Classic Influence: Timeless Lessons from the Legends
52 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 months ago - ★★★★★ - 15 ratingsClassic Influence explores the timeless lessons learned from the icons of influence, the legends of leadership, power, and sway. Listen in as your host—the Harvard and Columbia trained researcher, author, and speaker, Dr. Johnny Welch, M.B.A.—reveals the timeless wisdom and insights, unveils the hidden blueprints, and unlocks the key secrets of the legends and heroes of history to discover the strategies, tactics, tips and tools you can use to master the power of influence to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.
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Episodes
CIP 049. Expect the Unexpectable, Vigorously Guard Against the Negative Expectations Trap: How to Solve Albert Einstein’s Unsolvable Problems
September 09, 2023 21:03 - 10 minutes - 10.5 MBIn 1939, George Dantzig, a humble graduate student at Berkeley in San Francisco, changed mathematics history when he showed up 10 minutes late for his final exam. Listen in as we travel back to Northern California in the midst of the Great Depression to discover the powerful role that expectations can play in transforming your career and your life. In this episode of Classic Influence, we will also take a brief look at how people often unintentionally set themselves and others up for failure...
CIP 048. Reframe Your Role, Take Whatever Title You Require: Walt Disney Heads to Hollywood in Pursuit of a Fantastic Dream
August 05, 2023 19:00 - 17 minutes - 17 MBWalt Disney’s ultimate, iconic success belies the years he struggled to make ends meet, often going without food to cover the bills. In this episode of Classic Influence, we travel back to Hollywood in the early 1920s to discover the ownership mindset, appetite for risk-taking, and bold actions that set people like Walt Disney apart from the pack. This episode also explores the power of titles, symbols, and rules; the challenge of authority and how to create it; and how to navigate these soc...
CIP 047. Put Your Name on the Building, Assume the Title and Position You Desire: Steven Spielberg Occupies the Universal Lot
June 03, 2022 04:02 - 9 minutes - 9.98 MBThe American film director, producer, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg holds the distinction of being the most commercially successful director of all time. In 1963, when he was only seventeen, Steven Spielberg traveled to Hollywood to participate in a tour of Universal Studios. The bold action Spielberg took next both set him apart from the crowd and put him on an altogether different and faster success track. In this episode of Classic Influence, we travel back to the summer of 1963 to di...
CIP 046. Discover and Destroy Limiting Beliefs: Martin Luther Triggers the Reformation, Forever Altering the Course of History and the Power of Leaders Around the World
March 30, 2022 04:45 - 11 minutes - 11.5 MBMartin Luther changed the course of human history in 1517 when he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints’ Church. But Luther’s bold move and revolutionary stand was not without grave risks, including the distinct possibility of being burned alive. But what enabled such a humble, scholarly, and deeply religious Augustinian monk and theology professor to take such a bold, irrevocable stand against the mighty Roman Catholic Church? Listen in and learn what gave Luther the power to c...
CIP 045. Steel Yourself for Success: Harriet Tubman Takes Command, Leads Her People to the Promise Land
February 16, 2022 17:28 - 15 minutes - 15.3 MBHarriet Tubman was described by one bold abolitionist as “one of the bravest persons on this continent.” Another well-known “conductor” on the Underground Railroad said that Tubman “seemed wholly devoid of personal fear.” After years of daring missions into the lion’s den to help slaves escape, Tubman’s bold courage and skill as a tactician led her to become a spy and a military leader for the Union Army. Listen in and discover the source of her courage and the key secret to her heroic succe...
CIP 044. Exploit the Hidden Power of Simplicity: Alexander the Great Fulfills the Prophecy of the Gordian Knot
December 16, 2021 05:47 - 25 minutes - 24.1 MBA brilliant military strategist and tactician, Alexander the Great stands as one of the greatest figures in history. Alexander was far from the typical military or political leader, however. He was a critical thinker who, like many of his leading Greek contemporaries, prized clear, rational thinking and concise, straightforward speech. Alexander did not hesitate to engage in critical reflection and self-examination, challenging biases, questioning assumptions, allowing for reasoned, respectf...
CIP 043. Believe Absolutely to Inspire Absolute Belief: Joan of Arc Turns the Tide of the Hundred Years' War
October 29, 2021 04:04 - 29 minutes - 28.3 MBJoan of Arc’s story remains one of the most remarkable stories in the long history of military leadership. Consider this singular, striking distinction: “Since the writing of human history began, Joan of Arc is the only person, of either sex, who has ever held supreme command of the military forces of a nation at the age of seventeen” (Garlow). In the words of Winston Churchill, “Joan of Arc was a being so uplifted from the ordinary run of mankind that she finds no equal in a thousand years....
CIP 042. Win Lasting Influence, Listen for the Underlying Need: Mahatma Gandhi Builds the Bedrock of an Unbreakable Charismatic Bond
August 31, 2021 19:51 - 27 minutes - 26 MBAfter leaving for law school in London at age 18, when Mohandas K. Gandhi finally returned to India in 1915 he was 45. Despite his prolonged initial absence, the deeply spiritual Gandhi quickly rose to become one of the most influential figures in India's history. In fact, for a man who possessed little more than a loincloth and glasses to defeat what at the time was the greatest empire on Earth, without so much as throwing a stone, we might well look to Mahatma Gandhi as the most brilliant ...
CIP 041. Build Habits of Mastery and Self-Control: The Making and Unmaking of The Knights Templar, the Most Formidable Military Order of the Middle Ages
August 04, 2021 03:00 - 23 minutes - 22.6 MBOn Christmas Day in 1119 A.D., countless prayers were finally answered when a French knight known as Hugh of Payns banded together with 8 other knights in a brotherhood of highly skilled religious warriors. The nine knights all took “vows of poverty, chastity and obedience” and pledged themselves to protect the Christian pilgrims who were traveling on the roads to Jerusalem. Operating as a sort of elite special forces of the Middle Ages, the exceptionally disciplined and well-trained militar...
CIP 040. Get Leverage, Change the Calculus: The Crafty and Courageous Roma and the Birth of Ancient Rome
June 08, 2021 04:24 - 16 minutes - 15.9 MBEpisode Overview: In the 12 century B.C., after the ancient city of Troy fell following the Greek’s cunning trick with the Trojan Horse, a number of Trojans escaped with a fleet of ships. After years of wandering in search of a new home, the Trojans endured a particularly treacherous episode of violent weather and rough waves in the Mediterranean, a storm which nearly destroyed their fleet. When they finally landed on the banks of the Tiber River to take shelter, the women soon decided that ...
CIP 039. Find Courage Under Fire—Count the Costs, Then Forge Ahead: General George S. Patton’s Greatest Nightmare and Moment of Truth
April 29, 2021 05:29 - 11 minutes - 11.2 MBOn September 26, 1918, in the midst of World War I, George S. Patton’s moment of testing had arrived. Patton was leading a light tank brigade up a hill overlooking a German occupied town when he was suddenly face-to-face with his greatest fear. What happened next changed Patton’s life forever, transforming him from what he himself referred to as “an utter, craven coward,” into the great 4-Star General, “Old Blood and Guts,” widely revered as an audacious hero of World War II. Listen in and d...
CIP 038. Make Your First Dollar, Profit from the Power of Proof: Dale Carnegie’s Baby Steps Rise to Blockbuster Success
April 08, 2021 04:21 - 19 minutes - 19 MBOne cold evening in January 1936, with the world in the midst of the Great Depression, Dale Carnegie addressed a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at the luxurious Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City. Despite the global economic crisis, Carnegie, in a series of full-page newspaper ads, had promised the attendees that they could increase their incomes, and he was about to deliver on that promise. But how exactly did Carnegie come to discover these priceless, proven secrets of social, profess...
CIP 038. Profit from the Power of Proof: Dale Carnegie’s Baby Steps Rise to Blockbuster Success
April 08, 2021 04:21 - 19 minutes - 19 MBOne cold evening in January 1936, with the world in the midst of the Great Depression, Dale Carnegie addressed a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at the luxurious Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City. Despite the global economic crisis, Carnegie, in a series of full-page newspaper ads, had promised the attendees that they could increase their incomes, and he was about to deliver on that promise. But how exactly did Carnegie come to discover these priceless, proven secrets of social, profess...
CIP 037. Escalate the Intensity, Increase the Stakes: Orville and Wilbur Wright’s Extraordinary Obsession with Flight
March 11, 2021 05:18 - 16 minutes - 15.8 MBOn December 17, 1903, a pair of self-taught, visionary American engineers achieved their dream, forever made the world a smaller place, and helped usher in the age of globalization. It was the first successful piloted, powered airplane flight in history, and with it the Wright brothers revolutionized the world. Competing against the greatest minds in science and technology at the time, the Wright brothers were far from the most likely candidates for pioneering aviation success. Neither one o...
CIP 036. Own the Need, Achieve the Dream: Abraham Lincoln Assumes Command of the Problem at Hand, and Pilots His Path to the Top
February 22, 2021 04:13 - 25 minutes - 24.3 MBAbraham Lincoln was born to poor Kentucky farmers in 1809. Raised in a one-room, dirt-floor log cabin on the American frontier, Lincoln’s early life was filled with long hours of manual labor, and many years of trial and tribulation, setback and struggle. But Abraham Lincoln, fiercely ambitious, was determined to rise up from his humble origins, and make his mark on the world. “The way for a man to rise,” he said, “is to improve himself in every way he can.” And, so, Lincoln worked hard, edu...
CIP 035. Take Bold Action (Part 5): Be Bold in Pursuit of Your Aims: The Celebrity Power of Frank Sinatra, and the Daring Don Rickles, Upstart Comedian Extraordinaire
January 29, 2021 18:49 - 20 minutes - 20 MBIn the 1950s, still at the start of his acting career, and frustrated by the lack of work, Don Rickles began hustling gigs as a standup comedian in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. Finding that his audiences were also failing to respond to his prepared material as a comic, Rickles started to boldly lash out. In fact, he began insulting people in his audience, particularly the hecklers. With this, Rickles finally began to see his audiences respond. Sometimes, however, Rickles went too far, b...
CIP 034. Take Bold Action (Part 4): To Achieve the Unbelievable, Back Bold Action with a Bastion and a Base: The Herculean Daring of Bloody Mary’s Fight for the Throne
January 07, 2021 06:01 - 31 minutes - 30.1 MBIn 1553, Mary Tudor’s dying brother, King Edward VI of England, was plotting behind the scenes to remove his half-sister from the line of succession. In the midst of the English Reformation, and the wider European Protestant Reformation, the Protestant King Edward was eager to keep Mary, a loyal Catholic, from reversing his and his father Henry VIII’s precious Protestant reforms. But Mary Tudor was not having it. She was the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and she was the gra...
CIP 033. Take Bold Action (Part 3): Boldly Strike Out to Accelerate Your Ascent: Theodore Roosevelt Boldly, Brazenly Begins Anew
December 15, 2020 19:27 - 21 minutes - 20.8 MBIn early 1898, days after the USS Maine was sunk in Cuba’s Havana Harbor, killing some 260 American sailors and marines, Theodore Roosevelt, who was still only the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, began doing all he could to prepare America for war. This included resigning from his desk job at the Navy Department in Washington D.C., and forming the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, known as the “Rough Riders.” What he did next came as quite a surprise to those who knew him, particularly given his ...
CIP 032. Dare to Defy the Established Order, Risk to Skip Ahead: Huey Long Cuts a Barrier-Breaking Path to the Top
November 19, 2020 05:44 - 12 minutes - 12.1 MBA populist champion of the poor, Huey Long grew up during America’s Gilded Age, and got involved in politics in the years before the Great Depression. Despite the considerable economic hardships he faced throughout his early life in Louisiana, and the ferocious political opposition he faced throughout his political career, Huey Long rose to become one of the Pelican State’s greatest political stars. Beyond his fierce ambition and quick mind, it was bold action that set Huey apart. In fact, H...
CIP 032. Take Bold Action (Part 2): Dare to Defy the Established Order, Risk to Skip Ahead: Huey Long Cuts a Barrier-Breaking Path to the Top
November 19, 2020 05:44 - 12 minutes - 12.1 MBA populist champion of the poor, Huey Long grew up during America’s Gilded Age, and got involved in politics in the years before the Great Depression. Despite the considerable economic hardships he faced throughout his early life in Louisiana, and the ferocious political opposition he faced throughout his political career, Huey Long rose to become one of the Pelican State’s greatest political stars. Beyond his fierce ambition and quick mind, it was bold action that set Huey apart. In fact, H...
CIP 031. Take Bold Action (Part 1): Be Bold and Let Boldness Do Its Work: Napoleon Bonaparte Escapes His Island Prison
October 22, 2020 18:15 - 16 minutes - 16.1 MBIn February 1815, after nearly a year of appearing to accept his fate, Napoleon Bonaparte suddenly began planning his island prison escape. Despite his exceptional leadership and unshakeable self-confidence, the idea that he might simply show up on the shore to retake France from the Bourbon monarchy was patently absurd, and probably one of the most daring adventures of his life. In this episode of Classic Influence, we’ll travel back to the Island of Elba toward the end of the Napoleonic Wa...
CIP 030. Profit from the Power of Frames to Achieve Your Aims: President Franklin Roosevelt Reframes His Race for a 3rd Term
September 20, 2020 00:25 - 23 minutes - 23 MBIn 1940, with America on the cusp of entering World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to run for an unprecedented third term. Despite the longstanding and deep-seated tradition—going all the way back to George Washington, who voluntarily left office after just two terms—Roosevelt, a savvy political operator and masterful communicator, found a way to frame the decision so that it not only won the support of a majority of Americans, but also helped spur the nation to meet the eme...
CIP 029. Wield Power with Wisdom, Get Both in and Out of the Game: Martin Luther King Jr. Assumes Leadership, Becomes the Symbol of the Civil Rights Movement
July 22, 2020 05:41 - 31 minutes - 29.9 MBOne dark night in the winter of 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was leading a mass meeting at his local church when his house was bombed. What he did next became a defining moment in his life, and in the fight for civil rights. Borne out of King’s habit of taking time get outside of the arena, it was not the action that anyone expected, but it was just the right move for the moment and the movement as a whole. In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we’ll take a trip back to Mont...
CIP 028. Hammer Optimism into Your Plans: Ernest Shackleton’s Miracle Trip from Elephant Island
May 22, 2020 07:11 - 32 minutes - 30.9 MBOne of history's greatest sagas of survival, the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew's quest to cross the South Pole is a gripping reminder of the power of optimism, endurance, and hope. Where the expeditions of scores of other daring explorers ended in drunkenness, despair, and death, Shackleton's leadership, his command of the psychology of his crew, and his capacity to project a cool and collected optimism in the midst of the most trying circumstances, and in the face of the most ...
CIP 027. Adopt the Champion Mindset: Arnold Schwarzenegger Takes the Throne
March 31, 2020 05:47 - 16 minutes - 16.4 MBIn 1970, Arnold Schwarzenegger won both the Mr. Universe and the Mr. Olympia contest making him the greatest bodybuilder in the world. At just 23 years old, he was also the youngest Mr. Olympia ever. Of course he won the genetic lottery, only a fool would deny that. But that was only enough to get him into the game. What set Arnold Schwarzenegger apart was his profound ambition, relentless work ethic, and an ability to stay hyper focused on his dream. But the real secret to Schwarzenegger’s ...
CIP 026. Escalate Your Commitment, Burn Your Ships: Hernando Cortés Conquers the Aztec Empire
February 26, 2020 17:50 - 19 minutes - 18.6 MBIn 1518, in defiance of the greatest empire on earth, the Spanish conquistador and explorer, Hernando Cortés, risked everything in pursuit of his goal, including his reputation, his wealth, and his life. Despite the grave risks and considerable forces allied against him, Cortés, with one bold stroke, turned the tide of events in his favor. Listen in now as we uncover the pivotal incident in the life of this notorious Spanish conqueror, and extract the key lesson we can learn from his example...
CIP 025. Mine the Miners, Create Don't Consume: The Pioneering Producers of the California Gold Rush
January 24, 2020 06:20 - 26 minutes - 26.4 MBThe California Gold Rush led to the largest mass migration in U.S. history. From all over the world, men came to mine their fortunes. But it wasn’t the gold that led to the most enduring fortunes. In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we’ll travel back to Sacramento Valley in the mid-1800s, meet a few of the pioneering producers of the Gold Rush Era, and explore the vital wealth building mindset these icons help unveil. Listen in now and discover a far more resourceful mental map...
CIP 024. Cast Off the Culture of Comfort, Convenience, and Ease: Theodore Roosevelt Becomes the Apostle of the Strenuous Life
December 16, 2019 06:13 - 25 minutes - 24.6 MBWriter and explorer, fighter and reformer, scholar, historian, statesman, and sage; Theodore Roosevelt disdained idleness. “In this life, we get nothing save by effort,” said the Panama-Canal-Building, Nobel-Peace-Prize-winning President. “I never won anything without hard labor and…working long in advance.” In fact, the “highest form of success,” Roosevelt said, comes “to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil.” Listen in now to this episode of the Class...
CIP 023. Construct Your Own Heroic Life History: Ragnar Lothbrok, The Everlasting Legend of the Viking Leader
November 15, 2019 06:27 - 27 minutes - 26.5 MBAccording to legend, Ragnar Lothbrok was the most famous Viking of his age, and he remains one of the greatest heroes of Viking history. But did a Viking leader named Ragnar Lothbrok actually exist? In this episode of Classic Influence, we’ll explore the power of this everlasting legend, and why the Vikings told and retold his story over and over again. This episode also reveals the power of story, legend and myth, and how a compelling epic can shape and, ultimately, transform the future. Dr...
CIP 022. Spurn the Most Treacherous of Emotions, Beware the Ambitions of the Beast: The Hubris of Emperor Nero, Rome’s Original Antichrist
October 22, 2019 05:06 - 28 minutes - 27.1 MBNero stands out as one of the most monstrous, and universally hated emperors in the long history of the Roman empire. And, yet, the reign of the once popular emperor began in relative peace. What allowed for such a dramatic transformation? Were there any early signs of what barbaric slaughtering was to come? In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we’ll travel back to ancient Rome and watch as Nero, flooded with unquenchable hubris, burns his own ambitions to the ground. Drawing on...
CIP 021. Milk Your Assets, Face the Brute Facts: The Cunning and Charismatic Cleopatra Assumes the Egyptian Throne
September 12, 2019 04:08 - 22 minutes - 21.4 MBSwamped with political ambition and romantic intrigue, the saga of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Cleopatra VII, has captivated historians and storytellers throughout history, from Plutarch in ancient Greece, and Shakespeare in early 17th century England, to screenwriters in Hollywood to this day. Cleopatra remains one of the most famous female rulers in history. Often portrayed as a sexy femme fatale, however, Cleopatra was not the classic beauty that we’ve been made to believe. Rather it wa...
CIP 020. Surface Your Submerged Assumptions: President Kennedy and the Curious Consensus for the Bay of Pigs (Part 2 of 2)
August 07, 2019 04:58 - 22 minutes - 21.3 MBJohn F. Kennedy is widely regarded as one of America’s most popular presidents. On matters of leadership, communication ability, and social intelligence, political scientists and historians continue to rank Kennedy as one of the greats. In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast we explore how President Kennedy responded to his biggest blunder as President, the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and the leadership lessons we can learn from his response. Drawing on the wisdom of ancient Greek philosop...
CIP 019. Look First to Your Frames for the Seeds of Success: Russell Conwell’s Acres of Diamonds (Part 1 of 2)
July 03, 2019 16:50 - 19 minutes - 18.8 MBRevealing the surprising power of mental maps, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast takes you on a journey to the diamond mines of Golconda, and extracts the lessons we can learn from the tragic loss of the Persian farmer depicted in Civil War captain Russell Conwell's most famous essay, "Acres of Diamonds." Drawing on Henry David Thoreau's experience living in the woods at Walden Pond, this episode also briefly explores the power of the unconscious mind, and the inherent inclinatio...
CIP 018. Craft a Compelling Image to Increase Your Influence and Amplify Your Power: Blackbeard Becomes the Dark Lord of the Skull and Crossbones
May 29, 2019 19:15 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBBlackbeard remains the most famous pirate in the entire Golden Age of Piracy, and for good reason. In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we'll examine the key characteristics that set Blackbeard apart from the pack, and how this cunning pirate captain used the power of a fearsome image to achieve his aim. We'll also briefly explore the five most fundamental factors in creating an effective image or personal brand, a vital part of the process of maximizing your influence and power...
CIP 017. Leverage the Paradox of Self-Reliance: General George Washington Wins the War By First Building Belief and Rapport
April 26, 2019 04:33 - 20 minutes - 19 MBSurveying the disciplined strategy, transforming leadership, and dogged determination of General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast reveals three key lessons we can learn from Washington’s effective prosecution of the war in the years leading up to the alliance with France. Looking back to the wisdom of the ancient Greeks, echoed in the insights of modern social science, this episode also reveals the power of the paradox of ...
CIP 016. Assume Ultimate Ownership, Embrace Radical Responsibility as a Rule: President Lincoln Pays the Ultimate Price
March 29, 2019 04:02 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBExamining the extraordinary experience and soaring example of President Abraham Lincoln, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast explores one of the vital, indispensable prerequisites of success. Unmasking the secret behind the greatness of legendary leaders like Lincoln, this episode also reveals how people are so often duped into giving their power away. You will also discover how the ultimate ownership mindset leads directly to the power and strength you need to achieve your ultimat...
CIP 015. Develop Deep Self-Belief: Napoleon Bonaparte’s Lucky Star
February 26, 2019 04:02 - 19 minutes - 18.5 MBDrawing on the experience and beliefs of Napoleon Bonaparte and his “lucky star,” this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast examines the extraordinary power that becomes yours through simple self-belief. Grounded in the success literature and the academic literature in positive psychology, you will also learn strategies and tactics you can adapt to develop your own unshakeable self-belief, the indispensable prerequisite for achieving your greatest ambitions and goals. If you like this ...
CIP 014. Aim First for Self-Reliance: The Roots of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s Transportation Empire
January 16, 2019 03:44 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBExploring the roots of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s early success as a budding titan in the transportation industry, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast is designed to enhance your understanding, and deepen your appreciation for the importance of self-reliance to your success. Drawing on the wisdom of some of the early self-help thinkers, this episode will also help you to gain a better understanding of how a lack of independence, autonomy, and self-will can leave you weak and vulnerable...
CIP 013. Dare to Run More and Greater Risks: P.T. Barnum Risks It All on an Unknown
December 11, 2018 17:32 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MBDrawing on one of the transforming incidents in the early days of P.T. Barnum’s life as a showman and promoter, in this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast you’ll discover the indispensable role of risk in seizing ambitious opportunities, overcoming limits, and conquering unfamiliar terrain, and how bold, calculated risk-taking is often what separates the superstars of success from the vast majority who are merely mediocre. You will also learn five key tactics you can use to strengthen ...
CIP 012. Expand Your Perspective, Effect Strategy to Win the Greater Game: The Supreme Pontiff’s Immaculate Deception
November 09, 2018 04:48 - 32 minutes - 30.5 MBContinuing with the life story of Cesare Borgia, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast explores Cesare’s approach to dealing with the Borgia family’s nemesis, Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (who later became Pope Julius II), as an illustration of the dangers of failing to think strategically. In this episode, you’ll discover the power of maintaining a strategic perspective, and the significance of expanding your perspective to include the broader context of your strategy, tactics, de...
CIP 011. Saturate Your Mind with a Lifelong Orientation to Time: Cesare Borgia's Fight to Rise
October 04, 2018 18:54 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBExploring the remarkable power of your time horizon, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast reveals the surprising benefits of aligning with and orienting to the long view. Drawing on the life story of Cesare Borgia and his father, Pope Alexander VI, as well as the research of former Harvard professor of political science Edward Banfield, you will also learn the hazards of failing to implement this essential mental frame and how to avoid them, and three key application tools for helpi...
CIP 010. Stay Hungry to Make Your Mark: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Drum Major Instinct
September 06, 2018 20:55 - 15 minutes - 14.9 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we examine the role and importance of ambition to your success, and how misguided social norms can unintentionally sabotage your best efforts. Looking to the example of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and drawing on the wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr., this episode also serves as a sort of call to arms for you to raise the bar and reexamine your focus in light of your true, perhaps hidden, aspirations. If you like this show, then you’ll love my boo...
CIP 009. King Yourself: Huey Long’s Campaign for the Poor
January 23, 2017 05:36 - 17 minutes - 16.6 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we reveal some of the key lessons we can learn from Huey Long’s 1928 campaign for governor of Louisiana, including the importance of transcending rules, boundaries, and cultural norms in order to get attention, gain power, and meet the needs of your tribe, or your own individual purpose and goals. We also look at how people can get trapped by the status quo, and how culture can be used and abused to reinforce the existing power structure. Fin...
CIP 008. Conquer Fear Through Action: Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands
October 26, 2016 03:20 - 16 minutes - 15.8 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we examine a revealing experience of Theodore Roosevelt in the Dakota Badlands. We’ll also explore a few lessons we can learn from his experience as well as a few of the tactics he used for overcoming his fear. We also look briefly at Eleanor Roosevelt’s experience during the women’s rights movement, and her approach to dealing with her own fears. This episode emphasizes the importance of both your actions and beliefs in regards to fear and h...
CIP 007. Hustle While You Wait, Use the Delay to Set Up Your Play: Walter Chrysler’s Siren Call
September 09, 2016 19:00 - 10 minutes - 10.3 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we look at the strategy Walter Chrysler used to crack into the automobile manufacturing business. We explore a few lessons we can learn from Chrysler, as well as a couple of short anecdotes from other historical legends, including General Stonewall Jackson and theoretical physicist Albert Einstein. This episode emphasizes the value of maintaining perspective, optimizing time, and hustling while you wait. If you’re enjoying this show, please...
CIP 006. Start with What You Have, Where You Are: The Legend Behind the Story of Robinson Crusoe
August 20, 2016 03:00 - 12 minutes - 12.3 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we explore the story of Scottish buccaneer and navigator Alexander Selkirk—the inspiration behind the legend of Robinson Crusoe—and the wisdom and insights we can gain from his experience as a castaway on an uninhabited island off the coast of Chile. We explore the significance of self-reliance and resourcefulness, and the need to lean into your challenges. If you like this show, I encourage you to check out the book, Mastering the Power ...
CIP 005. Concentrate Your Power: Casanova’s Great Escape
August 12, 2016 19:30 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we explore the success philosophy of the legendary seducer Giacomo Casanova. We also touch on some of the overlapping ideas from thinkers as diverse as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Andrew Carnegie. If you like this show, I encourage you to check out my new book, Mastering the Power of Grit. Following the same format of this show, shared through their own compelling stories, Mastering the Power of Grit reveals the timeless lessons learned from ...
CIP 004. Resolve to Pay the Price: Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose
August 05, 2016 19:30 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we’ll look at the development of the H-4 Hercules (Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose), around the time of World War II, and the lessons we can learn from Howard Hughes' experience, including the importance of commitment, risk, hard work, follow through and conviction. We’ll also discuss one of the secrets of Hughes’ success. If you like this show, I encourage you to check out my new book, Mastering the Power of Grit. Following the same format of...
CIP 003. Cultivate a Fantastic Obsession: Walt Disney’s Epic Dream
July 29, 2016 15:00 - 10 minutes - 10.6 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we’ll explore the vision of Walt Disney, the role that a great dream or grand aspiration plays in ensuring your success, and how you can cultivate your dream until it becomes your own fantastic obsession. If you like this show, I encourage you to check out my new book, Mastering the Power of Grit. Following the same format of this show, shared through their own compelling stories, Mastering the Power of Grit reveals the timeless lessons l...
CIP 002. Select Yourself. Decide for Yourself that You Have What It Takes: John F. Kennedy’s Campaign for President
July 22, 2016 19:30 - 13 minutes - 14.4 MBIn this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we look at John F. Kennedy’s decision to run for President, the pushback he faced from within his own party, and the lessons we can learn from his response, including the critical importance of being the master of your own fate. If you like this show, I encourage you to check out my new book, Mastering the Power of Grit. Following the same format of this show, shared through their own compelling stories, Mastering the Power of Grit reveal...