Small wins compound. But what about invisible progress?

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris dives into the gap between consistency and visible results. Using personal examples from trail running (he's training for the Ragnar Appalachian Relay in August) and over 25 years in nonprofit fundraising, Chris shares how to maintain consistency when the evidence of progress is nowhere to be found.

You'll learn:

• Why small, consistent actions compound into disproportionate results
• How to redefine success when your metrics don't show the real progress
• Three concrete ways to keep showing up when you can't see the wins
• Why trust in the process isn't blind—it's informed

This episode bridges two powerful principles: the effects of compounding and the mindset required to believe in invisible progress.

Chapters

00:00 The Problem with Big Goals
02:35 The Power of Small Steps
05:02 Building Consistency for Big Goals
05:46 When Progress Feels Invisible
08:37 Plateaus in Every Area of Life
09:52 Redefining Success in Training and Life
11:25 Trusting the Process of Consistency
12:34 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community

What if the journaling practice you've been avoiding only takes one sentence?

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris makes the case for the smallest possible version of a journaling habit — and why that's actually the version that sticks. He shares how pairing it with gratitude gives you a starting point every single day, even the ones that feel completely unremarkable.

But finding the time is its own challenge. Chris also walks through how a well-designed weekly routine can protect space for the things that matter — not just your work, but your workouts, your family, and yes, your one sentence.

Small habits. Intentional schedules. Big results.

🎧 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Subscribe so you never miss one.

Links

Sign up for the weekly Wholistic Productivity Newsletter https://wholprod.link/newsletter

Chapters

00:00 The Power of One Sentence Journaling
02:30 Gratitude and Journaling
04:14 Journaling Tips
06:24 Why You Need A Routine
07:38 Building A Weekly Routine
10:24 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community

When you fall behind, what's your first instinct? For most people, it's to work more. Stay later, get up earlier, push through the weekend. But in most cases, falling behind isn't a time problem. It's a focus problem. And adding more hours to a focus problem doesn't help you accomplish more, it just gives you more time to be unfocused in.

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun shares a story from his own career about a meeting culture that completely swallowed his workday and what happened when leadership finally addressed the right problem instead of just the symptoms. Then, a Foo Fighters song on a trail run sparks a bigger question: are you actually getting the best of yourself, or are the people and obligations around you getting it all while you run on empty?

Self-care isn't selfish. It's the foundation. And this episode is a reminder to stop rescuing rest and renewal from the scraps of your week and start treating them as the priority they are.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:14 More Hours
01:19 Meeting Culture Gone Wild
03:36 Fixing the Right Problem
05:10 The Unlikely Question
06:22 Facing the Music
07:15 Self-Care: The Key to Giving Your Best
08:52 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community

Your calendar doesn’t lie. But a packed schedule and an empty one can both be working against you in ways you might not expect. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun breaks down two ideas that will change how you think about your time.

First: why a wide-open calendar isn’t freedom — and the simple shift that turns a chaotic to-do list into a schedule that actually reflects your life.

Second: zero-based scheduling. Borrowed from the accounting world, it’s a framework that asks every recurring meeting, standing appointment, and monthly habit to justify its place on your calendar from scratch. No automatic rollovers. No assumed commitments.

Chris draws on real experience — managing a fundraising department budget and a personal monthly commitment he eventually had to let go of — to show how this works across professional goals, personal goals, and the purpose-driven things that matter most.

Your calendar is a self-portrait. This episode helps you make sure it’s painting the right picture.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:14 Your Calendar Is a Self-Portrait
02:03 The Power of Time Blocking
03:47 Creating a Self-Portrait with Your Calendar
04:46 Zero-Based Budgeting —The Concept
07:20 Zero-Based Scheduling
08:40 Rethinking My Calendar Commitments
10:34 Zero-Based Scheduling for All Your Goals
11:33 Implementing Zero-Based Scheduling in Daily Life

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch passed away suddenly at age 41, just six days after his final race victory. In his last interview, he said something that stopped Chris LeBrun in his tracks: "Take whatever you can get, man. You never know when the last one's gonna be. So cherish them all, trust me."

In this episode, Chris reflects on the life and legacy of Kyle Busch — not as a sports tribute, but as a masterclass in wholistic productivity. Because Kyle wasn't just the winningest driver in NASCAR history. He was a husband, a father, a mentor, and a champion of a cause close to his heart — the Bundle of Joy Fund, which has helped fund IVF treatment for families who couldn't otherwise afford it, resulting in over 100 babies born.

Kyle chased his personal and purpose-driven goals with the same intensity he brought to racing. And that, Chris argues, is exactly what it looks like to Dream Big. Plan Smart. Live Fully.

You don't have to be a NASCAR fan to get something out of this episode. You just have to have goals worth fighting for.

Show Links

Samantha and Kyle Busch The Bundle Of Joy Fund - https://wholprod.link/bundleofjoy

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
03:26 Kyle's Impact on NASCAR
04:57 Kyle's Attitude
08:14 Lessons from Kyle Bush's Life and Career
11:37 Chasing Personal and Purpose-Driven Goals
18:00 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community

What if the most important moment in your goal journey isn't the finish line — it's the daily showing up that gets you there?

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun challenges the all-or-nothing approach to celebrating progress and makes the case for why recognizing small wins isn't just motivating, it's how behavior actually gets built.

Chris introduces the Momentum Matrix, a simple 10×10 grid he uses with his coaching clients to make daily effort visible and tangible. Every intentional action earns a square. Fill all 100, and you're not just celebrating a completed grid. You're looking at undeniable evidence that you're someone who follows through.

He also gets personal, sharing the nine-year behind-the-scenes journey of developing the Wholistic Productivity Planner — from an early Excel spreadsheet to a beautifully designed, launch-ready product — and why the invisible progress you've made is just as real as the results others can see.

If you've ever felt behind, stuck in comparison, or like your effort isn't adding up to anything, this episode is your reminder that the goal isn't done. But you're not where you started either. And that matters.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:14 Why Waiting for the Finish Line to Celebrate Backfires
02:16 The Momentum Matrix: Making Daily Effort Visible
05:38 Appreciate the Journey
06:35 The Invisible Progress: Understanding Your Growth
08:43 The Comparison Trap
10:09 Reflecting on Growth: Acknowledging Your Achievements
11:30 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community

Discomfort is inevitable, but not all discomfort is created equal. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun breaks down the difference between the kind of discomfort that signals growth and the kind that signals something else entirely: a weakness that's quietly acting as your kryptonite.

Using the Superman analogy, Chris explores why so many driven people keep pushing through the very things that hold them back instead of doing what Superman actually did. He knew what kryptonite was, named it, and stayed away from it. The result? He focused on what he did best and built a team around the rest.

In this episode, you'll learn how to identify the specific tasks draining your energy and stalling your progress, why naming your weakness is the first step to overcoming it, and how high achievers protect their real value by delegating and partnering, not by doing it all.

If you're ready to stop carrying the rock and start making real progress toward your goals, this one's for you. Subscribe to the Wholistic Productivity Podcast on your favorite platform so you never miss an episode.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:14 Embracing Discomfort for Growth
01:27 Running Toward Growth
03:18 The Improvement Zone
05:18 Understanding Discomfort: Growth vs. Stagnation
06:56 How to Fight Weakness
10:16 Identifying Your Kryptonite: Weakness as Information

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community

What if the most productive thing you could do is get well — in every sense of the word?

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun sits down with Jared Thurmon, a founder and investor building ventures at the intersection of wellness and hospitality. Jared's lifelong conviction is simple: true health is the foundation everything else is built on. And now he's building that conviction into reality — co-founding Santerra, a 320-acre luxury wellness resort in the Arizona desert designed to transform guests through physical vitality, mental clarity, and spiritual connection.

Chris and Jared dig into what it really means to be healthy, why so many of us look fine on the outside while struggling within, and how aligning what we profess with how we actually live changes everything. Jared also shares what a DNA test revealed about his drive to build — and why self-awareness might be the most underrated health tool of all.

Show Links

Sign up for Jared's newsletter - https://www.1upyourlife.com/

Connect with Jared on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thurmon/

Follow Jared on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jaredthurmon

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
03:33 The Foundation of True Health
06:30 Aligning Beliefs with Actions
09:46 The Importance of Authentic Relationships
15:26 Navigating Loneliness in Modern Society
18:35 Faith and Business
21:11 The Drive for Innovation and Growth
21:44 The Genetics of Innovation
25:37 Transforming Legacy Institutions
27:03 Navigating Innovation in Established Organizations
29:54 The Vision Behind Santerra: A Wellness Retreat
35:24 The Role of Hospitality in Healing
37:48 Building a Business with Your Partner
40:23 The Journey to Launching Santerra
41:52 Prioritizing Health for High Achievers
45:03 Exploring Taboo Topics: The Newsletter Journey
48:47 The Questions

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community