Cliches, turns of phrase and common expressions can all be poked fun at. We are happy to use them in lieu of finding our own, original words; but do they actually get the job done? Benno Nelson joins this special guest-hosted episode to discuss words, phrases and their purposes in the context of this lovely little work from the turn of the 20th century.

The path to mastery includes many plateaus, short bursts of improvement and requires a lifetime of vision. We concentrate on steady improvement, understanding that there will be setbacks and frustrations. By enjoying the process, enjoying each practice, loving the minute details that are involved, we become masters. Masters stay on the mat longer than anyone else. Masters enjoy drilling the fundamentals. Masters keep moving forward even without seeing the outward effects of improvement.

1. Lead from the inside out 2. Bench the Ego 3. Let each player discover his own destiny 4. The road to freedom 5. Turn the mundane into the sacred 6. One breath = One Mind 7. The key to success is compassion 8. Keep your eye on the spirit, not the scoreboard 9. Sometimes you have to pull out the big stick 10. When in doubt, do nothing 11. Forget the ring 

Seneca was born in Spain, lived much of his life in Rome, and was the advisor to several emperors. He was exiled, fell deathly ill, brought back to advise again, and eventually died under Nero. As one of the original stoic thinkers, his wisdom is timeless. His advice hasn't gone stale in the 2,000 years since it was written. Seneca spent a lifetime working out the best ways to think, to live and to get meaning from life. This episode deals with life, death, illness, boredom and acceptance.

Exhibit a ferocious and intelligently applied work ethic directed at continual improvement Demonstrate respect for each person in the organization Be deeply committed to learning and teaching Be fair Demonstrate character Honor the direct connection between details and improvement, relentlessly seek the latter Show self-control, especially under pressure Demonstrate and prize loyalty Use positive language and have a positive attitude Take pride in my effort, separate from the result of that...

Awaken the Giant Within is a step-by-step guide to changing your life for the better. We're all guilty of leaving our best inside of ourselves. So, what can we do to be better every day? Tony lays out the fundamentals to progress, the tactics that will help you get there and the identifiers to look for when deciding whether or not you're headed in the right direction.

Emotional awareness is something we're not taught in school. We enter the workforce knowing how to read, write, and report on bodies of knowledge; but too often we lack the skills to manage our emotions. Good decisions require more than factual knowledge. They are made using self-knowledge and emotional mastery.  What is more important to a individual success? According to studies, 90% of high performers are also high in EQ. On the flip side, just 20% of low performers are high in EQ.

Be Proactive Begin With the End in Mind Put First Things First Think Win Win Seek First to Understand, Then Be Understood Synergize Sharpen the Saw Focus on increasing Production. Focus much more closely on increasing Production Capability.

Edward Bernays, the nephew of famed Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, was the first pioneer of the profession of Public Relations. He changed the minds of millions of people, without them even knowing. Bernays convinced the American public to eat a breakfast of bacon and eggs. He helped change the minds of thousands of women towards the habit of cigarette smoking while working for a tobacco company. Once you know your people, you're better able to influence their thinking and actions.

Michael E. Gerber wrote this small business classic in the mid 90's, and popularized the idea of systematizing one's enterprise. The trick lies not in working as hard as possible to make widgets 15 hours a day, according to Gerber, but instead the goal should be to hire and facilitate someone else's ability to make those amazing widgets. Doing that allows the owner to strategize from the business level instead of being immediately buried under a mountain of WORK.

Ed Catmull basically invented the concept of an attractive and successful "Company Culture." He carefully cultivated the attitude and culture of creativity within his businesses; but he wasn't always a rousing success. What most people aren't aware of, is that Toy Story almost didn't exist. If it weren't for Ed's strong understanding of himself and his business, the team at Pixar would never have had the meetings that led to the revitalization of what is now known as a classic film about...

Napoleon Hill wrote his bestselling book in 1937, and the years have been kind to the work. It's sold more than 15,000,000 copies worldwide since then. This episode is about what it takes to turn an idea into a burning desire, how to develop a keen sense of faith in yourself and what to do once you have those two foundational elements in place to TAKE ACTION towards the life you deserve. Joe and Jeff also dig into the details about Napoleon's odd life and whether he was who he claimed to be...

What separates the good from the great? Are there consistent things we can look to as identifying the truly high-performers from their peers? Brendon Burchard has dedicated his life to answering those questions. As more parallels are drawn between world-class performers, it becomes more and more simple to find out how they've done it. Brendon's book lays out all of those habits in very clear language. By the time you're done with the book it's difficult NOT to adhere to these...

Dr. Peterson lays out his method for living the best life possible in this entertaining book. He uses anecdotes and personal stories, with mythology and religious understanding to illustrate where most people make their mistakes. This episode focuses on 4 of Dr. Peterson's 12 rules: Treat Yourself Like Someone You're Responsible For Helping Do Not Let Your Children Do Anything That Makes You Dislike Them Set Your House in Perfect Order Before You Criticize the World Be Precise in Your...

In his book, Tim shares his personal story of moving back home to live with his grandmother while he was going through some hardships. While back home, he learns from his grandmother the 7 principles of “confident living.” He shares personal stories about each principal and how they can be used step-by-step to overcome obstacles to become more confident and achieve your full potential.

"Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. Once you have determined the spiritual principles you wish to exemplify, abide by these rules as if they were laws. Put your principles into practice - now. Stop the excuses and procrastination. This is your life! You aren't a child anymore. From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do - now."

Why do some people and companies fail and succeed? According to Ryan Holiday, the difference lies in how you handle your ego.  He explains that in life we typically find ourselves in three stages: Aspire, Success, and Failure.  No matter, whether you are early in your career, a super successful professional, or finding yourself failing at the moment, your ego, will be there. How you manage it will either help you reach your goals or ultimately destroy you. 

A life of balance is useful to everyone. The stories of Miyamoto Musashi is recorded in history for all of us to lear from, even those of us who don't regularly engage in sword duals.... The way of the warrior: Do not think dishonestly The way is in training Become acquainted with every art Know the ways of all professions Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters Perceive those things which cannot be seen Pay attention even to trifles Do nothing which is of no use

Years ago Tim Grover got the unique opportunity to become Michael Jordan's trainer. He went on to not just train MJ his whole career, but also trained other athletes like Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade to name a few. He claims that what makes MJ, Kobe, and D-Wade different is that they are cleaners. What made these three athletes go from good to great to unstoppable throughout their career is the relentless exercising of their mental fitness.  

Man literally becomes what he thinks. His character is the complete sum of all his thoughts. James Allen wrote this useful little pamphlet in 1903. These words have served as inspiration to millions of readers, spawned generations of self-help literature and pushed people around the world to improve themselves and through their thoughts. Allen links thought to achievement, circumstances, vision, ideals and serenity.

In the Art of Possibility Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander give us 12 practices to help you change the way you view the world and allow you to see all opportunities in front of you.  Benjamin is a conductor for the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and Rosamund is a psychotherapist. They share their experiences leading children and adults to achieve things they never thought possible. Along the way they developed their own practices they believe can help you transform the way you see...

The 4 Hour Workweek is a book about re-thinking the links between one's time and their income. Tim explores the boundaries between working to live and living to work. His years of experience led him to create infrastructures within his business that allow him to profit while not being on the hook for every aspect of fulfillment. He describes tactics to be more effective, means to find a profitable business idea and how to ship an order without ever interacting with the customer or the product.

Carroll is a head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and formerly of the USC Trojans. Ever since he was a little kid he always competed hard for everything he wanted. He used this attitude to help him rise in the coaching ranks, and he realized that if he was going to reach his potential as a coach he needed to stop worrying about winning or losing, and focus on competing every day. He first implemented his philosophy at USC to win multiple championships and later went on to the NFL and a super...

What is the best way to get along with coworkers, make new friends, imbue your employees with a sense of pride or win an argument? How to Win Friends and Influence People is a seminal work on improving one's life and ability to deal with others. In the 80 years since its publication, How to Win Friends has become a classic, referred to by thousands of copycat works. His writing is dated at times, reading it with 21st century eyes, but is always simple and entertaining. 250 pages of great...