When Does It Get Good?

E25: Managers: Let's Get Over the Fear of Giving Feedback

You can’t deny that giving feedback can feel so stressful, even for so many leaders. For Zovig Garboushian, feedback is a mirror for growth that challenges leaders to balance candor with kindness and courage. In this episode, Zovig talks about the fears—conflict, judgment, discomfort—that hold managers back and offers her own perspective to help shift the way we approach feedback. By treating it as reflective development rather than criticism, leaders can move past the discomfort and build stronger, more trusting relationships with their teams.
 
With tips like scripting conversations, embracing kindness over niceness, and inviting dialogue, Zovig breaks down how feedback can become a tool for growth rather than a dreaded task. If you’re a people manager or a leader, this episode will leave you rethinking your relationship with feedback—and ready to tackle it with confidence!
 
Quotes
“Discomfort does not equal pain or even disrespect. Discomfort can create resilience. Discomfort teaches us that we can sit through hard things.” (08:10 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“No one gets better without reflection.” (12:26 | Zovig Garboushian)
“As a manager, consider yourself an honest mirror. It’s a productive and kind way to reflect for your team.” (12:51 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“Niceness is a social convention. It’s what we do when someone asks us if we think their baby is cute. But kindness combines two qualities: respect and candor.” (14:56 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“If you come at feedback with kindness and curiosity and candor, and you genuinely want to help your team members get better, it will be received that way.” (20:15 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“You want to talk about where confidence comes from? It comes from being willing to face hard things, especially when they’re inconvenient. And feedback is never convenient. But it is required.” (21:10 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Let's Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower by Therese Huston:
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-Effective-Feedback-Superpower/dp/0593086627
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E24: Feedback Isn't Optional If You're Serious About Getting Better

“Without feedback, you’re just guessing at your growth. Your next breakthrough, your next jump in your career is hiding inside the feedback that you are too afraid to ask for.”
 
This year, Zovig Garboushian takes “When Does It Get Good?” in a direction that focuses on what makes work truly fulfilling, starting with the overlooked art of asking for feedback. How can leaders evolve without clear and actionable input? Zovig discusses why feedback is crucial, how to make it actionable, and the best moments to ask for it. She shares strategies, such as framing specific questions that prompt meaningful answers and understanding the importance of timing in the feedback process.
 
Could fear be keeping you from the insights that can unlock your potential? Zovig shows how embracing feedback can reshape not only what you achieve but also how you lead, think, and grow. If you’re serious about developing a growth mindset and becoming a more effective leader, this episode is your next step forward!
 
Quotes
“Giving feedback, even when it’s expected, can make you break out in hives and run screaming from the building. So most folks’ relationships to feedback probably needs a little bit of work. And we walk around thinking that feedback is this horrible monster in a neon sign with a big old capital F. But I’m gonna be super basic here and repeat what I say all the time: feedback is a gift, and feedback is necessary, and feedback isn’t optional if you’re serious about getting better.” (02:18 | Zovig Garboushian)
“Without feedback, you’re just guessing at your growth. Your next breakthrough, your next jump in your career is hiding inside the feedback that you are too afraid to ask for.” (13:52 | Zovig Garboushian)
“The person who’s willing and courageous to say, ‘Hey, I’d love to get your feedback on how I’m doing’ will eventually and always blow past the person who isn’t asking for it.” (16:00 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E23: Breaking Down Perfectionism with Therapist Wendy Morgan

Is perfectionism helping you succeed, or is it quietly sabotaging your happiness? Zovig Garboushian welcomes back therapist Wendy Morgan to unpack the complex nature of perfectionism—how it often starts as a protective mechanism but can evolve into a cycle of self-criticism, unattainable goals, and persistent feelings of failure. Together, they explore how perfectionism differs from striving for excellence, pointing out that one pulls us toward growth while the other pushes us away from fear. Sometimes, we tend to tie our worth to what we achieve. How can we begin to untangle that?
 
Through relatable insights and real-world examples, Zovig and Wendy discuss the emotional weight of perfectionism—how it manifests as shame, stress, and even physical symptoms—and offer practical ways to break free. They show how self-awareness, self-compassion, and grace can help you build a healthier relationship with yourself and move away from relying on external validation toward finding motivation within. 
 
If you’ve ever felt trapped by the need to “get it right” or struggled to let go of unrealistic expectations, this episode will inspire you to embrace imperfection as part of your journey.
 
Quotes
“Perfectionism comes up in us as a protective mechanism. It’s a way that we are protecting ourselves from feeling something that we don’t want to feel. They are helpful parts of ourselves right up until the moment that they’re not helpful. And then they become maladaptive.” (02:39 | Wendy Morgan)
“What’s important about the distinction between a high achiever and a perfectionist is that drive component. A high achiever is someone who is pulled towards a goal… A perfectionist is often being pushed away from something and it’s usually fear of failure, right? So, it’s this distinction between being very forward focused and ‘I am moving towards something’ versus ‘I am avoiding the fear of failure.’” (07:55 | Wendy Morgan)
“What perfectionists find is that they get there and it doesn’t actually last or really fill the bucket of what is needing to be filled. This notion of, if we’re moving toward excellence, or being a high achiever, we’re always taking steps in the right direction. But when we’re avoiding something, it’s like we can never get away from it. It’s always still behind us.” (11:18 | Wendy Morgan)
“Our internal working system will always choose known discomfort over unknown comfort. And so, we can become really stuck in this notion of perfectionism being a self-fulfilling prophecy, of my not being enough being so true that I get to just stay in this discomfort because it is safer. It is easier to stay in this discomfort that I know really well than it is to even consider the possibility that I don't have to be here.” (34:58 | Wendy Morgan)
 
Links
Connect with Wendy Morgan:
Website: www.wendymorgantherapy.ca
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-morgan-46658116
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E22: Thankful AF And How to Mean It

How can practicing gratitude every day recalibrate your perspective and help you connect with your essence? Zovig Garboushian reflects on the meaning of gratitude and how it can shape our lives. As she acknowledges the complex history of Thanksgiving, Zovig encourages a focus on the deeper purpose of gratitude beyond the holiday itself.
 
So, what does it mean to truly embrace gratitude? Zovig shares her personal practice and explains how it goes beyond listing things in a journal to appreciating the moments, relationships, and qualities that define our lives. She points out how gratitude can shift us out of negative thought loops and bring clarity to what matters most.
 
Zovig also introduces the idea of being grateful for our essence—the unique, effortless ways we add value to the world. Drawing from her coaching experience, she challenges us to reflect on our intrinsic qualities and how recognizing these can strengthen self-acceptance and relationships. 
 
Through her own story, Zovig shows us the impact of honoring essence and how this perspective can guide personal growth. She invites us to think about our essence and how gratitude can unlock a more confident, connected way of living. As you listen, consider: What are you most grateful for in yourself, and how can that shape the way you show up in the world?
 
Quotes
“Gratitude is more than just sitting down with a gratitude journal and making a list. I think it’s actually a really powerful practice that can calibrate our perspective because it reminds us of what’s really important.” (02:10 | Zovig Garboushian)
“Essence is defined as your natural way of showing up in the world that adds value without you having to try.” (04:32 | Zovig Garboushian)
“When we start to look at ourselves through the lens of essence, and we recognize that we are not what we do, but rather what we be something, we begin to think about ourselves differently. No matter the circumstance, situation, or environment we’re in, we still show up in the way of our essence. And that’s what creates change in the world. That’s what has impact. That’s what affects people.” (08:16 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E21: Career Advice From a Non-Career Coach: How Do I Know It's Time to Leave?

“You don’t need to know everything to make a move. You just need to know enough to begin.”
 
Zovig Garboushian shares honest, practical insights for anyone feeling restless in their career. How do you know when it’s time to leave your job or even your entire industry? Zovig may not be a career coach, but her experience advising professionals has shown her common signs that signal it might be time for a change. 
 
From feeling undervalued or bored to sensing a misalignment with company values, Zovig outlines what to watch for when considering a career move. She acknowledges the fear and uncertainty that often keep us stuck and encourages listeners to break free from the “what if” scenarios that hold us back. Instead of seeing a career change as an all-or-nothing leap, she suggests starting small—creating a financial plan, seeking support from peers, and setting realistic steps forward.
 
This episode invites you to rethink your approach to career development. Are you staying out of comfort or fear of the unknown? Zovig’s perspective reminds us that sometimes a small step is all we need to get moving toward a career that truly excites us.
 
Quotes
“If you’re bored, it might mean it’s time to go. Let me tell you, when I’m bored, that is my sign that what I am doing is done and I need to find a different way to approach what I’m doing or choose something else entirely.” (02:53 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“Your body will tell you what’s up. You feel it physically in your body. That might be a sign to leave.” (04:46 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“We assume that when we make a decision, it won’t work before we assume that it will. That’s a protective mechanism, because no one wants to get caught off guard by failure.” (12:39 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“Catastrophizing is a survival mechanism. When we’re in survival, we will do whatever we need to in order to feel safe, and sometimes that means sticking with something beyond its expiration date. But what if we're not in danger?” (13:16 | Zovig Garboushian)
“You don’t need to know everything to make a move. You just need to know enough to begin.” (14:40 | Zovig Garboushian)
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E20: Owning Our Boundaries with Therapist Wendy Morgan

“A boundary is something that I set for myself. It lives in me. My boundaries move with me,” says therapist Wendy Morgan. She joins Zovig Garboushian in this episode to talk about the role boundaries play in both therapy and everyday life. They discuss the real meaning of boundaries—how they aren’t rules to control others, but personal commitments to protect our own well-being. Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to hold firm on your boundaries without feeling guilty? Wendy explains how guilt, often tied to people-pleasing and perfectionism, can cloud our ability to set and maintain healthy boundaries.
 
Wendy and Zovig point out the importance of self-awareness. How do we know when to stand firm or when to be flexible with our boundaries? In both therapy and daily life, it’s important to recognize your needs and make intentional choices. Zovig and Wendy also talk about how boundaries shift based on the situation, and why taking ownership of them is key to fostering healthier relationships and greater self-respect. This episode will leave you reflecting on your own boundaries and how to protect them in a way that serves you best.
 
Quotes
“There is so much out in the world right now about boundaries—everywhere you look, whether it’s TikTok or pop psychology, there’s a lot of talk about boundaries. Some of it is really helpful and important, but on some occasions, the presentation of boundaries comes across in a performative kind of way. ‘I’m going to draw a line in the sand, and if you cross it, something bad will happen. The consequences will come.’ I think we need to stop thinking of those as boundaries. Those are not boundaries; those are named consequences. Boundaries are about the things that I do, not the things that you do.” (03:17 | Wendy Morgan) 
“A boundary is something that I set for myself. It lives in me. My boundaries move with me.” (04:18 | Wendy Morgan)
“So, how does letting your own boundary get breached serve you? There’s usually something there. And then the accompanying question, what would it look like or how would it serve you differently if you held the boundary?” (30:58 | Wendy Morgan)
“I think it’s really important to understand that we cannot control how other people see us, feel about us, or think of us.” (44:51 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Connect with Wendy Morgan:
Website: www.wendymorgantherapy.ca
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-morgan-46658116
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E19: Who's Gonna Take Us to Jail? with Leadership Coach Parissa Behnia

“Who’s going to take us to jail for deciding to re-record a podcast episode?” Parissa Behnia asks Zovig Garboushian. “This is a beautiful invitation for us to walk our talk. If we tell other people not to be so hard on themselves, then why can’t we take that same invitation for ourselves?”
 
Parissa, who’s an executive coach, a speaker, and the author of “Modern Badass: Tales from the Leadership Front,” joins Zovig in this episode. They recount how Zovig felt uncomfortable with their original recording, unsure of how to address the issue. When she finally voiced her concerns, Parissa responded with understanding, suggesting they simply re-record the episode. This experience became a valuable lesson in self-compassion, flexibility, and perfectionism—reflecting the very coaching advice they give their clients.
 
They explore the importance of giving oneself grace and how embracing imperfection is essential for personal growth. Parissa and Zovig encourage listeners to shift away from rigid expectations and instead see mistakes as opportunities for learning. By fostering a mindset of self-compassion, they show how this approach can lead to greater creativity, resilience, and a healthier, more sustainable path to success.
 
Quotes
“What if, in accepting our mortality, we actually perform even better than we would if we were trying to do everything on our own? What if we would allow ourselves imperfection in pursuit of something audacious, amazing, or that next big thing, because we’ve shared with everyone that we are mortal, that we are flawed, and that we don’t always do things as well as we could?” (09:52 | Parissa Behnia) 
“There isn’t a perfect tree in nature. So, if there’s no perfect tree in nature, why are we creating these unfair standards for us in terms of how we live?” (21:24 | Parissa Behnia)
“The only way that you can get stronger over time is by having tiny tears in your muscle. That’s how you build muscle. What you and I experience, where we say, ‘Oh my gosh, I really screwed that up,’ or ‘This was a setback,’ or ‘I messed that up,’ what if we were to look at it as the way building strength actually looks? We had a tear in our muscle, and over time, that makes us stronger.” (31:15 | Parissa Behnia)
“When you say, ‘What are your top three values or your top five values?’ or any number of exercises that you can do to figure that out, it’s, ‘All right, well, how do you create the environment that is consistent with those values?’ or ‘how do you be with people so that you’re with them and still align with your values?’ Once that stuff is identified upfront, the environment becomes easier to suss out. Understanding your triggers becomes easier to suss out because they’re always attached to what your values might be.” (45:18 | Parissa Behnia)
 
Links
Connect with Parissa Behnia:
Parissa's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/behnia/
Parissa's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Badass-Tales-Leadership-Front/dp/1957651210
Parissa's Website: https://sixensestrategy.com/
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E18: Career Advice From a Non-Career Coach: Networking Edition

“Leveraging your network is a big component of the career journey,” says Zovig Garboushian. She discusses how networking is essential for career development, particularly for people going through purposeful or involuntary job transitions. According to Zovig, successful networking requires three key steps: first, communicating your present work in a clear and concise manner to provide context; second, articulating your specific career goals so that your network can assist you successfully; and third, following up to keep the momentum going.
 
Zovig offers practical examples, comparing vague networking emails to those with clear, focused messaging. Why does clarity matter? Because when you’re specific about what you’re looking for, it not only makes it easier for your network to spot opportunities for you, but it also shows confidence and self-awareness.
 
Zovig encourages listeners to be proactive and intentional in their career journeys. Building enduring relationships that can influence your career through effective networking is more important than merely reaching out when you need something. It’s about continuously fostering relationships so that you’re ready when opportunities come your way.
 
Quotes
“I strongly encourage everybody to talk to people, grab coffees, have video chats or phone calls, get some FaceTime, get some voice time, because that’s how people remember you, and that’s relationship building. And when you have a relationship, people want to help.” (01:41 | Zovig Garboushian)
“Don't assume people know what you do, even the people who know you well. Telling people what you currently do gives them context, because what you're doing is shaping the conversation with someone who will hopefully want to help you, but they will want to help you more if you ground them in something, if you give them context. Not too much, not too little, but enough so they can calibrate to where you are in your career and who you are to them.”
“The clearer that you are with yourself about what you’re looking for, the more successfully you can mobilize your network. Do not make people do the work for you.” (07:16 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“When we show up fully prepared, it sends a message about who we are. So if we are hesitant or tentative about how we’re reaching out to people, how we’re presenting ourselves, then the person on the receiving end is going to assume that you’re going to show up that way in every conversation, in every situation. But when you show up fully prepared, it makes someone like me want to go to bat for you. Because if I’m introducing you to someone I know, that’s a relationship I’m extending to you, and that can reflect positively or poorly on me.” (12:16 | Zovig Garboushian) 
 
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E17: Trust Issues: The Problem With Being Too Trusting

“I don’t think that trust is something that should be easily bestowed. It needs time to build. We have to see one another in different situations and circumstances, in stress or turmoil, and how they and I respond in those moments. All that stuff needs time to play out, and it evolves as we get to know people,” says Zovig Garboushian.
 
In this episode, Zovig explores what trust really is and why it transcends just admiration or belief in someone. She divides trust into three components: our own and other people’s trust, as well as the trust we have earned from others. How can trust be established in those settings? Zovig offers a simple structure with a focus on reliability, consistency, credibility, and compassion. She discusses the value of self-trust in laying the groundwork for personal growth and resilience.
 
Tune in to this episode of When Does It Get Good? to gain valuable insights on how to strengthen trust in your relationships and, just as importantly, how to deepen the trust you have in yourself—building a stronger foundation for personal growth and resilience.
 
Quotes
“I try to practice a wait-and-see attitude… I don’t think trust is something that should be easily bestowed. It needs time to build. We have to see one another in different situations and circumstances, in stress or turmoil, and how they and I respond in those moments. All that stuff needs time to play out, and it evolves as we get to know people.” (02:28 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“When we have trust in ourselves, we are free to fail.” (21:48 | Zovig Garboushian)
“When it comes to thinking about trust in ourselves, credibility is about knowing who we are and being a credible source of truth for ourselves.” (25:03 | Zovig Garboushian)
“The world will always tell us who it thinks we are and who it thinks we should be. We are in charge of wading through that information to identify who we are in this world, regardless of what others say or think. And the only way to do that is to explore ourselves, to find out who we are.” (25:25 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“Trusting people from the beginning, I think, is a little irresponsible. We need to have discernment about how we engage with people, who we engage with, who we put our energy into, who we put our faith, hope, and trust into. We have to be discerning; that’s part of self-care. But when we trust ourselves, we can exercise more choice. We feel freer to experiment and take risks. And, so importantly, we learn to let things go more easily. When we trust ourselves, others trust us. And that is when things really start to get good.” (30:07 | Zovig Garboushian) 
Links
Book - Be A Shortcut: The Secret Fast Track to Business Success:
https://www.amazon.com/Be-Shortcut-Secret-Business-Success/dp/0470270365
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E16: When Expectations Don't Match Reality With Psychotherapist Wendy Morgan

“Unspoken expectations are always future resentments,” says Wendy Morgan, a psychotherapist and educator at Fleming College. In this episode, Wendy joins Zovig Garboushian to talk about the often overlooked gap between what we expect and what actually happens—a key challenge in both therapy and personal growth. She introduces her “expectations framework,” a practical tool she developed to help people navigate the complex emotions that surface when reality doesn't match up with their expectations.
 
Why is clear communication so crucial in our relationships? Wendy explains how being upfront about our expectations can prevent resentment and build empathy, whether in our personal lives or professional settings. She also discusses the overlap between coaching and therapy, particularly in addressing unmet expectations and unresolved issues from the past. Through relatable examples, Wendy encourages self-reflection and honest conversations, offering insights into how aligning expectations with reality can lead to personal growth and healthier relationships.
 
Quotes
“Unspoken expectations are always future resentments.” (18:05 | Wendy Morgan) 
“When we think about difficult emotions—things like frustration, anger, and resentment—those emotions exist between two places: reality and expectation. The farther apart reality and expectation are, the greater those feelings of anger, frustration, and resentment become. The closer reality and expectation are, we can diminish the sensation of those emotions.” (11:13 | Wendy Morgan) 
“We can’t always change things; we can’t always move reality. Sometimes we can do things to shift reality, but what we always have some level of control over is our expectations, particularly our own expectations.” (11:57 | Wendy Morgan)
“Boundaries are fluid. Boundaries move with us. Boundaries are actually for us to protect ourselves. So, if someone is coming and it looks like they’re going to breach our boundary, one of the ways we can protect it is to actually back up. We take our boundaries with us. They live within us.” (41:59 | Wendy Morgan) 
 
Links
Expectations Framework: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14AVzOAG9yeNabkXRnEAwIoXCEOqbHv0-/view?usp=sharing
 
Connect with Wendy Morgan:
Website: www.wendymorgantherapy.ca
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-morgan-46658116
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm