The 1% Shift with Niyi

Most of us spend far more time on autopilot than we realize. Automatic patterns quietly shape our decisions, reactions, and results.

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, I’m joined by Alan Bodnar, neurophilosopher, researcher, and founder of The Self-Driving You. Alan has spent the past decade translating neuroscience and philosophy into practical tools that help people take control of their automatic responses.

We’ll explore why we so often operate on autopilot, how these patterns influence our behavior, and the small, measurable practices that can help us become more intentional in how we think and live.

🌐 Learn more about Alan and his work: https://www.theselfdrivingyou.com

Most of us spend far more time on autopilot than we realize. Automatic patterns quietly shape our decisions, reactions, and results.

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, I’m joined by Alan Bodnar, neurophilosopher, researcher, and founder of The Self-Driving You. Alan has spent the past decade translating neuroscience and philosophy into practical tools that help people take control of their automatic responses.

We’ll explore why we so often operate on autopilot, how these patterns influence our behavior, and the small, measurable practices that can help us become more intentional in how we think and live.

🌐 Learn more about Alan and his work: https://www.theselfdrivingyou.com

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, I’m joined by Teri, whose journey of resilience and reinvention took her from an emotionally abusive marriage to pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a novelist—and eventually cycling across the United States with her husband to raise money for charity.

We’ll talk about resilience, creativity, the healing power of storytelling, taking risks later in life, and what it really means to keep pursuing your dreams when life takes an unexpected turn.

🌐 Learn more about Teri and her work: Teri’s Website

What do you do when the storm you’re facing changes everything?

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, I’m joined by Bill Derrick, a family business leader, author, and speaker with more than 50 years of experience in the construction industry.

Bill helped lead his family business through the Great Recession, only to later face another deeply personal storm with an incurable blood cancer diagnosis. Through both experiences, he discovered lessons about resilience, faith, leadership, and finding meaning in difficult seasons.

We’ll talk about the lessons behind his book, Restored by the Storm: Navigating Through Life’s Unexpected Challenges, how leaders can stay grounded during uncertainty, and how difficult experiences can sometimes reveal a renewed sense of purpose.

🌐 Learn more about Bill and his book: https://www.billderrick.com/

What happens when you discover that the history you inherited from your family isn’t the story you thought it was?

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, I’m joined by Steve Jensen, a former trial attorney and author of Healing White History.

After 23 years as a trial lawyer demanding the truth in courtrooms, Steve turned that same instinct toward his own family history, uncovering ancestors who were involved in slavery, the Lost Cause, and efforts to strip Black Americans of political power.

We’ll talk about confronting difficult family histories, how inherited stories shape identity, the difference between guilt and responsibility, and what happens when we replace shame and avoidance with honest curiosity.

🌐 Learn more about Steve and his work: Steve Jensen’s Website

In this uplifting episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Andrew Thoe, creator of NorViK Sessions, a music project born from a simple but life-changing realization: what we listen to every day shapes how we think, feel, and live.

After noticing how negative music and media were fueling anxiety, overthinking, and self-doubt, Andrew decided to write songs with a different purpose—music that encourages resilience, gratitude, healthy relationships, and hope. Using AI-assisted music production, he’s created a growing catalog designed to help people quiet the noise and focus on what truly matters.

This conversation explores the powerful connection between mindset and media, how creativity became Andrew’s path to healing, and why even small changes in what we consume can transform the way we see ourselves and the world.

Listen to NorViK Sessions:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6dxSniOnTkvXtpMfOYOGTS?si=26F4CGH-RC20oTq7WbZCRA

In this episode, we discuss:

* How music shapes our mindset

* Overcoming anxiety and negative thought patterns

* Using creativity as a tool for healing

* AI and the future of music creation

* Small daily choices that build emotional resilience

In this inspiring episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, Niyi sits down with Ted Kopecko—author of the #1 International Best Seller Finding JOY… Journey Of You, entrepreneur, and commercial real estate broker with over 30 years of experience in business and leadership.

After decades of chasing success, Ted realized that many high achievers aren’t lacking accomplishment—they’re lacking alignment. His philosophy of moving from “Life-Led” living to “JOY-Led” living challenges us to stop reacting to life and start intentionally designing it.

Together, they explore how mindset shapes identity, why purpose matters more than productivity, and how small daily choices create extraordinary lives over time.

Learn more and download Ted’s free workbook:

https://www.FindingJOY.us

In this episode, we discuss:

* The difference between Life-Led and JOY-Led living

* Why success doesn’t always bring fulfillment

* Aligning mindset, identity, and purpose

* Breaking free from burnout and busyness

* Small intentional shifts that change the direction of your life

What if healing doesn’t begin with pretending everything is okay—but with becoming honest about what we’re actually going through?

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, we sit down with author, poet, and speaker Jeff Dalton to explore faith, vulnerability, rejection, emotional pain, and what it means to have a real and personal relationship with Jesus.

Jeff shares his journey through depression, church rejection, personal struggles, and difficult seasons that ultimately led him back to a deeper understanding of faith. We’ll talk about why people sometimes hide their pain behind religious performance, how honesty can become part of healing, and why Jeff believes Jesus wants us to bring our unfiltered selves—including our doubts, fears, anger, and struggles—to Him.

What happens when burnout, cancer, and a major life reset force you to rethink what you really want from life?

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, we sit down with Jesse Atkinson, a hospitality entrepreneur and wellness advocate who left his consulting career and moved to Ensenada, Mexico, where he went on to build multiple businesses and create a completely different way of living.

We’ll talk about starting over after adversity, building a business in a foreign country, the realities of cross-border living, entrepreneurship, health and wellness, and the courage it takes to choose a life that looks different from what society expects.

Learn more about Jesse and his work through Jesse Atkinson’s Website.

What if some of the biggest challenges leaders face aren’t about a lack of ability—but patterns in the brain that keep them reacting instead of leading intentionally?

In this episode of The 1% Shift with Niyi, I’m joined by Dr. Marcia Ruben, executive coach, organizational consultant, and author of The Neuroscience of Leadership: Rewire. Untangle. Lead.

We’ll explore how neuroscience influences leadership, why smart and capable leaders can still get stuck in unhelpful patterns, and how small shifts in awareness can change the way we respond to pressure, uncertainty, and difficult situations.

We’ll also discuss practical ways leaders can move from reacting to responding, build greater clarity, and lead with more intention.

📚 Learn more about Dr. Marcia Ruben and her book: https://bit.ly/4dRAJDi