Optimize With Brian Johnson | More Wisdom In Less Time

In our last +1, we had fun applying Rumi’s wisdom that God turns us from one feeling to another so we have two wings to fly and not one.   Today, we’ll look at another one of my favorite gems from Rumi.   He tells us: “If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?”   Think about that.   If you want to be polished (aka Optimized!!), how do you expect to get there if you’re irritated by every little rub of life?   Guess what?   It’s those “rubs” (aka challenges!) that are MAKING YOU SO SHINY!!!   Rumi also tells us: “This discipline and rough treatment are a furnace to extract the silver from the dross. This testing purifies the gold by boiling the scum away.”   Yep.    That’s the ticket.   We need to embrace all the little rubs antifragile-style as we step into the furnace so we can burn the scum away.    That’s Today’s +1.   Got any challenges these days?   Can you see how the ONLY way you’ve grown in the past is by overcoming challenges?   And that the challenges you’re f

Here’s a quick look behind the scenes for one of our next classes: Journaling 101: How to Use a Pen and Paper to Create Clarity, Confidence, and Consistency. I hope you enjoy this overview of the class (and my process in creating it)! P.S. Optimize with us: http://optimize.me

I've been thinking about how I can help you optimize (technically, I'm pretty much *always* obsessing about it) and realized I should probably do some more behind-the-scenes videos to capture my (often messy) thought process about how to take Optimize to the next level and do my life's work while serving you profoundly and creating an exemplary business that scales in the process. This video is the fruits of that. Hope you enjoy! Optimize with us at https://optimize.me P.S. Notes on my Top 10 favorite Books The Tools by Barry Michels & Phil Stutz: https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/the-tools-barry-michels-phil-stutz/ Deep Work by Cal Newport: https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/deep-work-cal-newport/ The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday: https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/the-daily-stoic-ryan-holiday-stephen-hanselman/ Rethinking Positive Thinking by Gabrielle Oettingen: https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/rethinking-positive-thinking-gabriele-oettingen/ Grit by Angela Duckwo

Michael Gelb is one of the world’s leading creativity teachers. He’s also a qi gong and aikido master who wrote one of my favorite books: “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.” In this book, he teaches us the art of creating connection. Big Ideas we explore include how to optimize our ability to connect (practice with the little moments!), The Pygmalion Effect (aka the self-fulfilling prophecy), the importance of centering for conflict resolution, and how our addiction to digital devices (ADD) is leading to attention deficit disorder (ADD) which is leading to troubles in connecting and what to do about it.

I’m a HUGE fan of Phil and Barry's first book, The Tools. Coming Alive is kinda like The Tools Part 2. In this book, we get four new tools to go along with the original five tools. Big Ideas we explore include how to connect to our Life Force, defeat Part X (their name for that part of each of us that gets in the way), build our confidence and learn to see problems as gifts as we live a GREAT life.

This is a quick-reading, simple, practical guide to, as the sub-title suggests, “Stop Worrying and Quieten Your Mind—Featuring the Buteyko Breathing Method and Mindfulness.” If you’re looking for a general introduction to the power of Oxygen, I’d recommend you go with Patrick’s more recent and more all-purpose Oxygen Advantage. If you suffer from anxiety and/or panic attacks, this might be a great place to start. Big Ideas we explore: The #1 rule of breathing, the 2 key benefits of putting your attention on your breath, why CO2 is your friend and how to play nice, avoiding rat poison and becoming a good mind gardener.

Patrick McKeown is one of the world’s leading teachers of the Buteyko Breathing Method which was created in the 1950s by a Russian doctor named Dr. Konstantin Buteyko. McKeown suffered from asthma for decades until he found the Buteyko Method. At which point, he reversed his asthma symptoms and then dedicated his life to helping others optimize their breathing. In this book, he extends the Buteyko Method into an approach he calls the Oxygen Advantage. Big Ideas we cover include the #1 obstacle to optimal breathing, Oxygen Delivery 101, the #1 breathing tip, and how to dial in your sleep.

This book is an adaptation of a series of essays Katy created over the last five years in which she unpacks her evolving views on what she calls “movement ecology.” It’s not your typical “do X, Y, and Z” optimal living guidebook. It’s a thoughtful and thought-provoking look at why—as you can guess by the title—Movement Matters and a challenging look at how our individual and cultural decisions have created a sedentary culture and a significant nature debt that few of us ever stop to think about. Big Ideas: Stacking your life, minimalism vs. maximalism, the tree of your life, and redefining success.

Welcome: Your Heroic Quest + Making it a Reality Our world needs heroes today more than ever before. We need YOU to be a Hero. We hope you enjoy this video from Friday Night of our weekend immersion workshop: Hero Training 101. Let’s do this! Watch the entire weekend workshop here: www.optimize.me/hero

Do you know why we call our modern marathon a marathon? You may think you know the real story behind the very first marathon, but in this captivating, inspiring tale, Dean Karnazes (named by Men’s Health as one of the 100 Fittest Men of All Time) gives us a deeper look at the man who, 2,500 years ago, ran the first ULTRAmarathon and, in doing so, effectively saved Western civilization. :) Big Ideas we explore: a history lesson The Battle of Marathon, why balance doesn’t lead to happiness (and what does), a 24 Hour Fitness with Harvard profs, heroes are ready and how to play the pain game.

I love Stoicism. In this class we take a quick look at the cast of characters (from founder Zeno to Seneca + Epictetus + Marcus Aurelius) and then dive into the ultimate goal of Stoicism (hint: become bff’s with your inner daimon so you can experience a state of well-being and flourishing) along with the practices that help us apply this wisdom to our lives. We’ll create energized tranquility and equanimity as we have fun becoming our own ideal sages.

Here's what David Allen has to say about Hero Training 101.

James Kouzes and Barry Posner are two of the world’s preeminent researchers on leadership. This is the 25th anniversary, fifth edition version of their best-selling classic that has sold over 2 million copies. One of the things I most like about this book is the fact that it covers the SCIENCE of leadership. Kouzes and Posnar have been conducting empirical research for over three decades. Big Ideas we explore: The 5 Practices (

A former U.S. Navy SEAL Commander, Mark Divine integrates the ancient warrior traditions with grounded, practical virtue and 21st century get-it-done effectiveness in a way that I find incredibly inspiring. Big Ideas we cover include the power of front-sight focus, how to DIRECT your mind, going Yoda on your commitments and creating micro goals when things are tough.

Here’s another behind-the-scenes look at how I’m thinking about The Big 3: Energy + Family + Service as we raise our standards to heroic levels. Primary questions: What does you at your best look like in each domain? What will you experience/who will you be when you are your best? (Aka: The Why) And, most importantly, what ONE thing will you do every.single.day to make that ideal self a reality? Hope you enjoy! More on Hero Training 101: optimize.me/hero

Join us for my first ever offline immersion workshop. It will be at our new Optimize Oasis in Ojai in April. We’re calling it Hero Training 101. It’s time. Learn more: https://optimize.me/hero

So I figured out my one word for 2017: Hērōs. Popped up in meditation this AM. It’s basically the perfect expression of what we discussed yesterday: Community + Consistency. Here’s how I’m thinking about Hērōs + Virtues vs. Bling on this fine first day of 2017! Here’s to stepping into the highest version of ourselves and serving profoundly!!!!

Turning the last page on my 2016 calendar is a pretty exciting thing for me. (Hah.) Here’s a sneak peek at what’s going to be important for me in 2017. You? Let's make 2017 the Greatest Year Ever!! Join nearly 10,000 people Optimizing at https://optimize.me/join

Here’s a quick look at Greatest Year Ever 101. Join us at our new Oasis in Ojai (907 El Centro Street, Ojai 93023) or via Livestream as a member: optimize.me/join. Let’s do this!

Today we take a quick look at my creative planning to help us make 2017 the Greatest Year Ever. Fun! (I mention our membership. If you haven't joined yet and it feels like a good fit, learn more/sign up here: http://optimize.me/join)