You Are Heroic with Brian Johnson

Micro Class: 3:59.4

18 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

3:59.4. That's less than 4 minutes. Running a mile in that time used to be impossible. Until it wasn't. What impossible thing do you need to reframe i...

Micro Class: #Repeat

14 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

John Maxwell tells us that systems are just good strategies repeated. I like that. Nice and simple: Figure out what works. Do more of it. #repeat.

Micro Class: Plan A to Z

11 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Strong Hope has three things firing: Goals + Agency + Pathways. We need to futurecast a goal that fires us up, believe we can have it and be willing t...

Micro Class: The Big 7

07 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Here are Neil Pasricha's 7 favorite scientifically proven ways to boost our happiness.

Micro Class: Kiwi Kaizen

04 Oct 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The All Blacks are all about getting better all.the.time. Can you find 100 things you can improve 1%? Marginal gains, baby!

Micro Class: How to Grow Your Grit

30 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Here are the four psychological assets you need to grow your grit: Interest + Practice + Purpose + Hope.

Micro Class: Rational Optimism

29 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We want to be RATIONAL optimists--not irrational optimists. Here's the difference. (And, how it's kinda like irrational vs. rational visualization WOO...

Micro Class: Full-Court Press

28 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

One way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage? Run a full-court press!

Micro Class: Law of Leadership: Foundation = Trust

27 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Want to be a great leader? It starts with trust--which starts with character. Here are 3 ways to chisel your goodness.

Micro Class: Zig Zags

26 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Growth does not occur in a straight line. Time to embrace the zigs and the zags that are part of mastery as our highs get higher and our lows get high...

Micro Class: Anti-Fragile Tip - The Barbell Strategy

25 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Nassim Taleb tells us how to become more anti-fragile. Here's a quick look at his "barbell strategy." Key: Be BOTH super aggressive AND super conserva...

Micro Class: Iceberg Illusion

24 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When we see an iceberg, we're tempted to think it's just the tip, but we KNOW there's a lot going on beneath the surface. Same thing with world-class ...

PNTV: The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma

23 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Robin Sharma is one of the world's top leadership experts. He's also an extraordinarily inspiring guy. This is an inspiring fable about a disillusione...

Micro Class: Suck to Unsuck

22 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Pixar execs say they take their films from suck to unsuck. (Hah.) We need to do the same. (Did you know WALL-E had 98,173 (!!!) storyboards? Yep.) Tha...

Micro Class: Boldest Version of You

20 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How would the boldest, most authentic, best version of you act? Now a good time to be that? (A: YES! "Fake it until you become it.")

Interview: How to Become a Straight-A Student with Cal Newport

19 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Cal Newport is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Dartmouth who went on to MIT for his Ph.D. and is now a Professor at Georgetown. In this book, Cal shares ...

Optimal Nutrition 101: How to Optimize Your Health, Energy and Happiness Starting at the End of Your Fork (Intro)

18 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Nutrition. It's easy to get lost in the labyrinth of conflicting science. In this class, we focus on the 2 facts Michael Pollan tells us we can all ag...

Interview: Sleep Smarter with Shawn Stevenson

17 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Shawn Stevenson is a health coach who has one of the most popular health & fitness podcasts out there called The Model Health Show. This is a short, q...

PNTV: Existentialism Is a Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre

16 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jean-Paul Sartre was a French philosopher, novelist, playwright, and critic. He was a leading intellectual of the 20th century and the leading propone...

Micro Class: Double Down on Your Talents

15 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Unless you're looking to be mediocre, focus more on your talents than your weaknesses. Forget about being well-rounded and focus on being the best ver...

Interview: Natural Born Heroes with Christopher McDougall

14 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Christopher McDougall is a brilliant story teller (and author of Born to Run). In this great book, he weaves together a number of different narratives...

PNTV: Influence by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D.

13 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This is the classic text on the psychology of persuasion. Robert Cialdini is a professor of both psychology and marketing at Arizona State University....

Micro Class: Permanent Beta Mode

12 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

You know how long Google kept Gmail in Beta mode? 5 years. Only after MILLIONS of people used and loved it did they declare beta complete. We need to ...

Interview: Don't Just Sit There with Katy Bowman

11 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Katy Bowman is the world's leading biomechanist—helping us apply wisdom from that domain to optimizing our lives. This is a great, quick-reading, sm...

Interview: Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman

10 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Katy Bowman is one of the world's leading biomechanists—helping us integrate proper body movement to optimize our well-being. She has a great podcas...

Micro Class: Warren Buffett on Goals

08 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a quick look at some of Warren Buffett's thoughts on goal setting. In short: Identify 25 important life goals. Identify the top 5. Throw away t...

Micro Class: The Gift of Greatness

06 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When you look at EXTRAORDINARY performers do you find yourself saying, "Wow. They must have been born with something special?" If so, remember: SO WER...

PNTV: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell

06 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

PNTV: Discourses by Epictetus

05 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 bunc...

Learning 101: The Science of How We Learn and Make Things Stick (Efficiently) (Intro)

04 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know there's a science (+ art!) to learning? Yep. In this class, I'm excited to share some of my favorite Big Ideas on how to learn + make thi...

Interview: True to Form with Eric Goodman

03 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Eric Goodman is the creator of Foundation Training. If you've ever had back or neck or other physical pain, this book might be just what your doctor f...

PNTV: Iconoclast by Gregory Berns

02 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 pionee...

Micro Class: Good Food

01 Sep 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Dallas and Melissa Hartwig tell us good food passes four tests. Here they are.

Micro Class: Purpose Formula

30 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Purpose Formula has three parts. How do you fill in the bubbles? Where do your skills and joy meet the world's needs?

PNTV: On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis

29 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 expl...

Micro Class: Soul o2

28 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to OPTIMIZE Airlines. Please fasten your seatbelts and... remember that if cabin pressure changes you need to give yourself oxygen before tryi...

Micro Class: Common Denominator of Success

27 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Here's the definition of the Common Denominator of Success: Successful people make a habit of doing the things failures don't like to do.

PNTV: Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot by James Stockdale

26 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 yea...

Micro Class: What's in the Way?

25 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Pete Carroll and Michael Gervais made mental training as important as the physical training with the Seahawks. One trick? They'd have their players im...

PNTV: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

24 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 ge...

Interview: Extreme Ownership with Leif Babin

23 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jocko Willink and Leif Babin were two of the most senior (and decorated) SEALS on the ground in the most intense battles of Iraq. In this book they sh...

Micro Class: Outperform Your Contract

22 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Here's an awesome standard: Outperform your contract. At work. At home. Let's astonish.

Movement 101: How to Optimize Your Energy, Genes, Mind, Mood and Body as a Perpetual Motion Machine (Intro)

21 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Movement. It's about more than just exercise. Did you know you can be active *and* sedentary? Yep. In this class we'll take a look at how to optimize ...

Interview: Always Hungry? with David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D.

20 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

David Ludwig has both an M.D. and a Ph.D. and is a professor and researcher at both Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. He's o...

Micro Class: #1 Rule of Confidence

19 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

What's the #1 rule of confidence? "The *actions* of confidence come first; the *feelings* of confidence come later."

Micro Class: Chisel —> Character

18 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know the word "character" comes from the Greek word for "chisel"? Yep. Just as you chisel away at a marble statue to create a work of art, we ...

Micro Class: Can't vs. Won't

16 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Phelps tells us there's a big difference between "Can't" and "Won't." His coach, Bob Bowman, told him, "'Can't'–that's a tough word." Let's ...

Micro Class: Get to the Starting Line

15 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The Spartan Race tagline is "You'll know at the finish line." But getting to the STARTING line is way more important.

PNTV: It Starts with Food by Dallas Hartwig & Melissa Hartwig

14 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This is a *super* popular book in the Paleo movement that, as the sub-title suggests, introduces us to the Whole30 and can change your life in unexpec...

PNTV: Spartan Fit! by Joe De Sena with John Durant

12 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Joe De Sena is the founder of the Spartan Race. He's also, as Angela Duckworth, author of Grit, tells us: "a paragon of grit" who "shows you how you'r...

Micro Class: Industrialized Food

11 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know what happens when we industrialized our food. Here are 5 key things to keep in mind.

PNTV: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

10 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Pollan is one of the world's leading thinkers on nutrition. Time magazine voted him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He's ...

Micro Class: Work = Time x Intensity

09 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

There's REAL work and then there's pseudo-work. It's all about intensity. Remember: Work = Time x Intensity.

PNTV: The Happiness Diet by Tyler Graham and Drew Ramsey, MD

08 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

What if happiness began at the end of your fork? The latest research on neuroscience and nutrition tells us that's a VERY wise place to start. And, of...

Conquering Perfectionism 101: How to Quit Being a Perfectionist and Start Being an Incremental Optimizer (Intro)

07 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

High standards are great. Perfectionism? Not so much. In this class, we'll take a look at why it's so important to embrace the constraints of reality ...

Micro Class: Good Fats. Bad Fats.

06 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Fats. They are not created equal. Here's a quick look at the good, the bad, and the truly evil.

Micro Class: Learning: Enemy #1

05 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Want to know learning's enemy #1? Here it is: the fluency illusion. And, here's how to beat it!

Micro Class: Conquer Cravings

03 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know fast-acting carbs light up the addiction center (called the nucleus accumbens) of your brain? Yep. Here's a quick look at some fascinatin...

Interview: Sitting Kills, Moving Heals with Joan Vernikos

02 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA's Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health an...

Interview: The Living Experiment with Dallas Hartwig & Pilar Gerasimo

01 Aug 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a fun interview with Pilar Gerasimo and Dallas Hartwig about their new podcast called The Living Experiment. Check them out! https://itunes.app...

Micro Class: Edible Foodlike Substances (vs. Food)

31 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

"Edible foodlike substances." That's what Michael Pollan calls the stuff food scientists are cooking up these days. Remember Rule #1: Eat food. If you...

Interview: The Seventh Sense with Joshua Cooper Ramo

30 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This book is very different than the types of books I usually focus on. It's not "self-development" per se; it's more like "state-development"—as in...

PNTV: Eat Fat, Get Thin by Mark Hyman

29 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Want to reach your optimal weight while preventing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and cancer AND while feeling energized as you live longer?...

Micro Class: Gravity + Compression

28 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Gravity. It's always pushing us into the center of the Earth. If we're sitting all day every day, that causes super unhealthy compression. We need to ...

PNTV: How We Learn by Benedict Carey

27 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Benedict Carey is an award-winning science writer for The New York Times. This book is his exploration of what the latest research says about, you gue...

Micro Class: Shelf Life + Your Life

26 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Next time you walk through the grocery store remember: The long the shelf life, the shorter YOUR life. Choose real food.

PNTV: Always Hungry? by David Ludwig

25 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

David Ludwig has both an M.D. and a Ph.D. and is a professor and researcher at both Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. He's o...

Micro Class: Struggle Switch

24 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

When you experience pain do you struggle and try to control your thoughts and feelings or do you accept the pain and commit to values-based action? Ch...

Interview: Mind Hacking with Sir John Hargrave

23 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Sir John Hargrave is a funny guy and this book is awesome. If you're a bit of a geek (or if you're married to one!) looking for a fun, grounded, super...

Micro Class: Fear = Enemy #1

21 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Eleanor Roosevelt tells us we gain strength, courage, and confidence every time we stop to look fear in the face and she challenges us to do that EVER...

PNTV: True to Form by Eric Goodman

20 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Eric Goodman is the creator of Foundation Training. If you've ever had back or neck or other physical pain, this book might be just what your doctor f...

Micro Class: Movement > Exercise

19 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Movement transcends and includes exercise. How much do YOU move? (And are you ready to become a perpetual motion machine? :)

Clean Gut by Alejandro Junger, M.D.

18 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

The gut. That's where all the health magic (or challenges!) begins. Alejandro Junger is a cardiologist turned functional medicine doctor who created t...

Willpower 101: The Science of Self-Control and How to Build Your Optimizing Engine (Intro)

17 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Willpower is the queen of all virtues. It outpredicts IQ by a factor of TWO for academic performance (and everything else we want in life). This class...

Interview: Be Unstoppable with Alden Mills

16 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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'...

Micro Class: Success Formula + 2 Easies

15 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Rohn's success formula is simple: Do your key disciplines every.single.day. It's easy to do. But it's also easy *not* to do. (What are YOUR daily ...

PNTV: The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris

14 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

ACT. That's where it's at. This is our second Note on Russ Harris and his great introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. (Check out the Note...

Micro Class: Rumination vs. Reflection

13 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

There's a big difference between fruitlessly ruminating and productively reflecting. Here's a quick look. (Remember: Focus on the +1 solution!)

PNTV: You Learn by Living by Eleanor Roosevelt

12 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Eleanor Roosevelt served as the First Lady for 12 years—through her husband Franklin D. Roosevelt's terms as President during the Great Depression a...

Micro Class: Gravity 101

11 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

It's crazy how much leaving gravity diminishes an astronaut's health. Guess what? We do the same kinda thing to our health when we sit all.day.every.d...

Interview: The Champion's Mind + Comeback with Jim Afremow

09 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Afremow is one of the world's leading sports psychologists and this great book is packed with Big Ideas. We explore: the vision of a champion (and...

Micro Class: Sea Turtles & Your Sleep

08 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Baby sea turtles in Cancun used to be able to "seafind" via the moon's light. Since hotels moved in to the beach, they're losing that ability. Guess w...

PNTV: Leading an Inspired Life by Jim Rohn

07 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Rohn was one of the 20th century's leading personal development gurus—influencing everyone from Tony Robbins to Darren Hardy. He wrote and taugh...

Micro Class: Purpose = Engine to Success

06 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

How do successful people get themselves to do things failures don't like to do? One word: PURPOSE. (How's yours?)

PNTV: Focus by Daniel Goleman

05 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Daniel Goleman is a former New York Times science writer and author of the uber-bestselling book Emotional Intelligence. In Focus, we look at the unde...

Special: Qi Gong with Michael Gelb (Three Treasures)

04 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

In addition to being a dear friend and author of one of the books that most profoundly changed my life (How to Think Like da Vinci), Michael Gelb is a...

Peak Performance 101: How to Reach Your Potential & Do Your Best When It Matters Most (Intro)

03 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Ready to reach your potential and perform at your best when it matters most? Fantastic. Let's get clear on where you're headed, go all in, and cultiva...

Interview: Manage Your Day to Day + Make Your Mark + Maximize Your Potential with Jocelyn Glei

02 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Jocelyn Glei is the bestselling writer + editor of three great books we featured: Manage Your Day-to-Day, Make Your Mark, and Maximize Your Potential....

PNTV: Sitting Kills, Moving Heals by Joan Vernikos

01 Jul 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA's Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health an...

Micro Class: F.E.A.R. --> D.A.R.E.

30 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

F.E.A.R. got you stopped in your tracks? It's time to D.A.R.E. Defuse from your negative thoughts, Accept discomfort, set Realistic goals and Embrace ...

PNTV: Don't Just Sit There by Katy Bowman

29 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Katy Bowman is the world's leading biomechanist—helping us apply wisdom from that domain to optimizing our lives. This is a great, quick-reading, sm...

Micro Class: 3-D Planning

28 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

You have a big goal. You have your why. Here's how to make a plan to rock it. It's all about 3-D planning!

Interview: Peak with Anders Ericsson

27 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Anders Ericsson is the world's leading scientist studying expert performance—looking at how, precisely, the people who are the best in the world at ...

Interview: Olympic-Style Peak Performance with Canadian Women's National Soccer Coach John Herdman

26 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

John Herdman is the head coach of the Canadian women's national soccer team that won Bronze in London and is off to the Olympics in Rio. In this chat,...

Interview: Living forward with Daniel Harkavy

25 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

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 liv...

PNTV: The Common Denominator of Success by Albert E.N. Gray

24 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

This is a dinky little pamphlet of a book based on a speech Albert E.N. Gray gave to a group of Prudential life insurance agents back in 1940. It's pa...

Micro Class: Meditation: Mind Alarm

23 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Your amygala is kinda like a car alarm for your limbic system. You don't want it to go off at the smallest thing. Meditation helps cool a hot amygdala...

PNTV: The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris

22 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Russ Harris is one of the world's leading authorities on one of the most cutting-edge forms of therapy known as Acceptance and Commitment Training, or...

Micro Class: Flexibility --> Tranquility

21 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

We need to be committed, of course. But, there's a virtuous way to go about it and a not-so-effective. It's all about flexibility (not fickleness or o...

Fatherhood 101: How to Win Dad of the Year While Doing Your Life's Work (Intro)

19 Jun 2016

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know the word "parenting" comes from the Latin "to bring forth"? Yep. Begs the question, what do YOU want to help bring forth in your kids?! I...