Beyond the To-Do List

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"Beyond the To-Do List," hosted by Erik Fisher.

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Latest Episodes

Michael Long on Taming Dopamine: Regain Focus and Productivity

Michael Long is a bestselling author and speechwriter who co-wrote Taming the Molecule of More, the follow-up to the hit book The Molecule of More. In this conversation, we dive into how dopamine—the brain’s “molecule of more”—drives distraction, craving, creativity, and productivity, and how we can train it to serve us instead of sabotage us.

In this episode, we cover:

What Dopamine Actually Does: Michael explains the two dopamine systems—desire and control—and how they influence everything from addiction to ambition.
Why Modern Life Overstimulates Us: From doomscrolling to shopping, we unpack why the digital world hijacks our dopamine and attention.
How to Tame Your Dopamine Urges: Michael offers realistic, science-based ways to break the cycle of overstimulation—including dopamine fasting and behavioral resets.
The Power of Presence: We discuss how returning to the “here and now” neurotransmitters (like through music, sunshine, or human connection) can help balance the dopamine system.
Why Meaning Matters: Michael shares how understanding your values and aligning your work with them can bring lasting motivation and joy—not just temporary dopamine hits.
Tools and Therapies That Help: From CBT and ACT to promising medical treatments like GLP-1 drugs, Michael explores practical supports for change.

Michael’s insights offer a fascinating look at how your brain’s reward system can either keep you stuck in distraction or fuel your best creative work—depending on how you manage it.

Learn more at TamingTheMolecule.com

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Ingrid Jansen on Decluttering with Purpose: Reset Your Home & Mind

Professional organizer Ingrid Jansen, co-author of Reset Your Home, explains why clutter is more about emotions than “stuff,” why decluttering is a process (not a project), and how to start small—think kitchens, cupboards, and daily resets—to build your “decluttering muscle” over time.

In this conversation, we discuss:

Process over project: Decluttering is never “done”—as things come in, things must go out.
Start in the kitchen: Fewer emotions than books/photos; clear storage first, then put surfaces away.
Daily resets: 10–30 minute habits (dishes, bins, wipe counters, a load of laundry) that prevent weekend pileups.
“If in doubt, keep it”: Build capacity with easy wins; you’ll be ready to let go on a later pass.
Don’t buy more bins: The problem isn’t storage—it’s volume; work with what you have.
Decide by favorites: Pull everything out, match lids, pick what you use and love first; the rest gets easier.
Clutter personalities: From “harassed housekeepers” to “nostalgic knee-deeps”—self-awareness beats shame.
Why this pays off: Less hunting, faster cleaning, smarter grocery runs—time and money saved.

Links & resources:

Book: Reset Your Home — Ingrid Jensen, Lesley Spellman
The Declutter Hub (podcast, book, membership, community): declutterhub.com

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Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

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Bill McGowan on How to Speak Memorably and Communicate with Clarity & Confidence

Bill McGowan, author of Speak Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience, shares practical ways to make your ideas stick—on stage, on Zoom, and in any high-stakes moment. We get into dynamic delivery, smarter structure, and memorable language devices you can use immediately.

In this conversation, we discuss:

Dial it up (a bit): Why what feels “over the top” on video usually plays just right.
Story over stats: Using Francis Ford Coppola’s “three best things” idea to craft stronger openings and closings.
Primacy & recency: Designing beginnings and endings people actually remember (and skipping the dreaded agenda slide).
Cliffhangers > previews: Start with something engaging—don’t promise you’ll be engaging later.
Slow beats filler: How pacing reduces “uh/you know” and helps you choose better words.
Slides with a point: Lead each slide with a clear statement of value; know your closing line before you advance.
Be your own brutal editor: Cut 25% from emails and presentations to boost clarity and punch.
Levity, not jokes: Use a light touch to build trust and retention; avoid risky stand-up and overdone self-deprecation.
Seven memorable devices (highlights): Analogy/metaphor, “creative labels” (e.g., the “toothbrush test”), mirror pairs, original definitions, simple equations/ratios, and smart cliché twists (“survival of the quickest”).

Links & resources:

Book: Speak Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience — Bill McGowan
Connect with Bill on LinkedIn

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Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paul Kirby on Productivity with Purpose: The FUSE Pathway

In this episode, Paul Kirby, author of The FUSE Pathway: How to Find and Lead a Fulfilling Life, shares how to identify your core passions, combine them into a unique vision, and build a realistic, evolving plan to pursue them. Drawing from his own experience of designing a robot that paints, Paul explains the FUSE framework—Find, Upgrade, Start, Evolve—and how it can guide anyone toward a life filled with purpose and creativity.

In this conversation, we explore:

The Concept of Fusion: Paul introduces the idea of “fusion”—combining multiple passions into a single, compelling life vision that lights a fire inside you.
The FUSE Framework: We walk through the four-step FUSE process—Find your passion, Upgrade your skills, Start (gradually or boldly), and Evolve as you grow.
Self-Discovery Through Journaling: Paul shares a powerful exercise involving “yellow verbs” to uncover consistent, lifelong themes in your behavior and interests.
Pursuing Autotelic Goals: We discuss the importance of doing things for internal fulfillment rather than external approval—and how this mindset unlocks deeper purpose.
Examples from His Life and Book: Paul tells stories from his journey of building a painting robot and weaving together interests in art, technology, design, and mechanics into one integrated vision.

Paul’s FUSE model is an encouraging and actionable guide for anyone feeling stuck, scattered, or uncertain about how to bring their passions together into a life that truly fits.

Connect with Erik:

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Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zorana Pringle on Creativity as a Choice: From Ideas to Action

Dr. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle is a leading researcher in creativity psychology and author of The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action. In this episode, she unpacks how creativity isn’t just a moment of inspiration—it’s a series of choices. Whether you think you’re creative or not, Zorana shares how motivation, attention, risk tolerance, and constraint shape the process of turning ideas into reality.

In this episode, we cover:

Creativity Is More Than Ideas: Zorana explains how we’ve culturally over-glorified the spark of inspiration and ignored the decision-making and execution behind it.
The Myth of the “Creative Type”: Creativity isn’t just for artists—it’s about original, effective solutions in any domain.
Why Constraints Boost Creativity: Contrary to popular belief, creativity often increases when we have guardrails that focus and challenge our thinking.
The Role of Risk in Creative Work: Zorana breaks down intellectual, emotional, and social risks—and how to increase your tolerance over time.
The Two Engines of Creativity: Motivation provides energy, while attention directs it. You need both to make progress on creative projects.
Problem Finding vs. Problem Solving: Zorana introduces this lesser-known concept as a key to identifying where creativity can be applied.
The Goldilocks Zone of Challenge: Learn how to find the sweet spot between too easy and too hard so your ideas actually move forward.
How Social Conditioning Kills Creativity: Early messaging about what counts as “creative” can cause many to opt out before they begin.
Building Creative Momentum in Small Steps: Zorana shares her own journey from writing blog posts to eventually publishing her book—and how each step built risk tolerance.
Why Total Freedom Can Backfire: New research shows that creativity thrives not in total freedom, but with a balance of structure and autonomy.

Whether you’re stuck at the idea stage or afraid to start, this episode will help you reframe creativity as a process anyone can engage with—and show you how to make progress one decision at a time.

Learn more about Zorana’s work at ZoranaPringle.com and find The Creativity Choice wherever books are sold.

Connect with Erik:

This Podcast is Powered By:

Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jeffrey & Jamie Downs on The Power of Streaks to Build Daily Habits That Stick (Shortcast)

In this shortcast edition of Beyond the To-Do List, Jeffrey and Jamie Downs, creators of the Streaking method and authors behind streakingmastery.com explore how laughably simple daily habits can help you build momentum, boost confidence, and turn goals into long-term identity shifts.

Why Simplicity Wins: Simple actions are doable even on your hardest days, ensuring consistency over time.
How Streaking Builds Self-Credibility: Each completed action is a commitment kept—with yourself.
Patience as a Superpower: Daily repetition teaches you to stop expecting overnight change and instead trust the slow, steady build.
The “Cal Ripken Effect”: Consistency becomes inspiring—when others notice, celebration fuels even more momentum.
Examples in Action: From running streaks to walking daily, small actions lead to transformation when stacked.
Why You Shouldn’t Skip the Walk: When life gets busy, a one-mile walk still counts—and builds your streak.

If you’ve ever struggled to maintain momentum or felt overwhelmed by ambitious goals, this episode will give you a new lens for creating daily progress that sticks.

Find more ⁠Shortcasts like this one on Blinkist here⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James Kimmel on Revenge Addiction: Breaking Free and Regaining Control

James Kimmel, author of The Science of Revenge, joins the show to unpack one of the most overlooked forms of distraction and emotional hijacking: revenge. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and decades of legal and public health research, James reveals how revenge isn’t just an emotional reaction—it’s an addictive cycle that can derail our focus, well-being, and relationships. If you’ve ever ruminated about a workplace slight, stewed in a sense of injustice, or mentally put someone “on trial,” this episode offers a powerful, science-backed path forward.

In this episode, we cover:

What Makes Revenge So Addictive: How grievances activate the same reward centers in the brain as drugs, gambling, and other addictive behaviors.
Revenge as a Productivity Killer: Why revenge always focuses on the past—and how it hijacks our mental and emotional bandwidth in the present.
The Courtroom in Your Head: James explains the mental trial many of us run daily, casting ourselves in all the roles—prosecutor, judge, jury, and warden.
Grievance vs. Reality: The neuroscience behind how imagined slights are often just as powerful as real ones.
Workplace Revenge Culture: How toxic tit-for-tat behavior spreads through teams and how leaders can disrupt it before it takes root.
Rewiring the Feedback Loop: How revenge follows the same cue-craving-reward cycle as other habits—and how to break it.
The Science of Forgiveness: Why forgiveness isn’t “soft,” but rather a neurological off-ramp from pain and rumination that reactivates the decision-making part of the brain.
The Wonder Drug in Your Brain: How practicing internal forgiveness shuts down pain networks and reduces stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels.
Practical Tools for Release: James shares how his free app helps users safely process their grievances through guided mental courtroom exercises.
Healing as Productivity: Why letting go doesn’t just make you feel better—it frees up your energy for purpose-driven work and emotional clarity.

Connect with James and his work at jameskimmel.com and find The Science of Revenge wherever books are sold.

Connect with Erik:

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Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

Make sure to support the show by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ checking out the sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eliana Goldstein on Career Clarity: Align Your Work with Your Strengths

Career coach Eliana Goldstein joins the show to help listeners navigate career uncertainty, burnout, and the desire for more meaningful work. After walking away from a “successful on paper” corporate job, Eliana built a coaching business helping high-achieving professionals uncover their ideal roles—without starting over. In this episode, she shares practical tools to find clarity, build momentum, and create a work life that truly fits.

In this episode, we cover:

Burnout and Misalignment: How feeling drained at work isn’t always about being overworked—it’s often about being out of sync with your strengths.
The First Questions to Ask When You Feel Unfulfilled: Eliana shares the foundational reflections around engagement, values, and flow state.
The Danger of Chasing Passion Alone: Why loving something doesn’t mean you should work in it—and what to focus on instead.
Making a Lateral Move: How to identify if you’re in the right industry but the wrong role—and what small shifts can make a big difference.
The 70/30 Rule for Job Satisfaction: A framework for evaluating whether your current role is “good enough for now” or ready for a pivot.
Mindset Before Resumes: Why confidence and narrative matter more than you think when job searching or switching careers.
How to Separate Facts from Fear: Learn to rewrite the internal stories that hold you back after setbacks like layoffs.
Eliana’s 4-Part Framework: Uncover, Align, Build, and Close—how to make an intentional, structured, and productive career transition.
Networking That’s Not Awkward: How to build meaningful connections for research and referrals—without feeling transactional.
How to Stay Motivated: Small goals, time blocks, and micro wins that keep you moving forward, even in a competitive job market.

Whether you’re ready for a career reset or just want to feel more energized at work, this episode will help you move with clarity and confidence.

Connect with Eliana on LinkedIn or Instagram @ElianaGoldstein or at elianagoldsteincoaching.com.

Connect with Erik:

This Podcast is Powered By:

Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

Make sure to support the show by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ checking out the sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John Jantsch on Self-Reliance: How to Build Resilience, Perseverance, and Perspective (Shortcast)

In this Shortcast edition, John Jantsch, author of The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur, draws wisdom from great American writers like Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, and William Wells Brown to explore three essential traits for thriving in life and business: perseverance, perspective, and resilience. Rather than chasing productivity hacks, John invites us to dig deeper—into reflection, discomfort, and slow growth.

In this Shortcast, we explore:

Perseverance Through Practice: Inspired by Thoreau, John explains why repeated effort—like walking a mountain trail—is not wasted energy but the very process that builds mastery and meaning.
The Danger of Indestructible Contentment: Borrowing from Twain, John challenges the idea of being too comfortable, encouraging us to embrace discomfort as a path to perspective and growth.
Redefining Resilience: With a reading from William Wells Brown, John reframes procrastination not as laziness, but as strategic patience born of experience—knowing when to act, and when to wait.
Growth Beyond Hustle: John reminds us that true self-reliance isn’t about grinding harder—it’s about trusting yourself, honoring the process, and staying open to what life is teaching you through repetition and challenge.

This episode is a refreshing reset—a deeper look at what it really takes to keep going, stay grounded, and lead with presence.

Find more ⁠Shortcasts like this one on Blinkist here⁠.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bio of Beyond the To-Do List

"Beyond the To-Do List," hosted by Erik Fisher, is a valuable resource for those seeking to enhance their productivity.

This podcast brings together experts, authors, and creative individuals to share a plethora of productivity strategies.

Its mission is to empower listeners with practical knowledge, fresh perspectives, and insightful productivity tips.

By doing so, it assists individuals in leading more fulfilling lives that extend beyond the limitations of mere to-do lists.

Whether you're a professional, an entrepreneur, or someone looking to optimize your daily routines, this podcast offers a diverse range of strategies to help you achieve your goals and make the most of your time.

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