Normal Lies

Episode 88. “… imagine something comes so easily for me and I expect the person sitting next to me to be able to do what I do, their strengths are different than mine. They have other gifts that they bring to the table. So when we have those expectations, there can be some clashes and misunderstandings and it's important for us to become familiar with the language of strengths and what to look for and how to appreciate people.” Nermine Zakhary is a practitioner of strengths, helping others strategically apply them to accelerate their performance, energy, relationships, and results! As a Certified People Acuity Coach™, Nermine coaches individuals and small groups. She also facilitates workshops to teach strengths strategies to clients so they can define their optimal zones -- and thrive there. This positive approach allows people to own who they are and empowers them to purposefully make their unique and impactful contributions to our world. Nermine shares: Contact Nermine for more information and to set up a discovery call at Nermine@Strengths-Edge.com. Linda also makes an announcement about the future of this podcast. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 87. “… I’ve been broke pretty much my entire adult life. but I've always had an abundance of food and that makes me feel rich.” Jamie Truppi has a passion for connecting the mind-body-spirit with healing foods and plants from the earth. Jamie’s life centers around food, people, nature, wellbeing, traveling, and cultivating meaningful experiences in this short, crazy life. As a functional nutritionist with a master’s degree in science and nutrition and board certified as a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Jamie guides her clients to go from gut-brain-stress dis-ease to healing. More from Jamie: For more information about Jamie and to purchase her book, Clean Food, Messy Life: A food lover’s conscious journey back to self, visit: JamieTruppiNutrition.com. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 86. This episode is a compilation of Linda’s most recent guest's answers to her finale questions: Hear from: Luz Flores Lee, from episode 75, How to Navigate Change and Thrive Jill Nagle, from episode 76, Exposing Myths of White Supremacy Prithvi Madhukar, from episode 77, How our Passion can Lead to Burnout Melissa Davis, from episode 79, From Competition to Collaboration Keltie Maguire, from episode 80, Question Your Choices and Discover Possibilities Erin Halligan-Avery, from episode 81, Caring & Empathy: A New Path to Leadership & Success in Business Avadhi Dhruv, from episode 82, Uncover Your Inner Guru Click the links above to listen to their full episodes, find out how to contact them and follow them on social media . What about you? How would you respond? What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air as she did in this episode. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 85. “Collecting business cards isn’t networking. I tell people, getting someone's card or adding someone on LinkedIn and saying they're in your network, that's like swiping right on a dating app and saying, this person is now your significant other.” From tracking criminals and terrorists on the dark web to creating marketplaces and new authentication systems, Mark Herschberg has spent his career launching and developing new ventures at startups and Fortune 500s and in academia, with over a dozen patents to his name. Mark helped start the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program, dubbed MIT’s “career success accelerator,” is the author of The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You as well as the creator of the Brain Bump app. This conversation runs the gamut, from networking to ethics to leadership: For more information about Mark and to purchase his book, The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You, visit: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/ To learn more about his Brain Bump app, go to: https://brainbumpapp.com/ What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 84. “I don't drink anymore. I haven't had a drink in almost three years, so why do I have to tell the world I'm an alcoholic? I'm a non-drinker, I'm not an alcoholic. I did have an issue with alcohol. I was drinking problematically. They call it Alcohol Use Disorder, but I addressed the problem and I fixed it. I don't drink anymore so how can I continue to call myself powerless over alcohol and addicted to alcohol and I have alcoholism as a disease if I don't drink?” Jennifer Salzman once considered herself a 'normal' drinker. But as her marriage ended in 2012, she increasingly used alcohol to cope. She tried many times to cut down but consistently ended up drinking more than she wanted to. After struggling with her own unhealthy relationship with alcohol for eight years, Jennifer knew she must make a change, but didn’t like the idea of AA and having to label herself an alcoholic. Jennifer shares the story of her search for an alternative to AA, and how she found freedom from alcohol through the same science based, compassion led model she now uses in her one-on-one coaching and group coaching programs. In this episode, Jennifer talks about her work as a certified Alcohol Freedom Life Coach, helping her clients make alcohol small and irrelevant in their lives so they can create a life they don’t want to escape from. You can reach Jennifer at AMightyRebel.com. Jennifer mentions the University of Washington and the University of Florida joint scientific study of the alcohol-free lifestyle and, unfortunately, registration is closed. However, Jennifer would love to speak with you so be sure to reach out to her. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 83. “… those lies early on really informed a whole lifetime of shielding myself that really was unnecessary because we have unlimited capabilities that are never tapped if we just give every individual the opportunity to attempt them and strive, and see what they are capable of and take the limitations away from them.” Judy Schwingel’s story includes seizures due to epilepsy as a child and later in grade school, a diagnosis of dyslexia and a visual perception disorder. Judy experienced many societal biases, stigmas, and negative medical opinions that believed she was incapable of learning or overcoming her disabilities. These experiences, challenges, and the heroes in her life instilled in her a strong will to overcome and do anything she chooses. “If I can Imagine it, it can be done”, became Judy’s mantra in life. After many years working as a nurse, Judy felt drawn and Spiritually called to return to what she knows as her true God-given talents as a spiritual, nurturing, healing soul. As a Faith-based Master Transformational Life Coach, Judy focuses on working with people in life-changing transitions struggling with what direction to take. She helps them light their divine Spirit's Power, and cultivate confidence, toward finding life's purpose, so they can set a new course in life. For more information about Judy and to contact her, visit: https://www.heartnsoulhlc.com What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 82. "... it's each individual person's duty in their life to fulfill on their purpose, and follow the path of their dharma and this is where the societal conditioning and all of those lies that we are set up with this notion of competition and all of this it totally takes us far away from what we're really supposed to be focusing on, our own true purpose, the path of dharma in life. And so this self discovery is the way that we discover and start living in alignment with our purpose and mission in life. Follow that path of dharma, which is the way to have abundance and fulfillment and freedom, true freedom in this life.” Avadhi Dhruv is a spiritual business coach and an international bestselling author who helps heart-centered entrepreneurs reclaim the power in their businesses so they can create financial abundance and inner fulfillment, while making a positive impact in the world. After having a successful corporate career in engineering and management, Avadhi still felt the urge to explore her higher purpose in life. In 2014, she decided to embark on an entrepreneurial journey to connect with her inner genius and uncover the best way in which she was meant to serve the world. Avadhi founded the brand, Avadhi.guru™, with the intention of bringing a holistic approach to business. Her clients have included budding entrepreneurs to leaders of multi‐million dollar international businesses who have successfully made transformational changes in their businesses and lives. Avadhi believes that every human has entrepreneurial potential, and every entrepreneur has an Inner Genius that deserves to be expressed so that business owners can have an abundant and fulfilling life. A taste of Avadhi’s genius: For more information about Avadhi, visit: Avadhi.guru For more information about Avadhi's book, visit: https://www.avadhi.guru/book.html What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 81. “… people appreciate my leadership style, which is one of caring and empathy and really trying to relate with people but still have standards and expectations. But, because I couldn't see myself in a lot of the people that were in these positions, I sort of assumed that that meant that I can't be me and … I didn't know how to reconcile that.” Dr. Erin Halligan-Avery never set out to be an entrepreneur. In fact, she was quite content working in Higher Education, Student Affairs in roles helping students who were struggling and even developed the ConcernCenter system - which has now become her full time business - while working in one of these positions. Slowly, methodically, and with the unending support of friends, colleagues and family, Erin and her team grew ConcernCenter into a business that now helps over 3.5 million people find the support they need, when they need it. Erin is discerning, compassionate, unscripted and fun. She is someone who knows that a successful business can be built solely on a foundation of care and compassion for others and is looking to change the world, one ConcernCenter search at a time. Erin talks to Linda about how she created her authentic style of leading and how we can begin to live more authentically too: supposed for not forLearn about ConcernCenter at: ConcernCenter.com To contact Erin: Erin@ConcernCenter.com What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 80. “… one of the great joys of my life is to really question how I'm living and the choices I'm making. Whether things need to be a certain way, whether I want them to be a certain way and, it's not just related to “do I want kids or not.” Keltie Maguire is a Clarity Coach who helps business owners and professionals get clear on what they want so they can feel confident knowing their life is the one they choose. When Linda saw a post written by Keltie about something rarely talked about, people/couples choosing to be child-free, she knew she had to have her as a guest. This is a conversation about choices: You can reach Keltie through her website: KeltieMaguire.com. Follow Keltie on Instagram, Facebook or Linked In What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail.

Episode 79. “… entrepreneurship can feel really lonely. And the reason that it feels really lonely is because I believe we isolate ourselves based on this competitive, usually adopted, mindset or collective behavior that we have around entrepreneurship. And the reality is that we are part of this amazing, brilliant ecosystem of entrepreneurs, and small businesses and not for profits, in a community. And together we create value for each other and we create value for the community. And the stronger we're connected into that ecosystem, the better we do.” Melissa Davis Melissa Davis is a startup clarity coach & founder of Humanity inc. Her mission is to connect entrepreneurs, leaders, & changemakers, to each other and to the resources they need to create more impact in the world. She believes that when we come together on the shared value of collaboration instead of competition, it has a rapid & compounding effect not just individually, but for the whole community. In her conversation with Linda, she shares: You can reach out to Melissa through her website HumanityInc.world or connect with Melissa on Linked In. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 78. This is a compilation of Linda’s most recent guest's answers to her finale questions: In order of appearance, you’ll hear from: Dr. Rehnuma Karim (Episode 66) Mark Dulaney (Episode 67) Dr. Carla Fowler (Episode 69 & Episode 70) Valerie Dimino (Episode 71) Jonathan Goehring (Episode 72) Tanya Cole-Lesnick (Episode 73) Jackie Goddard (Episode 74) If you haven’t already, go to Normal-Lies.com to listen to their full episodes and find out how to contact them and follow them on social media . What about you? How would you respond? Linda also shares a review from one of her listeners. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air as she did in this episode. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 77. Prithvi Madhukar is known as The Marketing Nomad. Prit is the CEO of The Marketing Nomad LLC, a global Marketing Consultancy Firm in Delaware that, as of this year, has helped sixty-plus clients from eight different countries. Her podcast, The Marketing Nomad, is ranked in the top 100 in Marketing in India, and in the Top 10% Globally. Prit empowers business owners to confidently implement long-term marketing strategies to grow the business they love. She is a digital entrepreneur and business owner with a passion for marketing and a zest for life. In this conversation, Prit shares how she found her passion and why she urges all of us to find and follow our passion. To contact Prit, find her podcast, get a copy of her book and learn more about her work, go to TheMarketingNomad.co. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 76. “… white supremacy mythology is so deeply embedded in the US culture… meaning images and stories on television and other places, and it's slippery and it's insidious and it's persistent.” Jill Nagle is an author, coach, facilitator, and founder of Evolutionary Workplace. Her aim is to help reduce harm to Black and Brown people, as well as support white people in liberating themselves from the effects of white supremacy’s toxic mythology. Change is hard and when faced with it, it’s human nature to ask, what’s in it for me? Many white people are likely asking that question and are afraid that dismantling racism is going to cost them something. That’s exactly what Linda and Jill discuss: Jill also tells a story about her Aunt Phyllis's antiracism work and how it influenced her to carry on her legacy. Jill recently found representation for her book, Skin in the Game: How White People Benefit from Dismantling White Supremacy. To contact Jill and learn more about her work, go to EvolutionaryWorkplace.com. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 75. “… if you're in a place where you know you need to make changes, if you're suffering, it's okay. The way to get through all of this, the way to get to what you actually want, is love and acceptance for all of you.” Luz Flores Lee coaches and trains individuals and teams around the one consistent challenge for all, change. Instead of ignoring the changes within and around us, Luz believes we must face it head-on and create adaptable systems that will grow with us so, she guides teams through a creative and healing process with love, compassion, and fun. As a result, they create sustainable improvements in our constantly changing world. Linda and Luz not only talk about change and how she incorporates her love of dancing into her coaching, but Linda explains why Luz is an important and pivotal person in her journey to becoming a coach. from overflowTo contact Luz or learn more about her coaching services go to LovingAllofYou.com To register for her workshop, go to Thriving in Change on Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thriving-in-change-tickets-396194246657 What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 74. “…hopefully people will realize that there's nothing wrong with a bit of showing off and it's not showing off. It's just being confident…” Jackie Goddard has spent 30 years working in the arts. She’s been a High Street fashion designer and worked in the costume department of the Royal Shakespeare Company, She’s been an actor, producer and director for the London and Edinburgh fringe and has spent the last 20 years working with adults and children, teaching them how to act and use their voice effectively. With Jackie’s company, Power To Speak, she uses her acting experience and training to coach business leaders, solopreneurs and professional speakers to use their voice and their story to show up confidently for their audience, customers and clients. Jackie shares her experience helping others gain confidence and success by becoming who they are through owning their story: You can reach Jackie through her website, PowerToSpeak.co.uk or connect with Jackie on LinkedIn. Find Power To Speak on YouTube or Apple Podcast. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 73. “… to me, the secret to a life that is satisfying and has peace and happiness in it, is learning how to connect to yourself.” Tanya Cole-Lesnick has been a psychotherapist (licensed clinical social worker) and coach since 1995. She received her master’s degree in social work from New York University after group therapy changed her life. Tanya helps clients access and honor their truth, change habits that don’t serve them, and heal faulty narratives so that they begin living in alignment inside and out. Her work revolves around a combination of intimate therapeutic groups and individual sessions, as the sharing of inner worlds and being human together in a safe space—collectively and individually—is an incredibly powerful combination that leads to lasting transformation. In this episode, Tanya shares: You can learn more about Tanya and, schedule a a complimentary Discovery session at GroupWithTanya.com or TanyaCole-Lesnick.com. What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 72. “Things are not the way they used to be. And a lot of times when people who will criticize the younger generation will say that we are soft, that we don't work hard. They're thinking of what hard work was like for them when they were our age.” Jon Goehring is a voiceover artist and audio producer specializing in creating radio commercials and imaging, narrating audiobooks, and bringing brands to life through sound. Jon is a Rochester native and holds a Masters Degree in Media Management from The Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He’s also 23 years old, newly married and a proud member of Gen Z. Jon and Linda explore the myths and stereotypes of the generations, specifically Baby Boomers, Millennials and Gen Z. Some wisdom from Jon: “… (Baby Boomers) are thinking of manual labor, which certainly is still important and very relevant and even in our society today, but they're thinking of factories and the types of work that they did back then. And certainly there is that work available today. But at the same time, so much of our work has been automated.” “Innovation is what really provides value in our market. And that's what a lot of us Gen Zers have is that innovation. And then, that courage to relentlessly push that innovation until we do make something better.” “The whole phrase of “If you find something you love, you won't work a day in your life.” I think the concept behind that has driven us to realize that there's gotta be something more. And maybe we don't have to be miserable at work.” “… cumulative innovation to me is like passing on a basketball court. Okay, I don't have a shot here, but I'll pass to an open teammate. It's more of learn from what isn't going right, or is just a little bit off. Perfect that so that you can shoot and score this time. And I think that's why we've been so afraid in the past of failure and we still are in some cases." You can learn more about Jon at JonathanGoehring.com Connect with Jon on Linked In What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 71. *This episode deals with the subject of child sexual abuse, listener discretion is advised.* Valerie Dimino joins Linda to talk about her experience coauthoring the memoir, The Man Behind the Curtain, her debut book. From the back of the book: "Jessica Renee was 11 years old when her stepfather began routinely raping and sexually assaulting her. Only when she was 15 and her boyfriend asked the right questions did the truth come to light—a terrible truth that her mother chose not to believe. Backed by a church community that believed a woman's duty was to support her husband above all else, Jessica's mother and countless other family and friends turned against her, labeling her a sinner even as her rapist was convicted. Throughout the long road to that conviction, Jessica often felt she didn't have a voice, as she was continually questioned, criticized, and cast aside. She is ready to make her voice heard now and provide a guiding light for those who are still searching for hope." Valerie Dimino holds her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in creative writing and has 14 years of professional writing, editing, and marketing experience in the fields of higher education, performing arts, and medical informatics. This story, even though difficult, must be brought out into the open. As a child, Jessica’s life was stolen from her without her permission. In this conversation, Valerie and Linda discuss how she walked alongside Jessica, using words to bring a light to an impossible story that will leave you angry, frustrated, uncomfortable as well as riveted and hopeful. Listeners need to know about the invaluable support that Jessica received from an organization called 'Bikers Against Child Abuse.' Their support was so key to helping Jessica that we wanted to be sure they were highlighted. You can learn more about this amazing organization at bacaworld.org. Follow Valerie on Linked In, Twitter and Instagram. If you know or suspect a child is being abused, you can contact: Childhelp® Phone: 800.4.A.CHILD (800.422.4453) People They Help: Child abuse victims, parents, concerned individuals In cases of child sexual abuse, contact: Darkness to Light Phone: 866.FOR.LIGHT (866.367.5444) People They Help: Children and adults needing local information or resources about sexual abuse In cases of Rape/Incest, contact: Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) Phone: 800.656.HOPE (800.656.4673) People They Help: Rape and incest victims, media, policymakers, concerned individuals From Child Welfare Information Gateway What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 70. “I think that our sense of happiness and how we feel about things, is both something we can influence through our perspectives, but I also think it is related to, “Are we spending time on things that most matter to us?” and, “Are we clear on what does most matter to us?” In episode 69, Linda spoke with Dr. Carla Fowler, an MD PhD and elite executive coach. For the last decade, Carla has been a secret weapon for scores of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other senior leaders. Her unique approach combines the latest research from performance science with timeless best practices to help top performers level up and achieve their goals. In this episode, Dr. Fowler and Linda continue their conversation with how our feelings impact our goals. They also talk about Linda’s struggle with creating a future vision which leads into a conversation about being with the uncertainty that often shows up as we pursue our goals. Plus, Dr. Fowler discusses the question, should we play to our strengths or try and strengthen our weaknesses? And, how having a growth mindset plays into it. Dr. Fowler has graciously gifted listeners with a free download, The 8 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Coach (and how to avoid them!). Be sure to connect with Dr. Fowler: Linked In and Twitter What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. She may choose yours next month! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail. To set up a coaching consultation with Linda, scroll to the bottom of the homepage on Normal-Lies.com to find a link to her calendar. Just click the link and schedule some time to talk about what’s sabotaging you. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.

Episode 69. “I think goals are a useful tool, but like any tool you have to decide where is the appropriate place to deploy them and and how are they serving you?” Dr. Carla Fowler is an MD PhD and elite executive coach. For the last decade, Carla has been a secret weapon for scores of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other senior leaders. Her unique approach combines the latest research from performance science with timeless best practices to help top performers level up and achieve their goals. In part one of their conversation, Dr. Fowler shares: - “I often like to look at a goal rather than saying, "Oh, this is a mark I must meet, or I'm going to feel bad about myself.” To say, this is a challenge I'm setting out for myself. I am going to try to meet it, but the point of the exercise is what am I learning trying to get there?” - “… performance discounting is where you look at all the stuff you accomplished yesterday or maybe over the past year and you're like, “Yeah, that was fine. That was great. But I haven't done anything yet today.What about next year?” You basically have taken all that effort and the things that felt like big accomplishments, and WERE big accomplishments, and you just discount the heck outta them.” - “ … one of the fundamental principles of performance that I work with people on is this idea of brutal focus because I believe that, the gains and results they're gonna produce in the future are more likely going to come from simplifying and from making more potent what they choose to do versus saying “I gotta work harder and I gotta put more stuff on my plate.” - “This idea that we can just go from goal to goal to goal and always have a hundred percent surety about what the next goal should be, I think is kind of a fallacy.” - “When we can run some experiments and actually say, "How does this (goal) make me feel? Is this goal bringing out better effort from me? Is it keeping me focused and on track more? Has it made it clear what are the small steps I need to do every day consistently to keep moving in the direction that I want?” Those things can be really powerful about goals.” Dr. Fowler has graciously gifted listeners with a free download, The 8 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Coach (and how to avoid them!). Be sure to connect with Dr. Fowler on Linked In and Twitter What came up for you as a result of this conversation? Let Linda know by going to Normal-Lies.com and leave a review. Linda reads every one and every month, she chooses one review to read on air. Who knows, she may choose yours! If you have a question or a topic you'd like addressed on an upcoming episode, go to Normal-Lies.com and click the contact page to send Linda a message. Or, click on the microphone icon at the bottom right of the page to leave a voicemail. Set up a coaching consultation with Linda. Be sure to follow Linda on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linked In.