One guarantee about being a human is that at some point or other, we’ll all be dealt some bad hands and some struggles in our lives. We can’t always control the terrible things that happen to us, but the one thing we can control is how we explain those events to ourselves, and what we make them mean in our lives. Those who decide to look for the good in those terrible moments—aka, optimists—can be thought of as naive or unrealistic, but in reality, choosing to see the best in the world has a cri...
Dec 13, 2024•18 min
We’ve made it to the holiday season, which for many of us tends to be fraught with family miscommunication. I’m lucky enough to have a good relationship with my family, but it wasn’t always this way and it wasn’t easy. Over the years, I’ve had plenty of difficult conversations and in doing so, became a better communicator. Humans are flawed, complex creatures that have unique perspectives, habits, values, and thought processes and as coaches and leaders, it’s part of our job to understand people...
Dec 06, 2024•41 min
One of the most common struggles coaches, managers, and leaders all set to have is compliance—how do you get your clients and employees to stick with the things you need them to do? You can give someone all the tools they need to succeed, but if they don’t have that internal motivation, they get stuck. So while we can’t force anyone to comply and we can’t force anyone to be motivated, we can create an environment that is conducive to change, so our clients and employees can feel safe to grow. Ch...
Nov 22, 2024•30 min
In today’s episode, we dive into burnout—why it happens and how to prevent it. Especially in the US, we’re often expected to produce “more, bigger, faster” without purpose, a mindset that often leads to burnout. Physiologically, humans are wired for short bursts of stress, yet we face a constant drip of modern-day worries like job insecurity and high demands. This results in prolonged cortisol exposure, which can harm us physically and mentally. Beyond the physical toll, many of us experience “e...
Nov 15, 2024•36 min
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not the greatest at supporting people through tough times. As life goes on the people around us, our family, friends, and clients experience some truly difficult circumstances. Divorces, deaths, job losses, accidents, and even just plain old bad days can be really tough to hold space and know the right thing to say. But life happens, shit happens! And as coaches, it matters to show up for our clients. (This episode is a re-run from February 2023.) Read The Power o...
Nov 08, 2024•14 min
I never liked the idea that you should live without regrets. Regret is not only a normal experience, but it’s extremely useful for providing us with opportunities for growth. Today I’m sharing with you the 4 types of regret we might face in our lives, as well as one really useful tool we can use to help our clients harness their regrets and use them as a tool for success. (This episode is a re-run from November 2022.) Read The Power of Regret by Daniel H. Pink Connect with Danny! Instagram: @its...
Nov 01, 2024•18 min
Thought I’d do a little bit different of an episode today, and much longer than the usual. This episode is a prerecorded presentation I gave recently around the 10 laws of great coaching. While the presentation focus on health and wellness professionals, the principles apply across all modalities, so if you want to become a better coach, manager, or leader of any kind, take these ideas and tools for yourself. Check out our new website for all episodes and blog posts! takecarecoahing.com Connect ...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 28 min
Have you ever been stuck? In a rut? It’s hard to define what it means to be “stuck,” but we all know what it feels like. It’s not quite depression, but there’s a feeling of meaninglessness, a craving for hope and life. It’s living on auto-pilot. Getting shit done, sure, but missing some unspoken piece… Sound familiar? I get “stuck” every few years, so I’ve perfected the art of getting UN-stuck and it all comes down to one simple formula: Change + Challenge. (This episode is a re-run from January...
Oct 18, 2024•25 min
This year has been my busiest yet when it comes to public speaking—both personally and professionally. In all these situations, I've found it incredibly helpful to use mental structures to guide me; they help me stay organized, remember key points, and avoid awkward pauses or clunky interactions. But structuring isn’t unique to me—it’s common in many fields. Musicians, chefs, lawyers, and even my wife all use structure to create. So today, I thought I’d share a few structures I use to build a fo...
Oct 11, 2024•23 min
Delegation is as easy as telling certain people to do certain tasks. But when I work with coaches and managers it’s never quite as simple, and it all has to do with psychology. Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be. The inability to delegate doesn’t have to do with people not knowing how, but one or a combination of three types psychological resistance. If you struggle to delegate, I’m sharing some tools and traits to work on that will not only make delegation possible for you, but natural and eas...
Oct 04, 2024•32 min
I’ll be honest with you—I felt like phoning it in with the podcast this week. It’s hot and I’m tired, and I just didn’t want to sit down and make it happen. But in the back of my mind, I kept thinking about a concept from Steven Pressfield’s book Turning Pro , were Pressfield discusses three models of self-transformation, the most powerful of which he calls the professional model, aka “turning pro.” Amateurs dabble and wait for inspiration, but pros show up no matter what. They push through disc...
Sep 27, 2024•17 min
Are humans inherently good, or are they born to be bad? There are centuries of discussion surrounding this question, and I don’t know that we’ll ever have a definitive answer on the topic, but I do know that our personal belief about the answer is an important signal to how we interact with the world, and especially how we coach and lead others. Our beliefs shape our behaviors and actions, so if you believe people tend to be self-centered, amoral, and generally “bad,” you’ll act accordingly. Con...
Sep 20, 2024•26 min
In my early 20s, I went through a period of self-inflicted struggles—poor communication, academic underperformance, and several personal challenges. At a low point, my sister Jill invited me to live with her, which marked a turning point in my life. Over the next three years, my life changed for the better in almost every way, and it was then that I realized the profound impact of mentorship and coaching. But what makes a great coach or leader? What makes someone not only loved, but respected, a...
Sep 13, 2024•30 min
I love learning and sharing information as much as (if not more than) the next guy, but in order to be an effective leader it isn’t enough to simply know a lot—you need a methodology. Information is the base level, but if someone comes to you looking for help with change, you’re going to need a process to measure and help them progress along. Today I wanted to attempt to share my own self-development methodology, what I call the “Self-Development Ladder.” Check out the Take Care website and join...
Sep 06, 2024•36 min
When it comes to leadership, the material isn’t the thing that matters—it’s how you deliver that material. In this episode, we explore how leadership, energy, and influence profoundly shape those around us. A great leader can generate energy and engagement even when there seems to be none around, and we can influence others when we generate intensity, embody authority, and bring positive energy to any situation. When you bring the energy, you connect with your audience, and that leads to real su...
Aug 30, 2024•31 min
As managers, coaches, and leaders, it’s critical that people feel safe to come to you in times of need. By now you know that if you want to make a change in your life, you have a much better chance if you’re treated with kindness and compassion. Every person alive just wants to be safe to be seen for who they are, but there aren’t many people in the world who are safe places to be ourselves. So today, Dr. Jade Teta and I discuss what it means to make feel safe to be themselves and how to embody ...
Aug 23, 2024•56 min
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “Do the thing, and you shall have the power.” You’ll notice how he said “thing” singular, and not “everything.” We tend to glorify people who make huge, sweeping changes and do all the things at once, but the truth is, sticking to small actions with consistency leads to big, long-term success far more often. Sticking to simple habits—whether in finance, fitness, or life—can yield exponential results over time. It's not about being perfect or following strict, ration...
Aug 16, 2024•27 min
We talk about mindset a lot on this pod, and there’s good reason for it. Our mindset, whatever it may be, shapes our experiences, beliefs, and relationships—in short, it impacts every area of our lives, and especially for those of us who are coaches, managers, and leaders. In today’s episode, I discuss strategies for changing mindsets, and how embodying integrity and projecting certainty can make you a more effective and trustworthy leader, whether you're seasoned or just starting out. Check out...
Aug 09, 2024•33 min
If, by some impossible chance, you’ve missed it: the Olympics are currently happening. As I’ve been watching, I’ve been thinking a lot about perfection—these athletes are as close to perfection in their sports as is possible to be, and that’s why we celebrate them. In fact, “perfectionism” as a concept is something we tend to really value in our culture. However, not too long ago, psychologists considered perfectionism to be a form a neurosis—being “perfect” is unattainable, and the pursuit of i...
Aug 02, 2024•24 min
Our health and fitness is foundational for every aspect of our lives, from our energy levels, our career goals, and even to our relationships… so what’s holding so many of us back from prioritizing those things? We need to put ourselves first in order to accomplish all the things we want to do, and a big part of putting ourselves first is integrating healthy habits into our lives on a daily basis. We overload ourselves with things on our to-do list and then abandon ship the second we miss a day....
Jul 26, 2024•1 hr
The more I study leadership, the more it becomes clear that competence is the entry fee in having influence. You've got to be good at what you do. Not only does competence make you a more inspiring and influential leader, but it also builds your sense of self and confidence, but many face the Beginner’s Paradox: how do you develop confidence without evidence, and how do you build evidence without opportunity? This is where the concept of the Growth Mindset comes in. Just because you lack a certa...
Jul 19, 2024•24 min
I don’t work with a ton of people who explicitly say that they hate themselves, but when I get to the root of their thoughts and behaviors, they don’t treat themselves like someone they like. I do this too! We’re extremely critical of ourselves, we constantly judge ourselves for the millions of things we think we “should” be doing but aren’t, and by the end of the day we have no emotional capacity or bandwidth left to do anything but zone out with food, endless scrolling, Netflix, or all three. ...
Jul 12, 2024•34 min
One of the first personal development books I ever read had a theory that breaks down the needs of the human brain into 5 categories: status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness. This book suggests that when these needs are met, the brain produces a “reward response,” which, in turn, creates a sense of safety and security and makes us more thoughtful, motivated, engaged, productive, and overall pleasant. Conversely, when these needs aren’t met, the brain produces a “threat response” w...
Jul 05, 2024•35 min
Let’s have a conversation about conversations. Look, it’s never fun to have difficult conversations (think setting boundaries, holding someone accountable, or easing hostility) but the best leaders are the people who are willing to get uncomfortable, have a chat, and seek to understand. So today, let’s talk about the different kinds of difficult conversations you’re sure to have as a coach or leader and how to facilitate them in an actually productive way. It might feel uncomfortable and you mig...
Jun 28, 2024•40 min
If you want to do anything in life, you’re going to experience some negative feelings. It’s just a fact of life and existence—we’re all going to suffer in some way or other. The real key to getting through it all and to live a meaningful existence isn’t a rejection of the hard things, but acceptance of them. If we can be willing to experience that pain, accept it, and still choose actions in line with our personal values, then we’re well on the way to being in the top 10%—hell, even top 1%—of ev...
Jun 21, 2024•32 min
It’s a momentous day here on the pod—this is our hundredth episode. And while I won’t bore you with 100 lessons learned in 100 episodes, I did want to talk about what I think is the ultimate concern of this podcast, or the deepest, most fundamental priority of what I hope this podcast teaches you. So what’s it all for? If you’ve been around these past 100 episodes, maybe you’ll know: it’s that you have to lead yourself first, before you can lead anyone else. Today I wanted to share the best way ...
Jun 14, 2024•30 min
The great Michelangelo once said of his sculptures, “ The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.” I think the same can be said of motivation—our clients, coworkers, and employees have innate motivation, all we need to do is tune in to the right frequency to find what works for each individual. Today, I wanted to share a more practical view to motivation, because as we all know, you c...
Jun 07, 2024•34 min
If you know me, you know I’m obsessed with relationships of all kinds, but today I wanted to focus on the most important relationship fo my life: my marriage. My wife, Kelsey, and I have been together for 10 years now, which essentially makes us experts at relationships. I’m kidding, of course, but in 10 years, we’ve grown as individuals and as a couple and learned a lot. So today, Kels and I are sharing 10 of the most important lessons we’ve learned in the span of our relationship. Check out th...
May 31, 2024•35 min
Humans are social creatures. We’re wired to be around others, and what’s more, we’re wired to attune to the emotional states and even behaviors of the people we spend time with. Researchers call this social contagion—it’s the spread of emotions and behaviors through a group of connected social groups. Understanding and accepting the realities of this social contagion can help us see the bigger picture of our clients’ lives and turn us into not only better coaches and leaders, but kinder and more...
May 24, 2024•19 min
If you’ve ever listened to this podcast (or any piece of self-help media for that matter) and thought, “well that’s all great advice, but it would never work for me,” let this be the one episode you take to heart. So many of us get stuck in a rut, feeling like we have no control over our lives. Psychologists call this a low “locus of control,” where we feel like nothing we do matters, that life is just something happening *to* us. The problem with that line of thinking is that it keeps us misera...
May 17, 2024•30 min
