Remote Pep Talks with Ryan Millar

Remote Pep Talks with Ryan Millar Episode: Setting Sail on New VenturesEpisode Summary Ryan once dismissed sailing as an elitist pastime. But after stepping aboard tall ships at SAIL Amsterdam, he discovered something else entirely: sailing is rebellion, discipline, and freedom all at once. In this episode, Ryan unpacks how the craft of sailing offers powerful lessons for launching new ventures — including his own with Dashwell, a company helping people communicate with clarity, presence, and impact.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy real freedom is built on discipline, competence, and teamwork.How to “put miles beneath the keel” when starting something new.What sailing can teach us about leading, adapting, and showing up fully.Key Quotes“Sailing is the ultimate ‘forget convention’ move — it’s freedom earned through skill.”“Even in calm waters, you’re always working your ship. Progress never happens on autopilot.”“Launching something new means casting off — even if the horizon feels uncertain.”Your Pep Talk Whether you’re sitting on an idea, halfway through a project, or ready for a new chapter, this is your invitation: cast off, adjust your sails, and set your course. The discipline and craft you bring will carry you further than you think.Ryan’s New Venture This episode is also the beginning of Dashwell — Ryan’s new coaching and training company that blends improvisation, storytelling, and presence to help professionals thrive when it matters most. 👉 Learn more at www.dashwell.orgCredits Sailboat sounds: Studio Nowhere Music: Josh “Bone 40”

We're going back into the vault and reissuing some old episodes. Enjoy this one in which Ryan dives into the topic of imposter syndrome, which let's be honest, is probably something you've wrestled with in the past. Hopefully successfully, though it's likely an ongoing battle.

This is not just about turtles, it's about memorization, persistence and meaning making.Also, here's the poem Turtle, by Kay RyanWho would be a turtle who could help it?A barely mobile hard roll, a four-oared helmet,she can ill afford the chances she must takein rowing toward the grasses that she eats.Her track is graceless, like dragginga packing-case places, and almost any slopedefeats her modest hopes. Even being practical,she's often stuck up to the axle on her wayto something edible. With everything optimal,she skirts the ditch which would converther shell into a serving dish. She livesbelow luck-level, never imagining some lotterywill change her load of pottery to wings.Her only levity is patience,the sport of truly chastened things.

Sometimes events can bum us out, big things out of our control. In that case, let's focus on what we can manage. In this episode, which happens to take place on the sidelines of a community football match, Ryan lays out three things that you can focus on to help you power through. 

Ryan talks the importance of finishing work, and to prove the point he shares a rap song he made a few years ago, that actually turned out to be pretty good. Finish your things. Not all of them, of course.

Ryan takes a walk in the woods and discusses the importance of taking steps, both physical and figurative.Topics covered include podcasting, push-ups, housework and parenting. 

A delightful, wide-ranging and in-depth chat with the fascinating and delightful Jillian Vorce of the Jillian Group. In addition to being an exceptionally good hang, Jillian is a B-Corp consultant, podcaster, and speaker with a heart for sustainability. In this episode we look back at how she started her agency, grew it so rapidly, and how and why she ended up changing directions in her personal and professional life, and what all of that has taught her. 

In this episode Ryan sits around the campfire and discusses sticking with projects even during the time when they start to get tricky, and the initial enthusiasm wanes. It's short and sweet with lots of useful reinforcing ideas about the value of sticktoitiveness, which is incidentally a great word.

Let's head to the library and talk about words. Ryan loves words, and he loves using them and talking about them. He's also celebrating the publication of a new book "Daft Poems & Twisted Tongues: An Assortment of Wonderful Words", hence today's topic. The discussion covers Speak and Spell, tongue twisters and the reasons for putting together a kids' book of poetry and using a nom de plume. Here's an Amazon link to check it out: https://www.amazon.com/dp/9082771438

On this episode Ryan sits with Mike Brown of New York's Pineapple Improv (https://www.pineappleimprov.com/). This discussion falls under the heading of a "Project Pitch Polish" episode, as Ryan and Mike dive into the mechanics and specifics of how Mike talks about his improv baby, and also they talk about the value of using the gift of pineapple as conversation fodder. They also get into Mike's love of collectibles, dinner party etiquette, and film buffery. Mike is an ebullient, engaging and passionate guy who also happens to be a seasoned improviser and all-around good human. Enjoy! 

Ryan's back from yoga, and it's put him into a new perspective, which is: the importance of taking it easy. So don't forget to relax, and enjoy that. 

How can we continue to develop as people and as practitioners of whatever it is that we're working on? Ryan visits the Straat Museum in Amsterdam Noord and reflects on the importance of artistic evolution to keep us stimulated and engaged. From bucking your own system to keeping your identity small, Ryan explores how continued evolution is necessary for continued fulfillment.   

In this ultra-short episode, I start warming up the feed for Season Three, after a long hiatus. A quick check-in, just to get us back to square zero. More episodes coming soon.   

This episode discusses the difference between speaking confidently and speaking loudly. It also breaks down the bookwriting process and Ryan's own history helping people learn to speak with confidence. As this episode is related to Ryan's upcoming book release, he runs through the different sections of "The Confident Presenter" and why the book is organized that way. Oh, and this is the final ep of season two. Enjoy!

Ryan's writing a book, and that project is BIIIIIG. And then he just stopped. For like, a month. Now, as he gets back to it, he reflects on the project, the stop, and how seasons and rhythms affect our work. This RPT takes place in a lush quiet winter forest. Enjoy! 

There's a quote from Albert Einstein in this episode. And that guy was very smart!

Kids can be soooooo frustrating! Obviously, this topic will be a familiar one for anyone who's a parent or who has been a kid. It's all about dealing with frustrations, but especially about dealing with the frustrations of having kids. And needing to get those kids to school. Spurred on by a listener inquiry, Ryan tackles the topic head-on, and draws on some timeless wisdom, including a quote about halving a burden, as well as one about stepping in the same river twice. There's also a pretty decent off-the-cuff gold panning metaphor that is alone worth the price of admission. Visit the playground, bathe in the sounds, and enjoy some peppy wisdom.

Exploring depth means to dive beneath the surface. Too often, we can skirt the surface of things, without giving their full space our full attention. There are a few different ways we can reckon more completely with things in their depth, including ourselves. Some of the concepts, ideas and media mentioned in this episode include the notion of a "depth year", Stephen King's "On Writing", Natasha Lyonne's "Russian Doll" (and a piece of wisdom Ryan picked up from her) and more. 

In this summertime easy listening episode, Ryan visits a foosball-filled house party to discuss the value of networking, the mindset shift that can support it, and some tactics for improving our networking experiences.

In this episode, Ryan discusses shitty first drafts, the Losada line, sustaining our craft, bringing your best self to the office and a myriad of other ways that positivity can and does have an effect on our work and happiness.