Category: thelifeoftry

The Mindset to Write a Book: Gratitude, Risk, and the Courage to Try

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“Self-consciousness is the enemy of all art, be it acting, writing, painting, or living itself, which is the greatest art of all.” – Ray Bradbury

Writing is hard. But that’s not news on WordPress because you all are the ones that are doing to the work to write and post content on a regular basis. But sometimes we forget to pat ourselves on the back for actually doing the work – especially when we are part of a community like this of like-minded others who are doing the same.

So I love this Life of Try podcast conversation when I talk with professor, author, and my friend, Vicki Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-published novel.

Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.

  • How gratitude and loss can become creative fuel
  • What helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to done
  • Why writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic work
  • How genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plot
  • The role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the course

Here’s a short clip of our conversation that highlights the stats of how hard it is to get a book to the finish line – and Vicki’s great answer:

Pre-order Slivers (link below), and if this episode resonates, share it with a friend who’s been carrying a book idea for far too long.

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this motivating episode:

Pre-order Slivers (link below), and if this episode resonates, share it with a friend who’s been carrying a book idea for far too long.

50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers) – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

If you’ve been saying “someday I’ll write a book” for years,this episode is your push to begin—and your roadmap to keep going. Host Wynne Leon talks with Dr. Victoria Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-publishednovel.Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.How gratitude and loss can become creative fuelWhat helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to doneWhy writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic workHow genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plotThe role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the courseThe Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑helppodcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence orclarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces achange you didn’t ask for.This podcast is for anyone who:Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s nextIs navigating change, burnout, or reinventionWants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easyBelieves progress starts by trying—again and againThe Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.Links for this episode:Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!Vicki's blog: Victoria PondersTranscript for How to Finally Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson
  1. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  2. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?
  3. 48-How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience, and Coming Alive
  4. 47-From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress (Try, Learn, Improve, Repeat)
  5. 46: The Quiet Transformation That Changes Everything

Links for this episode:

Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!

Vicki’s blog: Victoria Ponders

Transcript for How to Finally Write the Book You’ve Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson

The Courage to Stop Trying

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“The important thing is to not stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein

We have a strong ethos of trying in my household. There’s an example that we often joke about. When my daughter was about 9, my friend Eric asked her to help deflate a rubber raft so we could take it home from vacation. When she went to put it back in the box, he said it’d never fit.

Her response was something like, “It won’t fit back in the box with that attitude!”

Safe to say, we are primed to try. But sometimes that overshadows the wisdom of when to stop trying. How do you know when to stop trying—especially when you’re someone who prides yourself on perseverance?

In this episode of The Life of Try, I explore the moments when quitting isn’t failure, but wisdom: when our efforts are overly controlled, when something deep inside says “it’s time,” or when passion turns obsessive and starts costing more than it gives.

Along the way, I draw lessons from Marion Jones, Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu, Oprah Winfrey, and Andre Agassi, plus insights on harmonious vs. obsessive passion.

Here’s a short section about mining the deep knowledge of when you know, you know:

If you’re wrestling with whether to push through or let go, this episode offers language, perspective, and permission to choose what’s healthy—and what’s next.

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this motivating episode:

50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers) – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

If you’ve been saying “someday I’ll write a book” for years,this episode is your push to begin—and your roadmap to keep going. Host Wynne Leon talks with Dr. Victoria Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-publishednovel.Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.How gratitude and loss can become creative fuelWhat helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to doneWhy writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic workHow genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plotThe role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the courseThe Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑helppodcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence orclarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces achange you didn’t ask for.This podcast is for anyone who:Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s nextIs navigating change, burnout, or reinventionWants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easyBelieves progress starts by trying—again and againThe Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.Links for this episode:Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!Vicki's blog: Victoria PondersTranscript for How to Finally Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson
  1. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  2. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?
  3. 48-How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience, and Coming Alive
  4. 47-From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress (Try, Learn, Improve, Repeat)
  5. 46: The Quiet Transformation That Changes Everything

Links for this episode:

Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit, or Keep Going? transcript

The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life: Mike Rucker, PhD

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

Marion Jones Reflects on Her Kids Living with ‘Reality’ of Her Doping Scandal

From Oakland to Olympic gold: Alysa Liu takes figure skating crown

Alysa Liu’s Olympic figure skating comeback is golden, true to herself

How Alysa Liu Found Her Love for Figure Skating Again

Winfrey Announces Show’s End in 2011 – CBS News

(featured photo from Pexels)

How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience and Coming Alive

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“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

When my daughter was two-and-a-half, I installed a seat on the back of my bike. I strapped her in and we pedaled around our neighborhood. She yelled, “this is fantastic!”

A pure jolt of energy and vitality shot threw me. For me, it was such a good example of the fullness of life that surges when we embrace the freedom that comes with getting out on two wheels. As a bonus, it reminded me of how easy it is to get stuck in the humdrum of life. And the cure is just an adventure (big or small) away.

So in this episode of The Life of Try podcast, I talk with tech entrepreneur and author Michael Yang about his memoir Coming Alive on the Ride and the way motorcycle travel became both a literal journey and a powerful metaphor for personal growth. Michael shares how stepping outside your familiar environment can help you hear “life’s invitation” to dream, venture, and rediscover what makes you feel fully awake.

Together we explore resilience through the Korean concept of han—the accumulated weight of difficult circumstances—and how setbacks can become fuel for perseverance. Michael reflects on immigrating from Korea at 14, building a life through gratitude and hard work, and learning (again and again) that rejection doesn’t have to be the end of the story.

From riding thousands of miles with a lifelong friend to a memorable run-in with Steve Jobs at Macy’s in 1982, Michael’s stories remind us that courage grows through companionship and curiosity. We also discuss the Korean guiding philosophy of Hongik—living in a way that benefits all humankind—and how our bravest tries can ripple outward in ways we may not expect.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why “accepting the invitation” is simple—but the road rarely runs straight
  • Han, perseverance, and turning setbacks into strength
  • The immigrant mindset: gratitude, effort, and going for opportunity
  • Friendship as a confidence builder—on the road and in life
  • Curiosity, rejection, and holding onto a vision (plus the Steve Jobs story)
  • Hongik: living for the wider benefit and making a positive dent in the world

Here’s a small taste of Michael’s brave and bold reminder that saying “yes” to adventure often brings out our best selves:

Whether you’re craving a literal road trip or a fresh start at home, this conversation will nudge you toward your next brave yes.

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this motivating episode:

50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers) – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

If you’ve been saying “someday I’ll write a book” for years,this episode is your push to begin—and your roadmap to keep going. Host Wynne Leon talks with Dr. Victoria Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-publishednovel.Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.How gratitude and loss can become creative fuelWhat helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to doneWhy writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic workHow genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plotThe role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the courseThe Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑helppodcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence orclarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces achange you didn’t ask for.This podcast is for anyone who:Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s nextIs navigating change, burnout, or reinventionWants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easyBelieves progress starts by trying—again and againThe Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.Links for this episode:Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!Vicki's blog: Victoria PondersTranscript for How to Finally Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson
  1. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  2. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?
  3. 48-How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience, and Coming Alive
  4. 47-From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress (Try, Learn, Improve, Repeat)
  5. 46: The Quiet Transformation That Changes Everything

Links for this episode:

48-How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience, and Coming Alive transcript

Michael Yang’s website

Coming Alive on the Ride at Barnes & Noble and Amazon

The Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑help podcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.

Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence or clarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces a change you didn’t ask for.

This podcast is for anyone who:

  • Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s next
  • Is navigating change, burnout, or reinvention
  • Wants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easy
  • Believes progress starts by trying—again and again

The Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.

If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.

(featured photo from Michael Yang — more incredible photos in his book and on his website!)

The Genius of Patience: Five Lessons from Thomas Edison

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“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” – Audrey Hepburn

Last night, my six-year-old son, Mr. D, and I were out in our back yard at dusk. When night fell, the solar-powered string of LED lights that my friend Katie helped me string up about 4 years ago switched on. Mr. D wanted to know why some of the bulbs had water in them – a situation that has developed over time.

I’m amazed they still work. Especially after spending a couple of weeks delving into Thomas Edison and his efforts to invent the light bulb. In the time of Edison, bulbs had carbonized bamboo filaments in vacuum sealed glass. We’ve come along way in almost 150 years since his initial design but the light bulb still shines bright.

This episode of The Life of Try podcast is based on Thomas Edison and his methods to reframe progress: not as one perfect breakthrough, but as a steady practice of continuing to try. Behind the famous light bulb moment is a mindset of learning from what doesn’t work, building momentum through small improvements, and staying in motion long enough for the next step to appear.

I gleaned five practical lessons from Edison—be systematic, don’t do it alone, keep improving, apply what you learn across disciplines, and rest (yes, naps count)—plus a bonus insight on the tension between creativity and control.

  • Get unstuck by focusing on the next controllable step
  • Make progress through iteration—small wins that compound over time
  • Keep going with support, structure, and rest
  • Create more, control less

Here’s a snippet of Edison’s commitment to capture ideas:

If you’re working on a project, a habit change, or a long-shot goal, this conversation is an invitation to get unstuck by taking the next try. Here are some ways you can listen and watch this motivating episode:

50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers) – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

If you’ve been saying “someday I’ll write a book” for years,this episode is your push to begin—and your roadmap to keep going. Host Wynne Leon talks with Dr. Victoria Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-publishednovel.Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.How gratitude and loss can become creative fuelWhat helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to doneWhy writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic workHow genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plotThe role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the courseThe Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑helppodcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence orclarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces achange you didn’t ask for.This podcast is for anyone who:Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s nextIs navigating change, burnout, or reinventionWants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easyBelieves progress starts by trying—again and againThe Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.Links for this episode:Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!Vicki's blog: Victoria PondersTranscript for How to Finally Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson
  1. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  2. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?
  3. 48-How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience, and Coming Alive
  4. 47-From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress (Try, Learn, Improve, Repeat)
  5. 46: The Quiet Transformation That Changes Everything

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

Links for this episode:

From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress transcript

Edison by Edmund Morris

Thomas Edison on Wikipedia

After the Super Bowl, Seahawks Coach Mike Macdonald Kept Repeating 2 Words. It’s a Lesson in How to Win on Inc.com

Creating Without Elbow Grease

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , , , , , 50 Comments

“Do the difficult things when they are easy and do the great things when they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

What if “trying” doesn’t have to mean pushing harder?

I’ve been in a flow state often enough to know it exists but not so often to know how to reliably get there. Is it really possible to regularly create — to write, to connect with others, to co-author life in a way that doesn’t leave me sweaty and tired? My guest on this week’s podcast had some insight about finding flow. Even if it falls into the category of easier said than done, it’s the quietness of the approach that makes me think it’s possible

In this Life of Try episode, I talk with author and New York Insight Meditation Center co-founder Joseph Schmidt about The Torchbearer—a collection of short stories born from an unexpectedly effortless creative process. Together we explore the mindset shift from effort to openness: how letting go of the agenda can create space for insight, transformation, and a deeper, more alive way of meeting each moment.

  • Try smarter, not harder: why forcing outcomes can block creativity—and what changes when you partner with the process instead.
  • Mindset shift to “empty hands”: Joseph’s Zen chaplaincy training and the practice of entering a room (or a moment) without an agenda.
  • Personal growth through discovery: how his characters—and we as readers—find the next move by noticing what’s already here.
  • Feeling alive at the edge of the unknown: mindfulness as the place where consciousness meets what happens next.
  • Belonging as a practice: building a bond of belonging by showing up with curiosity, care, and presence.

If you’ve been working hard but feeling flat, this conversation is an invitation to loosen your grip, step back into the present, and discover a more natural flow—one where growth comes from attention, not strain. Listen in for a gentler (and often more powerful) way to create, connect, and keep beginning again.

Here’s great clip of Joseph describing the lesson he learned from a Zen monk about a powerful mindset shift:

This is a great episode if you’re craving a mindset reset, rebuilding your creative confidence, deepening a mindfulness practice, or simply want to feel more awake and engaged in your everyday life.

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this inspiring episode:

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers) – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

If you’ve been saying “someday I’ll write a book” for years,this episode is your push to begin—and your roadmap to keep going. Host Wynne Leon talks with Dr. Victoria Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-publishednovel.Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.How gratitude and loss can become creative fuelWhat helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to doneWhy writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic workHow genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plotThe role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the courseThe Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑helppodcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence orclarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces achange you didn’t ask for.This podcast is for anyone who:Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s nextIs navigating change, burnout, or reinventionWants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easyBelieves progress starts by trying—again and againThe Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.Links for this episode:Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!Vicki's blog: Victoria PondersTranscript for How to Finally Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson
  1. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  2. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?
  3. 48-How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience, and Coming Alive
  4. 47-From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress (Try, Learn, Improve, Repeat)
  5. 46: The Quiet Transformation That Changes Everything

Links for this episode:

The Transformation That Changes Everything transcript

The Torchbearer: and other Stories of Borderline Redemption by Joseph Schmidt on Amazon

Joseph Schmidt bio – New York Insight Meditation Center

(featured photo from Pexels)

The Life of Try

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , , 72 Comments

“Sometimes magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect.” – Teller

In 44 episodes of producing the How to Share podcast, I realized that while I’m passionate about how to share, what I’m really interested is trying. Trying is a little upstream from sharing. We try experiments in our life, we learn, and then we share.

Trying feels right to me because matches my background as an engineer and consultant. Also, I see it in my kids as they develop new skills. And I’m fascinated by how we conduct experiments as foundational part of building confidence.

So I’ve spent some time reswizzling the podcast as The Life of Try – a podcast focusing on where innovation, reinvention, personal growth, and discovery begin with one simple choice: to try. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when you’d rather not. Even when life makes the decision for you.

The Life of Try will feature conversations with authors, scientists, athletes, researchers, coaches, and more to help inspire your personal try-cycle. And I’m debuting a brand-new segment—one that “reverse engineers” what world-class trying really looks like.

In this episode our case study is professional climber Alex Honnold, whose headline-making feats—from free soloing El Capitan in Yosemite to scaling the Taipei 101 Tower this January—offer a masterclass in what it takes to attempt the extraordinary.

I break down the real ingredients behind big outcomes: preparation, learning from others, and staying steady through setbacks—and how those same principles apply to the goals we’re chasing every day. Whether you’re gearing up to speak in public, throw a pitch, or learn a new song, you can borrow these lessons and put them to work in your own try-cycle.

This is The Life of Try.

Here’s a teaser clip that shows a bit of what I think is so compelling about Alex Honnold:

Here are some ways you can listen and watch this inspiring episode:

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers) – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

If you’ve been saying “someday I’ll write a book” for years,this episode is your push to begin—and your roadmap to keep going. Host Wynne Leon talks with Dr. Victoria Atkinson about the mindset, support, and creative courage it took to turn a long-held idea into a finished, soon-to-be-publishednovel.Vicki’s new novel, Slivers, is set during a single week in the summer of 1973, when a quiet suburban neighborhood begins to crack under the weight of generational secrets—and an otherworldly presence that refuses to be ignored. Along the way, Vicki shares how unexpected family history research helped fuel the story, and why community feedback can be the difference between starting a draft and finishing a book.How gratitude and loss can become creative fuelWhat helps writers move from intention to action—and from draft to doneWhy writing fiction requires a different “writer brain” than memoir or academic workHow genealogy and family stories can deepen your characters and plotThe role of community, readers, and a publisher in staying the courseThe Life of Try is a personal growth and self‑helppodcast about getting unstuck, navigating uncertainty, and choosing to try—even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or not your idea.Hosted by Wynne Leon, the show explores how real growth, reinvention, and discovery often begin not with confidence orclarity—but with a single attempt. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real‑world case studies, each episode examines what it looks like to keep going when doubt shows up, plans fall apart, or life forces achange you didn’t ask for.This podcast is for anyone who:Feels stuck or uncertain about what’s nextIs navigating change, burnout, or reinventionWants to live more intentionally without pretending growth is easyBelieves progress starts by trying—again and againThe Life of Try isn’t about hustle or perfection. It’s about learning as you go, surfacing what matters, and sharing what you discover along the way.If you’re ready to surf the uncertainty, outlast the doubts, and step into your own try‑cycle, you’re in the right place.Links for this episode:Slivers on Eckhartz Press – Order Now!Vicki's blog: Victoria PondersTranscript for How to Finally Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write with Dr. Victoria Atkinson
  1. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  2. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?
  3. 48-How to Get Unstuck: Michael Yang on Saying Yes, Resilience, and Coming Alive
  4. 47-From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress (Try, Learn, Improve, Repeat)
  5. 46: The Quiet Transformation That Changes Everything

Links for this episode:

The Life of Try: Alex Honnold Case Study transcript

⁠Free Solo: A National Geographic documentary⁠

⁠Alex Honnold Free Solo Climbs Tapei 101 Skyscraper⁠

(featured photo is of El Capitan and sourced from Pexels)