In this episode of the Building Thinkers Podcast, Tracy speaks with Sara Huang about one of her twelve favorite problems: How might we rewrite broken soundtracks (limiting beliefs)?

Sara is an experienced facilitator and designer specialized in creative conflict resolution, policy work, and collaboration. The discussion centers around identifying and rewriting limiting beliefs or 'broken soundtracks.' Sara introduces concepts such as edge figures and emphasizes the importance of creating transformational spaces for personal and collective growth. The episode explores practical exercises for recognizing and reworking limiting beliefs and touches on the power of creating enriching environments for experimentation and learning.

Key Takeaways:

Unleash Transformation: Create space for self-reflection and connection to rewrite limiting beliefs and build a brighter future.

Reframe Your Reality: Shift limiting beliefs by understanding their energy and using it to propel yourself towards new possibilities. Pay attention to strong emotional reactions, either love or hate, and examine what those reactions may reveal about underlying beliefs.

Resonate, Imitate, Create: Sarah introduces a model for learning and growth: starting with what resonates (sparks interest), moving to imitation (practicing and experimenting), and finally reaching creation (applying and innovating in one's unique context).

Sara’s Recommendations:

Podcasts:

Finding Your Way: https://www.findingourwaypodcast.com/individual-episodes/s2e3

On Being: https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/

Books:

Lessons from Courageous Child by Sara Huang - https://buymeacoffee.com/sarahuang/e/71071

The Power Manual by Cindy Suarez - https://amzn.to/4bSoWC8

Holding Change by Adrienne Maree Brown - https://amzn.to/3R3Mmwk

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield - https://amzn.to/3R8F2j3

Beyond the Wall of Resistance by Rick Maurer - https://amzn.to/3KoJjLh

Other Recommendations:

https://app.7taps.com/av9kFaO3IR

https://www.conflicttransformationsummit.org/www.conflicttransformationsummit.org/stage-2.html

https://communityresourcehub.org/resources/turning-towards-each-other-a-conflict-workbook/

https://ariseembodiment.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/So-youre-ready-to-choose-love-workbook-19.pdf

Connect with Sara:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/huangsara

www.bento.me/sarahuang

www.instagram.com/bureautwist

In this episode of the Building Thinkers podcast, Tracy interviews Paula Amiama about one of her twelve favorite problems: How might we increase flow & and creativity to bring joy to work?

Over the last decade, Paula worked across marketing, the arts, sustainability, innovation, and education. She’s had stops in start-ups, non-profits, and large corporate organizations.

Currently, Paula leads the global Skilling & Learning agenda at DB Schenker, a large logistics company. Paula’s deep and wide expertise from her self-proclaimed non-linear career path, experiences, and clear life-long learning brought such powerful and unique insights in our conversation.

Tracy and Paula discuss the importance of creating flow and autonomy in work, as well as strategies for shifting perspectives to find flow. They emphasize the need to protect time and set clear agendas to prioritize flow and creativity. The conversation highlights the role of leaders in supporting and prioritizing flow for their teams.

Takeaways

• Embrace non-linear career paths: Explore diverse interests to discover what resonates most deeply with you.
• Prioritize reflection and journaling: Gain clarity on your true desires and motivations for greater focus.
• Protect time for deep work: Schedule uninterrupted blocks for focused, creative activities that energize you.
• Leaders: Foster flow through reflection: Find fulfillment in your role and create a positive work environment by prioritizing deep thinking.
• Flow and autonomy boost motivation: Enhance productivity and job satisfaction by creating space for flow and individual choice in work.

Paula's Recommendations:

Books:

Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Podcasts:

Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin

We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle

School of Embodied Arts with Jenna Ward

Connect with Paula:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulaamiama/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulaamiama/

Substack: https://paulaamiama.substack.com/

In this episode, Tracy is joined by Lily Higgins, the founder of The Intervention Bureau, a learning experience design consultancy where she partners with agencies and thought-leaders to design signature sessions fueling her crusade against boring, ineffective workshops. They discuss the importance of creating space for mindset shift within learning experiences and the role of facilitation as an act of love. Lily shares insights on the power of play and the concept of life as a game. They also explore her signature “Serendipity Walk” experience. The conversation highlights the transformative potential of experiences and the importance of autonomy and ownership in learning.

Key Takeaways:

• Facilitation is an act of love. Facilitators hold space for groups to tap into their collective wisdom and create something greater than the sum of their parts.

• Autonomy is crucial for mindset shifts. Learners need to feel ownership over their learning journeys to integrate new ideas and make meaningful changes.

• Life is a game, and we can redesign it. Game Thinking helps us see the world as a series of games with rules, roles, goals, time, space, and objects. We can change our behavior and shift systems by tweaking any of these elements. Instead of focusing solely on changing people's mindsets, we can look for ways to redesign the game itself.

Links & Recommendations:

Books:

The Power of Moments by Chip & Dan Heath: https://amzn.to/4cT75MB

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker: https://amzn.to/3UkmpdM

Free Play: Improvisation in Art & Life by Stephen Nachmanovitch: https://amzn.to/3Jjahn0

How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell: https://amzn.to/49UMvc5

Connect with Lily:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-higgins-980519b8/

The Intervention Bureau: www.theinterventionbureau.com

Book a 90-min experience design consultation with Lily: https://calendly.com/lilyhiggins/experience-design-consultation