Ever feel that quiet tug that it’s time for a change, but you’re not sure where to start?

I sit down with Anzar Khaliq, a physicist turned educator and Chief Learning Officer at San Francisco Bay University, to unpack what it really means to reinvent yourself. Anzar shares the three signals that it’s time for growth and how curiosity, humility, and self-awareness can help you move toward something more aligned and fulfilling. We explore how design thinking, iteration, and divergent thinking can guide not just your work, but your whole life.

If you’ve been craving a reset or simply want to grow with more intention, this conversation will inspire you to pause, reflect, and design your next chapter with purpose.

Key Takeaways:

Reinvention is essential for personal growth.

Listening to the world helps identify the need for change.

Self-awareness is a starting point for reinvention.

Understanding different life domains can aid in self-discovery.

Curiosity about oneself is crucial for growth.

Experimentation allows for exploration of new possibilities.

Intellectual humility fosters openness to new ideas.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:32 Recognizing the need for change

05:04 Anzar’s journey

06:08 The importance of self-understanding

08:36 Lessons from Design Your Life class

14:57 Embracing open-mindedness

19:16 Convergent & Divergent thinking

23:17 Balancing work and life

27:31 Navigating information overload

31:25 Exploring new versions of yourself

Connect with Anzar:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anzarkhaliq/

Connect with Me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyannclark08/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingthinkers/

Building Thinkers Newsletter: https://building-thinkers.kit.com/24cdc43dcf

More About Building Thinkers:

I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.

And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.

If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.

Already set goals at the end of last year or still figuring things out now? Either way, this is your reminder that it’s not too late to do this well.

I’m sharing the three biggest things I’ve learned about goals over the years, pulled straight from the process I use myself and the goal guide I created, because the how matters just as much as the what. We start with reflection (yes, even if the year was messy), then zoom out using both structured and big-picture thinking so you can actually see what you want more of and less of in your life.

And finally, we get practical by connecting goals to the habits that make them real, because visions don’t happen without systems. If you want your goals to feel grounded, meaningful, and actually doable this year, this episode will help you reset without starting over.

Key Takeaways:

Don’t just set goals. Pause first and reflect on the wins, challenges, and lessons from your past year.

Combine structured thinking with big-picture dreaming to see your life clearly across all areas.

Your goals are only as strong as the habits and systems that support them.

Small, intentional actions can create domino effects that transform multiple areas of your life.

Experiment with your goals and habits. There’s no single “perfect” way, just what works for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:17 The step most people miss that changes everything

06:04 See your life in new ways to plan better

10:15 Habits that actually make big goals possible

13:35 Experiment and create a system that sticks

Resources Mentioned:

Download the 2026 Goal Guide

Get Fresh Blueprints for Thought

Connect with Me:

Instagram

LinkedIn

More About Building Thinkers:

I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.

And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.

If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.