Years ago when I first started podcasting, I would constantly look at the download numbers and as I was pulling them up, I’d get butterflies in my stomach. Downloads up, good day. Downloads down, bad day. I'd refresh the analytics page like it was going to tell me something about my worth as a human being. I eventually saw past that trap and rarely gave my podcasts stats much thought or weight. But last year, I fell back into that trap again.

The post SILY 717- The Scorecard Trap appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We all have a story we tell ourselves about who we are and what we're capable of. Or what we’re NOT capable of.  Mine started with a bad coworker and calcified over a decade into something I never questioned again, until I was faced with a situation that forced me to look at myself with fresh eyes. Today's episode is about the slow, quiet way we talk ourselves out of skills we're fully capable of learning, and what it finally took to prove myself wrong. If you've ever believed "that's just not me," you're going to want to hear how this one turned out.

The post SILY 716- The Marketing Myth appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It’s been said that a manual transmission is basically an anti-theft device these days. And it turns out, learning to drive one taught me way more than just how to work a clutch. It took three different people, a driveway full of stalled engines, and one very specific hill in my hometown to teach me something about frustration, trust, and what it really looks like to help someone else find their way. Stick around, because today's lesson might just change how you show up for the people you love.

The post SILY 715- Climbing the Hill appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It’s funny how your mind wanders when you’re sitting in a reclined position with sharp instruments and hands cramped in your mouth, loading your taste buds with the flavor of latex. I was recently at the dentist for my regular cleaning, and that experience helped me process today’s story. What I have for you is most certainly more enjoyable than a trip to the dentist.

The post SILY 714- Church of the Hygienist appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It’s the fifth Monday of August, and that means it’s Monday Mailbag day! We have one piece of mail in the bag this time and it comes in from Jeff.

The post SILY 713- Monday Mailbag appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, which means that we often put pressure on ourselves when we’re meeting someone for the first time that we consider important. And sometimes that person feels the exact same pressure about meeting you. Today's story is about one of those encounters, and everything that's happened since. 

The post SILY 712- A Noodle Story appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I have spent more than a decade helping other people communicate clearly. Which makes it a little embarrassing to admit that I once talked for thirty minutes straight and never said the one thing that actually mattered. My wife stopped me with a single question, and I didn't have an answer for it. It took me a few years, a rebuilt website, and a coach to finally understand what she was really asking, and it changed the way I sell, the way I explain things, and the way I ask questions.

The post SILY 711- Don’t Sell the Plane appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

One year ago, almost to the day, I sat down and wrote about cookies. Except I wasn't really writing about cookies. I was writing about my daughter. The premise was simple. We all mature at different rates on different things, and just like a good batch of cookies, sometimes we need more time in the oven to become what we're meant to be. You don't throw the batch out. You give it more heat and more time. Well, the oven timer has gone off. It's time to see how the cookies turned out.

The post SILY 710- Fresh Baked appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Wise. Warrior. Dancer. Husband. Father. Musician. Murderer. Songwriter. Leader. Adulterer. Victim. Full of mercy. Crazy. Cunning. Liar. Full of pride. Humble. All of these words describe the same person. It's a person I strive to be like, and it's the subject of today's story. Intrigued?

The post SILY 709- Heart of the Matter appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Walking out of Star Wars Land after the fireworks, I genuinely wondered if this was the moment we called it a night. We'd been in the parks for over twelve hours. My legs felt like they belonged to someone else and wished I’d find one of those hover chairs from Wall-E to melt into. I was ready to wave a white flag made out of a churro wrapper.

The post SILY 708- Surviving Disneyland appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.