Greg McKeown is famous for simplifying his life and calling on others to do the same in his book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. His newest book is called Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most. He is also the host of the podcast "What's Essential." Greg and Mark talk today about his journey and learning that the best choice doesn't always have to be the hardest. Hear how: Training your mind to ask "How can I make this effortless?" brings results like never before It's best to "Yield to Win"- it's not always about going the harder way Defining "What does done look like?" already simplifies the next step Listen to this episode and hear how going effortless brings you exactly where you need to be.

Today Mark talks about the five developmental plateaus for you to traverse on your hero's journey as a leader. Listen in as Mark explains all Five Plateaus and how our overall goal is to reach the Fifth Plateau-so we can become fully connected and inclusive. Hear about the Five Plateaus: Survivor Instinctual and very centered on the individual Protector Extends concern to a tribe or small group-both egocentric and ethnocentric Achiever  Ambition and drive for success Equalizer - Ethnocentrism and some world-centrism Integrator  Fully world-centric  Listen to this episode to gain insight on where you are in the five developmental plateaus so you can further reach your leadership potential.

Mark talks with his old friend Carmine Di Sibio who was part of Mark's class at Colgate University and went to work for Arthur Young, which became a part of Ernst & Young. He's worked at EY for over 35 years and is the current CEO and Global Chairman of the company. Today he talks with Mark about his career and business leadership. Hear about: Business accountability and how companies must disclose their ESG (Environment, Society, and Governance) Diversity and inclusion and how businesses navigate through the current social climate  Blockchain and bitcoin and how cryptocurrency is affecting the financial landscape  Listen to this episode to get insight into how a successful business leader navigates through the ever-changing VUCA world.

Tom Jones is a former Marine combat veteran and a well-known extreme athlete in the Muay Thai and ultra-endurance communities. Tom talks to Mark about his childhood traumas and how he overcame all that to become the exceptional athlete and individual that he is. Hear about: Tom's experiences with Chuck Norris and being his sparring partner How he survived his childhood traumas and pushed himself beyond his limits  His concern for the ocean and how Laird Hamilton helped train Tom to become the record-setting stand-up paddleboarder he is today Listen to this episode for some expert insight on how you can push your mind and body beyond what is possible.

Today Mark talks with Katy Milkman, professor at the Wharton School and host of Charles Schwab's "Choiceology with Katy Milkman" podcast. She's a frequent writer of behavioral science for The Washington Post and Scientific American. Her newest book is How to Change. In this episode, she discusses temptations and improving our chances for change. Hear about: Temptation Bundling and its counterintuitive way to make you more productive The Advice Club and its benefits to help you achieve your goals The Impulsivity Problem, the Forgetting Problem, the Confidence Problem, and how to get past them all Listen in for some insights from a top behavioral expert on how you can make a positive change for yourself and others.

John Foley is a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels and is now a keynote speaker and consultant at John Foley, Inc. He talks with Mark today about how you can use military communication methods and team building in business. Hear how: The Blue Angels and the Navy SEALs have more in common than you think The debrief is the single most important element for high performance Just being "glad to be here" and having gratitude is so powerful Listen to this episode to get more insight into the debrief process and why gratitude is so important-especially in the current VUCA landscape.

Today Mark talks with Steven Pressfield, an acclaimed author of historical fiction and non-fiction. Among numerous other books, Steven wrote The War of Art, The Legend of Bagger Vance, and Gates of Fire, about the Battle of Thermopylae. His most recent book is A Man at Arms, about the Roman empire and the letter to the Corinthians. Steven explains his creative process when writing and how he overcomes any form of Resistance.  Hear how:       Resistance is the main obstacle to creativity and how it's a negative force of self-sabotage     You can overcome Resistance by staring down the wolf-an act of will We all have the Hero's Journey-that eventually leads to our Artist's Journey     Steven has his own creative process when starting a novel Listen to this episode to find out more about how you can tap into your own creative potential.

In today's solocast, Commander Divine talks about the virtues necessary to become an unbeatable leader. He uses his personal experience, along with the wisdom of other leaders, to explain the virtues so you can take the next step and have the courage to apply them every day. Hear how: It's not about what you think or say, it's your actions that are important-especially when no one else is looking Trustworthiness is the glue that holds teams together and how you can build and even rebuild trust Integrity leads to authentic communication for a much deeper connection in relationships Humility is about removing your ego from your actions and helping others-even when it's least convenient Listen to this episode to help deepen your understanding of the virtues and solidify them as a life practice for you to thrive in this VUCA world.

Mark knows Kimberly from the yoga and meditation community. She is a somatic experiencing practitioner and a sexological bodyworker. She is also the author of The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality and her newest book Call of the Wild: How We Heal Trauma, Awaken Our Own Power, and Use It For Good. Today she is talking with Commander Divine about her book Call of the Wild and how aggression can be used in a healthy way. Learn how: Taking the stigma out of trauma is part of our human responsibility  Our thoughts show our physiology-so there are ways to repair in the present moment  Facial expressions are just as important as speaking when trying to communicate The flip-side to anger is healthy aggression-power, drive, and knowing what you what Listen to this episode to get a better understanding of the fact that we all have more power than we think.

Rich Diviney is a former SEAL and an expert and consultant on leadership. He is also the author of The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance. Rich talks with Mark about his Mind Gym for performance and the many attributes necessary for leadership in the military and business.   Hear how: There is a difference between peak and optimal performance-and why you should aim for one over the other There is an irony of leadership-"If you work your job correctly, you are out of a job" Skills are great, but attributes are greater-and attributes cannot be taught Listen to this episode to find out more about optimal performance and how certain attributes are essential to leadership and the hiring process.