. Today, we are going to look at this timeless piece of knowledge, through a new lens. What we're covering today—Think and Grow Rich for Sales—is not new material. It's the application of this series, towards a specific discipline. You could apply this book to any discipline, but this one, I have wanted to cover for a very long time. How the 6-Part Series Maps DIRECTLY to Sales Mastery Here's the reframe that matters: Every principle we covered in 2022 becomes a sales advantage when applied correctly. In order for me to have gained this understanding, I have to give credit, where credit is due here. I would not have been able to cover our 2022 series without following Paul Martinelli's yearly reviews[ii] of this timeless Think and Grow Rich book that I started to follow in 2019, and continued every year until 2025 when he covered popular Science of Getting Rich book. It was through Paul's explanations, and line by line interpretations, that I finally began to not only READ this book, (from start to finish) but started to INTEGRATE the concepts into my life. I highly encourage following his work, as he continues to host many free webinars, where he gives away knowledge, with no pressure at all to purchase anything from him. I know why he does these webinars. It's not only to help others, but something magical happens when you give back to others, without expecting anything in return. When we covered this 6 PART series, back in 2022, TEACHING these concepts, it took me to another level of understanding, where I realized that this book is not meant to be read just once, but read over and over again, every year, as we all work on whatever it is we are working on, or want to master. This is a living, breathing body of knowledge and is there for all of us, year after year, as we refine our own inner mastery, and move step by step closer to our goals. Albert Einstein explained this concept well when he said that “if you can't explain it to a six-year-old you don't understand it yourself” and this is because teaching something will clearly show you where you have gaps in your own understanding. I'll never forget when I got to PART 6 of the book review, I noticed my book had no notes after around chapter 13. I began studying this book in my late 20s, and was very interested in the subconscious mind (chapter 12) but not at all interested in the brain (chapter 13) at this time, so I actually stopped reading the book here. I knew I never did finished reading this book (until I had to teach it) which explains a lot when it comes to the commitment to complete something. In order to teach something, we must first of all understand it ourselves. But when we LIVE it, and EMBODY what we are teaching (like Paul Martinelli has done) and what I am striving to do, it takes the words in each chapter to greater heights. So with gratitude to Paul Martinelli, who has created a valuable Sales Training Program, based on this timeless book, here is my attempt at covering Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich book, for the Sales Professional, and I couldn't have produced this episode, without Paul's teachings. Let's now look at the first 10 important chapters from Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, through the lens of making our 2026 our Best Year ever, as well as to connect each principal for the salesperson. And you don't need to be in sales for these principles to work for us. Think and Grow Rich for Sales How Inner Mastery Becomes Sales Results Inspired by Think and Grow Rich Through a modern neuroscience + sales lens Chapter I: The Power of Thought Applied to Sales Why Sales Outcomes Begin in the Mind Core Idea: Sales performance is a reflection of expectation and belief first, not effort alone. What you think and believe about your ability, your product, and your outcome directly determines how you show up—and how others respond to you. Sales Applications Your internal dialogue sets your sales ceiling “Hoping” for results programs hesitation and inconsistency Expectation + emotion = outcome Listener Takeaway You don't get the sale you want. You get the sale you expect—the one you truly believe you can achieve. You get the sale you expect. The one you actually believe you can achieve. REVIEW OF CHAPTER I — “The Power of Thought” Edwin C. Barnes: The Man Who Thought Himself into Partnership with Thomas Edison In Chapter I of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill introduces us to Edwin C. Barnes, a man who achieved something extraordinary—not through money, connections, or credentials—but through the power of his thought. Barnes held a single, unwavering vision: to work with Thomas Edison—not for him, but with him. This was an audacious goal. Barnes did not know Edison personally. He lacked money, influence, and even the funds to comfortably pay for the train fare to New Jersey. Yet none of these obstacles altered his decision. Hill explains that Barnes did not wish for this partnership. He decided it would happen. When Edison later recalled their first meeting, he described Barnes standing before him looking like an ordinary tramp—but said there was something unmistakable in the expression of his face: “There was something in the expression of his face which conveyed the impression that he was determined to get what he had come after.” (Chapter I, p. 2, TAGR) Edison did not see wealth, polish, or preparation. He saw initiative, faith, and the will to win—and that was enough. Barnes brought no money to the table. No résumé. No formal value proposition. But he carried something far more powerful: a clear vision, unwavering belief, and a level of certainty that Edison could feel. Hill later writes that Barnes' “bulldog determination” and persistence with a single desire was destined to mow down all opposition and bring him the opportunity he sought. Barnes did not retreat when months passed and nothing happened. He did not say, “What's the use?” He did not downgrade his goal to something more “reasonable.” He held the vision until reality caught up with it. Why This Matters for Sales To understand why Edison trusted Barnes, we must understand something critical: Thought carries frequency. Belief has energy. Certainty is felt long before it is spoken. Edison did not evaluate Barnes based on where he was. He responded to where Barnes knew he was going. Barnes was already operating on the frequency of partnership—not employment. And Edison recognized it. “When one is truly ready for a thing, it puts in its appearance.” (Chapter I, p. 3, TAGR) Barnes was ready. Putting Chapter I into Action for Sales Look at the image in the show notes illustrating levels of frequency of thought—where the physical, intellectual, and spiritual worlds intersect like the colors of a rainbow. Think of each level as a different radio station. To hear the station you want, you must tune your mind to that frequency. If you receive your 2026 sales goal and your immediate thought is: “There's no way I can do this,” then that is the frequency you are broadcasting. You are not tuned to the level where that goal exists. You cannot reach a destination using the same level of thinking that created your current results. This is why Marshall Goldsmith's principle holds true: What got you here won't get you there.[iii] The Key to Chapter I: Unwavering Belief Napoleon Hill makes this unmistakably clear: “When a person really desires a thing so deeply that they are willing to stake their entire future on a single turn of the wheel to get it, they are sure to win.” (Chapter I, p. 2, TAGR) Barnes staked his future on belief. Sales excellence requires the same commitment. A 5-Step Sales Application Framework to Apply Chapter 1 STEP 1 When your sales goal is set, ask yourself honestly: Do I believe I can achieve this? STEP 2 If belief is present, create a clear, actionable plan—and commit to following it consistently. STEP 3 If belief is not present, seek out someone who has already achieved the result. Borrow their certainty. Follow their guidance exactly. STEP 4 Once belief is established, take daily action. There is no wishing—only disciplined effort backed by belief. STEP 5 Monitor not just results, but your level of belief. When belief wavers, behavior follows suit. When behavior wavers, results disappear. Final Thought for Chapter 1 Edwin C. Barnes did not succeed because he was lucky. He succeeded because he thought differently—and held that thought long enough for reality to align with it. He jumped to an entirely new frequency with this belief. Sales mastery begins the same way. Not with tactics. Not with scripts. But with the Power of Thought Backed by Belief. Chapter II: Desire From Wanting Sales to Demanding Results Core Idea: Desire must be emotionally charged and specific. Sales Application: Turning vague quotas into emotional targets Why clarity eliminates hesitation Selling with intention vs need Listener Takeaway: Vague goals create vague results.   REVIEW OF CHAPTER II: DESIRE — The Starting Point of All Achievement Chapter II of Think and Grow Rich brings us to the engine behind every meaningful result: Desire. Napoleon Hill makes this unmistakably clear: “All achievement begins with an idea.” But not every idea becomes reality. Only ideas fueled by burning desire become reality. Hill describes Edwin C. Barnes' desire as something very specific: “It was not a hope. It was not a wish. It was a pulsating desire which transcended everything else. It was definite.” (Chapter II, p. 19, TAGR) Barnes did not hope to work with Thomas Edison. He did not wish it might happen someday. He expected it. At the time, there was no evidence this partnership would ever exist. Barnes and Edison were not in conversation. There were no guarantees. No proof. No visible path. And yet Barnes committed to the idea anyway. That's the nature of true desire: It moves before evidence appears. Going from where you are now to where you want to go is always a process—and at the beginning of that process, desire often feels irrational, private, even uncomfortable to say out loud. That doesn't make it wrong. It makes it powerful. Why This Matters for Sales In sales, desire drives behavior. You don't need to know how you'll hit your goal at the beginning. You only need to know what you want and why you want it. The “how” always reveals itself after this commitment. This is something my mentor Bob Proctor emphasized constantly. When I moved from Canada to the United States in 2001, I had no clear roadmap. I didn't know exactly how it would work. But I had clarity of desire—and that was enough to begin. The way was shown… Along with obstacles. Many of them. That's always how it works. Obstacles are not signs you're off track. They are part of the process. Desire and Sales Frequency What does DESIRE have to do with SALES SUCCESS? Here's the key sales translation: Hesitation does not exist at the same frequency as certainty. It's this certainty (or burning desire) that we will need. When desire is weak: You hesitate You soften your language You sell with need instead of intention When desire is strong: Clarity replaces doubt Energy becomes steady Certainty becomes transferable to those you are speaking to Ask yourself honestly: Do I have the same burning desire in my sales goals that Edison saw in Barnes' eyes? Because others can feel it—just as easily as they can feel when it's missing. Desire radiates. Hesitation leaks. And buyers will respond accordingly. Burning the Ships Hill offers one of the most powerful principles in the book in this chapter on Desire: “Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn their ships and cut all sources of retreat.”(Chapter II, p. 21, TAGR) Barnes did this when he traveled to New Jersey to meet Edison. I did this when I left Toronto for the United States in 2001. There was no “going back if it didn't work.” Burning the ships forces alignment. And this connects directly to a later chapter: Decision. The Latin root of the word decision means “to cut.” When you decide, you cut off retreat. You look at your sales goal and see no acceptable outcome other than its achievement. That level of commitment changes how you show up every single day. The Six Steps to Achieve Any Goal (Chapter II) Next in this Chapter, Napoleon Hill outlines six steps designed to impress desire directly into the subconscious mind. Though written about money, (in the book) these steps apply to any goal, including sales. These are the steps I personally keep visible—and that leaders like American Businessman Grant Cardone practice daily. The Six Steps Write a clear description of what you want. You must know exactly where you're going. What is your sales goal? Decide what you're willing to give in return. There is no such thing as something for nothing. You will give up something of lower value to gain something greater. (I never understood this until I watched others with their achievements. Sometimes it's giving up time, or watching Netflix, or something like that. You give up something of a lower nature, to receive what it is that you want). Set a definite date. Desire without a timeline remains a wish. Create a clear action plan. Begin immediately—ready or not. Write the plan out in detail. Clarity strengthens commitment. Read it twice a day. As you read, see, feel, and believe yourself already in possession of the goal. (Chapter II, p. 23, TAGR) This sounds simple—but not easy. Most people won't do it consistently. That's why most people won't get these extraordinary results. Listener Takeaway Vague goals create vague results. Sales success begins the moment desire becomes: clear emotionally charged and non-negotiable Final Thought — Chapter II: Desire Desire is not motivation. It is not excitement. It is not ambition. Desire is commitment before evidence appears. When your desire is strong enough: hesitation disappears clarity sharpens certainty becomes visible And when certainty is visible, others respond to it. Sales does not reward the most talented. It rewards the most committed. Everything that follows in Think and Grow Rich rests on this foundation. If desire is weak, nothing else works. If desire is strong, the rest becomes possible. Chapter III: Faith Certainty Is the Real Close Core Idea: Faith is belief made visible through certainty. Sales Application: Why buyers borrow certainty from the salesperson Confidence vs arrogance How belief softens objections Listener Takeaway: Buyers don't borrow certainty from products. They borrow it from you.   REVIEW OF CHAPTER III: FAITH How Do We Develop Faith? Napoleon Hill defines faith clearly and practically: “Faith is a state of mind which may be induced, or created, by affirmations or repeated instructions, through the principle of autosuggestion.” (Chapter III, p. 46, TAGR) Faith is not something you wait for. It is something you train. We develop faith by following the six steps outlined in Chapter 2 of Think and Grow Rich: writing our goals and reading them aloud every day—twice a day—until the idea moves from the conscious mind into the non-conscious mind through autosuggestion. This is a process. If you have never read your goals out loud before, it may feel uncomfortable at first. When I started, I remember closing my office window, worried my neighbors might think I was crazy. In the beginning, the words can feel awkward and forced. But with repetition, something changes. Your words begin to flow more easily. Your tone becomes confident. And eventually, what once felt unnatural starts to feel true. Our goals begin living with and through us. Hill instructs us to read our goals: “As if you were already in possession of them.” (Chapter III, p. 48, TAGR) A simple way to do this is to begin with the statement: “I am so happy and grateful now that…” and then state your goal clearly—whether it's a sales target or any other objective you are working toward.   Faith, Autosuggestion, and Something Bigger This is often the point where people bring their own beliefs into the process. If you believe—as I do—that there is something greater than yourself at work in the world, you will feel it here. Hill called it Infinite Intelligence. Others may call it God, Spirit, or Universal Intelligence. Hill wrote: “Faith is the element, the ‘chemical' which, when mixed with prayer, gives one direct communication with Infinite Intelligence.” (Chapter III, p. 49, TAGR) Regardless of what you call it, the experience is the same: faith grows when belief is repeatedly impressed upon the mind. And this is critical: We must have faith in our dreams, not in our doubts.   Faith Applied to Sales In sales, faith shows up as certainty. Buyers do not buy certainty from products. They borrow it from the salesperson. This is where many people get confused. Faith is not arrogance. Arrogance is loud and brittle. Faith is calm, grounded, and steady. When you believe in: yourself the value you bring and the outcome you're guiding someone toward your certainty becomes transferable. And when certainty is present, objections soften. Not because you argue them away—but because belief replaces resistance. How Faith Becomes Unwavering To build unwavering faith, Hill's principles point us to three realities: You must move through the Terror Barrier of Fear. Faith grows when your conscious and non-conscious minds begin to align. Fear appears first—but it does not get the final word. Faith strengthens through repetition. Writing and repeating your goals daily through autosuggestion gradually reshapes belief. Faith grows fastest when focused on one clear idea. Pick one goal. Take action toward it. Each step builds self-confidence, self-awareness, and self-esteem. Over time, belief takes hold. One day, you'll look back at the early version of yourself—the one who hesitated, doubted, or felt unsure—and you'll realize how far you've come. I talk about this idea often. It's like adding red food color drops into a cup of water. In the beginning, it's hard to see any change in the color of the water. But over time, with persistent action, the glass of water eventually changes color. And you'll look back and be grateful you moved forward past fear. Listener Takeaway Buyers don't borrow certainty from products. They borrow it from you. Final Thought — Chapter III: Faith Faith is not pretending. It is not positive thinking. And it is not blind optimism. Faith is certainty trained through repetition. When belief becomes strong enough, it changes how you speak, how you act, and how others respond to you. Sales closed do not happen at the end of the conversation. They happen the moment certainty is felt. And certainty begins inside you. REVIEW OF CHAPTERS I–III The Foundation of Sales Mastery To review and conclude this special review of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, through the lens of a salesperson, we covered the first three chapters of Think and Grow Rich that form a complete inner foundation. Together, they explain why sales success begins long before tactics, scripts, or strategies ever matter. Before there is action, there is belief. Before belief, there is desire. And before desire, there is thought. Napoleon Hill does not begin this book with techniques. He begins with identity and inner alignment. For sales professionals, these chapters explain why results are not random—and why performance is always an inside-out process. Chapter I — The Power of Thought Why Sales Outcomes Begin in the Mind Chapter I introduces the central premise: Thought is creative. Through the story of Edwin C. Barnes, Hill shows us that success begins when a person decides what they want and holds that thought with unwavering persistence—long before evidence appears. Barnes did not hope to work with Thomas Edison. He decided it would happen. Despite having no money, no relationship, and no visible path, Barnes carried himself with such certainty that Edison felt it immediately. Edison did not respond to Barnes' circumstances—he responded to Barnes' state of mind. Sales Application: Sales performance reflects what you expect, not what you wish for. Your internal dialogue: sets your confidence level shapes your tone determines whether you lead or hesitate You don't get the sale you want. You get the sale you expect—the one you truly believe is possible. Chapter II — Desire From Wanting Sales to Demanding Results If thought sets direction, desire supplies the fuel. In Chapter II, Hill makes a critical distinction: Desire is not hope. It is not wishing. It is not motivation. True desire is emotionally charged, specific, and definite. Barnes' desire to work with Edison was not casual or negotiable. It was what Hill called a burning desire—so strong that Barnes was willing to stake his future on it. Sales Application: Desire determines behavior. When desire is vague: goals feel optional hesitation increases selling comes from need When desire is clear and emotionally anchored: confidence sharpens clarity replaces doubt certainty becomes visible Vague goals create vague results. Sales success accelerates the moment desire becomes non-negotiable. Chapter III — Faith Certainty Is the Real Close Chapter III explains how desire becomes believable: through faith. Hill defines faith not as blind belief, but as a trainable state of mind, developed through repetition and autosuggestion. Faith is belief made visible through certainty. By writing goals clearly and reading them aloud daily—as if already achieved—belief moves from the conscious mind into the non-conscious mind. Over time, certainty replaces doubt. Sales Application: Buyers do not borrow certainty from products. They borrow it from the salesperson. Faith shows up in sales as: calm confidence (not arrogance) steady tone authority without pressure When faith is present, objections soften—not because they're argued away, but because certainty dissolves resistance. How Chapters I–III Work Together These chapters are not separate ideas. They form a sequence: Thought sets direction Desire creates commitment Faith produces certainty Without thought, there is no aim. Without desire, there is no momentum. Without faith, there is no follow-through. Sales mastery begins here—not with what you say, but with who you are being when you say it. Final Integrated Insight (Chapters I–III) Sales does not reward effort alone. It rewards clarity, commitment, and certainty. When: your thoughts are aligned your desire is definite and your faith is trained your results begin to change—often before your strategy does. Because at the highest level, sales is not a transaction. It is the transference of emotion. And the primary emotion is certainty. With gratitude to close out our review of Chapters 1-3 of Think and Grow Rich dedicated to the salesperson, we bring our credit to Paul Martinelli, who has helped me to understand not only the entire book, for our first review, but to now take this book, and apply it for success in the sales industry. I hope you have enjoyed this angle of this timeless book, and we will see you in a few days for PART 2 of this review, where we will cover the next 3 chapters of Think and Grow Rich. See you soon!   RESOURCES: Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #190  PART 1 “Making 2022 Your Best Year Ever”  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/think-and-grow-rich-book-review-part-1-how-to-make-2022-your-best-year-ever/ Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #191    PART 2 on “Thinking Differently and Choosing Faith Over Fear”  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/think-and-grow-rich-book-review-part-2-how-to-make-2022-your-best-year-ever-by-thinking-differently-and-choosing-faith-over-fear/   Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #193    PART 3 on “Putting Our Goals on Autopilot with Autosuggestion and Our Imagination”   https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/think-and-grow-rich-book-review-part-3-using-autosuggestion-and-your-imagination-to-put-your-goals-on-autopilot/   Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #194    PART 4 on “Perfecting the Skills of Organized Planning, Decision-Making, and Persistence” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/think-and-grow-rich-book-review-part-4-on-perfecting-the-skills-of-organized-planning-decision-making-and-persistence/   Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #195    PART 5 [xxviii] on “The Power of the Mastermind, Taking the Mystery Out of Sex Transmutation, and Linking ALL Parts of the Mind” https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/think-and-grow-rich-book-review-part-5-on-the-power-of-the-mastermind-taking-the-mystery-out-of-sex-transmutation-and-linking-all-parts-of-our-mind/   PART 6 “In Memory of the Legendary Bob Proctor: The Neuroscience Behind the 15 Success Principles in Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich book”   https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/the-neuroscience-behind-the-15-success-principles-of-napoleon-hill-s-classic-boo-think-and-grow-rich/   REFERENCES [i] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE #190 PART 1 “Making 2022 Your Best Year Ever”  https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/think-and-grow-rich-book-review-part-1-how-to-make-2022-your-best-year-ever/ [ii]Study Think and Grow Rich with Paul Martinelli  https://yourempoweredlife.com/think-and-grow-rich/ [iii] What Got You Here, Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith, June 12, 2008  https://www.amazon.com/What-Got-Here-Wont-There/dp/1846681375  

Welcome to the Jiu Jitsu Dummies Podcast, presented by Black Belt Digital Marketing and AcademySafe.org Episode 182: Scott Burr – Lessons from the Mat & Future Classics In this episode of the Jiu-Jitsu Dummies Podcast, we sit down with 3rd-degree Black Belt, author, and philosopher of the mats, Scott Burr. Scott is the co-author of the highly acclaimed book Lessons from the Mat (with Benjamin Chen), which explores the 12 martial arts principles that translate directly into business and life success. But Scott's work behind the scenes of Jiu-Jitsu literature goes even deeper. We dive into: Writing with Legends: Scott shares insights into his current high-profile book projects with two of the most iconic figures in the art: Rickson Gracie and "Dirty Dozen" member Chris Haueter. Worth Defending: We revisit his collaboration with Richard Bresler, the man widely considered the first student of BJJ in America. The Creative Process: How do you capture the "invisible" concepts of Rickson or the unique, artistic philosophy of Haueter and put them into words? Whether you are a white belt just starting or a black belt looking for deeper conceptual understanding, Scott's perspective on the history and future of BJJ is invaluable.    Instagram handles: @enclavejiujitsu @scottburrauthor   Thank you to Episode Sponsors:  Black Belt Digital Marketing - Request a FREE Review of your company's online presence today! Academy Safe - Join or Donate now  Flow N Roll - Get 20% OFF with Code: JJD Leao Optics - Get 10% OFF with Code: JJD Jiu Jitsu Dummies Podcast Store - Get 15% OFF with code: JJD FightTape.us - Get 10% OFF with code: JJD   Contact the Dummies @JiuJitsuDummies on Instagram, Facebook, and X or at milton@jiujitsudummies.com to submit questions for consideration on the show. You can now also find us on TikTok @JiuJitsuDummiesPodcast Visit Jiu Jitsu Dummies for more details about the show, becoming a Sponsor, and a list of sites and apps to download or view the podcast.  

George Gissing's novels, Orwell once said, could be described in three words: ‘not enough money'. Writing is a matter of survival for the cast of ‘New Grub Street' (1891), which follows a handful of literary men and women in London in the early 1880s. All of them have different ideas about success, love and personal fulfilment, and all those ideas – even the most brutally pragmatic – are subverted by the pressures of sexuality and the marketplace. In the final episode of Novel Approaches, Clare Bucknell and Tom Crewe discuss Gissing's great portrait of London at its shabbiest. They explore Gissing's unrelenting realism, his gift for writing nuanced characters, and why, in Tom's words, if the novel is gloomy, it's ‘an invigorating gloom'. Non-subscribers will only hear an extract from this episode. To listen in full, and to all our other Close Readings series, sign up: Directly in Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lrb.me/applecrna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ In other podcast apps: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lrb.me/closereadingsna⁠⁠⁠ Further reading from the LRB: Frank Kermode on George Gissing: ⁠https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v05/n02/frank-kermode/squalor⁠ Rosemarie Bodenheimer on Gissing's life: ⁠https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v31/n13/rosemarie-bodenheimer/give-us-a-break⁠ Jane Miller on Gissing's letters: ⁠https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v13/n05/jane-miller/gissing-may-damage-your-health⁠ Ian Hamilton on a new ‘New Grub Street': ⁠https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v05/n02/ian-hamilton/diary⁠ Patricia Beer on Gissing's women: ⁠https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v02/n14/patricia-beer/new-women⁠ AUDIO GIFTS Close Readings and audiobooks: ⁠https://lrb.me/audiogifts⁠

Find the grave of Annabel Lee and you find the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe!   In this episode, a hand-drawn map pulls us through a locked iron gate into Charleston's most overgrown churchyard, where legends gather like mist and names disappear into leaves. A lady in white wanders the paths. Sixty-four people have collapsed before this very gate.   We follow the trail of Annabel Lee—the girl Poe loved, or invented, or summoned—and uncover the stranger story beneath the legend: a visiting scholar who survived war and exile, stood before Juliet's Tomb in Verona, and quietly planted a grave that may never have existed.   The map points toward a burial—but the real treasure may be hidden elsewhere. What if the grave was a lie but the lie was true?   Sources:   The Ghosts of Charleston by Julian Buxton Edgar Allan Poe's Charleston by  Christopher Byrd Downey   A History Lover's Guide to Charleston by Christopher Byrd Downey   Unburied Treasure: Edgar Allan Poe in the South Carolina Lowcountry Scott Peeples, Michelle Van Parys Southern Cultures, Vol. 22, No. 2   Haunted Charleston by Sarah Pitzer   Nevermore! Edgar Allan Poe- The Final Mystery by Julian Wiles Source for Alexander Lenard: Primary Sources by Alexander Lenard   Die Kuh auf dem Bast (Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1963) The Valley of the Latin Bear (New York, 1965) - English translation Am Ende der Via Condotti: Römische Jahre (München: DTV Verlag, 2017) - translated by Ernö Zeltner Stories of Rome (Budapest: Corvina, 2013) - translated by Mark Baczoni O Vale Do Fim Do Mundo (São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 2013) - translated by Paulo Schiller Die römische Küche (München, 1963) Sieben Tage Babylonisch (Stuttgart, 1964) A római konyha (1986) Winnie Ille Pu (Latin translation of Winnie-the-Pooh) Völgy a világ végén s más történetek (Budapest: Magvető, 1973)   Secondary Sources - Books and Academic Articles   Siklós, Péter. "Von Budapest bis zum Tal am Ende der Welt: Sándor Lénárds romanhafter Lebensweg" (online) Siklós, Péter. "The Klára Szerb – Alexander Lenard Correspondence." The Hungarian Quarterly 189 (2008): 42-61 Sachs, Lynne. "Alexander Lenard: A Life in Letters." The Hungarian Quarterly 199 (Autumn 2010): 93-104 Lénárt-Cheng, Helga. "A Multilingual Monologue: Alexander Lenard's Self-Translated Autobiography in Three Languages." Hungarian Cultural Studies 7 (January 2015) Vajdovics, Zsuzsanna. "Gli anni romani di Sándor Lénárd." Annuario: Studi e Documenti Italo-Ungheresi (Roma-Szeged, 2005) Vajdovics, Zsuzsanna. "Alexander Lenard: Portrait d'un traducteur émigrant." Atelier de Traduction 9 (2008): 185-191 Rapcsányi, László & Szerb, Klára. "Who Was Alexander Lenard? An Interview with Klára Szerb." The Hungarian Quarterly 189 (2008): 26-30 Lenard, Alexander. "A Few Words About Winnie Ille Pu." The Hungarian Quarterly 199 (2010): 87-92 Humblé, Philippe & Sepp, Arvi. "'Die Kriege haben mein Leben bestimmt': Alexander Lenard's Narratives of Brazilian Exile." In Hermann Gätje / Sikander Singh (Eds.), Grenze als Erfahrung und Diskurs (Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto, 2018) Badel, Keuly Dariana. "Writing oneself and the other: A biography of Alexander Lenard (1951-1972)." Proceedings of the XXVI National History Symposium – ANPUH (São Paulo, July 2011) Nascimento, Gabriela Goulart. "Erich Erdstein and the hunt for Nazis: A study on the book 'The Rebirth of the Swastika in Brazil.'" Federal University of Santa Catarina (Florianópolis, 2021) Mosimann, João Carlos. Catarinenses: Gênese E História (Florianópolis/SC, 2010) Kroener, Sebastian (Ed.). Das Hospital auf dem Palmenhof (Norderstedt, 2016) Ilg, Karl. Pioniere in Brasilien (Innsbruck/Wien/München, 1972) Lützeler, Paul Michael. "Migration und Exil in Geschichte, Mythos, und Literatur." In Bettina Bannasch / Gerhild Rochus (Eds.), Handbuch der deutschsprachigen Exilliteratur (Berlin/Boston, 2013): 3-25 Said, Edward. Culture and Imperialism (New York, 1993) Said, Edward. Representations of the Intellectual: The 1993 Reith Lectures (New York, 1994) Herz-Kestranek, Miguel; Kaiser, Konstantin & Strigl, Daniela (Eds.). In welcher Sprache träumen Sie? Österreichische Lyrik des Exils und des Widerstands (Wien, 2007) Lomb, Kató. Harmony of Babel: Profiles of Famous Polyglots of Europe (Berkeley/Kyoto, 2013)   Hungarian Periodical Obituaries and Commemorations   Egri, Viktor. "A day in the invisible house." In Confession of Quiet Evenings (Bratislava: Madách, 1973): 162-166 Antalné Serb [Mrs. Antal Szerb]. "About Sándor Lénárd." Nagyvilág 1972/8: 1241-43 Kardos, György G. "Man at the end of the world: On the death of Sándor Lénárd." Élet és Irodalom (Life and Literature), May 6, 1972: 6 Bélley, Pál. "Tomb at the end of the world." Magyar Hírlap, April 29, 1972: 13 Kardos, Tibor. "Farewell to the doctor of the valley: The memory of Sándor Lénárd." Magyar Nemzet (Hungarian Nation), May 14, 1972: 12 (also in Az emberiség műhelyei, Budapest: Szépirodalmi Könyvkiadó, 1973) Bodnár, Györgyi. Radio broadcast, Petőfi Rádió "Two to Six," June 21, 1972   Newspaper and Magazine Sources (Hungarian)   Magyar Napló, 2005 (17. évfolyam, 11. szám) Kurír, 1990 (1. évfolyam, 124. szám) Magyarország, 1969 (6. évfolyam, 9. szám) Élet és Irodalom, 2010 (54. évfolyam, 11. szám) Siklós, Péter. Budapesttől a világ végi völgyig – Lénárd Sándor regényes életútja Berta, Gyula. "Egy magyar orvos, aki megtanította latinul Micimackót"   Other Sources   Lenard, Andrietta. "In Memory of Alexander." O Estado, May 11, 1980 (Florianópolis) Rosenmann, Peter. "Lénárd Sándor." Web-lapozgató, November 30, 2004 Wittmann, Angelina. "Alexander Lenard – Sándor Lénárd – Chose Dona Emma SC" (blog, June 24, 2022) Spiró, György & Kallen, Eve Maria. "No politics, no ideology, just human relations." Hungarian Lettre 92 (2014): 4-7 FCC – Fundação Catarinense de Cultura Cultural Heritage Inventory (2006) AMAVI (Association of Municipalities of Alto Vale do Itajaí) Registry (2006) FamilySearch genealogical records Lenard Seminar Group website (mek.oszk.hu) Scherman, David E. "Roman Holiday for a Bashful Bear Named Winnie" (article on Winnie Ille Pu)   Film   Sachs, Lynne. The Last Happy Day (experimental documentary film, 2009) - premiered at New York Film Festival