How to Take Over the World
Ben Wilson | QCODE
- 5 minutes 41 secondsThe Crowd Whisperer: The Psychologist Who Gave Hitler His Playbook
This episode explores the thought of Gustave Le Bon was a French researcher and writer whose seminal work, The Crowd, greatly influenced Adolf Hitler and was partially responsible for teaching him how to be a great speaker at mass rallies.
-----
Subscribe for the full episode: TakeoverPod.Supercast.com
Join the Classical Society: TheClassicalSociety.com
17 January 2026, 11:38 pm - 37 minutes 45 secondsTop 10 Lessons from 2025
In this episode of How to Take Over the World, I do something a little different. Instead of breaking down one life, I share my top 10 leadership lessons drawn from every episode I released in 2025.
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:19 Communicate Clearly at Scale
06:17 Define Your Myth
10:12 Seize Your Moment
13:28 Be Alone to Think, Collaborate to Build
16:33 Antis Inspiration
18:58 Make Extreme Decisions Quickly
24:31 Decision-Making Frameworks
28:06 Going a Little Too Far
31:20 The Power of Knowing What You Want
34:58 Being Competitively Playful
---
Sponsors:
1 January 2026, 5:37 pm - 51 minutes 56 secondsAndrew Carnegie (Part 2)
Andrew Carnegie names his price. J.P. Morgan accepts. In a single moment, a poor Scottish immigrant becomes the richest man in the world. But that is just the beginning of Andrew Carnegie's story.
00:00 The Historic Deal: Carnegie and Morgan
02:50 Introduction to Part Two: Carnegie's Early Success
08:00 Navigating Recessions and Strategic Acquisitions
14:28 Labor Relations and Strikes
22:32 Carnegie's Reputation and Industry Dominance
30:39 Carnegie's Philanthropic Beginnings
31:45 The Sale to JP Morgan and US Steel Formation
40:54 Carnegie's Efforts for Peace and Anti-Colonialism
45:39 The Impact of World War I on Carnegie
47:33 Key Takeaways from Carnegie's Life
50:50 Conclusion
----
Sponsors:
----
Sources:
12 December 2025, 9:03 pm - 1 hour 5 minutesAndrew Carnegie (Part 1)
The rise of Andrew Carnegie from a poor Scottish weaver's boy to becoming an American millionaire.
00:00 Introduction03:00 Carnegie's Early Life and Inspirations
07:50 Coming to America
12:00 The Power of Self-Education
28:15 Becoming a Capitalist: The Adams Express Investment
36:30 Rapid Rise in the Railroad Industry
42:15 Carnegie's Role in the Civil War
50:30 Carnegie's Business Philosophy and Networking
56:15 Final Reflections and Takeaways
----
Sponsors:
David Senra Podcast
Zashi Wallet
Speechify
----
Sources:
Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw5 December 2025, 11:22 pm - 1 hour 9 minutesErnest Shackleton (Remastered)
Description
This episode explores the extraordinary life of Ernest Shackleton and the impossible challenges he faced at the edge of the world. Through his failures, decisions, and unbreakable resolve, we uncover timeless lessons on leadership under extreme pressure.
00:00 The Endurance's Final Moments
02:19 Introduction to Ernest Shackleton
05:32 The Nimrod Expedition and Beyond
14:15 Setting Sail and Early Challenges
24:27 The Endurance is Crushed
35:10 Shackleton's Leadership and Shared Hardships
39:01 Launching the Boats to Elephant Island
47:17 Reaching Elephant Island
52:47 The Treacherous Voyage to South Georgia
01:05:27 Rescue and Return
01:07:05 Lessons from Shackleton's Expedition
----Sponsors:
Zashi for Z CashSpeechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium
----Stay in touch:
Twitter/X: @BenWilsonTweetsInstagram: @HTTOTW
Email me: [email protected]
----
Sources:Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
South!: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition
Shackleton by Ranulph Fiennes20 November 2025, 9:30 am - 1 hour 3 minutesCleopatra (Part 2)
The latter half of Cleopatra's life, from the death of Caesar until her own death.
00:00 Cleopatra's Fall from Power
04:15 Meeting Mark Antony
11:00 Cleopatra and Antony's Alliance
21:40 The Birth of a New Dynasty
29:00 The Donations of Alexandria
35:00 The Final Civil War of the Roman Republic
38:00 The Battle of Actium
43:00 The Aftermath of Actium and Antony's Despair
47:38 The Tragic Deaths of Antony and Cleopatra
56:30 Cleopatra's Legacy and Final Reflections
----Sponsors:
Zashi for Z CashGainsInBulk.com/ben - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more
Speechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium
Founders PodcastCoaching
----Stay in touch:
Twitter/X: @BenWilsonTweetsInstagram: @HTTOTW
Email me: [email protected]
----
Sources:
Plutarch's Life of Marc Antony14 November 2025, 4:28 pm - 57 minutes 52 secondsCleopatra (Part 1)
Cleopatra took over a kingdom, expanded it, captured the heart of the world's most powerful man, and lived one of the most iconic and controversial lives of all time. On this episode, we explore how she did it.
00:00 Caesar's Egyptian Dilemma
02:40 Introduction to Cleopatra
04:30 Cleopatra's Early Life and Education
14:40 Cleopatra's Rise to Power
24:00 The Encounter with Julius Caesar
31:00 The Siege of Alexandria
34:00 Cleopatra's Strategic Moves
49:00 Cleopatra's Public Relations in Rome
54:00 Key Takeaways from Cleopatra's Story
---
Sponsors:
HTTOTW Premium - For part 2, all endnotes, takeaways, and bonus episodes, subscribe to How to Take Over the World Premium
Zashi for Z Cash
GainsInBulk.com/ben - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more
Speechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium
Founders Podcast
---
Stay in touch:
Twitter/X: @BenWilsonTweets
Instagram: @HTTOTW
Email me: [email protected]
Sources:
11 November 2025, 3:35 pm - 1 hour 16 minutesLee Kuan Yew (Video Version)
Lee Kuan Yew took a crowded, dirty, poor port town, and turned it into one of the world's great cities. How was he able to lead such an incredible transformation of Singapore?
00:00 Introduction
03:50 Early Life and Education
12:00 The Japanese Occupation and Its Impact
17:30 Post-War Singapore and the Road to Independence
24:45 The People's Action Party and Early Governance
37:30 Operation Coldstore and the Fight Against Communism
40:00 Ethnic Tensions and Operation Cold Store
41:15 Formation of Malaysia and Rising Tensions
42:30 Singapore's Expulsion and Independence
43:50 Lee Kuan Yew's Emotional Address
46:40 Building a Defense Strategy
51:20 Lee Kuan Yew's Ideology and Governance
59:00 Economic Growth and Development
01:06:20 Social Progress and Urban Development
01:15:00 Conclusion and Legacy
---
Sponsors:
Zashi for Z Cash
HTTOTW Premium - For all endnotes, takeaways, and bonus episode, subscribe to How to Take Over the World Premium
GainsInBulk.com/ben - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more
Speechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium
Founders Podcast
---
Stay in touch:
Twitter/X: @BenWilsonTweets
Instagram: @HTTOTW
Email me: [email protected]
Sources:
No Man Is An Island: A Portrait of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew by James Minchin
From Third World to First by Lee Kuan Yew
Singapore: A Modern History by Michael D Barr
---
Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.
9 November 2025, 12:11 am - 1 hour 2 minutesZero to One
Thoughts on Peter Thiel's Zero to One.
-----
00:00 Why this episode
05:15 Horizontal vs. Vertical Progress
09:19 The Importance of Startups and Monopolies
23:33 Definite Optimism vs. Indefinite Optimism
37:10 Power Laws and Their Impact
45:58 The Importance of Company Foundations
46:51 Building a Strong Company Culture
50:47 The Role of Vision
51:47 The Cult-Like Nature of Successful Startups
53:21 The Necessity of Sales and Marketing
55:25 The Paradox of Founders
-----
Sponsors:
- TakeoverPod.Supercast.com - All premium content for just $7/month
- GainsInBulk.com/ben - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more
- Speechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium
- Founders Podcast
- Zashi
- Coaching
----
Stay In Touch
- Sign up for the newsletter at takeoverpod.com
- Twitter/X - @BenWilsonTweets
- Instagram - @HTTOTW
31 October 2025, 4:48 am - 46 minutes 50 secondsNietzsche and Eternal Recurrence (Part 3)
This episode explores Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy on how to live a life worthy of eternity. It delves into Nietzsche's concept of eternal recurrence, where one's life would have to be lived over and over again, and asks if such a life would be fulfilling and self-justifying.
00:00 Introduction: Measuring a Good Life
03:30 Eternal Recurrence: Thought Experiment or Truth?
08:30 Nietzsche's Moment of Affirmation
13:00 Instinct vs. Reason: Nietzsche's Perspective
17:00 The Singular Vision: Striving for Greatness
21:15 Understanding the Higher Self
22:00 Defining Yourself by Your Best Moments
22:40 The Importance of Mastering a Craft
26:45 The Metaphor of Dance in Life
34:35 Nietzsche's Life Advice
-----
Sponsors:
- Austin AI Lab
- GainsInBulk.com/ben - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more
- Speechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium
- Founders Podcast
----
Stay In Touch
- Sign up for the newsletter at takeoverpod.com
- Twitter/X - @BenWilsonTweets
- Instagram - @HTTOTW17 October 2025, 9:00 am - 1 hour 18 minutesNietzsche and the Superhuman (Part 2)
The second half of Nietzsche's life, and his teachings about the superhuman (ubermensch) the last man, and the will to power.
00:00 Nietzsche's Radical Response to the Death of God
02:20 Nietzsche's Life and Career
06:00 Nietzsche's Views on Nationalism and Antisemitism
17:00 Nietzsche's Personal Struggles and Relationships
19:00 Nietzsche's Major Works and Philosophical Contributions
33:00 Debating the Cause of Nietzsche's Death
38:00 The Philosophy of the Superhuman
51:00 The Aristocratic Society
57:30 Will to Power: Nietzsche's Core Doctrine
01:07:30 Nietzsche's Philosophy Summarized
01:15:00 Nietzsche's Popularity and Misinterpretations-----
Sponsors:
- TakeoverPod.Supercast.com - All premium content for just $7/month
- GainsInBulk.com/ben - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more
- Speechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium
- Founders Podcast
----
Stay In Touch
- Sign up for the newsletter at takeoverpod.com
- Twitter/X - @BenWilsonTweets
- Instagram - @HTTOTW
8 October 2025, 1:43 am - More Episodes? Get the App