DON'T CHASE Lightning — CREATE the STORM

In this electrifying episode of the UNCOMMODiFiED Podcast, Tim Windsor flips the script on success. Instead of obsessing over results—the "lightning"—he challenges us to focus on building the storm: the culture, conditions, and climate that make impact inevitable. Using powerful metaphors, neuroscience, and research, Tim reveals how chasing outcomes can backfire by triggering stress responses while cultivating the right conditions to fuel creativity, grit, and innovation.
 
Listeners will discover how to:
Foster environments that spark personal and professional success.
Create "collision zones" that welcome dissent.
Audit inner circles for energy.
Establish "Conditions Audits" that prioritize inputs over outputs. 
 
This episode isn't about inspiration that fizzles out; it's about creating sustained atmospheric pressure that makes success unavoidable. Be ready to stop waiting for flashes of brilliance—and start fueling the storm.
 
Tim Windsor
the UNCOMMODiFiED Podcast – Host & Guide
tim@uncommodified.com
https://uncommodified.com/
 
PRODUCERS: Kris MacQueen & Alyne Gagne
MUSIC BY: https://themacqueens.ca/
 

Transcript

PLEASE NOTE: UNCOMMODiFiED Podcast episode transcriptions are raw text files and have not been proofed or edited. They are what they are … Happy Reading.

© UNCOMMODiFiED & TIM WINDSOR

[00:00:00] Don't chase lightning, chase the storm. Welcome to another episode of the uncommodified podcast. I'm Tim Windsor. And today we're diving into an electric idea, an electrifying idea. In fact, we're not here to create lightning. We're not here to create lightning. That's not why we're here. That's the wrong focus.

The lightning. That's just the result. Instead, we're here to create the storm, the conditions, the atmosphere, where lightning has to strike. Stop chasing the spark. Start creating the environment where sparks can't help but fly. In your personal life, in your professional life, and in every damn space you inhabit.

Let's get into it. You've been lied to. I've been lied to. We've all been lied to. Somehow, somewhere along the way, society decided to glamorize the result. The lightning strike, the flash, the big moment. But here's the truth. Lightning is a byproduct. Chasing lightning is like chasing the wind. You'll exhaust yourself [00:01:00] and have nothing to show for it at the end of the day but frustration and futility.

The real magic lies in the unseen forces that make lightning possible. The buildup of static electricity, the conditions in the atmosphere, and the collision of elements that ignite the inevitable. And neuroscience actually backs this up. Dr. Andrew Hubberman talks about what he calls Atmospheric stacking.

It's a concept we're focusing on conditions, not outcomes, primes the brain for creativity, resilience, and success. And we focus solely on results. What happens is our brain shifts into a threat response mode, cortisol spikes, tunnel vision kicks in, and we're less likely to see the opportunity staring us right in the face.

But when we focus on crafting the right environment, Dopamine flows, stress drops, and our problem solving abilities are energized and electrified. So what does this mean for you and me? It means we've got [00:02:00] to focus on the opposite part of the equation. Forget about hitting the goal and focusing on the goal for a second.

Instead, ask yourself, what storm am I creating that makes success inevitable? Think about it this way. Lightning strikes where conditions are primed for it. In your life, that's clarity of purpose. That's where the static electricity comes from, and it can be building up. It's your vision. It's your values.

If you don't know where the storm is brewing. You're just standing in the wrong place at the end of the day. Write down right now your three top priorities for you right now. Not outcomes, priorities. And focus on the inputs, not the outputs. What are the specific actions or behaviors that will create the conditions for that success that you seek?

Review your priorities weekly and adjust based on what's happening and what's not. And ask yourself, are my actions creating energy? Or am I just stuck in busy work? [00:03:00] Lightning forms when positive and negative charges collide. this means embracing tension, friction. Too many leaders and teams try to avoid that.

But tension, that friction, well managed friction, ignites the spark of innovation and change. Neuroscience tells us that diversity of thought, experience, and ideas creates cognitive friction, which enhances problem solving by up to 30%. So invite. The dissenters into your circle, into your atmosphere. Not everyone who disagrees with you is your enemy.

Some of them are the spark you need. So set up collision zones in the meetings you have with your teams. Dedicate 10 minutes for people to openly challenge ideas without fear of backlash. It's not about argument, it's about creating the sparks, the friction that ignites better solutions. Lightning doesn't strike in a vacuum.

It [00:04:00] needs a storm, humidity, wind, heat. Are you crafting an environment that's charged with energy? Or are you surrounding yourself with people who are bringing just thunder? Audit your inner circle. Who's bringing the storm? Or who's just dead weight? this means finding collaborators who challenge you.

Personally, it means building relationships that energize you. Make it a habit to engage with people outside your usual circle. Attend events or join communities that express to you fresh perspectives. New environments often spark new and more powerful ideas. You don't build a storm overnight. You need to be patient.

And this is where most people give up. They want the lightning right now. But storms take time to build. Clouds need to gather. Winds need to shift. Static electricity needs to build. And then BAM! Lightning strikes. The magic happens. Dr. Angela Duckwork's research on grit shows that sustained effort over [00:05:00] time, not bursts of inspiration, is what leads to breakthrough moments.

You've got to commit to creating the conditions. So here's the question, what's the storm you need to create right now? Maybe it's the conditions for better mental health for you personally. Maybe it's prioritizing sleep, cutting toxic, uh, habits or, or building a gratitude practice. Maybe it's creating the conditions for deeper relationships.

Putting down your phone, being present, and investing in your people. Professionally, maybe it's creating a culture of trust and innovation on your team. Here's a question. Are you empowering your people? Are you giving them the freedom to fail and the tools to succeed? Stop micromanaging the results at the end of the day and start managing the energy and the environment to create.

The storm required for lightning set up condition audits every quarter or so, ask yourself and your team. Are we creating the conditions for success or are we just chasing outcomes, make adjustments [00:06:00] based on feedback, introduce conditions manifesto to your team or your family, write down the key values, the key habits and actions that you're committed to, to maintaining and creating the right atmosphere.

Where lightning can strike. Review it regularly to keep everyone aligned. Stop chasing lightning. That's what this simple conversation is about. Stop chasing lightning. Start creating storms. That's where the magic lives. That's where transformation happens. Don't be a fool standing on the field waiting for the flash to come.

Be the storm. Build it. Sustain it. And when lightning strikes, you'll know it wasn't luck. It was the result of your relentless focus on creating the conditions where the was Thanks for tuning into the Uncommodified Podcast. If this episode sparked something in you, share it, and let's create the storm.