This week, I'm revisiting a conversation with Gillian Tietz. Given the topic and the time of year, I felt it was the perfect moment to bring this discussion back to light. Gillian is a biochemist, educator, and entrepreneur who, after struggling with alcohol moderation, found productivity and success in sobriety. She is the host of the Sober Powered Podcast and works as a biochemist in the Boston area. When she quit drinking in 2019, Gillian dedicated herself to understanding alcohol's...

This week I was encouraged to welcome Carlos Whittaker to the show for an honest and compassionate talk about his latest book, "Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human." Carlos shares his transformative journey through living with monks and the Amish to understand different worldviews and lessen his dependency on technology. Initially struggling with the absence of his phone, Carlos learns the healing power of solitude...

This week I was so happy to welcome Jon Acuff back to the show to discuss his newest book, 'How Teens Win: The Student's Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals' for an insightful conversation about goal-setting, parenting, and supporting teenagers. This powerful new book which Jon co-authored with his two teenage daughters is a must read for parents, educators, and mentors. Connect with Erik: LinkedIn  Facebook  Instagram  ______________________________________ This Podcast is Powered...

This week, I'm excited to revisit this conversation with Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst discussing their book, Workstyle: A revolution for well being, productivity and society. They coined the term nearly a decade ago during an inspired conversation at a pub. Little did they know that that conversation would lead them to co-found the multi-million pound social enterprise Hoxby to test and prove the concept of workstyle.  Today Hoxby has helped thousands of workstylers around the world to set,...

This week, we’re revisiting a conversation that left a lasting impact, where I had the honor and privilege of speaking with Seth Godin about his book, The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams. For most listeners Seth needs no introduction. Seth is perhaps best known for his prolific daily blog, as well as his books Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip and Purple Cow. I’ve been looking forward to this conversation for a long time now, and Seth of course did not disappoint. In our chat, we...

This week I was excited to revisit a conversation I had with Todd Henry. Todd is a prolific author and speaker who focuses on the creatives and dispelling myths about who is and who is not “creative” within corporate or professional workforces. For over a decade Todd has helped readers unlock their creative potential and find new ways to apply their talents.   The Daily Creative is a daily reader for busy professionals, creative and otherwise, designed to help you gain focus for your day and...

In this episode, I'm excited to chat with my friend Ian Anderson Gray to dispel the myths and stigmas surrounding ADHD. Ian shares his personal journey of understanding and managing ADHD, shedding light on emotional dysregulation and the pivotal role a family coach played in his life. Discover the inspiration behind Ian's podcast "Smart ADHD," which aims to offer intelligent strategies for those with ADHD, and how it empowers individuals to harness their unique strengths. Listen as Ian...

Introducing Books, Routines, and Habits: The Founders' Guide to Self-Improvement from The Art of Manliness. Follow the show: The Art of Manliness A lot of self-improvement advice and content feels empty. And there's a reason for that. It often offers routines and habits to practice, but doesn't offer a strong, overarching reason to practice them. That's why the self-improvement advice of the Founding Fathers is particularly compelling. Though they were imperfect men, they had a clear why for...

This week I'm excited to revisit a conversation I had with Chris Bailey. Chris has been a guest on the show a number of times, and in this episode, he unpacks the origins, research, and results of his book, How to Calm Your Mind: Finding Presence and Productivity in Anxious Times. I decided to revisit this conversation as the need for calm has been so important for me in recent weeks and months as I suspect it has been for you as well. In our chat Chris and I discuss the events that led up to...

This week I’m excited to revisit a conversation I had with Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt-Miller about their book, Mind Your Mindset: The Science That Shows Success Starts with Your Thinking. Michael is the founder and chairman of Full Focus. Through his coaching program for small business owners, BusinessAccelerator®, and the bestselling Full Focus Planner, Michael has helped hundreds of thousands of achievers reach their biggest goals. Megan Hyatt Miller is the President and Chief Executive...

In part 2 of 2 of this conversation, John Drury shares about the importance of retreats and sacred time for rest and rejuvenation. John shares his personal experiences with different forms of retreats, emphasizing the value of eliminating distractions and under-stimulation to foster deeper self-reflection and mindfulness. He introduces practical techniques such as "desert days," quarterly overnight retreats, and shorter, regular practices to incorporate these into the business and personal...

In part 1 of a 2 part conversation I am thrilled to bring my longtime friend of 25 years Dr. John Drury. John and I share an interest in productivity and the Enneagram, particularly the unique insights of Enneagram fives. In this episode, John and I talk about the profound impact the pandemic has had on our routines and spiritual practices, introducing the concept of a "rule of life" as a way to anchor ourselves with orienting values and stabilizing practices. We explore the balance between...

This week I’m excited to revisit an insightful conversation I had with Tiago Forte about his book Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential. Tiago walks us through his groundbreaking framework, PARA—Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives—that aims to revolutionize how we organize information in our digital lives. We'll also explore the CODE methodology—Capture, Organize, Distill, Express—that helps manage and make sense of the...

I’m thrilled to welcome Jeff Sieh back to the show for an in-depth discussion about the evolution of AI, particularly focusing on Apple’s recent announcements. Jeff and I dive into the historical context of AI, reminiscing about its portrayal in popular culture and significant milestones like IBM’s Deep Blue and Microsoft’s Clippy. We then transition to exploring the exciting developments unveiled at Apple’s WWDC 2024, particularly the introduction of Apple Intelligence. This new system...

This week I’m happy to welcome fellow podcaster and host of The ProGuide Podcast, Andrew Mason back to the show to discuss current trends and themes within the vast productivity space. Andrew and I discuss how being aware of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can significantly impact our happiness and self-improvement. We explore various factors like chronotype and personality types that contribute to understanding oneself and the importance of seeking feedback from trusted individuals to...

In this solo episode, we pay tribute to Dan Miller, the late author of "48 Days to the Work You Love". Dan passed away in January 2024 after a brief battle with cancer. Erik shares personal stories and lessons learned from Dan, emphasizing his profound impact on people through his generosity, approachability, and commitment to lifelong learning. Erik also highlights Dan’s productive habits and daily routines, recounting personal encounters and professional interactions that left a lasting...

This week we are opening up the mailbag once again to answer your questions about productivity, task completion, work preparation, quality time, motivation, and so much more. From managing distractions in a noisy office environment to improving the efficiency of your meetings, I hope this mailbag/Q&A gives listeners practical strategies to help you stay focused and achieve your goals.  ______________________________________ Connect with...

This week I was grateful to welcome Mara Glazel to the show for a chat about her new book, Needy: How to Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty. In our culture, the word "needy" often carries a negative connotation, suggesting weakness or dependency. But Mara is here to challenge that perception and flip it on its head. She argues that recognizing and embracing our needs is not only essential but can actually make us more productive and fulfilled. In this episode Mara and I...

This week it was my pleasure to speak with Jorge Arango about his latest book, Duly Noted: Extend Your Mind Through Connected Notes. Jorge is an information architect, author, and educator. For almost three decades, he has architected digital experiences and made the complex clear for organizations ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to nonprofits. He is the author of "Living in Information: Responsible Design for Digital Places" and co-author of "Information Architecture for the Web and...

This week it was my pleasure to welcome Dr. Barry Kudrowitz to the show for a chat about his great book, Sparking Creativity: How Play and Humor Fuel Innovation and Design. Dr. Kudrowitz is a professor of product design and department head in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. There, he founded and directed the product design program from 2011-2021. Barry received his PhD from the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), studying...

This week I’m excited to share my conversation with Matt Abrahams. Matt is a passionate, and innovative educator, podcaster, and coach. As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business he has helped countless presenters improve and hone their communication, including some who have delivered Nobel Prize, TED, and World Economic Forum presentations. Matt is also the founder and principal at TFTS Communications LLC, a presentation and communication...

This week I’m excited to welcome Michael Easter for a conversation about a pair of his books, Scarcity Brain, Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough and The Comfort Crisis, Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self. Michael is the founder of the 2% with Michael Easter newsletter and the New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain. an author and a professor at UNLV. He writes and speaks on how humans can leverage...

This week I’m excited to welcome Karl Hebenstreit for a chat about his book, The How and Why: Taking Care of Business with the Enneagram. Karl is a certified executive coach, leadership and organization development consultant, author, and international speaker. His 25+ year career spans the areas of HR and OD in biotechnology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and more. Karl holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from Alliant International University.  Together, we'll...

Introducing Etiquette 2 | Travis and Teresa McElroy from Remotely Curious. Follow the show: Remotely Curious On today’s episode, We’ll have a fun conversation with Teresa and Travis McElroy, humorists and hosts of the podcast Shmanners, about how to treat others with respect, come across the way you want to, and avoid embarrassing gaffes. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or...