Optimize With Brian Johnson | More Wisdom In Less Time

Want to optimize your life? Try this simple exercise to identify the top things you could *start* doing and *stop* doing that will lead to the most positive impact in your life!!

Did you know there’s an equation for Procrastination? Yep. Expectancy x Value / Impulsiveness x Delay = Motivation. Thank you, Piers Steel. In this great book, Piers (a leading researcher on the science of motivation/procrastination) walks us thru the power of that equation. Big Ideas we explore include: Mental Contrasting (and why it beats creative visualization), goal setting (3 scientific keys) and how to add a month of productivity to your year.

Want to figure out your mission in life? Here are 5 Big Ideas + 5 journal questions + 5 tips to help you rock it!!!

In The Talent Code, Dan Coyle introduced us to the power of myelin and its role in creating world-class performance. In The Little Book of Talent, he shares 52 uber-practical tips on how to improve our skills. Big Ideas we explore include how to actually deliberately practice (hint: find your sweet spot), the most important skill (hint: get good at actually practicing), playing mental movies, adopting a blue collar mind set and thinking like a gardener while acting like a carpenter.

Willpower. It's the queen of all virtues--the greatest predictor of health, happiness, wealth and all other good things. Here are 10 tips on how to build *your* willpower!!

Want to catalyze your motivation + goal attainment? Get your WOOP on! Wish + Outcome + Obstacle + Plan = magic.

Gratitude, as we know, is huge. Here's another really powerful exercise to flex your appreciation muscles and train yourself to see what's working in your life!!

Barbara Oakley teaches one of the largest classes in HISTORY called "Learning How to Learn." (Over 1 million students!) She also wrote the great book, "A Mind for Numbers." Join us as we explore some of my favorite Big Ideas.

Equanimity. The word means 'balanced mind.' (Love that!) Here's how to recover your equanimity when life challenges you!!

Hal Elrod is an inspiring guy. Want to wake up every morning fired up to make today another masterpiece? Then it's time to make your mornings miraculous and Hal shows us how with his Life S.A.V.E.R.S. Join us as we discuss his great book The Miracle Morning.

I'm excited to share some of my favorite super productivity tips. Here's my #1 practice: If it takes -2 minutes, 1-touch it!!

Michael J. Gelb is a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and innovative leadership and author of the bestselling How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci and Brain Power.

Tired of being a perfectionist? Here are some ideas on how to shift out of that debilitating mindset and become an optimalist!! :)

Gabriel Oettingen is one of the world’s leading researchers in “The New Science of Motivation.” The basic idea of the book is captured in a clever image on the cover: Rose colored glasses with one lens cracked. Oettingen walks us thru the compelling research that demonstrates the power of seeing both the positive AND the challenges. When we contrast our wishes with the obstacles to their attainment we, almost magically, catalyze an extraordinarily higher level of performance. 

Gratitude is HUGE. Easiest, most powerful way to boost our happiness levels. Here are some of my favorite tools on how to get our gratitude on and live w/more consistent radiant joy and en*thusiasm! Hope you enjoy! (What are YOU grateful for?! :)

Ronda Rousey is a TOUGH human being. If you’re even remotely familiar with MMA/the UFC, I’m not telling you anything you didn’t already know but reading this book brings the point home even more loud and clear. If you don’t know Ronda, ESPN just voted her the best fighter on the planet. She’s an Olympic medalist in Judo and the biggest (and highest paid!) star in the mixed martial arts world. Imagine if Bruce Lee was alive today. And he was a woman. That’s Ronda Rousey. :)

We're not going to change *everything* all.at.once. But we can make 5% incremental improvements. Here's one powerful way to do that.

Steve Chandler tells us “There is bad and there is good . . . And then there is crazy good." And, our path to living a crazy-good life is simple. It's all about CHOICES. As with all of Steve's books, this one is packed with wisdom. Big Ideas we cover include The 5% Solution, Systems vs. Dreams, Game vs. Shame, and making life an experiment.

Want happiness? Close the gap btwn what you're capable of being and what you're actually being, yo! In other words, live with arete! :)

Is your motivation intrinsic or extrinsic? Pay attention. It has a big impact on your overall happiness and mojo!! (This is the first in a daily series of Optimal Living 101 Big Ideas. Hope you dig 'em! Let me know what you think!! Have something you want me to talk about? Leave a comment!