Heroic with Brian Johnson | Activate Your Best. Every Day.
1,974 episodes - English - Latest episode: 26 days ago - ★★★★★ - 301 ratingsHeroic with Brian Johnson features the best big ideas from life-changing books and practical tools to help you move from Theory to Practice to Mastery and flourish in Energy, Work, and Love. Get more wisdom in less time so you can activate your best, every day—so that we can change the world, one person at a time, together, starting with you and me and us, today! (Learn more at https://heroic.us)
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Episodes
PNTV - The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone
August 17, 2015 06:28 - 13 minutes - 13.2 MBReady to 10X your thinking and your action? Fantastic. Grant Cardone is your man. In this high intensity, LET'S DO THIS! book you'll get fired up to go out and crush it. Big Ideas we explore include how to create goals, why MASSIVE ACTION is so important, how to starve fear, why obsession is a gift not a disease and how Smokey would smoke the tortoise and the hare.
PNTV - Mini Habits by Stephen Guise
August 17, 2015 06:21 - 10 minutes - 9.97 MBHow’s your habit-building process working for you? If you’ve stalled a few (hundred?) times, Stephen Guise tells us that Mini Habits might be just the thing you’re looking for! In the Note we look at what a Mini Habit is and how to go about rockin’ it exploring Big Ideas like making habits stupid small (aka “too small to fail”), embracing Newton’s 1st law, and being aware of ego depletion as you create your chain!
PNTV - No Sweat by Michelle Segar, PhD
August 17, 2015 06:17 - 14 minutes - 13 MBDr. Michelle Segar is the world’s leading authority on what motivates people to choose and maintain healthy behaviors. As you’d imagine, Dr. Segar has some *really* powerful ideas on, as the sub-title suggests, “How the simple science of motivation can bring you a lifetime of fitness.” Big Ideas we explore include the importance of meaning, moving exercise from a chore to a gift and embracing a learning mindset.
PNTV - Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes
August 17, 2015 06:11 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MBWhy do we get fat? It’s a surprisingly simple question that surprisingly few nutrition experts answer with attention to scientific rigor. Enter: Gary Taubes, a brilliant, award-winning science journalist. In this Note we’ll explore some Big Ideas on the importance of the hormone insulin, why carbs are kinda like cigarettes and the Stanford A TO Z Study that showed low-carb diets outperforming others.
PNTV - Toughness Training for Life by James E. Loehr
August 17, 2015 06:05 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBToughness. Jim Loehr tells us that cultivating our toughness is the essence of creating healthier, happier and more productive lives. And, in this great, old-school book (written in 1993), he shows us how to go about doing that. Big Ideas we explore in the Note include how toughening happens (key: adaptive stress!!), the importance of training recovery, ultradian rhythms and emotional phones ringing.
PNTV - One Spirit Medicine by Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D
August 17, 2015 05:55 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBAlberto Villoldo is a fascinating blend of medical anthropologist and practicing shaman—having explored, practiced and taught these ideas for decades. Alberto walks us the healing wisdom at the nexus of ancient shamanic wisdom and modern science. Big Ideas include how (and why!) to optimize our gut-brain, removing two of the most toxic things in our diet, adding superfoods and detoxing from news and TV while cultivating stillness.
PNTV - Procrastinate on Purpose by Rory Vaden
August 17, 2015 05:48 - 10 minutes - 9.67 MBRory Vaden tells us we can choose one of three options: 1. We can manage our time. 2. We can prioritize our time. 3. We can multiply our time. The most successful among us learn how to MULTIPLY their time and that’s what this book is all about. Big Ideas explored include the 5 Permissions (Eliminate + Automate + Delegate + Procrastinate + Concentrate) with a focus on the most important: Eliminate!!
PNTV - The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal
August 17, 2015 05:44 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBIf you’ve ever had stress in your life (hah!) and wondered how to deal with it more optimally, I think you’ll love this. McGonigal tells us that how we THINK about stress plays a huge role in its affect on us and walks us thru the science behind it. Rather than try to get rid of stress (good luck with that!), we’re much better off shifting our mindsets to embrace and use the stress wisely!
PNTV - Go Wild by John Ratey and Richard Manning
August 17, 2015 05:40 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBReady to go wild?! John Ratey, MD, and Richard Manning are here to give us the guidebook on how to make that happen! In the Note, we explore Big Ideas ranging from wild nutrition to getting out of bad moods, getting adequate sleep and pulling levers that will change our lives!
PNTV - Take the Stairs by Rory Vaden
August 17, 2015 05:34 - 13 minutes - 12 MBWhen you appraoch a set of stairs and an escalator what do you do? If you're like 95% of the world, you hop on the escalator but Rory Vaden tells us if we want true success in our lives we need to quit looking for shortcuts and Take the Stairs! In the Note we'll look at how to quit being a Should-head, embrace the Pain Paradox and get our Visioneering on.
PNTV - Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
August 17, 2015 05:25 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBSteven Pressfield created a trilogy on mastering the creative process and winning our battle with Resistance. The War of Art kicked it off, this is the second installment with the final Turning Pro. In the book, Pressfield walks us thru a specific project and shows us how to deal with Resistance at each stage. Big Ideas we explore incude starting before you're ready, keep working (!), and SHIP!!
PNTV - The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
August 17, 2015 05:02 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBJeff Olson is a down-to-earth, super practical (and successful) guy who believes in the power of turning simple disciplines into massive success. He calls that power “The Slight Edge.” In the Note, we’ll explore Big Ideas ranging from the anti-quantum leap and making course corrections to the habits of a slight edge master and how to create optimal plans.
PNTV - The New Toughness Training for Sports by Dr. Jim Loehr
August 17, 2015 04:51 - 14 minutes - 13 MBJim Loehr is one of the world’s leading sports psychologists and peak performance experts. In this great book, he tells us how all champions are able to access their Ideal Performance States, why we want to lean into challenges, how to make waves throughout out day and the first rule of toughness.
PNTV - Making Life a Masterpiece by Orison Swett Marden
August 17, 2015 03:36 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBOrison Swett Marden is a brilliant old-school writer who mixed a passionate optimism in our potential with an equally passionate commitment to integrity, grit, perseverance and all things good. I like him. In this book he shows us how to make our life a masterpiece by becoming the captain of our own ships, doing first-class work, and finding an hour a day to optimize as we achieving true success.
PNTV - Fear by Thich Nhat Hanh
August 17, 2015 03:30 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBA Vietnamese Buddhist Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh is, essentially, a living saint. In this great little book, Nhat Hanh delivers his essential wisdom on how to navigate the storms of life with more grace and poise as we cultivate fearlessness/nonfear. Big Ideas range from breathing in the moment, reflecting on interbeingness (= huge), and enhancing our energy of mindfulness and concentration.
PNTV - Brain Maker by David Perlmutter, MD
August 17, 2015 02:43 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBReady to get your brain right? Start with your gut! In this compelling book, Dr. David Perlmutter walks us through the leading-edge science on how to dial in our microbiome to optimize our brain + overall well-being. In the Note, we explore Big Ideas ranging from the power of probiotics and your second brain to the importnace of focusing on root causes rather than just symptoms along with the 6 keys to feeding your microbes.
PNTV - Grain Brain by David Perlmutter
August 17, 2015 02:27 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MBDavid Perlmutter, MD combines his deep knowledge in neuroscience + nutrition in this hard-hitting, scientifically rigorous look at how, in short, grains are destroying our brains. Dementia. ADHD. Epilepsy. Anxiety. Chronic headaches. Depression. They all have their roots in neurological dysfunction and they are all impacted by our nutrition. In the Note we take a look at some powerful Big Ideas to optimize.
PNTV - The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau
August 17, 2015 01:54 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBChris Guillebeau is a brilliant guy and brilliant writer. He's also traveled to every.single.country in the world. (That's 193 for those counting.) In this great book we take a look at what it means to create an awesome Quest. The why's and how's and all that. What's your Quest? Ready to rock it?
PNTV - The Power of Mindful Learning by Ellen Langer
August 17, 2015 01:47 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBReady to apply mindfulness to learning and teaching? That's what this book is all about as Ellen Langer challenges seven pervasive myths related to learning. In the Note we explore Ideas ranging from reframing, ever-present gratification and creating options to mindful presentations and celebrating confusion.
PNTV - Mindfulness by Ellen Langer
August 17, 2015 01:20 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBEllen Langer is one of the world's leading researchers studying the science of well-being. This book was was published over 25 years ago—before the concept of “mindfulness” went mainstream. Ellen takes a Western scientific orientation to mindfulness (vis-a-vis an Eastern mystical) as she challenges us to overcome our mindless patterns, let go of false limits, focus on the process and notice all the wonders present in our lives.
PNTV - Courageous Dreaming by Alberto Villoldo
August 17, 2015 00:49 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBAlberto Villoldo is a shaman and medical anthropologist who has studied the spiritual practices of the Amazon and the Andes for over 25 years. In this book, we tap into their wisdom on how to shamans dream the world into being. Big Ideas include choosing between casting yourself as a victim or a hero, letting go of perfection, cultivating mindfulness and being ready to die at any moment.
PNTV - Counterclockwise by Ellen Langer
August 17, 2015 00:27 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBEllen Langer is a professor of psychology at Harvard and one of the world's leading reseachers who has been exploring what she calls the "psychology of possibility" for over three decades. This book is packed with amazing research stories and wisdom to bring more mindfulness to our lives and tap into our latent potential.
PNTV - Choose the Life You Want by Tal Ben-Shahar
August 17, 2015 00:23 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBTal Ben-Shahar is one of the most popular professors in Harvard’s history and does a great job of integrating the rigor of the science of happiness with the fun of self-help. Drawing on the latest psychological research, this book walks us through 101 choices we make throughout our lives. Big Ideas include finding happiness boosters, joining the failure hall of fame, focusing on your strengths and cocreating your reality.
PNTV - Lead the Field by Earl Nightingale
August 16, 2015 23:59 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBDo you want to lead the field? Earl Nightingale is our guide in this old-school guide to rockin' it. Big Ideas include seeing the acres of diamonds in our own backyards, being able to immediately articulate our goal in a single sentence, seeing that if we want more we need to serve more and knowing that TODAY is the day to show up and shine!
PNTV - Courage Under Fire by James Stockdale
August 16, 2015 23:32 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBJames Stockdale spent 7 1/2 years as the highest ranking prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. 4 years in solitary confinement. 2 in leg irons. This book is about how he endured all of that with the wisdom of Stoic philosopher Epictetus in mind. In the Note, we explore the key tenets of Stoicism, the Stockdale Paradox, playing your role well and mastering your emotions.
PNTV - Finding Your Zone by Dr. Michael Lardon
August 16, 2015 23:24 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBWould you like to find the Zone more often? Well, yah! Leading sports psychologist Michael Lardon, M.D. shows us how. 10 core lessons. In the Note, we'll look at why you want to have two scorecards, the importance of activation energy (451 degrees, please!!) and how to keep your confidence dialed in.
PNTV - Silence by Thich Nhat Hanh
August 16, 2015 22:51 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBThich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist Zen master and one of the world's leading spiritual teachers. In this great book he teaches us how to access the power of quiet in a noisy world. Big Ideas include bringing awareness to the "Four Nutriments" we consume, tuning in to the right radio station in our minds and creating an island of self.
PNTV - How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams
August 16, 2015 22:34 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBWhat does Scott Adams have to teach us about success? A lot. And this hilarious book is packed with wisdom. Learn why goals are for losers (and systems are for super-crushers), how to move from merely wishing for success to DECIDING you will be successful and other helpful tips on how to program your moist robot for optimal performance. Um. Yah.
PNTV - Resilience by Eric Greiten
August 16, 2015 21:54 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBResilience. As Eric Greitens tells us, it's not so much about bouncing back as it is about moving through. And this former Navy SEAL, Rhodes Scholar, boxing champion and humanitarian who's been recognized as one of the greatest leaders in the world, knows a ton about how to cultivate it by embracing failure, forging our purpose and living with virtue.
PNTV - The Heart and the Fist by Eric Greitens
August 16, 2015 15:18 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBEric Greitens is pretty much a superhero. Part humanitarian and part warrior, he's an integrated man committed to serving profoundly. In this book, he shows us how to combine strength and compassion, find our purpose through service and cultivate practical wisdom
PNTV - You Are the Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza
August 16, 2015 15:15 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MBThe Placebo effect is a pretty nutty phenomenon. Merely the *belief* that a pill (or surgery) will benefit you can lead to those results--even without the actual pill. In this great (!) book, Dr. Joe Dispenza tells us we can harness that power and shows us how. In the Note we'll have fun looking at how to become the new you as you cross the river of change and become an epigenetic engineer.
PNTV - The Essence of Success by Earl Nightingale
August 16, 2015 15:10 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBThis is basically Earl Nightingale's greatest hits album, er, book. The editors of the book combed through over 700 (!!) hours of Earl's audio programs and pulled out the things he came back to again and again. The book is packed with wisdom. In the Note, we explore how to deal with your worries, the importance of active patience, and finding our second wind as we go from being a rowboat to an ocean liner.
PNTV - The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
August 16, 2015 15:05 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBOriginally published in 1974, this book is, as the sub-title suggests, the classic guide to the mental side of peak performance and transcends tennis/sports. If we want to win the game of life, we've gotta start by winning the inner game. In the Note, we'll take a quick look at how to do that, learning about Self 1 + Self 2 (and how to help them get along), quieting our mind and asking for qualities we aspire to have.
PNTV - Spartan Up! by Joe De Sena
August 16, 2015 15:00 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBSpartan Up!! Want a swift kick in the optimizing butt?! This is the book for you. It truly is "a take-no-prisoners guide to overcoming obstacles and achieving performance" delivered with enthusiasm by Joe De Sena--the renowned endurance/adventure racer who created Spartan Race. We'll look at what's impossible vs. just really hard, how to pass the cookie test as we develop grit and learn how to get to the next telephone pole in the race of life.
PNTV - Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly
August 16, 2015 14:53 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBHow'd you like to be perfectly yourself? In this great book, Matthew Kelly shows us how to become the-best-possible-version-of-yourself by doing the next right thing, making virtue our goal, building discipline, simplifying and finding ways to serve!
PNTV - The Power of Concentration by Theron Q. Dumant
August 16, 2015 14:48 - 10 minutes - 9.49 MBConcentration. As we know, the sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus. This is an old school manual on how to cultivate our strength of mind to set our lives on fire. In the Note, we'll look at some Big Ideas to cultivate our concentration, sticktoitiveness and make every moment a part of our practice.
PNTV - A Better Way to Live by Og Mandino
August 16, 2015 14:41 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBOg Mandino was the most popular inspirational author of his era. Before that he was a 35-year-old drunken derelict! In this book, he tells us how he found "a better way to live" and shares his 17 Rules to Live By so we can rock it as well. We'll start by building foundations below our air-castles, counting our blessings, going the extra mile and learning from Lady Liberty's Hair-do.
PNTV - The Message of a Master by John McDonald
August 16, 2015 14:35 - 13 minutes - 12 MBThis little book features a mysterious master who teaches his secrets to living in harmony with Universal Law. I love stories like this. It’s a super quick-reading, invigorating little tale. In the Note we'll have fun exploring how to clean up our mental house, the importance of focusing on our ONE thing and keeping Mr. Mo on our side!
PNTV - The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle by Jim Rohn
August 16, 2015 14:30 - 10 minutes - 9.75 MBJim Rohn influenced a generation of self-help gurus and this book lays out his "five major keys for the life puzzle." We'll take a quick look at your life philosophy, what you're doing with the 86,400 ticks each day, how to finish before you start as you design your ideal life and other such goodness.
PNTV - The Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly
August 16, 2015 14:22 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBThe-best-version-of-yourself. That's what Matthew Kelly is committed to helping us become and that's what this book is all about. In the Note, we have fun getting in tune with the Rhythms of Life as we explore the fact that everything is a choice, look at what we want to give our WHOLE life to and discover the mojo of great questions.
PNTV - The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
August 16, 2015 14:15 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBWould you like to be the greatest version of you? Og Mandino's classic can help with that. The best selling book on sales ever written is really a fun fable about how to achieve success in any/ever domain. In the Note, we unroll the "10 ancient scrolls" of wisdom to discover that obstacles are our friends, good habits are essential and other such goodness.
PNTV - The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale
August 16, 2015 14:11 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBWant to know the strangest secret? Here it is: “We become what we think about.” That's it! Thank you, Earl Nightingale (and all other gret teachers who echo this wisdom!). In the Note we'll unpack Big Ideas from this uber-classic recording and learn how to optimize our thinking so we can actualize our potential.
PNTV - 10 Minute Toughness by Jason Selk
August 16, 2015 14:06 - 14 minutes - 13 MBMental Toughness. If we want to optimize our lives and actualize our potentials, we MUST get our minds strong! This book is a *great* look at how to go about doing that. It’s a quick-reading, engaging look at Jason Selk’s practical, 10-minute plan to mental toughness. Big Ideas range from learning how to control our arousal state, replace negative thoughts, being solution focused and the #1 rule for crushing it.
PNTV - The Big Picture by Tony Horton
August 16, 2015 14:01 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBTony Horton. If you've done P90X then you both LOVE him and you hate him (for kicking your butt!). Hah! Tony brings the same energy and laughs to this great book featuring his 11 Laws for rockin' it. In the Note, we'll have fun looking at the voices in his head, where he came up with his classic "Do your best and forget the rest!" and other goodness!
PNTV - Improv Wisdom by Patricia Ryan Madson
August 16, 2015 13:51 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBThis is one of Steven Pressfield's favorite books. When I heard that, I immediately got it. Brilliant. Patricia Ryan Madson is Emerita of Stanford University where she taught for three decades in the Drama Department. We'll have fun looking at her 13 maxims for improv living from this quick-reading, fun, smart, practical book.
PNTV - The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday
August 16, 2015 13:43 - 13 minutes - 12.9 MBRyan Holiday is brilliant. So is this book. The ancient Stoics taught us how to not only accept challenges but to thrive on them. Ryan brings their wisdom to life with compelling stories of great peeps who have rocked it in the face of adversity. In the Note we'll take a quick look at the three keys to making obstacles work for us: Perception + Action + Will.
PNTV - Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg
August 16, 2015 13:36 - 13 minutes - 12.9 MBNonviolent Communication has sold over 1,000,000 copies. Why? It works. There are four key components to NVC: Observations + Feelings + Needs + Requests. In this Note, we'll take a quick look at each of them along with some other Big Ideas to communicate more compassionately.
PNTV - Play by Stuart Brown, MD
August 16, 2015 10:58 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBPlay! Stuart Brown, one of the world's leading play researchers, tells us that it's more important than you may think. We'll take a quick look at why it's so important, why you don't want to be a sea squirt and how to make your life one big sand box while infusing more joy into your life.
PNTV - The ONE Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan
August 16, 2015 10:51 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBThe ONE Thing. What's yours? Gary Keller (his Keller-Williams real estate is THE largest real estate company in the world--I bet that was a ONE Thing goal at some point!) shares his wisdom in this BRILLIANT book. We'll have fun exploring a few of my favorite Big Ideas: dominoes + extreme Pareto and other goodness.
PNTV - He Can Who Thinks He Can by Orison Swett Marden
August 16, 2015 10:45 - 11 minutes - 11 MBDo you think you can or do you think you can't? As Henry Ford told us, either way you're right. Orison Swett Marden (who created Success magazine) walks us thru some old-school no-nonsense mojo in this great little book. In the Note, we'll look at the power of being a functional dreamer and bringing ourselves to a 212 degree boil!