Episode #10: What is our Identity & why it is important

Episode #1 of Season 2: How to Navigate through Life

Drew and Steve discussed the concept of "Navigate" in their leadership podcast series, focusing on how leaders can lead from their true selves using their core values and identity as navigational tools. Steve shared personal examples of how he used values like "team comes before individual" to make decisions, including his retirement decision and turning down family plans for existing commitments. They explored practical navigation tools, with Steve highlighting PQ reps (progressive muscle relaxation) as a technique he used during meetings to stay centered, and Drew emphasized the importance of taking time for thinking and using analog methods like writing by hand on whiteboards. The conversation concluded with plans to explore more navigation tools and techniques in future episodes, followed by a discussion of the SPIRE framework (Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, and Emotional) as the next phase of their series.

Episode #10: What is our Identity & why it is important

Episode Title: Season 1 Finale: Identity — Landing the Plane Episode Summary: What if the way you've been defining yourself isn't actually true? In the Season 1 finale, Drew and Steve bring the conversation full circle by landing on the most important piece of the INSPIRE framework: Identity. Too often, we build our sense of self on performance, success, failure, or the opinions of others—things that constantly shift. But what happens when those foundations crack? This episode invites you to step into something more stable. Drew and Steve unpack what it means to have a grounded identity—one that isn't earned, compared, or taken away—and why that changes everything. When you know who you are at your core, decisions get clearer, pressure loosens its grip, and life begins to flow from a place of purpose rather than proof. As they close out Season 1, they reflect on the journey so far and set the stage for what's ahead. Because understanding your identity is just the beginning—learning how to live from it is where real transformation happens. If you've been chasing clarity, confidence, or direction, this episode helps you stop striving and start standing. Season 1 ends here—but the real work is just getting started.

Episode #9: Bringing It All Together: Your True Self ToolKit

Episode Notes: Season 1 Finale - Identity (I in INSPIRE) Drew and Steve wrap up Season 1 by providing practical tools to consolidate all the identity work covered in previous episodes. After exploring unwanted identities, false identities, and true self through values discovery, this episode offers multiple metaphors and frameworks to keep your authentic leadership front and center. Key Frameworks Discussed: * Three Circles Diagram - A simple visual separating unwanted identities (middle ring), false identities (outer ring), and true self (center) that clients use daily for self-awareness checks * The House of Me / Boardroom Metaphor - Creating a mental space where your true self leads from the "kitchen table" while other parts of you have their proper place in different "rooms" * Captain & Crew - Your true self as the captain directing all other parts of your internal team with structure and consistency * Constellation of Me - A visual mapping exercise showing the relationship between all your parts and where you position yourself among them * Me Manual - A shareable document containing your DISC profile, strengths, values, and how you want to show up as a leader Practical Takeaways: * Create vulnerability and awareness in your leadership by naming when false identities show up * Choose one metaphor/tool that resonates and make it visible (poster, band, desktop image) * Before your next leadership moment, pause and ask: "Who's showing up in me right now?" * Start small - practice with a few decisions before running every choice through your framework Quote of the Episode: "What is a weed? A plant whose virtues or values have not been discovered." Coming in Season 2: Navigate (N in INSPIRE) - Taking your identity work into practical application, including creating your leadership anthem, defining your brand, and crafting a purpose statement.

Episode #8: True Self, Final Discussion about Values Clarification Exercises

Episode #8: Identity, Values, and Returning to What Matters Most In this episode of INSPIRE, Drew Lawson and Steve Nadig continue their deep dive into identity and the True Self, focusing on the practical work of values clarification—not as an abstract exercise, but as a lived, daily practice. Using a simple yet powerful metaphor of weeds and plants, Drew and Steve explore how many of us spend years trying to eliminate our "weeds" (saboteurs, false selves, unwanted identities) without ever discovering the unique plant we're meant to grow. The invitation is not self-improvement, but self-discovery. Together, they walk through two core values exercises: * Identifying values through energy, frustration, heroes, stories, and what moves us * Distilling long lists of values into one to three core anchors that can actually guide daily decisions Steve shares how values like altruism, good character, and agape love show up in leadership, sports, and relationships, while Drew reflects on his own core values of Inspire, Embrace, and Whimsy—and the tension that arises when values are deeply held but not fully expressed. A key insight emerges: Values are not goals to achieve; they are anchors to return to. The conversation also explores: * What it means when a value is high in importance but low in expression * How grace matters more than guilt when we drift from our values * Why judging others' values limits our own growth * How rituals like value bands, reflection, and daily intention-setting help keep the True Self front and center The episode closes with a look ahead to what's next in the INSPIRE journey: building the "House of Me," clarifying purpose, creating a personal anthem, and eventually integrating strengths and Sage powers—moving from insight to embodiment. This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and ask a simple question: What values do I want to return to—again and again—in the life I'm living right now?

Episode #7: True Self: Living Into Our Values (Part 2)

In this heartfelt and reflective episode, Drew and Steve continue their exploration of living into our values—unpacking the next set of values exercises from Drew's Values Clarification series. Through candid stories, humor, and vulnerability, they dive into what our secret passions reveal about who we truly are, and how even our overdone values can get in the way of living authentically. Steve shares his long-held love of singing and how music connects to his spiritual and inspirational values, while Drew opens up about rediscovering whimsy, curiosity, and playfulness—and how his inner "Hyper-Rational Spock" sometimes resists them. Together, they reflect on how aligning daily life with core values creates energy, joy, and meaning, and how imbalance can signal a saboteur at work. Listeners are invited to try reflective prompts like: * "If time and resources were unlimited, what would I long to do?" * "Where might I be taking a value to the extreme?" * "What activities have heart and meaning for me?" They close with a fun "values interview" exercise: ask loved ones what magazine you'd be on the cover of, what your story would be, and what unique gift they see in you. It's an episode full of laughter, insight, and practical tools for rediscovering what makes you come alive.