Balanced Pursuits

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Episode 33: Charles Post - Changing Minds Jul 19, 2020

Show notes

Hi friends and welcome back to the Balanced Pursuits Podcast. This week’s episode is with Charles Post & it’s one of our favorite episodes to date!

Charles is an Ecologist. He spent nearly a decade earning his master’s degree from UC Berkeley. Charles cares a great deal about the environment, animals, food webs, and the conservation & balance of all of these. Early in his career, he realized that one of the biggest challenges he’d face was not the science itself, but finding a way to use the science to make a difference. With that in mind, Charles set upon writing stories for publications like national geographic, producing films, and building a social media presence that both educates and invites interaction.

Charles believes in being consistent, admitting when you don’t know everything, and offering transparency in the sharing process. More than anything, he understands that it takes a combination of all of these to cultivate trust. Charles explains that “so often today, people want simplified stories, but science operates in context, complexity, and nuance… If we want more people to advocate for the causes we believe in, we’re going to need more people to understand them.”

Wise well beyond his years.

Today Charles is going to tell us all about the moments that he believes punctuate life and what he’s learned about humanity by studying animals. We’re going to ask him about his studies, his passions, and the causes he believes in. And he’ll share what he’s doing to make a difference in the world and what we can do as well.

In This Episode We Discuss:

Why we want to believe simplified narratives when it comes to complicated issues.

The importance of understanding different perspectives and preconceived notions.

How customizing stories can help change minds.

Why we care more about charismatic species and the importance of those we often overlook.

The daily anxieties of environmental education.

Google scholar and the importance of sourcing highly cited information.

How thinking of each of your purchases as a vote can help make the world a better place.

How to cultivate trust.

What it takes to become an authority in your field.

Why people are so much more complicated than animals.

Resources:

Follow Charles on Instagram

Check out Charles’ work with youth through The Nature Project on Instagram or the web

Research something you’re curious about with Google Scholar

Episode 32: Rob Lea - Something to Look forward to May 26, 2020

Show notes

Today we are talking to Rob Lea and we think you’ll find this one pretty inspirational. In 2019, Rob completed what he has dubbed the Ultimate World Triathlon. In the span of 6 months, he summited Mount Everest, swam the English Channel, and rode his bike across America. This is a man that isn’t afraid to take on hard challenges, in fact, he thrives on them.

Rob also had his eyes on the greater good as he summited Mount Everest with his now wife, Caroline Gleich (did I fail to mention he married his dream girl in the midst of all this?). Rob & Caroline used their climb as an opportunity to raise awareness for women’s equality, drawing attention to the implicit biases that exist toward women.

We explore all of this and more on today’s episode with Rob. So settle in to whatever it is you’re doing and enjoy.

In This Episode We Discuss:

What inspired the Ultimate World Triathlon

The difference between suffering while climbing Everest, swimming the English Channel and biking across America

How Rob prepared his body for each leg of the journey (like gaining 30 pounds in 30 days before the swim)

How to develop coping mechanisms to get through hard moments

What motivated the “tri for equality” aspect

Challenges for female athletes he’s witnessed first-hand as the partner of a pro athlete

What someone can do to understand their implicit bias

What he misses when he doesn’t have a “next” adventure planned.

Thought Experiment:

Rob’s motivation to take on these monumental challenges is simple, but so inspiring. To paraphrase, it gives him something to look forward to. Finding a reason to want to better yourself everyday is not easy. But if you can find a challenge you look forward to (one that causes you to train, study or prepare incessantly) you’ll be forced to become an improved version of yourself. We live for the feeling that comes along when you finally put all your training and preparation to the test - there’s nothing better.

Today’s thought experiment may sound simple but might be challenging to answer. What are you looking forward to? It’s perfectly fine to look forward to your beach vacation - we work hard to save the money to afford to do such things - but, beyond that, I’m asking about something you can achieve. Something that is simultaneously a challenge but also seems achievable with application. It can be as simple as making time to read a book or as daunting as climbing Mount Everest. What are you looking forward to and what will it take to make it reality? Until next time.

Resources:

Follow Rob’s adventures on Instagram!

Interrupt your implicit bias with this worksheet!

Learn about the Big Mountain Dreams Foundation!

Get yourself some real estate in Park City from Rob!

Episode 31: Christie Woods - Turning Wounds Into Wisdom May 11, 2020

Show notes

This week’s guest is none other than Christie Woods - the second half of the winning team from Amazing Race Season 31, which is how we first came to know her name. Christie’s partner, Colin Guinn, was our guest on episode 26.

Christie has lived seemingly numerous lives: from her time as an actress on the 1997 tv show The New Adventures of Robin Hood, to her work in sports marketing with the NFL, to the Director of Operations for DJI North America. Ultimately, Christie found her calling as an Integrated Sex, Love & Relationship Coach. Christie uses her intuitive abilities to help her clients process past trauma to transcend mediocre (or worse, toxic) relationships. She encourages her clients to go deep within to uncover & release belief systems & thought patterns that no longer serve their highest good.

We explore all things sex, love & relationship on this episode and discuss how Christie & Colin managed to turn their collapsing relationship into a thriving one. If you’re struggling in your relationship, you don’t want to miss this episode!

In This Episode We Discuss:

Turning relationship wounds into wisdom

Importance of really seeing your “role in the play”

The freedom that comes from imaging the worst-case scenario

Relationships as a spiritual practice

Cultivating deeper love by seeing yourself in a clearer way

Finding & healing triggers in your relationship

Showing up intentionally through self discipline & meditation

What it means to have multiple marriages with one person

Thought Experiment:

One of Christie’s main messages is learning how to identify our triggers - situations that tend to push our buttons and aggravate our wounds. Most of us move through our lives and relationships so automatically that we don’t realize there are wounds being triggered. We believe the people triggering us should change, which gives all our power away. What we don’t realize is that we have power in that moment to perceive things differently and not be triggered at all.

Our thought experiment this week is to identify ONE trigger in your relationship (romantic or otherwise). What is it that consistently sends you off the rails? Then ask yourself why. What do you make it mean about YOU when someone behaves in this way? Why? Recognize that you have a choice here. You don’t have to make it mean anything about you.

By simply bringing awareness to these situations they’ll begin to loosen. You don’t have to work to let go of the thought or belief. Overtime, these beliefs will let go of their grasp on you.

Resources:

Dr. Imoto’s The Hidden Messages in Water

David Hawkins Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior (introduces the idea of the Scale of Consciousness & The Emotional Code)

Learn more about individual coaching with Christie

Take Christie & Colin’s FREE relationship course!

Follow Christie on Instagram

Episode 30: Conor Daly - Anything, Anytime, Anywhere Apr 20, 2020

Show notes

Today, we’re chatting with Conor Daly, an American professional race car driver. We first met Conor on the set of the Amazing Race when we competed back in October 2017 and quickly became friends. It’s hard not to be drawn to Conor’s honesty or his penchant for comedic relief. He’s also never afraid to make fun of himself or be the subject of his own jokes. Conor was constantly our reprieve during long travel days on the Race! These qualities aren’t what you’d expect out of a highly skilled race car driver, one who often drives upwards of 200 miles per hour. Conor is approachable and relatable, so it’s no wonder he’s a fan favorite.

In This Episode We Discuss:

Why Conor thinks Amazing Race is more fun looking back

How he worked his way back to doing 13 races next season after losing his ride in 2017

How he stayed ready to race in his time off

How to deal with the ups and downs of being a professional athlete

How Conor learned to just always be himself

How his performance at the Indy 500 helped him get his confidence back

Best and worst things about the amazing race

Scariest part about being a race car driver

Thought Experiment:

“Anything, anytime, anywhere. I’ll drive it.” - Conor Daly

That was the attitude that helped Conor get through some of the lows in his career. Being ready to show up and fight for his dream no matter what. It also left him open to other paths.

For today’s thought experiment, think about a time when the chips didn’t fall in your favor. How did you react to that? Was it fuel to your fire? Did you reevaluate and open yourself up to change? Or did you let that setback extinguish the flame all together? What can you learn about yourself through that experience that can help you deal with things better in the future?

Let us know down below!

Resources:

Give Conor a follow on IG & Twitter!

Episode 29: Susi Mai - Developing An Entrepreneurial Mindset Apr 13, 2020

Show notes

Welcome to this week’s episode of the Balanced Pursuits podcast with professional kite surfer and pioneer of the sport, Susi Mai! Susi is an entrepreneur, event organizer and an ocean conservation activist. Through her Mai Tai events, Susi has been a connecting force that’s helped launched companies whose products are probably in your home today. She’s met with many of the world’s most successful people and she’s touched the lives of tribes with little contact to the outside world. Susi is a force and it’s no wonder when you hear how she got her start.

In This Episode We Discuss:

Susi’s early years kiting & how Playstation got her into the sport

How a wildcard entry to her first event forever changed her life

Susi’s ever-shifting perspective on the world

What you can be excited about regarding ocean conservation

Why kite-boarding can be a great indicator of your success in business

Thought Experiment:

It doesn’t happen often, but at some point, it happens to all of us. A small moment or chance encounter that dramatically changes your life forever. This happened to Susi when her dad convinced her to enter that local contest. It launched her career and completely changed the trajectory of her life. It happened to Kristi when, as one of the only female freeskiers, she met one of her heroes and was encouraged to chase her dreams. It happened to Jen when she met her now husband on a solo mountain bike ride in the middle of nowhere.

These moments changed our paths forever, but we had to say YES to something to get there. We had to enter that contest, do the things that scared us, take the dive, and step into action. We had to get up, get going and chase our dreams. So we’d like to end with a little encouragement to never let yourself stop exploring, because we truly believe that this world has endless possibilities for all of us.

Resources:

Visit Susi on the web at SusiMai.com!

Follow Susi on Instagram & Facebook!

Learn more about Susi’s ocean conservation efforts through Ultra Marine here!

Episode 28: Arielle Shipe - The Cage is not Locked Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Voted one of the 15 Millennial Yoga Teachers to watch out for, Arielle Shipe is best known for her adventurous spirit and passion for personal development/growth which she shares on Instagram and YouTube. Arielle joins us this week to share her wealth of wisdom about living a fulfilling life. We go deep in this episode exploring how loss impacts our ability to live.

Arielle goes on to share why she believes it’s so important to have a purpose behind your daily actions, how success in one area of life can lift you up in others, and the power sobriety has in getting to know your true worth. She is also working on one of her personal life goals this coming year of thru- hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (a 2,650 mile hiking trail from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington).

As a climber, adventurer and ex semi-professional snowboarder Arielle has always been one to look for new ways to test her limits of what’s possible. We can’t wait for you to listen!

In This Episode We Discuss:

What Arielle’s IG bio quote, “Hint - the cage is not locked” means

Her plans to hike the Pacific Crest Trail and how it came to fruition

What the unexpected loss of Arielle’s father has taught her about living life

How success in one area of life can propel success in the next

Why sharing experiences on IG can help us all live better lives

Thought Experiment:

One of the things Arielle shared in this episode was her father’s ability to live in the present moment and say yes to things that made him come fully alive. It reminded me of a quote from Howard Thurman that says ““Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Our thought experiment this week is to think about when you feel most alive. Where are you? What are you doing? Who are you with? What are you thinking about? When you find the answer, try to prioritize these moments over others. We need people like you to come fully alive in this world.

Resources:

Follow Arielle on Instagram @arielleshipe

Check out behind the scenes details of Arielle’s life & adventures on YouTube

Learn more about Arielle & her yoga on her website

Episode 27: Kristi & Jen - What "Balance" Really Means Mar 30, 2020

Show notes

BALANCED (adj): having different elements in the correct proportions

PURSUITS (noun): an activity of a specified kind, especially a recreational or athletic one

The word “balance” is in the title of our podcast, but what does it really mean? Kristi & I ask all our guests how they find balance in their lives, and of all of our standard wrap questions, this one makes our guests pause the most. Often our guests say things like “Oh, I think I’m still working on that one” or “I haven’t figured that out…” but then go on to give an answer that really speaks to our perspective of balance. So, we decided we should probably record an episode about what balance really means!

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

What we mean by balance

What balance looks like in each of our lives

Why it’s important to have balance

How to cultivate more balance in your life

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Know your values/priorities - check in on them frequently as they may change over time

Be willing to say no - some things just aren’t worth your time (check in on your reasons for wanting to say yes - scarcity (I’ll never have an opportunity like this again) or people-pleasing (I don’t want to let them down).

Look at life as seasons - don’t try to fit everything in at once, don’t seek balance in each day, but over the long term (see-saw analogy)

Have multiple interests that carry equal weight & importance in your life not just by time or money but by the emotional value the hold for you.

THOUGHT EXPERIMENT:

It’s a crazy time in the world. Most of us are on some kind of lockdown or at least practicing social distancing. For many of us, our routine has been stripped away. Our lives look like shells of what they used to be. It may seem impossible to prioritize your values right now, but we beg to differ.

Times like this are a perfect opportunity to reflect on what really matters and to start building habits to prioritize your values from a blank slate. Take a few moments to think about what truly fulfills you in life. Are you prioritizing these elements or are other things taking precedent? How can you give more attention to your current values? Even in this chaos, we can choose what gets our attention. Make it count.

Sending lots of love & health your way.

xo,

K + J

Episode 26: Colin Guinn - The Future of Possible Mar 23, 2020

Show notes

Such a fun episode this week with Colin Guinn, one half of the winning duo from season 31 of The Amazing Race (the interview with Christie, his wife will be released in a few weeks)! We talk a little bit about the race, but mostly we explore Colin’s nerdy tech side through his business pursuits, specifically with drones.

Colin is a serial entrepreneur and high tech product development expert. He’s currently the founder of Guinn Partners, an autonomous robotics and emerging technology consultancy and investor. Prior to this, he founded Austin startup Hangar Technology, after serving as Chief Revenue Officer at 3D Robotics and founder/CEO of DJI North America. Colin has developed, invented, and/or patented some of the most popular drones in the world, including the DJI Phantom, Zenmuse Gimbal systems, the 3DR Solo, and several others.

Colin is one of the most interviewed experts on robotics and drone technology in the world, and provides product development guidance to startups and Fortune 500 companies alike. He has testified on the subject of commercial drones in a congressional hearing, has been featured at premier industry conferences, and in countless top-rated publications and newscasts, including 60 Minutes, CNN, Techcrunch, Forbes, and Fast Company. During his career developing drones, Colin has had the opportunity to teach many of the world’s greatest technologists, artists and filmmakers about drones; including Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, Stephen Spielberg, Michael Bay, Carlos Slim, and countless others.

In This Episode We Discuss:

How The Amazing Race led to the launch of Colin’s drone for television use

Colin’s time as CEO of DJI and how he developed the Phantom drone

Gaining new perspectives of who we are through flying drones

How drones could potentially increase safety for big wave surfers

How technology can help us live more sustainably

How a manifestation/meditation practice helped Colin & Christie win The Amazing Race 31

Thought Experiment:

One of Colin’s main pieces of advice for anyone looking to improve their lives was to introduce a meditation practice, even as short as 5 minutes out of the 1440 minutes we have in a day. Kristi & I both know that as simple as that sounds, it can be difficult in practice. Which is why we want to offer a few ways to start meditating that don’t require sitting completely still with perfect posture, cross-legged & without thought.

Most new meditators believe that the goal is to have “no thoughts,” which is a tall order considering we have about 60,000 thoughts in a day. But really, the goal is stop attaching to them, to not get sucked down a rabbit hole of unproductive, exhausting thinking. Our invitation to you, is to commit to 60 seconds of focused breathing.

Feel the breath as it moves in through your nostrils filling your lungs & belly, pay attention to how instantly calming it is, and observe your mind. If you notice yourself drifting, then bring your attention back to your breath. Don’t judge or berate yourself for being human and having a thought. Just let the thought continue floating along in the sky like a cloud. Your goal is simply to allow the thoughts to pass through, to notice them without latching onto them.

You can also do this while on a hike or simple bike ride in nature. You can do this in yoga - one of my personal favorite ways to bring a meditation practice into my life. You don’t have to be still in order to meditate. And if you have any questions for how to get started reach out to us on Instagram or leave a comment below!

Resources:

Read Joe Dispenza’sBecoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon

Episode 25: Jamie Little - Forget About the End Goal Mar 02, 2020

Show notes

We are so excited to share this week’s episode with Jamie Little with you all! Jamie is an American pit reporter for NASCAR coverage on Fox, though Kristi & I know her from her early days reporting at X Games.

Jamie is well known among the motocross and extreme sports community for being a pit report on ESPN's Motoworld program. In 2008, Jamie won the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, edging out Craftsman Truck Series champion Mike Skinner by 0.324 seconds.

But beyond her work in the field and behind the wheel, Jamie is a wife, mom (2 kids and 4 dogs), entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Her energy and enthusiasm for life is purely contagious. We got so much out of this interview with Jamie and know you will too!

In This Episode We Discuss:

What drives Jamie to keep pushing for growth in her life

Why it’s important to focus on small steps and forget about the end-goal

The power of not dwelling on negative stereotypes & letting your work speak for itself

Jamie’s process for managing performance anxiety

Jamie’s love for animals and how she gives back

Tweetables:

“If I want it I go for it.”

“It’s not about the end goal.”

“I always said yes. I never said no to a new opportunity.”

“When you want something, you really do need to make sure that people know you want it. Don’t just assume that because you’re good or you’re the next in line, that you’re gonna get the opportunity.”

“To me, knowledge is power.”

Thought Experiment:

Jamie shared so many valuable lessons with us in this episode, one of which is around managing fear & anxiety. Anytime we’re pursuing our own personal limits and pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone we’re going to be confronted with an uncomfortable feeling of incapability.

Jamie shared her process of managing her fear and anxiety through preparation. It’s through this preparation that you get yourself into action, you develop your knowledge, you develop your skills and it helps you to manage that fear through developing your confidence.

So, friends, if you’re facing a big challenge that seems impossible we encourage you to dig deep. Find a way to get yourself into action simply to start preparing, to start learning and give yourself the power of knowledge!

Resources:

Follow Jamie on Instagram and Twitter!

Watch Jamie on A&E’s America’s Top Dog

Episode 24: Chris Benchetler - Start Before You’re Ready Feb 24, 2020

Show notes

About Chris:

Chris, a California native grew up skiing Mammoth Mountain, which was home to one of the first snowboard parks in the Nation. By virtue of his surroundings and peers he was heavily influenced by snowboarding and art, which seemed to shape him into one of the more stylish skiers out there. Caring more about how a ski turns and glides through the snow, led Chris into designing and developing his own pro model ski with Atomic; The Bent Chetler. “I try to have my ski be an extension of me, and try to look at the mountain as one continuous line, instead of compartmentalizing it into one single cliff or air.”

His art and designs have also made it on other signature pieces for Dakine, Dragon, Reef, and Clif Bar. Including his most recent art endeavor of painting a 70ft mural with Skye Walker, on the side of the EVO store in Seattle, WA. Starting his career competing in slope-style, he shortly after met the film crew Poorboyz Productions, and realized he could ski powder full time. He quickly bailed on the contest scene and started chasing his true passion; deep snow and creativity.

Now Chris is known for traveling the world and skiing in front of a camera. Between creating the GoPro Series ‘Chasing El Nino’ and followed by the series ‘Chasing AdVANture’ plus multiple other edits for GoPro’s channels, he has also played a roll in starting Nimbus Independent, a production company founded in 2008 by Eric Pollard with help from Chris, Pep Fujas and Andy Mahre. In addition, he has been featured in films with Teton Gravity Research, Sweet Grass Productions, Warren Miller, MSP and Poorboyz Productions.

Jokingly tormented during the summer for his passion for surfing and love of climbing, he tries to stay close to home in California as much as possible where he is at peace in the mountains and in striking distance to the sea.

In this episode we discuss:

Chris & his wife (professional snowboarder, Kimmy Fasani’s) anniversary tradition

How being present allows Chris & Kimmy to balance adventure with parenting

How Chris landed a gig directing & producing an official Grateful Dead ski & snowboard film

The power of starting before you’re ready

The challenge of making people believe in your vision

How Chris has learned to blend his many passions into a unified career & lifestyle

Tweetables:

“No line is ever the same. Sure, you can ride the same line twice, but you’re never gonna turn in the exact same spot. And you’re gonna always approach it the second time differently than the first because you have more knowledge and you have a larger toolbox of skills.”

“To make people believe in a vision is a whole other job in itself.”

Resources:

Watch Fire on the Mountain - The Official Grateful Dead & Chris Benchetler Film

Follow Chris on Instagram

Check out all of Chris’ pursuits & shop his pro models on ChrisBenchetler.com!

Thought Experiment:

One of the recurring themes in this episode was Chris’ willingness to begin before he was completely ready. He doesn’t dwell on his lack of skill or experience in certain areas he just gets started and learns along the way. Confidence and capability are qualities most of us believe we need in order to accomplish great things. But, what’s often overlooked, is that both confidence and capability are created through the actions we take not from speculating from the sidelines about what we need to do.

Which brings us to this week’s thought experiment. It’s a simple one: ask yourself what it is that you’re not doing because you believe you don’t have the skills or the know-how required to achieve it. Then, pick one small action step you can take toward making it a reality. As Mark Twain said, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.”

Once you’ve done that, drop us a comment below so we can be your accountability buddies! You’re far more capable than you believe.

As always, thanks for listening to the BalancedPursuits podcast. Until next time.

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