Starting a new job? The first few weeks set the tone for everything that follows. Most people focus on performing—but they forget to position. In this episode of the Mind For Life podcast, Dr. Jeff outlines five priorities you should lock in immediately to earn trust, build credibility, and grow long-term value in your new […]
Communication
#76 – Get Out of Your Own Head: Confidence for Overthinkers
If you struggle with self-doubt, second-guessing, or mental spirals before making decisions, you’re not alone. This episode is dedicated to building confidence for overthinkers—those who want to show up boldly but find themselves stuck in their own heads. Overthinking is the enemy of confidence. Whether you replay conversations, hesitate in meetings, or obsess over getting […]
#75 – The 4 Essential Skills Every Great Leader Needs
What Are Essential Leadership Skills?Leadership isn’t just about charisma or authority — it’s about capability. Great leaders consistently demonstrate a set of essential leadership skills that allow them to lead with clarity, influence, and resilience. These skills aren’t optional — they’re foundational. In this episode of the Mind For Life podcast, Dr. Jeff Bogaczyk explores […]
#74 – 3 Manipulative Phrases People Use
Have you ever felt confused, guilty, or emotionally off-balance after a conversation — even though you didn’t do anything wrong? Chances are, you encountered one of the 3 manipulative phrases people use to twist the narrative and control the emotional tone. In this episode of the Mind For Life Podcast, Dr. Jeff Bogaczyk breaks down […]
Should we tell the truth?
Should we tell the truth? (Warning – this may get a little philosophical) Should we tell the truth? At face value, it’s a question we all most likely would answer in the affirmative. I believe most people would agree that they should tell the truth but at the same time admit that they don’t always tell […]
MFL 36 – How To Talk To Anyone
You can learn to talk to anyone even if you struggle with conversations? On today’s episode of 5 on Friday, we go over a few tips to help you learn how you can talk with anyone. The secret is in learning how to make the other person the topic of your conversation and then asking […]
How in the World Google is Destroying Us
Google is Destroying Us Google is destroying us. How, you might ask? Let me explain. I like to read and write about personal development, self-improvement, and leadership. But if you do a Google search for those topics you will notice, like I did, that it all looks like the same stuff repackaged from different people. […]
3 Powerful Leadership Lessons From General Semantics And Media Ecology
Media Ecology, General Semantics and Leadership What do general semantics and media ecology have to do with leadership? That’s a good question. Media ecology is the study of media as environments. One way to explain it comes out of Marshall McLuhan’s famous aphorism “the medium is the message.” His statement means that the content of […]
MFL 22 – Dr. Lance Strate: Success and IFD Disease
Dr. Lance Strate: Success and IFD Disease Dr. Lance Strate is a professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University in New York City. He is the author of several books, including the recently published Media Ecology: An Approach to Understanding the Human Condition, and the poetry collection, Thunder at Darwin Station. He is the president […]
How To Remain Human in a World of Machines
Losing Our Humanity In the movie Transcendence, Johnny Depp plays one of the foremost scientists in the area of artificial intelligence working toward the Singularity, or what he calls transcendence?—?the point in time when machines develop a true super intelligence. The plot centers around the debate over artificial intelligence and what happens when a machine learns to “think” […]
How to Know When to Say What to Whom!
Information dump How do you know when to say what to whom? Though this may sound like the title of a Dr. Seuss book, it reflects a common communication problem that a lot of people struggle with. Let me tell you a story. In college, a buddy of mine really liked a girl that we […]
How To Say What You Really Think
How to say what you really think Have you ever wanted to say what you really think to someone but were afraid they would get mad at your or reject you? If so, you are like most people who have difficulty being assertive or saying what you really think to others. Now saying what you […]