The Zack Arnold Podcast

Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled, Are we becoming Generation Xtinct? . If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it means to be human in the age of AI....

What if happiness wasn’t the reward for success but instead the foundation for it? Jackson Kerchis  is here to share the science and psychology of happiness—not as an abstract, feel-good concept, but as a practical tool for navigating uncertainty, overcoming career challenges, and unlocking creativity. From the neuroscience behind gratitude and mindfulness to why we’re so bad at predicting what wi...

What if striving for more is actually giving you… less? In this episode, Zack sits down with bestselling author  Oliver Burkeman —known for Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals—to unpack the trap of productivity and the illusion of the perfect to-do list. Together, they explore why the constant chase for achievement might be keeping us from truly living, and how embracing the unfinished...

Are you stuck in the messy middle of life, wondering who you’re becoming on the other side? In this episode, the mic turns inward as today’s guest—well, it’s me,  Zack Arnold  —and I’m opening up about the newly rebranded   Zack Arnold Podcast . Along with my podcast producer and fellow coach Debby Germino, we discuss why the changes go far beyond a new name, music, or artwork. Together, we dig in...

Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled,  I wasn't afraid of losing my paycheck nearly as much as losing myself . If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what...

Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled,  I sold my soul for a paycheck. It led me to my purpose instead.  If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it means t...

Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled,  The existential crisis that destroyed me and then changed my life.  If you enjoyed this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it me...

Hey there, it's Zack. And for today's mini episode, I'd like to share with you an audio reading of a recent article that I wrote on Substack titled, Procrastinating? You're not lazy. You're probably just afraid . If you enjoy this article and you're interested in reading more about navigating significant life transitions, finding meaning in your creative work, and what it m...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist Ever feel like the ground beneath your career is shifting — like every step forward only leads to more uncertainty? Today, we're diving deep into the heart of creative survival during one of...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist With everything that’s happened in the past few years—and the latest tragedies that have shaken the entertainment industry—it’s no surprise that many of us feel stuck, are questioning what’s next...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist The past two years have been relentless for creatives, and even in the first quarter of the year,, the losses keep piling up with no end in sight. Staying creative, hopeful, or even grounded feel...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist My guest today is  Jennifer Kahnweiler , a bestselling author, host of the  Introvert Ally Podcast , and one of the leading experts on introverts at work. Her books —  The Introverted Leader ,  Q...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist A few years ago,  Sandy Zimmerman  came on the  Zack Arnold  podcast as a longtime Physical Education teacher and coach. During that conversation, she made a quiet prediction—she felt she was mea...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist In today's episode, I sit down with  Kathy Robinson , a longtime member of the Optimizer community and one of my coaching students who has made a remarkable career transition. Kathy is on the...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist My guest today is  Krysia Szyszlo , an Optimizer OG who has successfully diversified her career across multiple fields, including television editing, real estate investing, and dating coaching ....

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist My guest today is  Justin Jones-Fosu , who is the CEO of Work. Meaningful., an organization dedicated to transforming corporate culture by fostering mindset, purpose, and performance. Justin is a...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist My guest today is  Laura Nguyen , a burnout coach and author of Career Break Compass: Navigating Your Path to a Balanced Life Through Intentional Time Off. While her book focuses on taking career...

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more? → Click here for your customized podcast playlist For this special kickoff episode of the new year, we’re flipping the script: I, Zack Arnold, the usual host of  Optimize Yourself , step into the guest seat to give you an exclusive behind-the-sc...

Today’s mini-episode is the latest edition of my Case of the Mondays newsletter, a free newsletter I send out exclusively to my subscribers every Monday morning with my latest thoughts, strategies, and tips for better managing the crazy balancing act between work & life. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather design a career where I’m excited about Mondays instead of dreading them. To be the f...

Today’s mini-episode is the latest edition of my Case of the Mondays newsletter, a free newsletter I send out exclusively to my subscribers every Monday morning with my latest thoughts, strategies, and tips for better managing the crazy balancing act between work & life. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather design a career where I’m excited about Mondays instead of dreading them. To be the f...

Since May of 2014 I’ve done my best to release a brand new long form conversation on a weekly basis, and between my original show Fitness In Post and now Optimize Yourself, I’ve now released just short of 400 episodes. But eventually this thing called life gets in the way. And I had to make the difficult choice to pause recording new interviews for the time being, hence the lack of new long form c...

In this Hot Seat session, long-time community member Sam Lavin opens up about an unexpected and deeply challenging moment in her career: being fired for the first time. The experience shook her confidence and left her scrambling to address the immediate financial strain. Feeling scattered and unsure of her next steps, Sam and I worked together to untangle her priorities. We explored practical stra...

In this Hot Seat session, I sit down with community member Saarang Vinodh, who’s navigating a delicate challenge: reconnecting with a producer he had previously reached out to. Their last conversation seemed to close the door on potential mentorship, but now Saarang’s goals have shifted, and he’s confident this producer could help. The question is, how can he reach out again without the message fe...

In this Hot Seat session, I sit down with community member Brett Williams to help him refine his resume and align it with his career goals. Brett is targeting broadcast promos and marketing agencies but finds himself grappling with a resume that's overflowing with information. While he has a good sense of which experiences to emphasize, he's unsure how to organize them in a way that tells...

In this Hot Seat session, community member Stephen Lehman opens up about his goal to edit narrative projects consistently while working as a film teacher. Stephen is trying to navigate the challenges in building the right connections to make this vision a reality. Together, we explore the types of relationships he should focus on and develop strategies to ensure he's on the radar for future op...