Any Thoughts On

We're back! Tee welcomes to the show a former lead game designer for Magic the Gathering, Zac Hill.    Zac and Tee discuss how the dynamics, mechanics and modes of expression within the Magic the Gathering (MTG) card game can generate illuminating and robust insights for personal development in real life. Specifically, the “color pie” (like a color wheel) of five colors represents five distinctive sensemaking, strategic, and power utilization styles within the gameplay that you might be able to spot within yourself and others.  (10:42) What is the MTG color pie?  (13:37) MTG colors vs. Myers–Briggs, the Big Five & other personality typing (39:27) The downsides of doubling down on game and life strategies(01:19:50) The importance of addressing emotional issues in pursuit of the good life (01:36:40) Virtues and downsides of each color within the color pie – Link to Duncan Sabien’s acclaimed blog post on the MTG Color Pie: https://bit.ly/47jmxiv – Link to Ep#4 transcript: https://bit.ly/3z4YvLE – Tee Barnett Coaching Training program retrospective: https://bit.ly/eaftbctodyssey You can reach out to Zac on the following platforms: Twitter: zdch Facebook: zac.hill

Tee has a spirited chat with Lulie Tanett, an independent researcher, Twitter celeb and teacher trainee of the Alexander Technique.  We follow the narrative arc of Lulie’s own self-development journey, somewhat intentionally falling into rabbit holes of all varieties, including: (12:35) The Taking Children Seriously (TCS) parenting movement and educational philosophy –  “My first words were ‘that’s coercive!’”(29:50) Eugene Gendlin’s Focusing “changed her life forever” and is the “foundation of all inner work.”   (33:10) The surprising (to us) usefulness of the Enneagram – blindspot prediction, character construction, and healthy & degenerative expressions(47:25) Enheartened philosophical exploration and debate versus ‘grabby’ intellectualism(1:00:45) The Alexander Technique and VIEW (Vulnerability, Impartiality, Empathy, Wonder) Spicier parts of the episode include spotting hallmarks of the pretense of vulnerability often found within Authentic Relating circles (1:19:52), Tee’s pushback of Alexander Technique-isms (1:18:30), skepticisms about emphasizing a single type of personal development tradition (1:39:28), Lulie disabuses Tee of his bias against ‘mindsets’ (1:41:00)and what Lulie would now say to the previous “floating brain” version of herself regarding bodily processing and energy (2:02:44).

Tee welcomes to the show Damon Sasi, a Marriage and Family Therapist and co-host of the Rationally Writing podcast. Two primary questions structure the episode, 1) how do you know whether a coaching or therapy relationship is going well? and 2) how much does it make sense to pay for coaching or therapy? Damon & Tee discuss similarities and differences between coaching and therapy (38:15), conceptions of what high-skilled coaching and high-skilled therapy look like (46:52), and questioning the assumption "high-priced therapist/coach = better therapist/coach" (1:32:15). Spicier parts of the episode include what makes for a bad therapist (51:24), how therapists could be doing CBT wrong (56:47), and how being a fully booked and busy coach could be a signal of stunted growth (1:33:52).  References mentioned in the show:   – Rationally Writing podcast (Damon Sasi & Alexander Wales)  – "Bad Therapist" blog post by Damon Sasi – "Philosophy of Therapy" blog post by Damon Sasi – "Why does psychotherapy work (when it works at all)?" Clearer Thinking Podcast with Scott Miller – "Why you can't find a therapist, no really" by Sidrea

In the inaugural episode of Any Thoughts On, the show where advisors, mentors and practitioners discuss their craft, Tee welcomes Emily Crotteau to the show. Emily moonlights as a body work specialist and is one of Tee's favorite coaches currently practicing.    Emily and Tee trade thoughts on two primary questions:  1) How can you know whether your work with a given practitioner (coach, therapist, etc.) is going well? 2) How much does it make sense to pay for something like coaching and/or therapy?    Show highlights below:    – 0:00 - 6:54 – Introduction – 7:22 – How do you know a coaching relationship is going well? Tee introduces a three-point mental model to help determine whether your work with a given practitioner is going well:  1) Optimism/hope – do I feel like there's a reasonable chance that I can achieve what I want from this based on the experience(s) thus far? (This can include vibe/rapport etc.) 2) Emotional resonance – was the experience moving for me in a noticeable way? 3) Reasonable expectations and/or progression – do I have a justified outside- or inside-view (set of) reason(s) to continue with this? – 13:50 – Calibrating your inside view with experience – 31:00 – Gold standard for emotional resonance and durability of breakthroughs – 42:03 – Intuition is a source of truth, not the source of truth – 50:40 – Social interpretations of good behaviors & gender dynamics – 59:51 – Reasonable expectations and the importance of meta-models –  01:04:51 – How much does it make sense to pay for something like coaching and/or therapy?  – 01:08:24 – Factoring in the lifestyle and occupational constraints of the coach – 01:16:45 – Mind games related to pay rates – 01:22:55 – Societal underinvestment in role models – 01:25:00 – Bounties on solving major psychological issues