Shows
Taking Back MondayRedefining Success: Choosing Joy Over Burnout feat. Eric NehrlichWhat happens when the thing you’ve been chasing suddenly doesn’t feel worth it anymore?In this conversation, Alyssa Nolte and Eric Nehrlich unpack the pressure to achieve constantly and the freedom that comes from saying no. Eric shares the story of how working 100-hour weeks at Google led to a total collapse and a life-changing realization: success means nothing if it costs your health, joy, and relationships. Alyssa reflects on her own “mirror moment,” realizing she’d been modeling the same burnout cycle for her kids.This episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever aske...
2025-11-1025 min
The Collective Growth Podcast: Inner WorkYou Have a Choice: Rethinking Leadership with Eric NehrlichWhat if the cost of “success” is your health, your joy, or your identity?This raw and powerful episode dives deep into the emotional journey behind leadership development and what it takes to come back to yourself.
Executive coach and former Google Chief of Staff Eric Nehrlich sits down with MaryAnn Means-Dufrene for a vulnerable conversation about burnout, parenting, trauma, and the inner reckoning that changes everything. They explore how real leadership isn't about pushing harder, it’s about learning to pause, feel, and choose differently. If you're carrying too much, pushing too hard, or quietly breaki...
2025-10-1459 min
Career Coaching SecretsThe Secret to Becoming a Great Leader from a Former Google Employee Eric NehrlichEric Nerlich, a former Google employee and MIT physics major, is the founder of Too Many Trees. He is also the author of the book "You Have a Choice". Eric now works as an executive coach who specializes in helping first-time executives, particularly those in Silicon Valley, learn to give away control and stop trying to solve every problem themselves.You can find him on:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nehrlich/https://www.toomanytrees.com/His book is called You Have A Choice: Beyond Hard Work To Meaningful Impact Support t...
2025-09-2243 min
The Dan Barrett ShowBeing Happy, Agentic and Effective with Eric Nehrlich, Part 2Continuing from last week, today we discuss the fascinating ideas from Eric Nehrlich's book, challenging how we perceive problems and revealing the empowering potential of our choices. This episode takes you through Eric's unique journey from the corporate world to a coaching career, where he blends varied methodologies for life-changing results. Learn how to confront personal fears and make decisions that truly matter. Don't miss out on the chance to gain insights that can redefine your approach to both personal and professional challenges. Show Highlights: This is the only thing you c...
2025-06-0433 minThe Dan Barrett ShowBeing Happy, Agentic and Effective with Eric Nehrlich, Part 1Episode 023 - Being Happy, Agentic and Effective with Eric Nehrlich, Part 1 In this episode, Dan sits down with the fascinating Eric Nehrlich. Eric's journey from an esteemed position at Google to becoming a sought-after executive coach is nothing short of inspiring. Discover the rare blend of skills that make Eric a standout in both business strategy and personal development. Learn how a tragic accident prompted a career shift that now helps others reach their peak potential. Tune in to hear Eric's intriguing story and gain insights that just might change the way you ap...
2025-05-2333 min
The Gen X ShiftEp. 37: The Gen X Shift Turns 1: A Top 8 Countdown to Inspire Small Changes (Part 1)The Gen X Shift Turns 1! 🎉 A Year of Big Conversations & Bold MovesOn April 2, 2024, I launched The Gen X Shift—a podcast for Gen X’ers ready to rethink careers, leadership, health, and purpose. A year later, after 36 episodes, 21 guests, and 15 solo deep dives, I’m celebrating a wild ride I never saw coming.🔥 I did something unknown, just because it felt right. Have you ever had that pull? That thing you know you need to do?A Casey Kasem-Style Countdown of the Biggest Gen X TopicsAll month, I’m c...
2025-04-011h 23The Gen X ShiftEp. 27: Finding Your Power of Choice: Eric Nehrlich’s Journey from Desperation to Inspiration“You're not stuck. You have a choice. You can do something different. It doesn't have to be this way.”Are you one of those people who has a hard time saying, “No,” especially at work? Do you find yourself saying, “I can do that,” or “I should do that,” even when you don’t want to do that? When we spend decades trying to prove our worth through our careers and how productive we are, we develop those habits of saying “yes” to things we don’t want to do, long hours that impac...
2024-12-032h 04
The Great NoticingYou Have a Choice with Eric NehrlichSummary In this episode, MaryAnn, Emily, and Eric explore themes of acceptance, the balance between reality and aspirations, and how acceptance can inspire change. They discuss managing personal and professional responsibilities, parenting challenges, and the pressure to always strive for success. The conversation emphasizes setting boundaries, consistent rules, and validating children’s emotions. Eric shares insights on noticing our reactions, self-compassion, and embracing subjectivity. They touch on processing emotions, seeking support, and the importance of slowing down, and MaryAnn offers reassurance on the complexities of being a working parent. The episode closes with reflections on gratitude.T...
2024-11-111h 19The Great NoticingYou Have a Choice with Eric NehrlichSummary In this episode, MaryAnn, Emily, and Eric explore themes of acceptance, the balance between reality and aspirations, and how acceptance can inspire change. They discuss managing personal and professional responsibilities, parenting challenges, and the pressure to always strive for success. The conversation emphasizes setting boundaries, consistent rules, and validating children’s emotions. Eric shares insights on noticing our reactions, self-compassion, and embracing subjectivity. They touch on processing emotions, seeking support, and the importance of slowing down, and MaryAnn offers reassurance on the complexities of being a working parent. The episode closes with reflections on gra...
2024-11-111h 19
Confidently Own Your NarrativeConfidently Make & Own Your Career Choices with Eric Nehrlich, Executive Coach & Book Author“Your life will change when you change your life”
Join Lila and Eric for a riveting conversation about how Eric went from working in his corporate career and ultimately burning out. Eric shares how burnout and a near-death experience led him to make imperative choices that led him to where he is today.
We talk about our zone of excellence versus our zone of genius, and our learnings of how to go out on your own as a coach and the communities we surround ourselves with. He shares how his l...
2024-10-1631 min
Rules For SuccessMastering Time Management with Eric Nehrlich: Prioritizing Family, Health, and LeadershipJoin our host Joseph as he chats with Eric Nehrlich, executive coach and author of "You Have A Choice," about better time management and making conscious decisions that align with your personal values. They discuss setting clear rules for engagement at work and home, and Eric shares practical tips for prioritizing tasks to avoid overwhelm. Discover how defining success and reflecting on your goals can transform your professional and personal life.
2024-09-2638 min
The PausecastEp. 162 You Have a Choice with VIP Eric Nehrlich🎙️ In Ep 162 of The Pausecast... Choice Beyond Hard Work with VIP guest Eric Nehrlich...Join us for a heartfelt and insightful conversation with fellow Google colleague Eric, as we delve into the transformative power of making thoughtful choices beyond mere hard work. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for founders and corporate leaders ready to work with ease, productivity, and results - without the overwhelm.🌟 Experience Eric's guided Pause and hear what Rachael learned from it.📖 Listen to Eric's candid story about telling his boss not to promote...
2024-09-0329 min
Elevating ConsciousnessCedric Chin - Learn How to Go from Novice to Expert in 90 MinsCedric Chin is a business operator, programmer, and writer. He is also the founder of Commoncog - a publication that explores the models of business expertise and how to accelerate the acquisition of that expertise. His approach to writing and learning is finding interesting ideas, trying them out in his life, and then sharing the results. Over the years he has compiled an extensive knowledge base on how to think and learn better in business and beyond. In this episode we speak about the limits of mental models, Ray Dalio & believability, three approaches to expertise, why you should read...
2024-08-171h 38
AugMentors117: You Have a Choice: An Executive's Journey to Meaningful ImpactAre you ready for an unexpected twist? Imagine a recovering tech exec who thought he had to work 80 hours a week, only to discover he had a choice. Curious to find out what he did next? Eric Nehrlich, a seasoned tech executive, coach, and author of "You Have a Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact," joins us today to share his wealth of knowledge and experience. His unique journey and practical wisdom make him an invaluable resource for executives seeking to strike a balance between professional success and personal well-being.In t...
2024-07-2550 min
Career WanderlustEmbracing Change and Redefining Success with Eric NehrlichIn this transformative episode, Eric Nehrlich, a certified coach and former Google Chief of Staff, shares his unique journey from engineering to executive coaching. With a passion for helping leaders become more conscious and purposeful, Eric offers invaluable insights on navigating career inflection points and redefining success on your own terms. Get ready to be inspired and equipped with practical strategies to embrace change and step into your power. Guest Bio:Eric Nehrlich began his career as an Engineer and Product Manager in the tech industry before joining Google, where he excelled as C...
2024-06-1328 min
$500k CTO Podcast - For CTOs, By CTOs and Exec Career CoachesCultivating Executive Mindset For CTOs With Eric NehrlichSend us a text🎙️Join us for an engaging conversation with Eric Nehrlich, Executive Coach on our 2. podcast episode!We delve into the essentials of cultivating an executive mindset. Eric shares his expertise in developing leadership qualities, enhancing decision-making skills, and fostering a growth-oriented mindset. Tune in to learn how to elevate your executive presence and drive your career to new heights. Don't miss Eric's valuable insights on becoming a more effective and inspiring leader!ERIC ON LINKEDIN:Let's connect on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nehrlich/WEBSITE:h...
2024-05-2043 min
The Audacious Living PodcastChoosing Our Path Because We Can!“Meaning is so important because if we can figure out why we're doing something and for what purpose, then everything slots into place in a completely different way."
Eric Nehrlich
Leadership Coach | Consultant
_____________________
Eric Nehrlich is an executive leadership coach and consultant who helps leaders have a meaningful impact and be more effective in their roles. He emphasizes the importance of making choices aligned with personal values and finding joy and fulfillment in work and life.
Eric joins Audley on The Audacious Living Podcast to discuss:
1. Importance of owning one's choices and understanding the consequences.
2. Finding meaning and impact in on...
2024-05-0339 min
The Revolutionary Man PodcastEscaping the Grind: A Tale of Burnout, Transformation, and Embracing Choice with Eric NehrlichLet me know your thoughts on the show and what topic you would like me to discuss next.Caught in the relentless hum of the everyday world, many of us teeter on the edge of burnout, questioning if the path we're on is truly ours to walk. Eric Nehrlich, a sage in the realm of executive coaching with a distinguished tech pedigree, joins us to recount his awakening from the depths of Google-induced exhaustion to a life rich with intent and choice. His upcoming book, 'You Have a Choice,' echoes through our discussion, unlocking the shackles...
2024-04-1538 min
Books That Built Me18. Pain to Purpose | "Man's Search For Meaning" by Viktor FranklPrepare for an inspiring journey into the depths of the human spirit! In this captivating episode, we delve into Viktor Frankl's seminal work, 'Man's Search for Meaning,' exploring the profound insights gained from his harrowing experiences in Nazi concentration camps.Join us as we unravel the timeless lessons on resilience, purpose, and finding meaning in the face of unimaginable adversity. Through Frankl's poignant reflections, we uncover the secrets to living a purpose-driven life, even in the darkest of times.Listen in as we engage in a soul-stirring conversation with Eric Nehrlich to uncover practical...
2024-04-0238 min
Mike‘s Search For Meaning#110 - Eric Nehrlich: You Have a Choice: Creating the Relationships & Career You Want, and Why We Get StuckEric Nehrlich is an executive coach who helps leaders have more impact by drawing on his 25 years of experience in the tech industry. He loves to identify and challenge mindsets and habits that hold people back from their next level of leadership.
Before becoming a coach, Eric spent ten years as an engineer and product manager across several startups before joining Google, eventually leading business strategy and operations for the Google Search Ads team for six years as Chief of Staff. He published his first book in 2023, You Have A Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Me...
2024-03-311h 57
Leadership Archives | Leadership Powered by Common SenseLeaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261
Navigating Leadership and Innovation: Insights from Silicon Valley As the host of “Leadership Powered by Common Sense,” I’ve had the privilege of engaging with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. In a recent episode, I sat down with Eric Nehrlich , a Silicon Valley veteran with an impressive background as a former […]
The post Leaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261 appeared first on Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
2024-02-0600 minCommon Sense Archives | Leadership Powered by Common SenseLeaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261
Navigating Leadership and Innovation: Insights from Silicon Valley As the host of “Leadership Powered by Common Sense,” I’ve had the privilege of engaging with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. In a recent episode, I sat down with Eric Nehrlich , a Silicon Valley veteran with an impressive background as a former […]
The post Leaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261 appeared first on Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
2024-02-0600 minBusiness coaching Archives | Leadership Powered by Common SenseLeaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261
Navigating Leadership and Innovation: Insights from Silicon Valley As the host of “Leadership Powered by Common Sense,” I’ve had the privilege of engaging with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. In a recent episode, I sat down with Eric Nehrlich , a Silicon Valley veteran with an impressive background as a former […]
The post Leaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261 appeared first on Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
2024-02-0600 minManagement Archives | Leadership Powered by Common SenseLeaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261
Navigating Leadership and Innovation: Insights from Silicon Valley As the host of “Leadership Powered by Common Sense,” I’ve had the privilege of engaging with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. In a recent episode, I sat down with Eric Nehrlich , a Silicon Valley veteran with an impressive background as a former […]
The post Leaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261 appeared first on Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
2024-02-0600 minLeadership Powered by Common SenseLeaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261
Navigating Leadership and Innovation: Insights from Silicon Valley As the host of “Leadership Powered by Common Sense,” I’ve had the privilege of engaging with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. In a recent episode, I sat down with Eric Nehrlich , a Silicon Valley veteran with an impressive background as a former […]
The post Leaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261 appeared first on Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
2024-02-0600 minExecutive leadership Archives | Leadership Powered by Common SenseLeaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261
Navigating Leadership and Innovation: Insights from Silicon Valley As the host of “Leadership Powered by Common Sense,” I’ve had the privilege of engaging with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. In a recent episode, I sat down with Eric Nehrlich , a Silicon Valley veteran with an impressive background as a former […]
The post Leaders: You Have a Choice | Ep 261 appeared first on Leadership Powered by Common Sense.
2024-02-0600 min
Living Fearless TodayWork Life Balance Boundaries : From Burnout and Self-Sabotage To Building Meaningful Relationships with Eric NehrlickIn today's episode, host Mike Forrester sits down with executive coach Eric Nehrlich to discuss his journey with work life balance boundaries. From burnout and self-sabotage to building meaningful relationships. Finding balance and fulfillment in both his work and personal life, Eric shares his experiences of struggling with overwork, seeking external validation, overcommitment and confronting his fears to create meaningful connections. From redefining his approach to dating to overcoming self-sabotaging behaviors, Eric's story is about personal growth, resilience, and pursuing a purposeful life. Join us as we explore Eric's insights on setting boundaries, self-discovery, and the power...
2024-02-0642 min
The Happy Engineer | Career Success for Engineering Leadership152: Biggest Lie Blocking Happiness is Everywhere with Eric Nehrlich | Chief of Staff @ Google | Executive CoachIf your boss asks you to work the weekend in the middle of a forest and nobody is around to hear it, do you still have to do it? What do you do when it feels like you don’t have a choice? Listen now for these answers and more! ============================ When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you build your engineering career: 1. Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard … foundational development actions and key points you can check, score, and apply immediately to stand out a...
2024-01-221h 03
Sales Pipeline RadioBeyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact
This week's show is entitled "Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact," and my guest is Eric Nehrlich, Executive Coach at Too Many Trees and author of "You Have a Choice: Beyond Hard Work, Meaningful Impact."
Tune in to:
Hear Eric's personal story of hitting rock bottom while working a high-profile job at Google
Learn the importance and consequences of making intentional choices in life
Explore the challenges of prioritization, the fear of missing out, and the impact of these choices on one's well-being and fulfillment and those they care about the most.
Recognize burnout b...
2024-01-1919 min
The Work Item - Real Talk on Tech's Toughest Career Choices#68 - Why You Need An Executive Coach, with Eric Nehrlich
Recently I had the privilege of sitting down with Erich Nehrlich, a seasoned executive coach and thought leader in the realm of career development. Erich brings a wealth of experience and insights into the dynamics of leadership, organizational change, and the pivotal role that executive coaching plays in unlocking one's true potential.
In this episode, we're exploring the nuances of executive coaching, demystifying the process and shedding light on how individuals can break through the barriers that often hinder their career growth. Erich will share practical strategies and actionable advice on how to identify and overcome common...
2023-12-2956 min
Business Builders ShowHow to have more impact when working harder isn’t working – Eric NehrlichShow Notes:Bill Prater welcomes Eric Nehrlich to the Business Builder Show.Eric, an executive coach at too many trees dot com, helps leaders have more impact by challenging mindsets and habits that hold them back. They discuss common leadership problems, such as the challenge of working harder but not getting better results, and the transition from being a problem solver to a leader who creates teams to solve problems.Eric shares a real-life example of a client and how he helped them shift their perspective and become more successful. They also discuss how Eric differentiates himself from his competition...
2023-12-2619 min
OneSharpSwordInterview with Eric NehrlichFrom physics to computer programming to paying attention to how money flows and how to maintain production and quality. That landed him a position at Google forecasting and handling economic and revenue questions. For some that’s exciting and challenging. For others, boring as heck. Eric pushed himself to be the best, to take on more and more. And his reward was to be given more, and more, and more. In the corporate world, it’s not unusual to be punished for doing a good job by being given more on top of the job you...
2023-12-2656 min
Back2Basics: Reconnecting to the essence of YOUE235: Eric Nehrlich - Reconnecting with PurposeIn Eric's Words: I used to be miserable. I had spent my whole life exceeding expectations, and eventually landed a dream job at Google, tasked with responsibilities that felt so important that I could not fail. But a couple years later, I was working 8am to midnight every day, including most weekends, drowning in emails and meetings and tasks, feeling stuck with no idea how my life was ever going to change. Now my work is meaningful and inspiring to me, and I work when I choose. I spend quality time with my family, while s...
2023-12-2033 min
Speaking and Communicating PodcastGrow Your Leadership Impact w/ Eric NehrlichDo you HAVE to work 16-hour days in order to achieve success?Meet Eric Ehrlich!Eric Nehrlich is an Executive Leadership Coach and former Chief of Staff at Google. He helps empower high performers to become better leaders. He also apportions part of his time to Pro Bono Coaching in order to help previously marginalized communities. Eric is a catalyst for personal growth who helps his clients find the path towards their dream selves. By integrating learnings from across his dozens of clients, he helps identify the pitfalls and opportunities on their path. B...
2023-12-1332 min
The New Mind CreatorEp #312 Eric Nehrlich Shares Overcoming The Enemy Within, How He Moved From Burnout To Present Moment Focus & The Importance Of NowEric Nehrlich is an executive coach who draws on twenty years of experience in the tech industry to help leaders have more impact. He loves to identify and challenge mindsets and habits that hold his clients back from their next level of leadership. Before becoming a coach, Eric spent ten years as an engineer and product manager across several startups before joining Google, eventually leading business strategy and operations for the Google Search Ads product team as Chief of Staff for six years. He just published his first book, You Have A Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact...
2023-12-0422 min
Leveraging LeadershipEric Nehrlich: Google's Chief of Staff on alignment leadership, how to use financial data, and his top book recommendations.Imagine growing up in a small town, venturing out, and eventually becoming a Chief of Staff for the Search Ads Team at Google. That's the journey of our guest, Eric Nehrlich. Listen to Eric as he shares how he developed his leadership skills through a wide variety of roles. Hear how he used his financial background to bring credibility to his Chief of Staff role. Discover the importance of leadership alignment vs. hierarchical power, and how sci-fi books like "Ender's Game" can teach valuable leadership lessons. (00:06) Leveraging Leader...
2023-11-1343 min
No More Mondays131 - Happiness by Choice: A Google Leader's Perspective on Life Beyond Hard WorkImagine this: you've achieved your dream job and instead of making you happy, it's killing you inside. That's the position Eric Nehrlich found himself in as a leader at Google. When burnout came knocking, it took serious introspection to redesign his life and find happiness again, and he shares his wisdom in this episode and in his new book, You Have a Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact.
2023-11-0850 min
Leading with integrity: Leadership talkEp.75: Simple But Not Easy: How to Have A Daily Impact and Other Lessons for Technology Leadership, with Eric NehrlichEver struggle to see the forest for the trees? Do you find leadership and managing a team something really difficult, even though everyone keeps telling you how simple it is?
If so then this episode is for you! Simple, but not easy - a recurring theme that became almost a mantra during my conversation with Eric Nehrlich in this week's episode of Leading with integrity: Leadership talk. As we discussed all things leadership, from building and maintaining unified teams, collaboration, shared experiences with bad managers, good managers, burnout, and learning to control our own fates. This is...
2023-10-251h 05
Columbia University School of Professional StudiesRising to the Top: Lessons in Leadership - Eric Nehrlich, Google & Too Many TreesRising to the Top: Lessons in Leadership - Eric Nehrlich, Google & Too Many Trees by Columbia University School of Professional Studies
2023-10-1729 min
Commonplace ExpertiseEric Nehrlich on the Art of Executive Coaching and ForecastingEric Nehrlich is an executive coach, and was formerly the chief of staff on the Google Search Ads team. Before becoming chief of staff, Eric was part of the team that got Google's revenue forecasting down from an error rate of 10-20% to an error rate of around 0.5%. We open up with some wild stories of Google's early attempts at revenue forecasting, and then dig into how that forecasting success happened. Along the way, Eric explains how he, his boss, and his team developed a fingertip feel for variation in data. We then switch gears to talk...
2023-07-251h 27
GoodMakersListen again: How To Deal With The Imposter Syndrome with Eric NehrlichListen again: Do you ever have that voice in your head telling you that you're not good enough? In this episode, Dale records his session with Leadership & Executive Coach Eric Nehrlich. They discuss Dale's challenge with the imposter syndrome, and Eric takes him through a powerful visualization technique to help him become more present and control the emotions he's experiencing. A must-listen for anyone that feels stuck and needs a way to move forward!
Set up a free introductory call with Eric.
Follow Eric on Twitter.
Follow Dale on Twitter.
...
2021-09-2145 min
GoodMakersHow To Deal With The Imposter Syndrome with Eric Nehrlich020: Do you ever have that voice in your head telling you that you're not good enough? In this episode, Dale records his session with Leadership & Executive Coach Eric Nehrlich. They discuss Dale's challenge with the imposter syndrome, and Eric takes him through a powerful visualization technique to help become more present and in control of the emotions he's experiencing. A must-listen for anyone that feels stuck and needs a way to move forward!
Set up a free introductory call with Eric.
Follow Eric on Twitter.
Follow Dale on...
2020-10-1300 min