Living my life from the outside in makes me a beggar at the feast. Living my life from the inside out makes me a gift and a joy and a presence. I am now able to serve to help to heal in a way that I was never able to before."

- Susan Filan

In this episode, host Ana Melikian welcomes Susan Filan—former trial attorney, legal analyst, and now transformational speaker known as the Wake Up Coach—to the Mindset Zone podcast. Together, they explore the heights of achievement and the hidden costs that can come with relentlessly pursuing career milestones.

Susan shares her remarkable journey, from building a prestigious professional life to surviving a near-fatal accident that forced her to completely re-evaluate what truly matters. She candidly describes her wake-up call, the long and difficult road of physical recovery, and the profound shift toward living life from the inside out rather than the outside in.

Ana and Susan discuss how society’s focus on busyness, external validation, and productivity can cause us to miss the essence of being alive. Through Susan’s powerful story, listeners are invited to reflect deeply on presence, gratitude, and the importance of embracing each moment—before a crisis forces us to pause.

Susan also reveals how her experience has empowered her to help others as a coach, speaker, and retreat leader—guiding people to discover purpose, reconnect with their authentic selves, and wake up to the joy and fulfillment available right now.

Let’s dive in!

This week on The Mindset Zone:

00:00 – Introduction

01:02 – Meet Susan Filan

03:16 – The Wake Up Call

07:09 – Recovery and Gratitude

10:29 – Rethinking Priorities

12:10 – Presence and Self-Love

15:04 – Living from the Inside Out

18:06 – Transformation

21:14 – Lessons from Pain

22:00 – Retreats and Travel

24:00 – Connecting with Susan

26:00 – An Invitation to Wake Up

About The Guest

Susan F. Filan, Esq. is Wake-Up Call Speaker and Coach, a former trial lawyer and MSNBC Senior Legal Analyst turned transformational voice in mindset and reinvention. She helps peak performers—from boardrooms to start-ups—break free from burnout, reclaim their lives, and awaken to their true power. With neuroscience, high performance, and spiritual insight, Susan sparks real, lasting change.

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When we can make friends with our fear, we open up a huge amount of information that can help us make better choices for ourselves."

- Leisa Peterson

In this episode, Ana Melikian welcomes Leisa Peterson, renowned money mindset expert and author of The Money Catalyst, to explore the hidden dynamics behind financial success and the pervasive “Never Enough” mindset—even among high achievers. Leisa reveals the subtle signs of scarcity thinking and guides listeners on how to shift from fear-based to values-aligned decisions, redefining abundance on their own terms.

Leisa shares why she chose to illustrate financial transformation through the fictional character Maribel, allowing readers to safely examine their own money stories and emotional triggers. Together, Ana and Leisa explore how our relationship with money is deeply intertwined with our bodies, relationships, and leadership styles—and how self-awareness and curiosity can unlock greater choices and joy.

The conversation also tackles the role of fear in uncertain times. Rather than pushing fear away, Leisa encourages making friends with it, uncovering its wisdom, and applying it compassionately—whether with ourselves, colleagues, or loved ones. She offers practical advice for navigating financial discussions in relationships, including the importance of planning, open communication, and respecting both risk-taking and cautious perspectives.

Let’s dive in!

This week on The Mindset Zone:

00:00 Introduction: Making friends with fear for better choices

02:00 Spotting the “Never Enough” mindset in successful people

04:35 Using story to create breakthrough money mindset shifts

07:28 How scarcity and abundance impact bodies, relationships, and leadership

10:30 Shifting from fear-based to values-aligned decisions

12:11 Fear as a strategic guide—getting curious, not judgmental

15:26 Addressing fear in ourselves and others (including children and employees)

18:28 Expanding possibilities amid uncertainty and stress

20:26 Supporting partners and loved ones with different money mindsets

22:32 How writing The Money Catalyst created personal transformation

About the Guest

Leisa Peterson is an internationally recognized money mindset expert, author, and the founder of Wealth Clinic. With over thirty years of experience as a financial planner and transformational coach, Leisa specializes in helping individuals and leaders break free from limiting money beliefs, move beyond scarcity thinking, and step into greater abundance. Her latest book, The Money Catalyst, uses storytelling and journaling to inspire readers toward healthier, values-driven financial decisions. Leisa’s work is grounded in compassion, deep insight, and a dedication to personal and collective transformation.

Connect with:

Leisa Peterson's LinkedIn Profile

Wealth Clinic

The Money Catalyst

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If you slow down and figure out what went wrong, it will help you accelerate in the future."

- Ron Higgs

In this episode, host Ana Melikian sits down with Ron Higgs, former naval aviator turned leadership consultant, to uncover the powerful mindsets and tools honed in the cockpit—and how they translate into today’s rapidly shifting business world.

Ron shares his journey from 24 years in the U.S. Navy, where he flew and managed complex aerospace projects, to guiding leaders and teams through uncertainty and change. Together, they delve into the VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) framework, mapping its military origins directly onto the challenges leaders face in navigating team dynamics, technological disruptions, and rapid market shifts.

Ana and Ron explore the practical power of the Brief-Execute-Debrief cycle used by naval aviators—demonstrating why slowing down for feedback, debriefs, and contingency planning is a high-performance must, not a luxury. They address the critical role of psychological safety, open feedback, and continuous improvement, as well as practical ideas that business leaders can use to foster a culture where learning and trust thrive under pressure.

If you’re an executive, team leader, or technical expert craving practical strategies to align teams, accelerate learning, and lead with clarity amidst chaos, this episode is packed with actionable insights (and aviation stories you won’t want to miss).

Let’s dive in!

This week on The Mindset Zone:

02:02 – From naval aviation to corporate: Ron’s leadership journey

05:59 – What VUCA means—and why it matters for today’s leaders

10:14 – The briefing, execution, and debriefing cycle for business growth

17:33 – Why slowing down accelerates results—and avoids costly mistakes

17:56 – Creating a feedback culture: lessons from the cockpit

19:03 – Building psychological safety and trust in teams

22:44 – Delegation, the co-pilot mindset, and the keys to empowering your team

25:41 – How to strengthen leadership and collaboration at every level

About The Guest

Ron Higgs is a leadership consultant, U.S. Navy veteran, aerospace engineer, and former Fractional COO. With over 20 years of experience in executive operations, Ron brings a unique blend of military precision and business acumen. He helps companies align strategy, execution, and culture—often drawing from his time as a Naval Aviator flying complex missions in high-stakes environments. Ron is also a speaker and the author of the LinkedIn series Leadership Lessons from Aviation.

Connect with:

Ron Higgs LinkedIn Profile

Wolf Management Solutions, LLC

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We can surf this hundred-foot AI wave if we take this as a team sport.”

- Ana Melikian, Ph.D.

In this episode, Ana Melikian dives deep into the human side of the AI revolution, asking an essential question: Is our true superpower found not in machines, but in our own human potential? Ana explores the third crucial mindset shift needed to navigate the world of AI disruption, emphasizing that while artificial intelligence continues to surge forward, it’s our capacity for creativity, proactivity, and connection that will truly shape a better future.

Using vivid metaphors—like Portugal’s legendary hundred-foot waves—Ana describes how humanity is facing a tidal wave of AI change. She walks listeners through vital mindset shifts: moving beyond a simple “humans versus technology” mentality to one of “humans and technology,” and shifting from a relentless quest for productivity to a commitment to doing better by leveraging technology for collective good.

Ana offers a hands-on exercise to illustrate the powerful shift from being reactive to being creative and proactive, urging listeners to pause, choose their responses, and tap into their deepest human qualities. She highlights that human potential is realized not just individually, but through teamwork, supportive systems, and cultural transformation.

This episode is both a rallying call and a practical guide: Ana encourages us to embrace our unique human edge, cultivate resilience, emotional intelligence, and collaboration, and create a future where AI enhances—rather than diminishes—our well-being.

Let’s dive in!

This week on the MINDSET ZONE podcast:

00:00 Introduction: The Human Side of AI

01:28 The Metaphor of Big Waves

02:10 First Mindset Shift: Humans and Technology

03:19 Second Mindset Shift: Doing Better, Not Just More

03:55 Third Mindset Shift: From Reactive to Creative

06:29 The Power of Pause and Historical Perspective

08:05 Adapting Our Modus Operandi

10:12 Harnessing Human Potential and Teamwork

13:42 Creating a Sustainable Future Together

17:03 Conclusion: Expanding What's Possible

Meet Your Host:

Ana Melikian, Ph.D., advises leaders on how to amplify impact while avoiding burnout. She is passionate about teaching others how to unlock their human potential using simple and powerful approaches such as her P.I.E. method.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭?

Set a time to speak with Ana HERE and learn about your (or your team's) burnout risk and how to enhance well-being, effectiveness, and teamwork!

Resources:

Between stimulus and response, there is this space.

Ana's AI Resources

Related Episodes:

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It is essential to know where we want to go. Otherwise, we will end up very fast, very far away in a place we don't want to be."

- Ana Melikian

In this episode, Ana Melikian delves into the second crucial mindset shift needed to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for positive and sustainable change. Ana challenges the common "do more with less" philosophy that dominates the business world, highlighting its risks for driving burnout and disengagement. Instead, she presents a compelling framework—the burnout-engage matrix—mapped across energy and connection, to help us assess where we stand and how to move towards energized, purposeful engagement in our work.

Ana invites us to reflect on the real impact of AI: Are we simply trying to squeeze more productivity out of ourselves and our teams, or are we intentionally using new technologies to create a better future? Through practical examples and her signature four-quadrant matrix, Ana explains how we can avoid the burnout trap and instead leverage AI to amplify our positive impact while safeguarding our well-being.

She underscores that navigating the 'hundred-foot AI wave' is not a solo endeavor, but a team sport—requiring diverse voices and shared commitments from technologists, HR professionals, leaders, and frontline workers alike. By adopting a new mindset and working together, we can build a workplace culture that sustains both high performance and human connection.

Let’s dive in!

This week on the MINDSET ZONE podcast:

00:00 Experiment: Why am I so tired?

01:13 Introducing the second AI mindset shift

02:25 The "do more with less" trap in AI adoption

03:40 Productivity gains: What do we do with saved time?

04:56 Burnout prevention and the "Why am I" experiment

06:13 The four-quadrant burnout-engage matrix explained

08:31 Mapping energy and connection

09:47 Understanding the burnout

12:59 Moving teams to the engaged zone

14:20 Surfing the AI wave as a team sport

15:13 Leveraging AI together for a better future

16:36 Next episode teaser and closing thoughts

Meet Your Host:

Ana Melikian, Ph.D., advises leaders on how to amplify impact while avoiding burnout. She is passionate about teaching others how to unlock their human potential using simple and powerful approaches such as her P.I.E. method.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭?

Set a time to speak with Ana HERE and learn about your (or your team's) burnout risk and how to enhance well-being, effectiveness, and teamwork!

Resources:

Book: Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick

Ana's AI Resources

Related Episodes:

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Humans, walking and taking bags of water and trace chemicals that we are, have managed to convince well-organized sand to pretend to think like us.”

- Ethan Mollick

In this episode, Ana Melikian challenges the common "us vs. them" mindset when it comes to technology, especially in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Ana takes listeners on a journey through humanity's long history with technology, highlighting how our survival and progress have always been intertwined with new tools—from controlling fire to inventing computers and now, navigating the waves of AI.

Ana shares why seeing humanity and technology as allies, rather than adversaries, is essential. She encourages listeners to drop the outdated "humans vs. machines" narrative and instead adopt an experimentation mindset, inviting AI to the table as a collaborator. Drawing wisdom from Ethan Mollick's "Co-Intelligence," Ana presents a practical framework for thriving in this era: always invite AI to the table, be the human in the loop, treat AI like a person (but guide it with intention), and remember that today’s AI will soon be considered primitive.

Throughout the episode, Ana offers insightful historical context and practical advice for increasing your "AI literacy" without getting overwhelmed or burned out. She emphasizes that we don't need to face the AI revolution alone—working as a team is key to using these powerful tools to shape a better future.

Let’s dive in!

This week on the MINDSET ZONE podcast:

00:00 Introduction and Expanding Our View of Technology

01:31 The Essential Mindset Shift: Humanity and Technology as Allies

03:33 Technology's Deep Roots in Human History

07:58 The Emergence of AI in Our Everyday Lives

10:09 Shift from “Us vs. Them” to “Teamwork with Technology”

12:17 Learning AI as a Strategic Advantage

13:41 Combating Overwhelm: Teamwork and Shared Learning

15:27 Ethan Mollick’s Framework for Co-Intelligence

18:49 Practical Prompts: How to Effectively Engage with AI

22:30 Embracing Growth: The Future of AI Evolution

23:33 Reflections, Invitations, and Looking Ahead

25:02 Resources, Book Info, and Gratitude

Meet Your Host:

Ana Melikian, Ph.D., advises leaders on how to amplify impact while avoiding burnout. She is passionate about teaching others how to unlock their human potential using simple and powerful approaches such as her P.I.E. method.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭?

Set a time to speak with Ana HERE and learn about your (or your team's) burnout risk and how to enhance well-being, effectiveness, and teamwork!

Resources:

Book: Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick

Ana's AI Resources

Related Episodes:

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If you are in the business world, in the present moment, you are facing the hundred foot wave of the AI disruption."

- Ana Melikian, Ph.D.

In this episode, Ana Melikian dives into the tumultuous yet opportunity-rich world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications for the business landscape. Using the metaphor of a "hundred-foot wave," Ana vividly illustrates the dual nature of the AI revolution—both its disruptive potential and its ability to create new possibilities.

Ana shares her insights on how some business leaders are choosing to either ignore or obsessively control this technological tidal wave. However, she advocates for an alternative approach, likening it to "surfing the wave," where teamwork and collaboration become essential to harnessing AI's energy for a better future.

Ana emphasizes the importance of mindset shifts in dealing with AI, urging listeners to embrace the present moment and leverage the collective strengths of their teams. She sees surfing the AI wave not as a solo endeavor, but as a collaborative pursuit, where innovation and intentionality are key.

Join Ana as she explores how to navigate this AI disruption, transforming potential threats into opportunities for impact. Whether you're a business owner or professional, Ana encourages you to expand your mindset and engage in this crucial conversation about our technological future.

Let's dive in!

This week on the MINDSET ZONE podcast:

00:00 Introduction to the AI Disruption

00:59 Facing the 100-Foot AI Wave

03:57 The Two Extremes: Ignoring vs. Overwhelming

06:57 Surfing the 100-Foot AI Wave

09:35 The Importance of Teamwork

11:58 Mindset Shifts for the Future

13:05 Conclusion and Call to Action

Meet Your Host:

Ana Melikian, Ph.D., advises leaders on how to amplify impact while avoiding burnout. She is passionate about teaching others how to unlock their human potential using simple and powerful approaches such as her P.I.E. method.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭?

Set a time to speak with Ana HERE and learn about your (or your team's) burnout risk and how to enhance well-being, effectiveness, and teamwork!

Resources:

100-Foot Wave TV Series

Related Episodes:

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Experiential retreats are powerful; they create something deeply transformational."

– Sheri Rosenthal

In this episode, host Ana Melikian opens the floor to Sheri Rosenthal, a retreat strategist and founder known for orchestrating transformative experiences. Sheri shares the heartfelt impact that her first retreat experience had on her life, marking a turning point more profound than any personal therapy or career move she had experienced before. Ana and Sheri delve into how stepping away from one's usual environment into a retreat can spark powerful personal transformation by fostering a non-judgmental, experiential learning space.

Sheri discusses how her journey from a successful medical career to creating transformational retreats underscores the power of travel and experiential learning. She highlights that whether it's through reading influential books or attending spiritual retreats, the journey toward personal growth and self-awareness is significantly deepened by immersive experiences.

As they explore the trend of experiential and transformational travel, Sheri emphasizes the importance of crafting retreats that resonate meaningfully with participants, matching content to location and offering kinesthetic, unique experiences that are hard to achieve otherwise. They also highlight the importance of incorporating in-person retreats in a digital age.

Join us as Ana and Sheri discuss the lasting impact of retreat experiences and offer insights into designing your own transformative journeys.

Let's dive in!

This week on the MINDSET ZONE:

00:00 Life-Changing Retreat Experience

00:20 Introduction to the Mindset Zone

00:58 Meet Sherry Rosenthal: Retreat Strategist

01:56 Sherry's Bold Career Shift

05:44 The Transformative Power of Retreats

08:06 The Magic of In-Person Retreats

14:41 Crafting Experiential Retreats

20:49 The Growing Trend of Wellness Travel

22:48 Resources for Planning Your Own Retreat

24:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

About The Guest

Sheri Rosenthal is the founder and chief retreat strategist at Wanderlust Entrepreneur®, where she helps heart-centered entrepreneurs create transformational, profitable retreats.

With over two decades of experience in the retreat industry, she's had the honor of working with top names, including don Miguel Ruiz, author of "The Four Agreements."  With a community of over 65,000 passion-fueled entrepreneurs, she empowers them to design, price, promote, and monetize transformational retreats that leave a lasting impact, while traveling the world and earning a profit to be proud of. 

Sheri is also the CEO of Journeys of the Spirit Travel, a boutique agency that has planned and managed over 1000 retreats worldwide since 2003.

Special Resource:

Ultimate Retreat Countdown Checklist & Jumpstart Guide

Connect with:

Linkedin.com/in/sherirosenthal

WanderlustEntrepreneur.com

JourneysOfTheSpirit.com

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We all fall prey to power blindness."

- Jamie Woolf

In this episode, Ana Melikian sits down with Jamie Woolf, the first Director of Culture at Pixar Animation Studios, to delve into why good people often become bad bosses. Drawing from her TED Talk and rich experience with companies like Pixar and Google, Jamie explains the concept of "power blindness" that plagues many leaders once they rise to authority.

Throughout their conversation, Ana and Jamie discuss how this loss of perspective can stifle creativity and innovation within organizations. They explore the essential need for leaders to maintain self-awareness, practice honest reflection, and foster environments where open dialogue and dissent are encouraged. Jamie shares insights from her own journey, shedding light on the importance of diverse perspectives in cultivating true innovation.

The episode also touches on the role of artificial intelligence and its impact on leadership and creativity, with Jamie emphasizing the unique human skills of analytical thinking and emotional intelligence that AI cannot replicate. She stresses the importance of blending technology with the heart—just as she witnessed during her time at Pixar—to create magic in leadership and organizational culture.

Let’s dive in!

This week on the MINDSET ZONE:

00:00 Understanding Power Blindness

00:29 Introduction to the Mindset Zone

01:07 Meet Jamie Wolfe: Innovation Expert

02:10 The Impact of Bad Bosses on Creativity

04:45 Personal Experiences with Leadership

07:11 Red Flags and Self-Reflection for Leaders

09:54 The Importance of Diverse Perspectives

20:47 AI's Role in Leadership and Creativity

24:11 Conclusion and Resources

About The Guest

Jamie Woolf, CEO of Creativity Partners, is a renowned innovation cultivator, speaker, and founder of Creativity Partners. She was the first Director of Culture at Pixar Animation Studios where she was recruited to be a force for “constructive disruption.”

With 30+ years of experience practicing organizational psychology and certifications in executive coaching, Jamie has inspired thousands worldwide to embrace innovation as a catalyst for personal and organizational transformation.

Drawing on her impactful work with organizations like Google, Dreamworks, Gilead, University of California, and Pixar Animation, Jamie brings a contagious passion for empowering others to lead with creativity and innovation.

When not working, eating or sleeping, Jamie can be found on a tennis court or hiking trail. She lives in the Bay Area with her partner, Dave, and she's proud of her two grown kids, Anna and Leah.

Jamie Woolf quote

Connect with:

Jamie Woolf on LinkedIn

Creativity-partners.com

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Your accent is the sound map of your life."

- Dr. Leslie Gordon

In this episode, Ana Melikian sits down with Dr. Leslie Gordon to delve into the nuances of finding your authentic voice. They explore how authenticity in communication goes beyond just words and articulation, emphasizing a holistic integration of mind, body, and speech.

Leslie shares her unique insights from linguistics and voice coaching, explaining that our true voice is revealed when our mind, body, and speech are in alignment. Authenticity, she notes, is not about achieving perfection but about being genuine and fully present in each moment of communication.

The conversation shifts from discussing the mental intention behind speech to the vital role of physical presence and energy in conveying our messages. Leslie introduces the concept of "energy made audible" and explains how our physical posture and presence can significantly affect the effectiveness of our communication.

Ana and Leslie also touch on the significance of regional and personal accents, highlighting them as integral parts of our identity. They discuss the delicate balance between adapting our accents for effective communication and staying true to our authentic selves.

This episode is packed with practical insights on elevating our communication skills by aligning our intentions, physical presence, and speech patterns. Leslie's expertise offers listeners valuable guidance on embracing their unique voice and using it to connect more deeply with others.

Let's dive in!

This week on the MINDSET ZONE:

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of Communication

00:17 Welcome to the Mindset Zone

00:55 Exploring Authentic Voice with Dr. Leslie Gordon

01:40 Understanding the Authentic Voice

03:01 The Role of Mind in Communication

08:04 The Importance of Body in Communication

11:15 The Impact of Presence on Communication (Patsy Rodenburg's work)

18:02 Speech Patterns and Accents

27:04 Personal Stories and Accent Adaptation

30:14 Conclusion and Resources

About The Guest

Dr. Leslie Gordon is a passionate advocate for authenticity, emphasizing the harmony between mind, body, and speech as the foundation for genuine communication. She believes that true presence and effective messaging arise when these three facets align, allowing individuals to express their authentic selves. Leslie champions the idea that authenticity is not synonymous with perfection; instead, it embodies genuine self-expression. In a world increasingly valuing sincerity, Leslie's insights highlight the importance of understanding and conveying one's true essence.

Connect with:

Linkedin.com/in/leslie-gordon-phd/

lesliegordonspeech.com/

Instagram.com/leslie.gordon.speech

Resources:

Book: Presence: How to Use Positive Energy for Success in Every Situation by Patsy Rodenburg

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