Optimize With Brian Johnson | More Wisdom In Less Time

Today we chat about missing the ol' mark on the 3:00 last-input target. And simply recommitting. And... Finished Phase I of the Handbook construction process. Scaffolding is in place. Fired up. (Just noticed this is #50. Time flies when you're having fun!) As always: Get instant (free) access to all 600+ PhilosophersNotes AND all 50 Optimal Living 101 classes AND 1,000+ Optimize +1s as part of our free 2-week trial: http://optimize.me/

Afternoon edition of our #1 post 6 hours of DEEP Work on the Handbook. We chat about some creative systems and do the quick Oura review.

Did you know there are 101 days left in 2020. Yep. Time to finish strong. I share a little on how I'm going to do that with the Handbook, etc. How about YOU?

► FREE 14-DAY TRIAL: Get the PhilosophersNote on Everything Is Figureoutable and 600+ other books by starting a Free 14-Day trial membership to Optimize: https://www.optimize.me/trial/ ► MORE GOODNESS: - Get the Optimize App for iPhone & iPad: https://www.optimize.me/apps/ - Get the Optimize App for Android: https://www.optimize.me/apps/ - Subscribe to the Optimize Podcast: https://optimize.me/podcast/ - Follow Optimize on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BriantheOptimizer/ - Follow Optimize on Instagram: https://instagram.com/optimize.me/

In our last +1, we got our inner Freak on as we spent some time with Dav!d Rendall and learned to embrace constraints as we reminded ourselves to approach this whole game of life as Optimalists rather than Perfectionists—using our ideals as GUIDING STARS not distant shores.   We explored the value of constraints on a high level.    I promised to talk about the idea in a little more detail in terms of choosing what we want to do with our lives AND in the day-to-day of actually making things happen.   So…   Dav!d kicks off the chapter on the power of limiting our options with a quote from Seth Godin who tells us: "You really can't try to do everything, especially if you intend to be the best in the world."    Amen.   And, as I read this chapter I thought of chats I had back in the day with Steve Chandler when he and I worked 1-on-1.    He loved Alan Watts's wisdom that tennis is more fun with a court (constraints!) and Igor Stravinsky's wisdom tha

Today we tap into some insights after a good night of sleep, chat briefly about Surveillance Capitalism (and Digital Minimalism) before I share the first steps in my new book: OPTIMIZE - A Handbook for the Modern Hero.

Today we have fun meeting the new Optimize (Hero) (Virtue) Compass and I share some interesting HRV and RHR data over last three days looking at effects of last meal, ice baths, etc.

Optimize: https://optimize.me/ (← Get Free Stuff + Free 2-Week Trial!) Optimize Coach: https://optimize.me/coach (← Join 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries!) Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from Life's Great Question by Tom Rath. Hope you enjoy! I'm a big fan of Tom Rath and his work. And... I'm not alone. His 10 books have sold over 10 million copies. Dan Pink (author of Drive and When) calls him "One of the most successful nonfiction writers of his generation." We featured two of his earlier books: Eat Move Sleep and Are You Fully Charged? Plus: His children's book called The Rechargeables remains one of my all-time favorites. "Life's Great Question" that beckons all of us ("What can I contribute?") is beautifully framed by the Martin Luther King, Jr. quote that kicks off the book: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" This book is a field manual to help us go about answering that question so we can, as per the subtitle of the book: "Discover How You Contri

After a very brief retirement, I'm back. lol. Missed you. Let's goooo! As always: Get instant (free) access to all 600+ PhilosophersNotes AND all 50 Optimal Living 101

Optimize: https://optimize.me/ (← Get Free Stuff + Free 2-Week Trial!) Optimize Coach: https://optimize.me/coach (← Join 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries!) Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from The Practicing Stoic by Ward Farnsworth. Hope you enjoy! Ward Farnsworth is the Dean of the University of Texas School of Law. As you can imagine, he brings a logical precision to his discussion of Stoicism that is distinct and powerful. (Seriously. It's actually ASTONISHINGLY powerful.) I really enjoyed the book and I highly recommend it for the aspiring Practicing Stoic. Big Ideas we explore include Principle #1 of practical Stoicism (Judgment!), the good life vs. the good mood (virtue for the win!), what others think (<- pro tip: ignore it), preferred indifference (committed but not attached), and using adversity as fuel for our Optimizing (use Hermes' magic wand!). Get The Practicing Stoic on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Practicing-Stoic-Philosophical-Users-Manual/dp/1567926118/ Learn more about

In our last couple +1s, we've been chatting about Trevor Moawad's wisdom on what he calls "neutral thinking."   We started by hanging out with Russell Wilson en route to winning a Super Bowl. Then we visited the Johnson Ranch to discuss my relationship with our new chickens and their poop.   (Yes, I can't get enough of those emojis…)   So…   The morning after that chat I had with Emerson about how to approach the chicken situation either negatively, positively, or neutrally, we were doing our family workout—which currently features me chasing the kids on their bikes as we have fun going around the 1/2-mile Trail-loop we created around our property.    Only…   This morning, Emerson's bike had a flat tire.    He immediately started crying—super bummed he wouldn't be able to ride his epic lime green (lol) bike around the Trail as planned.   So…   I cruised over and said, "Buddy! Your tire's flat. That's a bummer. I get it. And.. Remember that

Today we hit the pause button on the ol' #1s as it's taking a little more Energy + Focus than I'm willing to give it vis-a-vis my truly What's Important Now targets. I think I'll be back with these near the end of the year to make sure we're wrapping up 2020 with antifragile ferocity and getting ready to make 2021 THE Greatest Year of our Lives. In the meantime, PNTVs every day thru end of year. And Top 3 kicking off October 1st. LET'S! DO!! THIS!!! As always: Get instant (free) access to all 600+ PhilosophersNotes AND all 50 Optimal Living 101 classes AND 1,000+ Optimize +1s as part of our free 2-week trial: http://optimize.me/

Admiral William H. McRaven is a Retired U.S. Navy SEAL who served for thirty-seven years and commanded at every level. As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment was as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. (During this time, he oversaw the covert mission that killed Osama bin Laden.) In 2014, he gave the commencement address to the graduates of the University of Texas at Austin. Millions of people wound up watching his speech on ten lessons he learned from his Navy SEAL training. This book takes a deeper look at those ten lessons. It's a super-quick read—packed with simple, yet profound wisdom along with moving stories of moral exemplars. It's FANTASTIC.

In our last +1, we spent some more time with Trevor Moawad and explored some more wisdom from his great book, It Takes What It Takes.   As you may recall, we chatted about neutral thinking.   As Trevor says: "No matter where I work, the same truth keeps emerging. Neutral thinking is the key to unlocking a set of behaviors that can turn also-rans into champions and champions into legends."   Today I want to bring that wisdom to life with a little personal example from the Johnson Ranch here outside Austin.    So…   As I was reading the book, I took a break and explained this idea to Emerson.    Here's the example I used: Our chickens. And their poop.    Quick context: As we've discussed, we just moved to the country. We got some chickens because we thought they'd be awesome. They are. The kids love them, etc.    And...    Those gals (and guy) sure know how to poop! And, they seem to especially love to do their work under ou

Today we visit the barn-studio to hang out with 500+ of my favorite books as we check out the studio set up for the upcoming Top 3 Most Life-Changing Book series! :)

As I was prepping for our upcoming Top 3 Most Life-Changing Books series, I realized I could create a little video on my Top 3 favorite teachers. Here it is!

Optimize: https://optimize.me/ (← Get Free Stuff + Free 2-Week Trial!) Optimize Coach: https://optimize.me/coach (← Join 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries!) Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins. Hope you enjoy! Mel Robbins is funny, witty and wise. Her TEDx Talk (called How to stop screwing yourself over) is one of the most popular of all time, with more than 18 million views. This book is also super popular—with over 1,000 Amazon reviews. It's pretty awesome. Actually, the book is REALLY (!) good. In fact, Mel Robbins' 5 Second Rule might just be one of THE most elegantly efficient Tools we can use to close the gap between who we're CAPABLE of being and who we're ACTUALLY being. (Seriously.) Big Ideas we explore include The 5 Second Rule (and how/when to rock it), how to win the game of life (hint: start, stay in, for the long game!), excitement + anxiety (and how they feel the same in the body), managing distractions (today a good day?), and changing your life with

Get instant (free) access to all 600+ PhilosophersNotes AND all 50 Optimal Living 101 classes AND 1,000+ Optimize +1s as part of our free 2-week trial: http://optimize.me/