A Productive Conversation

By Mike VardyBusiness Careers Management

A Productive Conversation episodes

June 20, 2018 Willpower Doesn't Work with Benjamin Hardy
This week on the Productivityist Podcast, I am joined by Benjamin Hardy. Benjamin has been the #1 writer on Medium.com since 2016 and has organically grown his email list from 0-300,000+ subscribers in 2 years through his writings about self-improvement. His new book, Willpower Doesn’t Work came out this March.
In this episode, we dived deep into the psychology of willpower. Some topics we discussed include the dangers of relying on willpower, why it seldom works, and a better approach to productivity. We also discussed journaling as a tool for improving yourself and achieving your goals, among many other things.
Relevant Links
Benjamin P. Hardy | Medium
Willpower Doesn’t Work by Benjamin Hardy | Medium
What You Need to Know About Willpower: Here’s What Actually Works
You Can Never Change Your Life Through Willpower: Here’s What Actually Works
Willpower Doesn’t Work: Here’s How to Actually Change Your Life
Willpower is a Myth, and Believing in it Can Make Things Worse | CBC Radio
Top Change Management Consulting Firm: Employee Engagement Solutions
Johann Hari: Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong
Home – Joe Polish
How to Write in Your Journal to Improve Yourself and Achieve Your Goals
Genius Network Events 2018
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
44 min
June 13, 2018 The Direct Line Between Happiness and Productivity with Will Henshall
On the 200th(!) episode of The Productivityist Podcast my guest is Will Henshall. Will is the CEO and founder of Focus@Will, a tech music platform that helps 1.5m professionals be up to four times more productive at work.
He has had a 30 year notable career as a startup entrepreneur, tech inventor and musician. He founded the platinum-selling 90s British pop soul band Londonbeat (he wrote Billboard #1 hit songs ‘I’ve Been Thinking About You’ and ‘Come Back’). In 1996 he started up San Francisco based Rocket Network, and invented the pro audio media transfer tool ProTools DigiDelivery, used extensively in movie post-production, sold to Avid in 2003.
During our nearly hour-long conversation, we talked about the evolution of his entrepreneurial journey, attention and what distractibility has done to our productivity (and what he is doing to help combat that), the relationship between happiness and productivity, and so much more.
Relevant Links
Focus@Will
I’ve Been Thinking About You by London Beat | YouTube
The Big 5 Personality Types | Business Insider
Can This “Neuroscience-Based” Music App Really Boost Your Brain Power by 400% | WIRED
Dr. Ned Hallowell
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder | Amazon
Ikigai The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life | Amazon
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience | Amazon
How to Transform A Single Daily Theme Into an Everyday Focus | Productivityist
The Power of When with Dr. Michael Breus | The Productivityist Podcast
I’ve Been Thinking About You by Good Luck | YouTube
Focus@Will (@focusatwill) | Twitter
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 hr 4 min
June 06, 2018 Create Good Mornings with Craig Kulyk
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Craig Kulyk. Craig writes about how to customize your morning to build better habits and be more productive. We spoke about intentionality, how routines set the tone for the day, how you can shift and adapt your rituals over time and more.
Here are a few highlights from the show:
The power of routines
Building constraints (or you find yourself eating too many cookies)
Starting points at building a routine
The idea of sunk costs
The role fear of missing out (FOMO) plays in our decision-making process
Establishing breathing room or space into your morning routines
Questions to ask that are causing challenges in your morning routine
Planning your day
The power of small changes
Different things Craig has tried in his morning routine such as meditation, fasting, etc.
Craig’s experience with the Tribe Conference
Relevant Links
Five Simple Strategies to Customize Your Morning Routine
Start Here – Create Good Mornings
What You Can Learn from Mike Vardy About Productivityist
The Lesson of Sunk Costs (Applied to Morning Habits)
Why You Shouldn’t Spend Time Journaling in the Morning (And What You Should Do Instead)
127 Morning Rituals – The Ultimate List to Customize Morning Routine
Mike Vardy’s Morning Routine | My Morning Routine
Mike Vardy’s Evening Routine | Evening Routines
How Tribe Conference Can Change Your Life
Craig Kulyk @craigkulyk | Twitter
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
39 min
May 30, 2018 The Competitive Advantage with Austin Church
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Austin L Church. Austin is the author of children’s books and a consultant who loves helping people build businesses around the work that doesn’t feel like work to them. We spoke about theming, using physical tools to stay on track, keeping things simple and more. It was a great conversation that I think you’ll enjoy. Here are a few highlights from the show:
Why it’s a great idea to give credit to others (a funny story)
Using notecards
How simplicity is a serious advantage
Focusing on the right things at the right time
Proactively ignoring certain things
Managing complexity
The importance of focusing and finishing
Omission vs. elimination
Why we overestimate what we can do in a day
Overestimating urgency
Abstractions and exceptions
Creating durable plans
Assigning weight to specific tasks based on the day and bigger goals
Relevant Links
Austin’s Website
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Eat that Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get Things Done in Less Time
FOFI Cards
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
36 min
May 23, 2018 Getting Back to Happy with Marc and Angel Chernoff
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Marc and Angel Chernoff. Marc and Angel are the authors of the new book Getting Back To Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality and Turn Your Trials Into Triumphs. We spoke about happiness, overcoming adversity and the role rituals play in our happiness. We also did a self-inquiry session which I found very insightful. It was a great conversation, I hope you enjoy it too. Here are a few highlights from the show:
We are what we do on a daily basis
The importance of rituals as a way to move forward
Why rituals are a solid foundation for mindfulness and other tools
How Marc and Angel work together
The power of self-inquiry by journaling on the most stressful experiences
Our thoughts and the way we think are the stories we tell ourselves
98% of the time, the problem is not the problem, it is something deeper
Recording your thoughts, then reviewing them to bring awareness
Whatever you’re seeing is an interpretation of what you’re thinking
Ways to have lasting benefits such as visual reminders and accountability
Accountability using your own questions and having someone read them to you
Relevant Links
Marc and Angel’s Blog
Getting Back to Happy: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Reality, and Turn Your Trials into Triumphs
6 Tiny Daily Rituals That Will Change Your Life
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
37 min
May 16, 2018 Morning Routines with Benjamin Spall
On this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I speak with Benjamin Spall. Benjamin is the co-author of My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired, and the founding editor of the blog of the same name.
During our discussion we touch on how morning routines are important to both early risers and night owls alike, what was discovered about routines during the research for the book, what he has taken from some of the routines that are in the book (and from the website as well), and more.
The book reads like a solid reference book – a lot like Tim Ferriss’s Tools of Titans – and it’s a worthy addition to any bookshelf. Whether you use it to establish a solid routine or use it to find things to add or subtract to your own routines.
Relevant Links
Benjamin Spall’s Website
My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired | Amazon
Mike Vardy’s Morning Routine | My Morning Routine
My Morning Routine on Facebook
My Morning Routine on Twitter
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24 min
May 09, 2018 All Things Productive with Carl Pullein
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Carl Pullein. Carl is a personal productivity specialist, presenter and author of Your Digital Life and Working With Todoist: The Book. We spoke about the term “productivity,” how to get the most out of applications and more. Here are a few highlights from the show:
What productivity means
Why it’s so important to capture quickly
How culture affects perspective and productivity
What “hard edges” are and why it’s so important to productivity
Using tools for their designed purpose
The problem with having too many choices
Why it can be great to stick with one app that has a specific purpose
Why approach is more important than application
We tend to overcomplicate applications
Relevant Links
Carl Pulein
Your Digital Life & Working with Todoist
How to Turbo-Charge Your Productivity by Using Hard Edges and Single Apps
You Have a Choice and That’s the Problem
Why the Front End Work is Essential if You Want to be Productive
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 min
May 02, 2018 Purpose Mapping with Craig Filek
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Craig Filek. Craig is Executive Director of the Purpose Genome Institute and the creator of Purpose Mapping. He helps high-achievers realize their full potential by clarifying their purpose, aligning with their flow state, and making a meaningful contribution every day. We spoke about Purpose Mapping, how it provides users with valuable insights, and how it aligns with personal productivity. Here are a few highlights from the show:
We spoke about the concept of “flow”
How boundaries reinforce flow
Why it’s important to double down on the things you really do well
How Craig’s personal journey lead to the creation of Purpose Mapping
How your purpose and mission relates with your day-to-day life
Moving past the “Golden Hamster Wheel”
Why the areas you struggle with are important to your breakthrough
Relevant Links
Purpose Mapping: The Dirty Little Secret of Every High-Achiever
The Productivityist Podcast: Beyond the E-Myth with Michael E. Gerber | Productivityist
Craig Filek | Twitter
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
26 min
April 25, 2018 The Workcation Weekend with Holly Worton
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Holly Worton. Holly helps entrepreneurs dissolve their blocks and limiting beliefs around money and success. We discussed how Holly has a “Workcation Weekend” at a hotel once per month and uses this time to write books, rebrand her website and more. Here are a few highlights from the show:
How Holly uses what she calls “hyperfocus” by freeing herself from distraction
Why she goes to the same hotel for Workcation Weekends and has the same food
How to take a Workcation Weekend with kids
How Holly prepares for her time away
Why it’s helpful to plan ahead for your bookends of the workweek
The approach Holly uses to avoid burnout
How to set aside time to have your own Workcation Weekend
Relevant Links:
Holly Worton | Business Mindset Alchemist
The Definitive Guide to the Workcation Weekend | Business Mindset Alchemist
Books by Holly Worton | Business Mindset Alchemist
How I Write | Business Mindset Alchemist
Resources | Business Mindset Alchemist
Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the show don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. Until next time remember to stop guessing…and start going!
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page.
And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24 min
April 25, 2018 The Workcation Weekend with Holly Worton
On this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Holly Worton. Holly helps entrepreneurs dissolve their blocks and limiting beliefs around money and success. We discussed how Holly has a “Workcation Weekend” at a hotel once per month and uses this time to write books, rebrand her website and more.
23 min

About A Productive Conversation

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by productivity strategist Mike Vardy, A Productive Conversation offers insightful discussions on how to craft a life that aligns with your intentions. Each episode dives into the art of time devotion, productiveness, and refining your approach to daily living. Mike invites guests who are thinkers, doers, and creators to share their strategies for working smarter and living more intentionally. From practical tips to deep dives on mindset shifts, this podcast will help you reframe your relationship with time and find balance in a busy world.