Are you wisely using your genius energy? 

In this episode, Michael reconnects with Diana Hill, a therapist and author who has recently explored the concept of focusing your genius energy on what matters most through her book Wise Effort.

Their discussion spans from insights from ancient Buddhist wisdom to the application of commitment therapy to the practice of finding one's unique 'genius energy.' 

If you’re interested in practical ways to maximize your strengths, handle emotional challenges, and cultivate a meaningful and balanced life, you’ll want to join them to unearth actionable tips and exercises for making the most out of your efforts and ultimately enhancing your well-being.

Listen and Learn: 

• What is “Wise Effort” and how can this practice reshape your energy, choices, and well-being?
• Identifying and using your unique “genius energy” while also recognizing how overusing those strengths can become a stumbling block, and how cultivating awareness, curiosity, and context helps direct those strengths with wisdom
• Practical self-reflection questions to uncover your genius
• A simple four-question “energy audit” for knowing when to dial your genius up or down
• Where true wisdom really comes from, and what if rethinking how growth happens
• Adopting “Wise Effort” helps you understand your struggles in context, align your actions with your values, and transform both self-judgment and relationships
• Bringing mindful intention to even mundane tasks to transform how you use your time, connect with yourself, and balance structure with flexibility in a meaningful life

Resources: 

• Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9781649633361 
• Diana’s Website: drdianahill.com
• Connect with Diana on Social Media: 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdianahill
• https://www.facebook.com/drdianahill/
• https://www.youtube.com/drdianahill
• https://www.instagram.com/drdianahill/
• https://insighttimer.com/drdianahill 
• FREE Energy Audit guide: https://drdianahill.com/energy 
• Wise Effort: The Business Of Therapy Program: https://drdianahill.com/wise-effort-the-business-of-therapy 
• Michael’s Real Play Episode on The Wise Effort Podcast: https://wiseeffortshow.com/episode/living-life-on-your-own-terms-with-michael-herold-real-play 

About Diana Hill

Dr. Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist, author, international trainer, and recognized expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compassion-based interventions, and psychological flexibility. With a background that bridges neuroscience, mindfulness, and behavioral science, she is known for making complex psychological concepts both practical and inspiring.

A summa cum laude graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she majored in Biopsychology, Dr. Hill earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She later collaborated with Dr. Debra Safer at Stanford University, researching Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Appetite Awareness Training (AAT) for bulimia nervosa. She completed her clinical internship at the University of California, Davis, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at La Luna Intensive Outpatient Center, where she later served as Clinical Director and developed their ACT- and AAT-based treatment program.

A leading voice in the evolution of ACT and Process-Based Therapy, Dr. Hill works closely with pioneers in the field. She co-leads ACT BootCamp Training for Therapists with ACT founder Dr. Steven Hayes and is actively involved in shaping the future of therapy—including applications of AI, advances in diagnostic systems, network modeling, and process-based approaches. She serves as a senior meditation teacher and curriculum developer for the University of California’s Climate Resilience Initiative, integrating ACT and mindfulness into interdisciplinary environmental education.

Dr. Hill has contributed to publications in the International Journal of Eating Disorders and co-authored a seminal article on Process-Based Therapy, advancing evidence-based clinical practice. She is a contributor to PsychFlex, a digital platform that helps clinicians incorporate ACT into their work and track client outcomes in real time through ecological measurements. She also speaks regularly at global conferences including the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) World Conference, Innovations in Psychotherapy, and the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference.

In addition to her clinical and academic work, Dr. Hill teaches at organizations and retreat centers such as InsightLA, Blue Spirit Costa Rica, PESI, and PraxisCET. She serves on the clinical advisory board of Lightfully Behavioral Health and is a board member of the Institute for Better Health.

She is the author of Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most (Sounds True, 2025), The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, I Know I Should Exercise But…, and ACT Daily Journal. Her insights have been featured in NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, Mindful, Prevention, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, and other leading media outlets. She is also the host of the Wise Effort podcast.

With more than 20 years of study and practice in yoga and meditation—including training in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh—Dr. Hill integrates contemplative practice into her approach to healing and growth. She lives in California, where she raises two sons, cares for bees, and embodies the Wise Effort principles she teaches—living a life guided by presence, purpose, and compassion.

Related Episodes:

• 48. Practical Wisdom with Barry Schwartz
• 349. The Hunger Habit with Judson Brewer
• 188. Unwinding Anxiety with Judson Brewer
• 122. Taking in the Good with Rick Hanson
• 138. Exploring Existence and Purpose: Existentialism with Robyn Walser
• 320. Anger and Forgiveness with Robyn Walser
• 346. Self-compassion Daily Journal with Diana Hill
• 301. Seven Daily ACT Practices for Living Fully with Diana Hill and Debbie Sorensen

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