Soul | Optimize

15 days until we get the chance to make Heroic history. Check out the latest Heroic Update on Wefunder! (It’s not too late to join the largest crowdfunding ever.)

Try 14 Days Free

Showing 611 tag results for “soul”

All(611) +1s(348) PhilosophersNotes(114) Master Classes(6) Authors(104) Quotes(39)

+1s (348)

Be So Energized and So Awesome
#1281

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

That They Feel You and Adore You

The other day I was preparing for one of our Mastery Series sessions for our Coaches and I was reflecting on the importance of dynamically balancing our Big 3 priorities in our lives. Of course, our Big 3 is our Energy + Work + Love. And, of course, those Big 3 will NEVER (!) be perfectly in balance. In ...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: So Good They Can't Ignore You

Packs:
Energy & Love

Energy Love Parenting Power soul Spirit

#1281

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
How to Be a Success
#1280

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Wisdom from Two World-Class Coaches Named Phil

In our last +1, we drew some Venn circles with my Yoda and had fun high fiving God by giving ALL we’ve got. Today I want to chat about what we talked about at the VERY end of our time together on August 10th, 2020. After recapping the importance of showing up moment to moment to moment to keep my Soul ...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Coming Alive

Packs:
Confidence & Peak Performance

commitment confidence Discipline Mental Toughness Peak Performance Practice soul Spirit

#1280

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
How to High Five God
#1279

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

And Plug Into Divine Power Today

For the first three years of working together, Phil Stutz and I met EVERY single week. I think we might have rescheduled a couple sessions and skipped maybe one week. My collection of notes from our (150+!) chats is one of my most prized possessions and one of the last things I most carefully packed befo...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Coming Alive

Packs:
Modern Hērō & Peak Performance

big-picture commitment Excellence flourish modern-hero Peak Performance soul Spirit

#1279

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Maslow on Glumness and Grimness
#1278

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

When It’s Actually a Good Sign

Abraham Maslow is one of my absolute favorite teachers and thinkers and heroes. Of course, he was one of the 20th century’s greatest psychologists who helped shaped the nascent humanistic psychology movement that evolved into the modern positive psychology movement. Which is why, when a number of our O...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Future Visions

Packs:
Conquering Anxiety & Purpose

Agency Best of Optimize big-picture conquering-anxiety purpose self-awareness soul Spirit

#1278

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
The Gorillas in Our Midst
#1276

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

See Them Once, See Them Everywhere

Gorillas. They’re fascinating creatures. Especially when they’re hidden in plain site. Remember that +1 back in the day about The Invisible Gorilla? As you may recall (and, apologies for the spoiler alert if you haven’t watched this video yet), you can bring people into a lab, have them watch peopl...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Food Fix

Packs:
Leadership & Nutrition

big-picture Fundamentals iconoclast leadership Nutrition Power soul Spirit

#1276

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Am I Working or Playing Right Now?
#1275

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

The Master in the Art of Living

One fine Saturday morning, I got up and did my thing. Of course, my day started the night before with a Masterpiece PM Bookend featuring a Shutdown Complete, Digital Sunset, Deep Love transition. Then early bed time. Then early rise. Meditation. Quick movement. Deep Work. Etc. Now… I came out of th...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Driven

Packs:
Business & Purpose

big-picture business Mastery purpose soul Spirit teamwork

#1275

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Shall We Pray Together?
#1274

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

The Optimize Virtue Prayer

In our last +1, we talked about the potential catalytic force multiplicative power of our Optimize Coach program. I invited you to join us for our next Optimize Coach Class (Class IV!!) that starts on January 1st, 2021 and shared some discounts the Team set up for early registration and joining with a fr...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Future Visions

Packs:
Modern Hērō & Purpose

big-picture Eudaimonia flourish modern-hero purpose soul Spirit Virtue

#1274

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
The Catalytic Force Multiplier
#1273

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

To Changing the World

On September 1st, 2020, we kicked off Optimize Coach – Class III. It’s impossible to capture just how inspired I am to now have 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries around the world in our Optimize Coach community. I believe that THIS is going to be the catalytic force multiplier that will drive ...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Future Visions

Packs:
Leadership & Modern Hērō

big-picture Coach community flourish leadership modern-hero optimus soul Spirit

#1273

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Learn to Love Constraints
#1264

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

And Get Your Freak On

In our last +1, we talked about Trevor Moawad’s ideas behind “The Illusion of Choice.” We THINK we have a ton of choices. But, if we’re REALLY committed to actualizing our potential, we don’t. Period. (Right?) I mentioned the fact that we chatted about the EXACT same idea in the book I read rig...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: The Freak Factor

Packs:
Conquering Perfectionism & Modern Hērō

amor-fati big-picture conquering-perfectionism Mindset modern-hero optimus soul Spirit

#1264

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
The Jonah Complex
#1255

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Quit Running from Your Destiny

Scott Barry Kaufman is one of the world’s leading positive psychologists. We featured one of his earlier books called Wired to Create. So, when a bunch of our Optimizers recommended his new book called Transcend I was eager to get it. (👈 Thank you!! Keep ‘em coming, please!) It’s FANTASTIC. In s...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Motivation and Personality

Packs:
Modern Hērō & Purpose

big-picture courage greatness Hero modern-hero purpose soul Spirit

#1255

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
E: “What Does ‘Sin’ Mean?”
#1239

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Me: “To Miss the Mark.”

The other day, Emerson and I were doing some reading together. He asked me what the word “sin” meant. I paused for a moment, decided to pass on starting with the definition I learned in my Catholic upbringing and, rather, focus on the etymology of the word, THEN move on to the moral lesson. (...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem

Packs:
Conquering Perfectionism & Fatherhood

conquering-perfectionism Emerson equanimity Fatherhood Happiness Hero mis-take soul Spirit

#1239

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Q: Do You Pray?
#1238

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

A: Every Second of My Life

In our last +1, we invited Robert Greene, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and Stephen Cope to the party as we celebrated Anders Olsson’s hero’s journey. I mentioned the fact that I reread our Notes on each of their GREAT (!) books: Robert Greene’s Mastery, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s Creativity, and Steph...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: The Great Work of Your Life

Packs:
Modern Hērō & Purpose

Areté big-picture Excellence Hero Inspiration modern-hero purpose soul Spirit

#1238

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Your (Heroic) Destiny
#1237

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

How’s It Going?

This morning I was working on my Note on Anders Olsson’s great book The Power of Your Breath. I wrapped it up by featuring the hero’s journey HE had to embark on to dedicate his life to studying breathing so he could share his life-changing wisdom with us. It’s easy to take someone’s wisdom for g...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: The Power of Your Breath

Packs:
Modern Hērō & Purpose

big-picture courage Hero Inspiration modern-hero omms purpose soul Spirit

#1237

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Opening Hero Doors
#1236

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Cardinals, Campbell, Rohr and You

In our last +1, we talked about my new favorite bird: the cardinal. I smile every time I see one these days—which is often—as I appreciate their beauty AND get a wonderful reminder of our four cardinal virtues. When I learned that the bird-cardinal was named after the Roman Catholic cardinals, I thou...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Falling Upward

Packs:
Modern Hērō & Purpose

big-picture Hero modern-hero purpose soul Spirit Virtue wildly-important-goals

#1236

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Meet My New Favorite Bird
#1235

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Can You Guess What It Is?

As we’ve discussed countless times, I start my days with at least a minute or three of journaling. These days it’s a super-quick sketch of our Optimize Virtue Compass then a quick trip through the Big 3 x 2 +1. So… The other day I sat down to begin my Deep Work session with the quick sketch of ...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Falling Upward

Packs:
Journaling & Modern Hērō

big-picture flourish journaling modern-hero soul Spirit Virtue

#1235

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Show more +1s

Loading more +1s for you...

PhilosophersNotes (114)

The Artist's Way

25th Anniversary Edition

by Julia Cameron

This is the 25th Anniversary Edition of the classic book that has inspired millions of creative people around the world. It’s essentially a 12-week course in helping us “discover” and “recover” our creative selves. It’s *packed* with exercises and questions to help us connect with the “Great Creator” within as we free up our latent creative potential. Big Ideas we explore include: the spiral path, morning pages, artist dates, gain disguised as loss, and the magic, grace and power of action.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Creativity & Habits

Female Author Modern Classic soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
Knowledge of Higher Worlds and its Attainment

by Rudolf Steiner

I got this book on the recommendation of Phil Stutz (author of The Tools). I recently hired Phil as my coach and he *loves* Rudolf Steiner. I love Phil and I love following Joseph Campbell’s advice to study the books the teachers you admire studied so here we are. Rudolf Steiner was a remarkable man. Born in 1861, he was a philosopher, architect, and social reformer. Big Ideas we explore: the fundamental attitude of your soul, the importance of cultivating courage (and how to do it), spiritual perfection (it’s your ultimate goal), unfailing mastery (is the key), and using all your powers to serve profoundly.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Optimal Living & Purpose

20th Century Classics courage soul Spirit Spirituality

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
The Jefferson Bible

The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

by Thomas Jefferson

The Jefferson Bible. Thomas Jefferson created it for himself and never intended it for broad publication. Jefferson *literally* snipped out the passages and parables (from four different translations of the Bible) that he felt best captured the essence of Jesus’s moral philosophy and conformed with his sense of reason. Big Ideas we cover: Love your enemies (+ everyone else), seek ye first the kingdom of God, take the beam out your eye, use your talents, and build your life on the rock of wisdom.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Love & Purpose

Old School soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
Pursuing the Good Life

100 Reflections on Positive Psychology

by Christopher Peterson

Christopher Peterson was an award-winning professor at the University of Michigan. He was also one of the founders of the positive psychology movement. He worked closely with Martin Seligman to create one of my favorite surveys: the VIA (Virtues-in-Action) Survey of Character Strengths. This book is essentially a collection of 100 blog posts Chris created for his popular blog on Psychology Today. Big Ideas we explore include: good hope and bad hope, how to truly matter, how to avoid a sub-optimal epitaph and the keys to flourishing relationships.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Connection & Positive Psychology

Hope Modern Classic soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
Spiritual Evolution

How We Are Wired for Faith, Hope, and Love

by George Vaillant

George Vaillant is a psychiatrist and Harvard professor who, for 35 years, led Harvard’s 70+ year Study of Adult Development. (You learn a thing or three when you follow the development of teenagers as they grew into great-grandparents.) In this book, he tells us that we can evolve spiritually. Leaning on his experience running Harvard’s study plus cultural anthropology, ethology and neuroscience, he walks us through the biological underpinnings of the positive emotions that make up our spirituality: faith, love, hope, joy, forgiveness, compassion and awe.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Conquering Cancer & Love & Neuroscience

Faith Hope Modern Classic soul Spirit Spirituality

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
The Inner Citadel

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

by Pierre Hadot

Pierre Hadot was one of the most influential historians of ancient philosophy. In this book, he gives us an incredible look at Marcus Aurelius and his classic Meditations. You can feel Hadot’s incredible intellectual rigor and equally incredible passion for engaged philosophy. It’s inspiring. Big Ideas we explore include spiritual exercises, your inner citadel, your daimōn, amor fate, turning obstacles upside down and carpe areté.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Antifragility & Stoicism

Modern Classic Philosophy soul Spirit Top 101 Virtue

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Watch PNTV
The Four Purposes of Life

Finding Meaning and Direction in a Changing World

by Dan Millman

Dan Millman is one of my favorite teachers and deepest inspirations. This is a super concise, quick-reading book (150 pages) in which Dan synthesizes wisdom from many of his other books—shining light on how we can engage in the four purposes of life to create meaning in an ever-changing world. Big Ideas we explore include a quick look at the 4 purposes of life, the fact that daily life is your master teacher, the required classes in the school of life (and how you’re graded), the importance of deciding to decide (then going all in), how to live happily ever after, and making every moment extraordinary.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Habits & Purpose

Modern Classic soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
The Myths of Happiness

What Should Make You Happy, but Doesn't, What Shouldn't Make You Happy, but Does

by Sonja Lyubomirsky

Sonja Lyubomirsky is one of the world’s leading positive psychology researchers. Her award-winning and very well-funded research is on “the possibility of permanently increasing happiness.” <— How cool is that? This book focuses on, you guessed it, the myths of happiness—those things we *think* will make us happy (or devastated) but don’t. The book has over 700 (!) scholarly references. I always love connecting ancient wisdom and fun self-help with SOLID research so this book was a great treat. Big Ideas: hedonic adaptation, #1 way to boost optimism (kinda surprising), the ultradian dip, affluenza virus, frequency > intensity and how to set goals.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Goals & Positive Psychology

Female Author Modern Classic soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Maximum Achievement

Strategies and Skills That Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed

by Brian Tracy

As with all of Brian Tracy’s books, this one is ridiculously packed with wisdom. He wrote it 25 years ago (25 years into his journey as a teacher). It’s based on a training program he created called The Psychology of Achievement that he taught to 1 million+ people. It’s a dense, 350-page encyclopedia of Big Ideas to help us jumbo crush it. Big Ideas we explore: the 7 ingredients of success, the Law of Substitution, mining your acres of diamonds, 7 questions that can change your life, moving from positive thinking to positive knowing, treating excusitis, and the secret sauce of achievement (hint: it’s love).

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Confidence & Peak Performance

20th Century Classic soul Spirit Top 101

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
Existentialism Is a Humanism

by Jean-Paul Sartre

Jean-Paul Sartre was a French philosopher, novelist, playwright, and critic. He was a leading intellectual of the 20th century and the leading proponent of existentialism. This short book is a transcript of a speech Sartre gave in 1945 to address many of the critics of existentialism. It’s a *remarkably* lucid, concise exposition on the primary tenets of existentialism—even more remarkable given the fact that Sartre gave this lecture without notes. Big Ideas we explore: Anguish + its antidote, passion vs. choice, quietism vs. commitment, the stern optimism of existentialism and moral choices as a work of art.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Confidence & Purpose

20th Century Classic Choice Existentialism Philosophy Responsibility soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Iconoclast

A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently

by Gregory Berns, MD, PhD

Wonder what the iconoclast’s brain looks like? Well, that’s what this book is all about. Our guide is Gregory Berns, one of the world’s leading pioneers (iconoclasts?) in the field of neuroeconomics. Berns is a professor in the department of Psychiatry and Economics and at the Goizeta Business School at Emory University. This book is a fascinating look at the three primary facets of the iconoclast’s brain (perception + courage + social skills), brought to life via research studies and biographical sketches of modern iconoclasts. Big Ideas we cover: how to change the way you see the world, how to control your fear and how to build your social skills (hint: be a good human).

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Leadership & Neuroscience

Best of Optimize greatness Modern Classic soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Shoe Dog

A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

by Phil Knight

Phil Knight created Nike. This book is a *phenomenally* well-written, funny, tear-jerking, inspiring look at how he and his eclectic team of misfit geniuses made Nike one of the most iconic brands in the world. If you’re into sports, business and hero’s journeys, you’ll love it. I highly recommend it. Big Ideas we explore include: Crazy Ideas, victory, billionaires getting their credit cards declined (before they’re billionaires), optimal business, gratitude, luck and answering your calling.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Business & Leadership

Biography greatness Hero Modern Classic soul Spirit Sports

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Be Unstoppable

The 8 Essential Actions to Succeed at Anything

by Alden Mills

This is a surprisingly awesome book—a fable about a young captain who spends time with a master and commander who reveals the secret code of rockin’ it. It’s kinda like if a Navy SEAL wrote The Alchemist or The Way of the Peaceful Warrior or The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Big Ideas we cover include: U.P.E.R.S.I.S.T. (the code to being unstoppable), the 2 limitations in life, how to discover your why, how to plan in 3-D, and the magic pill you need to take.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Antifragility & Goals & Unstoppable Teams

Fiction Mental Toughness Military Modern Classic persistence SEAL soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
On the Shortness of Life

Life Is Long If You Know How to Use It

by Seneca

Seneca was an old-school Roman statesman and one of history’s leading Stoic philosophers. In this book he tells us that life is only short if you don’t know how to use it and also gives us some tips on how to deal with challenging times and cultivate tranquility. Big Ideas we explore include making T.O.D.A.Y. the day, how to deal with being exiled (never know when it could happen ;), and why flexibility is the virtuous road to tranquility (and how to avoid the detours).

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Conquering Procrastination & Stoicism

Old School Classic soul Spirit Top 101 Wisdom

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
The Path to Purpose

How Young People Find Their Calling in Life

by William Damon

This book is a scientific look at Purpose by one of the world’s leading developmental psychologists—a powerful look at how to cultivate purpose in our children (and, for that matter, ourselves) and why it’s so important. Big Ideas we explore include a definition of what it means to be purposeful (and a look at the alternatives), the #1 thing that gets in the way of discovering and creating purpose, 9 key things parents can do to help their kids with purpose, why entrepreneurial spirit is so important and a four-word mantra to reduce timidity and build courage and confidence.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Fatherhood & Mommahood

Modern Classic optimism persistence Resilience soul Spirit

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
The Power of Ideals

The Real Story of Moral Choice

by William Damon, Anne Colby

William Damon and Anne Colby are two of the world’s leading researchers in the field of moral psychology. They’re both Professors at Stanford and have been married for 30+ years. This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book that challenges the “new science of morality”’s view that morality is essentially biologically and socially determined. Damon and Colby argue that we all have the power to cultivate our more noble, moral possibilities. Big Ideas we explore include a quick look at our moral exemplars, moral agency, and the three virtues we want to cultivate: Truth + Humility + Faith.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Leadership & Positive Psychology

Character Faith Humility Modern Classic Morality soul Spirit Virtue

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Living Forward

A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want

by Michael Hyatt, Daniel Harkavy

Living Forward is a powerful little book all about helping us figure out our Life Plan—which is, essentially, the vision for every aspect of our lives and our plan to make it a reality. The book is the result of a collaboration between leading publisher + author Michael Hyatt and his coach Daniel Harkavy. It’s basically like having one of the world’s leading life coaches walk you through the Life Planning process he’s used with thousands of his clients. Big Ideas we explore include The Drift, your life GPS, pull power, soul oxygen and the Law of Diminishing Intent.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Goals & Purpose

Planning soul Spirit Vision

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Noble Purpose

The Joy of Living a Meaningful Life

by William Damon

William Damon is one of the world’s leading scientists studying human development and the psychology of morality. In this book, he gives us a guide to discovering and creating our noble purpose. Big Ideas we explore include making a distinction between noble and heroic, the ultimate purpose formula, 9 tips on how to cultivate your noble purpose, the one phrase your advisor should whisper in your ears when you’ve achieved ultimate success, and how to create true, sustainable happiness.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Mommahood & Purpose

Calling Modern Classic soul Spirit Virtue

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Ego Is the Enemy

by Ryan Holiday

Meet the enemy: Your ego. Our guide, Ryan Holiday, wrote one of my favorite books of 2015: The Obstacle Is the Way. Ego Is the Enemy is now one of my favorite books of 2016. It’s fantastic. Big Ideas we explore include: defining ego, becoming more than a flash in the pan, finally answering the question of whether it takes 10,000 or 20,000 hours to attain mastery, the virtue and value of staying true to your own path and making it rather than faking it.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Leadership & Stoicism

Best of Optimize Ego Mastery Modern Classic soul Spirit Top 101 Wisdom

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
The Road to Character

by David Brooks

In today’s world, the road to character has a much less defined map than the road to external success. In this thoughtful, penetrating book, New York Times op-ed columnist and author David Brooks walks us through the evolution of our culture away from a character ethic toward a society all about what he calls the “Big Me.” And, of course, he shows us the way back to character. Big Ideas we explore include résumé virtues vs. eulogy virtues, answering the summons, conquering yourself, living for holiness and becoming strongest at your weakest point.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Leadership & Modern Hērō & Purpose

Character Modern Classic service soul Spirit Virtue

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Show more PhilosophersNotes

Loading more PhilosophersNotes for you...

Master Classes (6)

Show more Master Classes

Loading more Master Classes for you...

Authors (104)

Show more Authors

Loading more Authors for you...

Quotes (39)

Show more Quotes

Loading more Quotes for you...