Optimize With Brian Johnson | More Wisdom In Less Time

Here’s a quick look at our next class: Energy 101!  (You can get instant access to dozens of archived classes, hundreds of PhilosophersNotes and Optimize +1s and this class when we release it by becoming an Optimize member: optimize.me )

I created this class after my friend Matt McCall (who helps run the Pritzker Group Venture Capital fund) asked me to do a talk for 60 of their portfolio CEOs. He was thinking “Optimizing for Supheroes 101.” I loved that idea and decided it would be the perfect context to share my absolute best stuff and here we are. In this extra-long class, we start by connecting “Optimizing” and “Hērō” to their ancient Greek philosophical roots then we proceed to walk thru how to go about integrating ancient wisdom, modern science and practical tools to harness our soul force to build strength for two such that we can create our best, most heroic lives.  

We’ve been talking a lot about how champions maximize minutes—giving everything they’ve got into being the best versions of themselves.   Thank you, John Wooden, Vince Lombardi, and Dan Millman for your wisdom.    Today we’e going to invite Gandhi to the party to establish the fact that this isn’t a SPORTS idea, it’s a SPIRITUAL ideal.   Here’s how Gandhi puts it: “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory.”   Full effort is full victory. We do our best, let go of the results and then get back to doing our best. That wisdom is a central theme of Gandhi’s handbook, the Bhagavad Gita.   Now, for a fun twist, let’s bring the conversation back to sports.   Have you ever heard of The Legend of Bagger Vance? It’s an old-school movie starring Will Smith and Matt Damon. Guess what they’re doing? Playing golf.    Short story: Matt Damon (playing Rannulph Junuh) has lost his mojo on the course. His caddy Will Smith (Bagger Vance) teaches him to trust his swing

In our last +1, we continued our chat about the fact that your perfection is already there. It’s just waiting for you to follow Rule #1 and quit doing yourself harm.    I said that that just requires a little more discipline from you. (And me.)   Which makes me think about the connection between our ego and the divine within.   This is part of a much longer discussion. But here’s the quick take.   Most people think we need to “get rid of” our ego or subdue it or tame it or otherwise maim it if we want to tap into the most divinely spiritual within us.   I don’t agree with that approach.   I prefer to think of it more like Joseph Campbell. And Ken Wilber. And Nathaniel Brandon.   Campbell tells us that he doesn’t understand why there’s all this talk about annihilating the ego when, in fact, it’s our egos that keep us in the game.    Then Wilber tells us that it’s not “ego-minus” but “ego-plus.” We need a strong ego that’s plugged into something bigger than ourselves. THAT’s when the magic h

Alexandra joins us as a guest teacher for this class! Learn how to activate your superpowers, increase your mojo & have more fun.

In our last +1, we talked about the science of social comparison and reiterated the fact that it’s toxic.   Remember, as per Sonja Lyubomirsky: “You can’t be envious and happy at the same time. People who pay too much attention to social comparisons find themselves chronically vulnerable, threatened, and insecure.”   Plus: “The happier the person, the less attention she pays to how others around her are doing.”   Today we’re going to talk about what we can do when we inevitably find ourselves feeling the itch of envy.   I love how T Harv Eker puts it in The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. He says: “Bless that which you want. If you see a person with a beautiful home, bless that person and bless that home. If you see a person with a beautiful car, bless that person and bless that car. If you see a person with a loving family, bless that person and bless that family. If you see a person with a beautiful body, bless that person and bless their body.”   There ya go.   That’s Today’s +1.    Feel a

In our last +1, we talked about my mission to become a Spartan World Champion.    My heart skips a beat just typing that.   (Which, btw, is a good “reverse indicator” as my Yoda would say. Btw2: When Phil and I chatted about my contemplations about raising my standards and going all in on the Spartan mission, he told me that I MUST go for it or the Universe will fire me from my job. Laughing.)   So…   The title of that last +1 was “Becoming a Champion.” Today’s it’s called “Being a Champion.”   We’re going to talk about another coach of champions: Ben Bergeron. Ever heard of him?    If you don’t know who he is, have you ever heard of CrossFit? If you’re alive and into Optimizing, my hunch is that you almost certainly have. One more question: Ever watch the CrossFit Games where the world’s best CrossFit athletes get together and see who is “The Fittest on Earth”?    Those world-class CrossFit Games athletes are absolute BEASTS. As in: ASTONISHINGLY strong, skilled and tough.   Only 40 men and

A few +1s ago we talked about Stuart Wilde. He’s an old-school self-help teacher who used to lecture with Wayne Dyer and Louise Hay and Deepak Chopra.    He’s really funny. He’s also a fascinating blend of super-esoteric spirituality AND super-intense discipline. (As per our “Dominate Your Life!!” +1!!)   Today I want to chat about a practical little exercise I’ve been using from his great book Infinite Self.   Short story: The book is, as the title suggests, all about connecting to a power that’s infinitely (!) bigger than us. Call it whatever you want—God, the Universe, the Field, the Force. Doesn’t matter. But, I think we’d all agree that there’s SOMETHING bigger than us that’s beating our hearts and growing our toenails while somehow finding the time to expand the universe at the mind-boggling speed of around 68 kilometers per second per megaparsec.    So…   Stuart tells us that we’d be wise to figure out how to make that infinite power a more conscious, consistent part of our lives. He

Continuing our underwater theme for a moment longer, have you ever heard of hagfish?   They’re pretty creepy. (I apologize in advance for the visual image here but I think it’s worth it…)   Here’s how Steve Chandler describes hagfish in Time Warrior:    “To really live now there are two things I want to phase out of my life forever: (1) Resentments about the past and (2) Worries about the future.   These two activities, strengthened by repeated indulgence, are like hagfish. Hagfish? Many people don’t know what hagfish are, but they are just like worries and resentments.   In the real, undersea world, hagfish are blind, slimy, deepwater eel-like creatures that dart into the orifices of their prey and devour them, alive, from the inside.   Kill the hagfish in your life. Then you can live now and maybe procrastinate later.”   Um. Hmmm… Wow.    That’s a heck of a way to kill your prey, eh? Dart into their orifices and then devour them, alive, from the inside? Yikes.   And, well, that’s Today’s +

In our last +1, we talked about W.H. Auden’s (genius) quip that routine, in an intelligent person, is a sign of ambition. (I laugh with joy every time I type that.)   Then we did a quick check in on your ambition. And, hopefully, we dialed it up a notch and made sure that your routines were reflecting that strong desire to Optimize and actualize in service to your family, community and world.   Today I want to talk about work and play.   A lot of people think those two things are separate.    I think you’re doing it wrong if your work ISN’T play.   Abraham Maslow would agree. He once said that one of the hallmarks of self-actualizing people is that they get to a place where “apparent dichotomies” are dissolved. In Motivation and Personality, he has a chapter in which he describes the “19 Characteristics of the Self-Actualizer.”   Check out the Notes for a super-quick look at all 19 of those self-actualizer characteristics.   For now, know this: The 19th characteristic of self-actualizers i

A couple +1s ago, while celebrating Yuval Noah Harari’s lack of a smartphone, I mentioned the fact that we don’t need to become smashing Luddites in response to the tsunami of technology that hammers us all day every day.   But… We ALSO want to make sure we don’t become addicted users.    The best solution? Be an Optimizite. Let’s make the best use of technology to sculpt the best possible version of yourself. (Recall that Optimize comes from the Latin optimus which literally means “the best.”)   That’s the central theme of Conquering Digital Addiction 101—which might be my favorite master class so far.    Here’s the deal.   You know how Facebook and Instagram and Google make money?   By, essentially, hacking and then selling your attention.   They work REALLY REALLY REALLY (!!!) hard to make sure you spend MORE and MORE and MORE time on their sites and apps.   Then they SELL your attention to (literally) the highest bidder.   Now, of course, there’s nothing inherently evil

In our last +1, we talked about Professor Harari’s two world maps—one before The Scientific Revolution that was all filled in (including areas they knew NOTHING about) and one after that had plenty of empty spaces (accounting for all they things they didn’t know).    Then we talked about YOUR maps. And, hopefully, we all added a good deal more empty space in our maps—especially that space outside our comfort zones that leads to the unknowable zone of our infinite potential.   Today I want to chat about the importance of running our own scientific experiments. Of course, admitting our ignorance is an absolutely essential first step to gaining new knowledge. But, then we’ve gotta throw on our lab coats and get to work!   Before we go there though, how about another quick little history lesson?    So, we all know that Christopher Columbus “discovered” the continent that became known as America. But... He refused to believe it. When he landed on the Bahamas he thought he had discovered islands

Wallace D. Wattles was an old-school Philosopher-Optimizer who wrote The Science of Getting Rich. He also wrote a little book called The Science of Being Great. (Both of those titles are, of course, finalists for best titles ever.)   In The Science of Being Great he has a great line that has been tattooed on my brain since I read it.   He said: “The world needs demonstration more than it needs instruction.”   The world needs DEMONSTRATION more than it needs INSTRUCTION.   Isn’t that a powerful statement?!   (Kinda makes you wonder what you’re demonstrating, eh?)   For example, we know that kids don’t do what they’re told or taught, they do what they SEE. So, it’s pretty obvious we better model the behaviors we want to see in our kids if we want them to grow up to be great humans.    All of which leads us to a little personal story—one from a couple months ago that features me in a (laughably) low moment in my parenting career.    Short story: My dad cursed like a sailor. In fact, he liter

Today we’re going to talk about walking.   Walking is awesome. In fact, it’s so old-school epically awesome in helping thinkers think that our ancient friends even had a Latin phrase to capture its power: Solvitur ambulando.

In our last +1, we talked about the fact that batting .300 over the course of your Major League Baseball career gets you in the Hall of Fame.   Today we’re going to continue the baseball metaphor.    Pop quiz for baseball fans: You know how many perfect games have EVER been thrown?!    (For those who may not know, a perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball (via Wikipedia) as “a game in which a pitcher (or combination of pitchers) pitches for a victory [in a game] that lasts a minimum of nine innings in which no opposing player reaches base.”)   So… Get this: According to Wikipedia, Major League Baseball has been around for 140 years. Over 210,000 (!) games have been played. And only 23 (!) perfect games have ever been pitched. And… No player has ever thrown more than one perfect game.   140 years. 210,000 (!) games. Only 23 perfect games.    And NO pitcher has ever done it twice.   Yet you and I want to have perfect lives. (Hahahahahhaha!)   I’m also reminded of John Woo

In our last +1, we talked about the science of daydreaming. Quick recap: Stay out of the “poor attention control” and “guilty-dysphoric” realms and in the “positive-constructive” mode.   Here’s another way to think about it. (Thanks again to Manoush Zomorodi!)   When your mind is wandering and you’re kinda randomly thinking about your life, do you imagine yourself as the CONQUERING HERO of your own story (positive-constructive!) or the SUFFERING MARTYR (guilty-dysphoric) of the story?   It’s a big distinction.   We want to get REALLY (!) good at noticing when we’re falling into the “woe is me” helpless Victim orientation and SHIFT it into the “Let’s do this!!” Creator orientation.   How?   Well, again, what do you think we’re doing with all these +1s?    I’m basically trying to give you a super-stocked toolshed/armory of tools and weapons and tips and tricks and hacks you can use THE MOMENT you find yourself losing your connection from the best version of yourself.   It all starts

In our last couple +1s, we’ve talked about your breathing. If you haven’t checked out the full Optimal Breathing 101 master class yet, you might dig it.    For now, how about a quick look at the THREE simple rules of optimal breathing?   Here they are: Breathe through your nose Into your belly And exhale slightly longer than you inhaled 1 + 2 + 3 = Magic.   How about a quick inventory then a closer look?   First, the quick inventory: You breathing through your nose? (Most people don’t. Go look around and/or in the mirror. Do you see a mouth gaping open?) Do you breathe deeply (yet calmly) into your belly? (Most people don’t—especially if you breathe through your mouth!) And, is your exhale slightly longer than your inhale? (This is the fastest way to relax!) Now, for the closer look:   Rule #1. Breathe Through Your Nose (EXCLUSIVELY!)   When? All day. Every day. (Including while sleeping and training.)   Why? Well, check out the class for a full description (and/or th

​​Technology is, obviously, awesome. We’ve been using “tech” tools for 2.5 million years since our protohuman ancestors first picked up a stone and used it as a tool. 1.8 million years ago, “we” figured out how to make an acheulean hand axe which was a pretty epic innovation at the time. ​​ ​​So, with the advent of smartphones in what’s known as the “Input Age,” I’m not suggesting we should all become tech-smashing Luddites. But… (And this is a big but!), I also don’t think we should underestimate just how much we play the role of addicted users caught up in the mix of a $7 TRILLION attention economics (/mind-hacking!) industry. ​​ ​​The solution: Become Optimizites—use technology wisely to become the BEST you rather than mindlessly let your 1 million-year-old prefrontal cortex get hacked all day every day. ​​ ​​In the class, we walk through the costs of addiction, then talk about how to conquer it so we can sculpt our ideal lives.  

Since our time with George Leonard exploring his ideas on Mastery, I’ve been thinking about him a lot.   I realized that I forgot to share another one of my favorite Ideas from his great little book that has most changed my life.    It’s super simple but equally powerful.    First, the context.    In a section on getting energy for mastery, George tells us: “A human being is the kind of machine that wears out from lack of use. There are limits, of course, and we do need healthful rest and relaxation, but for the most part we gain energy by using energy... It might well be that all of us possess enormous stores of potential energy, more than we could ever hope to use.”   Of course, as we discuss often, we need to remember to oscillate and train our recovery, etc. but we’ve also gotta know that human beings GAIN energy by USING energy. We’re the kind of machine that wears out from LACK of use.   Which reminds me of super-energized Leonardo da Vinci’s wisdom: “Iron rusts from disuse; stagnant wa