EXTRAORDINARY PURPOSE PODCAST
Episode Title: Empowering Personal Development Books for Parents & Young Adults
Hosts: Erin Verdis & Chris
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EPISODE SUMMARY
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In this episode, Erin and Chris share the personal development books that shaped who they are—and why being intentional about what you consume matters more than ever, especially for parents of teens and young adults. They talk about how negative input can drain confidence and motivation, and how empowering books (and audiobooks) can help you feel grounded, hopeful, and more connected to who you are. This conversation also kicks off a new series where they’ll share their favorite books, movies, documentaries, music, and more—so you can fill your mind with content that supports your life and your family.
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BOOKS MENTIONED
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- Conversations with God — Neale Donald Walsch
- Awaken the Giant Within — Tony Robbins
- The Let Them Theory — Mel Robbins
- The High 5 Habit — Mel Robbins
- Mindset — Carol S. Dweck
- It Begins With You: The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life — Jillian Turecki
- The Art of the Impossible — Steven Kotler
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TRANSCRIPT
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[INTRO — WELCOME + HOLIDAY ENERGY]
CHRIS:
Hello everybody, and welcome to the Extraordinary Purpose Podcast. Oh my goodness—we are so thrilled to be with you today. And hold on a second… speaking of thrilling—uh oh—here she is… the thrilling and magnificent Erin Verdis!
ERIN:
What’s up!
CHRIS:
There it is. That’s the Erin that I love and know. What’s going on.
CHRIS:
Oh—and by the way—I’m Chris.
ERIN:
And I’m Erin.
CHRIS:
And we’re Erin and Chris, and this is the Extraordinary Purpose Podcast. And boy… we are right on the cusp of the holidays.
ERIN:
Oh my gosh. The week before, right?
ERIN:
I did my traditional Christmas inventory this morning. So usually every year about now—about a week before Christmas—I shut my bedroom door, I tell everyone to leave me alone, and I dump all my Christmas shopping out on my bed. I make piles.
ERIN:
I’m one of those moms that wants to be fair and make sure everybody’s getting an equal amount of things. So I like to see what I have… and that gives me the week to grab the extra thing or two I might need.
ERIN:
Wow—I did pretty good this year. I feel pretty much done.
CHRIS:
And I know Chris is very relieved about that.
ERIN:
You seem really relieved.
CHRIS:
Of course. And that’s one way to do it, everybody. And then let me paint a picture of the other way to do it… which is… I’m still shopping.
ERIN:
Mm-hmm.
CHRIS:
I’m not necessarily as organized, but you know what? There’s some fun in that too, right?
ERIN:
There is. Yeah. There’s no real set way to do this. No judgment.
CHRIS:
No judgment. People scrambling on Christmas Eve… and I’m like, “You know what? Whatever. Good for them.” Maybe that might be me this year. So I’m definitely not going to judge.
[EPISODE TOPIC — WHY CONTENT MATTERS (FOR PARENTS + KIDS)]
CHRIS:
We have a pretty exciting topic, because this is going to set us up for something bigger that we’re going to announce at the end of this podcast.
CHRIS:
Today’s topic is: Erin and I have been in the personal development space for… how many years, babe?
ERIN:
Oh gosh… I really started my personal growth journey in my early twenties. So… 20-something years now for me.
CHRIS:
And just about the same for me—maybe a little less—but just about the same.
CHRIS:
And the reason we say that is because today’s topic is all about our favorite—absolute favorite—empowering personal development books for parents and young adults.
CHRIS:
We’re going to share books that inspired us, motivated us, helped us through challenging times, lifted us up… and honestly helped shape who we are today.
ERIN:
Chris and I—inside our program for teens and young adults—we have a ritual. Yes, we talk a lot about rituals on this podcast, but if you’re new here, we introduce a lot of different rituals to parents and young adults that we work with.
ERIN:
Rituals are habits with intention and purpose behind them.
ERIN:
One of the rituals—I named it “Standing Guard at the Gate of Your Mind.”
CHRIS:
Ooh.
ERIN:
And I may have gotten that from Tony Robbins. If so, that sounds like something he’d say, doesn’t it?
CHRIS:
It does.
ERIN:
But it also sounds like something Erin Verdis would say as well.
CHRIS:
That’s true.
ERIN:
Really what that means is: we’re talking about content.
ERIN:
We might think, “Yeah—teens and young adults—that’s important,” but it’s not just for them. It’s for all of us this day and age.
ERIN:
What are we allowing into our minds? What are we scrolling? What kind of movies, shows, and music are we letting in?
ERIN:
And are we balancing it out? It’s okay to scroll on Instagram and Facebook… but are we also reading books that fill up our cups and create transformations for us—and help us take a closer look at who we are and what’s important to us?
CHRIS:
I don’t think we appreciate how much negative content we consume. Taking inventory of that is really important—for us parents and for our kids.
CHRIS:
The vast majority is negative. And when you think about what negative content does… you stop and notice how it makes you feel.
ERIN:
Yeah… not so good.
CHRIS:
What it makes you believe—or not believe—about yourself and the world. You start comparing yourself more to others.
ERIN:
Yeah.
CHRIS:
All of these things literally hold us back, drag us down, drain our energy and motivation.
ERIN:
And it’s interesting—I didn’t even say “the news,” because Chris and I are so far removed from it. I’m not saying we don’t stay aware—Chris is better about that than I am.
ERIN:
But I truly don’t look at any news. Even if it shows up in my Facebook feed—no, no, no—I’m like, “No.”
ERIN:
A lot of people watch a lot of news, and they’re consumed by what’s going on. It’s okay to be aware… but like Chris said—so much negativity drags us down, makes us second-guess everything, puts us in fight-or-flight mode… a lot of fear.
[ANNOUNCEMENT — NEW SERIES: BOOKS, MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES, MUSIC + MORE]
ERIN:
What I love to coach on is building resources—podcasts, influencers, books, music, movies, documentaries—that are empowering and powerful.
ERIN:
And I know, Chris, we were going to wait until the end… but I knew you’d spill the beans—so we’ll spill the beans now.
ERIN:
We’re going to make this a series. Every few weeks we’ll bring different types of content: favorite movies, transformative documentaries, even music… influencers, coaches, podcasts—everything.
CHRIS:
We want to be a resource for positive content.
CHRIS:
If you start being intentional about what you’re consuming—what you’re reading, listening to, watching, who you’re following—and it’s positive people and messages… that’s going to make you feel good.
CHRIS:
That’s going to give you energy, build your belief system, and open up different possibilities for your future.
ERIN:
And what I teach is: content wires your brain. And you can rewire your brain.
ERIN:
As you introduce more positivity—more personal growth books, documentaries, movies— it makes such a difference.
CHRIS:
So today we thought we’d start by talking about the first personal development book we read that really blew the roof off… and opened up our minds to this journey.
ERIN:
Do you want me to go first or do you want to go first?
CHRIS:
I’d love for you to go first.
[BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS — ERIN’S FIRST TRANSFORMATIVE BOOK]
ERIN:
Okay. The first personal development book that really changed everything for me was Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch.
ERIN:
I always say—I remember like it was yesterday—it fell off a bookshelf into my hands. I was dating someone at the time, he had a lot of books, and this one was on the bottom… I was scrolling… and it literally tumbled out into my hands.
ERIN:
I was modeling in New York City at the time, and I could not put the book down.
ERIN:
It’s conversations Neil had with God while he was in a dark time. And I was in my first “dark night of the soul,” looking for answers—who am I, what am I doing here?
ERIN:
That book opened my mind. And at the end of the day, I think it’s not just “God”—it’s conversations with your higher power… and with your true, authentic self.
ERIN:
It helped me reflect on my life, who I am, and where I’m going.
CHRIS:
That’s how it all starts—one book leads to the next.
[BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS — CHRIS’S FIRST TRANSFORMATIVE BOOK]
CHRIS:
My first personal development book was Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins. Mid-twenties for me.
CHRIS:
It’s a big book, and I had never read anything like it before. It put words to my values… and to a feeling I’d had inside me—since high school—about who I thought I was and what I was capable of.
CHRIS:
Tony talks a lot about identity… the decisions you make and how they shape your identity… and the meaning you give to things.
CHRIS:
I grew up in a small town. That book changed how I looked at my circumstances and what was possible for me.
CHRIS:
That book set me on the journey—and led to other books—and to me getting into personal development, especially motivation.
ERIN:
It’s so fun to go back to those early stages. Everything was such a huge epiphany—an awakening.
ERIN:
And the thing about these books is: it doesn’t matter what the book is. You have to find what resonates with you and speaks to your circumstance.
CHRIS:
And guess what? There’s Google—or ChatGPT—to help you find what you need.
ERIN:
Every book you read—you learn something. You grow. Then it fires off a signal to take the next step.
[READING VS. AUDIOBOOKS — MAKING IT REAL FOR BUSY PARENTS]
ERIN:
I love to read actual books… but I went through a phase raising kids where it was harder to read consistently.
ERIN:
And what I found is audiobooks. I’ve gotten a little addicted to listening. I’m in the car, at the gym, cleaning—headphones in.
ERIN:
If you’re listening thinking, “I never have time to read”—audiobooks are incredible.
[BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS — MEL ROBBINS: LET THEM + HIGH 5]
ERIN:
So I’m on the topic of Mel Robbins. This past year I listened to The Let Them Theory.
ERIN:
It’s about letting go of the need to blame other people, the need to be right, and the story of “If my life hadn’t gone this way…”
ERIN:
It’s about getting your power back—recognizing you are responsible for your life.
ERIN:
The caveat is: “Let them”… and then “Let me.”
Let them be who they are… and let me decide what I’m going to do next.
ERIN:
The other book I loved—maybe even more—was The High 5 Habit.
ERIN:
It’s about self-love and self-acceptance. She teaches a simple practice: you look at yourself in the mirror and high-five yourself.
ERIN:
But the deeper point is: changing your relationship with yourself—letting go of self-judgment and self-sabotage.
ERIN:
I was at the gym on the elliptical at the end of the book, sobbing. It had that big of an impact.
CHRIS:
The books we read become part of our identity and influence us in ways we don’t fully understand.
[BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS — MINDSET (CAROL DWECK)]
CHRIS:
One of the most impactful books for me is Mindset by Carol Dweck.
CHRIS:
She explains the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
CHRIS:
If you want to embrace personal development, you have to cultivate a growth mindset: the belief that you can learn, grow, and become what you want to become.
CHRIS:
She also talks about how we talk to ourselves—the language we use—often holds us back. And we don’t even notice we’re doing it.
CHRIS:
The truth is: it’s not always something external that changes your life. It’s inside of you—when you get intentional about cultivating what you need.
ERIN:
Sometimes it’s the simplest little shifts that make all the difference. I was exhausted this morning, then I shifted my mindset—and I literally got energized.
CHRIS:
One of my first mentors was a psychologist, and he said the reason we don’t do things is because our mind overcomplicates it.
CHRIS:
The answer is to make it as simple as possible. Life coaching breaks big goals and big problems into manageable steps.
[BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS — IT BEGINS WITH YOU (JILLIAN TURECKI)]
ERIN:
One more book—It Begins With You by Jillian Turecki: “The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life.”
ERIN:
I loved it because it isn’t just about finding love—it’s about falling in love with yourself first.
ERIN:
I’m a huge proponent of this in parenting: it begins with you at home. You start—and your kids follow.
ERIN:
This book shares stories and case studies, and it’s a spiritual and holistic approach to meaningful relationships.
ERIN:
I want my kids to read this someday. Before looking externally for love, it starts with learning how to love yourself.
[BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS — FLOW + FOCUS (THE ART OF THE IMPOSSIBLE)]
CHRIS:
One more from me: The Art of the Impossible by Steven Kotler.
CHRIS:
Flow is that state where you feel amazing, you’re doing amazing, and you’re getting extraordinary results.
CHRIS:
What I love is that the path to flow is focus—and distractions like phones and social media make focus harder than ever.
CHRIS:
Steven breaks down the ingredients to design a process to get into flow.
CHRIS:
We’ve integrated this into our coaching, because we want parents and young adults to feel good, get better results, and access their potential.
ERIN:
Even for me—reading in bed last night—every other minute I wanted to grab my phone. If we struggle, imagine what our kids go through.
ERIN:
Reading is a great way to put everything aside and focus for a little while.
CHRIS:
Steven also talks about ingredients for intrinsic motivation:
Curiosity, Passion, Purpose, Autonomy, and Mastery.
CHRIS:
That’s a powerful recipe for life.
[WRAP-UP — WHY THIS MATTERS + WHAT’S NEXT]
ERIN:
This makes me want to go back and re-read books—and maybe go to the bookstore or library over break.
CHRIS:
We’re going to keep this series going. Next up: movies.
ERIN:
I can’t wait for that one.
CHRIS:
I can’t wait to talk about Rocky and the impact it had on my life.
ERIN:
We also talk a lot about rituals. Reading is a ritual that can ground you—morning routine, evening routine, midday routine—it’s great for your wellbeing.
ERIN:
And if you’re listening thinking, “I’d give anything if my kids would pick up a book”—you’re not alone. The best thing you can do is model it.
ERIN:
Let them see you reading. Let them hear audiobooks in the car. They’re paying attention.
ERIN:
I didn’t even start loving reading until my early twenties—when personal growth books blew my mind.
CHRIS:
I just smiled imagining River with Kendrick Lamar in one ear and Mel Robbins in the other.
ERIN:
Oh my gosh—speaking of River, he got his first car yesterday. That’s a milestone. He worked hard and saved for that.
CHRIS:
Kudos to River. And we hope you have milestones to look forward to too.
ERIN:
Hope you’re having a great holiday season. Do some inventory—see where you are with your Christmas shopping.
CHRIS:
Don’t be like Chris and wait until Christmas Eve… or be like Chris and be spontaneous and creative and fly by the seat of your pants.
ERIN:
I love you, honey.
CHRIS:
Love you too.
CHRIS:
Alright everybody—have a great week. Make sure you tune in next week. We’re gearing up for a special episode on creating impactful goals for 2026.
ERIN:
So excited. Bye guys—have a great week.
CHRIS:
Bye.
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END OF TRANSCRIPT
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