We open a new arc with The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, shifting from a year of habits and happiness into a practice of inner freedom rooted in Toltec wisdom. The smoky mirror story sets our theme: clear the fog, see the light, and rebuild beliefs that actually serve.

• framing freedom as the progression after happiness and habits
• why Toltec roots and the smoky mirror metaphor matter
• decisions that pinch and how projection clouds advice
• images of light versus labels and roles
• polarization as fog and the role of attention
• how emotions shape thoughts, thoughts shape beliefs
• next steps into domestication and belief work
• plan to explore each agreement in depth

If you are interested in getting the book, Zach will have some links in our show notes for you
We hope that you will share these episodes with those that you think will get value from it as well

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We pause between books to invite you to read with us and announce The Four Agreements as our next deep dive into practical personal freedom for work and life. We share why slow, deliberate reading changes behavior, and offer a complimentary Agile Brain assessment to support the journey.

• reason for a pause and invitation to catch up
• announcement of The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
• link promise to buy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble
• personal freedom as a leadership cornerstone
• why ancient Toltec wisdom applies to modern work
• four agreements as a simple, durable framework
• reading slowly vs consuming summaries
• savoring lessons and implementing week by week
• year theme moving between modern and ancient ideas
• impact on community, family, and teams
• shoutouts to producers and contributors
• invite to binge past seasons and join the journey

To receive your complimentary Agile Brain assessment, send either of us a message saying you want the free Agile Brain assessment

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

We map a four-sided pyramid of human needs—self, social, material, spiritual—and explore how foundations enable higher aims like purpose and transcendence. Research, culture, and real stories show why ethics, community, and conscious reflection turn values into action and bias into empathy.

• defining the four opposing life domains
• why foundations like safety and justice come first
• evidence from goal research and world cultures
• how self leads to social, then to spiritual
• in‑group bias, polarization and the contact effect
• ethics as the hinge between ideals and action
• integrating needs into a coherent life purpose
• practical steps to reflect, rebuild and align

Please get a copy of The Emotionally Agile Brain by Dr. JD Pincus. From now till the end of this calendar year, we’re gifting complimentary Agile Brain assessments, with optional deep dives with certified coaches.

Support the show

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.