The Greatness Machine

Humans are not meant to be alone all the time. But with jobs to fulfill, businesses to run, kids to look after, and loved ones to spend time with, how do you gather old and new folks to rekindle friendships and encourage new connections? What better way to bring people together than hosting a cocktail party, right? Nick Gray, the founder of Museum Hack and author of The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings, joins us to share how he went from helping his family’s businesses to launching his own tour operator business and then writing his very first book about the benefits of hosting social gatherings.  In this episode, Nick looks back at how he made it possible to help his family grow their business by leading their hiring, marketing, and international sales. He takes us back to when he started and grew Museum Hack and reveals why he sold and exited the company in 2018. Nick also talks about the benefits of hosting cocktail parties in widening your network and building connections. Topics include: How Nick became a museum tour guide and turned Hack the Met tours into a business How long it took Nick to launch his book, The 2-Hour Cocktail Party Nick and Darius share one thing to consider before publishing a book How Nick grew Museum Hack before he stepped down and sold the company The biggest fear of a new party host and how to avoid it Nick reveals the best days to host a cocktail party The secret formula to successfully hosting parties and making new friends Nick explains why a conventional cocktail party lasts only 2 hours Tips for parents who want to host or attend a party How to leverage party hosting And other topics… Resources: How to Host a Party Website: https://party.pro/  The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: https://party.pro/book/   The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: https://amzn.to/39rfb2V   The Easy Way to Host or Plan a Networking Event: https://party.pro/networking/  How to Plan a Clothing Swap (The Easy Way): https://party.pro/swap/  Hosting a Happy Hour: Nick Gray’s How-to Guide: https://party.pro/happyhour/  Kids at Your Party: Get a Sitter: https://party.pro/kids/  Connect with Nick: Website: https://nickgray.net/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickgraynews/?hl=en  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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you exponentially increase how much you read when you have too much on your plate? Most of us, if not all, wish there were more hours in a day to grind and make time for what brings us joy. Any business owner or entrepreneur can attest to that. Finding a balance between work and life is easier said than done. But when done right, it can make the impossible possible. Today, I am flying solo to share a few tips on how I managed to surpass my goal of reading 22 books this year with three months to spare. In this episode, I will talk about the benefits of habit stacking and how it helped me learn to multitask while reading. I will also share the secret on how a busy entrepreneur like myself finds more time to read and what tools helped me to become a book athlete. Topics include: The benefits of building good habits Expert tips to reading more books in a year How I learned to multitask while reading The importance of narrator choice in audiobooks Pros and cons of reading multiple books at once Effective note-taking from reading Apps that helped me increase my reading My reading goal for 2023 And other topics… 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The act of visualizing can help you channel your dreams. It conditions your mind and body to take the necessary steps to achieve your goals and claim the life you have always wanted. By visualizing your goals, you will have a clearer vision of what you want to achieve in each area of your life. Is it your dream to start a business? Do you want to travel the world? Do you want to get that promotion you have been eyeing for? Imagining yourself achieving these dreams is the purpose of visualization. Emily Balcetis, an award-winning social psychologist, spills the beans about the secrets of successful people through her book Clearer, Closer, Better: How Successful People Save The World. As a result of her rigorous research, she emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of our visual experiences in order to see the possibilities in what we can’t see now.  In this episode, Darius and Emily talk about vision as a key to achieving goals, key strategies in creating more time and being productive, and the direct connection between perception and action. Topics include: What is a behavioral psychologist and what do they do What inspired Emily to write Clearer, Closer, Better Why vision is a superpower Relationships between perception and action How to turn a big dream into actionable items How a simple exercise can create more time in your week How swapping out visual cues in your life can change your actions Why saving for retirement is so difficult and how to overcome that How to prioritize your time to achieve big goals A plan to remove any obstacles in your way of achieving your goals The explanation behind the blue and gold dress picture on social media And other topics… Connect with Emily: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-balcetis-6b2853165/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilybalcetis/?hl=en  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Clearer-Closer-Better-Successful-People/dp/1524796468  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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Success does not necessarily equate to happiness and contentment. We often think that it is by grinding day in and day out that we would find fulfillment. Most of us think of happiness as a destination, one that we can only truly experience when we reach a certain level in our job or hit a certain number in our business.  Unfortunately, that is not the case. While it can be rewarding to achieve our goals, it is also true that sometimes success will only give us momentary happiness before it leaves us feeling empty. Today, I am flying solo to talk about that one special event that opened my eyes to the importance of cultivating gratitude and what it means to lead a fulfilling life.  In this episode, I will share what it means to have a competitive attitude and why healthy competition is essential as we work on our dreams. I will also discuss passion as an essential key to achieving professional goals.  Topics include: Why it matters to be passionate about your work What TEDx taught me about passion and gratitude The impact and importance of gratitude The difference between healthy and unhealthy competition What your priorities say about you And other topics… 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does growing up in a bubble prepare you for life outside of it? Having spent his entire childhood in a church campus, it took Travis Chappell long years to realize that the path he was in at that time was not the life that he wanted to lead.  Travis, the man behind the Build Your Network podcast, looks back at how a ministry degree holder like him went from making door-to-door sales to starting a podcast and to building his own business.  Despite having to start from scratch, he persevered and used his experience making door-to-door until he finally launched his first-ever podcast in 2017. He later built his business, Guestio, where he teaches entrepreneurs how to build, grow, and monetize podcasts through interviewing. In this episode, Travis gets real about growing up in a Christian bubble and discovering his passion for podcasting. He and Darius also talk about the key strategies to build an audience, how to achieve success in the industry, and how to leverage podcasts to establish brand authority. Topics include: Travis looks back on growing up in a Fundamentalist Christian bubble How Travis started his podcast show and podcast coaching Why Travis decided to do door-to-door sales after college instead of going into ministry Podcasters that inspired Travis to get into the industry The secret formula for podcast success Leveraging podcasts to enhance brand How to get started in podcasting What Travis envisions Guestio to achieve Expanding the Build Your Network podcast for a wider reach And other topics… Connect with Travis: Website: https://travischappell.com/  Website: https://guestio.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell/?hl=en  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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where we spend our time represents what we actually care about, regardless of what we say our goals and priorities are. Prioritizing helps you decide what you need to do, what you don’t need to do, and when you should focus. Priorities are concerns, interests, or desires that come before anything else. But what does your life look like according to your priorities?  Unfortunately, when the thin line between need and want gets blurred, we often get carried away and forget the things that matter most in life. We go from place to place, switch after one task and another, and get lost in the cycle of busyness. Today, I am flying solo to share my personal realization about the importance of setting priorities and how to do it when everything feels important. In this episode, I will talk about how I reached my goal for this year and what I plan to achieve in 2023. I will also discuss how goal-setting, prioritizing, and time-blocking can help one achieve success in both life and work. Topics include: How to set your top priorities in life What made me reassess my priorities Why it is important to make time for yourself Aligning priorities with core values What I did to hit my goal of reading 22 books this year What my goal is for 2023 And other topics… 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to be a successful Navy SEAL or entrepreneur? And how does one learn from the other? Surprisingly, entrepreneurs are no different from special operators. Just like in the Navy SEAL, entrepreneurship requires good leadership with the ability to plan, execute, and be methodical. Both require unyielding perseverance, regulation, and belief in the mission and vision.  Larry Yatch, a ten-year US Navy SEAL-turned-elite leadership strategist, has been helping senior executives optimize their personal growth and leadership strategy for superior performance. Through his book, How Leadership (Actually) Works: A Navy Seal’s Complete System For Coordinating Teams, he shares his six-pillar system that companies can use to achieve success. In this episode, Darius and Larry discuss the similarities and differences between special operators and entrepreneurs. They also talk about self-regulation, self-fulfillment, leadership, core values, confidence, ambition, and a lot more! Topics include: What inspired Larry to join the military How Larry found out about Navy SEALs in 7th grade Larry looks back at his 10-year experience as a Navy SEAL Self-regulation as a key to succeed The similarities between Navy SEALs and entrepreneurs What “hungry ghost” teach us about fulfillment How Larry led the largest Special Operations in US history What motivated Larry to start his company, SEAL Team Leaders Larry explains his book, How Leadership (Actually) Works  The benefits of values-based leadership Defining the line between ego and confidence The two tools Larry leverages for his company What separates those who want to be better from those who actually become better And other topics… Connect with Larry: Website: https://www.sealteamleaders.com/  Book: https://www.howleadershipactuallyworks.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-yatch  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larryyatch/?hl=en  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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a good story? Good stories create a sense of connection and are easy to understand. They are delivered with calm confidence and keep the audience interested and engaged. The best storytellers are those who get personal and know how to incorporate their own experiences into the story.  Just like in business, good leaders share their knowledge and personal story to build trust and loyalty between themselves and their team members. With stories, leaders can be more authentic and relatable to their employees, forging deeper connections.  Stephanie Paul gives a sneak peek into her new book, Unlock the Magic of Story: How to Use Neuroscience Secrets to Engage and Influence Any Audience, where she shares tried-and-true proven techniques on why story and humor are such powerful tools in captivating and influencing an audience. In this episode, Darius and Stephanie discuss the differences between working in the entertainment world and the business industry. They also tackle the power of storytelling and why great leaders need to be great storytellers. Topics include: How Stephanie started in the performing arts at a young age Stephanie looks back on her experiences in the modeling business  How she got her start as a professional actress What it was like being a foreign actress in an American film What Stephanie realized when she shifted from entertainment to business Stephanie talks about her new book, Unlock the Magic of Story The importance of communication in effective leadership Storytelling as a form of mediation Stephanie spills her craziest experience in the entertainment industry And other topics… Connect with Stephanie: Website: https://stephaniepaulinc.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniepaulinc/ Free Gift: https://stephaniepaulinc.com/powerfulgift/  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Unlock-Magic-Story-Neuroscience-Influence/dp/B09XZZ2QZG  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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Negotiating anything in life can make even the most socially robust entrepreneurs break out in cold sweats. Many of us are not born with negotiation skills but have to learn how to persuade our audience to be on our side. Learning excellent negotiation skills can take your career to the next level by negotiating a significant raise at your annual performance review. Negotiating a raise is so much easier than negotiating hostage situations like our next guest has while working with the FBI. In this episode, we talk to Chris Voss, also known as “The Master Negotiator.” Chris retired as the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI, is the CEO of the Black Swan Group, and is the author of the national bestseller Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It, which was one of Darius’s favorite books.   Drawing on his FBI experiences where the stakes are high, Chris Voss’s company, The Black Swan Group, specializes in solving business communication problems using hostage negotiation solutions. Their negotiation methodology focuses on discovering the “black swans,” small pieces of information that have a huge effect on an outcome. The biggest surprise is learning the tactics behind negotiating a business deal are very similar to negotiating with a barricaded gunman for the lives of hostages.   Don’t miss this thrilling episode! What Darius discusses with Chris Voss: How to be an effective negotiator for anything.   How information gathering can give you an edge in the negotiation game. What it takes to subtly convince someone to have it your way. What small things make the biggest impact in negotiations.   How to diffuse a situation by calling out the negative.   How emotions drive human behavior, not logic. The Black Swan Rule: Treat others not the way you want to be treated but the way they want to be treated. Common mistakes in negotiating. Why you are 31% smarter with a positive mindset. Why curiosity is a superpower.   How to make the gunman feel empathy for you! Chris talks about his book Never Split the Difference Connect with Chris: Website: https://www.blackswanltd.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophervoss/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefbinegotiator/?hl=en  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805  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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s holding you back? What’s stopping you from achieving the life you have always wanted? Unfortunately, many people experience regret for the things they never did. Perhaps they rejected a wonderful job offer, passed up an opportunity to expand their business, or missed the chance to travel the world.  While there are plenty of reasons for missed opportunities, choosing to live a life in a box is what stops most people from dreaming big dreams.  Today, I am flying solo to talk about how constraints and limitations affect our way of life, how we see ourselves, and how they hold us back from becoming the best version of ourselves. I will also talk about my personal journey of finding success after removing the constraints I previously put around myself.  In this episode, I will discuss the benefits of having a no-constraints mindset and how it taught me to raise the bar higher every time I reach a goal without beating myself up.  Topics include: Breaking free from constraints The one thing that stops people from reaching their full potential The effects of having a no-constraints mindset What I achieved when I started living without constraints The two things I put no constraints around And other topics… 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices