The Greatness Machine

Latest Episodes:

TGM Classic | Hala Taha | Young and Profiting: Using Adversity as Fuel for Success Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

There are few things more demoralizing than pouring your heart and soul into a job (not to mention countless hours of dedicated work) only to have your employer let you go with barely a thank you for your hard work.

Today's guest has experienced this firsthand, but rather than allow it to stop her, she's used it to fuel her own massive success. In today's episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius chats with Hala Taha, entrepreneur, CEO of YAP Media and LinkedIn's Podcasting Princess. Her path to success has been a long and challenging one, despite her relatively young age, and she's ready to share her insights on today's episode.

You'll learn about Hala's journey through the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, a difficult path that provided tremendous experience and eventually led her to the corporate world where more lessons awaited.

You'll discover some surprisingly effective habits and tactics used by successful leaders. You'll also learn how Hala's extensive experience inspired her to create her #1 rated Young and Profiting podcast and more recently, YAP Media, a full-service social media and podcast marketing agency for top podcasters, celebrities and CEOs. Join Darius and Hala and get inspired by her story, her determination and her insights!

Topics include:

The process Hala used to become an "overnight success”
Surprising habits and tactics of successful leaders
The reasons why Hala decided to start the Young And Profiting podcast
And other topics…

Sponsored By:

Go to organifi.com/greatness and use code GREATNESS for 20% off your entire order.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/darius and get on your way to being your best self.

Connect with Hala:

Website: https://youngandprofiting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/htaha/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yapwithhala/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yapwithhala

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

181 | How To Get Off The Hedonic Treadmill Mar 10, 2023

Show notes

Are you running on the hedonic treadmill?

The hedonic treadmill refers to the phenomenon where people's expectations and desires for pleasure and happiness increase over time, but their actual level of happiness and satisfaction remains relatively constant. In other words, people constantly strive for more and more pleasure and happiness, but they never really reach a state of lasting satisfaction or contentment.

Getting off the hedonic treadmill can be achieved by changing one's mindset and approach to life, focusing on things that provide deeper meaning and fulfillment rather than short-term pleasure.

Today I am flying solo to talk about my personal struggles of being on the hedonic treadmill for so long and how that mindset has caused me dissatisfaction despite achieving some of the biggest milestones I have set for myself.

In this episode, I will share some tips on how to avoid getting stuck on the hedonic treadmill, the benefits of building habits and rituals to achieve success, and the importance of celebrating achievements.

Topics include:

What is the hedonic treadmill and how does it affect your happiness
Letting go of chronic dissatisfaction
Things that hold back happiness
Why setting daily goals helps you accomplish more
The importance of building habits and rituals to achieve success
And other topics…

Resources mentioned:

War of Art by Steven Pressfield: https://stevenpressfield.com/books/the-war-of-art/

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

180 | Robert Glazer | Elevate Your Team: How To Build A High-Performance Team Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

Elevating your team to become a team of leaders is a crucial step in building a high-performance team. It involves empowering each team member to take ownership of their role, develop their skills, and contribute to the team's success. By creating a culture that values leadership at all levels, you can unlock the full potential of your team and achieve greater results.

To build a team of leaders, it is essential to foster an environment that encourages open communication, collaboration, and innovation. Whether you're a team leader, manager, or business owner, building a team of leaders is a critical component of achieving long-term success.

Robert Glazer, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Acceleration Partners, a global partner marketing agency, joins us once again on the Greatness Machine to give us a sneak peek into his newest book, titled, Elevate Your Team: Empower Your Team To Reach Their Full Potential and Build A Business That Builds Leaders.

In this episode, Robert and I discuss the four areas of the “Capacity-Building” framework which are spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional capacities. We also dive deep into the challenge of having difficult conversations at work and how new managers often fail at handling such situations.

Topics include:

Robert looks back at his decision to step back from his CEO position in 2019
The role and responsibilities of a CEO
Robert explains the “Capacity-Building” framework and its four areas
Why recruiting based on experience often is not the right option
Handling difficult conversations at work
Robert talks about his new book Elevate Your Team
And other topics…

Resources mentioned:

The Motive by Patrick Lencioni: https://www.amazon.com/Motive-Leaders-Abdicate-Important-Responsibilities/dp/1119600456

Connect with Robert:

Website: https://robertglazer.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glazer

Book: https://eytbook.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/elevate-with-robert-glazer/id1454045560

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

TGM Classic | Steve Sims | The Art of Making Things Happen Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

In today’s show, Darius interviews Steve Sims. Steve is the badass founder and CEO of the luxury concierge service, Bluefish, bestselling author of Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen, and a sought-after life coach. Also known as the “Wizard of Oz”, Steve shares his incredible life story and philosophy in today’s show.

We start this special show with Steve sharing his incredible backstory. Steve started off his career years back working as a doorman at a nightclub. And incredibly enough, he credits this experience to his uncanny ability to read people. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with” ~ Jim Rohn A firm believer in this adage, Steve shares that he made a conscious effort to surround himself with rich people.

As he puts it, you get dividends if you surround yourself with rich people. Whereas, you get only excuses if you surround yourself with poor people. As a nightclub doorman, Steve also shares how he always strives to resolve conflicts in the most frictionless way possible. This has allowed him to cultivate stellar relationships that have withstood the test of time. So, how did Steve go from being a nightclub doorman to owning a luxury concierge service? Steve credits his blatant ignorance and stupidity which he calls his “superpower” for his success.

In this segment of the show, we discuss the importance of overcoming our fear of rejection which often inhibits us from going all out and realizing our full potential.

Topics include:

How to resolve strife in the most frictionless way possible
How “ignorance” and “stupidity” and can power you ahead
The value of surrounding yourself with like-minded and inspiring people
And other topics…

Sponsored By:

Go to organifi.com/greatness and use code GREATNESS for 20% off your entire order.
Right now LMNT is offering my listeners a free sample pack with any purchase. That’s 8 single serving packets FREE with any LMNT order. This is a great way to try all 8 flavors or share LMNT with a salty friend. Get yours at DrinkLMNT.com/GREATNESSMACHINE.

Connect with Steve

Website: https://www.stevedsims.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevedsims

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevedsims/

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

179 | Darius’s Interview on the 7-Figure Millennial Podcast w/ Brandon Fong Mar 03, 2023

Show notes

Darius Mirshahzadeh has spent two decades building high-growth companies from startups to hundreds of employees, and during that span of time, he realized what it takes to grow his companies exponentially and how to build a core-value-driven organization from zero to one thousand employees.

Darius is a core value evangelist, a serial entrepreneur, and a culture-building mad scientist who was ranked #9 on Glassdoor’s list of Top CEOs of Small and Medium Companies in the US.

Topics include:

The story behind my “pink unicorn” symbol
What made me realize that I was meant to be an entrepreneur
Discovering the importance of core values
Where the title The Core Value Equation came from
What is cultural fit and why it matters in the workplace
The most important principles The Core Value Equation will teach the readers
How to design headers that stick out
Knowing your values and sticking to them
And other topics…

Brandon Fong is a young entrepreneur and the founder and host of the 7-Figure Millennials podcast. His podcast now ranks as one of the top 2% most popular shows out of 2.7M podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score (the estimated popularity score).

Connect with Brandon:

Website: https://7figuremillennials.com/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/7-figure-millennials/id1539028952

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonsfong/

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

178 | BJ Fogg | The Power Of Tiny Habits: How Small Changes Can Lead To Huge Results Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

Why do small habits make a big difference?

Tiny habits are small, simple actions that can be easily integrated into your daily routine. These habits may seem insignificant on their own, but when practiced consistently over time, they can lead to significant changes in your life.

One of the reasons tiny habits are so powerful is that they are easy to stick to. When starting a new habit, it can be overwhelming to think about the big picture and all the changes you need to make. Tiny habits, on the other hand, are manageable and do not require a significant amount of effort. This makes it more likely that you will follow through with them and eventually form a lasting habit.

Once you establish a small habit, it can be the foundation for building other positive habits. In addition, tiny habits can be used to address specific areas of your life that you want to improve. Whether it's for personal growth, career advancement, or physical health, small habits can be tailored to your specific goals.

BJ Fogg, a behavior scientist and founder of the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University, joins us on the Greatness Machine to talk about his new book, Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything.

In this episode, Darius and BJ talk about habit formation and how to create big changes by starting small. They also discuss the various applications of Tiny Habits in areas such as personal development, health, and business.

Topics include:

BJ explains the Fogg Behavior Model and Tiny Habits Method
BJ reveals one habit he had to get rid of
Effects of disruptive behavior and how to manage them
Homeostasis and change
Setting the bar low as a key to behavior change
Creating action prompts and anchors for new habits
Why it is important to celebrate successes
How tiny habits can lead to big changes
And other topics…

Connect with BJ:

Website: https://www.bjfogg.com/

Website: https://tinyhabits.com/

Website: https://behaviormodel.org/

Website: https://www.foggmethod.com/

Book: https://tinyhabits.com/book/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjfogg/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bjfogg/

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

TGM Classic | Dandapani (Part 1) | How to FOCUS on The Core Things that Truly Move You Forward Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

In today’s show of the Greatness Machine, Darius interviews a Hindu priest, former monk, entrepreneur, and teacher, Dandapani. Dandapani teaches people how to avoid instant gratification and the accompanying distractions so that we can focus on the most important things that truly take us forward.

We start this show by discussing the impact of COVID. While the loss of life and livelihood has been devastating and unimaginable, this black swan event has forced us to reassess our lives and priorities.

Next, Dandapani shares with listeners some interesting details about his visionary project – Siva Ashram in Costa Rica. Built on 33 acres of land, near a river, this Ashram will house seven botanical gardens – each signifying a critical area of our mind.

Dandapani reveals his 300-year plan for this Ashram so that his work can continue uninterrupted for many generations to come. Additionally, Dandapani has some excellent advice to help listeners focus on the core things that matter the most.

Topics include:

How COVID has forced us to reassess our priorities
How to FOCUS on the core things that matter the most
How we can do our bit to care for and protect our environment
And more topics…

Connect with Dandapani:

Website: https://dandapani.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandapanillc/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DandapaniLLC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dandapanillc/

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

177 | My Miracle Morning Routine - How I Went From Being A Night Owl To Waking Up Before 5:30 AM And Having An Amazing Morning Routine Feb 24, 2023

Show notes

Is it true that maintaining a habit of going to bed and waking up early can result in good health, wealth, and wisdom?

Waking up early can be a powerful tool to boost productivity throughout the day. By starting your day earlier, you give yourself extra time to accomplish important tasks, prioritize your to-do list, and set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

One of the key benefits of waking up early for productivity is that it allows you to establish a routine. When you wake up at the same time every day, your body becomes accustomed to the schedule and you can train yourself to be more productive during your waking hours. This can lead to increased efficiency and focus throughout the day, as you're already in the mindset of getting things done.

Waking up early also allows you to tackle your most important tasks when you're at your freshest and most alert. This is because you're able to start your day with a clear mind and fewer distractions, allowing you to focus your energy on the tasks that require the most brainpower and creativity.

Today, I am flying solo to talk about Hal Elrod’s book, The Miracle Morning, and how it changed me to become a morning person.

In this episode, I will talk about my morning routine and what my day looks like after learning about the SAVERS productivity routine. I will also share my manifestations and what I do to achieve them.

Topics include:

How Hal Elrod’s book The Miracle Morning changed my life
Practical steps to becoming a morning person
How the SAVERS routine help boosts my productivity
How to visualize and manifest what you want
The benefits of having an accountability partner
And other topics…

Resources mentioned:

The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710

The Self-Aware Leader by John Maxwell: https://www.amazon.com/Self-Aware-Leader-Play-Strengths-Unleash/dp/078526664X

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

176 | Jeff Henderson | Taking Big Risks - Moving to Your NEXT Act Successfully to Achieve Your Dream Life Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

What should be the next step?

In uncertain times, it can be tempting to stand still and wait for things to clear up before making a decision on what your best step forward should be. However, it's important to remember that uncertainty is a natural part of life, and it can also present opportunities for growth and self-discovery.

To help you through these times, it is important to practice mindfulness, create a supportive network, remain flexible, focus on progress, seek out new experiences, and maintain a positive outlook.

Jeff Henderson, an entrepreneur, speaker, pastor, and business leader, joins us on the Greatness Machine to talk about his newest book, What to Do Next: Taking Your Best Step When Life is Uncertain.

In this episode, Darius and Jeff talk about the power of language in leadership, the importance of networking for your career, and pursuing more meaning and purpose in life and work.

Topics include:

What drove Jeff to write his new book What to Do Next
The story behind building FOR Gwinnett
The power of language to improve leadership
Effective steps before taking a big leap
Why networking is essential for your career
Why it is important to leave your employers on good terms
And other topics…

Resources mentioned:

Traction by Gino Wickman: https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837

Connect with Jeff:

Website: https://jeffhenderson.com/

Book: https://www.whattodonextbook.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefferyehenderson/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jefferyhenderson/

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine

Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708

TGM Classic | Christina Harbridge | How to Shed Irrational Behavior and Tips for Handling Conflict Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

In today’s show of The Greatness Machine, Darius interviews leading behavioral change expert, Christina Harbridge who shares with us her thoughts on conflict, discomfort, and resolution. Christina is the Founder and CEO of Allegory Inc. Most human beings behave irrationally….in a way that suits their discomfort. But understanding your operating system can prevent this and help you adopt a more rational demeanor.

Once you learn to look inwards and evaluate your behavior, you should strive to make an effort for conscious communication. This resulting communication might cause discomfort – but this discomfort is an offshoot of change. It is an indication that something right is happening. We also discuss the intense debate surrounding the “Black Lives Matter” movement and call out the political entities who are pouring gasoline to further fuel the “us vs. them” ideology. This movement has certainly forced everyone to question their beliefs on diversity and bias. As a practiced observer of human behavior, Christina shares how seamless communication also leads to solid core values – which is the invisible thread that binds an organization together.

In today’s show, you will learn how “coordinating” rather than “collaborating” can help employees live up to their innate abilities. Other topics discussed in today’s show include tips for dealing with complex emotions and the importance of recognizing and disregarding feedback that originates from fragility.

Topics include: