The Wholistic Productivity Podcast

Failure doesn't mean you're doing something wrong—it means you're gathering information. In this episode, Chris reframes how we think about missed goals, underperforming projects, and incomplete attempts. Instead of seeing them as verdicts on your capability, learn to extract the data they offer. Through his experience analyzing nonprofit fundraising appeals and a recent weekend lea...

Welcome to the Wholistic Productivity Podcast! In this episode, Chris sits down with Chanelle Wimbish , clinical research professional and disability advocate who has transformed her lived experience into a mission of accessibility and purpose. For 17 years, Chanelle has been living with a spinal cord injury and using a wheelchair—but she hasn't let that stop her from mountain biking, kayakin...

Small wins compound. But what about invisible progress? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris dives into the gap between consistency and visible results. Using personal examples from trail running (he's training for the Ragnar Appalachian Relay in August) and over 25 years in nonprofit fundraising, Chris shares how to maintain consistency when the evidence of progress i...

What if the journaling practice you've been avoiding only takes one sentence? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris makes the case for the smallest possible version of a journaling habit — and why that's actually the version that sticks. He shares how pairing it with gratitude gives you a starting point every single day, even the ones that feel completely unremarka...

When you fall behind, what's your first instinct? For most people, it's to work more. Stay later, get up earlier, push through the weekend. But in most cases, falling behind isn't a time problem. It's a focus problem. And adding more hours to a focus problem doesn't help you accomplish more, it just gives you more time to be unfocused in. In this episode of the Wholistic P...

Your calendar doesn’t lie. But a packed schedule and an empty one can both be working against you in ways you might not expect. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun breaks down two ideas that will change how you think about your time. First: why a wide-open calendar isn’t freedom — and the simple shift that turns a chaotic to-do list into a schedule that actuall...

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch passed away suddenly at age 41, just six days after his final race victory. In his last interview, he said something that stopped Chris LeBrun in his tracks: "Take whatever you can get, man. You never know when the last one's gonna be. So cherish them all, trust me." In this episode, Chris reflects on the life and legacy of Kyle Busch — not as a sports tribu...

What if the most important moment in your goal journey isn't the finish line — it's the daily showing up that gets you there? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun challenges the all-or-nothing approach to celebrating progress and makes the case for why recognizing small wins isn't just motivating, it's how behavior actually gets built. Chris...

Discomfort is inevitable, but not all discomfort is created equal. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun breaks down the difference between the kind of discomfort that signals growth and the kind that signals something else entirely: a weakness that's quietly acting as your kryptonite. Using the Superman analogy, Chris explores why so many driven people keep push...

What if the most productive thing you could do is get well — in every sense of the word? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun sits down with Jared Thurmon, a founder and investor building ventures at the intersection of wellness and hospitality. Jared's lifelong conviction is simple: true health is the foundation everything else is built on. And now he&apos...

Every yes you give costs something. The question is whether you're making that trade on purpose — or by accident. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun unpacks why defaulting to yes is one of the quietest ways we sabotage our own goals. Drawing from his own experience teaching adjunct college courses — a commitment he loved but eventually had to walk away from —...

You don't have a time problem — you have an energy problem. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris gets personal about a brutal stretch of life (his son's ongoing health battle) and shares why no amount of time management can save you when your energy tanks are running on empty. Then, taking inspiration from the band U2, Chris breaks down why the unglamorous "B...

Every great idea you've ever lost to distraction didn't disappear — you just had nowhere to put it. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun shares a deceptively simple strategy for protecting your focus: parking distracting thoughts instead of chasing them. When your brain knows an idea is safely captured, it stops interrupting you. Chris also introduces a pow...

What if everything you've been told about balance is wrong? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun breaks down why the "perfect pie chart" version of balance is setting you up to feel like a failure — and what to replace it with instead. The answer isn't more discipline or better time management. It's rhythm. Chris shares a candid look at his o...

What if the exhaustion you're feeling goes far deeper than just being tired?  In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun sits down with Chelsy Tyler — pastor, speaker, and burnout recovery advocate — for an honest and eye-opening conversation about burnout that most of us never get to have. Chelsy brings a unique perspective to this topic: having served in pastor...

What if the key to getting more done isn’t adding new apps or complicated systems—but simply using the tools you already have? In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, productivity coach Chris LeBrun shares five practical tools that can dramatically improve your productivity without costing a single dollar. Instead of chasing the latest productivity hacks, Chris explains how to work...

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast , productivity coach Chris LeBrun tackles a challenge many ambitious people face: having too many goals competing for your attention. If you’ve ever felt like you have too many browser tabs open in your brain , you’re not alone. Chris shares a simple framework called the Focus Allocation Model that helps you organize your goals so you can pursu...

This episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast wraps up a powerful three-part series on building a team to reach your goals . If you’ve ever felt like you’re trying to achieve big goals on your own, this conversation will challenge that mindset. In Episode 50, productivity coach and host Chris LeBrun explores two essential relationships that can accelerate your growth: the ally and the apprent...

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast , Chris LeBrun continues his series on building relationships that accelerate your progress. We often think productivity is about better systems, tighter schedules, or stronger discipline. But sustainable growth doesn’t happen alone. If you want to reach meaningful goals — professionally, personally, or purpose-driven — you need the right peopl...

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun begins a new three-part series focused on one of the most overlooked drivers of success: the people around you. We often think productivity is about discipline, planning, and execution. But over time, Chris has seen a consistent pattern—progress accelerates when the right relationships are in place. This episode explores why meani...

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun explores a quiet but powerful realization: sometimes we don’t abandon our goals—we slowly dilute them. What once excited and energized us can become familiar, safe, and eventually fade into the background of our lives. Inspired by a moment in a doctor’s waiting room, Chris unpacks how goals can lose their edge over time. Not becau...

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast , Chris LeBrun takes on a mindset that quietly holds many people back: imposter syndrome . That voice saying “Who am I to do this?” doesn’t mean you’re unqualified—it often means you’re growing. Chris reframes imposter syndrome as a natural part of stepping into new territory, not a sign you should stop. Through personal experience and practica...

In this deeply personal episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast , host Chris LeBrun steps away from the usual format to share an honest reflection on what happens when life completely disrupts your plans. With his family navigating an ongoing medical crisis, Chris opens up about exhaustion, shifting priorities, and the quiet pressure we place on ourselves to “push through” when what we reall...

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast , Chris LeBrun sits down with Jason Mustard , an immigration attorney and law firm partner, to explore what it really takes to make a major career pivot later in life—without sacrificing your values, your family, or your well-being. Jason brings a rare perspective shaped by lived experience. After earning a journalism degree and spending a deca...

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast , Chris LeBrun challenges a common assumption about goal setting: that all goals should be treated the same. They shouldn’t. Chris breaks down five different types of goals we set—and why understanding the purpose behind each one can dramatically improve motivation, focus, and follow-through. Instead of forcing every goal into the same framewor...