In this Shortcast edition, John Jantsch, author of The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur, draws wisdom from great American writers like Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, and William Wells Brown to explore three essential traits for thriving in life and business: perseverance, perspective, and resilience. Rather than chasing productivity hacks, John invites us to dig deeper—into reflection, discomfort, and slow growth.

In this Shortcast, we explore:

• Perseverance Through Practice: Inspired by Thoreau, John explains why repeated effort—like walking a mountain trail—is not wasted energy but the very process that builds mastery and meaning.
• The Danger of Indestructible Contentment: Borrowing from Twain, John challenges the idea of being too comfortable, encouraging us to embrace discomfort as a path to perspective and growth.
• Redefining Resilience: With a reading from William Wells Brown, John reframes procrastination not as laziness, but as strategic patience born of experience—knowing when to act, and when to wait.
• Growth Beyond Hustle: John reminds us that true self-reliance isn’t about grinding harder—it’s about trusting yourself, honoring the process, and staying open to what life is teaching you through repetition and challenge.

This episode is a refreshing reset—a deeper look at what it really takes to keep going, stay grounded, and lead with presence.

Find more ⁠Shortcasts like this one on Blinkist here⁠. 

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In this episode, Kendall Berg, author of Secrets of the Career Game: 36 Simple Strategies to Win in the Workplace, shares how to navigate the hidden rules of career advancement. Kendall opens up about her journey from being a technically strong but overlooked employee to someone who rapidly rose through the ranks by learning to play the “career game”—mastering soft skills, advocating for herself, and helping others do the same.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Unspoken Rules of the Workplace: Kendall explains how the real game isn’t just about doing good work, but about how you talk about that work and build strategic relationships.
• From Invisible to Irresistible: She shares her turning point—from getting tough feedback to rapidly earning five promotions in six years—and how she translated that into coaching others.
• Promotable vs. Non-Promotable Work: We discuss how to recognize the difference and how to reframe low-visibility tasks to create impact and visibility.
• Your Boss Has No Idea What You’re Doing: Kendall explains why self-advocacy is essential and gives practical tips on how to communicate your value without sounding self-important.
• The Game Is Soft Skills: From communication to conflict management, Kendall walks through the non-tactical traits that make or break your trajectory—and how to grow them with intention.

Learn more at https://thatcareercoach.net/ and find Secrets of the Career Game wherever books are sold.

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In this episode, Camilla Kring, author of Chronoleadership: How to Create Healthier and More Productive Rhythms in Your Work and Life, explains how understanding your biological rhythms—and leading with them instead of against them—can unlock greater well-being and performance. Camilla shares how workplaces can become more inclusive by embracing chronodiversity, and how individuals can set boundaries and routines that honor their energy patterns.

In this conversation, we explore:

• What Is Chronoleadership? Camilla introduces the concept of leading yourself and others based on chronotype—your body’s natural rhythm for sleep, focus, and energy.
• The Myth of the Early Bird: We challenge traditional ideas of productivity and explore how early start times can exclude or harm night owls and others with nontraditional energy curves.
• Designing Rhythms, Not Routines: Camilla helps reframe time management not around fixed schedules but around flexible rhythms that support health and creativity.
• Chronodiversity in the Workplace: From flexible start times to outcome-based management, we talk about how leaders can design more inclusive work environments.
• Parenting, School, and Chronotypes: We also explore how respecting biological rhythms applies beyond the workplace—to how we raise kids, structure schools, and design home life.

Camilla’s work invites us to stop fighting time and start aligning with it—for the sake of our energy, health, and leadership.

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In this Shortcast edition, Jonathan Levi, author of The Only Skill That Matters, shares practical techniques to improve memory, focus, and reading speed by training your brain rather than relying on talent or willpower. Levi breaks down the myths about memory and introduces powerful tools like visual mnemonics, speed reading, and memory palaces that can transform how we learn and retain information.

In this Shortcast, we explore:

• Memory Is a Trainable Skill: Jonathan debunks the idea of a “bad memory,” explaining that most memory issues are due to poor technique, not inability.
• Visual Mnemonics: He introduces simple strategies for encoding new information using silly or striking mental imagery—making recall faster and easier.
• Speed Reading That Actually Works: Jonathan outlines how scientifically supported speed reading (600–750 words per minute) is achievable with the right eye movement training and comprehension techniques.
• The Memory Palace Technique: Borrowed from ancient Greece, this method helps store and organize large quantities of information with near-perfect recall.
• Building Cognitive Infrastructure: Jonathan emphasizes the power of mental systems—like categorizing words in a new language—to enhance retention and recall over time.

Find more ⁠Shortcasts like this one on Blinkist here⁠. 

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In this Shortcast edition, Mamie Kanfer Stewart, co-author of Momentum: Creating Effective, Engaging and Enjoyable Meetings, explains why meetings are one of the biggest productivity drains—and how to fix them. From clarifying desired outcomes to optimizing who’s in the room, Mamie shares practical, people-focused strategies to make meetings more effective, purposeful, and energizing.

In this Shortcast, we explore:

Start With the Outcome: Don’t ask, “What’s the purpose of the meeting?” Ask, “What do we want to achieve?” This mindset shift transforms how meetings are planned and executed.

Alternatives to Meeting: Mamie highlights when meetings aren’t needed—and how tools like email or asynchronous comments can often deliver the same outcome with less time.

Before, During, and After: She outlines a full meeting workflow—from designing the agenda around outcomes, to assigning timekeepers and capturing key decisions and next steps.

Fixing Meeting FOMO: We dive into how a culture of over-inviting people to meetings can waste time and lead to disengagement—and what to do instead.

Reframing Meetings as Real Work: When done right, meetings are collaborative work, not interruptions. Mamie encourages giving them the same intentionality as solo tasks.

Mamie’s insights help shift meetings from draining distractions to meaningful, productive moments that move work forward.

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I’m excited to welcome back Mike Vardy to the show. Mike is a productivity strategist, longtime friend of the podcast, and the author of The Productivity Diet: A Practical Guide to Nurturing Your Productive Potential. In this conversation, we dive into how the language, systems, and inputs you choose each day can either nourish or deplete your ability to do meaningful work.

In this episode, we cover:

Productivity as Nutrition, Not Punishment: Mike explains the “diet” metaphor—how productivity isn’t about restriction, but about choosing sustainable inputs that fuel the life you want.

Mental Calories and Decision Fatigue: We explore the idea of cognitive nutrition and how overloading your brain with options, tabs, and to-dos creates burnout.

Intentional Constraints: Mike shares how building structure around time, energy, and attention helps avoid binging on urgency and makes space for deeper work.

The Language of Productivity: From calling tasks “ingredients” to using meal metaphors, Mike breaks down how naming things differently changes your relationship to work.

Identity-Based Planning: He outlines how aligning your calendar and task list with your future self leads to better follow-through and less internal resistance.

Productivity Styles and Personalization: Mike introduces the idea of “productivity personas,” encouraging listeners to build systems that honor their natural rhythms.

From Should to Could: We talk about reframing productivity from a guilt-fueled obligation into an opportunity to nourish what matters most.

This conversation is equal parts practical and philosophical. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by productivity advice—or burned out trying to do it all—Mike’s approach offers a refreshing, sustainable alternative.

Learn more at MikeVardy.com or grab The Productivity Diet  wherever books are sold.

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In this Shortcast edition, Donald Miller, author of Building a StoryBrand, shares how applying storytelling principles can bring clarity, purpose, and momentum to your personal and professional life. Drawing from narrative theory, Donald explains how to see your life as a story—complete with a clear goal, supporting characters, and an inciting incident—and how productivity begins with the power of focus and finish.

In this Shortcast, we explore:

The Life-as-Story Framework: Donald outlines the classic storytelling structure and how it applies to real life: a character with a problem, a guide, a plan, and a call to action that leads to either success or failure.

The Power of an Inciting Incident: We discuss how deliberately creating an inciting incident—like signing up for a marathon or making a public commitment—can push you into meaningful action.

Designing the Ideal Workday: After battling writer’s block, Donald took a road trip and absorbed every productivity audiobook he could, using what he learned to build a personalized, high-focus day planner.

Focus and Finish: Donald explains how the two most important productivity principles are narrowing your focus and completing what you start—because only finished work makes an impact.

Clearing the Clutter of Life’s Script: By eliminating unnecessary “characters” and distractions from your life story, you can make space for the plot that actually matters.

Donald’s insights offer a unique, narrative-driven approach to productivity that helps you clarify your goals, trim the distractions, and finish what matters most.

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In this episode, Cynthia Kane, author of The Pause Principle: How to Keep Your Cool in Tough Situations, joins the show to discuss how to improve communication by mastering the art of pausing. Cynthia, a communication expert, explains why taking a moment to pause before reacting in difficult situations can lead to more effective and mindful communication, preventing misunderstandings and reducing stress.

In this conversation, we explore:

The Power of Pausing: Cynthia discusses how the pause is a critical tool in communication, especially in high-stress situations, and how it can prevent knee-jerk reactions that lead to regret.

The Science Behind Our Responses: We explore how our biology and evolutionary instincts push us into fight, flight, or freeze modes during stressful conversations, and how pausing helps override these instincts.

The SOFTEN Method: Cynthia introduces the SOFTEN method—Sensation, Owning your discomfort, Focusing on the present moment, Taking a breath, Eyes towards another, and Need to say—and explains how each step can help us communicate more effectively.

Building the Habit of Pausing: Cynthia provides practical tips for incorporating the pause into our daily interactions, whether in personal or professional settings, and how to recognize when we’re falling back into old communication patterns.

The Digital Disconnect: We talk about how to apply the pause principle in digital communication, where the immediacy of responses can often lead to more miscommunication and stress.

Cynthia’s approach to pausing offers a simple yet powerful way to enhance your communication skills, reduce stress, and create more meaningful conversations.

Learn more about Cynthia and her work at CynthiaKane.com and find The Pause Principle wherever books are sold.

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In this Shortcast edition, Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, shares how we can reclaim our time and attention by taking control of our relationship with digital technology. Rather than rejecting tech entirely, Cal proposes a minimalist approach—using technology with intention and only when it supports what truly matters.

In this Shortcast, we explore:

Digital Minimalism Defined: Cal explains how minimalism isn’t about abandoning tech, but using it selectively and purposefully to maximize benefit and minimize distraction.

The 30-Day Digital Declutter: A key process in Cal’s philosophy—taking a 30-day break from optional digital tools to reflect, reset habits, and rediscover values.

Clearing the Slate and Starting Fresh: Cal encourages removing all non-essential apps and tools, then rebuilding your digital life from the ground up based on what serves your goals.

Embracing Analog Life: Real-world activities like solitude, deep conversation, and hands-on tasks are vital for human well-being—and often lost in a screen-saturated culture.

Mental Health and Focus: Cal highlights how overuse of screens increases anxiety and fragments focus, while digital minimalism promotes clarity, calm, and purpose.

Cal’s insights are a powerful reminder that the goal isn’t to use less tech, but to use it better—with clarity, intention, and aligned values.

Learn more at CalNewport.com and explore more ⁠Shortcasts like this one on ⁠⁠Blinkist⁠⁠⁠.

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In this special Shortcast, Jess Cording, author of The Little Book of Game Changers: 50 Healthy Habits for Managing Stress and Anxiety, shares practical strategies to manage stress and anxiety by making small, sustainable changes across mind, body, and spirit. Jess offers gentle, doable practices that go beyond willpower—emphasizing progress over perfection.

In this Shortcast, we explore:

Scheduling Worry Time: Rather than ignoring anxious thoughts or letting them spiral, Jess shares how setting aside designated “worry time” can help free up mental space and increase focus.

Finding Your Caffeine Sweet Spot: We discuss how caffeine affects productivity and stress, and how small swaps—like reducing serving size or switching to decaf—can restore balance without total deprivation.

Creating a Loneliness Game Plan: Jess highlights how identifying personal, enjoyable activities to do when loneliness hits can protect both mental health and productivity.

Mind, Body, and Spirit Alignment: The episode encourages a balanced approach to self-care, recognizing that managing stress isn’t about grand gestures but consistent, mindful tweaks to daily routines.

Sustainable Wellness: Jess’s tips focus on low-pressure, practical strategies that anyone can start implementing right away—even on a busy schedule.

Jess’s insights are a powerful reminder that small, intentional steps can help us manage anxiety and lead a more focused, grounded life.

Learn more about Jess at JessicaCordingNutrition.com and explore more Shortcasts like this one on ⁠⁠Blinkist⁠⁠.

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