Finding Direction

In this episode of the Finding Direction podcast, I share my personal experience with cancer and the lessons I learned from it. I want to emphasize the importance of the seeds we plant in our minds and how they can impact our experiences. Through my experience with cancer, I learned three powerful lessons: the power of positive thinking, taking action, and finding purpose in difficult situations. I hope that my story will inspire listeners to reflect on the seeds they plant in their own minds and to choose ones that serve them well.

What We Discuss:

Lesson 1: The Power of Seeds [00:04:52] Stu shares his experience of noticing a mass in his body while traveling in New Zealand and how he chose to plant a seed of positivity and not panic during his cancer journey.

Lesson 2: Finding Purpose [00:08:08] Stu talks about how his cancer journey helped him find his purpose and how listeners can also find their purpose in life.

Lesson 3: Gratitude [00:11:20] Stu discusses the importance of gratitude and how it helped him stay positive during his cancer journey.

Lesson 1: Finding the Mass [00:08:28] Stu shares how he found a mass in his body while in New Zealand and how he decided to enjoy his time there before going to the hospital.

Lesson 2: Taking a Step Forward [00:13:06] Stu talks about the importance of taking a step forward in the right direction, even when things look bad, using his experience recovering from surgery as an example.

Lesson 3: Everything Happens for a Reason [00:15:55] Stu shares how the belief that everything happens for a reason helped him get through his cancer journey and encourages listeners to adopt this belief during tough times.

Belief that everything happens for a reason [00:20:12] Stu shares the lesson he learned about believing that everything happens for a reason and how it can serve you to get to the next phase of your journey.

Every breath is a gift [00:17:20, 00:18:19, 00:19:22] Stu emphasizes the importance of cherishing every breath we take and not taking it for granted, especially after experiencing cancer and losing a friend to it.

Lessons learned from cancer [00:20:12] Stu summarizes the four most powerful lessons he gained from going through cancer, including the importance of the seeds we plant in our brain and taking the first step towards getting better.

Episode Resources:

Stu's IG - @stumassengill (Website)

In this podcast episode, I interview Evan Nierman, CEO of Red Banyan, about his journey in the real world, his internships, and his mentor. We also discuss cancel culture and how to get a mentor to level up to the next stage of your life. Evan shares his experience of moving to Washington, D.C., to be in the middle of politics and policy and how it helped him grow. He emphasizes the importance of having a mentor in your life and suggests finding someone in your workplace or social life who has the job you aspire to or is really good at what they do. We also discuss cancel culture, and Evan defines it as a phenomenon where people are publicly shamed and ostracized for something they did. He warns against participating in cancel culture and becoming a "cancel vulture" because it involves rushing to judgment and pre-judging people without knowing the full context. Finally, Evan shares his advice on how to find direction in life by making a list of three to five people in your life who you admire and respect, whether it be for their business acumen or their personal values.

What We Discuss:

Putting Yourself in a Place of Opportunity [00:02:23] Evan Nierman talks about his decision to attend George Washington University in Washington DC to be in the middle of politics and policy and how it led to internships and opportunities.

Importance of Having a Mentor [00:05:43] Evan Nierman shares how having a mentor, Renee Rothstein, who was invested in his success, set the trajectory for his entire professional life.

Cancel Culture [00:01:18] Evan Nierman discusses cancel culture and what people need to know about it in today's moment.

Finding a Mentor [00:08:02] Stu and Evan discuss the importance of having a mentor and how to find one, including changing your environment and approaching someone you admire.

Overcoming Fear [00:09:54] Evan talks about how fear can hold you back from making important decisions and how to overcome it by taking risks and learning from failures.

Networking and Mentorship [00:13:52] Stu and Evan share tips on effective networking, including buying people lunch, and how it can lead to finding a mentor.

The Mentorship Experience [00:15:35] Evan Nierman talks about the importance of mentorship in his life and how it impacted his career. He also shares what led him to leave his job after seven years and how he did it the right way.

The Draw of Crisis Management [00:21:01] Evan Nierman explains what drew him to crisis management and how he found his passion for helping organizations navigate through difficult times. He also talks about the excitement and adrenaline rush that comes with the job.

Understanding Cancel Culture [00:23:05] Evan Nierman discusses his new book on cancel culture and defines what it means. He also shares advice for young professionals on how to navigate cancel culture in their careers.

Defining Cancel Culture [00:23:42] Evan Nierman defines cancel culture and its critical elements, including the condemned framework, and why it is dangerous.

Avoiding Cancel Culture [00:28:25] Evan Nierman shares tips on how to avoid getting canceled, including being careful with social media and treating others as you would want to be treated.

Connecting with Evan Nierman [00:31:17] Evan Nierman shares where to find him on Twitter, cancelculture.com, and Red Banyan's website, and how to connect with him.

Make a list of mentors [00:32:28] Evan suggests making a list of three to five people you admire and respect in your life and reaching out to them for guidance.

Contact your mentors [00:33:23] Evan advises contacting everyone on your list within the next three to five days and asking for a small commitment, like a 15-minute Zoom call.

Conclusion and gratitude [00:34:19] Stu thanks Evan for sharing his journey and insights, and encourages listeners to apply what they learned to their own lives.

Episode Resources:

CancelCulture.com (Website)

@evannierman on Twitter (Website)

Red Banyan (Website)

A 5 Minute Gratitude Exercise To Influence Your Day

◾️Write down 10 things that you are grateful for in your life right now.

◾️Write down 5 things that you wanna create in your life.

Stu's IG - @stumassengill

Dr. Meg Jay is a clinical psychologist, associate professor of human development at the University of Virginia who specializes in adult development and 20-somethings in particular. She has earned a doctorate in clinical psychology and gender studies from the University of California, Berkley. Dr. Meg Jay is also a Ted Talk speaker who has one of the most watched Ted Talks with over 10 million views.

In this episode, we talk about:

◾️How you hold the answers to start finding your purpose if you really look closely.

◾️Identity capital vs. identity crisis.

◾️Why finding work and love are somewhat similar.

How To Land Your Next Job Without A Job Application

◾️Leverage referrals.

◾️Build your network and send a message to them.

Stu's IG - @stumassengill

Kim Gravel is the the host of a bevy of #1 shows on QVC, and a wildly successful entrepreneur, television personality, motivational speaker, life coach, podcaster, and leader in the fashion and beauty industry.

In this episode, we talk about:

◾️How to start collecting confidence in your life.

◾️The power of walking in faith.

◾️A 30-day plan for building confidence in your life.

kimgravel.com

In this episode of the Finding Direction podcast, I discuss the importance of celebrating accomplishments and strengthening intuition. I encourage you to celebrate your victories more regularly and suggest two ways to strengthen intuition: taking immediate action on the next random insight and practicing being in silence. I share a personal story about how I strengthened my intuition and provide a list of questions to ask your intuition. I emphasize that intuition is a powerful tool for creating a fulfilling and successful life and encourage you to take action and strengthen your intuition muscle.

What We Discuss:

Celebration [00:00:26] Stu Massengill talks about the importance of celebrating accomplishments and encourages listeners to practice celebrating their victories more regularly.

Strengthening Intuition [00:02:14] Stu Massengill discusses the power of intuition and how it has helped successful and happy people to live fulfilling lives. He shares four ways to strengthen intuition, starting with understanding that intuition is a muscle that needs to be used regularly.

Taking Immediate Action [00:08:16] Stu Massengill encourages listeners to take immediate action on their next random insight, without questioning or debating it, as a way to build and strengthen their intuition muscle.

Strengthening Intuition [00:09:06] Stu shares a personal story of how intuition helped him find a place to live. He explains the importance of taking immediate action on random insights to strengthen intuition.

Magic Mind [00:12:42] Stu talks about a company called Magic Mind that has helped him get into a state of flow and be more productive. He shares a special discount for listeners who want to try it out.

Getting Quiet with Yourself [00:16:19] Stu discusses the importance of taking time to be quiet and connect with yourself to strengthen intuition. He shares two ways he does this: praying and sitting by the ocean.

Strengthening Intuition [00:17:58] Four ways to strengthen intuition: building it with small actions, taking immediate action on insights, being quiet with yourself, and creating a dialogue with powerful questions.

Creating a Dialogue with Intuition [00:19:34] How to create a dialogue with intuition: find a peaceful place, ask powerful questions, and dedicate time to communicate with intuition.

Powerful Questions for Intuition [00:21:10] Examples of powerful questions to ask intuition: does it feel like the right thing to do? What was your gut reaction? If you did know the answer, what would it be?

Episode Resources:

Stu's IG - @stumassengill (Website)

Finding Direction IG - @findingdirectionpodcast (Website)

Magic Mind (Use code "DIRECTION" for 20% off) (Website)

Ritu Bhasin is the CEO of Bhasin Consulting, an award-winning speaker, a bestselling author, and an expert in diversity equity and inclusion who knows firsthand that the path to belonging is both beautiful and also very hard. She has also experienced racism, bullying, and cultural confusion growing up being a child of working class immigrants of color.

In this episode, we talk about:

◾️How you can begin to step into your authentic self.

◾️How you can start to discover if you're actually performing in your life.

◾️The lessons that Ritu learned spending 2 weeks in a forest with a group of strangers.

@ritu_bhasin

ritubhasin.com

In this Finding Direction podcast episode, I talk about the power of a "shitty plan" and how imperfect planning can lead to great results in life. I define a shitty plan as a rough draft or first draft that allows individuals to move closer towards a goal or result they have for their life. I encourage listeners to create a "shitty plan" and execute it, celebrating small victories along the way. I also outline six steps to follow when creating and executing a "shitty plan." Overall, my message is to embrace imperfection and take action towards goals, even if the plan is well... "shitty."

What We Discuss:

The Power of a Shitty Plan [00:00:25] Imperfect planning and ditching perfectionism can lead to great results in life. Creating a rough draft or a first draft, called a "shitty plan," can help shut off the perfectionism part of our brain and move us closer to our goals.

Creating a Shitty Plan [00:04:30] To create a shitty plan, we need to know the result we want to achieve and create a rough draft or a project that can get us one step closer to that result. We need to shut down any internal chatter that pops up by reminding ourselves that it's just a shitty plan. Sometimes, the shitty plan may make us uncomfortable, but it's okay because it's the uncomfortable actions that produce the biggest results.

Uncovering the Power of a Shitty Plan [00:08:47] The importance of scheduling and executing a "shitty plan" to achieve goals.

Magic Mind [00:09:46] Introduction to a company that helps with productivity and focus, and a special discount for listeners.

Executing the Shitty Plan [00:14:18] The importance of actually executing the plan, and celebrating small wins to build momentum.

The Power of a "Shitty Plan" [00:17:11] Encouragement to celebrate small victories and take imperfect action towards goals.

Steps to Creating and Executing a "Shitty Plan" [00:18:49]

1. Identify a goal
2. Create a "shitty plan"
3. Schedule the plan
4. Execute the plan
5. Celebrate the attempt
6. Schedule and refine the next plan for continued momentum.

Creating a Shitty Plan [00:25:04] Encouraging listeners to create a "shitty plan" to move forward in life, and the benefits of imperfect planning.

Subscription and Sharing [00:25:50] Encouraging listeners to subscribe to the podcast, share the episode with friends, and tag the podcast on Instagram.

Closing Remarks [00:26:20] Closing remarks and invitation to stay for the next episode.

Episode Resources:

Stu's IG - @stumassengill (Website)

On this episode of the Finding Direction Podcast, I chat with Laura Gassner Otting, a bestselling author, catalyst, executive coach, and keynote speaker. Laura shared her journey, including her time as a presidential appointee to Bill Clinton, a law school dropout, and founder of a successful search firm. We discussed topics such as ignoring others' plans for your life, the necessity of big pivots, and the challenges of success. Laura also shared her perspective on finding direction in life, emphasizing the importance of questioning where our definition of success comes from and whether it aligns with our own goals and values.

What We Discuss:

Laura's Journey [00:01:49] Laura Gassner Otting shares her journey from being a presidential appointee to Bill Clinton, a law school dropout, and founder of a successful search firm.

The Importance of Stumbles and Bumbles [00:02:43] Laura emphasizes the significance of the stumbles and bumbles in life that make us interesting and help us learn about ourselves.

From Law School Dropout to White House [00:04:16] Laura talks about dropping out of law school and joining Bill Clinton's campaign, which eventually led her to work in the White House and help create the Americorps program.

Becoming a Head Hunter [00:05:42] Laura shares how she became a head hunter and worked for five years before realizing that there was a better way to do the work.

Founding Her Own Firm [00:06:31] Laura talks about leaving her previous job and founding her own search firm, which she ran successfully for 15 years before selling it to her colleagues.

Laura's journey to becoming a speaker and author [00:07:08] Laura shares how she went from being terrified of public speaking to becoming a successful author and keynote speaker.

The importance of embracing twists and turns in life [00:08:51] Laura and Stu discuss how embracing unexpected changes and pivots in life can lead to a more interesting and fulfilling life.

Failure as a fulcrum for growth [00:11:47] Laura talks about how failure is not the end, but rather a place for learning and growth. She emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one's failures and learning from them.

Big Pivots [00:14:55] The importance of allowing ourselves to make big pivots in life and not caring about what others think.

Leaving Law School [00:15:24] Laura's experience of dropping out of law school and the fear of disappointing her parents.

Parents' Expectations [00:18:25] The pressure of meeting parents' expectations and the need to follow our own hearts.

Having Conversations [00:19:26] The importance of having conversations with others about our decisions and motivations.

Moisturizer Sales Pitch [00:22:01] The importance of selling a solution to a problem rather than just listing percentages.

Magic Mind [00:22:46] A product that helps with focus and productivity, with a discount code for listeners.

Wonder Hell [00:26:29] The idea that success can bring both wonder and anxiety, and how it affects people.

Working Through Wonder Hell [00:29:48] How to move past the anxiety and stress that comes with success and find balance.

Thriving in Wonder Hell [00:30:33] Embracing ambition, renegotiating emotions, and using wonder hell as a foundation for growth.

The S-Curve [00:34:49] The importance of a beginner's mindset and avoiding self-sabotage by recognizing when it's time to jump to the next curve.

Ignoring others' plans [00:37:37] Laura talks about how sometimes direction finds you and it's usually somebody else handing you their direction. She shares her personal experience of how she could have been a lawyer if she listened to her teacher or Mrs. No Spark Allen if she listened to her grandmother.

Defining your own success [00:38:17] Laura emphasizes the importance of defining your own success and not blindly following someone else's definition. She shares her experience of how she felt strongly about putting clients first instead of profits first, which was her boss's definition of success.

Finding Laura [00:39:39] Laura shares where listeners can find her on social media and where they can buy her book.

Finding direction [00:40:17] Laura suggests that listeners ask themselves where their definition of success came from and if it actually works for them as a way to start finding direction in their life.

Episode Resources:

Laura's Website (Website)

Wonderhell (Website)

Instagram @heylgo (Website)