Ask For An Answer

Brad Stulberg: The "Way of Excellence" — Why Joy, Not Suffering, Is the Secret to High Performance | #20

WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY TAKE TO PURSUE EXCELLENCE WITHOUT BURNING OUT? IN THIS EPISODE, JIM FIELDING SITS DOWN WITH BRAD STULBERG, 3X BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND PERFORMANCE COACH, TO UNPACK THE IDEAS BEHIND HIS MOST SUCCESSFUL BOOK YET, THE WAY OF EXCELLENCE. Brad shares the exact content system he uses to go from a single idea to a social media post, a newsletter, and eventually a bestselling book. Plus, why he believes joy, not suffering, is the real secret to sustainable high performance. In this episode: * Why Brad measures success by pride in his craft, not book sales * The "mini essay" method he uses across Instagram, LinkedIn & X to test ideas at scale * How 52 newsletters a year became the backbone of his book writing process * Why intensity and joy are not opposites (and what Olympic athletes prove about this) * The danger of the "1% better every day" mindset and what to do when you hit a plateau * How to know when to leap from a side passion to a full-time career (and the research that backs it up) * Why all the interesting growth happens after you stop making obvious progress Jim and Brad also explore the realities of building a platform as a writer, tailoring the same ideas for different audiences, navigating AI and content saturation, and why excellence is ultimately a practice of self-discovery, not just performance. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & intro to Brad Stulberg 01:00 – Is The Way of Excellence his best book yet? 03:24 – Brad's content ecosystem: from social posts to books 05:48 – Instagram vs. LinkedIn: same ideas, different audiences 08:54 – Why joy is the most important chapter in a book about excellence 14:06 – How The Way of Excellence came to be 20:31 – Leaving McKinsey: faith vs. evidence in a career leap 47:25 – The biggest trap in the pursuit of excellence 📚 Mentioned in This Episode: * The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg * Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig * The Science of Happiness course (Yale / Coursera) Follow Brad Stulberg: Instagram: @bradstulberg Website: bradstulberg.com LinkedIn: Brad Stulberg ✨ Follow Jim Fielding & Ask For An Answer: 💼 Instagram: Instagram: https://instagram.com/hijimfielding/ 🌐 Podcast: Ask For An Answer Website: hijimfielding.com [http://hijimfielding.com/] #BradStulberg #TheWayOfExcellence #Excellence #HighPerformance #PersonalDevelopment #Productivity #Mindset #AuthorInterview #AskForAnAnswer #Writing #ContentCreation #Burnout #JoyAndPerformance

Stop Outsourcing Your Power: Erin Coupe on Healing, Leadership, and Building a Life That Fits | #19

WHAT IF THE LIFE YOU BUILT TO SURVIVE IS NO LONGER THE LIFE YOU WANT TO LIVE? In this episode of Ask For An Answer, Jim Fielding sits down with leadership coach, speaker, and author Erin Coupe for a deeply honest conversation about burnout, emotional resilience, childhood trauma, parenting, corporate leadership, and the long process of learning how to stop abandoning yourself. Erin shares the powerful story behind her transformation from high-performing corporate executive to entrepreneur, coach, and author. Raised in a working-class family while caring for a terminally ill father, Erin learned early how to survive, overfunction, and push through pain. But eventually, survival mode stopped working. Together, Jim and Erin unpack the hidden cost of people-pleasing, the pressure of always being “the strong one,” and why so many successful people secretly feel disconnected from themselves. This conversation is about reclaiming your energy, choosing intention over performance, and building a life that actually reflects who you are becoming. In this episode: * Erin’s journey from corporate leadership to personal reinvention * How childhood trauma shapes ambition, perfectionism, and burnout * Why high achievers often struggle with self-worth * The leadership lessons hidden inside difficult workplaces * Parenting, emotional awareness, and breaking generational patterns * What it means to stop outsourcing your power and energy Jim and Erin also explore the realities of aging parents, emotional healing, identity shifts, and why growth often begins the moment you stop pretending everything is fine. Chapter Highlights 00:00 – “I’m no longer going to outsource my power” 01:17 – Erin’s origin story and growing up in survival mode 05:14 – Childhood responsibility, caregiving, and emotional maturity 12:40 – Corporate success, burnout, and searching for something deeper 24:32 – Leadership lessons from difficult managers and toxic workplaces 33:10 – Why vulnerability became central to Erin’s work 42:18 – The cost of constantly performing for others 56:20 – The deeper meaning behind I Can Fit That In 57:50 – Parenting, emotional intelligence, and breaking old patterns This episode is a reminder that healing is not separate from leadership. The way we work, parent, communicate, and show up in relationships is shaped by the stories we carry and the ones we decide to rewrite. Follow Erin Coupe: Instagram: @jauthenticallyec [https://www.instagram.com/authenticallyec/] ✨ Follow Jim Fielding & Ask For An Answer: 💼 Instagram: @jimfielding 🌐 Podcast: Ask For An Answer

Unedited, Undeniable, Unstoppable: Jim Fielding on Community, Leadership, and Radical Kindness | #18

THREE YEARS AFTER ALL PRIDE, NO EGO FIRST HIT SHELVES, JIM FIELDING SITS DOWN ALONE BEHIND THE MICROPHONE TO REFLECT ON EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED NEXT AND NONE OF IT WENT THE WAY HE EXPECTED. In this deeply personal solo episode of Ask For An Answer, Jim shares the real story behind the paperback release of his bestselling book, the emotional impact of being truly seen by readers, and how one vulnerable project unexpectedly transformed into a podcast, a leadership platform, a community, and an entirely new chapter of his life. Broadcasting from his home office in Atlanta, Jim opens up about the fear, uncertainty, and reinvention that followed his corporate career, why recording the audiobook forced him to confront insecurities he carried for decades, and how authenticity became more than a buzzword. It became survival. This conversation moves beyond leadership theory and into something far more personal: grief, gratitude, chosen family, creativity, visibility, and the courage to keep evolving publicly. In this episode: * The emotional story behind releasing the paperback edition of *All Pride, No Ego* * Why Jim almost refused to narrate his own audiobook * The unexpected ripple effect of vulnerability and storytelling * How radical kindness became the foundation of his work * What he learned about identity after leaving corporate leadership * Why community matters more now than ever before Jim reflects openly on the realities of reinvention, leadership, community, and what it actually takes to keep evolving through every chapter of life. Chapter Highlights 00:00 – Why Jim decided to record his first solo episode 02:56 – The moment *All Pride, No Ego* started connecting with readers 06:10 – Why the paperback release feels different 10:45 – Recording the audiobook and confronting old insecurities 15:34 – How the book unexpectedly created a movement and community 20:06 – Gratitude, chosen family, and the people behind the journey 22:07 – Launching the League of Radical Kindness 23:49 – What Jim hopes people take from this next chapter ✨Follow Jim Fielding & Ask For An Answer: 💼 Instagram: jimfielding 🌐 Podcast: Ask For An Answer

From Retail to Reinvention: Ken Pilot on Leadership, Growth, and What Actually Works | #17

WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY TAKE TO BUILD A LASTING CAREER IN RETAIL AND LEADERSHIP? In this episode of Ask For An Answer, Jim Fielding sits down with longtime retail executive Ken Pilot for a candid conversation about the realities behind leadership, brand building, and staying relevant in a constantly evolving industry. From their early days in the denim business to navigating decades of change across retail, Ken shares what he has learned about decision making, adaptability, and why the fundamentals still matter more than ever. In this episode: * How early career experiences shape long-term leadership instincts * What separates operators from leaders in high-pressure environments * Why most people misunderstand what drives success in retail * How to make decisions when there is no clear answer * What it takes to stay relevant as industries evolve * The mindset required to build a career that actually lasts This conversation is about what actually holds up over time. The choices you make, the way you lead, and how you stay steady when everything around you keeps changing. CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 – Where it all started in retail 05:42 – Learning by doing and earning your way in 10:18 – The leadership lessons that stick 17:05 – Making decisions without perfect clarity 24:30 – How retail has evolved over time 32:12 – Staying relevant in a changing industry 41:20 – The discipline behind long-term success 52:08 – What leaders need to understand right now If you are building a career, leading a team, or navigating change in your industry, this conversation offers a grounded and practical look at what it takes to move forward with clarity and confidence. ✨Follow Jim Fielding & Ask For An Answer: 💼 Instagram: jimfielding 🌐 Podcast: Ask For An Answer

Rethinking Success: Kristen Shelt on Burnout and Realignment | #16

AT WHAT POINT DO YOU STOP PUSHING THROUGH AND START LISTENING TO YOURSELF? In this episode of Ask For An Answer, Jim Fielding sits down with Kristen Shelt for a grounded and deeply personal conversation about burnout, identity, and what it actually takes to make a real change in your life. Kristen shares the experience of reaching a point where doing more, achieving more, and holding it all together no longer worked. What followed wasn’t a quick fix, but a process of stepping back, reassessing, and choosing a different path forward. Together, they explore the tension between external expectations and internal truth, the challenge of redefining success on your own terms, and how to rebuild your life in a way that feels sustainable, not performative. This conversation is about paying attention to the signals you’ve been ignoring, having the courage to shift direction, and learning to trust yourself even when the next step isn’t fully clear. 01:12 – How Jim and Kristen Know Each Other and Why This Conversation Matters 06:05 – Recognizing the Moment When Something Has to Change 10:18 – Questioning the Definition of Success You’ve Been Following 15:42 – The Pressure to Keep Performing and the Cost of It 21:10 – Stepping Back and Rebuilding with Intention 28:36 – Boundaries, Energy, and What You Actually Have Capacity For 36:14 – Relearning How to Trust Your Own Decisions 44:02 – What Reinvention Looks Like Beyond the Highlight Reel 52:27 – Moving Forward Without Needing Certainty Growth does not always look like progress from the outside. Sometimes it looks like slowing down, stepping back, and being honest about what no longer fits. This conversation is an invitation to do exactly that. ✨Follow Jim Fielding & Ask For An Answer: 💼 Instagram: jimfielding 🌐 Podcast: Ask For An Answer