Inside Quest: Recent Episodes
Inside Quest
Roadblocks, influences, lessons learned, and rules to live by are the meat of Inside Quest. Our goal is to arm the audience with the tools they need to discover and WALK their own path to success. Inside Quest brings together the conversational enthusiasm of a podcast with the intention and structure of a Charlie Rose-style talk show. Please follow us across our various social media platforms below and we'll see you every Friday!
Find out how legendary producer and DJ Steve Aoki started his career in underground music scenes and why staying connected to a community has been the key to his success on this episode of Inside Quest with Tom Bilyeu.
Steve Aoki is the living embodiment of hard work and an amazing example of what happens when you find your voice and go for broke. He founded his record label Dim Mak when he was only 19 years old. And through an insane amount of effort, he has built it into a global brand that people all over the world not only recognize, but have tattooed on themselves.
Steve’s music touches people and brings joy to millions around the world. He not only creates music at a break neck pace, but he's one of the most travelled artists in history, at times performing more than 300 shows in a single year. He's also a restaurateur, an unlockable character in video games, has his own shoe, multiple high-profile fashion collaborations, and he's written, produced, released, or collaborated on a staggering number of hits with an eclectic list of people like Will.I.am, Afrojack, Fall Out Boy, Linkin Park, and Lady Antebellum.
Steve is routinely on the Forbes list of the highest grossing DJs on the planet, and he could just as easily be described as a futurist as a musician. So much so he's created a philanthropic foundation focused on regenerative medicine and brain preservation. His past, however, is as interesting as his future, and his new Netflix exclusive documentary, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead," chronicles his insanely busy life and legendary work ethic and connects the dots between the accomplishment we see today and the kid from a famous father who didn't fit in growing up. Steve’s music and attitude will inspire you to work harder to make your own dreams come true.
What You’ll Learn:
- How to find your unique voice. [3:41]
- Steve’s DIY beginnings in the hardcore community. [5:59]
- Steve’s struggles growing up. [11:10]
- When you should follow your emotions. [15:22]
- The valuable life lessons of skateboarding. [24:18]
- The importance of momentum. [29:55]
- Why imagination is your greatest asset. [37:15]
- Steve’s radical vision for the future. [42:28]
- A simple plan for finding your passion. [50:54]
- Steve’s definition of a life well-lived. [54:51]
Sugar Ray Leonard, Laird Hamilton, Patrick Blake Leeper and the world's elite athletes share their secrets for cultivating a champion's mindset on Inside Quest with Tom Bilyeu. In this episode, you’ll get the insights and motivation you need to crush your goals and perform at the top of your game every single day.
[1:08] Bo Eason: Former NFL player, renowned playwright and actor
[4:12] Firas Zahabi: World-class MMA coach and Muay Thai champion
[6:23] Joe Donnelly: Former NFL player and fitness entrepreneur
[8:34] AJ Hawk: NFL linebacker and Super Bowl Champion
[10:11] Gabrielle Reece: Champion pro beach volleyball player, model, best-selling author and fitness leader
[12:59] Patrick Blake Leeper: World record setting runner, international Paralympics gold, silver and bronze medalist
[15:27] Kenny Florian: UFC fighter, three time title contender
[17:41] Mark Divine: Former Navy Seal, founder of SEALIFT, best-selling author
[19:34] Laird Hamilton: Legendary surfer, best-selling author, inventor, innovator extraordinaire
[22.27] Tim Grover: Renowned all-star athletic trainer, CEO of Attack Athletics
[28:16] Sugar Ray Leonard: Legendary sport icon, world champion boxer, Olympic gold medalist, best-selling author
Exploding the divide between for-profit and nonprofit, TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie explains why the world’s biggest social problems are also the biggest opportunities on this episode of Inside Quest with Tom Bilyeu.
Founder of TOMS Shoes Blake Mycoskie is a serial entrepreneur extraordinaire on a mission to prove that you can use business to improve people's lives. Over the last 10 years, he has built a socially conscious empire that has not only generated a jaw dropping amount of revenue, but has introduced the world to the concept of one for one giving.
Through his company, Blake has donated over 60 million pairs of shoes, restored sight to over 400,000 people, helped to make sure more than 335,000 people have safe drinking water, and supplied safe birth services to over 25,000 women — all while building one of the fastest growing companies in this space and creating an untold number of jobs for people in the first and developing worlds.
For his astounding achievements, Blake has been featured in numerous articles like “How To Fix Capitalism” by Bill Gates and People Magazine's Heroes Among Us. He's also been awarded many much deserved accolades including Fortune Magazine's 40 under 40 business leaders and the Secretary of State's 2009 Award of Corporate Excellence. Blake is also The New York Times best-selling author of Start Something That Matters and was called by Bill Clinton "one of the most interesting entrepreneurs I have ever met."
Listen to Blake’s story of bouncing back from losing the Amazing Race to becoming Chief Shoe Giver at one of the most game-changing organizations of our time.
Things You’ll Learn:
- How to re-frame loss as opportunity. [3:30]
- How businesses can solve social problems. [8:23]
- Why passion is your biggest growth engine. [12:48]
- How to avoid burnout. [22:57]
- The myriad benefits of journaling. [27:02]
- How your priorities reveal your values. [30:08]
- Why winning doesn’t have to mean others lose. [35:57]
- Why experience is the best paycheck you can earn. [43:21]
Grace Bonney is an author, design critic, and owner of DesignSponge, one of the premiere online destinations for design content. Founded in 2004, DesignSponge has grown to a vibrant and thriving community that reaches over 1.5 million people per day and was called the 'Martha Stewart Living for millennials' by the New York Times.
Getting an early start in blogging, Grace has woven herself into the very fabric of the design and DIY communities through her prolific writing. She's also been a contributing editor or freelancer for a litany of some of the most recognizable names in the industry, including House & Garden, InStyle, and New York Magazine. She’s written several books, including her most recent "In the Company of Women, Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs."
Grace’s writing is characterized by her willingness to go beyond the surface aesthetic to find the deeper meaning in human connection behind the design. This remarkably personal approach has made her unbelievably successful. With a relatively small team, she's having a massive impact on the world of design. And she's doing it by focusing on spreading her company's values as well as simply making the world a more beautiful place. Constantly learning and reinventing herself, her broad experience gives her collective works a unique vitality. In short, Grace is a force of nature who is fearlessly herself.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why you should embrace change.
- How naysayers can fuel your success.
- How to be radically authentic.
- The benefits of being eclectic.
- How to build a community around your passion.
- When to trust advice from outsiders.
- Why you should always move toward fear.
Are leaders made or born? Author and TED speaker Simon Sinek dispels myths about leadership and reveals the one thing that good leaders always get right on this episode of Inside Quest with Tom Bilyeu.
What You'll Learn in this Episode:
- Why everyone has the capacity to be a leader.
- How to create environments that foster success.
- Identifying the signs of bad leadership.
- The meaning of courage.
- How to measure leadership.
- Why creating a work family is so important.
- Why we all have the right to love our jobs.
- Why Millennials struggle with career success.
Steve Maxwell is a real life nomad that travels the world teaching people martial arts with nothing more than what he can carry on his back. He has over 50 years of training under his black belt, and some seriously counter-intuitive approaches to life. Named as one of the top 100 trainers in the US by Men's Journal, this former NCAA division one wrestler and Brazilian Jujitsu Pan-American and world championship gold medal winner has become a crucial part of the fabric of modern Jujitsu.
Maxwell’s credentials include being the first American black belt under Relson Gracie, opening the first Gracie Jujitsu school on the East Coast, and being one of the original investors in the UFC. He was also the strength and conditioning coach for Jujitsu legend Royce Gracie and helped prepare him for his historic victory at UFC One. Maxwell’s undeniable talents as a teacher have made him one of the most sought after instructors in the world. In addition to the countless workshops that he gives all over the globe, he has trained the likes of famed UFC commentator and long-time MMA practitioner Joe Rogan, as well as multiple branches of the US government. His highly effective and insanely creative approach to strength and conditioning is also seen and featured in countless books and magazines including Men's Health, Muscle Media and the Naked Warrior.
What you'll learn in this episode:
- How wrestling cultivates discipline.
- The difference between performance vs. ego lifting.
- The symbolism of body parts and postural integration.
- How to create a firm belief in yourself.
- How to pivot when things aren't working.
- Why not all your thoughts are yours.
- The concepts of A.N.T.S. and F.E.A.R.
- The student mindset.
Sugar Ray Leonard is one of the most legendary sports icons of the 20th century. Fighting since the age of 14, this master of the sweet science of boxing had already racked up a staggering 155 fights before he even went pro, which ultimately culminated in three national Golden gloves titles, two AAU championships, the pan-American games crown, and a very memorable gold medal at the 1976 Olympic games. However, what Sugar Ray did as an amateur pales in comparison to his subsequent 20 year reign as one of the most dominant professional boxers. Sugar Ray’s feats in the ring captured the imagination of an entire generation as he defeated a litany of the finest boxers of the modern era in some of the most celebrated fights in the history of the sport. He's a six-time champion who was the first boxer ever to win a championship title in five different weight classes. By the time he retired, he was the first fighter to earn more than $100 million in prize money. And his accomplishments in the ring firmly established his position in the pantheon of all-time greats.
Not content to just retire, Sugar Ray has gone on to add a new dimension to his legacy as the unofficial ambassador for the sport of boxing and become a wildly active philanthropist. Sugar Ray and his wife, Bernadette, have created a foundation that amplifies the efforts in that fight against diabetes and obesity. And to top it all off, Sugar Ray has penned a raw and powerful autobiography titled "The Big Fight: My Life in and Out of the Ring.” In this episode, Sugar Ray dives deep into what it took for him to become a champion, and how in his darkest moments he learned to pivot.
What You'll Learn in this Episode:
- The benefits of tunnel vision.
- How to actively construct a “comeback".
- Visualization tactics.
- The concept of P.O.W.E.R.
- How to deal with doubt.
- How to surrender.
- Redefining masculinity.
- Why the little things make all the difference.
- Why perspective is everything—in and out of the ring.
Is pride getting in the way of your growth? Founder of JetBlue and CEO of JetSuite Alex Wilcox shares why vulnerability helped him soar in the travel industry on Inside Quest with Tom Bilyeu.
Throughout his impressive career, Alex Wilcox has founded an astonishing four airline companies, including the hugely successful JetBlue Airways and the newly launched JetSuite. A pilot by the age of 16, he paid for his flying lessons with money that he earned, working every conceivable job you can imagine at his local airport. He cleaned, he loaded, fueled. Everything on airplanes, all in an effort to fund his love of flying.
Starting his career at the ground floor, through grit and determination, he went from an unknown kid at the Virgin Atlantic ticket counter in Miami to a New York based junior executive in the company in just three months. He's been credited as the driving force behind many of the industry changing innovations that we all enjoy while traveling today.
In this episode of Inside Quest, host Tom Bilyeu talks with Alex about how he became one of the most influential minds in the travel industry and the valuable people skills he’s learned along his flight path to success.
- Why asking questions is key to finding solutions.
- How to cultivate empathy.
- How to efficiently use 8 mins to reconnect with your team.
- Why asking for help matters.
- When to lay your vulnerability on the table.
- The Checklist Manifesto.
- When to question authority.
- The Myth of the CEO.
- How to build the pieces leading up to a Moonshot.
Is trust earned or given? Hint: Neither. On this episode of Inside Quest, best-selling author David Burkus reveals the secrets to building trust at work and at home.
In an in-depth interview with Tom Bilyeu, management professor and creativity myth-buster David Burkus discusses the human side of business. Covering topics as diverse as Brazilian jiu jitsu and mindfulness, David explains why trust must begin with vulnerability and how to recover from failed ventures by competing with people who are better than you.
Drawing parallels between jiu jitsu and business, David shares insights on how companies and employees can achieve more success and grow faster. Challenging professional norms and corporate dogma, David cites cases after case of companies employing innovative practices that have achieved great results. One example is the counter-intuitive notion of unlimited vacation policy. David explains the psychological processes behind this policy that make it a success for both employees and management.
Don't miss this fascinating journey into the mind of one of the most-forward thinking management experts today.
What you'll learn in this Episode:
- Why there is no wrong way.
- The benefits of the growth mindset in martial arts.
- How to challenge and grow yourself.
- How to use friendly competition to your advantage.
- Why injecting a culture of "help" creates opportunities for mentorships.
- Establishing group norms.
- What it means to be an employee today.
- The building blocks of trust.
Learning from your mistakes and failures is the fastest way to growth. Hear how Rainn Wilson, Russell Simmons, Lisa Nichols and more turned failure into success on Inside Quest with Tom Bilyeu. Failure is an everyday reality, but it's how we respond to adversity that will determine our future.
On this special episode of Inside Quest, we collect the wisdom of the world's most successful people on failure and how to overcome it. Hear stories and insights from Peter Diamandis, Gabrielle Reece, Howard Marks, Robert Greene, Criss Angel, Carol Dweck, Joe Donnelly, Shabnam Mogharabi, and Tim Grover.
Featured in this Episode: 1. Carol Dweck 2. Rainn Wilson 3. Criss Angel 4. Tim Grover 5. Gabrielle Reece 6. Russell Simmons 7. Howard Marks 8. Shabnam Mogharabi 9. Peter Diamandis 10. Robert Greene 11. Lisa Nichols 12. Joe Donnelly
Creator of Foundr Magazine Nathan Chan shares how he discovered his life's purpose and raced down the path to success.
What You'll Get in the Episode:
- How to find your purpose.
- Why working on yourself first is crucial in entrepreneurship.
- How to build a business from scratch.
- The importance of finding mentors.
- How to listen to your inner compass.
- Why speed is everything.
- How to think strategically.
- The benefits of rapid iteration.
- How to scale what's working.
- Why integrity matters.
Magician Criss Angel debunks the illusion of overnight success and reveals the key to achieving your goals is believing the impossible.
Listen to the podcast to find out:
- Why rejection can be a powerful motivator.
- How to stay hungry in paradise.
- The importance of sweat equity.
- How to commit to the process.
- The power of believing in yourself.
- How to find your niche.
- How to deal with naysayers.
- Criss Angel’s greatest life mission.
Lisa Nichols is founder and CEO of a multi-million dollar enterprise, author of seven books, and a world-renown speaker. But she was once a struggling single mom on public assistance. Learn about her transformation from rock bottom to a life of abundance.
Achievement drips from A.J. Hawk's pores like most people drip sweat on a hot summer's day. He's a Super Bowl Champion who graduated from the Ohio State University with a BA in criminology, and is living proof that success comes to those who train their minds as voraciously as they train their bodies. A unanimous pick for first team all-American during college, A.J. Hawk went on to become a first round draft pick for the Green Bay Packers. He was picked fifth overall in the NFL draft and played for 10 years (the average career is 3.3 years). He ranks number one in Packers franchise history with 1,025 tackles and was chosen by his teammates multiple times as their play-off captain. And while his hard work and stellar performance may have helped the Packers win a Super Bowl, what really makes him special is his quest for self-improvement beyond the football field. He's the creator and host of the popular HawkCast show and he's made a second career out of learning! A.J. has interviewed some seriously incredible minds, ranging from sports luminaries to business leaders.
In this episode you'll learn:
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Why rituals and routine are effective in parenting.
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How to not take things so personally.
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How to use curiosity as fuel to break through limits.
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Why being present is important.
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The advantage of naivety.
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How to move quickly forward after a mistake.
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How to remain practical.
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Why controlling your own story is important.
If you’re looking to invest in your intellect, there is no better guest than the founder and CEO of Wealthy Minds, Inc., Billionaire PA. He’s a formerly homeless, two-time felon turned entrepreneur, optimist, and TEDx speaker. He’s living proof that it does not matter where you start, but rather where you want to go, and how hard you are willing to work to get there. Due to his felony convictions, he was turned down for roughly 150 jobs, but rather than make excuses and give up or double down on a life of crime. Billionaire accepted that no one but him could control his destiny. In a flash of inspiration, he realized that he didn’t need to look for a job, he needed to create one. Billionaire PA founded his own company and began printing his slogans on t-shirts and selling them on the street corners in Los Angeles. His positivity, hard work, and endless hustle were so effective that his first two shirts alone sold 5,000 units without the use of a distribution partner!
It doesn’t stop there, Billionaire PA has publicly voiced his goal is to to positively impacting the lives of a billion people! He’s been sponsored by some of the largest companies in the world, including Procter & Gamble, the Home Depot, and the Huffington Post, as well as featured on mainstream media.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. How to create a “wealthy mind”. 2. How to build a foundation of trust, loyalty, and respect. 3. Why execution is more important than just speaking your dreams. 4. Why relationships matter. 5. How failure introduces you to success. 6. How to remind yourself how to think. 7. Why accountability matters. 8. The difference between happiness and joy.
If you’re looking to take your brain game to the next level, there is no better guest than JP Pawliw-Fry. He’s the best selling author and performance coach who has trained some of the world’s top athletes and business leaders. He was also one of the highest rated lecturers during his time as an instructor at the Kellogg School of Management. JP is living proof that one can master the art of performing when the stakes are high. He’s the co-founder of the Institute for Health and Human Potential, and has dedicated himself to helping people fully realize their potential through applied neuroscience and extensive behavioral studies.
JP Pawliw-Fry was trained at Queen’s University, Harvard Medical School’s Mind Body Medical Institute and the Stress Clinic at the University of Massachusetts’s Medical Center. His passion and use of data driven insights on the neurochemical realities of performance have made him one of the most sought after speakers on the planet and a top advisor to numerous fortune 100 companies, including Johnson and Johnson, Goldman Sachs, and HSBC. In fact, during the recent economic crisis when the pressure was truly at it’s highest, multiple global financial institutions reached out to him for guidance on how to make real and lasting change within their organizations.JP has synthesized a rich background of diverse ideology that has allowed him to have success as an advisor from the boardroom all the way to the basketball court.
And he’s about to deliver in spades insights on just how to maximize your performance under pressure.
William Ury is a negotiations adviser and conflict mediator whose experience has taken him from Kentucky coal mine strikes to ethnic wars in the Middle East, the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union. He authored Getting to Yes, the world’s bestselling book on negotiations that has been translated into 34 languages. He served as a consultant to the Crisis Management Center at the White House in the 80’s to help the U.S. and Soviet governments create nuclear crisis centers designed to avert an accidental nuclear war.
If you want to come down with a case of highly infectious positivity, spend 15 minutes with Naveen Jain. By the time you finish your conversation you’ll be compelled, inspired and motivated to solve the world’s biggest problems. That’s because when Naveen talks about what he does on a day-to-day basis, (which is literally “solving the world’s biggest problems”) you start to realize that even your wildest dreams are within reach. Naveen teaches us that there’s a plausible career in thinking big.
As the founder of Moon Express, the World Innovation Institute, iNome, Talentwise, Intelius and Infospace, Naveen is living proof that one person can accomplish a lot in a lifetime. And he’s just getting started. He’s boldly going where no private company has gone before – the Moon. His big idea is to create a completely new fuel and energy market by mining Helium3 from our celestial cousin for use on Earth. And the best part, he makes a truly out-of-this-world announcement on this episode. You’ll have to watch to know what I’m talking about.
Naveen is a font of indispensable knowledge, wisdom and inspiration – his infectious nature has led him to be one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the world and I cannot wait to see what seemingly impossible idea he’ll next turn into a reality.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. What should motivate all entrepreneurs to success. 2. Why we need to stop worshipping actors, athletes and celebrities and embrace scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators. 3. How looking at a problem from all angles allows you to choose the best plan of attack. 4. Why we need to solve problems not symptoms of problems. 5. Why you should dream so big other people think you’re crazy. 6. Why you shouldn’t focus on making money. 7. How taking a big idea to fruition is a step-by-step process, not a giant leap. 8. That being busy isn’t the way to move forward. 9. Why you need to learn to pivot with purpose. 10. How come it’s essential to fail early.
Gabrielle Reece is a beautiful human being. I don’t just say that in reference to the former Volleyball virtuoso’s modeling career, or how she dominated the 90’s with her striking looks and indomitable will. Over twenty years later, she fully understands that her currency extends beyond the superficial and is rooted deep in her mindset. From a very young age Gabrielle knew that looks weren’t everlasting – the same goes for athletic talent. Instead of defining herself through the incredible accomplishments of her 20’s, she instead forged an iron will that lasts a lifetime.
With her volleyball and modelling career in the rearview, Gabby is now an author, mother and fitness inspiration to women across the globe. Gabby and her husband, surfer Laird Hamilton, have created the XPT (Extreme Performance Training) workout to encourage an active lifestyle. She’s the host of the NBC competition series “Strong” and creates incredibly inspiring blog posts designed to foster confidence through her website www.gabriellereece.com.
I didn’t know what to expect from our time together on the IQ stage, I was just excited to talk to Gabrielle Reece. By the end I was blown away by her wisdom, wit and winning attitude about a life well-lived. She dispensed nugget after nugget of tangible wisdom that’s usable for everyone willing to escape the Matrix. Watch this episode, it can change you.
Fearless is a bold word, one that I’ve used to describe a few guests on IQ. It’s a necessary skill for any entrepreneur to learn. Laird Hamilton’s business is riding big waves (and it’s on a comparatively tiny board). He cheats death on a fairly regular basis, and has done so from an early age. At 52 and still riding high, I’d say he’s got fearlessness pretty well figured out.
Laird wouldn’t call himself fearless, though. To him, that’s another word for “reckless.” He approaches the craft of big wave riding with the same respect and humility he brings to IQ. Despite breaking countless bones over the course of his career, Laird is living proof of a connection one can find that transcends science, but not sense.
You might notice an ever-so-slight stiffness in Laird’s step as he takes the stage, because he just had hip replacement surgery. You won’t see him wince, though, despite the fact he’s rejecting pain medication. His reasoning to tough it out is simple: anti-inflmmatories slow down healing. He wants to get back out there and surf! If there’s anything tougher than that mindset, it’s the fact that he was AWAKE during surgery… even making phone calls! When was the last time a friend hit you up with a bone-saw cutting through their side?! Emoji texts surely would not do that one justice.
I asked Laird to clarify just how high some of these waves he’s ridden have been (some supposedly reached 100ft). He confirmed and responded with “we’re limited by what the ocean produces.” Yes… he used the term “limited” to describe his unprecedented feats of defying nature. If anyone can show you just how unlimited our potential is, it’s this man.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. Why the greatest surfer in the world has never competed in his sport. 2. The difference between being afraid and being scared. 3. How instincts are primitively tied to fear. 4. Why finding a special purpose helps you achieve fulfillment. 5. The difference between competitive and creative fulfillment. 6. How we’re all constantly in competition with death. 7. Why the ocean is a master teacher. 8. What makes the ocean the most conductive element on Earth. 9. The performance enhancement and surreal powers of controlled breathing. 10. How anesthesia delays recovery time. 11. Why your memories should never be larger than your dreams.
Inside Quest host Tom Bilyeu fields questions from IQ fans across the world in the third edition of ATA (Ask Tom Anything)!
IQ meets MarieTV! Catch a crossover course between guest Marie Forleo and host Tom Bilyeu on reaching your own personal potential in business and marketing. Inside Quest starts NOW!
If I were to say to you, “you need to learn how to learn” I assume you’d think I was misquoting Yoda. But I want you to think about that for a moment. Can you remember a time in your life where you focused on the act of learning and how your brain translates visual and auditory stimuli into knowledge? What if learning wasn’t something you could take for granted? That’s the life of Jim Kwik. The world-renowned speaker and teacher suffered a brain injury as a child that impaired his ability to learn. What would take the typical student minutes to comprehend would take Jim hours, months or even years. When faced with the circumstance life dealt him, he drew inspiration from an unlikely source, comic books.
While the world slept, Jim read comic books — tales of ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary deeds. His heroes pushed their mental and physical limits against all odds to succeed in the end. How appropriate that a man named Jim Kwik at birth became the world’s leading memory and speed-reading expert. It’s not uncommon for Jim to speak to a room of hundreds and remember the names of everyone he called on at the end of his presentation. Or to ask the audience for a string of 100 numbers only to recite them perfectly from memory. These are tools that Jim developed over time, just like the super heroes that inspired him as a kid, Jim now inspires thousands through his learning and empowerment programs.
Kwik Learning and SuperheroYou are educational programs built to help you unlock the potential of your brain and discover your super powers. Jim puts it best, “If knowledge is power, then learning is a superpower.” After spending an hour with him on the stage, I left hungrier than ever to continue my quest for acquiring knowledge and skills. I hope you feel the same way.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. That your brain is the ultimate super power. 2. How challenge motivates change. 3. Why negative momentum can only take you so far. 4. Why the same level of thinking that has created your problems won’t solve your problems. 5. Why it’s better to be a thermostat than a thermometer. 6. How thinking with your head, hands and heart is the most effective way to accomplish personal goals. 7. With great responsibility comes great power. 8. How to go beyond the circumstances of a fixed mindset. 9. Why it’s increasingly important to unplug from social media and remember how to think for yourself. 10. Why the first hour of your day is the most important.
Blake Leeper is an unbelievable embodiment of the 5th Quest Belief: You can do anything you set your mind to, without limitation. Blake is one of the fastest runners in the world, a feat that’s astonishing in itself. But Blake has an extra hurdle to clear to sprint faster than his fellow athletes – he was born without legs.
He’s literally a bladerunner, but Blake’s mind is even sharper that his racing razors. Despite his nearly unheard-of condition, bilateral congenital below-the-knee amputees, Blake has cultivated an unflinching determination to become one of the world’s elite athletes. More specifically, he wants to be the fastest person on Earth… and believe it or not, he’s on the right track (and earning medals along the way). His success thus far is further proof that human potential is nearly limitless. Blake is a hybrid icon of our generation, an unprecedented success of prosthetics innovation and a testament of the human spirit.
Some of Blake’s most vivid prosthetic leg memories and mindset triggers actually come from middle school, so it’s immediately apparent how deeply rooted his ideals and ultimate ambitions are. When we talked about his motivational Middle School moments, reinforced by his fearless “Never Give Up” attitude, I got chills on set.
Blake’s pursuit to become the world’s fastest runner isn’t in a subcategory for the disabled. If he qualifies for the able-bodied Olympics in Rio this summer, he’ll have a shot at becoming the first paralympic athlete to ever win gold in standard Olympic competition. Imagine the history-making moment when he leaves those “able-bodied competitors” lacing their shoes in his dust.
We’ll keep an eye on the finish line for you, Blake. Hopefully we don’t blink.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. The most exclamatory reason you should never make excuses. 2. How to handle the 90% of life that comes from beyond your condition. 3. Why you should learn to laugh at yourself. 4. The mindset needed to approach a goal when you’re the first of your kind to chase it. 5. Workout mantras when you need to exceed your max. 6. Who sets YOUR boundaries. 7. How to respond to training sympathy or the easy-way-out. 8. The power of a “Never Give Up” mentality. 9. Why you need to exceed standard expectations when someone considers lowering them for you. 10. Why you need to live above average. 11. The modern, personalized interpretation of “manifest destiny.” 12. A physical practice to help you feel joy. 13. Where you can see Blake train, four days a week!
Within 15 minutes of our interview, the world’s leading executive coach, Marshall Goldsmith, displayed in real time why he’s earned a lifetime of accolades. His job is to assess and coach leaders and without me even realizing it, he was holding me accountable to the words coming out of my mouth. It was an eye-opening experience and I hope you enjoy the way he calls me on my need to reward my intelligence as much as I did.
The main point I want to drive home for this episode is to listen to the wisdom coming out of this man’s mouth. He actually practices his teachings and it has elevated him to coaching the CEOs of over 150 major corporations. The most compelling story from our time together is how he pays someone to call and ask him active questions in order to hold himself accountable to his own beliefs.
Accountability is key to Marshall’s ethos and he’s the first to admit that it’s okay to be wrong. Being wrong means you admit you can do better. Embrace your lack of knowledge and see it as a learning opportunity instead of a weakness. At the end of the day, the only person you have to answer to is yourself. If it’s not working, change it.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. Why you need to discover who you want to be 2. Why you need to let go of the things you can’t change. 3. Why it’s okay to be wrong as long as you’re always learning 4. How the most rewarding payment is through reaching someone 5. How an idea can take you all the way to success 6. Why you need to adopt “active questions” to hold yourself accountable 7. The difference between planners and do-ers 8. Why there’s nothing wrong with needing help 9. Why it’s time to calm the “monkey mind” 10. Why it’s an admirable move to admit you’re wrong
I remember the obscenity controversy surrounding 2 Live Crew – never thinking to myself that one day I would pick the brain of the man at the forefront of the conversation, Luther Campbell. While now he’s older, wiser and an incredibly inspiring man, the impetus to never accept the concept of “can’t” has always been his driving force. That’s because at the end of the day Luther is and always will be a thinking man.
After spending some time with him I was blown away by his ability to stand back, assess a situation and postulate all possible outcomes without reacting emotionally. This is a guy who faced two choices: End up in jail or take control of his own destiny. He chose the latter. Luther’s career is a prime example of what happens when you get out of your own way and stop trying to manipulate outcomes. When life throws up a challenge, he analyzes it from all angles and makes an informed decision devoid of destructive emotion.
I couldn’t have asked for a better guest to share the stage with. Luther is an inspiration to hundreds of misguided youth in his hometown of Liberty City, Florida because he learned the importance of mentorship at a young age. Liberty City is lucky to have him and so is Inside Quest.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. Why you can’t avoid working for what you want. 2. How common sense can save your life. 3. Why a 180 degree change in your life is a good thing. 4. Why listening to others’ advice is pivotal to becoming a well-rounded person. 5. Why you should always love what you’re doing in the moment because you have no clue where it will take you. 6. Why carving out a niche in your hometown is sometimes better than breaking into a “mainstream” market. 7. Why “no” shouldn’t be a part of your vocabulary. 8. How to get all questions out of your system at a young age. 9. How an education is life’s reset button.
Legendary Godfather of Hip-hop, entrepreneur, philanthropist and enlightened being, Russell Simmons explores deep ideas with Tom on this incredible episode of Inside Quest!
Every week I get the chance to sit across from some of the most impactful human forces in the world’s biggest industries, but not often do I get to kick it with one of my own friends. Dave and I have known each other for a few years, but his impeccable resume has lost none of its luster since getting to know him. You may recognize a couple of his laurels: Amazon and Google.
Dave is similar to some of our previous guests: a wildly successful investor who struck 21st century gold in San Francisco. His formula for finding future fortune always involves one key molecule: evergreen. We’re not talking environmental conservation, here (although I’m sure you could make a mint off an evergreen evergreen business), but building the kind of business that’s future-proof for generations to come.
Dave sizes up dozens of prospective investments each month. Much to my surprise, some of his strongest investment inclinations aren’t rooted in these future partners’ strong business acumen. The universal trait Dave has found in all his best budding entrepreneurs is actually the most public-facing quality of all: their character.
Instead of talking ROI and market impact, Dave opens the investment dialogue with their upbringing, family values, and what lessons that life has bestowed upon them — their actual life story. That being said, don’t think you can waltz up to an investment meeting, share some childhood memories, and smile your way into venture capital (or a job at Quest)… but it sure starts the ball rolling in the right direction.
The prospect of a hot new evergreen business whets Dave’s appetite like a neurologically nuanced book does mine. But Dave isn’ looking for someone on a cash-grab with an exit strategy; he’s looking for businesses that measure success by how well they deliver on their mission… maybe that’s why we hit it off so well.
And as a fair warning to my 2x or 3x listeners out there… Dave hits the IQ stage in high gear, so you might want to ease into this one at less than terminal velocity.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. What makes an evergreen business. 2. How so few businesses can survive generations. 3. An old myth about one-sided entrepreneurship debunked. (10:00) 4. How to bring “your purpose” to life within your company. 5. The trick to being master of all. 6. Why you should be willing to pivot. 7. How to transform from a camel into a lion… and maybe one day, a dragon. 8. The power of ritualistic scarification. 9. How wealth is a byproduct of something greater. 10. The most determinate characteristic of successful Navy SEALs. (35:00) 11. What makes a great place to work. 12. The power of your subconscious brain and how quickly it can work.
There’s nothing more satisfying than a successful brain coupling — that moment when your brainwaves mirror those of the person you’re speaking to. That’s exactly what happened when I shared the IQ stage with Jason Silva. He’s best known as the host of the Emmy-Award nominated smash hit Brain Games on National Geographic Channel. But to cut his resume off there is doing this man a great disservice. He’s the perfect blend of Carl Sagan and Ray Kurzweil with a bit of Mark Twain thrown in for good measure. His YouTube Channel “Shots of Awe” is on my must-watch list (at 2x), if you’re not subscribed, you should be. There he creates bite-sized pieces of content about the dichotomy of being human in an increasingly robotic world.
Jason has an encyclopedic knowledge of philosophy, futurism and literature – he’s loaded with such a humbling array of information that any conversation with him quickly detours down the rabbit hole of awesome. His unique outlook on the convergence of technology and humanity is so invigorating that it could instill hope about the future in the staunchest doomsday prepper.
It’s not every day that someone can humble me with their knowledge, but Jason’s brain absorbs information at a rate that gives me a run for my money. Although we only had an hour together, I could easily see myself pondering the future, infinity, the cosmos and everything in between with the guy for far longer. If his YouTube channel is comparable to an espresso shot of inspiration, consider this episode of Inside Quest the main course.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. How the best path forward in life is to do what you love, even if you’re failing. 2. Why we don’t have a direct experience of reality. 3. How you can co-author your world. 4. Why there’s a solution to every problem. 5. How opening yourself to awe can change your life. 6. Why it’s okay to be an artist and not an academic. 7. How language is a form of ESP for humanity. 8. Why you should be “pronoid” instead of paranoid. 9. The benefits of living as if everything is a miracle. 10. Why all realities are virtual and how all virtualities are real.
My obsession with the human brain knows no bounds. The more precisely we can study its workings, the better. As if I wasn’t sold on “The Institute for Health and Human Potential” by name alone, their full curriculum of leadership, emotional intelligence, and the neurological breakdown of performing under pressure is the kind of stuff I could study ALL DAY! This week’s special guest and thought leader is Bill Benjamin, Master of Emotion, partner and keynote speaker to the IHHP.
Bill’s crash-course in “Performing Under Pressure” is IQ 101: we’ll analyze how it comes into play in day-to-day life and break it down to a neurological level. You can have all the talent and knowledge in the world, but when you’re under the gun, the first thing to betray you will always be the same: your emotions.
Emotion can be disguised as momentum in the heat of battle. The rush experienced while bickering with a supervisor or loved one is the same rush you’d experience when challenged by a lion in the wild. It would seem our infinitely intricate brains are still ironically ancient.
A few weeks back, IQ guest Steven Kotler shared his tremendously triumphant story of the human spirit, which brought him back from the verge of suicide. He touched on the fascinating concept of “getting into the gap.” You’re going to feel the incoming sensory assault no matter what, but the way you process that feeling is up to you. Bill Benjamin is here to take this idea a step further.
Bill’s methods range from common, subtle hand gestures to breathing and meditation. I know what you’re thinking… but when advice like that comes from a guy with degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics, it’s worth paying attention. Bill Benjamin’s episode on Inside Quest touches upon the initial keys to cultivating a peak cerebral, chemical cascade which can help set you down a path for future success.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. Your new meaning for the acronym ‘SOS’ and why you should use it so frequently in life. 2. Why you should look to reach “the other side of the bridge” with people more often. 3. How you can fool your brain… with just a pencil! (or any type of stick) 4. The difference between testosterone and cortisol, two of the brain’s most powerful neurochemicals. 5. What kind of postures exude confidence. 6. Dangerous truths to models of the Four Horsemen of the (Communication) Apocalypse. 7. Why the top 10% of physical performers are so open to critical feedback. 8. The physiological response your body has to perceiving certain moments as a crisis VS opportunity. 9. The almond-sized ‘amygdala’ portion of your brain, and its tremendous affect on behavior. 10. How to consciously re-wire your brain for yielding different reactions to various stimuli. 11. Why you must learn to separate a behavior from a person. 12. The “reverse close” – a classic sales technique.
You look at his track record Howard Marks has more in common with a gambler than a leader of business. What separates him from the sea of other entrepreneurs occupying the same space is that where others see a lost cause, Howard sees an opportunity. When he and Bobby Kotick purchased Activision in the early 90’s, the company was bleeding money. After he and his partners invested everything into the dying company they saw it rise from the ashes of its former glory as an 80’s powerhouse video game development studio to the leading video game developer and publisher today.
The lessons learned from Howard Marks’ early career endeavors are what fuel his current company, StartEngine. They’ve set out to breathe new life into the small business ecosphere putting the power in the hands of the people by democratizing investments. Every business begins with a mission and Howard has helped over 60 companies define what their mission is.
Howard Marks aims to beat Silicon Valley at its own game by removing the boardroom barrier and giving the general public a seat at the entrepreneurial table. He’s an iconoclast, visionary and madman rolled into one and he’s revolutionizing the capitalist system one business at a time. If you’ve ever wanted to find out how to change the world, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. How grit can take you farther than a great idea. 2. Why you can’t invent passion. 3. How a clearly defined mission can make a world of difference. 4. Why the JOBS Act is going to change our country. 5. Why you should invest in things you care about. 6. Why it’s okay to have no idea what you’re doing. 7. How crowd funding will be the future of small business. 8. Why you should let the naysayers empower your dreams.
Psychoanalyst, Psychologist and best-selling author of "The Brain that Changes Itself," Dr. Norman Doidge revolutionized how we understand the human brain.
I would love to bring a real-life superhero on IQ someday, but since they survive only in the realm of comic books and movies, I honed in on the next best thing – Steven Kotler. He’s like a living Professor X. His dream it is to harness the hidden, superhuman potential in all of us through furthering our understanding of Flow States.
A Flow State is that awesome moment where all external stimuli shut down and your brain engages with laser focus on the task at hand. Whether you’re creating a woodworking masterpiece in your garage or attempting to jump the Great Wall on a skateboard, there’s no barrier to the power of a brain undergoing Flow. It’s what makes us tick at 20x and tap our hidden potential. In this episode and throughout Steven Kotler’s New York Times Bestselling book “Rise of the Superman,” he explains how extreme sports athletes harness flow states to conquer what was once thought impossible.
We’re alive at an incredible time in human history. Our understanding of the brain and how it functions could soon make it so we’re able to call upon flow states on command. So while we’re not quite at the intersection of Moore’s Law and Human Athletic Potential, the linear progression of evolution may soon reach exponential growth.
Steven Kotler is challenging himself to transform science fiction into science fact. His goal to map the Flow Genome by 2020 is some of the most exciting research being done today, and I can’t wait until he succeeds.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. Why we need to imagine a bigger tomorrow. 2. How dreams will shape the future. 3. How the darkest periods in life can lead to a brighter worldview. 4. Why extreme athletes are leading our understanding of the brain. 5. How it’s easier to go 10x than an extra 10%. 6. Why discovering your purpose in life won’t happen overnight. 7. How your emotions are deceiving you. 8. Why you’re missing 99.99% of everything going on around you. 9. Why we’re no longer human beings, but human becomings. 10. What Hedonic Set Points are and how to manipulate them.
Noah Kagan knows loss. On paper, this is a man who for all intents and purposes should have buckled under the gravity of his misfortune. This entrepreneur was poised to cash in on a 1% stake in Facebook before it became the social media empire 1.55 billion people know and use. That 1% payout is worth roughly $170 MILLION DOLLARS today. And Noah Kagan lost every cent of that money because he made a mistake.
The sheer will and perseverance of Noah, to me, is far more impressive than the sum of money listed above. This is a guy who no one would have blamed if he curled up under a rock and became the most embittered person on the planet. Instead, Noah transformed a worst-case scenario most of us couldn’t fathom and used it to jumpstart the rest of his career. With a gargantuan learning experience under his belt, Noah has gone on to found countless companies, work for giants like Intel and Mint.com and release an e-book outlining his time with Facebook and the 170 million dollar lesson he learned. And he’s one of the most down-to-earth guys I’ve met.
In this episode Noah details how he spun a career-defining mistake into an opportunity, why he chooses to peruse happiness over money and how to gain a healthy work/life balance. Noah is a truly incredible man and it was a pleasure to spend an hour with him.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. True wealth comes from an enriched life. 2. Depression and happiness cannot be left to chance. 3. Give credit to persistence. 4. Why you need to make time for what matters to you. 5. The essential nature of gratitude. 6. Why being smart and being right aren’t as important as you think. 7. How to pick yourself up after failure. 8. The importance of having a best day ever.
Terry Jones, a well traveled author, venture capitalist, and innovator checks in with host Tom Bilyeu and discusses his keys to success.
There’s something incredible about the idea of a warrior monk. That’s exactly what legendary MMA coach Firas Zahabi reminds me of. You’d be doing the sport of Mixed Martial Arts a disservice if you think it’s just a bunch of muscle-bound dudes ready to pound the hell out of each other. There’s an insane mental game that goes into the preparation of each fighter and Firas is the go-to guy when it comes to mental Jiu Jitsu. His schooling as a philosophy major has taught him to approach every situation with an awareness and calmness you wouldn’t expect from a Muy Thai champion – making him perfect IQ material.
Firas has turned a once down-and-out gym into the pinnacle of MMA training grounds with TriStar Gym, coaching such greats as Georges St-Pierre, Rory McDonald and former IQ guest Kenny Florian. However, it’s not the fighter that built the foundations of Firas’ success, it’s the philosopher. More Plato than Bruce Lee, Firas exudes a calmness and insane knowledge of centuries-old lessons that are still applicable today that I can’t help but admit that I’m intent on diving into the world of Marcus Aurelius at 3x.
Tape up those fists, clear your mind of doubts and absorb as much insight as I did from one of my dream guests.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. The importance of pushing your boundaries. 2. Why It’s necessary to see the good in catastrophes. 3. True power comes from your decisions. 4. The computer in your mind is the same as Leonardo da Vinci’s. 5. Why you need to embrace enthusiasm. 6. How to treat willpower as a commodity. 7. The importance of building a strong foundation of principles.
I created Inside Quest to break down the secrets of success from some of the world’s most successful and influential people. Since the beginning, there were four iconic figures who I’ve been determined to interview on the show. This week we have a very special guest, one of those four icons that has inspired me and 50 million others: Tony Robbins. IQ is a place to cut out the bullshit and shoot straight: How did you succeed? Where did you fail? What can people do to replicate your success? Tony Robbins has inspired millions of people to do just that, to channel their own internal power and tell their story in the most authentic way possible.
Tony’s astronomical success comes from looking through the surface level of the way our world works, deep into the very patterns and drivers that motivate people to act. He started as the protege of self-help pioneer Jim Rohn and flourished into the household name we all know by helping others find the most essential strengths. As if that weren’t enough, he donated all profits from his latest book “MONEY: Master the Game” to feed the homeless.
Tony wants you to choose happiness. Being happy is a skill you can master, and you know I’m all about skill acquisition. Across all his books and seminars, Tony teaches one main thing: how to be yourself without fear. After sitting down with him for an hour, you’ll be surprised to see just how easy (and almost effortless) that is to do.
Everyone and everything impactful starts with a mission. Tony’s is to help people end their own suffering and to lead extraordinary, magnificent lives. Don’t call him a motivator, just a strategist… but one with a master plan. This week we have an episode where idealism faces pragmatism, and the result is exhilarating.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. What the ultimate failure actually is. 2. The singular force controlling your life. 3. How you can have a rich life… right now! 4. What causes suffering… and how to end yours. 5. Why enjoyment is more important than achievement. 6. The power of living in a beautiful state. 7. Why you should trade expectations for appreciation. 8. How, Why, and When you should Choose Happiness.
Go deeper into the Quest Mindset than ever before in this special year-end episode and get ready to tackle the new year head on with Tom's Top 10 Lessons learned!
Host of the #1 Fitness Podcast "Unbeatable Mind," Mark Divine, enlightens Tom with the insights of a modern day Sun Tzu. Find out where you stand on this episode of Inside Quest.
Everyone knows Neil Strauss as the controversial bestselling author of “The Game” and “Rules of the Game” where he provides an arsenal of tips on how to approach women. He’s been deified by droves of men across the globe and has a rabid fan base few authors can match. You’re probably thinking he’s a pretty unorthodox guest for Inside Quest. But if you’ve learned anything over these past few episodes of it’s the transformative potential of the mind, and that power is on full display with Neil Strauss. He came to fame through “The Game” but that’s not the part of the story that interests me. The second chapter of Neil’s life story is the part of his tale that leaves a lasting impression.
In “The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships,” Neil essentially deconstructs and devalues every single technique he advocated in “The Game.” The dichotomy of Neil’s struggle with what he thought was his path to happiness and his newfound need for deeper truth demonstrates an epic evolution of character. The stories in the book illustrate that we’re more than just the trauma of our childhood and that we can redefine ourselves without regret.
Neil was a delight to share the stage with and I left the interview with a renewed interest in taking an even deeper look at myself. He’s the embodiment of what happens when you admit you don’t have all the answers and that, my friends, is what leads to meaningful change and an amazing IQ guest.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. The most important quality needed for transformation. 2. How a childlike mind can cultivate genuine change. 3. The best way to listen to feedback. 4. The benefits of group therapy. 5. Why we all carry a bag of shit and how to get rid of it. 6. Why we develop defense mechanisms and why we shouldn’t live by them. 7. How it’s detrimental to use outside sources to inform your emotional state. 8. Why you can’t always know what’s right for someone else.
Twenty years is a long time to work toward any goal, especially when you’re one of the very first athletes in the history of your school to do so. Bo Eason wanted to be a pro football player since he was a kid, to be the best in the world at his position, regardless of the fact that any high school player only has a 0.08% chance of getting into the league in the first place. By constantly reminding himself of those astronomically improbable odds, Bo did more than defy them: he owned them. But impenetrable mental fortitude can only hold so much weight in a game of professional athleticism. Bo didn’t stop after his first ACL tear, though, or even the sixth… it was the SEVENTH.
This may sound like we’re eulogizing him, but when your lifelong dream is cut short by the merely physiological limitations of your own damn body, the news feels nothing short of fatal… until it isn’t. Performance is an art form on any type of stage; Bo’s stage just happened to be a football field… at least for the first twenty years. But when one curtain closes, another opens… making it strangely appropriate that Bo’s next journey would take him to the theatre. And then another. And then 50 more, for 1,300+ performances of his critically acclaimed 1-Man-Show “Runt of the Litter.”
Bo Eason has reached a peak level of success on two polar opposites of the socio-entertainment spectrum. He’s hit a bullseye inside of a bullseye. He couldn’t have done it without adhering to a few keys principles that we’ll explore in the episode, but here’s number one: those odds aren’t really as bad as they sound.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. The most important thing you can do to achieve success in any field or activity. 2. How physical performance can trigger success in so many more aspects of life. 3. Why you should run toward impossible odds, when everyone else turns away. 4. How the world is backwards. 5. How to find a light in moments of darkness. 6. Why you should never “watch the ball.” 7. Your birthright as a human.
Innovation class is in session at IQ! In this episode, watch and learn how Don Wettrick is re-inventing the education paradigm.
World-renowned motivational speaker and leadership expert is ready to ink up your intellect! WATCH to find out why Dr. Dewett wants you to be a "try junkie."
Neuroscientist and best-selling author John Ratey wants you to grow your brain -- WATCH this Inside Quest episode now to learn how!
The results are in for Tom Bilyeu's Challenge - WATCH part two of this week's episode to see how Inside Quest is helping transform the world one mindset at a time!
The results are in for Tom's Challenge -- WATCH this week's episode to see how Inside Quest is helping transform the world one mindset at a time!
When I found out I’d be getting the chance to sit down with Robert Sutton I was genuinely excited to dig around inside the mind of a kindred spirit. In Robert’s latest book he detailed the exact same struggles I’m dealing with at this point in my own growth and the growth of my company. Robert has seen it all– From his work with incredible hard-hitters like Microsoft, Facebook and Apple, Robert has witnessed the watershed moments when good leaders either fail or succeed based on the choices they make in those pivotal moments.
The deeper you dive into the world of Robert’s writing, the more difficult it is to stop. He possesses a dizzying array of anecdotes, real-case scenarios and a lifetime of firsthand experience in the entrepreneurial world. He’s a high-octane bundle of intellectual energy and the recipient of numerous awards including the Eugene L. Grand award for excellence in teaching, Business 2.0’s “leading management guru” award, and the Quill for his 2007’s New York Times bestseller, “The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t.”
Bob is currently a tenured professor of Management Science at the Stanford Engineering School. His most recent release (co-written with collaborator Huggy Rao), “Scaling up Excellence: Getting to More without Settling for Less” is a must-read for anyone willing to face the rigors and challenges of growth head-on.
Robert Sutton has spent the past seven years learning how to “scale up excellence” in organizations of all shapes, sizes, colors and qualities, so do yourself the service of watching this episode and light a fire you can give to someone else in an effort to inspire.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. Brainwashing is essential. 2. Mindset trumps all. 3. You can’t lead from a position of weakness. 4. Why a leader should put themselves in harm’s way. 5. The effectiveness of being a strategic asshole. 6. Why being a superstar doesn’t feed a cooperative company. 7. How making a weird idea work can help you adapt.
Ed Deci doesn't think you can motivate other people. You can only create the right environment for them to motivate themselves. Watch Ed's Inside Quest episode to learn how!
It’s not every day when I get the profile of a potential guest and know within 15 seconds that this is a person I would love to get in the interview chair. That’s exactly what happened with Tim Grover. This is a man who is behind not just some of the legends of basketball, but the man behind the icon that is Michael Jordan. To call him “just” (more on that in the episode) a trainer is to do the man and yourself a disservice. Tim goes beyond physically preparing the world’s best athletes – he hones in and imparts the wisdom of mental preparedness to create what he calls “cleaners.”
His book, “Relentless,” reveals psychological insights into the nature of elite performance and will empower you to bring your game to the next level by being the sole proprietor of what’s expected of you. Tim is also the owner and CEO of Attack Athletics – a training center where legends go to become icons.
This is one of the most inspiring, exciting and genuinely passionate talks I’ve had with anyone. Tim’s energy is tough, direct and no bullshit. You may not like everything he says to you, but you’d be hard-pressed to call him wrong in his assessments. A truly incredible man, with a captivating story, Tim has elevated himself and his tranees beyond all expectations. It was my unmeasurable pleasure to dissect his infinite wisdom for 45 minutes. Trust me, these are some of the most important minutes you’ll spend this year.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. There’s always a next level. 2. Why innovators aren’t afraid of being the first to do something extraordinary. 3. What constitutes a cooler, closer and cleaner and where you lie in that spectrum. 4. The difference between criticism and feedback. 5. Why you’re only as good as your last performance. 6. How mindset is the most important factor to personal success. 7. Why more words = bullshit. 8. Why “only” and “just” are two words that need to be thrown out of your vocabulary.
This week on Inside Quest I picked the brain of a man whose brilliance resides at the intersection of psychology, technology and business. He’s made great strides toward understanding why we’re so addicted to the little pieces of glass, plastic and metal we call smartphones – and more directly, the apps we cannot put down. Nir Eyal is the author of the bestselling “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products” as well as a regular contributor to Forbes, Tech Crunch and his own fascinating blog Nir and Far.
He sold his first company before graduating from Stanford Business School and has gone on to sell yet another company before switching gears to study the psychology of addictive technology and how understanding the patterns of addictive behavior is key to crafting positive change in the world.
Nir Eyal is one of those rare people who’s doing incredibly original, incredibly important work at the intersection of passion and skill. You can tell within seconds that he cares deeply about his work. He’s been dubbed a techno prophet by MIT Technology Review and I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with, challenging and absorbing Nir’s philosophies.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. Understanding how habits change our behavior. 2. The four hooks that form habits. 3. The psychology behind why a “feed” works. 4. The Types of triggers that cause us to act. 5. What is the mother of habit-forming technology. 6. How small behaviors can form healthy habits.
This week on Inside Quest I had the honor to sit down with one of LA Business Journal’s “Most admired CEOs”, Jason Nazar. His path to success is as storied as his accomplishments – a former stage hypnotist and avid Superhero lover, Jason accesses his passions and molds them into successful strategies to motivate and inspire his workers. As the founder and former CEO of docstoc—one of the most visited websites on the planet with over 50 million registered user—Jason doesn’t shy away of his own humble beginnings and takes pride in the fact that we all have the power to shape our unmolded futures.
I often try to consume as much information as possible about a guest before they come in, but to ingest the amount of published content that Jason has created could qualify as an MBA course unto itself. As a regular contributor to Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider, you can find Jason’s work all over the internet and it’s just as informative, insightful and interesting as the time we spent together.
It was Jason’s interest in Superheroes I found most fascinating – this is a guy who was already founding his first company before graduating from college, yet found the time to attain an encyclopedic knowledge of the world’s most memorable heroes and apply it to the success of his business and employees.
As a man unafraid to shape his own destiny, Jason Nazar teaches us that there are no half-measures and that if you have a dream the only limitation is your imagination. Tune in on Wednesday to see just how far Jason’s imagination has taken him.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. How to gain valuable life lessons from your favorite superhero. 2. The rewards of going all-in. 3. Why a school course on persuasion and charisma is a necessity. 4. How the power of effort can tip the scales in your favor. 5. That confidence is directly related to success. 6. How a small, seemingly insignificant gesture can lead to big benefits in the future.
Jessica Jackley’s episode of Inside Quest is up! Don’t wait around… START getting inspired by Jessica’s insights right now!
Shabnam Mogharabi is building an “Empire of Joy,” and I for one have already put in my application for citizenship. I first met Shabnam when I was visiting the SoulPancake offices (they’re stunning by the way. Everything about the place conspires to put a smile on your face). I immediately felt comfortable around Shabnam. Her openness, her warmth, her ready smile, her infectious giggle… they all put you at ease. Perhaps most fascinating: This ebullience of hers isn’t innate personality, it’s an acquired skill. By her own admission she used to be “an Eeyore.” She had to work hard to become a Tigger. Shabnam makes you want to be real. She makes you want to play. She makes you want to be the best version of yourself just so you can keep pace with her.
I was surprised by how comfortable I felt in her presence. So comfortable, in fact, that I got pretty damn emotional when I was telling her about my mom and my sister and how I co-founded Quest to help them out, to help end the global slide toward obesity and ill health.
Don’t misunderstand me… Shabnam isn’t all cuddly puppies and unicorns. She’s an efficiency MACHINE. This woman gets shit DONE. But she does it with grace and elan. She inspires you to be better, she makes you feel like your ideas matter, like you’re worth something. But she measures success ruthlessly, and she can prove, with hard data, that what the things she’s doing with SoulPancake are making a tangible difference.
She’s built a company around inspiring the whole species to grow beyond its limitations. That’s an ambitious goal if I’ve ever heard one, and obviously SoulPancake is well on its way.
With hundreds of millions of YouTube views, and features from world leaders and celebrities alike (everyone from Beyonce to President Obama to Mindy Kaling), the channel is doing more than making videos go viral… it’s making JOY go viral too.
This episode is so much fun you might not even realize how much you’ve learned by the end. But don’t worry… we’ll remind you.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. How to take actionable steps toward a monumental mission. 2. How Shabnam creates “ambassadors of joy” (and how to become one). 3. How Positive Psychology can reframe your mindset. 4. Why millennials are optimistic despite being born into tough economic times. 5. How compliments can be more valuable than cash. 6. The big difference between Joy and Happiness (hint: Joy trumps Happiness any day). 7. The importance of tribes and a sense of “belonging.” 8. The power of touch, and why skin-to-skin contact is essential, especially for babies. 9. How Shabnam gave up being an Eeyore to become a Tigger. 10. The concrete case for attaching to Gratitude.
This week’s Inside Quest guest uses the 24 hours in his day more efficiently than anyone I know. And none of that is busy work. Dr. Peter Diamandis thinks on such a grand scale that I want to punch myself in the face for being small minded. The title of his NY Times Bestselling book isn’t just a nice idea, it’s the philosophy by which he lives his life: BOLD: How to go big, create wealth, and impact the world
Go Bold or Go Home.
Maybe it’s that Dr. Diamandis has a healthy disregard for the impossible, maybe it’s his dual degrees from MIT (in molecular genetics and aerospace engineering), maybe it’s that he’s never stopped being a nine-year-old kid dreaming of outer space.
All of these things have conspired to make this man the undisputed heavyweight champion of moonshot thinking. And more often than not, when Dr. Diamandis aims for the moon, he hits that target… and manages to gather all sorts of stardust along the way. It’s no accident that four of Peter’s most successful companies are the ones with the most ambitious missions:
- The X Prize Foundation—inspiring innovation in the private sector by rewarding unprecedented accomplishments.
- Human Longevity Inc – extending the high-performance human life span by 30+ years.
- Singularity University – training the world’s greatest minds in emerging sciences like nanotech to exponentially increase the rate of technology growth.
- Planetary Resources – mining near-earth asteroids to open up the frontiers of space, making us ultimately a multi-planetary species.
Those are just four of his SEVENTEEN companies. Don’t be intimidated. Be inspired.
Dr. Diamandis is an unrelenting optimist, a brilliant mind with incredibly actionable insights to take the reigns of your life and leave a lasting mark on the world, and one of the people who challenges me to be bolder every day.
Get ready to be transformed.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN 1. What are “Peter’s Laws” and how can you create your own blueprint for BOLD living. 2. How Charles Lindbergh’s transcontinental flight inspired Peter to think beyond the limits of Earth. 3. Why Peter founded the X-Prize and how he managed it… without actually having the money to do so. 4. What is a “massively transformative purpose” and how can you discover yours? 5. What is the “exploration gene” and how does it impact humanity’s future? 6. How mapping the human genome is going to change medicine forever. 7. How the internet’s ability to duplicate human knowledge will play a major role in our abundant future. 8. How Peter managed to get past the seemingly insurmountable obstacles of FDA regulations to begin putting private citizens in Zero-G environments (and what famous astrophysicist joined him for the ride…). 9. How businesses with astronomical goals can make incremental steps that keep them cash flow positive. 10. What the future of Universities ought to look like, if you focus on application rather than theory. 11. Why lack of money shouldn’t limit you.
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