Heroic with Brian Johnson | Activate Your Best. Every Day.
1,974 episodes - English - Latest episode: 12 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 - An Undefeated Mind with Alex Lickerman, MD
August 16, 2015 10:40 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBHow'd you like to have an undefeated mind while constructing an indestructible self? (I'll take 'em!) Alex Lickerman, MD shows us how--blending Western science with practical Eastern mysticism in this powerful book. In the Note, we'll explore how to find your mission and turn poison into medicine.
PNTV - The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
August 16, 2015 10:29 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBWant to wake up every morning like it's Christmas? (Or otherwise fired up if xmas isn't your thing?) Well, it's time to make your mornings miraculous and Hal Elrod shows us how with his Life S.A.V.E.R.S. Do more before 8am than you thought possible and crush it day in and day out.
PNTV - Win Forever by Pete Carroll
August 16, 2015 09:47 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MBPete Carroll is the Super Bowl-winning coach of the Seattle Seahawks. His Win Forever philosophy was inspired by an awesome hybrid of Abraham Maslow, John Wooden and his own commitment to always competing while having a whole lotta fun. In the Note, we'll check out a few of my favorite Ideas to help us Win Forever in all facets of our lives.
PNTV - Attainment by Troy Bassham
August 16, 2015 09:42 - 14 minutes - 13.8 MBTroy Bassham is a 4 time National Champion and World Champion rifle shooter. He's also gold medalist Lanny Bashamm's son. Together they share extraordinary wisdom in their Mental Management® System. This book is fantastic. In the Note, we take a quick look at the 12 elements of elite performance.
PNTV - On Writing by Stephen King
August 15, 2015 16:16 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBStephen King has written over 50 books. ALL of them (that would be every.single.one) have been international best-sellers. (Wow.) It’s fair to say he knows a thing or two (or 350 million) about writing. He shares that wisdom in this book and we'll take a quick look at a handful of my favorite Big Ideas in this Note.
PNTV - An Iron Will by Orison Swett Marden
August 15, 2015 16:12 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBThis is a tiny little book PACKED with wisdom. Written in a classic, hard-hitting, early 20th century old- school-cool style, it reminds me of a cross between Samuel Smiles’ Self-Help and James Allen’s As a Man Thinketh. In fact, the title “As a Man Willeth” would fit quite nicely. We'll unpack some goodness in the Note.
PNTV - Your Life Is Your Message by Eknath Easwaran
August 15, 2015 16:07 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBEknath Easwaran is one of my favorite teachers and one of the most beloved spiritual teachers of the 20th century. He walked with Gandhi in his native India and shows us to be the change while making our life our message. We'll explore how to change the gears of our thinking, detox from mas media and engage in practical idealism.
PNTV - Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
August 15, 2015 16:03 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MBTurning Pro. Steven Pressfield tells us that's how we win The War of Art against our nemesis Resistance. Brilliant stuff. In this Note, we'll take a quick look at Shadow Callings (w/a look at mine!), the blissful hell of Epiphanies and more goodness on how to officially turn pro.
PNTV - With Winning in Mind by Lanny Bassham
August 15, 2015 15:56 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBThis is a SHOCKINGLY good book. Want to get your mind right? Lanny Bassham, an Olympic gold medalist, has been teaching the art of mental training/peak performance for decades and this book tells us just how to rock it. In the Note, we'll look at the importance of making the process primary and other fundamentals of mental mastery.
PNTV - The Art of Mental Training by DC Gonzalez
August 15, 2015 15:50 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBDC Gonzalez is one of the world's leading peak performance/mental training experts and this quick-reading manifesot on the art of mental training is fantastic. In the Note, we'll take a quick look at why mental training is so improtant, the critical three (breathing + relaxation + imagineering) and the most important lesson of all.
PNTV - Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff
August 15, 2015 15:34 - 12 minutes - 11.6 MBKristin Neff established self-compassion as a field of study almost a decade ago—bringing the Buddhist practice of self-compassion into her labs so the benefits could be empirically validated. In this Note, we explore the three core elements of self-compassion (self-kindness + common humanity + mindfulness) and why it's so important for us to cultivate!
PNTV - Mind Gym by Gary Mack
August 15, 2015 15:28 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBWe go to the gym to work out our bodies. But what about our minds? We need a mind gym!! This is one of the top books on mental training. Focused on athletes but we're all athletes in the bigger game of life. In this Note, we'll hit the mind gym hard--learning how to move beyond our perceived limits, manage pressure, build confidence and show up consistently.
PNTV - Mindsight by Dan Siegel, M.D
August 15, 2015 15:23 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBMindsight. It's the seventh sense you didn't know you had! Can you pay attention to the inner workings of your own mind? That's what Dr. Dan Siegel, one of the world's leading neuroscientists + psychotherapists, helps us do in this phenomenal book. We'll explore Big Ideas ranging from the basics of brain hygiene to the power of integration and how to live with more flexibility and coherence as we leverage the best of modern neuroscience.
PNTV - Enough Already by Alan Cohen
August 15, 2015 15:14 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBHow'd you like to tap into the power of radical contentment? (Sign me up!) Alan Cohen shows us the way to as he teaches us how to quit being a hardaholic and/or a precrastinator as we embrace the three facts of life and eliminate the terrorists from our minds. Enough already. It's a wonderful place to be.
PNTV - Getting Things Done by David Allen
August 15, 2015 15:11 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBGetting Things Done. This is like the Bible of personal productivity. And David Allen is our wise sage, walking us thru the powerful systems to help us master the art of stress-free productivity. In the Note, we'll explore how to clear our heads (mind like water!), play the 2-minute game, get our inbox to zero and envision + plan for wil success.
PNTV - Unbeatable Mind by Mark Divine
August 15, 2015 14:49 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBI'm convinced Mark Divine is a superhero. Seriously. And in Unbeatable Mind, the former Navy SEAL gives us the handbook on mental toughness. In the Note, we'll look at the keys to cultivating our confidence, the importance of cultivating our concentration, learning how to control our breathing and other goodness that will make you unbeatable.
PNTV - The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
August 15, 2015 14:45 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBDarren Hardy is the Publisher of SUCCESS magazine and knows a thing or 1,000 about success. It's all boiled down into this little manifesto on The Compound Effect. The equation? Small, Smart Choices + Consistency + Time = RADICAL DIFFERENCE. In the Note, we'll check out the power of compounding and how to welcome Mr. Mo to the party and create your greatest life.
PNTV - The Practicing Mind by Thomas M. Sterner
August 15, 2015 12:11 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBThe Practicing Mind. It’s the key to true inner peace and contentment. In a world that conditions us to obsess about goals and outcomes, it’s easy to miss the importance of the process. The PRACTICE. Thomas Sterner brilliantly (!) helps us bring discipline and focus into our lives to experience the presence and joy that comes as a result. (Bonus: We also create a frictionless path to our goals as well!)
PNTV - Creativity on Demand by Michael Gelb
August 15, 2015 12:03 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBWould you like to ignite and sustain the fire of genius? Well, Michael Gelb's your guy, then. Gelb is one of the world's leading thinkers + teachers on applied genius creativity. He wrote the life-changing book, "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci" and is back with more goodness in this gem. Specifically, he teaches us how to cultivate our creative mindset + creative mojo via tapping into universal life force, or qi = good stuff!
PNTV - Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
August 15, 2015 11:53 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBTeddy Roosevelt told us that it's not the critic who counts. It's all about the individual who is actually in the arena--whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Who dares greatly. Brene Brown takes that spirit and runs with it--showing us how we can only dare greatly when we are willing to live Wholeheartedly, embracing our vulnerability as we cultivate our courage, compassion and connection.
PNTV - Introvert Power by Laurie Helgoe, PhD.
August 15, 2015 11:40 - 10 minutes - 9.41 MBIntroverts unite!! Did you know that the majority (!) of Americans are actually introverted? Yep. But... Our society overly values the extroverted/social side of things and doesn't teach us how to cultivate the internal goodness. Fear not, Dr. Helgoe is here to help us learn how to be psychologically patriotic as we build solitude skills and tap into our introvert power.
PNTV - Power Sleep by Dr. James B. Maas
August 15, 2015 11:35 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBSleep. It's powerful. Way more so that you may think. And Dr. James Maas, a leading sleep scientist, gives us the lowdown on how to optimize our sleep for peak performance. In the Note, we'll look at why sleep is so powerful, signs you're not getting enough of it, and some best practices on how to rock it. We'll add a few more zzz's to your zzz's!
PNTV - Superhuman by Habit by Tynan
August 15, 2015 11:31 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBYou want to be superhuman? Tynan tells us it's *all* about the habits. I agree. And this book is a genius little manifesto on how to rock it. In the Note, we'll look at some Big Ideas on the basic mental mechanics of installing habits that'll help you reach your potential. Keys: focusing on consistency (!), using your mistakes to your advantage, getting rid of negative habits and focusing on the finish line as you rock the process.
PNTV - Take a Nap, Change Your Life! by Sara Mednick
August 15, 2015 11:21 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBWant to change your life? Take a nap. Seriously. Nearly all of us are sleep deprived and naps are a scientifically proven way to boost everything you want to boost. Leading scientist Sara Mednicks walks us thru the evolutionary functionality of naps and teaches us how to get our nap on and why we should. In the Note, we'll cover the basics and get you rockin' it like a nap ninja in no time.
PNTV - The Art of Life by Ernest Holmes
August 15, 2015 08:50 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBErnest Holmes created the Science of Mind movement and influenced a ton of modern new thought teachers (from Louise Hay to Michael Beckwith). He's all about connecting to that power that's bigger than us and in this Note, we'll explore how to turn on our inner light, tend to our mental garden, look for good and become an outlet for the Divine!
PNTV - The Emotional Life of Your Brain by Richard Davidson and Sharon Begley
August 15, 2015 08:45 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBRichie Davidson is one of the world's leading neuroscientists and was the first guy to check out monks' brains in a lab. He founded the affective + contemplative neuroscience fields and is, quite simply, a neuroscientist rock star. In this Note, we explore some of his best Big Ideas, understanding how our thoughts and behaviors affect the very structure of our brains and the emotions we feel. We'll also look at how to dial it all in.
PNTV - The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
August 15, 2015 08:37 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBYou're imperfect. (Hate to break it to you!) And that's awesome. Brene Brown, TED-talk rock star and all-around awesome human being also happens to be one of the world's shame and vulnerability researchers who stumbled upon the secrets of what she calls Wholehearted living. In this Note, we'll look at the Dos and Don'ts of rockin' it as we cultivate courage, connection and compassion to put our soul in a great mood.
PNTV - The Power of Rest by Matthew Edlund, M.D.
August 15, 2015 08:26 - 10 minutes - 9.76 MBRest. You getting enough? If you're like most of us, the answer is No. Leading medical doctor, Matthew Edlund shows us how sleep isn't enough. We need to cultivate "active rest" into our day-to-day lives. In this Note, we'll look at how to integrate active Mental + Physical + Social + Spiritual rest while working out our brain, breathing and optimizing our lives.
PNTV - The Tools by Phil Stutz & Barry Michels
August 15, 2015 08:20 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBThe Tools. This was easily the best book I read in 2012. It's *packed* with goodness. Stutz and Michels are two no-nonsense therapists who developed powerful tools to transform our problems into courage, confidence, and creativity. In this Note, we'll take a quick peek at how to put these powerful tools to work to creat real change in our lives.
PNTV - The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
August 15, 2015 08:11 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBWhatever you want to learn, know this: It’s ALL about the myelin. Myelin? Yep. Myelin. In this Note we’ll learn what myelin is and why it’s so cool along with some other Big Ideas—ranging from the importance of “Deep Practice,” to the importance of baby steps as the royal road to skill and the fact that greatness isn’t about not magic, it’s about hard work.
PNTV - The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal
August 15, 2015 08:07 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBWillpower. It’s huge. The Willpower Instinct by award-winning Stanford Professor Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., is a GREAT book based on “The Science of Willpower” class Kelly teaches through Stanford University’s Continuing Studies program. It’s *packed* with super practical Big Ideas on the newest scientific insights about self-control to explamkdirin how we can “break old habits and create healthy habits, conquer procrastination, find our focus, and manage stress.” In this Note, we’ll check out ...
PNTV - Time Warrior by Steve Chandler
August 15, 2015 07:28 - 11 minutes - 11 MBAre you looking for a way to “defeat procrastination, people-pleasing, self-doubt, over- commitment, broken promises and chaos.” Then this books for you. In the Note, we’ll have some fun checking out how to become a time warrior. Big Ideas include learning how to end overwhelm by doing one thing at a time, the power of taking decisive action and how to focus like a sci-fi laser beam! :)
PNTV - Today We Are Rich by Tim Sanders
August 15, 2015 07:18 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBTim Sanders is awesome. He was the Chief Solutions Officer for Yahoo! back in the day and wrote the uber-cool book Love Is the Killer App—which was one of the books that planted the seed for these PhilosophersNotes. In this great book, Tim shares the wisdom of his beloved Grandma, Billye, who taught him the power of total confidence. The key? As Tim says: “The secret to renewal and true confidence is simple: Get back to the basics.” In this Note, we’ll learn how to be truly rich via powerful...
PNTV - Toward a Psychology of Being by Abraham Maslow
August 15, 2015 07:10 - 11 minutes - 10.5 MBAbraham Maslow sits in the great-grandfather slot in my spiritual family tree and is kinda the great-grandfather of the modern Positive Psychology movement. We profiled the 19 characteristics of his self-actualizing individual in our Note on Motivation & Personality in Volume I and in this Note we take a look at the essence of creativity and the fact that we all have capacities that’re clamoring to be used!
PNTV - When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
August 15, 2015 07:06 - 10 minutes - 9.51 MBPema Chödrön is a Buddhist teacher and prolific author with an incredibly strong, yet compassionate and grounded perspective. This book is all about facing challenging times with courage as we lean into our fears and grow. We'll explore a bunch of Big Ideas on everything from why we should meditate to how long the process of actualizing takes (roughly the rest of our lives :)!
PNTV - Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
August 15, 2015 07:01 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBJon Kabat-Zinn is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Massachusetts and one of the world’s leading advocates for mindfulness training. He’s demonstrated the phenomenal health benefits of integrating meditation into our daily lives and in this Note we’ll learn about meditation—what it is, how we can rock it and what we can gain from doing so.
PNTV - Why Meditate by Matthieu Ricard
August 15, 2015 06:56 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBWhy Meditate? According to Ricard, the ultimate reason is to transform ourselves so we can transform our world. That works for me! In this Note, we check out my favorite Big Ideas on working out our mindfulness muscles, looking at the power of neuroplasticity and highlighting the fact that it’s *all* about the consistent practice, working on our consciousness thought after thought and emotion by emotion.
PNTV - Why We Do What We Do by Edward Deci
August 15, 2015 06:51 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBEdward L. Deci is one of the world’s leading researchers on human motivation and this book is *packed* with scientific wisdom—exploring what we know about the power of intrinsic motivation (vs. extrinsic motivation), the importance of autonomy (vs. being controlled) and the need for authenticity (vs. alienation). Hint: If you want happiness, focus on relationships, personal growth and making a contribution; don’t go after fame, wealth and beauty.
PNTV - Why Your Life Sucks by Alan Cohen
August 15, 2015 04:55 - 10 minutes - 9.94 MBWhy Your Life Sucks. That has to win the award for best title ever. Cohen is a very funny man. He’s also super wise and a great story teller and this book is packed with goodness on how we can unsuck our lives. My favorite Big Ideas (that we cover in the Note) include everything from tuning in to radio station “KNOW,” hiring your own thought bouncer and remembering to nourish your spirit.
PNTV - Willpower by Roy Baumeister & John Tierney
August 15, 2015 04:50 - 11 minutes - 11 MBWillpower. It’s ESSENTIAL to optimizing our lives. In fact, in their *great* book, Willpower, Roy Baumeister (one of the world’s leading scientific researchers on self-control) and John Tierney (science writer for the New York Times) tell us that “Improving willpower is the surest way to a better life.” In this Note, we’ll learn how to eat our way to willpower (seriously), how to exercise our self-control muscles, why “precommitment” is so important and how to win the willpower game with bri...
PNTV - Wooden by John Wooden
August 15, 2015 04:45 - 10 minutes - 9.62 MBJohn Wooden. He’s arguably the greatest coach EV-ER and this book is essentially one Big Idea after another. Wooden is all about the fundamentals and in this Note we’ll explore a few of my favorite Big Ideas on his old-school wisdom—from the fact that full effort = full success to the importance of becoming a realistic optimist.
PNTV - The Creativity Book by Eric Maisel
August 15, 2015 04:42 - 11 minutes - 11.3 MBOne of the world’s leading experts on creativity, Eric Maisel is a psychotherapist who works exclusively with artists. As the sub-title suggests, this book is set up as “A Year’s Worth of Inspiration and Guidance” and provides insight into everything from dealing with anxiety to taking the next baby step and having patience. Plus, you’ll learn a new power mantra for creating. :)
PNTV - The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
August 15, 2015 03:58 - 14 minutes - 13 MBTwyla Tharp is awesome. One of the greatest choreographers in the world, she’d created more than 130 (!!!) dances for her company as well as for everyone from the Joffrey Ballet to London’s Royal Ballet. In this great book,. Twyla shares some uber-Big Ideas on how we can develop our Creative Habit to more consistently rock it.
PNTV - The Element by Ken Robinson
August 15, 2015 03:44 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBYou might have caught Sir Ken’s genius energy in his brilliant TED talk. Not only is he one of the world’s leading experts on creativity, he’s an all-around cool guy and... he’s a KNIGHT! How cool is that?! That’s pretty saucy I say. :)
PNTV - The Golden Present by Sri Swami Satchidananda
August 15, 2015 03:40 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBSri Swami Satchidananda was one of the world’s greatest yoga masters and teachers. This book is organized as a daily inspirational guidebook and it’s packed with 365 wisdom gems. In the Note, we explore Big Ideas ranging from the importance of being bold and strong to the power of making a lot mistakes.
PNTV - The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt
August 15, 2015 03:35 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBWonder where happiness comes from? So does Jonathan Haidt, one of the world’s leading positive psychologists and Professor at the University of Virginia. In this phenomenal book, Haidt looks at ancient wisdom and modern wisdom as he tests some happiness hypotheses and comes up with his ultimate hypothesis. In this Note, we’ll check out the dynamic between you and your elephant, the magic pill that is meditation, and the mojo of virtue.
PNTV - The Highest Goal by Michael Ray
August 15, 2015 00:06 - 10 minutes - 9.85 MBMichael Ray is a Professor at Stanford’s Business School who teaches creativity in business. This book shares the lessons from that remarkable class and points out the fact that our “Highest Goal” is all about connecting to and living from our highest truths all the time. In this Note, we’ll take a look at how to get out of “the cruel grip of society” as we travel our own path and let the material bounty be by-products of our spiritual awesomeness. :)
PNTV - The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz
August 14, 2015 23:50 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBBarry Schwartz tells us that some choice is obviously good but too much choice can actually stress us out! The book is packed with powerful wisdom—much of it counterintuitive. In the Note, we'll explore the difference between being a “Maximizer” vs. a “Satisficer” and why we want to shift from always needing the “absolute best” to being happy with “good enough” as we develop our gratitude and quit comparing ourselves to other peeps. Powerful.
PNTV - The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
August 14, 2015 23:32 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBHabits. They’re powerful. And, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is a very cool look at why we have them, how they work, and what we can do to change them. The book is an incredibly well-written, fun read and it’s packed with great stories and wisdom and I think you’ll dig it. In this Note, we’ll take a quick peek at the basic aspects of a habit loop (cue + routine + reward), how you can get a cue, what a keystone habit is (and why you should care), the importance of believing you can cha...
PNTV - The Art of Achievement by Tom Morris
August 14, 2015 23:02 - 11 minutes - 11.1 MBTom Morris is my favorite living philosopher. As a former Professor at Notre Dame with a dual Ph.D. in Religion and Philosophy, he blends old school, rigorous philosophy with amodern sense of fun. In this Note, we have fun getting our wisdom on with his “7 C’s of Success”: Conception, Confidence, Concentration, Consistency, Commitment, Character and a Capacity to Enjoy. Good times.