Doug Fleener reflects on the misconceptions around alcoholism and how finding AA fueled his recovery and ultimate success.

I also spent many years in 12-step recovery. Here's is my pick for the top five elements we can apply from that philosophy to life and business:

➡ Admit Your Weaknesses—Conduct a 'fearless moral inventory,' as the 12-step world refers to it. Recognise and acknowledge the areas where you or your business may be lacking.

➡ Seek Guidance and Mentorship—One of the most valuable aspects of 12-step groups is that within a few weeks of joining the programme, I was encouraged to find a 'Sponsor'. Ever since, I have sought out coaches and mentors in all areas of my life.

➡ Make Amends—Recovery groups emphasise repairing damaged relationships and maintaining healthy, honest interactions. Don't let bad blood and regret fester. Perhaps the most challenging aspect, but absolutely worth it. Get straight and make it up to those you've harmed.

➡ Continuous Self-Improvement—The 'one day at a time' approach encourages us to start each day intending to get a little better at something. This ethos can serve us personally and professionally. A powerful adjunct to this is that no matter how badly it's going, we can choose to start our day whenever we like.

➡ Service and Giving Back—within weeks of joining a 12-step group, I was encouraged to take on a service position. Life can only improve when you engage in voluntary service somewhere in your life.

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This week's guest is Hunter Hastings, an eclectic professional whose career encompasses roles as an economist, venture capitalist, education reformer and co-author of 'Aberrant Capitalism'.

Born in a working-class family in the industrial northeast of England, his career trajectory has seen him engaging in global branding and consulting and contributing significantly to the realm of business education.

Hunter is fascinating as a man who, while working in venture capitalism, clearly sees the ills of financial capitalism and is passionate about transforming the way future business leaders prioritize service for the betterment of society.

We discuss:
- In defence of the consumer
- The rot of Financial Capitalism
- A new vision for business education
- Entrepreneurship as process, not personalities
- What leaders and managers can change right now

Links:
Hunter's Website - https://hunterhastings.com/
Hunter's LinkedIn Page - Hunter's LinkedIn Page - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterhastings/
Aberrant Capitalism - The Book - Aberrant Capitalism - The Book - https://amzn.to/3ycl28y
The Value Creators - The Value Creators - https://thevaluecreators.com/
Bialla Venture Partners -https://www.bialla.com/ - https://www.bialla.com/

I finally got around to reading James Clear's Atomic Habits, a gem of a book, on the recommendation of the ever-useful @tomvanderlubbe8146.

It was well worth it.

Here, I share the book's basic idea and how I've successfully applied it to sales, a field that used to be my bête noire. So far, it's been transformative.

This is well worth a watch if you need help establishing a habit in sales or any other aspect of your life.

Get the book here https://amzn.to/3JWrXFr

Join us for a live podcast recording with Hunter Hastings, author of Aberrant Capitalism: The Decay and Revival of Customer Capitalism.

If it's good enough for war hero General Grant...

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This week's guest is Lauren Magers, who has to be the highest-energy woman I've ever met. She's been told she could be the 'female Tony Robbins', and I can understand why.

She went from winning a top soccer college scholarship to a national sales leader in outdoor advertising sales. Her drive was such that she refused to leave the office without making 100 cold calls a day!

At 27, she found herself as co-leader of an Inc. 5000 company and a mother of four. She discovered that in order to create the happy family life she lacked as a child, she would need a system. Thus, the Happy Life System was born.

The Happy Life System is not just a game; it's a transformative tool. It introduces gamification into daily life skills for children, empowering them to understand and leverage the 'why' behind their actions. By fostering adaptability and promoting conscious awareness, the system turns routine activities into exciting opportunities for personal growth.

We discuss:
- Being forced to eat soap as a child
- Discernment in preserving energy
- Reframing our view of children
- Gamifying Family Happiness
- Loving from a distance

Links:
The Happy Life System - https://www.laurenmagers.com/
Get 20% Off Lauren's Crack the Parenting Code Course - https://beinghuman--happylifesystem.thrivecart.com/crackthecode/

Trauma Recovery and High Performance are not two terms we often see in the same sentence.

And yet, releasing trauma can be the key to breakthroughs in so many aspects of high performance.

(*Includes surprise guest)

To Feel or Not to Feel? That is the question.

As stoicism is experiencing a resurgence in interest right now, I offer my view on when it's good to surrender to our feelings and when it's best to control them.

If you're feeling low right now, is it down to not being able to express your virtues?

Thoughts from Ryan A Bush, author of 'Become Who You Are'.

Become the person you most admire.

Guidance from Ryan A Bush, author of Become Who You Are.

Being authentic can mean being vulnerable.

However, T. Mark Meyer explains how "vulnerability must not become an excuse for not doing anything or having to do a certain thing, because then we take the growth away."

How David Wolfe got his love of juicing..

Renowned therapist Pete Walker on why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy alone just isn't going to cut it..

A live podcast recording with Greg Wrenn, author of the book Mothership, discussing how he turned to endangered coral reefs psychedelic plans to heal from complex PTSD—and waking up his ecological conscience along the way

Inner child work was very important to me in the early stages of my therapeutic journey, but eventually I had to let go of it.

I explain below:

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This week's guest is Jan Winhall, a seasoned trauma and addiction psychotherapist and author of the book 'Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model'.

Jan had a remarkable start to her career. In her early twenties, she found herself leading group sessions for incest survivors. Over time, she learned the power of the Felt Sense and then how to integrate this with the Polyvagal Model.

We discuss:
- Beyond Fight-Flight: The Polyvagal Theory
- The importance of the Felt Sense in healing
- The nonsense of the DSM diagnoses
- The issue with 12-step programmes
- You can cure your addiction

Links:
Jan's Website - https://janwinhall.com/
Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model - The Book - https://amzn.to/4cVk7Ju

Some of the most important work I've done to date in managing my well-being is boundary work.

I've become proficient in techniques like Nonviolent Communication and Clean Language to give people feedback on what behaviour I find acceptable and unacceptable.

However, I can now see a level beyond this where instead of attempting to manage the behaviours of others around me, my ultimate freedom is in becoming 'un-triggerable'.

Basically, my default now is that whenever somebody crosses a perceived boundary of mine, instead of asking, 'How can I stop this person from doing that again?', it's 'How can I resolve the underlying trigger such that this behaviour has no power over me?' regardless of how objectively 'bad' or 'toxic' that behaviour might be.

I'm sure there are limits to this approach, but that's now my default orientation.

Former City Manager Glenn Akramoff reminds us that your impact on the team is absolute.

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This week, I speak with Lou Lebentz, trauma specialist, mental health campaigner, author, speaker, and therapist.

With over 25 years of working in the mental health arena and a deeply personal understanding of the impact of trauma, Lou has developed The Voyage Academy, a theoretical model used for helping others navigate their healing journeys. Her approach is trauma-informed, emphasizing the importance of compassion, understanding, and resilience. Her work is a testament to the transformative power of recovery and the possibility of finding hope and healing.

We discuss:
- From the rag trade to The Priory
- Recovering from psychosis
- Integrating and befriending the body
- Alignment and community support
- The journey from trauma to resilience

Links:
Lou's Website - https://loulebentz.com/
The Voyage Academy - https://www.thevoyageacademy.com/
Lou's Books - https://amzn.to/3x5AT85

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▶️ Cause breakthrough results for your business or team in three months - sign them up here: https://www.firsthuman.com/leadership-programme/
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I am delighted to welcome Peter Levine back on the show. Peter is a world-renowned trauma recovery expert and the creator of the Somatic Experiencing method.

While discussing his latest book, An Autobiography Of Trauma, Peter bravely delves into the painful childhood experiences and the early steps that led him to develop his somatic approach.

We discuss:
- Taking our dreams seriously
- The role of psychedelics
- Confrontations with the academic establishment
- His life's mission

Links:
Peter's Website - https://www.somaticexperiencing.com/
An Autobiography of Trauma - The Book - https://amzn.to/3TOC5pk

Join us for a live podcast recording with Lou Lebentz, trauma specialist, mental health campaigner, speaker + therapist.

Can we heal fully from the trauma we've experienced?

In this video, I reflect on my recent conversation with Peter Levine and our difference in opinions whether a person can fully heal or not.

Prepare to question the allure of life hacks as this captivating as T. Mark Meyer exposes the truth about authenticity and self-discovery.
Join the conversation as we delve into the pitfalls of comparing ourselves to others and falling for quick-fix solutions. Discover the real path to happiness and fulfillment by reconnecting with your authentic self.
Don't miss this thought-provoking journey that will revolutionize your perspective on personal growth and success.

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This week, I speak with Michael OBrien, a speaker, author, business coach, and the creator of the Pause, Breathe, Reflect movement.

Whilst enjoying his life leading marketing for a $700m brand, in July 2011, whilst out riding his bike, Michael was slammed through the windshield of a speeding Ford Explorer. The devastating impact broke bones and damaged nerves throughout his body.

Experiencing depression as the enormity of his injuries bore down on him, Michael learned the power of gratitude and mindfulness.

Having now left corporate life, Michael is on a mission to share the strategies that have worked for him with the world.

We discuss:
- The simple gratitude practice that resulted in his Last Bad Day
- The breathing technique that started his mindfulness journey
- How he used his Pause, Breath, Reflect approach to powerfully navigate corporate life

Links:
Michael's Website - https://www.michaelobrienshift.com/
The Pause Breathe Reflect app - https://amzn.to/3VgBPR5
Shift: Creating Better Tomorrows - The Book - https://amzn.to/3VgBPR5

Chapters:
00:01:17 - Intro
00:05:06 - The Last Bad Day of My Life
00:09:59 - Finding Gratitude and Mindset Shifts
00:15:07 - Overcoming Mental Anguish and Depression in Recovery
00:20:02 - Incorporating Mindfulness Into Daily Life
00:24:50 - Building a Morning Routine for Mindfulness
00:29:51 - Returning to Work and Overcoming Fear
00:34:40 - Getting Stronger Day by Day
00:39:56 - The Benefits of Mindfulness and Inclusion in the Workplace
00:45:10 - Moments of Frustration and Anger
00:50:05 - Reflecting and Shifting Energy
00:55:12 - Staying true to your creative vision

Are anxiety attacks holding you back in life?

In this video, I will reveal a strategy that has worked with my clients to overcome anxiety attacks and reclaim control over their mind and body.

I'll invite you to confront and name your fears, tune into your sensations, and find profound relief.

Learn from the inspiring story of "Andrew", who conquered anxiety attacks and regained his freedom.

Don't let anxiety keep you from reaching your full potential—watch now to take your first step towards a life free from panic.