Shows
Escape the nine to five: how to design your careerINTERVIEW: How to Pivot From a Career That Doesn't Feel Quite Right, w/ Joseph Liu (TED Speaker)Imagine to spend your entire life marching towards a career... only to realise it wasn't for you.But even worse:To discover it on your first weeks on medical school.Would you keep going, or risk everything to find a life that feels more like... you?Today's guest: Joseph Liu - Keynote speaker, career consultant, and podcast host dedicated to helping professionals relaunch their careersIf you're ever in a career that doesn't feel quite right, Joseph's story might inspire you to take action.-...2025-04-2244 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerREPLAY: The SECRET to Work Life Balance (Steve's on Paternity Leave)As I'm slowly returning back from paternity leave, I thought it would be fitting to share an episode on the very thing we work for:Our life. Is having work-life balance achievable?Is it realistic?What does work-life balance even mean to me? These are likely questions you've had running through your head.What does your current work-life balance look like? And what is your own definition of work-life balance? You want a successful career.You want to earn good money....2025-04-081h 01Escape the nine to five: how to design your careerHAPPY FRIDAY: Wave goodbye to sticks & carrots. There's a better alternative for your career. If you're a millennial, chances are you've got boomer parents. Parenting with reward and punishment. Sticks and carrots. Extrinsic motivation. And this might lead to a career choice based on reward and punishment. A well paying "prestigious" job. Implied negative consequences if you didn't go to college. Safe professions. And the result? A draining job where work is exhausting. Days drag on forever. And by Friday, you're counting the minutes till the weekend. What if you could achieve the opposite? An energising job, where you look forward to going to work, and don't care if you're working on Friday ni...2025-03-2022 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerWhy do so many people hate their jobs–and what you can do about it: The Monday Blues. Hump day. TGIF. It's become so normal, we've just accepted that you should dread work and celebrate the end of the work week. Why do we put up with this? Why do we settle for jobs that drain us, rather than energise us? Especially when they're not necessarily meaningfully contributing to society. And more importantly, what can you do about it? In this episode, you're going to find out. -If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Es...2025-03-1907 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerBetween Two Beers: How a Conversation with Mates Turned into NZ's Top Podcast My life's mission is to help working professionals like you take the next steps in their professional lives and design a career that works for them. And part of that mission is interviewing some of the most interesting career changes on the planet. Top career coaches. As well as regular people like you and me who went from a standard career and decided to walk the path less travelled. Someone who followed that journey is Steve Holloway. He's the co-host of New Zealand's top podcast, Between Two Beers. But before the success, he's someone who had a ve...2025-03-1850 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerHAPPY FRIDAY: Practice is over-rated. Here's an even better idea:Growing up, we get told to practice. Practice your alphabet, practice your timetables, practice your sports drills. But what if you're practicing the wrong things? What if you're not focusing on the things you're good at? Do you even know what your strengths are? Maybe you don't even realise how good you are at certain things, because they come so naturally. But unlocking these strengths. Unlocks a superpower. A superpower that has massive benefits for your career. In this episode, I'm not only going to share the benefits, but what if I told you there's a secret...2025-03-1311 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerWealth is an Illusion. Here's Why: What is it costing you to keep chasing the illusion of wealth? In today's episode, we're going to break free from the consumerism mindset.-If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine to five MOVEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/etntf -To contact Steve directly, visit: https://www.nextstepcareers.nz/ Or email: steve@nextstepcareers.nz Or check out his socials: https://www...2025-03-1206 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerINTERVIEW: You're Not Working to Your Strengths. Here's What You Should Do Instead, w/ GallupThis week, I'm joined by Jim Collison & Saurav Atri - two experts on using your strengths at work.You'll learn:How to truly figure out your strengthsHow working to your strengths will transform your careerAnd I'll give you one simple tool you can use today to put this conversation into practice.-If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine to five MOVEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/etntf ...2025-03-1137 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMOTIVATION: Why Work is Such a Slog–A Simple Fix: You see others who seem to love what they do, thriving in their careers, and you wonder: What's wrong with me? Why does work feel like such a slog? Why does it feel like I'm constantly trying to keep up, instead of excelling? And then, Doubt creeps in. You start to believe, maybe you're just as not talented as others. But here's the truth: You're not stuck because of lack of talent. You're stuck because of something core to your being. Something that you've been ignoring for years. And the longer you ignore this, the more frustrated, unfulfilled, and st...2025-03-0909 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerHAPPY FRIDAY: The Research Behind Career Freedom–Why it's Important. You grew up thinking careers were linear. Step one: get a degree. Step two: land a job. Step three: climb the ladder. But you've seen enough examples of people not following this path to know it's bullshit. And often, these people are happier than the corporate warriors climbing the ladder. You want more from your career: one that grows with you, that evolves, that gives you more freedom and fulfilment. In this happiness episode, you're going to find out the research behind career freedom and how to actually achieve it. -If you’re enjoying this...2025-03-0606 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your career"Climb the Ladder"-"Getting Ahead"-"The Winning Edge"–What Does it All Mean? Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger. Can't we see that it's an endless competition that we're all destined to lose? Climb the ladder. The winning edge. Getting ahead. It's all a competition, that's unsustainable. What can you do instead? In this episode, you're going to find out. -If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine to five MOVEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/etntf -To contact Steve directly, visit: https://www.nextstep...2025-03-0509 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerINTERVIEW: Learn This SECRET from a Career Transition Expert w/ Mark Langford Have you ever wished you could get some advice from other career pivoters? Not just one or two tips, but the whole process. Even better: what if you could get 10,000 hours of experience in the career transition space? Heck, if you talk to someone like that, you might be talking to an expert. Mark Lankford is that expert. He started on Wall Street, worked overseas and then came back to work in start ups, has worked in eight different industries in multiple continents over his 30 year career, and started his own businesses. He's also a ca...2025-03-0436 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerTIP: Why Monkeys Go Further Than Ants (in their careers). You're working hard, but it's sometimes hard to see where this is all going. Deep down you wonder. What if I've chosen the wrong path? What if I'm wasting time, climbing higher in a role I don't even like? But imagine sticking with the wrong ladder for the next 5, 10, or even 20 years? Sure, you might earn a decent pay check, or pick up a fancy title, but what about your happiness, your growth, your sense of purpose?In a world evolving as fast as ours, sticking to one straight path might actually hold you back. What if yo...2025-03-0309 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMOTIVATION: A NEW Framework for Your Career.You're stuck in a career that feels like it's going nowhere. When you started in your job, it felt like the perfect stepping stone to success. A clear ladder to climb. But now? You're staring at the same desk, the same tasks, and the same routine you've been in for years. You thought you'd have it all figured out by now. More money. More purpose. More growth. Instead, you feel stagnant. And the idea of making a change feels overwhelming–maybe even impossible. If we're honest, isn't there a part of you that wonders if it's too late? That li...2025-03-0208 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerREFLECTION: A Brutal Reality Check. You wake up every day, rushing into the same routine: Work emails, meetings, deadlines. You tell yourself, you'll chase those dreams "some day", but some day isn't a date on your calendar–and your life calendar has an expiry date. When was the last time you reflected on the fact you're going to die? In this episode, we're going to reflect on the key message from this week.-If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine to five...2025-03-0104 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMISSION: Venting About Work? Here's What You Can Do Instead:How many times have you sat with your closest friends, venting about work, and dreaming about doing something different? But how often do those conversations actually lead to action? The truth is, most of us are great at talking about change, but terrible at holding ourselves, or each other, accountable. How many conversations have you had where the same career frustrations come up over and over again? Yet here you are, still in the same place, still stuck. At some point, these conversations become a sadistic version of Groundhog Day.And it doesn't...2025-02-2808 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerHAPPY FRIDAY: Use THIS Method to Get Proven Career Benefits.Have you ever wondered why some people seem to achieve their career goals faster than others? Is it talent, hard work, or even luck? Maybe it's something much simpler–something you can tap into today. You've probably heard the saying, "You're the sum of the five people you spend the most time with." It isn't just some motivational quote, it's actually backed by science. In this happiness episode, you're going to find out.-If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join t...2025-02-2705 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerSocial "norms" are a facade. Here's why: People love putting you in boxes: Ben the accountant. Jess the lawyer. Steve the Vet. We're taught from a young age to aim for stability, safety, and predictability. Deviating from that is seen as a threat. Not just to you, but to the very framework they've built their lives around. It's not just a career path. It's an identity. And when you show them another way, it makes them question their own choices. How do you avoid this clash with the "normal" and "safe" career path most people prescribe to? The answer may su...2025-02-2608 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerINTERVIEW: The Messy Middle–What to do in a Career Crisis w/ Laura Robichaux Today's guest is a walking case study on what happens when we chase external success, but it doesn't match who we are on the inside. She is, in her own words, a corporate dropout, a recovering codependent, people pleaser. She was a very successful professional in the advertising industry, only to get burnt out to the point. She couldn't get out of bed. It made her ask the question most of us ask at some point in our professional lives. Is this really it? You'll learn how Western society has got our measure of success so wrong, what she su...2025-02-2541 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerTIP: You've Done Your Bucket List Wrong. Here's Why: Have you ever stopped to think about what you would regret if your time ran out tomorrow? It's an uncomfortable thought, but most of us live as though we have an infinite number of days. We work jobs we don't love, postpone our dreams, and tell ourselves I'll get to it "someday". But here's the thing: Someday is never guaranteed. And as we grow older, that nagging question only gets louder. Did I do what I truly wanted? Or worse, what if I never even tried? Today, we're going to help you avoid a life fi...2025-02-2407 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMOTIVATION: Wondering What Could Have Been in Your Career?You wake up every morning, rush through your routine and dive headfirst into a job that if you're being honest with yourself, barely energises you anymore. It's not that you hate it, it pays the bills, keeps you busy. But deep down, there's this gnawing sense that something's missing. Maybe you've got a passion project gathering dust. Or dreams you've buried under a pile of maybes and some days. Every day you ignore what excites you, what drives you. You let a little part of yourself die. One year, becomes ten years, becomes a lifetime. You're stuck...2025-02-2309 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerREFLECTION: Imagine Retiring Realising This: You're a working professional. You're busy–from one deadline to the next, one promotion to the next goal. But when was the last time you stopped and truly reflected on your life and career? When you stopped measuring yourself by someone else's goalposts and started living a life true to your own measure of success? This Sunday, we're going to reflect on why you should be listening to your life. The times when you're not only happy, but truly stood out from the crowd, and why the key to unlocking your next chapter might already be written in y...2025-02-2205 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerHAPPY FRIDAY: The PROVEN Research Behind "Fake it til you make it." Imagine walking into a room full of people you admire–You're wanting to make an impression in your career, to stand out to be noticed, but as soon as you step inside, self doubt creeps in. Your palms sweat, your heart races, and a small voice whispers, "You're not good enough."Now imagine flipping a switch–a confidence switch–and all that doubt disappears. What if I told you that switch is real, you can use it, and it's even based on research?In this happiness episode, you're going to find out. -2025-02-2005 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerBeing "Civilised" is Over-Rated. Here's Why: How much of your life is dictated by what others consider "normal"? You sit at a desk all day because it's considered professional. You might wear a suit and tie because it's civilised. You put on shoes even when they hurt your feet, because that's just what people do. But have you ever stopped to wonder why...? Why do we force ourselves into uncomfortable clothes, awkward postures, and habits that literally hurt our bodies–all in the name of being "civilised"? In this episode, you're going to discover a different solution.-If you’re enjoyi...2025-02-1907 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerINTERVIEW: How to Hand in Your Resignation... in Spite of Fear w/ Alexis Martinez What does it take to leave a safe corporate environment–complete with a potential six figure salary, so you can finally live and work on your own terms? Today I spoke with Alexis Martinez, a former wealth management professional at Merrill Lynch. She's spent five intense years helping high net worth clients, only to discover she was burnt out and longing for a more purposeful life. She took a leap of faith. Understanding her leap and the lessons she learned might inspire you to take bold action in your own career. You'll learn:Some of the sign...2025-02-1834 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerTIP: Your Career Timeline Holds the Clue to Future Happiness. Your career is on autopilot. You're working hard, showing up every day, but something feels off–like you're drifting, not driving, through your professional life. We often look at our jobs as one long blur of repetitive, sometimes meaningless tasks. And if you're drifting through your career, you might be thinking... "Is this really it?" What if there's a way to guide you towards a more rewarding and fulfilling career? Today, you're going to find out why your career timeline holds the clue to future happiness in your life and career.-If you’...2025-02-1706 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMOTIVATION: The One Moment in Your Life Worth Listening To. Do you feel like life is speeding by so quickly that you barely have time to figure out if you're on the right track? Every week, the days blur together–work, eat, sleep, repeat–and amidst that blur, you might miss the subtle signs that your life is trying to tell you something. In today's Monday Motivation, I'm going to help you kickstart your work week with a mindset shift that could change the way you approach every career decision moving forward.-If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us...2025-02-1606 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerREFLECTION: A Surprisingly Easy Way to Find Your Dream Job... Without Sacrificing Everything Else.You're worrying about making the right choice in your career. Every decision feels like it could make or break you. You lie awake at night, worrying about the future, while quietly hoping everything will just work out, and you'll find yourself in your dream job. You don't wanna reach retirement regretting the career decisions you did or did not make. But at the same time, you also don't want to reach retirement broke, with a big fat mortgage you never manage to pay off. But what if there's a way to work towards your dream job, without sacrificing the...2025-02-1504 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMISSION: A simple, proven strategy for stopping career stagnation.Are you feeling like your career is going nowhere? Every day feels the same: the monotony, the lack of progress, the dreams of what 'could be' slipping further away with each passing Monday. You're not just unsatisfied, you're beginning to doubt if change is even possible for you. But what if there's a simple and proven way to break free from the cycle–a key that successful people have been using, yet it's rarely talked about in the conventional career advice you hear? Picture yourself working towards your dream career and escaping the nine to five grind–with...2025-02-1405 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerHAPPY FRIDAY: You're Taking Your Career Too Seriously. Here's Why: You want to come across as a professional: to your clients, to your colleagues, to your boss. But are you taking yourself too seriously? And how is it costing you in your career? In this happiness episode, you're going to find out.-If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine to five MOVEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/etntf -To contact Steve directly, visit: https://www.nextstepcareers.nz/ Or emai...2025-02-1305 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerTHOUGHT: THIS is holding you back from making a career change. But it's irrelevant.We all have embarrassing moments etched in our memories. That time everyone laughed at us in primary school. That rejection in high school. That night we got drunk at college and humiliated ourselves. But how many embarrassing moments do you remember in your life not involving you? And why is this relevant to your career? In this week's Thought of the Day, you're going to find out. -If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine...2025-02-1204 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerINTERVIEW: A Mindset Shift That Will Transform Your Career w/ Taylor Sleaford What makes for a meaningful career and who are these people achieving it? How have people escaped the 9 to 5 with a smile on their face ad how have they done it? My life's mission is to help working professionals like you take the next steps in their professional lives and design a career that works for you. Having interviewed some of the most interesting career changes on the planet, top career coaches, and also diving into the career research, there are simple, proven strategies to make change in your career.This week I spoke with Taylor Sleaford. ...2025-02-1142 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerTIP: If You're Looking for the Perfect Job, You're Doing it Wrong. What do I want to be when I grow up? It's a question we've all asked in our lives–and if you're thinking about making a career change, chances are you may also be thinking, how do I find a job that I like, or maybe even love? How do I change careers without losing the financial security of my current job? How do I balance my career with my personal life? How can I do something meaningful that gives me a sense of purpose? And where do I even start? The good news... you've come to the right plac...2025-02-1012 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMOTIVATION: A Simple Way To Make The Right Career Choice.You're paralysed. Paralysed by the fear of making the wrong choice: the wrong location, the wrong job, the wrong career. If you're in a 9 to 5 job that's not a fit for you, it's natural to fear changing careers. And making the wrong choice all over again... same end result: dissatisfaction in your job, not being your best self at work, and feeling trapped in a job you don't like. What if we're fearing the wrong thing? What if the fear of making the wrong choice is the thing that's holding you back? In today's Monday Motivation, you're going to...2025-02-0905 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerMISSION: You Probably Can't Handle THIS...Growing up, your parents were probably critical of you, the news is negative, and if you spend any time on social media, it's hard not to feel like you're not living up to expectations. The result: Most human beings are self critical. It's a survival mechanism. But what's the downside–and how does it affect your career? In this episode, you're going to find out. -If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine to five MOVEMENT: ht...2025-02-0707 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerHAPPY FRIDAY: How a Life-Altering Event Might Change Your Career.It's another day of work and other day questioning your life choices. Another day stuck in traffic. But this day is different.Imagine waking up in an ambulance, in a serious car crash an your way to work... Ever wondered how a life altering event can lead to profound personal change?In this happiness episode, you're going to find out. -If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the...2025-02-0607 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerComedies Resember Working Life More Closely Than You Think - And It's No Joke.If you're in a job with endless reports, passive-aggressive managers, and meaningless memos, maybe you need a career change. In this week's thought of the day. You're going to discover why comedies like Office Space resemble the corporate workplace closer than you think.-If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to follow us on your favourite app.-Join the Escape the nine to five MOVEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/etntf -To contact Steve directly, visit: https://www.nextst...2025-02-0506 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerINTERVIEW: How to Quit a Well-Paying Job - THREE Lessons From a Vanilla Panic Attack w/ Chris Stemp How can you escape the nine to five, unlock your golden handcuffs, and find work you enjoy... without losing your financial freedom? In today's episode, you're going to hear from Chris Stemp, about how to quit a well paying job. He was a financial analyst at a fortune 500 company, before having a panic attack at work, quitting, and becoming an entrepreneur and podcaster. He's a perfect person to hear from, because he's been in your shoes. If you think you're earning too go...2025-02-0450 minEscape the nine to five: how to design your careerTIP: You're Missing Out if You Haven't Done This.Have you ever listened to yourself in a conversation? How do you sound?How do you come across? What sort of messages are you telling yourself and those around you? Imagine recording yourself talking and playing back what you hear... It might sound like a vain, narcissistic, or even bizarre thing to do–but there's a hidden benefit that will help you in your career. In this episode, you're going to find out. -If you’re e...2025-02-0306 min