From The Green Notebook

Send us a textWill Bowen, author of A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted joins Joe to discuss the negative impact of complaining on our perception of the world. They also explore how making a conscious effort to quit complaining can significantly improve our lives. In this episode, Joe and Will dive into the following topics:How the 21-Day Complaint Free challenge worksThe social reasons why people actually complainThe difference between processing and venting and why it mattersUsing negative feelings as a catalyst for self-reflectionThe myth of blowing off steamDeveloping a mindset for embracing challengesAfter decades of unprecedented sales success in insurance, broadcasting, and advertising, on July 23, 2006 Will Bowen’s life changed forever…and so did the lives of tens of millions of people (so far).On that day, Will invited 250 people to try and break the negative habit of complaining by going 21 consecutive days without uttering a single gripe.Will gave each person a purple bracelet to be used as a mindfulness tool.His idea: switch the bracelet from wrist-to-wrist with each spoken complaint and keep switching until you go 21 consecutive days without complaining.Will’s idea EXPLODED around the world until now, some 15 years later, the worldwide Complaint Free bracelet total is over 15 million and climbing.Will Bowen’s 21-Day Complaint Free challenge has been recommended by Oprah, Maya Angelou, Tim Ferris, Joe Vitale, Gary Zukov, The Wall Street Journal, NBC’s Today Show, the ABC Evening News, NPR, and too many additional celebrities and media outlets to include here.Will has written 5 International Bestselling books that have sold more than 4 million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than 35 languages.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Former Navy SEAL and bestselling author Jack Carr discusses leadership, values, transitioning from the military, finding purpose, and his journey as a writer. He shares insights on the importance of reading, weaving truth into fiction, and the influence of his military background on writing thrillers. Carr also talks about the power of storytelling, his morning ritual with Alpha Coffee, and the editing process in writing books.

Send us a textFormer World Series of Poker Champion and best-selling author, Annie Duke, returns to the show to discuss the  concepts from her book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. Annie shares insights on how grit, often celebrated as a virtue, can also lead to sticking with paths that no longer serve us. Joe and Annie  draw parallels to other high-profile figures like Jerry Seinfeld and Will Smith, who chose to step down from projects at the pinnacle of their careers. They also dive into Joe’s decision to retire from the Army. During the episode Joe and Annie discuss the following topics:The double-edged nature of grit and its impact on decision-making.Joe's personal experience of deciding to retire from the military and the concept of quitting at a high point in one's career.The concept of 'jumping the shark' and the challenges in identifying the right time to quit.How to separate your identity from your careerThe importance of setting 'kill criteria' to effectively determine when to quit under uncertainty.The role of intuition, sunk costs, and fear of the unknown in decision-making processes.Using the monkeys and pedestals mental model before starting a major projectAnnie is an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Annie’s latest book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, was released in 2022 from Portfolio, a Penguin Random House imprint. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012. Prior to becoming a professional poker player, Annie was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2023 Annie completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology at UPenn.Annie is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. She is a member of the National Board of After-School All-Stars and the Board of Directors of the Franklin Institute.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Send us a textFormer World Series of Poker Champion and best-selling author, Annie Duke, joins Joe to share her journey from studying cognitive science to becoming a poker legend, and how this experience led her to explore the cognitive underpinnings of decision-making in everyday life.Joe and Annie explore the fundamental concepts from her book, Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts, and discuss how treating life’s decisions as bets can significantly improve how we navigate uncertainty. Some of the topics they discuss include:The two factors that determine the quality of your lifeUsing poker strategies for making decisionsSeparating outcome quality from decision qualityHow our self-narrative affects reflection and learningThe benefits of mental time travel...and much moreAnnie is an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Annie’s latest book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, was released in 2022 from Portfolio, a Penguin Random House imprint. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012. Prior to becoming a professional poker player, Annie was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2023 Annie completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology at UPenn.Annie is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. She is a member of the National Board of After-School All-Stars and the Board of Directors of the Franklin Institute.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Send us a textColin Stevens, author of  Make Your Mark: Lessons from Legends for a Life of Fulfillment and Impact,  joins the show to share his inspiring story of chasing a dream that didn't pan out the way he thought it would and the lessons he's learned along the way.  Joe and Colin talk about the following topics:The importance of self-belief for achieving success Why we should study  the  "full game" over the "highlight reel". Leadership through transparency and owning mistakes.The impact of social media on young athletes' mental health.How to develop resilient kidsThe role of fear and failure in pursuing passions.The power of being true to oneself.Colin Stevens is a former Division 1 basketball player and senior year team captain at Coastal Carolina University. After working in the banking industry for years, he left the 9-5 to embark on an entrepreneurial journey and start his own business. He has since created two successful brands in the basketball development industry.For the past five years, Colin has worked as a life strategist and performance coach. He has been hired by professional athletes, business executives, and entrepreneurs to help them maximize their potential. With a unique approach that combines his sports background and personal development expertise, Colin enhances decision-making, personal growth, and emotional intelligence.Colin is the published author of two books, COACHABLE, and his most recent book with raving reviews, Make Your Mark.  He is a sought-after speaker and trainer for various companies, motivating and empowering others to reach their full potential. Learn more about Colin at www.thecolinstevens.comSpecial thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Connect Leadership With Action Across Distributed Formations With Mustr by Adyton. Mustr is your digital knife-hand for daily and rapid personnel accountability, real time response data visibility, and automated reporting. Learn more about what Mustr can do for your formation here! My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Send us a textDr. Amishi Jha joins Joe to discuss her book, Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day . Amishi sheds light on the complexities of the brain's attention system to help us understand how we can navigate and enhance our focus in stressful and demanding jobs. In this episode Joe and Amishi discuss: How our attention shapes everything from emotions to relationships Challenges in maintaining attention in an information-saturated ageHow the attention system works The vulnerability of attention to stress and its impact on performanceInsights into memory and emotional regulation How mindfulness training helps strengthens our attention system A practical approach to mindfulness training for enhancing attention Whether you’re struggling to stay present, looking to enhance your memory, or seeking solace in the whirlwind of the digital age, this episode promises to turn the light of your attention onto pathways that could lead to a calmer, more focused state of being. Learn more about Amishi's research in military cohorts here.Dr. Amishi Jha, PhD is Director of Contemplative Neuroscience and Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. Prior to her current post, she was an Assistant Professor at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.She received her B.S in Biological Psychology from the Universityof Michigan, her Ph.D in Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience) from the University of California–Davis, and her post-doctoral training at the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center at Duke University in functional neuroimaging.Learn more about her work here.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Connect Leadership With Action Across Distributed Formations With Mustr by Adyton. Mustr is your digital knife-hand for daily and rapid personnel accountability, real time response data visibility, and automated reporting. Learn more about what Mustr can do for your formation here! My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Dr. Michael Norton, author of 'The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual', talks about the hidden power of rituals in our daily lives. They discuss the impact of rituals, the difference between habits and rituals, personal rituals, rituals in transitions like becoming a leader, and family rituals. Dr. Norton explores how rituals can improve performance and help navigate life, create family traditions, and the significance of rituals in diverse areas of life.

LTG Donahue discusses leadership lessons from Afghanistan, importance of physical fitness, innovation in the Army, successful communication tips, and career advice for military leaders. He highlights the balance between culture and process, morning rituals, war strategy studies, and embracing change in a dynamic environment.

General Randy George, the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army, shares insights on leadership, emphasizing the importance of asking questions, being a great editor, and transforming in contact. He discusses the need for professional boundaries, encouraging discourse, and empowering talent. General George also reveals his recharge strategies after a long day and highlights the significance of setting priorities and boundaries for effective leadership.

Send us a textMatt Higgins,  author the Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential  joins Joe and shares his amazing story of escaping poverty and how his "Burn the Boats!" philosophy has guided his life. Joe and Matt also discuss:Changing our relationship with imposter syndromeAdopting a "burn the boats" mindset in various contexts, including the military, entrepreneurship, and personal challenges.Role of authenticity in leadership positionsDealing with anxiety and the pressure of high-stakes environmentsWhy a growth mindset is uncomfortableSelf-Awareness and leadership...and much more! Matt Higgins is a noted serial entrepreneur, growth equity investor as Co-founder and CEO of private investment firm, RSE Ventures, and Wall Street Journal  best-selling author of Burn The Boats.Mr. Higgins began his career in public service as a journalist before becoming the youngest mayoral press secretary in New York City at 26, where he managed the global media response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He became one of the first employees – and ultimately Chief Operating Officer – of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the federally funded government agency created to plan the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. Mr. Higgins helped organize the largest international design competition in history culminating in Reflecting Absence, the September 11th National Memorial, and the development of the 1,776-feet-tall One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the northern hemisphere.After transitioning to the private sector, Mr. Higgins spent 15 years in senior leadership positions with National Football League teams. He made his mark with two NFL franchises, overseeing the revenue functions of the New York Jets as Executive Vice President of Business Operations, and after leaving the Jets, serving as Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins from 2012 – 2021. Higgins co-founded New York City-based RSE Ventures in 2012, amassing a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of leading brands across sports and entertainment, media and marketing, consumer and technology industries – including several of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. Higgins is also co-owner of VaynerMedia, the largest social-media first agency in the world founded by Gary Vaynerchuk. Mr. Higgins has also been a guest shark on Emmy award-winning TV show “Shark Tank” during seasons 10-11. Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Connect Leadership With Action Across Distributed Formations With Mustr by Adyton. Mustr is your digital knife-hand for daily and rapid personnel accountability, real time response data visibility, and automated reporting. Learn more about what Mustr can do for your formation here! My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.