🥳 New Podcast is Live! Free Time with Jenny Blake 💸

Hi Friends, 

Long time no talk, as this is the first #PivotList of 2021! How is it April already?! 

I know we've had far more important things going on in the world to miss a newsletter like this, but nonetheless, thank you for your patience as I emerge from the creative cave . . . 

🎉 I'm thrilled to share that I just launched a new podcast in parallel to Pivot! 

March marked my ten year anniversary of self-employment, and I'm finally giving myself permission to go "all in" on heart-based business with a new podcast and book-in-progress. 

I may adjust this newsletter cadence while I get both off the ground, and I'll still be publishing the Pivot podcast twice a month for conversations on navigating change through intuition and radical reimagining. 

Another fun celebratory note: the Pivot podcast just surpassed 1 million downloads! 

Adding this new show to the mix will give me a chance to share the specific tinkering and thinking I'm doing behind the scenes of my own business, which may not be relevant to all of you. 

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

🎙 PODCASTING: 

📚 READING: Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation by Kevin Roose. Listen to his discussion about the book on the Recode Media podcast. 

🍿 WATCHING: For a ridiculous, delightful, cheesy, Clue-inspired movie, check out Murder Mystery on Netflix, starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. 

🎧  LISTENING: When you need a good chuckle, listen to Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet, "dramatic readings of 1-star reviews" from a brother-sister comedy duo.

🥭  EATING: I'm not sure if they deliver to your area, but if you want wine dropped off at your doorstep without having to venture out, the Drizly app is my go-to. Save $5 if you use referral code sthdx at checkout.

🧰  TOOLS: Notiv will attend Zoom calls with you and automatically transcribe the first 30 minutes for free; in-full if you upgrade to a paid account. Thank you Steven for the hat tip on this one!

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day.

❤️  With Love, 
Jenny 

P.S. Did you get this forwarded from a friend? If so, sign-up for your very own PivotList here to get my curated weekly(ish) best-of-the-web round-up :) And subscribe to Pivot with Jenny Blake wherever you listen to 'casts! 

To join my new direction for heart-based business owners, check out ItsFreeTime.com, sign-up for the Time Well Spent newsletter on the homepage, and be sure you subscribe to Free Time with Jenny Blake in your favorite podcast app :) 

🎁 What's on your holiday wishlist? A few of my favorite things . . .

Hi Everyone,

What's on your holiday wishlist that you can't quite bring yourself to invest in? In the past, two items sat atop my aspirational-yet-practical wishlist for over a decade: a Dyson vacuum and Tumi carry-on luggage (never has the latter been so irrelevant). Now I have both, and I am in fact, obsessed. My per-use value (and joy) far outweighs what seems like an expensive price tag. 

I have also pined a long puffy coat for at least 10 years, since the mornings when I was living in CA, training for a triathlon in 2009. For inquiring minds, I finished nearly last in the swim portion after panicking at the start line, then switching to a backstroke the rest of the way to calm down. 

But now a few things have changed: I’m in New York, walking Ryder once or twice a day, the weather has turned freezing, and the pandemic has given us all permission for upgraded PJs.

So, I bought myself a sleeping bag masquerading as a coat and I have never been happier. Now I look forward to leaving the house when it's freezing out! This coat is warm, light, and delightful. I feel like a marshmallow wrapped in a cloud, and I don’t care how ridiculous I look because I am so cocooned. And yes, I proudly wear my Comfy on dog walks too (thank you mom for that great gift last year!). 

How about you? What's your must-have purchase that you'd recommend to others this year, large or small? I'll share the top suggestions in next week's PivotList :) 

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

📣  PLUGS: I'm thrilled to back Sarah Santacroce's Kickstarter campaign to help her fund and launch The Gentle Marketing Revolution book. I was honored to co-write the foreword with Penney Peirce, and jam for a podcast together earlier this year on self-care for introverts, empaths, and HSPs (Highly Sensitive People). Listen here »

📚 READING: The Almanack of Naval Ravikan. Filled with pearls of wisdom, I loved this one in particular: “Become the best in the world at what you do. Keep redefining what you do until this is true.”

🍿 WATCHING: Ted Lasso on Apple TV — such a lighthearted, good-humored, much-needed pick-me-up. Thank you Sarah Young for the recommendation!

🎧  LISTENING: Jonathan Fields' fantastic interview with Matthew McConaughey for the Good Life Project. Right from the opening, McConaughey shares this gem (for context, he doesn't wear a watch):

"I am working and I'm peddling, day-to-day I have a lot of responsibilities, and I'm good at that. All of a sudden, what I find is, I'll get ahead of time. Meaning, is it 6:00 yet? It's 4:22 - ah geez, well slow down, slow down.

If I click off and check out to have my time in nature, be outside, get back with the rhythm that's outside of my vertically stacked responsibilities, I can come back and go...what is it? It's 3:15...and I look at the clock and it's 3:17 - OK, there we go, I like it.

A minute or two behind is my favorite spot - to be just a hair off, like a great drummer, on the back side of the tune, not on the front side of the wave.

Then I find that all those vertically stacked responsibilities - when I'm starting to run on reserve - lays down and becomes lateral in front of me, and I can see it. Instead of the proverbial weight on my shoulders, I can hop from lily pad to lily pad with a lot less stress. That's what nature gives me - that clock."

🍵  DRINKING: My all-time go-to daily favorite, deliciously aromatic and flavorful morning tea: Rishi's Earl Grey.

🧰  TOOLS: Goody: "Send a gift as easily as a text" - delivered beautifully as well! I made Michael test it out with me :) Their delightful virtual gift-opening experience is perfect for these remote times, and there's no more guessing (or collecting) mailing addresses—the recipient enters their own info, and you are only billed once they have accepted your gift. Create an account by sending your first gift (this took me about 10 minutes to fumble around and figure out).

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

❤️  With Love, 
Jenny

🤔 Are you stuck solving the wrong problems?

Why are so many of us allergic to the word innovation, solving the wrong problems, and experiencing idea-fatigue? Because, as Stephen Shapiro brilliantly shares in his book, Invisible Solutions: 25 Lenses that Reframe and Help Solve Difficult Business Problems, what we’re really aiming for is relevance.

How can you apply the 5D’s of disruption to solve difficult problems? We dive into that and so much more during this conversation from May (back when I was podcasting daily for three months!)

I’ll tell you one thing: you’ll never brainstorm the same way again . . . 

🎧 Listen to the latest Pivot Podcasts here » 

📆  FREE FOLLOW-UP Q&A FOR ENTREPRENEURS ON DEC. 9

Dorie, Mike, and I had a blast leading last week's Reinventing Your Business webinar — big thanks to those of you who were able to attend live! I was so delighted and energized by all the enthusiasm in the virtual room :) 

In case you missed it, you can watch the replay here »

In fact, so many questions remained unanswered by the end that I decided to host a follow-up Q&A on December 9 at 2pm ET. Join us to hang out, talk shop, and ask any follow-up questions you may have! Add to Google calendar »

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

  • 🎧 LISTENING: The featured guests on this episode of Conspirituality (h/t Bob) capture my concerns with "cancel culture." Listen to the second half of the episode for their nuanced take on a number of topics and fraught terms in our cultural zeit.

  • 🧰 TOOLS: Getting ready for the holidays? Check out Elisa Doucette's 19 Gift Ideas for Writers, and consider assembling an AwesomeBox: "Share photos and messages custom-printed into a box set of beautiful cards,"

    Want to skip the frenzy of family gift-giving altogether? Suggest Secret Santa this year! DrawNames.com makes the anonymous matching process easy (h/t to my beautiful and brilliant sisters-in-law Marissa and Gil for the suggestion!)

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

❤️  With Love, 
Jenny

🗣 Saner Arguments + Business Reinvention Workshop on Monday 📆

When discussing fraught, divisive, or high-stakes issues it's so easy to get defensive, triggered, and hurt-sometimes even doing irreparable damage to relationships we hold most dear.

Thankfully my friend Bob Gower, two-time guest of the Pivot podcast, outlines something crucial for us to understand before we engage in our next argument: is this discourse or a debate?

He outlines the difference between the two in his fantastic piece, Rules of Engagement: 5 Steps to Better Arguments: "In discourse, the goal is to eventually align. Debate is discourse's more flamboyant cousin where people with opposing views intend to remain that way at the end of the conversation." Listen to our latest Pivot Podcast here » 

📆 FREE UPCOMING EVENT FOR ENTREPRENEURS: REINVENTING YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS - WORKSHOP ON MONDAY (11/23)

I'm super excited to be teaming up with two of my business besties and most inspiring friendtors, Dorie Clark and Mike Michaelowicz, to jam in a free virtual workshop on reinventing yourself and your business.

It's coming right up on Monday, Nov. 23rd at 12pm ET/ 9am PT/ 5pm GMT. We will cover a range of topics and practical tips to help you: 

  • Take control of your business

  • Build on your unique passions and talents

  • Develop a unique personal brand

  • Determine what's already working in your business and double-down on it

  • Move past burnout and depletion from the events of this year

  • Amplify your best ideas and create a game-plan for sharing them in 2021

👉 Register here to join us! 

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

❤️ With Love, 

Jenny

😅 Deep Breaths . . . Delightful Distractions Inside 💜

Hi Friends! 

I hope this message finds you—who are we kidding—well? Anxious? On the edge of your seat? Unable to sleep through the night? Hitting refresh on your preferred news site 100x per hour? At least if you are state-side...if not, maybe you've just got popcorn in hand watching our democracy teeter on the balance. 

My husband Michael remarked that watching election night coverage (we never watch TV news) reminded him exactly of the sights and sounds of WWE when he grew up. Hah!

I often debate with myself whether to express how I *really* feel here about politics, etc. (friends of mine know I love a good ol' "cranky curmudgeon" rant!) Truth, authenticity, and integrity are important values of mine, and I love being as transparent as I can. 

At the same time, what this week has made clear is that there are 70 million people (give or take) on both sides of our political aisle. (I'll save my rants on the limits of our two-party system and polarized news media for another time.) Everyone has their reasons for voting how they do, and the fact that we had record turnout means that so many of us are passionate about important aspects of our future! I don't like blanket statements, assumptions, or disparagement surrounding those reasons any more than you do. 

For now, I'll just say this: My hope for the future is that we can build bridges across the aisle. That, together, we can transcend bullsh*t click-bait, algorithmic social media that siphons us further into partisan rabbit holes, and take our power back from talking heads on TV (or anywhere else). It starts at home, with our neighbors, and in our own cities. 

🎧 The Practice—On Generosity, Peculiarity, and Showing Up with Seth Godin 

Speaking of starting at home, I was *delighted* and honored to have Seth Godin on the podcast this week to reconnect us with our life-giving creative projects, through his new book The Practice. 

As he shared in our conversation, "The marketing-industrial complex has been on a tear for a hundred years to make almost everyone feel inadequate, because it's the single best way to sell you something. If that game isn't giving you joy, don't play that game.”

Seth Godin is an inventor, thought-leader, contrarian, mentor, mensch, and an ongoing inspiration to so many of us. Listen in as we celebrate our (almost) ten-year friendiversary and discuss a range of topics for those in the business of playing with ideas: shipping creative work even when tired, generosity and building with word-of-mouth in mind, choosing which information “rooms” to hang out in online, Tik Tok and social media tourism, and speaking to (and selecting for) the yearning of the people you seek to serve.

Although I’m at my awkward finest when interviewing my biggest heroes, Seth chief among them, I hope you enjoy this conversation on all things leadership and creativity :)

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

❤️  With Love, 
Jenny

💭 What word chose you this year?

Hi Friends, 

How are any of us supposed to sleep for the next week?! Your guess is as good as mine. I certainly don't have any answers, but I have been doing a lot of reflecting this year. 2020 has been a year of reckoning in every way. Today's podcast is a quick on-the-go-isode, recorded on-the-go on my iPhone while throwing the frisbee for Ryder in the park. Although it’s a bit noiser than usual, I hope you enjoy the New York City soundscape.

So many of us were feeling incredibly hopeful and optimistic heading in to this new decade. In keeping with the theme of radical reimagining, my hope is that this episode helps you reflect not just on the theme you set at the start of this year, but what theme has chosen and shaped you.

Key questions:

  • What are you secretly relieved has dissolved or disappeared this year?

  • What are the different permissions granted, that you might not have had the courage to do on your own?

  • What word chose you this year? 

I'll repeat what I said last week: I am sending love, hugs, and high fives to all of you for making it this far into this crazy year, and deep breaths as we approach the election here in the U.S. 

Friendly reminder, too, that I have a special interview with Seth Godin launching Tuesday — and it has nothing to do with politics if you need a place to rest and recharge! We recorded in early September, and it was Seth's book (and subsequent conversation) that helped me "dust the rust off" after my summer podcasting hiatus. 

Grab a copy of Seth's The Practice: Shipping Creative Work, and listen to his latest Akimbo episode, Books Matter, on how "books transcend time and space." 

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

❤️  With Love, 

Jenny

📚 If you only read 3 books in 2020 + My latest software obsession

Hi Friends! 

Long time no talk . . . it is great to be back :) This message was drafted "July 16" 😂  and you know how it goes sometimes, especially in #2020: a week passed, then two, then I fell into the pit of sleep-deprivation despair (see also: nightly bespoke fireworks as I shared in episode 245: Radical Reimagining—Everything Is Up For Grabs).

And then I started to sleep, and lean deeper into the pause, while re-airing the entire Penney & Jenny series on frequency and intuition in August.

And then!

I started cooking up an entirely new-but-related direction (more on that in the coming months) . . . because what's the point of writing a book called Pivot if you're not going to read the tea leaves of change, energy, and creativity and pivot! 

As I said in March, we all got pivoted this year—big time—and if you're not questioning everything, now's the time! It's also the time to VOTE. Please, pretty please, do that if you haven't already (or register if you plan to go in person). 

One of the strangest things that happened for me during this #2020pocalpse is that I stopped reading books. Books are oxygen for my soul, and ever since I was a kid I've read at least one a week (minimum). They are my teachers, best friends, inspiration, recharging station, and refuge.

But with the business challenges resulting from halting all travel and all speaking gigs, raising a puppy during this time who just turned one! gratuitous pic below, and adjusting to a whole-new-NYC, I have not had the energy or focus to read beyond my daily hold-it-in-my-hands NYT and weekly New Yorker. This is the equivalent of saying "I haven't had time to eat." It does not compute! 

This last week was the first time I tore through a book in months, and it truly massaged my brain—even the cover speaks to my book-loving spirit! I have avoided all books with the T-word in the title these last four years, but this one (and another brilliant gem called On Tyranny) escaped my filter. Read on below to get the book I just mentioned, and all my best recs this week :) 

I am sending love, hugs, and high fives to all of you for making it this far into this crazy year, and deep breaths as we approach the election here in the U.S.

I have a special interview with Seth Godin launching that very day — and it has nothing to do with politics if you need a place to rest and recharge! I can't recommend his new book The Practice: Shipping Creative Work highly enough! You can pre-order now :) 

Before we get on to this week's round-up . . . here's my proud dog-mama Ryder pic (and my Amazon recs for his favorite things if you also brought a furry friend into your home this year!) What a joy . . . they are truly angels in fur coats :)

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

❤️  With Love, 

Jenny

💛 Devotion and the Importance of Pausing While Pivoting

Hi Friends,  

I hope this PivotList finds you and your families well! What a trying year we're in . . . and I doubt it will let up, given that we're in a major election year here in the states. The sad state of our political process is that powers-that-be will likely try everything to create more confusion and chaos—on all sides—to win. As Julio Vincent Gambuto's viral Medium post states, Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting.

I just heard a meme that 2020 is now an adjective, one akin to "hot mess" or "disaster." As in, Ugh - that's so 2020! Hah. I am still looking for the silver lining, and no doubt there is tremendous positive change afoot with the national sustained protests and even the Facebook advertising boycott. 

That said, does anyone else feel totally exhausted and lacking in motivation? Or maybe it's just me, NYC humidity, and the hourly evening "bespoke" fireworks that have woken me and my family up 5-10 times a night for almost a month now...

As for the Pivot podcast: I’m taking a short break to pause and design what’s next for the content-wise. Over the next few weeks, I'll be releasing the full series of conversations with Penney Peirce, who is family to me now and consistently named as a listener favorite when I get feedback notes.

After our first interview together in 2016 we jokingly started naming these follow-up conversations “The Penney & Jenny Show.” Until now, these interviews were spread out over the last four years — now they’ll be bingeable as a consecutive series :)

🗣  PIVOT PODCAST LISTENERS—I'D LOVE YOUR VOTE IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY! 

For nearly five years I published new podcast episodes weekly. Then when the pandemic hit I shifted to daily for three months, and now I'm piloting another format by releasing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Which frequency is your favorite? Cast your vote by clicking below, and you'll get a surprise bonus :)

What frequency of new Pivot podcast episodes do you enjoy most?

I’d love to hear what else is on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey »

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

❤️  With Love, 

Jenny

🎵 Pivot + Nahko! On Taking Your Power Back . . . with a Special Performance 🌟

I am delighted—who are we kidding, OVERJOYED!—to introduce you one of my favorite artists of all time, Nahko. How does one even begin to thank one of their biggest heroes?!

Nahko is an artist, a seeker, a storyteller, and a medicine man through soulful music. I love that his music sits at the intersection of deep personal introspection with incredible activism and social justice.

He and his band, Nahko and Medicine for the People, have provided the soundtrack to everything important in my life these last five years: solo journeying, writing and then launching Pivot, meeting my husband, getting married, and now navigating the 2020 coronacoaster.

🎵 Listen to the end for a special acoustic performance (yes, I almost fainted!) followed by bloopers of me at peak nervous-awkward interviewing :)

📝  Check out full show notes from this episode with links and favorite songs »

🗣  PIVOT PODCAST LISTENERS—I'D LOVE YOUR VOTE! 

For nearly five years I published new podcast episodes weekly. Then when the pandemic hit I shifted to daily for three months, and now I'm piloting another format by releasing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Which frequency is your favorite? Cast your vote by clicking below, and you'll get a surprise bonus :)

What frequency of new Pivot podcast episodes do you enjoy most?

I’d love to hear what else is on your mind! Take the Pivot listener survey »

Now onto this week's round-up of resources . . . 

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day!

💔 Listening, Learning, Evolving, Acting. We Must Do Better.

Friends, 

What we witnessed through George Floyd's murder was evil incarnate, not to mention the countless others who have come before him, and the massively dysfunctional systems in America that perpetuate injustice, racism, and senseless violence.

We have hit a boiling point of rage and heartbreak.

Although I typically aim to keep PivotList globally focused and out of the sphere of news and politics (in itself, a privilege), I am compelled to elevate voices during this time in support of Black Lives Matter.

If you are one of the many activists already working in this space, THANK YOU. ❤️ 🎙 To further #amplifymelanatedvoices, I invite you to submit voice recordings to air on the Pivot Podcast via SpeakPipe, or for longer messages, send your recording link to hello@pivotmethod.com. 

In following #muted this week, I have paused my daily podcasts to turn the airtime tables over to leaders within Black Lives Matter, who are already fighting courageously on the front lines for change—and until I have a better sense of what I can say, share, and do. 

Let me briefly say, while in deep listening and learning mode: I am appalled and enraged by the ongoing police brutality and broken criminal justice system in the United States. 

This is unacceptable and we must do better. 

*I* must do better as a podcaster, listener, coach, friend, community member, and leader to continue building anti-racism skills and taking meaningful action. 

In the meantime, I am absorbing as much as I can to do my part, and am deeply grateful for all who are helping raise awareness and our collective consciousness. Please bear with me and others as we catch-up to making sense of the biggest, most inclusive picture. I recognize that even this message is sensitive and imperfect in ways I don't yet see or understand, and I welcome your feedback.

Black Lives Matter.

Which brings me to this week's round-up of helpful resources . . . 

With Love, 
Jenny 

💭 Pause, Pivot, and Create What You Need + Super Extrovert Strategies

As I mentioned last week, I’m thrilled to share that I have an essay, "A Thousand Pivot Points," included in the new book Leadership in a Time of Crisis.

For small business owners, check out this conversation with with Barbara Turley of The Virtual Hub on whether to Pause or Pivot » (hint: we're all doing both!)

Meanwhile, I continue podcasting up a storm with daily episodes on everything from why I love the placebo effect, riffing on rogan, super extrovert strategies from my friend Phil, pandemic bubbles, how I run my business without social media, and whatever else my crazy mind can cook up each day.

Subscribe wherever you listen to 'casts, and check out the full archives here »
Speaking of podcasting, according to PodNews and Deezer (and my own personal experience!) podcasts have been a salve for loneliness and making positive changes during lockdown. Can you relate?

Take the 3-minute Pivot listener survey if you haven't already and let me know how podcasts fit into your life, and to request topics for future episodes! 

Now onto this week's round-up  . . .

  • DELIGHTING: Do me a favor. Order this, then spritz yourself when you enter or leave the bathroom. I know — it's sounds bougie. But you will love it!  

  • LISTENING: Ryan Hawk's Learning Leader Show podcast — I love his intention to learn in every interview. He's going strong with 366+ episodes! (h/t Jay Acunzo via Mitch Joel)

  • FEATURED: On Dan Blank's podcast, The Creative Shift: "What Can I Create?" The Powerful Question to Navigate Change 

  • WATCHING: This wild art installation 🌊

  • TOOL: Headliner quickly makes beautiful audiograms from video or sound clips. Super cool! What Canva is to images, this is for podcasters 🎙 

🎧 RECENT EPISODES OF THE PIVOT PODCAST:

Quick favor to help shape future episodes! Take the 5-minute listener survey »

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


🗒 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

You can also view the pandemic-focused March Pivot workshops here »

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...

🎓 Be Willing to Be the Exception (A Message for 2020 Grads, Job-Seekers, and Business Owners)

We did it!! Pivot surpassed the 200 reviews mark — I'm so grateful for every single one of you who submitted feedback, and to all of you here reading 🙏

I’m also thrilled to share that I have an essay, "A Thousand Pivot Points," included in a new book, Leadership in a Time of Crisis. It is currently available at $2.99 for a limited time on Amazon Kindle, and the paperback edition will be out next week. 

BE WILLING TO BE THE EXCEPTION: A MESSAGE FOR 2020 GRADS

Yesterday on the Pivot podcast I shared an important message for 2020 grads, job-seekers, small business owners, and anyone else who needs to hear it: do not bench yourself before the game begins. Be willing to be the exception. 

Just this week The New York Times published on the front page, Facing Adulthood With an Economic Disaster’s Lasting Scars: “Those entering the job market in a downturn may never catch up in pay, opportunities or confidence.” It continues, “The question is what kind of scars this will leave in the hearts, minds and pockets of younger people.”

Systemic inequality, student debt, lack of social support — these are massively broken systems in America. But that doesn’t mean you need to hang your head in defeat from now until forever.

Do not let headlines like the one above sit over your head like dark, depressing rain clouds for the rest of your career, no matter how tough the market might be right now. Shake it off, and be willing to be the exception (even if statistically speaking, we can’t all be).

See these scars as a good thing, or at least find a silver lining: how is the pandemic uniquely shaping your heart, mind, and pocket? What lessons are you learning that will serve you for the rest of your career?

If you are a recent grad looking for a portable coach to help you hold your highest vision even while navigating the nuts-and-bolts of adulting during these challenging times, check out my first book Life After College (first launched 2011, revised edition launched 2018). Compliment it with Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One, and you’ll be well-equipped to navigate change now and in the future.

Check out full show notes from this podcast episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/221 »

Now onto this week's round-up  . . .

🎧 RECENT EPISODES OF THE PIVOT PODCAST:

Quick favor to help shape future episodes! Take the 5-minute listener survey »

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


🗒 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

You can also view the pandemic-focused March Pivot workshops here »

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...

🤓 Big Ideas with Two of My Favorite Thinkers . . . and "May 2020" Hair 😂 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm delighted to bring you two Pivot podcasts that may just be my favorites yet—with Mitch Joel, author of Six Pixels of Separation and Ctrl Alt Delete, and Stephen Shapiro, author of Invisible Solutions and Best Practices are Stupid.

We cover tremendous conversational ground: sensing trends, facilitating great conversations, the one skill everyone needs, why friendtors are too often overlooked, our allergy to the phrase "innovative" and what it really means (hint: relevance), "goal-free living," and Stephen's powerful 5D's of disruption.

A QUICK FAVOR (OR TWO) IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE!

Speaking of which, I’d love your help tipping Pivot over the 200 reviews milestone—at the time of this writing, we've just got TWO to go! That means your review counts — yes yours :)

If you’ve read the book, please share your honest thoughts, I'd be super grateful :) Even better, gift a copy to a friend!

As I shared in the recent I Don't Know episode of the podcast (still going strong with daily episodes!), I'm also at a content inflection point amidst this pandemic. I'd love to know what’s on your mind, and what would be most helpful for me to tackle next.

Take the 5-minute Pivot listener survey and/or submit a question via voice note.

ANYONE RELATE? 😂


Now onto this week's round-up  . . .

🎧 RECENT EPISODES OF THE PIVOT PODCAST:

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


🗒 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

You can also view the pandemic-focused March Pivot workshops here »

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...

🎱 On Seinfeld, Sensitivity, and Trend-Spotting + My favorite new binge-worthy show 🏎

Hi Everyone, 

"Just the bit, the audience, and the moment." That's Jerry Seinfeld sharing his thoughts on his interests now, as he Makes Peace With Nothing: ‘Post-Show Business.’ 

Today on the podcast I'm riffing on Seinfeld, Sensitivity, and Trend Spotting, inspired by the synchronous confluence of re-reading a note to self on “sensitivity as a tool for trend spotting” and the above-linked NYT interview (who I highlight in the pilots chapter of Pivot). Check out full show notes from this episode »

Speaking of which, I’d love your help tipping Pivot over the 200 reviews milestone—at the time of this writing, we've just got 6 to go! If you’ve read the book, please share your honest thoughts, I'd be super grateful :) Even better, gift a copy to a friend!

As I shared in the recent I Don't Know episode of the podcast (still going strong with daily episodes!), I'm also at a content inflection point amidst this pandemic. I'd love to know what’s on your mind, and what would be most helpful for me to tackle next.

Take the 5-minute Pivot listener survey and/or submit a question via voice note.

UPCOMING LIVE WEBINAR

If you're looking for a Pivot overview, I'll be delivering a live Alumni Learning Consortium Book Club Webinar on Wednesday, May 13 at 12 p.m. ET. I'd love for you to join us! 

You can also view the pandemic-focused Pivot workshops I delivered in March here »

Now onto this week's round-up  . . .

  • READING: A great compliment to Pivot, before you're ready for nuts and bolts next steps: Why Bother? Discover Your Desire for What's Next by Jen Louden (podcast releases tomorrow!) 

  • FEATURED: Pivot and I are featured in the Creating a Brand Podcast this week! I also had a ton of fun riffing with Eric Cacciatore for Restaurant Unstoppable on creative ways that restauranteurs are responding.  

  • WATCHING: Hat tip to my dad who turned me on to Formula 1 on Netflix—what an incredible binge-worthy show! Performance, politics, passion, incredible feats of two-second pit stops, focus, billionaire funders, dedication, cute drivers, spectator glitterati, bright colors, and blindingly fast cars — what's not to love?! I didn't have the slightest interest in F1 before I started . . . which of course, is no longer the case :) 

  • TOOL: Someone recently asked about "a nifty handing book holder on the wall" in my office. That's my vertical bookshelf, and I am indeed obsessed! The original is Design Within Reach but there are more inexpensive knock-off versions around too. I've had both - and if you can afford to go for the DWR one, it is worth it. The one I have now came from an apartment seller in NYC (my other is in CA) and it's a marked difference in quality (the shelves slant downward for example).

🎧 RECENT EPISODES OF THE PIVOT PODCAST:

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


🗒 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...

🚪Serendipity and the Power of Saying Yes — Swinging One Door Open at a Time

Happy belated Earth Day! I had one of the coolest Pivot Podcast conversations yet with Bishop William Swing — my brother met him serendipitously earlier this year, waiting for a sports store to open in San Francisco. Next thing I know, he texts me Bill's business card and says we have to meet. 

We skipped over the standard "networking call" and hit record on our first conversation — during which I discovered Bill has met with everyone from the Pope to the Dalai Lama to Mother Teresa in his effort to create the United Nations equivalent for religions, which he has done with over 1,000,000 participants in over 1,000 interreligious working groups.

What an incredible guy . . . I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Particularly how his path unfolded step-by-serendipitous-step as he shared his mission and accepted introductions and invitations along the way.

🎧 RECENT EPISODES OF THE PIVOT PODCAST:

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


And now for this week's round-up  . . .

  • READING AND LISTENING: I'm just two pages in to Samantha Irby's latest book of essays, Wow, No Thank You, and already cracking up! An excerpt: 

    "I live for a glamorous lifestyle blog featuring some gorgeous ingenue with piles of secret wealth that she never divulges to the unsuspecting slobs on the other side of the screen...I want to admire her floating through a bright and clean apartment in photos so beautiful and overexposed that it hurts your ugly regular-person eyes to look at them.

    Partly, I am curious about the stuff people buy (oh, I am not curious I am actually obsessed and, if I pee at your house, I will make note of the hand soap you use and immediately copy you if it's fancier than mine).

    Here's Samantha on the NYT Book Review podcast »

  • LISTENING AND WATCHING: This Schitt's Creek soundtrack on Spotify is perfect background music for working; just like the show, it's filled with classics and equal parts delightful, soothing, and uplifting. 

    Creator Dan Levy is hands-down my platonic #mancrush of 2019-2020! I really enjoyed Vogue's 73 Questions with him, and this GQ round-up of 10 Things he Can't Live Without. A man of taste, style, humor, and humility — what's not to love?!

  • TOOL: From two of my favorite authors/thinkers/founders/sane business leaders, sign-up for HEY — a new email platform coming soon from the co-founders of Basecamp. Check out their essay, Here are 25 fundamental issues we have with email as we know it.

🗒 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane.

☎️ Apokalypsis: Calling on Collective Intelligence, Catharsis, and Problem-Solving

As many of you know, I've been podcasting daily since episode 159 (3/11/20), right around the time the world hit "pause" — to help provide comfort and shift the corona-conversation toward how we're being called to reflect and transform.  

One personal byproduct is that I feel rich in powerful conversations with friends! This week we covered the power of collective problem-solving, checklists, reinvention, catharsis, pondering (for rebels), and why longtime friendtor Penney Peirce still sees this as a Year of Choice.

 PIVOT PODCAST — Full titles of recent episodes:

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


And now for the round-up to take you into the weekend . . . 

  • ART-MAKING: In case you haven't seen this, I'm obsessed with this project from the Getty Museum in CA! "We challenge you to recreate a work of art with objects (and people) in your home." See the results on Twitter »  

  • DANCING: This app takes a bit of set-up, but it's so fun! I haven't upgraded to a paid account yet, but really enjoyed starting to figure it out :) Just Dance Now »

  • WATCHING: Not that you need more ideas for what to watch 🤪 — but just in case check out the NYT (Virtual) Upcoming Events page and Past Events Here »

  • LISTENING: Need something to listen to in the background while working? Two of my recent favorites are Deep Focus and Deep Focus 2.0 on Spotify, and the Cinema Paradiso Soundtrack.

  • TOOL: I've had friends absolutely rave about the WHOOP physiological tracker and intelligence — revolutionizing their sleep, rest/recovery, and target strain level for workouts — (here's lookin' at you Julie and Michael!) — just signed up for one myself :) 

 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...

📈 Pivoting & Reinvention — Going Live with Dorie Clark Today at 1pm ET on LinkedIn!

These days it seems our relationship with time is itself in flux. Change is accelerating, while the rest of our outer life slows down or speeds up depending on the day. 

That theme keeps emerging on various calls and podcasts these last few days: don't miss the chance to slow down, pause, rest, reflect, and transform. It would be so easy to fill our calendars right back up with Virtual Everything and 24/7 Streaming, ignoring the call to evolve within us, especially given the discomfort that can create. Consider:

  • How can you create even more space during this time?

  • What is sheltering at home giving you permission to say no to (that you're relieved and delighted about!), and how might that inform future work and choices?

  • What activities are still draining you, and do you have a chance to shift or drop them?

I'm debating a "no new events" in May moratorium myself as I see how quickly the days fill — with connection, yes — but not necessarily the deep work and quiet I'm also craving.

On another note, big thanks to all who clarified the difference between the two government programs for SBA's . . . it's all unfolding so quickly I only discovered after sending my last message that they were two different things :) 

👉 LIVE PIVOT EVENT TODAY WITH DORIE CLARK

🦠 PODCASTING: PIVOTING AROUND A PANDEMIC 

I've been podcasting almost daily ever since Momentum member and pandemic expert Dr. Michael J. Consuelos reached out to offer himself as a resource for episode 159, which has now turned into a full-blown series. Check out episodes and resources at PivotMethod.com/pandemic »

Recent episodes:

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


And now for the round-up to take you into the weekend . . . 

 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...

📝 Pivot-in-Progress: 12 Reflection Questions to Revisit Monthly

This is re-posted from Jenny’s weekly #PivotList newsletter, a curated round up of the best resources ‘round the web. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future editions!

Here in the U.S., a record 10 million people have filed for unemployment in the last two weeks, and employment estimates are at a mind-boggling 13%.

I have friends who are pregnant, slated to get married, and who have family members who are sick that they can’t visit. On a personal level, I am staying buoyant, although in the last few weeks I have lost 90% of my projected income for Q2, including money that I had been planning on putting directly into a six-month business reserves account long before the pandemic hit.

I did end up applying for the Small Business Association’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (also called the Payroll Protection Plan), despite initial hesitations that there were people who needed it more than me. 

We are all feeling it. I have been trying to journal through this, both in my 5 Star Spiral Notebook (a 15+ year staple) and my new One Line a Day: Five-Year Memory Book.

Along those lines, in episode 180 of the Pivot Podcast I share 12 reflection questions that have been helpful for me and others.

We’re still early in all this, so I recommend revisiting these even on a monthly basis (as well as episode 173 with Steven Morris on beautiful questions that reorient one’s life trajectory).

I am purposefully not going through my analysis on the podcast yet, because I want to give you the space to reflect on your own without influence from my responses, but I’m happy to share in a future episode. 

️ Finally, remember the Buddhist saying: nothing is permanent, personal, or perfect.

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions for a future conversation at http://pivotmethod.com/ask

 LIVE PIVOT EVENTS THIS WEEK!

🦠 PODCASTING: PIVOTING AROUND A PANDEMIC 

I've been podcasting daily ever since Momentum member and pandemic expert Dr. Michael J. Consuelos reached out to offer himself as a resource for episode 159, which has now turned into a full-blown series. Check out episodes and resources at PivotMethod.com/pandemic »

Recent episodes:

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »


And now for the weekly round-up . . . 

 COMPLIMENTARY TOOLS TO GUIDE YOUR (DAILY) PIVOT PLANNING:

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...

🤪 Screen Fatigue, Beautiful Questions, and 2 Live Pivot Events Next Week

Do your eyeballs hurt?! No matter my joy and awe at humanity’s creativity in times of crisis in terms of moving everything online—everything. is. now. online.

Even pre-pandemic, our phones were already spitting out weekly Screen Time reports to help us put down the devices . . . now we’re glued to them as the only outlet for social connection, culture, and productivity.

In a New York Times article, When a Home Becomes Headquarters—also titled “Logged on from the Laundry Room” (LOL)—even the CEO of Cisco, the company that runs meeting software WebEx, Chuck Robbins acknowledged the difficulties.

“I tell you…this whole teleworking thing — as much as we sell it to our customers, I’m not sure I want to do it 100 percent of the time. Nobody prepares for this,” Robbins said.

In a recent Pivot Podcast on Screen Fatigue, I share 16 strategies for staying sane amidst the endless screens—particularly for work-related meetings—across three categories: for meeting leaders, participants, and during the meeting best practices.

Related resources:

· Check out Momentum Member Leanne Hughes' fantastic podcast for facilitators (with a lot of new content on sprucing up virtual training!), and

· Here's an in-depth guide on how to run meetings on Zoom

It is also important to Zoom out a bit (see what I did there?!) — I have a feeling you'll be moved by my recent conversation with Steve Morris on Beautiful Questions for Challenging Times »

🦠 Opening the Collective Pandora's Box ❤️

Can you feel it? We are all being shaped and called to rise; as Rilke writes in letter 8 of Letters to a Young Poet (one I read on the podcast last week):

"We have changed, as a house that a guest has entered changes. We can't say who has come, perhaps we will never know, but many signs indicate that the future enters us in this way in order to be transformed in us, long before it happens." 

I think you'll appreciate the conversations with Penney Peirce this week on How Coronavirus is Speeding Us Toward Transparency and Opening our Collective Pandora's Box. Read her essay that these conversations are based on here »

In New York City, so much is changing that it feels like one month passes each week. I asked participants in a recent workshop to reflect before we started, and many found these questions helpful: 

  • How are you doing? 

  • How have you already adapted? 

  • How are you growing during this time? 

Related resource: Check out Strategic Coach Dan Sullivan's "Scary Times" Tool »

🦠 PODCASTING: PIVOTING AROUND A PANDEMIC

I've been podcasting daily ever since Momentum member and pandemic expert Dr. Michael J. Consuelos reached out to offer himself as a resource, which has now turned into a full-blown series:

What’s on your mind? Submit follow-up questions at PivotMethod.com/ask »
Consider donating to become a Pivot Insider and you’ll get access to a private monthly Q&A call where you can ask me anything—our next call is coming up on April 8 with special guest Penney Peirce! You'll also get access to 7+ months of archives, bonuses, and "secret" episodes I don't release publicly.


And now for the weekly round-up . . . 

  • WATCHING: Who doesn't love Rube Goldberg machines?! This. Is. AWESOME: The Cake Server — aka possibly your most delightful two-minute break this week ️

  • READING: Therapist Lori Gottlieb on ambiguous grief in the NYT: Grieving the Losses of Coronavirus. "In addition to the tragic losses of life and health and jobs we are grieving the losses of weddings, sports and the ability to buy eggs or get a haircut."

  • LISTENING: Other than everything under the sun that has gone virtual including yoga, business workshops, viral Tik Tok memes, and podcasts? I'm finding The Daily to be a touchstone of sanity and sound advice right now.

  • TEACHING: There's no way around it — every day brings a new mental, emotional, work rollercoaster. Feeling frazzled myself at times from the daily "snow globe shake-up" of work and life shifts, I debated cancelling — before I realized now is the time we must talk about pivoting and navigating daily uncertainty. 

    Back in February I scheduled a slew of complimentary trainings this month, including my two main interactive keynotes for organizations. Check out the recordings here:

Additional complimentary Pivot resources to deepen your (daily) Pivot planning: 

Companies: If you are interested in launching career development programs within your organization, hit reply or find a time with our Program Director Marisol. 

If your organization already has a LinkedIn Learning license, you might also find these two courses helpful to pilot the Pivot Method internally: 

That's it for now . . . THANK YOU for reading and listening, for your support, and for being part of this adventure with me. I am grateful for you every day! Stay safe and sane...