Unstuck with Jay Abbasi

Who are you when you strip away your titles, achievements, and everything you think defines you? In this solo episode, Jay explores one of life's most profound questions: Who am I? Drawing from years of meditation, spiritual study, and personal reflection, he challenges the ways we define ourselves through job titles, relationships, achievements, and other people's opinions, revealing why these at...

What happens when you've achieved everything you wanted, but still feel like something is missing? Meet Kelly. She's a successful VP of marketing at a specialty insurance company. At 41, she's earning more than ever, respected by executives, and excelling at her job. But lately, she feels numb. The work that once excited her now feels meaningless, and she can't shake the feeling that she's lost he...

Knowing what to do isn't the problem. Actually doing it is. In this solo episode, Jay tackles one of the most common challenges high achievers face: knowing exactly what needs to be done but struggling to follow through. Drawing from his personal experiences and years of coaching, he shares a practical five-step framework for turning good intentions into consistent action. From claiming your ident...

What if the thing holding you back isn't fear of failure, but fear of success? Meet Bonnie. She launched her HR consulting business six months ago. She's experienced, knowledgeable, and ambitious, but when potential clients push back, she freezes. Despite hours of preparation, she second-guesses herself, people-pleases, and walks away from opportunities she knows she's capable of winning. In this...

What if the biggest threat to your workplace is the leadership habits you don't even realize you have? In this Halloween-themed solo episode, Jay explores seven common leadership monsters that can quietly damage workplace culture, drain team energy, and affect how people experience their leaders. From the Ghost who avoids difficult conversations to the Vampire who drains everyone's energy, Jay bre...

What if the pressure you're feeling is pressure you're creating? Meet Peter. He's a successful chief marketing officer at a major EV company. His campaigns deliver results, but his team feels disconnected. His meetings lack energy, watching another executive effortlessly connect with his team, Peter realizes something is missing. He wants to create a culture where people genuinely enjoy working to...

What if creating the life you want isn't about trying harder, but learning to stop forcing it? In this solo episode, Jay shares five powerful lessons from Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland, his favorite book of 2026 so far. Drawing from the book's unconventional approach to visualization, intention, and personal growth, he explores how our thoughts, choices, and emotional states can shape the wa...

What made you successful might be the very thing holding you back. Meet Kyle. He's the CEO of a thriving renewable energy company with over 150 employees. He's brilliant, driven, and relentlessly focused on results. But his demanding schedule, impatience, and constant overthinking are taking a toll. His company is winning, but he's exhausted, his relationship is suffering, and he's terrified that...

Great meetings aren't about filling time. They're about making every minute count. In this solo episode, Jay tackles one of the most common workplace frustrations: unproductive meetings. Drawing from his leadership experience at Tesla and his work coaching leaders, he shares a practical seven-step framework for running meetings that respect people's time, create clarity, and drive meaningful resul...

Just because someone delivers results doesn't mean they can lead people. Meet Ganesh. He's a successful senior product manager at a major airline. Executives love him, his team delivers results, and his career is thriving. But when one of his best employees unexpectedly resigns, he starts questioning his leadership. His team rarely speaks up, and feedback suggests he's intimidating. He's been so f...

Networking isn't about what you can get. It's about the value you can give. In this solo episode, Jay shares his seven-step approach to building meaningful professional relationships and mastering the art of networking. Drawing from his experience growing a successful coaching and speaking business, he explains why effective networking begins with a mindset of giving rather than getting. From iden...

Reinvention doesn’t have to begin with quitting. It begins with curiosity. Meet Terrence. He’s a successful senior vice president with a good salary, a wife, two young kids, and plenty of responsibility. But lately, his work feels transactional. His team seems disconnected, his calendar is packed, and he can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. He doesn’t want to blow up the life he’s bu...

Great leaders don’t pretend to be calm. They learn how to become calm beneath the surface. In this solo episode, Jay challenges a leadership lesson he learned early in his career: “Be like a duck.” While a duck appears calm above the water while paddling furiously underneath, Jay explains why this approach can lead to inauthenticity, overwhelm, and a disconnect between what leaders show and what t...

Just because AI can do it doesn’t mean it should. Meet Michelle. She’s a VP of HR trying to keep pace with a CEO who moves fast. One week it’s AI, the next it’s retention, then recruiting. Everyone expects Michelle to solve problems, protect the culture, and pick up the pieces when something breaks. She wants to stop reacting to the latest priority and start helping shape what comes next. In this...

When coaching isn’t working, it may be time to stop talking about the work and start talking to the person. In this solo episode, Jay explores what to do when you’ve coached, given feedback, shown empathy, and nothing seems to work. Drawing from a memorable leadership exercise at Tesla, he shares how leaders can move beyond surface-level conversations and create a “moment of truth” with a difficul...

Before you blame the next generation, look in the mirror. Meet Robert. After 25 years in hospital leadership, he’s frustrated. Younger nurses seem distracted, overwhelmed, and resistant to feedback. His usual leadership strategies aren’t working, and turnover keeps rising. For years, Robert blamed the next generation. Now he’s wondering if he’s the one who needs to adapt. In this episode, Jay sits...

There’s a difference between a difficult leader and a toxic one. Do you know how to spot it? In this solo episode, Jay shares a personal story from his time at Tesla to explore the difference between a difficult leader and a truly toxic one. Drawing from an experience he has rarely discussed in detail, he breaks down seven warning signs that can help you determine whether a challenging leadership...

A difficult boss makes work harder. A toxic boss causes harm. Meet Adrina. She’s a successful senior director who loves her work, but something has changed. Her CEO’s constant criticism and subtle comments have slowly chipped away at her confidence. Meetings are quieter, people second-guess themselves, and Adrena has stopped looking forward to Mondays. She doesn’t hate her career. She just feels l...

The best leaders don’t solve every problem. They empower others to solve them. In this solo episode, Jay explores a common leadership trap: playing the hero. Drawing from his own experience as a leader, he explains why constantly answering questions, solving problems, and swooping in to save the day can unintentionally prevent your people from becoming more resourceful and capable. Jay shares seve...

Motivation doesn’t create action. Action creates motivation. Meet Melissa. She stares through the windshield at the county administration building, overwhelmed by the demands of work, family, and being the person everyone turns to when things fall apart. She loves helping people, but she has become so focused on carrying everyone else's problems that she has forgotten to make space for herself. In...

The best of Unstuck may still be ahead of us. After 200 episodes of Unstuck, Jay looks ahead to what’s next. In this solo episode, he shares five areas he wants to explore more deeply as the podcast evolves, along with the types of experts and leaders he hopes to bring into future conversations. From AI and neuroscience to real-world corporate leadership, peak performance, and generational differe...

The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t have figured out. In this special 200th episode of Unstuck, Jay continues his countdown of the 10 things he was wrong about and shares the five lessons that have changed him most. After nearly 200 episodes of conversations, research, reflection, and growth, he looks back on the beliefs that no longer serve him and the perspectives that have res...

Growth begins when you’re willing to admit you were wrong. As Unstuck approaches its 200th episode, Jay looks back at how nearly 200 episodes of conversations, research, and personal growth have changed the way he thinks. In this special two-part series, he shares 10 things he once believed that he now realizes he was wrong about. In Part 1, Jay counts down lessons 10 through 6, from something as...

Every time you say yes, you’re saying no to something else. Meet Carl. He’s a successful real estate agent with no shortage of ideas or opportunities. But behind the deals, billboards, and growing business, he’s exhausted. He struggles to delegate, takes too much on himself, and every new idea adds another responsibility to an already crowded life. Carl wants to keep his ambition without sacrifici...

If you want people to trust you, don’t wait for it to happen. Build it. In this solo episode, Jay breaks down five practical strategies for becoming someone your colleagues, leaders, stakeholders, and direct reports genuinely trust. Because when people see you as credible, they’re more likely to invite you into important conversations, listen to your ideas, and give you a seat at the table. Jay sh...