The SuperHuman Academy Podcast

Normally, on the show, I interview real-life superhumans to tease out the skills and strategies they use to achieve the seemingly impossible. This week is a little different. This week, we have a "mini" episode; an essay I've written on learning, and why I feel that it's the only skill that really matters. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed producing it. Please take a moment to let me know what you think in the comments either way!

Today we’re joined by Alex Charfen, a serial entrepreneur who has has spent his life seeking to understand how to make business grow - a question that eventually evolved into wondering: “How do you help people grow?”   Through his research and years as a top consultant to billionaires, the Fortune 500 and global 100, Alex discovered what he calls the long-misunderstood Entrepreneurial Personality Type (EPT). Best-selling author Robin Sharma recently described Alex as, “the most progressive entrepreneurial mind on the planet” - and for good reason. Since the tender age of 8, Alex has been starting, growing, and selling businesses, and teaching tens thousands of people all over the world how to do the same. He is even a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX News, and USA Today.   As you guys know, we don’t often talk entrepreneurship on the show, focusing more on health and fitness. Well, Alex has some important things to say about that, as well. But more importantly, I think that this episode fits into an important area of reaching one’s true, superhuman potential: financial freedom and life balance. Entrepreneurship may or may not be for you, but either way, you’re going to take away some amazing lessons from Alex and everything he has to say, which ranges from entrepreneurship advice, inspiration, motivation, health, and even tips to create a better romantic life…   In fact, this episode got deeply personal, and at one point Alex launched into full-on coaching mode, turning the mic back on me and coaching me through one of my biggest struggles at the moment. Although it was a huge moment of vulnerability that I think a lot of people wouldn’t broadcast to thousands of people all over the world, I decided to leave it in, because I think there’s a lot of value and applicable takeaways there… Let me know on twitter or via email what you guys think.

Today, we’re joined by Craig Ballantyne, a Productivity & Success Transformation Coach, online marketing guru, entrepreneur, and the author of The Perfect Day Formula: How to Own the Day and Control Your Life. In 2001, Craig created the popular home workout program, Turbulence Training, and he’s also the founder of the Certified Turbulence Training Program, certifying trainers from all corners of the globe. He built on that success, building and buying numerous wildly successful online businesses such as Early to Rise, ETR University, and Online Info Blueprint, and today is considered one of the biggest names in my industry, having impacted literally millions of people’s lives. Craig’s online success has led him to create books and a coaching program to show other gurus how to take their ideas and help thousands of people. He holds seminars around the world, and he teaches at the annual SovereignAcademy.org camp every summer in Lithuania. Craig has been a contributor to Men's Health magazine since 2000, and his articles have also appeared in Women’s Health, Oxygen, GQ, Maxim, National Geographic, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness Hers, amongst many others. His articles have also been featured on Inc.com, LifeHacker.com, and Telegraph.co.uk. But, as we’ll learn in this episode, Craig has had to overcome many obstacles on his journey to success, and his toughest battle was fighting crippling anxiety attacks. He finally discovered how to beat them with his 5 Pillars of Transformation, and today Craig shows men and women how to use the 5 Pillars to get whatever it is that they want in life. In this episode, we talk about a very wide range of things, from practical frameworks you can apply today, to recommended reading, to the most impactful daily habits, and overcoming anxiety. Craig is a true renaissance man with diverse interests and passions, and I just know you’re going to take away a TON of value from this episode.

We are joined by Dr. David Orman, a wellness entrepreneur, expert, educator, coach, and bestselling author commonly known as “Doc Wellness." Over the years, David has lectured to Congress, taught at major universities, and treated thousands of patients. He’s also an avid martial artist, practicing no less than 5 individual martial arts. In this episode, we talk about the ancient tradition of Tao, and how you can use it excel in health, abundance, and life. We talk about Daoism, martial arts, acupuncture, energies, and how it all fits together. I think this episode is going to pique your interest and curiosity about some of the eastern philosophies, and if so, I encourage you guys to continue learning more and checking out the books and resources we mentioned in the end of the interview.

Today we are joined by Derek Rydall, an american screenwriter and author. Derek has worked as an actor, a screenwriter, a screenplay consultant, and has written a few books. He also hosts a podcast called Best Year Of Your Life. But actually, he joins us today to talk about his latest book - Emergence: Seven Steps for Radical Life Change.It's a book about enacting change in your life and in yourself, and figuring out how to re-engage with an ancient principle for living a better life. During this episode, we talk about the Law of Emergence and some of the misconceptions about self help and personal growth, we learn Derek’s story of his own emergence, and if you stick around to the end, you’ll even get a free copy of Derek’s book! I hope you guys really enjoy the episode and get a hefty dose of inspiration and motivation from it!

Software developer and race-car driver, David Heinemeier Hansson, shares his success strategies on time management, deep work, flow state, and intrinsic motivation. He deconstructs his learning methodology and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning for personal growth.

Today we are joined by Jayson Gaignard - quite possibly one of the world’s best networkers. In 2012, Gaignard began curating dinners in Toronto, Canada with small groups of entrepreneurs that focused on relationship building. The invite-only dinners became MastermindTalks—larger conferences for entrepreneurs geared toward health, wealth, self-improvement, and networking. Despite humble beginnings, Jason has grown mastermind talks into a world-renowned institution in the entrepreneurial space, hosting such greats as Tim Ferriss, James Altucher, A. J. Jacobs, Esther Perel, Dave Asprey, Guy Kawasaki, and Marc Ecko. In fact, Forbes described Gaignard as one of the top networkers to watch in 2015. He’s also published a book and produces a podcast on the topic of network building. In this episode, I wanted to learn more about how Jayson has built such strong ties with some of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs, and see if we can learn anything from his success. My father always told me that it’s not just about what you know, but also whom you know - and if that’s true, then both Jayson and his incredible skill set are definitely worth knowing. Throughout the episode, we talk about the power of a network like Jayson’s for improving oneself, accomplishing one’s goals, and making a lasting impact on the world. Jayson also shares some very practical tips for building your own network and connecting with the people you admire. All in all, I think you’ll take a LOT away from Jayson’s success story, and his wisdom.

Today, we are joined by one of the top names in the world of Yoga - Tiffany Cruikshank. Because we've done episodes on meditation and ayurveda, it seemed only fitting to round out the trifecta and discuss Yoga, especially since it has seen such an incredible renaissance in the last decade, and is, in many ways, the go-to for tens of millions of people looking to improve their health, their lives, and their performance. With a B.S. in medicinal plant biology and nutrition, a masters in acupuncture and oriental medicine, and a specialty in sports medicine and orthopedics, Tiffany Cruikshank is an expert in how holistic medicine and yoga come together. She teaches vinyasa yoga, and leads teacher trainings in her therapeutic style of yoga, called Yoga Medicine. In addition to all of this, she has written two books, Optimal Health for a Vibrant Life, and Meditate Your Weight, and has served as the acupuncturist at Nike's World Headquarters for the last 5 years. In this episode, we talk about all things holistic medicine - from yoga to acupuncture - and how you can use them to improve yourself and your life. We talk about Yoga, Meditation, and the various benefits you can reap from each - as well as practical and easy ways to reap those benefits. We had a great conversation and really enjoyed ourselves, and I’m quite sure you’ll enjoy listening in, as well.

Today, we are going to talk a bit about “drugs” - or rather, medicines. But not the drugs or medicines you’re thinking of. In fact, we're going to be talking about ancient, psychedelic medicines, used for hundreds or even thousands of years by indigineous societies for spiritual exploration. You may have heard of some of these substances - things like ayahuasca, psilocybin, or MDMA. What you may not have heard is how powerful they can be for personal growth and development. On that note, we are joined today by Dr. Dan Engle, a board certified expert in Psychiatry and Neurology with a clinical practice in holistic medicine, orthomolecular psychiatry and integrative spirituality. He is medical consultant to the Temple of the Way of Light Ayahuasca Center in Peru and Onnit Labs in Austin, Texas. He is also Medical Director of Crossroads Ibogaine Recovery Center in Rosarito, Mexico and the Rejuvenation and Performance Institute in Sedona, Arizona. In this episode, my objective was to learn more about the power of tribal medicines such as Ayahuasca and Ibogaine, learn how they affect the body, and see why it is that they're experiencing such a renaissance. But, as always happens, I got so much more out of this conversation than I could have possibly imagined. It's a bit of a longer and denser episode. We go deep into the world of psychedelics, spiritual exploration, trauma recovery, and more. We geek out on neuroscience, and share incredible stories. It’s a bit of an unstructured conversation, but easily one of the most fascinating and engaging we’ve ever had.

Today, we are joined by Eric the Trainer, a renowned fitness trainer who has worked with some of the greatest names in Hollywood. He's trained UFC fighters, celebrities, and police academies alike, and he's a spokesperson for Gold's Gym, a writer for Muscle and Fitness and TRAIN magazine, and the Host of "Celebrity Sweat" on Spike TV. In this episode, I wanted to gain some clearer understanding on the world of fitness training and muscle development, from someone who knows so much about it. But, in reality, I got much, much more than I was bargaining for. You see, because my guest today is literally THE force behind some of the most incredible physical transformations in Hollywood - the ones that make your jaw drop when you see them - my mind was opened up to a whole new realm of possibility. We talk about diet, nutrition, and exercise - as we do in many episodes - but with the distinct difference that in this episode, we talk about the extreme end of the spectrum. The end where people’s bodies can be radically transformed in a matter of weeks or even days. And then, we tie it back to practical tips that you can use to do the same to create the body of your dreams - whatever that is. I just know you’re going to LOVE it.