The Good Life Podcast with Sean Murray

My guest this week is Christopher Cox, author of the book, “The Deadline Effect: How to Work Like It’s the Last Minute, Before the Last Minute.” There is something about deadlines. They can motivate and inspire us to do great work and they can create urgency – would we ever complete any significant project without a deadline? – but they can also cause anxiety and stress.In his extensive research for the book, Christopher Cox visited a ski resort before opening day, a fine-dining restaurant before the grand opening and even an Easter Lilly farm as they planned ahead for Easter. In the process, he learned how successful organizations use deadlines to effectively mobilize and align resources. In this episode we discuss techniques and strategies we can employ to use deadlines to increase our own productivity and, perhaps even achieve a state of flow.So, if you want to eliminate procrastination, get more done and feel better doing it, you won't want to miss this one.  Topics Covered:How deadlines reduce anxiety and help us be more productive.Why people mistakenly associate deadlines with anxiety when they are actually remembering the unpleasant feeling of procrastination.Why it's effective to space out deadlines.What is the planning fallacy and how to avoid it.How to work "right to left" to ensure your big project comes in on time.What we can learn from how ski resorts meet their opening day deadline every year.How to use a "soft deadline with teeth."What we can learn from people who prepare for deadlines that are random.How, if we can achieve a state of being "constantly productive, constantly prepared," we will experience a state of flow.Why "as soon as possible" is the worst deadline you can setResourcesThe Deadline Effect: How to Work Like It's the Last Minute, Before the Last Minute, by Christopher Cox.Connect with Christopher CoxTwitter: https://twitter.com/cwheLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-cox-5a70467/Connect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@seanmrealtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My guest today is Bob Cancalosi, the author of several books about journaling, most recently, Four Loops Learning: Reflection Points. Bob has been journaling for over 20 years. I talk with him about why he got started, what kept him going through the years and how it's enhanced his life. He also talks about getting diagnosed, three years ago, with a rare head and neck cancer, and how journaling has helped him through a very trying ordeal, and now it's changed his perspective on life.If you are already journal daily, you'll love this conversation and if you don't currently journal, look out, because Bob just might inspire you to start.Topics:How a fear of complacency drove Bob to start journalingWhy he writes about anything that motivates or inspired himWhy "leaders how are deliberately more reflective are profoundly more effective"Why it's important to go back and read the past 50 pages of your journal to extract the most impactful ideas.How journaling helps leaders slow down, think deeper and mitigate risks before they make decisionsWhat is "additive thinking" and how it can help usWhy it's much more effective to write in your journal by hand versus typing into a laptop.Why the adage "repeat to remember and remember to repeat" is so important for journalingWhy the key to journaling is prioritizing and acting on your biggest ideasWhy its better to share knowledge with others rather than horde it-Why it's important to define our purposeResourcesFour Loop Learning: Reflection Points, by Bob CancalosiConnect with Bob CancalosiWebsite: https://www.fourlooplearning.com/Twitter: @BobCancalosiLInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-cancalosi-03039418/Connect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@seanmrealtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode I talk with John Garrett, investment manager at MA Financial and the author of the popular blog, Investment Master Class. John talks about how being a successful investor requires continuous learning, and how the practice of writing has helped him become a better investor.What You'll LearnWhy some companies "fight the fade"What Garrett learned by reading Nick Sleep's investment lettersThe importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach to learningWhy the Santa Fe Institute is such a great resource for investorsAdvice for those just getting started in the industryResourcesInvestment Master ClassConnect with John GarrettLInkedIn: John GarrettTwitter: @mastersinvestConnect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@seanmrealtimeperformance.comWebsite: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My guest today is Ron Friedman, author of Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success. In this episode Ron applies the principles of reverse engineering to creative fields like writing and investing. We talk about how to study people who are the best in the world at what they do by breaking down what it is they’re doing that is contributing to their success, and then then working backward to figure out how they did it.Ron reveals how true innovation comes from following an established formula and then making it a little more original by putting our own spin on it.  Topics:Why completely novel ideas often failHow to break down a successful book, movie, speech, article, TED Talk or song and learn from itHow to start with an established formula and make it a little bit more originalWhat the “vision-ability” gap is and how to overcome itWhy it’s important to find and measure the leading indicators that predict success in your fieldWhy Friedman keeps a “Five Year Diary” and how it helps him get more out of every dayWhy studying someone and actively trying to copy their work will eventually help you find your own creativityBooks & ResourcesDecoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success by Ron FriedmanConnect with Ron FriedmanTwitter: @ronfriedmanWebsite: https://www.ignite80.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronfriedmanphd/Connect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's guest is Bob Pozen, the former president of Fidelity Investments. He teaches a course at MIT Sloan called "Maximizing your own Productivity" and he recently authored a book with Alexendra Samuel titled, "Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work...Wherever You Are"TopicsWhy we shouldn't think of ourselves as a "remote worker," rather we should think of ourselves as "Remote, Inc."Why the mindset of becoming a "business of one" is so importantThe critical role autonomy plays in becoming an productive and happy remote workerWhy companies need to shift from measuring "hours worked" to measuring resultsWhat was unique about how Peter Lynch managed his time at FidelityWhy we should leave an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon for thinking timeHow writing helps you clarify your thinkingWhy everyone should aim for the optimal amount of remote workWhy remote work is here to stay (at least in some form) and how to prepare for the future.Books & Resources"Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work Wherever You Are," by Robert Pozen and Alexandra Samuel"Extreme Productivity" by Robert PozenRemote, Inc. WebsiteConnect with Robert PozenTwitter: @PozenConnect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike Horne is the author of "Integrity by Design: Working and Living Authentically." Mike consults with organizations to help them build authentic cultures and he works directly with executives as a leadership coach.In this episode we explore what it means to live an authentic life. We look to Warren Buffett as as an example in the business community as someone who leads with integrity and has built a company, in Berkshire Hathaway, that is built on trust. We discuss the corporate scandals at both Enron and Wells Fargo, and the cautionary tale s they provide of what happens when an organization fails to build a strong culture of integrity. And finally, Mike provides tips on how we can use the principles of Integrity by Design to live a more authentic , flourishing life.What You'll LearnWhy integrity and reputation is so important in business and lifeHow Warren Buffett "leads with integrity"What cautionary tales from Enron and Wells Fargo teach us about what happens to organizations that lack integrityWhat it means to live an authentic lifeHow authenticity can lead us to purposeBooks & ResourcesIntegrity by Design: Working and Living Authentically by Mike HorneConnect with Mike Horne, Ph.D.Twitter: @mikehorneauthorWebsite: https://mike-horne.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikehorne1/Connect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s guest is a former designer from Apple who is now the Executive Director of the Stanford Design Program, and he teaches a hugely popular course at Stanford called Designing Your Life. His name is Bill Burnett and he’s the co-author of the book,Designing Your Life, How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life. Bill has taken the principles of design that he learned at Apple and he helps people apply them to design their life. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of curiosity and how to cultivate itWhy Bias to Action is so critical when it comes to designing our livesThe role that prototyping plays in helping us move toward our best lifeWhy finding our passion is hard, but following our energy is easyHow following that energy can help us build a better lifeBOOKS AND RESOURCESDesigning Your Life, How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave EvansCONNECT WITH BILL BURNETTTwitter AccountWebsite: designingyour.lifeFacebook AccountGET IN TOUCH WITH SEAN MURRAYSean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 My guest this week is Robert Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University and author of the New York Times best-selling book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion . A new and expanded version is being release this week.Professor Cialdini's book has had an enormous impact on those of us in the Value Investing community. In fact, when Charlie Munger read the book he was so impressed, and he benefited so much from the principles in the book, he personally reached out to Cialdini to express his appreciation, and being Charlie, he went above and beyond. I ask Cialdini to tell the story about his interaction with Munger early in the interview and you wont want to miss it.In this episode we talk about the seven principles of influence and Cialdini weaves in stories and examples from Warren Buffet, and Berkshire Hathaway and Jeff Bezos and Amazon. Cialdini explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these insights ethically in business and life.  Topics:Why Charlie Munger reached out to Cialdini personally after he read his bookHow Warren Buffett uses the principles of persuasion in his Annual Letter to ShareholdersThe Seven Principles of Persuasion and how to apply them ethicallyHow to defend ourselves against unscrupulous characters trying to influence usThe principle of Scarcity and how booking sites use it to drive up revenueHow Jeff Bezos and Amazon use the principle of Commitment to increase employee engagementThe principle of Reciprocity and why it is so powerfulThe principle of Unity and how Cialdini came to include it in this latest versionBooks & ResourcesInfluence: The Psychology of Influence by Robert CialdiniConnect with Robert CialdiniTwitter: @RobertCialdiniConnect with Sean MurraySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 In today’s episode we’re going to explore the writings of Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon. He recently announced he is stepping down from the role of CEO but will remain as Chairman. And he just published his 2020 Letter to Shareholders, which is the last letter he will write as CEO, I presume. Also, in the past year, a book of his Collected Writing was published by Harvard Business Review Press titled, “Invent & Wander”. And that includes an introduction by Walter Isaacson, the author of the biography of Steve Jobs. And that is a tremendous resource that includes all of his annual letters going back to the very first one in 1997, as well as transcripts of speeches he’s given throughout the years. Join me as we go through Jeff Bezos latest letter to Amazon Shareholders, and pull out lessons we can learn to help us succeed in business and in life.Topics:A look back at Amazon's growth since Bezos' first letter to shareholders in 1997How Amazon creates value for shareholders, customers, third-party sellers and employeesWhy "saving time" for customers is the area where Amazon provides the most valueWhy innovation is the source of all value creation in societyWhy Amazon is adding a new element to its core missionThe Climate Pledge and Amazon's role in leading that effortWhy differentiation is survival and the universe wants you to be typicalWhy investing in your unique talents and skills is an important element to living The Good LifeBooks & ResourcesBezos Letter to Amazon Shareholders 2020Invent and Wander: The Collective Writings of Jeff BezosConnect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: www.seanpmurray.net"The Good Life" Newsletter: SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's guest is William Green, author of Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life. This is an incredible book, profiling some of the greatest investors: Monish Pabrai, Charlie Munger, Bill Miller, Nick Sleep, and many more. Green reveals the principles and habits that contributed to their success in both investing and life.We talk about how these investors spend their time. How they build resilience, how they handle the inevitable setbacks, the role honesty and integrity plays in their careers, and we end on a discussion about what super wealth does for these individuals and how it contributes to their well-being.Topics The most important thing great investors do differently when it comes to managing their timeWhy Nick Sleep put his Bloomberg machine in a different room with an uncomfortable chairWhy the intensity of a habit is not as important as the fact that it is directionally correctHow the greatest investors handle mistakes, setbacks and adversityWhy Bill Miller turned to Stoicism to help him weather the Financial CrisisHow Monish Pabrai used the power of cloning to replicate Buffett and Munger's successCharlie Munger on how to have a happy lifeWhy Green considers Arnold Van Den Berg the most successful human being in the investment worldResourcesRicher, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life by William Green.Connect with William GreenTwitter: @williamgreen72Connect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: www.seanpmurray.net"The Good Life" Newsletter: SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, I talk with Scott Hambrick, the founder of Online Great Books, an organization that hosts virtual seminars for people who want to read the Great Books of Western Civilization. Scott talks about what makes the Great Books great, why they are so important, and how they contribute to living the Good Life. We also do a deep dive into Aristotle’s famous work on how to achieve happiness and live the best possible life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What are the Great Books and what makes them Great?Why should we read the Great Books?What the Great Books have to teach us about the Good Life?How Aristotle defines the Good Life and how to achieve it?How to tackle challenging books?How to find more time to read?HELP US OUT!Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review!! It takes less than 30 seconds and really helps our show grow, which allows us to bring on even better guests for you all! Thank you – we really appreciate it!BOOKS AND RESOURCESOnline Great BooksHow to Read a Book by Mortimer AdlerMortimer Adler’s Reading List from How to Read a BookFind the best version of yourself with Goodlife Clothing.CONNECT WITH SCOTT HAMBRICKOnline Great BooksCONNECT WITH SEAN MURRAYSean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: www.seanpmurray.net"The Good Life" Newsletter: SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

DescriptionOur guest this week is Cal Newport, author of the book: A World Without email: Reimagining work in an Age of Digital OverloadCal is a professor of computer science at Georgetown and he is the best selling author of two previous best-selling books on productivity and managing our time: Deep Work and Digital Minimalism.Cal is at the forefront of figuring out how knowledge workers can thrive and be productive in the crazy environment we find ourselves in, with our inboxes overloaded with email, with constant interruptions via text and instant messaging and social media.Cal has heavily influenced me, and countless others, on the need to carve out large blocks of uninterrupted time to focus on Deep Work, that's meaningful, important strategic work that takes dedicated attention. One of the most important differentiating factors for our career is our ability to carve out this uninterrupted time and complete projects with long-term impact. And in this book, he shows us how to do that.What You'll LearnWhy does our work today prevent us from having long periods of uninterrupted work?What can we do to change how we work so we can get long periods of uninterrupted work?What is the "hyperactive hive-mind" and why has it become the default mode of getting work done?The challenge of the "hyperactive hive-mind" approach to getting work done, and how to overcome itWhy we should design our work to avoid constant context shiftingHow to focus on the process of our work flow and design systems of communication that avoids unscheduled messagesResources A World Without email: Reimagining work in an Age of Digital Overload by Cal NewportDeep Work by Cal NewportDigital Minimalism by Cal NewportConnect with Cal NewportWebsite: https://www.calnewport.com/Connect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: www.seanpmurray.net"The Good Life" Newsletter: SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode #57: Learning from Marcus Aurelius with Donald Robertson (replay)On today's show, I talk with Donald Robertson, the co-founder of Modern Stoicism and the author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. Robertson is an expert on both ancient Stoicism and the modern psychotherapy that evolved from Stoicism called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Robertson goes in-depth on the life of the Roman Stoic and Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the lessons we can learn from his life and philosophical practices.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is StoicismWhy Stoicism is so popular todayWhat to do if your girlfriend or boyfriend dumps youHow to build resilienceThe Stoic view on the pursuit of wealthHow to deal with negative emotions like anger, envy and anxietyHow to calm your mind and emotionsHow to apply Stoic principles to achieve The Good LifeBOOKS AND RESOURCESDonald Robertson's How to Think Like a roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius byThe Good Life Episode #6: Guide to the Good Life with William IrvineCONNECT WITH DONALD ROBERTSONDonald's WebsiteDonald's Twitter AccountGET IN TOUCH WITH SEAN MURRAYSean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comWebsite: www.seanpmurray.net"The Good Life" Newsletter: SubscribeRead the full transcript and show notes on: https://www.theinvestorspodcast.com/the-good-life/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My guest today is Scott Newstok, professor at Rhodes and author of “How to Think like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education." Scott’s book is ultimately about the craft of thinking and how to improve it. In our conversation we address a very interesting question. How is it that Shakespeare, and his renaissance contemporaries were able to produce such incredible works? What was their education like and what can we learn from studying it? We also discuss what we've lost in education today and how we might begin to recover it.What You'll LearnWhat makes Shakespeare so specialHow Shakespeare’s education shaped his ability to thinkHow imitation can lead to creativityHow the skill of thinking is more of a craft than a scienceHow discipline and constraint can lead to independent thinking and freedomResourcesHow to Think like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education by Scott Newstok Connect with Scott NewstokWebsite: https://www.scottnewstok.com/Connect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpmurray/Website: www.seanpmurray.netNewsletter: https://www.realtimeperformance.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a replay of one of the most popular episodes from last year. The guest is William B. Irvine, professor of philosophy at Wright State University and the author of A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and more recently, The Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher’s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer and More Resilient. Professor Irvine has taken the ancient philosophy of Stoicism out of the classroom and adopted it as his philosophy of life. He shares his experience practicing Stoicism and how it’s helping him move a little closer to the Good Life.What You'll Learn• The importance of finding a Philosophy of Life• Why Stoicism works for Professor Irvine, and why it might work for you to• The dangers of the default philosophy of life in Western World: Enlightened Hedonism • How Stoicism helps avoid Hedonic Adaptation• How to maintain tranquility and peace of mind• How to become more resilient Books & ResourcesA Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. IrvineThe Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher’s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer and More Resilient by William B. IrvineConnect with William IrvineWebsite: https://www.williambirvine.com/Connect with Sean MurrayTwitter: @seanpmurray111Website: www.seanpmurray.netNewsletter: www.seanpmurray.net/newsletterLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpmurray/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The topic of this week’s episode is Warren Buffett’s annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. My guest is Jake Taylor, the Chief Executive Officer of Farnam Street Investments. Jake has been a previous guest on The Good Life as part of the Decision-Making Mastermind Group. Jake breaks down Warren Buffett's latest Letter to Berkshire Shareholders and helps us understand what we can learn. Jake is an incredibly knowledgeable investor, and he follows Berkshire carefully, so he's familiar with the company and he brings unique insight into interpreting Buffett's letter and his message to the investing community. This show grew out my interest in Value Investing and in helping others to apply the principles of value investing to our lives. Buffett's annual letter is always full of wisdom and Jake helps us unpack this year's edition so we can get the most out of it.What You'll LearnHow to analyze Berkshire’s earningsBuffett’s two primary goals for his leadership of Berkshire in 2020 and why he didn’t meet either of themWhat share repurchases at Berkshire and Apple in 2020 mean for Berkshire shareholdersHow to think about the Retained Earnings at the companies Berkshire partially ownsWhy Buffett is writing down his purchase of Precision Cast PartsThe structural advantages of BerkshireThe “Four Jewels” of BerkshireWhy you should never bet against AmericaThe surprise announcement about this year’s annual meetingBooks & ResourcesBerkshire Hathaway Letter to Shareholders 2020The Rebel Allocator by Jake TaylorEpisode #4 – Jake Taylor Discusses his novel, The Rebel AllocatorConnect with Jake TaylorTwitter: @farnamjake1Farnam Street InvestmentsConnect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpmurray/Website: www.seanpmurray.netNewsletter: https://www.realtimeperformance.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The topic of this week’s episode is walking, and my guest is Shane O’Mara, author of In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration. Shane is a professor of Experimental Brain Research at Trinity College Dublin and he’s an expert on the physical, psychological and social benefits of walking. We talk about why walking is the trait that makes us “uniquely human” and what that means for us personally. And given that walking is the fundamental way we experience the world, Shane guides us on how to get more walking in our day and more benefit from each walk. What You'll LearnHow walking is the fundamental way we experience the worldWhy walking is the most unique human trait that separates us from all the other animalsThe many physical, psychological and social benefits of walkingHow every benefit of walking benefits every other aspect of our livesWhy the greatest philosophers and writers throughout history have praised walkingWhy walkability of your city and neighborhood is so important to your well-beingWhy you should use a walking app on your phoneWhy you should aim for 5,000 more steps per day than you're currently doing nowWhy we "think better' when we walkWhy conversations are so much richer and more enjoyable when walkingHow to get more walking in our dayBooks & ResourcesIn Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration by Shane O’MaraWebsite: https://brainpizza.substack.com/Connect with Shane O'MaraTwitter: @ShaneOMara3Connect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpmurray/Website: www.seanpmurray.netNewsletter: https://www.realtimeperformance.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The topic this week is How to Keep Your Cool, and my guest is James Romm, a Professor of Classics at Bard and the author of the book, How to Keep your Cool: An Ancient Guide to Anger Management. This is James’ second appearance on The Good Life, he was a guest on episode #9 where he talked about Seneca. In this episode James talks about Seneca’s famous essay, On Anger. Seneca is a Stoic, and his advice on how to control our anger draws heavily on Stoic philosophy. Seneca thinks anger is always harmful, so his advice is to avoid it altogether, and he offers a number of tips on how to do that. However, if we do slip into anger, he offers advice on how to cool ourselves down.  What You’ll Learn:Why anger is always harmful to usWhy Seneca compares anger to “jumping off a cliff”How to avoid anger altogetherHow to stop anger once it shows upHow to help others control their angerThe moral argument for non-violenceHow a close study of anger and it’s causes will make us a better personBooks & ResourcesHow to Keep Your Cool: An Ancient Guide to Anger Management by James RommThe Good Life – Episode #7 – Seneca with James RommThe Good Life – Episode #8 – Stoicism with Donald Robertsonhttp://www.jamesromm.com/Connect with James RommTwitter: @jamesrommConnect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpmurray/Website: www.seanpmurray.netNewsletter: https://www.realtimeperformance.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s guest is Massimo Pigliucci, a professor of Philosophy at the city College of New York. He has written extensively about Stoicism, but today's topic is much broader than that. Massimo has a new book out titled " How to Live a Good Life: A Guide to Choosing Your Personal Philosophy." It’s a series of essays, each dedicated to a different philosophy of life, and written by a practitioner of that philosophy. Massimo edited the volume, along with Sky Cleary and Dan Kaufman, and he wrote the essay on Stoicism.In this episode Massimo covers the big ideas, and we compare and contrast, various traditions and philosophies such as Buddhism, Epicureanism, Daoism, Confucianism and stoicism. and we do a deeper dive into Stoicism since that is Massimo's preferred philosophy of life. Massimo also talks about the three components of a philosophy of life, and why it's important for everyone to have a philosophy of life.What You'll Learn• The three components of a philosophy of life• The importance of having a philosophy of life• The benefits of learning about other philosophies of life• Tenets of Buddhism• The "Rapacious Ego"• The Buddhist concepts of suffering and the "no self"• The Daoist concept of "flowing like water"• The Stoic principles of "the obstacle becomes the way" and "dichotomy of control"• Eudaimonia - A life Worth Living• Aristotle's view living a good life• The four cardinal virtuesBooks & ResourcesHow to Live a Good Life: A Guide to Choosing Your Personal Philosophy by Massimo Pigliuicciwww.massimopigliuicci.comConnect with MassimoTwitter: @mpigliucciConnect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpmurray/Website: www.seanpmurray.netSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our topic this week is Claude Shannon, a mathematician and engineer known as the Father of Information theory for his landmark paper "A Mathematical Theory of Communication", which he published in 1948. Shannon's seminal work and discoveries ushered in the digital age, and for that alone, his life is worthy of study, but Shannon also had this other remarkable quality to his life – a very playful and creative mind. Shannon was always curious, and he devoted his considerable intellect to a diverse range of activities and interests, that included juggling, unicycles, artificial intelligence, chess playing machines, wearable computers – he even built a chairlift on his property. He was both a mathematical and creative genius.My guests today are Jimmy Soni and Mark Levinson.  Jimmy co-authored a biography of Shannon titled A Mind at Play and Mark directed a documentary about Shannon called The Bit Player which is available on Amazon Prime. In both of these works, Jimmy and Mark seek to explore the incredible mind of Claude Shannon. In this episode we seek to distill the secrets to Shannon's creativity, and we talk about how we can apply these lessons to our own lives.What You’ll Learn:·     The importance of Information Theory and Shannon’s significant contribution to the digital computer and the information age·     How Shannon relied on intuition as a guide when solving mathematical problems·     How Shannon would take a complex problem, simplify it down to its essence, and then build it back up to uncover deep hidden truths that eluded his colleagues·     How Shannon’s disregard for prestige and awards freed up his time and mind for creative work·     How pursuing “trivial” and “whimsical” projects would often lead Shannon to profound insights·     How Shannon used creative dissatisfaction to drive innovation·     How we can apply Shannon’s creative techniques to our own livesResourcesA Mind at Play by Jimmy Soni & Rob GoodmanThe Bit Player directed by Mark Levinson11 Life Lessons from History’s Most Underrated Genius by Soni & Goodman“A Mathematical Theory of Communication” by Claude ShannonConnect with Jimmy Soni & Mark LevinsonLinkedIn for Jimmy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmysoni/LinkedIn for Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-levinson-b400475/Connect with Sean MurrayEmail: seanm@realtimeperformance.comTwitter: @seanpmurray111LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpmurray/Website: www.seanpmurray.netNewsletter: https://www.realtimeperformance.com/newsletter/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.