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All(1456) +1s(639) PhilosophersNotes(218) Master Classes(13) Authors(197) Quotes(389)

+1s (639)

Eudaimantra
#1243

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How to Extend Sovereignty Over the Mind

Earlier today I wrapped up a few Time Blocks of (pre-inputs) Deep Work (3.9 hours to be precise!) as I finished my Note on Mark Hyman’s new book called

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+1 inspired by Note: Strength in the Storm

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Antifragility & Conquering Anxiety

antifragility conquering-anxiety equanimity Mental Toughness self-awareness Virtue Work

#1243

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A Wandering Mind
#1234

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Is an Unhappy Mind

Not too long ago we spent some time with the brilliant neuroscientist Ian Robertson, discussing some Ideas from his great book The Winner Effect. Today we’re going...

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+1 inspired by Note: The Stress Test

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Conquering Depression & Meditation

conquering-depression focus Happiness meditation presence technology Work

#1234

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How to Delete a Bad Habit (Again!)
#1233

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One Way: Make It Harder

In our last +1, we alchemized an Enervator into an Energizer and did some fancy new math: -1 → +1 = +3 for the win! I mentioned the Enervator I wanted to address: Online news. Now, this isn’t a super-bad habit (like it used to be) but, frankly, I just don’t need to download ...

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+1 inspired by Note: Tiny Habits

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Conquering Digital Addiction & Habits

algorithms conquering-digital-addiction focus Habits productivity technology Work

#1233

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The Mystery of the Oscars
#1223

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Plus: Cookie Jars and Highlight Reels

In our last +1, we hung out with Goldilocks and set some goals that landed in the right spot on that Inverted U of ours—challenging but doable. Today I’d like to go back to Ian Robertson and his great book

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+1 inspired by Note: The Winner Effect

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Confidence & Self-Image

confidence Gratitude Hope Mental Toughness optimism self-image Work

#1223

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Goldilocks Goals
#1222

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Setting Targets That Are Juuuuuust Right

Ian Robertson is one of the world’s preeminent neuropsychologists. He’s both a clinical psychologist AND a neuroscientist—which is a rare combination. I recently enjoyed a couple of his books. ...

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+1 inspired by Note: The Winner Effect

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Goals & Purpose

big-picture goals Hope purpose Vision wildly-important-goals Work

#1222

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Mission Algorithms
#1221

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Binary Pre-Commitments

A couple +1s ago, we spent some time with Admiral McRaven hours before the launch of his successful mission to bring justice to Osama bin Laden. Today I want to go back to the weeks leading up to that raid. Let’s flip open our copies of

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+1 inspired by Note: Sea Stories

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Algorithms & Peak Performance

algorithms courage Hero Mental Toughness Peak Performance process SEAL Work

#1221

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SEALs and Hoosiers
#1219

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Get Your Tape Measure Out and Let’s Go!

In our last +1, we made it through one evolution at a time with William McRaven as he endured Hell Week and became a Navy SEAL. Fast forward a few decades—from 1977 to 2011. Ensign McRaven ...

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+1 inspired by Note: Sea Stories

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Confidence & Peak Performance

confidence courage equanimity Hero Mental Toughness Peak Performance SEAL Work

#1219

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One Evolution at a Time
#1218

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How to Get Through Hell Week

Not too long ago, we spent some time making our beds with Admiral William McRaven. Immediately aft...

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+1 inspired by Note: Sea Stories

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Confidence & Conquering Anxiety

confidence conquering-anxiety courage Hero Inspiration Mental Toughness persistence SEAL Work

#1218

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Pearl Bites
#1216

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Alchemizing the Inevitable Chigger-Triggers

In our last +1, we talked about the neuroscience of Trail making. Or, at least… We explored my thoughts on the parallels between the way our brain rewires itself as I joyfully weed whacked a little Trail out here in the country. We wrapped that one up with a friendly weed-wh...

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+1 inspired by Note: Plato’s Lemonade Stand

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Algorithms & Conquering Perfectionism

algorithms conquering-perfectionism equanimity Gratitude Happiness optimism Work

#1216

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The (Neuro) Trail
#1215

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Carving New Behavioral Pathways

A couple +1s ago we spent some time pulling some weeds together as we created some new habits. How? By STARTING SMALL and MAKING IT EASY! (Am I repeating myself AND yelling?! Lol. Yes and Yes. 🤓 ) Today I want to spend a little more time on our new property. We’re goin...

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Algorithms & Habits

algorithms baby steps Growth Habits process productivity Work

#1215

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Character Flaws vs. Design Flaws
#1214

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Note: There’s a BIG Difference

In our last +1, we talked about me and the weed. Strangely, I now LOVE weeds. And, I love pulling them out. In addition to that squirt of celebratory dopamine, there’s something about having my hands in the dirt that’s magical—as all you gardeners/ranchers/etc have known for much longer t...

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+1 inspired by Note: Tiny Habits

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Habits & Willpower

baby steps compound Habits Motivation productivity willpower Work

#1214

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The Weed
#1213

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A Case Study in Habit Creation

I know we’ve been talking about the details of changing our Behavior quite a bit and I thought we were ready to move on. Then… I pulled out a weed while taking a little break this morning and realized I should share that story as well. 🤓 So… Quick ...

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+1 inspired by Note: Tiny Habits

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Habits & Willpower

baby steps Growth Habits process productivity willpower Work

#1213

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Prompt Begone!
#1212

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No Behavior Happens Without a Prompt

In our last +1, we talked about some parallel wisdom from BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits and Alex Korb’s

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+1 inspired by Note: Tiny Habits

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Conquering Digital Addiction & Habits

conquering-digital-addiction Habits process productivity Systems technology Work

#1212

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The Fastest Way to Delete a Bad Habit
#1211

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Hint: Remove the Prompt

Right after reading BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits, I read a fantastic book called

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+1 inspired by Note: The Upward Spiral

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Habits & Willpower

baby steps Growth Habits process productivity willpower Work

#1211

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Pearl Habits
#1210

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How to Create Something Valuable from an Irritant

Wrapping up our tour through BJ Fogg’s brilliant mind and equally brilliant book Tiny Habits, Today we’re going to talk about something he calls “Pearl Habits.” I...

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Antifragility & Habits

antifragility Grit Habits omms productivity spiral-up Work

#1210

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PhilosophersNotes (218)

Parenting Champions

What Every Parent Should Know About the Mental Game

by Lanny Bassham

Lanny Bassham is one of my favorite teachers. He’s an Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion rifle shooter. He won a silver medal after having what he calls a “mental meltdown” in the 1972 Olympics. Then he spent several hours a day for the next couple years talking to every gold medalist he could find about how they were THINKING while they were performing at such an elite level. In the next Olympics in 1976, Lanny won the gold and then began teaching his “Mental Management System®.” Since then, he’s coached Olympic teams from all around the world and has also worked with the Navy SEALs, Fortune 500 businesses, the PGA and its players and other elite performers in sports and business. He boiled decades of wisdom into his fantastic book With Winning in Mind. He and I connected for an interview and I’ve been personally practicing many of his ideas for years. Then recently sent me a copy of his latest book — this one. I read it the next day. It’s AWESOME. And, well, here we are. Of course, it’s packed with Big Ideas and, as always, I’m excited to share some of my favorites!

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Fatherhood & Mommahood

Parenting Peak Peformance positive-pscyhology self-image Work

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Everyday Zen

Love and Work

by Charlotte Joko Beck

Charlotte Joko Beck was the founder and former head teacher at the Zen Center in San Diego. I bought this book 10 years ago but it wasn’t until Eleanor recently pulled it off the shelf and dropped it on the ground that I picked it up and read it. (Very Zen, eh? lol) The book is a collection of edited talks Joko gave at her Zen center. It was published in 1989 when she was 82. (She passed away at 94 in 2011.) Fun fact: Joko started practicing Zen at 48. She went on to become an influential figure in the American Zen movement, founding her own approach called Ordinary Mind. So… If you feel a little “behind” in any aspect of your life, take heart! :) The book is packed with Big Ideas and I’m excited to share a few of my favorites with some practical wisdom we can apply to our lives TODAY.

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Buddhism mindfulness Spirituality Work

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Wired to Create

Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind

by Scott Barry Kaufman, Carolyn Gregoire

This book started out as a blog post by Carolyn Gregoire based on Scott Barry Kaufman’s work that went viral: 18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently. Scott is one of the world’s leading creativity researchers. Carolyn is a senior writer at the Huffington Post. Together, they wrote a great little book on the mysteries of the creative mind. Big Ideas we explore include: the fact that creativity is a messy business (embrace complexity!), the power of walking for daydreaming (all the cool philosophers do it!), creating a nice home for your genius to visit (she’s got the magic!), creating again and again (and again), unitask rather than multitask (unless you want to atrophy the best part of your brain), and STAMP your life with your own personality (but only if you want to be great … and happy!).

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creativity Flow Work

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Eight Pillars of Prosperity

From: Mind Is the Master - The Complete James Allen Treasury

by James Allen

James Allen wrote As a Man Thinketh—one of the all-time classics of old-school inspirational self-help. As it turns out, he wrote a *ton* of other stuff as well. He was an incredibly (!) prolific and lucid writer. Big Ideas we explore in this Note include the eight pillars of prosperity, why energy is a moral virtue, the power of kindness and generosity and how to tap into the soul of genius.

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20th Century Classic Character Virtue Work

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Strength in the Storm

Transform Stress, Live in Balance, and Find Peace of Mind

by Eknath Easwaran

As I mentioned in the other Notes on his work, Eknath Easwaran is one of my favorite teachers. He was a professor of English literature in India before coming to America on a Fulbright scholarship. He taught at UC Berkeley and became one of the world’s leading meditation and spiritual teachers. In this book, we learn how to love storms—how to use simple tools to find strength in the inevitable storms of life as we “transform stress, live in balance and find peace of mind.” Big Ideas we explore: “I love storms.” -Gandhi, Eudaimantra (how I came up w/the perfect mantra for myself), how to end all boredom, time as an infinite cosmic carpet, the secret of life (in one sentence) and Gandhi 101: how to become fearless.

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20th Century Classics courage Spirituality Work

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The Philosophy of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy

by Donald Robertson

Got problems with your soul? These days, you’d see a psychotherapist. But, back in the day, it was the philosopher who’d help you optimize—they were the preferred physician of the soul. This book is about the philosophical roots of modern psychotherapy. Specifically, it outlines the connection between cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Stoicism. Big Ideas we explore include being a warrior of the mind vs. a librarian of the mind, your highest human purpose, getting on good terms with your inner daimon, practicing the reserve clause and modeling your ideal sage.

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#ASKGARYVEE

One Entrepreneur's Take on Leadership, Social Media, and Self-Awareness

by Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk. Better known by those in the know as Gary Vee—the jumbo intense, uber-passionate entrepreneur/social media maven/investor extraordinaire who happens to have a strong opinion on everything! In this book, we get the best Ideas from his ##AskGaryVee show. It’s packed with Gary’s insights on everything from entrepreneurship to social media. Big Ideas we cover include Clouds and Dirt, Oxygen + DNA, Hustle, practicing the religion of adding value and being willing to suck.

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action Modern Classic Work

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The Power of Starting Something Stupid

How to Crush Fear, Make Dreams Happen, and Live Without Regret

by Richie Norton

Want to make great things happen? Be willing to be a little stupid. Smart stupid that is. I was midway through this book when we decided to start something stupid—acquiring a church and its 5-acre campus here in Ojai. Thank you, Richie, for the inspiration and wisdom. Big Ideas we explore include Stupid as the new smart (vs. just plain stupid), the stupid equation, your top 3 excuses, living in permanent beta mode, egonomics, and the authentic you.

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courage Modern Classic Work

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Fail Fast, Fail Often

How Losing Can Help You Win

by Ryan Babineaux, John Krumboltz

Ryan Babineaux and John Krumboltz are two leading psychologists and career counselors. This book is a distillation of the wisdom they taught in their popular Stanford University continuing studies course ‘Fail Fast, Fail Often.” After working with thousands of people, they came to a compelling conclusion: “Happy and successful people tend to spend less time planning and more time acting”—which allows them to learn a TON and optimize along the way to mastery. Big Ideas we explore include dialing in your fun-meter, how to take action, being willing to be bad if we want to be good, think big—act small, and the fact that failure is what you make of it.

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Conquering Perfectionism & Conquering Procrastination

Modern Classic Work

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Goals!

How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible

by Brian Tracy

Goals. How’re yours? If you believe Brian Tracy, “Success is goals and all else is commentary.” In this book, Brian walks us through his twenty-one steps for setting and achieving goals—from Step 1 of “Unlocking Your Potential” to Step 21 “Persist Until You Succeed.” We take a quick peek at all 21 steps then have fun looking at how to cut thru the fog of life, the fact that self-trust = the foundation for greatness, The Great Question of goal setting (it’s big), how to mindstorm (cool way to get creative juices flowing) and the #1 quality for success.

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Abundance & Goals

Modern Classic Top 101 Work

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Rapt

Attention and the Focused Life

by Winifred Gallagher

Attention. If you want to optimize your life, this is the place to start. Winifred Gallagher gives us a beautiful target: rapt attention that leads us to live the focused life. Gallagher is a behavioral science writer who, five years before writing this book, received a cancer diagnosis that dramatically shifted the way she saw the world. That experience inspired her to understand the neuroscientific underpinnings of how attention works—which led to this book. Big Ideas we explore include: Attention 101, how to get it, the paradox of choice, grit + focus, focusing on virtue, how to be happier and waking up!

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Conquering Cancer & Neuroscience & Positive Psychology

Attention Female Author Modern Classic Work

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The Daily Stoic

366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living

by Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman

This book combines two of my favorite things: Stoicism + Ryan Holiday’s wisdom. Stoicism was one of the most influential philosophy of the Roman world and has continued to influence many of history’s greatest minds. As Ryan says: It’s time to bring it back as a powerful tool “in the pursuit of self-mastery, perseverance, and wisdom.” This is one of the my favorite books ever. Big Ideas we explore: the #1 thing to know about Stoicism, how to create tranquility, a good answer to “What’s the latest and greatest?!,” the 2 essential tasks in life and the art of acquiescence (aka amor fati).

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Ancient Wisdom Best of Optimize Modern Classic Top 101 Work

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Mastering Creative Anxiety

24 Lessons for Writers, Painters, Musicians, and Actors from America's Foremost Creativity Coach

by Eric Maisel

Eric Maisel is one of my favorite writers and teachers and thinkers. In addition to being one of the world’s leading creativity coaches (and therapists), he’s also an amazing exemplar of creativity—having written dozens of books on a broad range of subjects. Big Ideas we explore in this Note include the fact that anxiety goeswith anxiety (yes, “goeswith” = one word!), existential decisiveness and why it matters, enervators —> energizers, a cool mantra, cognitive restructuring and step 1 to creativity.

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Conquering Anxiety & Creativity

Modern Classic Work

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How to Kill Email Anxiety, Avoid Distractions, and Get Real Work Done

by Jocelyn K. Glei

This is a quick-reading, smart, practical guide on how to, as the sub-title suggests, “Kill Email Anxiety, Avoid Distractions, and Get Real Work Done. My kind of book. I *highly* recommend it. Big Ideas we explore include rats + rewards (real vs. random), progress hacks to conquer the progress paradox, saying “YES!!!” en route to saying “No” plus the physics of emails and 21st century superpowers.

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Conquering Digital Addiction & Masterpiece Days & Productivity

Modern Classic Work

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Trying Not to Try

Ancient China, Modern Science, and the Power of Spontaneity

by Edward Slingerland

Edward Slingerland is one of the world’s leading experts on both ancient Chinese thought AND modern cognitive science. This book is a melding of those two realms. It’s a truly fascinating read. I read it in a day and felt like I was spending the day hanging out with a brilliant thinker—getting privileged access to twenty years of deep thinking. If you’re into ancient wisdom and modern science I think you’ll love the book as much as I did. Big Ideas we explore include defining wu-wei + de (one of the coolest words/concepts ever), what Confucius + Lao Tzu + Mencius + Chuang Tzu have to say about wu-wei, and the spontaneity of mirrors.

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Chinese Philosophy Modern Classic Old School Classic Work

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The Leadership Challenge

How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations

by James Kouzes, Barry Posner

James Kouzes and Barry Posner are two of the world’s preeminent researchers on leadership. This is the 25th anniversary, fifth edition version of their best-selling classic that has sold over 2 million copies. One of the things I most like about this book is the fact that it covers the SCIENCE of leadership. Kouzes and Posnar have been conducting empirical research for over three decades. Big Ideas we explore: The 5 Practices (<— key word!) of Exemplary Leaders, the foundation of leadership (= credibility which = …), Law #2: DWYSYWD, and the best-kept secret of leadership = …

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Business & Leadership

greatness Modern Classic Work

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The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Follow Them and People Will Follow You (10th Anniversary Edition)

by John C. Maxwell

John Maxwell is one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership. He’s trained millions (literally) of leaders and has written over 50 (!) books that have sold over 13 million copies—this one alone has sold over 3 million copies. After a super quick look at the 21 Laws, Big Ideas we explore: The Law of Process (aka: Leaders are learners), the foundation of leadership (= trust), leaders are practical AND visionary, the law of victory (!), and your legacy—what will people say when you die? + What’s your “life sentence”?

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Business & Leadership

Legacy Modern Classic Top 101 Work

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Discourses

by Epictetus

Epictetus is known as one of the world’s leading Stoic philosophers. (Along with Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, the three make up a very interesting bunch.) Epictetus was a former slave turned philosopher who lived from 55-135 (a little later than Seneca and before Aurelius). This book is a transcription of the informal lectures Epictetus gave to his students. It’s awesome. Big Ideas we explore: why Hercules needed challenges (and so do you), what figs can teach us about greatness, the good + the bad + the indifferent and how to tell the difference, “impressions” and the tricks they play, and the fact NOW is the time to live this stuff.

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Mindfulness & Stoicism

Ancient Wisdom Best of Optimize Old School Classic stoicism Work

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On Becoming a Leader

by Warren Bennis

Warren Bennis is one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership. This is, as Peter Drucker puts it, his “most important book.” Big Ideas we explore include the basic ingredients of leadership (#1 = Guiding Vision!), the importance of self-invention (hint: write your own story!), the power of trusting ourselves, choosing to express ourselves rather than prove ourselves, how to cultivate trust, and becoming a world-class leader.

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Business & Leadership

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Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot

by James Stockdale

Vice Admiral James Stockdale is an American hero. Stockdale spent nearly eight years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. He spent four of those years in solitary confinement and was repeatedly tortured. He was the commanding officer of hundreds of other U.S. soldiers and received the Medal of Honor for his service beyond the call of duty. This is an incredibly inspiring look at the powerful mind and equally powerful moral commitment of a hero. Big Ideas we explore: Being our brother’s keeper, chiseling our integrity to achieve delight with life, courage as endurance of the soul and heroes vs. bums.

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Leadership & Stoicism

20th Century Classic Military Work

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