Category: thelifeoftry

Fun Is a Practice, Not a Reward

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , , , , 24 Comments

“If you’re not having fun, you’re not learning. There’s a pleasure in finding things out.” – Richard Feynman

What if fun isn’t a reward for getting everything done—but a skill that helps us live better right now?

Recently as I was driving ten-year-old Miss O to a rehearsal for a musical, she said, “I always have fun at rehearsals.” Six-year-old Mr. D had a similar answer as I was bringing him home from baseball practice the other night. I asked what he liked best – the base running practice, the scrimmage, the throwing contest? His answer was, “I like all of it.“

What kids know and grown-ups seem to forget (speaking for myself) is that fun is a day-to-day practice, not a reward only to be savored when we get everything else done. Fortunately, my guest for The Life of Try podcast this week, Mike Rucker, PhD, reminded me that parents have some agency in this too. We aren’t just Uber drivers getting our kids to the places they need to go. And that prompted me to put on my mitt and take part of the scrimmage at Mr. D’s baseball practice. The ball didn’t come to me but I enjoyed standing in the field and being part of the fun immensely for a couple of innings.

In this episode of Life of Try, I talk with Mike Rucker, PhD author of The Fun Habit, about the science-backed value of fun and why it matters for stress relief, resilience, creativity, relationships, and well-being. We discuss positive psychology, the “sandwich generation,” burnout, parenting, savoring joyful moments, and how to create simple systems that bring more play, rest, and connection into daily life.

Here are some of my favorite takeaways from this great book and fantastic, science-backed conversation about fun:

  • Fun is not frivolous — it’s restorative.
    Being intentional about fun can help reduce burnout, restore energy, and bring more meaning into everyday life.
  • Happiness and fun are not the same thing.
    As Mike says, “Happiness is a state of mind, but fun is something we can do.”
  • Agency matters.
    When we feel like we have a say in how we spend our time and energy, life becomes more enjoyable and sustainable.
  • Small “pattern interrupts” can change everything.
    Breaking our routines in creative ways can open up more space for joy, connection, and better habits.
  • Fun looks different for everyone.
    It doesn’t have to be loud, social, or high-energy. Fun can be calm, quiet, and personal.
  • Burnout narrows our thinking.
    When we’re depleted, we tend to rely on autopilot. Renewal helps us think more creatively, flexibly, and expansively.
  • Enjoyment is a powerful predictor of sticking with a habit.
    If you want to build sustainable habits, choose approaches you genuinely like—not just ones you think you “should” do.
  • You don’t need a total life overhaul.
    Reclaiming fun can start with just a few intentional hours, a simple list, or one activity that brings you back to yourself.
  • The “Fun File” is a practical tool.
    Keeping a running list of activities that genuinely light you up can make it easier to choose joy on purpose.
  • Making life better doesn’t always mean adding more.
    Sometimes it means removing, reframing, outsourcing, or rethinking routines that quietly drain you.

Here is a clip of one of Mike’s eye-opening points – that having fun is an upward spiral that creates more capacity for challenge and growth:

This conversation is for anyone looking for better work-life balance, more joy, and practical strategies for living with greater intention.

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

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

Links for this episode:

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life | Mike Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout and the Fun Habit transcript

The Fun Habit on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Mike Rucker, PhD’s website

Michael Rucker, Ph.D. on LinkedIn

(featured photo from Pexels)

It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again | Personal Growth and Courage with Lindsey Goldstein

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , , , , 41 Comments

“Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” – Pema Chodron

The troubleshooting method that I’ve taught to new technology consultants is to change one thing at a time. But what happens when life goes sideways and you get a chance to change all the things keeping you rooted? Do you scramble trying to rebuild life as it was? Or lean in to the chance to rethink about where you want to be?

That’s the premise behind Lindsey Goldstein’s delightful novel, Gap Year. When in the span of a few days, Jane’s daughter leaves for a gap year, her husband informs her that he’s in love with someone else, and she’s forced to choose between a promotion or to quit at work, she decides to take her own gap year. She goes to Ecuador to climb the mountain she’s always wanted to, Cotopaxi.

There are many reasons I love this book. Climbing and Ecuador – two of my favorite topics. But also because walking alongside Jane in her adult gap year helps to put in perspective the choices that we’ve made that handcuff our ability to try.

I was lucky enough to sit down with Lindsey Goldstein, the author of Gap Year on The Life of Try podcast, for a conversation about personal growth, self-improvement, and finding the courage to try—even when the path ahead feels uncertain. From writing and running to parenting, failure, and fresh starts, we explore how confidence is built one brave step at a time. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to try something new, this uplifting episode is a reminder that growth often begins the moment we say “yes” to the challenge.

Key takeaways

  • When life falls apart, it can also become an opening.
  • Courage often starts before confidence.
  • Trying, failing, and learning are all part of growth.
  • Small steps lead to bigger transformations.
  • You do not always end up where you expected—but you still grow.
  • Practice changes what feels possible.
  • It is never too late to begin again.

Here’s the YouTube video of our conversation:

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

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

Links for this episode:

Reinvention, Resilience, and the Courage to Try | Gap Year with Lindsey Goldstein transcript

Gap Year on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Lindsey Goldstein’s website

(featured photo from Pexels)

Hope Without Attachment

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , , , , 48 Comments

“You never fail until you stop trying.” – Albert Einstein

I have been watching a lot of Little League baseball this Spring. It’s a fascinating mix of young athleticism and skill development peppered with moments of bitter disappointment. In most every practice and game there is at least one example of someone who wants to sit on the ground and pout because things aren’t going as they expected.

But disappointment doesn’t just happen to six and seven-year-olds. It reminds me that expectations can inspire us to try—until they harden into a demand for a specific outcome.

In this episode of The Life of Try, I dig in to how unmet expectations fuel disappointment, why that disappointment can keep us from taking healthy risks, and what it looks like to stay hopeful without clinging.

From a childhood lesson I learned from my mom about “pressing for the answer” to Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery of penicillin, I trace how openness, curiosity, and faith can turn apparent failures into forward motion.

Along the way, I draw from Brené Brown’s research on disappointment, Maya Shankar’s reframing of identity after loss, and spiritual wisdom about surrender and non‑attachment—so you can keep trying even when the path changes.

Takeaways:

  • Recognize when expectations are motivating you—and when they’re setting you up for disappointment
  • Practice openness and curiosity when a try doesn’t go as planned (and why that matters)
  • Name and communicate your expectations to reduce “unspoken contracts”
  • Reconnect with your deeper “why” when your “what” gets taken away
  • Hold onto faith that trying will lead somewhere good—even if it’s not the destination you imagined.

Here’s the YouTube video of this episode:

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

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

Links for this episode:

Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving transcript

Sir Alexander Fleming – Biographical – NobelPrize.org

How to Regulate Your Emotions and Mental Chatter When Bad Things Happen | Maya Shankar

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Connection by Brene Brown

Penicillin Wasn’t Alexander Fleming’s First Major Discovery | Scientific American

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

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , , 83 Comments

“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.

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

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

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , 57 Comments

“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:

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

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

Posted in thelifeoftryTagged , , , , , , , , , 41 Comments

“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:

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

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:

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

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

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“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.

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

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

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“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.

How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

In this episode of Life of Try, Wynne Leon sits downwith Mike Rucker, PhD, organizational psychologist, behavioral scientist, and author of The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, for a thoughtful conversation about why fun is not frivolous—it’sessential. Together, they explore the science of fun, the difference between happiness and joy, and how intentional habits, agency, and small “pattern interrupts” can help adults reclaim wonder in everyday life. If you’re interested in personal growth, positive psychology, work-life balance, burnout recovery, parenting, and building a more meaningful life, this episode offers practical ideas you can use right away.If you’re looking for practical self-improvement ideas, more energy, better well-being, and a fresh perspective on happiness vs. joy, this conversation offers actionable insights you can start using right away.📘 Order The Fun Habit 🌐 Show notes and more inspiration: https://wynneleon.com🔔 Subscribe for more: Subscribe to The Life of Try for more conversations on: personal growth, creativity, reinvention, resilience, writing, and mindset.📌 Subscribe & Stay Updated: → https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry?sub_confirmation=1ABOUT ME Hi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying. Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com🎥 Watch Next:➡️ Letting Go Of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving➡️ The Courage to Try Something New | Lindsey Goldstein on Growth, Failure, and Reinvention➡️ How to Finally Write That Book You've Been Dreaming About | Writing Motivation 🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/
  1. How to Reclaim Fun in Adult Life; Michael Rucker, PhD on Joy, Burnout, and The Fun Habit
  2. Reinvention, Resilience and The Courage to Try| Lindsey Goldstein on Gap Year
  3. 51: Letting Go of Outcomes: The Mindset That Keeps You Moving
  4. 50: How to Write the Book You've Been Meaning to Write | Dr. Victoria Atkinson (Slivers)
  5. 49: Personal Growth Pivot Points: Pause, Quit or Keep Going?

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)