ThriveologyThrive Tool – Thriveology

Unlooping Loops

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:00:11 +0000

It’s just human nature. We like things finished

And when they’re not, they can often tug at us, pulling energy and focus away. When things are left hanging, we feel (oh, by the way, the last word from that first line is “finished”) incomplete, unfinished, unsatisfied. Did you feel that sensation when you realized a word was missing… and it bugged you? Unfinished loop.

So, what is a “Loop?” Great question. This one concept, if you understand it, will help you get free. If you feel stuck, this is something you need to understand. More than that, this is one of the most. . .

Tell you what, I’ll let you listen and hear for yourself.

Change Your Algorithms

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 02 May 2022 16:14:42 +0000

All around the news, we are hearing about algorithms built into our social media. It directs what we see and hear. It is how all social media decides what to feed you next. If you like this video, then you might like this one. If you know this person, then you may know this person. If you respond to this ad, then you might respond to this one. The task? To keep you on the app or the website. Because that is the thing about social media: they want your attention and your time.

But guess what? You have algorithms that are running inside of you. They are your “Personal Algorithms.” They are your habits that run your daily life. And they don’t really function that differently than what the tech companies use.

In essence, algorithms are simply If/Then formulas. “If” this happens, “then” you do this. In life, they represent your own daily habits and reactions. The “If” is a trigger. Something happens. And when it does, you “then” do something. If your stomach growls, then you grab a bite to eat. If you are walking by the cookie jar, then you grab one and eat it. If the alarm goes off, then you hit the snooze several times. If/Then.

Those algorithms can keep you stuck or free you up, depending on how you use them.

My guest this week is Michael Balchan. He is the CEO of Heroic.us, an app based approach to thriving more in life. Listen in as we discuss your habits, your life, your algorithms, and how to be on your own “heroic journey.”

Throughout his adulthood, Michael has been trying to not just “punch the clock,” but to thrive. And over the years, he immersed himself in learning and executing. He sought wisdom from others, then worked to apply it into his life.

Along the way, he moved from finance professional to professional coach. And on that path, he realized his own mission was to help the world to thrive.

On this episode, we talk about ways to thrive, and a new resource to help you thrive.

Listen below.

RELATED RESOURCES:
Heroic.us
Thrive Principles Simplified
The Habits Series

After the Apology

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:44:56 +0000

You apologize. Now what?

Are you finished? Is it now up to the person to whom you apologized?

Nope. That is only one part of the process.

Understand that apologies, forgiving, reconciliation, and trust are all separate functions. Each is tied to the other, but independent. Forgiving does not require an apology. An apology does not mandate forgiveness. You can apologize or forgive, and still not reconcile. And in the end, it is a choice to trust or not.

So, let’s step back into what you can do, so that you can “clear the air” and move forward. In other words, to make sure you do your part.

I suggest 6 steps to this process, and I cover each one in this episode of the podcast.

Listen below.

The SSC Strategy for Changing Your Life

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 10:53:10 +0000

Have you heard of Kaizen? It is the principle of continuous improvement.

Continuous improvement is a great model for change. It is based on constant changes toward a better outcome. No need for sudden upheaval or change (although that is sometimes necessary). Instead, course corrections are made along the way, nudging something toward improvement.

That “something”? It might be a product (like Japanese automobiles, where Kaizen became the method of them becoming excellent automobiles), companies, or even individuals.

But how, you might wonder, do you actually DO that continuous improvement?

Let me offer a super-simple tool that you can apply to your own life, to your company or workplace, or even to a relationship or organization.

SSC – Start, Stop, Continue

Three benchmarks: What do you need to Start? What do you need to Stop? What do you need to Continue?

In this week’s episode, I discuss how to apply SSC to your own life… and to other areas in your life.

Listen in for a new tool.

RELATED RESOURCES
Dealing with Change
Why We Avoid Change
Paradigms
Limiting Beliefs

Your Heaven on Earth

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 11:00:50 +0000

It is so easy to get pulled into threats and dangers, mishaps and mistakes. It is wired into our brain to have a focus on the negative. Which is too bad. That means we are more likely to miss the good moments, the highlights of life, in favor of the down moments. We clearly see the negative, but can miss the positive.

Unless, of course, we nurture a focus on the positive. Unless we look for those moments of “heaven on earth.”

What are your moments of heaven?

Martin Rutte spent his career helping companies enter into dialogue for transformation. He led difficult discussions so that company cultures could transform. Dialogue is a powerful tool of exploration. Which, unfortunately, is often replaced by debate in our culture. That is what happens when we stop listening, demanding our own viewpoint. Martin has worked to shift from the hell of debate to the heaven of dialogue.

And that led him to wonder what we might be able to do to shift our world in a better direction. So, he started wondering about those moments of heaven people have. What were the moments? What was common to those moments? How might those moments become a more intentional part of life? What if that process starts expanding those moments for more people? Might culture and society transform?

In this episode of the Thriveology Podcast, Martin gets me to discuss my moment of heaven on earth… and how I might bring that moment more into my own life. We discuss the power of three simple questions, the power of dialogue, and the need for cultural transformation right now. In this moment. Perhaps a shift to a moment of heaven on earth?

Listen to the episode below.

The Power of Choice

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 11:00:53 +0000

The world seems to be careening forward these days. It can feel like we are just holding on for dear life.

But are we?

Sure, there are events that we can’t stop or prevent. Weather comes. Accidents happen. Others make choices that impact us….

Wait. Back up there. Did you see that? Others are making choices. And so can we. Not a choice on whether or not something happens. But a choice on how we respond to it.

Each year, I choose a single word to guide my year. This year, the word is Creator. That does tend to be a large portion of my job these days… creating podcasts, writing books and articles, creating online courses. Even coaching is a creative process, working to help others access their power to create. Their power to choose.

This has me reflecting on a daily basis, on exactly how I am going to be creator to my day. What choices do I make that create my day? What choices do I make that allow me to create?

Am I in full control? No. Nobody is. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have choices. The question is not where I don’t have a choice, but where I do… and don’t act.

Let’s find the power of choice in 2021.

Listen in to the podcast below.

3 Moves for a Better Day

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:55:56 +0000

Sometimes, it seems that any change in life has to be a 180° turn… starting or stopping something you were not doing or doing. And sometimes, that is important. You might stop smoking, start exercising, or make some other major shift in life.

But in reality, more of growth in life is really about continued improvement. This matches the Japanese idea of kaizen, or “change for the better.” This is the concept behind many manufactoring processes — small incremental changes that amount to bigger cumulative improvement.

That can apply to your life! It probably already does, but can you make it more intentional? For example, let’s say I start exercising. I go for a 20 minute run/walk. That might be a 180° change — I started doing something I wasn’t doing. But then what? I would likely not just stay with that. I might add more time, more distance, or maybe run for a higher percentage. Gradual improvements that add up to more change.

Which leads to this episode of the Thriveology Podcast. I cover 3 moves you can make for a better day. Two of the moves involve one tool I have used with my coaching clients for years. It is a powerful process that has led to some pretty amazing transformations.

The other is just one to add in… or constantly improve… depending upon whether it is already a part of your life or not.

If you are ready to build a better day, these 3 moves can be the key. And guess what? It will only shift 30 minutes of your day. All for a huge shift in life!

You can listen below.

Thinking Through The Pandemic

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 04 May 2020 11:00:16 +0000

Coping with COVID Series

I was at a book signing a while back, signing a book of mine that is a few years old. This person picked it up, looked at the publication date, put it down, and said, “I was looking for something more recent.”

That had me pondering… how long is information valid? Sure, I would not likely want to read a computer book about the Windows 98 operating system, or about the coming “Y2K crisis.” But what about transformational information? When does that lose value?

Human brains have not changed in structure for millenia. Which is why we still garner insight and understanding from books written millenia ago. Ancient thoughts and texts still illuminate us these days.

Which brings me to my guest this week on the Thriveology Podcast. I asked Donald Robertson to talk with me about some pretty old thoughts. No, Donald is not millenia old. But the philosophy he espouses and teaches is. Donald is a modern Stoic philosopher, drawing on ancient Stoicism and what it offers to us in our current world.

And in our current pandemic situation, Stoic thought has LOTS to teach us. In fact, Stoic thought is the underlying philosophy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the cornerstone of modern mental health counseling.

Donald discusses the relevance of Stoic philosophy in today’s world, and how we can apply it to the pandemic in which we find ourselves. Listen in as Donald Robertson gives some powerful help in dealing with our thoughts and our emotions in the midst of today’s (and future) struggles.

Breathe for Your Health and Calm

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 11:00:16 +0000

Coping with COVID Series

It happens about 25,000 per day. And for the most part, it is automatic. But it is one of the few bodily functions that you can “take off automatic” and choose how you will do it. And you might not be doing it optimally.

What is it?

Breathing. Taking a breath. Inhaling and exhaling.

I know, it seems automatic, right? But you can choose to take a deep breath. Or you can hold your breath. You may breathe out of your nose. Or you may breathe with your mouth (you may want to change that one… listen to the podcast for why).

Breathing one way can stress you out. Breathing another way will calm you down (meaning, you can choose which way you want to breathe!).

Since you are currently reading this, we can assume you are breathing. That’s a great start? How about breathing BETTER? That is a process that can take you down lots of paths.

On this episode of the Thriveology Podcast, I interview James Nestor. A journalist and writer, James got interested in breathing from an ealier book, Deep, which focused on freediving (people going very deep for a long time, because they are excellent breathers).

His upcoming (and excellent) book is Breath. It is a super-deep (and very readable) “dive” into breathing — why it is important, how to do it better, and what difference it makes.

When I heard about the book, I knew I needed to get James on the podcast, at this moment. His book won’t be out until May (but go ahead and pre-order it!). But with the pandemic, you need this information now. So, I got him on! And James offered some simple, easy ways to uber-breathe to help your health.

This is super important. Take a listen below! (Then order his book!)

Paths to Mindfulness

Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 16:00:07 +0000

Mindfulness is such a buzzword these days that you may find yourself “tuning out” when you hear the term. Ironic, since that is quite the opposite of being mindful!

Simply put, mindfulness is the state of being present with your body in the present moment. In other words, you are aware of your bodily experience of this immediate moment.

The nice thing about mindfulness is that it is easy to practice, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. It is simply a matter of calling yourself back to this moment, in your own body.

And then… it slips away again, through distractions and thoughts. Thoughts about the past and future pull us from the present. We distract ourselves right out of the experience of living in this moment.

My guest on this episode of the Thriveology Podcast, Joanne King, offers a number of pathways to mindfulness.

Of particular interest is Joanne’s approach to mindful eating. How often do you find yourself scarfing down a meal, not even noticing the taste, texture, spices, smells, and ingredients… the experience of eating? I have.

According to Joanne, this means that we often eat beyond what we need… and not necessarily even what we need to eat. When people shift to mindful eating, Joanne reports, they eat better and naturally lose weight.

And… it is an opportunity to enter into mindfulness.

Join me as I discuss pathways to mindfulness with Joanne King.