Sustainable Ambition

For many of us, success and personal satisfaction are tied to feeling a sense of purpose and our ability to make meaningful contributions in our lives and work.

But these days, finding a sense of purpose and meaning can feel impossible. Some of us might even feel like we don’t have what it takes to contribute and make a difference. 

My guest today, Scott Curan, has spent his career helping others recognize that we are all capable of doing “better good” from wherever we stand right now. Scott shares his Better Good framework, how small actions can have profound impacts, and how doing Better Good supports sustainability.

Learn more about Scott Curran:

• Website: https://www.scottmcurran.com
• Beyond Advisers: https://www.beyondadvisers.com
• Better Good Podcast: https://pod.link/1867499936
• Instagram: @scottmcurran
• Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmcurran/

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books 

Get my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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A lot of us are looking for ways to support our wellbeing in everyday life, but find it hard to make time for building consistent habits, especially with so many things pulling on our time and attention. 

But my guest, Eli Susman, PhD, found that we don’t need to set aside large chunks of time to devote to wellness. Eli coined the term micropractice to describe the tiny shifts that everyone can access to support our wellbeing in real life. 

In our conversation, Eli explains the science behind the effectiveness of micropractices and talks about his step-by-step guide for consistently integrating them into your life so that wellbeing becomes a way of being.

Learn more about Eli Susman, PhD:

• Newsletter: https://micropractice.substack.com
• Connect on LinkedIn
• Bluesky: @micropractice.bsky.social
• Threads: @eli.susman
• Instagram: @eli.susman
• TikTok: @eli.susman
• X: @elisusman

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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What if hope isn’t just something we feel but something we can practice?

In this conversation, I talk with Jen Fisher, CEO of The Wellbeing Team, about why hope belongs in the workplace, and why it may be one of the most important leadership skills we need right now.

We also talk about the workplace norms we’ve simply accepted as “the way things are,” the human side of AI and organizational transformation, and why sustainable performance shouldn’t be confused with slacking or disengagement.

And Jen shares from her own experience of burnout and success and how this changed the way she thinks about work and the life we’re building alongside our careers.

Learn more about Jen Fisher:

• Website: http://www.jen-fisher.com
• Hope Is the Strategy: The Underrated Skill That Transforms Work, Leadership, and Wellbeing: https://bookshop.org/p/books/hope-is-the-strategy-the-underrated-skill-that-transforms-work-leadership-and-wellbeing-jen-fisher/45851d41477ccb5f
• The WorkWell Podcast: https://www.jen-fisher.com/podcast
• Instagram: @jenfish23
• Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-fisher-7403868/

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books 

Get my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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What if Sustainable Ambition is about designing work and careers in a way that allows us to keep doing what matters?

In this episode, I’m joined by my longtime friend and former colleague Todd Brock. Our conversation gets into how leaders can create the conditions for people to do meaningful, ambitious work, sustainably.

Todd makes a compelling case that team sustainability is designed, never accidental. That means being clear about strategy and priorities, designing jobs and systems so the work can actually get done within a reasonable amount of time, and paying attention when people are consistently overwhelmed.

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books 

Get my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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We’re often given simple models for navigating work: follow your passion, find your purpose, do what you love. But the truth is, the world of work was never that simple to begin with. 

In this episode, I take a closer look at why navigating work can feel so hard, and importantly, why feeling that way doesn’t mean we’re doing it wrong. Drawing on recent conversations and my ongoing research about the history of work and economics, I explore the complexity of the systems we work within, the many things work means in our lives, and the trade-offs we inevitably have to make.

The world of work will keep changing. We may not control the systems we operate within, but we do have agency in how we engage with them.

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books 

Get my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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In the midst of rapid technological change and uncertainty about the future, how can we foster a position of agency and optimism about what comes next?

My guest today, anthropologist and AI leader, Adam Russell, offers a key mindset shift that embraces exploration and invites us to actively shape the systems we work within. Rather than focusing on fear or replacement, Adam offers a thoughtful and hopeful perspective on how AI can help us rethink work, leadership, and the future.

I left this conversation feeling more optimistic about the future. The path ahead of us may not be clear, but we have an opportunity to shape it together. 

Learn more about Adam Russell:

• Website: https://www.isi.edu/directory/adam-russell/
• Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ai-nthropologist/

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books 

Get my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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I'm a believer in sabbaticals. But as glorious as they can be, they're also a lot like life: they rarely go exactly as planned. I have found that having a plan going into one can make all the difference: thinking about how you want to use the time, how you'll make choices, and how you'll move with whatever unfolds along the way.

Which is why I’m excited to be in conversation today with DJ DiDonna about his experiences with and research on sabbaticals. We talk about why sabbaticals are critical for Sustainable Ambition, the sabbatical archetypes he identified in his research, and, of course, practical steps for planning one. 

Learn more about DJ DiDonna:

• Website: https://djdidonna.com/
• Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djdidonna/

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books  You can also get order links and pre-order bonuses!

Get my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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Pauses can be powerful. 

There’s a Japanese concept called ma that translates literally as gap, space, or pause. In both art and life, it’s a strategic negative space that makes what comes next inevitable. 

During my break, I’ve been thinking a lot about the value of strategic pauses. And all the while, I’ve also needed to shift into execution mode and get certain things done. As I return to the podcast, I want to share what I’ve found about dancing between states of exploration and execution, frameworks that have helped me create context and shape for how I’m using my time, and the ideas and themes I’ll be exploring in upcoming episodes.

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books  You can also get order links and pre-order bonuses!

Get my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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Most of us are pretty bad at creating space for ourselves. Yet we need space for rest, for metabolizing and connecting experiences and ideas, for making sense of things.

Today, I talk about the gap between knowing we need space and actually creating it. And I’m sharing my own failures and stumbles in this area, what I’ve learned from them, and the new strategies I’m putting into place. 

As part of creating space for myself to process and look ahead, I’m putting the podcast on pause for a bit. But I do want to talk about why I’m doing that now, and what I’m already envisioning when I return in a couple of months.

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books  You can also get order links and pre-order bonuses!

Pre-order my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe

Discover your state of ambition. Take the quiz at: https://sustainableambition.com/quiz

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We’re not always in control when or how inflection points happen, but we can learn to navigate transitions with more awareness and intention.

Today I’m joined by my dear friend and repeat guest, Philip VanDusen, as part of my Ambition In-Between Series. We get real about listening for signals that we need change, allowing for completion and subtraction, the importance of recognizing that transitions often take longer than we think they will, and why you shouldn’t go through transitions alone.

Learn more about Philip VanDusen:

• Website
• Brand•Muse Newsletter  
• BONFIRE: Mastermind Community for Creative Pros
• Creative Professional Coaching
• Brand Design Masters Podcast 
• Threads: @philipvandusen
• Facebook: @philipvandusen.agency
• YouTube: @philipvandusen
• Connect on LinkedIn

Thanks for Listening!

If you liked this episode, please rate, review, and share the episode. Thank you so much!

Get show notes for this episode at https://sustainableambition.com/podcast

Learn more about my book Sustainable Ambition: How to Prioritize What Matters to Thrive in Life and Work at: https://sustainableambition.com/books  You can also get order links and pre-order bonuses!

Pre-order my book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4hESYMp 

Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at [email protected]

Sign up for my curated bi-weekly Sustainable Ambition Forum newsletter at: https://sustainableambition.com/subscribe