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 set

Resources

• The Deadline Effect: How to Work Like It's the Last Minute, Before the Last Minute, by Christopher Cox.

Connect with Christopher Cox

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwhe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-cox-5a70467/

Connect with Sean Murray

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @seanpmurray111

Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.

Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance Newsletter

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 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 journaling
• Why he writes about anything that motivates or inspired him
• Why "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 decisions
• What is "additive thinking" and how it can help us
• Why 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 journaling
• Why the key to journaling is prioritizing and acting on your biggest ideas
• Why its better to share knowledge with others rather than horde it
• -Why it's important to define our purpose

Resources

Four Loop Learning: Reflection Points, by Bob Cancalosi

Connect with Bob Cancalosi

Website: https://www.fourlooplearning.com/

Twitter: @BobCancalosi

LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-cancalosi-03039418/

Connect with Sean Murray

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @seanpmurray111

Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.

Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance Newsletter

See 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 Learn

• Why some companies "fight the fade"
• What Garrett learned by reading Nick Sleep's investment letters
• The importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach to learning
• Why the Santa Fe Institute is such a great resource for investors
• Advice for those just getting started in the industry

Resources

• Investment Master Class

Connect with John Garrett

• LInkedIn: John Garrett
• Twitter: @mastersinvest

Connect with Sean Murray

Email: [email protected]

Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.

Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance Newsletter

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 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 fail
• How to break down a successful book, movie, speech, article, TED Talk or song and learn from it
• How to start with an established formula and make it a little bit more original
• What the “vision-ability” gap is and how to overcome it
• Why it’s important to find and measure the leading indicators that predict success in your field
• Why Friedman keeps a “Five Year Diary” and how it helps him get more out of every day
• Why studying someone and actively trying to copy their work will eventually help you find your own creativity

Books & Resources

• Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success by Ron Friedman

Connect with Ron Friedman

• Twitter: @ronfriedman
• Website: https://www.ignite80.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronfriedmanphd/

Connect with Sean Murray

• Sean's Twitter Account
• Sean's LinkedIn Account
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.
• Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance 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 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"

Topics

• Why 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 important
• The critical role autonomy plays in becoming an productive and happy remote worker
• Why companies need to shift from measuring "hours worked" to measuring results
• What was unique about how Peter Lynch managed his time at Fidelity
• Why we should leave an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon for thinking time
• How writing helps you clarify your thinking
• Why everyone should aim for the optimal amount of remote work
• Why 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 Pozen
• Remote, Inc. Website

Connect with Robert Pozen

• Twitter: @Pozen

Connect with Sean Murray

• Sean's Twitter Account
• Sean's LinkedIn Account
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.
• Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance Newsletter

See 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 Learn

• Why integrity and reputation is so important in business and life
• How Warren Buffett "leads with integrity"
• What cautionary tales from Enron and Wells Fargo teach us about what happens to organizations that lack integrity
• What it means to live an authentic life
• How authenticity can lead us to purpose

Books & Resources

• Integrity by Design: Working and Living Authentically by Mike Horne

Connect with Mike Horne, Ph.D.

• Twitter: @mikehorneauthor
• Website: https://mike-horne.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikehorne1/

Connect with Sean Murray

• Sean's Twitter Account
• Sean's LinkedIn Account
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.
• Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance 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 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 it
• Why Bias to Action is so critical when it comes to designing our lives
• The role that prototyping plays in helping us move toward our best life
• Why finding our passion is hard, but following our energy is easy
• How following that energy can help us build a better life

BOOKS AND RESOURCES

• Designing Your Life, How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

CONNECT WITH BILL BURNETT

• Twitter Account
• Website: designingyour.life
• Facebook Account

GET IN TOUCH WITH SEAN MURRAY

• Sean's Twitter Account
• Sean's LinkedIn Account
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.
• Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance Newsletter

See 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 book
• How Warren Buffett uses the principles of persuasion in his Annual Letter to Shareholders
• The Seven Principles of Persuasion and how to apply them ethically
• How to defend ourselves against unscrupulous characters trying to influence us
• The principle of Scarcity and how booking sites use it to drive up revenue
• How Jeff Bezos and Amazon use the principle of Commitment to increase employee engagement
• The principle of Reciprocity and why it is so powerful
• The principle of Unity and how Cialdini came to include it in this latest version

Books & Resources

• Influence: The Psychology of Influence by Robert Cialdini

Connect with Robert Cialdini

• Twitter: @RobertCialdini

Connect with Sean Murray

See 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 1997
• How Amazon creates value for shareholders, customers, third-party sellers and employees
• Why "saving time" for customers is the area where Amazon provides the most value
• Why innovation is the source of all value creation in society
• Why Amazon is adding a new element to its core mission
• The Climate Pledge and Amazon's role in leading that effort
• Why differentiation is survival and the universe wants you to be typical
• Why investing in your unique talents and skills is an important element to living The Good Life

Books & Resources

• Bezos Letter to Amazon Shareholders 2020
• Invent and Wander: The Collective Writings of Jeff Bezos

Connect with Sean Murray

• Sean's Twitter Account
• Sean's LinkedIn Account
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.seanpmurray.net
• "The Good Life" Newsletter: Subscribe

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 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 time
• Why Nick Sleep put his Bloomberg machine in a different room with an uncomfortable chair
• Why the intensity of a habit is not as important as the fact that it is directionally correct
• How the greatest investors handle mistakes, setbacks and adversity
• Why Bill Miller turned to Stoicism to help him weather the Financial Crisis
• How Monish Pabrai used the power of cloning to replicate Buffett and Munger's success
• Charlie Munger on how to have a happy life
• Why Green considers Arnold Van Den Berg the most successful human being in the investment world

Resources

Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life by William Green.

Connect with William Green

Twitter: @williamgreen72

Connect with Sean Murray

• Sean's Twitter Account
• Sean's LinkedIn Account
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.seanpmurray.net
• "The Good Life" Newsletter: Subscribe

See 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 RESOURCES

• Online Great Books
• How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler
• Mortimer Adler’s Reading List from How to Read a Book
• Find the best version of yourself with Goodlife Clothing.

CONNECT WITH SCOTT HAMBRICK

• Online Great Books

CONNECT WITH SEAN MURRAY

• Sean's Twitter Account
• Sean's LinkedIn Account
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.seanpmurray.net
• "The Good Life" Newsletter: Subscribe

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.