About this episode
In this episode, Russell and guest Michael Simmons discuss a new perspective on work and learning, emphasizing creativity and personal fulfillment over traditional goals.
* Listen on the app of your choice This episode is part of the January Joy(ful) Growth Club with Russell and Claire program I’m running with Claire Venus ✨ . Join and get access to special challenge and interviews all month. Join by clicking here. In this episode, we’re joined by education entrepreneur and writer Michael Simmons to explore a radically different way of thinking about work, learning, and growth. We start with a deceptively simple question: What if making a living didn’t have to feel miserable? From there, the conversation opens into practical and philosophical territory. We talk about how many people you actually need to support a sustainable life, why fractional work and contracting are often safer than they look, and how entrepreneurship can offer more freedom than traditional employment if you approach it creatively. Michael shares his own journey through ambition, burnout, and reinvention, including building a seven-figure education company in his twenties, and burning out because he didn’t enjoy the day-to-day work required to sustain it. That experience led to a major shift: choosing curiosity and energy as filters for what he works on, rather than goals…
People in this episode
Host: Russell Nohelty
Guest: Michael Simmons
Topics covered
- work
- learning
- growth
- entrepreneurship
- burnout
- creativity
Keywords
- work
- entrepreneurship
- burnout
- learning
- creativity
- growth
- freedom
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