#67 Failure Is Data: Why Progress Matters More Than Perfection

#67 Failure Is Data: Why Progress Matters More Than Perfection

Failure doesn't mean you're doing something wrong—it means you're gathering information. In this episode, Chris reframes how we think about missed goals, underperforming projects, and incomplete attempts. Instead of seeing them as verdicts on your capability, learn to extract the data they offer. Through his experience analyzing nonprofit fundraising appeals and a recent weekend learning digital ham radio, Chris shows how celebrating incremental progress—even when you haven't reached your destination—is where real growth happens. Key Takeaways: * Why treating failure like a verdict closes the door on growth * How to reframe a miss as data instead of a setback * The difference between progress and completion (and why it matters) * Why half-finished attempts are actually part of the process Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:14 Learning from Failure 01:16 Data is Your Friend 02:57 What Growth Looks Like 05:11 Progress is Not Failure 07:42 Embracing the Process of Goal Achievement 09:55 Conclusion This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software! Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/wholisticproductivity] Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community [https://wholprod.link/skool]

#66 Living Life Without Limits with guest Chanelle Wimbish

Welcome to the Wholistic Productivity Podcast! In this episode, Chris sits down with Chanelle Wimbish, clinical research professional and disability advocate who has transformed her lived experience into a mission of accessibility and purpose. For 17 years, Chanelle has been living with a spinal cord injury and using a wheelchair—but she hasn't let that stop her from mountain biking, kayaking, traveling, or pursuing a rich, full life. During their conversation, Chanelle shares: * How her lifelong mindset of determination shaped her after her injury * Why adaptation is the biggest skill she's learned living on wheels * The importance of community and support systems * Her advocacy for better accessibility in public spaces (she serves on the board of Patapsco Valley State Park) * Her new children's book Bradley's Big Question, which she coauthored with her husband—a story about how curiosity and kindness turn confusion into connection Show Links * Buy Chanelle's book Bradley's Big Question [https://wholprod.link/bradleysbigquestion]  * Learn about adaptive opportunities [https://wholprod.link/adaptivePVSP] at Patapsco Valley State Park  * Connect with Chanelle on LinkedIn [https://wholprod.link/ChenelleWimbish]  Chapters 00:00 Introduction  02:57 Living Life Without Limits 06:13 Adapting to Life on Wheels 10:28 The Power of Community 12:18 Balancing Family, Advocacy, and Career 15:52 The Importance of Accessibility 18:39 Understanding the Challenges of Parking 21:25 Confronting Accessibility Issues 24:37 Inspiration Behind the Book 27:47 The Journey to Publication 30:16 The Emotional Achieving Your Dream 32:44 Future Aspirations 34:02 Advice for Rebuilding and Support 35:25 Chasing Big Dreams 38:26 The Questions This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software! This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd [https://wholprod.link/butter] If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters [https://wholprod.link/butter]. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/wholisticproductivity] Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community [https://wholprod.link/skool]

#65 Small Wins Compound: Showing Up When Progress Feels Invisible

Small wins compound. But what about invisible progress? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris dives into the gap between consistency and visible results. Using personal examples from trail running (he's training for the Ragnar Appalachian Relay in August) and over 25 years in nonprofit fundraising, Chris shares how to maintain consistency when the evidence of progress is nowhere to be found. You'll learn: * Why small, consistent actions compound into disproportionate results * How to redefine success when your metrics don't show the real progress * Three concrete ways to keep showing up when you can't see the wins * Why trust in the process isn't blind—it's informed This episode bridges two powerful principles: the effects of compounding and the mindset required to believe in invisible progress. Chapters 00:00 The Problem with Big Goals 02:35 The Power of Small Steps 05:02 Building Consistency for Big Goals 05:46 When Progress Feels Invisible 08:37 Plateaus  in Every Area of Life 09:52 Redefining Success in Training and Life 11:25 Trusting the Process of Consistency 12:34 Conclusion This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software! This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd [https://wholprod.link/butter] If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters [https://wholprod.link/butter]. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/wholisticproductivity] Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community [https://wholprod.link/skool]

#64 One Sentence a Day: Journaling and Weekly Routines That Actually Work

What if the journaling practice you've been avoiding only takes one sentence? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris makes the case for the smallest possible version of a journaling habit — and why that's actually the version that sticks. He shares how pairing it with gratitude gives you a starting point every single day, even the ones that feel completely unremarkable. But finding the time is its own challenge. Chris also walks through how a well-designed weekly routine can protect space for the things that matter — not just your work, but your workouts, your family, and yes, your one sentence. Small habits. Intentional schedules. Big results. 🎧 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Links Sign up [https://wholprod.link/newsletter] for the weekly Wholistic Productivity Newsletter https://wholprod.link/newsletter Chapters 00:00 The Power of One Sentence Journaling 02:30 Gratitude and Journaling 04:14 Journaling Tips 06:24 Why You Need A Routine 07:38 Building A Weekly Routine 10:24 Conclusion This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software! Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/wholisticproductivity] Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community [https://wholprod.link/skool]

#63 More Hours Isn't the Answer

When you fall behind, what's your first instinct? For most people, it's to work more. Stay later, get up earlier, push through the weekend. But in most cases, falling behind isn't a time problem. It's a focus problem. And adding more hours to a focus problem doesn't help you accomplish more, it just gives you more time to be unfocused in. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun shares a story from his own career about a meeting culture that completely swallowed his workday and what happened when leadership finally addressed the right problem instead of just the symptoms. Then, a Foo Fighters song on a trail run sparks a bigger question: are you actually getting the best of yourself, or are the people and obligations around you getting it all while you run on empty? Self-care isn't selfish. It's the foundation. And this episode is a reminder to stop rescuing rest and renewal from the scraps of your week and start treating them as the priority they are. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:14 More Hours 01:19 Meeting Culture Gone Wild 03:36 Fixing the Right Problem 05:10 The Unlikely Question 06:22 Facing the Music 07:15 Self-Care: The Key to Giving Your Best 08:52 Conclusion This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app [https://wholprod.link/sp/efficientapp] do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software! Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/wholisticproductivity] Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community [https://wholprod.link/skool]