Notes for An Awesome Life with John Spence

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Overwhelm often shows up disguised as productivity. Your calendar is full, your brain is loud, and you keep hunting for the next book, habit, tool, or commitment that will finally make life feel under control. John and Josh discuss taking a different angle: pruning. Just like a garden grows healthier when you cut back strong branches, your life gets better when you remove even “good” things that steal time, attention, emotional energy, and presence from what you value most.

If this gives you a nudge to simplify, subscribe, share with a friend who feels maxed out, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

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What if the things you’ve spent your whole life trying to “fix” aren’t the character flaws that you always assumed they were? At 55, Josh now sees years of distraction, procrastination, hyperfocus, overwhelm, and executive dysfunction in a new light: ADHD. 

This week, Josh and John talk about how understanding replaces self blame. John shares his own journey of learning more about his brain, and together they expand the conversation beyond neurodiversity to a common challenge: identifying what isn’t working in your life and taking action.

They dig into the knowing/doing gap; why asking for help is a strength; the importance of real accountability; and why we often extend more grace to the people we love than we ever give ourselves.

An honest conversation about ADHD, executive dysfunction, self awareness, personal growth, self-compassion, asking for help, and the freedom that can come from finally understanding yourself a little better.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

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Josh and John haven’t sat down together in a while, and there’s a good reason for that. John was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had surgery. In this episode, he shares what the past few months have been like for him.

But this episode isn’t really about cancer. It’s about what happens when your beliefs are put to the test.

John talks about how his values, honesty, health, love, laughter, learning, and contribution, showed up when he was in a crisis. He and Josh get into fear, anxiety, stoicism, being uncomfortable, and the difference between feeling an emotion and letting it run the show. They also talk about the stories we tell ourselves when things go wrong, and John asks a pretty simple question: if you’re going to make up a story about what might happen, why not make up a good one?

There’s also a surprising amount of laughing for a conversation involving cancer, surgery, and the complete loss of personal dignity.

John is back. We’re very glad he is.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us Fan Mail

What does a balanced life actually look like and is it even real?

This week on Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence, Josh and John dig into the idea of balance beyond the usual “work-life” cliché. FThey examine a practical framework for living well, exploring what it really means to take care of all the parts of your life.

Using the “Dimensions of Wellness” as a guide, the conversation moves through physical health, intellectual curiosity, emotional regulation, relationships, purpose, work, money, and even your environment, yes, your messy house might actually be part of the problem.

Along the way, you’ll hear:

• Why some are afraid to compliment their teams (and why that’s a problem)
• A more honest definition of balance.
• How small, intentional decisions shape a healthier, more meaningful life
• Why deep relationships, not success, are the real indicator of happiness
• Practical ways to improve your life without blowing it up completely

This is a grounded, thoughtful, occasionally humorous conversation about how to live better...not perfectly, but intentionally.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us Fan Mail

Sometimes the most important things to change are the ones you can’t see yet.

In this episode of Notes for an Awesome Life, John Spence and Josh Wilson  dive into one of the hardest challenges in personal growth: recognizing the patterns, habits, and assumptions that quietly shape our decisions without us noticing. They explore why self-reflection is so rare, why repeating the same outcomes might reveal more about you than your circumstances, and how separating your identity from your behaviors can make real change possible.

If you’ve ever wondered why certain problems keep showing up in your life or how to develop the kind of self-awareness that great leaders possess, this conversation offers practical tools and honest insight to help you start looking in the right places.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Notes for an Awesome Life, global top 100 business thinker John Spence joins host Josh Wilson to unpack one of the biggest obstacles to a fully awesome life: resistance.

From staring at a blank page to hitting the snooze button, resistance shows up as fear, distraction, and procrastination. John shares lessons inspired by Steven Pressfield and his book The War of Art, along with insights from Stoicism, Buddhism, and decades of personal study, including multiple rereads of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.

You’ll learn:

• Why fear is the root of resistance
• How to “make it easy to win” by removing distractions
• Practical strategies to beat procrastination
• Why discipline beats motivation every time
• How aligning with your values helps you build an awesome life

If you’ve ever fallen off a routine, struggled with perfectionism, or let life’s chaos derail your goals, this conversation offers practical tools to reset, refocus, and move forward with intention.

Resistance never fully disappears but you can learn to outsmart it.

Listen in and start building your awesome life, one intentional decision at a time.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us Fan Mail

Ever notice how overthinking feels like responsible prep while quietly draining your energy and time? We go straight at that tension with John Spence, exploring how deep thinking tips into rumination, how to spot the shift in real time, and how to break the loop with simple tools you can use anywhere. 

 If you’re ready to trade anxiety for action and build momentum one present moment at a time, this conversation gives you the framework and the prompts to start now.

Enjoyed this conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend who overthinks, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Your feedback helps us make every minute you spend with us worth it.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us Fan Mail

In this special listener driven episode of Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence, John and Josh open the mailbag and tackle real questions from the audience.

The discussion moves from the hidden dangers of “helpfully” putting butter away to deeper territory: mental flexibility, blind spots, wisdom, curiosity, work-life balance, honesty versus kindness, and what it really means to show up for the people you love. Along the way, John shares practical frameworks, personal reflections, and the kind of perspective that only comes from decades of experience and a willingness to keep learning.

It’s an episode about unlearning, asking better questions, navigating relationships with care, and understanding that growth often happens in small, uncomfortable, human moments. This is a conversation meant to meet you exactly where you are at the start of a new year.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us Fan Mail

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your circumstances, but the story you keep telling yourself?

In this episode of Notes for an Awesome Life, John Spence and host Josh Wilson explore how personal narratives shape identity, behavior, relationships, and growth. From childhood conditioning and self-talk to reinvention, boundaries, and the courage to change, this conversation digs into why some stories linger long after they stop serving us.

Together, they unpack how early experiences influence adulthood, why self-improvement can strain friendships, and how intentional action can help rewrite limiting beliefs. Along the way, they discuss philosophy, vulnerability, compassion, and the difference between aspiration and authenticity.

This episode is a thoughtful reflection on identity, personal growth, and what it really means to live an intentional, meaningful life, especially when the old version of you no longer fits.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us Fan Mail

The Importance of Human Connection - Busyness, anxiety, and introversion are real, but they don’t change a foundational truth of being human: we are wired for connection. John and Josh dig into what happens when we ignore that need and why loneliness has become one of the defining challenges of modern life. Blending research, lived experience, and small daily practices, this conversation offers grounded insights and doable ways to create closeness that sticks.

• Email us: [email protected]
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).