f you’re looking to improve your productivity, business plans, or even your mental health, you’ll want to tune into today's episode where I share how I constantly generate ways for my business to tell stories and let my brain “off the leash.” You can make intentional space for your brain to do what it does best: generate new ideas out of seemingly unrelated things.  You may be thinking “I don’t have ideas. Creativity is not my forte.” If you’ve been following the show, you’ll know that EVERYONE is a natural storyteller; it’s outside obstacles that get in the way of unlocking that new level in your mind. Understand that trying to force your brain to come out with an idea by a certain deadline will CRUSH your creativity. This is why people’s best ideas come out of the shower.  Learn today to create a clutter free space in your brain; it needs the breathing space to be bored. Worry less about optimizing every moment of your time for productivity and instead practice two simple, easy steps with me to become a creative idea-pumping, super brain machine. Be brave enough to try it for two weeks, and watch your thought process transform.   3 Key Takeaways Stop saying creativity isn’t your forte. EVERYONE is a natural storyteller and can be taught to use it.  Taking mental space will not only improve the business but also can help to heal personal anxiety.  Be brave enough to try taking 30 minutes out of two days to meditate or free associate. You’ll be amazed at the results. Get the full show notes and more information here:  https://storiedcoaching.com/how-to-turn-your…ive-idea-machine

Today, I want to talk to you about why you should allow more FAILURE in your life than you have been lately. And that’s because of the amazing results that I’ve gotten from doing this. Right now, we’re CRUSHING it at work.  We’re working scientists. We’re building that airplane in the air. We’re not getting hung up on the first try, and we’re not punishing the person responsible. Whether it's try number one, ten, or fifty, we stay focused on growth. Perfectionism fosters quitting after the third try. Clearly, you must be bad at it if you still can’t get it, right? The truth is that you were likely one or two stops from your desired outcome. It’s time to put perfectionism aside and embrace failure as a tool.  The timeline for knowing what you’re doing before you take the next step is not only longer but makes your team tentative to taking risks because they’re in a “cover your own ass” mindset. Correct yourself, and then make sure your team knows it's okay to make mistakes.  I’ll show you how to make it known inwardly and outwardly that you’re going to have to try several approaches before you achieve your desired outcome. I promise you, it will become common, and it will be worth it.  3 Key Takeaways Planning to fail more often will get you results faster. I can prove this from my own recent experience.  Why the traditional pattern of avoiding failure is SLOW at producing the results you want.  Learn why and how to be a scientist to get faster results and cultivate a team atmosphere of innovation instead of perfectionism.   Get the full show notes and more information here:  https://storiedcoaching.com/how-to-fail-more-for-faster-results/

You have made it all the way to the last of the Hero’s Journey series. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished, of who you have become. As you near the end of this quest, there are a handful of things you’ll want to be aware of before you return and prepare to make your new habits stick in your old world. In fact, there are three things, specifically, that you’ll want to expect.  The first is about the fact that you’re different now, and other people may not like it. But! Nothing is going wrong in this sense. To address this discord, I’ll walk you through how to help them to get used to the new person you’ve become organically. The second thing to expect: understand that old habits will come calling. And they may even be tempting. Stick to your guns.  Lastly (don't feel embarrassed about this), be prepared with the notion that you may now start to become the mentor for someone else. I speak personally when I say that there is nothing more rewarding.  In truth, your life, your Hero’s Journey, is constantly evolving, and not because of fear. Tune in with me today to talk about how it can all come out of a place of joy and abundance.  Remember, my friends, that no matter the area you made that change in your life, your personal and entrepreneurial lives are not exclusive. I am so, so proud of who you’ve decided to become. Get ready for your next adventure.  3 Key Takeaways Just because humanity’s natural response to your change in personality is awkward, doesn’t mean that your friends and loved ones won’t adjust. Progress is life.  Be prepared to become the mentor for others. Your leadership often inspires self reflection, be it good or jealous. For the good, you have a lot of rewarding wisdom to offer. Returning to the place where you began your journey tends to invite old habits. Don’t listen to them. If you can expect that, avoiding the temptation to relapse will be far easier.   Get the full show notes and more information here:  https://storiedcoaching.com/the-road-back/

Congratulations, we’re nearing the end of your Hero’s Journey sequence. We’ve already talked about slaying your inner dragons, and you’ve already reaped your reward. But guess what? That wasn’t the actual climax.  The true climax is today’s episode, which is all about the inner transformation a hero makes.  In a movie, this is the surprise part where the hero realizes they’ll walk back into the world as a changed person. For me, that happened when I became a father and also when I became a full-time business owner (more on that later).  This part will undoubtedly create fear of reverting back to the way things were before the journey–don’t let that stop you.  Today, I will give you an exercise used by countless students and yours truly, that will dissolve that negative anticipation. Invented by James Clear in Atomic Habits, this is a four-part framework that openly acknowledges you’re a different person now and makes staying on track a part of your routine. I will teach you to use these four steps in a way that will make you WANT to be the new person you’ve become, no fear necessary.   Key Takeaways Inner change is the actual climax of the Hero’s Journey, not slaying the dragon. How to get past the fear that everything will go back to the way it was before you stepped out the door, and prove that fear wrong A big part of today’s four-part system for staying on track as the new person you've become has to do with INCENTIVE.  Find a way to reward yourself every day in your new life routine, and see long-term, positive results. As per today’s four-part system for staying on track as the new person you’ve become.   Get the full show notes and more information here:  https://storiedcoaching.com/the-resurrection

When a Hero’s story comes to a great end, when they have seized the sword and taken their hard-earned reward, that is where most people assume the story has ended.  I’m here to tell you today that it is not. Today, we talk about the gift of perspective.  In fact, I will show you how you can use reflection to not only multiply the results of your reward but to help others as well. I’ll relate this to my experience hiking through ash on my way up a volcano and share why my perspective looking back on my path was even more amazing than the view at the top.  Because reflecting on how hard it had been: that perspective is the multiplication effect.  Join me today and help to debunk the corporate-wide stigma that sharing your successes means others have a leg up against you. Instead, think “Now that I’ve gotten the reward, how can I use this wisdom to be that mentor for someone else?” This wisdom will lift up your esteem to other people AND prepare you on your next adventure.  It’s like MAGIC. Who wouldn’t want to be Gandalf?! Because that kind of kindness: bringing that fire back to the village to share it with others, that is what real leaders do. 3 Key Takeaways So many people think that once you’ve reached the “sword,” the reward of your Hero’s Journey, that’s the grand ending. It’s NOT.  Reflection is the key element for multiplying your success into an onslaught of wisdom that can be translated into your home life, work life, and your next adventure. Stop believing that if you share your wisdom with others it will hurt your success. Real leaders share their experiences with others to help others.   Get the full show notes and more information here:  https://storiedcoaching.com/the-road-back/

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. You slew that dragon, and this is the REWARD.  Today, we’re going to take advantage of the moment in this phase of your Hero’s Journey, otherwise known as Seizing the Sword.  We’ll break down this moment into three important steps. First, look at how you’ve changed. You did get an external reward that others can see, but that’s not the more important part of your transformation. How did you become a better person, internally?  Next, I’ll show you why you need to take joy in your success by OWNING it. No more humble deflections or embarrassed mumbling. This is not a product of being prideful or rude. You are allowed to celebrate your successes, so raise that shiny new sword.  Last but certainly not least, I’ll lend you my 20/20 hindsight goggles so you can take a clear look into the past. That hindsight is part of your reward. Learn to view your success as more than just the tangible and determine those obstacles on the metaphorical trail that taught you something about yourself.   And then you’re going to use this knowledge to help others. There is no other feeling in the world like lifting others up (Stay tuned for future lessons on just how to do that, too.).  3 Key Takeaways  Look at more than the external reward. How have you changed as a person internally?  Stop feeling like you have to remain passive about your successes. You achieved the reward. Own it!  Put on your 20/20 hindsight goggles and take a look at the things that changed you along the way. What could you share with others?   Get the full show notes and more information here:  https://storiedcoaching.com/the-reward/

Welcome to our first double-digit episode of Storied Life Coaching, where we continue our Hero’s Journey series 7 of 11.  Everything we’ve done so far has built up to this stage: this is the ordeal. Last week we talked about getting ready at the mouth of the dragon’s cave. Now, you’re going in, and I’m here to help you remember why you’re on this journey. I’ll start off with a personal story of the first time I called myself a producer and had to step into that version of myself. It was uncomfortable, but if you weren’t going to do something big that made you uncomfortable and forced you to grow, then why did you go on the adventure, anyway? That’s why the risk is on the line during this stage; it takes such bravery to do this step. Don’t minimize the importance of this moment, because you’ve reached the peak, the high point of your Hero’s Journey. And as you enter, remember first that all the work you’ve done before now is exactly what has prepared you to slay this dragon.     3 Key Takeaways This is the stage where you’re going to have to “do the thing,” and you’re going to be uncomfortable doing it (more than likely, in front of someone else).  When experiencing fear during this stage, think of the people you admire who went through an earth shattering change in their lives. How did they come through? Despite your fears, you are prepared to make this step. Everything you’ve battled up until now has qualified you to slay the dragon.   Get the full show notes and more information here:  https://storiedcoaching.com/the-ordeal/

If you were a knight, you’d be approaching the dragon’s lair right about now. The Approach to the Inmost Cave is a step that often gets overlooked or absorbed into another part of the Hero’s Journey. But it is critical to your personal transformation. Today, I’m going to talk about what to expect when you’re going through a large life change or reinventing yourself. We’ll look at the feelings and thoughts you may have in the mouth of this cave, ready to face the ugly truth behind your inner dragons. This is no small thing, and it’s really an opportunity for you. As some of your threshold fears resurface, tempting you to pull the ripcord, use the powerful tool of reflection to fuel your step into the cave and bridge the gap between who you are and who you want to be.    3 Key Takeaways This stage is about your internal work and the things you don’t want to look at because they were scariest to address.  This step will likely involve feelings of anger, scapegoating, or even guilt–don’t be dissuaded by this. Overcoming is part of the work. Take time at this point to “inhale” and reflect on how all the work you’ve done has changed you.   Get the full show notes and more information here: https://storiedcoaching.com/approach-to-the-inmost-cave/

For this part of our Hero’s Journey series, you now face the obstacles between you and who you want to be.   In other words, this part is the WORK.  Feel uncomfortable? Then you are doing it right! As you look at the obstacles you see ahead of you, they may build themselves into what feels like an unsurpassable wall. But know this: it’s actually the work of your “Frank the Parrot” (Check out episode __ if you haven’t heard about him.). In fact, now that you’ve made it to the journey’s path, expect to find labels like “overwhelming,” “self-doubt,” and “imposter” creeping into view.   I believe in walking what I talk, so I will provide an example of how these labels have affected me through this very podcast and why it took me years to find the courage to speak, despite my postgraduate degree in performance.   And, in spite of these voices that neither of us is impervious to, I’m going to give you a powerful tool to defend yourself against them. We will learn to re-frame and transform those obstacles into assets, using a powerful concept from one of the oldest literary masters, Marcus Aurelius.  This phase can be daunting. But we can take it one obstacle at a time until the challenges become way finders for your Hero's Journey.     3 Key Takeaways  You are not alone in experiencing mental barriers on the path of your adventure. Hang on.  The stories you tell in your head can help or hinder you. Be open and curious to learn the difference.  Transform your mental framework to change obstacles into assets that will push you forward on your Hero's Journey.    Get the full show notes and more information here: https://storiedcoaching.com/tests-allies-and-enemies/

You’ve recognized that uncomfortable tug toward an idea. You’ve asked yourself the questions that lead out of the muck you found yourself in. Now comes possibly the hardest–but most important–part: stepping over the threshold and embarking on that adventure. Mustering the courage to walk out of our safe and comfy routine and into the unknown can be paralyzing! But today, I’m going to give you two reflecting questions for the times when you’re looking out that doorway. These questions will help you to take the right action: Walk through the damn door.  We’re going to help you build a risk tolerance in an unconventional way by letting your lizard brain go ham on the ways this could go wrong. And then we’ll remember what a threshold symbolizes and why it's important, and we’ll go through it anyway, using one, impactful follow-up question.    3 Key Takeaways First step over the threshold is the hardest to take, but each step gets easier.  Use the two questions provided in this episode to reflect and hold yourself accountable to the real reason you fear crossing the threshold.  How I rein in my lizard brain when experiencing anxiety over taking that first step.   Get the full show notes and more information here: https://storiedcoaching.com/crossing-the-threshold/