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

This episode of Side of the Mic: Striving & Developing comes straight from the driver’s seat. Another Commute Chronicles entry where I use the drive as thinking space, processing space, and sometimes, a verbal notebook.

I talk about why these episodes are my go-to mental reset. When thoughts stack up, speaking them out loud helps turn noise into direction. It’s less about having answers and more about clearing mental tabs so I can focus on what actually matters.

I also share a truth many high achievers quietly relate to: procrastination with results. I joke about being a “productive procrastinator,” because yes, I get things done but often when the deadline is close enough to create pressure. While that urgency can produce outcomes, it’s not always the healthiest fuel. I reflect on the difference between working well under pressure and depending on pressure to start.

From there, we get into the importance of saying no. Not as rejection, but as protection. Saying no creates space to follow through on the goals you already committed to. It’s how you trade scattered energy for focused progress.

This episode is less about perfect productivity and more about honest growth, recognizing habits, adjusting patterns, and giving yourself room to think in motion.

Sometimes progress sounds like a conversation with yourself on the way home.

I’m heading home, and my brain is buzzing from the conversations I’ve had today. In this episode of the Commute Chronicles, I’m peeling back the curtain on the "Hidden Curriculum" of success, the things they don't always teach you in the classroom but are essential for the workplace.

One of my appointments today was with a Psychology major looking toward grad school. We discussed a major pillar of Career Adaptability: Curiosity. It’s not just about picking a job; it’s about investigating the lifestyle and the educational requirements that fit your "Why."

While many are familiar with the S.T.A.R. method, I introduced a student to my evolved version: the C.A.R.D. Framework. This is how you stop being a "candidate" and start being the "solution."

• C - Challenge: What was the problem, and more importantly, what changes did you implement to fix it? Show them you can identify problems.

• A - Action: What did you specifically do? This is where you demonstrate your future value to an employer. Show them you are a doer.

• R - Results: What was the tangible outcome? Numbers, percentages, or cultural shifts, give them the data. What improved, shifted, or was achieved

• D - Deliverable / Distinction: This is the "Ace up your sleeve." What is the one thing you can deliver that makes you distinct from every other applicant? This is how you leave a lasting impression. Show them you are unique.

I also take a moment to talk about my own "Striving & Developing" process. I’m currently deep in my dissertation (Chapters 1-3). I explain how I use Google Sheets as a reference ledger. This isn't just for academics. I explain how job seekers can use this to create a "Follow-up Engine", knowing exactly when an application closes and when to pounce on that follow-up email.

Efficiency isn't about working harder; it's about planning smarter so you can execute faster.

Episode 0.1, recorded on my commute, in between real life and real work. No studio polish. No long intro music. Just a moment, a mic, and a reason.

In this short kickoff episode, I introduce who I am, Alex B (SoBizze), career coach, educator, and PhD student in Education focused on curriculum and instruction, and why I’m starting this podcast now. Not because everything is perfectly planned, but because waiting for perfection is often what keeps us stuck.

This episode is about movement.

Side of the Mic exists because so much career advice sounds good but doesn’t always translate into something you can actually do on a Tuesday. I’ve spent years working with learners, job seekers, and professionals who don’t need more inspiration, they need structure, clarity, and small practices that build real momentum.

You’ll hear me talk about how most of us only live on our side of the mic, our experiences, our perspectives, our assumptions. But growth happens when we rotate perspectives. Future episodes will bring in academic insight, professional realities, and personal stories, including yours. The show will evolve as the listeners evolve, because careers aren’t static and learning shouldn’t be either.

A Sneak Peek at P.A.C.E. In this episode, I briefly touch upon a framework I’ve developed to ensure that "striving" actually leads to "developing." We often set goals, but we rarely set systems.

• Progress: It’s about building momentum, not just finishing. How do we stack small wins?
  

• Action: Goals must be doable. If it can’t be practiced, it’s just an idea.
  

• Connected: Your goals, skills, and experiences should link together, not live in separate boxes.
  

• Evaluated: The most forgotten step. Reflection and feedback turn effort into improvement.

This quick commute conversation is your preview of what’s coming: action-first episodes, practical tools, rotating perspectives, and clear next steps so you leave each episode knowing exactly what to do next.

Episode 0.1 is a beginning, not polished, not scripted, just real with a few “filler” words because starting messy beats not starting at all.