“Celebrating craft, celebrating what you're good at, is what I wanna spend my life's work on.” -Adam McKee In this episode, host Ana Melikian is joined by Adam McKee, a visionary small business owner and craftsman from Lincoln, Nebraska. Adam delves into the ethos of celebrating craft in both business and life, sharing his experiences from taking over Contemporary Woods, a custom cabinetry business specializing in high-end homes. Ana and Adam discuss the intricate...

“You will find the critical points in your life where you defy expectations.” -Ana Melikian In this episode, host Ana Melikian delves into her personal and inspiring journey of defying expectations, both self-imposed and those set by society. Ana shares fascinating stories from her life, from her experience as a speaker with an accent in three languages, to more profound experiences like dealing with dyslexia and overcoming serious health challenges like inflammatory breast...

“Colors evoke emotions conditioned by personal associations, our culture, and historical context.” -Ana Melikian In this episode, our host, Ana Melikian, immerses herself in the vibrant world of hues as she unravels the significant role colors play in our lives. Like her cherished collection of scarves, Ana views colors as a means to transform our appearance, mood, and mindset. She delves into how colors are a silent language influencing our emotions and shaping our...

“We have to be able to see the space between the stimulus and the response.” -Ana Melikian, Ph.D. In this episode of Mindset Zone, Authors Unite founder Tyler Wagner interviews Ana Melikian, PhD, for a transformative discussion on the systemic approach to human potential and the management of burnout. Ana introduces the listeners to her profound PIE method, emphasizing the power of pause, increased self-awareness, and a mindset geared towards experimentation. Tyler and...

“You can find nature everywhere if you look. The the impetus for this tree hugging capitalism was, yes, protecting nature, but also valuing people.” -Nicole Fende In this episode, Ana Melikian is joined by Nicole Fende, a former CFO and investment banker turned business coach for creatives. Co-founder of Creatopia, Nicole, shares her refreshing perspective on “tree-hugging capitalism,” where making money goes hand in hand with caring for nature and championing social causes...

“Intention is more important than attention.” -Ana Melikian In this episode of the MINDSET ZONE, host Ana Melikian delves into the importance of intentionality and mental fitness in navigating life's challenges. She emphasizes the power of cultivating intention in our daily lives to achieve our goals and aspirations. Ana highlights the significance of redirecting our attention with purpose and intention, especially in today's world, where our attention is constantly...

“My trademark brand of positivity is called positosis.” -Chris Toledo In this episode of the Mindset Zone, host Ana Melikian talks with Chris Toledo, a former professional basketball player turned motivational speaker, about his career journey and the pivotal role positivity played in his success. Toledo shares his experiences from playing basketball in college and professionally in Mexico to teaching dance and finally becoming a professional speaker. He introduces...

“It is an odd reality of being human that we are always changing, yet we dislike change. Especially too much, too fast.” -Giles Crouch | Digital Anthropologist In this episode, host Ana Melikian explores the paradox of human evolution amidst technological advancement, with a focus on identity shift in the digital era. Drawing insights from an article by digital anthropologist Giles Crouch, Ana discusses the long history of technology's role in human identity, from the Stone...

“98% of the atoms in your body are removed and replaced every year.” -Udo Erasmus In this episode of the Mindset Zone, host Ana Melikian discusses the transformative power of nutrition, particularly focusing on the role of fats and oils in human health with guest Udo Erasmus, a renowned figure in the field of health and nutrition. Erasmus, the author of ‘Fats That Kill' and a pioneer in understanding essential fatty acids, delves into his personal journey of healing...

In this episode of the MINDSET ZONE, host Ana Melikian delves into the concept of being boxed in and the ways in which we categorize things in our lives. Ana shares her insights on how our brains are wired to simplify and categorize, leading to the tendency to put things in boxes or categories. She reflects on her experience working with clients who resist being boxed in, particularly in defining a target market for their businesses. Ana offers a strategy for accepting this resistance...

” If the people are serving the system, you have an inversion of value. If it gets extreme, you have a perversion of value, to where the system actually, instead of serving people, abuses people.” -Mitch Axelrod In this episode, Ana Melikian is joined by Mitch Axelrod, a business strategist and advisor, to discuss the importance of serving people in business and the impact of technology, automation, and outsourcing. Together, they delve into the soulful approach to success,...

In this episode, host Ana Melikian explores the concept of choice and its impact on our lives. She delves into the idea of always having a choice, examining it from different angles and shedding light on its complexities. Ana discusses the powerful message present in the work of authors like Edith Eva Eger and Viktor Frankl, highlighting the nuanced understanding of choice in the face of challenging life circumstances. She also delves into the concept of choice overload and the impact...

In this episode, your host, Ana Melikian, delves into the concept of the Zone of Proximal Growth (ZPG) and its implications for personal and professional development. Ana draws from her background in psychology and her own experiences to explain the ZPG, highlighting the potential for growth just beyond our comfort zones. By sharing her own adventurous foray into indoor skydiving, Ana illustrates how embracing new challenges and experiences can lead to significant personal growth and...

In this episode, host Ana Melikian discusses the widespread impact and looming potential of artificial intelligence (AI) that is causing a fast-paced disruption. She highlights the importance of adopting the right mindset to successfully navigate this AI disruption, moving from a reactive to a proactive mode, increasing self-awareness around thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to AI. Ana also brings attention to a provocative statement that half of AI researchers believe...

In this episode, the host, Ana Melikian, explores the revolutionary impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI). She relates AI to other significant shifts in human history, like the agricultural and industrial revolutions. Ana emphasizes that while AI will introduce considerable changes that we can't foresee, it's our responsibility to choose our response to these changes and apply AI wisely. Ana points out the benefits AI can offer, particularly in freeing up time, but also warns...

In this episode, host Ana Melikian discusses how to increase personal and organizational impact while avoiding burnout. Reflecting on the ‘Ready, Set, Go' approach, she explores tendencies like perfectionism and being a quick starter and the common practice of either over-preparing or rushing into actions. Drawing from her experience and observations, she concludes that success lies in a balanced approach, where one alternates between taking action and reflecting on the...

In this episode, I join Fran Dean-Bishop to discuss human potential, burnout, and workplace wellbeing. I spoke on the impact of systemic forces within our socio-political environment and how they can shape an organization’s culture and work ethos. The conversation also delved into tackling organizational burnout and advocating for proactive prevention by recognizing red flags. We also emphasized the importance of rest, recovery, and restoration, and how measurement and...

In this short episode, you will learn how to explore the MINDSET ZONE®! Words can not express my gratitude to you and the other listeners who have made this show reach the TOP 0.5% out of more than 3 million podcasts globally ranked by ListenNotes.com. I have been in the TOP 1% of this ranking for several years, and it is great to celebrate being in the top half of that 1%. More importantly, this means that I'm reaching a wider audience, and hopefully helping more people...

“My intent is not to shame or blame. My intent is to create awareness.” – CB Bowman This episode is a re-broadcast of an interview with CB Bowman, who is publishing her new book “Courage to Leap & Lead.” CB Bowman is a certified Master Corporate Executive Coach (MCEC), podcast host, and keynote speaker. In our conversation, we discussed the concept of courage and how it is evolving in today's world, which is facing multiple pandemics. CB describes courage in...

“The arts transcend race, religion, politics, gender, sexuality—it is our humanness that we feel through the creative process. Art is medicine for the soul.” – Lane Gardner This episode is a re-broadcast of an interview with Lane Gardner, who is publishing her new book ‘Lifeline: Recovering Your Mental Wellness Through Uncovering Your Creative Brilliance'. Lane is an award-winning art educator, singer-songwriter and non-profit entrepreneur, and in our conversation, she...

“Another year. Another restart.” – Ana Melikian In this episode, host Ana Melikian emphasizes the importance of restarting as a powerful strategy to increase impact and avoid burnout. Drawing a parallel between rebooting a misbehaving computer and restarting personal and professional endeavors, she encourages listeners to seize the opportunity presented by a new year, month, week, day, or even minute to start fresh. Melikian also shares the mission of the...

”Live your legacy while you're building it.” –Lady Jen Du Plessis In this episode, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with our esteemed guest, Lady Jen Du Plessis. Also known as the Scaling Architect, she shares her insights on how high-achieving businesses, leaders, and entrepreneurs can hyper-scale their revenue, build effective teams, improve leadership skills, and manage to balance it all with a fulfilling personal life. A critically acclaimed author and...

”This third dimension that corresponds to the mountains and the valleys, this is really what I argue is pulling the strings of our happiness.” -Ryan A. Bush In this episode, Ryan A. Bush, a thinker, designer, and founder of Designing the Mind, discusses his approach to expanding human potential. He explains how our understanding of happiness needs to be redefined, seeing it not just as pleasure and pain but also through the dimensions of loss/gain and core personal...

“You need to be smart about where you're putting your energy.” – Jennifer J. Fondrevay In this episode, host Ana Melikian interviews Jennifer J. Fondrevay, the founder of Day1 Ready™ and a C-Suite survivor of three multi-billion dollar acquisitions. Jennifer outlines her framework, the ‘TEA' approach (Talent, Effort, Attitude), to embrace uncertainty in business and life. They discuss the importance of drawing upon unique talents, directing effort wisely, and adopting...