203: Being Curious Enough to Avoid a Big Regret

“ I learned that I could do this.”

In this episode

Today’s guest is Bill Whiteside, a sales and marketing executive turned software salesman turned writer of narrative non-fiction, specifically a forthcoming book about an incident in Winston Churchill’s tenure as Britain’s Prime Minister during World War II. Our conversation explores the incident, which we then use as an opportunity to examine what makes a great leader great, what constitutes the art of writing great narrative non-fiction — what do you leave in and take out? — the imperative to tell our accurate and truthful history, and perhaps most important, Bill’s personal journey to satisfy his curiosity about one of the most interesting figures of the 20th century.

(Bill, on the bench at left.)

Bill’s journey of curiosity included a visit to Chartwell, Churchill’s home in the Kent countryside, and his conversation with the most recent descendant of Sir Winston’s marmalade cat “Jock.”

Our conversation underscores why I focus on the podcast and in my coaching on the idea of “getting unstuck.” One of the principles underlying “getting unstuck,” as Bill so eloquently and succinctly puts it, is “there is always a way out” of unwanted situations. In life’s recipe book, forward movement results from pausing long enough to engage one’s curiosity and nurture the courage to explore it.

Connect with Bill

Website: www.perfectlytruestory.com

Sign up for Bill’s monthly newsletter: https://www.perfectlytruestory.com/background-and-newsletter

Show Credits

"Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It’s brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for.

"Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.

Jeff Ikler