How you start something is often how you finish it, and that couldn't be truer than for the trajectory of each of your days. When your mornings feel chaotic, rushed, and fragmented, the rest of your day often does too. But when you start off with a centering, invigorating morning routine, that feeling follows you the rest of the day.If you've been wanting to improve or simply start your own morning routine, then this episode is for you. My guest is Benjamin Spall and he’s the co-author of the book My Morning Routine, which shares insights taken from the morning routines of dozens of entrepreneurs, leaders, and creative folks.On today’s show, Benjamin walks us through how to craft the perfect morning routine, including how to make time for it in your schedule, what activities to include, and how a successful morning routine starts with what you do the night before. We also discuss how to adjust your morning routine while traveling and when you have kids. Along the way, Benjamin gives us a peek at the morning routines of several influential people to give us some inspiration for our own routines.Lots of actionable advice in this episode on creating a morning routine that works for you and sets you up for a productive day. After the show is over, get the notes at aom.is/morningroutine.

Professional magician Nate Staniforth shares his journey into magic, becoming disillusioned, and rediscovering wonder in India. He talks about the transformative power of travel and the importance of finding enchantment in everyday life.

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin discusses the leadership traits of US presidents who navigated crises. She explores their ambition, personal setbacks, and unique skills during turbulent times. Are great leaders born or made? Dive into the makings of impactful leaders in this insightful conversation.

Daniel Modell, a former NYPD officer with a Master's in philosophy, discusses the essence of being a warrior. He shares insights on the lessons of Spartacus, the necessity of violence for peace, and the importance of leadership over bureaucracy. Modell emphasizes that civilians also need to understand the way of the warrior.

Author Neal Bascomb discusses the audacious prison break attempts of British POWs in WWI, highlighting their daring escape plans and the conditions they faced in German camps. He talks about Germany's infamous POW camp, the prisoners' elaborate breakout plan, and the heroic exploits of these men. A fascinating look at a slice of history.

John Zeratsky, co-author of 'Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day,' shares a 4-step daily framework to optimize energy, focus, and time. Topics include choosing a daily highlight, managing time and avoiding distractions, setting priorities with highlights, dedicated time for personal projects, protecting our 'picture highlight,' and maintaining productivity systems and habits.

Ryan Craig, Managing Director of University Ventures and author of A New U: Faster + Cheaper Alternatives to College, discusses the rising costs of traditional higher education and explores alternative education models like boot camps and apprenticeships. He highlights the skills gap in the digital economy, the concept of last mile training programs, and the evolution of alternative education models that prioritize real-life job skills over traditional college degrees.

Do you have a teenage boy who struggles in school? Or do you have a younger son who you can imagine struggling in school as he gets older? He may be an otherwise capable young man, but seems apathetic and unmotivated, to the point you think he's not excelling simply because he's lazy. My guest today says that's the wrong conclusion to draw, and one that leads to the wrong parenting approach to addressing it.His name is Adam Price and he's a child psychologist and the author of He's Not Lazy: Empowering Your Son to Believe in Himself. Today on the show, Dr. Price argues that the real reason many young men are unmotivated is not that they don't care about succeeding, but that they feel too much pressure to do so, and are scared of failing. We discuss why nagging and over-parenting simply exacerbates this issue, and how stepping back and giving boys more autonomy can help them become more self-directed and find their footing.Get the show notes at aom.is/notlazy.

The ancient Greek poet Archilochus said, "A fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing."The original meaning of the quote has been lost to the mists of time, but my guest today argues that it's a great metaphor for classifying two types of leadership strategies.His name is John Lewis Gaddis and he's a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, an expert on the Cold War, and a professor of military history at Yale University. Today, Professor Gaddis and I talk about his book, On Grand Strategy, in which he distills insights about strategy from political and military history going all the way back to antiquity.We begin our conversation discussing what strategy is and what it means to have grand strategy. John then shares the analogy of the fox and the hedgehog, and the benefits and downsides to each approach to thinking and acting. We then discuss why the best strategists combine fox-like and hedgehog-like mindsets, examples from history of great leaders who had both, and how he helps his students see the relationship between principle and practice.Get the show notes at aom.is/grandstrategy.

Rener Gracie, head instructor at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy, discusses the history and effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He explains the differences between sport and self-defense BJJ, the confidence gained from learning self-defense, and its impact on life. The podcast also covers finding the right Gracie school, exploring online training options, and a new business venture.