Episodes

Holly Shaw, performer and coach, discusses how she discovered her creative DNA through a lifelong relationship with performance—from childhood dancing at jazz concerts to conquering stage fright with an acting coach. She explores how creatives can uncover their unique wiring, treat intuition as a compass rather than a map, and why physical embodiment is the missing piece in the creative conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former NFL player Bret Lockett breaks down the mindset gap between athletes who flame out and those who build sustainable careers, using Tom Bradys systematic approach as the benchmark. The conversation covers the financial traps that bankrupt 80% of NFL players, the cognitive vs physical divide in professional sports, and why most athletes lack the business literacy to translate athletic success into post-career wealth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Thorp King, author of Failure Rules, shares how losing everything multiple times taught him that safety is an illusion and failure is the true teacher. He discusses the spiritual nature of money, the portfolio pursuits mindset, and why building multiple things creates resilience against life inevitable breakdowns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mega-project expert Bent Flyvbjerg breaks down why 99.5% of large projects fail on time and budget, drawing on 25 years of data. He reveals the planning principles that Frank Gehry and Pixar use to deliver world-class results—think slow, act fast, and iterate relentlessly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The commissioner of the NBA 2K League shares how professional gaming has evolved from hobby to legitimate career path. Brendan discusses the league draft process, player development strategies, and why esports skills are more than just grinding hours—covering physical fitness, nutrition, and the emergence of esports schools in Asia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian Portnoy, author of The Geometry of Wealth, explains why the pursuit of more keeps us on a hedonic treadmill while true wealth means funded contentment. He breaks down his four Cs framework—connection, control, competence, and context—and shares how his experiences with billionaires and families struggling to make ends meet shaped his thinking about what money actually buys. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brant Menswar explains why black sheep—those who feel like outcasts—are actually 100% authentically original. He shares his framework for discovering your five non-negotiable core values, the brutal self-honesty required to find them, and how losing his son to cancer clarified what truly matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stanford professor Tina Seelig discusses how traditional education's obsession with grades and roadmaps kills creativity and curiosity. She shares her failure resume exercise, the dangers of pushing yourself past your limits, and how giving students $5 and two hours produced more innovative thinking than any lecture could. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Guillebeau, author of Born For This and creator of World Domination Summit, discusses finding your dream work at the intersection of joy, money, and flow. He shares his journey from juvenile delinquent to visiting every country in the world, the role of believing in your own success, and how to curate experiences that bring out the best in your community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Charles Duhigg breaks down the science of conversation and connection from his book Super Communicators. He explains why 80% of our conversations naturally align, how to use looping for understanding during conflict, and why super communicators ask 10-20x more questions than average. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cell biologist Bruce Lipton explores how subconscious programming shapes our lives, explaining the science behind beliefs and habits. He discusses his research on epigenetics, how environment influences gene expression, and practical methods for reprogramming limiting beliefs installed during childhood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toy entrepreneur Brad Pederson shares how building multiple toy companies and going through three bankruptcies taught him that struggles forge character. From launching a styrofoam glider as a kid to getting thrown into special loans by his bank, Brad unpacks why pride comes before the fall, how he learned to become antifragile rather than just resilient, and why courage is the cardinal virtue that makes creative ideas matter. He discusses the three roles of a CEO, the importance of play for adu...

Brad Montague, creator of Kid President on YouTube, shares how his small-town upbringing and key mentors shaped his creative path. He opens up about working with his brother-in-law Robbie, protecting a child from the pressures of viral fame, and why maintaining childlike wonder is essential for authentic creative work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marketing professor and author Ben Guttmann explains why we over-complicate our messaging and how to apply design principles to communicate with clarity. He breaks down the drill-built method for identifying emotional benefits, shares his controversial take on AI as unlimited stupid people, and reveals why features never sell but benefits always do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economist Allison Schrager, author of An Economist Walks into a Brothel, discusses the psychology of risk tolerance through her framework of financial economics. She explores how our high school social choices reveal risk preferences, the difference between calculated risks and reckless ones, and why taking more risks often leads to becoming better at evaluating them. The conversation covers risk in creative careers, the math of making risky art, and how to organize your thinking around uncertai...

Science journalist Annie Murphy Paul explains her theory of the Extended Mind - how we think better when we use our bodies, environments, and relationships rather than keeping everything in our heads. The conversation covers gesture and memory, why big screens beat laptops for creative work, the neuroscience of exercise, and how physical spaces shape intelligent thinking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Performance coach Alan Stein Jr shares lessons from training NBA legends like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. He discusses the fundamentals that separate elite performers, why he does not let his kids win at games, the danger of measuring success by outcomes vs process, and why the unseen hours of practice matter more than highlights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brant Pinvidic, Hollywood producer and author of The 3 Minute Rule, shares how he accidentally discovered his pitch methodology after being asked to help investment bankers stop putting people to sleep. He breaks down the WHAC method (What is it, How does it work, Are you sure, Can you do it), explains the critical difference between informative and engaging content, and demonstrates his framework live by helping refine the Unmistakable Creative podcast pitch. Brant discusses why most pitches fa...

Ananta Ripa Ajmera, author and Ayurveda expert, shares how ancient Indian wellness practices can help break negative patterns and build sustainable healthy habits. She discusses the importance of morning sun rituals, the three pillars of health (food, sleep, sex), and how small positive choices compound over time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anders Ericsson, the pioneering researcher behind deliberate practice, explains the essential components of purposeful learning and skill development. He discusses how teachers help identify performance gaps, why measuring progress against clear benchmarks is crucial, and the difference between mindless repetition and intentional practice designed to push beyond your current best. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amber Rae shares her mission to redefine ambition—shifting from fear-driven achievement to heart-led self-expression. She discusses her pivotal moment at 22 when she left a conventional tech job during the recession to pursue a more meaningful path, and shares tactics from her work as chief evangelist at startups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brad Stulberg returns to discuss his book Master of Change and the concept of rugged flexibility—combining stability with adaptability to navigate life's transitions. He shares practical frameworks like the 4Ps for managing daily disruptions and Viktor Frankl's tragic optimism for embracing life's inevitable challenges without falling into toxic positivity or despair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shawn Dove, founder of the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, discusses how transformational leaders need support to birth their greatest work—using the metaphor of a doctor pulling his son from a breech delivery. The conversation explores race, media representation, economic mobility, and why those closest to problems hold the most innovative solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera shares how ancient Ayurvedic wisdom can help break self-destructive patterns and build healthier daily habits. The conversation covers the three pillars of health—food, sleep, and sex—and practical morning rituals for connecting with natural rhythms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.