What if hope itself is one of the most powerful treatments we have? In this conversation, Scott sits down with Dr. Richard Bedlack: renowned neurologist, Duke ALS Clinic founder, and star of the new documentary Stitching Strength. Known for his bold blazers, rock-and-roll spirit, and groundbreaking research, Dr. Bedlack shares how fashion, curiosity, and an unwavering commitment to hope have transformed his work and his life. From his pioneering ALS Untangled and ALS Reversals programs to deeply personal lessons on joy, resilience, and gratitude, Dr. Bedlack shows us how leading with authenticity and optimism can change outcomes, both inside the clinic and far beyond.

(02:53) How fashion became Dr. Bedlack’s “suit of armor”

(07:05) Early encounters with ALS and the importance of hope

(12:38) Hope as a leadership principle

(17:38) Nutrition, rest, and routines for peak performance

(22:10) ALS Untangled: Crowdsourcing alternative treatments

(27:50) ALS Reversals: What we can learn from patients who recover

(30:58) Is hope a treatment? Exploring the biology of optimism

(37:26) Reframing setbacks into lessons

(39:43) Stitching Strength: Adaptive fashion and spiritual resilience

(44:55) What ALS has taught Dr. Bedlack about what really matters

Follow Dr. Bedlack: https://www.instagram.com/stitchingstrength/?hl=en

Check out the documentary, Stitching Strength: https://www.stitchingstrength.com/

Learn more about the Duke ALS Clinic: https://alsclinic.duke.edu/

Explore ALS Untangled: https://www.alsuntangled.com/

Ready to have the Best Life Ever? Start here: www.courses.eblingroup.com/p/best-life-ever-course

👉 Connect with Scott Eblin
Website: www.eblingroup.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scotteblin

✉️ Inquiries
For anything podcast-related: hello@besteverpodcast.com
For business or speaking inquiries: contact@eblingroup.com

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What unseen patterns can erode a leader’s clarity, confidence, and impact? Often, it’s not external obstacles but the hidden beliefs we carry. In this episode, Scott talks with executive coach, author, and Coaching Real Leaders podcast host Muriel Wilkins about the inner game of leadership.

Muriel shares her journey from fast-rising executive to sought-after coach, why she wrote her new book Leadership Unblocked, and the seven “hidden blockers” that quietly hold leaders back, including the trap of always needing to be right. Together, she and Scott explore how to shift from single-loop to double-loop learning, why curiosity is the posture that unlocks clarity, and the small but powerful routines that help leaders see themselves—and their systems—more clearly.

(05:14) What it means for leaders to be “blocked”

(09:40) Hidden blockers and the trap of “I Know I’m Right”

(14:13) Single-loop vs. double-loop learning

(17:03) The surprising blocker: “If I can do it, so can you”

(20:44) One small step to start getting unblocked

(22:00) Universal self-management challenges across sectors

(26:42) The power of curiosity: asking “what else?”

(35:33) Behind the mic: creating Coaching Real Leaders

(42:11) Revisiting Own the Room and how her view of leadership presence has evolved

(51:51) Muriel’s grounding routines: workouts, yoga, and meditation

(57:56) Looking ahead: becoming her own source of laughter

Explore Muriel’s work: murielwilkins.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/murielwilkins/

Instagram: instagram.com/coachmurielwilkins

Check out Muriel’s Podcast, Coaching Real Leaders: https://pod.link/1545444200

Ready to have the Best Life Ever? Start here: www.courses.eblingroup.com/p/best-life-ever-course

👉 Connect with Scott Eblin
Website: www.eblingroup.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scotteblin

✉️ Inquiries
For anything podcast-related: hello@besteverpodcast.com
For business or speaking inquiries: contact@eblingroup.com

📬 Get leadership insights and updates
Join the newsletter: www.eblingroup.com/sub

How do we thrive as humans in a world shaped by constant technological change? In this episode, Scott talks with Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE and ASCD, former Director of the U.S. Office of Educational Technology, and author of Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World. Richard shares how he’s navigated a career spanning classrooms, government, design thinking, and global education leadership, always with one mission: to make learning more human and more meaningful.

From practical ways to use AI as a baseline for self-management, to the nightly “rabbit hole” learning ritual he shares with his son, Richard models curiosity, empathy, and humor. This conversation explores what it means to create healthy digital cultures, the mindset shifts we need to thrive in a transformational age, and why the best leaders don’t pretend to have all the answers: they create the conditions for exploration.

(02:14) Why ISTE and ASCD merged: tools + problems finally aligned

(07:47) From Spanish teacher to education policy and IDEO design thinking

(13:54) How tech and teaching converged early in Richard’s career

(15:25) The dump truck and the sports car: Richard’s favorite analogy for AI

(23:41) Using AI for feedback, board prep, and better communication

(28:32) Are we cheating with AI or just evolving like calculators?

(34:18) Freeing time for deeper thinking and higher-order skills

(38:35) What it means to be a “better human” in digital spaces

(43:53) How to create welcoming culture online and off

(46:27) Richard’s personal routines: faith, curiosity, and rabbit-holing

(49:45) Why “screen value” matters more than “screen time”

Explore Richard’s work: iste-ascd.org/

Get the book Digital for Good: amazon.com/Digital-Good-Raising-Thrive-Online

Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rculatta/

Ready to have the Best Life Ever? Start here: www.courses.eblingroup.com/p/best-life-ever-course

👉 Connect with Scott Eblin
Website: www.eblingroup.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scotteblin

✉️ Inquiries
For anything podcast-related: hello@besteverpodcast.com
For business or speaking inquiries: contact@eblingroup.com

📬 Get leadership insights and updates
Join the newsletter: www.eblingroup.com/sub