Ep. 248 - Noah Kagan: Stop Fighting What You Are Good At

Have you ever been bored at work or in school and doodled on a notepad?Imagine if that doodle was your ticket to success? Well, it was for today's guest.Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert comic strip and author of How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about his career and how it landed him exactly where he wanted to be.He shares with us the real story to his cartoonist career. From a boring corporate job to getting paid to just doodle at home... he shares how this rare scenario developed.What might be a complete surprise is that much of his success is due to failure... In fact, Scott has failed at more things than probably anyone you've ever met or heard of.It makes you wonder if your own personal path to victory is be mapped out by your own mistakes.There is a unique combination of talent, luck, hard work, and trial and error that Scott has found to be the foundation to his idea executions.Is the best way to get to good ideas through bad ideas?Listen and decide for yourself... ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

30 Sep 20141h 4min

Our guest for today is one of the most extraordinary people that James has ever encountered.By the age of 35 he had already reached his goal of visiting every country in the world... Today, American entrepreneur, nonfiction author, blogger, and speaker Chris Guillebeau, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about his most recent book, The Happiness of Pursuit and his passion for seeking life-changing experiences. He shares intimate details and insight to his travels that have not been revealed anywhere else.How did his quests affect his relationships, goals, career, and self-image?What challenges did he encounter?Nothing is off limits!We feel it's one of the best interviews yet. His stories and vision of the world will open your eyes to endless possibilities.His words of wisdom are a reminder to listeners that yesterday will never come again... but you have today! ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

26 Sep 20141h 12min

Nassim Taleb, author of Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about technology and how different systems handle disorder.Just as humans evolve, technology is constantly being upgraded and replaced with new concepts and ideas.Today, we use technology in almost every aspect of your lives. But do we really understand the advantages and disadvantages to constantly being computerized?In Nassim's book, The Black Swan, he highlighted for readers the unusual and unpredictable events that underlie almost everything about our world. Now with his book, Antifragile, readers are presented with why we should embrace these uncertainties.The ideas and concepts that Nassim presents today for our listeners are beyond anything you have heard before.Nassim and James talk about several ways that disorder in your life will actually make you stronger. As Nassim tells James in the interview, "If you don't have variability in your life, you are not human."The key is to take these shocks and disruptions and become, as Nassim says, antifragile, in turn making you stronger, more creative, and better able to adapt to each new challenge you face.Nothing is certain in this world, and this episode will have you questioning everything you thought you knew. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

23 Sep 20141h 40min

Jason SurfrApp (formerly Jason Headsetsdotcom & Jason Sadler) is as unconventional a marketer and entrepreneur as you'll find anywhere. He's an idea machine who knows how to execute his ideas. He created IWearYourShirt, a company that used sponsored t-shirts to promote businesses on social media, and in 2012 and 2013, he auctioned off his last name to the highest bidders.  James and Jason dive into what it takes to really build a buzz, and talk about whether traditional PR companies are worth the money they charge. Jason has found a better way... He just asks. That may seem easy, but it's really a huge amount of work to do it right. Do you have a "trust circle"? James and Jason talk about how important it is to have one. Frustrated by the confusing landscape of book publishers and book agents, Jason chose himself by self-publishing and raising over $75,000 through sponsorships in his book Creativity For Sale before a single word was written or a single copy of the book sold.   ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

19 Sep 20141h 25min

If you listen to only one podcast this year than this has to be the one.  James and Peter talk about Peter's brand new book Zero To One, which James says is the best business book, he's read in a long long time... But they cover so much more.   Where is the next technological innovation? How to utilizing the 10x rule What characteristics of PayPal led to the PayPal mafia? Why working with your friends OK What did peter see in Mark Zuckerburg? What it was like turning down a billion dollars The Chinese refrigerator rule Will Über be a success? Where would Peter put his retirement money?   "I think that when people come out of super successful companies like a Google or a Microsoft, they've often experienced business as too easy, and then they're set up to fail, whereas if you come out of a company that's completely blown up and failed, you often learn to set your sights lower and your expectations lower, and so I think failure is also somewhat overrated in our society because, you know, it actually does damage people.  So I think PayPal was this intermediate case where people learned that it was hard but possible to build a great business. A lot of great friendships were forged and these were the bases for starting these new companies." ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

16 Sep 20141h 16min

Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum artist Coolio joins The James Altucher Show to share his story of success.With more than 30 million records sold globally, Coolio gives a side to his story that most people don't know.Teacher? Psychologist? Author? There are many surprising career paths that Coolio he had interests in pursuing...You'll hear how his love of music and his ability to understand and connect with people enabled him to create hip-hop poetry unlike anyone else.Something that most people don't realize is that one of Coolio's biggest hits, "Gangsta's Paradise," caused him some career conflicts... and here you get all the details.What is truly inspiring is his passion for life and his ability to choose himself. From a rough childhood and being bullied to creating his career from scratch, you get the exclusive details from Coolio himself.He is living proof that believing in yourself is a skill, one that everyone can master if they put their minds to it. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

11 Sep 201455min

Our guest this week has been featured on shows like NBC's Last Comic Standing and The Jay Leno Show.She has also worked with comedians like Amy Schumer, Keith Robinson, and Jim Norton.One of the hottest performers in the comedy scene, Marina Franklin, joins The James Altucher Show to talk about her successes, struggles, and life lessons.In more ways than one, comedy is all about timing...From her early childhood, to the start of her comedy career, to her dating life, you get to hear the real story behind Marina Franklin.You'll hear how she started out in acting, but quickly realized that her true passion was for comedy. Find out what drove her to pursue it to the fullest.Like many other professions, failure is something that most comedians face.How do you come back from failure? How do you move on and figure out your future?Today, Marina shares her personal struggle with failure and how she was able to overcome the "moments" and move on to a successful future.Her story is proof that we should never be afraid to fail because some of the most important parts of life tend to not be about the triumph, but rather the struggle.Sometimes it takes conflict to reveal the real opportunities in situations.If you want to hear more from Marina, you can check out her podcast, Friends Like Us.And don't forget - Follow Marina @marinayfranklin ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

9 Sep 20141h 26min

If you are familiar with TruTV and their hit show Hardcore Pawn, then you already know todays guest.Seth Gold, a fourth generation pawnbroker joins The James Altucher Show to share his insight into the pawn business.Have you ever walked into a pawn shop?If you have, you probably didn't think of the establishment as a bank. But that is exactly what they are. They are banks for people that don't have bank accounts and Seth breaks down why the business is so lucrative.Could this be the industry for you to start a business in?Here you get the real story behind one of the most successful businesses out there.Today Seth demonstrates the art of negotiating in a way that you won't hear anywhere else.Starting at the very bottom and going on to be named the 2013 National Pawnbrokers Association Pawnbroker of the Year, you get to hear the real success story straight from the source.Seth is living proof that if you do what you love, and put in the time and effort, success will follow. ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

4 Sep 201437min