Jim's Take

Jim Frawley, Bellwether

The world is changing - faster than we can keep up. But change is a distraction, and the way to respond to macro change is to focus on micro you. Jim's Take creates an environment that’s ripe for learning practical, tangible and interesting ways to remain relevant while improving yourself and the people around you. Jim Frawley is an arbiter of change; working as an executive coach and business consultant with a unique capability in getting people to do things they didn’t think they could. After some experimentation on using this capability for good or evil, he decided on the good. (But not before convincing an Irish cousin to swim in the Hudson River.) He has learned a lot by making very questionable decisions and loves sharing those learnings with anyone interested in listening. This podcast is just one component of what he always wished to build. More information is available on www.jimfrawley.com.

  1. 12/15/2025

    Making 2026 Your Year - an exercise in cutting the noise (Ep 161)

    Jim’s Take – Episode 161 Setting Up 2026 for Success: Five Categories That Actually Matter As the year winds down, everyone becomes reflective. Journals come out. Goals get rewritten. Plans feel serious ... until February. In this final episode of the year, Jim cuts through the seasonal noise and lays out a practical framework for entering 2026 with intention instead of hope. Rather than resolutions or vague goals, this episode introduces a five-category executive checklist designed to surface blind spots, force trade-offs, and create clarity in an increasingly chaotic world. . In This EpisodeJim walks through five areas that determine whether 2026 becomes a year you control — or one that simply happens to you: 1. Accomplishment - Why pride is the only KPI that actually matters, how avoidance disguises itself as busyness, and why asking “What would my replacement do?” exposes what you’ve been dodging. 2. Fears & Motivations - Why fear is data, how logistics often mask deeper resistance, and how naming the fear you won’t say out loud gives you leverage over it. 3. Priorities - Why you don’t have priorities — you have one priority — and how trade-offs, not ambition, determine execution. 4. Social - Why social capital isn’t optional anymore, how relationships act as relevance insurance, and why opportunities live inside other people’s calendars. 5. Wellness - Why energy is operational readiness, not self-care fluff — and how non-negotiables, recovery plans, and boundaries make execution sustainable. Throughout the episode, Jim emphasizes intentionality as the filter that cuts through distraction, noise, and overwhelm — especially in a world designed to constantly steal your attention. Resources• Download the 2026 Executive Checklist (free): jimfrawley.com • Learn more about The Bellwether Method • Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, clarity, and adaptation Key Takeaway: You don’t need a new year. You need better questions.

    30 min
  2. 11/24/2025

    Gratitude Without the Holiday Hangover (Ep. 160)

    Episode Summary: In episode 160 of Jim’s Take, Jim dismantles the idea of gratitude as a seasonal, soft, feel-good emotion and rebuilds it as a year-round cognitive discipline. Instead of treating gratitude like a holiday prop, he explores how to turn it into a sustainable, repeatable practice that still works in February when it’s cold, gray, and noisy. Drawing from research (including the work of Richard Boyatzis on the parasympathetic nervous system) and his own cranky mood while recording, Jim reframes gratitude as an interpretation: your brain notices, assigns value, and then you feel it. That insight opens the door to training gratitude instead of waiting for it. In this episode, we cover: Why “gratitude season” feels fake and performativeThe problem with gratitude posts that evaporate on January 2ndThe surprising truth that gratitude is not an emotion, but an interpretationHow the emotion of gratitude follows cognition, not the other way aroundThe rain-and-flowers example (and the urge to smack people who love the rain)Understanding the parasympathetic nervous system as the “anti-stress” responseHow reflection on someone who helped you creates that gratitude feelingWhy our negativity bias makes gratitude intrinsically effortfulGratitude as the elimination of judgment and filling in gaps with worst-case assumptionsPerspective: what you’re taking for granted because you’re used to itPresence: putting the book or phone down and actually being with your lifeWhy he might lock his phone away for DecemberProof: why real gratitude doesn’t need to be broadcast on social mediaBuilding a “pause doc” / proof folder of compliments, progress, and winsImposter syndrome, senior roles, and revisiting evidence that you’re capableSimple daily questions to build a habit of gratitudeWhy gratitude is a power move: clarity, focus, less reactivity, and more strength Key Takeaways: Gratitude is not effortless; it’s a recognition skill that interrupts your default wiring. You can train gratitude by changing perspective, practicing presence, and capturing proof. Real gratitude doesn’t need a post – it needs your attention. Gratitude is not about settling. You can want more and respect the work that got you here. When you deliberately practice gratitude, you become harder to knock off your game.

    22 min
  3. 11/10/2025

    Never Enough: The Pressures of Our Environments (Ep. 159)

    Title: Never Enough: The Pressures of Our Environment and the Path Back to Self-Worth | Jim Frawley Description: In Jim’s Take Episode 159, executive coach Jim Frawley examines why “enough” never seems to be enough anymore. Today’s social, digital, and economic environments constantly shift expectations—pushing achievement over meaning and visibility over value. Jim offers a direct, practical reframe: trade projection for contribution, performance anxiety for self-assurance, and empathy overload for actionable compassion. Listeners will learn: Why external scorekeeping (titles, metrics, followers) breeds conditional worthHow to disentangle identity from other people’s moving goalpostsThe difference between confidence and self-assurance, self-importance and self-worthWhy empathy is often misapplied at work - and how compassion prevents burnoutA better target than “purpose”: usefulness you can feel and measureTwo exercises:Identity Columns: What defines you? In the next column, write who told you that.Participation is greater than Performance: Replace projection with tangible contribution each week.How to reduce duplicity, align inner values with outer behavior, and build calm Why listen:  If you’re a leader or operator in New York / NYC or any fast-moving market, this episode gives you a repeatable approach to rebuild worth from the inside out—without abandoning ambition. Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple/Spotify. Watch on YouTube. More resources at jimfrawley.com.

    25 min
  4. 10/13/2025

    Nothing is Real Anymore: On Trust, Suspicion and Thinking for Yourself (Ep. 158)

    Nothing Is Real Anymore: Trust, Suspicion, and Thinking for Yourself | Jim Frawley Description: Trust is the glue that holds society together - yet it’s eroding fast. In this episode of Jim’s Take, executive coach Jim Frawley tackles why “nothing feels real” anymore and how to respond with clarity instead of cynicism. From AI deepfakes and manipulated narratives to algorithm-driven outrage, Jim maps the landscape and offers a practical way forward: rebuild trust locally, reduce isolation, and reclaim your ability to think. You’ll learn: What’s changed: Why truth feels slippery in the age of AI voices, viral clips, and performative expertiseTrust vs. suspicion: Suspicion is a stress response; it can keep you safe, but it won’t make you calm or effectiveBeliefs vs. truth: The illusion of knowing, awareness vs. understanding, and how to audit your assumptionsMental laziness: Stop delegating truth to algorithms and influencers - take responsibility for your interpretations Two quick audits: Trust Audit: People, sources, and institutions you rely on - do they actually help you make good decisions?Suspicion Audit: Where you’re filling gaps with fear or imagination - and how to replace that with inquiry In-person > isolation: Why real conversations, body language, and micro-interactions build trust faster than feeds Humility, curiosity, intentionality: The skill set that turns skepticism into insight (without lapsing into cynicism) Why listen: If you’re a leader, operator, or creative in New York / NYC or any fast-moving market, you’re making high-stakes decisions in an environment wired for distraction. This episode gives you a repeatable mindset to separate signal from noise, reduce stress, and act with integrity. Subscribe, rate, and review Jim’s Take on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Watch and share the episode on YouTube. More insights and coaching at jimfrawley.com

    19 min
  5. 09/08/2025

    You Will Never Be Ready - So Stop Waiting (Ep. 155)

    Title: You’ll Never Be Ready - So Stop Waiting Host: Jim Frawley Theme: “Readiness” is a socially acceptable form of procrastination. Action creates readiness; waiting doesn’t. Episode Summary If you’re waiting until it feels safe, you’ll wait forever. In this episode, Jim dismantles the myth of “being ready” and shows why we hide behind planning, perfectionism, and permission-based thinking. Through real-world examples-from founders and athletes to new leaders-he outlines how progress happens in motion. You’ll leave with concrete tools: the smallest viable action, the 24-hour rule, the five-minute rule, and a practical way to separate skill prep from courage prep so you can finally move on the goals you keep postponing. Key Takeaways Readiness is often code for wanting safety. Safety isn’t coming; momentum is a choice.Planning can be useful, but over-planning becomes fear disguised as productivity.Action before clarity: reality reveals itself only once you start.Separate skill gaps from courage gaps. Skills are trained; courage is exercised.Use deadlines, the 24-hour rule, and five-minute actions to force movement.Permission-based mindsets from school and work do not map to the chaos of real life or business.If you won’t act, stop pretending it’s a priority-reclaim the mental bandwidth. Timestamps & Chapters 00:00 - Cold open: “You’re not waiting to be ready-you’re waiting for it to be safe.” 02:00 - Readiness as socially acceptable procrastination 04:10 - The brain’s safety bias and fear of social rejection 07:00 - Technical comfort vs. relational leadership: why many stall out 10:00 - Why life isn’t linear: business plans vs. reality 12:30 - Action before clarity: the feedback loop that actually builds readiness 15:00 - Three examples: founder, athlete, newly promoted leader 19:40 - Practical tools: smallest viable action, 24-hour rule, five-minute rule 23:30 - Skill prep vs. courage prep 26:00 - Deadlines, consequences, and moving past over-preparation 28:30 - Closing challenge: if you won’t act, take it off the list Practical Tools Mentioned Smallest Viable Action: Identify the tiniest step that moves the goal forward now. 24-Hour Rule: If you think of it, take some step within 24 hours. Five-Minute Rule: Do one action that takes less than five minutes toward your biggest goal today. Skill vs. Courage Audit: Write two columns-what skills you must train versus what actions require courage. Hard Deadline: Put a real date on the calendar. Commit publicly. Notable Lines “The plan is useful; planning is indispensable-but the plan won’t survive first contact with reality.” “Preparation is good. Overpreparation is fear in disguise.” “Courage cannot be preloaded; it can only be exercised.” “Permission isn’t coming. Safety isn’t coming. Momentum is.” Listener Challenge Write down the one goal you’ve avoided because you’re “not ready.” Do one five-minute action toward it in the next 24 hours. Put a hard deadline on the calendar and tell someone who will hold you to it. Recommended Next Steps Create a two-column Skill vs. Courage list and schedule specific training or actions. Set a recurring weekly reminder for a five-minute momentum task on your top goal. If you keep deferring a project for 90 days, decide to drop it or finally commit. Primary keywords: illusion of being ready, procrastination, perfectionism, action bias, fear of failure, imposter syndrome, executive coaching, leadership development, productivity, goal setting Secondary keywords: minimum viable action, 24-hour rule, five-minute rule, launch small adjust fast, readiness myth

    18 min
  6. 08/11/2025

    The Myth of Work-Life Balance (Ep. 154)

    Title: The Myth of Work-Life Balance: Why You’re Already Doing It (and How to Do It Better) Description: You’ve been told for decades to “find your work-life balance” — but what if you’ve already got it? In this episode of Jim’s Take, I break down why the traditional idea of a perfect 50/50 split between work and life is unrealistic, guilt-inducing, and—frankly—a corporate PR creation from the 1980s. The truth? You’re already balancing every single day. The challenge isn’t achieving balance — it’s defining it for yourself, keeping your most important “plates” spinning, and letting the paper ones drop without guilt. We’ll cover: The origin of work-life balance as a corporate talking point.Why the 50/50 model sets you up for guilt and burnout.The “dishes on sticks” metaphor for real-life balance.How to identify your glass plates (non-negotiables) and paper plates (let them fall).Practical strategies for managing your energy instead of just your time.How to create seasonal balance - knowing that September might look nothing like July.Real-world stories of clients who redefined balance to reclaim family time and reduce stress. Whether you’re a CEO, a working parent, an entrepreneur, or anyone juggling competing demands, this episode will help you stop chasing the fantasy of balance and start owning the balancing act you’re already performing. Key Takeaways: Balance is personal — no one can define it for you.You can’t spin every plate equally; choose the ones that matter most.Dropping a plate isn’t failure — it’s focus. GEO Keywords: Work-life balance in the United States, managing work and family in New York, corporate wellness strategies, finding personal balance in busy cities.

    24 min
4.6
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The world is changing - faster than we can keep up. But change is a distraction, and the way to respond to macro change is to focus on micro you. Jim's Take creates an environment that’s ripe for learning practical, tangible and interesting ways to remain relevant while improving yourself and the people around you. Jim Frawley is an arbiter of change; working as an executive coach and business consultant with a unique capability in getting people to do things they didn’t think they could. After some experimentation on using this capability for good or evil, he decided on the good. (But not before convincing an Irish cousin to swim in the Hudson River.) He has learned a lot by making very questionable decisions and loves sharing those learnings with anyone interested in listening. This podcast is just one component of what he always wished to build. More information is available on www.jimfrawley.com.