In this special episode, Alan Briggs steps away from the usual pace of life—and leadership—and invites us into a slower, deeper rhythm.
Recorded on location from the island of Terceira in the Azores, Alan shares reflections from his very first pilgrimage—a spiritual journey with a physical component. What began as a walk through unfamiliar terrain turned into a profound time of rest, reflection, and reconnection with God.
If you’ve ever felt burned out, spiritually dry, or simply curious about how to slow down long enough to hear from God… this one’s for you.
In this episode, Alan explores:
What really is a pilgrimage—and why it matters today
The tension between being a tourist and a seeker
Unexpected spiritual lessons from Holy Spirit houses and Catholic cathedrals
Questions that shaped each day: How have I limited God? How am I different when I rest?
How nature, walking, and reflection unlock new clarity and connection
This isn’t your typical leadership episode—and that’s the point.
Feeling the nudge to take your own pilgrimage?Whether that looks like a long walk or a short retreat, we hope this conversation helps you slow down, listen deeper, and reorient around what truly matters.
Stay in the LoopGet resources, tools, and updates from the Stay Forth team: stayforth.com
Let’s ConnectLeave a review, share this episode, and tag us on social: #StayForthLeadership

Our phones promise connection but often choke out what matters most. Alan Briggs and Joey Odom dive into the “PID loop” of proximity, interaction, and dependence — and share practical ways to reclaim your time, creativity, and relationships from constant distraction.
We all feel it. That little computer in our pocket is shaping our attention, our relationships, and even our leadership. But what if our phones aren’t just tools—they’re thorns?
In this episode of the Stay Forth Leadership Podcast, Alan Briggs sits down with Joey Odom, co-founder of Reclaim Well, to have a candid conversation about what phones are doing to us and how leaders, families, and organizations can respond. Together they unpack:
Why phones act like “thorns in our pockets” that choke out fruitfulness
The PID loop: proximity → interaction → dependence
How to break proximity and start resetting your relationship with your device
The connection between phones, mental load, and Sabbath rest
Practical daily practices to reduce dependence (from 5-minute breaks to putting your phone to bed at night)
Why this isn’t just a church issue or leadership issue — it’s a human issue
This episode isn’t anti-phone. It’s pro-presence. Joey and Alan share small, practical rhythms to help you regain focus, reclaim creativity, and reconnect with the people and purpose that matter most.
Resources & Links
Learn more about Reclaim Well and the ARO Box
Book recommendation: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Alan’s book The Sabbatical Journey — your field guide for deep rest and reorientation
Subscribe, rate, and review the Stay Forth Leadership Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Every leader faces seasons of busyness, drift, and distraction. When that happens, what helps you stay the course? Your purpose.
In this episode, Alan and Jonathan unpack why purpose acts like a compass — keeping you oriented, steady, and moving in the right direction when everything else feels chaotic. Alan shares his discipline of taking quarterly Think Days to step back, reflect, and regain clarity. You’ll hear how these rhythms not only renew his own leadership but also fuel alignment and energy for his entire team.
This conversation also dives into the Unique Design framework — the intersection of your wiring, gifting, and calling. When you discover and lead from your unique design, you stop running on fumes and start moving with focus, impact, and fulfillment.
Whether you’re leading a business, an organization, or your family, this episode will help you rediscover your compass and navigate with confidence.
What You’ll Learn:
Why leaders lose clarity when they don’t create space to think
How a Think Day can reset your focus and energy
The 4 H’s Alan looks for in every coaching client
How to spot your “fills and drains” and delegate wisely
The critical difference between dumping and delegating
Why aligning with your Unique Design increases resilience and impact
Two key reflection questions to help you realign with your deeper purpose
Resources Mentioned:
Unique Design Framework — Want to discover your unique leadership design?👉 Email: hello@stayforth.com with subject line “Unique Design Framework” to get a free copy.
Book Mentioned: 10X is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy
Coaching & Resources: Stayforth.com
Reflect + Respond:
Take a moment to sit with these two questions:
What’s the deeper purpose that’s driving your life and leadership?
Where have you lost sight of that purpose along the way?
Use them to journal, fuel a team discussion, or even guide your own Think Day.
Remember: Your purpose is your compass. Stay true to it, and you’ll lead yourself — and others — with clarity, health, and lasting impact.

What separates leaders people trust from leaders they just tolerate?It’s not charisma.It’s not talent.It’s self-leadership — the ability to lead yourself with consistency, clarity, and accountability before you ever try to lead others.
In this episode, Jonathan Collier and Alan “Stay Forth” Briggs unpack why self-leadership is the hidden competitive advantage in today’s world, how to model it for your team, and what practical habits build trust faster than any title or resume ever could.
You’ll learn:
Why consistency breeds credibility (and how to spot it on any team)
The simple 3-foot rule that keeps your leadership grounded
How to model behaviors your team will actually copy
Why deadlines and follow-through create instant trust
How to manage your energy, not just your calendar
The tension between bringing your best and not being perfect
Practical steps to raise your self-leadership game this week
Reflection Questions:
Where are you leaking time and energy?
What’s one area in your leadership where you need more accountability?
Resources Mentioned:
Right Side Up Journal by Stay Forth — https://a.co/d/fUaXcFh
Subscribe for more healthy + high-impact leadership conversations so you can multiply your influence without losing yourself in the process.

Summer’s winding down, kids are heading back to school, and your weekly rhythm is about to look very different. In this episode of our H2 Leaders summer series, Jonathan and Alan define what true resilience looks like for a leader—and why it has nothing to do with “toughing it out” and everything to do with maintaining what matters most in your life.
You’ll learn Alan’s 3-C framework for navigating change (Change | Clarity | Communication), plus practical habits to build both proactive steadiness and responsive flexibility so you can lead with confidence through every season.
What You’ll Learn
What Is Resilience?Why it’s not grit or forced optimism, but the ability to maintain your values, boundaries, and priorities when your world shifts.
The 3-C Framework:
Change is inevitable—embrace that it’s coming.
Clarity lets you decide your next move, even in uncertainty.
Communication (louder and clearer!) keeps your team trusting you through every pivot.
Proactive vs. Responsive Practices:– Proactive: Routines that build your “resilience muscle” (sleep, exercise, Sabbath rhythms).– Responsive: Short breaks and mental shifts when the unexpected pops up (a tech failure, a new tariff, a sudden deadline).
Why Reevaluation Matters:How and why you must regularly revisit your goals, metrics and projections as conditions evolve.
Quick Tips for Staying Grounded:– Five daily habits Jonathan and Alan swear by.– The “stimulus → pause → response” window you can train for.
Key Takeaways
Change never knocks—it busts in like the Kool-Aid Man.
You can’t control every shift—but you can control how you prepare and respond.
Communicate more (not less!) when things feel most uncertain.
Clarity of next steps beats false hope: ask “Who can help me?” and “What 2–3 areas do I need to grow?”
Stop chasing certainty—build your resilience through repeated small wins and honest conversations.
Action Challenge
Pause & Reflect: How do you typically respond when change hits?
Pick One Practice: Schedule one proactive habit this week (e.g. a 10-minute walk, dedicated Sabbath hour, or quick mindfulness break).
Reevaluate: Block off 15 minutes to update your top 3 priorities in light of any recent shifts.
Resources Mentioned
Right Side Up Journal — Alan’s go-to tool for weekly audits and clarity
Anti-Burnout — a coaching-powered guide to sustainable leadership

In today’s episode, Alan shares how a rare open Saturday—spent hiking into the Colorado mountains to fly-fish—quickly turned into another to-do list. He realized that our most life-giving pursuits (hobbies) are constantly at risk of becoming tasks we “have to” check off. In this conversation, Alan unpacks why hobbies are essential to flourishing, offers a framework for rediscovering them, and gives practical steps to reclaim joy, creativity, and rest in the midst of our busy “have-to” lives.
What You’ll Learn:
Why Hobbies Matter: How leisure activities serve as mental rest, spark creativity, and renew passion for work and family.
Focal Practices: The power of “idle,” present-moment activities that reconnect you to what truly matters.
Benefits of Hobbies: From distraction of weighty issues to replenishment cycles that boost productivity.
Rediscovery vs. Discovery: Tips for uncovering the hobbies you loved as a kid—or stumbling on new ones today.
Practical Steps: How to schedule your first hobby session in two weeks—no guilt, no strings attached.
Key Takeaways:
Hobbies are “get-to” activities in a “have-to” world.
Even large organizations credit “white-space” time for breakthroughs.
Simple focal practices (gardening, evening walks, hammocking) anchor joy and presence.
Your work, relationships, and well-being depend on carving out hobby time.
Action Challenge:Block off a 2-hour window in your calendar this week for your rediscovered hobby—whether it’s fly-fishing, woodworking, dancing, or simply sitting in a hammock—and notice how you feel afterward.
Resources Mentioned:
Anti-Burnout: A Coaching Pathway
The Sabbatical Journey Field Guide
Have questions or want to share your hobby rediscovery story? Drop us a note at hello@stayforth.com or leave a comment wherever you listen.

Halfway through summer and already feeling the rush of back-to-school and end-of-year deadlines? In this episode of the H₂ Leader Summer Series, Alan Briggs and Jonathan Collier challenge the “grind-only” mentality by uncovering the power of relational leadership over mere transactions. You’ll learn:
The difference between transactional (BNI-style) and relational (Coharbor-style) approaches
How a high-trust culture drives better engagement, retention, and results
The 3 Cs every leader needs—Curiosity, Care, and Consistency—and how to practice them
Real-world signs your organization is drifting into “just manage” mode
Reflection questions to help you shift from “What can they do for me?” to “How can I serve them?”
Whether you lead a small team or a global enterprise, you’ll come away equipped to strengthen trust, spark engagement, and multiply your impact—one authentic connection at a time.
Show Notes
Welcome & Summer Check-in
Mid-summer realities: schools shopping in July, transactional everywhere
Why relational leadership matters now
Two Networking Models
Transactional: “Get leads, hit quotas” (BNI-style)
Relational: “Get to know the person first” (Coharbor-style)
Why Trust Trumps Transactions
As goes the leader, so goes the culture
Real-life boardroom example: cold, closed vs. warm, open
Signals of Low-Trust vs. High-Trust Cultures
Do people feel safe to speak up?
Are values just on the wall, or lived daily?
Celebration vs. checkbox mentality
The 3 Cs of Relational Leadership
Curiosity: Ask what’s really on people’s minds
Care: Show genuine concern for the human, not just the role
Consistency: Do your values and words match your actions—every day
Practical Steps to Shift
Check your own inbox: person or task?
Communicate context + clarity + candor
Use “three strikes” principle: when a tool or process fails repeatedly, pick up the phone
Reflection Questions
How relational is my current leadership?
Where am I defaulting to transactions over relationships?
Who needs more of my presence (not just my direction)?
Resources & Links
Anti-Burnout ⇒ https://a.co/d/89z1Vrr
The Sabbatical Journey ⇒ https://a.co/d/i5dXSLS
How to Subscribe & Review
If you enjoyed this episode, please:
Subscribe to “Stay Forth Leadership” on Apple Podcasts
Rate & Review—your five stars help others find the show!
Share with a friend or colleague who’s ready to lead from relationship, not just transaction
 

We’re living through a hurricane of distraction—constant pings, endless opportunities, and FOMO-fueled comparison. In Episode 5 of our H2 Leader Summer Series, Alan and Jonathan unpack why today’s leaders feel overwhelmed yet under-productive, and share a simple but counter-intuitive answer: do fewer things—better.
Press play to learn how to develop “healthy tunnel vision” in a scattered world, why prioritization and elimination go hand-in-hand, and how to stay accessible (not available) so you can protect your best work. If you find yourself grasping at tasks like kids in a wind-tunnel booth grabbing dollar bills, this episode will give you a clearer, calmer path forward.
Key Takeaways
Scattered vs. Strategic: Today’s world bombards us like a wind-tunnel booth of swirling dollar bills. You must choose a few priorities—and let the rest go.
Effectiveness > Efficiency: Machines optimize for efficiency; leaders optimize for impact by focusing on the right 2–3 actions.
Prioritize & Eliminate: To truly excel, ruthlessly say “no” to good things so you can say “yes” to the best things.
Accessible ≠ Available: You can remain reachable without being on-call 24/7—protect deep-work blocks as sacred.
Model the Change: A leader’s bandwidth sets the bar for their team. Guard your own focus to help everyone guard theirs.
Reflect & Apply
Set aside 10–15 minutes today with your journal or notes app. Answer honestly:
How scattered am I right now? Where is your attention leaking?
What’s distracting me from what matters most? Identify the “dollar bills” you’re chasing.
What’s one commitment I must say “no” to this fall so I can laser-focus on my top priorities?
Links & Resources
📘 The Sabbatical Journey Field Guide→ https://a.co/d/haM9rSR
📓 Right Side Up Journal (Weekly & Quarterly Audit)→ https://a.co/d/fUaXcFh