Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! This week I enjoyed speaking with Naz Beheshti, author of the book, Pause. Breathe. Choose. and CEO of Prananaz, a corporate wellness company that improves leadership effectiveness, employee well-being, and company culture. First, Naz discusses her experience working with Steve Jobs and the valuable lessons she gained as his Executive Assistant that set forth the trajectory of her life. She shares the importance of a holistic approach to well-being, with a focus on rest and recovery. Naz provides several beautiful examples of how well-being drives success.  
 
The episode ends with the short story, Pressure Cooker, by Logan Rose. Listen as we follow a woman who lives with intention, practices self-care, and nourishes her body and mind everyday life. In order to do well, you must be well to escape the “pressure cooker” of life.  
 
IN THIS EPISODE: 

[2:02] Naz shares her experience with her first job working for Steve Jobs.  

[4:36] Is it a misconception that Steve Jobs was hard to work for?  

[7:04] Why do we need multiple areas of interest/activities to be successful? 

[11:30] How was Naz’s definition of healthy actually unhealthy?  

[13:34] Naz explains her philosophy about “doing something you love every day.” 

[17:58] What are Naz’s thoughts on children having over-packed schedules that limit boredom?  

[19:57] For a successful CEO, is this a CEO who is naturally attuned to play and recover, or does that have to be taught? 

[21:25] How does Prananaz work? 

[22:55] How was Steve Jobs so attuned to his own personal well-being? 

[25:43] How did Naz find her Exec Admin role with Steve Job as a complete accident? 

[28:58] A short story Pressure Cooker by Logan Rose 


KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

Well-being drives success. In order to do well, you must be well. Your body, mind, soul, and spirit must constantly be re-booted to be well-rounded and successful.   

Play and recovery help you show up as your best self. Think of something that makes you happy and is fun; make that activity a standing time/practice in your week. This should be non-negotiable and something you consistently do.  

Boredom invites creativity. When bored, you often find something to fill the time that brings you great joy. Take the time to get bored, get quiet, and discover what fills your cup. Life is a pressure cooker; it never slows down, so create play and well-being to control your life.  

 
Fiction Credits: 
Short story written and read by: Logan Rose 

BIO: 
Naz Beheshti (pronounced nawz beh-hehsh-tee) is the author of Pause. Breathe. Choose.: Become the CEO of Your Well-Being. She is an executive wellness coach, speaker, Forbes contributor, CEO, and founder of Prananaz, a corporate wellness company improving leadership effectiveness, employee well-being and engagement, and company culture. Clients include Google, Facebook, Nike, JPMorgan Chase, First Republic Bank, UCSF Health, and Columbia University. Her work has been widely featured in the media, including CNBC, Forbes, BBC, Yahoo, Entrepreneur, Inc., Fast Company, and many more. Naz also cofounded Rise2Shine, a nonprofit helping to alleviate the suffering of young children in Haiti.  
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Pause. Breathe. Choose.: Become the CEO of Your Wellbeing - Book