Welcome to the first episode of 2026! If you’re feeling that “new year, new me” pressure: goals, plans, fresh calendars, the whole thing—this one’s for you. Because when life inevitably punches your perfectly color-coded week in the throat, the issue isn’t your planning… it’s what you thought planning could control. This episode is all about Control vs. Agency—and how to stay productive when outcomes refuse to cooperate.

In this episode we cover:

• Why Control Breaks (and Agency Doesn’t): Control tries to guarantee outcomes; agency chooses your response when the day goes sideways.

• The Identity Trap of Productivity: What happens when “being on top of things” becomes self-worth—and why that makes disruptions feel like failure.

• The 4-Step Agency Process: Name what you’re trying to control, separate what’s in your hands vs. not, choose one “agency lever,” then replan from reality.

• Stabilization Over Catching Up: Why the goal isn’t to “win the week,” but to stop the panic spiral and choose the next stabilizing move.

• Plan Like a Menu (Not a Script): Scripts make you panic when life changes a line; menus give you options when the day changes the plot.

If you’ve been stuck in the loop of “I did everything right and still lost control,” this episode is your reminder that you don’t need a new system—you need a different stance. You may not control the story, but you do get to choose how you show up on the page.

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I’m excited to welcome Mike Vardy back to Beyond The To-Do List for one of our ongoing traditions: Productivity A-Z!

This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation — and we split it across both shows. Part 1 is over on Mike Vardy’s podcast, A Productive Conversation. You can also watch the whole two part video here.

Here on Beyond The To-Do List, we pick up the thread and cover letters N-Z.

In this part of the conversation, we cover:

• What “Nuance” Actually Means for Productivity: Moving beyond rigid rules and one-size-fits-all advice into decisions that fit real life.
• Pacing vs. Speed: Why sustainable progress is less about going hard and more about going smart—without the burnout tax.
• Rhythm and Cadence: How to build productivity patterns that flex with your energy, your season, and your responsibilities.
• Rest as Part of the System: Why recovery isn’t a bonus feature—it’s a core component of doing meaningful work consistently.
• The Middle Ground Between Chaos and Control: How to keep enough structure to stay on track, without so much rigidity that the whole system snaps.

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I’m excited to revisit this conversation with Annie Duke to the show to talk about her book, How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices. Annie is a former professional poker player turned decision strategist who blends cognitive psychology, high-stakes poker, and practical frameworks to help us make better choices in work and life—even when we don’t have all the information.    

In this conversation, we cover:

• Luck, Skill, and Outcomes: Annie explains why we need to stop judging our decisions solely by outcomes—and how separating luck from skill leads to better learning and better choices over time.    
• Thinking in Bets and Living with Uncertainty: Drawing from her poker career and academic background, Annie shows how “thinking in bets” helps us navigate uncertainty, manage risk, and make sound decisions even when the long run is a long way off.    
• Simple Decision Tools and Knowledge Tracking: We talk about practical decision processes—like writing down what you knew, what you believed, and what you predicted at the time—to close feedback loops faster and improve your judgment without needing 10,000 repetitions.    
• Escaping Bias, Sunk Costs, and Identity Traps: Annie unpacks how status quo bias, sunk cost fallacy, and “identity-protective cognition” keep us defending past choices instead of seeking truth—and how a better decision process helps us see options more objectively.    
• Confidence, Quitting, and Knowing When to Pivot: We explore how to calibrate confidence, tell the difference between a mountain and a molehill, and decide when perseverance serves you—and when it’s wiser (and more productive) to climb back down and choose a different path.    

Annie’s insights take decision-making out of the realm of “go with your gut” and into a practical, repeatable process you can use for everything from small daily choices to major career moves. If you’ve ever looked back and thought, “If I knew then what I know now…”, this episode will give you tools to reduce those regrets and make more confident, informed decisions going forward.  

Learn more about Annie and her work at AnnieDuke.com, where you’ll find her books, talks, and newsletter, along with ways to connect further. You can also find How to Decide wherever books are sold.

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In this shortcast episode, Erik Fisher talks with Tamsen Webster about the hidden structure behind every message that sticks. Tamsen introduces the Red Thread—a framework for crafting ideas that feel obvious in hindsight and impossible to ignore. Whether you’re pitching a project, leading a team, or launching a product, this episode will help you connect what you’re saying to what people are already thinking.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why Belief Comes Before Behavior: Tamsen explains why people won’t act on your idea until it aligns with who they believe they are.
• The Red Thread Framework: A practical way to structure your message using five building blocks—Goal, Problem, Truth, Change, and Action.
• The Role of Story Without Telling Stories: How you can build narrative logic even if you never tell a single anecdote.
• Why Ideas Fall Flat: Tamsen shares the #1 reason messages don’t stick—and how to rework them to resonate deeply.
• How to Create Agreement Without Force: You’ll hear why persuasion isn’t about pressure—it’s about showing people what they already believe.

This episode is packed with insights on how to design messages that don’t just land—they last.

To learn more about the Red Thread or grab Tamsen’s latest book Say What They Can’t Unhear, visit tamsenwebster.com.

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Margaret Andrews is the founder of Mind and Hand Associates, faculty at Harvard Extension School, and author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding. In this episode, she breaks down the MYLO framework—a practical, science-based system built around Motivation, Learning, and Opportunity—and explains how leaders at any level can use it to grow with intention, clarity, and effectiveness.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Is MYLO? Margaret introduces the Motivation–Learning–Opportunity triangle and why all three are essential for leadership development.
• Motivation Beyond Willpower: We explore how autonomy, relatedness, and competence drive sustainable motivation.
• Learning as a Leadership Lever: Why deliberate practice, feedback, and humility are key to developing new skills and perspectives.
• The Role of Opportunity in Growth: How stretch assignments, visibility, and support systems create the conditions for leadership advancement.
• What Gets in the Way: Margaret explains common blocks to growth—like fixed mindset, poor feedback loops, and misaligned expectations.
• The Importance of Intentionality: Why “just doing your job well” isn’t enough if you want to lead or level up.
• Feedback That Fuels Development: How to ask for, receive, and act on feedback even when it’s vague, hard to hear, or poorly delivered.
• How to Craft a Personal Leadership Development Plan: Using the MYLO framework to assess where you are—and what’s missing.
• The Case for Self-Compassion and Curiosity: Margaret shares how these two traits amplify resilience and long-term success.
• Applying MYLO at Every Level: Whether you’re an emerging leader or a seasoned executive, this framework gives you a way to stay sharp and self-aware.

Connect with Margaret on LinkedIn here.

Find Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding wherever books are sold.

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Shawn Lemon is the founder of The Digital Organizer, where he helps individuals and teams eliminate friction and chaos in their digital workflows. In this episode, we go deep into digital file systems, tool audits, naming conventions, AI clutter, and the underestimated cost of daily digital disorganization.

This isn’t about color-coding your folders for fun—it’s about recovering your focus, time, and mental energy by organizing your digital life on purpose.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Digital Organization Actually Means: It’s not about perfection—it’s about finding what you need in seconds, not minutes.
• The Core Four Systems: Files, email, passwords, and communication tools. Nail these, and everything else falls into place.
• Solo Business vs. Teams: Why even solo entrepreneurs create hidden chaos—and how to stop duplicating effort across tools.
• Avoiding the Frankenstein Stack: How tool sprawl (Google Docs + Dropbox + Box + iCloud…) is draining your time and brainpower.
• The Pitfalls of AI-Generated Clutter: As creation gets easier, organizing what you make becomes more important than ever.
• How to Tame GPT Projects and Prompts: Why you need a training folder, naming conventions, and even visual breadcrumbs for your GPT knowledge base.
• Digital Hoarding is Real: Most businesses only use 5% of their files regularly—find that 5% and prioritize from there.
• The Real Cost of Disorganization: How wasted time and duplicated work affects your bottom line—and what to do about it.
• How to Make Digital Organization a Project (Not a Forever Problem): Treat this like a sprint, not a slow drip. Get in, get organized, and get back to work.
• Focus Over Friction: Why triaging your tools, tasks, and systems one at a time is the fastest way to reclaim productivity.

Whether you’re a solopreneur juggling too many tools or a leader managing team chaos, Shawn’s approach can save you hours a week—and a ton of mental load.

Start with his quiz at thedigitalorganizer.com/beyond to find your digital organization score and get free access to his file organization guide and resource library.

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In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Harry Cohen, a leadership consultant and author of Be the Sun, Not the Salt. In this uplifting conversation, Harry unpacks how small moments of positive energy can have massive ripple effects—and how each of us can show up as a force for good in our relationships, teams, and communities.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Heliotropic Effect in Human Behavior: Just like plants gravitate toward sunlight, people naturally respond to warmth, encouragement, and positivity.
• How to Be the Sun: Harry shares practical ways to radiate positivity—through micro-moments of kindness, presence, and energy that elevate others.
• Avoiding the Salt: We discuss how sarcasm, negativity, and small acts of dismissiveness (a.k.a. “salt”) can quickly erode connection and morale.
• Leadership and Character: Whether in the workplace or at home, being the sun is about leading with integrity, empathy, and consistent warmth—not force or charisma.
• Training Your Impact: Harry explains how being the sun is a skill that can be developed with intention, awareness, and repetition.

This conversation is a heartfelt and practical reminder that you don’t have to change the world to make a difference—you just have to change how you show up in it.

Learn more about Harry’s work at drharrycohen.com, and get the book Be the Sun, Not the Salt wherever books are sold.

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This week, we’re revisiting one of our most impactful conversations—with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Charles Duhigg, about his latest book Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. In a world where remote work, digital communication, and polarized conversations are the norm, knowing how to truly connect is more important than ever. This episode couldn’t be more timely.

In this updated revisit, we explore:

• The Secret to Better Conversations: Charles explains why so many discussions go off-track—often because we don’t recognize what kind of conversation we’re actually having.
• Three Types of Conversations: We break down the crucial distinction between factual, emotional, and values-based conversations—and how misalignment can cause friction.
• Supercommunicator Habits: Charles reveals practical skills used by great communicators, from mirroring and labeling to vulnerability and listening with intention.
• How to Build Psychological Safety: Learn how to create space for trust, openness, and productive dialogue, especially in high-stakes work or family conversations.
• Why This Matters Now: As digital communication accelerates and meaningful connection becomes harder to come by, these tools aren’t just helpful—they’re essential.

Whether you’re leading a team, navigating personal relationships, or just trying to be a better listener, this conversation is packed with insight on how to communicate with empathy, clarity, and intention.

Learn more about Charles and his work at charlesduhigg.com, and pick up Supercommunicators wherever books are sold.

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Pat Flynn returns to the show to share insights from his newest book, Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less. In a world overflowing with content, Pat offers a powerful solution for those overwhelmed by endless podcasts, videos, and inspiration rabbit holes. Instead of more input, Lean Learning is about acting on just the right information at the right time—and ditching the rest.

In this episode, we cover:

• Inspiration Overload vs. Just-in-Time Learning: How consuming too much content becomes disguised procrastination—and how to escape it.
• The Power of Doing Less to Learn More: Pat breaks down his strategy of “learning on demand” instead of hoarding knowledge you may never need.
• The Inspiration Matrix: A tool to audit where your energy is going—and reclaim it.
• Why Mistakes Are Your Best Teachers: Pat shares how micro-mastery, force functions, and “Power 10s” lead to rapid growth.
• Letting Go of FOMO: How to opt out with purpose and double down on what truly matters.
• Real-Life Lean Learning in Action: From ebooks to public speaking to Pokémon cards, Pat reveals how focused experimentation leads to big wins.
• The Role of Mentors and Community: Why surrounding yourself with champions is a productivity superpower.

Pat’s approach is perfect for anyone stuck in a loop of constant learning but little action. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by too many ideas, this episode will help you reclaim your focus—and finally move forward.

Find Lean Learning wherever books are sold and learn more about Pat’s work at SmartPassiveIncome.com.

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In this Shortcast edition, Alan Gannett, author of The Creative Curve, demystifies the myth that creativity is an inborn talent. Instead, he lays out how great ideas emerge at the intersection of familiarity and novelty—and how anyone can train themselves to consistently produce creative work.

• The Creativity Curve Explained: Alan introduces the “creative curve”—the balance between what’s familiar and what’s new—and how it influences what ideas catch on.
• Exposure Breeds Creativity: Why intentional, repeated exposure to relevant content is one of the strongest predictors of creative output.
• Practice Over Prodigy: Alan emphasizes that behind every creative genius is a structure of routines, research, and iteration.
• Why Your Idea Might Flop: He explains how being too far ahead of the market—or too derivative—can tank even the best ideas, and how to find the sweet spot.
• Learnable Creativity: Alan provides hope for all of us: creativity is a skill, not a gift. And like any skill, it improves with deliberate practice and the right strategy.

Find more ⁠Shortcasts like this one on Blinkist here⁠. 

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