This is Your Life

This is Your Life

By Michael HyattBusiness
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This is Your Life episodes

  • How to Confront Someone Who Offends You (Or Others) Without Ruining Your Relationship [Podcast S02E05]
    Welcome to Season 2, Episode 5 of the This Is Your Life podcast. In this fifth episode, Michele Cushatt and I discuss how to confront someone who has offended you or others without jeopardizing your relationship with them.



    Confrontation is hard. Unfortunately, most of us avoid it. As a result our relationships suffer—or never reach their full potential. But there is hope.

    Listen to the Audio



    Watch the Video



    By following the right process, you can confront others and take your relationships to the next level. You have more alternatives than simply stuffing it or causing it to blow up. In this episode, Michele and I discuss:


    How you should overlook an offense and when you should confront it.


    Why it is crucial for you, as a leader, to talk to the offender not about the offender.


    How gossip can be an easy—but dangerous—way to connect with others who are not part of the problem or part of the solution.


    How failure to confront others can poison your culture create cynicism, distrust, and a lack of confidence in your leadership.


    The kind of preparation you need to do before you ever sit down to talk to the other person.


    Why it’s important to begin with the end in mind—and state it openly.


    How to make sure your criticism is constructive rather than destructive.


    How to communicate honestly without triggering resistance or defensiveness.


    How to motivate the other person to change without resorting to threats or manipulation.


    How to confront your boss without putting your position at risk.






    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 2 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here and Season 1 here.

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned one resource:


    Book: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey


    Book: Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend


    Book:

    36 min
  • My Top Ten Favorite Books of All Time [Podcast S02E04]
    Welcome to Season 2, Episode 4 of the This Is Your Life podcast. In this second episode, Michele Cushatt and I discuss my top ten favorite books of all time.



    John Maxwell says that readers are leaders and leaders are readers. I believe that is true. That’s why I make reading an important priority. It is something I do literally every day.

    Listen to the Audio

    The biggest challenge was narrowing down my list to these ten. Here they are in no particular order. (You can listen to the podcast to see why I chose these books.)

    Watch the Video




    Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin


    The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr


    A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I learned While Editing My Life by Donald Miller


    The War of Art by Steven Pressfield


    Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs by Emerson Eggerichs


    Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin


    The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber


    The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell


    Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown


    The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9- to-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss




    I didn’t include the Bible, but that would be the most important book on my list. I re-read it every year and never cease to make new discoveries that are helpful in my life and business.




    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here,

    33 min
  • Grow Your Social Media Following with These 10 Different Kinds of Posts [Podcast S02E03]
    Welcome to Season 2, Episode 3 of the This Is Your Life podcast. In this second episode, Michele Cushatt and I discuss ten different kinds of social media posts you can use to keep your followers engaged and attract new ones.



    It’s challenging to keep creating fresh, new content. Yet this is essential if we want to keep our current followers engaged. We have to add value.

    Listen to the Audio

    It’s also important if we want to grow our social media footprint and add new followers. The problem is that it’s easy to get stuck in a rut and keep churning out the same kinds of posts, day after day.

    Watch the Video



    In this episode, we provide a list of ten different kinds of posts. Next time you get stuck, you can use this list to stimulate your thinking and do something new. We discuss:


    How you can share articles, websites, products, and tools that will make you an indispensable resource in your niche.


    How to be generous in reposting or retweeting someone else’s content. This is helpful to your followers, of course, but it can also be smart as you think about finding strategic partners for the future.


    One thing you must watch out for in sharing other people’s content, you don’t hurt your own brand and credibility.


    How often you should share your own content. You want to make sure people see it, but you don’t want to become annoying in the process.


    Whether or not you should share personal items in the context of social media channel for your business. We discuss the plusses and minuses and how much is too much.


    How to ask questions in a way that doesn’t feel contrived. We also discuss what kinds of questions promote engagement and what kinds shut it down before it begins.


    Whether or not you should respond to every comment and question.






    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 2 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here and Season 1 here.

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned one resource:


    Book: Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt


    Conference: Platform Conference


    Membership:

    32 min
  • Why Accountability Is Vital for Leaders Who Want to Make a Big Difference [Podcast S02E02]
    Welcome to Season 2, Episode 2 of the This Is Your Life podcast. In this second episode, Michele Cushatt and I discuss the topic of accountability in leadership. Most leaders avoid it. Real leaders embrace it.



    The reason is that taking responsibility for your attitudes, actions, and overall results is tremendously liberating. Attempting to avoid accountability—playing the victim—keeps you stuck.

    Listen to the Audio

    You can become accountable in your leadership by taking the following five steps.

    Watch the Video




    Identify to whom are you accountable?
    Use the pronoun I and own your results.
    Be specific about your decisions and the outcomes.
    Don’t wallow in remorse or self-pity.
    Take actions to correct problems you create.


    As a leader, when you make a mistake, own it. It will restore people’s confidence and increase your influence.



    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 2 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here and Season 1 here.

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned one resource:


    Book: Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs


    Ask Me a Question

    If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, you can do so by clicking here. We’d love to hear from you.

    Subscribe to the Podcast

    If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe:


    Share the Love

    If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show.
    32 min
  • What If You Could Take a One-Month Sabbatical? [Podcast S02E01]
    Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of the This Is Your Life podcast. In this first episode, Michele Cushatt and I discuss my recent sabbatical. We explore how you can plan to take your own sabbatical—even if it seems impossible right now.



    For each of the past three years, my wife, Gail, and I have taken a thirty-day sabbatical. This year, we went to Europe. We toured Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

    Listen to the Audio

    Except for posts about our trip on Facebook, we were totally unplugged. We used this time to rest, recharge, and reconnect with each other. We had an unforgettable time together.

    Watch the Video



    But a sabbath is possible for almost anyone. You might not be able to get a month away, but you might be surprised at how much you can get. Michele and I discuss six steps:


    Embrace the possibility.
    Identify a time-table.
    Create a plan to work ahead.
    Solicit the help of team members and family.
    Create a re-entry plan.
    Unplug and enjoy.


    These same steps are applicable to vacations as well. Regardless, If we are going to be successful over the long-haul, we have to be intentional about making time to recharge. A sabbatical is a great way to do that.



    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 2 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here and Season 1 here.

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned several resources, including:


    Book: Essentialism
    Software: CoSchedule


    Ask Me a Question

    If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, you can do so by clicking here. We’d love to hear from you.

    Subscribe to the Podcast

    If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe:


    Share the Love

    If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show.
    33 min
  • Episode 13: How Do I Transition Out of My Corporate Job to Work for Myself? (and Other Listener Questions) [Podcast]
    Welcome to the all-new This Is Your Life podcast. In this thirteenth and final episode of the season, Michele Cushatt, my co-host, and I answer listener questions.



    I get questions daily from my listeners and readers. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to answer them all. So Michele and I decided we would collect them, pick the most common ones, and then devote the thirteenth episode of each season to answering them.

    Listen to the Audio

    Here are the questions we tackle in this episode:

    Watch the Video




    Matthew asked, “Over the next few years, I’d like to transition from the corporate world to working for myself. What types of things should I be doing right now to prepare, and then how will I know that I’m ready to take that big step?”
    Kyle asked, “Do you have any suggestions for someone like me who has very limited time to build a platform?”
    Jonathan asked, “How do you balance faith and business drive or initiative? In other words, how does a business owner honor God with excellence without letting his drive become his idol?”
    Tim asked, “My wife and I own a physical therapy practice, and we regularly blog as part of our platform. Our difficulty is knowing who do we target...our local area where our customers are from but who don’t necessarily share an affinity, or the physical therapy community?”
    Suwandy asked, “I have a question about podcasting and video casting. I plan to start both of these, so what type of equipment do you use and recommend?”
    Heather asked, “How do you ensure that you don’t squander vacation or holiday times without filling them with chores or just lazing around and recovering from the work week? How can we effectively use those times that have less structure?”
    Francisco asked, “I work for a highly regulated corporation, and blogging isn’t always permitted, especially when it comes to company topics or scenarios. Do you have any suggestions for how to build a platform and get noticed when blogging is not an option?”
    An anonymous man from Toronto asked, “I want to write a book about my relationship with my now 16-year-old daughter. The relationship has been complicated and difficult, and I feel like I need to write a book to both help me heal and encourage my daughter. Is there a market for memoir, is it a profitable idea, and do I need to offer a solution in that book, or can I just write my story?”


    If you have a question you’d like us to consider in our next season, you can send it via email or leave it on voicemail. Both options are listed on this page.

    We will begin Season 2 next week. We have some amazing episodes recorded. We look forward to you joining us.



    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of
    35 min
  • Episode 12: Are You a Leader? 12 Ways to Know for Sure [Podcast]
    Welcome to the new season of This Is Your Life. In this twelfth episode, Michele Cushatt, my co-host, and I talk about how to know if you are a leader—or not.



    You’ve heard it before: everyone is a leader. If you have influence—and you do—you are a leader. But, honestly, it takes a little more than that to claim the mantle of leadership.

    Listen to the Audio

    Today, Michele and I provide twelve ways for you to know for sure whether or not you’re a leader:


    You long to make a difference.
    You’re dissatisfied with the status quo.
    You’re not waiting on a bigger staff or more resources to accomplish your vision.
    Your dreams are so big, they seem impossible.
    You acknowledge what is but inevitably ask what could be.
    You realize you don’t have to be in charge to have significant influence.
    You refuse to blame others for your circumstances, and you take responsibility for finding solutions.
    You foster unity by bringing people together and encouraging dialogue.
    You’re quick to say, “I messed up. Here’s what I’m going to do to fix the problem I’ve created.”
    You value relationships more than tasks.
    You walk your talk, not perfectly but sincerely and intentionally.
    You’re a learner.


    If this sounds like you, congratulations. You are a leader—or well on your way to becoming one. Leadership is not about experience, education, or talent. It’s about choosing to lead. That’s where it begins.



    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 1 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned several resources, including:


    Book: Good to Great by Jim Collins
    Book: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
    Book: Thrive by Arianna Huffington
    Conference: The Alignment Intensive by Gap International
    Movie: We Were Soldiers


    32 min
  • Episode 11: The 5 Elements of a Powerful, Personal Brand [Podcast]
    Welcome to the new season of This Is Your Life. In this eleventh episode, Michele Cushatt, my co-host, and I talk about the five elements that must be present in your brand for it to be truly powerful.



    For more than a year now, Megan Miller, the dean of Platform University and I record something we call our “Member Makeover.” Once a month, people from our community volunteer to have us review their online platforms and their brands. We select one member and then do a screencast with our recommendations for how they can improve.

    Listen to the Audio

    What we’ve found is we keep coming back to the same five elements. If one of these is missing, it will handicap you in a significant way.

    So what are those five elements?


    A Well-Defined Audience
    A Clear Value Proposition
    A Compelling Brand Slogan
    An Engaging Headshot
    Simple Graphic Components


    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 1 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned several resources, including:


    Example: ChrisLoCurto.com
    Example: MicheleCushatt.com
    Example: ShawnLemon.com
    Service: 99 Designs
    Software: SurveyMonkey
    Software: Wayback Machine
    Training: Platform University


    Ask Me a Question

    If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, you can do so by clicking here. We’d love to hear from you.

    Subscribe to the Podcast

    If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe:


    Share the Love

    If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show.
    33 min
  • Episode 10: How to Lead from the Heart—4 Practices [Podcast]
    Welcome to the new season of This Is Your Life. In this tenth episode, Michele Cushatt, my co-host, and I talk about the importance of the leader’s heart.



    This topic is rarely discussed in a business context, but I believe your heart is the most important thing you bring to the table as a leader.


    It’s more important than your experience.
    It’s more important than your education.
    It’s more important than your skills.


    It is the thing that really makes a difference in your leadership and the impact you have on the world. If you come with your whole heart, it’s very different from coming without it.

    Listen to the Audio

    So how do you make sure you are leading from the heart as a leader? By engaging in these four practices:


    Understand the importance of your heart.
    Become aware of the condition of your own heart.
    Give voice to the condition of your heart.
    Develop the ongoing disciplines of the heart:


    Reflection
    Rest
    Recreation
    Relationships



    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 1 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned several resources, including:


    Book: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
    Post: “The Four Disciplines of the Heart”


    Ask Me a Question

    If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, you can do so by clicking here. We’d love to hear from you.

    Subscribe to the Podcast

    If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe:


    Share the Love

    If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show.
    35 min
  • Episode 9: Slay Your Dragons Before Breakfast So They Don’t Eat Your Lunch [Podcast]
    Welcome to the new season of This Is Your Life. In this ninth episode, Michele Cushatt, my co-host, and I talk about how to attack your most important priorities first, at the beginning of the day.



    I’m a morning person. I love waking up before everyone else, love that first cup of tea or coffee, love the sunrise and silence of a new day. How about you?

    Listen to the Audio

    How do you kickstart your day, even when you don’t feel like it? By focusing on these three areas:


    Spiritual
    Physical
    Intellectual


    Read the Transcript

    You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript of this episode here, courtesy of Ginger Schell, a professional transcriptionist, who does all my transcriptions.

    Join the Conversation

    My favorite part of doing these podcasts is participating in the conversation they provoke. Each week, I ask one question. This week, it is this:



    Binge on All 13 Episodes!

    If you want to listen to more episodes, you will find all thirteen audio episodes of Season 1 here. I release the video episodes weekly, as they are not yet available for batch listening. If you are looking for previous episodes, you can find Season 0 here

    Explore Additional Resources

    In this episode we mentioned several resources, including:


    Book: The One Year Bible


    Book: Body for Life: Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength by Bill Phillips


    Earphones: Yurbuds


    Service: Audible.com




    Ask Me a Question

    If you have a question, comment, thought or concern, you can do so by clicking here. We’d love to hear from you.


    Subscribe to the Podcast

    If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe:


    Share the Love

    If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the show.

    31 min

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