Gerry Valentine is an executive coach and the author of The Thriving Mindset – Tools for Empowerment in a Disruptive World. Gerry grew up in poverty in 1970s New York but went on to receive an Ivy League education and pursue a successful corporate career. He has extensive leadership experience in senior positions in Fortune 100 companies, and through his writing and his coaching work, he strives to help people thrive through adversity and face the future with courage and curiosity.
In this episode, you’ll hear from Gerry Valentine on:
– The adversity, fear, and paralysis cycle. Gerry explains how to break free from the cycle of debilitating fear that prevents us from showing up as our best selves and moving forward purposefully with our lives. Instead of succumbing to anxiety, Gerry recommends harnessing the adrenaline rush we get from fear and using it as a catalyst for progress and positive change.
– Becoming curious. During times of great uncertainty and adversity, Gerry advises becoming curious about the possibility of future opportunities rather than clinging blindly to the way we used to do things in the past. He expresses particular excitement about the new ‘work from anywhere’ environment and its ability to improve our working practices and lifestyles.
– Building intellectual and social capital. Gerry sets out the four types of knowledge we need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. He explains that we should combine our foundational knowledge (the things we learned during our formal education) with critical thinking to help us cope with unanticipated and novel situations. Gerry also stresses the importance of cultivating good working relationships with other curious-minded individuals, and he is a passionate advocate of life-long learning.
– Taking a courageous leap. Gerry reminds us that leaping out of disruption and towards opportunity will always be harder than we anticipated. He explains that we need to prepare for the five stages of the process, which he describes as envision, leap, fall, struggle, and evolve.
– Gratitude during adversity. We explore the practice of gratitude, and Gerry observes that, although it’s easy to be grateful when things are going well, it’s considerably more difficult during times of disruption and adversity. However, he recognizes the value of always taking the time to explore what we’re grateful for, even when times get tough.
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