The Productivityist Podcast: Ideas And Tools For Personal Productivity | Time Management | Goals | Habits | Working Better

It's a bonus episode of the podcast to celebrate The BIG Ready Week! This episode features someone that, despite being unrelated by blood, I consider to be my American cousin – and he considers me to be his Canadian one – Stephen Warley. Stephen Warley isn't just my good friend... he'll be facilitating the first workshop for The BIG Ready). In this bonus podcast episode, Stephen talks about being a solopreneur and the three components of reflection. Episode Highlights: As a solopreneur "YOU" are the nexus of the business, the primary resource, and the biggest obstacle.  To start as a solopreneur, you need to manage yourself and to do that you need self-awareness. Why it's all about being honest with yourself. An action that needs to be done – but only a few take – is stopping and reflecting. Reflecting has three components: Self-awareness, Reflection (ideally scheduled), and settling the mind. This virtual event features 29+ presenters delivering keynote talks, actionable workshops, and engaging

It's a bonus episode of the podcast to celebrate The BIG Ready Week! This episode features my friend, content queen and big picture planner, Janet Murray. Janet Murray will be delivering the opening keynote for The BIG Ready – which is exciting on its own. But I'm also excited that she agreed to chat with me on the podcast about certainty, consistency, and commitment. Episode Highlights: People love certainty... but they need uncertainty too. People often have trouble with crafting consistent content. When there is a commitment to doing the creative plan, content gets created. This virtual event features 29+ presenters delivering keynote talks, actionable workshops, and engaging panel discussions around the elements of personal and professional growth. Presented by Productivityist, The BIG Ready is a must-attend for anyone who is trying to take the months ahead and be ready to make them have a BIG impact on their lives. The mainstage portion of The BIG Ready takes place on February 2nd, 2021 and in

It's a bonus episode of the podcast to celebrate The BIG Ready Week! This episode features change-maker and action-taker Vanessa Tharp. Vanessa Tharp, Chief of Staff at Productivityist and one of the organizers of The BIG Ready, shares how she helped create clarity for Productivityist as a company and how she leveled it up by creating a safe space with the right boundaries and limitations. Episode Highlights: My idea of "I did it wrong" How Productivityist lost its soul when I changed it from "I" into "We" How to help people recognize that they are "in quicksand" How to level up by creating a safe space... but at the same time keeping in check on what is happening, to know boundaries and limitations This virtual event features 29+ presenters delivering keynote talks, actionable workshops, and engaging panel discussions around the elements of personal and professional growth. Presented by Productivityist, The BIG Ready is a must-attend for anyone who is trying to take the months ahead and be ready

Feedback is essential for us to move forward. But how do we use it effectively? Today’s guest, Therese Huston, gives you the practical tools that you can use today. Therese Huston’s mission is to help conscientious, growth-minded professionals bring out their best at work. She’s a cognitive scientist at Seattle University, as well as a speaker and author of Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower. Her expertise lies in helping you say what needs to be said, and – even more importantly – say it in a way that can be heard. Tune in as we discuss the three different types of feedback, the common biases to watch out for, and you can best coach yourself. Enjoy this episode packed with Therese’s strategies! Talking Points How effective feedback boosts your productivity Three different types of feedback Ways to avoid falling into your biases Setting clear intentions Having constructive feedback with yourself Quote “Unconscious bias is leaning towards some people and away from others.” Helpful Lin

I’m joined by decision-making expert Annie Duke to unpack what you can do to achieve your long-term goals. Annie Duke is an American former professional poker player and author in behavioral decision science and decision education. She holds a World Series of Poker gold bracelet from 2004 and used to be the leading money winner among women in WSOP history. Annie is also the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. Join the conversation as dive into her latest book How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices. We also discuss ‘resulting’, reflecting on your own biases, information warfare– and the most beautiful play in super bowl history. Talking Points Her experience of writing a How-To book The fundamentals of ‘resulting’ Learning from real-life examples, chunking and mental models Availability bias and process influencing What happens when you hear things for third time Quote

Four years since I last spoke with entrepreneur Natalie Sisson, a lot has changed. Join me as we explore her growth journey. Natalie is a New Zealand entrepreneur, author, speaker, lover of handstands and triathlete. It’s taken a lot of incremental micro-steps for Natalie to pivot from her Suitcase Entrepreneur identity to the Natalie Sisson she is today. Since late 2018 she has been focused on helping everyday people in jobs, freelance careers and with their own business to monetize their sweet spot and get paid to be them. Join today’s conversation as we talk about vision planning, audiobooks, and when it’s time to unlearn systems, tools and habits that aren’t serving you anymore. I was fascinated by Natalie’s investment in her personal growth and how she embraces the beginner’s mindset. Talking Points Natalie’s process of changing her business identity How to get unstuck from the fear of growth What Natalie has let go The creative challenge from her latest writing project What productivity means to N

Thane Marcus Ringler takes the professional athlete’s mindset to everyday people in everyday life. Today’s guest is Thane Marcus Ringler, the former professional golfer turned speaker, writer, development coach and podcast host of The Up & Comers Show. It’s his mission to help people get unstuck and overcome the self-limiting beliefs we all tend to carry. In this episode, we explore the four perspective shifts from his book Catalysts For Hope: Unlocking Energy, Optimism, And Your Full Potential. Thane’s idealism is infectious, and this will help frame your mind as we begin 2021. Join this conversation as we discuss the art of leaning in, the process of writing his book, critical thinking – and dragonflies.  Talking Points The 4 Catalysts that will shift your perspective Focus on the process, no the destination Identifying your baby steps A hope-filled life is more practical than you think Why we regularly overlook our purpose A case for Idealism The power of pause Quote “Purpose is active. We don’t

Brian Tracy’s goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier – by eating your frogs first. What I love about my podcast is that I get to speak with true mentors in this space – and Brian Tracy has been on my list to speak with for a long time. As a keynote speaker and seminar leader, Brian has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 5 million people through talks and seminars worldwide. He has also published over 90 books, most notably the best-selling Psychology of Achievement. His most recent book, Eat That Frog! for Students: 22 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Excel in School serves students to improve their time management skills and achieve their dream goals. In light of the latest edition of this book Eat That Frog!, I’m fascinated by how time management bleeds into everything. Join our conversation as we discuss writing goals in the present tense, the role of self-esteem, his magic wand exercise, and educating the student market. Now go eat your

As a specialist in delivering presentations and workshops to empower leaders, I’m excited to share with you today’s guest Dave Delaney – an expert on being nice. Today Dave Delaney joins the show, creator of the NICE Method™. He’s a keynote speaker, corporate trainer, and the author of the acclaimed book, New Business Networking. He’s worked with the likes of Google, LinkedIn and UPS. I’m excited to speak with the fellow Canadian and comedy fan, to learn more about his approach to simply being… well, nice. We know the world could do with more of that! Tune in as we discuss practising empathy, the “Yes, and…” mindset, being open-minded – and my love for Ted Lasso on Apple TV. Talking Points Leaning into ‘niceness’ Dealing with jerks The link between happiness and niceness How to not treat it as a throwaway word Being authentically nice The skill in considering other people’s opinions and beliefs The NICE Method™ framework The impact of music Quote “First and foremost, be nice to yourself.” Helpful

Since hosting his first virtual event in 2015, Liam Austin knows the formula to making a success of it. I learnt heaps from today’s interview with virtual events expert Liam Austin. As the world has gone radically digital for so many businesses this year, find out in today’s episode why a virtual event is a great way to grow your business and community. Liam is the co-founder of Entrepreneurs HQ and Virtual Summit Academy, which organizes many virtual summits and publishes marketing tactics of top entrepreneurs. When he had over 15,000 people register to attend his first virtual event in 2015 – Liam knew he had to share what he did to the wider business community. In this interview we explore producing live versus pre-recorded events, building tight funnels, how to stand out from other events, and how to make sure you attendees get the most out of the session. Talking Points What you can leverage from hosting virtual events How to stand out amongst the virtual noise The rough timeline needed when creating

With over 15 years of coaching busy, high-achievers, Tripp Lanier shows how to stay present and be guided by your internal direction. Tripp Lanier is a professional coach, author of This Book Will Make You Dangerous: The Irreverent Guide for Men Who Refuse to Settle, and host of The New Man Podcast. I loved interviewing Tripp as he’s an honest guy who asks thought-provoking questions.  Since 2005, Tripp has spent thousands of hours coaching people all around the world to get out of the rat race, become an authority in their field, and make a great living doing the work they were put on this earth to do.  As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get trapped in the hustle cycle. This episode will help release you from this trap and focus on what really matters to give you that ‘aliveness’. Tune in as we discuss issues with saying ‘no’, setting dangerous missions, unfulfilling vision boards, and reading old journal entries. Talking Points The correlation between being dangerous and being productive Managing uncertainty

After analyzing companies for almost 30 years, Paul Pagnato, shows how we’re in an exponential era. Find out how transparency is the key to growth. We can feel pretty vulnerable when being transparent. But real change happens when we start to be more honest with ourselves and those around us. This is why I’m so excited to have Paul Pagnato on the show today to deep dive into how we can adopt the transparency mindset. Paul has spent much of his career managing capital as a wealth advisor. From studying so many companies, he came to the realization that society has grown through massive waves of transformation over the last 500 years. And we’re going through one now – The Transparency Wave.  His latest book Transparency Wave: Exponential Changes That Will Transform Our World is an impactful read that dissects how an increasingly connected and technologically-advanced world presents exponential opportunities. Join us as we discuss his 6Ts of Exponential Transparency™, embracing fear, genomics – and yogis.   Tal

As host of NPR’s What We Do, Doug Fraser is not afraid to dive deep and follow his curiosity. Today we learn about the craft of clarity. My guest this time round is Doug Fraser, a creator, producer, and host of NPR’s What We Do. He’s a true expert when it comes to storytelling… be it the history of rats to kitchens. He’s not afraid to ask questions, which makes him a very exciting guest to have on the show. After years in the ad agency world, Doug now follows his own path to provide a valuable one-on-one marketing experience for businesses of all sizes. From pizza joints to multi-billion-dollar car dealerships, he’s helped brands achieve copywriting, social marketing, and videography success. Doug and I spend time talking about being present and seeking clarity through simplicity. Join us as we explore taking on new hobbies, capturing ideas, and knowing when it’s the right time to quit. Talking Points The impact curiosity has across all aspects of Doug’s life Energy from learning new things Balancing the

Today’s guest works 25 hours per week since she had kids 10 years ago. Tune in to find out about her impactful approach to productivity. Racheal Cook is a business strategist and business development consultant. Through her signature online mastermind The CEO Collective, Racheal helps women entrepreneurs start and scale businesses without the hustle or burnout. Being a mother herself, I was fascinated by her approach to being a productive CEO. As a sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, marketing, and productivity, Racheal’s work has been featured on US Chamber of Commerce, Entrepreneur on Fire, Female Entrepreneur Association, Inc, Fast Company, Forbes, and more. She’s the author of Fired Up & Focused and Your Business Sweet Spot. Tune in as we discuss ways to structure the week, results-based outcomes, making personal and family time a priority – and what we can learn from meal planning. Talking Points Motherhood forcing clarity on productivity The Model Calendar Approach Being a morning person Sett

We’re much closer to success than we think we are. Today’s guest Greg Reid will help you see what’s possible. Greg Reid is a fascinating character, and he’s testament to achieving great things despite the odds. Even with dyslexia, he is the ultimate master storyteller. He has been published in over 78 books, 32 bestsellers, five motion pictures, featured in many magazines, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He’s a highly sought-after keynote speaker, entrepreneur, with a strong win-win work ethic. I’m excited to catch up with Greg to learn more about his journey, and dive into his book Three Feet From Gold: Turn Your Obstacles into Opportunities!. Join us as we explore timeless authors, unexpected opportunities, and modernizing Napoleon Hill’s principles for success. Talking Points Why you need to stop planning The story behind the title Three Feet From Gold Why is Napoleon Hill synonymous with success? Greg’s CPC acronym for success Ways to stop us from getting in our own way An interestin

Seth Godin is a consistent player in the entrepreneurial space, influencing millions to embrace their inner-creative and best serve their audience. In today’s episode, we uncover how you can make that impact. Seth Godin has had a huge influence over my career, so I’m excited to bring him on (again) to hear about his latest projects and new book ‘The Practice: Shipping Creative Work’. As my first guest on the podcast I did as a productivity parodist, there’s lots to catch up on. This interview is full of countless gems, but what really stands out is being consistent with whatever it is that you want to achieve. In his own words, the toughest part is that “you have to show up, even if you don’t feel like it”.    Seth blogs daily. He’s been doing it for years now. He’s built a huge following with over a million readers, and is the author of over 19 books, including Purple Cow, Linchpin, and This Is Marketing. He’s also the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, which runs online seminars that have trans

Delegation is overwhelming. But it’s an essential part to any business, so expert Barbara Turley joins the show to explain where to begin. How often do you get caught up with small business overwhelm? Today’s guest Barbara Turley, CEO of the Virtual Hub, is a true expert when it comes to hiring and onboarding staff for small businesses. Barbara is an investor and entrepreneur with a keen interest in scalable business models, systems, processes and automation, content marketing and the power of inspired and empowered teams.  The mission of the Virtual Hub is to eradicate small business overwhelm by simplifying the offshore outsourcing process and facilitating cost-effective business scalability. Hiring support is not easy, so I’m excited to hear what Barbara has learnt from hiring some of the best VAs. Join our conversation as we explore setting expectations, the “huddle” concept, and learning from the mistakes we’ve made. It’s time to get out of the loop of being stuck in the busy work trenches, and start thi

We face many hurdles as entrepreneurs which is why today’s guest, Kara Goldin, has a mission to help people get unstuck in order to move forward. As Founder & CEO, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, author and mother, today’s guest Kara Goldin wears many hats. Kara founded the flavored water brand Hint in 2005, and has seen it grow exponentially over the years. She’s also worked at Time Inc., AOL and CNN. With her insatiable drive, how does she do it all? As we find out, it’s curiosity. In light of her new book ‘Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts and Doubters’, Kara has learnt a lot along her entrepreneurial journey. Join our conversation as we explore hockey stick growths, natural curiosity, losing 24 pounds in 2.5 weeks – and Wild Cherry Pepsi addictions. Talking Points How Kara handles her priorities Advice on staying true to your values amidst the noise The power of asking questions The memorable moment of the first Hint sale Practicing patience Quote “The people that call things an overnight success don’t

What is it that ultimately drives you? It’s key to know this across all areas of your life, so I’m excited to speak with Todd Henry again on the show as we uncover the Motivation Code. Today’s guest Todd Henry has helped identify the unique ways that we are motivated. It’s fascinating: there are 27 potential ways and it’s different for all of us. Todd is a self-proclaimed “arms dealer for the creative revolution”, who is a writer, speaker, and helps facilitate people and teams generate brilliant ideas. He’s written four books and has recently released his fifth book, The Motivation Code: Discover The Hidden Forces That Drive Your Best Work, co-authored with Rod Penner, Todd Hall and Joshua Miller. It’s not about waiting for work to motivate us; once we identify our true motivations, we’re in flow. In this conversation, we explore MCODE™ assessment, experiencing flow, how knowing our motivation benefits both our work and personal lives. Talking Points Compiling the new books after decades of research How th

Distraction-free writing: a process that all writers seek. Find out how today’s guest, Adam Leeb, has made it that much easier for you. As a writer myself, getting into the ‘flow state’ isn’t always attainable. But when I came across the distraction-free writing tool Freewrite Traveler, I had to bring on Adam Leeb, the co-founder, to the podcast. Freewrite is a portable tool with no copy/paste or other advanced editing functionality to promote maximum writing productivity. Pure magic. Adam is an award-winning product designer and mechanical engineer who is obsessed with product design especially in relation to user experience and user interaction. Join us as we explore mechanical keyboards, removing distractions, failed crowdfunding campaigns, and 3D printing over quarantine. Talking Points What attracted Adam to design and Astrohaus Developing a tool to help writers stay focused with the creative writing process Their design philosophy Specialized vs multi-use products Adam’s desire to design products