The Alignment Show

We didn’t get finished last week! Jim Stovall has so much more going on, we wanted to dig more, and we had the opening. So this Friday we dug deeper into how Jim has taken steps to honor his highest values by structuring his life for that. Last week was fascinating! This week was as well. We talked quite a bit about beekeeping (and if you think, “I’m not going to keep bees, that doesn’t matter to me,” think again. There are all sorts of life lessons in there!), a little bit about water coloring and creativity, and a good bit about the podcast Jim co-produces (just like with the bees, don’t discount this because you don’t podcast). Life lessons, I’m telling you!).

Things we talked about include:

* Jim’s website, including a sign-up for his weekly newsletter, a fascinating compendium of observations about famous writers, baseball, bees, fishing, and life. Plus, he shares one of his watercolors every week.

* The Writing for the Mass Media textbook

* Kill the Quarterback novel

* Point Spread novel

* Vietnam Voices: Stories of East Tennesseans Who Served in Vietnam, 1965-1975 (five book series)

* Civil War Combat Artists and the Pictures They Drew (five book series)

* Heads and Tales: Caricatures and Stories of the Famous, the Infamous, and the Just Plain Interesting, a book that brings together insights like those published in his newsletter, including watercolors and caricatures of those on whom he focuses. Here’s the book cover:

* The upcoming Saleswise Live

* The Go-Giver Success Alliance (check back to see when they’re accepting new applications)

* All of Donn’s books

* (Note: Jim has other books he doesn’t even list any of these places. We’ll share some of them in next week’s show.

* If you get value from this show and would like to support it, you can Buy Me a Coffee (or several). That helps me keep helping you and others. Thank you to those who already support in this way!

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

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We’re a little late getting the replays and audio podcast posted this week. After a great episode live Friday morning, I managed to have a hard fall in our home and injure the knee of the same leg that has had an ankle brace for a year. The brace protected the ankle, but worsened the effect on my knee. (I’m OK. X-rays confirm nothing is broken, but getting the medical attention took a chunk of time I usually use for editing and posting the audio.)

As long as I’m inserting “editorial comments,” I’ll go ahead and say that this interview fascinated me so much, we didn’t get more than halfway through. And so Jim has graciously agreed to come on next week as well, when we will continue the conversation and delve more deeply into his current podcast and other interests, including beekeeping and water color.

Now, on to the regular show notes.

Jim Stovall has influenced my life (as well as the lives of thousands of journalism students) in multiple ways for almost 35 years. He has worn many hats, including that of a beekeeper and watercolorist, and now in retirement continues to pursue the things that matter most to him. The author of multiple books who helps other authors with their books, he now humbly describes himself by saying, "I work with First United Methodist Church to help produce a daily devotional podcast titled Grace for All." We had a fascinating conversation with Jim that will help us all learn more about living your values to value your life.

The resources we discussed include:

* Jim’s website

* The Writing for the Mass Media textbook

* Kill the Quarterback novel

* Point Spread novel

* The upcoming Saleswise Live

* The Go-Giver Success Alliance (check back to see when they’re accepting new applications)

* Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In

* All of Donn’s books

* (Note: Jim has other books he doesn’t even list any of these places. We’ll share some of them in next week’s show.

* If you get value from this show and would like to support it, you can Buy Me a Coffee (or several). That helps me keep helping you and others. Thank you to those who already support in this way!

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

You know someone who needs to hear this.

Make sure you don’t miss show notes and upcoming guests. It’s free!

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I tell my clients and students that the primary skill we teach in communications training is adaptability.

We had to adapt today. Our intended guest was Lee Zimmerman, who ran into tech issues. We will reschedule Lee for later—you will want to hear his story.

Instead, today we dealt with a lesson learned about adaptability, and we also shared some updates and news about the show

Among the items we discussed:

* We plan to take the month of August off from doing episodes, and July will be spotty.

* We are moving to doing recorded interviews instead of live, and we will keep the show to 30 minutes or under.

* We plan to be back in September, or maybe October.

* The Go-Giver Success Alliance is currently not accepting new members, but it’s worthwhile keeping the link handy for when they open up again.

* We’re offering a new box set of the first two books in The Sparklight Chronicles along with the series prequel and the bonus chapter for each book, just in time for Father’s Day. It includes Brewing Inspiration, The Way of the Three-Year-Old Why, and Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In for a special price. This special edition is only available through our store.

* You might be interested in other formats for one or more of my books. You can find them all at DonnKing.com/Books

* I mentioned a book that gave me a key concept. It’s called Life 101, and it’s a little hard to get. It doesn’t seem to be available in ebook, for instance, maybe because it came out in 1990 or so. But it gives some interesting insights.

Because of the difference in this week’s show, I edited the audio version more heavily than usual to make it tigher. You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

You know someone who needs to hear this!

If you would like to support our work here, you can Buy Me a Coffee. That helps me keep on helping you and others

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We just had Channie Marston on the show a couple of weeks ago. We didn’t get finished! I expect you received plenty of value, but we wanted to dig more, and so we brought Channie back on to talk more about the flexion points that brought her through her journey. In fact, we talked for slightly over an hour—the longest episode of our “half hour program” yet. The time flew by, and it will be worth your time—it will help you on your own journey! For instance, we talked about the critical junctures in her life as she climbed out of poverty and determined to be self-sufficient and break the generational pattern she could easily have fallen into.

We also talked about self-care, and about serving the needs of elders—and most of us will need to do that at some point, and all of us (unless you die young) will experience.

So no matter who you are, you will find useful insights and material in this episode.

It’s worthwhile watching on video since we share QR codes and such, but you can always pull this into your favorite audio podcatcher and listen in while you do dishes or take that morning walk.

Resources we discussed include:

* Channie on LinkedIn

* Channie’s business on Facebook

* Her upcoming website (still under construction at broadcast time)

* Email is currently the best way to reach out to Channie: [email protected]

* She even shared her phone number—significant since that makes it easier for a portion of the older population: 865-260-9898.

* Check out The Go-Giver Success Alliance for the most effective support group for achieving your life goals.

* Check out Donn’s books—they make good gifts as well as support you in your own journey.

If you get value from this podcast, you may want to support the show with either a one-time contribution or ongoing support. You can easily Buy Me a Coffee.

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

You know someone who could use this encouragement.

Make sure you catch future episodes and keep access to the show notes!

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Our conversation this week featured Vince Vawter, originally from Memphis before working in newspapers in Memphis, Evansville (Indiana), and Knoxville (Tennessee). He worked at every level of a newspaper from obituary writer through managing editor and on to president and publisher. At a time when most would contemplate retirement, he wrote a Newbery Award-winning novel, followed by two more in the trilogy. Stuttering is a central theme in all his books because, as he says, "It has been a central theme in my life." We talked with Vince about his inspiring journey that features insights into working, lifelong learning, facing fears, balancing the things that matter to you while letting go of what other people think, and more.

[Editor’s note: yes, that’s the correct way to spell Newbery Award.]

The things we talked about include:

* Vince’s website, where you can learn a little of his background and see the three books he wrote, as well as a highly informative Q&A.

* Vince’s books on Amazon.

* The community we mentioned, The Go-Giver Success Alliance, is worth checking into. It helps provide the kind of support that we brought out in the episode, i.e., you need someone to believe in you, and you make a huge difference to others when you believe in them.

* Donn’s books, The Way of the Three-Year-Old Why and Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In. Bookmark the page, since the next three books (and, no doubt, others) will show up there as well.

* Support the show! You can Buy Me a Coffee one time or ongoing support. That helps me help you and others.

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* Facebook

* YouTube

Please give us some feedback! Rate the show on any of these platforms, and we would appreciate any reviews.

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I've been getting to know Channie Marston, and everywhere I turn in our town I find her involved in either go-getter business development or civic-minded community activities. Plus, I can tell that there is no separation between those two. For her, business IS service. As the founder and owner of C.C. Marston & Company, she says, "I champion with you through the beautiful journey of Elderhood." Through a harsh early experience growing up on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, she learned the value of self-sufficiency (“No one is coming to rescue you”) as well as the value of honoring our elders. There is a silver thread running through her diverse experience (including cybersecurity, gardening, and eldercare). How she got here is a fascinating story that will inspire you in your own journey.

Resources we discussed include:

* Channie’s email address: [email protected] where you could order a copy of her cookbook even before it shows up on Amazon.

* Channie’s website (not live yet, but will be soon, maybe by the time you read this).

* SALESWISE LIVE ™ is a two-day sales event where you’ll discover the roadmap and actionable strategies that work today. Claim your spot at this exclusive, luxurious event. They do NOT teach manipulation, but service and genuine connections/relationships.

* We talked about multipotentialites and multidisciplinary people. Although the concept had been discussed years earlier, the term “multipotentialite” originated with Emilie Wapnick in 2015.

* Check out The Go-Giver Success Alliance, an extremely affordable, highly valuable community of support.

* Donn’s books, including both The Way of the Three-Year-Old Why and Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In, available in ebook, paperback, and hard cover from the store of your choice.

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

If you get value from this publication and would like to support it, either through a one-time gift or ongoing, you can Buy Me a Coffee.

You know someone who would thank you for connecting them with this.

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We have an incredibly inspiring episode for you today that you won't want to miss! 🌟

In this soul-touching conversation, we sat down with the extraordinary Tim Brand, a true embodiment of what it means to be mission-driven. 🙌

Throughout his life, Tim has consistently made decisions and taken actions that align with his unwavering values. His dedication to making a positive impact on the world truly inspires me. 🌍❤️

In this episode, we dive deep into Tim's journey, exploring how he co-founded the non-profit organization Many Hands for Haiti. 🇭🇹 By leveraging his exceptional business skills to serve the nonprofit sector, Tim has fulfilled a sacred covenant he made with God: to be involved in Haiti for the rest of his life. 🙏

But that's not all! Tim also shares intimate stories about his father and the profound life lessons that have shaped him into the remarkable person he is today. 👨‍👦 In his recently published book, Standing on the Shoulders, Tim pays a heartfelt tribute to his dad, revealing how his father's passion for Haiti planted the seeds for his own lifelong commitment to the country. 📚

If you're looking for a podcast that will inspire you, challenge you, and remind you of the power of living a purpose-driven life, then this episode with Tim Brand is an absolute must-listen! 🔥

Tune in now and prepare to be moved, motivated, and uplifted by Tim's incredible story.

Among other resources, we discussed:

* Tim’s book, Standing on the Shoulders: A Legacy Story of a Father, a Son, and Life’s Greatest Gifts.

* The Many Hands Impact website, a hub for the many projects Tim and associates have created.

* Our sponsor, Saleswise Live, is closing in on their unmatchable training coming up. What we didn’t share during the episode: Register by May 12th and your two hotel nights are included (over $600 value)! So if you’re waiting to register, you might want to move ahead with it. Learn more here.

* Even if you’re not attending Saleswise Live, you will benefit from The Go-Giver Success Alliance, which had cost close to $100 a month. But Bob Burg and Kathy Tagenel wanted to make it available to more people, and so they have revamped the community so they could offer it at just $37 a month at the time of this posting.

* Pick up the book that inspired Saleswise Live, even if you can’t attend the event. Streetwise to Saleswise: Become ObjectionProof™ and Beat the Sales Blues will help you in your work and family life no matter your profession.

* For other books that also support you in living your values to value your life, check out Donn’s books in The Sparklight Chronicles series.

If you get value from the podcast, consider supporting our work. You can Buy Me a Coffee and receive our gratitude.

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

Someone you know needs to hear this conversation.

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The world is filled with unexpected connections. My high school English teacher, Mrs. Fortner, helped launch me as a writer, one of the first people to recognize my writing ability and to encourage me to pursue it. Over 50 years later, I came across a Facebook post that led me to a novel written by Mrs. Fortner’s daughter, Nancy Fortner Hall, who still lives in our home town. When she could have just kicked back in retirement, Nancy published her first novel in her late 60s and then kept going for her second. We talked with her about what writing teaches her now and how she took the leap that few ever take and stuck with it to completion—and how she keeps going!

Things we talked about in this episode include:

* Nancy’s author web site

* Nancy’s author Facebook page

* Tilted, Nancy’s first novel and the first in the Tilted series

* Burn Bright, Nancy’s second novel and the second in the Tilted series.

* Donn’s books, including The Way of the Three-Year-Old Why and Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In

* Time is running out to get into the life-changing experience of Saleswise Live.

* Check out the fostering community that is The Go-Giver Success Alliance.

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

If you receive value from this podcast, you may want to support us one time or ongoing. It’s easy to do. You can Buy Me a Coffee!

You know someone who may think it’s too late for them to pursue the things that matter most to them. They need to hear this episode!

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I warned you earlier this week. Indeed, I fanboyed over today’s guest. J. Kevin Tumlinson is an award-winning and bestselling novelist, and a prolific podcaster and public speaker. He calls himself a writer of fast-paced, hopeful fiction, and he certainly is that. I find him fascinating for a number of reasons, including that but also because a) he's done a lot of fascinating things, and b) he represents the essence of defining your values and changing things to align with them. We talked about a lot of those things, like the three years he and his wife spent traveling the country living fulltime in a van, his burnout, and his taking a big chance to refocus his life on the essence of who he is. He says, "I’m a writer, first and foremost, and most of all." We probed that process, and we also talked about the mindset that lets you view change not as a threatening thing, but a hopeful thing, especially when you feel like life is not worth living. If you missed the live show, we invite you to come along for the conversation in our video replay or audio podcast.

This episode went long, right at an hour, but that’s because I kept finding fascinating things to probe into. I believe you will benefit from listening in on this wide-ranging visit.

We talked about a bunch of different resources, really, and among them were:

* Kevin’s website that brings together pretty much everything he does.

* Kevin’s books, including the next Dan Kotler archeological thriller, The Forgotten Rune set for publication on 15 May 2024.

* The Wordslinger podcast (on YouTube)

* The Wordslinger podcast (on Substack)

* The Writer’s, Ink podcast

* Draft2Digital, one of the best ways for independent authors to publish their books wide to all major retailers and libraries

* We talked about a book Kevin read called Solve for Happy. I didn’t have this in the email, but I hope to make this resource available in the show notes.

* Saleswise Live. At its core, sales is about humans connecting with humans. The sales professionals who are extremely successful in today’s post-pandemic, technology-crazy, economically uncertain world are those who have taken their relationship-building skills to the next level. Saleswise Live, scheduled for June 2-4, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida, is designed to foster the ability to genuinely connect.

* Donn’s books, including Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In, the latest in The Sparklight Chronicles.

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn Live

* YouTube Live

* Facebook Live

We had intended to Livestream to Instagram also, but the host had what we used to call “a short between the earphones” in radio. In other words, I forgot to hit the button. (Unlike the other channels, the Livestream to Instagram has to be started separately just before going live with all the others.) We’ll try again next week.

You know someone struggling to deal with change or seeking the courage to follow their heart. Support them by sharing this episode. And wherever you join us, please like and subscribe, and if you’re so inclined, a review would help others find us so we can keep helping you.

Don’t miss show notes, and find out about future guests.

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This week we have a solo show to talk about The Way of the Three-Year-Old Why and, especially, Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In. Both books are in The Sparklight Chronicles, and both are business parables that foster the underlying theme of The Alignment Show, i.e., living your values to value your life. Our focus will be on the lessons coming out of the books, designed to support you in your own journey.

The resources we mentioned include:

* The Go-Givers Success Alliance is the group we frequently mentioned, a supportive community where we help each other in seeking to serve more effectively. The Go-Giver has touched millions of lives with its story about how much more fun, fulfilling, and profitable business — and life — can be when you shift your focus from getting to giving. Bob’s mentorship community helps do that.

* Saleswise Live is the two-day transformational sales conference with Bob Burg, Jeff C. West, and Kim Angeli that we mentioned.

* The Go-Giver book

* Streetwise to Saleswise

* Said the Lady with the Blue Hair

* Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why

* The Kolbe System

* Clifton Strengthsfinder 2.0, the most economical way to discover your strengths.

* Peg Duchesne and BANKCode

* Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, the source for metaphor of the elephant and the rider.

* My books you can find at your favorite bookstore.

* The Way of the Three-Year-Old Why (on sale for just a couple of days!)

* Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In

* Dunning-Kruger effect

* Free first chapter of Medium Well: The Journey from Believing to Believing In.

You can catch video replays at the following links, or hear audio replays at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon podcasts, and Substack.

* LinkedIn

* YouTube

* Facebook

You can support our work with ongoing support or just a one-time donation. And thank you!

You know someone who could use these life lessons. It’s easy to share this along with a brief note, e.g., “I think you would get value from listening to this.”

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