The Art Of Meaningful Work (Ernest Barbaric)

A new kind of workforce is emerging. Enabled by technology, changes in the marketplace, and driven by the new generation entering the workforce - it’s changing the way we view work. And there are awesome opportunities ahead of us.

In this show, we'll talk about 3 forces that are making this happen, as well as 3 ways to join the revolution with what you have to offer right now.

As entrepreneurs, too many times, we get stuck thinking in multiples. Tens or hundreds of customers, partners, or funders. If you have a business, startup, or a side project you are trying to get off the ground - you are likely to experience rejection, deals that fall through and partners that don't work out. But at the end of the day, you just need ONE win to start.

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Are you feeling stuck lately? Join over 150 other professionals on a FREE 7-week course on getting unstuck in your work, business, or life. Check out: http://projectunstuck.com

Sometimes it’s necessary to push the reset button on your work. Why and how you do it, will determine the next stage of evolution for you and your business, projects, and work. Over time, our thinking, approaches and people we work for and with - evolve. Sometimes that evolution is gradual, and takes years. Other times you just have to reboot.

What would happen if you followed your intuition and heart in business? What if you didn’t focus so much on the obstacles, but rather stayed positive and took action? For today’s episode I have a great story to share with you that will touch on both of those questions. The story follows a married couple who took on the challenge of becoming entrepreneurs somewhat accidentally. And now, three years later they are looking to expand their growing startup business, and share their learnings with us in this interview.

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I am starting to research tribes and communities for my first book. So I am looking for some interesting examples of brands and individuals who have build a great community of some sort. This could be a cool yoga studio you know of, a popular restaurant in your city, or an app with a rabid fan-base. If you know of anyone who fits — please let me know. Shoot me an e-mail at hello@ernestbarbaric.com , or you can find me on Twitter at ebarbaric

Justin had four kids, and was in the middle of a move from a metropolitan city to a small mountain town when he quit his job, and started a business. How did he do it?

In this show, I connected with a prominent maker of things, Justin Jackson just as he was getting ready to launch his new book, Jolt. Our conversation will be incredibly valuable to anyone who is considering starting a business, quitting their job, pursuing side projects, and making an independent income. You will hear: a step-by-step of how to start a business, struggles of work, life, and family balance, and how you should always jump on inspiration and not let it get away.

One of my most interesting takeaways was to look at your office (maybe a home office?), the same way an artist would look at their art studio. This is your space to create value.

You can find Justin at https://twitter.com/mijustin

His latest marketing book, Jolt (I highly recommend it) can be found at: https://justinjackson.ca/jolt/

And if you happen to be a software developer, his Marketing for Developers course has already graduated hundreds: https://devmarketing.xyz/

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please share it with your networks or give us a review or a rating! You can always reach me at http://ernestbarbaric.com/ or https://twitter.com/ebarbaric

What would it be like to go for a week without watching any TV, taking in any news, and being completely off social media?

A month ago, I gave myself that challenge. It made me a happier, more productive, more creative, and more energetic version of myself.

Here is what I learned.


 
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Notes:

Article: http://ernestbarbaric.com/week-without-digital/

My TEDx talk on phone addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEuUR3eV6Y

Negativity bias in news: http://bigthink.com/in-their-own-words/why-we-love-bad-news-understanding-negativity-bias

How social media creates anxiety: http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/11/social-media-anxiety-is-a-real-thing-and-heres-what-its-like-to-have-it-6248947/

Leave a review: http://ernestbarbaric.com/itunes/

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

In this episode, we share how one business was saved by a last ditch side project, and why you should start one of your own. Side projects give us the ability to try new things in a low pressure, low risk environment. Some side projects can grow into profitable businesses, and others can help you build your skill sets for new employment or work opportunities. They can change the trajectory of your life and work — sometimes in ways you would never guess.

Original post by Crew and their side project story: http://blog.crew.co/how-side-projects-saved-our-startup/

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Are you feeling stuck in your work? Join over 100 other professionals on a 7 week rut-busting course at http://projectunstuck.com

The world is in a constant state of change and uncertainty. How you choose to look at that reality makes all the difference in your leadership.

Jacob Malthouse is a VP of Commercialization at Foresight (Cleantech accelerator in Canada), and the founder of the .eco domain. 

In this show, we discuss:

• How to accept and embrace chaos and uncertainty.
• How to achieve a 100% success rate by reframing risk and failure.
• How to win against much larger and better-funded competitors.

As always, there is much more to explore in the show. I hope you enjoy it.

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I work with innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

Hello and welcome to the Creator Podcast!

In this show, we’ll talk about who this podcast is for, what you can expect, and a little bit about who I am. This podcast is my beacon for other entrepreneurs, business owners, and creatives who are committed to finding their path to clarity and meaningful work.

To start a business or a passion project, it takes considerable effort. To make it a success, it takes sustained effort.

In this episode, we talk about how successful entrepreneurs are able to build business after business, and how successful artists and creators got to where they did. Including a special shoutout to Aaron Bidochka, the brain behind one of the most popular YouTube channels is the world, RC sparks.

Indulging in hobbies, pursuing interests and trying side projects can make you a better, and more creative thinker. This episode explores what we can learn from Leonardo DaVinci – and how creatives, entrepreneurs and professionals can apply it to their own life.

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I just released Project un(stuck) to the public! So, if you are feeling "stuck" lately - this is a free 7-week rut busting course that over 150 other professionals have taken so far. Check it out at: http://projectunstuck.com

In this Innovative Leaders conversation with Lindsey Fair - the AVP of SAIT - you will learn:

• How to approach change leadership
• How to build trust with a new team
• How and why to create positive stress in your team
• How to build a manifesto for your organization
• The downside of innovative leadership

It’s one of my favourite interviews so far, and I hope you’ll find it valuable as well.

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

[Part 1 of 5] What triggers someone to start making meaningful and sustainable change in their life and work? In this episode, we'll explore stories from leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives who arrived at a point where everything changed, and then made a work, life, and career pivot.

Some quick highlights from this episode:

* Most of the success stories we hear glance over the hard parts.

* There are more leaders going through a pivot than you think.

* What does it take to start asking the bigger questions of purpose?

* What kind of impact do you want to make.

* What does making a pivot look like while it's happening.

* 3 ways we react to experiencing The Moment Of Truth

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

I'm really excited to share this interview with you!

Jay Ingram is one of the most accomplished people I ever met. He's been on radio for 12 years, hosting CBC's Quirks and Quarks - later transitioning to host The Daily Planet on The Discovery Chanel.

He's also a prolific author of 13 books, for which he won numerous literary and science awards. On top of that, he's also received 5 honorary doctorates!

Jay recently co-founded Beakerhead - a 4 day smashup (I call it a festival) of science, art, and engineering. It's an amazing, unique event that attracts people from all over the world to Calgary in Alberta, Canada.

We recorded this interview in a coffee shop in Kensington, and Jay shared his views on life, work, and passion projects. It's an amazing story of a Canadian icon.

I'd love to hear what you found the most interesting! Let me know on Twitter at @ebarbaric, or by email at hello [at] ernestbarbaric.com.

Albert Einstein published his most groundbreaking work by the time he was 26. He seems to have hit his peak creativity around that time. This episode speaks to why we often lose our creative thinking as we age, and how to bring the edge back to our work.

In this part of the series, we dig into the three root causes of stress and anxiety for creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals.

Addiction - technology has found its way into our everyday life, and some of the principles behind the design and development of it - can create cocaine-like addiction.

Inputs - We now have an unlimited number of content, social, entertainment, and communication options available to us. The question is, are you able to keep up with it all, and if not - will it create stress in your life?

Fear - the root cause of most stress and anxiety. From the irrational fear of public speaking, to the endless loop of "what if" scenarios - fear can trigger your stress response and stop you dead in your tracks.

Enjoy!

Eugene Kirpichov is the founder and CEO of Work On Climate - action oriented community for people serious about climate work. The organization attracts over 10,000 active users, from software engineers and data scientists to founders and investors. You can learn more about the organization here: https://workonclimate.org/

Eugene quit his job at Google as a Machine Learning Software Engineer in order to fully dedicate his time to this organization. His aim is to make climate work mainstream, and in this episode, you will hear: 

• How Eugene is approaching building a fast-growing organization as a first-time CEO.
• How Work On Climate uses operating principles to run effective meetings, and coordinate a large group of volunteers working remotely.
• When to quit work for the day, so that you can retain high effectiveness in your leadership and decision making. 

You will also hear us talk about what inspired Eugene to leave Google, how he goes about attracting people to his cause, as well as how he rests and recovers from high-intensity work.

Enjoy!

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Hello, I’m Ernest.
I'm an executive coach, and I work with impact-driven CEOs, Founders, and Investors.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

[Part 2 of 5] What can you do now to plant the seeds for future opportunities and career pivots. In this episode, we touch on a talk by Steve Jobs and how "making dots" intentionally is the best way to create the scaffolding for your future career and business possibilities.

Some quick highlights from this episode:

* What can you do now to set yourself up for a future career pivot.

* How LSD, yoga teachers, and calligraphy influenced Apple.

* How to use your interests and passions to create future business opportunities.

* You have 30,000 days of life to live. What will you do with your time?

* Growth happens at the edge of our comfort zone.

* Bring awareness and intentionality to your activities now, to create a better future later.

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

Cory Stout is the founder of woodies.com - an online company that sells bamboo sunglasses - and is about to cross a $1 Million Dollar mark with his business. The business he built based on a "napkin idea" with a couple of his friends.

He now runs the company with his parents, while travelling the world. I caught up with the entrepreneur while he was in Brazil for the Olympic games.

Some of the books we talked about include:

- "The Obstacle Is The Way", and "Ego Is The Enemy" by Ryan Holiday

- "Meet Your Happy Chemicals" by Loretta Graziano Breuning

- "Four Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferris

And you can find Cory at https://woodies.com/ and myself at http://ernestbarbaric.com 

Enjoy!

Most companies aim to grow as much as possible, in as short time as possible. But when is it enough? Does your business have to grow at an exponential rate forever? What kind of growth is sustainable? And what if you didn't have to grow?

In this episode, we talk about a few interesting movements - where entrepreneurs are taking back control of their companies and looking at new business strategies that don't include aggressive growth.

On average, we check our phones every 5 minutes. It’s become a compulsive behaviour for many smartphone owners, and I believe it’s affecting the quality of our work. In some cases, this behaviour may even cause anxiety or depression. In this episode, we look at WHY we get addicted to our phones, and HOW to break that addiction, so we can do more work that matters.

This episode is based on my TEDx talk on digital addiction.

Show Notes:

My TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEuUR3eV6Y

Connect with me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ebarbaric

Leave a review on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-of-meaningful-work/id1095068735

Music by Little Glass Men: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Little_Glass_Men/ (CC BY 4.0)

In this episode we follow the story of Cuban biotech innovation, the story of Basecamp and 37 Signals, as well as a personal story of the One Day Project. We’ll talk about how to use constraints as fuel to drive creativity and innovation - something that most business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs need in order to continue thriving.

And even if you don’t have any specific constraints, we’ll talk about how to design artificial ones in order to get unstuck in your work.

[Part 3 of 5] The journey of reinvention is not an elegant one. In this episode, you'll hear about some strange experiments with psychics and psychedelics I've done in the last 3 years.

Some quick highlights from this episode:

* How I learned to trust my gut from a psychic.

* How an ayahuasca ceremony informed my executive coaching work.

* How to lead with logic AND intuition.

Some quick highlights from this episode:

* How planning, strategy, and analysis don't "solve" uncertainty.

* How to shift your mindset from chasing after goals to using an internal compass.

* How the practice of surrender creates ease and flow in your work.

In your pocket, you have access to all of the world’s information, your friends, family and colleagues. Your phone can entertain you, give you news and celebrity gossip. It's now also a gateway to virtual reality. And all of those things are engineered to capture a slice of your attention.

Every slice you give to your distractions, is a larger slice you take away from your important and meaningful work. Things that require focus and effort. The deep work.

In this episode we look at the "The attentional cost of receiving a cell phone notification" study published in Journal of Experimental Psychology and how your phone may be killing your productivity.

Full study text: http://www.cary-stothart.net/files/papers/Stothart-2015-The-Attentional-Cost-Of-Receiving-A-Cell-Phone-Notification.pdf

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I'd love to hear your take aways! Contact me directly at: hello [at] ernestbarbaric.com and let me know what you thought.

For more episodes, and to subscribe: http://ernestbarbaric.com/podcast/

Jim Hemerling is a managing director at Boston Consulting Group and recently published Beyond Great: Nine Strategies for Thriving in an Era of Social Tension, Economic Nationalism, and Technological Revolution.

In this show, we discuss:

• How to adapt to an environment of constant change and disruption.
• How to lead in ambiguity, tension, and paradox.
• What kind of qualities are top performers looking for in their leaders.

As always, there is much more to explore in the show. I hope you enjoy it.

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I work with innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

Learn how to get stress, anxiety and depression under control with two simple techniques.

In the final episode of the series, we go into how to stop anxiety before it gains momentum, and simple and effective long-term solution that can help you rebalance hormones while also growing your brain!

The two resources I recommend in this show are:

Dare: The New Way to End Anxiety and Stop Panic Attacks: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Anxiety-Stop-Panic-Attacks/dp/0956596258/

and 10% Happier: https://www.amazon.com/10%25-Happier-Self-Help-Actually-Works--/dp/0062265431/

And please join us for a 10 Day Meditation Challenge at: 10daymeditation.com

Industries will fold. Businesses will get more lean and agile. Economies will have to bend to the forces of innovation and necessity. You and I will have to make a decision. Try to prevent change, or embrace it and thrive. This show dissects the 5 vital traits of adaptable professionals with long, productive and meaningful careers.

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Notes:

Article: http://ernestbarbaric.com/futureproof/
MindTools Values Exercise: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_85.htm
Why You Should Start a Passion Project: http://ernestbarbaric.com/passion-project-now-time-start-one/
How Leaders Become Self-aware: https://hbr.org/2012/07/how-leaders-become-self-aware

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

Mike Winterfield is the founder and managing partner of Active Impact Investments - a venture capital investment firm focused on early-stage climate tech startups. You can find them here: https://www.activeimpactinvestments.com/

In this episode, you will learn:

• The 5 criteria Mike and his team at Impact investments use to select who they are going to invest in.
• Mike’s journey from a recruiter to sales executive to a founder of a venture capital fund.
• How to use business and specifically venture capital as a way to scale positive impact.

You will also hear us talk about the greater questions — what is enough? What inspired him to take up this career despite the comfort and financial rewards of staying in an executive position.

We also talk about what he’s teaching his kids about preparing for the future.

Enjoy!

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I work with impact-driven CEOs, Founders, and Investors.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

What’s next? It’s a question that many of us are asking. Trying to figure out the next career move, the next stage of your life. And we don’t want to make a move in the wrong direction. So, sometimes we get stuck, and other times it’s much more than that.

For this show, I connected with Shawn Askinosie - the founder of Askinosie Chocolate, and author of "Meaningful Work". In this conversation you are going to learn:

• How to deal with uncertainty
• How to discover your calling or vocation
• How to get unstuck if you don't know where to go next

Enjoy!

Leave a review: http://ernestbarbaric.com/itunes/

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

Wow! What an amazing interview. Nathalie Nahai is the author of Webs Of Influence, which is coming out with a second edition in April, 2017. We chatted about her transition from being a musician to becoming an author, speaking at Google and Moz, and running her own conferences — as well as what’s next for her career.

You’ll hear: what do you when you feel stuck in your career, what stops people from taking action, and how to build a body of work you can be proud of. We talk about how to build trust, the difference between manipulation and persuasion, and women in business. There are too many takeaways to mention! This may be the one interview you re-listen a few times.

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Nathalie Nahai is a web psychologist, international speaker and consultant. Having worked with Fortune 500 companies including Unilever, Google and Harvard Business Review, she helps businesses apply scientific rigour to their website design, content marketing and products.

Nathalie presents at conferences around the world on the science of online persuasion, and contributes to national publications, TV and radio on the subject. She also sits on the Social Media Week advisory board and Ogilvy Change experts’ panel.

You can tweet to her @NathalieNahai and find out more at nathalienahai.com. And you can get a preview of her new book right here: http://bit.ly/NN-2 

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please share it with your networks or give us a review or a rating! You can always reach me at https://twitter.com/ebarbaric, or read my articles at http://ernestbarbaric.com/.

As an entrepreneur, a creative, or a builder of ideas — you will face failure along your journey. Sometimes it feels like having to go through a grieving process to get over it, and then you have to choose which direction you are going to take. One of defeat, or one of growth. You also have to ask yourself two very important questions: What did I learn from this, and what will I do differently as a result?

As I record this, I am in the middle of building the first podcast conference in Western Canada. We are 70 days away from the event and I have no idea how it’s going to turn out. But for the first time in years, I feel EXCITED, and I can not wait to wake up and get to work. Here is how I accidentally launched a podcast conference, and the unexpected lessons it taught me.

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Read the full article here: http://ernestbarbaric.com/5-life-changing-lessons-launching-podcast-conference/

5 Books to read before starting your next project: http://ernestbarbaric.com/5-books-for-side-projects/ 

Podcast Conference: http://podsummit.com/

Get in touch with me: http://ernestbarbaric.com/

If you find this show helpful, I would really appreciate it if you would hop over to http://ernestbarbaric.com/secret/ and filled out a 60 second listener survey.

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You often hear this advice from successful entrepreneurs: "Follow Your Passion". But what if that is not enough? In this episode we'll go over the three necessary elements of success when it comes to pursuing meaningful work: (1) Passion, (2) Competency, and (3) Market Need.

Free Black &  White Stock Photography: http://monostock.ca/

Inspired by: https://unsplash.com/

Cal Newport's 99u talk: http://99u.com/videos/22339/cal-newport-follow-your-passion-is-bad-advice

Listener Survey: http://ernestbarbaric.com/secret/

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Todd Henry wrote a few of my favourite books: Accidental Creative, Die Empty, and Louder Than Words. In this interview, pulled from the archives of 26k, Todd shares how to approach your creative work, so that you can live a meaningful life. We touch on dealing with failure and uncertainty, importance of focus, how to use side projects to build your skills, and how to get started today.

You’ll hear Todd’s story of why he started his podcast, The Accidental Creative, which led him to building a creative movement and eventually to his changing his career and becoming a writer and thought leader.

You can find Todd at: http://www.toddhenry.com/

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please share it with your networks or give us a review or a rating! You can always reach me at http://ernestbarbaric.com/ or https://twitter.com/ebarbaric

To generate amazing results within your lifetime, you have to focus your efforts. But it’s hard to let go of ideas, side projects and domain names. And how do you choose what to let go, and what to dedicate your life to?

In this episode, I bring you into a conversation with a friend about the Top 5 Goals exercise, where we discuss the struggles, victories and insights from the process. This should be a helpful listen for creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals who want to find focus in their work.

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You can find Calin at http://inboundinteractive.ca/ and https://twitter.com/calindaniel

And you can get unstuck in your work at: http://projectunstuck.com

Dr. Kara Mitchelmore is called in when big changes have to happen and have to happen quickly. She is a three-time CEO with an extraordinary track record and holds a doctorate in change management.


You will learn:

• How to successfully lead change initiatives.
• How to enrol your board.
• How to communicate clearly and authentically.
• How to create a culture that embraces experimentation and celebrates "failure".

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I work with impact-driven CEOs, Founders, and Investors.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

Every choice we make, in business and life, carries with it a cost — and it’s not always financial. There are unquantifiable, human costs such as focus, attention, willpower, energy, and relationships. In this episode we’ll talk about how to account for the costs of each decision, and how to tip the scales and create most positive outcomes.

This “cost of choice” applies equally to personal brand builders, entrepreneurs, marketing managers, and leaders.

Don't forget, you can always connect with me on twitter at: https://twitter.com/ebarbaric

How disconnecting from social media, TV, news, and digital devices can help you become more productive, creative, and happy.

You'll hear from four professionals and entrepreneurs about their experience with digital detox, and how the impact it had on their habits and behaviors.
 
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Links:

Article: http://ernestbarbaric.com/digital-detox-creative-productive-happy/

My TEDx talk on phone addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDEuUR3eV6Y

Leave a review: http://ernestbarbaric.com/itunes/

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

[Part 5 of 5] In this episode, you’ll hear about the 5 pillars of personal and professional reinvention - what it means, what it costs, and what it takes to create a massive work, life, and career change.

The topics we cover include:

• Reinvention is not an elegant process
• Reinvention has a price
• Wherever you go, there you are
• Commitment to change is a daily practice
• You are not going to live forever 
• The gift of reinvention is possibility

In this Innovative Leaders conversation with Terry Rock - the CEO of Platform Calgary - you will learn:

• How to create guiding principles for your organization.
• How to enrol people in change
• How to create a culture of ownership and agency
• How to stay grounded as an innovative leader

I loved this conversation and took away a few pages of notes. I think you'll really enjoy it as well. 

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

Do you often get “stuck” in analysis mode? Trying to figure out all the possible details of a project, before you’re ready to launch it? Well, you are not alone. And in this episode, we talk about some ways to defeat this creative nemesis.

Kelly Peters is the founding/former CEO of BEworks  - a behavioural economics think tank she co-founded with Dan Ariely. You can find her at: https://www.kellypeters.com/

If you ever wondered how to use objective, scientific thinking to make better decisions, you'll love this conversation.

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to make better decisions with scientific thinking.
• How to rethink failure.
• How to predict the future and deal with uncertainty.
• How to create an innovative culture in your organization.

As always, there is much more to explore in the show. I hope you enjoy it.

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Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I work with impact-driven CEOs, Founders, and Investors.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

This is the first of two interviews with millennial entrepreneurs who are building their own businesses, non-profit organizations, and eschewing a “real job” in favor of pursuing their passion.

I was curious to speak with them because their generation is a big mystery to most companies, HR personnel, managers, and marketers. Everyone wants to “figure them out”. There are even studies that compared the work ethic between baby boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. As it turns out, there are no significant differences between them. So, next time someone tells you millennials are lazy, point them to this podcast.

Today’s interview is with Martin Medina, an entrepreneurship student in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He already launched a series of YouTube channels, runs a digital agency, and a writes a business blog. We talk about “following your passion”, building a business, finding a community, and what stops people from trying.

You can find Martin at: http://martinmedina.me/

And you can get in touch with me at: hello [at] ernestbarbaric.com or on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ebarbaric

From finding your "rat people" to navigating change in your life and career - this interview with entrepreneur and writer Paul Jarvis is one of my highlights for this year.

Paul has launched numerous projects including ChimpEssentials (a training program for MailChimp), CreativeClass (a business academy for freelancers), and Fathom (a free alternative to Google Analytics). His work has been featured in Fast Company, Wired, Forbes, Vice and many many more publications.

He is one of my favourite people to connect with, and I think you'll hear a LOT of insights from our conversation, including: 

Do you ever wonder if your work is making a difference? Are your projects big enough to solve the world’s biggest problems? You are not alone. Most entrepreneurs and creators suffer from the same type of doubt. And in this episode, I share with you a simple anecdote a friend shared with me that changed the way I think about my work. And it just may do the same for you.

In this episode, you'll hear from one of the most interesting people I ever met, Tony McGrath (CEO of Theatre Junction Grand in Calgary).

In the second “talking to millennials” series, we have Kylie Toh on the other side of the microphone. She is the founder of The Chic Geek - a non-profit organization that helps women transition into technical careers, and learn to be more comfortable in the tech community.

Kylie wanted a job that makes a difference. And she didn’t find it after university. A few jobs, and career changes later - she decided to make her passion project into her full time career. She now works with a small team of volunteers organizing events and workshops for women in tech and entrepreneurship.

She is also a millennial. A driven, passionate, young woman who is clear on her values. This interview will give you another insight into a new generation of entrepreneurs. Young people who are pursuing their passions and building their own dream jobs.

You can find Kylie at http://www.thechicgeek.ca/ or on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/kylietoh 

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I am also giving away a copy of “The Dip” by Seth Godin. I bought two copies by accident, and now someone gets to win one. It’s a book about becoming “best in the world” by quitting the wrong things at the right time, and sticking with the right things. To enter, just send me a tweet @ebarbaric - and let me know what you are up to.

What projects are you working on, a great book you read recently, or if there was something that helped you from the podcast.

You can find me at: https://twitter.com/ebarbaric

Enjoy the show!

If you find this show valuable, I would really appreciate it if you would fill out a short listener survey at: http://ernestbarbaric.com/secret/

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In this episode, we have Mike Vardy, The Productivityist, on deck. You will hear his story on how he quit his job, built a community, and became an entrepreneur.

On top of that, we talk about parenting, productivity, wrestling, entrepreneurship challenges, and aeropress. If there was one episode that “had it all”, this one would be it!

Enjoy!

You can find Mike at: https://twitter.com/mikevardy and http://productivityist.com/start/

And you can let me know what you learned from the show at hello [at] ernestbarbaric.com

A competitive advantage allows you to disrupt an established market and grab your share of it. Apple was well known for taking over markets, and so is Uber and Google. 

In this show, we talk about how a competitive advantage is made and eventually lost, and the choice you face every time an idea gets democratized. 

This is an unexpected episode. I have been thinking about my work, and this show in particular.

And this episode is all about making a pivot. A pivot is a point in time when you make a change in your life, and your work. A pivot usually brings about fear. Fear of change, fear of the unknown, and fear of failure.

But a pivot is necessary, since we all must adapt and evolve - to the changing environment, our growing experience, and new things we learn. 

What are your thoughts? Are you facing a pivot point in your life? Are you thinking about making some changes in you work? Let me know what you are up to: hello [at] ernestbarbaric.com

Thanks, and talk to you soon!

Long-time executive leader, community leader, and entrepreneur - as well as bouncer, initial attack firefigther and someone who climbed Mt. Everest... Steve Whittington is a force of change.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What is the mindset of an innovative leader.
• How to enrol employees, boards, and stakeholders in your vision.
• How to handle setbacks and overcome hesitation.
• Doing business the third way - thinking about business beyond profits.

As always, there is much more to explore in the show. I hope you enjoy it.

—

Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I work with impact-driven CEOs, Founders, and Investors.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

Productivity and life strategies writer, Darius Foroux stops by for this episode. He’s built a subscriber base of close to 20,000 people in less than a year after starting his blog. In this show you’ll learn:

• How to identify your strengths, and build on them,
• What books to read if you want to build a business, and a business mindset that will help you succeed,
• How to build a personal brand in one year,
• How to battle distractions, and do work that actually matters,
• How to write for magazines like Fast Company, Huffington Post, and The New York Observer.

You can find Darius at: http://dariusforoux.com/ and https://twitter.com/DariusForoux

You can check out the 5 to read before starting a new side project here: http://ernestbarbaric.com/5-books-for-side-projects/

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Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please share it with your networks or give us a review or a rating! You can always reach me at https://twitter.com/ebarbaric, or read my articles at http://ernestbarbaric.com

Find out how some of the most prominent thinkers, creatives, and entrepreneurs of our time think about their work, life, and time. Then ask yourself: What are you fired up about, to get out into the world?

How do you find meaningful work? How do you find The Amazing Thing that all top entrepreneurs, professionals and creatives seem to have? It's a common question that many of us struggle with. 

In this episode, learn how to use a simple (but not easy) process of creating, sharing, and listening to find Your Amazing Thing. The Thing you were meant to do.

### Links from the show ###

Connect with me on Twitter

Justin Jackson

Mega Maker Podcast

Unsplash

MonoStock

10DayMeditation

—

Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

What did I learn by interviewing dozens of entrepreneurs, authors, thinkers, and creators in 2016? Throughout these conversations, there were three common threads that stood out. Listen to some of my favorite clips from previous guests as we cover:

Start Now - Some of us tend to overanalyze and procrastinate. It stops us from starting and finishing projects. The antidote? Start now, and start small. It helps create momentum, and alleviates the fear of failure, and the never-ending pursuit of perfection that stops us from doing our work.

Trust Your Gut - Success happens at the intersection of opportunity, the skills to take advantage of that opportunity, and trusting your instincts. Trusting your gut is trusting the collection of all your subconscious experiences collected over a lifetime. We repress this internal guidance system, and second-guess ourselves leading to poor choices and regret.

One At A Time - Most of us are impatient. We want to reach success faster, sometimes without the patience required to pay our dues and work through the required process. We want to have the overnight success story, without doing the hard part of facing failure and persevering through the “through of sorrow”. Success is built one connection at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time.

I will be implementing these lessons in my work, starting now. And I hope you will find them helpful as well.

Here are my projects for 2017:

Speaker School - speaking training for entrepreneurs and professionals. We are starting with a live 2-day workshop in Calgary, Canada and then moving the curriculum online. You can check out the first website iteration at: http://speakerschool.co/

Analog Camp - 2 day wilderness retreat for entrepreneurs and professionals. No connection. No cell phones. No distractions. A hand-picked selection of 12 people will go through a program that includes meditation, yoga, TED-style workshops, and dedicated Deep Work time. We are running a beta version in Kananaskis, Canada in March. For details, check out: http://analogcamp.ca/

TEDx - I will be speaking at TEDxCanmore on January 20th. My talk will focus on distractions that prevent us from doing meaningful work, and how to break free. This ties everything together. I will document the entire TED talk preparation process on Speaker School, and the topic speaks to the core of Analog Camp. More details can be found here: http://tedxcanmore.com/tedx-canmore-speakers-2017/

###   

Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, please share it with your networks or give us a review or a rating! You can always reach me at https://twitter.com/ebarbaric, or read my articles at http://ernestbarbaric.com

In this episode I share my top 5 reading suggestions for creatives, entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals who want to build passion projects.

The recommended books include:

1) Winning The Story Wars - Jonah Sachs

2) Originals - Adam Grant

3) Design The Life You Love - Ayse Birsel

4) Life Is Good - Bert and John Jacobs

5) The War Of Art - Steven Pressfield

I hope you enjoy the selection!

Some know her as SEO mom, others as a venture capital leader, executive advisor, CEO coach, board member - or a force of nature.

Gillian Muessig is all of those things and more. She is now building a $100 Million venture fund to invest in gender-diversified founder teams, and start a revolution in venture capital.

In this episode, you will learn:

• While age is a factor, it doesn't stop innovative and driven leaders from making an impact.
• Obstacles women have to overcome as founders and startup leaders.
• How to approach making a systemic change to venture capital.
• How to create a lasting legacy in business, and what it took to get there.

As always, there is much more to explore in the show. I hope you enjoy it.

—

Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I work with impact-driven CEOs, Founders, and Investors.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail to set up an introduction.

Entrepreneurs and professionals experience a high level of stress and anxiety - even more than average.

This can affect your productivity, creativity, relationships, and critical thinking. 

This show is the first in a series on "professional anxiety" and how to beat it. In this episode we talk about the effects stress and anxiety can have on your work.

For all the research, and an in-depth article, go to: http://ernestbarbaric.com/stress-anxiety-and-how-to-slow-down-part1/

Taiwanese monkey trap is a system of capturing monkeys using a simple box and a piece of fruit, like a banana. It is also the same mechanism that keeps us in crappy jobs, businesses that no longer work, and project that aren’t fulfilling. This equally affects us on an individual level, as well as brands at an enterprise level. Have you been holding onto your banana for too long?

Since 2012, I have been researching meaningful work. This investigation led me to interview over a hundred entrepreneurs, professionals, authors, and regular folks like you and me — about legacy, life, joy, and fulfilling work.

This is the first set of findings from that original research.

Meaningful work exists at the intersection of Values, Talent, and Service.

--

Notes:

Article: http://ernestbarbaric.com/meaningful-work/

MindTools Values Exercise: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_85.htm

StrengthsFinder Test: https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/

DISC Test: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/disc/

Meaningfulness Research: https://www.fastcompany.com/3032126/how-to-find-meaning-during-your-pursuit-of-happiness-at-work

Music by Little Glass Men: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Little_Glass_Men/

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Connect with me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ebarbaric

In this season we'll talk about how to design your personal operating system, how to make smarter and better decisions, what happens after you reach all your goals, what does it mean to be authentic, how to prioritize things, and how to find our way to meaningful work.

Let's catch up with some updates and a preview for the new season of Art Of Meaningful Work.

—

Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.

Are you navigating your way to meaningful work? Have you thought about changing careers and pursuing something you are passionate about?

In this episode, I speak with Jared Erickson, founder of Brother Moto in Atlanta, Georgia about his journey from a hairstylist, to a freelance graphic designer, to a co-founder of a web design shop, to now a founder of a community motorcycle shop.

You will learn what it takes to build a community, how to handle stress and uncertainty, what the future of sharing economy may look like, and what "meaningful work" is to someone who transitioned careers and industries in search of fulfillment.

You can find Jared on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/alliswell, and you can find his startup Brother Moto at: http://brothermoto.com/

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If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher radio. If you would like to get in touch with me, drop me a line at hello [at] ernestbarbaric.com

This episode is all about failure, and the 6 common ways startups miss the mark - and some great resources that will help you navigate around pitfalls, and launch your next idea.

We'll talk about cash, the two types of startup founders, teams and partnerships, as well as how marketing can sink or float your business.

• How to build a strengths-based organizational culture
• Innovative approach to work/life balance
• How to attract top talent, and eliminate hiring bias
• Creating cultural artifacts
• How a serious accident helped Steven mature as a leader

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You can find Habanero at: https://www.habaneroconsulting.com/

—

Hello, I’m Ernest.

I'm an executive coach, and I focus on supporting innovative leaders.

The work we do helps leaders confidently navigate uncertainty, clearly communicate their vision, lead with authenticity, and catalyze change.

We use executive coaching and strategy facilitation to look at the impact you want to make and remove obstacles that are standing in your way. 

Sounds interesting?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, or get in touch via e-mail.