Issue 46: Got any spare change?

Is it spring yet? I’m ready for THAT change.

Another year, another super long January. Between cold spells, colder spells, and a mini ice age, I thought February would never … wait, it’s not February till tomorrow. See what I mean?!?

Anyway, change is happening whether we want it to or not. Be it the day, week, season or newsletter issue, time marches on and moves forward. And as this is the last issue of … *checks calendar* … January, let’s talk about some big and small changes that have occurred over the years with this podcast.

-John

[The Weekly Quirk will return with issue 47 on Friday, February 14th.]

Moving Forward 496 : A look at change

For starters, I finally got the episode number correct.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked about the bumps in the road during the early days of Moving Forward; so much so, that it may sound like I’ve been waxing remorse. Not at all. While there’s a lot I would have (and should have) done differently, even the mistakes have resulted in some pretty unexpected opportunities; making this a net positive life experience.

Let’s take not having an exit at the outset. While I lost out on defining a niche for the podcast, and thus the one bite at the early momentum apple, I gained an expansive playground to experiment within this medium. Moreover, as I moved into a solo-hosted show starting with season three, this opened the way for me to reevaluate and reframe the objectives of the podcast. I eschewed the personal development side of the prior co-hosted format, and recalibrated the show to focus solely on leadership, career pathways, and entrepreneurship. From there, I was able to build a critical mass of content, which helped build my credibility as a speaker; culminating in an invitation to speak at my first TEDx event. It was there that I met Jack Speer of NPR who later came on the show as a featured guest (episode 184). If you listened to episode … *counting fingers* … 493 a few weeks ago, you’ll know how much of full circle moment that was.

Let’s take a look at the second “look back” topic: collaboration (episode 494). Collaborating on the show with a co-host was a mistake. However, this mistake allowed me to better understand what I wanted out of this experience and what I didn’t want. This realization led to some important changes that have helped make this podcast an integral part of my life, and not just a time filler. In many ways, seasons three and four were the real start of the show as I found my voice, figuratively and literally. Later, I would branch out by throwing different strands of the proverbial “spaghetti” on the wall with the holiday episodes, and the summer movie series.

Finally, letting go of perfection syndrome (episode 495) allowed me to just be me, and not some polished, edited version. While the early days of the podcast were cut along the formal talk show cloth, the later seasons were where I became more comfortable in my own skin. From season nine onward, the podcast was simply me turning on the mic to pontificate about different subjects, have spontaneous conversations, and leverage Moving Forward as a teaching platform. In doing so, I’ve been blessed with speaking engagements, several books, and invitations to teach online and in person classes on various topics.

While the podcast no longer resembles what it once was, it is isn’t a different program so much as one that has grown up; maturing as I have over the past decade. I’m not the same person I was in 2015, and neither is the show.

As I wrap part one of this last season, I can confidently say there’s one thing I did absolutely right in naming this show Moving Forward.

Catch this week’s episode on Spotify.

Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart, CastBox, Pocket Casts, Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor), and Audible.

^{*Affiliate disclosure: these are links through which I earn a commission from qualifying referrals and / or purchases.}

Moving Forward

What’s ahead this season.

1. Moving Forward season 12: Moving Forward’s final season will be split into three parts with the first seven episodes serving as a retrospective. Part III will wrap the show with episode 500, the series finale.

2. Moving Forward release schedule:

   • Season 12, Part 1 (episodes 493-496) will air Thursdays, starting Jan. 9th, and concluding on Thursday, Jan. 30th.

   • Season 12, Part 2 (episodes 497-499) will air Thursdays, starting Feb. 13th, and concluding on Thursday, Feb. 27th.

   • Season 12, Part 3 (episode 500) will air sometime in late March 2025.

3. The Weekly Quirk: The newsletter resumes today (Friday, Jan. 10th) with issue 43. The remaining issues will be released on Fridays, coinciding with the podcast schedule, and concluding with issue 50 on Friday, Feb. 28th sometime in late March.

_{[Note: Upon conclusion of the podcast and newsletter, all Moving Forward episodes and The Weekly Quirk issues will remain available to stream and read online so long as I’m able to keep them published cost-free via their respective host providers. However, while I would like to keep them preserved for posterity sake, I can’t guarantee they will be available forever. Additional note: the copyright to all content, including audio and literary rights, remains with me, my assigns, and my heirs, regardless of publication status.]}

Available now at my bookstore on Pangobooks

Now here’s someone who knows quite a bit about changing with the times.

Quirky reads 📚

Speaking of good books, here are some titles I’ve been reading lately.

[Affiliate disclosure: these are affiliate links to Amazon through which I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.]

• Extinction by Douglas Preston (****)

• Follow me on Goodreads for book recommendations and to see what else I’m reading.

Upcoming (February 20, 2025)

Declutter Your Home and Free Your Life - in person class through Johns Hopkins Osher (Osher membership required).

Upcoming (March 25, 2025)

Declutter Your Home and Free Your Life - virtual class through Johns Hopkins Odyssey (open to all with discounts for Hopkins alum).

Resources

Teach a man to fish, you know the rest (if you don’t, check these out).

• Book a coaching call with me on Clarity.

• Follow me on Goodreads for book recommendations.

• Check out one of my favorite daily newsletters Morning Brew (affiliate referral link).

Books

I wrote most of these so spruce up your home library and look smart in the process.

• The Poshmark Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses (Paperback, Kindle, Audible) 

• The Poshmark Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses (Apple audiobooks)

• The Poshmark Journal for Individuals and Small Businesses

• The Corporate Cliches Adult Coloring Book

• I Am a Professional Metalhead (audiobook) (Audible affiliate link) written by Angelo Spenillo, narrated by John Lim

Support the newsletter and podcast

“What are you selling?!?” -actual quote from a b-school classmate

• Books! Check out my used bookstore on Pangobooks.

• Try out Audible (affiliate paid link).

• Try out Amazon Prime (affiliate paid link)

Affiliate disclosure

Note: Links to Amazon and Audible products are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.