Ace of Pentacles

Ep. 34 | The Leadership Rehearsal Room with Donnacadh O'Briain

Many people talk about leadership theoretically. We also tend to teach it as if it were a theory. But leadership is a practice and a hard one to master. In this episode, I chat with someone who is helping people learn leadership as a practice, not just ideas, step-by-step guides, and frameworks. Donnacadh O'Briain is an Olivier and Offie Award-winning Director and creative leader working all across the Experience Economy, with a 20-year habit of delivering exceptional results. An expert in story and narrative, he works extensively as a creative director & strategist as well as a writer, narrative designer and experience designer. His career has seen me leading on everything from musicals and West End Comedy, to large scale attractions for families, to creating innovative learning projects for major companies and educational institutions. With a diverse list of partners and clients that runs across several industries and includes the likes of The Royal Shakespeare Company, Asahi, Wells Fargo and Hasbro. You can connect with Donnacadh on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnacadh-o-briain-35788837/].

Comparison Culture

As we grow up, we intentionally leave behind traditions that don't suit us. We might reject holidays, rituals, belief systems, and even language that we grew up with. But we carry something with us our whole lives that our parents unknowingly gift us: the habit of comparison. And we'll abandon the rituals that seem outdated, but we won't abandon the outdated comparison scripts. So we move through our lives measuring ourselves against others, weighing our joy, our success, our worth against someone else's story. In this episode I share a story of something I observed at a park that got me thinking about when and why we start comparing ourselves and our lives to those around us.

Ep. 33 | Designing a Magical Life, One Move at a Time with Leon Simmonds

In this episode, we explore what it means to approach life and career with a sense of play, creativity, and intention. Joined by a magician and board game designer, we dive into the idea of life as a game - one that can be redesigned to create more joy, meaning, and "magical moments" in everyday experiences. We talk about how creativity naturally ebbs and flows, practical ways to reconnect with creativity when it feels out of reach, and how small shifts in perspective can transform the way you work, live, and create. This conversation is an invitation to stop simply going through the motions and start actively designing a life that feels engaging, expansive, and fun. Visit questinyboardgame.com [https://www.questinyboardgame.com] to join the adventure!

Lemons

In this episode, I share the story of an unexpected career move I made—hesitantly—during a challenging season of life. What I thought was a temporary thing ended up being the most beneficial move of my career. In this short bonus episode, I share the mindset and perspective that got me through it and propelled my career for the next decade to places I could not have ever imagined. If there's one thing I hope to inspire people to do more of, it's this: Lean into the uncomfortable, surprising, even disorienting life moments. Know that everything that is happening to you is actually happening for you.

Ep. 32 | The Spirit Dance & The Survival Dance with Dave Doetsch

Dave Doetsch is a partner with the Wizard of Ads; also C.O.O. of Mid-West Family of Companies. One of my podcast invitations landed in Dave's hands via Jeff Nixa - a Shamanic Practitioner we met on episode 7. In this episode, Dave talks about a frame through which he's learned to see life and work - the survival dance and the spirit dance. We talk about what each of these are, what it means to trade one for the other, and how Dave has found a way to balance both. He gives us practical tools and strategies to deepen our connection to the spirit dance and find the right balance to support both our inner world and our outer world. Connect with Dave: LinkedIn: in/david-doetsch-a860091 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-doetsch-a860091/] Instagram: @shark0423 Website: https://wizardofads.org/partner/dave-doetsch/ [https://wizardofads.org/partner/dave-doetsch/]