Ever feel like building real connection and contentment is harder than it should be?

In this episode of Building Thinkers, Ali Goljahmofrad and I dive into something we often overcomplicate: building true connection and contentment. We explore how we can break free from the “happy-when” mindset and embrace the power of presence in every moment. We’ll challenge you to rethink the idea of perfection and embrace our human imperfections instead. As we do, we start to witness real joy and connection in our work, relationships, and lives.

One of the key takeaways from this episode is how curiosity can transform the way we engage with others. Ali shares the importance of exploring diverse perspectives, including content that pushes us out of our comfort zone. By learning from voices and experiences outside our own, we create a deeper, more genuine connection with those around us.

So if you’ve ever felt disconnected, overwhelmed, or unsure about how to build stronger relationships, this episode is a must-listen.

Resources Mentioned:

The Golden Connection | Ali Goljahmofrad

We’re All A Bunch of Broken Crayons | TEDxSanAntonio

The Epidemic You’ve Never Heard Of | TEDxIdahoFalls

Books

When Breath Becomes Air | Paul Kalanithi

The Letter: My Journey Through Love, Loss, and Life | Marie Tillman

My First Coach: Inspiring Stories of NFL Quarterbacks and Their Dads | Gary Myers

Podcasts

Chasing Excellence | Ben Bergeron & Patrick Cummings

The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

Connect with Ali:

• Twitter: @aligoljahmofrad
• Instagram: @aligoljahmofrad

More About Building Thinkers: 

I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.

And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.

If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.

Ever wonder what actually helps teachers, not just more training or tools, but real support?

In this episode of Building Thinkers, I’m joined by Alton Riggins to dig into what really matters when it comes to supporting teachers and creating meaningful learning experiences for all students. We talk about how schools and leaders often overcomplicate instructional design and professional development, and what it looks like to strip it back to what actually works in the classroom.

Alton shares how he empowers teachers to try new strategies, take risks, and feel supported, not judged, in the process. Whether it’s co-planning, modeling lessons, or just showing up consistently, he’s all about building trust and creating space for growth.

Resources Mentioned:

Books

Pedagogy, Policy and the Privatized City| Kristen L. Buras

Worth Striking For: Why Education Policy Is Every Teacher's Concern |  Isabel Nuñez, Gregory Michie, Pamela Konkol

The Autobiography of Red | Anne Carson

Favorite Ed-Tech Tools

Formative | Formative Assessment

Blooket | Review Games

Gimkit | Live Learning Game Show

Connect with Alton:

Twitter: @AltonSocrates

LinkedIn: Alton Riggins

More About Building Thinkers: 

I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.

And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.

If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.

What if we’ve been overthinking customer experience this whole time?In this episode, I’m joined by Katie Conley for a conversation that really made me pause and reflect, not just on how we serve our customers, but how we lead our teams. We explore what people tend to overcomplicate when it comes to creating meaningful, memorable service moments, and why the smallest gestures often leave the biggest impact.Katie shares powerful reminders about why companies shouldn’t fear mistakes in the customer journey, and how treating your team like humans (not machines) can transform everything from culture to customer loyalty.We also talk about the beauty of celebrating the little things and how that intentionality ripples out to your entire brand experience.If you lead people, build systems, or care about making an impact through the work you do… this one’s for you.

Resources Mentioned:

Books

The Defined Dish Cookbooks | Defined Dish | The Comfortable Kitchen, Alex Snodgrass

The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact, Chip Heath & Dan Heath

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right, Atul Gawande

Podcasts

Brené Brown

Esther Perel

What a Day

Companies

https://www.pwrwmn.shop/

https://imanicollective.com/

https://joycreativeshop.com/

https://simpleafbrands.com/

Connect with Katie:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katieconley623/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiemcconley/

More About Building Thinkers: I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.

I sit down with Davis Staedtler as we dive into the three things people tend to overcomplicate when building effective learning experiences. Whether you’re designing corporate training, online courses, or educational programs, we share insights on how to strike the right balance between timely and timeless elements. Listen in to hear how to simplify the process and create learning experiences that truly engage, educate, and leave a lasting impact on your audience.

Key Takeaways:

The biggest mistakes people make when designing learning experiences

How to balance current trends with long-lasting learning methods

Practical tips for creating learning that’s both relevant and enduring

Resources Mentioned:

NeuroLeadership Institute 

Books: Just Listen , Acoustic Leadership , The Ten Faces of Innovation (especially the chapter on storytelling) , Unwinding Anxiety

Podcasts: Rob Bell , Malcolm Gladwell , Gloria Cotton 

More About Building Thinkers: 

I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.

And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.

If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.

In this trailer Tracy Clark shares what the Building Thinkers podcast is all about and why she decided to explore the world of podcasting as a way to continue her own learning and create accessible blueprints on a range of topics (business, education, organization, building habits, therapy, finances, research, and learning science to name a few).