Bad Day Excellence

You’ve been lied to your whole life about success.

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh breaks down the three biggest lies that quietly keep people stuck, overthinking, and waiting for a moment that never comes.

You’ll learn why “I’ll start when I’m ready” is a trap, how “I need more information” disguises fear as productivity, and why believing that successful people don’t fail is one of the most damaging myths we’ve e...

In this milestone 50th episode of "Bad Day Excellence," Brian Walsh guides you through the "unstuck blueprint," a powerful tool designed to help you navigate life's transition windows. Drawing from the Momentum Makers Club and backed by psychology and neuroscience, Brian explains how to break free from feeling stuck and start moving forward with confidence. Discover how small, intentional actions can transfo...

In this episode of "Bad Day Excellence," host Brian Walsh guides you through the art of reflection, turning the often-overlooked wins, losses, and lessons of the past year into powerful tools for growth. Discover how small victories can be the real proof of change, and learn to identify the patterns in your losses to make intentional adjustments. Brian introduces simple micro-systems like the 3x3 audit and the Energy Scor...

Most people treat performance reviews like a dentist appointment they forgot to cancel. Stress, avoidance, and a lot of box-checking.

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh sits down with leadership creator and Army National Guard officer candidate school instructor, Cassie Underwood, to break that cycle.

You will learn:

• Why review season feels heavier than it should for both leaders and high achievers

• How avoiding smal...

This Thanksgiving episode dives into a surprisingly powerful idea, all sparked by two little words that changed how I show up in every conversation. It starts with a rough childhood lesson about life being a “shit sandwich,” but quickly flips into something better, something more grounded, and something that can pull you out of the chaos on your hardest days.

I share the story of how a hiring manager’s simple reply, “Never Better,” ...

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, I sit down with Jon Hord, founder of The Engaged Father Project, to talk about something a lot of dads quietly wrestle with:

You are crushing it at work, but feel like you are losing at home.

Jon shares the story of waking up in a hotel after an amazing family day at an amusement park, with his son tucked in beside him, and realizing that his brain sprinted straight to a software upgrade at work...

Ever feel emotionally broke? In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh shares the story of writing his own promotion only to watch someone else get it, and how that moment birthed the idea of the Fail Bank. Learn how to turn mistakes into deposits of wisdom, rebuild confidence after setbacks, and grow Failnantial Wealth. Because failure isn’t a cost, it’s capital. Tune in, take notes, and start banking your lessons today.

Ever feel torn between chasing your dream and doing what’s practical? In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh opens up about his journey toward becoming a full-time speaker and the tough choices that come with it, from investing in coaching to balancing ambition with family.

If you’ve ever wondered whether to spend money on a coach, a course, or just keep building brick by brick, this one’s for you. You’ll learn how habit...

In this compelling episode of "Bad Day Excellence," host Brian Walsh delves into the heart of what it means to live with purpose in a world increasingly driven by automation and efficiency. As we navigate the age of replacement, Brian challenges the notion that progress must come at the cost of humanity. Join us as we explore the power of compassion, creativity, and connection in the workplace, and discover how small acts...

Burnout is not just about workload, it is about meaning. Brian Walsh, Amanda Zidlick, and Nicole Eisdorfer explore multigenerational burnout across Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. They cover why connection fuels resilience, how to make 1 on 1s human again, and micro systems that restore energy. Expect honest stories, practical frameworks, and a clear challenge to leaders, ask, Are you okay, and care about the answer.

What Yo...

What if you stopped managing time... and started owning it?

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh explores the ancient Greek idea of Chronos vs. Kairos—and how understanding it can completely change the way you live, work, and lead.

You’ll learn how to:

• Escape the productivity trap that keeps you busy but unfulfilled

• Build hard, soft, and flow boundaries that protect your focus

• Experience more Kairos moments—those timel...

A leader I coach thought he was deciding whether someone deserved a promotion, but halfway through our conversation, everything flipped. The real question wasn’t about the employee at all, it was about him.

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, we dive into the mindset shift that separates average managers from transformational leaders. You’ll learn how to stop evaluating people by titles and start developing them through ownership...

What if the secret to living fully wasn’t chasing results, but mastering yourself, embracing the journey, and taking on bold challenges that scare you?

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh breaks down three powerful strategies for living a regret-free life:

1. The Dichotomy of Control – Why letting go of what you can’t control and owning what you can will free you from stress and people-pleasing.
   

2. Stop Chasing Result...

Today is not a productivity pep talk. It’s a containment plan.
When the system crashes, pings explode, and everyone wants answers, you don’t need more grit. You need a simple crisis routine. In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh shares the CALM Loop he uses when everything is on fire: Clear the smoke with a 90-second reset, Assess and triage what actually matters, Limit work in progress to 3, and Message stakeholder...

Five words to flip your whole day. Try them before your coffee. In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian shares the 5-word clarity habit that rescued his chaotic mornings: “What’s my one win today?” You’ll hear how identifying emotional triggers, swapping doom-scrolling for tiny wins, and setting clean boundaries at work can restore focus, protect family time, and rebuild momentum. We’ll cover pitfalls (choosing a project inste...

Real talk. The show dipped and my ego took a lap. Instead of sulking, I used it as a trigger to build momentum again. In this episode I break down a simple system to turn failure into fuel using my SPARK Cycle: Simple, Prompted, Acted, Rewarded, Kept. We’ll map the Dunning Kruger roller coaster, talk Maniacal Intention, and set a tiny spark that gets you moving today.

You’ll learn:

• How to treat failure as a trigger, not a verdict

• ...

SummaryIn this conversation, Amanda Zidlick and Brian Walsh discuss the significance of team building in the workplace, emphasizing that it is essential for fostering communication and collaboration among employees. They explore effective strategies for team building, the role of leadership in employee retention, and the importance of understanding employee needs beyond just salary. The discussion also highlights the signals that i...

In this conversation, Brian Walsh discusses the concept of 'Bad Day Excellence' and how to maintain productivity and motivation even on challenging days. He emphasizes the importance of establishing routines, creating momentum, and celebrating small wins to foster personal growth and success. Walsh provides practical strategies for developing a 'Bad Day Excellence Plan' that includes identifying tiny actions that can be taken to ma...

What’s the sentence your brain whispers right before you take action? “I’m not ready.” “What if I mess this up?” Left unchecked, those looping thoughts slowly chip away at your confidence and train your brain to avoid risk.

In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh breaks down how self-doubt becomes a habit, why your brain rewards hesitation, and how to interrupt the cycle with a simple habit loop shift. You’ll learn how to...