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Apollo 13 Lessons for When Things Break | Motivational IQ with Andy Thompson, Ep. 13
In this episode, I use the real Apollo 13 mission and the 1995 movie to look at what helps people respond when a plan falls apart. The mission changed from landing on the Moon to bringing three people home, but the larger purpose stayed clear. I walk through five lessons about crisis, constraints, teamwork, honesty, and the danger hidden inside the phrase "failure is not an option." The practic…
Read the complete show notes →Read the moment
The first question is a clue.
Motivation changes with context. Notice the question that arrives first, then give the person—or yourself—the kind of support the moment actually needs.
How?
We need capability, choice, and visible progress. Clarify the guardrails, then make room to act.
Why?
We need meaning and connection. Show who the work serves and why the result is worth pursuing.
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Apollo 13 Lessons for When Things Break | Motivational IQ with Andy Thompson, Ep. 13
In this episode, I use the real Apollo 13 mission and the 1995 movie to look at what helps people respond when a plan falls apart. The mission changed from landing on the Moon to bringing three people home, but the larger purpose stayed clear. I walk through five lessons about crisis, constraints, teamwork, honesty, and the danger hidden inside the phrase "failure is not an option." The practic…
Listen and read show notes →
When Goals Reward the Wrong Behavior | Motivational IQ with Andy Thompson, Ep. 12
- **[01:20] Ask the question that belongs to your current season.** Erik Erikson’s life-stage framework and Alfred Adler’s emphasis on significance point to a useful truth: purpose changes as we grow, and motivation becomes clearer when we identify the question we are trying to answer now.
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Five Books That Change and Deepen Motivation — Motivational IQ with Andy Thompson, Ep. 11
[01:30] “Everybody wants transformation, but very few want the hundred hours of boring work to get to that transformation.”
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Your First Question Reveals Your Motivation, Motivational IQ with Andy Thompson Ep 10
**[04:42] Your first question reveals your current motivational need.** In the story of the child who ate a worm, the children ask **what** happened while the teacher asks **why** he did it. Notice the question that arrives before you edit or explain your reaction.
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Can Politics Solve Problems Again? — Motivational IQ with Andy Thompson, Ep. 10.5
[04:26] “The word government, I love to dig into words, actually means to guide.”
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Powerful Goals - Motivational IQ with Andy Thompson Ep 9
**[01:01] Easy motivation can hide a hollow why.** A quick tip, exercise, or social-media idea can create a burst of energy without giving you a reason to persist. Before committing, ask what lasting purpose the activity serves.
Listen and read show notes →A simpler discussion space
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This week’s conversation starterBefore calling someone unmotivated, what condition around their work would you inspect first?
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Andy Thompson is a leader, teacher, consultant, entrepreneur, coach, and systems thinker. His work sits where motivation, leadership, project delivery, organizational change, and practical execution meet.
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