The challenging yet crucial skill of making hard choices is in the spotlight this week as McKay draws inspiration from Ruth Chang's TED Talk and real-world examples ranging from President Truman's wartime decisions to personal dilemmas faced by his own family and himself. The episode explores the nature of hard choices - those where options seem equally compelling or unclear - and offers practical strategies for navigating these pivotal moments.

McKay emphasizes the importance of understanding your values, gathering information (but not getting paralyzed by it), taking small steps to test options, and ultimately, committing to a path. Illustrating how these decisions shape not only our immediate future but also who we become, our host urges listeners to embrace the process of choosing, even when it's difficult, as a pathway to growth and a more fulfilling life.

Main Themes:

• Hard choices involve equally compelling options.
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• The process of choosing fosters personal growth.
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• Test different paths to gain clarity.
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• Align decisions with core values and what fosters growth.
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• Commit to a choice, then learn and adapt.
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• True success is measured by service and impact.
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• Making your own choices builds agency and responsibility.
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• Learn from all past choices, good and bad.
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• How you live with a choice matters more than the choice itself.
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• Gain diverse perspectives to find the best path.

Top 10 Quotes:

"Hard choices are those when we're comparing options, they seem on par, and maybe for different reasons, but the choice, the decision, is hard and unclear."

"This is the natural response, right? When faced with similar choices, most of us don't decide. And that may be the worst choice of all."

"When you're faced with such a decision, you can start walking down one path or the other. Go as far as you can without too much cost or investment."

"Which program will cause you as a person to have grown more? To become better and to give you new possible directions in life?"

"Choose the one that stretches you in the right way that helps you grow."

"In my view, our decisions are not perfect, but our living with those decisions makes it so."

"The real measure of success is, ‘How did we serve in our circumstance?'”

"It's often not how good we are at making decisions, but how good we are at making life good from the decisions that we've made that matters."

"Ascertain what matters. Identify your guiding values."

"Take the attitude that this helps you become the author of your life, forming who you want to be."

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay unpacks the "S-Curve", a powerful concept from the business world, and reveals how its principles are a blueprint for navigating change and achieving lasting growth in our careers, families, and personal lives. By examining the rise and fall of corporate giants like Kodak, Walmart, and Netflix, he illustrates that the path to success isn't a straight line but a series of curves, each requiring a strategic "jump" to avoid stagnation and reach the next level.

The episode breaks down the predictable stages of any new venture - a slow start, a period of rapid growth, and an inevitable plateau. McKay uses compelling stories to show why companies like Kodak failed when they clung to their old models, while innovators like Walmart and Netflix thrived by noticing market shifts, leveraging their core strengths, and bravely jumping to a new curve. The discussion provides listeners with three actionable strategies - getting started without the perfect plan, becoming a "first-class noticer," and finding synergies between the old and the new - to successfully navigate their own S-Curves and turn moments of challenge into catalysts for profound growth.

Main Themes:

• Growth in business, careers, and personal life follows a predictable three-stage S-Curve.
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• To avoid stagnation, one must "jump" from a maturing S-Curve to a new one.
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• The strategies that lead to initial success are often not the ones that sustain it.
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• Successful adaptation involves noticing market changes, learning from others, and taking calculated risks.
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• Leverage your existing strengths and assets when pivoting to a new approach.
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• The first step in jumping the curve is to take action, even if imperfectly, and learn from the process.
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• Gaining new perspectives is essential for identifying when and how to change course.
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• The principles of the S-Curve apply equally to corporate strategy, parenting, personal health, and career development.

Top 10 Quotes:

"Often in life, the things you used to be successful at last only up to a certain point."

"What got you here is not going to get you where you need to go."

"The market changes, interest rates move, social causes evolve, our children and what is popular changes."

"The best leaders, the best business leaders are first-class noticers."

"Rather than abandon its way of doing business, Walmart found ways to leverage what was good about their business model."

"You have to be more strategic about spending family time."

"So lesson number one is to get moving. Start trying a new approach."

"You'll find greater happiness and prosperity waiting when you jump the S-Curve in what you do."

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

In yet another insightful episode of the Open Your Eyes podcast, McKay traces the transformative power of knowledge, from the darkness of the 14th century to the modern bookshelf. By exploring key lessons from history and foundational books, he demonstrates how acquiring knowledge remains the ultimate tool for personal growth, effective leadership, and a more fulfilling life.

Drawing a stark contrast between a pre-literate world of disease and ignorance and the revolutions that followed, our host credits Johannes Gutenberg's printing press with changing the world. He then distills potent, actionable wisdom from a number of influential books, including practical tactics on negotiation from Never Split the Difference, persuasion from Influence, and marketing from Contagious. The episode also highlights the power of perseverance over talent as detailed in Grit and the necessity of emotional focus in leadership from Daniel Goleman's work, ultimately encouraging listeners to see reading not as a pastime, but as a direct path to empowerment.

Main Themes:

• Knowledge is the ultimate form of power.
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• The spread of information, via the printing press, ended an era of ignorance and sparked global progress.
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• Reading is a direct path to personal and professional growth.
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• Effective negotiation is a process of discovery, not a battle.
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• Understanding human psychology (reciprocity, social proof, providing reasons) is key to influence.
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• Grit and perseverance are often more important than innate talent.
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• Emotional intelligence allows leaders to focus on what truly matters.
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• Marketing should be a generous act of helping others.

Top 10 Quotes:

"Knowledge has the power to change people, cultures, homes, families, and businesses."

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."

"Negotiation is not an act of battle; it's a process of discovery."

"People simply like to have reasons for what they do."

"Marketing is the generous act of helping others, not selling others."

"When we care, we share."

"Grit mattered more than intelligence, leadership, or physical fitness."

"Leaders with high emotional intelligence... can suspend emotions or reactions on things that don't matter most."

"What kept the population in such poor conditions was the lack of knowledge."

"At the foundation of our behavior and beliefs really is the way we see the world and ourselves in it."

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Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

McKay explores the profound truth that our lives are shaped by our choices in this latest instalment of the Open Your Eyes podcast. From celebrity comebacks to devastating wildfires and artistic dedication, he illustrates how embracing "everything is a choice" empowers us to move beyond circumstance, take responsibility, and consciously design a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Illustrating the real-world impact of decisions, our host draws upon such examples as a California wildfire, where proactive choices saved homes, and a professor's financial advice leading to debt-free living. He highlights the disciplined choices of artists like Picasso and Julie Andrews, alongside the compounding power of small daily actions. Stories of Suze Orman turning disaster into success and Ruth Pfau dedicating her life to service after a pivotal decision underscore how conscious choices redefine our paths. In essence, McKay encourages listeners to recognize their agency, define who they want to become, and use the power of choice to steer their lives intentionally.

Main Themes:

• "Everything is a choice" as a core empowering principle.
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• Small, consistent choices compound over time.
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• Taking 100% responsibility for actions and outcomes.
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• Defining who you become is crucial.
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• Discipline can create freedom.
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• Proactive decisions prevent disaster and build success.
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• The "trim tab" effect: small choices steer life's direction.
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• Pivotal choices can redefine a life's path.

Top 10 Quotes:

"We get to choose to live the life we have."

"The world gets out of the way for people who know what they want and where they're going."

"Every disciplined effort has its own multiple reward."

"The choices we consistently make have a compounding effect on our life."

"Little, everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or disaster."

"The day you graduate from childhood to adulthood is the day you take full responsibility for your life."

"Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it's a kind of order that sets me free."

Show Links:

Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

In today’s very special episode of Open Your Eyes, McKay explores personal branding's impact, showing how shaping your narrative fosters growth. Inspired by Mother Teresa's legacy, our host stresses that individuals are now their own powerful brands, as he discusses purpose, authenticity, and strategically building reputation for influence and fulfillment.

Throughout the episode, McKay shares insights from his career and academia, noting personal brands combine attributes, actions, and value communication. He goes on to explain that others' perception is key - people connect with the individual, making a defined brand vital for success. His stories of "Blue Collar Discipline" Jordan and Coach Knight show how living a defined brand unlocks potential and inspires. Overall, McKay concludes that consciously building your brand is about becoming, not just achieving.

Main Themes:

• Understanding personal branding as the intentional shaping of your reputation and narrative.
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• The power of aligning your actions and life with a defined promise or purpose, as exemplified by Mother Teresa.
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• Recognizing that individuals are the new brands, and your personal story has immense value.
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• The importance of self-awareness in identifying your unique attributes, skills, and values for brand building.
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• How consistent, authentic communication and action contribute to a strong personal brand.
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• Learning that people "buy into you" before they buy into your product, service, or idea.
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• Practical steps for defining your brand, including self-audits and creating a personal narrative.
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• The lasting impact of a strong personal brand on personal growth, influence, and legacy.

Top 10 Quotes:

"When we can see things and ourselves as they really are, we can gain tremendous power to do and be more than otherwise possible."

"In the world today, brands are less and less logos or slogans. They're stories, values, and experiences that people emotionally connect with. And now, more than ever, people are the brand."

"We're all making a brand with our life and work, whether we're doing it on purpose or not."

"You have to realize that people buy into you before they buy into your product."

"Your personal brand is the perception others have of you. How you're seen, remembered, and yes, even talked about."

"Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room."

"Every effort you expend in trying to become someone better, someone of excellence, has a multiplier effect on your life."

"Who you become is infinitely more important than what you do or what you have."

"You are of more value than your past performance. You're greater than your habits."

"Make a better person of yourself and the result will be a better nation and a finer world to live in."

Show Links:

Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay talks about aspects of the culture effect, including creating culture, maintaining it, and how to rescue it. He opens up with a story detailing Tonga’s devastating volcanic eruption and how the Tongan culture, which values respect and open-mindedness, helped the people weather the storm. McKay notes that, when teams or families have a strong culture, they will thrive and prosper, but, on the other hand, when culture is weak, it can destroy your team and everything you’re working for.

McKay also emphasizes that, as leaders, we have the opportunity to influence and shape the culture that drives us, and goes on to share that, to do so, we must learn to value feedback. So, make sure that you are slow to speak and quick to listen when it comes to creating a culture and values. Likewise, an influential leader will lead by example, sharing and modeling the values by which they hope their team will abide. McKay draws this episode to a close with one final piece of advice: be careful who you let join your team. All it takes is one person to totally alter your culture, so protect it and you will protect your team as well.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• Tonga’s devastating volcanic eruption
• The fall of IBM
• Defining culture
• Influencing culture
• The importance of feedback
• Sharing and modeling values
• Why mid level managers create culture

Quotes:

"Tongans look out for each other and respect others. Many Tongans may avoid outward signs of wealth or affection. They dress in modest ways, and they're highly receptive to other people's opinion and behavior.”

“Culture can guide a team, lead a company to thrive and prosper, or culture can, like toxic ash, choke a team and cause companies to fail, or fall.”

“Most leaders don't understand culture and they don't know how to diagnose or influence it.”

“Culture can help teams be more agile, loyal and effective… Culture can also be a significant liability when it's misaligned with your strategy or values. And it doesn't matter how dysfunctional your culture may be on your team today, you can improve it with a plan and intentional effort.”

“So, like the researchers in Roseto, you may have to set up camp for a while on your team, maybe even in your family - watch, listen, and observe. See if you can uncover some of the cultural behaviors and assumptions that your team members have.”

“You see, some leaders stopped showing up for the small things. And the result? Their people do the same. What you do duplicates, so if you want to change the culture on your team, model the behavior.”

“Hire and recruit people who exemplify what culture you're trying to create. And over time, these managers will influence your entire team. So be very selective about the people you let influence your team.”

“Listen, learn, and determine where your culture is today to define the mission and values that will underpin your future culture.”

Links:

Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

On today's episode, McKay explores the concept of happiness, including where to find it, and how to hold on to it. To intoduce this rather expansive topic, he opens up the show by reviewing Elizabeth Smart's story - her brutal experience getting kidnapped and raped, and her journey toward happiness. McKay says that, while it's true that happiness is partially dependent upon circumstance, we can also attribute a large portion of our happiness to dedication, the people who raised us, and those with whom we surround ourselves.

He goes on to introduce more conditions for happiness, noting that, when we have admirable intentions and goals in our lives, for example, we find more daily satisfaction. Even the love we share and receive plays a large role in how content we are. McKay draws this highly positive podcast episode to a close by reminding the audience to find joy in the little things, and by offering this invaluable advice: “Stay poised in tough situations—good will prevail. Exercise. Serve. Have Faith. Be humble and watch…. You will be happy.”

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• Elizabeth Smart’s journey
• Happiness dependent on circumstances
• Set happiness
• Taylor Swift’s NYU speech
• The value of intention
• Love and happiness
• Darren’s happy landing
• Focusing on the little things

Quotes:

"As the days passed, she started to realize that this may be her new way of life.”

“He has taken 9 months of your life that you will never get back, but the best punishment you could ever give him is to be happy.”

“Happiness is a choice.”

“Married people report a slightly higher happiness level than single people. In research, 25 percent of married people and 21 percent of single people say they are very happy. In short, circumstances such as wealth or marital status only impact our happiness in small ways.”

“We get more from our parents than eye color and facial features. We may get a large set of our happiness from them or from others. How we grew up or who we have interacted with throughout our life, does dictate our level of happiness.”

“People with aspirations have higher energy levels, stronger immune systems, stronger mental health and feelings of self-confidence and self-esteem.”

“I agree with the researchers. I believe happy people see the best, even in the toughest situations. They are empowered with poise and optimism.”

“Remember, that only 10 percent of happiness depends on circumstances. Fifty percent is heritable. So be a person who sees, talks about and shares the good in life. You can pass on the habit of happiness to others and be a blessing to them.”

“Focusing on the small things in life that bring you joy.”

Links:

Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

This week, McKay talks about how to speak so people listen. He opens up the episode with the story of Ronald Reagan’s powerful speech to D-Day veterans at Pointe du Hoc. Great speakers, McKay says, ask questions to connect with the audience and help them feel like the message is for them. To remember and map their speech, good speakers break their speech down into manageable chunks, each with important points to get across. By using chunks, speakers can teach instead of memorizing their lines verbatim. Most importantly though, McKay holds that the key to speaking so that people listen is knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Then, seek to magnify your strengths. It’s your strengths that make your speaking memorable.

He goes on to note that, when we try to mimic someone else’s style by playing to their strengths instead of our own, we come off as fake. That’s why McKay says it’s so important to share personal stories; the more an audience relates to you, the more they will listen to you. McKay also shares some speech 'don’ts' - such as using too many jokes to too much focus on the speaker. He draws this episode to a close by sending a heartfelt message to his friend Austin who has recently embarked on a public speaking journey of his own and encouraging all of us to learn a bit more how to speak so people listen.