What is success to you? Is it a title on a door? A number in a bank account? Or is it a goalpost that keeps moving every time you get close to it? In today’s Commuter Chronicle, I’m diving into the psychology of achievement. We often say we want to be "successful," but we rarely stop to define what that looks like in 24 hours, 240 hours, or 2,400 hours.

In this Brain Dump, I discuss:

• Internal Progress: How I’m tracking my own evolution behind the mic from cutting out filler words to sharpening my delivery.

  
  

• The Coaching Perspective: Preparing students for the upcoming career fair and helping them realize that Career Confidence comes from using the resources already at their fingertips.

  
  

• The Triple Threat: Balancing academic, professional, and personal strides as a single, cohesive version of success.

If you are a student preparing for your first career fair, a professional looking for your next pivot, or a fellow striver trying to find your voice, this episode is your roadmap. We aren't just talking about the "win", we are talking about the "work" you are willing to do to get there.

I’m recording this outside a mechanic’s shop. I was inside, head-down in Chapter 1 of my dissertation, when I got "the news" about my car. We’ve all been there: the unexpected bill, the "Safety Tax" we have to pay just to keep moving. Instead of letting the frustration simmer, I took a "Cognitive Break," walked into the fresh air, and realized that this moment is a perfect metaphor for everything we talk about on Side of the Mic.

• The Cost of Safety: Why we shouldn't resent the money spent on "fixing it now" versus "replacing it later."

• Emotional Stoicism: Moving from "Why me?" to "What now?" in under five minutes.

• The Dissertation Parallel: How the patience needed to revise a chapter is the same patience needed to wait in a lobby.

• The 90-Second Rule: Living in a feeling without letting it move in and pay rent.

Next time you get hit with bad news:

1. Step Out: Physically change your environment (like walking out of the lobby).

2. Identify the “Control-ables”: You can't control the price of the part, but you can control your reaction to the mechanic.

3. The Gratitude Flip: I am fortunate enough to have a vehicle to fix and the resources (even if it hurts) to fix it.

4. The Momentum Shift: Immediately do one small, easy task to prove to your brain that you are still in charge of your day.

   
   

At the end of the day: My car will be safer, my dissertation will be stronger, and my emotions are exactly where I want them: under my control.

#EmotionalIntelligence #SideOfTheMic #CareerConfidence #DissertationLife #Patience #StriveandDevelop

This episode of Side of the Mic: Striving & Developing is another Commuter Chronicles reflection, a real-time check-in from a very full day. And yes, the name fits: SoBizze… so busy. But this episode isn’t about glorifying busyness, it’s about understanding it.

I talk about what “busy” actually looks like across different parts of life: academically, professionally, and personally. From doctoral work and time-sensitive tasks to student support, to creative collaborations, the schedule is full. But being busy isn’t automatically a bad thing. The real question is: are you managing your time, or is your time managing you?

I share how I’m learning to get in front of deadlines instead of always reacting to them, while also acknowledging that progress is still progress. Some tasks are done, some are in motion, and some are waiting their turn. That’s real life, not perfect productivity, but intentional movement.

One highlight I’m excited about is my collaboration with the campus housing department. We’re building creative, student-centered workshops, including an upcoming series called “Adulting Unlocked.” It’s focused on the real-life skills students wish they had learned earlier, the conversations about life after the dorms, after graduation, and beyond the classroom.

I also talk about leveling up the podcast itself, testing microphones, improving sound quality, and getting more comfortable behind the mic. I may not have started as smoothly as I wanted, but I’m improving with every episode. Growth over hesitation. Progress over perfection.

There’s also a conversation about personal capacity, knowing my plate is bigger than most, while recognizing that not everyone has the same bandwidth. Too many tabs open affects anyone. Busyness without awareness leads to burnout; busyness with boundaries leads to growth.

If you’re in a busy season, this episode is your reminder: delegate, when possible, say no when needed, and give yourself the time required to move through it. Once you reach the other side, you can recalibrate your time, energy, and mental space at your own pace.

This episode is a snapshot of motion, responsibility, and learning how to carry it all without losing yourself in the process.

#SoBizze #AdultingUnlocked #TimeManagement #Capacity #CareerAdaptability #SideOfTheMic #ProfessionalGrowth #StriveandDevelop