Life Fulfilled Podcast — Rethinking Leadership for Sustainable Performance – Details, episodes & analysis

In this special Thanksgiving week episode, host Bernie Borges explores the transformative power of thankfulness, not just as a reaction to good fortune, but as a daily mindset. Bernie shares how cultivating thankfulness can shift your perspective, help you find meaning in life’s struggles, and deepen your sense of fulfillment. Through personal reflection and practical insight, Bernie invites you to look beyond the surface of your experiences and discover the beauty in the messy, imperfect moments that shape our lives.

Three Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Thankfulness Is a Choice, Not a Reaction
While gratitude often follows a positive event, thankfulness is a proactive mindset that helps you appreciate life, even in its most difficult seasons.

2️⃣ Fulfillment Is Found in the Journey, Not Just the Milestones
Bernie shares a personal story of sacrifice and perseverance, revealing how moments of struggle can become the most deeply fulfilling chapters of your life.

3️⃣ Daily Thankfulness Enhances Emotional and Physical Wellbeing
Research supports that consistent thankfulness leads to better health, stronger relationships, and greater life satisfaction, making it a key to a fulfilled life.

Main Takeaway
Thankfulness is a mindset that empowers you to find meaning and fulfillment in every stage of life, even during setbacks. By choosing to see beauty in the messiness, you shift from scarcity to abundance, from striving to appreciating. This daily posture of thankfulness becomes a powerful foundation for living a truly fulfilled life, rooted not in perfection but in presence and perspective.

Ready to unlock more clarity and fulfillment?
Get your free copy of the guide. Carve out a few minutes this week for yourself, and see what insights await you.

Connect with Bernie Borges

Book Bernie Borges to speak at your next offsite or leadership event: https://fulfilledatworkacademy.com/speaking/ 

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Email: bernie@fulfilledatworkacademy.com
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Get in touch with Bernie to:
Explore hiring him as a keynote speaker.
Explore a tailored workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.

Watch the Life Fulfilled Podcast on YouTube

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Old Bossa Twin Musicom
Suno

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In the latest episode, host Bernie Borges invites you into a crucial conversation about self-awareness, why it's vital for effective leadership, and how you can develop this skill for more fulfillment in every area of your life.

Three key discussion points from the episode:

1️⃣ The Surprising Self-Awareness Gap Among Leaders
According to a Harvard Business Publishing study, only 10–15% of people are sufficiently self-aware, with less than a 30% correlation between actual and self-perceived competence. This gap negatively impacts decision-making, collaboration, and conflict management, whether at work, at home, or in your community.

2️⃣ The Values and Fulfillment Alignment Guide
Bernie shares his own journey, revealing that even when external life looked successful, he felt “off.” This led him to create the Values and Fulfillment Alignment Guide, a framework to help you rate fulfillment across health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy, and align these with your personal values. The guide is free and designed to bring life-changing clarity, often in less than an hour.

3️⃣ Action Steps for Lasting Impact
The five-step guide asks you to:

• Rate your fulfillment in the five life pillars
• Identify your top values
• Assess your alignment with those values
• Reflect on insights gained
• Commit to one actionable change

By embracing self-reflection with structure, leaders can foster meaningful change not just for themselves, but also for their teams, families, and broader communities.

Main Takeaway:
Becoming a self-aware leader isn’t reserved for CEOs or those with psychology degrees. It’s available to anyone willing to reflect and realign with their values. Start your journey to clarity with the Values and Fulfillment Alignment Guide.

Ready to unlock more clarity and fulfillment?
Get your free copy of the guide. Carve out a few minutes this week for yourself, and see what insights await you.

Connect with Bernie Borges

Book Bernie Borges to speak at your next offsite or leadership event: https://fulfilledatworkacademy.com/speaking/ 

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Website

Email: bernie@fulfilledatworkacademy.com
Fulfilled@Work™ LinkedIn Newsletter

Get in touch with Bernie to:
Explore hiring him as a keynote speaker.
Explore a tailored workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.

Watch the Life Fulfilled Podcast on YouTube

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This episode features Kristin Pascual, VP of Communications, Culture, and Community at Seagate Technology. Kristin shares the story of how Seagate faced a massive market downturn, losing 50% of revenue and 35% of its workforce, yet emerged stronger, with a renewed sense of purpose and record-high employee engagement.

Here are 3 key takeaways from our conversation:

1️⃣ Authentic, Transparent Communication Builds Trust: Even when news was tough, Seagate’s leadership prioritized in-person “Connect Sessions,” open dialogue, and myth-busting dashboards, forging trust through transparency. Leaders showed up with empathy, even admitting when they didn’t have all the answers.

2️⃣ Fulfillment Grows from Connection and Recognition: Fulfillment isn’t just a buzzword; it’s fueled by creating spaces where every employee feels seen and valued, from engineers to supporting staff. Seagate’s new recognition platform celebrated 15,000+ “moments that matter” in its first month, reinforcing community and belonging even in challenging times.

3️⃣ Human Skills are Leadership Skills: Connection, trust, and transparency aren’t “soft skills,” they’re essential leadership capabilities. Real impact comes from meeting employees where they are, actively listening, and ensuring managers recognize achievements at every level.

💡 Main takeaway: Fulfillment at work is not a destination; it's a journey shaped by struggle, growth, ownership, and shared purpose. Seagate’s experience shows that when organizations lead with empathy and genuine connection, both people and performance thrive.

This episode is brought to you by the HR Leadership & Wellness Summit in Atlanta, GA, October 12-14. 

This invite-only experience brings together senior HR professionals from companies like Warner Bros., Morgan Stanley, Paramount, and more for three days of transformative conversations, strategic networking, and actionable insights.

Apply for a complimentary invitation to the HR Leadership & Wellness and Culture & Engagement Executive Summits in Atlanta, GA, October 12-14. https://bit.ly/lifefulfilledxopal 

Connect with Kristin Pascual  

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LinkedIn

Connect with Bernie Borges

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Website

Email: bernie@fulfilledatworkacademy.com
Fulfilled@Work™ LinkedIn Newsletter

Get in touch with Bernie to:
Explore hiring Bernie as a keynote speaker at your next event.
Explore a tailored training workshop on Fulfillment Centric Leadership™.

Watch the Midlife Fulfilled Podcast on YouTube

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Old Bossa Twin Musicom
Suno

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Meet Shep Hyken. Shep has always been a positive person. He attributes his attitude of gratitude to his happiness and fulfillment. 

Professionally, Shep is a well-known author, speaker, and customer service expert. He is known for his inspiring speeches on being amazing to attract and retain customers. His amazement approach to life has had many benefits professionally and personally. 

Three key discussion points from this episode:

1️⃣ Attitude of Gratitude: Shep's practice of writing down something positive from both his professional and personal life every day has had a profound impact on his outlook. Even on the darkest days, he has been able to focus on the positive, making him more appreciative and resilient.

2️⃣ Pursuing Amazement: Shep's definition of greatness is being just a little better than average consistently and predictably. By striving to exceed expectations in small ways every day, he maintains a level of excellence in both his personal and professional endeavors.

3️⃣ Embracing Retirement: Shep's perspective on retirement is doing what you love. It's about continuing to engage in activities and pursuits that bring joy and satisfaction, whether it's professional work, hobbies like playing hockey and music or simply spending time with family.

When you listen to this episode you will be inspired to be even more amazing than you already are!

🔥 My affiliate link to Castmagic, which I used to help produce these show notes. 🔥

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Shep Hyen's Website

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Old Bossa Twin Musicom

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In this takeaway episode of the Midlife Fulfilled podcast, I share my key takeaway from my conversation with James Early on episode 160. 

I begin with a re-introduction of James Early and his journey from stay-at-home dad to a Bible teacher and podcaster. I highlight James' point that he doesn't thump people over the head with the Bible in his teachings, and why this resonates with me. 

I also share my own faith journey, how it evolved, and how studying the Bible has profoundly impacted my life.

Most of all, I explain that whatever your faith journey is, including atheism, it is part of your relationship pillar.  And, you should embrace it. 

As a reminder, the five pillars of fulfillment in midlife are: 
Health | Fitness | Career | Relationships | Legacy

My challenge to you is to be self-aware of this aspect of your relationship pillar, which includes your relationship with your faith journey. Embracing your faith journey as part of the relationship pillar can lead to profound fulfillment as you navigate through your forties, fifties, sixties, and beyond.

🔥 My affiliate link to Castmagic, which I used to help produce these show notes. 🔥

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Connect with James Early:
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Resource for Midlife Fulfilled Listeners
The Bible Speaks to You Podcast 

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Click or tap here to download the 5-Step Career Reboot Checklist.

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Email: bernie@midlifefulfilled.com

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Episode 160 features my conversation with James Early. We discussed his journey to finding his purpose as a Bible teacher and podcaster. Here are three key discussion points from our conversation:

1️⃣ Fulfillment in Midlife: James discussed his experience as a stay-at-home dad, transitioning through different career paths, and eventually finding his calling in teaching the Bible. His previous experiences led him to his calling, and he is greatly fulfilled by making a positive impact on others' lives.

2️⃣ Mindset of Jesus: James emphasized the importance of understanding the mindset of Jesus and how it has become a cornerstone of his work. He explained how Jesus says in the Bible that the kingdom of heaven is in the present moment, here on Earth, linking it to the idea of having the mindset of Jesus in daily life.

3️⃣ Impact through Sharing: James highlighted the rewarding aspect of his work, conveying the fulfillment he experiences from making a difference in people's lives. He shared examples of individuals whose perspectives were positively influenced by his teachings and the sense of gratification he gains from connecting with and helping others.

Overall, the episode provides insights into James Early's personal journey of finding fulfillment and purpose, the significance of embracing the mindset of Jesus, and the rewarding nature of impacting others through sharing valuable teachings.

James teaches in person, online, and through his podcast The Bible Speaks to You.

🔥 My affiliate link to Castmagic, which I used to help produce these show notes. 🔥

Connect with James Early:
LinkedIn 
Resource for Midlife Fulfilled Listeners 
The Bible Speaks to You Podcast 

Watch this episode on YouTube

Click or tap here to download the 5-Step Career Reboot Checklist.

Connect with Bernie Borges
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Email: bernie@midlifefulfilled.com


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Old Bossa Twin Musicom

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My latest takeaway episode features my conversation with Walter Paulsen in episode 158.

Walter Paulsen is a seasoned executive with a passion for coaching and mentoring other CEOs and founders as a Vistage Chair and Coach.

Three of our key discussion points are:

1️⃣ The power of peer-level CEO coaching.
2️⃣ The CEO journey in Silicon Valley
3️⃣ The quest for balance

In this episode, I share my own personal experience living and working in Silicon Valley for ten years where I experienced the 24/7 work culture firsthand.

I also share my thoughts on the essential quest for balance, reflecting on my personal experiences in Silicon Valley. This episode explores the necessity of a balanced work culture for CEOs and their teams, advocating for a sustainable approach to success.

My challenge to you is to share this episode with someone you know who is struggling with a lack of balance in their work life. More people need to find a healthy balance to enjoy their family, vacations, and quality sleep.

🔥 My affiliate link to Castmagic, which I used to help produce these show notes. 🔥

Take My 2 Question Survey: Free Midlife Mastery Online Club

Connect with Walter Paulsen:
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Email: walter.paulsen@vistagechair.com
 
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Click or tap here to download the 5-Step Career Reboot Checklist.

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Twin Music
Old Bossa Twin Musicom

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Walter Paulsen is a seasoned Vistage Chair in Silicon Valley, California. In this episode, he sheds light on the power of peer-level advisory groups and the transformational journey of CEOs navigating the high-pressure environment of Silicon Valley. 

Additionally, Walter discusses his upcoming book, focused on achieving balance as a technology CEO. 

Key discussion points from the conversation:

1️⃣ The power of peer-level CEO coaching: Walter sheds light on the incredible results that come from CEOs being vulnerable with each other, sharing their hardest issues in a confidential setting, and helping each other succeed.

2️⃣ The CEO journey in Silicon Valley: With a track record of success and failures across 10 startups, Walter brings a unique perspective on the highs and lows of the tech world, culminating in his commitment to help other CEOs succeed.

3️⃣ The quest for balance: Through his upcoming book, Walter aims to guide CEOs in achieving sustainable success without sacrificing their health, relationships, and personal fulfillment - a message that Silicon Valley can benefit greatly from.

I recommend giving the episode a listen for some valuable insights! If you're a CEO interested in contributing to Walter's upcoming book reach out to him on LinkedIn.

🔥 My affiliate link to Castmagic, which I used to help produce these show notes. 🔥

Take My 2 Question Survey: Free Midlife Mastery Online Club

Connect with Walter Paulsen:
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Email: walter.paulsen@vistagechair.com
 
Watch this episode on YouTube

Click or tap here to download the 5-Step Career Reboot Checklist.

Connect with Bernie Borges
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Email: bernie@midlifefulfilled.com


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Old Bossa Twin Musicom

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I'm excited to share the latest takeaway from the Midlife Fulfilled podcast in episode 157. In this episode, I dive into my conversation with Denise Gable, where we discussed the power of the "can do" mindset and the concept of "can-do-ology™.
 
Here are the 3 key discussion points from this conversation:

1️⃣ Embrace a Can Do Mindset.
2️⃣ Assess Your Joy Meter.
3️⃣ The Impact of Teamwork and Collaboration

Ready to level up from being a can-doer to a can-do-ologist?

A can-do-ologist is the next level up from a can-doer. This is someone who wants others to have a can-do mindset and they actively work toward spreading the can-do mindset.
They are ambassadors for the principle of a can-do mindset.

Can-do-ologists want others to have a can-do mindset because they are aware of the power of this approach to work, play, collaboration, and everyday communication.

My challenge to you is to level up from a can-doer to a can-do-ologist to bring more "can" to this world!

🔥 My affiliate link to Castmagic, which I used to help produce these show notes. 🔥

Take My 2 Question Survey: Free Midlife Mastery Online Club

Connect with Denise Gabel:
Website
Her Book: The Can-Do-Mindset
Joy Meter Toolkit
LinkedIn

Watch this episode on YouTube

Click or tap here to download the 5-Step Career Reboot Checklist.

Connect with Bernie Borges
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Email: bernie@midlifefulfilled.com


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Twin Music
Old Bossa Twin Musicom

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Denise Gabel is an international best-selling author, professional speaker, and mentor. Her book, "The Can Do Mindset," introduces the principle of  "Can-Do-Ology™" to get the right things done with enthusiasm.  Denise explains how embracing a can-do mindset can lead to new possibilities.

Three key discussion points from this episode are:

🔑 Embrace the "Can Do" Mindset: Can-doers are wired with strong values and excel in problem-solving. They prioritize trust, and accountability, and are highly sought after for their proactive nature and excellent communication skills.

🔑 Assess Your Joy Meter: Use the "Joy Meter" to identify activities that align with your skills and happiness. This tool can guide you to where to invest your time and energy, leading to a more fulfilling life.

🔑 The Impact of Teamwork and Collaboration: Understand the importance of "we" in choosing who to engage and to what extent, leading to new possibilities and opportunities.

If you're ready to embrace a "can-do" mindset and unlock your full potential, tune into this episode!

🔥 My affiliate link to Castmagic, which I used to help produce these show notes. 🔥

Take My 2 Question Survey: Free Midlife Mastery Online Club

Connect with Denise Gabel:
Website
Her Book: The Can-Do-Mindset
Joy Meter Toolkit
LinkedIn

Watch this episode on YouTube

Click or tap here to download the 5-Step Career Reboot Checklist.

Connect with Bernie Borges
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Email: bernie@midlifefulfilled.com


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Music attribution:
Twin Music
Old Bossa Twin Musicom

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