You Are Heroic with Brian Johnson

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Abundance 101 (Intro) Jan 28, 2018

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I created 25 classes before we got to money/wealth/etc. That was deliberate. (Virtue for the win!) And… It was fun to create this class and share my thoughts on how to create true wealth. First idea? We've gotta remember that the Ultimate Currency/the reason we do *anything* is to be Happy. Therefore, we want to run our pursuit of material abundance through that lens. Then we talk about how to become psychologically wealthy (billionaires, baby!) (and look at how to Optimize your balance sheet), redefine economics from a spiritual plane and then… We talk about how to make and enjoy some more money. The theme? Wealth thru Profound Service. We talk about investing in the best stock on the market: You, Inc. And, we integrate Cal Newport's Passion + Craftsman mindsets with what I call a "Servant" mindset for a new hedgehog-like concept plus we look at Ray Dalio's 5 Steps to Getting What You Want in Life model—which is super powerful, kinda like WOOP by an uber-practical genius. Plus some other goodness I hope you enjoy!

PNTV: Head Strong by Dave Asprey Jan 26, 2018

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Dave Asprey is a fascinating guy. He's a professional bio-hacking machine whose publicly-stated goal is to live to 180. We covered his last book called The Bulletproof Diet and our kitchen's pantry is filled with a bunch of his Bulletproof products. In this book, he unveils his best bio-hacks for, as the sub-title suggests, "activating untapped brain energy to work smarter and think faster." Big Ideas we explore: Your brain on energy, kryptonite dust (what're yours?), mitochondria (one QUADRILLION!), EZ water (how to drop into that spot between a gas and a liquid), and junk light.

+ 1: #295 Newton's First Law: Fine Print Jan 26, 2018

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In our last +1 we talked about Isaac Newton and his First Law of Motion. Recall the basics: An object at rest will stay at rest. An object in motion will stay in motion. Today I'd like to look at the fine print of that Law. Let's dust it off and read the whole thing again. *unfurls parchment* "An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by some outside force." Oh! We missed the last part in our last +1. "… an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by some outside force." So, for example, if I start doing some Deep Living (whether that's Working or Connecting), I'll keep on doing some Deep Living UNLESS I'm "acted upon by some outside force." What outside force could possibly act upon me? Hmmm… Maybe a push notification? Or an email alert? Or simply having your smartphone in sight? (Hah.) This is why, if we really want to take advantage of the power of Newton's First Law, we need to put ourselves in a Deep Living bubble, remove all the potential "outside forces" that'll kill our momentum, and go Deep! Today's +1. Make Newton proud. Let's create some distraction-free momentum.

PNTV: The As If Principle by Richard Wiseman (#367) Jan 24, 2018

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Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from "The As If Principle" by Richard Wiseman. Hope you enjoy!

William James once said: "If you want a quality, act as if you already have it." In this book, Richard Wiseman, Britain's official professor in "the Public Understanding of Psychology" walks us through the astonishing array of research that proves what he calls the "As If Principle." Big Ideas we explore include an exploration of the fact that feelings follow behavior, how to make yourself happy, the paradox of rewards, and how to create a new you.

Get book here: https://www.amazon.com/As-If-Principl... Connect: https://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/

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PNTV: Trying Not to Try by Edward Slingerland Jan 18, 2018

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Optimize: https://optimize.me/ (← Get Free Stuff + Free 2-Week Trial!) Optimize Coach: https://optimize.me/coach (← Join 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries!) Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from "Trying Not to Try" by Edward Slingerland. Hope you enjoy!

Edward Slingerland is one of the world's leading experts on both ancient Chinese thought AND modern cognitive science. This book is a melding of those two realms. It's a truly fascinating read. I read it in a day and felt like I was spending the day hanging out with a brilliant thinker—getting privileged access to twenty years of deep thinking. If you're into ancient wisdom and modern science I think you'll love the book as much as I did. Big Ideas we explore include defining wu-wei + de (one of the coolest words/concepts ever), what Confucius + Lao Tzu + Mencius + Chuang Tzu have to say about wu-wei, and the spontaneity of mirrors.

Get book here: https://www.amazon.com/Trying-Not-Try...

Connect: https://eslingerland.arts.ubc.ca/

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+1: #285 How Are You Intelligent? Jan 15, 2018

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In our last +1, we had fun hanging out with your Genius. Recall: EVERYONE in ancient Roman times was said to have their own guiding spirit, or "genius" that helped them rock it. That reminds me of Sir Ken Robinson. In The Element, he tells us that our whole concept of "intelligence" is backward. Rather than ask, "How intelligent are you?" we SHOULD be asking "HOW are you intelligent?" We all have our own Geniuses. And… We all have our own different kinds of Intelligence. So… How are you intelligent? As we get clarity on that, Sir Ken tells us that we all have the potential to connect to what he calls "the Element." It's that force within us that allows us to live with deeper meaning and mojo and joy. The Element has two parts: Passion + Aptitude. Two questions will help us +1 our clarity:

What do you LOVE to do? As in, you'd do this in your free time or even pay to do it? This is your passion.

What are you naturally good at? What can you do relatively easily that most people can't do at all? This is your aptitude.

Passion + Aptitude = The Element. Sir Ken tells us the world NEEDS us to discover our Element. I agree. Now more than ever. Let's do the work to discover our Element and then, of course, have the courage to live it!

PNTV: Breathe by Dr. Belisa Vranich (#364) Jan 12, 2018

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Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from "Breathe" by Dr. Belisa Vranich. Hope you enjoy!

Breathing. It's obviously important. And... I'm beginning to realize *just* how important it is. In fact, breathing properly is quickly becoming my #1 fundamental. Belisa Vranich is a clinical psychologist and one of the world's leading experts on how to breathe right. In this Note, we take a quick peek at why breathing is so important, learn how to measure your Vital Lung Capacity, observe the difference between Clark Kent and Superman and get to work on training the most important and underappreciated muscle in your body (hint: your diaphragm).

PNTV: Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg (#365) Jan 11, 2018

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Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning NY Times journalist (and Harvard MBA) who wrote the best-selling book The Power of Habit in which he walked us through the science of building better habits. In this book, he walks us through the science of being productive so we can be smarter, faster and better at everything we do. It's a great book packed with fascinating stories and practical applications. Big Ideas we explore include the 2 keys to motivation, how to build your focus, the best way to set goals (think: Stretch + SMART), why disfluency helps learning and how productivity is all about choices.

+1: #280 How to Flourish Jan 10, 2018

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Martin Seligman is basically the Godfather of the Positive Psychology movement. He's written a number of seminal books on the science of well-being. When Seligman first kicked off the Positive Psychology party, he wrote a book called Authentic Happiness. A decade later, he updated his thinking with a book called Flourish. Short story: A good life isn't just about maintaining a positive emotional state represented by that big yellow smiley face. A good life is about moving toward your highest potential — flourishing — and that DOESN'T always feel like sunshine and rainbows. (Of course, the ancient Greeks made a similar distinction with their two different types of "happiness": hedonia and eudaimonia. We'll save that for another discussion.) So, Seligman tells us there are five key facets to the science of flourishing. He captures them in a handy-dandy acronym: PERMA. Here's a quick look: P is for Positive Emotion. Although experiencing a permanent, never-ending positive state isn't necessary (or possible), having a consistent level of positive emotional affect is a key aspect of well-being. So, smile! Enjoy your life. E is for Engagement. Want to feel great as you flourish? ENGAGE with your life. Create more and more moments of flow as you stretch toward goals that matter and give your best self to the moment. (Note: Want to feel really good? Engage in your core VIRTUES. The whole science of well-being is grounded on the universal virtues of all major religious and philosophical traditions.) R is for Relationships. Science is unequivocal: Healthy relationships are a core component to a healthy, flourishing life. Invest your time here. Give someone a hug today and tell them how much they mean to you. M is for Meaning. We need to have a connection to a deep sense of purpose in our lives. What deeply inspires you? Bring that to mind each day and make your life an expression of those values. A is for Achievement. Want to flourish? Then we've gotta stretch ourselves with goals that challenge us and experience the joy of achievement. What's firing you up these days? Are you creating micro wins and celebrating the process? PERMA. Positive Emotion. Engagement. Relationships. Meaning. Achievement. Where are you strong? Celebrate! And what can use a little work? +1! Here's to flourishing!

PNTV: The Ultra Mindset by Travis Macy with John Hanc (#362) Jan 08, 2018

Show notes

Optimize: https://optimize.me/ (← Get Free Stuff + Free 2-Week Trial!) Optimize Coach: https://optimize.me/coach (← Join 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries!)

Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from "The Ultra Mindset" by Travis Macy with John Hanc. Hope you enjoy!

Travis Macy is best known as the record-setting champion of Leadman—"a sort of six-week Grand Prix of Ultra Endurance" that consists of a jaw-dropping number of challenges. This book is a fun look at the eight principles that make up the Ultra Mindset Travis uses to do extraordinary things. Big Ideas we explore include: Your new mantra, what to do when you don't feel like it, thinking about thinking, making the choice to give up choice, and never quitting… except when you should quit (w/a great litmus test for when you should/shouldn't quit).

Get book here: https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Mindset-... Connect: http://www.travismacy.com/ + http://johnhanc.com/

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