The Art of Charm

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John Mackey | The Art of Conscious Leadership Sep 28, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover conscious leadership with John Mackey. John is the CEO and cofounder of Whole Foods as well as author of bestselling Conscious Capitalism and Conscious Leadership.

Being an effective leader is not just about leading the people around you, but being conscious of each individual and how you can help them grow around you, so what can you do to become a conscious leader, think about your competition in a positive way, and create an empowering environment at work and home?

What to Listen For

What is the difference between leadership and conscious leadership and how do you balance the two?
How do you lead with love in the cutthroat world of business?
How should you think about competition if you are a business owner so that you think of your competitors in a positive light rather than something that needs to be beaten?
Why is it important for conscious leaders to have a strong vision and how can not having one lead to disaster?
What 3 tips can you follow to learn from your mistakes if you want to be successful?
What signals can you look for in prospective employees for high emotional intelligence?
What can you do to create an empowering environment in your workplace?
How can you respond to criticism in a healthy positive manner?
Why is gratitude so important to being happy and what gratitude practice can you use to lead a happier and more fulfilling life?

Being conscious of the people around you takes effort, even more so when you are also in a leadership position since you are relying on the people around you for your own success and so it can be easy to forget to treat everyone the way each individual wants to be treated. But nothing worthwhile in life is obtained with ease, and the effort you put into being a conscious leader will pay off in the long run when the people around you support you and do everything they can to help you succeed.

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Resources from this Episode

Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity Through Business by John Mackey

Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business by John Mackey

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

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Jim McKelvey | The Art of Audacity and Humility Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover the innovation stack with Jim McKelvey. Jim is an entrepreneur most known for cofounding Square and the author of The Innovation Stack: Building an Unbeatable Business One Crazy Idea at a Time.

Innovation is not something that happens when you want it to, but when you’re backed into a corner and innovation is the only way out - so what can you do to prepare yourself and your company to make sure you’re in the best place to innovate when the time comes?

What to Listen For

What does it mean to get comfortable with discomfort and why is it important if you want to survive in a rapidly changing world?
What is the difference between an entrepreneur and a business person?
How can you tell if an idea is a billion dollar idea?
What does it mean for an idea to be a billion person idea?
How does your ability to build relationships influence your ability to build a business?
Why is it important to be both audacious and humble as an entrepreneur?
What is linguistic gravity and why is it important when trying to convey the significance of an idea you have?
What is an innovation stack and why is it integral to your success as an entrepreneur?
What is LaunchCode and how is it improving the industry of software development?

Being an entrepreneur requires a certain amount of comfort with the uncomfortable. As an entrepreneur, you are doing something that has never been done before, or you’re doing something that you’ve never done before, which means there won’t be a clear cut solution to every problem you encounter. If you are not comfortable with being uncomfortable, it will be more difficult to solve the hard problems and you will be more likely to walk away after being uncomfortable for too long. The most successful entrepreneurs appreciate the feeling of discomfort because they recognize that is where the real learning and innovation takes place.

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Resources from this Episode

The Innovation Stack by Jim McKelvey

Jim McKelvey’s website

LaunchCode - “Land Your Dream Job in Tech”

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

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Guy Raz | The Art of Inspiring Curiosity Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover vulnerability and curiosity with Guy Raz. Guy is a host and correspondent who has interviewed more than 6,000 people, is the co-creator of How I Built This and the TED Radio Hour, and is now the author of How I Built This: The Unexpected Paths to Success from the World’s Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs.

Expressing vulnerability and genuine curiosity can lead to fantastic conversations, so what does it mean to be vulnerable in a conversation, how can you inspire others to open up more, and how do you choose to be more curious?

What to Listen For

How did Guy Raz get his start as a podcast host?
What can you do to inspire people to open up more in conversation?
What can you do if you are struggling with depression and you’re not sure where to turn?
Why are more and more people contending with depression and anxiety today and what can we do about it?
What is the secret to happiness and why is it simpler than many of us think?
How can you change the way you view risk so it doesn’t stand in your way to happiness and success?
What mindsets allow you to face down adversity when you would normally give up and walk away?
How can we help build resilience in children?
What tips can you use to build a network that will help you find fulfillment and success?
What can you do to recapture the curiosity so many of us let go of as we become adults?

A nurtured sense of curiosity is one of the most important traits you can have when it comes to engaging people in interesting conversations. A conversation is a two way street - if someone expresses a thought or feeling, curiosity about her, or her thought or feeling, is what allows you to follow up with genuine interest in what she has to say by relating to your own experience and/or asking her follow up questions that let her know what she has to say is important.

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Resources from this Episode

Guy Raz’s website

How I Built This by Guy Raz

How I Built This - a podcast hosted by Guy Raz

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

Vikram Mansharamani’s website

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Dr. Vikram Mansharamani | The Art of Critical Thinking Sep 07, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover how to think for yourself with Dr. Vikram Mansharamani. Dr. Vikram is a global trend-watcher who shows people how to anticipate the future, manage risk, and spot opportunities, and is the author of Think For Yourself: Restoring Common Sense in an Age of Experts and Artificial Intelligence.

We’re often told to think for ourselves, but how do you separate your thoughts from the bombardment of information we receive from our devices and the people around us and what can we do to think critically about the ideas and opinions we read and hear every day?

What to Listen For

What can you do to identify the influences in your life and keep them in check so you’re not constantly pushed in many different directions?
How do you determine what decisions in your life are worth worrying about?
What can you do to stop wasting so much time on the tougher decisions in your life so you can keep moving forward?
What can you do to confuse the algorithms to help give you more unbiased information?
What checks can you implement in your life to prevent blind dependence on technology?
How do we decide when rules should be followed or broken?
What questions can you ask to remove underlying biases for rules, recommendations, or prescriptions?
What are the four types of decisions we make and how should we approach each one?
What is the Cynefin framework and how can it help you in complex decision making?
What is the value in being a generalist vs an expert, and how do we balance the two in our own lives?
What can you do to sort through the misinformation to find the truth?

Being able to think for yourself is an increasingly important skill as we continue drowning in ideas and opinions from the people around us and screens in front of us.

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Resources from this Episode

Think For Yourself by Vikram Mansharamani

The Cynefin framework

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

Busy Mind Reboot: 30 Days to Your Best Self

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Dr. Jessica Borushok | The Art of Rebooting Your Busy Mind Aug 31, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover getting unstuck from your busy mind with Dr. Jessica Borushok. Jessica is an award winning author and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy who has helped hundreds transform their relationship with their thoughts and optimize their world.

Busy minds keep many of us up late at night needlessly worrying, so what can we do to calm our minds so we can be more present and more productive and what does science say about why our minds race?

What to Listen For

What does science say about why our minds race when we’re bored?
What are the two ways we use social media and which one is detrimental to your mental and emotional well being?
Has technology made our minds busier, and if so, how do we deal with it?
Is an affinity for worrying a result of nature or nurture?
What question can you ask yourself to figure out if you’re worrying to solve problems or just worrying because you can’t quiet your mind?
What can you do to calm your mind when it’s racing?
What is the best way to connect with other people?
How can you know how to be authentic if you don’t know who your authentic self is?
What questions can you ask yourself to decide if your present actions are helping or hurting you?

Our minds are great at manufacturing an endless stream of thoughts, but most of our thoughts are not worth our valuable attention, otherwise we would never get anything done. We also can’t just shut our minds off because it’s the mind’s job to never stop thinking, so what can you do if you feel you are constantly overwhelmed with what is going on between your ears? Most importantly, remember that you are not your thoughts - you are the observer of your thoughts. Your mind is like a roommate you can never kick out, so it’s crucial that you build a healthy relationship with it rather than trying to fight it.

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Resources from this Episode

The Busy Mind Psychologist - Dr. Jessica’s website

Dr. Jessica on Instagram

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

Dr. Jill Stoddard’s website

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Dr. Jill Stoddard | Why Imposter Syndrome is Normal and How to Reframe it for Success Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover imposter syndrome with Dr. Jill Stoddard. Dr. Stoddard is a psychologist, author of Be Mighty, speaker, co-host of the podcast Psychologists Off the Clock, entrepreneur, and women’s advocate.

Imposter syndrome is a fact of life for anyone who is trying to push themselves and it can lead to extreme self-sabotage if left unchecked, so what can you do to overcome it, what does the science say about the topic, and how do you talk to people about it in order to move past it?

What to Listen For

What is imposter syndrome and what can you do to overcome it so you don’t sabotage your own success?
Where does the research suggest that imposter syndrome comes from?
Why do we struggle to internalize success and what can you do to change that so you don’t feel insecure about the work you do?
What are the 5 subtypes of imposters and how can knowing yours help eliminate your insecurities?
What can you do to overcome the fear or concern around asking for help?
What can we do to counteract feelings of imposter syndrome and move forward from them?
Why is understanding your values important to overcoming your imposter syndrome and what can you do to figure out what your values are?
How do you deal with imposter syndrome if you’re constantly around people who don’t respond positively to you opening up and being vulnerable?
Why is it easier to connect with people who are open and honest about their flaws?

Imposter syndrome will always be a part of our lives if we are focused on improving ourselves, so while we cannot eliminate it, we can find ways to reframe it and minimize its impact on our daily lives.

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Resources from this Episode

Be Mighty - by Dr. Jill Stoddard

Psychologists Off the Clock - co hosted by Dr. Jill Stoddard

The 5 Subtypes of Imposters by Dr. Valerie Young

What are Your Core Values?

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

Dr. Steven Hayes’s website

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Dr. Steven Hayes | The Art of Leading a Fulfilling Life Aug 17, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover how to focus on what matters most with Dr. Steven Hayes. Steven C. Hayes is a professor and author of 44 books and nearly 600 scientific articles, his career has focused on an analysis of the nature of human language and cognition and the application of this to the understanding and alleviation of human suffering.

It’s easy to let your life get derailed when you don’t have a solid understanding of what matters to you, but what can you do to determine your guiding values and how can you differentiate between the important thoughts you have and those that just distract you?

What to Listen For

What are the 6 processes can you implement to lead a more intentional life you find fulfilling?
Why is the pursuit of good feelings and avoidance of bad feelings detrimental to the human experience?
Why is it important to learn how to feel, and how do you learn how to appreciate “bad” feelings?
What exercise can you do before seeing someone to put yourself in a great mood?
How do you differentiate between thoughts that define you and thoughts that you’re experiencing, so you don’t have to feel like crap just because you’re thinking something negative about yourself?
What can you do to define your values so you have a strong guiding compass in life and don’t get bogged down by insignificant details and failures?
Should we trust our experience or our minds, and why can one lead to failure and time wasted?
What are the 3 C’s that can lead you to a more clearly defined and fulfilling life?
How can you deal with the thoughts that lead you to failure and avoidance?

There are an infinite number of things we could think about in a given day, but we only have 24 hours to experience them, so the thoughts we choose to focus on can have a lasting impact on not just our mental well being, but our long term happiness and success. Not having a solid foundation of guiding values can make it all too easy to fall into a trap of focusing on thoughts, feelings, and experiences that hold you back from becoming the person you want to be.

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Resources from this Episode

A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters by Dr Steven Hayes

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

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Dr. Stan Beecham | How to Build Belief Systems that Lead You to Success Aug 10, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover belief systems with Dr. Stan Beecham. Dr. Beecham is a sport psychologist, the director and founding member of the Leadership Resource Center, and the author of Elite Minds: How Winners Think Differently to Create a Competitive Edge and Maximize Success.

Beliefs define how we think about ourselves and the world around us, so what can you do to examine your own beliefs and understand if they are leading you to a better life or a worse one, and how can you change your beliefs if you realize they’re leading you down the wrong path?

What to Listen For

What questions can you ask yourself to better understand your beliefs and values and how they influence your behavior?
Why is it important to the people around you for you to work on yourself and constantly strive to be better?
Why is happiness the wrong goal to aim for if you want a fulfilling life, and what should you aim for instead?
Why is it important to examine your values and beliefs?
How do your beliefs and values influence your ability to pay attention and how will they prevent you from seeing a reality that will lead you to fail?
How do you rewrite the beliefs that are holding you back so you don’t miss out on countless opportunities to be successful and lead a fulfilling life?
How should we perceive confidence in a way that allows us to be more confident?
What can you do to overcome the urge to compare yourself to others?

What you believe influences how you perceive the world around you and what you get out of life. If you want to live a better life, achieve more success, or become the best version of yourself, it’s critical that you understand what you believe and why you believe what you believe. Going through life without an understanding of your beliefs and values is like wandering through a forest with a compass without understanding what north, south, east, and west are. Sure, you can follow the arrow on the compass because that seems normal, but will that get you to where you want to be? Only by sheer luck.

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Resources from this Episode

Elite Minds by Dr. Beecham

Dr. Beecham on Twitter

Check in with AJ and Johnny!

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Charles Duhigg | Why You Need a Quarantine Routine Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover the necessity of routines with Charles Duhigg. Charles is a Pulitzer-prize winning American journalist and non-fiction author, was a reporter for The New York Times, and has authored two books on habits and productivity, titled The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business and Smarter Faster Better.

Routines are more important than we give them credit for, but why, what happens if we don’t establish routines for ourselves, and how can you build a great routine even when your world has been turned upside down?

What to Listen For

Why are routines so important for humans?
What questions can you ask to spark interesting conversations instead of small talk?
How can you consume entertainment in a way that nurtures your creativity and ability to lead interesting conversations?
What can you do to find and identify experts you can trust?
How do you distinguish between someone who is genuinely seeking advice and someone who is just venting?
Why is mindset important when it comes to learning new skills?
What exercise can you start doing today if you are struggling with accepting painful events in your life?
What can you do to develop empathy and why is empathy so important today?

The word “routine” may evoke thoughts of mundaneness, or mindless repetition, but routines are incredibly important to us as humans. Routines allow us to remove the necessity of making difficult decisions by automating them. Going to the gym stops being about dragging yourself out the door and instead becomes the thing you do every morning because it’s your routine. Eating a healthy meal for lunch stops being a choice in suffering and instead becomes the part of your routine that leads to a healthier you and prevents you from giving in to cravings. Routines are important, and positive healthy routines are the key to supporting you on your path to living the life you dream of.

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Resources from this Episode

How To! - a podcast hosted by Charles Duhigg

Charles Duhig’s website

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg

Check in with AJ and Johnny!