Episodes

  • How can we stay positive and free from fear when the news is overwhelmingly bad and fear-based?

    I got this topic idea in the form of a question from a good friend and a former guest on this show, Frederic Tate. You can find him on Ep. 056 Ignore at Your Own Risk: How Your Relationship with Death Affects Your Quality of Life, with Dr. Frederic Tate. Frederic’s a fascinating guy with a fascinating story. I thoroughly enjoyed that interview, and I wholeheartedly recommend that episode.

    Frederic's experience is that it is difficult to stay positive and free from fear when he perceives the news to be overwhelmingly bad and fear-based. Many of you can relate. It is a wild time to be alive on planet earth.

    In this episode, I offer 5 specific ways to stay positive and free from fear when the news is overwhelmingly bad and fear-based:

    Practice solitude. Consume the news in small doses and pick your sources thoughtfully. Invest much more of your time, energy, and attention in things that are within your realm of influence than in things that aren’t. Nurture meaningful relationships and cultivate more as needed. Cultivate a relationship with the Transcendent.

    I elaborate quite a bit on each of those five points, and point three has several supporting subpoints, so tune into the full episode for the full benefit–including a discussion of some of the particular perils and pitfalls to avoid that are uniquely associated with the globalized age we live in.

    Remember: You ARE going to die. But you're not dead yet. So get after it!

    Let’s Connect

    Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise Ep. 081 | How to Change the World: An Antidote to Apathy and Despair in an Age of Doom and Gloom
  • What is bravery, and why is it so important? What are some of the common counterfeits of bravery? How can we detect and eliminate them from our own lives? How can we get braver?

    As an “arms dealer for the creative revolution," Todd Henry is the author of seven books and a veteran podcaster of 19 years who speaks internationally on creativity, productivity, and passion for work, and helps people and teams generate brilliant ideas.

    Todd's new book, The Brave Habit, is a concise, persuasive, and timely treatise on bravery. In today's conversation, we explore bravery through the lens of The Brave Habit in pursuit of actionable insights for all of us. Todd also shares how an encounter with Mortality when he was 15 radically altered his perception of risk and what's most important.

    I first invited Todd to be on the show in early 2020. The timing wasn't right for a variety of reasons, though, and then COVID hit and all bets were off for a while. I'm grateful four years later to be able to bring you Todd's wisdom and insights today.

    In this episode, you will learn how to:

    Cultivate authentic bravery in your daily life to unlock more of your potential in service to others. Overcome fear by taking action and embrace the exhilarating freedom on the other side. Embrace the impact of mortality on life choices and discover the transformative power it holds.

    Key moments in this episode include:

    00:00:00 - The Deceptive Nature of Fear 00:00:54 - Importance of Bravery 00:02:04 - Cultivating the Brave Habit 00:04:43 - Todd Henry's Journey to Brave Habit 00:07:38 - The Definition of Bravery 00:13:40 - Starting Over with Daily Creative 00:14:44 - The Right Thing to Do 00:17:32 - Bravery as a Habit 00:18:53 - Close Encounter with Mortality 00:23:32 - Connecting with Todd Henry's Work

    Remember: You ARE going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    Let’s Connect

    Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Connect with Todd

    Email | Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter

    Get your copy of The Brave Habit.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 005 | How to Become the Boss of Your Fear: Bravery-building to Live With More Guts and Gusto Ep. 077 | The Big 6 (Part 1): Essential Ingredients in the Recipe for a Life You'll be Outrageously Proud of When You Die
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  • This episode is different in a few notable ways. First, it’s extemporaneous. Second, I recorded it to video for release on my fledgling YouTube channel, where all of my past episodes currently reside. Finally, I share news about the future of the podcast–an ending to make way for a new beginning.

    Key moments in this episode include:
    00:00:01 - Embracing Change and New Beginnings
    00:03:24 - Pursuing a Unified Framework
    00:08:07 - Making Bold Choices
    00:11:10 - Moving Forward with Conviction
    00:13:48 - Seeking Audience Input


    Remember, you ARE going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    Let’s Connect

    Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise Ep. 032 | Reimagining Productivity: A Path to Greater Freedom and Fulfillment
  • Do you ever feel powerless against your hurts, hang-ups, and habits?

    Chris Ray's hurts, hang-ups, and habits literally killed him. Remarkably, his encounter with Mortality wasn't permanent, and Chris returned transformed. Chris is no longer powerless against his hurts, hang-ups, and habits because he has learned to look up and let go.

    If we have ears to hear, we can learn the same lessons from Chris’ story without a harrowing ordeal of our own. If we have the courage to add Action to our Insights, we can experience transformation, too.

    I met Chris through a mutual friend here in Steamboat. His warmth, openness, and lack of pretense were simultaneously a bit disarming and a refreshing change. Chris exudes his unique brand of warmth, openness, and lack of pretense, but I realize that it's a combination of qualities that I often encounter in those in the Recovery community. It occurs to me, too, that I belong to that community now, due to the alcohol-free Adventure I've embarked on in 2024. I certainly don't claim to embody those qualities yet like Chris does, but I hope to someday, and Chris is a wonderful role model in that respect.

    Tune in to Ep. 094, Beyond Resolutions: A Heroic Path to Your Best Year Yet, to learn more about my recovery journey en route to considering how you can go beyond resolutions to your best year yet, too.

    I would be remiss if I didn't publicly thank Chris for his part in encouraging me to accept this new Call to Adventure.

    In this episode, discover how a brush with death led to an unexpected journey of adventure and self-discovery. Follow Chris' path from addiction to recovery and to a life-changing retreat in Costa Rica. Hear how looking up and letting go transformed his perspective on life, and find out why he decided to drop social media altogether. This is not just a travel story – it's a powerful lesson in embracing the unknown and finding peace through letting go. And the best part? Chris is not done yet. This is Part 1 of 2–before and after the Costa Rica Adventure. Tune in to find out what he's discovering about himself and how it could inspire your own journey.

    Some Key Moments:

    00:00:00 - Facing Mortality and Recovery Journey 00:03:20 - Transformative Recovery Journey 00:08:14 - Soboat's Growth and Impact 00:12:47 - Galvanizing Near-Death Experience 00:13:41 - Spiritual Awakening and Rebirth 00:14:14 - Surrendering to Something Greater 00:17:38 - Wrestling with Experience 00:19:31 - Appreciating Life After Encountering Death 00:23:02 - Dependence on a Higher Power 00:27:45 - Embracing Faith and Intuition 00:29:37 - The Search for Balance 00:32:28 - Redemptive Effects of Suffering 00:33:01 - The Call to Adventure 00:39:53 - Embracing the Present and Letting Go 00:42:25 - Gaining Perspective and Embracing Community 00:44:11 - Embracing Involuntary and Voluntary Adventures 00:45:32 - Post-Costa Rica Adventure 00:46:36 - Hero's Journey and Personal Growth 00:47:30 - Curiosity and Mundane Adventures 00:51:27 - Disconnecting and Embracing the Unknown

    Do the Work, Just Don’t Try to Do It Alone
    Look up, let go, and live! Only you can do the work, but you can't do the work alone. None of us can. I always offer one free coaching session. Visit my website to schedule your free session.

    Thank you for your time, attention, and trust. Don't forget to follow this show and share it with your friends. I'll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying--Lord willin' and the creek don't rise!

    How Did This Episode Land for You?

    I'd love to know. Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Connect with Chris

    Email | Instagram | Facebook (public) | Facebook (private) | Website

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 086 | The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for a Life of Purpose and Adventure Today Ep. 090 | A Tale of Two Mountaineers: How Comfort Sabotages Our Contentment, and What To Do About It Ep. 092 | Crack the Contentment Code: Find the Path to Contentment Ep. 094 | Beyond Resolutions: A Heroic Path to Your Best Year Yet

    New to Andrew Petty is Dying?

    Welcome! I invite you to browse the archive of past interviews with fascinating people and short, topical solo episodes--all designed to equip you with the mindset and the means to become the person you were made to be and live the life you were made to live with guts, gusto, and abandon. We flip the script by inviting our ancient foe, Death, to become an unlikely ally in our heroic journey to leave it all out on the field of life. Turns out, Mortality might just be the best motivator available--blasting us out of our ambivalence and complacency and toward the fullness of our potential.

  • Who are you?

    A big question, for sure, and not a slow pitch over the plate for most of us. But it’s a pitch that is critical for us to get good at hitting.

    As of this recording, I’m just a couple days removed from the first Growth Camp of 2024, where we plumbed the time-proven depths of the Hero’s Journey framework to go beyond resolutions and discover a heroic path to our best year yet. Once again, the importance of who we are–that is, the quality of our character and our responses in life’s defining moments–rose to the surface and stayed there, demanding our attention, resisting our instinctive attempts to boil life down to a set of tips, tricks, hacks, and strategies; and calling us to become even better humans.

    I’ve tackled the question of who we are before. In fact, in one way or another, every episode of this podcast is about who we are. I tackled this topic directly, though, in episodes 77 and 78, a two-part series devoted to what I call The Big 6–essential ingredients in the recipe for a life you’ll be outrageously proud of when you die.

    In this episode, I pull the Big 6 from the proverbial back burner to the front burner to reheat them for all of us. The path illuminated for us by The Big 6 isn’t sexy, it’s not easy, and it’s paved with discomfort. But this path corresponds with Reality and leads to meaning, purpose, true significance, and becoming someone we feel genuinely good about. Arduous as it may be, I find that path preferable to one divorced from Reality that ultimately leads to meaninglessness, purposelessness, insignificance, and becoming someone I genuinely despise.

    Tune in for the guts of the original two episodes on the Big 6 combined into one episode and reset in the context of key qualities that will lead us to feel genuinely good about who we are and lead a life of meaning, purpose, and significance.

    Remember: You ARE going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    I Have a Favor to Ask

    I want this show to reach many more people. If it has been helpful to you, I invite you to share it with others for their benefit. It can be as simple as texting an episode that was meaningful to you to a friend. For extra credit, post an episode on social media.

    This is where the marketing folks would probably say I should incentivize you with a freebie of some sort. But I’m going to appeal to a different part of you instead–the higher and even better part of you that finds joy and fulfillment in simply improving other people’s lives and knowing that their improvement ripples outward to the rest of the world.

    Thank you!

    I’m grateful for your trust, time, and attention. Don’t forget to follow this show, and I’ll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying.

    How can I Help? Let’s Connect.

    I’d love to meet you and be of service. I offer one free coaching session. Schedule yours now.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 087 | The Question That Changes Everything (Reboot): The Go-to Tool for Living the Life You Were Made to Live Ep. 075 | Keep Going: The Underrated Secret to a Wonderful Life
  • Each new year presents the opportunity for a new adventure. Often we start out strong but fizzle in a month or two. Our fragile resolve sabotages even our most well-intended and heartfelt resolutions.

    We need something stronger than our own resolve and more reliable than our resolutions.

    As we kick off a new year, I invite you to go with me beyond resolutions to find a heroic path to your best year yet.

    In this episode, you will:

    Learn about the Hero’s Journey. Be equipped to embark on a transformative journey through the Hero's journey framework. Discover a path to profound inner transformation. Discover the power of going beyond resolutions. Explore the path to personal growth and adventure.

    Key moments in this episode include:

    00:00:00 - New Year, New Adventure
    00:01:41 - The Hero's Journey Framework
    00:06:51 - Alcohol-free: My New Adventure in 2024
    00:09:51 - Call to Adventure
    00:13:53 - Embracing the Call to Adventure
    00:16:03 - The Nature of the Adventure
    00:17:31 - Enlisting Companions and Allies
    00:21:28 - Invitation to Growth Camp 2024 | Beyond Resolutions: A Heroic Path to Your Best Year Yet

    Go Beyond Resolutions & Find Your Heroic Path to Your Best Year Yet

    Join me Saturday, January 20, 9am - 5pm, at the first Growth Camp of 2024, called Beyond Resolutions: A Heroic Path to Your Best Year Yet. You will tap into the timeless wisdom of the Hero’s Journey to acquire a trustworthy compass and the right resources for your best year yet.

    In-person and virtual options are available, so don’t let a little thing like geography get in your way.

    Go here for full details and registration.

    This year, go beyond resolutions and embark on a new adventure. Don't just dream of change; unleash the hero within and make your dreams a reality.

    Secure your spot at Growth Camp, and kick off your New Year with unprecedented clarity, courage, and purpose.

    Let’s Connect

    Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 086 | The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for a Life of Purpose and Adventure Today Ep. 090 | A Tale of Two Mountaineers: How Comfort Sabotages Our Contentment, and What To Do About It Ep. 091 | My Hero's Journey: Lessons Learned on the Road to Growth Camp 2023
  • Are you tired of feeling stuck and overwhelmed in the face of life's challenges? Have you tried to push away pain and ignore its lessons, only to find yourself feeling even more lost and disconnected? It's time to break free from the ineffective pattern of avoiding pain and embrace it as a powerful teacher. By leaning into the discomfort and allowing ourselves to learn from our pain, we open the door to personal growth and resilience. It's time to rewrite your story and discover the transformative power of embracing pain as a teacher.

    In this episode, you will:

    Discover how Audrey Dwyer's personal journey can inspire resilience and personal growth. Learn the transformative power of embracing pain as a teacher for personal development. Explore the journey of overcoming addiction and trauma and finding hope for the future. Uncover secrets to finding purpose and making a meaningful difference in your life and the lives of others. Tap into the transformative power of vulnerability and its impact on personal growth and resilience.

    My special guest is Audrey Dwyer

    Audrey has faced and overcome numerous challenges in her life. From addiction to a life-changing heart surgery, her story is a testament to the power of embracing pain as a teacher. Audrey has gained valuable insights into the transformative nature of pain and the potential it holds for personal growth and resilience, and they’re available to all of us in today’s conversation.

    Audrey's story serves as a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always the opportunity for redemption and growth. You’ll be inspired and empowered to face life's challenges with courage and resilience so you can secure the treasures available to you on the other side.

    Key moments in this episode include:

    00:01:01 - Audrey's Story Begins

    00:05:17 - Hospitalization and Heart Surgery

    00:08:02 - Recovery and Reflection

    00:09:46 - Current Journey and Recovery

    00:12:54 - Coping Mechanisms and Family Dynamics

    00:14:18 - Lack of Communication and Emotional Expression

    00:15:27 - The Importance of Talking About Loss

    00:18:15 - The Impact of Avoidance and Regret

    00:19:09 - Embracing Life and Taking Control

    00:25:26 - The Importance of Commitment

    00:26:39 - The Challenges of Commitment

    00:29:47 - The Journey to Self-Commitment

    00:31:30 - Overcoming Chaos and Finding Clarity

    00:33:43 - Love Your Scars and Embracing Challenges

    00:39:00 - Finding Healing and Acceptance

    00:40:39 - Overcoming the Lowest Low

    00:41:53 - Embracing the Beginner's Mindset

    00:43:52 - Love Your Scars Movement

    00:48:12 - Embracing the Messy Middle

    00:52:37 - Moving Towards the What

    00:53:33 - Author of Your Own Story

    00:54:04 - Courage in Vulnerability

    00:55:14 - Connecting with Audrey

    00:56:14 - Embracing Mortality

    Remember, you ARE going to die. But you're not dead yet. So get after it!

    Until We Meet Again–Lord Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise!

    This is the final episode of 2023. I look forward to resuming the Adventure of tapping into the power of our Mortality in 2024. Until then, I wish you and yours a very happy holiday season. Revel in the moment. Seize the day. Keep in mind what matters most. Summon the courage to say what needs to be said, do what needs to be done, and live like there's no tomorrow.

    For those of you who missed Growth Camp 2023, stay tuned for details about the first Growth Camp of 2024, coming in January. It's a perfect way to kickstart your year and put yourself on a path of unprecedented Purpose and Adventure.

    Thank you once again for your time, trust, and attention, today and throughout 2023. It's a privilege and a pleasure to be invited into your lives and hearts and minds as, together, we pursue deeper understanding about how to conduct ourselves in the world to get the best results with our lives.

    I'm so glad you tuned in today. Don't forget to follow this show and share it with your friends, and I'll see you next year on Andrew Petty is Dying--Lord willin' and the creek don't rise!

    Let’s Connect

    Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Connect with Audrey

    Email | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 012 | How to Harness the Winds of Discomfort to Get Where You Want to Go: Becoming a Seasoned Sailor on the Seas of Life Ep. 019 | The Cockpit is Yours: From Passenger to Pilot Ep. 077 | The Big 6 (Part 1): Essential Ingredients in the Recipe for a Life You'll be Outrageously Proud of When You Die Ep. 078 | The Big 6 (Part 2): Essential Ingredients in the Recipe for a Life You'll be Outrageously Proud of When You Die Ep. 086 | The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for a Life of Purpose and Adventure Today Ep. 090 | A Tale of Two Mountaineers: How Comfort Sabotages Our Contentment, and What To Do About It
  • If you're feeling trapped in a cycle of constant striving and never reaching true contentment, you’re not alone. Maybe you've been chasing external achievements, thinking they will bring you lasting fulfillment, only to find that they leave you empty inside. Perhaps you've been seeking validation from others, hoping that their approval will bring you a sense of worth, only to discover that it's fleeting and insubstantial. Or maybe you've been relentlessly pursuing material possessions, believing they will bring you happiness, only to realize that they only provide temporary satisfaction.

    But there is another way to find contentment, one that involves cultivating a deep sense of purpose and inner peace that transcends external circumstances.

    In this episode, you will:

    Discover the key to finding contentment and unlock a fulfilling life. Embrace personal growth and purpose to create a meaningful and satisfying journey. Cultivate positivity and practice possession to experience true happiness and fulfillment. Address discontentment head-on and learn how to navigate life's challenges with resilience and grace. Explore the power of embracing mortality and gain a new perspective on what truly matters in life.

    It's a pleasure to welcome my wife, Charis, back as my special guest to help us crack the contentment code.

    Through personal anecdotes and practical strategies, Charis and I will help you uncover the main reasons contentment eludes us and provide actionable steps to crack the contentment code.

    The key moments in this episode are:

    00:00:00 - The Importance of Contentment

    00:02:31 - Defining Contentment

    00:03:47 - Contentment Can't Be Found by Looking for It

    00:10:57 - The Role of Gratitude in Contentment

    00:13:51 - The Paradox of Finding Contentment

    00:14:39 - Persevering to Find Contentment

    00:15:42 - The Recipe for Contentment

    00:16:41 - Embracing Scars and Wounds

    00:18:06 - The Big Questions in Life

    00:27:35 - Overcoming Fear and Finding Confidence

    00:30:10 - Different Learning Styles and Paths

    00:32:16 - Valuing Differences and Building Confidence

    00:35:01 - Owning and Integrating Our Stories

    00:37:13 - Practicing Presence and Possession

    00:43:21 - Contentment Beyond Circumstances

    00:44:29 - Cultivating Positivity

    00:46:36 - Embracing Action and Forward Movement

    00:55:15 - Finding the Source of Discontentment

    00:56:02 - Consequences of Ignoring Discontentment

    00:57:00 - Embracing Mortality

    00:58:15 - Taking Tangible Action

    01:00:04 - Cracking the Code to the Contentment Conundrum

    I Can Help

    With Mortality as our motivator, this podcast exists to help you cultivate the mindset and the means to live the life you were made to live with guts, gusto, and abandon. That’s my purpose as a coach, too. Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me. Go Here to learn about Graveyard Group masterminds--where we make time each week to invest in your life's most important work.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 018 | Life's 3 Big Questions: A Conversation with the Coroner Ep. 035 | Build Your Personal Owner’s Manual: Understand Yourself Better, Enjoy Yourself More, and Live the Life You were Made to Live Ep. 086 | The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for a Life of Purpose and Adventure Today
  • The road to Growth Camp 2023--an event built around the Hero's Journey--was a Hero's Journey of its own. In this episode, I invite you along on that Journey and share some of the key lessons I learned from it. I hope my story equips and encourages you to embark on your own Hero’s Journey or persevere in the one you’re already on.

    In this episode:

    Discover the transformative power of the Hero's journey framework to guide your personal growth and overcome obstacles. Learn the art of perseverance and unlock the key to conquering challenges on your path to success. Uncover the importance of companions and allies in your journey, and how their support can propel you forward. Explore the power of letting go and embracing change, and how it can lead to personal growth and new opportunities. Trust in the journey and learn to have faith, even in the face of uncertainty, as you navigate your own heroic path.

    Key moments in this episode include:

    00:00:00 - Introduction & Overview of the Hero's Journey 00:03:10 - The Importance of the Return Phase 00:04:24 - Reconnecting with an old friend 00:08:14 - My Call to Adventure 00:09:32 - Learning Curve and Allies 00:14:30 - The Journey Begins 00:16:44 - Letting Go 00:18:34 - The Dream Lives On 00:21:12 - Unexpected Help 00:24:50 - Miracles and Encouragement 00:28:29 - Marveling at the Journey 00:29:05 - Practical Lesson: Start Earlier 00:29:33 - Holding on to Dreams 00:30:02 - Lean on Companions and Allies 00:30:52 - The Importance of the Return

    Remember: You ARE going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 086 | The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for a Life of Purpose and Adventure Today Ep. 088 | Becoming the Hero in Your Own Story: Overcoming Resistance and Fear on the Journey, with Vince Coleman Ep. 089 | Unleashing Your Potential: Chris Slota's Journey to a Purposeful Life (Reboot)
  • Do you desire genuine fulfillment and contentment? Are you searching for a way to achieve true satisfaction and inner peace? In this episode, I'll reveal an antidote to discontentment. By embracing the hero's journey, you can unlock the path towards lasting contentment, breaking free from the sabotaging clutches of comfort and convenience. It's simple in principle, but far from easy in reality. Perhaps that's why so many of us avoid it. But don't let that be you. Wide (and easy!) is the way that leads to discontentment, and many find it. Narrow (and hard!) is the way that leads to contentment and becoming someone you genuinely feel good about. Take the narrow way!

    In this episode, you will learn how to:

    Discover the transformative power of embracing the hero's journey to find true fulfillment and purpose in life. Uncover the surprising truth about mistaking comfort for fulfillment and learn how to break free from the cycle to find lasting contentment. Explore the importance of pursuing goals and personal growth, and learn strategies to overcome obstacles and achieve your dreams. Understand how hardships is the way to profound personal transformation, and gain insights on how to navigate challenges with resilience and grace. Embrace living with urgency and learn how to pursue your dreams with passion and determination, creating a life filled with meaning and satisfaction.

    Key moments in this episode include:

    00:00:01 - The Reasons for Discontentment 00:02:10 - Steve's Decision 00:05:04 - Laura's Triumph 00:07:02 - Base Camp vs. the Summit 00:08:33 - Becoming the Hero of Your Own Story

    Your Companion for the Journey
    This episode draws upon the truths embedded in the Hero’s Journey, an ancient pathway for a life of purpose and adventure. To learn more about the Hero’s Journey, tune in to Ep. 086, The Best is Yet to Come, where my guest, Jon Ritner, and I introduce you to the Hero’s Journey through the lenses of our own stories.

    I’m here to help you summon the clarity and courage to embark on the Hero’s Journey that’s calling to you and stay the course. Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise
    Ep. 005 | How to Become the Boss of Your Fear: Bravery-building to Live With More Guts and Gusto Ep. 089 | Unleashing Your Potential: Chris Slota's Journey to a Purposeful Life
  • Have you been told that the key to building a fulfilling and meaningful life is to simply follow the conventional path and do what society expects of you? Here's the hard truth: By blindly following this path, you may be feeling stuck, unfulfilled, and lacking a sense of purpose. It's time to break free from these limiting beliefs and discover your true passions, unlocking the potential for personal growth and transformation.

    Meet Chris Slota

    Chris Slota embodies the essence of personal growth and transformation. With a background in the corporate world, Chris found himself at a crossroads, feeling unfulfilled and yearning for something more. Through his journey of self-discovery, he made the courageous decision to explore his true passions and create an even more purposeful life. Chris's story is a testament to the power of answering the question, "What do you want?" and the incredible impact it can have on our overall well-being and fulfillment. Join Andrew Petty and Chris as they delve into the stages of the Hero's Journey and discuss the practical wisdom that Chris gained along the way. Get ready to be inspired by Chris's remarkable personal transformation and learn valuable insights for building a fulfilling and meaningful life.

    You are in control of your own life. If you want to wallow in sorrow, you are welcome to do so. It's a free country, but you're probably not going to get anywhere if you do it. - Chris Slota

    In this episode, you will learn how to:

    Unleash your potential for personal growth and transformation and unlock a life filled with endless possibilities. Take ownership of your life by understanding the importance of taking responsibility for your actions and choices. Embrace change with open arms and shed old ways that no longer serve you, paving the way for personal growth and transformation. Discover some of the keys to fulfillment and meaning in life, leading to a sense of purpose and joy in everything you do.

    Take Responsibility for Your Own Happiness and Success
    Taking responsibility for your happiness and success is crucial in the quest for self-improvement. Instead of blaming circumstances or other people, acknowledge and embrace your power to shape your life. Active participation in your life pushes you towards achieving your aspirations, resonating with Chris Slota's story of personal transformation, pursuit of passions, and overall happiness.

    Next Steps

    Join Growth Camp 2023 on October 14th to equip yourself with the tools to build a life of even more purpose and Adventure. Explore the Hero's Journey framework for living a good life with a capital G. Learn how to live a life of adventure and make unique contributions in the world. Reflect on the question "What do you want?" and take the time to answer it. Don't just focus on what you don't want, but truly explore your desires and aspirations. Consider the potential consequences of failing to answer this question. Consider joining a Graveyard Group to help navigate personal transformations and find clarity in life. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who can support and guide you on your journey. Embrace the power of your Mortality and use it as a focal point to envision the life you want to live.

    Timestamped Summary of this Episode

    00:01:09 - The Hero's Journey
    Andrew discusses the Hero's Journey framework as a template for living a purposeful life and making unique contributions in the world. He mentions that Growth Camp will leverage this framework to help listeners become the hero in their own story.

    00:03:14 - Chris Slota's Story
    Andrew introduces Chris Slota and explains that Chris experienced a remarkable personal transformation by figuring out what he wants in life. He highlights the importance of answering the question, "What do you want?" and how it can lead to purpose and fulfillment.

    00:05:17 - Challenging Times
    Chris describes his dissatisfaction with his corporate banking job, the stress of the global pandemic, and his struggle to figure out what he wanted in life. He shares how he felt detached from relationships and was generally unhappy during this time.

    00:08:04 - Transformation
    Chris talks about his current state where he runs his own business, even though he is financially struggling. He wakes up with a smile on his face because he believes in what he's doing and feels fulfilled. He mentions the gratification of solving puzzles and helping people in a way that aligns with his values.

    00:14:12 - Taking Responsibility for Change
    Chris reflects on the necessary change in his life and taking responsibility for himself. He discusses the positive impact it has had on his relationships and how he now focuses on building others up instead of complaining about things he can't control.

    00:15:45 - Positive Influence on Others
    Chris shares how his attitude shift has positively affected those around him, particularly his wife. He emphasizes the importance of being a positive influence and building others up instead of complaining.

    00:16:26 - Relationship Dynamics and Change
    Andrew discusses how when one partner in a relationship makes changes, it forces the other to deal with it and decide what it means for them.

    00:18:07 - Starting a Business in Cryptocurrency
    Chris explains how his interest in cryptocurrency led him to start a business in the industry. He shares the challenges and uncertainties they faced in building a business that didn't exist before and how they had to figure out pricing and services.

    00:22:25 - Growth and Opportunities
    Chris talks about the growth of their cryptocurrency advisory business and the opportunities that have come from it. He discusses the importance of customer feedback and being able to apply it directly to their business. He also mentions new ventures they're exploring, such as smart contracts and tax credit projects.

    00:28:05 - Delayed Gratification and Creating a Better Reality
    Chris discusses the concept of delayed gratification and making sacrifices today for a better future. They mention Jordan Peterson's teachings on finding meaning and satisfaction in life through responsibility and hard work. Despite the stress, Chris wouldn't trade their current situation for their past, as they are moving towards something important to them.

    00:29:11 - Enjoying the Journey and Smelling the Roses
    Successful business owners advise Chris to enjoy the journey and not just focus on the end goal. Chris reflects on their own experience, appreciating the growth they have achieved and the feedback they receive. They emphasize the importance of stopping to appreciate progress and finding excitement in the daily adventures.

    00:30:43 - Loss vs. Gain in the Face of Challenges
    Andrew asks Chris how they would feel if everything they were working towards fell apart. Chris responds that even in that worst-case scenario, it would still be a gain because the awakening they had was not about the specific business but about recognizing their true desires and values. They learned to challenge traditional expectations and embrace the unknown.

    00:32:25 - Moving Forward Without Knowing All the Hows
    Chris and Andrew discuss the importance of not getting stuck on knowing all the details and how to achieve a goal. Instead, they emphasize the importance of having a clear why and a clear what and starting to take action. Along the way, the actual questions that need to be answered and problems that need to be solved present themselves and are opportunities for growth and learning. Chris shares examples of challenges they faced.

    00:41:33 - Metamorphosis and Personal Growth
    Chris describes his intense period of metamorphosis and personal growth, comparing it to a snake shedding its skin. He emphasizes that personal growth is not a one-time event but a continuous process of change, adaptation, and growth. He also highlights the importance of mindset and tools in enabling personal transformation.

    00:42:49 - Recognizing Personal Growth
    Andrew acknowledges the positive changes he sees in Chris as a result of his personal growth journey. He mentions how others have also noticed Chris's transformation and how this growth is transferable and applicable to every aspect of life.

    00:43:58 - Strength and Fortitude
    Despite not having achieved his desired financial goals yet, Andrew commends Chris for his personal growth and resilience. He believes Chris is now in a stronger position in life compared to two years ago, highlighting the importance of personal development beyond material success.

    00:45:01 - Perceived Energy Shift
    Chris shares how others have noticed a positive change in his energy and demeanor. He believes in the power of energies and vibrations and finds it gratifying that people can perceive his personal growth, even if they are not aware of the specific changes he has undergone.
    What adventure is calling to you? How has Chris’ story encouraged and empowered you to accept the call? What’s just one thing, no matter how small, that you are willing and able to do to respond to the call?

    Not Sure Where to Start? Start Here!

    Spots are still available at Growth Camp 2023 | The Best is Yet to Come this Saturday, October 14, at the Steamboat Social Club here in Steamboat Springs, CO, where you’ll be equipped and empowered to embark on your own Adventure. To remove as many obstacles as possible to participating, I’ve overhauled the pricing. Now, you can have the whole one-day experience, valued at almost $700 for only $50. Or, you can name your own price, according to your perception of the event’s value and your financial means.

    Visit https://andrewpettycoaching.regfox.com/growthcamp2023 for complete details and to register.

    Maybe Growth Camp is your first step? If it’s calling to you, why not respond to the call?

    Thank you once again for your time and attention. I'm so glad you tuned in today. Don't forget to follow this show and share it with your friends, and I'll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying!

    Let’s Connect

    If this episode helped you, I'd love to know. Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Connect with Chris

    Email | Instagram | Twitter | Website

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 086 | ​​The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for a Life of Purpose and Adventure Today Ep. 088 | Becoming the Hero in Your Own Story: Overcoming Resistance and Fear on the Journey, with Vince Coleman Ep. 019 | The Cockpit is Yours: From Passenger to Pilot Ep. 021 | Sometimes, the Grass IS Greener: How a Familiar Bit of Conventional Wisdom Could be Holding You Back from the Life You Were Made to Live Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise
  • If you're experiencing overwhelming frustration and disappointment because despite your efforts to find fulfillment in your current career, you still feel empty and unfulfilled, then you are not alone! If you're constantly taking on new projects and responsibilities, hoping they will bring you joy and purpose, only to find yourself in the same state of dissatisfaction, then you are not alone! If you're caught in a cycle of fear and resistance, unable to take the leap into a new adventure that excites you, because the fear of the unknown is paralyzing, then you are not alone! If you're longing for something more, something that aligns with your passions and values, but you're held back by the fear of failure and the opinions of others, then you are not alone!

    Meet my special guest, Steamboat Local Vince Coleman

    Meet Vince Coleman, a Steamboat local and a living testament to the transformation that can come from accepting a call to adventure. From the daily grind in restaurant kitchens to the creative world of leatherworking, Vince has turned his passion into a promising career. As both an entrepreneur and small business owner, Vince is known not just for crafting unique leather products at Coleman's Haberdashery, but for his inspiring journey towards finding fulfillment beyond the culinary world. His story is an energizing journey of self-discovery and innovation and an example to us all.

    I was just getting burned out, tired, exhausted, frustrated, you know, kind of all of the above.

    - Vince Coleman

    In this episode, you will:

    Uncover tactics for mastering fears and resistance when taking the leap into a new adventure. Realize the vital role of exploring oneself and engaging in rewarding hobbies for personal growth. Grasp the remarkable power of having companions and allies as you pursue your next adventure. Witness the transformation brought about by embracing change and following one's passion.

    Overcoming fears and resistance is a recurring theme in Vince's journey. Undertaking a career transition inherently breeds uncertainty and apprehension, yet Vince was able to navigate these hurdles with encouragement from his supportive network. His story serves as a reminder that while fear and resistance are natural responses to change, they can be overcome with determination, support, and a clear vision.

    Become the Hero in Your Own Story

    Hero's Journeys come in all shapes and sizes--from a major vocational transition like Vince's to summoning the courage to have a hard conversation to leaving the house for the first time in a while. We see them as we look at the whole span of our lifetime, and we can see them in the span of just one day. The pattern is everywhere and at every level of resolution in our lives.

    What if instead of simply being an observer of that pattern in our lives retrospectively, though, we could voluntarily activate it to live with even more purpose and adventure?

    That's exactly what Growth Camp 2023: The Best is Yet to Come will equip you to do. On Saturday, October 14, from 9:30am - 8:30pm, join me, Jon Ritner, and your fellow heroes for Growth Camp 2023, a one-day in-person intensive that combines the inspiration of a great Ted Talk with the relational richness of a long lingering meal and tops it off with the insights and action steps acquired from personal coaching. Whatever adventure calls to you, you will become learn how to become the Hero in your own story and be empowered to move forward with guts, gusto, and abandon. Wherever you are on your journey, whatever your age or stage, this is the right time to declare that the best is yet to come!

    Go Here for details and to register.

    If this opportunity is tugging at you, do something about it and reserve your spot today. One day really could change your life.

    Remember, you are going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    Thank you once again for your time and attention. I'm so glad you tuned in today. Don't forget to follow this show and share it with your friends, and I'll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying!

    Timestamped summary of this episode:

    00:00:00 - Introduction

    Andrew Petty introduces the podcast episode and the concept of the Hero's Journey, a framework for a life of purpose and adventure.

    00:01:24 - The Best is Yet to Come

    Andrew announces an upcoming event called "The Best is Yet to Come," where participants can gain a deep understanding of the Hero's Journey and find clarity about their own unique adventure.

    00:02:38 - Vince's Story

    Andrew introduces Vince Coleman and discusses his transition from the culinary world to owning his own business. Vince shares the early hints that a new adventure was calling to him.

    00:07:34 - Resistance to Change

    Vince talks about the resistance he faced when transitioning from the culinary industry to starting his own business. He shares the challenges of uncertainty and financial investment, as well as the fear of fully committing to the new adventure.

    00:12:14 - Overcoming Uncertainty

    Vince discusses how he navigated the transition from working in the restaurant industry to fully committing to his leather business. He shares his decision to work part-time at a restaurant while growing his business and funding it from his savings account.

    00:14:45 - Embracing Uncertainty and Transition

    Andrew and Vince discuss the importance of accepting uncertainty in life and embracing the call to adventure. The guest's wife and close friends played a significant role in supporting his transition from the culinary industry to the leather business. Financial considerations also played a major role in his decision to pursue his new career path.

    00:17:21 - Making a Viable Business

    Vince shares how he realized the potential of his leather business when it started making more money than his previous job. This financial success gave him the confidence to fully commit to his new venture and focus on growing it into a sustainable career.

    00:20:01 - Challenges and Growth

    Vince reflects on the challenges he faced during the early years of his leather business, including burnout and exhaustion. He eventually found a balance between aggressive growth and manageable workload, allowing him to prioritize his well-being and personal life.

    00:22:58 - Balancing Success and Self-Management

    Vince discusses the importance of self-management and maintaining a balance between running the business and being consumed by its success. He highlights the ongoing process of reassessing priorities and finding the right work-life balance as the business continues to grow.

    00:25:43 - Shaping Life with Intention

    Vince shares how his adventure into entrepreneurship has changed his outlook on life. He now has the freedom to shape his business and personal life in a way that allows him to pursue his passions and prioritize experiences like travel.

    00:29:04 - The Value of Money and Experience

    Money adds comfort, but life is about experiences and relationships. Money can make things easier but also more challenging. Comfort can lead to complacency and loss of connection with our stories and sense of adventure.

    00:30:22 - Embracing the Call to Adventure

    We are designed to experience life, explore, create, and have adventures. The hero's journey resonates within us because it reflects our true calling. We were made to be pioneers and not settle into comfort and complacency.

    00:31:29 - The Impact of Accepting the Call to Adventure

    Accepting the call to adventure can lead to significant personal and professional changes. Vince's marriage, mindset, and contribution to the world have all been positively transformed because he chose to embrace the unknown.

    00:33:35 - Alternative Reality and the Importance of Pursuing Dreams

    Imagining a life where Vince didn't accept the call to adventure feels depressing and unfulfilling. Pursuing dreams and passions, following desires, and living life with intent are crucial for personal fulfillment and growth.

    00:39:12 - Vince's Journey as an Example

    Vince's entrepreneurial journey serves as a real-life example of the Hero's Journey. It highlights the importance of embracing uncertainty, overcoming challenges, and transforming oneself. Each person's Hero's Journey will look different, but the essence remains the same.

    Let’s Connect

    How did this episode help you? I'd love to know. Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Connect with Vince

    Email | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 055 | What Do You Want: A Path to Purpose and Fulfillment, with Chris Slota Ep. 029 | Dragon Slayer: One Man's Tale of Heroic Life Renovation
  • Today’s episode is a reboot from the archive with a few upgrades. I decided to bring this one back after a recent experience as a vendor at the local Farmer’s Market. I wasn’t your typical vendor–a life coach amidst vegetable stands and woodworkers and handmade soap purveyors. And my offer wasn’t typical either: Answer one question to be entered in a raffle for a hundred dollar gift card. The question I posed to visitors to my booth was one that I also posed on this podcast a couple years ago, in episode 16. The conversations and insights that the question generated at the farmer’s market were so high-quality that it inspired me to bring it back to the front burner for all of us today.

    Embrace the urgency of your mortality and unleash your true potential by challenging yourself with one question: If I only had five years to live, what would I start doing differently today?

    In this episode:

    Delve into the transformative impact of using mortality as a compass for living a life you’ll be outrageously proud of when you die. Discover the value of imposing an artificial five-year expiration date on your life to clarify what matters most and make big changes. Reflect upon what you would change if granted a limited time. Begin steering your own course with purpose and courage, transforming discomfort into a catalyst for growth and adventure.

    The power of a five-year timeline comes from the clarity it provides in defining what’s truly important in our lives. Imagining life with an explicit deadline compels us to take more risks, make bolder decisions, and pursue our desires and ambitions. A five-year timeline challenges the complacency of postponing dreams and aspirations. With five years to live, you can't just have an extended farewell tour! You still have to put food on the table and keep a roof over your head. How will you live? How will you use the time?

    Tune in to the full (short!) episode for the whole story.

    More Provisions for the Journey

    If you have the guts to begin asking yourself this question and acting on your answers, you’ll be in for an exhilarating ride. AND, you’ll invite some other tough customers into your life in a new way--like fear, doubt, and new kinds of discomfort. As I said at the beginning, this simple question can revolutionize your life...and it’s far from easy to follow through on your answers. A few other episodes of Andrew Petty is Dying provide tools for mastering fear, doubt, and discomfort:

    If fear is getting the best of you, listen to Ep. 005, How to Become the Boss of Your Fear: Bravery-building to Live With More Guts and Gusto. If you’re tempted to feel like you don’t have much to offer, listen to Ep. 003, How to Turn Your Imperfections Into Superpowers: The Key to Unlocking Your Unique Purpose If life’s stiff winds are threatening to sink your ship, listen to Ep. 012, How to Harness the Winds of Discomfort to Get Where You Want to Go: Becoming a Seasoned Sailor on the Seas of Life

    I’m rooting for you, and I believe you have what it takes.

    Remember, you are going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    Seize the Moment: Tomorrow Never Comes

    If something within you is awakening to the challenge posed by the 5-year question, then seize the moment. As Jon Ritner mentioned in the previous episode, exercise the 10-second rule and resolve to do something about it now. The first step could be as easy as connecting with me to schedule a free coaching session. Visit andrewpettycoach.com to do that today.

    Also, summon the courage to participate in the one-day Andrew Petty Coaching event coming up on October 14, here in Steamboat Springs. Jon Ritner and I will host an immersive experience called The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for a Life of Purpose and Adventure Today. You will emerge from that experience equipped to deploy the Hero’s Journey framework that Jon and I discussed in episode 86 to slay the dragons of fear, boredom, stuckness, and lack of purpose by accepting the call to adventure and becoming the hero in your own story. If you haven’t listened to episode 86 yet, cue it up now, and stay tuned for more details about how to secure your spot at The Best is Yet to Come on October 14.

    Thank you once again for your time and attention. I'm so glad you tuned in today. Don't forget to follow this show and share it with your friends, and I'll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying!

    Let’s Connect

    If this episode helped you, I'd love to know. Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

  • “Not only did this hero's journey resonate with a desire we all have, it felt like it told the story of the life I was actually living. And I think I realized that it wasn't a one-time adventure–that it had the potential to be a pattern or a framework that I could lean into and try to follow over and over again in order to find more meaning, more purpose, and more transformation in my life. In many ways it was what I was missing back in Virginia. I realized it was offering me a pathway, almost like guideposts on the journey that could deliver the things I wanted more of in life, which were meaning and purpose and significance.”

    -Jon Ritner

    Boredem, confusion, aimlessness, lack of purpose, lack of fulfillment, and a host of other emotional and psychological woes. These are some of the problems that, though they're not entirely new to humanity, seem especially rampant in the affluent Western world today. You might even be able to relate to one or two of them yourself.

    When the modern age doesn't offer many useful remedies to these ills, where else can we look? It's time to return to the "old roads," to quote a line from an Andrew Peterson song. It's time to return to wisdom that has been generated over generations and stood the test of time. It's this wisdom that my long-time friend and colleague, Jon Ritner, and I unpack together in this episode through the lenses of our own stories.

    It's the wisdom contained in The Hero's Journey, a compass for living derived, surprisingly enough, from humankind's core mythologies.

    In this episode, you'll get a crash course in the Hero's Journey and an introduction to how to begin using it in your own life right now to vanquish the dragons of boredom, confusion, aimlessness, lack of purpose, lack of fulfillment, and the laundry list of other besetting woes. As you vanquish those dragons, you'll discover the treasure behind them that you were uniquely meant to find and share with the world. If you're willing, you're in for the adventure of your life.

    This episode is also an appetizer for the main course that Jon and I will serve up this October at a special one-day event designed to fully equip you to use the Hero's Journey in your own life.

    Introducing Jon Ritner

    Jon Ritner and I met in college in the early 90s. We were acquaintances then but became close friends in the years immediately following college, when we were roommates, each of us trying to find ourselves and find our way. We ended up on the same church staff together, a chapter in our stories full of highs and lows and lessons hard-won. We've seen each other at our best, and we've seen each other at our worst. Eventually, our paths diverged, and that's the point at which we pick up Jon's story today.

    Jon has served as a pastor for 20 years in various capacities in the US and overseas. Today, he's the Chief Strategy Officer for Communitas International, a global non-profit. He also coaches leaders who are starting and shaping communities to live like Jesus, and the author of Positively Irritating, a philosophical and practical guide for faith leaders navigating the changing cultural realities in the western world. Jon and Kristyn, his wife of 22 years, live in Burbank, CA with their teenage son and daughter.

    Highlights from This Conversation

    What The Hero’s Journey is and why it matters in our real-world lives today How The Hero’s Journey framework helped Jon make more sense of his life so far, and how it can do the same for you How The Hero’s Journey helps Jon live a life of more purpose, meaning, and adventure today, and how it can do the same for you The distinguishing qualities of a Hero, and how to be one Why and how adventure is an antidote to so many of today’s besetting woes, like boredom, aimlessness, confusion, and lack of purpose And more. Tune into the full episode for the rest of the good stuff.

    SAVE THE DATE: Special Andrew Petty Coaching Event, Saturday October 14, at the Steamboat Social Club (brunch and dinner provided)

    I’m excited to announce a special Andrew Petty Coaching event–a one-day intensive that combines the inspiration of a great Ted Talk with the relational richness of a long lingering meal and tops it off with the insights and action steps you acquire from personal coaching.

    The event is called The Best is Yet to Come: Rediscovering an Ancient Compass for Living a Life of Purpose and Adventure.

    If today's episode has sparked something inside of you, then The Best is Yet to Come is just the thing to propel you forward on your next great adventure. This episode introduced you to The Hero’s Journey, but The Best is Yet to Come will go deeper. We’ll identify the reasons we so often fluctuate between listlessness and boredom in one season of life and then overwhelming stress and anxiety in the next. We’ill give you language to describe the call on your life as well as license to accept that call with courage and support. We’ll help you move from victim to Hero in your own story and empower you to live a life you’ll be outrageously proud of when you die. Whether you are just setting out on your journey or are stuck in a rut, this is the right time to declare that the best is yet to come!

    Keep your eyes peeled for registration details. Still figuring all that out...ha!

    In the meantime, how can I help you become who you were made to be and live the life you were made to live? Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Thank you once again for your time and attention. Don't forget to follow this show and share it with your friends, and I'll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying!

    Connect with Jon

    Email | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 005 | How to Become the Boss of Your Fear: Bravery-building to Live With More Guts and Gusto Ep. 012 | How to Harness the Winds of Discomfort to Get Where You Want to Go: Becoming a Seasoned Sailor on the Seas of Life Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise Ep. 025 | The Contentment Conundrum: Cracking the Code

    Resources Mentioned in This Episode

    The Hero With a Thousand Faces (Joseph Campbell) The Writer’s Journey (Christopher Vogler)
  • It's great to be back with you after a six-week break from the show! What better way to kick things off than for my wise and wonderful wife, Charis, to join me again for this second installment in a 2-part series about how assessments can transform your life, work, and relationships.

    In the previous episode, through the lens of our own stories, Charis and I explored the transformational potential available to us through the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory, an assessment that helps us understand our natural personality style better.

    In this episode, again through the lens of our own stories, we're going to explore the transformational potential available to us through the Highlands Ability Battery, an instrument that helps us understand the abilities we were born with. The Highlands Ability Battery is particularly useful for understanding the kind of work we were made to do in the world.

    Taken together, Myers-Briggs and the Highlands Ability Battery provide invaluable insight into the kind of human we are--our Nature. In turn, that insight can equip us to become the person we were made to be and live the life we were made to live.

    Any of These Sound Familiar?

    If you find yourself stuck in any area of life...If you're finding that what got you here isn't getting you where you want to go...If you have persistent points of irritation or conflict at home or at work...If you have a big dream to tackle but just can't seem to get moving...If you simply want to be all that you can be...Then this episode is for you.

    You don't have to listen to the previous episode in order for this one to make sense. Both episodes can stand alone. But I do encourage you to tune into both for the full benefit.

    As I said in the previous episode, much of who we are and why we do what we do as humans in this world remains a mystery. But some things don't need to remain a mystery. We hope our story inspires you to pursue fresh insight into the kind of human you are and start taking action on it today.

    Highlights from This Conversation

    How the Highlands Ability Battery (HAB) dispelled old but deeply-held limiting beliefs about Charis, improved her perception of herself, and how it can do the same for you. How HAB gave Charis new insights, tools, and self-permission that dramatically improved her ability to advance professionally, and how it can do the same for you. How HAB infused Charis with more confidence about her own abilities and her professional path, and how it can do the same for you. How the insights gained from HAB continue to help Charis on a day-to-day basis in her daily life and work, and how it can do the same for you. How HAB revised my (Andrew’s) perception of myself and the first 14 years of my professional life. How HAB has helped me (Andrew) write a new chapter personally and professionally that aligns better than ever before with the kind of human I am, and how it can do the same for you. How HAB helped me be more available for my wife and kids and finally begin enjoying rather than just needing vacations! And more…

    Making It Matter in Your Life

    I've said this often at the end of an episode, but it remains the million-dollar question: If you tuned in to this episode, what's sticking with you? And here's the 2 Million Dollar question: What's one thing you're willing and able to do today with the insight you've gained? Insight + Action = Transformation. Don't waste a perfectly good insight by neglecting to do something with it. Put it to work and transform your life.

    Remember, you ARE going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    I Can Help!

    It would be a pleasure to help you become who you were made to be and live the life you were made to live. Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Thank you once again for your time and attention. I'm so glad you tuned in today. Don't forget to follow this show and share it with your friends, and I'll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying!

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 084 | From Irritation to Appreciation: How Assessments Can Transform Your Life and Relationships Ep. 035 | Build Your Personal Owner’s Manual: Understand Yourself Better, Enjoy Yourself More, and Live the Life You were Made to Live
  • What's a recurring point of irritation in your most important relationship? Where do you consistently feel frustrated at work? What annoys you about your default way of operating in the world?

    Without a doubt, your personality and the normal and natural differences between yours and other people's personalities are involved in those situations. This is good news, because you can do something about it. Deepening your understanding of your innate personality style and making real-world changes as a result of what you learn empowers you to deploy yourself in life even more enjoyably, meaningfully, and productively.

    In this episode, the first in a two-part series, my wife Charis returns to the show to help me unpack some of the many ways in which acquiring and acting upon personality insights has dramatically improved our lives individually and as a couple. Much of who we are and why we do what we do as humans in this world remains a mystery. But some things don't need to remain a mystery. Our innate personality style is one of those things. We hope our story inspires you to pursue fresh insight into your personality style and start taking action on it today.

    This episode focuses on the many benefits available from the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, specifically.

    See You in August…Lord Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise!

    I'm taking a break from the show in July, so this is the last episode until August. Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, I'm looking forward to a great second half of the year, with more enlightening conversations--including part 2 of this two-part series with Charis. That episode will explore the game-changing power of gaining deeper insight into your natural abilities, the abilities you were born with. Together with insights about your personality gained from MBTI, insights into your natural abilities form a really solid baseline understanding of your Nature--the kind of human you are.

    The second half of the year will include more short solo episodes, too, all geared toward equipping you with the practical means by which to deploy the Mortality Mindset in your life with transformational results.

    Thank you for your time, attention, and trust. Those are precious commodities, and I don't take them for granted.

    I hope you and yours have a wonderful July. In the meantime, as always, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @AndrewPettyCoach, at andrewpettycoach.com, or email me at [email protected].

    I've said it once already in this episode, but it's worth repeating: Remember, you ARE going to die. But you're not dead yet. So get after it!

    How Can I Help?

    Find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit my website, or email me.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 021 | Sometimes, the Grass IS Greener: How a Familiar Bit of Conventional Wisdom Could be Holding You Back from the Life You Were Made to Live Ep. 025 | The Contentment Conundrum: Cracking the Code
  • We all have a lot of competing demands and priorities, obligations and opportunities--plenty of day-to-day things to tend to that have clear relevance. In the midst of all that, why would we set aside time specifically for cultivating deeper connections with fellow humans? What's the point of "connection" with others? On the one hand, a better question might be "why don't we set aside that time" because perhaps its value is obvious on some level. But the fact of the matter is that many of us still suffer from a profound lack of meaningful human connection--especially in this global age. So though we may give it lip service, most of us don't walk the talk.

    Martie McNabb is a personal historian/visual artist who creates visual narratives from client’s photo, document & memorabilia archives. She's also an interactive story-sharing heartist who helps people create connections by giving them a way to share the stories of the things they keep. That's what her company, Thing Tide Show & Tale, and her Show and Tale events are all about. Helping people connect has been part of her Martie's mission from the beginning.

    In this episode, you'll learn how the things that we keep contain stories waiting to be told, how telling those stories connects us to our own Story and to our fellow humans more meaningfully, and why all of that matters for you and me.

    Write a Great Story With Your Life in The Graveyard Group

    In the Graveyard Group, write your best life Story with the support of your very own confidential board of advisors. Harness the power of the Mortality Mindset and human connection to break free from the status quo, become the person you were made to be, and live the life you were made to live with guts, gusto, and abandon.

    New groups for men and women are forming now. andrewpettycoach.com to schedule a free one-hour coaching session with me, find me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @AndrewPettyCoach, or email me at [email protected].

    Connect with Martie

    Email | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Website | YouTube | Podcast

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 074 | From Pain to Purpose: Finding What Matters, with Alison Zimmerman Ep. 076 | Legacy: What It Is and Why It Matters, with Maggie Gannon
  • The previous episode laid out a simple way to change the world–one to which each of us can contribute. It’s not easy, but thankfully it is simple.

    This episode lays out a way to overcome one of the key obstacles we often encounter on the way to changing the world–namely, our own poorly-established and unstable identity. It’s another timely reboot in an age that can sometimes feel incurably chaotic.

    One Pond, Two Fish: Meet John

    John was born in 1952 in a small town in Michigan. His mom managed the homefront, his dad was an accountant, and he had two younger sisters. In keeping with the prevailing sentiment of the day, his mom and dad favored stability, predictability, and peace above all else since WWII was still painfully if not distantly visible in the rearview mirror. And John’s dad was a combat veteran. Gratitude for the simplicity of small-town American life was a staple of John’s family’s ethic, and dreams of bigger and better things weren’t exactly frowned upon, but they weren’t encouraged either.

    John went to school with the same 60 or so kids from K-12, watched the same regular TV programming as everyone else, and was glad to get a job at a local print shop when he graduated from high school. He liked art and design, and this seemed like a reasonable way to get a bit of that in his work while at the same time taking his place among the ranks of the responsible and productive.

    John eventually bought the print shop after 20 years at the company and the establishment of his own family, and though each decade brought with it its own set of challenges in the world at large, John had a sense of who he was and what he did in the world. He was John, the son of Tom and Sally, from a small town in Michigan. He was a husband, father, business owner, and engaged member of his community. He was aware of the wider world and interested in its affairs, but he didn’t spend much time concerning himself about things that didn’t affect his immediate day-to-day or threaten to do so.

    On the whole, John was content to be a decent-sized fish in a small pond in the middle of Michigan.

    One Pond, Two Fish: Meet Alex

    Alex was born in 1995 in the same small Michigan town as John. The town was bigger when Alex was born, but not significantly so. It had simply grown the way that towns can when there aren’t specific causes for decline but neither are there particular reasons for a boom. His mom was an IT manager who worked from home and his dad was a VP with a national healthcare provider. Alex was an only child.

    Alex changed schools 4 times and moved to different neighborhoods twice in his K-12 years--the result of his parents’ concerns about the quality of the education he was receiving and proximity to the airport for his dad’s business trips. So, Alex had several different groups of friends over the years but became increasingly less social as the years wore on--fatigue from the social turnover taking its toll. By the time he was a sophomore in high school, smart phones and the proliferation of social media made it easier to interact from a distance and meet people outside of his hometown that he found more interesting. He was aware of the vastness of the world and the almost infinite options awaiting him. There was so...much...more out there than this little town had to offer.

    By the time his senior year rolled around, Alex was counting down the milliseconds until graduation--when he was free to leave the stifling smallness of his hometown and explore new horizons. Maybe he’d visit his buddy Alex in Oregon, whose dad grew marijuana for medical use, or his online crush Lisa in Miami. His gaming buddy, Yoshi, had invited him to visit him in Tokyo. That would be amazing. The possibilities were endless.

    Fast forward to the present day, and Alex’s still a relatively young man at 26, but he’s beginning to feel some internal pressure to figure some things out. He’s lived in 4 different cities since high school graduation--all thankfully much different and in his opinion way more interesting than his hometown. But eventually, each city got a little old, or he had a hard time connecting with new people there, or the tech job he’d landed went away because of down-sizing or right-sizing or an acquisition. He’s feeling a bit adrift. He’s spending more and more time on social media--fantasizing about achieving the stardom and notoriety of a Gary V. or a Joe Rogan and peering into the lives of hundreds of people he doesn’t know but whose lives look more interesting than his. This isn’t helping. It creates a chronic sense of he’s here and “they” are way over there--living in a magical land of financial ease and personal certainty. The gap seems to be widening with every passing day.

    Plus, it appears to him that the world is beginning to crumble around him. Racial unrest, global pandemics, dishonest politicians, and environmental armageddon are just a few of the big things that threaten to do the world in any day now. At least, that’s what he’s hearing in the media. And can the media be trusted? If not they, then how does he get reliable info about the state of things? He feels like he ought to do something about at least one of these things. But which one? And what can he possibly do as just one guy? He feels increasingly like he’s being swept along by a tidal wave of horrible inevitability that he’s powerless against.

    Alex is a small fish in a global fish pond. It’s terrifying, and it’s paralyzing.

    The Global Fish Pond Crisis

    Hopefully, the juxtaposition of the portraits of these men from the same town but with very different experiences of the world illustrates the theory I want to share with you. Here’s the theory, simply stated to make the implicit explicit: I think that most if not all of us are suffering at the hands of what I’m calling the Global Fish Pond Crisis. We’re susceptible to some version of Alex’s experience in the world. I actually think it’s a big reason that people like me have a job doing what we do. People feel adrift in a global fish pond and need help making sense of their place in it.

    Here’s what I think is happening: When the whole world is at our fingertips 24/7 and the old ways of forming an identity aren’t adequate anymore, then it’s completely up to us to catalyze our identity--a term I first heard from Jordan Peterson--and stabilize it in the midst of a global pond churning with other fish trying to do the same thing. In John’s case, geography and associated cultural norms provided reliable, local boundaries to his fish pond and formed a foundation for his identity. He was one fish among 20,000, not one among 7 Billion as we may feel ourselves to be today.

    But perhaps the biggest problem with the Global Fish Pond Crisis is that we’re not aware that it exists. We’re tempted instead to think that we’re just not cutting it. We may be aware of various degrees of psychological pain and suffering caused by it--like in Alex’s case--but we’re misattributing it to our own laziness or incompetency or lack of worth. This is a case in which I think many of us are truly being victimized. And that’s why I bring it up. Because if this Global Fish Pond Crisis is actually a thing, then exposing it and its insidious effects on us means we can stop being victimized by it and start doing something about it.

    We can go from unwitting victim to victor and find our place in the vast global pond in which we now swim. In an age where few of us are born into small local ponds anymore, we have the opportunity to appropriately claim a small part of the global pond for our own--a part of the pond small enough to actually make a difference.

    How to Rescue Ourselves from the Global Fish Pond Crisis

    I think the way forward lies in each of us doing our best to assume even more complete responsibility for ourselves. To concern ourselves with those things that we can influence, to get our own houses in order, so to speak, and operate as productively as we know how right now, right where we are, with what we have. Staying zoomed out to the global view too much of the time leads to overwhelm and, frankly, I think it’s a cop-out because we then blame the global situation for why we’ve failed to sort ourselves out. Because what can one person do when the world is burning down around us? That’s victim stuff right there, and we’re all susceptible to it in one way or another.

    Zoom out every once in a while, sure--but zoom right back to your own here and now, and determine to do what you can right where you are. And I don’t mean do what you can to fix the world. I mean do what you can to become the person you were made to be and live the life you were made to live. I think that when we do that, we actually fulfill the many desperate needs in the world better and more quickly, anyway.

    Are You Struggling to Find Your Place in A Global Fish Pond?

    If this idea is scratching an itch for you--if you resonate with the idea of feeling like a tiny fish in a global pond--then resolve to do something about it in your own life right now. These four episodes of Andrew Petty is Dying will be especially useful as you take next steps to rescue yourself from the Global Fish Pond Crisis:

    Ep. 019 | The Cockpit is Yours: From Passenger to Pilot Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise Ep. 025 | The Contentment Conundrum: Cracking the Code Ep. 035 | Build Your Personal Owner’s Manual: Understand Yourself Better, Enjoy Yourself More, and Live the Life You were Made to Live

    Remember, you are going to die. But you aren’t dead yet. So get after it!

    I Can Help You

    I can help you escape the grip of the Global Fish Pond Crisis. I can help you establish and stabilize your identity so you can become the person you were made to be, live the life you were made to live, and do your part to change the world.

    Visit my website to schedule a free first session.

    I’m so glad you tuned in today. Don’t forget to follow this show, and I’ll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

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    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 019 | The Cockpit is Yours: From Passenger to Pilot Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise Ep. 025 | The Contentment Conundrum: Cracking the Code Ep. 035 | Build Your Personal Owner’s Manual: Understand Yourself Better, Enjoy Yourself More, and Live the Life You were Made to Live
  • Today’s episode is a timely reboot from the archives. It’s a reminder we can all benefit from and something we tend to lose sight of all too easily. It’s an antidote to apathy and despair in
    an age of doom and gloom.

    Doom and Gloom Abounds

    If environmental armageddon doesn’t get us first, then a hostile nation’s plans for global domination will. Maybe the Republicans will sink the ship and all hands will be lost. Or maybe it’ll be the Democrats doing. What about AI--the potential for hyper-intelligent machines to take over the world and eradicate or enslave humanity? You thought COVID was tough? Just wait until the next super virus is unleashed by nameless, faceless, malevolent forces plotting our demise even as we speak.

    Take your pick. There are no shortage of dire, doom and gloom scenarios to choose from these days. And the media and the internet serve up heaping quantities of it onto our psychological plates if we get in line for the 24/7 buffet.

    I’m NOT saying, BTW, that there aren’t genuine reasons to be concerned about the state of the world. There are--and, there always have been. In the modern digital age, though, it’s possible to be aware of most of the challenges facing the world--or, at least, the existing portrayals of those challenges--and to be aware of them most of the time. That’s infinitely more knowledge and awareness than any one of us can hold well in our hearts and minds or possibly act upon. And if we’re not careful, it can lead us to despair, despondency, and inaction.

    Where does that leave us, then? What CAN we do?

    Good questions.

    How do we change the world?

    It’s Simple, Actually

    I’m not going to bury the lead here. Let’s get right to the point.

    To change the world, simply be the best “you” that you can possibly be.

    Profoundly simple. And FAR from easy. If it was easy, more of us would embrace it and live it out.

    It’s also far from a new idea. “Be the change you want to see in the world” is a statement derived from ideas that Gandhi put forth. As is “if you want to change the world, go home and love your family”--that one derived from Mother Teresa’s way of thinking. Today, in his book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, Jordan Peterson sounds a similar note when he exhorts us all to “get our own house in perfect order” before we criticize the world or, by extrapolation, try to change the whole world.

    It’s not a new idea, but it seems to be one that needs to be revived in our hearts and minds these days. We forget. And we get swept up in the myriad of massive global concerns and take our eye off the ball right in front of us--the only ball that is really ours to carry. The ball of our One and Only Life, our unique path, and the purposes we alone can accomplish along that path.

    We need to return to this simple idea and double-down on it in our own lives. As Natalie Niksa said in the previous episode, “we’ve lost our way because of all the shiny objects.” And in returning to this priority, we’ll revitalize our personal power, passion, and purpose and reduce our sense of paralysis and powerlessness in the face of all of the world’s woes. Then, we can really get to work, right where we are, with what we have.

    Breaking It Down

    But what does it mean to “be the best you that you can possibly be,” and how does that actually change the world?

    It means taking radical responsibility for yourself. It means working your ass off to discover and express your unique self as fully as you can and bring your unique gifts into the world. It means dreaming the dreams that exist only within your heart and doing your damndest to fulfill them. It means doing the work to become the person you were made to be and live the life you were made to live. It means working your ass off to be the best spouse, partner, parent, neighbor, and employee, employer, or entrepreneur that you can be. It means dragging yourself over the finish line of your life utterly depleted AND utterly satisfied because you left it all out on the field.

    For some, those efforts will yield global recognition and impact. For others of us, our efforts will only ever be known among those closest to us.

    Guess what? The scope and scale of our impact is irrelevant and, frankly, none of our business.

    It’s not even knowable, in fact. We have no way of knowing how much of a difference our life will make--now, and in the years and generations to come. Our lives ripple into eternity, just like those before us ripple into ours.

    Keep It Positive

    Make no mistake, though: There’s no such thing as a neutral or no-impact life.

    We don’t get to control IF our life will make an impact or know how much of an impact we ultimately make, but we do get to influence what KIND of impact we’ll make. Will it be negative because we shrank back, didn’t take full responsibility for our One and Only life, and failed to show up--and our absence was a loss for those who needed us to show up? Or will it be positive--not because we showed up perfectly all the time, but rather because we did our very best to simply show up, to bring the best of ourselves to this fleeting life, day in and day out?

    Carl Jung said that the greatest burden a child can take into adulthood is the unlived life of their parent.

    In a slightly sillier context but with no less relevance, in the Lego movie Ninjago, Lloyd the good ninja tells his dad, the movie’s arch villain, that he ruined his life. To which his dad, Lord Garmadon, replies, scoffingly, “How could I ruin your life? I wasn’t even there.”

    But How Does It Change the World?

    If all of that at least makes a dent in understanding HOW to “be the best you that you can possibly be,” then that leaves the question of how it actually changes the world.

    When we take responsibility for being the best versions of ourselves that we can possibly be, then we change ourselves. When we change ourselves, we change our world--the little part of the world that we call our own. Our family life changes, our work life changes, our community life changes. Then, as our world changes, by definition the world changes as the ripples move outward from us at the epicenter.

    Change your life...change your world...change the world.

    That, my friends, is how we change the world.

    Buckle Up, Buttercup

    The good news is that it’s so simple. Our primary focus becomes simply evolving ourselves. As I said at the beginning, though, it’s far from easy. There’s no journey more challenging. But there’s also no journey more completely satisfying and worthwhile. And if you’re looking for more purpose and meaning, this journey will fill that cup to overflowing.

    So buckle up, buttercup, and get to work becoming the best you that you can possibly be.

    And remember, you are going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it!

    Change the World in The Graveyard Group

    The Graveyard Group was created precisely for the purpose of helping you become the very best you that you can be. It combines the unsurpassed motivational horsepower of the Mortality Mindset with the force multiplying influence of your very own confidential board of advisors. Break free from the status quo, become who you were made to be, and live the life you were made to live.

    New groups for men and women are forming now, and both in-person and virtual options are available.

    Visit my website to learn more and schedule a free 1-1 coaching session to determine if The Graveyard Group is right for you.

    BTW, this episode pairs well with episode 036, The Global Fish Pond Crisis, because it offers a solution to the Global Fish Pond Crisis. And no, episode 036 is not about a literal fish pond crisis; it’s about the formidable challenges of constructing solid identities for ourselves in this modern, globalized age. If you haven’t checked it out, and this one was meaningful to you, then I encourage you to do so.

    I’m so glad you tuned in today. Don’t forget to follow this show, and I’ll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

    If You Liked This Episode, I Recommend These, Too

    Ep. 014 | Dare to Dream Again: The Antidote to a Mediocre Life Ep. 016 | The Question That Changes Everything: The Go-to Tool for Living the Life You Were Made to Live Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise Ep. 025 | The Contentment Conundrum: Cracking the Code Ep. 029 | Dragon Slayer: One Man's Tale of Heroic Life Renovation Ep. 035 | Build Your Personal Owner’s Manual: Understand Yourself Better, Enjoy Yourself More, and Live the Life You were Made to Live
  • What does our energy have to do with finding our unique Path in life? A lot, as it turns out. Stay tuned to learn how to put it to work for you.

    Energy for the Win

    It was 2015, and I was a couple years into a major personal and professional evolution–much of which I share about in greater detail in the earliest episodes of this show. Part of that evolution had included a move to CO. Now, after a self-administered period of sabbatical, it was time to begin getting clearer on what the next chapter would be for me professionally. Though I didn’t have the language for it back then, through a long process of self-discovery supported by family, friends, colleagues, my first partnership with a coach, and insights gained through assessments and reflection, I had already created something very similar to my very own Personal Owner’s Manual. To learn how to create yours, tune into episode 035, Build Your Personal Owner’s Manual: Understand Yourself Better, Enjoy Yourself More, and Live the Life You were Made to Live.

    As a result of all that work, I was beginning to lean toward coaching as the next step along my professional path. I wasn’t yet committed to it, though. Until, that is, I began to recall when I felt more and less energized in my previous professional chapter. Hands-down, I realized, I felt more energized when I was having meaningful conversations in 1-1 and small group settings about how to move forward. Those conversations left me on a high and helped those involved. Conversely, I felt much less energized when I returned to most of the other parts of my job.

    What kind of work would involve a lot more of those kinds of conversations, I wondered, and a lot less of all the other stuff? In light of the new clarity that reflecting on my energy had provided, in conjunction with the accumulated insights from all of my previous self-discovery, the field of coaching, broadly speaking, became the obvious next step on my professional path. So I summoned the courage to put my Insight into Action, and began to move forward on that path.

    After 7+ years of coaching, I can confidently say that my energy didn’t let me down. It was a reliable guide then, and it continues to guide me well today. Your energy can do the same for you.

    The Energy Gauge

    Imagine with me for a moment a dashboard. This isn’t any old dashboard, though. It’s your personal dashboard. Its gauges and indicator lights are specific to you, and from it you gain important information about how well you’re functioning. Your fuel gauge tells you when it’s time to rest, recover, and recharge. Your emotions gauge informs you about how you’re responding to internal and external stimuli and where attention is needed. You get the idea. It’s your dashboard, and you can customize it any way you’d like. I recommend making sure that one gauge is present and prominent on your dashboard, however–your Energy Gauge.

    When we pay attention to our energy, we get rich real-world feedback about what we were made to do and what we weren’t made to do.

    Watch when your energy gauge goes up and when it goes down. In both cases, take note of the specific conditions that are causing it to go up or down. Then, take action to engineer the circumstances of your life to allow you to do more of what energizes you and less of what doesn’t.

    The magic of the energy gauge lies at least in large part in the fact that when our energy goes up, we can be confident that our innate personality, abilities, gifts, and talents, our life experiences, our interests, and our values are all being put to use in some significant way. When our energy goes down, we can be confident that those things are less present.

    In other words, when we pay attention to our energy gauge, we get all that and a bag of chips.

    Whether you need a tweak, a major adjustment, or feel like you have no clue at all what your path in life is, your energy gauge will serve you well. It’s simple, reliable, actionable, and powerful. It demystifies what can feel like a daunting and hopelessly complex pursuit, i.e. finding your path in life.

    Anyone can use it, and you can begin using it right now. The keys to unlocking its potential are the Courage and Humility to act upon what you discover.

    Tune in to episodes 077 and 078 to learn more about Courage, Humility, and the rest of the Big 6 essential ingredients in the recipe for a life you’ll be outrageously proud of when you die.

    Check Your Personal Energy Gauge

    What is your energy gauge telling you? What’s one thing you’re willing and able to change today to act on what it’s telling you and get even clearer on your unique path in life?

    Remember, you are going to die. But you’re not dead yet. So get after it.

    Dedicated Support for the Road Ahead

    It’s one thing to pay attention to your energy gauge. It’s another thing entirely to act on what it’s telling you and stay the course. That’s where a 1-1 coaching partnership with me can make all the difference. I’ll help you break free from the grip of the Status Quo so that you can become who you were made to be and live the life you were made to live.

    To learn more, visit my website to schedule a free session, find me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, or email me.

    I’m so glad you tuned in today. Don’t forget to follow this show, and I’ll see you next time on Andrew Petty is Dying.

    Follow Andrew Petty is Dying & Leave a Review

    Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

    If You Liked This Episode, I Think You’ll Like These, Too

    Ep. 022 | Tune Out to Tune In: Hearing & Heeding Your Inner Voice in a World Full of Noise Ep. 062 | What Do You Do?: A Tool for Understanding Yourself Better and Finding Your Unique Path in Life