Joyce Strong is a multi-faceted creator whose work spans healthcare, coaching, and political analysis. She is the author of the Substack publication The Strong Pub, where she explores the intersection of human psychology and global events. One of the things I admire most is her work as a hockey coach.
Professional Background
Healthcare: She is a Registered Nurse (RN), a background that often informs her analytical perspective on health and wellness.
Coaching: She works as a coach, focusing on helping individuals navigate complex personal and professional dynamics.
Writing & Analysis: Her writing covers a broad range of topics, including:
Politics: U.S. domestic politics and global geopolitics.
Finance: Economic insights and financial analysis.
Psychology: Deep dives into human behavior and mental clarity.
Content & Creative Work
Beyond traditional essays, Joyce incorporates diverse media into her work to provide “analysis, insight, and clarity you can use”:
Music: She collaborates on musical projects, providing lyrics for songs produced using AI tools like Suno (e.g., “Runnin' On Peace,” “He’d Rather Be Writing,” and “Blue Between the Mountains”).
Visual Art & Humor: She uses art and humor to simplify complex topics, as in her “Beginner’s Voice” series, which focuses on nonviolent communication and seeing the world with a “Beginner’s Mind.”
Collaborations: She frequently engages with other writers and thinkers, such as Walter Rhein, for live video discussions on the craft of writing without fear.
Latest - Runnin’ On Peace - A Song - April 23, 2026
Beginner’s Voice - April 23, 2026
Intersection between Beginner’s Mind & Non-Violent Communication
Bridge: Truth + Empathy = Understanding
Beginner’s Mind in a Rigged World - April 22, 2026
He’d Rather Be Writing - A Song, Lyrics by Joyce Strong, music by Suno
April 20, 2026
Writing Without Fear with Walter Rhein - April 20, 2026
Blue Between the Mountains - A Song, Lyrics by Joyce Strong, music by Suno, April 14, 2026
Talking Points: Returning to the Beginner’s Mind
What Beginner’s Mind Actually Means
A beginner’s mind is the ability to approach situations without assumptions.
It’s openness. Curiosity. Willingness to see what’s actually there, not what you expect to see.
It’s not about being inexperienced.
It’s about not being limited by your experience.
The Downside of Experience
The more experienced you become, the more likely you are to:
assume you already know
stop asking questions
rely on past solutions for new problems
Experience builds confidence.
But unchecked, it also builds blind spots.
How Expertise Turns into Assumption
Leaders lose their edge when they:
stop listening fully
interrupt with conclusions
dismiss new perspectives too quickly
default to “this is how we’ve always done it.”
That’s not leadership, that’s habit.
When “Knowing” Becomes a Limitation
Expertise can become a ceiling.
Because when you think you know,
you stop discovering.
And when you stop discovering,
you stop evolving.
The Advantage of a Fresh Perspective
Beginner’s mind creates space for:
better questions
fresh insight
innovation
deeper understanding
It replaces certainty with awareness.
Choosing Curiosity on Purpose
Returning to a beginner’s mind requires:
choosing curiosity over certainty
asking before assuming
observing before deciding
It’s not automatic at higher levels,
It’s intentional.
Catching Yourself in Real Time
Where are you:
jumping to conclusions?
finishing people’s sentences?
assuming you already understand?
Because those moments are where growth stops.
Letting Go of Needing to Know
There’s freedom in not needing to be the one who always knows.
You listen more
You learn faster
You reduce pressure on yourself
You shift from proving expertise
to expand it.
Shifting from Expert to Learner
Transformation happens when you move from:
knowing → learning
certainty → curiosity
control → exploration
You don’t lose your experience,
You use it more effectively.
Balancing Experience with Openness (Leadership Reality)
Strong leaders hold both:
experience (what they know)
openness (what they don’t)
They don’t abandon expertise.
They balance it with curiosity.
Final Truth
The moment you think you’ve mastered something
is the moment you stop growing in it.
Closing Reflection
Where in your leadership
have you stopped being curious?
And what would change
if you approached it again
as if you were just starting?
Thank you Ashleigh Alauren, Diane, Beth the Baker, Ms.Yuse, Maria, and many others for tuning into my live video with Walter Rhein and Joyce Strong! Join me for my next live video in the app.
