#132 Vision board to reality: How to actually achieve your most ambitious goals with Denise Kenny Byrne (The Head Plan)

Lucy Gernon (00:00.476)
Denise, you are very welcome to the 3SIXTY LeadHERship Podcast. Thank you for being here today.

Denise (00:06.862)
Lucy, thank you so much for having me. This has been a long time coming, so I’m thrilled to finally sit in and have the chats.

Lucy Gernon (00:11.644)
I know. I know. my God. So for anyone listening, Denise, I would have been in touch with Denise a lot, I think in my early, when I kind of started the business three, four years ago and we were supposed to like meet a couple of times and then the stars just didn’t align. So this is our first time properly sitting down to have a chat. So I’m so grateful that you’re here, ready to inspire our listeners today.

Denise (00:36.75)
Lucy, thank you so much. Now, let’s be honest, we had a little wobble with Covid in the middle, so it wasn’t just us to blame as to why we couldn’t meet up. But look, we’re here now. We’re here now. Love what you’re doing and what you’re all about. So I’m thrilled to be here.

Lucy Gernon (00:46.812)
Yeah, exactly.

thank you, thank you, right back at you. So do you wanna introduce yourself or anyone who is listening who may not know who you are? Tell us who you are, what you do, what you’re all about. Yeah.

Denise (01:01.006)
Yes, so I am Denise. You might know me online as Denise Kenny -Burn. I am the co -founder of a brand, a personal development wellness brand called The Head Plan, which we launched in 2019. I am happily married to my co -founder, Kieran.

And I just had a little girl in the last, she’s 13 months now, the time is flying by. So I had a little girl 13 months ago. And yeah, I guess I’m probably most well known for sharing online, juggling life, business and my passion for personal development and wellness.

Lucy Gernon (01:44.06)
Amazing. So talk to me about the head plan. I know a lot of my 360 leaders club ladies are listening and they’re like, the head plan. They are all obsessed because I’ve been recommending it for so long and it’s making such a huge difference. So tell us a little bit about the head plan and in particular, the productivity and wellness journal.

Denise (02:03.118)
So the head plan is, I say the head plan is like my first baby before Charlotte was born, but the head plan is something that’s so important to me. So just a little bit of background. I was in a corporate world for a long time and very much focused on those, hitting those career goals and climbing that career ladder and very, very ambitious. Now I still am very ambitious, but in a different way.

And I think what I learned when I was climbing that career ladder was I was in this toxic cycle of work hard, burn out, go on holiday and repeat that so many people are in. And I was really only setting goals in one area of my life and it was career and everything else was burning around me. And there wasn’t really a realization of this until my husband, Ciarán, got sick and.

There was a realisation when everything had to stop and I had to look after him that I was just focusing on my career. I wasn’t focusing on the other areas of life. I’d always been interested in life coaching. I’ve subsequently trained as a life and wellness coach and I just became really passionate about setting goals in a balanced way. So not just career. It’s fantastic to have career goals, but like we can’t just think about one area of our life to succeed.

So I created this method, the head plan method for myself and Ciarán during his recovery in a way that we lean on the wheel of life and we set goals in a balanced way. So there’s six head plan headings pillars, we call them, and we set goals under the six pillars. We get visual as to what those goals look like on our vision board.

Lucy Gernon (03:24.444)
So I created this message, the head time message for myself.

Lucy Gernon (03:33.404)
and we set goals in a balanced way. So there’s six head -on headings, pillars we call them. And we set goals.

We get visual as to what those goals look like on our vision board. We then break them.

Denise (03:47.79)
We then break them down into smaller steps and align our actions day in and day out. And that is what the head plan is all about. It’s about you writing it down and making it happen. Write it down and make it happen is our tagline. And I’m so passionate about that.

Lucy Gernon (03:52.796)
day in and day out. And that is what the Head Plan is all about. It’s about you writing it down and making it happen. Writing it down and making it happen is our tagline and I’m so passionate about that. And what makes you so passionate about writing it down? What’s different about writing down your goals versus having them in your head?

Denise (04:12.95)
So before I started the head plan, I was always perplexed. And I don’t know if you are, if you probably feel the same, Lucy, because I know we’re in the same kind of space, but so many people to start do not set goals, which to me is wild. So there’s numerous studies that says 97 % of the global population do not set goals. The 3 % that actually think about their goals, only 1 % write them down.

There’s a phenomenon when you take the pen to paper and actually sit with yourself, your thoughts, and really get clear on what you want. It really brings it to the front of the mind. The brain, as you know, it brings it to the pre -frontal cortex. And it really, it’s like a contract you’ve written to yourself and your brain filters out.

anything that isn’t related to that. So it makes it easier to say no to anything that isn’t that. So if you have a goal set and you’ve written it down, it makes it easier to just go after that, align your actions, you’re clear, you know what you want. You’re not getting caught up in other people’s plans. I feel so many people are caught up in other people’s plans and goals and they don’t even realise it.

Lucy Gernon (05:29.34)
Absolutely. my God. Sing it sister. I know that study you’re talking about as well. I think they saw the of the 1 % that write down their goals. It was at Harvard that did it. They were like 10 times more successful. They earned 10 times more money.

Denise (05:38.862)
You’re 40. Yeah. No, you’re 40. When you write down your goals, when you’re in that 1 % club, which we are, you are 42 % more likely to achieve.

Lucy Gernon (05:51.964)
42%. So what do you think? So yeah, a million percent I see this and that’s why I love like when I like my business is all about 360 degree success. So it’s about having success in all areas, not just career. But when you ask people about writing down their goals, sometimes people really struggle. That’s the number one struggle I hear too is like, I don’t know what I want. So how would you recommend someone begin to get clear on what they want?

Denise (06:13.966)
Yeah.

Denise (06:19.598)
I think the first thing that we do in our journal is really important because it brings clarity and that’s reflection. I think as much as coaching is about looking forward, I do think you do need to do an assessment of the here and now to be really clear on where you are, because it does bring awareness. So under our pillars, we reflect. So where are you currently in finance? When you take a deep dive on where you currently are in finance,

it does allow you to then see, OK, this is where I am. This is where I’d like to be. And then get a little bit clearer on your goals. So the first part of goal setting for me is reflection. So reflect under your goal headings to see where you are in order to see where you want to be. And I will say as well, Lucy, goals like I’m I’m not afraid to set big goals that scare me. I think a lot of people are.

I wouldn’t be afraid. I would go big and I’d take the time and do it over the course of a couple of hours, a couple of days, a couple of weeks. Your goals can interchange with life, but I think just have fun with it.

Lucy Gernon (07:27.836)
interchange with life.

Yeah, absolutely. I think so many people just like they take they take it so seriously, their career in particular, like you said. But actually, there’s a whole yeah, I was a million percent as well, too. Like, but I love what you were saying there about like the the vision board. So I’m literally looking at my vision board now and I’m like, I see my four Forbes is on it right beside Dubai and that’s crazy. I didn’t realize that I went to Dubai. Actually, the month I had was my Forbes feature in January because.

Denise (07:39.47)
Yeah, I was lost.

Denise (07:59.982)
Amazing.

Lucy Gernon (08:01.212)
It’s so important to actually visually see it. So we know the brain has that process of value tagging and all that kind of good stuff. What, like from a vision board perspective, I know in the head plan, you’ve got like a page to do your vision board, but like, how do you create your vision board? Why should people create a vision board? What’s it all about?

Denise (08:06.894)
Yes.

Denise (08:18.158)
So vision boarding is so important and I actually talk about it a lot and I pull back from talking about it because vision boarding is something that we’re very passionate in the head plan and we’re trying to make something happen. So I create a vision board every year and I interchange different things throughout the year as well. But a vision board acts as a visual cue throughout the day. Like.

Ideally, you want to be able to glance at your vision boards multiple times a day to really reactivate that reticulator activation system at the front of the brain. And again, remind you of what you’re working towards. Feel those bursts of most motivation, inspiration and know that they’re there and you’re aligning your actions to make it happen and feel the excitement of creating a vision board.

Lucy Gernon (09:08.476)
excitement of creating a vision.

Denise (09:10.83)
And I’m so passionate about you’re the author of your own life story and you hold the pen. Like create your vision board and absolutely make it happen and feel the excitement. So I when I’m vision boarding, I vision board in a way that I journal. So for me personally, I section my vision vision board into the head plan pillars and I add one in a shooting star one, I call it. So I have my finance.

Lucy Gernon (09:12.892)
you’re the author of your own life story and you hold…

like create your vision board and absolutely make it happen and feel the excitement. When I’m vision boarding.

Denise (09:39.502)
visual representation of my goals, my business and career, my friends and family, my personal development and learning, my physical environment and my shooting star. And I plan under those things and just have visual representation.

Lucy Gernon (09:53.052)
What’s the shooting star? Now this is a new concept. What’s your shooting star?

Denise (09:56.366)
Yeah, so shooting there for me is something that might necessarily fit under a pillar, but it’s something that I’m working towards. Like it like it like it could be anything, but it might necessarily fit under a pillar.

Lucy Gernon (10:04.124)
Like a big thing, like, or anything.

Lucy Gernon (10:12.348)
I love that. my God. We are Hard to Hear First girls. We are going to take Denise’s method. I love that.

Denise (10:17.486)
You can define your shooting star. Yeah, you can define what your shooting star is. But it is important, Lucy, like the method of goal setting within the head plan, that you don’t just make a vision board for one area of your life. Like that whole 360 approach that you’re so passionate about. It’s a vision board for life.

Lucy Gernon (10:20.54)
Aww.

Lucy Gernon (10:36.124)
Yeah, amazing. And you spoke about something really, really important. So girls, if anyone’s multitasking, please come back to me for this bit. This is super important. You said about aligned action. So explain what aligned action means and what stops people from taking that action.

Denise (10:47.79)
Yeah.

Denise (10:51.534)
Yeah, so.

Denise (10:55.79)
Yeah, so aligning your actions is something that I’ve really had to learn the hard way throughout my career journey. And it’s something I’m very passionate about now. So aligned action or inspired action is directly aligning actions to your overall vision or your goals, like the steps, like think of it as like the staircase up to the goal. Aligned actions are the steps up to the goals. So if your goal is to…

Lucy Gernon (11:18.428)
Mm -hmm.

Denise (11:26.03)
let’s say, get a mortgage. One of your steps might be to assess your finances. Another step might be, another aligned action might be meet a number of banks. Another aligned action might be decide what bank you want to go for your mortgage application with. Another step might be fill in the application form. So they’re all aligned actions to the bigger goal. And that’s so important because like what I said,

So many of us get caught up in other people’s plans, other people’s goals, and we become their stepping stones to their goals and we’re not thinking about our own. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (12:02.94)
Amen. Amen. You’re making me think actually about I was on a call with my some of the girls in 360 leaders club yesterday and one of the ladies was trying to make a decision based on whether or not she did this particular thing and work or not. So the very first question I asked her was like, well, is this aligned to your goal and your vision and where you’re going? And I think when you’re able to do that, it makes decision making so much easier.

Denise (12:12.654)
Yeah.

Denise (12:28.014)
so much easier Lucy and I know I’ve said it already but when you’re crystal clear and you have your vision and you know what your goal is it makes it easier to say absolutely no to anything that isn’t a stepping stone to this.

Lucy Gernon (12:41.916)
And what makes people do you think like, because obviously I’d see it too, like you hear a lot of women with like mom guilt. So say I’ll have people who will, you know, they’ll really want to maybe do something in their career, but then they feel like they’re never doing enough with their children. Right. And then all this guilt fits in. You know, they’re not helping my family and I’m not doing this for other people. And, you know, I was actually teaching last week about the sailboat metaphor in positive psychology. It’s a beautiful metaphor if you don’t know what it’s gorgeous. And

Denise (12:49.774)
Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (13:09.98)
It’s based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, but it’s a more modern day version. And one of the things is that, you know, you represent the boat, which is like your security, your needs, all of that good stuff. The sails are like your values, your strengths. You’ve got your compass and all that good stuff. But in any ocean, you’ve got other people on their boats too. And so many of us try to steer other people’s boats and try to get on other people’s boats and try to help other people on their boats.

Denise (13:31.438)
Hmm.

Denise (13:39.502)
So true.

Lucy Gernon (13:39.58)
But it’s about coming back to our own ship and being like captain of our own ship. So how do you like there’s so many wonderful women in particular just I think are such nurturers and are so helpful. How do you like navigate that like that balance of trying to be captain of your own ship, achieve everything that you’ve achieved in the head plan? We haven’t even talked about that yet. And then not worry so much about all of this stuff over here.

Denise (13:49.902)
Yeah. Yeah.

Denise (14:04.758)
I think, you know, just before we went on air, you were asking me how I was. I’m obviously a new mam. Well, how long do you say a new mam? I’m 13. I’m a mam for 13 months. And it was a difficult journey to get into motherhood, I might add as well. So I feel like even my journey into motherhood, I was kind of stepping in and I had to re -prioritise a lot of things. I will say, Lucy, on something that we said before I came on air when you asked how I was.

I think it’s just a season. I think to remind women that for me personally, I do find motherhood a juggle, a challenge, but equally so rewarding and probably one of my most important jobs in my life. But I remind myself that it’s just a season and the time is going by so fast. And…

I have learned to re -prioritize and maybe goals that I set before she was born, because I naively thought she’d slot in. I bring her to that event and I do this and the other with her. I’ve learned to accept that maybe some of the dates that I had set before she was born need to be pushed out and just a re -prioritization. Ma ‘am guilt is real. I’ve absolutely felt it and I continue to feel it.

weekly, if not on a daily basis. And I think it’s something to just, especially like women, particularly within Ireland are so supportive and anyone that’s in this hood of motherhood will support you in saying the way you feel is so normal. And we put so much pressure on ourselves to achieve, but we’re comparing ourselves to people that mightn’t be in the season we’re in at this moment. And we shouldn’t be comparing ourselves anyway, but.

Lucy Gernon (15:45.948)
the way you feel is so normal and we put so much pressure on ourselves to achieve.

Denise (15:58.606)
Maybe just stay in your own lane, stay in your own season and appreciate it for what it is.

Lucy Gernon (15:58.908)
Maybe just say in your own name, say in your own season and appreciate it for what it is. Yeah, I love that, that whole concepts of seasons. And you’re so right, because like I have three kids and my eldest is 16 now. He started his first job and I still look at him like a little two year old. And you know, people say this to you and people are going to tell you this all the time. They told me it goes so fast and you’re like, you know, what is it? The days are the days are or what is it? The.

Denise (16:19.79)
Bye.

Denise (16:25.39)
The nights are long but the years are short. Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that a lot. I’m like, I’m not over it.

Lucy Gernon (16:27.708)
That’s the one. Like, and you’re like, yeah, speed it up a little, please. But they really are. And I’m just like, it is, you know, but it’s just the balance and the juggle of life. And I think it’s about, you know, celebrating all you do as opposed to always looking at, I didn’t get this done or I’m a bad mom or I didn’t get this done in the business.

Denise (16:44.778)
Yes. And that, yeah, that comparison is very difficult as well. We are, it’s, we’re just programmed that way. We’re constantly looking around and comparing to Lucy’s doing amazing and like 360 is taking off and I’m currently in a fog and I’ve probably slowed down a lot more of the head plan than I would have liked.

Lucy Gernon (16:54.844)
Mmm.

Denise (17:14.35)
I definitely would have liked to be at a different stage with a number of projects, but I’m in a different season.

Lucy Gernon (17:22.94)
Yeah, and like you’re in a very, very important season, like the most, you know, exactly. You’ll never get it back. So it sounds like you have your priorities right for sure. So I’d love to know Denise, obviously, like, you know, this show is a lot about leadership and business. So I, you know, you and I are both very aligned when it comes to like women supporting women. And I know you’ve spoken a lot about, you know, you’ve got a lot of support from the business community in Ireland.

Denise (17:25.966)
Yeah, and I’ll never go to class again. Yeah. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (17:47.388)
But can you think about maybe one woman in particular throughout your life doesn’t have to be in business who had a really big impact on you and why.

Denise (17:56.078)
Yeah, so it’s most definitely my mom because I feel everything that I’m doing now has been inherited in me through my mom. So I was quite an anxious child growing up and my mom was very much into a holistic way of living and she’s so calm, so relaxed.

wonderful, wonderful mother, an amazing woman and someone you always want to have in your corner. And as a really anxious child, she introduced me to different tools like journaling, like meditation, affirmations, just different things to help me at that time in my life to build up my toolkit. And that is the toolkit that I continuously open still to this day. And that is the toolkit I’m so passionate about others making sure they have.

Lucy Gernon (18:45.436)
I bet and how like what is she like now like, you know, seeing what you’ve achieved?

Denise (18:51.95)
And so my mom most definitely has had the most amazing impact, not only on my life, but my career and this business that we’ve built today.

Denise (19:07.022)
she’s so proud and you know, like, I don’t…

Lucy Gernon (19:12.22)
Like when you were on Dragons Den, we haven’t even talked about that. You’re probably sick talking about it, but I can just imagine if it was you and Charlotte, can you imagine you seeing her on BBC?

Denise (19:15.47)
Yeah.

Denise (19:21.966)
I can’t imagine. I can’t imagine. And you know, I’m a great one for telling people in interviews how wonderful and amazing she is. And you know, I rang her last night and I was having a chat with her, but I probably don’t tell her enough. I send her the interviews. I probably don’t tell her enough, but she’s amazing. And she’s so, so proud. And she listens to every interview I do, every podcast, every clipping. She’s so proud.

Seven kids though, so she’s a lot to be proud of, yeah.

Lucy Gernon (19:53.148)
So if your mama’s listening now, what do you want to tell her?

Denise (19:56.59)
I’m just so grateful for everything that you’ve ever taught me. And she’s still Lucy, she’s still my therapist, my coach. I ring her all the time. She’s always there. And yeah, I’m just so grateful for everything.

Lucy Gernon (20:11.772)
love it, love it, love it, love it, love it. So I want to ask you as well. Yeah, so I know you are big into your rituals and I know you’re big into, you know, all the tools that you use, which are just, you know, I think sometimes people, because spell it when people come to me, they expect some sort of a, that transformation is something that’s going to be a big change. But to me, it’s like all about small daily habits and creating success.

Denise (20:37.806)
Thank you.

Lucy Gernon (20:38.908)
So what is your, would you say is your number one habit for the success you’ve created in your business and in your life?

Denise (20:45.614)
So there’s two, there’s two, there’s two that go hand in hand. So first of all is writing it down. So journaling has been, it’s been a constant in my life and the way I journal now is everything to me and it’s everything to the community that I’ve shared the method with. So journaling is number one, but number two and journaling kind of falls into this is showing up for myself.

Lucy Gernon (20:47.74)
It’s okay.

Denise (21:13.518)
and showing up for myself before I have to show up for so many other people. That can mean different things to different people. I’m obviously currently in that season of foggy motherhood. And one thing that I do is Charlotte wakes at about seven, if I’m lucky, and I’m back in the 5 a club and I show up for myself for those two hours before Charlotte wakes. So I do the things that…

I know will allow me to be the best version of myself that day to everybody else and myself. And that is journaling, reading. I meditate. I try and do a small bit of physical exercise. I nourish with a good breakfast. I hydrate with my daily drench. And I just set myself up for the day, go through my journal and my goals. I remind myself and.

Lucy Gernon (21:47.708)
is journaling, reading, I meditate, I try and do a small bit of physical exercise, I nourish with a fourth breakfast, I hydrate with my daily drench and I just set myself up for the day, go through my journal and my goals.

Denise (22:07.054)
glance at my vision board as to, okay, what steps am I going to take today? What actions am I going to align and how am I going to make it happen? That for me is fundamental to me and how I live.

Lucy Gernon (22:07.824)
Hmm. Unlike the 5am club, I know, I think didn’t you have that? I think I was at you, I’m pretty sure it was you who shared that book and I think you did it last year. So how like do you do it every day? Like do you literally every single day do that ritual or is there some days that you’ll…

Denise (22:28.846)
Yeah, howl l -roads. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (22:36.348)
Like, be like, I’m tired.

Denise (22:37.166)
Absolutely not, guys. I’ve only been able to rejoin the 5am club in the last two months, I’d say, because, like, I have a 13 -month -old. She is the star of the show and the dictator as to how I wake and everything. So she’s only been sleeping well the last two months. And in those two months, yes, there still is noise that she wakes. She might be teething or something. And then it just goes on the back.

the back foot, the 5am club. But that doesn’t mean showing up for myself because on the back foot, I still absolutely always make time to show up for myself, even if it’s only a five minute meditation on my own, even if it’s habit stacking and doing a mindful meditation while I’m cleansing my skin or doing my makeup, even if it’s practicing the affirmations in the car on the drive into the office. And if it’s

grabbing the few pages or listening to a podcast that might take me a week to finish, but I’m listening back and forth to the office. Those little things, if I could give anyone advice on how to show up for yourself, I would make a list of things that help you fill your cup and make you feel good about you and make a list of them and see how you can even have it stack them into your day if you don’t have the joy of having a 5 a ritual.

Lucy Gernon (24:00.284)
Amazing. I know there’s going to be so many moms in particular who will absolutely love that. And I think, you know, what’s so important as well is that sometimes we think, you know, we have to do, we have to meditate for 20 minutes. It’s literally like you said, it’s like maybe just being more mindful when you’re actually cleansing your face in the morning or.

Denise (24:12.686)
No.

Denise (24:16.238)
Yeah, have a shower and like have a mindful shower. So deep breathe in the shower. Meditation isn’t sitting and floating on a rock. Meditation is being mindful of your breath and not emptying your mind, but being mindful of your breath and mindful of your thoughts. But taking those mindful moments is meditation, you know.

Lucy Gernon (24:24.796)
Mmm.

Lucy Gernon (24:38.844)
Yeah, yeah. I think it’s just about being intentional about being present with yourself. And I think no matter whether it’s driving and looking out the window at a tree and just going, taking in the beauty or whatever it is. So I love that you’re able to, you’re sharing that too. So onto books, leaders are readers. I know you’re a big book fan and I know you, there’s one book actually that you introduced me to. I’m not going to say it in case it’s the one, mightn’t be. That, what’s?

Denise (24:43.022)
Yes. Yes.

Denise (24:51.278)
Thank you.

Denise (24:55.914)
Love you. Love you.

Denise (25:05.454)
There’s so many books though and I’m like, I think I know what book you’re talking about. I don’t. I don’t. Yeah, go on.

Lucy Gernon (25:07.708)
I’m so sorry.

Lucy Gernon (25:12.892)
Now, I’m not going to say, but what is like if there was one book or two, and I know you could probably list 10. She’s like, nearly have an hour stack here. That had a really big impact that like was a transformational experience for you that you went, that’s why or my God, I’m doing this. Like what’s one that really had a huge impact?

Denise (25:21.902)
day.

Denise (25:33.422)
So Lucy, I actually, one of the first blog posts I wrote before I launched the head plan, because I’m so passionate about sharing things like this for other people, because I do believe like yourself, the right book can land with you at just the right time and it can actually be life changing. Same with podcasts. But there are so many books. This is so difficult, but I am going to share a book. It’s probably the one you’re thinking of. I got to share a book that I think everyone,

should read, particularly women in leadership. And that is the chimp paradox. Is that what you were going to say? So the chimp paradox. Yeah, Professor Steven Peters, isn’t it? It is hands down a book that every woman in leadership should read because it breaks down the brain, how the brain actually works.

Lucy Gernon (26:07.676)
yeah yes so check out box

Lucy Gernon (26:15.164)
Mm -hmm.

Denise (26:27.886)
It makes you think if you’re in control, your brain or if your ego is in control. And not only that, it allows you to recognise it in other people and it allows you to stop, reflect and respond and not react. And responding and not reacting is a very much learned approach to living, but it is a life changing when you learn how to do it. And that is where real growth is, in my opinion.

Lucy Gernon (26:42.588)
Mm -hmm.

Lucy Gernon (26:53.212)
Absolutely.

Denise (26:57.454)
that response as opposed to reaction. And when you read that book, you’ll become so, so aware of not only future incidences as you come up against them, but you will read that book and I know you will look back on different things and you’ll be like, that was my chimp or that was someone else’s chimp at that time. It is eye opening and please read it. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (27:22.268)
Yeah, I will link it in the show notes. Go on.

Denise (27:25.294)
It’s so good. So that’s definitely one. But can I say another one as well? Because I know a lot of people when they hear the 5am club, there is a bit of an eye roll and distress. Yeah, so distress. You can do a morning ritual in five minutes if you want. It doesn’t have to be a big glorious ride I have till 7am and Charlotte wakes and these are the things I do. That’s what works for me.

Lucy Gernon (27:29.244)
Of course you can, of course.

Lucy Gernon (27:36.06)
That’s me, I’m like 5am is the time I used to get home from night clubs, not the time I get up anymore.

Denise (27:54.766)
However, The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod will totally change your opinion on how you can transform your life at 5 a And really, the level of your personal success is linked only to the personal development you do on yourself.

And for me, that 5am club is a huge part of my personal development. And I know if I don’t do that, I won’t personally succeed in different areas of my life. So Hal Elrod has a really interesting approach to the 5am club. It’s called the Miracle Morning. He has savers, it’s called. So I won’t go through them all now, but he has a list of things that he recommends you do in the morning. You can adjust them to yourself. But it’s very well written in the sense that really does.

plant that seed and it makes it harder to hit this news button after you read it. So I highly recommend, it’s very motivating.

Lucy Gernon (28:50.956)
Yeah, and I think, you know what, like, because like you are so successful in your business, you really are, like you should be so proud of everything that you’ve achieved and also like the impact you’re making in the world. But one thing I’ve because I’ve studied, I was obviously in corporate as well, and I’ve studied like successful entrepreneurs like yourself and like, you know, I’m comparing you to Stephen Bartlett now as well. Like, and that’s who’s, you know what I mean? But like the big entrepreneurs in the world. And if you look at Tony Robbins, if I look at any of those, you know, Oprah, all those people.

Denise (28:59.566)
Thank you so much.

Denise (29:20.59)
They all have.

Lucy Gernon (29:20.668)
They all have focus on their personal professional development. They all focus on their rituals. They all have do mindset work. They all meditate. They all exercise. So.

Denise (29:24.942)
Yeah.

Yes.

It’s going back to the head plan piece that I said, I was so focused on my career. Yes, I was growing in my career, but I was miserable outside work before the head plan. Like there was absolutely no balance. And Stephen Bartlett.

Lucy Gernon (29:43.644)
Yeah.

Denise (29:47.79)
I’m actually reading his book at the moment, 33 Laws of Business and Life. And one of his first law is how you need to fill five cups in order to succeed. And the five cups are, it’s very similar to the head plan method. He obviously got the journal and ripped it off. How dare he? But yeah, it’s very similar. It’s the pillars. It’s basically a need to fill each pillar. But one of the first pillars,

Lucy Gernon (30:04.316)
Just took off a pillow like and just turn him into cups.

Denise (30:17.582)
which is the most important, is that personal development pillar. Like you need to continuously work on yourself. It’s an everyday job.

Lucy Gernon (30:20.764)
Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (30:25.212)
Absolutely, absolutely. And I think so many women in the career space for sure. Like that’s the thing for anyone listening who’s in particular maybe who’s listening, who’s trying to break through to kind of maybe more senior management in a company or whatever, whether you’re an entrepreneur or not. What got you to where you are now is not going to get you there. And it’s like who was it Kevin O ‘Leary I saw last night, it was on some reel. He was saying, you know, he never hires workaholics because all the most successful people.

they do creative stuff or exercise or sport or something in their spare time because you’ve got to give that other part of your brain a break and allow those creative juices to flow, right? Like I bet all your best ideas come when you’re meditating or journaling or in the shower, they never come at the desk.

Denise (31:03.214)
Exactly. Yes. So.

Yeah, or never, never, never, never. And I find it hard to get those creative blocks in now that they actually need to be scheduled in or they’re not going to happen. And I’m happiest and most productive in work after a break, even if it’s just a block of two hours that I’ve had phone down. I put my phone down a lot, Lucy. I used to be on my social media all the time. It’s up and down now. But.

My best ideas come during phone downtime, maybe a walk with Charlotte. I could even be with Charlotte in the park. And yeah, so it’s in the stillness where the magic happens. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (31:39.868)
Mm -hmm.

Lucy Gernon (31:49.828)
my God, I love that. That’s a new quote. In the stillness is where the magic happens because so many women, definitely the women who are listening to this podcast, and that’s the corporate way in particular, is like, you know, work, work, work, work, work, work. And if you’re not at the desk or your instant message, your slack or your teams are not on, they feel guilty or that someone’s going to think they’re skiving. But actually, like all the solutions come in the space.

Denise (32:01.006)
I know.

Denise (32:07.278)
Yeah.

Denise (32:10.862)
Yeah.

Denise (32:16.014)
Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (32:16.188)
So that’s something I think is so important as well, is just allow yourself to be more instead of doing so much.

Denise (32:20.558)
Yeah, I think so many of us, particularly our generation, Lucy, because it is like you see different generations and their approach to work is very different. But our generation in particular, and I know a lot of women that are in our generation listen to this podcast, we do get caught up in that toxic productivity cycle. So you think in order to show up to be your best in your career, you have to be online and you’re green, like you said, but but

That’s it’s it’s not healthy and nothing creative can come from it. Like if anything, it creates blocks. I honestly think sometimes the most productive thing to do is nothing. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (33:01.916)
Yeah, I’m one million percent at something like I’m working on that myself a lot at the moment, slowing down. Yeah.

Denise (33:06.381)
Yeah, it’s difficult, especially for our generation. That’s what I think. I think we’ve been we’ve inherited that toxic productivity and being at the desk and and there was no hybrid working or anything when we were in the corporate world. It’s very, very different.

Lucy Gernon (33:23.964)
Yeah, no, absolutely. Absolutely. Like there’s one thing that’s coming to mind as you’re saying that as well is like we think about working the hours, right? So like that nine to five model is in place like, you know, a thousand years like to suit back in the day. Whereas I’m all about like results focused thinking. So instead of like, you know, you know, your priorities, like when people look at prioritization, sometimes it can be so difficult for them to prioritize because they prioritize based on other people’s energy.

as opposed to what’s actually going to move the needle in the business or create a result. So it’s like when you kind of give yourself permission to go, right, what are the goals or the results I want to create by the end of the week, going back to your head plan method, even around how you do your weekly goals. I love that. Like I do it on my board, but I use the way you structure it. It’s so easy to prioritize because you’re like, that’s not that’s not a tangible result. So why am I even spending time like on the phone for half an hour with something when maybe, you know, one of my team can do it or whatever. So.

Denise (34:21.55)
Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (34:21.852)
I think that’s a really important mindset shift to make as well. Okay, so I just want to ask you two just before we wrap up, I always ask my guests this, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Like what’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say that?

Denise (34:43.246)
You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start now and change the ending.

Lucy Gernon (34:48.412)
Who said that? Do you remember?

Denise (34:51.086)
I can’t remember who said it, but it’s always stuck with me. It’s actually a quote, who said it? I’ll send it to you after who said it. It’s always stuck with me. I feel like so many of us and so many people listening to this will feel, could feel trapped. And it’s like that thing I said, you’re the author of your own story and you hold the pen like.

Every moment is a new moment for you to decide how you want your life to go. And I think it’s so important to remind people of that. That feeling of trapped and you’re not on the right path, you can start paving a new path. So I’m very passionate about that. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (35:34.332)
I love that. I love that. And finally, what does success, balance and happiness mean to you?

Denise (35:41.582)
That is everything I’m about. I feel like I’ve had a lot of hard lessons on the road to find it, but I definitely, despite the fact I’m in a season, I feel like I have a level of self -awareness now I never had before and I don’t go through cycles of burn -out, work hard, repeat. I’m in a flow of more balance and self -awareness and I can adjust different things as I need and…

Lucy Gernon (35:43.9)
Mm.

Denise (36:08.206)
Success to me is balance and happiness.

Lucy Gernon (36:11.772)
Hmm. And what’s one lesson you mentioned that you’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way? Like what’s one lesson that you’ve learned that’s really supported you in your growth?

Denise (36:22.382)
One lesson I’ve learned that’s really supported me in my growth.

Denise (36:29.966)
One thing that I am still learning is, and you touched on it Lucy, is delegation. I think it’s important to delegate what you can, especially when you’re spinning numerous plates. I’ve definitely had to learn the hard way that delegation is key to growth, especially a business like ours. We are experiencing exponential growth at the moment and…

We are up 35 % on last year already, but we still have the same number of team members. So there’s probably a realization that I need to get some more key hires in to take some of the load off myself or Ciarán. So delegation has been difficult, but I think it’s essential for leadership and growth.

Lucy Gernon (37:19.612)
Yeah, amazing. It is hard to find those key hires. And I think, you know, it is really important that you find the right people. However, then sometimes I think there comes a point where you like this is what I’ve had to do in my business. Like I have what the seven on the team now. And like I one of the biggest things for me with delegation was accepting that it’s not going to be done exactly how I like it done. And I think for me.

Denise (37:39.982)
Yeah, Lucy, that’s so true. That’s what I find the most difficult. And sometimes I was in a toxic, I have a toxic trait of being like, I’ll just do it myself because I’ll get it done really quickly or I know exactly what I want it rather than spending the time to work on a brief, to help people learn the way my mind works, to help them to make a few mistakes, but to learn maybe in future what I actually like and.

Lucy Gernon (37:53.532)
Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (38:08.284)
I know it’s so hard though, but I kind of think it’s like, and I’m working on it too. And the rule I go back to in my mind is if I find myself nitpicking, and I do it, right, a lot, or I find myself going, I don’t like the way they word this, and I go, right, is it 80 % there? Is 80 % is good enough? And if it’s 80%, I’m just like, right, just let it go. It’s fine, it’s fine.

Denise (38:18.798)
Yeah, I do.

Denise (38:25.71)
That’s what.

Yeah, I’m really trying to do the same.

Lucy Gernon (38:31.74)
I know, well, look, you have to kind of get the support beneath you to be able to truly step up and lead. You can’t, unless you have somebody there to take this stuff, you can’t kind of step up. So Denise, thank you so much for all your insights. I know that my audience is going to love all of your tips. Where can people find you and the head plan?

Denise (38:38.574)
Yeah. Yeah.

Denise (38:53.55)
So we are online, www .theheadplan .com. We are on socials at The Head Plan. We have a free app, The Head Plan in the app stores. I’m on social, Denise Kenny -Burn. And yeah, that’s where you’ll find us. We’re everywhere. Yeah.

Lucy Gernon (39:10.716)
Amazing, amazing. And guys, if you don’t have the head plan, again, I link it in the show notes, you’ve got to get the Productivity Wellness Journal. It is…

Denise (39:17.646)
Actually, do you know what I’ll do Lucy? I’ll send you a sneaky discount for the show notes and I’ll tell people what I’m sharing this. Use a sneaky discount in the show notes. Cool.

Lucy Gernon (39:21.692)
We’re getting the…

amazing. Thank you so much. And anyone who joins 360Liters Club, actually, I have collaborated with you guys and I’ve got gorgeous journals with my branding on them. And I’m so excited because they look so good. So thank you so much, Denise, for being here. Thank you so much. You’re amazing.

Denise (39:35.726)
right trail.

Denise (39:41.55)
Thank you.