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The CUInsight Experience: Life is short? (#201)

“There's nothing we can do today that makes tomorrow happen exactly how we think.” - Jill Nowacki

Jill and Randy (1)

Welcome to episode 201 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your hosts, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com, and Jill Nowacki, President and CEO of Humanidei.

This episode is sponsored by Trellance. Trellance is a leading technology partner for credit unions, delivering innovative technology solutions to help credit unions achieve more. With a comprehensive suite of analytics, cloud and talent solutions, the Trellance team ensures credit unions increase efficiency, manage risk, and improve member experience.

In this season Jill and I will have conversations centered around leadership, credit unions, and living our best lives. We will have some of the most respected leaders from around credit unions who we are grateful to call friends join us in the discussion from time to time too.

A little change from the first 200 episodes. Have to keep it fresh and I think you all will find the changes entertaining. So many of the conversations and questions from the first 200 episodes came from around the island in our kitchen. So why not make it even more personal and keep microphones close by to record a couple times a month. It should be a fun season.

In this episode you will hear us reflect on the power of staying present, embracing change, and learning from the journey, regardless of whether life feels like it’s speeding by in front of you. As always, we leave you with some actionable takeaways to implement in your own leadership and life!

Whether you are in a season of big decisions or small steps, this episode is full of inspiration to help you start the year off with clarity and confidence, so join us as we kick off this new season together!



Film mentioned: Garden State
Shout-out: Natalie Portman
Shout-out: Zach Braff
Shout-out: Greg Michlig
Book mentioned: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss
Shout-out: Linda Bodie
Shout-out: ACCOSCA
Shout-out: SACCA Congress
Place mentioned: Africa
Shout-out: Kim Sponem
Shout-out: Leo Ardine
Place mentioned: Atlanta, GA
Shout-out: Southwest Airlines
Book mentioned: The 4-Hour Workweek by. Timothy Ferriss
Book mentioned: Radical Respect by. Kim Scott
Book mentioned: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Previous guests mentioned in this episode: Linda Bodie (episodes 25 & 160), Leo Ardine (episodes 21 & 150)

[01:49] – Is life short or long?
[04:06] – Jill is interested in how the belief that life is short or long affects daily decisions.
[07:01] – Businesses must adapt to unexpected events such as a pandemic.
[10:45] – Jill explores how people’s life choices are affected by beliefs about life’s length and missed opportunities.
[13:15] – It’s important to be prepared for new opportunities, even when plans change or shift unexpectedly.
[15:16] – Jill stresses the need to be flexible and take advantage of unexpected opportunities, even when they don’t align with plans.
[18:28] – Jill reflects on the opposing views of men and women regarding money and stability.
[21:37] – Randy describes his love for change, testing himself, and why it’s important to be present.
[24:53] – How does your outlook on life (short or long) affect your decisions?
[26:46] – Jill’s word for 2025 is “peace,” focusing on harmony and peace of mind.
[28:10] – The key takeaway is being present in the moment, regardless of life’s outlook.
[31:14] – Jill expresses excitement for the new podcast experiment and the relationships that will follow.