
Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
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Total monthly reach
Estimated from 28 chart positions in 28 markets.
By chart position
- 🇨🇦CA · Careers#20300K to 1M
- 🇺🇸US · Careers#34100K to 300K
- 🇬🇧GB · Careers#5530K to 100K
- 🇮🇳IN · Careers#5310K to 30K
- 🇰🇷KR · Careers#6610K to 30K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
284K to 929K🎙 ~2x weekly·562 episodes·Last published 4d ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
569K to 1.9M🇨🇦54%🇺🇸16%🇬🇧5%+25 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
227K to 743K
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Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 11 epsHosts
Recent guests
Recent episodes
How to Build Resilience (Before You Need It) With Valorie Burton
Jun 8, 2026
30m 03s
The Isolation of High Achievers: Why All Entrepreneurs Feel Lonely (And How to Fix It)
Jun 1, 2026
24m 26s
High-Stakes Communication: How to Negotiate Confidently, Ask Smarter Questions, and Build Influence with Phil Jones
May 25, 2026
35m 35s
The Habit Lab: How to Build Consistency in Business & Life with Kim Zuroff
May 18, 2026
42m 11s
Brand Building 101: Content Strategy, Storytelling, Positioning and More with Donald Miller
May 11, 2026
34m 53s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/8/26 | ![]() How to Build Resilience (Before You Need It) With Valorie Burton | Resilience is often treated like a personality trait. You either have it or you don’t. But Valorie Burton sees it differently: Resilience is a personal system you can build before life demands it from you. In this episode, Jay Papasan sits down with Valorie Burton, CEO of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute and author of Rules of Resilience, to unpack what it really takes to bounce back. They talk about the three parts of resilience: adaptive skills, protective resources, and preventive choices. They also dig into why leaders need to expect the unexpected, close their growth gaps, control the controllable, and choose thoughts that strengthen them. This conversation is a practical reminder that challenges are not just something to survive. They are opportunities to grow through, learn from, and use to become the person your goals require. Challenge of the Week: Set aside 30 minutes and ask yourself: What is the opportunity in the challenge I’m facing right now? It could be an opportunity to grow in patience, leadership, communication, courage, consistency, or self-trust. Don’t just go through the challenge. Grow through it. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: [00:00] Resilience As A System [05:32] Expect the Unexpected [9:07] Close the Growth Gap Holding You Back [15:32] Control What You Can [25:10] Your Weekly Challenge Links & Tools from This Episode: Rules of Resilience by Valorie Burton Valorie Burton’s Website Valorie Burton’s Resilience Assessment Free Resources Produced by NOVA | 30m 03s | ||||||
| 6/1/26 | ![]() The Isolation of High Achievers: Why All Entrepreneurs Feel Lonely (And How to Fix It) | High performers are often great at building businesses, serving clients, supporting families, and chasing big goals. But there’s one thing they tend to neglect: friendship. In this episode, Jay shares the story of a lonely night in a Nashville hotel room that became a wake-up call. He realized he had been leaning on too few people and needed to intentionally rebuild his support system. With the help of his coach, Jay began “re-engineering his village” by identifying the qualities he wanted in close friends, reaching out more often, and saying yes to the right opportunities. That journey eventually led him to a hiking trail in rural Japan with three friends, where unstructured time, meaningful conversations, and shared adventure helped create deeper bonds. If you’ve been feeling alone while carrying big responsibilities, this episode is a reminder: friendship does not happen by accident. It can be built with purpose. Challenge of the Week: Identify the three to five qualities you want in the friendships you’re building. Get clear on what you’re looking for, then start saying yes to those people, reaching out, and creating space for deeper connection. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: [00:00] The Loneliness Epidemic in Business [02:52] Why High Performers Feel Alone [06:29] How Jay Fast-Tracked Friendship [12:20] The Science of Friendship [15:19] The Truth About How to Make New Friends [21:30] Your Weekly Challenge Links & Tools from This Episode: The ONE Thing Operating System Jeffrey Hall’s friendship research Free Resources Produced by NOVA | 24m 26s | ||||||
| 5/25/26 | ![]() High-Stakes Communication: How to Negotiate Confidently, Ask Smarter Questions, and Build Influence with Phil Jones | Have you ever walked away from a conversation wishing you could go back and say it differently? According to Phil Jones, that doesn’t mean you have a communication problem. You may have a moment problem. Phil, author of the bestselling book Exactly What to Say, joins Jay to talk about the word choices, principles, and preparation that help people show up better in high-stakes conversations. He shares how a simple body of work grew into a global brand, why so many people give up on their greatest hit too early, and how boredom can become a path to deeper mastery. Jay and Phil also unpack the four cornerstones of conversational excellence, including why the worst time to think about what you’re going to say is while you’re saying it. The real challenge is learning to identify your critical conversations, those small moments that have an outsized impact on your results. Challenge of the Week: Identify one critical conversation in your personal life, one as a leader, and one that affects your income. Pick a hyper-specific moment inside each conversation and add more intention to how you show up. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: [00:00] How Phil Jones Built a Career Around Knowing Exactly What to Say [05:02] How Repeated Questions Revealed Phil’s ONE Thing [08:01] Why People Give Up on Their Greatest Hit Too Early [13:45] Why the People You Serve Keep You Committed [19:14] The Four Cornerstones of Conversational Excellence [30:48] The ONE Thing Challenge Links & Tools from This Episode: Exactly What to Say by Phil Jones Magic Words by Phil Jones Phil Jones’s Website Free Resources Produced by NOVA | 35m 35s | ||||||
| 5/18/26 | ![]() The Habit Lab: How to Build Consistency in Business & Life with Kim Zuroff | High achievers aren’t held back because they don’t know what to do. The challenge is always consistency. Habits are so powerful because they are automatic - and in this episode, you’ll learn how to harness the power of habit to help you hit your most elusive goals. Today, Jay sits down with Kim Zuroff, Director of Growth and Executive Coach at The ONE Thing, to talk about the art and science of habits. Kim walks through the habit loop of cue, craving, response, and reward, and explains why habits are often a design problem, not a discipline problem. Jay and Kim discuss how distractions like phone notifications and inbox checking can derail your ONE Thing, why tracking your time creates awareness, and how to start small enough that you can keep going even on your worst days. They also explore habit stacking, evening routines, and why the 66-day journey matters when building lasting change. Challenge of the Week: Pick one habit you want to build. Identify the cue, the craving, the response, and the reward. For the best chance of success, attach it to something you already do automatically, such as “After I brew my coffee, I will…” *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: https://the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: [00:00] Why High Achievers Struggle With Consistency [02:59] The Habit Loop Reveals What Drives Behavior [07:45] How Habits Show Up in Coaching [11:03] Why the First Domino Has to Be Small [15:22] How Email Becomes Someone Else’s Agenda [20:37] Better Mornings Begin With Better Evenings [39:12] The ONE Thing Challenge Links & Tools from This Episode: The ONE Thing Operating System: https://the1thing.com/os Kim Zuroff’s previous episode on The ONE Thing Podcast, “Is Your Serial Achievement an Addiction?”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-your-serial-achievement-an-addiction-heres-how-to/id1191482456?i=1000678146322 Free Resources: https://the1thing.com/free-resources-v2 Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at https://www.speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA: https://novapodcasting.com/ | 42m 11s | ||||||
| 5/11/26 | ![]() Brand Building 101: Content Strategy, Storytelling, Positioning and More with Donald Miller | Entrepreneurs know they need to create content, build trust, and stay visible. The hard part is knowing what to say, how often to say it, and how to make sure your message actually leads people toward your business. In this episode, Jay Papasan sits down with Donald Miller, author of StoryBrand, for a practical masterclass on brand building for entrepreneurs. Donald breaks down how to use content to create curiosity, build familiarity, and guide customers toward commitment. He also explains why the strongest brands are built around a specific problem, a clear promise, and a founder or leader who knows how to show up with both empathy and competence. From personal brand strategy to storytelling, positioning, social proof, and video content, this conversation gives business owners a clearer path for becoming known, trusted, and chosen. Challenge of the Week: Own a specific problem. Identify the negative, painful, or annoying thing you want people to call you for, then start saying it clearly. The more specific the problem, the easier it is for customers to understand why they need you. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: [00:00] Your Brand Is Holding You Back [04:01] Avoid the Biggest Mistake Entrepreneurs Make [11:41] Share the Right Stories to Stay Top of Mind [17:22] Build Trust Before You Ask for the Sale [21:49] Use Proof to Make People Feel Like They Know You [28:45] Own the Problem You Want to Solve Links & Tools from This Episode: Donald’s Book, Building a StoryBrand 2.0 Donald Miller’s Website Free Resources Produced by NOVA | 34m 53s | ||||||
| 5/4/26 | ![]() The Making of The ONE Thing: What We Cut From the Book (And Lessons We’d Add Today)✨ | book publishingproductivity+3 | — | The ONE Thing | — | The ONE Thingbook editing+5 | — | 31m 02s | |
| 4/27/26 | ![]() The Psychology of Hope: A Blueprint for a More Hopeful Life with Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe✨ | psychology of hopeoptimism vs hope+3 | Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe | Keller Podcast Network | — | hopeoptimism+4 | — | 38m 31s | |
| 4/20/26 | ![]() Should Business Leaders Get Political? A Framework for Speaking Up✨ | business leadershippolitical engagement+4 | Donald MillerPhil M. Jones+2 | — | — | business leadersspeak up+5 | — | 38m 54s | |
| 4/13/26 | ![]() Why Talented People Go Unnoticed: Career Cheat Codes with Courtney Johnson✨ | career growthvisibility+3 | Courtney Johnson | Career Cheat Codes | — | careervisibility+5 | — | 41m 44s | |
| 4/6/26 | ![]() How Billionaires Set Goals: A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieve Your Goals Using the 4-1-1✨ | goal settingproductivity+3 | Chris Dixon | Keller Podcast Networkthe1thing.com | — | goalsproductivity+5 | — | 43m 03s | |
Want analysis for the episodes below?Free for Pro Submit a request, we'll have your selected episodes analyzed within an hour. Free, at no cost to you, for Pro users. | |||||||||
| 3/30/26 | ![]() The Science Behind Sustained Success with Nir Eyal✨ | motivationbeliefs+3 | Nir Eyal | — | — | motivation trianglelimiting beliefs+3 | — | 45m 57s | |
| 3/23/26 | ![]() Don’t Waste Your Hardest Lessons: Julia Lashay’s 5 Principles of Unshakable Resilience✨ | resilienceleadership+5 | Julia Lashay | — | — | resilienceleadership+8 | — | 33m 23s | |
| 3/16/26 | ![]() Giving Your Infinite Resources: A Shift In Perspective When The World Feels Heavy✨ | perspective shiftinfinite resources+4 | — | — | — | infinite resourcesMr. Rogers+5 | — | 25m 03s | |
| 3/9/26 | ![]() The Psychology of Sales: How to Close More Deals (Without Feeling Sales-y) with David Priemer✨ | sales psychologycuriosity in sales+4 | David Priemer | SalesforceCerebral Selling+1 | — | salespsychology+5 | — | 42m 19s | |
| 3/2/26 | ![]() Closing the Loop: The Science Behind Feeling Overwhelmed, And What to Do About It✨ | overwhelmclarity+4 | — | — | — | overwhelmZeigarnik effect+5 | — | 36m 22s | |
| 2/23/26 | ![]() The ONE Thing Isn’t A Productivity Book✨ | productivitypurpose+4 | — | The ONE ThingThe Happiness Hypothesis | — | productivitypurpose+6 | — | 29m 08s | |
| 2/16/26 | ![]() Amy Purdy, Paralympic Medalist: How to Turn Your Greatest Setback into Your Greatest Strength | At 19 years old, Amy Purdy went to work feeling a little run down. Within 24 hours, she was fighting for her life in the hospital. She beat the odds, and survived a life-threatening infection - but she would ultimately lose both legs below the knee as a result. What followed wasn’t a comeback story built on motivation posters. It was a masterclass in agency. In this conversation, Amy walks Jay through the moment she asked a life-altering question from her hospital bed: If your life were a book, how would you want the story to go? That question became her anchor. From there, she visualized a future that didn’t yet exist and worked backward, one problem at a time. Amy shares how she became a pioneer in adaptive snowboarding, literally building the prosthetics she needed to ride again. Along the way, she discovered that challenges don’t block the path. They create it. The same tools that helped her survive her darkest days became the tools that carried her to Paralympic medals, entrepreneurship, and the stage. This episode is about clarity, purpose, obsession in the right direction, and learning to “bounce forward” when life removes the familiar path. Challenge of the Week: Set aside quiet time to visualize your best self. Don’t negotiate with reality yet. See it. Feel it. Then ask, what would have to be true for this to happen? Start there. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: [00:00] This Is a Story About Agency, Not Limitation [02:30] They Gave Me a 2% Survival Chance. She Beat the Odds. [11:45] The Idea That Led to Agency [15:04] Find The Power to Solving Your Own Problems [17:16] Turning Failure Into a Design Problem [21:21] Amy’s First Successful Run [24:45] Everyone Feels incomplete [28:03] The Power of Visualization [33:26] Turning Pain into Purpose [40:16] From Success to Survival [44:06] Visualizing Your Best Self Links & Tools from This Episode: Pre-order Bounce Forward by Amy Purdy Read On My Own Two Feet by Amy Purdy Adaptive Action Sports (organization founded by Amy Purdy) Follow Amy Purdy on Instagram: @amypurdygurl Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com Produced by NOVA | 47m 15s | ||||||
| 2/9/26 | ![]() Stop Ghosting Your Goals: How to Stay Committed to Your Future Success | Are you ghosting your goals? By February, most people have already given up on the goals they set in January. But what if the reason you keep ignoring your goals isn’t a lack of discipline, but a lack of relationship? In this episode, Jay Papasan invites you to stop “proposing” to your goals every January and start dating them regularly instead. Jay breaks down why most goals fade by February and how to replace goal drift with steady progress. He walks through the full framework, from writing a Someday Letter and working backward into five-year and one-year milestones, to using the 411 to translate goals into weekly, time-blockable actions. You’ll also learn why a 30-minute weekly “date” with your goals and a five-minute daily check-in before your phone can radically change your focus, reduce the busyness trap, and prevent Groundhog Year from repeating itself. This episode is a practical reset for anyone who feels busy but stuck. The answer isn’t setting better goals. It’s staying in touch with the ones you already have. Challenge of the Week: Schedule a 30-minute appointment with yourself. Review your goals and identify the one thing you can do next week to get back on track. Think big, aim small. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: Why most people ghost their goals by February How to use the Someday Letter to clarify long-term direction Turning goals into weekly actions with the 411 Links & Tools from This Episode: The 411 and Someday Letter Exercises are Available on Our Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com Produced by NOVA | 28m 44s | ||||||
| 2/2/26 | ![]() Scaling Your Side-Gig: How Alex Hopes Turned a Passion Project into A Phenomenon | Most people don’t plan for a pivot that changes everything. For Alex Hopes, it started with a moment that stopped his life cold and rerouted it completely. What followed was a decade-long journey of saying yes to what was in front of him, even when it didn’t match the original plan. In this episode, Jay Papasan talks with Alex, founder of Zilker Bark, about how a simple dog photography project grew into massive dog events attracting thousands of people in the Austin area. They unpack the power of narrowing your focus, why constraints can sharpen creativity, and how community-driven experiences create built-in word of mouth. Alex also shares the behind-the-scenes lessons of rapid growth, from learning on the fly to finding mentors who help you avoid costly mistakes. At its core, this conversation is about trusting the pivot, choosing depth over breadth, and letting your ONE Thing reveal itself over time. Challenge of the Week: Take a step back and look at the unexpected changes in your life or business. Identify one alternative path you may have overlooked and ask what could happen if you leaned into it instead of resisting it. We talk about: [00:00] Welcome and Introduction to Alex Hope [01:05] Your Side Project Gains Momentum… Now What? [03:25] The Power of Word-of-Mouth [05:07] Do Constraints Actually Improve Creativity? [07:48] One-To-Many: The Transition to Events [12:32] How Do Community-Driven Events Create Exponential Growth? [17:20] Managing Explosive Growth [24:40] How Do You Move Forward When Life Forces a Hard Pivot? *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: How focusing on a niche can accelerate growth Turning community into your best marketing engine Finding opportunity inside unexpected life pivots Links & Tools from This Episode: Follow Alex Hopes on Instagram Visit Zilker Bark’s Website Follow Zilker Bark on Instagram Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com Produced by NOVA | 33m 59s | ||||||
| 1/26/26 | ![]() Rituals of Recovery: What Elite Athletes Can Teach Us About High Performance | Elite athletes don’t just train harder. They recover better. Between points, plays, and games, they use small, intentional rituals to reset their bodies and minds so they can perform again at a high level. In this episode, Jay Papasan makes the case that business owners and leaders need the same approach. Inspired by a classic Harvard Business Review article, Jay breaks down the difference between habits, systems, routines, and rituals—and why rituals stand apart. Habits and systems automate outcomes. Rituals create meaning. That meaning helps us shift emotional states, regain focus, and sustain energy over the long haul. Jay walks through four key areas where rituals matter most: physical recovery, emotional regulation, mental clarity, and connection to purpose and values. From walking meetings and white space to end-of-day transitions and goal-setting retreats, these practices help prevent burnout while improving results. The takeaway is simple: if you want rituals of performance, you need rituals of recovery. The goal isn’t just a great year—it’s a great career. Shoutout to Anne-Laure LeCunff, author of Tiny Experiments and our guest in episode #497, whose writing on habits, routines, and rituals added depth and scientific grounding to this episode, even though it wasn’t called out during the recording. Listen to that episode of the podcast here. Also, read Anne-Laure LeCunff’s fantastic article, Why Your Brain Needs Everyday Rituals. Challenge of the Week: Design one new ritual that adds recovery or meaning to your day. Put it on your calendar and protect it. We talk about: [00:00] What Elite Athletes Teach Us About High Performance [03:45] Habits vs. Routines vs. Rituals [12:35] The Importance of Recovery in Any Profession [14:02] A Ritual for Regulation: Emotional Clarity & Composure [16:10] A Ritual of Transition: From Work to Home [20:02] How Can YOU Build Rituals Into Your Life? [22:40] Rituals to Realign with Your Core Values [28:27] What One Ritual Could You Add to Improve Everything Else You Do? *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: Why elite performers recover faster than everyone else The difference between habits, routines, systems, and rituals How recovery rituals actually increase performance Links & Tools from This Episode: The Making of a Corporate Athlete (Harvard Business Review) The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Listen: Permission to Pause: Reclaim Your Identity Outside of Work with Jen Davis Produced by NOVA | 31m 53s | ||||||
| 1/19/26 | ![]() Public Speaking 101: How Tristan de Montebello Mastered Public Speaking in 7 Months | Public speaking consistently ranks as one of our biggest fears, but what if the real issue isn’t technique at all? In this episode, Jay sits down with Tristan de Montebello, co-founder of Ultraspeaking, to explore why confidence breaks down when we communicate and how to rebuild it from the inside out. Tristan shares his rapid journey from beginner to finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking and the lessons that reshaped how he thinks about mastery, coaching, and performance. Together, they unpack the idea of “leaking” insecurity, why audiences feel it instantly, and how small moments like pausing, blanking, or making mistakes can actually build trust when handled with confidence. The conversation moves beyond stages and spotlights into everyday moments: meetings, conversations, questions left unasked, and opportunities we quietly avoid. This episode is about learning to stay present, trusting what’s already inside you, and stepping into discomfort long enough to let your best thinking show up. Challenge of the Week: Volunteer for something without fully preparing. Raise your hand, ask the question, or take the turn you’d normally avoid and notice what shows up when you stay confident anyway. We talk about: [00:00] Intro: What is Ultraspeaking? [02:21] What People Get Wrong About Public Speaking [04:33] Why Do “Quick Fixes” Not Help in Speaking? [05:58] Speaking Is About One Thing: Psychology [08:28] Are You Leaking Your Insecurity? The Impact of Stumbling in a Speech [10:28] Small Signals of Confidence - How to Stop Leaking [18:47] Tristan’s Journey at The World Championship of Public Speaking [24:16] The Truth about Great Public Speakers [36:16] Your Weekly Challenge *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: Why confidence leaks before technique ever matters The role of coaching and deliberate discomfort in mastery How staying present changes the way people receive your message Links & Tools from This Episode: Ultraspeaking Website World Championships of Public Speaking The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA | 39m 50s | ||||||
| 1/12/26 | ![]() Weathering The Storm: How to Stay Afloat when Life Won’t Let Up | How do you stay afloat when everything is falling apart? Life can - and will - hit you hard. And how can you lead others when you feel like you can’t lead yourself? This week, Jay sits down for an interview with Tiffany Fykes and Sarah Reynolds from Empire Building, to share some of the deeply personal hardships he has navigated in the past several years, and opens up about what it really looks like to lead when your systems, confidence, and energy are all under strain. Rather than pretending strength means pushing through alone, Jay shares how adversity can become an ally if you’re willing to learn from it. He introduces the idea of building “lighthouses”: simple frameworks, reframes, and support systems that help you navigate future storms with more clarity and less damage. You’ll hear why reframing self-talk matters most when standards feel impossible, how recalibrating expectations can keep you moving forward, and why re-engineering your village is essential for sustainable leadership. This conversation is an honest reminder that extraordinary results don’t come from avoiding storms, but from learning how to lead through them with grace, transparency, and purpose. Challenge of the Week: Take one challenge you’re facing right now and turn it into a solution. Then ask: can this solution become a simple framework, checklist, or ritual for my future self? We talk about: [00:00] Introduction to Empire Building and Jay Papasan[03:38] Jay's Personal Storm[10:00] Building Lighthouses and Helping Others[15:50] Reframing Standards and Recalibrating Priorities [20:42] What Does “Doing Your Best” Actually Mean Right Now[24:17] How Do You Re-Engineer Your Support System[34:00] What Changes When You Build Rituals of Connection[37:46] Why Coaching is so Important *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: How to reframe adversity without lowering your standards Why done is good and good is great in hard seasons The power of intentionally rebuilding your support system Links & Tools from This Episode: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy Empire Building podcast Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA | 48m 22s | ||||||
| 1/5/26 | ![]() We Studied 400 High Achievers for 4 Months - This is What We Learned | Big goals have a way of starting strong and slowly falling apart. Motivation fades. Life intervenes. Momentum stalls. In this episode, Jay Papasan shares what actually separates the people who follow through from those who stay stuck in restart mode. After studying more than 400 entrepreneurs and business owners who went through The First Domino program, Jay distills their success into five repeatable commitments. This is not about working harder or piling on more habits. It’s about design. Alignment before action. Simplicity before scale. Jay explains how identifying your first domino, the small but meaningful action that starts momentum, creates progress even on your worst days. He walks through why time blocking turns intention into execution, how defending your calendar protects what matters most, and why accountability beats willpower every time. If you’ve ever felt busy but not effective, driven but burned out, this episode offers a clearer path forward. Small actions. Smart structure. Consistent momentum. Challenge of the Week: Make a commitment to apply the five practices from this episode for the year ahead. Ask yourself: Are my goals truly in alignment with what matters most to me? Have I gone upstream far enough to identify my real first domino? Have I put that action on my calendar? Am I actively defending it over time? And do I have some form of accountability beyond just relying on my own willpower? We talk about: [00:00] Introduction and Welcome [03:16] Defining the First Domino [04:28] Principle One: Alignment [09:58] Principle Two: Focus [20:05] Principle Three: Time Blocking [25:35] Principle Four: Defend [32:22] Principle Five: Commit [40:39] Conclusion and Call to Action *** Sign Up for The First Domino Course Here We talk about: Why alignment prevents burnout before it starts How to find the first domino that actually creates momentum The role of time blocking and accountability in keeping promises to yourself Links & Tools from This Episode: Sign Up for The First Domino Course Jordan Freed’s Website Warren Buffett, Chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway Core Values Workshop & Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA | 45m 09s | ||||||
| 12/29/25 | ![]() Permission to Pause: Reclaim Your Identity Outside of Work with Jen Davis | For years, Jen Davis did what high performers are taught to do. Say yes. Move faster. Carry more responsibility. Lead at a high level and keep pushing. From the outside, her career looked like the definition of success. Then she was forced to pause. And that pause completely shifted her thinking. She had been running full speed ahead, without realizing the impact it was having on the things that matter most to her - her family. In this conversation, Jay Papasan sits down with Jen to talk about the moment she realized her calendar no longer reflected her priorities, her identity had become tied to her work, and margin had disappeared from her life. Stepping away from running one of the largest coaching organizations in the industry wasn’t about quitting. It was about creating space to think, to feel, and to reconnect with who she wanted to be as a mom, leader, and human being. Jen shares what surprised her most during the pause, why busyness can be a form of self-soothing, and how decision fatigue quietly erodes both joy and clarity. Together, she and Jay unpack the difference between reacting and responding, the power of reflection, and why 15 minutes of intentional thinking can become the first domino toward a healthier, more grounded life. Challenge of the Week: Set a timer for 15 minutes. Put your phone face down in another part of the room. No scrolling. No reading. No to-do lists. Just sit with your thoughts and decide what truly matters today. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. Links & Tools from This Episode: Visit Jen Davis’s Website The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham Follow our friend Jordan Freed on Instagram Dr. Robyne Hanley-Defoe Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA | 41m 59s | ||||||
| 12/22/25 | ![]() How to Take Action in 2026: 11 Lessons from Gary Keller, Morgan Housel, and Sahil Bloom | We’re closing out the year with a special highlight reel from some of Jay Papasan’s favorite conversations of 2025, all centered on two big themes: taking action and sustaining action. On the “taking action” side, Jenny Wood reframes fear as a signal of agency, Pat Flynn walks us through his “DeLorean” future-casting exercise, and Sahil Bloom challenges us to let our calendars prove what truly matters. Morgan Housel explores defining “enough” beyond money, Brandon Turner breaks big dreams into MINS—most important next steps—and Anne-Laure invites us to lower the stakes with tiny experiments instead of perfectionism. On the “sustaining action” side, Coach Jordan Freed shares his awareness–agency–accountability cycle, Chris explains why self-care is a strategy (not selfish), Dr. Robin Hanley-Defoe shows how to process emotion in real time, and Liz Bohannon gives us a practical path to building real community. Revisit the moments that moved you most, then dive into the full episodes linked in the show notes to go deeper and share them with someone who needs them. Challenge of the Week: Pick one lesson from this episode and turn it into a simple daily practice for the next week. *** To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods. We talk about: [00:00] Why This Episode Exists and What We’re Reflecting On [01:44] Fear as a Compass and a Source of Agency (Jenny Wood) [06:01] Using the DeLorean Exercise to Gain Perspective [09:31] What Would a Stranger Say About Your Priorities (Sahil Bloom) [12:05] Defining Enough Beyond Money [14:29] What Is the Most Important Next Step (MINS) [17:21] Why Consistency Is Intensity (Gary Keller) [21:20] Lowering the Stakes with Tiny Experiments (Anne-Laure Le Cunff) [24:51] How Long Success Really Takes (Dorie Clark) [30:11] Why Self-Care Is a Strategy, Not a Reward (Chris, The Long Haul Leader) [34:04] Processing Emotion Instead of Carrying It (Dr. Robin Hanley-Defoe) [37:26] Building Community Through Consistent Rhythms [42:53] Choosing One Lesson and Carrying It Forward Links & Tools from This Episode: The Unconventional Traits That Fast-Track Success | Jenny Wood and Jay Papasan Why Smart People Stay Stuck in "Getting Ready" Mode | Pat Flynn & Jay Papasan Define Success on Your Own Terms | Sahil Bloom & Jay Papasan The Art of Spending Money (And Why Most of Us Get It Wrong) | Morgan Housel & Jay Papasan How to 6X Your Goals Using The ONE Thing | Jay Papasan & Brandon Turner Tiny Experiments: The Neuroscience of Getting Unstuck | Anne-Laure Le Cunff and Jay Papasan The Way: 5 Principles That Create Extraordinary Results | Gary Keller & Jay Papasan The 10 BOLD Truths for Building an Amazing Life | Gary Keller & Jay Papasan How to Win The Long Game (When Everyone Else Plays Short) | Jay Papasan & Dorie Clark The 4 Hidden Thieves Destroying Your Productivity | Jay Papasan & Jordan Freed How to Lead for the Long Haul Without Burning Out | Jay Papasan & Chris Ducker Why High Achievers Burn Out (and What to Do About It) Leadership’s Hidden Cost: Loneliness - And How to Build Real Community | Jay Papasan & Liz Bohannon Free Resources Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing. Produced by NOVA | 45m 44s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
28 placements across 28 markets.
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28 placements across 28 markets.

























