Listen now (55 min) | In episode 66, Chris and Emma celebrated the podcast’s third birthday! We reflect on our highlights, challenges, and lessons over the last year.
One of the most rewarding aspects of our podcast journey has been the incredible community we've built around the theory of positive disintegration. The relationships we’ve formed—both with each other and with our listeners—have been instrumental in our development. We’ve witnessed the transformation of individuals within our community, and it’s a reminder of how vital connection is in our personal and professional lives.
We touch on letting go of perfectionism. We both know that growth is an ongoing process, and it’s okay not to have everything figured out. We share our experiences navigating challenges and how they’ve pushed us to rethink our values and boundaries. This journey of self-discovery is not linear, and embracing the messiness of life as we continue to evolve is essential.
Our conversation also delves into the complexities of values and how they can clash, especially in today’s polarized world. We explore how different perspectives can lead to misunderstandings and the importance of recognizing that our values may manifest differently in our actions. This insight fosters empathy and understanding in personal relationships and broader societal contexts.
Thanks Chris and Emma, your work is amazing. I'm soaking up as much Dabrowski as I can find. I have a library of articles which is growing. I was surprised to find I saved my first article in 2013 before losing the thread of interest but finding it again last year.
The theory of PD is impacting me big time. I feel like I've found a diamond and just to mix metaphors, it also feels like peeling a huge onion as each layer reveals more.
Thank you so much! We appreciate this feedback and hearing how impactful you're finding the theory of positive disintegration. It's so nice to know others care about this work.
I understand well what you mean by feeling like you've found a diamond and now you're peeling a huge onion. I wonder sometimes if I'll ever feel like I've come to the end of exploring TPD. It's been several years already, and I still experience so much curiosity and drive to go down the rabbit holes of learning more.
I took a long drive to a symposium in Cambridge, Massachusetts a couple of weekends ago. While travelling, I listened to and loved this episode reflecting on the past year (plus a few others as well!). Sometimes you need to take a moment to pause, turn around, and gain a perspective of just how far you've come. And WOW! Simply scanning the show notes demonstrates the tremendous amount of quality material and connections you have sent out there into the world... and have done so in ways that make a significant difference for others.
I think in this episode you discussed how to help presenters (e.g., at the Dabrowski Conference) create better materials. One suggestion I'd offer is this:
When creating a slide, use the 4x4 principle. That is, as a general guideline use no more than four bullets points and four words per bullet.
The idea is to *speak* to the audience. Slides cluttered with paragraphs of academic (and otherwise) language along with detailed APA et al. references are not typically effective. This kind of stuff can be put in end notes or presentation summary handouts. And heaven forbid if someone starts reading from their slides... 😹
Slides tend to be at their best when they are a brief summary/reference to the topics on which the speaker is expanding.
Some speakers may be nervous about forgetting what they want to say and may rely on verbose slides (which may backfire if you end up reading your slides and not speaking to the audience). Better to rehearse one's presentation with a time to gain a feeling of ease and confidence... and to know that what one often thinks "can't possibly take more than five minutes" often fills a half hour or more in no time.
I know all of this because I've been there!
Check out some great presenters... a lot of TED talk speakers provide great examples. And Steve Jobs as well... he certainly rehearsed and tweaked his big talks a lot (and had backup systems in case something crashed... those are stories for another time!). Yet, when he spoke it was very natural and conversational. And engaging.
Keep of the great and beautiful work... I continue to enjoy these episodes, both current and from the archives. They are not unlike the teacher who appears when I, the student, is ready. Thank you so much for being bravely vulnerable... your work is making a difference far beyond what any of us may be aware!
Thank you, Eric! I have to admit that your comment blew me away. ✨ It still surprises me to hear that the podcast has the impact that it does. We love this work so much, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have these conversations.
Thank you also for sharing this wisdom with our future presenters. I think it was Episode 65, Part 2 with Linda Silverman, but yes! This is so helpful. I think we're going to have to create a page with tips before the next Congress. 😅
I've been loving these anniversary episodes! 🙏❤️
Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the upcoming year
Thank you so much, Robin! We appreciate you. 🥰
Thanks Chris and Emma, your work is amazing. I'm soaking up as much Dabrowski as I can find. I have a library of articles which is growing. I was surprised to find I saved my first article in 2013 before losing the thread of interest but finding it again last year.
The theory of PD is impacting me big time. I feel like I've found a diamond and just to mix metaphors, it also feels like peeling a huge onion as each layer reveals more.
In short, I love your podcasts.
Thank you so much! We appreciate this feedback and hearing how impactful you're finding the theory of positive disintegration. It's so nice to know others care about this work.
I understand well what you mean by feeling like you've found a diamond and now you're peeling a huge onion. I wonder sometimes if I'll ever feel like I've come to the end of exploring TPD. It's been several years already, and I still experience so much curiosity and drive to go down the rabbit holes of learning more.
I took a long drive to a symposium in Cambridge, Massachusetts a couple of weekends ago. While travelling, I listened to and loved this episode reflecting on the past year (plus a few others as well!). Sometimes you need to take a moment to pause, turn around, and gain a perspective of just how far you've come. And WOW! Simply scanning the show notes demonstrates the tremendous amount of quality material and connections you have sent out there into the world... and have done so in ways that make a significant difference for others.
I think in this episode you discussed how to help presenters (e.g., at the Dabrowski Conference) create better materials. One suggestion I'd offer is this:
When creating a slide, use the 4x4 principle. That is, as a general guideline use no more than four bullets points and four words per bullet.
The idea is to *speak* to the audience. Slides cluttered with paragraphs of academic (and otherwise) language along with detailed APA et al. references are not typically effective. This kind of stuff can be put in end notes or presentation summary handouts. And heaven forbid if someone starts reading from their slides... 😹
Slides tend to be at their best when they are a brief summary/reference to the topics on which the speaker is expanding.
Some speakers may be nervous about forgetting what they want to say and may rely on verbose slides (which may backfire if you end up reading your slides and not speaking to the audience). Better to rehearse one's presentation with a time to gain a feeling of ease and confidence... and to know that what one often thinks "can't possibly take more than five minutes" often fills a half hour or more in no time.
I know all of this because I've been there!
Check out some great presenters... a lot of TED talk speakers provide great examples. And Steve Jobs as well... he certainly rehearsed and tweaked his big talks a lot (and had backup systems in case something crashed... those are stories for another time!). Yet, when he spoke it was very natural and conversational. And engaging.
Keep of the great and beautiful work... I continue to enjoy these episodes, both current and from the archives. They are not unlike the teacher who appears when I, the student, is ready. Thank you so much for being bravely vulnerable... your work is making a difference far beyond what any of us may be aware!
Thank you, Eric! I have to admit that your comment blew me away. ✨ It still surprises me to hear that the podcast has the impact that it does. We love this work so much, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have these conversations.
Thank you also for sharing this wisdom with our future presenters. I think it was Episode 65, Part 2 with Linda Silverman, but yes! This is so helpful. I think we're going to have to create a page with tips before the next Congress. 😅
I appreciate you so much, as always! 🙏