Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

Guest Byron Edgington is a retired commercial helicopter pilot, writer, a graduate of The Ohio State University, and a dedicated cook using only plants. His other interests include a daily crossword puzzle, meditation, and a four-year association with BizCatalyst 360 and its weekly Friendship Bench. Edgington lives with his wife Mariah in North Florida. His Substack essays, titled "Passing Thoughts," can be found at byronedgington.substack.com. Summary: Why this discussion matters Byron shares his journey to a whole food, plant-based diet after a heart attack and a life-changing exposure to nutritional research. He and his wife transitioned overnight and experienced dramatic health improvements, including weight loss and the elimination of prescription medications. The conversation expands to explore the environmental impact of meat production, animal cruelty in factory farming, and how food choices can shape personal health and global sustainability. Three Takeaways A plant-based diet can lead to significant health improvements, including weight loss and the reversal of chronic conditions such as heart disease. Animal agriculture has a substantial negative impact on the environment, including excessive water usage and land occupation. Many common misconceptions about diet, such as the necessity of meat for protein or milk for strong bones, are challenged by scientific research. Social Media Substack: byronedgington.substack.com The Substack article we reference. References / additional background info on moving to a plant-based diet This is a 7-page doc that Byron created that fleshes out various benefits of moving to a plant-based diet.

Guest None today; just me reflecting on recent events. Summary After participating in New York City's "No Kings" march, I reflect on the urgency of defending democracy, drawing parallels between the current political climate and 1930s Germany. A conversation sparked by a protest sign leads me to contemplate his father's World War II contributions. Later, a chance visit to a bookstore uncovers Remember Us by Robert M. Edsel, deepening my appreciation for those buried at Margraten Cemetery in the Netherlands. The essay ultimately underscores how freedom is built on sacrifice—and how remembering the dead is a civic responsibility, not just a historical ritual. As you'll hear, this episode is a wonderful example of serendipity. Three Important Takeaways: Historical Memory Is a Call to Action: The march and its signs, especially those invoking fascism, reveal the importance of remaining vigilant against authoritarianism by remembering history and those who resisted it. Freedom Is Not Just a Word: The author challenges the overuse of "freedom," urging a deeper understanding of its cost—measured not only in lives lost but in the potential and beauty those lives might have created. Remembrance Is a Moral Duty: Inspired by Dutch citizens who adopt and care for the graves of fallen American soldiers, the author reaffirms the responsibility of the living to honor those sacrifices through both remembrance and action.

Guest Cindy House is the author Mother Noise, a memoir in essays and a regular opener for David Sedaris on his tours across the country. She teaches nonfiction in the Lesley University MFA program and memoir writing at the Gotham Writers Workshop. She also offers private writing classes. Summary This podcast episode explores the art of memoir writing with Cindy House, my memoir writing coach. My conversation with Cindy delved into the memoir's rising popularity and its essential elements. Cindy emphasizes curiosity as the foundation of writing—be still my curious soul!—and how memoir differs from autobiography by focusing on specific aspect of one's life rather than a comprehensive account. Our conversation also covers the major elements of memoirs, including the importance of a central dramatic question, its supporting thematic framework, and the structure that holds everything together. Cindy shares insights on overcoming writer's resistance and self-doubt, offering practical strategies for perseverance. The episode also tackles the complex nature of truth in memoir writing, highlighting the significance of personal perspective over historical accuracy. Three Key Takeaways: Curiosity drives the writing process and is essential for personal and creative growth. Memoir writing focuses on specific life aspects and requires a central dramatic question and thematic framework. Truth in a memoir is often subjective, relying on personal experience and memory rather than historical accuracy. Social Media Website Writer Noise Substack Email

Guest Bill Whiteside is a sales and marketing executive turned software salesman turned lay historian turned writer of narrative non-fiction, specifically a forthcoming book about an incident in Winston Churchill's tenure as Britain's Prime Minister during World War II. Summary In this episode of "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity," I talk with Bill about the process of writing the book on Churchill, which he's detailed in a new book, Everybody Knows a Salesman Can't Write a Book. As Bill has written, "My book is for anyone who dreams of turning a creative idea into commercial reality, especially anyone who wonders how to manage the intellectual and the business challenges of writing a book while working a traditional job." Bill was a previous guest in episode 203, where we discussed the forthcoming Churchill book. Takeaways √ Bill's forthcoming book is a story about Winston Churchill and a deadly incident in the early days of World War II of which most people are not aware; a clash between the British and French, who up to the time of the incident, had been allies. √ The book is an intersection of "how to write," the content of the incident between Britain and France, and a memoir of Bill's life during a specific period. √ One of the key questions an aspiring writer has to ask themselves is "Do I have a deep enough passion for this topic to sustain me over a long period of time?" √ In addition to passion, to motivate your readers, it's important to have a sense that you can bring something different to your account of the story, especially with nonfiction. √ One of the challenges of writing is deciding what to leave in, what to leave out. √ There's always a reason not to do something. And most people find that reason and embrace that reason not to do something And it's the people who ignore that and say, I'm going to find the reasons to do something for the people who break through who are successful. Links/References Website: www.perfectlytruestory.com Sign up for Bill's monthly newsletter: https://www.perfectlytruestory.com/background-and-newsletter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-whiteside-lancaster-pa/ Twitter: @PerfAdequate Email: bill.whiteside@perfectlytruestory.com

Guest Valerie Gordon is a 10-time Emmy-winning television producer with over 20 years of producing and overseeing award-winning content for HBO, ESPN, CBS, and the Olympic Games. She knows what makes a story meaningful and memorable and the incredible power of stories to engage, educate and entertain. An engaging speaker with innovative programming, Valerie offers audiences and individuals the storytelling strategies to stand out, whether they want to land a job, secure a promotion, nail the presentation, close the sale, or plan their next chapter. Summary Valerie and I discuss the importance of storytelling in leadership and how to improve storytelling skills. We dive into her highly readable book FIRE YOUR NARRATOR: A Storyteller's Guide to Getting Out of Your Head and Into Your Life, which explores the impact of our internal communications on external communications. Valerie shares her own internal voice, "Squash," and how it hindered her growth. We explore a few of the ten narrator archetypes and some strategies for reshaping personal narratives and achieving healthier perspectives. The book also combines personal stories, neuroscience, and humor to help readers improve their storytelling skills. References/Links Website: https://thestorytellingstrategist.com/ More on the book: https://thestorytellingstrategist.com/fire-your-narrator/ (Available on Amazon and BN.com) Connect with Valerie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriejgordon/ Follow The Storytelling Strategist on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheStorytellingStrategist/ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storytelling_strategist/

Guest Paul Glover is the No B.S. Executive Leadership Coach, assisting leaders in organizations with revenue up to one billion dollars. He's a Tedx speaker, an approved Vistage and YPO Speaker on leadership in the Post-Pandemic work environment, the author of WorkQuake™: Making the Seismic Shift to a Knowledge Economy, a Forbes contributor, a "recovering" federal trial lawyer, an ex-felon, a Starbucks addict, and a Chicago Bears fanatic. Summary: Why this discussion matters In this candid and compelling conversation, Paul Glover shares his journey from successful labor lawyer to convicted felon and how a transformative prison experience led him to embrace vulnerability, personal accountability, and leadership coaching. Drawing on the metaphor of the "medieval fool," Glover emphasizes the value of truth-telling advisors and the importance of self-care and legacy in leadership. His coaching philosophy demands commitment, honesty, and hard work. Three Takeaways The Power of a "Fool": Inspired by the medieval fool who had the psychological safety to tell the king hard truths, Glover advocates for everyone to have a "fool" in their life – someone who provides honest, unfiltered feedback to expose blind spots and ensure accountability. His wife played this critical role during his imprisonment and continues to do so. Accountability as a Catalyst for Change: Glover's own profound transformation was rooted in taking full responsibility for his illegal actions and the devastating impact on his family. He emphasizes that true change and growth, both personally and in leadership, require unwavering personal accountability. Legacy and Self-Care in Leadership: Glover's coaching philosophy prioritizes building a lasting legacy—improving an organization for future leaders—over short-term, ego-driven gains. He also stresses that dedicated self-care is non-negotiable for effective leadership. Social Media Paulglover@sbcglobal.net paul@paulglovercoaching.com paulgloverspeaks.com TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsVweR4yXz4

Guest Tony K Silver is a multi-award-winning LinkedIn expert, who has been helping people on the platform since 2008. He works with individuals and teams. He also presents on LinkedIn at conferences, expos, and company events, live and Online. Because LinkedIn is the preferred platform of professionals, he can work across many different industries, which include professional services, financial, coaches, and speakers, and has clients worldwide. Summary – Why this discussion matters In this episode, I speak with Tony K. Silver, known as "the LinkedIn profiler," about how to optimize LinkedIn profiles for maximum impact. He emphasizes the importance of understanding users' limited attention spans (the "seven-second syndrome"), strategic keyword placement for improved searchability, and creating valuable, consistent content. Tony stresses the importance of a strong "top card" (banner, headshot, headline) and the "About" section with a clear call-to-action. Takeaways You Have 7 Seconds: LinkedIn users judge profiles quickly—your banner, photo, and headline must clearly communicate what you do and why you matter. Use Keywords Strategically: Being found on LinkedIn depends on having the right keywords strategically embedded throughout your profile. Content Quality and Consistency Matter: Posting informative and engaging content regularly (even just biweekly) builds visibility and trust. Social Media WWW.tonyksilver.com

Guest Colleen Kelley Creating fun and accessible chemistry stories has been a labor of love for Colleen, as a retired chemistry professor and author of a series of kid's chemistry comic books. In 2023, the PBS short documentary, "Comic Book Chemistry," was awarded an Emmy. Colleen holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Penn State University and was a tenured professor with research expertise in environmental toxicology, medicinal chemistry, and chemistry education. Why This Episode Matters In this interview, Dr. Colleen discusses her journey from teaching college chemistry to developing "molecular literacy" programs for children ages 4-10. Inspired by her childhood experience with the Three Mile Island incident and challenges teaching college students, she created comic books with character-based storytelling to make chemistry accessible. She believes building neural pathways for understanding chemistry symbols early helps overcome traditional learning barriers and promotes lifelong scientific curiosity. Three Important Takeaways Chemistry education faces significant challenges, with a 50% failure rate among college students, often because they lack foundational understanding of molecular symbols and concepts. Teaching "molecular literacy" through storytelling and character-based learning engages young learners and creates neural pathways that make advanced chemistry concepts more accessible later in life. Chemistry education should extend beyond traditional classroom settings to help people of all ages (8-108) understand scientific concepts relevant to climate change, health issues, and daily life. Referenced https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-kelley-ph-d-049aa91ab/ https://www.youtube.com/@ChemistryColleen

Guest In a career that spanned a quarter-century, Ted Czech covered crime for newspapers in three states. Disenchanted with how journalism was taught and practiced, Czech launched a second career in public relations in 2021 and began work on Saving the Beast: A Recovering Reporter Reflects on America's Broken Media and How to Fix It. Why This Episode Matters This episode explores the state of American journalism with Ted Czech, a former newspaper reporter and author of Saving the Beast. Czech critiques the decline of objective reporting, attributing it to sensationalism, ideological bias, and personality-driven news. He advocates for a return to balanced, fact-based journalism. Key takeaways: Journalism must separate fact from opinion to maintain credibility. Media polarization feeds public echo chambers. Restoring trust will require structural and cultural change. Referenced / Social Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-czech-815b8822/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RecoveringReporter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ted.czech/ X: https://x.com/TedCzech About Jeff Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. "Quetico" (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government. Jeff has hosted the "Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity" podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness. Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change. Show Credits "Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It's brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for. "Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.

Guest Jon Waterman's immersive explorations of wilderness and environmental issues are distilled within his 17 books, in a mission to inspire readers to protect the planet's natural wonders. His book Into the Thaw: Witnessing Wonder Amid the Arctic Climate Crisis is drawn from some of his life's most profound journeys. By taking risks and tackling difficult issues, his work transcends traditional outdoor yarns and has garnered numerous awards, such as a Literary Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts. Summary In this episode, writer and Arctic explorer Jon Waterman shares insights from his decades-long journeys across Alaska's Arctic wilderness. He paints a sobering picture of climate change's accelerating impact—melting permafrost, vanishing sea ice, shifting wildlife patterns, and imperiled native villages. As the Arctic warms nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet, Jon calls it "the canary in the coal mine" and urges us to recognize the global implications—and take action. Three Important Takeaways The Arctic Is Warming Rapidly The region is experiencing climate change nearly four times faster than the rest of the globe, leading to permafrost melt, disrupted ecosystems, and rising sea levels. Local Impacts Have Global Consequences Thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gases like methane, while diminished sea ice alters ocean currents and contributes to extreme weather patterns far beyond the Arctic. Witnessing Wilderness Fuels Urgency and Hope Despite alarming trends, Jon emphasizes the importance of experiencing nature firsthand to foster a sense of wonder, connection, and responsibility to protect it.