Personal Growth

Improving ourselves improves the world around us. Looking for inspiration? From curated TED Talks to stories of thought leaders providing actionable advice, there’s no better place to start your personal growth journey than right here.

Image: A boat creating a circular wave behind it in the ocean, representing how preventing things is much easier than dealing with their fallout.

How Forward Thinking Prevents Disaster

Have you ever heard the famous Ben Franklin saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?" And yet, our society is entirely reactive to existing problems, struggling to get the public interested in preventing tragedy before it strikes. Here's why that is, and what we can do to take more preemptive action both for the world and in our own lives.

10 Stories That Will Make You Feel Grateful Right Now with Michael Shields (Episode #110)

This episode will feel like "food for the soul" because it is chock full of quick insights and 10 recommendations for places to head to next if you want your hope in the future rekindled. My guest, Michael Shields, is also a podcaster, and like me, he speaks with amazing people every week who fill him with delight and wonder. So today, we are swapping stories about 10 of our guests (4-5 from each of us) who come to mind immediately when we think about ingenious ideas and helpful perspectives.

Get Rid of the Struggle: A New Model For Defining Success

Hard work is important, but it is not the only factor in our successes. Stop thinking of your herculean endeavor and acknowledge your good fortune. Here's how to become comfortable with an uncomfortable notion: that hard work isn't everything.

The Father-Daughter Business Fixing the Broken Chocolate Industry with Shawn and Lawren Askinosie (Episode #109)

If you or someone you know has aspirations to find more meaning and purpose in life, then today’s episode will serve as both inspiration and a bit of a roadmap. Our guests, Shawn Askinosie and his daughter Lawren, have each found their niche. In their working lives, their family business is reinventing one of the world's most important, and yet unsustainable, luxury items. And all the while they are enjoying wonderful personal lives of deep connection, travel, family and adventure.

Image: A young woman with brown, curly hair sitting on a couch with a book in hand, looking out the window and contemplating her daily routine

The Ultimate Daily Routine You Can Do Even If You’re Busy AF

Could a daily routine bring out the best in us? It doesn't have to be huge or long or even separate from what you're already doing. But when we make the conscious effort to focus on our mind, body, soul, and relationships, we can become the best versions of ourselves.

Are You the Hero, Artist, Prophet, or Nomad? Why Generational Archetypes Matter with Dr. Steven Shepard (Episode #108)

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a problem, and yet sensed that you were just one key insight away from a “Eureka moment,” then you will enjoy today's interview with Dr. Steve Shepard. In today’s episode, Dr. Shepard helps us see the differences between generations as a tremendous asset, instead of a source of friction. And in the end, we realize that someone who seems a planet away because of their age (young or old) may have just the insight we need to leap forward!

Misery or Mindfulness? Choosing Your Perspective Wisely with Dr. Srikumar Rao (Episode #107)

Turns out, we don’t have to solve any of our problems through struggle, trial, and error. No, there are pieces of wisdom out there that are as true today as they were 2,000 years ago. And today’s guest, Dr. Srikumar Rao, has done the work of gathering those pieces of insight and making them relevant to modern life. Dr. Rao is a sought-after speaker around the globe because the perspectives he shares have the power to help us make enormous leaps in our personal wisdom and use those leaps to rise above the chaos.

Image: A person holding an iPhone with Google Maps open, looking down a road with autumn leaves.

A Lesson From Google Maps

Could there be something to learn from Google Maps? Is there a wisdom in calmly moving on to the solution when you miss a turn instead of dwelling on the mistake? Here's how we could stand to learn something from Google Maps.

Take a Walk with a Doctor: Understanding Yourself Through Nature with Jonathan Reisman M.D. (Episode #99)

The best medicines for overwhelm these days are joy and wonder. Both, when you can get it! And today’s guest, Dr. Jonathan Reisman, brings us exactly that. He is a pediatrician and ER physician with a penchant for adventure travel, nature and food, and connecting ideas that no one ever thought to combine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Slate, and Discover Magazine and now he has a book that is one of the best “bedside reads” you might ever come across: The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of Human Anatomy.

Image: Two hands holding out a small yellow flower, extending care during a confrontation

How Care-frontation Will Help You Deal with Confrontation

Instead of running away from conflict, imagine a world where imperfections are embraced, where uniqueness is celebrated, and we feel called to carry those difficult conversations with an open heart. Here's how being genuine and consistent will revolutionize the conflicts in your life.

Image: A man holding a colorful cube in front of his face, and surrounded by hanging colorful cubes of the same type.

Three Core Beliefs You Need to Create Your Best Life

We all want to live the best life we possibly can, but are often held back, building our lives based on fear of what could happen instead of unabashed, fearless pursuit of joy. What if I told you there were three core beliefs that could help you make that change?

Don’t Wait to Live: Turning Pain into a Teacher with Stefanie Schaffer (Episode #98)

Making an amazing hand out of the cards you’ve been dealt can seem impossible. But today’s guest - Stefanie Schaffer - has mastered the process and shares insights we can all put in practice tomorrow. The “bad hand” she was dealt, was very bad: losing both her legs in a tour boat accident while on a family vacation at age 22. But, in just 4 years, she has recovered from one setback after another, and managed her responses with so much clarity that she has recently found herself modeling for Kim Kardashian’s company, traveling, writing a book, and finding perspectives that are useful through every chapter of her recovery.