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Returning to productivity after a break—such as the holiday season—requires addressing motivation from biological, psychological, and environmental angles. Foundational habits like consistent sleep, morning sunlight exposure, and stable blood sugar are critical, as poor sleep and ultra-processed foods create cycles of fatigue and demotivation. High-protein, savory breakfasts and meal pre-planning help sustain energy, while removing junk food from the environment reduces reliance on willpower.

Motivation is strongly influenced by social pressure. Public goals, accountability systems, and friendly competition can be powerful drivers, as seen in examples ranging from academic deadlines to shared fitness challenges. Cognitive strategies also matter: reframing tasks positively, focusing on areas within one’s control, and reducing exposure to demotivating news help prevent overwhelm and catastrophizing.

Small psychological “hacks” can restart momentum. Setting extremely low entry goals (e.g., one minute of work), using rewards through temptation bundling, and pairing dull tasks with personal interests can overcome resistance. Planning backwards from long-term goals into daily actions helps clarify priorities, while filtering down to only a few high-impact tasks reduces cognitive load.

Distraction—especially from phones and social media—was identified as a major threat to sustained motivation and attention, particularly for younger generations. Strategies include intentional media consumption, replacing news with educational or skill-building content, and deliberately creating environments that encourage focus and long-form engagement.

Biologically, creatine was discussed as a potential cognitive and motivational aid due to its role in ATP production, with evidence supporting benefits to working memory and processing speed; however, effects are dose-dependent and require caution due to possible kidney risks.

Overall, rebuilding productivity is less about brute discipline and more about designing systems—habits, environments, incentives, and information diets—that make motivation easier to sustain.

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

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The main topic of the podcast was the importance and value of living abroad in an increasingly insular society, which led to a discussion of Adrienne Nemeth's move from Hungary to Paris due to the fall of communism, Trevor McKee's formative experiences in South Africa before immigrating to the US, and Rob McMullan's move from Canada to Japan to gain perspective. The participants concluded that living abroad, or even experiencing different perspectives through internal divides like the urban-rural split, is essential for fostering empathy, open-mindedness, and constructive dialogue, while also connecting these issues to the rise of corporate power and differences in economic systems, such as the collectivist nature of East Asia compared to the individualism in Western societies.

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

Rob McMullan LinkedIn
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Rob McMullan, Trevor McKee, and Patrick de Kruyff discussed the episode topic, "Your couch potato investment style has pre-diabetes." Patrick de Kruyff, an executive for Owens McFaden Group, critiqued the passive investing "couch potato" style, highlighting the concentration risk in ETFs and the need for personalized financial planning integrated with tax considerations, arguing that the gamification of investing preys on emotions. The participants also discussed the necessity of financial education in schools, institutional barriers leading to a Canadian tech brain drain, and the need for increased competition in Canadian finance to force innovation and improve services.

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

Rob McMullan LinkedIn
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Trevor McKee LinkedIn
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High Octane Friends website
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Rob McMullan, Trevor McKee, and guest Sheliza Jamal discuss the state of DEI (perhaps regrettably now more aptly described as "reversity and exclusion"), focusing on the challenges of implementing DEI, the concept of "reversity," and the impact of AI on bias and education. Sheliza, a Harvard aluma and founder of Curated Leadership (https://www.curatedleadership.com/sjamal-bio), shared her firm's work on inclusive workplace cultures and highlighted concerns about AI's potential to perpetuate existing biases, and the crew also discussed the need for increased cooperation and ethical regulation to mitigate the existential risks posed by Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). It was a fun and insightful discussion about an important and dynamic issue.

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

Rob McMullan LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/robmcmullan
Trevor McKee LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/trevordmckee
High Octane Friends website
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Hosts Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee spoke with guest Vivian Yan about the nature of personal magnetism. Vivian shared her transition from living in a small Chinese mining town to becoming a successful journalist and venture capital professional. They discussed several key factors contributing to personal and professional attractiveness, such as confidence, positive perspective, resourcefulness gained from diverse upbringings, effective listening, empathy, respect for others, extreme encouragement and the power of storytelling and genuine interest.

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

Rob McMullan LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/robmcmullan
Trevor McKee LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/trevordmckee
High Octane Friends website
highoctanefriends.com

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This podcast episode focuses on the importance of sports as a community builder and a source of discipline and professional success, with Rob McMullan highlighting the social and public health benefits, and Trevor McKee emphasizing how sports can offer a path out of poverty and a connection point for communities to come together.

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

Rob McMullan LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/robmcmullan
Trevor McKee LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/trevordmckee
High Octane Friends website
highoctanefriends.com

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Rob McMullan, Trevor McKee, and Jori Lichtman discussed "developing resilience in the face of change," covering personal, employment, corporate, and societal changes. Jori Lichtman introduced themselves as the first guest and shared their journey, including career transitions and parental loss, contributing to their "PhD in resilience," whether from personal or career losses, like losing a job prospect were confident about, or even in the face of societal changes, particularly the decline of community and increased fear impacting younger generations. Jori shared motivational quotes like "No means next" and "Rejection is redirection," emphasizing a belief that things happen for a reason, while they all underscored the importance of maintaining a balanced and realistic perspective, especially in the modern media landscape that often sensationalizes negative events. Highlighting the importance of focusing on the positive, despite the brain's natural inclination towards negativity, Rob mentions his personal tactic of looking at a picture of a smiling baby before important meetings to boost his mood. Other strategies include physically patting oneself on the back in recognition of a job well done, or giving “gold stars” for achieving something that can be difficult to do, and the importance of having a community of trusted friends to provide humor, encouragement and trusted advice. Finally, the use of small habits can help to build mental momentum and provide psychological benefits, enabling us to feel capable of greater things.

Listen to hear more about

• Societal Changes and Community Connection
• Reframing and Positive Outlook
• Challenges and Negative Effects of Social Media / Media Influence
• Developing Resilience through Experience
• Tactics for Positive Thinking
• The use of Music and Uplifting Stories as Motivational Tools
• Self Perception, and reframing negative thinking
• The connection between Resilience and Optimism
• The importance of Community, Actively seeking Mentors, and Volunteering
• Celebrating Small Wins, building good Habits and Momentum

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

Rob McMullan LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/robmcmullan
Trevor McKee LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/trevordmckee
High Octane Friends website
highoctanefriends.com

Send us a text

Also available on YouTube

Rob McMullan and Trevor McKee discussed the importance of leveraging AI as a tool for business, with Trevor noting that most creative ideas often come from allowing the subconscious mind to ruminate on problems, such as taking a break or walking, rather than actively staring at a blank screen. Rob countered the idea of an "us versus them" mentality regarding AI, suggesting that technology can be used to stimulate thinking and enhance human creativity; but that nevertheless we should advocate for the necessity of cultivating "creative genius" to compete in the age of increasing automation and AI, suggesting strategies like breaking rules and embracing the unknown. The conversation covered the need for adaptability, overcoming perfectionism, the power of collaborative "jamming," and the value of unlearning and relearning to maintain creativity.

DETAILS

The Imperative of Creative Genius in the Age of AI
Nature of Creativity and Overcoming Blocks
Technology as a Creative Stimulant
Embracing the Unknown and Breaking Rules
Cultivating Creative Habits and Overcoming Perfectionism
Brainstorming and the Jamming Analogy
AI's Role in the Creative Process
Learning, Unlearning, Relearning and Embracing the "Storm"
The Art of Jazz and Uninhibited Expression
Cultural Blending and Creative Success
Creativity in Engineering and Problem-Solving
Overcoming Fear of Failure and Asking Bold Questions
The Future of Creativity Amidst AI and Ethics
The Role of Routine and Novelty in Creativity
Creating a Safe Space and Achieving Flow State
Importance of Downtime and Self-Awareness for Creativity
The Role of Environment and Social Circles in Creativity
The Value of Diversity and Spontaneity
Instinctual Decision-Making and Creative Constraints
Discussion on Modern Music and the Challenges for Artists
Future of Work and Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI

The High Octane Friends podcast is where Rob McMullan & Trevor McKee discuss a variety of subjects in an authentic and unvarnished way.

Rob McMullan LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/robmcmullan
Trevor McKee LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/trevordmckee
High Octane Friends website
highoctanefriends.com