Shows
Books Are GreatThe Dictionary of Acceptable Ideas by Gustave FlaubertCliches, turns of phrase and common expressions can all be poked fun at. We are happy to use them in lieu of finding our own, original words; but do they actually get the job done? Benno Nelson joins this special guest-hosted episode to discuss words, phrases and their purposes in the context of this lovely little work from the turn of the 20th century.2018-09-1844 min
Books Are GreatMastery by George LeonardThe path to mastery includes many plateaus, short bursts of improvement and requires a lifetime of vision. George Leonard teaches us to love the plateaus. He teaches us to develop the vision. We concentrate on steady improvement, understanding that there will be setbacks and frustrations. By enjoying the process, enjoying each practice, loving the minute details that are involved, we become masters. Masters stay on the mat longer than anyone else. Masters enjoy drilling the fundamentals. Masters keep moving forward even without seeing the outward effects of improvement.2018-09-0536 min
Books Are GreatEleven Rings by Phil Jackson1. Lead from the inside out 2. Bench the Ego 3. Let each player discover his own destiny 4. The road to freedom 5. Turn the mundane into the sacred 6. One breath = One Mind 7. The key to success is compassion 8. Keep your eye on the spirit, not the scoreboard 9. Sometimes you have to pull out the big stick 10. When in doubt, do nothing 11. Forget the ring 2018-08-2933 min
Books Are GreatLetters From a Stoic by SenecaSeneca was born in Spain, lived much of his life in Rome, and was the advisor to several emperors. He was exiled, fell deathly ill, brought back to advise again, and eventually died under Nero. As one of the original stoic thinkers, his wisdom is timeless. His advice hasn't gone stale in the 2,000 years since it was written. Seneca spent a lifetime working out the best ways to think, to live and to get meaning from life. This episode deals with life, death, illness, boredom and acceptance.2018-08-2239 min
Books Are GreatThe Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh Exhibit a ferocious and intelligently applied work ethic directed at continual improvement Demonstrate respect for each person in the organization Be deeply committed to learning and teaching Be fair Demonstrate character Honor the direct connection between details and improvement, relentlessly seek the latter Show self-control, especially under pressure Demonstrate and prize loyalty Use positive language and have a positive attitude Take pride in my effort as an entity separate from the result of that effort Be willing to go the extra distance for the organization Deal appropriately with victory and defeat, adulation and humiliation Promote internal communication that is both...2018-08-0938 min
Books Are GreatAwaken the Giant Within by Tony RobbinsAwaken the Giant Within is a step-by-step guide to changing your life for the better. We're all guilty of leaving our best inside of ourselves. So, what can we do to be better every day? Tony lays out the fundamentals to progress, the tactics that will help you get there and the identifiers to look for when deciding whether or not you're headed in the right direction.2018-08-0142 min
Books Are GreatEmotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis BradberryEmotional awareness is something we are not taught in school. We enter the workforce knowing how to read, write, and report on bodies of knowledge; but too often we lack the skills to manage our emotions in the heat of the problems we face. Good decisions require fare more than factual knowledge. They are made using self-knowledge and emotional mastery when they're needed most. What is more important to a individual success? According to studies, 90% of high performers are also high in EQ. On the flip side, just 20% of low performers are high in EQ. The best part of EQ...2018-07-2540 min
Books Are GreatThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleBe Proactive Begin With the End in Mind Put First Things First Think Win Win Seek First to Understand, Then Be Understood Synergize Sharpen the Saw Focus on increasing Production. Focus much more closely on increasing Production Capability.2018-07-1943 min
Books Are GreatCrystalizing Public Opinion by Edward BernaysEdward Bernays, the nephew of famed Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, was the first pioneer of the profession of Public Relations. He changed the minds of millions of people, without them even knowing. Bernays convinced the American public to eat a breakfast of bacon and eggs. He helped change the minds of thousands of women towards the habit of cigarette smoking while working for a tobacco company. He was in the business of changing minds, and he was an expert. To understand the crowd, one must understand the individual. Once you know your people, you're better able...2018-06-2841 min
Books Are GreatThe E-Myth by Michael GerberMichael E. Gerber wrote this small business classic in the mid 90's, and popularized the idea of systematizing one's enterprise. The trick lies not in working as hard as possible to make widgets 15 hours a day, according to Gerber, but instead the goal should be to hire and facilitate someone else's ability to make those amazing widgets. Doing that allows the owner to strategize from the business level instead of being immediately buried under a mountain of WORK. 2018-06-2040 min
Books Are GreatCreativity Inc. by Ed CatmullEd Catmull basically invented the concept of an attractive and successful "Company Culture." He very carefully cultivated the attitude and culture of creativity within the walls of his businesses; but he wasn't always a rousing success. What most people aren't aware of, is that Toy Story almost didn't exist. If it weren't for Ed's strong understanding of himself and his business, the team at Pixar would never have had the meetings that led to the revitalization of what is now known as a wonderful, classic film about Woody and Buzz. Joe an...2018-05-1739 min
Books Are GreatThink and Grow Rich by Napoleon HillNapoleon Hill wrote his bestselling book in 1937, and the years have been kind to the work. It's sold more than 15,000,000 copies worldwide since then. This episode is about what it takes to turn an idea into a burning desire, how to develop a keen sense of faith in yourself and what to do once you have those two foundational elements in place to TAKE ACTION towards the life you deserve. Joe and Jeff also dig into the details about Napoleon's odd life, the veracity of his claims and whether he was who he claimed to...2018-05-0937 min
Books Are GreatHigh Performance Habits by Brendon BurchardWhat separates the good from the great? Are there consistent things we can look to as identifying the truly high-performers from their peers? Brendon Burchard has dedicated his life to answering those questions. As more parallels are drawn between world-class performers, it becomes more and more simple to find out how they've done it. Brendon's book lays out all of those habits in very clear language. By the time you're done with the book it's almost difficult NOT to adhere to these quite straight-forward ideas.2018-05-0240 min
Books Are Great12 Rules for Life by Dr. Jordan B PetersonDr. Peterson lays out his method for living the best life possible in this entertaining book. He uses mostly anecdotes and personal stories, along with mythology and religious understanding to illustrate where most people make mistakes in the way they go about their days. This episode focuses on four of Dr. Peterson's 12 rules: Treat Yourself Like Someone You're Responsible For Helping Do Not Let Your Children Do Anything That Makes You Dislike Them Set Your House in Perfect Order Before You Criticize the World Be Precise in Your Speech 2018-04-2635 min
Books Are GreatToday We Are Rich by Tim SandersDo you feel as if your life is going sideways? Well, Tim Sanders principles are good place to help you gain control. Tim Sanders is a bestselling author, leadership coach, and former Yahoo! executive. He was no different then you and I. He has struggled to get his footing on his life and career many times in his life. In his book, Tim shares his personal story of moving back home to live with his grandmother while he was going through some hardships. While back home, he learns from his grandmother the 7 principles of “confiden...2018-04-1837 min
Books Are GreatThe Art of Living by Epictetus2,000 years ago there lived a man named Epictetus, who was born into slavery in Greece. He was highly educated and throughout his life he learned to discern between the things he CAN control and the things he CANNOT. He is one of the founders of stoic philosophy, which has taught hundreds of thousands of people to live calmly and usefully. This episode is full of inspiration, understanding and some serious insight into how to live the best life. Start Living Your Ideals - "Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. Once...2018-04-0442 min
Books Are GreatEgo is the Enemy by Ryan HolidayWhy do some people and companies fail and succeed? According to Ryan Holiday, the difference lies in how you handle your ego. He explains that in life we typically find ourselves in three stages: Aspire, Success, and Failure. No matter, whether you are early in your career, a super successful professional, or finding yourself failing at the moment, your ego, will be there. How you manage it will either help you reach your goals or ultimately destroy you. “Training is like sweeping the floor. Just because we ‘ve done it once, doesn’t mean the floor is clean f...2018-03-2844 min
Books Are GreatA Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto MusashiA life of balance is useful to everyone. The stories of Miyamoto Musashi is recorded in history for all of us to lear from, even those of us who don't regularly engage in sword duals.... This episode is full of battle stories, life lessons, confused Americans trying to decode and understand 17th century Japanese literature, and a genuine attempt to understand the meaning of life and battle. From his book of ground, Musashi lays out the basics of his strategy and the way of the warrior: Do not think dishonestly The way is in training Become acquainted with every art Kn...2018-03-2140 min
Books Are GreatRelentless by Tim GroverYears ago Tim Grover got the unique opportunity to become MJ's trainer. He went on to not just train MJ his whole career but he trained other athletes like Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade to name a few. He claims that what makes MJ, Kobe, and Dwade different is that they are cleaners. What made these three athletes go from good to great to unstoppable throughout their career is the relentless exercising of their mental fitness. In today's show, Jeff shares Tim Grover's definition of a cleaner and the Relentless 13 which are the specific traits of a cleaner #1. You keep p...2018-03-1442 min
Books Are GreatAs a Man Thinketh by James AllenMan literally becomes what he thinks. His character is the complete sum of all his thoughts. James Allen wrote this useful little pamphlet in 1903. These words have served as inspiration to millions of readers, spawned generations of self-help literature and pushed people around the world to improve themselves and through their thoughts. Allen links thought to achievement, circumstances, vision, ideals and serenity.2018-03-0745 min
Books Are GreatThe Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone & Benjamin Zander A shoe factory sends two marketing scouts to a region of Africa to study the prospects for expanding business. One sends back a telegram saying, SITUATION HOPELESS STOP NO ONE WEARS SHOES The other write backs triumphantly, GLORIOUS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY STOP THEY HAVE NO SHOES Would you see the opportunity like the first or second scout? In the Art of Possibility Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander give us 12 practices that can help you change the way you view the world and allow you to see all the...2018-02-2848 min
Books Are GreatThe 4 Hour Workweek by Tim FerrissFerriss dropped out of Princeton after what he describes as close to a mental breakdown, and decided the best thing for him to do was to travel the world. He spent years trying to build his online business, BrainQuicken LLC, only to discover that his new creation was more of a prison than a liberator. The 4 Hour Workweek is a book about re-thinking the links between one's time and their income. Tim explores the boundaries between working to live and living to work. His years of experience led him to create infrastructures within his business that allow him to profit w...2018-02-2136 min
Books Are GreatWin Forever by Pete CarrollWhat is better: competing or winning? This question was asked to Pete Carroll on his first day as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. His answer was easy Competing. Why? Because it lasts longer. Pete Caroll is a super bowl winning head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and legendary college football coach of the USC Trojans. Ever since he was a little kid he always competed hard for everything he wanted. Early on in his coaching career, he used this attitude to help him rise in the coaching ranks, and he started to realize that if...2018-02-1445 min
Books Are GreatHow to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale CarnegieWhat is the best way to get along with coworkers, make new friends, imbue your employees with a sense of pride or win an argument? How to Win Friends and Influence People is a seminal work on improving one's life and ability to deal with others. In the 80 years since its publication, How to Win Friends has become a classic, referred to by thousands of copycat works. The advice Carnegie offers is not nuanced, it's not ground breaking and it did not win any pulitzer prizes. However, this simple-to-enact advice is timeless. Dale breaks down...2018-02-0748 min
Books Are GreatThe Miracle Morning by Hal ElrodMiracle Morning is a book about a morning routine created by Hal Elrod. Hal believes that the key to reaching your potential starts with how you choose to wake up every single morning. In this show, Jeff discusses with Joe two of his main takeaways from the book and discusses each one in detail throughout the show. 95% Reality Check: The challenge for most people is that they don’t want to take ownership of anything. They do not realize that to accomplish anything in life, it starts with themselves. Instead of looking at people you admire and sayin...2018-01-3144 min
Books Are GreatHow To Read A Book by Mortimer AdlerHow To Read A Book is a work that sets out to answer that specific question. Mostly in regards to nonfiction. How can we as readers open up that piece of literature, quickly come to terms with the author, understand and think through the arguments being laid out and make a decision as to how that information should be used. Joe and Jeff discuss the details of how we can best go about this process. In reading Adler's work they learned techniques that will help them read more books, and get more out of the...2018-01-2456 min
Books Are GreatHard Goals by Mark Murphy Shownotes: www.booksaregreat.com/Hard-goals What is this book about? Mark and his team studied 5,000 workers from all different type of industries to understand what makes people and businesses extraordinary. He also shares stories from people like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and many of our past presidents to discover what made them achieve things most dream of doing. What he learned was that they didn’t set easy or “SMART” goals, they set HARD goals. In his book, Mark walks us through what HARD goals are and how we can achieve them. How is the...2018-01-1746 min
Books Are GreatMastery by Robert GreeneShownotes: www.booksaregreat.com/mastery-greene In as few words as possible. What is the book about? The lives of many past masters can be analyzed and parallels can be drawn throughout certain periods in their development. We can take repeating patterns as a hint that those steps are crucial to success, especially when shown to repeat consistently over large spans of time. The best masters learned deeply, usually from a skilled individual, surpassed that person and engaged themselves wholly in the creative task throughout their career. How is...2018-01-1738 min
Books Are GreatMindset by Carol DweckWhat is the book about: The view we adopt of ourselves determines how we live our lives. The author Carol Dweck shares with us research that shows humans have two types of mindsets: Fixed and Growth. People who believe their abilities are fixed are less likely to succeed while people with a growth mindset believe learning from failure and hardwork is the key to reaching your potential. Carol shares with us stories of athletes, coaches, parents and business leaders to help us understand how we can shift our mindset to help us achieve our goals. How is the argument laid out...2018-01-1735 min