The James Altucher Show

He denied Bill Clinton's phone call. He just lost the NBA finals championship. "I was inconsolable," John Wallace said on my podcast. "I didn't want to talk to anybody. I didn't want to talk to Bill Clinton. I didn't want to talk to my mom..." "But doesn't that make you a sore loser?" "You show me someone who accepts losing and I'll show you a loser," he said quoting Cam Newton. -- In the 90's, I walked out of my job a loser. I didn't stick with it. The stomach aches tasted like metal. I walked across the street. And played chess against a faceless man. I'll never forget him. I won that game. That's when I learned it's ok to lose. "What do you do?" Carpenter, author, server. "I'm in finance." "I'm in fashion." It's the one question we ask in New York. "What do you do?" I wander. I read. I spend time with people I love. I lost in the corporate world. But I'm winning at choosing myself. "It's one thing to give your time. It's another thing to give your money. And it's a-whole-nother thing to give both consistently. That's what I've been trying to do," John said about his philanthropy efforts. "Certain people won't do business with you if you're not giving back." I take care of myself everyday. Then I show up for other people. I ask them questions. And find out what makes them work...how they grew, shrunk, and then exploded into excellence. John said it best, "Humility turns to fire. And that fire turns to greatness." When I lost, I started over. Just like John. And now, if the president calls, I'm ready. -- Listen now to my interview with John Wallace to hear his "choose yourself" story : "From Carjacking to World Excellence." Then I hope you share yours. Email me at chooseyourselfstory@gmail.com ------------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.

Mick Jagger fooled around with Keith Richards' girlfriend. I wouldn't be able to work with someone after that. But maybe that's why I'm author. And not a rockstar. The Rolling Stones became a new band every 5-7 years. They were "perpetual amateurs." That's one of the keys to staying alive as an artist. Or as an entrepreneur. Or staying alive at all... "Remain the same but different." And be "open to influence," Rich Cohen said. He wrote "The Sun & The Moon & The Rolling Stones," an incredible book about the greatest rock 'n' roll band of all time, fate, creation, sex, influence and the art of reinventing yourself. It was "the gig of a century:" touring with The Rolling Stones the summer of '94. Then Rich worked with Mick Jagger on the HBO series "Vinyl." But this story isn't just about The Rolling Stones. It's about creation, corruption and reinvention. And the 9 ways you can reinvent yourself today. Listen now to hear half a dozen more stories about rock 'n' roll, fate, influence and inspiration. ------------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.

The party at the apartment one floor up lit lanterns and watched them fly into the sky. It's the type of lanterns you'd see in Asia. I heard her yell, "that's my journey right there! I'm going to be a mom and a doctor!" The lantern flew. "Angels! Angels!" She yelled She passed me a lantern from the balcony above. She must have laid on the ground to get her arm to reach mine. "Don't lose the wax. That's what makes it fly." My friends wrote down wishes, lit the lantern and watched it sink down to the floor 20 feet below. It burned to the ground. The ashes smelt like black popcorn. And my friends began to mourn their dreams. I left the party to read. Dr. Sanjiv Chopra gave me 5 ideas to experiment with. His brother is Deepak Chopra. They wrote the national bestseller, "Brotherhood: Dharma, Destiny and the American Dream." (highly recommended) Now Dr. Sanjiv just published, "The Big 5: Five Simple Things You Can Do to Live a Longer Healthier Life." Deepak called it "the lazy person's guide to health and longevity." I am the lazy person. When you listen to today's podcast you'll learn: 1. How to rewire your brain [13:00] 2. Dr. Sanjiv's secret to never getting yelled at by his wife [10:14] 3. What exactly influences your health [38:15] She kept yelling, "Father!" "Angels, take them away." My head got heavy while reading. The party ended. But it was still on my mind. The burnt dreams, the way she moaned to God, the connection between strangers, the distance betweens strangers... From Sanjiv, I learned tricks to live longer. And from the party I learned one trick to live fully... Never depend on a lantern to carry your dreams. Unless you're the lantern. ------------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.

I spoke to Kevin Kelly. He's the founding editor of Wired magazine and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, "The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future." He's a futurist. There are only a few people I trust with predictions about the future. He's one of them. "Tracking is coming. AI is coming. Robots are coming," he says on today's podcast. The future is here. "We can mold it to make it work for us, but we're not going to be able to stop it, or be afraid of it, or be scared of it." On today's podcast, he tells you what to expect. He reveals "the inevitable." And what to do about it now. This episode is not just about what we "know" is coming in the future. It answers the one question we'll never stop asking: "Then what?" It's the question that makes us panic until we find the playground. Or the right woman. We look around, worried, unable to see the small joys. Two men sharing photos of their families. A woman leaning forward to hear her friend better. She's not alone. The trees shake and I'm breathing. Then what? More life. We trip someone by accident, make a small joke, they don't laugh and then the stock market crashes. listen to my interview with Kevin Kelly to hear 5 ways to be on the right side of the future and: Kevin Kelly's techniques to predicting the future - [4:39]  How to discover where there's "a need" for innovation [16:16]  Kevin Kelly's predictions for 100 years from now... and 1,000 years from now [26:08]  Learn how to create a business built around the latest innovations [47:00]  Find out the next biggest platform [52:50] "One of the most valuable things you could do today..." [1:02:43] Plus my latest advice for getting 7 streams of income  [1:05:05] ------------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.

I can't imagine walking into a situation like that... handing over $20,000. "You have too much attachment to money. Let me hold this in a jar," the psychic would say. "I'll give it back whenever you ask." Then of course you never get it back. "It's a slow building of a relationship, slow building of trust," Maria Konnikova said on my podcast.  "You have no idea how many times I've met people who said, 'I do not believe in psychics.... except my psychic. My psychic is the exception to the rule.'" Maria's a New York Times bestselling author, contributing writer for The New Yorker and a brilliant podcast guest. I read her book,  "The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time," about the most common and dangerous con artists in history, what they plotted and how they got away with it. I got paranoid reading it. I thought she missed someone. Me. I kept thinking, "Am I a con artist?" There are 3 elements most people have in common with con artists. And a fourth element exclusive to con artists. It's the difference between Benjamin Franklin and Bernie Madoff. But before I tell you what these 4 elements are, you need to know how millions of Americans are being scammed everyday. And if you're one of them. Listen to my interview with Maria to find out the four elements of a con artist and never get scammed again. ------------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.

Ryan Holiday, a writer and marketing strategist known for his bestsellers on stoicism, discusses the transformative power of humility over ego. He shares insights from his latest book, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and self-awareness in personal growth. Holiday recalls a pivotal career moment, shedding light on how misunderstanding can impact self-esteem and professional paths. The conversation also highlights the difference between chasing financial success and finding fulfillment through purpose, stressing the value of authentic connections.

I was trying to cheer someone up. "The sun feels nice," I said.   "I don't even notice those things," he said.   He was depressed. But I thought I could help.   They say you can't make everybody happy. But really, you can't make anybody happy.   I know this. But it doesn't always stop me from trying.   Six months ago, I did my first stand-up show. Now I have a new experiment. I take one photo a day. And I tell a story.   But I haven't stopped thinking about stand-up. And I want to get better.   So I interviewed Gary Gulman. He's one of my favorite comedians. Top two. Him and Louis C.K. I'll throw Amy Schumer into the mix. Top three. He started 23 years ago. And I've watched his Netflix series, "It's About Time" twice (so far).   The best way to learn anything is to study the masters.   Studying Gary taught me there are two steps to developing talent in anything:   Step 1: Start somewhere Gary first tried stand-up in 1993. But that's not how he got started.   Before that, he watched comedy. He repeated bits to friends and got laughs. That's how all successes start. You just do it for fun.   That's how Derek Sivers started CD Baby and how AirBnB began. They were experiments.   Gary only had five minutes on stage.   "Back then I did impressions," he said.   He did one of Seinfeld and Kramer playing basketball.   But "within a year, I had decided that my impressions were not very good."   That's step 2: Evolve.   Doubt is a leader. It can take you away from what you don't love and into what you do love.   "That's how I got on the track I'm on now," he says.   If you're "good," you'll just sit back. And someone who's no good will get better.   - They'll get a mentor - They'll reinvent themselves - They'll practice for 10,000+ hours - They build a love for it   If the "good" ones don't evolve, they'll remain just that... good.   C) Tell your story "I have symptoms of depression," he said. "I almost feel like I'm moving in slow motion. There doesn't seem to be any amount of sleep that satisfies me."   I can't sugar coat it. It sounds miserable. But it's also the source of his comedy.   "I guess if I didn't have a depressive view of the world, I wouldn't have the premises to go off," he said.   "But at the same time, if I didn't have the depressive nature, I would have more confidence and more energy to write more and maybe expand into more acting or podcasting or writing a book."   It's a balance.   "On the days you get out of it, how do you get yourself out of it?" I asked.   There was a long pause.   "Or have you never gotten out of it?" I asked.   I wanted to find out what works for him.   And it came back to helping people.   "Stand-up comedy gave me a lot of reward," he said, "as far as making people feel a little bit better and forgetting about their problems for a short time."   He turns pain into humor, which morphs back into pain.   That pain becomes a bit. And that bit becomes a laugh.   You can't make people happy. But if you tell your story, maybe you can make them laugh. ------------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... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The coffee pot at my cubicle job always smelled of fresh piss. It was probably rotting from the bright lights and manhandling. We all were. Maybe if I slept more, I would've quit my job (the right way). I would've chosen myself sooner. I'd leave the fog with clarity. That's what sleep can do for you. "This moment is all we have, and my mother always used to say, 'Don't miss the moment.'" "When you're exhausted, you miss the moment because you are just living in some fog, either of the past or the future," said Arianna Huffington, who recently published "The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time." In her latest book (and on my podcast), Arianna Huffington reveals the secret to being awake and living a "fully vital, fully present, fully joyful" life. Listen now. ------------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.

I was getting good at saying, "no thank you" to certain thoughts. Sometimes it was just conversations I didn't want to have. Like this one I'm writing. If I were sitting with you, I doubt I'd say any of what I'm about to. I guess that's why I have questions. Because maybe you know something I don't. Maybe I can learn from you. And I do. I always do. There's a formula for loneliness and a formula for connection. No matter the gravity of your sinking, we are all just inches above the ocean. When I ask question, I watch people discover answers they didn't know they had. And I feel them light up. They connect with themselves. But I pretend it's me. I asked Tony Hawk about his career. We talked about falling a lot. But I'm avoiding the metaphor about "falling" and getting back up. Because then you'll think I'm transitioning from falling to failing. And there's already enough dirty, failure porn out there. So maybe, here's something new.... 3 questions I asked Tony Hawk: (on my blog) ------------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.

You have a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. And you'll hear a lot about overcoming difficulties in today's podcast. But these are the steps:  Step 1. Find out what's different about you Step 2. Use your setback to create your skillset Step 3. Stop trying to figure it out Listen now and go to my blog for the full show notes. ------------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.