Mike Vardy's Blog, page 46

Episode 266: Becoming Indistractable with Nir Eyal

On this episode I’m joined by Nir Eyal, the author of what I consider to be the best productivity book I’ve read in a long time, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.

This episode is sponsored by  MeetEdgar . I’ve been using MeetEdgar to help me pay greater attention to what I share on social media, when I share it, and how I share it. One element of my work that is going to be impacted by using MeetEdgar is that I can give greater attention to areas of my work outside of social media – like the book I’m working on – because MeetEdgar will take care of my social media needs. Give MeetEdgar a try. Visit  meetedgar.com/timecrafting  and use the code  timecrafting  to receive an extended 60-day free trial!

This episode is brought to you by  Woven Calendar . Woven Calendar features powerful scheduling tools built into a smart, collaborative calendar. I absolutely love Woven. It’s allowed me to streamline my appointment bookings on so many levels and is an absolute pleasure to use. The templates are a huge timesaver, the scheduling links are phenomenal, and the ability to quickly toggle between what is “My Time” and everything else on my calendar gives me a quick snapshot of my day like no other calendar app does. Listeners of thus podcast are getting an exclusive offer to put Woven through the paces for themselves. Sign up for free today at  woven.com/timecrafting  and add Woven to your productivity stack and schedule faster than ever before!

This episode is brought to you by the University of California Irvine Division of Continuing Education. Established in 1962, UCI offers education for adult learners in Orange County. But thanks to technology, their courses and certification programs in various fields are now available worldwide and online for just about anyone who’s interested. You can get 15% off of one (1) course by visiting  http://ce.uci.edu/productivityist  then enter the promo code  timecrafting . Make sure you take advantage of this limited time offer when Winter registration opens up on October 25th as it is only valid until December 31, 2019 at 11:59 pm.

Without question I feel that Nir’s book Indistractable is the best book on the topic of productivity that I’ve read in a long time. We dig into the book throughout our lengthy discussion, discuss the concept of willpower (and my misinterpretation of how he feels about it), and so much more. There’s plenty to unpack in this episode and I’m pleased to be able to bring it to you.

Talking Points



Why I feel that Indistractable is one of the best productivity books out there (1:40)Nir shares why ther book covers for both Hooked and Indistractable are yellow (2:22)The distinction between traction, time management, and becoming indistractable (5:00)What is pseudowork? (7:10)Nir Starts to reveal the four strategies that you’ll need to become indistractable (9:36)This is what time management actually is (11:36)We talk about willpower – and this is where I misinterpret Nir’s belief on the subject (12:56)As a follow up to our willpower back-and-forth, Nir says that this is what we DO have available to us (14:47)I share my external triggers with Nir and that leads to a discussion of the idea of identity (17:22)Nir spends time discussing the other types of “pacts” you can put in place on your indistractable journey (24:00)Nir gets personal as he discusses the power of “effort packs” (27:00)I share my own examples of “effort packs” (28:45)Nir talks about “progressive extremism” and its role in becoming indistractable (30:34)Nir talks about to do lists (37:35)Here’s what Nir says what you shouldn’t – and should – put on your calendar (40:25)We chat about misinformation around the use of tech (41:36)This is Nir’s definition of productivity… and his advice to live up to that definition (51:30)

“The body gets what the body needs.”

– Nir Eyal

Helpful Links



Good Life Project | Nir EyalRyan Holiday’s Recommended ReadingThe Productivityist Podcast: Willpower Doesn’t Work with Benjamin HardySchedule MakerThe 106 Year Old ProblemIndistractable.comNir and Far [Podcast]The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: Remote Work Friends

This episode is longer than usual but it’s worth every second. Nir’s perspective on productivity is attuned to my own in many ways. Hearing him agree with me on the concept of theming your time and using the calendar as a directory for your day and a to do list for the details of your day made… well, my day. I hope that this discussion we had made your day too.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 266: Becoming Indistractable with Nir Eyal appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 265: Bringing Gratitude with Karl Staib

I’m joined by my good friend and author of Bring Gratitude: Feel Joyful with Bite-Sized Mindset Practices, Karl Staib on this episode. We spend time speaking about the effects that gratitude can have on your productivity when you simply “bring it” into your life as much as possible.

This episode is brought to you by  TextExpander . With TextExpander, you can unlock your productivity with its many features. With TextExpander you can make everything you write repetitively available everywhere you type: text documents, spreadsheets, web forms, and more. Unlock your productivity with TextExpander. Visit  TextExpander.com/podcast  for 20% off your first year.

This episode is brought to you by  Woven Calendar . Woven Calendar features powerful scheduling tools built into a smart, collaborative calendar. I absolutely love Woven. It’s allowed me to streamline my appointment bookings on so many levels and is an absolute pleasure to use. The templates are a huge timesaver, the scheduling links are phenomenal, and the ability to quickly toggle between what is “My Time” and everything else on my calendar gives me a quick snapshot of my day like no other calendar app does. Listeners of thus podcast are getting an exclusive offer to put Woven through the paces for themselves. Sign up for free today at  woven.com/timecrafting  and add Woven to your productivity stack and schedule faster than ever before!

This episode is brought to you by  Zapier . When you’re running your own business your to-do list is never-ending. You know you could automate many of the tasks you do, but you don’t know-how. That’s where Zapier comes in. And right now through November, you can try Zapier free by going to our special link. Just visit  http://zapier.com/timecrafting  through November 2019 and get a 14-day free trial of Zapier – and tell them The Productivityist Podcast sent you!

Karl is also the creator of free 30-Day Bring Gratitude Challenge, an initiative that helps people strengthen their mindset through practicing gratitude. The challenge is presented in a private Facebook Group (linked below) and his goal is to get the smartest and most caring people together to create an amazing community so they can help each other learn from our mistakes and build a life that they all love.

Talking Points



Why Karl is a recovering “complainer” (2:07)What Karl means when he encourages you to “bring” gratitude (4:00)The story of the meeting that began Karl’s mindset shift towards gratitude (5:19)What Karl does when he catches himself veering away from gratitude (8:02)The question Karl asks himself that helps him tap into gratitude when he’s “just not feeling it” (10:33)Karl explains how to leverage both willpower and way power to help you practice gratitude (14:26)Karl gets into some of the scientific studies that have been made around the effects of gratitude (18:20)These are the 3 levels of gratitude… (27:06)The important thing Karl does at the end of the day (31:14)What finally made the journaling habit stick for Karl (32:23)This is what you can do start building the habit of bringing gratitude more consistently today (38:08)

“If you can be grateful for who you are and know that you are good enough in what you bring to every day, then it makes everything else easier.”

– Karl Staib

Helpful Links



Bring Gratitude: Feel Joyful with Bite-Sized Mindset PracticesMindset First Club on FacebookBring Gratitude CardsBring Gratitude

While gratitude may not have an immediate ROI when it comes to your productivity, the long-term benefits are massive. Like with meditation, simply practicing gratitude a little bit every day strengthens your resolve and builds momentum. Keeping a journal and asking yourself what you were grateful for over the course of your day can be a huge help… and you can also start your day off by simply telling yourself what you’re grateful for.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 265: Bringing Gratitude with Karl Staib appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 264: How to Build Yourself More Time with Jaime Masters

I’m excited to welcome Jaime Masters as a guest on his episode of the podcast. Jaime is the host of Eventual Millionaire. She’s interviewed almost 500 self made millionaires and billionaires. She’s been a business coaching for over 10 years and has taught six and seven figure CEOs, entrepreneurs and business owners how to double and triple their revenue. She has been featured in Yahoo Online, Inc.com, SUCCESS Magazine, Entrepreneur, Women’s Health Magazine, Business Insider, and more.

This episode is brought to you by  Blinkist . It’s hard to find the time to sit down to read and learn more. When you don’t have free time, you can’t read or work on personal development. Blinkist is an incredible app that solves this problem and I highly recommend it. I’ve been a satisfied customer for years and I’d love for you to join me. Head to  https://www.blinkist.com/timecrafting  and start your 7 day free trial today AND get 25% off a new subscription!

This episode is sponsored by  MeetEdgar . I’ve been using MeetEdgar to help me pay greater attention to what I share on social media, when I share it, and how I share it. One element of my work that is going to be impacted by using MeetEdgar is that I can give greater attention to areas of my work outside of social media – like the book I’m working on – because MeetEdgar will take care of my social media needs. If you want to give MeetEdgar a try, visit  meetedgar.com/timecrafting  and use the code timecrafting to receive an extended 60-day free trial!

I’ve been friends with Jaime for years and have had the pleasure of hanging out with her at events in cities all over the world. She loves business and all things geeky. She’s the mother of two amazing kids that are already making money in business as stilt walkers and contortionists. (I need to get my two kids on this whole “making money” thing!)

I wanted to talk to Jaime about her latest venture: Ownerbox. It’s Jaime’s new brand that delivers business owners the dream they signed up for when they started their business. We talked about what her plan is for Ownerbox, why systems are important, and much more she does to help people build themselves more time.

Talking Points



What is Ownerbox? (1:32)Why Ownerbox was created (2:08)Why the “CEObox” and the “Ownerbox” are NOT the same (3:14)Jaime tells The Story of Joey (5:33)We discuss the idea of patience and how it translates into Jaime’s latest venture (8:04)What Jaime’s intent was when she started her Eventual Millionaire brand (9:54)Why Jaime thinks systemizing is important to success (14:46)The discussion Jaime had with her kids when she told them that she was going to have someone else other than herself pick them up every once in a while (17:44)Why Ownerbox helps owners “pick their spots” when it comes to where they spend their time and energy (19:50)This is what Jaime recommends you do that will help you build yourself more time (22:33)

“Knowing that systems work better is one thing. Doing them is totally another.“

– Jaime Masters

Helpful Links



OwnerboxThe Productivityist Podcast: Michael GerberThe Productivityist Podcast: Paul JarvisEventual Millionaire: Michael Gerber Eventual Millionaire: Paul JarvisDave Ramsey’s Debt Snowball MethodThe Speed of Implementation: An Exclusive Offer for The Productivityist Podcast

Jaime knows how to help business owners feel like they own their businesses instead of the other way around. That’s why it’s no wonder that she created Ownerbox; it’s a vehicle to help her do that. The big lesson here is that putting a system in place is not only a smart move…it’s the only move you can make if you want to run a successful business (and, really… a successful life). It reminds me of something that I’ve said time and time again: Frameworks foster freedom.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 264: How to Build Yourself More Time with Jaime Masters appeared first on Productivityist.

How to Unlock Habit-Building Success and Achieve Your Goals

This is a guest post from Michael Schechter, my good friend and former co-host of my former podcast, Mikes on Mics. When I reached out to him to join me on a special episode of The Productivityist Podcast to celebrate International Podcast Day, he not only accepted the invite but shared with me this piece on how he’s trying something new to help him with his goals. I asked him if I could publish it on the blog. He was cool with that idea, so I present it to you along with the bonus podcast episode in question. Enjoy! – Mike

As someone with a decent amount of responsibility and a low level of impulse control, I struggle to build and maintain good habits.

One of my biggest struggles is watching what I eat (and not eating absolutely everything I watch). At the moment, I’m doing The Whole30 Program with my wife. It’s going about as good as I had expected. I tend to excel in the obsessive part of diets. It’s Day 31 where my eating habits will drift quickly back toward my bad habits. Now, in this case, there is no shortage of advice on what to do on Day 31, but —

I know myself. I’m going to go out of my way to avoid reading it. Because when Day 31 comes around, I am going to be highly motivated to eat all the things I didn’t eat for 30 days, as I now have a super awesome excuse to eat them again!

In my case, achieving success in short-term goals often gets in the way of the long.

So, while talking to my wife about both of my challenges, we acknowledged that a perfectly balanced diet and the always unlit faces of our children were slightly unrealistic goals.

Taking on The Whole30 Program

We started talking about the diet and came up with a reasonable guideline for Day 31. From Monday to Friday, we eat Whole30. On Saturday and Sunday, we let our metaphorical hair down a bit, but don’t go and decide to shave our heads. It’s a reasonable goal. But how to achieve it without some overly rigid system that inevitably makes me abandon the whole thing and go back to eating whatever my, likely clogging, heart desires.

Well… I have no idea yet if what I’m about to say is going to work, or if it’s even a good idea. But I’m going to try something different starting on Day 31 and will let you know how it goes in a year (or if I only manage to make it a week; if so, I’ll let you know then too).

As a former writer of productivity things on the internet, I love a system, especially a simple and catchy one. Early on, until something really becomes a part of my routine, I need a way to lock in and secure the goals. Which brings me to my new metaphor: a combination lock.

Setting My Combination

I’m going to secure my goal with a lock. In the case of my eating plan, I’m setting my combination to 52-52-52.

Five days on and two days off a week. Fifty-two weeks a yearFive vacation days and two sick days

Is this too rigid for what you’re trying to solve? No worries — just change and set your own combination. Need it to be three days a week, every week, but only for the summer, with no days off and no sick days? Well, 34-13-00.

As long as you lock in a combination that can successfully ensure your goal, it’s fine. But I strongly suggest setting a minimum as well before you begin.

In the case of my diet, 52-52-52 is probably a noble ambition, but not a realistic goal (I mean we all take vacations… right?). 52-48-52 seems like it might be ultimately more realistic, and anything less ain’t going to get me to my kids’ weddings. Not quite as “secure” as my initial combination, but secure enough to lock in a habit that helps me maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Success* (*with less structure)

Over time, I hope this habit will just become a part of my everyday life, as I’d ultimately like to maintain a healthier lifestyle without so much structure. Assuming it does, it will be time to take off the lock, identify a new habit, and find a secure combination that helps me to succeed in my large goals.

So, Setting Your Combination: How to Unlock Habit-Building Success and Achieve Your Goals (patent pending, totally untested). Am I onto something? Or is this yet another case of productivity porn over actual productivity?

I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes for me. If you give it a try yourself, I’d love to hear how it goes for you. You can connect with me at @mschechter on Twitter and share your thoughts.

The post How to Unlock Habit-Building Success and Achieve Your Goals appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 263: Own Your Weird with Jason Zook

On this episode, I speak with my friend Jason Zook. Jason is the author of several books, including Own Your Weird: An Oddly Effective Way for Finding Happiness in Work, Life, and Love.

This episode is sponsored by  MeetEdgar . I’ve been using MeetEdgar to help me pay greater attention to what I share on social media, when I share it, and how I share it. One element of my work that is going to be impacted by using MeetEdgar is that I can give greater attention to areas of my work outside of social media – like the book I’m working on – because MeetEdgar will take care of my social media needs. If you want to give MeetEdgar a try, visit  meetedgar.com/timecrafting  and use the code timecrafting to receive an extended 60-day free trial!

Jason Zook is an unconventional entrepreneur. Tired of living a life that felt prescribed to him by society, Jason used his out-of-the-box thinking and ingenuity to create multiple profitable Internet-based businesses. From making $1m wearing sponsored t-shirts for a living with his IWearYourShirt business, to selling his last name twice and eventually even selling his future, Jason is all about owning his weird!

Talking Points



Why this book needed to come out now (3:33)Jason and I discuss the resonance of the word “weird” over “different” (6:05)What’s difficult about adopting the mindset that being weird isn’t just okay but how it can help you thrive (8:58)What (and who) is this book really about? (10:27)How do you pay attention to your “weird” above all of the other noise that’s out there? (11:13)We talk about testing assumptions and how Jason does that (14:47)Why Jason can’t work with a personal trainer to help him reach his fitness goals (17:09)I reveal this episode’s Productivityist Podcast Pick of The Week (19:41)Why in the world did Jason decide to “sell his future” and how did it work out for him? (22:29)Does Jason look for weirdness when deciding to pursue projects? (26:37)This is what Jason said in his book that you can do right now to make your life better (28:30)Does every aspect of an initiative Jason pursues have to hit all three of his values? (29:11)Jason explains how challenging it was to write the “how to” aspect of the book (31:06)

“You cannot just go from 0 to 100 percent and be successful and have sustainability with it.”

– Jason Zook

Helpful Links



Get Own Your WeirdThe Productivityist Podcast #258: What You Can Learn from Napoleon Hill with Jeffrey GitomerWandering Aimfully@jasondoesstuff

The big thing that you need to think about around “owning your weird” is that you should absolutely OWN IT. I’ve found that when I embrace my weirdness that it hasn’t led me astray  – and has actually helped me forge a path that works even better for me. It’s definitely worked for Jason and I’m certain it will do the same for you. (You’ve also got a book out there now that can help you out if you need it!)

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 263: Own Your Weird with Jason Zook appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 262: Start Finishing with Charlie Gilkey

On this episode, I chat with my good friend Charlie Gilkey. He’s the author of the book Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done and is the founder of Productive Flourishing, a company that helps professional creatives, leaders, and changemakers take meaningful action on work that matters.

This episode is brought to you by the University of California Irvine Division of Continuing Education. Established in 1962, UCI offers education for adult learners in Orange County. But thanks to technology, their courses and certification programs in various fields are now available worldwide and online for just about anyone who’s interested. You can get 15% off of one (1) course by visiting http://ce.uci.edu/productivityist then enter the promo code timecrafting. Make sure you take advantage of this limited time offer soon as it is only valid until December 31, 2019 at 11:59 pm.

This episode is brought to you by Blinkist. It’s hard to find the time to sit down to read and learn more. When you don’t have free time, you can’t read or work on personal development. Blinkist is an incredible app that solves this problem and I highly recommend it. I’ve been a satisfied customer for years and I’d love for you to join me. Head to https://www.blinkist.com/timecrafting and start your 7 day free trial today AND get 25% off a new subscription!

Charlie and I have been friends for years and we see eye yo eye and a lot in the world of personal productivity. This book has been a long time coming and we spend time discussing the building of the book, the role of pacing in productivity, the idea of the “thrash” and how it impacts finishing, and much more. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode and I’m really happy to bring to you. Enjoy!

Talking Points



We talk about the relationship between starting and finishing to the calendar (4:28)How important is pacing when it comes to productivity? (6:32)Charlie explains where folks like him and I can get in trouble (8:45)How does someone keep themselves from getting run over by other projects when they are focusing on other ones? (10:32)This is something that didn’t make the cut during the editing process of Charlie’s book (12:25)Charlie says that this is one of the pillars of productivity (14:09)What is thrashing? (16:24)What does Charlie think about making all projects…well, projects? (17:12)How did Charlie deal with thrashing during the writing of his book? (26:54)Charlie talks about getting past the “hard side of things” (36:30)

“A project in motion stays in motion. A project at rest stays at rest.”

– Charlie Gilkey

Helpful Links



Start FinishingProductive FlourishingThe Productivityist Podcast: Jon AcuffThe Productivityist Podcast: Cal NewportThe Productivityist Podcast: James ClearThe Productivityist Podcast: Josh KaufmanThe Productivityist Podcast: Austin Kleon

Finishing is hard. But it can be done as long as you know that you’re going to face this idea of “thrashing” along the way, especially for things that really matter to you. I know I’m going to face that thrashing as I write my book (among other things) and knowing that is going to be there is the first step in seeing it through to the finish. The next step you could (and should) take is picking up Charlie’s book because it will help you with every other step thereafter.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 262: Start Finishing with Charlie Gilkey appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 262: Start Finshing with Charlie Gilkey

On this episode, I chat with my good friend Charlie Gilkey. He’s the author of the book Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done and is the founder of Productive Flourishing, a company that helps professional creatives, leaders, and changemakers take meaningful action on work that matters.

This episode is brought to you by the University of California Irvine Division of Continuing Education. Established in 1962, UCI offers education for adult learners in Orange County. But thanks to technology, their courses and certification programs in various fields are now available worldwide and online for just about anyone who’s interested. You can get 15% off of one (1) course by visiting http://ce.uci.edu/productivityist then enter the promo code timecrafting. Make sure you take advantage of this limited time offer soon as it is only valid until December 31, 2019 at 11:59 pm.

This episode is brought to you by Blinkist. It’s hard to find the time to sit down to read and learn more. When you don’t have free time, you can’t read or work on personal development. Blinkist is an incredible app that solves this problem and I highly recommend it. I’ve been a satisfied customer for years and I’d love for you to join me. Head to https://www.blinkist.com/timecrafting and start your 7 day free trial today AND get 25% off a new subscription!

Charlie and I have been friends for years and we see eye yo eye and a lot in the world of personal productivity. This book has been a long time coming and we spend time discussing the building of the book, the role of pacing in productivity, the idea of the “thrash” and how it impacts finishing, and much more. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode and I’m really happy to bring to you. Enjoy!

Talking Points



We talk about the relationship between starting and finishing to the calendar (4:28)How important is pacing when it comes to productivity? (6:32)Charlie explains where folks like him and I can get in trouble (8:45)How does someone keep themselves from getting run over by other projects when they are focusing on other ones? (10:32)This is something that didn’t make the cut during the editing process of Charlie’s book (12:25)Charlie says that this is one of the pillars of productivity (14:09)What is thrashing? (16:24)What does Charlie think about making all projects…well, projects? (17:12)How did Charlie deal with thrashing during the writing of his book? (26:54)Charlie talks about getting past the “hard side of things” (36:30)

“A project in motion stays in motion. A project at rest stays at rest.”

– Charlie Gilkey

Helpful Links



Start FinishingProductive FlourishingThe Productivityist Podcast: Jon AcuffThe Productivityist Podcast: Cal NewportThe Productivityist Podcast: James ClearThe Productivityist Podcast: Josh KaufmanThe Productivityist Podcast: Austin Kleon

Finishing is hard. But it can be done as long as you know that you’re going to face this idea of “thrashing” along the way, especially for things that really matter to you. I know I’m going to face that thrashing as I write my book (among other things) and knowing that is going to be there is the first step in seeing it through to the finish. The next step you could (and should) take is picking up Charlie’s book because it will help you with every other step thereafter.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 262: Start Finshing with Charlie Gilkey appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 261: Empathy Everywhere with Michael Ventura

This time around I’m joined by Michael Ventura. Michael is the founder & CEO of Sub Rosa – a strategy and design practice – and the author of Applied Empathy.

This episode is brought to you by MeetEdgar. MeetEdgar helps you amplify your presence and message across multiple social networks. Sync Edgar with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram and connect with your audience where they are, when they’re there. Head on over to meetedgar.com/timecrafting and use the code timecrafting to get an extended 60-day free trial.

This episode is also brought to you by TextExpander . With TextExpander, you can make everything you write repetitively available everywhere you type: text documents, spreadsheets, web forms, and more. Unlock your productivity with TextExpander. Visit TextExpander.com/podcast for 20% off your first year.

Michael and I talk about why it’s important to know the distinction between sympathy and empathy, what you can do if you want start applying empathy, and why knowing the differences between the types of empathy is important. I really enjoyed my conversation with Michael and I hope you do as well.

Talking Points



Michael suggests that finding empathy, let alone applying it, is as elusive as I think it isMichael digs into what empathy is but more importantly… what it isn’tMichael talks about the different types of empathyI ask Michael how someone who is trying to help or advise someone when you’re not able to completely empathize with them because their circumstances are so foreign to youMichael discusses the importance of asking questions and why follow up questions are so criticalWhat is a virtue you need have in your toolkit to help you in applying empathy?When did Michael realize that empathy was something he needed to explore?How important is it for people to learn the language of empathy and apply it regularly?We talk about an easy way to understand the difference between sympathy and empathyHow does Michael go about helping organizations foster empathy?How can someone take what Michael teaches and apply it on a personal level?What is a simple step that someone can take to start applying empathy today?

“If you go to a doctor and tell them ‘My knee hurts’ they don’t jump into ‘Well, there’s five different surgeries we could do to fix your knee.’ They’re going to do some x-rays, they’re going to some CAT scans, and what they might find is that you’ve got a bum ankle. And your ankle is going to throw off your knee a lot. So the root cause isn’t going to be the knee. The knee’s just where it’s showing up.”

– Michael Ventura

Helpful Links



Applied EmpathyYour Lack of Patience is Killing YouBrené Brown: The Call to Courage

While understanding and applying empathy may not seem helpful to your personal productivity, once you have a better grasp of empathy it can save you time when looking inward and dealing with others. Understanding and applying empathy can help you stay in touch with your humanity in a world that is driven by getting things done. I’m going to try to more on applying empathy to my work and my life and I encourage you to do the same. And Michael’s book is a great place to start.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 261: Empathy Everywhere with Michael Ventura appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 260: 10 Years of Sketchnotes with Mike Rohde

On this episode I speak with my friend and returning guest, Mike Rohde. Mike is the author of two bestselling books: The Sketchnote Handbook and The Sketchnote Workbook – and co-creator of the new Kickstarter project, The Sketchnote Ideabook. He presents workshops around the world that encourage people to use visual thinking skills to generate, capture and share ideas more effectively.

This episode is brought to you by Zapier . When you’re running your own business your to-do list is never-ending. You know you could automate many of the tasks you do, but you don’t know-how. That’s where Zapier comes in. And right now through November, you can try Zapier free by going to our special link. Just visit http://zapier.com/timecrafting through November 2019 and get a 14-day free trial of Zapier – and tell them The Productivityist Podcast sent you!

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Mike is also the illustrator of bestselling books REWORK, REMOTE, The $100 Startup, and The Little Book of Talent. He has been commissioned to create live sketchnotes for conferences and events, including SXSW Interactive, An Event Apart, Summit Series, and the World Domination Summit.

We touched on a variety of topics during our conversation, including an industry that he is elated to see embracing sketchnotes, his usage (and the evolution) of The Daily Plan Bar, and all about his latest project: The Sketchnote Ideabook.

Talking Points



Why did Mike decide to create a notebook when there are so many out there now? (4:23)What does Mike look for in a notebook? (5:48)What has excited Mike most about the rise in popularity in sketchnoting? (10:08)Mike talks about the intersection between digital and analog (14:40)What’s happened with The Daily Plan Bar since the last time we spoke (20:18)Where does Mike keep the long-term things he needs to work on at some point? (24:59)Does Mike have plans for more products beyond The Sketchnote Ideabook? (32:20)These are the things that surprised Mike the most as sketchnoting has spread over the years (34:42)This is the one language that Mike is surprised that his books has not been translated into (36:17)

“If you looked at everything then you wouldn’t have enough lifetime to look at it all.”

– Mike Rohde

Helpful Links



The Sketchnote IdeabookThe Revenge of AnalogThe Daily Plan BarThe Sketchnote FontThe Sketchnote Mini-WorkshoprohdesignThe Sketchnote Army

Analog isn’t going anywhere. It has evolved and will continue to evolve as it finds new ways to take hold in various aspects of our lives. Sketchnoting is an example of this; it’s been around for a decade and it keeps growing in popularity. I’m getting back into it myself and you’ll be seeing more and more of my work showing that in the weeks and months to come. I encourage you to check out the helpful links to see if sketchnoting will work for you. As far as I’m concerned, the sky is the limit for what Mike has crafted – and continues to craft.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 260: 10 Years of Sketchnotes with Mike Rohde appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 259: Being a Rare Breed with Ashleigh Hansberger

Ashleigh Hansberger is an award winning brand and business innovator. She was named by Inc Magazine as one of the “Top 30 Under 30” coolest entrepreneurs in America. She is the Co-founder and Chief of Strategy at Motto, a leading branding and digital agency that builds brands for emerging challengers and global brands who want to change the game in their industry.

This episode is also brought to you by NetSuite by Oracle. With NetSuite, you save time, money, and unneeded headaches by managing sales, finance and accounting, orders, and HR instantly – right from your desktop or phone. NetSuite is offering listeners of this podcast valuable insights with a FREE guide – “Seven Key Strategies to Grow your Profits” at http://netsuite.com/timecrafting .

This episode is brought to you by Blinkist. It’s hard to find the time to sit down to read and learn more. When you don’t have free time, you can’t read or work on personal development. Blinkist is an incredible app that solves this problem and I highly recommend it. I’ve been a satisfied customer for years and I’d love for you to join me. Head to https://www.blinkist.com/timecrafting and start your 7 day free trial today! 

Ashleigh and I spend much of this episode talking about her first book, Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different, which is described as “an unorthodox business book for the rebels, outsiders, and provocateurs — anyone with the ambition to lead, create, inspire and provoke change on your own terms by owning who you are.”

Are you a “rare breed” or not? Give this episode a listen and find out the answer to that question…and many more!

Talking Points



How Ashleigh encourages people to embrace being a rare breed (3:43)We talk about impostor syndrome (5:38)Ashleigh mentions one of the things that holds people back (6:32)How Ashleigh helps companies leverage the rare breeds within their organization (11:15)What can a “rare breed” do to get into a situation that works better for them? (14:51)Do support systems exist for the rare breed? How do you find them? (17:22)When one person who’s a rare breed steps up in an organization, do others that are usually follow suit? (19:52)I talk about – oddly enough – pro wrestling and how it relates to the concept of being a rare breed and sharing vision (24:44)We dig into why focusing on purpose, values, and vision is not something that we spend enough time on (30:08)Do people who embrace their “rare breed-ness” do they have an easier time saying no or yes to certain things? (31:40)Why do rare breeds have difficulty turning intentions into action? (33:06)Does Ashleigh think that rare breeds act differently at work than when they are off the clock? (36:14)Ashleigh reveals if she journals and her thoughts on journaling for rare breeds (37:54)What’s one thing that Ashleigh feels that rare breeds could use to help them take action and thrive (41:25)

“I call that self-care. To be able to define your vision…and to give yourself time to think ‘Why am I doing this in the first place?’, ‘Why is this important to me?’, ‘What is my purpose?’, ‘What are the values that we have?’ – that’s caring for your business or caring for yourself and your own path.”

– Ashleigh Hansberger

Relevant Links



Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and DifferentThe Greatest ShowmanThe 5 Second RuleEpisode 243: The Art of Noticing with Rob WalkerThis is Rare BreedMotto

Being a rare breed can be tough. But you can make it work. There are support systems – albeit small – that can help. You don’t need to go it alone. If you’re willing to take risks and can find a way to deal with being a rare breed (or even embrace it) then you’ll be able to do great things consciously and consistently. Oh, and Ashleigh’s book can help you with that process.

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

Before I wrap this up, I want to share some great news with you. I’ve signed a book contract. The book will be released in the summer of 2020. I’m already planning things out, including the promotion of the book, so with that in mind I have set up a page for the book that you can check out. I’m looking forward to sharing my book progress with you, special announcements, and other goodies there so be sure to sign up for updates on that page. That’s it for now. Thanks again for joining me on The Productivityist Podcast. See you later.

The post Episode 259: Being a Rare Breed with Ashleigh Hansberger appeared first on Productivityist.