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.
Keith and Laura explore the multifaceted nature of perfectionism and share their personal experiences. Perfectionism, while often seen as a positive trait, can be a significant obstacle to productivity and personal growth. It is complex and may appear in various shapes and forms: over-processing, hesitation, avoidance, and overwhelm.
Laura and Keith dive into Katherine Morgan Schafler’s The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power. Schafler identifies common perfectionist archetypes and offers insights into the characteristics and tendencies that come with each profile. Perfectionism can be incredibly nuanced, and being a perfectionist isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Laura identifies as a Parisian Perfectionist, driven by the desire to be perceived in a certain way. She often finds herself overthinking and second-guessing her actions, fearing judgment and criticism. This can lead to procrastination and a reluctance to share her work.
Keith, on the other hand, leans towards the Procrastinator Perfectionist archetype. He struggles with starting tasks, often paralyzed by the fear of not doing them perfectly. This can result in missed opportunities and a sense of frustration.
Gemini Ai’s Key Takeaways:
Recognize the impact of perfectionism: Understanding how perfectionism manifests in your life is the first step towards overcoming it.
Challenge self-limiting beliefs: Question the unrealistic expectations you place on yourself and strive for progress, not perfection.
Prioritize action over perfection: Take action, even if it’s imperfect. Remember, done is better than perfect.
Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself and avoid self-criticism.
Seek support: Talk to friends, family, or a therapist about your struggles with perfectionism.
Relationships and projects can suffer if we chase perfection. Let’s lean in and harness the good, prepare for the bad, and close the door on the ugly. Through recognizing the patterns of perfectionism and implementing practical strategies, we can break free from its grip and live a more fulfilling life.
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Practice Meets Perfection – Episode 003 [Rerelease]- Episode 061
Keith and Laura explore the challenges and opportunities that come with a major life change. Laura’s career move and their new living arrangement is a significant transition.
While acknowledging the challenges and dealing with the stressors of this new chapter, both Laura and Keith are looking to embrace the possibility and growth that comes with this opportunity.
Laura highlights the importance of finding joy in small moments and cherishing those moments along the way. Keith is using the transition as motivation to establish new habits.
Finding ways to maintain connection despite distance, Keith and Laura are staying focused on changing together.
Claude.ai identified these takeaways from the conversation for managing major life transitions: 1. Balancing logistics with emotional processing 2. Maintaining self-care practices 3. Finding joy in small moments 4. Staying connected with loved ones 5. Allowing yourself to feel and process emotions
We’ve got lots of reasons why we don’t start: Is it good enough? Is it even worth me doing? How on earth do we start this? How do you start a project?
Who wants to hear from me? Do I have something worthy to say? What is it that I’m going to contribute that’s different and creative and thoughtful?
We put up barriers and get stuck and spin. Where do you find yourself struggling when it comes to starting a project?
Keith emphasizes the importance of taking action rather than waiting for motivation. He shares personal experiences of overcoming fear and self-doubt, particularly in areas where he feels vulnerable. Keith’s approach to starting projects involves focusing on passions from childhood and embracing the unique voice each person brings to their work. He advocates for the power of admitting mistakes and taking ownership, which can alleviate fear and shame in professional settings.
Laura brings a leadership perspective to the conversation, highlighting the value of transparency and vulnerability in leadership roles. She discusses the use of time blocking as a strategy for making progress on projects and emphasizes the importance of choosing projects that bring joy and excitement. Laura also touches on the concept of shame, referencing Brené Brown’s work, and how it can impact our ability to start and continue projects.
Brené Brown, Seth Godin, Steven Pressfield, and Simon Sinek’s work has been instrumental for us as we learn and grow. There are many more, and we are sure to mention them in future episodes. Laura finds Keith’s copy of James Victore’s “Feck Perfuction” amongst his books and they go into a bit of an impromptu book club. Do you ever do that? Grab a random book, open to a random page, and see what the universe has to offer?
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Here are a few quick links to select works we enjoy and find helpful. Again, there is so much more.
● Brené Brown, Daring Greatly
● James Victore, Feck Perfuction
● Seth Godin, The Song of Significance
● Steven Pressfield, The War of Art
● Simon Sinek, Start with Why
Biggest Takeaways:
1. Start before you feel ready: Action often leads to motivation, not the other way around.
2. Embrace your unique voice: Your perspective is valuable and needed.
3. Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself as you navigate new territory.
4. Use strategies like time blocking to make consistent progress.
5. Remember that vulnerability can be a strength, especially in leadership.
** The Overwhelm of Starting [Rerelease]** – Episode 002
In Residence with Keith and Laura (Recorded way back on 4/15/2023
Keith and Laura work through overwhelm to turn ideas into action and dreams into reality.
