SPARKED

Have you ever found yourself in a meeting, eyes wide, stomach dropping as a colleague says something that cuts right through you? Maybe it was an offhand comment laced with bias. Or a flat-out prejudiced belief masquerading as opinion. Perhaps it was the sting of outright bullying that left you feeling small and disrespected. If you've been there, you know that awkward, powerless feeling all too w...

What if you could tap into a state of optimal productivity, creativity, and joy whenever you wanted? I'm talking about flow - that magical feeling when you're so immersed in an activity that the rest of the world seems to melt away. For some of us, slipping into a flow state brings a rush of energy and laser-like focus. We can get more done in less time. New ideas and insights emerge effortlessly....

This week on the SPARKED podcast, we invited a listener to share what’s going on in their work & life, then pose a specific question to Jonathan Fields and a rotating lineup of wise and kind mentors - the SPARKED Braintrust.  In today’s episode we’re in conversation with: SPARKED BRAINTRUST ADVISOR:  Jadah Sellner |  Website Jadah is a multi-time founder and CEO of Jadah Se...

Have you ever felt like you just don't quite fit into the culture of your workplace? That the way you naturally communicate, in a quieter mode, doesn't align with what's expected and rewarded in a loud culture? If this resonates with you, then you'll want to listen closely to our conversation today, with guest Jessica Chen, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, speaker, and CEO of the global b...

Have you ever felt like you're being pulled in a million directions, stretched incredibly thin as you try to juggle all the expectations of career, family, and personal fulfillment? Have you struggled with the narrative that women can "have it all" if they just lean in and work hard enough? In today's episode, we challenge this myth of "making it" and explore why it may be causing more harm than g...

Have you ever felt that the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs mentality celebrated in business today leaves you feeling empty instead of fulfilled? In chasing status and wealth above all else, are we sacrificing our humanity along the way? How can we redefine success to prioritize significance over promotion and real human connection over control?   My guest today, James Rhee, proposes a radic...

This week on the SPARKED podcast, we invite a listener to share what’s going on in their work & life, then pose a specific question to Jonathan Fields and a rotating lineup of wise and kind mentors - the SPARKED Braintrust.  In today’s episode we’re in conversation with: SPARKED BRAINTRUST ADVISOR: Jenny Blake | Website Jenny is the bestselling author of Life After College, her groun...

* Discover Your Sparketype here * What if you've been searching for purpose, passion, joy and energy in all the wrong places? Or, if you’re limiting yourself to “having” to find only in the thing you get paid to do. In today's SPARKED Hot Take, we challenge the notion that meaning at work only comes from your job. Sure, when you can find it in your job, that’s amazing. And we’ve created lots of to...

You may not think of your work as your religion, but for many, it’s trying to become exactly that! Without us even realizing it. Question is – is that a good thing? A bad thing? Or just a thing? Today’s guest, sociologist, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, and Co-Director of the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion, Carolyn Chen, has a lot to say about this silent, yet dee...

What if much of what you’ve been told about how to come alive and get ahead in work was, well, wrong? That’s what today’s guest, Bonnie Hammer argues. And she’d know. As the Vice Chair of NBCUniversal, with decades at the highest levels of business, she’s the author of the new book 15 Lies: How Women are Taught to Fail and the Truth That Sets Them Free.  In our conversation, Bonnie stres...

* Discover Your Sparketype here * We all want to feel more alive in work, and also in life. But, how? Where do we even begin. I'm sure you've noticed there are certain activities that light you up at work. When you're doing them, you lose track of time, enter a state of flow, and feel deeply energized, like you’re fueled by purpose, meaning and joy.. But there are also tasks that drain you, no mat...

Are you unintentionally shutting down those around, so you you never get the benefit of their wisdom? Or, are you the one being shut down? In work, in relationships, in life? Have you ever wondered what your coworkers, friends, or even kids really think but don’t say? I’m sure you’ve experienced those rare moments when someone finally opened up and offered a perspective that shifted your whole vie...

This week on the SPARKED podcast, we invite a listener to share what’s going on in their work & life, then pose a specific question to Jonathan Fields and a rotating lineup of wise and kind mentors - the SPARKED Braintrust.  In today’s episode we’re in conversation with: SPARKED BRAINTRUST ADVISOR: Jenny Blake | Website Jenny is a podcaster, career and business strategist, and an awa...

Follow the SPARKED Newsletter on LinkedIn here. What if our biggest regrets secretly held the keys to unlocking our greatest potential in work and life? What if it was the path to self-improvement, clarified priorities, and more courageous living? That's what we’re exploring in this episode of Sparked, with my guest, bestselling author Daniel Pink. This conversation originally aired as a Link...

Imagine, being in your 20s, fresh out of washing dishes at a local restaurant, borrowing just enough money to open a tiny, local deli with a friend who shared your passion for food, community, and business? Now, imagine that, decades later, that single decision would profoundly change the lives of not just thousands of regular customers, but millions of people, around the world?  What my gues...

How do you blend a well-paying job and a side passion that lights you up? This week SPARKED podcast, we invited a listener to share what’s going on in their work & life, then pose a specific question to Jonathan Fields and a rotating lineup of wise and kind mentors - the SPARKED Braintrust.  In today’s episode we’re in conversation with: SPARKED BRAINTRUST ADVISOR: Deborah Owens | We...

Have you ever felt like you're drowning in stress, no matter what you try? That the weight of it all seems impossible to overcome? I've been there too. Today I'm speaking with Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, a Harvard stress expert on a mission to help us reframe and reset our relationship with stress. In my experience, we often feel alone when stressed, as if we're the only ones struggling. The truth is stre...

When was the last time you asked yourself if your career is truly headed where you want to go? Do you feel like you’re just coasting along or following someone else’s script?  It’s tempting but playing it safe is no way to build a career that allows you to grow into your best self. In today’s conversation, Grace helps you grab the wheel and chart a course aligned with your true aspirations.&n...

Have you ever felt like creativity is a gift only meant for others? Like you just weren’t born part of that illustrious and somewhat mysterious “creative class?”  Total bunk. Creativity lives inside all of us—and uncovering it could unlock meaning and joy in every aspect of your life? In this conversation, Cynthia and I explore the myths holding us back from full creative living. She reveals...

Have you ever felt that nagging sense that you're capable of achieving so much more, yet held yourself back because taking a leap felt too risky? I know I have. We all have big dreams inside us - of launching that business, asking for the promotion, or finally working up the courage to leave the unfulfilling job. But so often, we shy away from fully pursuing those dreams because we worry about sta...

Have you ever started the new year feeling unstoppable, only to hit February and realize your plans need a major refresh? I've been there too. The ambitious goals we set in January can seem so achievable in the moment. But life has a way of asserting itself. Unexpected challenges arise. Priorities shift. New opportunities emerge. The question is: what do you do when you find yourself at this cross...

Money. Some view it as a dirty word. Others live their entire lives in pursuit of it. There is so much mythology and misinformation about what it really takes to build life-changing levels of wealth. Even if we find a way to be well-informed, and are fortunate to be in a position to be thinking about building wealth, so many are still left to deal with the often triggering family and cultural patt...

*Coaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training . Next Training starts March 2024. Why do we feel so bad when we say no to people? Even to complete strangers who request our time, advice or even money out of the blue? What’s going on there? What is the deeper psychology of our inability to comfortably and shamelessly just say no? Even to people a...

Many of us have felt the call to create our own professional path and start our own business. The call is especially strong when your why is deeply personal and mission driven. And, sometimes, that even means walking away from something else that, from the outside looking in, is everything you’d ever want. How do you handle these moments, make good decisions, and find the courage to step into the...

Ever feel like you spend way too much time in the tactical details and lose sight of the bigger picture? Especially when you don’t have to be doing much of the detailed work, but you somehow can’t stop yourself from it? You're not alone.  We've all felt the temptation to retreat into the comfort zone of tackling familiar tactical tasks instead of venturing into unknown strategic domains. But...