SPARKED

Have you ever felt like the very identity that defined you was becoming a straightjacket? That the career path, role, or persona you'd so carefully crafted suddenly felt constraining rather than purposeful? If so, you've likely experienced the disorienting - yet potentially catalyzing - transition I'm exploring with my guest today. I’m joined by Laura Gassner Otting. As an author, speaker, and ent...

Have you ever found yourself dreading Monday, counting down the hours until Friday? And wondering, when did work get so devoid of joy and fun? When did we start sacrificing playfulness and authentic connection at the altar of professionalism? And is that really giving anyone, including your employer, what they want and need? Today, we're cracking open the door to a more joyful, fulfilling work exp...

Have you ever felt like your ambition was unsustainable? That drive to achieve and succeed was slowly draining you, leaving you unfulfilled despite your accomplishments? What if there was a way to align your ambitions with your deepest motivations and capacity for a lifetime of thriving? Today, we're turning our attention to the concept of sustainable ambition. We'll explore a fresh perspective th...

Ever felt the crushing weight of burnout slowly snuffing out your spark? That bone-deep exhaustion that leaves you questioning if this is really the path for you?  Imagine a world where you can thrive without feeling endlessly drained, where purpose and joy intertwine in beautiful harmony. Today, we're embarking on a profound exploration of burnout - its insidious roots, its soul-sapping cons...

Have you ever felt stuck pursuing a path that didn't truly resonate with you? A career, creative endeavor or major life change that you committed to fully, told the world it’s what you were doing, and who you were now…only to realize it wasn't what you really wanted?  Today, we're going to explore a more forgiving approach - one that allows you to experiment and gather critical data before go...

Are you tired of feeling drained and unfocused at work? Do you wish you could harness your brain’s full creative potential without sacrificing productivity? In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Mithu Storoni, a neuroscience researcher and ophthalmic surgeon, reveals revolutionary insights from her book Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work. Imagine a world where...

Ever felt like your emotions were running the show? One moment you're mindfully present, the next hijacked by anxiety over the future or paralyzed by regrets of the past. If this resonates, you're not alone. But what if there was a way to cultivate profound emotional fitness - the ability to embrace the full range of your feelings while navigating life with resilience, empathy and playfulness? My...

My guest today is Mitch Joel, a marketing visionary who has been at the forefront of exploring how generative AI can enhance rather than replace human creativity. When brands like Google, Starbucks, and GE want to leverage technology to connect with consumers, they call Mitch. He's the Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, and his books like "Six Pixels of Separation" and "CTRL ALT Delete" have established h...

Today’s Career Transformation Story features a trailblazer's journey from the apex of the corporate tech world to embracing the path of the solopreneur coach. It's a tale of reclaiming autonomy and giving voice to one's innermost callings. My guest today is Christian Röpke, who spent over a decade rising through AI leadership roles like Head of AI and Chief Technology Officer at startups in Berlin...

Learn more about working with Jonathan to craft your 2×20 Project™. A few months ago, I introduced my personal 2×20 Project™ – taking two years to intentionally design my ideal life for the next twenty. If you missed that powerful first discussion, you’ll want to  start there . Now, I’m back with an unfiltered update. What if you could take two years to actively craft a path centered around y...

What if you could transform uncertainty from a source of anxiety into fuel for discovery? That’s the invitation former Google executive turned neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff extends in this illuminating conversation about living life as a series of tiny experiments. Drawing from her own journey – from prestigious tech career to startup founder to neuroscience researcher – and insights from her...

Have you ever felt like the traditional job search process just isn't working for you? That sending out resume after resume into a black hole, praying for any response, is a soul-crushing cycle of rejection and disappointment? If so, you’re not alone. What if there was a way to rethink the job hunt? That’s where we're heading in today’s Sparked Hot Take. Joining me is Madeline Mann, a human resour...

In today’s Career Transformation Story, we're diving deep into one woman's incredible career transition from elite design consultant to launching her own business helping impact-driven organizations tackle their biggest challenges. My guest today is Kat Thackray, founder of a cutting-edge consultancy, People Equals Purpose, focused on transforming team dynamics and organizational culture.  Ka...

Turns out strategy isn’t just for business, it’s for life. And that’s what we’re diving into with an old friend today, Seth Godin. Seth is an author, entrepreneur, and teacher who has spent decades helping people find clarity and take purposeful action. In his latest book This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans , Seth challenges us to abandon outdated systems and instant gratification in favor of smar...

Can social conditioning, past experiences, and external pressure affect the way we explore figuring out our Sparketype? Or, for that matter, any metric we might look to, as a way to help figure out what drives us? And how do we turn down the volume on social conditioning and perceived expectations, determine what our “truest truths” really are, and express ourselves in a more aligned way? Today’s...

In today’s Career Transformation Story, we meet Lea Holzfurtner, a clinical sexologist, author, and reality TV host based in Berlin. Lea spent seven years ascending the ranks in financial services and martech companies, earning an MBA along the way. Yet, a lifelong fascination with the intricacies of human sexuality refused to be ignored. Through years of evening study, she steadily built exp...

Ambition is such a loaded word. It’s often associated with a relentless drive to succeed, trampling over others as you scrap your way to the top, ignoring your wellbeing, relationships, and any sense of groundedness, meaning, peace or joy along the way. It’s what helps you achieve success, we’re told. But, what it that was not only wrong, but it also kept you from the work, the relationships, the...

Coaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training .  Differentiate yourself as a certified professional with a powerful command of the Sparketype® body of knowledge, professional-level tools, processes, engagement formats, and strategies, while equipping yourself to guide individuals, groups and teams through change with confidence and clarity....

In today’s Career Transformation Story, we uncover a profound journey of reclaiming one's creative spark and finding fulfillment through empowering others. It's a tale that takes us from the technical realms of aerospace engineering to the "social engineering" of company culture. My guest today is Adam Kolozetti, co-founder of Enta Solutions - a consultancy fusing team building, process improvemen...

Ever feel like the rise of virtual communication has turned your workdays into a jumble of endless emails, frantic messages, and back-to-back video calls? One minute you're on a Zoom wrangling meeting attendees, the next you're desperately trying to craft the perfect Slack message before your manager thinks you've gone AWOL? If so, you’re not alone. The chaotic world of remote and hybrid work can...

Ever set an exciting goal that seemed life-changing, only to watch it fade away weeks later? In this episode, I share my proven ‘Success Scaffolding’ framework—a system I developed after diving deep into research on goal achievement and social psychology. This approach has helped me succeed in writing multiple books, launching companies, transforming my health, and achieving numerous other goals o...

My guest today is Monica Parker, a former lawyer, leader and people developer in big companies who's now a professional organizer. Despite early success and prestige in her business career, Monica felt a persistent yearning for more meaningful, transformative work. Through profound life experiences like a near-death encounter, Monica summoned the courage to start listening to her heart's callings....

Have you ever felt that gnawing sense of emptiness? That void inside you that desperately needs to be filled? You keep pushing forward, throwing yourself into activity after activity, but something still feels...off. You're going through the motions, but not truly feeling alive.  If this resonates, you're not alone. Millions are experiencing this state of languishing - falling in that sp...

Have you ever felt that inner tension, that little voice telling you something just doesn't feel right? That you're being asked to go along with something that conflicts with your values and who you truly want to be? If so, you're not alone. And my guest today, Dr. Sunita Sah, has spent decades studying this very phenomenon - the struggle between compliance and defiance.  Dr. Sah is an award-...

What if you could ditch the outdated model of top-down leadership and instead create an environment where anyone can catalyze a collective vision? Where every voice is empowered to contribute their unique brilliance towards extraordinary outcomes? Today, we're rethinking what it truly means to lead in the modern age. My guest today, Keith Ferrazzi, is on a mission to initiate a profound shift - fr...