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In this special listener driven episode of Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence, John and Josh open the mailbag and tackle real questions from the audience.

The discussion moves from the hidden dangers of “helpfully” putting butter away to deeper territory: mental flexibility, blind spots, wisdom, curiosity, work-life balance, honesty versus kindness, and what it really means to show up for the people you love. Along the way, John shares practical frameworks, personal reflections, and the kind of perspective that only comes from decades of experience and a willingness to keep learning.

It’s an episode about unlearning, asking better questions, navigating relationships with care, and understanding that growth often happens in small, uncomfortable, human moments. This is a conversation meant to meet you exactly where you are at the start of a new year.

• Email us: awesomelifenotes@gmail.com
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

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What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your circumstances, but the story you keep telling yourself?

In this episode of Notes for an Awesome Life, John Spence and host Josh Wilson explore how personal narratives shape identity, behavior, relationships, and growth. From childhood conditioning and self-talk to reinvention, boundaries, and the courage to change, this conversation digs into why some stories linger long after they stop serving us.

Together, they unpack how early experiences influence adulthood, why self-improvement can strain friendships, and how intentional action can help rewrite limiting beliefs. Along the way, they discuss philosophy, vulnerability, compassion, and the difference between aspiration and authenticity.

This episode is a thoughtful reflection on identity, personal growth, and what it really means to live an intentional, meaningful life, especially when the old version of you no longer fits.

• Email us: awesomelifenotes@gmail.com
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).

Send us a text

The Importance of Human Connection - Busyness, anxiety, and introversion are real, but they don’t change a foundational truth of being human: we are wired for connection. John and Josh dig into what happens when we ignore that need and why loneliness has become one of the defining challenges of modern life. Blending research, lived experience, and small daily practices, this conversation offers grounded insights and doable ways to create closeness that sticks.

• Email us: awesomelifenotes@gmail.com
• Learn more about John: JohnSpence.com
• Familiar Wilsons Media: FamiliarWilsonsMedia.com

About John Spence: John is a globally recognized business thought leader, former owner/CEO of five companies, and advisor/coach to organizations from startups to the Fortune 10. He’s lectured at more than 90 universities and was named by the American Management Association as one of “America’s Top 50 Leaders to Watch.”

About the show: Notes for an Awesome Life with John Spence focuses on personal growth, happiness, clarity, and the everyday habits that compound into an AWESOME life.

Credits: Hosts John Spence and Josh Wilson • Produced by Josh Wilson for Familiar Wilsons Media • Special thanks: Amanda Wilson (writing and production), and Domingo Jimenez (writing and marketing).