In this episode of the Legend Effect Podcast, host Howie Chan interviews Henna Pryor, a Workplace Performance Expert, a 2x TEDx speaker, a regular expert columnist for Inc. Magazine, and a best-selling author. They delve into what embracing awkwardness really entails, the  skills now being lost in the modern era that we need to recreate in the workplace, and what it looks like to make big career pivots.

The discussion emphasizes how feeling awkward is not something to fix but something that can actually be your biggest asset for professional and personal growth. Henna provides tips and insights into how to successfully navigate awkward moments and situations, build deeper connections, get better at selling, and become more confident.

Episode Breakdown:

02:21 The Helen story: navigating extreme awkwardness at work for the first time

05:41 Making a choice between two risks

08:25 A real-life awkward moment

09:52 A crazy travel schedule

11:10 Taking aligned action over avoiding discomfort

13:32 Awkward confidence

14:53 How to get good at navigating awkward moments

21:09 Practical tips to help you face awkward situations

25:38 The cultural shift toward being less perfect

27:47 Awkwardness and vulnerability

30:12 The decision to leave an explosive 14-year career in staffing

33:54 An exercise for high achievers to overcome the fear of career change

35:41 Telling Henna’s South Asian parents about her career pivots

36:54 The blessing of starting from scratch during the Pandemic

38:25 How difficult it was for Henna to pivot throughout her career

40:31 A hard-earned but transformational lesson

42:08 A tactical sales hack

45:02 How awkwardness became Henna’s banner

47:32 The value of placing a small bet

51:13 Awkward conversations are what will help heal humanity

53:50 A letter to Henna’s younger self

55:28 Henna’s current definition of success

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

Youtube

Facebook

Instagram

Get the book, Good Awkward.

Watch Henna’s 2 TEDxTalks Want to get ahead at work? Risk the awkward moments and The new way to brag in the modern world - and feel good doing it.

Want 75 hacks to become more charismatic?

Get your FREE copy of my Charisma Tactical Toolkit.

Legendary Quotes:

“The truth is the most confident people do not get to avoid awkwardness. They just have a very fast comeback rate.” – Henna Pryor

“ Awkwardness grows in the dark and shrinks in the light.” – Howie Chan

“ We have to be willing to withstand our awkwardness to be in service of the people that we serve.” – Henna Pryor

It’s time to turn up the volume on life, make your mark, and live your legend. 🤘🏽

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In this episode of the Legend Effect Podcast, host Howie Chan interviews Blake Eastman, former professional poker player and the founder of the Nonverbal Group,  a behavioral research and education company teaching people to better communicate and thrive in social interactions.

They delve into Blake’s journey to becoming the human behavior and communications expert he is, effective communication skills, the hard-earned lessons he got when his father was diagnosed with ALS, behind the scenes stories, and, of course, poker.

The discussion emphasizes the complexity and subjectivity of communication and how any transformation must start from within. Blake provides tips that will help you communicate like the legend that you are right away, insights into the world of professional poker, and unveils the truth behind the lies we’re told about how human behavior.

Episode Breakdown:

02:18 The truth behind the scenes of Slate’s viral article on Blake

04:22 Blake’s intense teaching schedule

05:20 A quick rise and journey of mistakes and lessons

07:14 Being an expert and an impostor

09:06 Becoming an adjunct professor at CUNY

12:24 Why a JD MBA and academia just wasn’t for Blake

16:54 The questions Blake is trying to answer

17:46 Always having a plan (even when it’s the wrong one)

20:22 How his family and early years influenced his path

24:01 Navigating the serious challenge of a parent with ALS

27:31 Hard-earned lessons

30:03 The truth behind statistics and blank statements about human behavior

33:05 How Blake approaches research as an entrepreneur

39:54 Tips to help you communicate more effectively today

41:27 The Flaw Finder 5000

43:43 Biggest barriers to truly transforming your social skills

45:01 Why people are committing to a full year of transformation

48:09 Insights into the world of poker

52:24 Tips to win a home poker game

54:18 The role of poker in Blake’s life

56:36 When Blake  placed 4th at a WSOP Main Event

1:01:33 The funny story behind Blake’s run-in with the IRS

1:04:33 Finding  the magic and beauty of what makes people effective

1:07:00 A letter to Blake’s younger self

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

Youtube

X

Facebook

Instagram

Sign up for The Behavioralist Newsletter by Blake.

Check out the Slate article Howie mentions.

Charisma is a Skill:

Get your FREE copy of the Charisma Tactical Toolkit.

Legendary Quotes:

“ You can choose how you experience the world every second. I can't move my arms, but I'm so grateful for my legs. I can't walk unassisted, but I'm so grateful I can still walk.” – Blake Eastman

“ "Most people don’t add enough context when they communicate. You can hedge so many simple things by just telling people what’s going on.".” – Blake Eastman

“ I never tell people how to act. I just make sure that their behavior is in alignment with how they want to be perceived.” – Blake Eastman

“ We're meaning making machines and it's our greatest gift and it's our greatest curse at the same time.” – Blake Eastman

It’s time to turn up the volume on life, make your mark, and live your legend. 🤘🏽

Join Legend Letters: the ultimate guide for corporate dropouts turned business owners.. Each week I share a heartset, mindset, and skillset to grow your business, your brand, and your life.

📩 Try the Legend Letters Newsletter.

Follow, subscribe, and don’t forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode of the Legend Effect Podcast, host Howie Chan interviews David Robson, one of the most prolific science writers out there, with thousands of articles and three bestsellers. They delve into strategies backed by scientific research to help you better manage your mental health and build stronger relationships.

The discussion emphasizes how your mindset can transform your life. David provides tools that will help you leverage stress, curb self-doubt, and quickly form deeper connections. He also shares his most impactful psychological effect after over 10 years of research.

Episode Breakdown:

02:27 David’s drive and intellectual curiosity

04:10 Combining mathematics and science with literature and writing

07:00 Self-fulfilling prophecies and the power of mindset

10:06 The importance of reappraising stress

16:28 2 things that will help you better manage your mental health

19:10 Teaching kids valuable tools for their mental health

22:04 The liking gap in social interactions and how to overcome it

26:20 How to form better connections through the virtual world

28:09 One thing you should do RIGHT NOW if you work by yourself

31:19 The phenomenon of self-expansion in meaningful relationships

33:23 The power of self-disclosure and vulnerability

38:27 The fast friendship procedure

43:28 Overcoming the fear of being vulnerable

46:46 Using narrative to live better and form stronger connections

48:46 The tool David uses to get through difficult times

51:09 David’s mission

52:51 How David is starting to do scientific research himself

54:48 The one technique that will transform your life

58:48 A letter to David’s younger self

From Our Guest:

Website

LinkedIn

X

Instagram

Get David’s books here.

Read my article about David’s book The Expectation Effect.

Get my FREE Mindset Mastery Course.

Legendary Quotes:

“ I think it also comes back to the Expectation Effect in a way that the stories we tell ourselves about the things that we're facing can become self-fulfilling prophecies. So, we always should recognize that fact that we are heroes of our own stories, and we can try to make the most of that.” - David Robson

“Life is going to have these downswings, but it's what defines your path in life is actually how you respond to that and whether you can find a way to bolster your resources, even if that is asking for support.” - David Robson

“ It's really learning just to question your basic assumptions and to realize that just because you think or feel something does not mean that it is necessarily the way that other people would interpret the situation or that there's an objective proof to that.” - David Robson

It’s time to turn up the volume on life, make your mark, and live your legend. 🤘🏽

Join Legend Letters to go from unknown to unforgettable. One actionable lesson each week to establish authority, build attraction, and grow in influence.

📩 Try the Legend Letters Newsletter

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