If you want better results, do you simply need to try harder? According to high-performance coach Michael Schiel, pushing harder can actually make it more difficult for your brain to focus, think creatively, and perform effectively.

In this episode, Michael explains the neuroscience behind stress, pressure, mindset, and peak performance. We discuss why some pressure improves performance while too much works against us—and how intentional breaks, realistic optimism, visualization, identity, and a strong sense of purpose can help us perform at a higher level without burning out.

We also discuss:

What stress does to the brain

Why high performers take purposeful breaks

How to reset your nervous system in just a few minutes

The difference between positive thinking and realistic optimism

How visualization prepares us for obstacles

Why mindset can influence performance

How identity, values, and purpose shape our actions

Why focusing on the process can produce better results

If you’ve been pushing yourself harder but still aren’t gaining traction, this conversation will help you understand how to start working with your brain instead of against it.

Learn more about Michael Schiel, his work, his free resources, and his app that helps you live a thriving life:

https://invictus.coach

His podcast: The Art and Science of Thriving.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-and-science-of-thriving/id1659101146

https://open.spotify.com/show/3FodJLyf42ZXtp0tdEjH2Z?si=07d2dd496e844c8e

Michael Schiel is a high performance coach and transformation consultant. He uses neuroscience, sport psychology, and high-performance evidence based tools to help people and teams achieve meaningful goals and reach peak performance—while sustaining balance, well-being, and fulfillment.

Michael has been coaching and consulting for over 26 years, working with community organizations, non-profits and large private sector organizations. He provides 1:1 coaching, leadership development and team coaching. Through practical, evidence-based strategies, he helps leaders and teams gain clarity, take focused action, and achieve meaningful goals while building a life that is both high-performing and deeply fulfilling.

Michael has spent significant time studying the neuroscience and psychology behind mindset and beliefs, and uses that to coach senior teams and leaders to understand how their mindset can make or break their ability to thrive and reach their goals. Michael has a monthly membership helping people of all stages create a thriving life, runs several different leadership courses, and is host of the podcast "The Art and Science of Thriving".

If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe for more discussions about how belief and mindset influence our actions—and lead to real success in every area of life.

Do you believe any client is better than no client?

In this episode, I challenge that mindset and argue that many payment problems can be avoided before the work even begins. I share practical ways to identify reliable clients, recognize warning signs that someone may not pay, trust your intuition, set minimum standards, require deposits, and avoid taking on clients who create stress, conflict, and cash-flow problems.

You'll learn why the right client is worth far more than a difficult one—and how choosing better clients can save you time, money, and frustration. If you're a contractor, consultant, freelancer, entrepreneur, or small business owner, this episode will help you build a healthier, more profitable business.

Topics covered:

Why "any client is better than no client" is a dangerous mindset

Creating minimum standards for new clients

How to identify your ideal client

Why deposits matter

Client behaviors that predict payment problems

Red flags during the sales process

When to walk away from a potential client

How better client selection improves cash flow

Subscribe for more episodes on business, mindset, entrepreneurship, and personal success.

Are clients paying late—or not paying at all?

In this episode, I break down practical strategies business owners can use to get paid faster, reduce awkward payment conversations, and create systems that encourage clients to pay on time. We cover everything from setting clear payment expectations and requiring deposits to automating reminders, removing payment friction, following up effectively, and knowing when it's time to escalate a collection issue.

You'll also learn why getting paid has less to do with luck and more to do with making payment easy, expected, and enforced.

If you're a small business owner, contractor, consultant, freelancer, or entrepreneur, this episode will help you protect your cash flow and build a more stable, profitable business.

Topics covered:

Setting payment terms and contracts

Deposits and partial payments

Automated invoice reminders

Late fees and payment consequences

How to follow up professionally

Removing friction from the payment process

Collections and small claims considerations

Building systems that encourage clients to pay

Subscribe for more episodes on business, mindset, success, and entrepreneurship.

How do you get more reviews as a business owner? Whether you're trying to get more Google reviews, build social proof, or grow a small business, reviews are one of the most powerful marketing tools available.

In this episode, I challenge the belief that asking for reviews is pushy or annoying and explain why many happy customers are actually willing to help when you make the process easy. I share practical strategies for getting more customer reviews, creating review systems that work, knowing when to ask, following up effectively, and making review collection feel natural instead of awkward.

You'll also hear a real-world example of a local business owner who turned review gathering into a fun campaign and dramatically increased the number of reviews on his Google Business Profile.

If you're an entrepreneur, contractor, tradesperson, author, creator, or small business owner looking for more reviews and more trust from potential customers, this episode is for you.

#SmallBusiness #GoogleReviews #BusinessMarketing #Entrepreneurship #CustomerReviews #SocialProof

How much should you really spend on marketing?

In this episode, I challenge the common belief that you should wait until your business is profitable before investing in marketing. Instead, I explain why marketing is often the tool that creates growth—and how to approach it without taking unnecessary risks.

You'll learn:

How much established businesses should budget for marketing

Why your first customers rarely come from paid ads

The difference between marketing and sales

Why debt is a dangerous way to fund growth

The simple marketing activities every business owner should be doing

How referrals, reviews, and reputation can outperform expensive advertising

The biggest mistake business owners make when tracking marketing results

Whether you're just starting a business or looking to grow an existing one, this episode will help you think differently about marketing and make smarter decisions with your budget.

#SmallBusiness #Marketing #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #MarketingBudget #BusinessAdvice #SmallBusinessOwner #marketingstrategy

If you'd like to learn more about Andrea, visit her website: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/welcome.html

Interested in receiving Killer Subject Lines: How to Grab Subscribers’ Attention and Get Your Emails Opened for free? Join The Andrea Pearson Show newsletter list: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/killer-subject-lines.html

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to grow your business, fix your website, or just keep everything running in a busy life—this conversation will change how you think about it.

In this episode, I sit down with Carrie Saunders, an online business strategist and technical expert, to break down what’s actually holding business owners back. We talk about why overwhelm isn’t really about having too much to do—and what to do instead if you want real progress.

We also dive into what stops websites from converting (and what actually works), how to simplify your business without losing momentum, and how to set boundaries with clients and family—even when life feels chaotic. If you’re trying to grow a business while juggling everything else, this episode will give you practical shifts you can apply immediately.

If this conversation resonated with you, you can find Carrie’s work linked below. And if you want more conversations like this, make sure you’re subscribed.

Carrie Saunders is an online business strategist and technical expert who helps eCommerce store owners and course creators turn their websites into powerful conversion machines—without the tech overwhelm. With more than three decades of experience in web development, Carrie knows how to turn complex tech into simple, scalable solutions that drive sales and growth.

Carrie's podcast: https://www.smarteronlinebusiness.com/

Carrie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriesaunders/

If you'd like to learn more about Andrea, visit her website: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/welcome.html

Interested in receiving Killer Subject Lines: How to Grab Subscribers’ Attention and Get Your Emails Opened for free? Join The Andrea Pearson Show newsletter list: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/killer-subject-lines.html

Most people believe that thoughts don’t really matter—only actions do. But what if that’s completely backwards?

In this episode of The Andrea Pearson Show, we break down the science behind how your thoughts actually shape your biology, rewire your brain, influence your behavior, and ultimately determine your results.

From placebo and nocebo effects to neuroplasticity and visualization, the research is clear: your brain and body are constantly responding to what you believe is real. And if your thoughts are working against you, your results will reflect that—no matter how hard you try.

You’ll learn:

• How your thoughts trigger real chemical changes in your body
• Why repeated thoughts become your brain’s default setting
• How thoughts influence your actions (and your results)
• What visualization actually does (and what it doesn’t)
• How long it really takes to change a belief
• Why self-healing sometimes happens—and why it doesn’t

Most importantly, you’ll walk away with practical ways to start changing your thought patterns so they actually work for you instead of against you.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, inconsistent, or like you “know what to do but aren’t doing it,” this episode will help you understand why—and how to change it.

If this episode resonated with you, make sure you’re subscribed for more conversations on mindset, action, and real results.

If you'd like to learn more about Andrea, visit her website: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/welcome.html

Interested in receiving Killer Subject Lines: How to Grab Subscribers’ Attention and Get Your Emails Opened for free? Join The Andrea Pearson Show newsletter list: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/killer-subject-lines.html

What actually strengthens a marriage and what damages it?

In previous episodes, I shared five things women do that strengthen their marriages, five things that weaken them, and the same for men. In this episode, I invited marriage and family therapist Emil Harker to respond.

Emil has over two decades of experience helping couples navigate conflict and build stronger relationships. I wanted to see how a professional therapist would react to my perspective: where he agreed, where he added nuance, and what insights he brought from years of working with couples.

This turned into a thoughtful and surprisingly fun conversation about the habits that help marriages thrive, the behaviors that slowly undermine them, and the small changes that can make a huge difference.

If you're married—or hope to be someday—this conversation will give you practical insights into how relationships actually work.

If you're new to this show, I focus on how belief and mindset shape our actions, which ultimately lead to success in every area of life—including marriage.

About Emil:

With a rich background of psychotherapy theory, and human development from his graduate studies at AAMFT (American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists) accredited Utah State University, Emil Harker has been involved in helping people overcome obstacles and get the most out of life for almost 20 years.

Emil has worked in a variety of settings from the poverty stricken to the very wealthy and from addictions to life coaching. Emil understands the dynamics of change. A gifted therapist, dynamic presenter and clinical innovator, Emil is passionate about what he does.

Before graduating in 2000, Emil worked at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden Utah in the adult behavioral unit. Since graduating he has become a certified trainer in the “Boys Town” parenting model, a certified trainer from the Arbinger Institute. Emil is in private practice online and in Farmington, Utah. A talented presenter, Emil’s material is as entertaining as it is informative.

He is the author of the book “You Can Turn Conflict Into Closeness.” The principles and techniques in managing conflict productively are the same skills and techniques to deal with conflict in the workplace. He is frequent presenter and trainer, and a regular expert on KUTV Channel 2 Fresh Living Program, and life coach for NBA, NFL, and UFC professional athletes. Emil is passionate about what he does and you can't help but feel it!

Check out his website here: https://www.emilharker.com/

Subscribe for more conversations about mindset, growth, and real success.

If you'd like to learn more about Andrea, visit her website: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/welcome.html

Interested in receiving Killer Subject Lines: How to Grab Subscribers’ Attention and Get Your Emails Opened for free? Join The Andrea Pearson Show newsletter list: https://www.theandreapearsonshow.com/p/killer-subject-lines.html