Life On Purpose

For Life on Purpose Episode #79, my guest is author and women’s leadership expert Tara Mohr, who gives women (and the men in her audience/community) the practical skills to voice and implement the changes they want to see—in themselves and in the world. Tara joined me for a great conversation on her new book Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead, which was named a best book of the year by Apple’s iBooks. It provides real, practical tools to help women quiet self-doubt, identify their callings, “unhook” from praise and criticism, unlearn counterproductive "good girl" habits, and begin taking bold action. “How did Playing Big come to be? I felt like all around me, I saw women playing small. Brilliant women with fabulous ideas, provocative questions, visions for how the world could be different and better. But those ideas and visions and questions weren't being voiced. And I was very attuned to that because I was struggling with that myself. I sent out a survey and asked

For Life on Purpose Episode #78, my guest is spiritual teacher, entrepreneur, author, and coach Eric Klein, who for the past three decades has been a leading voice in the movement to bring greater spirit, mindfulness, and meaning to the workplace through his writing, training, and speaking via his company Dharma Consulting. Eric joined me for a very timely conversation on his new course Sacred Sanity for Crazy Times: Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita, based on the teachings of one of the world’s most precious texts of spiritual wisdom, which Eric calls a guidebook for out times. We attempt to answer the question: "How can you stay connected to your deepest purpose and wisdom – even in difficult and uncertain times?" We also discussed the concept of dharma; the difference between knowledge and wisdom; how to re-engage with the lantern of illumination; the benefits of a meditation; practice vs. non-attachment; and the three levels of awakening to our deeper purpose. “The challenges of stress, struggle, and spiritua

For Life on Purpose Episode #77, my guest is CEO and author Mary Shores, who joined me for a fantastic conversation on her groundbreaking Conscious Communications system, which produces positive results through positive action. We also discussed her unique life story (including her work as founder of Midstate Collection Solutions, Inc., one of the most unique collection agencies in the country!), as well as how to get your thoughts, words, and actions in "Alignment"; our words as a mirror to our subconscious beliefs; probabilities vs. possibilities; cleanse or clog;;the power of "now"; and her brand new book Conscious Communications: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Harnessing the Power of Your Words to Change Your Mind, Your Choices, and Your Life. “Whether we realize it or not, the words we use dictate and control our lives. The messages we repeat can frame our thoughts and trap us into a mindset that is difficult to break. It often manifests itself with statements like 'I can’t,' and 'I’m not good enough.' This

For Life on Purpose Episode #76, my guest is Dr. Eric Maisel, a retired family therapist, active life coach, and the author of more than fifty books. Eric was one of my first guests on Life on Purpose and returns to the show for a wide-ranging conversation on meaning, life purpose, and the epidemic of phantom "mental disorders" in children. And we focus on his new book, Your Difficult Family: 8 Skills for Thriving in Any Family Situation, in which he shows how to stay sane when family isn’t, providing practical strategies that can be implemented immediately.   This empowering book is a “field guide” to common types of dysfunctional families, and a big helping of real life success stories that are dinner table tested and approved. Readers will learn to maintain inner peace in the midst of family chaos and maybe even create a better life for their whole family. “There is no pill that can make family life easy. There is no pill that can spare you pain if one of your parents is alcoholic, one of your children

For Life on Purpose Episode #75, Peaceful Warrior's Dan Millman returns to the show! Dan is a former world champion athlete, university coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor. After an intensive twenty-year spiritual quest, Dan's teaching found its form as the Peaceful Warrior’s Way, expressed fully in his seventeen books — including the seminal Way of the Peaceful Warrior — and lectures. His work continues to evolve over time, to meet the needs of a changing world. In this inspiring conversation, we discussed his brand new book, The Hidden School (Simon and Schuster), the long-awaited conclusion to the Peaceful Warrior saga. Dan takes readers on an epic spiritual quest across the world as he searches for the link between everyday life and transcendent possibility. Along the way, he uncovers lessons of life hidden in plain sight—insights pointing the way to an inspired life in the eternal present. “In Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Dan Millman established himself as a master of teaching through s

For Life on Purpose Episode #74, my guest is writer, artist, career coach and community leader Emilie Wapnick, the Founder and Creative Director at Puttylike, where she helps multipotentialites (people with many passions, skills, and creative pursuits) integrate all of their interests to create dynamic, fulfilling and fruitful careers and lives. In this inspiring conversation, we discussed her brand new book, How To Be Everything, A Guide for Those Who (Still) Don't Know What They Want to Be When They Grow Up (Harper Collins), in which she flips the script on conventional career advice. Instead of suggesting that you specialize, choose a niche, or accumulate 10,000 hours of practice in a single area, she provides a practical framework for building a sustainable life around ALL of your passions. “You don't have to choose one thing! That's the big secret no one tells you. " About: Emilie Wapnick is a writer, career coach, blogger, and community leader. She is the founder and creative director at Puttylike.co

For Life on Purpose Episode #73, my guest is the pioneering therapist Dr. Judith Orloff, a New York Times best-selling author and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA who has helped patients find emotional freedom for more than 20 years. Dr. Orloff synthesizes the pearls of traditional medicine with cutting edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality to achieve physical and emotional healing. In this enlightening conversation, we discussed her brand new book, The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People (Sounds True), in which she offers an invaluable resource to help EMPATHIC people survive in an often insensitive world, plus her life and career as "the positive energy guru." “Empaths feel things first, then think, which is the opposite of how most people function in our over- intellectualized society,” says Dr. Orloff. "The key to self-care is to recognize when you’re experiencing the first signs of sensory overload or when you start absorbing negativity or str

For Life on Purpose Episode #72, another "Soul Series" interview, my guest is author and minister Maria Felipe, who joined me for a fantastic conversation that can change lives. We discussed her unique story going from a successful (but ultimately unfulfilling) career as an actress, model, and Latina boxing announcer to spiritual teacher and motivational speaker. And we talked about her brand new book, Live Your Happy: Get Out of Your Own Way and Find the Love Within (New World Library), in which she shares more than twenty years of experience studying and living the principles from A Course in Miracles (ACIM). Live Your Happy is not a philosophic explanation of the Course; it is a practical guide for living it. The book includes real-world examples from the author’s life and from her students’ experiences. In nine crystal-clear chapters, she shows readers how to get the “cuckoo voice of the ego” out of the way, connect with their “inner teacher,” and access personal power and strength. “This book is a simple

For Life on Purpose Episode #71, my guest is psychologist Rachel Harris, PhD, who joined me for an enlightening and hope-filled conversation about her new book Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD and Anxiety (New World Library). Ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew from the Amazon rainforest, is entering the Western lexicon through the popular media, the internet, and first-person reports. Considered a medicine by practitioners, the tea has great therapeutic potential that is just beginning to be studied. As a result of her own personal experience with ayahuasca, Dr. Harris was inspired to research how this medicine was being used in North America in the largest study of this kind to date. Listening to Ayahuasca describes her findings, including miracle cures of depression and addiction, therapeutic breakthroughs, spiritual revelations, and challenging or bad trips. “This book is intended for people considering ayahuasca and for people drinking the medicine. I hope it will help them in

For Life on Purpose Episode #70, my guest is transformational photographer and coach Robyn Ivy, who has 20 years of experience helping clients transform themselves by shifting their focus and learning to see their world through a new lens. Robyn joined me for an inspiring conversation about photography as a tool for transformation (a conviction I share), her life and work, and PROJECT 3.8, the compelling campaign she started to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. Robyn brings a deep understanding of what holds people back and brings it into the light so it can be seen and overcome. "Have you ever stopped to consider that the way we look at and experience our world is often done by default? Did you know that our vision can be strengthened, like a muscle, and when we exercise it, it transforms, changing the way we view our world and ourselves?" About Robyn: Much like the world around us, I am constantly evolving—driven by an intense passion to help businesses and individuals transform themselves by learning t

Do you believe in life after death? Does consciousness exist outside our bodies? Does the language of the dying points the way to a transcendent world beyond our own? For this special Soul Series episode of Life on Purpose, my guest is author, linguist, educator, and poet Lisa Smartt who founded the Final Words Project, an ongoing study devoted to collecting and interpreting the mysterious language at the end of lives. Lisa joined me for an inspiring conversation about her new book, Words at the Threshold: What We Say as We’re Nearing Death (New World Library), in which she decodes the symbolism of those last words, showing how the language of the dying points the way to a transcendent world beyond our own. She shares the compelling language she has heard and the coherency that emerges in even the most puzzling phrases. She also provides tools for more meaningful communication with loved ones who are at the end of life. And we discuss her work with Dr. Raymond Moody, the pioneering researcher who coined th

Have you ever asked yourself what is your life purpose? Have you considered what you are doing here and whether you are on the right track to being fulfilled? For Life on Purpose Episode #68, my guests are world-renowned Human Design experts Chetan Parkyn & Carola Eastwood. They joined me for a fascinating and timely conversation about a tool that can help answer those questions: Human Design and their brand new book The Book of Destinies: Discover the Life You Were Born to Live (New World Library). The book offers readers the opportunity to use the place, date, and time of their births to reveal their Life Theme, which offers a portrait of their true nature and allows them the peace of knowing who they really are. “Just like the storyline of a book, or the theme music to a movie, there is a unique, consistent, and recognizable undercurrent to your whole lifetime. It is your Life Theme, which is your melody, your part in the symphony of life, and only you can play it,” say Chetan and Carola. “Knowing an

For Life on Purpose Episode #67, my guest is tailor made careerist Julian Mather, who says he wasn’t at school the day they taught conventional career planning. A chronic truant, he self-educated and read between the lines to find the secrets to turning his obsession into his profession. From high school failure to Army sniper to globe trotting TV cameraman to kids entertainer to online entrepreneur he really hasn’t felt he has a worked a day in his life. And at 55 he says he’s only just beginning to hit his straps. Julian joined me for a high-energy chat about realizing your career potential after age 40; how to use your own life experience/journey to create content that others can benefit from; shifting from an hourly rate model to charging for value; and tales from his own unique life story. "The day and age of the massive corporations that take care of us from beginning to end are over. That’s just a reality. Workforce change is upon us. It is time to look for alternatives. As a 40+ worker, you must expan

Life on Purpose Episode #66 is the long-promised return of the LoP Round-Table! For my third RT, I was joined by Marsha Shandur, Charles Gupton, and Rick Charlie. They are each storytellers and creatives who work in a variety of different mediums (podcasts, storytelling, blogs, photos, video) and each use prompts on social media to examine the human condition and show that "I Don't Have It All Together", as Marsha's weekly Tuesday post proves! They joined me for an in-depth conversation on the topic of "pretending" — both online and in-person — including examining why we do it, what's actually behind the "look how cool I am" postings many of us make, and what purpose is pretending serving? We also discussed practical tips for being more authentic, intentional, and vulnerable in both your online and IRL interactions. This discussion was prompted by the following Facebook post from Rick Charlie, based on a question originally asked by author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek: Something to think about: How

For Life on Purpose Episode #65, my guest is award-winning author Linda Johnsen, a long-time student of religious philosophy. Linda holds degrees in Eastern and Western Psychology, and has post-graduate training in theology and Sanskrit. She is the award-winning author of eight books on spirituality including Daughters of the Goddess: The Women Saints of India, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism. Linda joined me for an enlightening chat about her new book Lost Masters: Rediscovering The Mysticism of the Ancient Greek Philosophers, in which she offers a fascinating opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with the ancient Greek masters, revealing a side of Western philosophy that has been almost completely ignored by traditional academia. "Ashrams in Europe twenty-five hundred years ago? Greek philosophers studying in India? Meditation classes in ancient Rome? It sounds unbelievable, but it’s historically true. Alexander the Great had an Indian guru. Pythagoras encouraged their students to meditate. Apollon

For Life on Purpose Episode #64, my guest is Zen priest and teacher Richard Diedrichs, whose work presents basic Buddhist teachings that keep you on the wholesome path of self-realization toward a happy life. Richard joined me for an inspiring chat about his new book Living in Blue Sky Mind: Basic Buddhist Teachings for a Happy Life, in which he offers simple lessons, anecdotes of personal transformation, and reflective questions to guide us along Buddha’s enlightened way. We also discussed the opportunity to learn, grow, and practice these principles when host Greg mistakenly lost the audio file of the original interview that was taped and had to admit his mistake and request a second interview. Says Richard about the book: “Living in Blue Sky Mind began as short talks that I gave to children, parents, and grandparents at Daifukuji Zen Buddhist temple in Kona, Hawaii.  (For the youngest among us in the family gatherings, I read a children's picture book.) To further spread the Dharma, I had the idea of pu

For Life on Purpose Episode #63, my guest is author, actor, teacher, and creativity/productivity specialist Samantha Bennett, who has counseled thousands of artists in all disciplines on their way to success. Sam is the creator of The Organized Artist Company – a multi-six figure business she has built by hand, from scratch. Her previous book, the bestselling “Get It Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day” received rave reviews, including Seth Godin, who called it, "An instant classic." Sam joined me for a high-energy chat about her new book Start Right Where You Are: How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers, and Recovering Perfectionists (New World Library), which is based on the premise that small shifts in the right direction can yield big results in the realization of our creative dreams. Start Right Where You Are offers 66 small, doable changes that will help readers: • Complete projects that are dear to their hea

For Life on Purpose Episode #62, my guest is Thomas Sterner, the founder and CEO of The Practicing Mind Institute. As a successful entrepreneur, he is considered an expert in Present Moment Functioning or PMF. He is a popular and in-demand speaker who works with high-performance individuals including, athletes, industry groups and individuals, helping them to operate effectively within high-stress situations so that they can break through to new levels of mastery. As an expert Present Moment Functioning Coach, Tom has brought clarity to thousands regarding how they can accomplish more with less effort, in the least amount of time and with greatly reduced stress. Top media outlets such as NPR, Fox News, and Forbes have sought his advice. Tom joined me for an inspirational chat about his new book Fully Engaged: Using the Practicing Mind in Daily Life (New World Library) in which he expands on the concepts from his previous book The Practicing Mind by helping readers apply them to daily life. He shows readers ho

For Life on Purpose Episode #61, my guest is speaker, professional coach and mentor, trained licensed therapist and tenured associate professor of counseling Dr. Tiffany Stewart. Dr. Tiffany joined me for an inspirational chat about her L.E.A.P. Success System and how it helps others shift their mindset and create the lives they want. We also discussed her own life story — how she went from being a single parent who had been fired from four jobs in two years with very little money ("failing at life") to building a successful business and life lived on her own terms in just a few short years. “Failure is a part of the process. You can ALWAYS recover from it. And the transformation that I have been through in a few short years is not because I am a lucky person. You do not need lady luck on your side to create the life you want. I went from literally losing everything I had to creating the life I want.” About: Dr. Tiffany is national speaker, professional coach and mentor, trained licensed therapist and tenu

For Life on Purpose Episode #60, my guest is certified life coach, mindfulness meditation teacher, author, and blogger Ora Nadrich. Ora joined me for a great chat about her new book, Says Who? How One Simple Question Can Change the Way You Think Forever, how her own life story — including her sister's nervous breakdown when Ora was 14 years old influenced her work, and the Says Who? Method she developed. In the book, she vividly illustrates and breaks down her simple yet highly effective method, based on the principle that while we all face obstacles and negative thoughts in our lives, it is not enough to simply examine and be aware of them — we must question and challenge them in order to bring about true change. “We think 60,000–70,000 thoughts a day, and sadly, it’s the negative ones we tend to hear the loudest. But using a set of daily, simple questions, we can stop them the instant they pop up to sabotage us. It’s as simple a practice as brushing your teeth.” About: Ora Nadrich is a certified Life Co