Jenny Blake
363: 🌈 Taking a Quiet Sabbatical and ...

As I round the corner into this ninth year of podcasting, after over 700 episodes today, I’m announcing a pause for both shows.

Listen in to hear what factors helped me reach this decision across time, money, energy, depressing industry articles, the pace of both shows’ growth, and mix of additional business factors that make this an important moment to pause and regroup. You might also appreciate the even deeper dive with my longtime friend (and first coach) Adrian Klaphaak in Pivot episode 360: 📦 Unpacking a Big Business Decision and Dissolving Related Doubts.

Jenny Blake
362: Setting Creative Intentions Instead of ...

“Expectations are the enemy to the creative process. Sometimes you have to let go of the known to see the unknown.”

Today I’m speaking with James McCrae, an author, poet, and meme artist based in Austin, Texas. He is the founder of 🌻 Sunflower Club, a global school and community dedicated to conscious creativity.

Jenny Blake
361: On Decision Engineering and Evaluating ...

Good decision-making is not about omniscience or clairvoyance—it's more about resilience, according to today’s guest, decision engineer Michelle Florendo. “Decision-making is harder than ever before, and it's not your fault,” Michelle says. “People feel like they ‘should just know’ how to decide.”

Today we’re talking about a framework more helpful than pro-con lists, tuning into your head, heart and gut; why the quality of your decision is not equal to the outcome—did good or bad things happen; keeping a decision journal to evaluate the quality of your decisions regardless of the outcome; and how to drop the guilt of “bad” past outcomes.

Jenny Blake
360: 📦 Unpacking a Big Business Decision ...

What happens when you make a big decision but still have lingering doubt, fear, and even despair? How do you know when a “download” from the universe is worth following, and what does test-driving a decision look like? What happens on the other side or when a pivot is taking far longer than planned?

We’re unpacking all these topics in today’s twelfth and final (for now) conversation for the Pivot x Career Pathfinder series with Adrian Klaphaak.

Jenny Blake
359: “You can’t give what you don’t have” — ...

“You can’t give what you don’t have.” That’s just one of the powerful lessons that Nataly Kogan learned the hard way seven years ago, after suffering a debilitating phase of burnout. As a former refugee from the former Soviet Union, she began her American journey in the projects and on welfare, then going on to build an impressive career as a finance and tech executive and serial entrepreneur over the next 25 years. Until she crashed at thirty-eight years old and needed to find a new way of moving forward.

As part of her healing process, Nataly began to paint when she was 40 by signing up for a painting retreat in Tuscony (that turned out to be for semi-professional watercolorists), and now her paintings are on the cover of her books—front and center as part of her bold self-expression.

Pivot Podcast

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209: On Seinfeld, Sensitivity, and Trend Spotting

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209: On Seinfeld, Sensitivity, and Trend Spotting

This riff is inspired by the synchronous confluence of two things: re-reading a note to self on “sensitivity as a tool for trend spotting” and a recent NYT interview with Jerry Seinfeld (who I also highlight in the chapter on pilots in Pivot), Jerry Seinfeld Is Making Peace With Nothing: He’s ‘Post-Show Business.’

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://www.pivotmethod.com/209

I’d love your help tipping Pivot over the 200 reviews milestone! If you’ve read the book, please share your honest thoughts at http://www.bit.ly/Pivotpaperback

What’s on your mind? Take the Pivot listener survey at http://www.pivotmethod.com/survey and/or submit a question at http://www.pivotmethod.com/ask

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208: Your Book and Big Idea (Part 2)

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208: Your Book and Big Idea (Part 2)

Part two of my recent Momentum Masterclass on Your Book & Big Idea (recorded 3/3/20). Whether you’re creating a course, a speech, or a book learn how to map the transformation you’re trying to create, and the difference between different stages such as harvesting, thinking, outlining, writing, editing, and launching. As Richard Bach says, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”

Listen to part one at http://pivotmethod.com/207

I’d love your help tipping Pivot over the 200 reviews milestone! If you’ve read the book, please share your honest thoughts at http://bit.ly/Pivotpaperback

To dive deeper into these topics: join us in Momentum at http://pivotmethod.com/momentum or take the week-long course, He(art) of Book Publishing. Be sure to also check out the free Author Toolkit (the tools and templates that were most helpful for writing, editing, and marketing Pivot).

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/207

What’s on your mind? Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey

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207: How to Develop Your Book and Big Idea (Part 1)

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207: How to Develop Your Book and Big Idea (Part 1)

In this replay of a Momentum Masterclass on Your Book & Big Idea (recorded 3/3/20), I’m walking you through how to hone in on a powerful, resonant message that will connect with and help you build your ideal community, as well as next steps to getting it out into the world.

As one of my earliest book mentors Michael Larsen said to me, "It's not a question of if you'll get published, but when and how."

I’d love your help tipping Pivot over the 200 reviews milestone! If you’ve read the book, please share your honest thoughts at http://bit.ly/Pivotpaperback

To dive deeper into these topics: join us in Momentum at http://pivotmethod.com/momentum or take the week-long course, He(art) of Book Publishing. Be sure to also check out the free Author Toolkit (the tools and templates that were most helpful for writing, editing, and marketing Pivot).

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/207

What’s on your mind? Take the Pivot listener survey at http://pivotmethod.com/survey

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205: Delightful "5-Star" Relationships with Marriage Coach Maggie Reyes

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205: Delightful "5-Star" Relationships with Marriage Coach Maggie Reyes

It’s right there in her last name: Maggie Reyes is a ray of sunshine who brightens every room she enters. Maggie’s energy in contagious, particularly when it comes to creating delightful, conscious relationships full of affection and appreciation.

We’ve both hired each other as a coach, and in just three sessions (and a surprise book she mailed me), Maggie completely transformed my approach to sticky relationship situations. I hope you enjoy this conversation around what it means to create a “5-star” marriage—and even who we’d each cast in the TV sitcom of our lives :)

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

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/205

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204: Radical Alignment: Getting to Hell Yes with Alex & Bob

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204: Radical Alignment: Getting to Hell Yes with Alex & Bob

Joining the Pivot Podcast today are two of my closest friends in NYC, Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower. I spend Friendsgiving with them almost every year, and Bob is actually featured in the Pilot section of Pivot.

Alex and Bob are one of those couples we all admire—they are warm, loving, respectful, and creative. Today we’re talking about their new book, called Radical Alignment: How to Have Game-Changing Conversations That Will Transform Your Business And Your Life. If you want to help them get a big boost of momentum, please consider pre-ordering today!

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

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/204

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🦠203: Re-Opening: What's Next? When and How Will You Leave the House? With Dr. MJC

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🦠203: Re-Opening: What's Next? When and How Will You Leave the House? With Dr. MJC

(Recorded 4/30/20) No matter when your area “opens back up,” when and how will you go on public transportation, or to restaurants, for example? (If you have the luxury to make that choice independent of your livelihood)

These are the questions Dr. MJC and I tackle in this week’s pandemic podcast conversation. We start with a brief overview of how different states and countries are approaching re-opening, and how we are wrapping our minds around it.

We don’t have the answers, but we are exploring how to frame thinking and important questions about risk, safety, and personal responsibility.

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

Check out show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/203

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202: Diamond Mind—"Inside Out" Coaching with Bev Willcocks

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202: Diamond Mind—"Inside Out" Coaching with Bev Willcocks

Universal Mind, Universal Consciousness and Universal Thought.

From the Three Principles Foundation website: “In 1973, Sydney Banks, an ordinary working man, experienced a spontaneous and profound spiritual enlightenment. His experience uncovered three foundational Principles; elemental principles that create and govern the human experience: Universal Mind, Universal Consciousness and Universal Thought.”

These are the three principles that guide Inside Out coaching, which I first heard about from today’s guest, Bev Willcocks. Bev is a Cape Town based adventurer, artist, and coach who “finds freedom in coming alive to the joy and raw energy of life” and helping her clients do the same.

Bev first reached out in July 2018 to share more about the practice, and after this conversation I’m sure you’ll be interested to learn more too, with powerful tools to find your footing during times of immense uncertainty.

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/202

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201: Strengthen Your Systems (for Solopreneurs)

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201: Strengthen Your Systems (for Solopreneurs)

Do your systems spark joy, or are they cluttering your mind and creating bottlenecks in your business?

Are you telling yourself unhelpful stories like, “I’m not good at technology?” If so, or even if you love systems (like me!) and want to improve your systems-thinking mindset and muscles even further, this episode is for you.

This episode is excerpted from a 90-minute lesson within the Pivot to Profit bonus course in Momentum ($997 value). To access the video version with detailed walk-throughs of how I use apps like TextExpander, Asana, Google Drive, Dropbox, Kajabi, etc — join us in Momentum at http://pivotmethod.com/momentum.

The investment is just $220 per month (you can cancel at any time), and you’ll get access to the entire Pivot to Profit course, along with 5+ years of archives and a private Facebook group with heart-based business owners.

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/201

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199: In Brilliant Conversation with Steve Morris

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199: In Brilliant Conversation with Steve Morris

Steve Morris is on a mission to help organizations and their leaders rise to their potential to live and work wholeheartedly, all while making a positive impact on the world. We last spoke in episode 173 on Beautiful Questions for Challenging Times, which many of you gave us great feedback on—thank you!

Today we’re taking a page out of the Co-Active Training Institute’s playbook on Brilliant Conversations, the context for their recent open Zoom call. As CTI defines it, a Brilliant Conversation has the following qualities:

  • Larger than how we hold a regular conversation

  • Intentional conversation where there is no answer, no destination, no problem to solve

  • Resist the temptation to converge; allow ourselves to expand, to explore, and to play

  • Place and a space where contributions come from ideas, emotions, intuitive hits or spirit or strategy—we use all of us as a resource and our entire field to contribute.

  • Divergent nature, where as so many conversations aim to converge

  • Call upon on our “brilliant mind” or collective consciousness. We create a brilliant mind together, rather than a singular mind.

  • The process is organic and flowing, much like polishing a brilliant diamond.

  • You leave with more questions than you had when you came

  • We tap into a larger mystery and unfolding that is playing out around us

  • You are attuned to what life then starts offering you back as you walk the world with these questions in your heart, spirit, and mind

I hope you enjoy this unfolding, wandering, improvised, in-the-moment conversation with Steve! Be sure to also check out his free Care Package for COVID-19.

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

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/199

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198: Comforting Words From the Momentum Community

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198: Comforting Words From the Momentum Community

I’ve got a big smile today to be sharing sharing this experimental compilation episode with you! Please enjoy some comforting words from the Momentum Community, from our hearts to yours. 

Big thank you to our Momentum members who contributed to today’s episode!

Solopreneurs: Want support in navigating these crazy times, with ease, joy, and crazy-smart systems? Join us in the Momentum Community: http://Pivot.love/Momentum

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/198

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197: Should You Start a Podcast? "It's A Love Game" — Interview by Petra Kolber

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197: Should You Start a Podcast? "It's A Love Game" — Interview by Petra Kolber

Is the market too saturated? Have people stopped listening to podcasts given that they no longer have a commute? Is it worth all the effort? How do you know if you have something meaningful to say?

Building on yesterday’s Listener Q&A around Agile Public Original Thinking, I’m sharing the interview from Petra Kolber’s recent Re-Imagine summit on the pros and cons of podcasting.

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

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/197

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195: Our Moment of Oneness—United Religions Initiative with Bishop William Swing

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195: Our Moment of Oneness—United Religions Initiative with Bishop William Swing

I love a good serendipity story, and this is one of my favorites! Bill and my brother were both 20 minutes early, waiting for a store to open in San Francisco; they started chatting, talking about business and books — and next thing I know, I got a text saying that Bill and I had to meet.

This is our first conversation, and I was riveted! Bishop William Swing is doing incredible work in the world — he is on a mission to build bridges between people and religions; helping people of (what seem to be) competing religious loyalties to discover each other and work together. The 20th anniversary of his organization, the United Religions Initiative, is in June, and he has over 1 million participants in over 1,000 interfaith cooperation circles.

As Bill says, "If you’re really committed and you’re on the right track, the right person shows up at just the right time.” This mindset, and saying yes at every open door, led to meetings with the Pope, Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, and many other religious leaders in his efforts to create the United Nations of religions.

Happy Earth Day! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did :)

View full show notes from this episode at http://pivotmethod.com/195

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

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194: Deep Souls with Kathryn Haydon

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194: Deep Souls with Kathryn Haydon

Pivot Insider and creativity expert Kathryn Haydon is back to discuss her emerging studies of Deep Souls, building upon her background in education and creativity. As she describes in her article, 7 Strengths of Deep Souls: The Thinkers We Need But Rarely Understand:

"Is Everyone a Deep Soul? The underlying traits that fuel deep soul strengths are universal characteristics of creative thinking. Research shows that nearly all of us have an intense combination of these strengths in early childhood, but they get dulled over time—especially during our school years. Deep souls, however, have resisted this dulling. They can't help it. The intensity of their ability to think differently cannot and will not be stopped.”

Listen in as we discuss the seven strengths, and how to best support and encourage the deep souls around you in life and work.

View full show notes from this episode at http://pivotmethod.com/194

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

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193: Zoom Pro Tips for Presenters with Leanne Hughes

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193: Zoom Pro Tips for Presenters with Leanne Hughes

First Time Facilitator host Leanne Hughes and I team up today to bring you our best pro tips for presenting on Zoom. She covers a range of great advice from the importance of run-throughs to whiteboards, polls, and group participation—and I chime in with tips on maintaining high energy while speaking into “the void,” and managing the many incredible (yet sometimes overwhelming) features while speaking.

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

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/193

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192: The Silver Lining of Self-Doubt with Olivia D'Silva

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192: The Silver Lining of Self-Doubt with Olivia D'Silva

Pivot Insider and coach Olivia D’Silva is here to help people to “realize the value of dissatisfaction and self-doubt in their live” and use these energies as the sources of power and motivation they can represent when harnessed intentionally. I was honored to be the first featured guest for her new community, The Doubters, and am sharing here on the Pivot Podcast with her permission :)

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at PivotMethod.com/192

Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—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, and discuss the latest books, tools and topics I’ve shared in recent episodes.

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191: 7 Strategies (and Permission) for Digital Introverts

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191: 7 Strategies (and Permission) for Digital Introverts

Are you feeling digitally overwhelmed or maxed out during this time? Big thanks to Brooke, who submitted this week’s Listener Q&A on something I mentioned in a previous Pivot podcast: digital introversion.

Contrary to the dictionary definition of introverts as “shy or reticent” (lame!) I resonate more with the etymology of the word from the mid-17th century: in latin intro- (to the inside) and vertere (to turn) combine to be defined as: to turn one’s thoughts inwards (in spiritual contemplation). How epic is that?!

Susan Cain, author of the mega-bestseller Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking and accompanying 2012 TED Talk with nearly 26 million views, has been a central leader in redefining the term introversion to correspond more with how one gets energy and recharges. She founded a movement called Quiet Revolution, and I encourage you to take her online assessment.

In this episode, I share 7 strategies that I’m still practicing as it relates to navigating this new, even more digital world as I answer Brooke’s question: How can I connect with heartfelt community in this digital world?

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

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at http://pivotmethod.com/191

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190: The Commitment to Create with Michael Bungay Stanier (Momentum Book Club)

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190: The Commitment to Create with Michael Bungay Stanier (Momentum Book Club)

How lucky are we? One of my favorite friendtors, Michael Bungay Stanier, is back to share his wisdom on creating while pivoting in this special Pivot Podcast + Momentum Book Club.

We talk about his favorite powerful coaching questions, navigating uncertainty, and his new book, The Advice Trap, as it relates to the pandemic—particularly with advice flying fast and furious everywhere these days!

He was recently on the podcast episode 156 talking about pivoting out of the CEO role of Box of Crayons, the company he founded nearly 20 years ago, and before that he helped kick things off waaay back in episode 26. Today you can find him at MBS.works, and check out his new podcast, We Will Get Through This.

Check out full show notes from this episode with links to resources mentioned at PivotMethod.com/190.

Enjoying the show? Pivot Podcast is listener supported—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, and discuss the latest books, tools and topics I’ve shared in recent episodes. Our next call is coming up on May 13!