The Greatness Machine Darius Mirshahzadeh

Flow refers to the state of being completely immersed in an activity. It is defined as a mental state in which a person’s full attention is held by a single task while enjoying the process. It is a level of consciousness where you are most comfortable and performs at your best.

An individual experiencing flow can be said to be completely absorbed in what they are doing, with a resulting transformation in their perception of time.

Steven Kotler, New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective, joins us to give us a sneak peek into his upcoming book, Gnar Country: Growing Old, Staying Rad, where he shares his personal experiences pushing himself beyond preconceived limits. 

In this episode, Darius and Steven talk about park skiing, the psychology behind flow state and its benefits, and how to reach peak performance. They also tackle how having a positive aging mindset can slow down the effects of getting older.

Topics include:

How Steven got into writing and journalism

Steven gives a sneak peek into his book Gnar Country


What park skiing is all about

Five major intrinsic internal motivators

What is a flow state and what are its benefits

Steven explains what “ghost dog” means

What does peak performance look like

Steven explains why grit is a limited resource

Embodied cognition and its applications

The benefits of having a positive aging mindset

And other topics…


Resources mentioned:
Gnar Country: www.gnarcountry.com
The Art of Impossible: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Impossible-Peak-Performance-Primer/dp/0062977539 

Connect with Steven:
Website: www.stevenkotler.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenkotler/ 

Connect with Darius:
Website: https://therealdarius.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/
YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube
Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Practicing meditation can enhance a person's mental and physical well-being in many ways. Research suggests that meditation can help ease anxiety, improve sleep quality, reduce negative emotions, and increase imagination, creativity, patience, and tolerance.

There is also evidence that states people who meditate are more likely to be able to avoid destructive habits. 

Today, I am flying solo to take a look back at that one moment in my life that made me a believer of meditation and its many benefits.

In this episode, I will talk about how I went from disliking the practice of meditation to realizing its positive effects on my life. I will also discuss the effects of meditation on my mental health, decision-making, emotional reactions, and awareness of myself and others. 

Topics include:

How meditation helps ease my anxiety

What I learned from practicing 100 days of meditation

Awareness as one of the benefits of meditation

What does “game of inches” mean in life and business

How meditation benefits your mental health and decision-making

And other topics…


Sources mentioned:
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Habit-Being-Yourself-Create/dp/1401938094 
The Waking Up Course: https://www.wakingup.com/

Connect with Darius:
Website: https://therealdarius.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/
YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube
Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When time and money seem like limited resources, the idea of maximizing both can seem impossible. But what if it were possible to achieve true abundance in both?

How would it be if our desire for personal fulfillment and financial abundance could be harmonized?

Bill Perkins, a hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, author, and professional poker player, has discovered invaluable insights into the intersection of money and meaning. Through his book, Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life, he challenges the traditional notion of hoarding wealth for the future. He advocates for living life to the fullest now, making meaningful experiences a priority over accumulating wealth that may never be fully enjoyed.

In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius is joined by Bill Perkins to explore practical strategies for maximizing both your life and your finances. Drawing from his remarkable journey and the principles outlined in his book, Bill shares what it takes to create a life that is truly worth living.

Topics include:

The importance of living life to the fullest and maximizing experiences

Bill explains Die with Zero and emphasizes the value of spending wealth strategically

Being off autopilot and deeply understanding one’s authentic desires and values

The benefits of optimizing one’s life in terms of money and time

Enjoying the journey of life rather than solely focusing on achieving financial success

Why it matters to balance entrepreneurship and relationships

Bill warns against falling into the trap of pursuing wealth or status for ego gratification

Aligning actions with long-term fulfillment rather than societal expectations 

And other topics…


Connect with Bill:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bp22 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billperkins/ 
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Die-Zero-Getting-Your-Money/dp/0358099765 

Connect with Darius:
Website: https://therealdarius.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/
YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube
Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Business is not just about making money. Business owners, especially those starting out, should have a clearly stated purpose or the essence of the organization. More than the numbers and figures, businesses exist to provide value to their customers. 

Likewise, customers recognize value when you provide them with products and services worth their time, effort, and money. Most of them, if not all, crave a personalized experience and want to feel cared for. 

Fred Reichheld, also known as the “high priest” of loyalty and the creator of the Net Promoter System℠ (NPS®), joins us on the Greatness Machine to talk about customer loyalty and his book, Winning on Purpose.

In this episode, Darius and Fred discuss what great leadership looks like, the key driver of customer loyalty, and the ways to enrich the lives of other people. They also talk about NPS and eNPS and how these things work and help businesses measure the quality of their customer service.

Topics include:

What is the one key driver of customer loyalty

Definition of Net Promoter System℠ (NPS®) and how it works

Fred explains the NPS rating scale

Verbal NPS versus digital NPS

NPS versus eNPS

What makes a great leader

And other topics…


Resources mentioned:
Winning on Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Purpose-Unbeatable-Strategy-Customers/dp/1647821789
Good to Great: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996 

Connect with Fred:
Website: https://www.netpromotersystem.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredreichheld/ 

Connect with Darius:
Website: https://therealdarius.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/
YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube
Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is common for customers to return to your brand when they feel valued and enjoy the overall experience.

Having that culture of appreciation within your business, where your team members or your internal customers feel valued and recognized for their great work, will also reflect on your external customers’ experience. 

Today, I am flying solo to share with you the secret to building a perfect customer experience. 

In this episode, I will talk about the most important questions to ask your internal and external customers. I will also discuss how I have been using Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure customers’ experience.

Topics include:

Differences between an internal and an external customer

What is Net Promoter Score (NPS) and how is it calculated

Three questions I always ask my team members

The importance of having an appreciation culture at work

Five questions to build a perfect customer experience

And other topics…


Resources mentioned:
Net Promoter Score: https://www.netpromoter.com/
 ScaleMAP Method: https://www.dariusclass.com/training-video 

Connect with Darius:
Website: https://therealdarius.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/
YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube
Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if discomfort was the key to unlocking your full potential?

This thought-provoking question challenges conventional wisdom and invites us to reconsider our relationship with discomfort. While discomfort is often seen as something to avoid, discomfort can be the catalyst for achieving new heights of personal growth and achievement.

Michael Easter, the New York Times bestselling author of Scarcity Brain and The Comfort Crisis, challenges us to consider discomfort as a powerful catalyst for unlocking our true potential. Through his exploration of nutrition, behavior change, and the transformative impact of extreme experiences, he prompts us to embrace discomfort as a pathway to growth and self-discovery.

By delving into the nuances of discomfort, Michael shares how facing challenges head-on can lead to profound personal development and resilience. Whether it is enduring the relentless cold in the Arctic or adopting new dietary habits, his insights underscore the importance of stepping outside our comfort zones to realize our fullest capabilities.

This episode of The Greatness Machine will serve as a poignant reminder that greatness is often forged in the crucible of discomfort. 

Topics include:

The importance of embracing short-term discomfort for long-term benefits

Michael explains the concept of the “2% mindset”

The concept of awareness and choice

Michael discusses the idea of Misogi by Marcus Elliot

The benefits of pushing boundaries and taking on challenges

Why it matters to incorporate movement into daily routines

Removing bad habits as a precursor to adopting good ones

And other topics…


Connect with Michael:
Website: https://eastermichael.com/
Website: https://www.twopct.com/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Michael_Easter 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael_easter/

Connect with Darius:
Website: https://therealdarius.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/
YouTube: https://therealdarius.com/youtube
Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices