Month: February 2020

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68. Michael Bungay Stanier – Embrace Curiosity and Steer Clear of the Advice Trap!

Michael Bungay Stanier is an author, keynote speaker, and an A-level thought leader in the field of coaching. He has written several books, including The Advice Trap: Be Humble, Stay Curious, and Change the Way You Lead Forever, Get Unstuck… and get going on the stuff that matters, and The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever, which was deemed the best-selling coaching book of this century, selling over 700,000 copies. Michael, who was the first to be awarded Canadian Coach of the Year and was a Rhodes Scholar, is also the founder of learning and development company Box of Crayons. He believes in the power of curiosity to transform leadership.

Michael joins me today to discuss his views on commitment, change, and the role of curiosity in shifting people’s behaviors and mindsets. He highlights the difference between easy and hard change, how to make the desired shifts in your life, and the importance of uncovering individual challenges. Michael also shares his insights on coaching and highlights questions that can help shift conversations from advice to curiosity and create space for deeper insight.

“Once you have the real problem, the ideas show up. If you don’t have the real problem, it doesn’t matter how good your ideas are; they’re the wrong ideas to solve the wrong problem.” – Michael Bungay Stanier

This week on The School for Good Living Podcast:

  • The role of advice and curiosity in leadership and which of the two to prioritize
  • The difference between ‘I-It relationships’ and ‘I-Thou relationships’
  • Michael’s views on coaching and why he believes we need to “un-weird” coaching
  • How to tame your “advice monster” and three different types of advice monsters that we may experience
  • How to make hard changes stick and what inner work is needed to get there
  • What the fog of fires are and why it can be so challenging to find focus and clarity in conversation
  • Why holding space for others is such a profound act of service and how to help open up space for personal reflection
  • Recognizing the role of luck and hard work in committed, long-term relationships
  • Michael’s beliefs and lessons surrounding money and the importance of knowing how much money is enough and investing the rest effectively
  • Michael’s approach to writing books better and faster and why you shouldn’t overlook book design
  • How Michael makes more money with his books than he would with a “typical” book deal
  • How intellectual property can serve as an engine to help you scale your business
  • Michael’s thoughts on book launches and critical marketing strategies he utilizes to promote and sell his book
  • How to be active and efficient with content creation and the power of crafting long-lasting, evergreen content 

Resources Mentioned:

**The School for Good Living may receive commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Connect with Michael Bungay Stanier:

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Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the School for Good Living Podcast, with your host, Bryan Miller. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave us a rating and review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to inspire others to improve their lives and reach their full potential.

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67. Lewis Mehl-Madrona – History, Ceremony and Creative Wisdom Part 2

Doctor, healer, and author of the Coyote Medicine, part of the Coyote trilogy, Lewis Mehl-Madrona looks at healing through the lens of Lakota, Cherokee and Cree traditions as well as how these practices collide with traditional medicine . He earned his medical degree from Stanford University and has taught at a number of universities, including Maine Dartmouth, Union Institute and University, the University of Hawaii, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Pittsburgh, along with his alma mater. He has authored over one-hundred academic papers and has held positions in hospitals as well as complimentary healthcare organizations. Lewis’s work focuses on the role of narrative and imagery in healing.

Lewis joins me today to discuss the power of indigenous wisdom and why he believes that people must be aware of the real history of indigenous people in this nation. He shares insights surrounding his creative process as an author, and why it is crucial to be disciplined in your writing instead of waiting for the inspiration to hit. Lewis also highlights several books and authors who have had a profound impact on him and his advice for writers seeking to improve their craft.

“Freedom comes from service. It’s not an ‘all for me and none for you’ freedom. It’s a collective freedom.” – Lewis Mehl-Madrona

This week on The School for Good Living Podcast:

  • Why indigenous wisdom has the power to change the world
  • How indigenous people embrace the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model of healing
  • The concept of freedom in indigenous culture, and how it differs from western culture
  • Why awareness matters in understanding the social/cultural dynamic in this country and what people can do to improve prejudice and heal historical wounds
  • The importance of coming to terms with the truth of genocide and broken promises
  • Where people can begin with becoming more historically aware and the impact Lewis believes this would have
  • The importance of radical acceptance when it comes to healing relationships
  • The role that money can play in supporting life experiences
  • Lewis’s book writing process and why he feels sharing his ideas through writing is important
  • The dynamic between Lewis and his wife when co-authoring books
  • Who has been influential in Lewis’s development as a writer, and what he learned from them
  • Why Lewis considers Milton Erickson to be one of his heroes
  • How Lewis writes balances his writing with his other work
  • What Lewis feels is a reasonable daily word count in the book-writing process and his advice for aspiring writers
  • Why you shouldn’t wait for inspiration to begin working towards your creative goals and the worst input that writers typically receive

Resources Mentioned:

**The School for Good Living may receive commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Connect with Lewis Mehl-Madrona:

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Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the School for Good Living Podcast, with your host, Bryan Miller. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave us a rating and review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to inspire others to improve their lives and reach their full potential.

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66. Lewis Mehl-Madrona – History, Ceremony and Creative Wisdom Part 1

Lewis Mehl-Madrona is a doctor, healer, and author of the Coyote Medicine, part of the Coyote trilogy, which looks at healing through the lens of Lakota, Cherokee and Cree traditions as well as how these practices collide with traditional medicine. He earned his medical degree from Stanford University, and has taught at several medical schools, including Maine Dartmouth, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Pittsburgh, along with his alma mater, and has authored over one-hundred academic papers. In addition to being certified in psychiatry, geriatrics, and family medicine, Lewis’s work focuses on the role of narrative and imagery in healing.

Lewis joins me today to discuss the mystery of memory and how what we do and don’t remember can set the groundwork for writing new stories and changing our life trajectory. He shares his insights on energy, ritual, and the power of prayer, and how a single metaphorical snowflake can trigger an avalanche. Lewis also shares his insight on the healthcare system’s approach to healing and the impact of ceremony in creating significant, lasting change in people’s lives.

“It’s really hard to get somewhere if you can’t imagine being there.” – Lewis Mehl-Madrona

This week on The School for Good Living Podcast:

  • What neuroscience is now telling us about memory and whether we truly remember things in detail
  • What “gappiness” is, how it applies to memory recall and reconstruction, and why it is important to understand
  • How we can create new narratives by understanding how memory works
  • Lewis’s perspective on future life progression and energy work
  • How faith and fear relate to imagination
  • Methods Lewis uses to help people move towards an altered state of awareness
  • The power of prayer, ritual, and ceremony
  • How traditional medicine has changed over time with what is widely accepted and the role of money
  • Whether the healthcare system prioritizes short or long term outcomes, and why
  • The Lakota term for prayer, and what it is all about from Lewis’s perspective
  • The importance of knowing when to pray and when to take action
  • The distinction between relatives and ancestors in the Lakota culture and the Lakota view of relatives

Resources Mentioned:

**The School for Good Living may receive commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Connect with Lewis Mehl-Madrona:

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Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the School for Good Living Podcast, with your host, Bryan Miller. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave us a rating and review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to inspire others to improve their lives and reach their full potential.

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65. Nick Egan – Breaking Free of Our Perspective Prisons Part 2

Nick Egan is a religion scholar, sought-after speaker, and an executive and business coach focusing on helping individuals and organizations maximize their potential and improve their leadership skills while improving their personal and professional development. He is the author of Shift: The Art of Transforming Limitations, a book that shares stories and insight on overcoming obstacles and challenges through intentional shifts in your mindset. He has helped countless organizational leaders and entrepreneurs to transform their mindset, dismantle mental limitations, and reclaim their freedom, flexibility, and success.

Nick joins me today to discuss why he believes our thoughts and emotions are similar and why he compares emotions to firecrackers. We discuss the importance of embracing our thoughts and emotions and the negative spiral that is created by suppressing them. We also discuss Nick’s perspective on using meditation to embrace your emotions, why some people find it difficult to see positive results from meditation, and why Nick believes life is like an ‘endless knot of discovery.’

“Emotion is essentially a thought that you can feel.” – Nick Egan

This week on The School for Good Living Podcast:

  • Why Nick compares our emotions to firecrackers and the connection between our thoughts and our emotions
  • The importance of embracing your emotions instead of suppressing them
  • Using meditation to embrace your emotions
  • How the practice of mindfulness has evolved over the years
  • Why Nick believes life is like an endless knot of discovery
  • Travel hacks he has learned throughout his traveling experiences
  • Why he began drinking black tea
  • One thing Nick wishes every American knew more about
  • The importance of being gentle with yourself and those around you
  • Why leverage and amortization are the two most important financial lesson he has learned
  • The moment he decided to write his book: Shift: The Art of Transforming Limitations
  • The creative process Nick used to publish his book and where he seeks inspiration for his written work
  • Nick’s advice for aspiring authors to get your creative projects over the finish line
  • Nick’s opinion of the qualities of a great sentence and how writers can create more of them

Resources Mentioned:

**The School for Good Living may receive commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Connect with Nick Egan:

This episode is sponsored by Nexus IT Consultants

Nexus IT Consultants offers world-class IT support and solutions to help companies of all sizes manage their information technology. Through hyper-responsive, white-glove IT support and services, Nexus IT can handle basic tasks like IT monitoring and maintenance to the more complex projects like digital transformation.

To learn more about the services offered at Nexus IT and to schedule your free comprehensive consultation, visit NexusITC.net

Subscribe, Rate & Share!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the School for Good Living Podcast, with your host, Bryan Miller. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave us a rating and review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to inspire others to improve their lives and reach their full potential.

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64. Nick Egan – Breaking Free of Our Perspective Prisons Part 1

Nick Egan is a sought-after speaker, coach, and author of Shift: The Art of Transforming Limitations, a book to help readers improve their organizational leadership skills as well as personal and professional development. Through Nick’s coaching, training, and seminars, he has helped countless organizational leaders to dismantle mental limitations and reclaim their freedom and flexibility to achieve success using his understanding of positive psychology and Buddhist philosophy. Nick holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Comparative Religion, and a Ph. D. in Buddhist Philosophy.

Nick joins me today to share how he discovered Zen and Buddhist practices and why it appealed to him. We explore how we often become the prisoner of our own perspectives and how we can liberate ourselves from these prisons. Nick shares strategies and practices we can use to transform our limitations and explains how we can use our thoughts and emotions to diminish the adverse impact of disempowering emotions. Nick also shares what inspired him to write his book, Shift: The Art of Transforming Limitations, and the lessons and insight he hopes readers will gain from it.

“If we truly understand our own minds – our own hearts – then there really is no fear to be had.” – Nick Egan

This week on The School for Good Living Podcast:

  • Why Nick believes life is about discovering who we truly are
  • Nick’s unique childhood and upbringing and how it has impacted his perspective and views today
  • How he discovered Zen and why studying and practicing it appealed to him
  • How his spiritual inquiry and learning journey has evolved
  • What inspired him to write his book and the insight he hopes his readers will gain from it
  • What the tigers on the cover of his book symbolize
  • Why he believes many people are trapped in their experience through the telling of their story and what it means to be the prisoner of your own perspective
  • How to change the narrative of your story to liberate yourself from the prison of your own perspectives
  • The power of the stories we tell ourselves and how they impact our beliefs
  • The importance of viewing obstacles and adversities as new opportunities
  • Identifying what gives you the power to be what you want and the bridge you need to cross to get there

Resources Mentioned:

**The School for Good Living may receive commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Connect with Nick Egan:

This episode is sponsored by Nexus IT Consultants

Nexus IT Consultants offers world-class IT support and solutions to help companies of all sizes manage their information technology. Through hyper-responsive, white-glove IT support and services, Nexus IT can handle basic tasks like IT monitoring and maintenance to the more complex projects like digital transformation.

To learn more about the services offered at Nexus IT and to schedule your free comprehensive consultation, visit NexusITC.net

Subscribe, Rate & Share!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the School for Good Living Podcast, with your host, Bryan Miller. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave us a rating and review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to inspire others to improve their lives and reach their full potential.

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63. Lydia Slaby – Wait, It Gets Worse Part 2

Passionate about inspiring individuals on the cusp of transition and transformation, Lydia Slaby is a “change witch” and the author of Wait, It Gets Worse, a book chronicling Lydia’s journey after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of thirty-three. Arianna Huffington endorsed Lydia’s book, dubbing it as “an everywoman’s guide to living a life that matters.” Lydia graduated from Northwestern University with her JD-MBA, and previously attended Brown University and Harvard. In addition to her storytelling, Lydia is a speaker, advocate, consultant, and non-profit board member. She served as the Massachusetts Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration and Finance under Governor Patrick and was formerly a corporate lawyer in Chicago.

Lydia joins me today to discuss insight into her creative process while writing Wait, It Gets Worse, as well as her writing routine and the dynamic between her and her editor throughout the process. Lydia shares when and where her love of writing began, and when she realized she wanted to transform her story and passion for writing into the creation of a book. Lydia also highlights the importance of feeling complete with your story by the end of your initial writing process, so you feel ready to release and surrender to the ins and outs of editing and publishing your book.

“Don’t hide who you are in favor for who you think people want to see.” – Lydia Slaby

This week on The School for Good Living Podcast:

  • The joy and the overwhelm that can arise when you have freedom, opportunity, and choice
  • How Lydia was able to endure in the face of extreme pain and the importance of staying present
  • How connecting with an indigenous healer after open-heart surgery impacted Lydia
  • When Lydia first discovered she was a writer and how her childhood love of math led to her appreciation for writing
  • The importance of intentional word choice as a writer
  • How Lydia drew upon her blog in the process of writing Wait, It Gets Worse
  • The moment Lydia decided that she was going to write her book and what the editorial process was like
  • The emotional process of writing the book, given the emotional trauma of the story
  • The importance of becoming a student and letting go of control in the publishing process
  • How Lydia found her editor and the importance of having a team with a clear vision for the direction of your book
  • The power of using your network to meet people who can help you achieve your desired goals
  • The importance of knowing your creative window and scheduling your time accordingly
  • The types of music Lydia listens to while writing
  • Lydia’s advice for aspiring authors
  • Why you should tell your own story honestly and authenticity, focusing on your own perspective
  • A sneak peek into the subject matter of Lydia’s upcoming book

Resources Mentioned:

**The School for Good Living may receive commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Connect with Lydia Slaby:

This episode is sponsored by Nexus IT Consultants

Nexus IT Consultants offers world-class IT support and solutions to help companies of all sizes manage their information technology. Through hyper-responsive, white-glove IT support and services, Nexus IT can handle basic tasks like IT monitoring and maintenance to the more complex projects like digital transformation.

To learn more about the services offered at Nexus IT and to schedule your free comprehensive consultation, visit NexusITC.net

Subscribe, Rate & Share!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the School for Good Living Podcast, with your host, Bryan Miller. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave us a rating and review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to inspire others to improve their lives and reach their full potential.

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62. Lydia Slaby – Wait, It Gets Worse Part 1

Lydia Slaby is a speaker, advocate, consultant, and the author of Wait, It Gets Worse, a memoir chronicling Lydia’s journey after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of thirty-three. Lydia identifies as a “change witch” and is passionate about helping people and organizations thrive in the face of change. In addition to serving on several non-profit boards and advising an array of organizations, Lydia served as the Massachusetts Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration and Finance under Governor Patrick, and she was formerly a corporate lawyer in Chicago. Lydia graduated from Northwestern University with her JD-MBA, and previously attended Brown University and Harvard.

Lydia joins me today to discuss her book Wait, It Gets Worse, and some of the universal life lessons and insights that readers can gain from reading the memoir. She shares her story and discussed how her cancer journey put a stop sign in the road, allowing her the chance to pause and move forward with renewed direction and self-awareness. Lydia also shares the importance of tuning into all aspects of ourselves – mind, body, and spirit – and why it is crucial to ensure that you are indeed a human being, not merely a human doing.

“I wanted other people to understand that they could leave their life before they were forced into it.”  – Lydia Slaby

This week on The School for Good Living Podcast:

  • What Lydia feels life is all about, and what it takes to be the best versions of ourselves
  • How Lydia named her book Wait, It Gets Worse and how she feels about having her story out in the world
  • The difference between a human being and a human doing and the importance of simply learning how to “be”
  • The importance of telling imperfect success stories in the age of social media
  • What demographic Lydia wrote her book for and the message she hopes to impart to them
  • Three aspects of our life that have the potential to either fall apart or work out and how survival is possible even when things go wrong
  • A peek into Lydia’s journey and lessons she has learned along the way
  • How our societal definition of “impressive” shapes the way we live our lives
  • The mind-body disconnect and how our brains can impede us from connecting with our bodies
  • The importance of coming to terms with the reality of your life
  • What purpose Lydia believes her cancer journey served in her life and her perspective on how spirituality and physicality relate
  • What makes it so difficult for people to make changes in their lives
  • What happens if we ignore the messages that life is trying to relay to us
  • Who Lydia’s most notable teachers were as she learned to listen to her own body
  • The power of meditation and silence
  • How our minds and bodies uniquely relate to the concept of time
  • How our bodies speak to us and how we can connect to our spirit more easily
  • How our spirit can connect us to a more profound sense of self
  • Lydia’s relationship with the hospital and why it provided her with so much comfort

Resources Mentioned:

**The School for Good Living may receive commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Connect with Lydia Slaby:

This episode is sponsored by Nexus IT Consultants

Nexus IT Consultants offers world-class IT support and solutions to help companies of all sizes manage their information technology. Through hyper-responsive, white-glove IT support and services, Nexus IT can handle basic tasks like IT monitoring and maintenance to the more complex projects like digital transformation.

To learn more about the services offered at Nexus IT and to schedule your free comprehensive consultation, visit NexusITC.net

Subscribe, Rate & Share!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the School for Good Living Podcast, with your host, Bryan Miller. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe and leave us a rating and review.

Don’t forget to visit our website, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to share your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media to inspire others to improve their lives and reach their full potential.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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