Claim OwnershipWhat's on Your Bookshelf?
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© 2025 What's on Your Bookshelf?
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“What’s On Your Bookshelf” is a personal and professional growth podcast exploring the intersections of passion, potential, and purpose - featuring multi-certified coach and leadership development consultant Denise R. Russo alongside Sam Powell, Zach Elliott, Tom Schweizer, Dennis LaRue, and Michelle King.
148 Episodes
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We explore the Third Agreement—don’t make assumptions—through real stories at work and home, and connect it to impeccable words and not taking things personally. Curiosity, clear communication, and coaching emerge as tools to replace guesswork with truth and recover agency. • the trap of adding meanings that were never said • how merit myths distort hiring and rejection • assuming positive intent to lower threat and listen • practical questions that replace stories with facts • coaching as a...
We explore the second agreement from The Four Agreements and show how not taking things personally creates real freedom. Personal stories, practical tools, and a clear path to separate identity from other people’s words and your own inner critic • Why “not taking it personally” breaks hidden agreements • Words as spells that bind or free • The cost of praise and criticism when you cling to either • Childhood labels shaping adult identity • Reframing feedback as data not destiny • Choice over...
We unpack the first of The Four Agreements—be impeccable with your word—and show how language can free you from despair, gossip, and self-betrayal. Through stories, studies, and practical steps, we map a path from reactive speech to clear, kind, and effective communication. • defining agreements as accepted beliefs that shape behavior • why words are “magic” and how tone carries intent • garden metaphor for thoughts as seeds and mind as soil • stories on encouragement, silence, and lasting i...
We question the dream of society, how attention is trained by repetition, and why most of our beliefs were never chosen by us. We map the Judge and the Victim, explore fear versus love, and share practical ways to rewrite old agreements and reclaim energy. • dreaming while awake and the dream of the planet • attention as a spotlight that shapes belief • domestication through punishment and reward • cultural programming, normalizing and perspective shifts • the book of law, the Judge and the ...
We open a new arc with The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, shifting from a year of habits and happiness into a practice of inner freedom rooted in Toltec wisdom. The smoky mirror story sets our theme: clear the fog, see the light, and rebuild beliefs that actually serve. • framing freedom as the progression after happiness and habits • why Toltec roots and the smoky mirror metaphor matter • decisions that pinch and how projection clouds advice • images of light versus labels and roles • ...
We pause between books to invite you to read with us and announce The Four Agreements as our next deep dive into practical personal freedom for work and life. We share why slow, deliberate reading changes behavior, and offer a complimentary Agile Brain assessment to support the journey. • reason for a pause and invitation to catch up • announcement of The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz • link promise to buy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble • personal freedom as a leadership cornerstone ...
We close out the book’s final chapter with a clear call to move from mantra to motion, to treat growth as a loop—think, act, learn, repeat—and to choose deliberate trade-offs instead of waiting for perfect timing. Stories, tools, and a simple challenge help you shift from can’t to won’t to done. • mindset loop from internal assertions to external action • sacrifice and invisible work behind visible success • stop waiting for perfect timing and change current behavior • can’t vs won’t reframe...
We explore how “expect nothing, accept everything” shifts us from rumination to action, drawing on Stoic ideas, happiness research, and candid stories from work and home. The theme is simple: lower the grip of outcomes, raise ownership in the present, and move. • why hidden expectations derail progress and mood • solving the reality–expectation gap without toxic positivity • Inside Out as a model for reframing and presence • attention bias and choosing what to notice • work examples where ti...
We unpack Chapter 7—“I am relentless”—and connect mantras to motion, turning obstacles, doubt, and even well-meaning advice into fuel for consistent action. We share stories about evolving dreams, identity shifts, and practical ways to align emotion with execution. • recap of key mantras and why action matters • obstacles and discomfort as raw material for growth • rivers and water as a metaphor for persistence • loved ones’ advice as resistance and how to filter it • identity, judgment, and...
We explore Chapter Six of Gary John Bishop's "Un-F Yourself," challenging the notion that we are defined by our thoughts and asserting that our actions ultimately determine our reality and results. • Your thoughts influence what you do, but you are defined by your actions, not what's in your head • Breaking through belief barriers requires focusing on the next small step rather than getting overwhelmed by the entire journey • Small, consistent actions compound over time to create significant...
We explore embracing uncertainty as the pathway to growth and transformation in our lives, examining how our natural addiction to prediction often keeps us stuck in the past rather than moving forward. • Uncertainty is where new happens, but humans are wired to avoid it as a survival mechanism • What you want in life exists outside your comfort zone - if it were inside, you'd already have it • The most successful people doubted themselves daily but acted despite their fears • Theodore Roosev...
We explore Gary John Bishop's powerful message that no matter what obstacles we face, we already possess the inner strength to overcome them, though this doesn't mean we have perfect solutions or easy paths forward. • Negative experiences rarely stay contained – they spread like toxic chemicals into all aspects of our lives • There's no such thing as work-life balance because we have one integrated life where everything bleeds together • Reflecting on past challenges helps us recognize our r...
We dive into Chapter 3 of "Un**** Yourself" by Gary John Bishop, exploring the concept that we are all "wired to win" - sometimes at things we don't consciously want. • 95% of our daily actions are controlled by our subconscious mind • Your brain is constantly pushing you toward goals, even when you don't realize what those goals are • We can be "winning" at negative behaviors or situations like unhealthy relationships or unfulfilling jobs • Running away from something shouldn't be the path ...
We explore Gary John Bishop's concept that you have the life you're willing to put up with, challenging readers to stop blaming external circumstances and take ownership of their responses to life's events. • The crucial difference between being willing and unwilling to accept your current circumstances • How willingness is defined as "the quality or state of being prepared" – readiness for action • The paradox that sometimes becoming unwilling to tolerate your situation is the catalyst for ...
We explore how negative self-talk holds us back and dive into practical ways to break free from limiting thought patterns. Neuroscience research shows we have over 50,000 thoughts daily, and the quality of these thoughts profoundly impacts our lives. • Feelings from negative thoughts are exponentially stronger than positive ones • Being stuck on a mental "hamster wheel" prevents forward progress • The key is recognizing that "you are the answer" to your own problems • Negative thoughts often...
We introduce a book that's new to both of our bookshelves: Gary John Bishop's "Un-F-Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life." Unlike previous episodes where at least one of us had read the book before, we're both diving into this one together, exploring its no-nonsense approach to personal development. • "Un-F-Yourself" offers a wake-up call about how we often block our own progress • The book's main premise: you are the problem standing in your own way • Contrasting with stoic phi...
We explore the final chapter of Ryan Holiday's "The Obstacle is the Way," focusing on how life requires us to continuously begin again and view obstacles as opportunities rather than barriers. • The cycle of obstacles never ends - when we navigate one, another emerges • Mountains behind mountains - life presents continuous challenges requiring perpetual readiness • Obstacles become opportunities when we change our perspective and approach • Success comes from seeing clearly, acting correctly...
We explore two powerful concepts from Ryan Holiday's "The Obstacle Is The Way" that can transform how we approach life's challenges: loving everything that happens and cultivating perseverance. • Thomas Edison's warehouse fire destroyed $23 million worth of inventions, yet he watched with wonder and returned to work the next day • Shifting from "have to" to "get to" perspective reconnects us with gratitude and excitement • The story of Olivia, who transformed flood devastation into an organi...
We dive into Ryan Holiday's exploration of "Anticipation" and "The Art of Acquiescence" from his bestseller "The Obstacle is the Way," revealing how planning for failure can actually set you up for success. • Exploring the concept of the "pre-mortem" – envisioning potential failures before they happen • Building resilience through anticipating obstacles rather than being blindsided by them • Using the "What if?" exercise to prepare contingency plans for potential challenges • Learning to sep...
We delve into the final section of Ryan Holiday's "The Obstacle is the Way," exploring how will—the discipline of the heart and soul—creates an inner fortress that no external adversity can break. • Will represents quiet humility, resilience, and flexibility rather than forceful determination • Abraham Lincoln's depression became his strength, teaching him to lead with dignity during America's Civil War • The "inner citadel" concept describes the core part of ourselves that remains untouchab...
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This is really thought provoking and excellent content that helps you understand more about yourself and leadership. The content is well thought out and worth the investment of time. Really love the discussion and the weekly actions/accountability that shows that the people making these podcasts live what they say. I have loved them all! Keep up the great work!