How I Work

The greatest stories inspire, terrify, inform and change us. They might change our lives, or simply help us get through the day. But if we know how central stories are to the human experience, why don’t more of us learn how to craft them more effectively? 

Matthew Dicks has been writing (and teaching writing) for decades now, and he’s seen the craft of storytelling change many lives in many ways. Most of all, he’s seen just how beneficial it is to tell stories to ourselves. 

Whether your ultimate goal is to share your stories with the world, or you just want to give better presentations at the office, learning how to craft a great story won’t just give you more influence over others, it’ll give you more influence over yourself. 

In that spirit, I asked Matthew to help me improve a story I was preparing for a work presentation, and he walked me through his thought process every step of the way. 

Do you have a process for reflecting on the year that was - and for setting yourself up for an amazing year to come?

Joining me today is successful ABC broadcaster and host of Radio National’s ‘This Working Life’, Lisa Leong.

I sat down with Lisa for a chat about her annual tradition of reflecting on the year and setting goals for 2025.

Many of us do this, but how many of us are happy with the result? This episode covers a range of strategies you can use to reflect and set goals for a more successful 2025.

Lisa shares:

-          📓 Some unique strategies for using a diary to reflect on the past year

-          🔮 Why you should do a "pre-mortem" for the incoming year if you want to succeed

-          ✂️ The importance of reflecting on what to remove from your life each year instead of what to add

-          🎯 What you should be doing instead of a traditional New Year’s resolution

Key Quotes:

“For me, discipline is freeing. I see a lot of freedom in discipline.”

“Don't worry too much about ‘how is that going to happen’, but just have the vision there - and the magic happens.”

Fitness superstar Kayla Itsines reveals the hard-won lessons from her entrepreneurial journey, offering invaluable insights for anyone navigating the choppy waters of business and personal growth. Kayla shares how she learned to silence the noise of critics and focus on what truly matters.

Kayla shares:

• 🛡️ The art of handling backlash and staying true to your vision
• 🔇 Why catering to the vocal minority can derail your success
• 🧭 How to maintain your values and sense of self in the face of criticism

Most of us worry about what others think of us at some point. But have you ever considered how that might negatively impact your ability to achieve your goals?

Shelley Johnson is a renowned leadership coach, columnist for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald and the host of top-ranking podcast This Is Work.

I sat down with Shelley for a chat around how we let people’s perceptions of us dictate our actions, and in some worst-case scenarios, stifle our growth.

In this episode, Shelley and I share:

-         The damage that can be done to your development by fearing what other people think

-         Strategies you can use to overcome the fear of other’s judgment

-         What you should be doing instead of oversharing at work if you want to have a positive impact.

-         Why "bringing your whole self to work" might not be the best idea and what you should do instead

-         Some techniques for handling stress and stopping it from overflowing at work

Key Quotes:

“Oversharing doesn't build trust, it actually undermines trust."

“Bring your whole self to work is different to bring your best self to work."

“Every time you get feedback you have a choice. Is this someone A) that I value their opinion. Is this B) useful and C) what do I then do with it?"

ConvertKit Founder and CEO Nathan Barry reveals how he harnessed the power of flywheels to skyrocket growth.Nathan shares:

• 🌀 The physics-inspired concept of flywheels and how it applies to business
• 🚀 Nathan's personal journey from content marketing struggles to sales success
• 📊 The three laws of flywheels that can supercharge your business strategy
• 🔍 A step-by-step breakdown of ConvertKit's game-changing sales flywheel
• 💡 How to turn customer feedback into a powerful growth engine

Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketer, or simply someone looking to boost productivity, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you build unstoppable momentum in your pursuits.