The Seven Longest Yards with Chris Norton
11/20/19 • 43 min
On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Chris Norton. Chris is a speaker, author, adoptive & foster parent. He suffered a severe spinal cord injury playing college football. However, seven years later joyfully conquered the challenge of walking his wife, Emily, down the aisle of his wedding. Chris spoke about his journey, chronicled in The Seven Longest Yards, a book he co-wrote with his wife. We also talked about being fathers, what productivity means to him, and so much more. Chris has overcome a lot and yet is incredibly productive and has an inspiring story to share. I’m pleased to be able to bring it to you on this episode of the program. Talking Points Chris shares a bit about who he is and why he no longer plays football What did it take for Chris to show resilience in the face of tragedy? This is the one thing that helps Chris stay so positive Chris tells the story of the first time he tried to take steps since the accident What primary lesson does Chris take from his football days that he applies to this day? You need to learn how to do this – something that athletes know all too well We talk about fatherhood and parenting – something Chris is incredibly passionate about Chris shares why it was key for Emily and him to write this book together What does productivity mean to Chris? Chris has a challenge for you We close out the show talking about the idea of regret... and how Chris fights back against the power of regret Chris predicts the winner of Super Bowl LIV Quote “Who needs you to keep going so that they can keep going?“ Helpful Links The Seven Longest Yards Episode 245: What Happy Successful People Do Differently with Marc and Angel Chernoff Chris on The Good Life Project with Jonathan Fields Episode 269: You Are Awesome with Neil Pasricha Episode 241: What Sports Can Teach Us About Greatness with Don Yaeger The Front Nine: How to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want ChrisNorton.org Chris on Instagram The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: Read to Lead Chris’s story is inspiring to say the least. I’m so honoured that he took the time to come on the show and share his story with me... and with you. There are plenty of lessons to be learned from his experience and how he faced it. I hope you can take any number of them and apply them to your own life. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
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On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Chris Norton. Chris is a speaker, author, adoptive & foster parent. He suffered a severe spinal cord injury playing college football. However, seven years later joyfully conquered the challenge of walking his wife, Emily, down the aisle of his wedding. Chris spoke about his journey, chronicled in The Seven Longest Yards, a book he co-wrote with his wife. We also talked about being fathers, what productivity means to him, and so much more. Chris has overcome a lot and yet is incredibly productive and has an inspiring story to share. I’m pleased to be able to bring it to you on this episode of the program. Talking Points Chris shares a bit about who he is and why he no longer plays football What did it take for Chris to show resilience in the face of tragedy? This is the one thing that helps Chris stay so positive Chris tells the story of the first time he tried to take steps since the accident What primary lesson does Chris take from his football days that he applies to this day? You need to learn how to do this – something that athletes know all too well We talk about fatherhood and parenting – something Chris is incredibly passionate about Chris shares why it was key for Emily and him to write this book together What does productivity mean to Chris? Chris has a challenge for you We close out the show talking about the idea of regret... and how Chris fights back against the power of regret Chris predicts the winner of Super Bowl LIV Quote “Who needs you to keep going so that they can keep going?“ Helpful Links The Seven Longest Yards Episode 245: What Happy Successful People Do Differently with Marc and Angel Chernoff Chris on The Good Life Project with Jonathan Fields Episode 269: You Are Awesome with Neil Pasricha Episode 241: What Sports Can Teach Us About Greatness with Don Yaeger The Front Nine: How to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want ChrisNorton.org Chris on Instagram The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: Read to Lead Chris’s story is inspiring to say the least. I’m so honoured that he took the time to come on the show and share his story with me... and with you. There are plenty of lessons to be learned from his experience and how he faced it. I hope you can take any number of them and apply them to your own life. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
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I'm trying something new with A Productive Conversation...
Starting in May 2025, you’ll be able to support the podcast directly—and help keep it focused, ad-free, and sustainable. Just visit https://aproductiveconversation.transistor.fm/support-apc and help shape what’s next.
Previous Episode
The Daily Decision with Brian Dixon
On this episode, I’m joined by Brian Dixon, the author of Start with Your People: The Daily Decision that Changes Everything. As a podcaster, conference speaker, and business coach, Brian is passionate about helping high potential leaders and teams thrive in a world of overwhelming options. Some of the things we discuss during our conversation include what people can do to make sure they are starting on the right foot with others, why putting people first plays a role in your productivity, and the things you can do so that you can start with people first. Talking Points Brian speaks about the idea of “deciding” and the concept of the daily decision The nuanced approach to creating harmony between the needs of your people and your own needs This is The One Hour Exchange... and how you make it happen in a way that works for you What steps should someone take if they want to start off on the right foot when “starting with their people” Brian loves personality tests. Here are the four he likes the best. Brian challenges you to pick one day to do this What does it mean to adopt a mentality of abundance? I learned this about Mr. Rogers What can you do to start starting with people today? Quote “The pebble rarely sees the ripple...my job is to make an impact on the people in my life and I will never necessarily know the impact that they make as a result of me impacting them. But I can hold my head up high or put my head on the pillow at night and say ‘job well done.'” Helpful Links Start with Your People: The Daily Decision that Changes Everything Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen The Clarity Sessions The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery The Wisdom of the Enneagram: The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth for the Nine Personality Types 5 AM Miracle: The Daily Decision that Changes Everything with Brian Dixon Episode 265: Bringing Gratitude with Karl Staib Brian’s Website The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: Typology I like this particular take on “people-powered productivity.” Why? Because it’s personal. Brian’s got some great ideas throughout the pages of his book and he shared quite a few during our conversation. I hope you get a lot out of it. I know that I did. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
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Starting in May 2025, you’ll be able to support the podcast directly—and help keep it focused, ad-free, and sustainable. Just visit https://aproductiveconversation.transistor.fm/support-apc and help shape what’s next.
Next Episode
Crowdsourcing Paris with J.H. Bunting
On this episode of the program I speak with J.H. Bunting about the life of a writer and the making of his ambitious new book, Crowdsourcing Paris: Memoirs of a Travel Adventure. J.H. Bunting (or “Joe” as I know him) is a bestselling writer, novelist, and a dad. He leads The Write Practice community, an award-winning community of creative writers. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Talia and three kids and enjoys coffee and corpse reviver no. 2s. Joe and I talk about the evolution of his book, the challenge of doing something different or outside of the usual path, how panic and desperation can fuel productivity, and much more. I had a great time learning about Joe’s process when building this book and I am happy to be able share our conversation with you. Talking Points Who is J.H. (Joe) Bunting? This is how he got his start What Joe discovered about the book while in Paris How important was it for Joe to take on this book – something that was different than what he’d done before Mark Twain played a role in the crafting of Joe’s book We talk about the power of patience Did every suggested challenge that Joe was asked to do while in Paris make the cut? I circle back to the idea of panic and desperation and how it can spur on productivity Does Joe believe in willpower? Joe explains how beneficial it was for his productivity while away from his usual environment Joe offers advice regarding traveling with a young family Quote “The important thing is that you’re doing the work and putting it out into the world.” Helpful Links Crowdsourcing Paris: Memoirs of a Travel Adventure World Domination Summit The Write Practice Ryan McRae’s Burn The Tavern Down The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain Episode 201: Willpower Doesn’t Work with Benjamin Hardy Episode 266: Becoming Indistractable with Nir Eyal Joe’s FREE Workation Adventure Worksheet Daddy-Daughter Day: A Workday Vlog on TimeCraftingTV The Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week: The Good Place (The Podcast) Writing a book is hard. Writing a book that falls outside of the scope of what you initially intended to write can be even harder. Joe took that on with passion and pride and the results show it. If you haven’t already picked up Joe’s book, do so now. It’s a fantastic read. Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.
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