In this special holiday rerelease, Laura and Keith dive into tactics that will help them create and grow projects and as people. What can we do differently? What has worked in the past that we could revisit?
Before we leap into 2025, we can reflect back over 2024, and listening to how it started in this episode. As the calendar year winds down, we shift our focus. What is to come and how can we succeed in our goals for the new year?
Keith leans into time management. Laura makes space for her project. We both prioritize self-care. Our goal is to show up and lead generously.
Let’s make time for projects and the life we want.
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**Structure, Slack, and Self-Care [Rerelease]** – Episode 070
Keith and Laura explore the concept of “being better at being better” inspired by a Seth Godin blog post. They discuss how this idea applies to personal growth, relationships, and decision-making.
Laura brings attention to the delicate balance between planning and taking action. She highlights the value of a growth mindset, encouraging listeners to embrace challenges as opportunities for learning and development. Keith emphasizes the importance of patience and long-term thinking in self-improvement. He suggests setting aside time for regular reflection and planning.
Communication and empathy emerge as central themes in the discussion, particularly in the context of long-term relationships. Keith and Laura emphasize how these skills are essential for navigating life’s changes together and maintaining a strong partnership.
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Better at Being Better – Episode 069
In Residence with Keith and Laura
Keith and Laura emphasize essentials for navigating life’s changes together and maintaining a strong partnership.
A simple keyboard adjustment revealed deeper insights about addressing underlying issues rather than just treating symptoms. Keith and Laura dig into the concept of root cause analysis and its applications in both personal and professional contexts.
Laura shares her experience with workplace ergonomics, and brings her professional expertise to the conversation. Finding the root cause of a situation can transform the problem-solving process. Laura emphasizes the importance of having diverse perspectives and maintaining honest dialogue when trying to uncover core issues. Keith discusses the importance of awareness and perception, referencing David Brooks’ book on the active process of prediction and correction in how we see and interpret the world.
This leads the couple to the famous “Five Whys” technique, originally developed by Toyota. The technique can be applied beyond manufacturing to personal growth and problem-solving. Laura and Keith demonstrate how this method can uncover hidden barriers and assumptions that might be holding us back from achieving our goals. Keith reflects on how family commitments, while genuinely important, can sometimes serve as a comfortable excuse for not pursuing other aspirations. Laura explores questions and barriers around a writing project.
While discovering and facing root causes can be uncomfortable, it’s essential for growth and meaningful change. Embracing the process of deep questioning and self-reflection can help you get unstuck and moving forward.
In this episode, Keith & Laura discuss transitioning from Learning to Action.
We focus on pairing theoretical learning with practical application. Laura stresses the importance of understanding one’s “why” or motivation. Pursuing activities that “light you up” and setting clear goals can facilitate action. Keith emphasizes practicing new skills in low-stakes situations, and building confidence and competence in new skills while stacking up small wins.
Laura and Keith dig into learning, growth, and how to take action in our lives through consistent practice.
Keith and Laura dig into and explore the practice of gratitude and its impact on both mental and physical well-being. They discuss practical and simple ways to incorporate gratitude into daily life, distinguishing between happiness and joy, and sharing accessible tools for developing a gratitude practice.
Keith introduced the “Five Minute Journal” practice and the importance of keeping gratitude simple and accessible. Laura shared the A-Z gratitude exercise from a podcast as a structured approach to creating joy.
The practice of gratitude can transform not only our own perspective but create joy that extends to others. Take 2-5 minutes today to try the Five Minute Journal, create a gratitude A-Z list, or send a heartfelt message of thanks to someone.
Key Takeaways 1. Gratitude practice doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming 2. There’s a meaningful distinction between happiness (internal) and joy (external) 3. Regular gratitude practice can improve both mental and physical health 4. Simple acts of expressing gratitude can create a positive ripple effect 5. Structured approaches like the Five Minute Journal or A-Z list can make gratitude more accessible
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Gratitude- Episode 066
A conversation with Keith and Laura on practicing gratitude and creating joy.
Keith and Laura discuss key concepts from Seth Godin’s book “This is Strategy” and share their insights.
Laura brings her professional experience in strategic planning to the discussion. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the systems within which strategies are developed and implemented. Laura also points out the differences between strategic plans and overall strategy, noting that plans need to be living documents that can adapt to changing circumstances.
Keith emphasizes the importance of putting strategy into practice rather than just thinking about it. He acknowledges his tendency to get caught up in his thoughts and recognizes the need to take action and iterate. Keith also highlights the value of empathy in understanding different perspectives and managing feedback.
Both, Laura and Keith agree that “This is Strategy” is a wonderful, insightful book with layers of concepts that beg to be explored through discussion.
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This is Us Talking Strategy – Episode 065
Keith and Laura explore key insights from Seth Godin’s “This is Strategy.”
Keith and Laura dive deep into the books, music, and experiences that have shaped their lives and continue to bring them joy.
Originally Released as part of Episode – 004 A Mixed Tape (09/28/2023), their conversation highlights the importance of surrounding oneself with positive influences and engaging in activities that spark creativity and personal growth.
Keith shares his excitement about Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary,” praising it as even better than “The Martian.” He also discusses his love for non-fiction books focused on personal development, mentioning “The Art of Possibility” as a current favorite. On the music front, Keith expresses his enthusiasm for John Batiste’s album “World Music Radio,” emphasizing the importance of giving challenging new music a chance.
Laura, on the other hand, finds inspiration in “Energy Speaks” by Lee Harris, using it as a tool for personal growth and mindfulness. She also shares her enjoyment of “A Death in Door County,” a murder mystery set in a familiar Wisconsin locale. Laura’s musical tastes are currently centered on LP’s new album “Love Lines,” which has reignited her passion for discovering new artists.
The conversation underscores the transformative power of books and music in shaping perspectives, providing comfort, and fueling personal growth. It serves as a reminder to actively seek out and surround one’s self with art and experiences that resonate and bring positivity to our lives.
As we navigate our daily routines, Keith and Laura encourage us to pause and consider: What books, music, or creative pursuits light us up? How can we incorporate more of these elements into our lives to foster joy, growth, and a sense of possibility?
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**We talk at length about a favorite new artist of ours, LP. It came to our attention after recording and publishing the original episode, that in our discussion, we address LP with the incorrect pronouns. LP prefers they/them pronouns. We apologize for our oversight.
Our aim is to be inclusive and for people to feel comfortable listening, participating, sharing space with us. We can’t always be articulate. We wish we could. Even if we don’t have the ‘right’ words to express our thoughts all the time, we will continue to learn, grow, and make space for others as we strive to share and listen generously.**
What Lights Us Up? – A Mixed Tape [Side B] REMIXED – Episode 064
Keith and Laura delve into the transformative power of surrounding themselves with positive influences and how it shapes their creative journey.
Originally Released as part of Episode – 004 A Mixed Tape (09/28/2023), this conversation covers personal growth, creativity, and the importance of being present. Both Laura and Keith touch on the importance of community and finding like-minded individuals who support and inspire creative endeavors. They explore the concept of “flow” and how it relates to productivity and fulfillment in our pursuits.
Keith shares his experiences with vulnerability and the ongoing process of developing a creative practice and the significance of showing up for oneself creatively, even when feeling uncertain or overwhelmed. Keith reflects on the challenges of self-expression and the importance of celebrating small wins, such as publishing the podcast.
Laura brings a unique perspective on the value of positive influences in our lives. She discusses her practice of using quotes and affirmation cards for daily inspiration, highlighting how these small acts can shift energy and perspective. Laura’s insights on balancing present-moment awareness with future planning offer a nuanced approach to personal and professional growth.
Ultimately, this episode serves as a reminder of the power we have to shape our environment and, in turn, our creative output. By consciously choosing to surround ourselves with positivity, embracing vulnerability, and celebrating our progress, we can cultivate a more fulfilling and productive creative life.
Looking to enhance a creative journey and personal growth? This episode offers practical advice and thoughtful insights for anyone developing their own practices.
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Positivity Impacts Growth and Creativity – A Mixed Tape [Side A] – Episode 063
Keith and Laura discuss the importance of preparation, practice, and putting in the work, over time, to achieve success. They discuss how the effortless and seamless execution of tasks often requires significant behind-the-scenes effort, drawing parallels from their own experiences and systems they see around them.
Laura knows what it takes to prepare. She highlights the importance of intentional planning and facilitation through a lesson learned from her early days as a leader. Laura harnesses repetition when preparing. She wants her delivery for presentations and speeches to not be memorized and stale, but truly conversational with a natural flow.
Keith knows that consistency is key for his success. He seeks to establish a useful routine and avoid becoming stuck in a rut. A recent podcast recording struggle may have stemmed from a lapse in their usual preparation routine. Creating time to prepare and knowing your intention can shape your focus.
This week, Laura and Keith found inspiration in their children taking the initiative to learn a song together. Their actions demonstrated the self-motivation and passion that can drive individuals to practice and prepare, even without external motivation. When we focus on what we truly care about or what lights us up, we’re often willing to put in the necessary work to excel. The appearance of effortlessness is often the result of diligent preparation and practice.
Keith and Laura invite you to reflect on the areas in which you could benefit from a more intentional approach to preparation and practice.
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Preparation and Persist – Episode 062
Embrace the power of preparation, passion and persistence to achieve your goals, and keep leaning in to the growth that comes with the practice.
