The Power of Micro Actions and the DAMN Manifesto with Bevin Farrand

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”The micro-actions are the smallest possible actions that you will actually take. If you are feeling frozen, then your micro-action is not small enough.”

— Bevin Farrand

I had the pleasure of speaking with Bevin Farrand, speaker, coach, and the author of Your DAMN Manifesto: Discover the Keys to Personal Transformation and Bringing Your Biggest Dreams to Life.

Her DAMN framework has inspired thousands to connect with the people they love, do the “crazy thing” that makes all the difference and, when given a choice, to take the damn chance.

We discuss:

  • How Bevin started the Take the DAMN chance movement
  • The four parts of the DAMN framework
  • Deciding and declaring what you want to achieve

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Between stimulus and response, there is this space

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“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

– Anonymous

I have been using the above quote in my talks for many years, and recently, I decided to delve into its origins and unpack its meaning. 

For years, I believed the quote was from one of my heroes, Viktor Frankl. Only recently have I discovered that was not the case, which left me asking, “If not him, who?”

I discuss: 

  • The origins of one of my favorite quotes
  • Exploration of the gap between stimulus and response
  • The three types of pauses: macro, scheduled, and micro pauses

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Impact Without Burnout: Dr. Zippy interviews Dr. Ana Melikian

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“We can achieve much more. We can contribute to society, make an impact, and make a difference out there. If we are refreshed, re-energized. In our full power.”

– Ana Melikian

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Dr. Zippy, a visionary leader with a deep-rooted passion for human development and growth. We tackle the ever-present issue of burnout. What is it, and how do we navigate it? Or even better—how do we avoid it? 

We discuss: 

  • The three dimensions of burnout
  • Taking our health into our own hands
  • Striking the balance between achieving meaningful results and prioritizing our well-being 

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Is there an effective way of multitasking?

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“We answer an email, and then we go back to the project, and then another email notification pops in, and then you go back to the project, then you have to see where you were. All that uses a lot of time, and makes for very ineffective multitasking.”

– Ana Melikian

The idea of multitasking has been long-debated and often rebuked as an impossibility at worst and ineffective at best. Is that true, or is there an effective way of multitasking?

I discuss: 

  • How Nir Eyal and his book Indistractable inspired this topic
  • An experiential exercise that demonstrates the inefficiency of multitasking
  • The possibility of effective multitasking

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Mindset and Distraction: Insights from Nir Eyal’s Indistractable

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“The opposite of distraction is traction.”

– Nir Eyal

I had the chance to speak with Nir Eyal, an expert in the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. He's also the author of two best-selling books, How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable

We discuss: 

  • Uncovering a deeper reason for distraction that Plato also explored in his time
  • The mindset around distraction and the importance of believing in our agency
  • The responsibility to control our emotions and reactions

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Healing from Toxic Business Culture with Mark Silver

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“Envision a world where business doesn't take up more space than it really should.”

– Mark Silver

I had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Silver, a pioneer in integrating genuine spirituality with the nitty-gritty of small business and founder of Heart of Business, Inc. 

A designated Master Teacher within his Sufi lineage, he has worked with heart-centered entrepreneurs to help them realize that every act of business can be an act of love since 1999. 

Now, he’s written Heart Centered Business: Healing from Toxic Business Culture so Your Small Business Can Thrive to share the wisdom he’s gained from his business.

We discuss: 

  • Shifting from serving business to business serving us
  • Effective business functioning while expressing caring and love
  • Creating a wider perspective of business success

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Tactics to Persevere Through Hard Times with Tammy Barlette

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“I'm a human being. I am not a machine. I'm just like you. I just chose a different career.”

— Tammy Barlette

I had the pleasure of speaking with Tammy Barlette, a retired US air force fighter pilot with 3,000 flying hours and over 1,500 hours of combat support assisting and protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, Tammy is a mental performance coach, a speaker, and the founder of Athena's Voice.

We discuss:

  • The importance of not losing the big picture
  • The power of the PEZ approach
  • Aligning goals with values for the best chance of success

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FOMO is Real

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“Social media has mastered intermittent reinforcements as well, or even better, than a casino's slot machine.“

– Ana Melikian

FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out. We’ve all felt it. It’s a staple of the teen years, but it does not disappear in adulthood. Gina Bianchini’s book Purpose is not directly about FOMO, but it inspired me to dive deeper into how FOMO ties into purpose and conditioning.

We discuss:

  • An example of classical conditioning
  • Why operant conditioning differs from classical conditioning
  • Understanding the impact of FOMO on our actions and purpose

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Mission, Vision, and Values with Josh Patrick

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“A good mission statement, in my opinion, is seven words or less and can be answered with a yes or no.”

– Josh Patrick

I had the delight of speaking with Josh Patrick, the founder of the Sustainable Business and former blogger for the New York Times. Josh is passionate about helping private business owners create extraordinary value with their businesses and lives.

We discuss:

  • The importance of attaching clarifying statements to values
  • The makings of a good mission statement
  • How visions are different from missions

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The P.I.E. Method

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“Insights are not enough to sustain lasting change.”

– Ana Melikian

Many people live moment to moment in a reactive state, leading to burnout and demotivation. Reactivity breeds stress. Today, we’re looking at a different way to move through the day by turning reactivity into creativity.

We discuss:

  • The value of creating space between stimulus and response
  • Understanding the triangle of thoughts, feelings, and actions
  • How to recognize that all outcomes are valuable learning experiences

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