#050 – Why We Suck at Email [Podcast]

We suck at email … no really, we REALLY suck at email.  I’ve heard countless podcasts and read many books that talk about being more productive at email … “inbox zero” … creating tasks from emails … but I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anyone talk about why we have such a hard time communicating by email.

Why We Suck at Email

Why We Suck at Email

 

In this episode, I’m going to share the work of two psychologists to help explain why we suck at email.  Then I’ll give you 3 guiding questions you should ask yourself every time you email, and about a dozen practical suggestions to implement email etiquette.

Click to Listen

#049 – The Road to Success [Podcast]

Depending on whom you ask, the road to success means different things. If you were to ask me, I’d say it means having a career that revolves around my real life. If you were to ask my cat, she’d say it involves finding a way to catch, immobilize and destroy her own tail. The first step in achieving success is often deciding what it means to you.

Road to Success

Road to Success

 

Chances are your answer is similar to mine. But whatever your version of success, people who want to be successful should mimic the behaviors of the great ones who came before them. 

Click to Listen

#048 – Cultivating Your Passion [Podcast]

Cultivating your passion requires a dedication to unstructured exploration. You have to leave large swathes of free time in your schedule, and fill this time with the exploration of things that might be interesting. Of equal importance, when something catches your attention you must leverage your free time to aggressively follow up.

Cultivating Your Passion

Cultivating Your Passion

 

Faced with the task of identifying their “passion,” most people have one of two reactions:

The first is a frantic search of their lives with the aim of uncovering some magical pursuit that unmistakably sings to their soul. As a writer of student advice, for example, I frequently receive e-mails from young people that begin: “I’m trying to decide what my passion should be…”  (If only it were that easy.)

The second reaction is paralysis: faced with the life-changing importance of this discovery, many people freeze — hoping for a sign from above that will make things clear. (Spoiler: This can be a long wait.)

Neither of these approaches succeed, as passion is not something that can be forcefully identified, and though it sometimes bubbles up serendipitously, this is not something you can count on happening any time soon.  So what’s a passion-seeking minimalist to do?

Click to Listen

#047 – Essential Assertiveness Skills (Assertiveness Pt 18) [Podcast]

Wow … 17 episodes on assertiveness!!  As we finish up this series on assertiveness, I thought it would be good to summarize what we have discussed for 17 episodes.  This episode is a bit longer than other episodes (one hour and 21 minutes, so be forewarned!).

Essential Assertiveness Skills

Essential Assertiveness Skills

In this episode, we first go through a brief summary of the entire book … chapter by chapter.  Then, I dug up a rare, old interview with the author of the book.

Click to Listen