Best Intentionalleadership Podcasts (2024)

1
Why I Believe Work Life Balance is a Myth 12:39

1y ago12:39

12:39

Let go of work-life balance and embrace the unforced rhythms of a fully integrated life. I used to think that work-life balance was achievable. Now I believe it is a myth. No matter how hard I tried, I could never achieve this perfect moment of everything in my life working in perfect Zen harmony and balance. I felt so exhausted trying to stay in b…

1
Friendship-The Journey Impossible Alone 25:38

1y ago25:38

25:38

Today, I'm in the interview seat again. Today's topic Friendship and the journey of life impossible to accomplish alone. (Carl Richards) Greetings from the Joy Bus. My name's Carl Richards, and I am your host today of the Work Life Play podcast. I've taken over from Aaron. It was an invitation, but I fully accepted the invitation to interview Aaron…

1
A Decade of Work Life Play Anniversary Edition 57:22

1+ y ago57:22

57:22

In this decade anniversary celebration episode, Morgan Snyder is in the studio to interview me. For me, though, Work Life Play has no periods, no exclamation marks, no hyphens in between. It's all one integrated together story. It's taken me 10 years to articulate what it is I've been chasing the whole time. Enjoy this friends and Keep Going- Aaron…

1
Working Vacations: Why we do it and how to stop 6:42

1+ y ago6:42

6:42

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
Reach for the stuff that's real 4:39

1+ y ago4:39

4:39

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
Paying Attention to Being On and Off Purpose 6:27

1+ y ago6:27

6:27

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
Losing our sense of frontier in life 3:22

1+ y ago3:22

3:22

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
Transmission for the Outsider 2:56

1+ y ago2:56

2:56

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
570+ Days of Running: The Joy of Being Alive 2:55

1+ y ago2:55

2:55

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
We are Not Human Doings 1:38

1+ y ago1:38

1:38

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
Why Not Today! Everybody should go big 8:08

1+ y ago8:08

8:08

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
Dropping the Rock 5:42

1+ y ago5:42

5:42

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
A Brave Conversation with Yourself 1:58

1+ y ago1:58

1:58

Friends, I released ten new podcast episodes to celebrate my Decade Anniversary of Work Life Play. I'm proud to share these little gems with you. I know they will help you live more fully in your adventure, explore a well-lived life and find more meaning in your daily experience. A decade agoI began podcasting in 2012 with borrowed equipment, no tr…

1
A good story is not a straight line 6:31

2+ y ago6:31

6:31

Friends, today I wanna talk about how zigzag lines make for a better story. So, good story is not a straight line I heard a friend say just recently. And it really arrested my attention mostly because I wish it wasn't true. Intellectually I know this idea, like, it makes sense. Like when you listen to the arc of a story, the hero's journey, all of …

1
The Integrity of Yes and NO 6:13

2+ y ago6:13

6:13

Friends, I've been thinking. I've been thinking about the slippery slope, the slippery slope of...as humans, as leaders, we find ourselves in a place progressively over time far from where we intended to be or accidentally just waking up one day and finding that we're in a place that no longer looks familiar or is no longer desirable. I've found my…

1
To Be Lists 3:38

2+ y ago3:38

3:38

Friends, this is Aaron. And I've been thinking. I've been thinking about to-do lists versus to-be lists. One of my mentors these last few years introduced me to the idea of a to-be list. I really shook my head at first. Like you mean like to be, as in like to be and to not be? What do you mean, to be? Well, she went on to talk about how each of us …

1
Ten years of living forward 7:07

2+ y ago7:07

7:07

Today I want to share something more intimate with you about pain and living forward. Earlier this year, my family and I we honored the 10-year anniversary of our daughter Hadley's passing and her death in 2011. And I found myself for a couple months, just feeling the... I don't even know if weight is the right word, but just the honoring of the re…

1
Pierce the veneer of outside things 2:59

2+ y ago2:59

2:59

Friends, today what's on my mind is piercing the veneer of outside things. Ernest Shackleton, infamous Antarctic explorer, at the turn of the century, the 19th century, did this expedition in Antarctica. His men famously were trapped in the sea ice over 23 months, they found their way back home, each of them living. And in his memoirs, he wrote cal…

1
Dream bigger dreams 2:20

2+ y ago2:20

2:20

Friends, I've been thinking, I've been thinking about dreaming bigger dreams. A friend of mine sent me a poem in the mail, a prayer over the summer. I've kept, keep going back and rereading these lines. And it reads, "Disturb me, Lord, when I am too well, pleased with myself, when my dreams have come true, because I have dreamed too little." So as …

1
The world needs more wholehearted humans 4:29

2+ y ago4:29

4:29

Friends, I've been thinking about what does the world really need? Our world is pretty complex, complicated place these days, no matter what part of the globe you live on. And I've been thinking about how what the world really needs is more wholehearted humans. Two quotes to get us started. Parker Palmer. "I wanted more than a job. I wanted deeper …

1
The Economy of Presence 3:49

2+ y ago3:49

3:49

Friends, I've been thinking about an idea that David Whyte wrote about. He titled it "The Economy of Presence." And he told the story in his book about this old sheepdog, Cymro in the Welsh countryside, and this dog, older of the bunch with limp, had a blind eye. He talked about how one ear's flopped over, one ear that's up is raised and black. And…

1
Developing an everyday muscle 7:05

2+ y ago7:05

7:05

Today I've been thinking about developing an everyday muscle. I've been 600 days and counting now in this life experiment. So it feels like it's time to share it with you. So I've always wanted to be more consistent. Like, I would call like stone colds just steady. The person who like, skips all of the fussing and excuses, mini-dramas for why I do …

1
Write it by hand instead 3:32

2+ y ago3:32

3:32

Friends, I've been thinking about writing it down by hand instead. In this world of digital texts, instant messages, DMs, emails, screenshots, emojis, and all kinds of other stuff that I don't even know what they are. What if we took out a piece of paper, a pen, tear out a page in a magazine. Locate your favorite stationery, go to a card store and …

1
This is something I can't NOT DO 4:16

2+ y ago4:16

4:16

Friends, I've been thinking, what can you not not do? Parker Palmer writes, "Vocation at its deepest level. This is something I can't not do, for reasons I'm unable to explain to anyone else, and don't fully understand myself, that that are nonetheless compelling." I love that. Such a generous, expansive invitation for us to consider, what can we n…

1
Doing the creative best with your own life 6:59

2+ y ago6:59

6:59

Friends, I've been thinking about the words of Saint Paul. He wrote this simple couple sentences that I've been meditating on for the last year and revisiting. He writes, "Make a careful exploration, make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compa…

1
The Training Lab of Life with Flamenco Dancer Ana Lucia Jardim # 203 7:36

3+ y ago7:36

7:36

In today's episode, I want you to meet my friend and Flamenco dancer Ana Lucia Jardim. I want to share with you a tiny moment when she and her trio shared the beautiful art of Flamenco with a room full of work colleagues in San Francisco. I knew this was a moment to savor, so I pulled out my phone, recorded the audio of their music, singing and dan…

1
Two Decades of Showing Up Everyday with Hollywood Writer, Producer and Director Scott Teems #202 41:05

3+ y ago41:05

41:05

In the last person standing town, Scott Teems makes his home in Los Angeles, with a passion for telling stories through film. As a Hollywood and television writer and director, Scott Teems shares with us today on Work Life Play, the importance of showing up every day and why you need someone in your corner who believes in you.We talk about his life…

1
Audacious & Without Apology with Podcaster and Cancer Rebel Matthew Zachary #201 32:58

3+ y ago32:58

32:58

Matthew Zachary is my guest today for the audacious role he plays in the fight against cancer. Personally, this topic is significant to me. For most of the past two years, I’ve invested my client work energy supporting a major pharmaceutical organization as they re-imagine, re-engineer their approach to cure cancer and extend the lives of patients.…

1
Tiny Moments-Big Ideas: Your Life Doesn't Need To Go On Hold #200 7:14

3+ y ago7:14

7:14

Years ago, I believed that my "real life" went on pause when my responsibilities took over. For instance, when I traveled for work, my "life" was paused while I fulfilled my work duty. This limiting mindset, the lenses through which I interpreted my life, informed my narrow experience of my life. Everything was in a container. Open this container w…

1
Tiny Moments Big Ideas: What Are You Afraid To Try? #199 7:24

3+ y ago7:24

7:24

In this Tiny Moment, Big Idea I ask the question "What are you afraid to try?" I recorded this episode five years ago immediately after we sold everything we owned and rebooted our lives. Many people said, "I wish I could do that." Which begs the question, "what are you afraid to try or do?" Maybe that informs what you might need to consider? Keep …

1
Higher Power Nudges with Holden McHugh #198 49:01

3+ y ago49:01

49:01

My interview today is with my son Holden. Sober five years. Wise. Gracious, and he’s teaching me a lot about the power of building an everyday muscle. He talks about how he makes decisions waiting for nudges from “Higher Power” and his brave beginnings of sobriety.

1
Tiny Moments: Are We Out of the Woods #197 7:35

3+ y ago7:35

7:35

Today’s episode is a tiny moment with a big idea. Three years ago this month, I left my fifteen-year-long career in Software, stepped down as an executive, forfeited stock options, and embarked on a quest, a mission, to align the work I do every day with the person I’d become. I jumped in our 74 VW Bus and headed west to honor the beginning of this…

1
In the Shadows with Author Ryan Miller #196 29:23

3+ y ago29:23

29:23

My friend Ryan Miller is fierce with questions. Questions about love, questions about life and story, and power and shadows. The question we came together around in this episode is what is happening in our culture’s shadows today. In the movie The Usual Suspects, Kevin Spacey, said, “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world…

1
30 Marathons 30 Countries by Age 30 with Runner/Explorer Liz Warner #195 31:08

3+ y ago31:08

31:08

Liz Warner completed her goal during the pandemic on June 8th, 2020, her 30th birthday. Thirty marathons, in thirty countries by age thirty-that, was her quest. Here’s her story of navigating setbacks along the road of illuminating that each of us can contribute to the ongoing play.

1
Life Changing Advice From My Uber Driver #194 5:25

3+ y ago5:25

5:25

Earlier this year, I recorded this life changing advice from my Uber driver. Buckle up and enjoy his zeal for life and this powerful tiny moment and big idea.

1
Being Myself with Hollywood Stuntman/Actor Zack Duhame #193 43:38

3+ y ago43:38

43:38

Zack Duhame is unassuming. You would walk past him on the sidewalk and not realize that thirty minutes ago, he was a stunt double for Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio being drug behind a car, winning a bar fight, or being drug behind a getaway car. Zack and I met in the mountains of Colorado at a men's retreat. For the weekend, a house rule was we di…

1
Your Unplanted Ground #192 17:36

3+ y ago17:36

17:36

I took a break from producing and delivery for a few weeks to rest and recharge. Farmers call this fallow ground-replenish soil. “…some farmers and gardeners let their land go fallow – or unplanted – so that the soil’s natural nutrient balance can be restored…it became more and more unpopular to leave land fallow and unproductive in Western societi…

1
The Cost of Leadership is Self-Discipline with Executive Coach Doug Ament #191 25:31

3+ y ago25:31

25:31

Doug Ament doesn't have all of the answers, but he asks excellent questions. In the heyday of the late '90s, he was a partner in the San Diego based most successful yacht dealerships in the World. Until it all went sideways, and they shut it down. His lessons provide us anchor points for how to navigate uncertainty when we lose sight of the shore i…

1
Finding Neverland with Songwriter Jeff Nelson #190 44:52

3+ y ago44:52

44:52

My guest today is songwriter Jeff Nelson. I discovered Jeff's earthy soul talk after reading about "LA contractor lands a Nashville recording contract. He is a family man who purchased and remodeled his grandfather’s home in San Pedro, where he currently resides with his wife and four children. He leads a humble life: coffee, family, building homes…

1
The Mindsets that Drive Us with Author Ryan Gottfredson #189 55:54

4y ago55:54

55:54

Ryan Gottfredson PHD is a successful mindset expert. Mindsets as the lenses we wear to help us interpret and engage with the world. In our conversation, we talk about how we expand and shift mindsets limiting our experience and no longer serving us.

1
Turning Lemons Into A Lemonade Life with Author Zack Friedman #188 36:19

4y ago36:19

36:19

My guest today, Zack Friedman recognized a pattern in humans. Some people create lemonade from lemons and others don't. His book, The Lemonade Life, is the playbook for how to choose a pathway that eludes many, and can lead to more fulfillment and success.

1
Storytelling, Markers and a Wholeheart with Creative Sunni Brown #187 36:24

4y ago36:24

36:24

Sunni Brown is an inspiration. She helped me exercise my wierd. After many years of trading messages, I'm proud to share our conversation with you today. One of my favorite quotes from Sunni I included in my book “If you can’t change your mind, it’s very hard to change your life. Human beings that are mentally agile, those who can and will unstick—…

1
The Art of Getting Lost with Semi-Rad founder Brendan Leonard #186 22:40

4y ago22:40

22:40

Brendan Leonard promises that real adventure is not out of reach. I discovered his work through The Art of Getting Lost, a get-out-there excuse removing antidote to exploring more. He writes, “The hardest thing is convincing yourself it’s okay. Now I know you’re important at work and at home, but trust me, the folks at work and at home can do witho…

1
Designing Your Work Life to Thrive with Authors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans #185 39:48

4y ago39:48

39:48

Dave Evans and Bill Burnett are designers at heart. Early in their careers, they designed for companies like Apple. Today, as Life Designers, they show people how to get off the couch and prototype alternative versions of their lives and their careers.

1
Bravespace Workplaces with Author Moe Carrick #184 37:14

4y ago37:14

37:14

Moe believes that Bravespace workplaces enable for people to face the risks, emotional exposure, uncertainty, and vulnerability that come with work. Leaders must know that people aren't machines, but that we are strong and fragile, smart, complex and beautiful. Bravespace workplaces are people-centered environments where leaders deeply understand t…

1
The Path to Restoring the Heart of a Man with Author Morgan Snyder #183 41:01

4y ago41:01

41:01

Morgan Snyder is more than my guest today. Our sixteen-year friendship is an anchor I repeatedly tether myself to for hope, truth, and joy. Our transformative reciprocity began when we were angsty younger men in our thirties. We'd commiserate together. Now we celebrate. To relieve anxiety, we'd pedal bikes in sync to reset our life's drive train. O…

1
How to Deal With the Root Cause of Your Distraction with Nir Eyal #182 42:43

4y ago42:43

42:43

I'll be the first to admit. I can be easily distracted. Ping, blue dot, check email, etc. Nir Eyal named my interference as pain management. "Unless we deal with the root causes of our distraction, we'll continue to find ways to distract ourselves. Simply put, the drive to relieve discomfort is the root cause of all our behavior." I invite you to p…

1
Joy at the Finish line with Sufferfest Beer Company CEO Caitlin Landesberg #181 43:15

4y ago43:15

43:15

My guest today on Work Life Play is Caitlin Landesberg, founder and CEO of Sufferfest Beer Company, for those who believe in earning their beer. Caitlin Landesberg is an Athlete, long-distance trail runner, and is relentlessly curious. We talk about living fully, pursuing wormholes with curiosity and abandoning demands for outcomes. Her disarming c…

1
The Depressed Brain and Finding Hope Again with Andrew Jensen #180 23:51

4y ago23:51

23:51

My guest today is Canadian Andrew Jensen, PGA pro tour golfer and avid spokesman for the pitfalls and hope for those of us who struggle with depression and anxiety. "I turned pro and embarked on just this lonely, isolated life and isolation is not good for the depressed brain." Rich, earnest and real. I know you'll enjoy his story today.…

1
Change Your Life by Unlocking Your True Motivation with Bryan Falchuk #179 23:39

4y ago23:39

23:39

In 2018, I interviewed Bryan Falchuk, author of Do a Day: How to Live a Better Life Everyday. What struck me about Bryan was how his lowest-life moment, became his redefining inspiration. Here’s what he had to say, “I walked into our room and my wife’s in bed, my son’s standing there and he’s looking at his mother who’s dying in front of his eyes a…

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