We explore the Fourth Agreement—always do your best—and how it unlocks the other three. Through stories on careers, caregiving, and community, we trade perfectionism for presence and turn insight into action.

• how doing your best changes across seasons
• linking the four agreements through daily practice
• atomic habits and identity-based change
• the meditation parable on joy versus overwork
• detaching from rewards to find meaning
• action over theory in relationships and work
• setting honest boundaries for real presence
• rebuilding connection amid loneliness
• repetition as the path to lasting habits
• practical ways to read, reflect and apply

If you really love our podcasts and you want to support us just to help us like keep the platform running, like we actually have a link for that, but that'll be in the show notes

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We explore the Third Agreement—don’t make assumptions—through real stories at work and home, and connect it to impeccable words and not taking things personally. Curiosity, clear communication, and coaching emerge as tools to replace guesswork with truth and recover agency.

• the trap of adding meanings that were never said
• how merit myths distort hiring and rejection
• assuming positive intent to lower threat and listen
• practical questions that replace stories with facts
• coaching as a way to test beliefs and act wisely
• linking all four agreements to self-leadership

We’d love to hear how you’re applying The Four Agreements. Find us on LinkedIn and tell us what changed for you

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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 explore the second agreement from The Four Agreements and show how not taking things personally creates real freedom. Personal stories, practical tools, and a clear path to separate identity from other people’s words and your own inner critic

• Why “not taking it personally” breaks hidden agreements
• Words as spells that bind or free
• The cost of praise and criticism when you cling to either
• Childhood labels shaping adult identity
• Reframing feedback as data not destiny
• Choice over suffering through clear, kind requests
• Building an inner citadel and observing thoughts
• Identity as cyclical and transitional
• A coaching tool: the inner board of directors
• A daily post-it practice to anchor the agreement

Zach will have in the show notes ways for you to get access to the book, as well as for you to communicate directly with us because it always helps us to hear as well. How are you living out loud these things that we’re sharing with you that we are?

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.