The School of Greatness Hall of Fame

Oh man. I wasn't going to post this episode.In fact, during this conversation, I repeatedly found myself opening up and saying things I was not comfortable sharing.But since this is The School of Greatness, I knew I had to share all the lessons I am privileged to learn myself, even the ones that aren't comfortable.What could I have been talking about that was so scary to share?Relationships . . . of course.I met today's guest, Neil Strauss, after he had already been a NYT bestselling author 7 times.He is best known for becoming a pick up artist by going underground into the world of that game for 2 years and then writing a book about what he learned.But by the time I met him, he was happily engaged to his now wife, and those days were behind him.In this episode, we started by talking about his new book, which counters his former bestseller, revealing the uncomfortable truth about what makes relationships work.Soon into the conversation, however, the tables turned and we started discussing my experiences in relationships.Not the kind of thing I was expecting to discuss for thousands of people to hear.However, I learned so much from just this one conversation with Neil about myself, my relationships, and how to improve my future ones, that I knew I couldn't keep it to myself.Here's the raw, vulnerable truth about relationships, my life, and the lessons Neil Strauss has learned from his own in Episode 242.In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why our parents' relationship deeply affects our own perceptions of intimacyHow our brain templates are formed in young childhoodThe power of removing blame from your parents for what isn't working in your relationshipsWhat pathological accommodation is (and how it sabotages relationships)The importance of recognizing your own issues, not your partner'sHow you can create a conscious coupling (just like you can create a conscious uncoupling)Plus much more...

Interested in learning how to build a life and business around doing what you love? So am I. Let's connect.Have you ever asked yourself why you feel so stressed all the time?It's pretty common these days to just assume a stress-filled life is the norm, especially if you're an entrepreneur.Today's guest on The School of Greatness has known stress above and beyond the norm.Amanda Enayati had to flee from her home country of Iran when she was a kid (without her parents), lived in the West Village in NYC during 9/11, worked as an attorney for years and then got late-stage breast cancer (while raising two small children).Yes, that's all for real.So you can take her word for it when she says she knows about stress.But what is incredible about Amanda (including what she has gone through) is her devotion to researching and teaching the best ways to understand and handle the stress that comes to all of us.If you listened to the last episode with Todd Kashdan, you'll really enjoy this interview as well.Amanda shares some different and some similar ideas from Todd about how to use stress to your advantage and how to find healing from traumatic stress.I know you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did in Episode 155 with CNN contributor and author Amanda Enayati.Some questions I ask:Do you think major stress in your life was the cause of your cancer?Does every generation think that their generation is the most stressed?What are some beginner tips to help a Negative Nancy let go of stress?Why are athletes particularly good at harnessing stress?Why do you recommend people belong to a group?In This Episode, You Will Learn:What mattered to her when she got diagnosed with cancer:she needed to be who she was meant to beshe didn't want any strife with anyoneThe fact that life is suffering isn't all bad"Suck-it-up-itude" - the attitude that failure isn't an excuse to give upSerenity means that you have found what you are meant to do and you are sharing that with the worldHow the little whys behind what we do add up to the big whysWhy we think of ourselves as so stressed outTo re-frame your stress mindset:1- Tell yourself better stories about what's happening2- Remember all stress isn't the same3- Re-draw the map of your stories and what they are telling youThe problem with stress is a design issueWhy kids need some stress to develop into happy, healthy adultsThe power of belonging and its ability to heal usPlus much more...

Would you ever guess that the same person who works on major advertisements for brands like Nike, J. Crew and 20th Century Fox is also a high school dropout who started his career as a dishwasher in a seafood restaurant?How about the guy who was living in a trailer park on welfare was interviewing President Bill Clinton just 3 years later (in person, on film)?How do these things happen?I realize that I have an interesting story of getting from my sister's couch to making millions within a few years.But today's guest on The School of Greatness is the embodiment of the potential of hard work and vision.Casey Neistat didn't look like he was going to amount to much of anything as a teenager.And then he took a huge leap at 19 years old and moved to NYC with $800 and a place to stay for 3 months.Today he is one of the biggest filmmakers on YouTube, with over a million followers, and one of the most sought-after creatives for major brands and labs.I had heard about Casey from several friends (whose opinion I trust) and started following him on social media recently.I absolutely love his style of film, his creative and original use of platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, and his incredible success with his daily vlog.He is also an entrepreneur who just launched a new social video app called Beme.By the time he got to my studio for an interview, I already had a long list of questions I wanted to ask him.But we got so caught up in a fascinating conversation about Casey's journey and where film and social media are going, I ran out of time to ask most of my questions.One of the biggest lessons I learned from Casey is how important it is to follow your own rules and gut when it comes to using social media and new ways to create content these days.His results speak for themselves, so take notes in Episode 222 with filmmaker Casey Neistat.Some questions I ask:If you are a creative, do you think you should avoid mainstream media?What was your first branded deal that made you realize you could make money doing your own style of film?If someone offered you a TV show, would you take it?What's the key to being successful on YouTube right now?How do you manage being a father and husband with your travel schedule?How many tattoos do you have?In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why Casey left making successful feature films and HBO to make new media on YouTube and social mediaHow Casey made the most watched Nike video of all timeThat the kind of camera you use is not the most important part of making quality videos onlineCasey has never outsourced editing for any of his vlogsWhy Casey considers his son being born when he was 17 one of the greatest things that happened to himCasey's advice to young people who don't know what they want to do with their lifeHow Casey got the gig to interview President Clinton when he was 20 years oldThe movie that Casey made that coined the phrase "viral video" (before YouTube and social media!)The concept behind his new app Beme (and how he came up with the idea while working at MIT)Why Casey has no regrets about his life (despite a lot of hardship)The one thing he has done with his YouTube channel that has had the biggest impactPlus much more...

Transition can suck at times.You may lose your job, end a relationship, someone passes away, parents divorce, you move to new city to start over, get injured, etc.This may leave you on your sister's couch feeling miserable and hopeless.I've been there.On my book tour I’ve often been asked, "How did you get off the couch and get to where you are now?"So many people want the results now. Little do they know this has been an 8 year journey for me. I couldn’t speak in front of people, I didn’t have any tools or skills, I wasn’t confident, and I had no clue how to make an income for myself, let alone afford my own apartment.But I did get off the couch. I did make my dreams a reality.So when you feel stuck, I'm sharing my top ways to get off the couch in Episode 258.In This Episode, You Will Learn:The Top 10 Ways to Get Off the CouchGet up to the mirror, look yourself in the eyes and say, "Enough is enough … I’m going to make something of myself, and I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired."  Write down in a journal who you are and what you stand for and why it’s important for you to get off the couch.Make a list of 10 things you love doing that make you the happiest when you do them.Commit to 60 mins a day of working out in the morning.Write a list of the 5 things that scare you the most.Tackle the top 3 things that scare you so you master them.Write down a vision for yourself for 3 months, 6 months and 12 months.Find a mentor who has already achieved those visions and ask them to give you a challenge with coaching.Do something in the first 30 days to give back, give gratitude, and give to yourself.Feed your mind with books, podcasts, and inspiring videos.Chart your results nightly for what you created and check in every week to see what’s been working and what has been holding you back.  Repeat.

He's a big podcaster, a massively successful author and blogger, a genius in business, and one of the most down to earth guys I know.Yes, James Altucher is back for his 4th episode!He's coming out with a new book, which we dive into in this interview, and also has made some big lifestyle shifts that are fascinating.I love talking to James because he is such a straight-shooter, but also because he always gets me to think differently about my life and the assumptions I'm making.James' newest book is all about reinventing yourself, and we ended up talking about an example from my own life of doing this.It got me thinking about all the times I've chosen to reinvent myself and the value I've seen as a result. There's no way I would have gotten to where I am today without being willing to reinvent several times.So whether or not you're ready for a change, listen up to why it might be exactly what you're needing to do in Episode 425 with James Altucher.Some questions I ask:Do you think people are screwed if they don’t start thinking about how to reinvent themselves? (9:11)How do we cultivate innovative ideas to reinvent ourselves? (11:28)When is the last time you reinvented yourself? (19:25)What’s the most meaningful thing in your life right now? (25:44)Do you have any regrets from your business career? (34:03)What are you doing in your business to generate revenue and package your content? (37:10)What should online content creators be focusing on? (42:43)In this episode, you will learn:How to make the most money from self-publishing your book (4:09)The future of jobs (and which ones are growing) (5:14)The whole story of how I re-invented myself from a football athlete to a handball athlete (11:47)James’ formula for reinventing yourself (15:48)The story of why and how James sold all of his possessions and decided to become homeless (20:06)How to deal with a bad day (32:28)Why you shouldn’t think about what’s missing in your life (34:15)Plus much more…

I recently had the honor of being interviewed on an awesome show, Inside Quest, by Quest Nutrition Co-Founder Tom Bilyeu.We had such an incredible conversation, I'm still thinking about it.And of course I wanted him to come on  The School of Greatness.Tom is not only an amazing human being, husband, entrepreneur, and businessman, but he has helped build Quest to become the 2nd fastest growing company in North America!What really hits home for me about Tom and his mission, however, is that it isn't about making millions and breaking growth records.Tom's company is built on a deep desire to serve others by addressing a core part of health issues - lack of truly clean food products to fuel an amazing life.I loved getting under the hood with Tom about how they hire and fire at Quest, his thoughts on marriage and kids, and how he has developed killer self-awareness through the years.Welcome to the gold mine of Tom Bilyeu's brain and heart in Episode 201.Some questions I ask:How did you stay committed to keep going to the gym even when you didn't want to?How did you figure out that you wanted to start Quest as your mission-aligned company?What is the question you ask people when you are interviewing them to understand their mindset?How do you cultivate self-awareness?In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why Tom believes wealth is the great facilitator for change (but it still doesn't buy happiness)The difference between momentary happiness and framework happinessAsk yourself, "What would I love to do even if I were failing?"The power of servicing someone else's dream to propel your ownThe arrogance of belief and how to use it for goodThe Quest philosophy around hiringThe skills needed to create a great marriage are the same skills to create a great businessPlus much more...

You probably already know what a big fan of intention I am.If you're part of the School of Greatness Academy, or have ever been coached by me, we've no doubt talked about it.That's because I have learned first-hand the power of setting my intention on my goal and making all decisions based off of that intention.Without it, I've said things I wanted to do and nothing happened.With it, I've made the seemingly impossible my reality.So I got really excited when I saw that one of the top (if not the very top) leadership expert had just come out with a book on intention.John Maxwell is one of the most renowned authors and leadership coaches in the world.I could go on for days listing his merits and impressive resume, but needless to say, he's written over 80 books, sold 25 million copies of those books, and travels the world consulting with top leaders.I was lucky enough to interview him for this episode of The School of Greatness.John is one of the most humble and wise men I've met and I was drinking in every word he said.He's written so much (and coached so many) that almost every sentence he said was something I wanted to write down as a quote.I even asked him to repeat one because it was so good.Intention is powerful, and John taught me out how to use it to achieve what you most want.Get ready to learn from a master in Episode 239 with John Maxwell.Some questions I ask:What moment in your adult life had the most uncertainty for you?How do you stay humble and grounded in your mission after all this success?To avoid burnout, do you agree you must include service to others in your business or venture?How does someone with a huge vision (to inspire millions) also maintain intimate relationships?How do you handle breakdowns?In This Episode, You Will Learn:What John has learned about success from playing sports (another reason to play sports and keep fit)Why pro-golf tournaments are 4 days long (otherwise everyone would win)The power of compounded consistency to create greatness in your lifeThe first time you do something isn't to do it well; it's to learnJohn's secrets to selling 25 million booksWhy John loves holding a new book of his every time (after writing 80 books)The story of why John switched from being a pastor to be a leaderThe power of knowing your purpose to get you through adversityWhy John considers his most recent book his most importantThe importance of writing the story of your own lifeHow to keep quality people on your team for yearsPlus much more...

I was nearly in tears while hearing Mo Gawdat's story of how he has learned how to be happy no matter what is going on.Mo is a genius and has always enjoyed professional success and wonderful family relationships.If you've ever heard of Google's amazing branch X, you know they're the geniuses who are working on self-driving cars and a world-wide network of balloons that would give internet access everywhere.Mo runs that company.So when he found himself miserable 10 years ago, despite all his success and family fulfillment, he put his brilliant engineering mind to the task of figuring out what actually creates happiness.Over 10 years he studied every book and idea he could find and slowly developed what he calls an equation for happiness.It is simple and straightforward and is all based around expectations and reality.Once he applied his equation to his own life, he found he was happy no matter what.But then he lost his son Ali to a simple medical mistake by a doctor.And his research and equation were put to a whole new test.Inspired by Ali and his family's experience of this tragedy, Mo wrote a book to explain his happiness equation and why it works even under the hardest circumstances.I learned so much from Mo in just this one hour conversation and I know you will too in Episode 467 with Mo Gawdat.Some questions I ask:Who are the people who are the most unhappy in the world? (7:06)When did you start the search for the happiness equation? (14:39)What's the biggest lesson your son Ali taught you? (22:54)What is your approach to getting back to happiness when something goes wrong? (41:13)In this episode, you will learn:The reason Mo took a 6 month sabbatical from Google to promote this book (6:36)How our expectations determine our happiness (10:12)The difference between pain and suffering (19:55)The advice Mo's son gave him before he passed (22:06)Why we become less wise as we get older (24:22)The 6 big illusions that cause much of our suffering (31:54)How Mo open sourced edits for his book to make it better (39:00)Plus much more...

I loved everything I learned from Laird (including the crazy breathing workout we did).But that was only half of the fun I had that day.After interviewing Laird, I got to interview his equally amazing wife Gabrielle Reece.Gabby is accomplished on so many levels, including being a world-class sand volleyball athlete, model, fitness trainer, author, wife, and mother.In talking with Gabby I really had the sense that she has it all.But she is the first to admit that it hasn't been given to her. She has worked incredibly hard for everything she has.We first talked about her volleyball career and how she paid her way through college by modeling.And then we got into her best relationship advice (she and Laird have been married 20 years and have 3 daughters).I LOVED what insight she had on the importance of empowering alpha males to stand in their power.We also discussed her views on the importance of knowing your own worth despite what anyone else thinks.I couldn't be happier to bring you a second incredible interview coming from the same visit in Episode 215 with Gabrielle Reece.Some questions I ask:Were you comfortable in your own skin (being so tall at an early age)?Why is living a healthy lifestyle so important to you today?What's it take from a woman to be with a strong, driven man and have a thriving relationship?How does a woman find inner happiness these days?What are some strategies to increase belief in yourself?In This Episode, You Will Learn:How Gabby got into pro beach volleyball before it was an Olympic sportHow hard work helps your self-worthThe story of how Gabby got into modeling to pay her way through college (and gave up her sports scholarship for it)Why having a real sense of self served her so well at a young ageWhat she learned from trying to become a pro-golfer after her volleyball careerWhy it takes so long for volleyball players to transition from indoor to beachWhat she and her husband Laird have learned from the bumps in the road in their relationship (and how they have created a 20 year marriage!)Why it's okay for a woman to yield to her husband in certain cases and why it's important to honor his masculinityGabby's amazing relationship advice (so much wisdom here!)The philosophy behind Gabby's HI X workouts that are now taught at 24 Hour FitnessHer approach to building her business (beyond fitness)How fear and doubt are part of being human and it's okay to start over each dayPlus much more...

The more I learn about the brain, the more fascinated I am by it.Things I used to think were just a mystery (like what makes us happy and what makes us sad) I'm now learning are totally controllable.So I was really excited to talk to one of the leading neuroscience psychologists in the field today.Dr. Rick Hanson has written multiple best-selling books about how to actually hardwire our brains to stay in the positive side of thought and feeling.Which is something I'm always looking to bring to The School of Greatness.In our conversation, I kept asking him questions related to my own experiences with emotional intelligence, positive thought, and the power we have to shift ourselves out of negative emotions and thought patterns.Everything Rick shared with me confirmed my own experience and what I've learned from other experts.What I especially loved learning this time was how important it is to slow down and consciously enjoy the good times (something I have struggled with in the past) because it actually helps reinforce those positive brain waves in the hardwiring of our brains.This is just one gem I picked up from my fascinating interview with brain genius Dr. Rick Hanson in Episode 207.Some questions I ask:Are most people holding onto negative experiences from the past more so than the positive that happens daily?What are the 4 steps to taking in the good?What is a good process to follow to break negative thoughts?What is the brain capable of creating in the world?What is the optimal daily ritual to keep the positive thoughts going?What has a bigger effect on the other: the mind on the heart or the heart on the mind?In This Episode, You Will Learn:Rick has been meditating since the '90s (that's a lot of meditating)How the hard wiring of our brains affects usWhy having good experiences constantly in romantic relationships is so important to keep them healthyThe enjoy-ability of an experience is an important signal to your brain to slow down and value the goodWhat causes lasting change in behavior and mindsetStep 1: Activation - a useful thought or experience to get things goingStep 2: Installation - a method for actually getting the experience to stick in your brainHEAL:Have the experienceEnrich the experienceAbsorb the experienceLink the experienceWe can learn certain important things only through negative experiencesThe importance of acknowledging the good in your life (and not just the bad)The feeling of a reward is much more powerful than just the idea of onePlus much more...