Higher Leading with Jay Meyer

Sometimes the best way to hear God’s voice is to lace up your shoes and start walking. Recently, I set out on a 6-hour Via Nova walk—Via Nova meaning “new path” or “new way.” Each hour, I walked and paused to journal what I was hearing from God. I asked Him to speak not only about my future but also about my past journey—the lessons, the blessings, my family, and the people who’ve shaped me along the way. Each hour, I paused to journal what the Good Lord was telling me...

I’m honored to have my cousin, Dr. Ashley Gearhardt, on the podcast today. Ashley is a professor at the University of Michigan (as a Buckeye, I try not to hold that against her), and she is also one of the world’s leading experts on food addiction. I was so surprised to learn from Ashley that by technical definition, the same percentage of people in the U.S. who are addicted to drugs and alcohol are addicted to processed foods! To me that’s an incredible statistic, and Ashley shares her knowl...

It’s a special Father’s Day edition of Higher Leading! I’m joined today by my oldest (Jason) and youngest (Michelle) children, and we’re talking about all-the-things… what participating in college athletics taught them, how their lives and careers were affected by the pandemic, how having a special needs brother (our middle dude, Jordan) has helped shape their character and perspective on life… and so much more. I am so very proud of these two and their brother, and being their dad is the bes...

This is the second episode of Higher Leading dedicated to bringing attention to and reducing the stigma around mental health. My guest today is John Jung, a licensed clinical counselor with over 50 years of professional experience. John’s wisdom and gentle voice have provided strength, guidance and comfort to me many times during our friendship, and I feel blessed to share just a bit of that experience with my listeners. Anxiety is such a common struggle, and shedding light on it by ta...

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 out of every 5 adults in America experiences some sort of mental health illness every year. During this Mental Health Awareness month, I’m dedicating two episodes of Higher Leading to bringing much-needed attention to this growing epidemic. My first guest, Tara Hagan, is a licensed clinical counselor, owner of Hagen Counseling Services and co-founder of the Therapy Collaborative. She is also a family friend whose wisdom on this su...

If you ever needed proof that blind faith paired with passionate action can change the world, then I have it in spades for you today! Heather Salazar, CEO and President of Pink Ribbon Good (PRG), joins me on this episode to share her incredible story of showing up when God called and trusting His plan. It all started when Heather’s path crossed with another young mother struggling through breast cancer treatment. In an amazing leap of courage and faith, Heather showed up in a BIG way to suppo...

Leadership seems to be considered and discussed most often in the context of one’s work or occupation. But being a Higher Leader doesn’t just mean that we lead our employees or our organizations well -- it also requires that we lead ourselves well! On today’s Chalk Talk with Jay, I’m sharing what I define as the 5 Stages of Optimal Self-Leadership. As you listen, I challenge you to think deeply about how you can grow from simply having a title to having absolute trust. *** Here...

Jim Meyer is one of the first Higher Leaders I followed and learned from. He is my mentor and friend and one of my biggest supporters; he is also my big brother! I sat down with Jim on his birthday to talk about family, leadership, service, and of course, basketball. Like me, Jim was a college athlete, and later became a very successful high school girls’ basketball coach who taught the importance of relationships and preparation. Today, Jim continues to serve as a role model for me and...

Most of us are familiar with the phrase “Thy will be done” from the Lord’s Prayer, and today, I want to share the story of a man whose life is one of the most perfect examples of living that phrase that I can think of. As a professional basketball player, Dick Steineman traveled the world playing the game he loved. During his career, an experience on a hillside in Venezuela opened Dick's eyes to a need that he felt God was calling him to fulfill. Upon retirement, Dick returned to his ho...

For this episode, I invited my friend, Doug Meyer (CEO of Brixey and Meyer), back to the podcast for a well-deserved encore. The December 19, 2022, episode of Higher Leading with Doug is my second most downloaded episode to-date, so you know this guy is saying something you should probably hear! From faith and football to family and business, Doug and I share so many values and interests, and I learn a new nugget of life-tested wisdom from him every time we talk. I invite you to listen and le...

The first Higher Leading podcast of 2024 is all about setting yourself up to be a better version of yourself this year than you were last year. God gave us all the ability to imagine ourselves as something more, and He also gave us the capacity to design our lives in any manner that we want. Yet, many of us are simply living by default and spending lots of mental and emotional energy longing for something different. If you find yourself experiencing that there-has-got-to-be-something-more fee...

I was recently asked a question that encouraged me to think deeper about why I publish this podcast. The very first thing that came to mind was that I want to share the leadership lessons I’ve learned (sometimes the hard way!) on my life’s journey. A less obvious goal, perhaps, is that I’d like to inspire young leaders to be good stewards of their God-given gifts, to find the purpose that drives them, and to give more to the world than they take. As we close out 2023 and prepare for new year,...

The tables have turned Higher Leading friends, and this week’s ChalkTalk with Jay is an interview… with me! Earlier this month, I was honored to be a guest on my friend Curt Tucker’s podcast, The Champion Life. Curt's podcast takes a deep dive into what he has defined as his 5 key pillars of Faith, Fitness, Family, Finances and Fun, and how upping your game in these areas can help you start living life like a champion. Listen to hear a little more about my personal story, as well ...

As a young college student working at a youth detention center, Alisha Murray was moved by an encounter with a 10-year-old boy who was caught stealing food. It was in that moment that Alisha started to hear God calling her heart to help youth who struggled to have their very basic needs met. Now, as CEO of Daybreak Dayton, Alisha is living out her purpose by leading the region’s only emergency shelter and enrichment services agency for homeless youth. By intentionally recruiting a...

The month of September is quickly winding down and so is National Recovery Month. This is my last of 3 episodes dedicated solely to the subject of recovery, and today, Elaine Bonner (Director of Philanthropy) and Chris Adams (Co-Founder) from the Emerge Recovery and Trade Initiative have joined me to share their story of faithfully following God’s lead, as they support men and women in recovery, as well as emancipated youth (those aging out of foster care). At Emerge, FAITH is highest on the ...

This is the second episode of my series dedicated to National Recovery Month, and today I’m talking to Jessica Zwayer, the Executive Director of Joshua Recovery Ministries. This faith-based organization offers housing for men, women and most notably, pregnant women and new mothers, who are 30-days sober and in need of a residential environment that will support them in their continuing recovery journey. As a former gambling addict, Jessica has the unique ability to personally relate to the is...

September is National Recovery Month, and for those of you who know my story, you can understand why the month holds special meaning for me. I’m dedicating all three episodes of Higher Leading this month -- yes, there’s a bonus episode! -- to the recovery community by highlighting some Higher Leaders and their organizations who are doing incredible work to make recovery possible. My first guest is Tom Thompson, founder, former CEO and current Chairman of the Board of The Refuge Ohio, a faith-...

Living in the past is the quickest way to having a miserable present and future. If there is something from your past that seems to be holding you back, it’s time to let go and let God. He wants you to live a full and joyful life, but you’ve got to be willing to name and claim the thoughts that are inhibiting you from living in the present and seeing a better future. Then, you must dump those thoughts and learn to resist picking them back up again. Listen to today’s ChalkTalk for my tho...

It’s hard to believe, but this week marks the one-year anniversary of the Higher Leading podcast! To celebrate, I brought back my very first guest, Scott McGohan, former CEO and Co-Chairman of McGohan Brabender. In the episode, we discuss our recovery journeys, and how finally getting vulnerable and truly working on ourselves from the inside out has shaped our leadership styles. We also talk about Scott’s newly published book “Culture Is an Inside Job” (available on Amazon), and I get an upda...

When you’re faced with a difficult problem or experience a major setback, do you immediately think, “Why me?” What if you flipped the script and asked yourself, “Why not me?” instead? One simple word added to this simple question will change your life. Don’t be a victim. Don’t be the devil’s prey. Know that you’ve been chosen not for the pain and struggle, but for the growth and wisdom that comes as a result. Join me on today’s ChalkTalk for my thoughts on living with a VICTOR men...