The School of Greatness Hall of Fame

He's a big podcaster, a massively successful author and blogger, a genius in business, and one of the most down to earth guys I know.Yes, James Altucher is back for his 4th episode!He's coming out with a new book, which we dive into in this interview, and also has made some big lifestyle shifts that are fascinating.I love talking to James because he is such a straight-shooter, but also because he always gets me to think differently about my life and the assumptions I'm making.James' newest book is all about reinventing yourself, and we ended up talking about an example from my own life of doing this.It got me thinking about all the times I've chosen to reinvent myself and the value I've seen as a result. There's no way I would have gotten to where I am today without being willing to reinvent several times.So whether or not you're ready for a change, listen up to why it might be exactly what you're needing to do in Episode 425 with James Altucher.Some questions I ask:Do you think people are screwed if they don’t start thinking about how to reinvent themselves? (9:11)How do we cultivate innovative ideas to reinvent ourselves? (11:28)When is the last time you reinvented yourself? (19:25)What’s the most meaningful thing in your life right now? (25:44)Do you have any regrets from your business career? (34:03)What are you doing in your business to generate revenue and package your content? (37:10)What should online content creators be focusing on? (42:43)In this episode, you will learn:How to make the most money from self-publishing your book (4:09)The future of jobs (and which ones are growing) (5:14)The whole story of how I re-invented myself from a football athlete to a handball athlete (11:47)James’ formula for reinventing yourself (15:48)The story of why and how James sold all of his possessions and decided to become homeless (20:06)How to deal with a bad day (32:28)Why you shouldn’t think about what’s missing in your life (34:15)Plus much more…

28 Apr 201957min

I recently had the honor of being interviewed on an awesome show, Inside Quest, by Quest Nutrition Co-Founder Tom Bilyeu.We had such an incredible conversation, I'm still thinking about it.And of course I wanted him to come on  The School of Greatness.Tom is not only an amazing human being, husband, entrepreneur, and businessman, but he has helped build Quest to become the 2nd fastest growing company in North America!What really hits home for me about Tom and his mission, however, is that it isn't about making millions and breaking growth records.Tom's company is built on a deep desire to serve others by addressing a core part of health issues - lack of truly clean food products to fuel an amazing life.I loved getting under the hood with Tom about how they hire and fire at Quest, his thoughts on marriage and kids, and how he has developed killer self-awareness through the years.Welcome to the gold mine of Tom Bilyeu's brain and heart in Episode 201.Some questions I ask:How did you stay committed to keep going to the gym even when you didn't want to?How did you figure out that you wanted to start Quest as your mission-aligned company?What is the question you ask people when you are interviewing them to understand their mindset?How do you cultivate self-awareness?In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why Tom believes wealth is the great facilitator for change (but it still doesn't buy happiness)The difference between momentary happiness and framework happinessAsk yourself, "What would I love to do even if I were failing?"The power of servicing someone else's dream to propel your ownThe arrogance of belief and how to use it for goodThe Quest philosophy around hiringThe skills needed to create a great marriage are the same skills to create a great businessPlus much more...

28 Apr 20191h 13min

You probably already know what a big fan of intention I am.If you're part of the School of Greatness Academy, or have ever been coached by me, we've no doubt talked about it.That's because I have learned first-hand the power of setting my intention on my goal and making all decisions based off of that intention.Without it, I've said things I wanted to do and nothing happened.With it, I've made the seemingly impossible my reality.So I got really excited when I saw that one of the top (if not the very top) leadership expert had just come out with a book on intention.John Maxwell is one of the most renowned authors and leadership coaches in the world.I could go on for days listing his merits and impressive resume, but needless to say, he's written over 80 books, sold 25 million copies of those books, and travels the world consulting with top leaders.I was lucky enough to interview him for this episode of The School of Greatness.John is one of the most humble and wise men I've met and I was drinking in every word he said.He's written so much (and coached so many) that almost every sentence he said was something I wanted to write down as a quote.I even asked him to repeat one because it was so good.Intention is powerful, and John taught me out how to use it to achieve what you most want.Get ready to learn from a master in Episode 239 with John Maxwell.Some questions I ask:What moment in your adult life had the most uncertainty for you?How do you stay humble and grounded in your mission after all this success?To avoid burnout, do you agree you must include service to others in your business or venture?How does someone with a huge vision (to inspire millions) also maintain intimate relationships?How do you handle breakdowns?In This Episode, You Will Learn:What John has learned about success from playing sports (another reason to play sports and keep fit)Why pro-golf tournaments are 4 days long (otherwise everyone would win)The power of compounded consistency to create greatness in your lifeThe first time you do something isn't to do it well; it's to learnJohn's secrets to selling 25 million booksWhy John loves holding a new book of his every time (after writing 80 books)The story of why John switched from being a pastor to be a leaderThe power of knowing your purpose to get you through adversityWhy John considers his most recent book his most importantThe importance of writing the story of your own lifeHow to keep quality people on your team for yearsPlus much more...

28 Apr 201956min

I was nearly in tears while hearing Mo Gawdat's story of how he has learned how to be happy no matter what is going on.Mo is a genius and has always enjoyed professional success and wonderful family relationships.If you've ever heard of Google's amazing branch X, you know they're the geniuses who are working on self-driving cars and a world-wide network of balloons that would give internet access everywhere.Mo runs that company.So when he found himself miserable 10 years ago, despite all his success and family fulfillment, he put his brilliant engineering mind to the task of figuring out what actually creates happiness.Over 10 years he studied every book and idea he could find and slowly developed what he calls an equation for happiness.It is simple and straightforward and is all based around expectations and reality.Once he applied his equation to his own life, he found he was happy no matter what.But then he lost his son Ali to a simple medical mistake by a doctor.And his research and equation were put to a whole new test.Inspired by Ali and his family's experience of this tragedy, Mo wrote a book to explain his happiness equation and why it works even under the hardest circumstances.I learned so much from Mo in just this one hour conversation and I know you will too in Episode 467 with Mo Gawdat.Some questions I ask:Who are the people who are the most unhappy in the world? (7:06)When did you start the search for the happiness equation? (14:39)What's the biggest lesson your son Ali taught you? (22:54)What is your approach to getting back to happiness when something goes wrong? (41:13)In this episode, you will learn:The reason Mo took a 6 month sabbatical from Google to promote this book (6:36)How our expectations determine our happiness (10:12)The difference between pain and suffering (19:55)The advice Mo's son gave him before he passed (22:06)Why we become less wise as we get older (24:22)The 6 big illusions that cause much of our suffering (31:54)How Mo open sourced edits for his book to make it better (39:00)Plus much more...

28 Apr 201953min

I loved everything I learned from Laird (including the crazy breathing workout we did).But that was only half of the fun I had that day.After interviewing Laird, I got to interview his equally amazing wife Gabrielle Reece.Gabby is accomplished on so many levels, including being a world-class sand volleyball athlete, model, fitness trainer, author, wife, and mother.In talking with Gabby I really had the sense that she has it all.But she is the first to admit that it hasn't been given to her. She has worked incredibly hard for everything she has.We first talked about her volleyball career and how she paid her way through college by modeling.And then we got into her best relationship advice (she and Laird have been married 20 years and have 3 daughters).I LOVED what insight she had on the importance of empowering alpha males to stand in their power.We also discussed her views on the importance of knowing your own worth despite what anyone else thinks.I couldn't be happier to bring you a second incredible interview coming from the same visit in Episode 215 with Gabrielle Reece.Some questions I ask:Were you comfortable in your own skin (being so tall at an early age)?Why is living a healthy lifestyle so important to you today?What's it take from a woman to be with a strong, driven man and have a thriving relationship?How does a woman find inner happiness these days?What are some strategies to increase belief in yourself?In This Episode, You Will Learn:How Gabby got into pro beach volleyball before it was an Olympic sportHow hard work helps your self-worthThe story of how Gabby got into modeling to pay her way through college (and gave up her sports scholarship for it)Why having a real sense of self served her so well at a young ageWhat she learned from trying to become a pro-golfer after her volleyball careerWhy it takes so long for volleyball players to transition from indoor to beachWhat she and her husband Laird have learned from the bumps in the road in their relationship (and how they have created a 20 year marriage!)Why it's okay for a woman to yield to her husband in certain cases and why it's important to honor his masculinityGabby's amazing relationship advice (so much wisdom here!)The philosophy behind Gabby's HI X workouts that are now taught at 24 Hour FitnessHer approach to building her business (beyond fitness)How fear and doubt are part of being human and it's okay to start over each dayPlus much more...

28 Apr 20191h 5min

The more I learn about the brain, the more fascinated I am by it.Things I used to think were just a mystery (like what makes us happy and what makes us sad) I'm now learning are totally controllable.So I was really excited to talk to one of the leading neuroscience psychologists in the field today.Dr. Rick Hanson has written multiple best-selling books about how to actually hardwire our brains to stay in the positive side of thought and feeling.Which is something I'm always looking to bring to The School of Greatness.In our conversation, I kept asking him questions related to my own experiences with emotional intelligence, positive thought, and the power we have to shift ourselves out of negative emotions and thought patterns.Everything Rick shared with me confirmed my own experience and what I've learned from other experts.What I especially loved learning this time was how important it is to slow down and consciously enjoy the good times (something I have struggled with in the past) because it actually helps reinforce those positive brain waves in the hardwiring of our brains.This is just one gem I picked up from my fascinating interview with brain genius Dr. Rick Hanson in Episode 207.Some questions I ask:Are most people holding onto negative experiences from the past more so than the positive that happens daily?What are the 4 steps to taking in the good?What is a good process to follow to break negative thoughts?What is the brain capable of creating in the world?What is the optimal daily ritual to keep the positive thoughts going?What has a bigger effect on the other: the mind on the heart or the heart on the mind?In This Episode, You Will Learn:Rick has been meditating since the '90s (that's a lot of meditating)How the hard wiring of our brains affects usWhy having good experiences constantly in romantic relationships is so important to keep them healthyThe enjoy-ability of an experience is an important signal to your brain to slow down and value the goodWhat causes lasting change in behavior and mindsetStep 1: Activation - a useful thought or experience to get things goingStep 2: Installation - a method for actually getting the experience to stick in your brainHEAL:Have the experienceEnrich the experienceAbsorb the experienceLink the experienceWe can learn certain important things only through negative experiencesThe importance of acknowledging the good in your life (and not just the bad)The feeling of a reward is much more powerful than just the idea of onePlus much more...

28 Apr 201953min

Last time I had fitness/nutrition expert Yuri Elkaim on the The School of Greatness, we talked about how to get and keep up awesome energy all day long.His insights are amazing because he knows the science and practical application of all the different kinds of diets and workouts.I wanted to bring Yuri back on the podcast because he just wrote a new book about how to burn fat and lose weight all day long.I was excited to ask him the truth behind the scenario so many of us struggle with.Yuri is awesome because he's able to make even the most complicated health issues really easy to understand and gives actionable tips to put to use.In this episode, I asked him if there is a perfect fat-burning diet for everyone (as so many diets claim) and he said no!Instead, he outlined what his studies have shown him work best on the most people, which is something I'd never heard of.Best news: people are getting amazing results that are sustainable and not focused on deprivation using his eating plan.Whether you're looking to lose weight (finally) or not, I'm stoked to bring you this interview with one of the best in the industry, Yuri Elkaim in Episode 261.Some questions I ask:Is there a perfect diet for everyone?Can you workout too much?What is a good long term diet plan?In This Episode, You Will Learn:The TRUTH about low-carb dietsWhy it's smart to model people who are similar to you in diet/lifestyle/workout, etc.The 6 "fat triggers" that force our bodies to produce more cortisol (stress) and hold onto fatWhy sex drive goes down when you are super stressedYuri's reasons to reduce gluten and dairy in your dietWhat anti-inflammatory foods areThe downsides of working out too muchWhat "deadly belly bugs" are (not as gross as it sounds)How to pick a great probioticThe connection between cortisol and insulinThe 5 Day Food Cycling FormulaDay 1 – Low Carb DayDay 2 – 1-Day FeastDay 3 – 1-Day FastDay 4 – Regular CalorieDay 5 – Low CaloriePlus much more...

28 Apr 201936min

But I'm REALLY excited about this episode.And not just because the guest is another Ohio boy!(But I wore one of my best Ohio shirts and hats when he came by the studio.)You probably already know him from his multiple hit shows on MTV.Or from his long list of world records in skateboarding.Or for his incredible branding with labels like DC shoes.Even if you've somehow never heard of Rob Dyrdek, you're in for a huge treat.Rob is cool for many reasons.But I literally couldn't stop asking him questions during this interview because he is so SMART when it comes to business, entrepreneurship, focus, habits, and vision.Just a few of my favorite things :)Rob and I dove deep into all these topics, as well as the real motivation behind all of them - to create happiness now.I loved every minute of this interview and can't wait for Rob to come back on the show.I know you'll get just as much out of it in Episode 373 with the legendary Rob Dyrdek.Some questions I ask:How do you describe yourself and your bio? (35:26)How do you manage your energy so that you're always full? (40:33)What are you non-negotiable daily habits? (58:46)In this episode, you will learn:How Rob got royalties on a third of DC shoes' entire line in his mid-twenties (4:45)What the term "stirfry" means in entrepreneurship (5:52)What the difference is between a business and an idea (12:08)Why Rob embraces stalkers (16:24)The story behind his sister getting married inside the Fantasy Factory (19:20)How Fantasy Factory almost didn't make it on air (26:45)The story of how Rob almost died surfing with Laird Hamilton (33:38)How to be happy everyday (38:18)The key to living a balanced and full life (43:20)How Rob's life changed when he met Tony Robbins (43:52)Why it's so important to pick one thing to master (44:50)Plus much more...

28 Apr 20191h 25min