An inspirational podcast can set you up for success. Our team is constantly getting inspired by the podcasts we listen to. We have discussions on each podcast and highlight what we have learned from them.
Take a look at what HR Lab is listening to. We hope you enjoy our recommendations!
"My Secret To Staying Focused Under Pressure" by Ted Talks Daily
In this podcast, Russell explains his ideology of “Neutral thinking.” Russell was drafted to play for the NFL on June 8, 2010 and on June 9, 2010 his father died of cancer. He went from the highest moment of his life to an immediate downfall “the highest of the high to the lowest to low” in just a day. He continued to share very similar life stories, but through all his hardships, he realized “life happens” and life happens to all of us. Russell explains that positivity is great, but it doesn’t always work. It’s hard to be positive in situations where you’re struggling financially, losing a family member, and dealing with fatal illness. He found that negativity works 100% percent of the time. In any situation, negativity can be applied, but negativity gets you nowhere. How do you get through a painful situation? By engaging in neutral thinking! Russell stated, “Like a car, you must learn how to shift to neutral before you crash.” You must not let yourself get drowned by emotions.
We must remember that our mindset is a skill, it can be learned and taught. We can train our mind by asking ourselves, what do we want our life to look like, what do our best moments look like, and based on those answers we become that. Neutral thinking does not mean you have no emotion. It just means you have to learn to stay focused in the moment and not be too emotional. Ask yourself — how do I do this right now, when life seems difficult. You never want to live in negativity, stay neutral.
This really stuck with me because we often find ourselves dwelling in negativity. We find it difficult to keep going when we fail at something. But we can’t let failures and hardships stop our goals in life, just because “life happens”. We can’t stall our process, we must learn how to remain neutral and keep going.
"The Power of Reflection" by Lewis Howes
Lewis Howes talks about how you should focus on three things in life: reflection, acknowledgment, and gratitude. This podcast started off with powerful questions to ask yourself. Lewis asks his audience to reflect on the year they have had; “did you make the most of the year, or did you let it slip by?” Then, he continues to guide you through reflection. “Did you do the things you set out to do or were you overstressed?” Lastly, he lifts you up with a moment of gratitude. He explains that you need to give yourself thanks or a pat on the back for what you have done. From the smallest to the biggest accomplishments. Once you have focused on the positive, then you can set goals and have a better attitude when working towards them.
As I was listening to this, I felt like it was very relatable to everyone. Taking the time to reflect on yourself and how far you have come is essential. Many people tend to focus on the negatives of a situation and feel anxious or pull themselves down because another year passed by and they still haven’t attained their goal. Some goals take more time than others. The journey you take to achieve your goals is just as important as the goal itself. It is important to be kind to yourself, first and foremost.
"The Psychology of Self-Motivation" by Scott Geller, TedxVirginiatech
In this podcast Scott Geller talks about self-motivation and how to achieve it. Scott suggests three questions to ask yourself when you need to feel motivated about doing something; “can you do it?” “will it work?” and “is it worth it?” If you answered yes to all three of these questions, you will feel competent and therefore self-motivated. Scott Geller also suggests that self-motivation comes from these four C-words: Competence, Consequence, Choice, and Community.
Scott points out that we always work for something, a consequence, whether it be a desired one or not. Therefore having a vision of the endpoint of our mission can help keep us motivated. Next he talks about that when you perceive a choice you perceive a motivation. When we choose to do something, we also choose to work for it, hence we need to be very mindful of our choices. Finally, Scott Geller talks about community. He points out that being surrounded by supportive people can help boost your self-motivation. As Scott Geller says, “Give them the perception of competence. Teach them about ‘consequences drive us’. Let them perceive choice, and let them know it’s a community.”
The points made in this podcast made me look at self-motivation in a different way. Before I thought that self-motivation only came from the person, but now I realize that our surroundings have an immense affect on our self-motivation.
"Staying Agile Beyond a Crisis" by HBR Ideacast
I always appreciate the HBR podcasts for their duration, amazing insight and knowledge share. This podcast caught my attention because lately I have been reading a lot about agility. Curt Nickisch and Darrell Rigby carry on with a dialogue about the change that took place in the business world in a matter of weeks. First, many organisations had to give up their conventional ways of doing business and move onto something that was able to keep them afloat. Then, they had to transform and evolve into something that would give them a viable business model, most of us still are. In the podcast, Rigby explains how agile protects and preserves the good parts of this accelerating evolution and changes the parts that need to adapt. In other words, it is the balance between stasis and chaos. Ideas I learned from this podcast were the two-pizza teams — that if a team can’t be fed with two pizzas then the team is too big, that systems are more powerful than individuals and that we need to evaluate what work is going to really matter and how do we make sure that everybody in the company works together and feels great about their contributions as a member of an important team. Teamwork makes the dream work, and so does agility.
Follow us as we put the spotlight on some of the most inspiring podcasts that we listen to at HR Lab - leaders, visionaries, business owners, and more.
About HR Lab: Formed in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, HR Lab is here to make a difference. At HR Lab, we work to strengthen workforce quality by improving the HR system, ensuring its ongoing relevance, and preparing employers, workers, educators, and governments to use it effectively. Our vision is a labor market that relies on the relevance, quality, and value of workforce credentials for opportunities, growth, and development.
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Disclaimer: The information in these materials should not be considered legal, accounting, or investment advice, and it should not substitute for legal, accounting, investment, and other professional advice where the facts and circumstances warrant. It is provided for informational purposes only. If you require legal, accounting, or investment advice, or need other professional assistance, you should always consult your attorney, accountant, or other professional advisor to discuss your particular facts, circumstances, business, personal finance, and investment needs.