Zen Habits Podcast

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources

Credits

Intro music composition: Salem Beladonna & Robrecht Dumarey

Editor: Justin Cruz

S1 Ep06 - Accountability & Getting Back on Track Sep 20, 2023

Show notes

We can create an empowered relationship to accountability, to create greater leadership in our lives.

In this episode, Leo looks at how to create accountability that's effective, and shares examples of how he's used it in his life.

Topics Covered

How we have different relationships to accountability, ranging from disempowered to empowered
Coercing oneself to be disciplined can lead to issues when one falls off track
Accountability is simply accounting for whether a task was completed or not, without judgment
Accountability can be used to celebrate progress and learn from successes, as well as to get curious about failures
Accountability helps individuals take responsibility for their actions and make changes
Leo’s experience with a 33-day fitness challenge and how accountability affects his motivation
Suggestions for implementing accountability: find someone to be accountable to, set a consistent reporting schedule, and commit to specific, measurable actions
Dealing with discouragement and getting back on track involves reaching out for support, choosing to recommit, and starting small
The importance of forgiving oneself, letting go of negative emotions, and being compassionate to encourage progress

Connect with Leo

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources

Credits

Intro music composition: Salem Beladonna & Robrecht Dumarey

Editor: Justin Cruz

S1 Ep05 - Creating an Empowered Experience Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

In everything we do, we can feel lit up and feel meaning ... or we can feel a sense of obligation, victimhood, discouragement. The difference is how we're relating to what we're doing — in an empowered or disempowered way.

In this episode, Leo looks at how to create a new, empowered relationship to your purpose project.

Topics Covered

The concept of empowered versus disempowered relationships with one's projects and work
Empowered relationships involve feeling excited, lit up, and capable, while disempowered relationships are marked by fear, resistance, and self-doubt
How to examine their disempowered feelings and identify fears such as being judged, inadequate, or embarrassed
Examples of empowering contexts, including play, service, leadership, art, love, compassion, wonder, adventure, and curiosity, to help shift the relationship with one's projects
How to choose an empowering context and practice it consistently
The need for continuous practice and self-compassion when transitioning from a disempowered to an empowered relationship
How Leo is applying an empowered relationship to his project — working on his grandmother's book

Connect with Leo

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources

Credits

Intro music composition: Salem Beladonna & Robrecht Dumarey

Editor: Justin Cruz

S1 Ep04 - Focus Sessions & Working with Resistance Sep 06, 2023

Show notes

Let's talk about how to take your purpose project and turn it into action with focus sessions ... and how to work with the resistance that comes up.

In this episode, Leo looks at how to set up effective focus sessions, and how to embrace the resistance and fear that inevitably comes with meaningful work.

Topics Covered

The importance of "focus sessions" for our purpose projects
How to set up effective focus sessions & accountability
The most common obstacles that block us during focus sessions
How “passive resistance” works
How to embrace the unknown and fear that comes with meaningful work
The importance of not trying to eliminate fear, but working with it

Connect with Leo

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources

Credits

Intro music composition: Salem Beladonna & Robrecht Dumarey

Editor: Justin Cruz

S1 Ep03 - Creating Commitment & Structure for Purpose Work Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

Take the inspiration & possibility we discussed in the last episode ... and merge it with commitment and structure to create an even more powerful approach.

In this episode, Leo looks at how we can choose into structure & commitment from an inspired place.

Topics Covered

The importance of commitment and structure in pursuing meaningful projects
The tendency to procrastinate and delay important tasks when lacking commitment and structure
Commitment: setting clear goals and being unwavering in pursuing them
Various forms of structure — including setting specific timeframes, identifying when, where, and how the work will be done, and establishing consequences or accountability measures
Why you should write down your commitments and share them with others
The importance of practicing commitment and devotion in pursuing meaningful work

Connect with Leo

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources

Credits

Intro music composition: Salem Beladonna & Robrecht Dumarey

Editor: Justin Cruz

S1 Ep02 - Creating Inspiration & Possibility with Our Projects Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

Taking on a meaningful project where you're facing resistance ... do you just force yourself because you feel like you should, or because you want to be disciplined?

This works in the short term, but not the long term. We will give up eventually, and feel like we failed.

In this episode, Leo looks at how to work from a more inspired place.

Topics Covered

The common approach of forcing oneself to work on a project without feeling motivated
Moving from coercion to inspiration for long-term meaningful projects
The importance of generating internal inspiration rather than relying solely on external sources
Finding your deeper reasons and inspiration for the project
How to keep your vision and possibility front and center to combat resistance
Continuing to feel inspired and connected to the project's purpose
Practicing this process daily, even if it feels challenging at first

Connect with Leo

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources

Credits

Intro music composition: Salem Beladonna & Robrecht Dumarey

Editor: Justin Cruz

S1 Ep01 - How to Choose a Project, and the Power of Choosing Aug 16, 2023

Show notes

How do we choose what to focus on?

We can get caught up in indecision and overthinking things, and decision-making can be really difficult.

In this season, Leo asks you to play along and focus on a project where you'll work with fear and resistance. But how do you choose a project?

We'll take a look not only at how to choose a project, but how to choose anything. And how choosing from the heart (or gut) can be a powerful thing.

Topics Covered

The project Leo has chosen to work on in this season: his grandmother's book
Some ideas for projects you might choose for this season
How to deal with having multiple things you want to do — and how we get caught up in choosing the wrong thing
How we are choosing nothing when we don't choose
The consequence of choosing multiple things at once, instead of one thing
The consequence of choosing one thing, but then doing it because you should
The real power of choosing something, devoting yourself and pouring your full heart into something
The distinction between choosing & deciding
The practice of choosing from the heart
Calming your fears
Learning to let your heart have what it wants, and what happens when we do that

Connect with Leo

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources

Credits

Intro music composition: Salem Beladonna & Robrecht Dumarey

Editor: Justin Cruz

S1 Ep0 - Introducing Season 1: Fear + Wonder Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

What meaningful work do you want to do in the world?

So many of us want to live our purpose. We have valuable gifts to offer. But fear and resistance keep us from taking action.

And Season One of this podcast is about moving through the discomfort and finally tackling that important project you’ve been putting off.

So, how can you play along and truly be a part of The Zen Habits Podcast?

On this inaugural episode of the podcast, I describe how the meaning behind the title ‘Zen Habits’ has deepened since I started the blog of the same name 17 years ago.

I explain why the first season of the podcast is focused on doing hard things that are meaningful to you and challenge you to play along by choosing a project to do as you listen over the next four months.

Listen in for insight on how to get involved in the Zen Habits Podcast and learn how this show can support you in pursuing meaningful work—even when it scares you.

Topics Covered

• How the meaning behind Zen Habits has deepened since I started the blog 17 years ago

• Why the first season of the podcast is focused on doing hard things that are meaningful to you

• Some of the topics we’ll cover in Season One of the Zen Habits Podcast

• Why I’m asking you to choose a project to do over the course of the next 4 months

• How listeners can get involved by submitting questions, sharing your stories or participating in live coaching on the podcast

• Sharing the podcast with others who want to do their own purposeful work in the world

• The meaningful work I’m taking on as my project over the next 4 months

Connect with Leo

Email leo@zenhabits.net

Resources