The Less Doing Podcast

This episode of Leverage features Cy Wakeman, a drama researcher who has discovered that the average person spends two and a half hours per day engaged in drama. She says this is not only a tremendous waste of energy, it’s also a significant drain on the person’s ability to live a happy and productive life.

What would it mean for your life or business if you had the influencing skills to connect more deeply with people, close more deals, and create the kind of trust that fuels long-term interactions? It’s not easy to do, but it’s possible - and on this episode of Leverage Chase Hughes of Ellipsis Behavior provides insight into how we can break through the social masks to expose every person we meet.

Peter Shankman says that when you know yourself - including all your personal idiosyncrasies and weaknesses - you are better able to maximize and leverage your strengths and minimize and avoid your weaknesses. This conversation with Peter is all over the board but in a good way. It touches on so many good things we’re not even going to try to summarize it. Just listen.

Lifestyle travel is a hot topic these days, and more and more companies are focusing on this emerging area of passion. Today’s guest, Tom Wahlin is an avid lifestyle traveler, living and working from locations across the globe most of the year.

He’s the owner of the 5th highest I.Q. ever measured and the founder of Scorpion Computer Services. He’s also the inspiration behind the CBS TV show, “Scorpion.”

There are few people who have figured out what it takes to systematize life in ways that lead to true effectiveness. Geoff Blades is one of those people. He’s not only figured it out for his own life but helps Wall Street professionals and large companies design and implement systems through every aspect of their existence in order to create greater results and more of what they truly want.

Ari and Nick chat with Jeff Madoff about the way technology has changed and continues to change the world we live in - and what savvy companies and entrepreneurs are doing to stay ahead of the changes, adapt, and remain relevant.

Ozan Varol is a Leverage certified coach who specializes in helping lawyers and others in the legal profession be most effective with their time. On this episode, Ozan shares how he got into the legal profession, what most solo and large practice attorneys do that decreases effectiveness, and more. Take the time to listen even if you are not a lawyer, you’ll hear some very practical ideas.

There’s a lot of talk out there about generation Z marketing - what it is and why it’s important. But on this episode of Leverage Ari chats with the guy who knows the subject better than anyone, because he’s part of the generation companies are trying to target, and he’s incredibly savvy for his 17 years of experience. Connor Blakley is Ari’s guest on this episode of Leverage.

When it comes to understanding what is coming in the future of work, there are few people who have more relevant insights than Matthew Brimer. Matthew is the co-founder of General Assembly, a pioneer in education and career transformation that specializes in teaching people today’s most in-demand skills. This conversation with Matthew is intriguing, hitting on many themes having to do with the future of work and what you can do to position yourself for success, so be sure you listen. ## Outcome oriented education that tees you up for real-world skills and employment. General Assembly is all about outcome-oriented education. What does that mean practically? It means the GA team approaches education not from the standpoint of a standardized curriculum, but rather from the perspective of what the desired end-goal is. They do so by staying abreast of what companies are and will be looking for in terms of employee skills and talents in years ahead. That enables General Assembly to stay on the cutting edge of what students need to learn. Find out why Ari and Nick have begun working alongside the General Assembly team, on this episode of Leverage. ## Why everyone needs to think more entrepreneurially about their career. When Ari asked Matthew Brimer about the future of work, he said that he’s pretty certain that everyone in the workforce is going to need to learn how to think entrepreneurially about their career. He’s not saying everyone should become an entrepreneur, but that everyone needs to learn how to push the envelope, be creative, and take risks in order to discover the things about their field and their skillset that make them uniquely suited for particular roles. It’s going to cause the workforce to be more agile, but more specialized, which is what Matthew believes the future will demand. Find out more of Matthew’s thoughts about the future of work, on this episode. ## Experimentation is part of the game as you move forward on the success journey. Gone are the days of rote, mechanical roles in a static workplace. As technology and commerce advance at increasingly higher rates those in the workforce will be required to flex, adapt, and experiment, even in well-established roles. Matthew Brimer says that experimentation is part of what will enable people to discover their unique fit and thrive in the ever-changing future of work. As co-founder of General Assembly, Matthew has a unique perspective on this topic that you’ll want to hear, so be sure to listen. ## To be more effective, intentionally and diligently surround yourself with people who raise the bar. Matthew Brimer is a person who knows that growth doesn’t come from staying in the same environment you’ve always been in. That’s why his advice about how to be more effective began with intentionally surrounding yourself with people who push you toward growth. He pointed out that great things are seldom done in isolation and those who achieve great things in their lives are those who are constantly interacting with others who are on the same trajectory. You can hear all three of Matthew’s recommendations for how to be more effective, on this episode of Leverage. ## Outline of This Episode - [0:03] Welcome to Matthew Brimer - a guy who’s a bigger deal than he realizes. - [2:40] Why Matthew is on the cutting edge of technology and education at the same time. - [4:55] What is Daybreaker and why did Matthew even try such an out of the box thing? - [10:30] How Matthew starts his day and manages time as his most important resource. - [14:30] How Matthew chooses the kind of companies he will serve as an advisor. - [16:39] Matthew’s thoughts about the future of work. - [22:47] Why the valedictorian of the will not be the high achiever of the future. - [26:40] Matthew’s biggest startup failure: they made every mistake in the book. - [35:00] What was the MVP for General Assembly? - [39:30] Matthew’s top tips for becoming more effective. ## Resources