Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Andy Vasily interviews Dr. Gordon Flett, a distinguished psychologist from York University and author of "The Psychology of Mattering." The conversation explores the concept of mattering—feeling valued and significant in others' lives—and how it differs from self-esteem. Dr. Flett draws from his 30 years of research to explain how mattering plays a crucial role in preventing depression, suicide, and antisocial behaviors. Drawing from both personal experiences an...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Send us Fan Mail I feel very fortunate to release today’s episode as I had a chance to sit down on Zoom with the brilliant Stef Okamoto, who is currently the Director of Manager Excellence for Service Now, a fast growing American software company based in Santa Clara, California. Before moving to ServiceNow, Stef had a distinguished career at Microsoft for 23 years, serving the organisation in her last 7 years as the Leader of Management Excellence in Global Learning and Development. Having work...
Dec 08, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to sit down with the brilliant Anne van Dam, an educator, leader, and consultant with a wealth of experience working in schools across the globe. And in our conversation, Anne shares her unique journey—from her early days as a learner to her current work helping schools and organizations build cultures that bring out the best in everyone. Although she’s most recognized for her expertise in early years learning, Anne’s knowledge spans far beyond t...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Send us Fan Mail Before diving into today’s conversation with my guest, Amy Sandler, I want you to pause for a moment and think about your own career journey, whatever that may be and reflect on all the places you’ve worked, the teams you’ve been a part of, and the experiences—both challenging and rewarding—that have shaped your professional life. Whether you’ve been in a leadership position or not, consider those everyday moments—the interactions, the wins, and the setbacks—that ultimately infl...
Nov 18, 2024•57 min
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Andy introduces Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, a bilingual Greek/English Registered Clinical Psychologist and certified Compassionate Inquiry practitioner. Dimitra’s journey is deeply inspiring—having overcome a serious drug addiction, she has been clean for over 14 years and now dedicates her life to helping others heal. Through her work, she provides a safe and compassionate environment where clients can explore the root causes of their pain and suffering. The episod...
Nov 11, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode is a special one as I had the chance to interview Dr. David Yeager , professor of psychology at University of Texas at Austin and a co-founder of the Texas Behavioural Science and Policy Institute . Dr. Yeager is widely recognized for his groundbreaking research alongside the inspiring Dr. Carol Dweck , the author of the brilliant book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success , and Dr. Angela Duckworth , who authored the very impactful book Grit: The Power of Passi...
Nov 01, 2024•58 min
Send us Fan Mail In this short Wisdom of Alignment podcast episode, Andy emphasize the transformative power of adopting a learner's mindset, especially when it comes to challenging our own assumptions and stepping outside our comfort zones. We often cling to familiar beliefs, choosing comfort over growth. However, true development—both personally and professionally—occurs when we break this cycle by embracing discomfort, reflecting honestly on our habits, and being open to change. Daniel Goleman...
Oct 14, 2024•13 min
Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Bennett, a Performance Architect whose work in performance psychology has shaped the way individuals and teams think about success. Our conversation dove into some powerful concepts that have the potential to transform the way you approach both performance and well-being in your life and work. Mark Bennett has worked with elite athletes from multiple different sports for more than 25 years. As well he works closely wit...
Oct 06, 2024•1 hr 21 min
Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, you'll hear from Charles Feltman, a trust expert and leadership coach known for his work on building and sustaining trust in relationships, particularly in the workplace. His book, The Thin Book of Trust , is widely recognized for breaking down trust into four key distinctions: sincerity, reliability, competence, and care. What I most appreciate about Charles’ work is how practical and actionable it is, making it highly applicable in live time for leaders who...
Sep 28, 2024•1 hr 18 min
Send us Fan Mail It gives me great pleasure to introduce Kevin Bartlett, the Founding Director of the Common Ground Collaborative. This episode is part of my 'Perspectives on Pedagogy' podcast series which are education-based in nature, but rooted deeply in what it means to lead and learn with purpose and intentionality. A quote comes to mind when I think about Kevin: "A great educational leader possesses a unique set of qualities and skills that enable them to effectively guide and shape the ed...
Aug 03, 2024•1 hr
Send us Fan Mail In the latest Wisdom of Alignment series, we explore the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations driving people to pursue leadership roles. While some leaders may be motivated by career advancement or recognition, many seek to drive positive change, mentor others, and bring out the best in their teams. However, leaders often face barriers that lead to complacency and stagnation, hindering their ability to inspire and motivate. The greatest leaders are aware of these barriers and con...
Jul 26, 2024•14 min
Send us Fan Mail In today's Wisdom of Alignment episode, we explore Joseph Campbell's idea that "invisible hands" help us when we're on the right path in life. Delving into Aristotle's ancient teachings on eudaimonic well-being, we discuss how aligning our actions with our true purpose brings much deeper fulfillment and purpose in our pursuit of things that matter most to us. In today's episode, we'll also reflect on personal growth, meaningful goals, self-acceptance, positive relationships, aut...
Jul 22, 2024•18 min
Send us Fan Mail Today, we have an inspiring guest, Munashe Masawi, whose journey from Zimbabwe to Canada is a powerful testament to discipline, commitment, adaptability, and resilience. Known as Mu by his close friends and family, his story is nothing short of inspiring. Growing up in Zimbabwe, Mu faced numerous challenges and barriers. His mother’s courageous decision to seek a better life led her to Canada, leaving Mu and his sister behind for three years. Reuniting in Ontario at the age of 1...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Send us Fan Mail In today's short Wisdom of Alignment podcast series, I dive into the work of Dr. Carl Jung and his focus on the 'shadow side' of self. His work has great application to leadership. In this episode, I share what it means to have a shadow side and how this side of us can greatly hinder our ability to lead in impactful ways. In terms of making this practical for any leaders listening to this, I've also included 4 very specific questions that can be used to gather the feedback neede...
Jun 30, 2024•11 min
Send us Fan Mail Today’s conversation is with Daniel Carcillo , two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks , and ten-year veteran of the NHL. Daniel also played with the Philadelphia Flyers , Los Angeles Kings , Phoenix Coyotes, and one season with the New York Rangers throughout his career. Having had 4 Stanley Cup appearances over the last few years of his professional playing career, Daniel brings so much insight and wisdom into today’s discussion with me. From the highs of being...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Send us Fan Mail The podcast you are going to hear today is with Sharon Salzberg. She has been a true pioneer in the realms of meditation and mindfulness for more than four decades now. Sharon's influence has been pivotal in bringing these practices to the forefront of Western consciousness as far back as the early 1970s. As a co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and a New York Times best-selling author, Sharon's wisdom resonates deeply with audiences worldwide b...
Apr 14, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Send us Fan Mail My conversation today is with Dr. Jim Knight, Founder and Senior Partner of Instructional Coaching Group (ICG). Jim is also a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning and has spent more than two decades studying professional learning and instructional coaching. He earned his PhD in Education from the University of Kansas and has won several university teaching, innovation, and service awards. He’s also authored several books including Unmist...
Mar 23, 2024•50 min
Send us Fan Mail My guest today is the brilliant and inspiring Ila Edgar, a leadership development coach and trust-builder for organizations and businesses. Ila's story is a testament to the resilience we all require when challenged by life’s mental and emotional obstacles. She deeply believes that who we are is how we lead and that being great leaders starts with us. It also requires honesty, looking inside of ourselves and committing to making real changes in our lives. In our conversation tod...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 23 min
Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode was recorded in the studio of American Community School of Amman in Jordan which is located on the boarders of Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Palestine. A big shoutout and very special thanks to my inspirational friend Mo Hourani and his team at the American Community School of Amman for hosting the Compassion Summit , an event devoted to promoting peace. What ACS in Jordan believes is that "When there is no compassion there can be no peace, and that when we know ...
Mar 01, 2024•55 min
Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, I sit down with Jean-Paul Circelli, head football coach at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. This episode is a special one for me as I once played 5 seasons on this football team back in the 1990’s as a quarterback and punter. It was through this experience that I not only developed myself as a student athlete, but was also able to build a supportive network of close friends that stands strongly to this day. Jean-Paul and his dedicated coaching te...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 41 min
Send us Fan Mail How many times have you asked yourself, “what’s my purpose”? If you’re like most of us, probably too many times to count. As we get older, the question seems to get a little louder. Today’s guests on the Run Your Life Podcast are just the dynamic duo you need to provide you with proactive, intentional tools to help you along that journey. Charles Feltman and Ila Edgar are both executive and leadership coaches offering a distinctive twist on finding your purpose and creating mean...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Send us Fan Mail Today's episode features one of the greatest, most respected, and beloved commentators in Canadian sport broadcast history, Mr. Rod Black. As soon as you hear Rod’s voice, you will know immediately that he was destined for a career in broadcasting. Sportsnet president Scott Moore met with and told all the on-air talent, “You don’t have to be a jerk to be a star. Just look at Rod Black.” One of Rod’s favorite quotes is something his father used to tell him often. He would tell Ro...
Jan 23, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, Andy connects with former professional baseball player and current Toronto Blue Jays’ TV analyst and commentator Joe Siddall. A quote that comes to mind with this episode is this: “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free” This quote attributed to Michaelangelo in reference to one of his sculptures. However, it also applies to Joe Siddall. He is a walking monument to what it means to have an attitude of gratitude. So much so that his daug...
Dec 26, 2023•58 min
Send us Fan Mail “Does that own me, or do I own it?” In today’s episode, Andy is talking with Herb Thompson, retired Army Green Beret. And they cover a lot of ground. Herb has had the deck stacked against him many times throughout his life. Any one of them could have easily overtaken him and changed the trajectory of his life. However, that very quote at the beginning has allowed him to keep things in perspective and keep them in order. Herb grew up living a life of poverty in a trailer park. Ho...
Dec 18, 2023•1 hr 20 min
Send us Fan Mail This week, Andy interviews Professor Thomas Curran, Department of Psychological and Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics . His writings have appeared in TIME magazine, the Harvard Business Review, the New Scientist, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times just to name a few. He is fresh off launching his debut book, The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough. He also delivered a TedMed talk on the subject which has garnered more than 3 millio...
Dec 10, 2023•57 min
Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder about the meaning of life? In this episode, Andy and Patrick explore this very question from a truly unique and emotional perspective that is certain to encourage you to reexamine your own thoughts on the matter. Patrick shares his power list of 5 things he believes every human is searching for. Patrick’s list is not a cliched list based on formal scientific research. Instead, it’s based on his personal journey that began as an “unsupervised” child in Brooklyn, New Y...
Nov 30, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Send us Fan Mail My guest in today’s podcast exemplifies what it means to take the risks needed to find his passion and true calling in life. His name is Obert Jongwe and he is a Zimbabwean artist who has devoted his life to the craft of painting. When I think of Obert and his life, there is a great quote that comes to mind that truly represents what it means to take the risks needed to thrive in life both personally and professionally. The quote is from Dr. Carl Jung, a world renowned Swiss psy...
Nov 04, 2023•53 min
Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode is devoted to two very inspiring humans, Justine and Michael, who have made it their life mission to spread hope and joy in the world and they do this through their Green Renaissance project which will soon be changing names to Reflections on Life. For the last 7 years, Michael and Justine, who are filmmakers, have embarked on a journey that has allowed them to have a very special glimpse into the lives of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. They literall...
Sep 18, 2023•1 hr 17 min
Send us Fan Mail Joining me on my Run Your Life podcast this week is George Mumford. He is arguably one of the greatest sports psychologists in the world based on the results he has achieved with his work. He has taught mindfulness and meditation to everyone from prison inmates to corporate executives to some of the most extraordinary athletes on the planet such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O Neal. He was also 11-time NBA championship head coach Phil Jackson’s right hand man during ...
Sep 06, 2023•1 hr 34 min
Send us Fan Mail My conversation today is with Joel Monk, the co-founder of Coaches Rising which is a global community of over 6000 coaches dedicated to having the biggest impact they can have. He co-founded Coaches Rising nearly 15 years ago and has done extensive training in multiple different modalities in order to better understand how to help his clients truly thrive, both personally and professionally, in their lives. Based on my own experiences in leadership and in coaching a variety of p...
Jul 19, 2023•1 hr 32 min
