My guest this week is Christopher Cox, author of the book, “The Deadline Effect: How to Work Like It’s the Last Minute, Before the Last Minute.” There is something about deadlines. They can motivate and inspire us to do great work and they can create urgency – would we ever complete any significant project without a deadline? – but they can also cause anxiety and stress.In his extensive research for the book, Christopher Cox visited a ski resort before opening day, a fine-dining restaurant before the grand opening and even an Easter Lilly farm as they planned ahead for Easter. In the process, he learned how successful organizations use deadlines to effectively mobilize and align resources. In this episode we discuss techniques and strategies we can employ to use deadlines to increase our own productivity and, perhaps even achieve a state of flow.So, if you want to eliminate procrastination, get more done and feel better doing it, you won't want to miss this one.&n

My guest today is Bob Cancalosi, the author of several books about journaling, most recently, Four Loops Learning: Reflection Points. Bob has been journaling for over 20 years. I talk with him about why he got started, what kept him going through the years and how it's enhanced his life. He also talks about getting diagnosed, three years ago, with a rare head and neck cancer, and how journaling has helped him through a very trying ordeal, and now it's changed his perspective on life.If you are already journal daily, you'll love this conversation and if you don't currently journal, look out, because Bob just might inspire you to start.Topics:How a fear of complacency drove Bob to start journalingWhy he writes about anything that motivates or inspired himWhy "leaders how are deliberately more reflective are profoundly more effective"Why it's important to go back and read the past 50 pages of your jou

In today's episode I talk with John Garrett, investment manager at MA Financial and the author of the popular blog, Investment Master Class. John talks about how being a successful investor requires continuous learning, and how the practice of writing has helped him become a better investor.What You'll LearnWhy some companies "fight the fade"What Garrett learned by reading Nick Sleep's investment lettersThe importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach to learningWhy the Santa Fe Institute is such a great resource for investorsAdvice for those just getting started in the industryResourcesInvestment Master ClassConnect with John GarrettLInkedIn: John GarrettTwitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/mastersinvest" re

My guest today is Ron Friedman, author of Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success.&nbsp;In this episode Ron applies the principles of reverse engineering to creative fields like writing and investing.&nbsp;We talk about how to study people who are the best in the world at what they do by breaking down what it is they’re doing that is contributing to their success, and then then working backward to figure out how they did it.Ron reveals how true innovation comes from following an established formula and then making it a little more original by putting our own spin on it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Topics:Why completely novel ideas often failHow to break down a successful book, movie, speech, article, TED Talk or song and learn from itHow to start with an established formula and make it a little bit more originalWhat the “vision-ability” gap is and how to overcome itWhy it’s importan

Today's guest is Bob Pozen, the former president of Fidelity Investments. He teaches a course at MIT Sloan called "Maximizing your&nbsp;own Productivity" and he recently authored a book with Alexendra Samuel titled, "Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work...Wherever You Are"TopicsWhy we shouldn't think of ourselves as a "remote worker," rather we should think of ourselves as "Remote, Inc."Why the mindset of becoming a "business of one" is so importantThe critical role autonomy plays in becoming an productive and happy remote workerWhy companies need to shift from measuring "hours worked" to measuring resultsWhat was unique about how Peter Lynch managed his time at FidelityWhy we should leave an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon for thinking timeHow writing helps you clarify your thinkingWhy everyone should aim for the optimal amount of remote workWhy remote work is

Mike Horne is the author of "Integrity by Design: Working and Living Authentically." Mike consults with organizations to help them build authentic cultures and he works directly with executives as a leadership coach.In this episode we explore what it means to live an authentic life. We look to Warren Buffett as as an example in the business community as someone who leads with integrity and has built a company, in Berkshire Hathaway, that is built on trust. We discuss the corporate scandals at both Enron and Wells Fargo, and the cautionary tale s they provide of what happens when an organization fails to build a strong culture of integrity. And finally, Mike provides tips on how we can use the principles of Integrity by Design to live a more authentic , flourishing life.What You'll LearnWhy integrity and reputation is so important in business and lifeHow Warren Buffett "leads with integrity"What cautionary tales

Today’s guest is a former designer from Apple who is now the Executive Director of the Stanford Design Program, and he teaches a hugely popular course at Stanford called&nbsp;Designing Your Life. His name is Bill Burnett and he’s the co-author of the book,Designing Your&nbsp;Life, How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life. Bill has taken the principles of design that he learned at Apple and he helps people apply them to design their life.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of&nbsp;curiosity&nbsp;and how to cultivate itWhy&nbsp;Bias to Action&nbsp;is so critical when it comes to&nbsp;designing our livesThe role that&nbsp;prototyping&nbsp;plays in helping us move toward our best lifeWhy finding our passion is hard, but&nbsp;following our energy&nbsp;is easyHow followi

&nbsp;My guest this week is Robert Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University and author of the New York Times best-selling book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion .&nbsp;A new and expanded version is being release this week.Professor Cialdini's book has had an enormous impact on those of us in the Value Investing community.&nbsp;In fact, when Charlie Munger read the book he was so impressed, and he benefited so much from the principles in the book, he personally reached out to Cialdini to express his appreciation, and being Charlie, he went above and beyond. I ask Cialdini to tell the story about his interaction with Munger early in the interview and you wont want to miss it.In this episode we talk about the seven principles of influence and Cialdini weaves in stories and examples from Warren Buffet, and Berkshire Hathaway and Jeff Bezos and Amazon. Cialdini explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these insights ethicall

&nbsp;In today’s episode we’re going to explore the writings of Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.&nbsp;He recently announced he is stepping down from the role of CEO but will remain as Chairman.&nbsp;And he just published his 2020 Letter to Shareholders, which is the last letter he will write as CEO, I presume.&nbsp;Also, in the past year, a book of his Collected Writing was published by Harvard Business Review Press titled, “Invent &amp; Wander”.&nbsp;And that includes an introduction by Walter Isaacson, the author of the biography of Steve Jobs.&nbsp;And that is a tremendous resource that includes all of his annual letters going back to the very first one in 1997, as well as transcripts of speeches he’s given throughout the years.&nbsp;Join me as we go through Jeff Bezos latest letter to Amazon Shareholders, and pull out lessons we can learn to help us succeed in business and in life.Topics:A look back at Amazon

Today's guest is William Green, author of Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life. This is an incredible book, profiling some of the greatest investors: Monish Pabrai, Charlie Munger, Bill Miller, Nick Sleep, and many more. Green reveals the principles and habits that contributed to their success in both investing and life.We talk about how these investors spend their time. How they build resilience, how they handle the inevitable setbacks, the role honesty and integrity plays in their careers, and we end on a discussion about what super wealth does for these individuals and how it contributes to their well-being.Topics The most important thing great investors do differently when it comes to managing their timeWhy Nick Sleep put his Bloomberg machine in a different room with an uncomfortable chairWhy the intensity of a habit is not as important

On today's show, I talk with Scott Hambrick, the founder of Online Great Books, an organization that hosts virtual seminars for people who want to read the Great Books of Western Civilization.&nbsp;Scott talks about what makes the Great Books great, why they are so important, and how they contribute to living the Good Life.&nbsp;We also do a deep dive into Aristotle’s famous work on how to achieve happiness and live the best possible life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What are the Great Books and what makes them Great?Why should we read the Great Books?What the Great Books have to teach us about the&nbsp;Good Life?How&nbsp;Aristotle&nbsp;defines the Good Life and how to achieve it?How to tackle&nbsp;challenging books?How to find&nbsp;more time&nbsp;to read?HELP

DescriptionOur guest this week is Cal Newport, author of the book: A World Without email: Reimagining work in an Age of Digital OverloadCal is a professor of computer science at Georgetown and he is the best selling author of two previous best-selling books on productivity and managing our time: Deep Work and Digital Minimalism.Cal is at the forefront of figuring out how knowledge workers can thrive and be productive in the crazy environment we find ourselves in, with our inboxes overloaded with email, with constant interruptions via text and instant messaging and social media.Cal has heavily influenced me, and countless others, on the need to carve out large blocks of uninterrupted time to focus on Deep Work, that's meaningful, important strategic work that takes dedicated attention. One of the most important differentiating factors for our career is o

Episode #57: Learning from Marcus Aurelius with Donald Robertson (replay)On today's show, I talk with Donald Robertson, the co-founder of Modern Stoicism and the author of&nbsp;How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.&nbsp;Robertson is an expert on both ancient Stoicism and the modern psychotherapy that evolved from Stoicism called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.&nbsp;Robertson goes in-depth on the life of the Roman Stoic and Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the lessons we can learn from his life and philosophical practices.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is StoicismWhy Stoicism is so popular todayWhat to do if your girlfriend or boyfriend dumps youHow to build resilienceThe Stoic view on the pursuit of wealthHow to deal with negative emotions like anger, envy and anxietyHow to calm your mind and emotionsHow to

My guest today is Scott Newstok, professor at Rhodes and author of “How to Think like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education."&nbsp;Scott’s book is ultimately about the craft of thinking and how to improve it.&nbsp;In our conversation we address a very interesting question.&nbsp;How is it that Shakespeare, and his renaissance contemporaries were able to produce such incredible works?&nbsp;What was their education like and what can we learn from studying it? We also discuss what we've lost in education today and how we might begin to recover it.What You'll LearnWhat makes Shakespeare so specialHow Shakespeare’s education shaped his ability to thinkHow imitation can lead to creativityHow the skill of thinking is more of a craft than a scienceHow discipline and constraint can lead to independent thinking and freedomResources<a href="https:

This episode is a replay of one of the most popular episodes from last year. The guest is William B. Irvine, professor of philosophy at Wright State University and the author of A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and more recently, The Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher’s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer and More Resilient. Professor Irvine has taken the ancient philosophy of Stoicism out of the classroom and adopted it as his philosophy of life. He shares his experience practicing Stoicism and how it’s helping him move a little closer to the Good Life.What You'll Learn• The importance of finding a Philosophy of Life• Why Stoicism works for Professor Irvine, and why it might work for you to• The dangers of the default philosophy of life in Western World: Enlightened Hedonism&nbsp;• How Stoicism helps avoid Hedonic Adaptation• How to maintain tranquility and peace of mind•

The topic of this week’s episode is Warren Buffett’s annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders.&nbsp;My guest is Jake Taylor, the Chief Executive Officer of Farnam Street Investments.&nbsp;Jake has been a previous guest on The Good Life as part of the Decision-Making Mastermind Group.&nbsp;Jake breaks down Warren Buffett's latest Letter to Berkshire Shareholders and helps us understand what we can learn.&nbsp;Jake is an incredibly knowledgeable investor, and he follows Berkshire carefully, so he's familiar with the company and he brings unique insight into interpreting Buffett's letter and his message to the investing community.&nbsp;This show grew out my interest in Value Investing and in helping others to apply the principles of value investing to our lives.&nbsp;Buffett's annual letter is always full of wisdom and Jake helps us unpack this year's edition so we can get the most out of it.What You'll LearnHow to analyze B

The topic of this week’s episode is walking, and my guest is Shane O’Mara, author of In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration.&nbsp;Shane is a professor of Experimental Brain Research at Trinity College Dublin and he’s an expert on the physical, psychological and social benefits of walking.&nbsp;We talk about why walking is the trait that makes us “uniquely human” and what that means for us personally.&nbsp;And given that walking is the fundamental way we experience the world, Shane guides us on how to get more walking in our day and more benefit from each walk.&nbsp;What You'll LearnHow walking is the fundamental way we experience the worldWhy walking is the most unique human trait that separates us from all the other animalsThe many physical, psychological and social benefits of walkingHow every benefit of walking benefits every other aspect of our livesWhy the greatest philosophe

The topic this week is How to Keep Your Cool, and my guest is James Romm, a Professor of Classics at Bard and the author of the book, How to Keep your Cool: An Ancient Guide to Anger Management.&nbsp;This is James’ second appearance on The Good Life, he was a guest on episode #9 where he talked about Seneca.&nbsp;In this episode James talks about Seneca’s famous essay, On Anger.&nbsp;Seneca is a Stoic, and his advice on how to control our anger draws heavily on Stoic philosophy.&nbsp;Seneca thinks anger is always harmful, so his advice is to avoid it altogether, and he offers a number of tips on how to do that.&nbsp;However, if we do slip into anger, he offers advice on how to cool ourselves down.&nbsp;&nbsp;What You’ll Learn:Why anger is always harmful to usWhy Seneca compares anger to “jumping off a cliff”How to avoid anger altogetherHow to stop anger once it shows upH

Today’s guest is Massimo Pigliucci, a professor of Philosophy at the city College of New York. He has written extensively about Stoicism, but today's topic is much broader than that. Massimo has a new book out titled " How to Live a Good Life: A Guide to Choosing Your Personal Philosophy." It’s a series of essays, each dedicated to a different philosophy of life, and written by a practitioner of that philosophy. Massimo edited the volume, along with Sky Cleary and Dan Kaufman, and he wrote the essay on Stoicism.In this episode Massimo covers the big ideas, and we compare and contrast, various traditions and philosophies such as Buddhism, Epicureanism, Daoism, Confucianism and stoicism. and we do a deeper dive into Stoicism since that is Massimo's preferred philosophy of life. Massimo also talks about the three components of a philosophy of life, and why it's important for everyone to have a philosophy of life.What You'll Learn• The th

Our topic this week is Claude Shannon, a mathematician and engineer known as the Father of Information theory for his landmark paper "A Mathematical Theory of Communication", which he published in 1948. Shannon's seminal work and discoveries ushered in the digital age, and for that alone, his life is worthy of study, but Shannon also had this other remarkable quality to his life – a very playful and creative mind. Shannon was always curious, and he devoted his considerable intellect to a diverse range of activities and interests, that included juggling, unicycles, artificial intelligence, chess playing machines, wearable computers – he even built a chairlift on his property. He was both a mathematical and creative genius.My guests today are Jimmy Soni and Mark Levinson. &nbsp;Jimmy co-authored a biography of Shannon titled A Mind at Play and Mark directed a documentary about Shannon called The Bit Player which is available on Amazon Prime. In both of these works, Jim

Our topic this week is the mystery and science behind streaks.&nbsp;Ben Cohen covers the NBA for the Wall Street Journal and is the author of “The Hot Hand: The Mystery &amp; Science of Streaks.”&nbsp;We discuss the phenomena of the “hot hand” in basketball and a famous paper from the 1980s that claims the hot hand doesn’t exist. We also explore how the hot hand relates to Shakespeare’s plays, Rob Reiner’s movies, picking stocks, betting at the roulette table and even farming.&nbsp;We often see patterns where there are none, so it’s important to determine when a streak is just random or an indication that something really has fundamentally changed.&nbsp;Ben Cohen helps us sort it all out, and we learn valuable lessons we can apply to make better decisions and maybe, just maybe, create the conditions to experience the “hot hand” in our own lives and careers.What You’ll Learn:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How Steph Curry’s big night ch

Description:The topic this week is time management and productivity – how to get more out of each day.&nbsp;Time is our most precious resource.&nbsp;It is the currency of our lives.&nbsp;In this episode, your host, Sean Murray talks with time management expert Paul Burton.&nbsp;Paul offers great advice on strategies on how to stay focused, avoid distraction, get the most important work done and feel better about what we’ve accomplished.What You’ll Learn:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The difference between necessary and unnecessary distraction·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How to reduce distractions to create more focus·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The danger of multi-tasking and why it doesn’t work·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The importance of taking command of our technology and getting it to work for us·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How technology companies prey on our vulnerabilities

Sean Murray talks with Brent Snow, the designer of the popular course on decision-making called, "Decision Mojo." Brent teaches decision-making to corporate executives.In today's episode, Brent talks about how to improve our decision-making by recognizing our cognitive biases, and taking steps to mitigate their effect. Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, and Ray Dalio all come up in the conversation as we seek to understand what makes them such great decision-makers, and how we can apply their lessons to our own life.IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:The role of cognitive bias in decision-makingHow to recognize bias in decision-making and mitigate their effectsThe "overconfidence" bias in estimating and forecasting, and how to manage itWhy you should always identify "what you don't know" when making decisionsThe confirming evidence biasHow to use probabilities and base rates, and humility to improv

In today's episode, Sean Murray talks with Nabil Ayers, a professional musician, successful entrepreneur, and U.S. head of the independent music label, 4AD. Nabil is also a gifted writer. He has published in the New York Time, and the National Public Radio (NPR). Later this year, Viking Press will publish his memoir.Nabil exemplifies so much of what we talk about on this show. There is a theme of music and creativity that runs throughout his life and career. In this episode, he talks about listening to an inner voice that has guided him through major decisions and career transitions. We also discuss what it means to follow your passion, and how that has played out in his life. Other topics include how Nabil channels creativity, and how writing has changed his day-to-day experiences.IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:The role of creativity in “The Good Life”What it means to “follow your passion”How Nabil started and bu

In today’s episode we pause to reflect on the lessons we’ve learned in the first year of The Good Life Podcast. In this retrospective, your host, Sean Murray revisits some of the most impactful guests and topics from 2020. There are a couple of motivations for this. First, we launched in January of 2020, so we're also celebrating the first year of The Good Life Podcast. Second, the audience has grown tremendously since we launched. Many of you who may have joined in the summer or in fall might not be aware of the episodes and guests from earlier in the year. This may alert you to a topic of interest which might motivate you to go back and listen to an earlier episode. Third, as you know, one of the recurring themes we heard from the guests this year, as they shared with their thoughts on how to live the Good Life, is this idea of taking time for reflection. Whether it's writing in a journal or going for a walk, or whatever it is that you like to do, it's beneficial to set aside time

On today's show, we talk about the novel "War &amp; Peace."&nbsp;Sean sits down with Andrew Kaufman, Professor of Russian Literature at the University of Virginia, and author of the book "Give War &amp; Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times." Andrew is incredibly knowledgeable about Tolstoy, and the life lessons we can draw from what many consider to be the greatest novel of all time. Don't worry if you haven't read War &amp; Peace. Andrew does an amazing job talking about themes and characters without any major plot spoilers.In this episode we talk about Tolstoy's advice for how to deal with change, both in our individual lives and in society at large. We discuss Tolstoy's view on suffering and how it relates to meaning. We talk about the role of family in a flourishing life. We also cover Tolstoy's view on leadership. Stick around for

On today’s show, we brought back by popular demand, our Mastermind group on decision making. I believe decision making is one of those super-powers in living The Good Life. Improving our judgment can have a far-reaching impact on our health, our well-being, our emotions, our happiness – so many different aspects of our life. Decision making is the primary tool we have to go about in constructing a flourishing life.The Mastermind group includes Jake Taylor of Farnam Street Investments, Annie Duke, author of "Thinking in Bets", and Brent Snow, founder of Ten Thousand Feet which is a company that provides training to Fortune 500 companies on decision making.&nbsp;I've asked each of our guests to introduce a tip or technique that they recommend in improving our decision making.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How quitting helps us deal with uncertaintyWhy, when the world changes, we should change our mind<li

My guest today is my friend and fellow host on the Investor’s Podcast Network, Trey Lockerbie. Trey is a former professional musician who has toured around the world. He’s also the CEO and founder, along with his wife, of the beverage company Better Booch, which makes Kombucha Tea, and he's an avid Value Investor.We focus this episode on how Trey got into Value investing, how he met Warren Buffett, what he learned from that interaction, and the value investing principles he’s taken from Warren and incorporated into his own investment approach.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What it was like for Trey to meet Warren Buffett and what he learned from their conversationHow Trey went from options trader to value investorThe book Buffett told Trey to read, and what Trey learned from that bookThe power of compoundingThe importance of “Circle of Competence”Why the concept of “Mr. Market” is so po

In this episode, Sean Murray talks with Eric Jorgenson about the latter's new book, "The Almanack of Naval Ravikant." This is a book Eric collaborated on with Naval and they are giving the book away free online. It is essentially a collection of the wisdom of Naval, which was pulled from a variety of sources like Twitter, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, and other ephemeral media, which Eric assembled and organized into a book that is easy to read and search.Naval is a fascinating and very successful entrepreneur and investor who has a lot of interesting things to say about getting rich, building wealth, achieving happiness, developing your unique talents, and leveraging them.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The unconventional education and career of Naval Ravikant and how that contributed to his success as an investorHow to get rich without getting luckThe importance of developing specific knowl

On today’s show, Sean’s guest is a filmmaker and writer, Tiffany Shlain. Tiffany is the author of the book 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day per Week. In our conversation, we address a number of questions many of us have been grappling with for a long time – questions that go to the heart of what it means to live a flourishing human life.Ten years ago, Tiffany and her husband started taking one day off each week and unplugging.&nbsp;They put their devices away, no iPhones, no laptops, no screens of any kind.&nbsp;They refer to this as their digital Shabbat (or Sabbath).&nbsp;This practice has profoundly affected Tiffany’s life,&nbsp;relationships, memories, work, mindset, even her attitude toward technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What a typical digital Shabbat look likeThe wisdom embedded in the ancient Jewish tradition of the Sabbath going back 3,000 yearsThe dan

Today’s guest, Brian Portnoy, writes extensively on personal finance and investing. He has a new book out with Josh Brown entitled, "How I Invest My Money." It's a collection of 25 personal essays from financial advisers and experts, where they share the details of how they save, spend, and invest their own money.In this episode, Brian explores happiness, contentment, risk, indexing versus active management, behavioral finance, equities, bonds, and real estate. It's a fascinating look at something we don't often get a chance to explore the details of how experts in finance use money to get what they want out of life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Why we should “fix the goalposts”What it means to achieve “funded contentment”How wealth creates options for how to spend our timeWhy we should all define what wealth means to usHow to ”Plan with Purpose”BOOKS AND RESOURC

Today's guest is Annie Duke, a writer, and expert on decision making. Annie is also the author of Thinking in Bets, a New York Times best-selling book about decision making and her life as a professional poker player that was published in 2018.&nbsp;She has a new book out, How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices.Our topic today is how to improve our decision making. Annie is one of the best at helping us think clearly and developing good habits and a sound process around making decisions, especially in finance.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The difference between luck and riskThe Paradox of ExperienceThe Decision Multi-verseThe first step of a great decision processThe importance of estimating reasonable outcomes before you make the decisionWhy we should make implicit assumptions explicit when making decisionsThe difference between the inside vie

On today’s show, Sean’s guest is Michael Perry, a writer from rural Wisconsin who was so influenced by Montaigne that he wrote a book, “Montaigne in Barn Boots: An Amateur Ambles through Philosophy.”In this episode Michael talks about how he came to discover Montaigne, the lessons he’s learned from Montaigne, how surprised he was that he could relate to this 16th-century French Nobleman, and most importantly, how reading Montaigne has changed his life for the better.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Why we see ourselves in Montaigne when we read The EssaysHow Montaigne shares his curiosity about the world with usHow Montaigne can help us survive in a politically divided worldWhat we learn about ourselves by reading MontaigneWhy it’s important to contemplate death (at least a tiny bit) every dayWhy Montaigne is more about opportunities to be explored than systems to be followedHow

On today’s show, Sean talks with Michael Abrashoff. In this episode, Michael talks about the leadership&nbsp;principles he relied on to transform the USS Benfold, and how we can use those&nbsp;same principles to improve our own leadership skills.In 1997, Michael took command of the USS Benfold, one of the poorest performing ships in the US Navy at that time. In a few short years under his leadership, it&nbsp;became one of the best performing ships in the fleet. Michael also wrote a book&nbsp;about his experience titled&nbsp;“It’s&nbsp;Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy.”.&nbsp;It’s gone on to become a best-seller.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:How Abrashoff&nbsp;“turned around” one of the lowers performing ships in the US

On today’s show, Sean talks with Roman Krznaric, the author of The Good Ancestor: A Radical Prescription for Long-term Thinking. We explore the idea of thinking long-term, and we learn about some very long-term projects. Along the way, Roman takes us on a journey. He talks about a&nbsp;Cathedral in Germany that took over 500 years to build, a clock being built in Texas designed to last 10,000 years, a seed vault in the arctic circle designed to preserve seeds for 1,000 years, and others. We learn about the importance of long-term thinking, as well as the battle in our heads between our&nbsp;“marshmallow" and our “acorn” brain. He also talks about how important it is to have a transcendent goal in our lives, how to move beyond the ego-boundary, and why we should all ask, “How will I be remembered when I die?”IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of long-term thinkingThe tug of war inside our heads between short-term and l

On today's show, Sean talks with Robert Zaretsky, a professor at University of Houston and the author of A Life Worth Living: Albert Camus &amp; the Quest for Meaning. In 1957 French-Algerian writer, Albert Camus was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was 44 years old, the second youngest person to ever receive the award. Fifteen years earlier, during the height of World War II, Camus stunned the world with the essay, The Myth of Sisyphus, and the novel, The Stranger. Camus explores the idea of finding meaning in life, especially during times of great struggle like war, the plague and personal tragedy. Camus was a free thinker and a champion of the human experience. Camus ultimately teaches us that we should avoid ideologies and rather search for meaning in our relationships with others and in our love of life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The life of

Today’s guest is Nate Bailey.&nbsp;Nate is a former leader in the army, a successful real estate investor, the host of the Championship Leaders podcast and, the author of the book, The 100 Mile Mindset.In the book, he tells the story of his multiple attempts and eventual success at running 100 miles.&nbsp;To complete a race at that distance he had to develop a mindset of resilience, and in this episode, he shares what he’s learned about that mindset and how it can help us in investing and in life.&nbsp;He also talks about what he calls, "Championship Leadership," and how we can cultivate that in ourselves.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is the 100-Mile Mindset?How to develop resilienceWhy the conversations we have with our self, and the words we use, are so importantWhat is Championship Leadership?Why ownership and accountability are so critical to leadership<l

When we look back on our lives we can all point to experiences that transformed us – experiences so impactful they shape who we are.&nbsp;My guest today is Laurie Ann (L.A.) Paul, Professor of Philosophy at Yale and author of Transformative Experience. In our discussion, we delve into these experiences and uncover some surprising dilemmas inherent when we decide whether or not to undergo a transformative experience.&nbsp;Laurie also offers some guidelines to help us make the best choice.&nbsp;&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is a transformative experience?Why it’s so hard to value different outcomes when facing a decision to undergo a transformative experience?Why we can’t just ask other people “what’s it like?"Why we can’t use rational decision-making tools in these unique circumstances?Why we should focus more on the transformative experience itself rather than the end result?How we

My guest on today’s show is Blas Moros, a talented writer and the creator of a very popular blog called The Rabbit Hole, where he provides books summaries, essays, and other resources.&nbsp;I stumbled across the Rabbit Hole a few years ago and it has become a valuable resource for me and others.&nbsp;In this episode, Blas announces the launch of a unique resource and community called The Latticework.&nbsp;Listeners of The Good Life will be among the first to know about this incredible resource.&nbsp;It’s an ambitious project that connects the big ideas from the big disciplines and brings together a community of like-minded learners to explore the most important mental models and develop a multi-disciplinary way of thinking.&nbsp;Moreover, Blas talks about why he built the Latticework and how it is designed to help us all improve our thinking, Charlie Munger’s concept of Worldly wisdom, why mastering the big ideas from

On today’s show, venture capitalist and finance writer, Morgan Housel joins me to talk about his new book, The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness.We talk about the role that emotions like greed and fear play in investing. Morgan explains why people with no formal finance training can have excellent investment records.&nbsp;Why 90% of investing comes down to mastering three things: living below your means, investing for the long-term, and expecting volatility.&nbsp;We discuss the difference between being rich and being wealthy, and what the ultimate purpose of wealth is.&nbsp;Morgan also shares his secret for pulling out lessons from history to make better decisions today.&nbsp;This one is packed full of stories and knowledge.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Why personal finance is more personal than it is financeWhy people with no formal finance training can have

My guest today is Elizabeth Samet, a professor of literature at West Point.&nbsp;She has a new book out, the annotated Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant.In this episode, Samet reveals the compelling narrative of Grant’s life with its significant highs and lows.&nbsp;Grant goes from being a destitute shopkeeper in his father’s leather goods store to becoming the commanding general of the union army during the Civil War, and he leads that army to victory in a brilliant campaign.&nbsp;Along the way we draw out leadership lessons, we can apply to our own lives and to investing.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of bouncing back from setbacks in his lifeWhy moral courage is so important to leadershipHow a unique mix of humility and confidence can drive your careerHow remaining calm under pressure can have a dramatic impact on your leadership and investingWhy writing style

On today's show, we will continue to the second part of a double episode on Leadership Lessons from the Lewis Clark Expedition.&nbsp;I brought back Jeff Ton to continue the story of the Corps of Discovery and their incredible journey of exploration in the American West in the early 1800s.Last week, we talked about how the expedition had traveled up Missouri and spent their first winter at Fort Mandan on the Great Plains. This week, we follow the expedition as they portage around the Great Falls of Missouri, ascend the Rocky Mountains, travel down the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean and return to St. Louis. Note that this episode is much more than a history lesson, as we follow the adventures of the expedition, we will periodically pause to reflect on leadership lessons and the decision making of the leaders.Jeff teaches leadership to IT professionals and is a great storyteller. He’s an expert on the Lewis &amp; Clark, having personally traveled much of the trail.<

On today’s episode, we explore one of the most amazing stories in the exploration of the American West.&nbsp;In 1805, Meriwether Lewis &amp; William Clark lead a small military expedition up the Missouri River to discover a water-passage across North American.&nbsp;Along the way they invited a young native woman and mother, Sacagawea, to be their interpreter.&nbsp;Each night they wrote in the journals, accumulating over a million words, describing their encounters and adventures along the way. The expedition successfully explored the Missouri River, crossed over the Rocky Mountains, floated down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, and returned safely.I’ve invited Jeff Ton, an expert on the expedition, to join me in pulling out the leadership lessons we can learn from the Lewis &amp; Clark Expedition.&nbsp;We covered so much ground so this episode is divided into Parts I and II.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of

On today's episode,&nbsp;we examine one of the critical skills to achieving the good life: decision making. I’ve invited three experts on decision making, Annie Duke, the author of Thinking in Bets, Jacob Taylor, a value investor and the author of The Rebel Allocator, and Brent Snow, who teaches decision making to executives in corporate America.&nbsp;We have a wide-ranging discussion on decision making, what prevents us from making good decisions, and how we can improve.&nbsp;We cover a topic Annie calls “resulting” and it’s related to the idea that the&nbsp;quality of the outcome doesn’t tell you everything about the quality of the decision.&nbsp;We talk about wicked versus kind feedback environments.&nbsp;We discuss the role that luck and hidden information play in decision making,&nbsp;and why decision pre-work is better than a decision journal, and so many more topics.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:<l

On today's show, I talk with Andreas Elpidorou, the author of Propelled: How Boredom, Frustration and Anticipation Lead us to the Good Life.Andreas leads us on a fascinating discussion that covers a lot of ground related to happiness and the role emotions play in our pursuit of a meaningful life.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What makes life difficult is also what makes life worth livingThe surprising role boredom can play as a warning system and a guideWhy there is more to the Good Life than happiness…a lot moreWhy authenticity and ownership of our life is so importantHow frustration energizes and informs usWhat we can learn from Andrew Wiles’ pursuit of Fermat’s Last TheoremThe surprising result of the Ikea Effect and what that tells us about happinessWhy&nbsp;“movement toward goals” may be the ultimate state of happiness&nbsp;</u

On today's show, I talk with Andrew Roberts, the author of a brilliant one-volume biography of Winston Churchill entitled, Walking with Destiny.&nbsp;Andrew will be our guide as we learn from the life of Winston Churchill. It’s the first in a new series here on The Good Life where we will explore biographies of great leaders and investors, and pull out lessons we can apply to our own life and investing. Churchill lived a flourishing life and there is so much we can learn from his education, his writing, his speeches, his leadership, his work ethic, even his time management habits.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How Churchill’s self-education set him apart from his peersWhy Churchill dedicated himself to reading the Canon of Western Literature and how that shaped himHow Churchill became the best paid war correspondent in the world as a young man</l

On today's show, I talk with Jonathan Clements, the author of How to Think About Money, and runs the HumbleDollar.com&nbsp;website.&nbsp;Prior to that, he wrote the Personal Finance column in the Wall Street Journal for many years.In this episode, we explore the role money plays in the Good Life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The three things money can do for us when it comes to happinessHow our instincts often work&nbsp;against us when it comes to managing&nbsp;moneyWhy investing in&nbsp;“friends and family” might be the best&nbsp;investment we ever makeWhy we should spend our money on experiences over&nbsp;possessionsWhy gratitude enhances happinessWhy striving for our goals<

Today’s guest is a former designer from Apple who is now the Executive Director of the Stanford Design Program, and he teaches a hugely popular course at Stanford called Designing Your Life. His name is Bill Burnett and he’s the co-author of the book, Designing Your&nbsp;Life, How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life. Bill has taken the principles of design that he learned at Apple and he helps people apply them to design their life.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of curiosity and how to cultivate itWhy Bias to Action is so critical when it comes to&nbsp;designing our livesThe role that prototyping plays in helping us move toward our best lifeWhy finding our passion is hard, but following our energy is easyHow following that energy can help us build

On today's show, I talk with Edith Hall, the author of Aristotle’s Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life, and she is a Professor at King’s College in London.&nbsp;We talk about Aristotle, one of the earliest and greatest thinkers to take up the subject of the Good Life. He has had a major impact, especially in the West, on happiness and how we can live a flourishing life, but his writing can also be dry and tough going for the average reader.&nbsp;&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Why it’s better to think of Happiness as something we do, not something we areWhy doing the right thing ethically is so important to happinessHow we all have a unique potential based on our talentsWhy achieving our potential – the best version of ourselves - is so importantHow to make better decisions<li

On today's show, I talks with Sam Morris, the founder of Zen Warrior Training. Sam coaches business executives on meditation and building resilience and mental toughness.&nbsp;When he was 19, he was hit by a drunk driver and the accident left him paraplegic.&nbsp;He shares his incredible journey from the fear and hopelessness he experienced in the aftermath of the accident to eventually finding a path forward into a life of joy and happiness.We also discuss mediation, focused breathing, the inner scorecard, cultivating resilience, how to think about “wealth,” how to find purpose, and so much more.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How to be present, and find happiness in everyday experienceHow to find purpose in “being of service and living from our hearts”&nbsp;How we all want to feel “wealthy” yet we forget that what we’re after is a feelin

On today's show, I talk with John Kaag, an American philosopher and writer, and the author of the book “Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James can save your life.”&nbsp;John talks about Covid-19 and how it is both forcing us to ask challenging questions like “What am I going to do with my life?” and “What is my purpose?" while also affording us the time and space to reflect on these questions.John also shares his experience of recently surviving a massive heart attack at age 40, and what that experience has taught him about living the best life possible while facing mortality. We discuss the connection between emotion and activity, and why the Nike slogan “Just Do It” is more profound than might first appear.I encourage you to stay through to the end when we get into a discussion about the importance to go “All in” in life, if you want to flourish.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Why emotion is tied ine

On today’s show, I talk with David Finkel, time management and productivity expert, and author of the book, The Freedom Formula: How to Succeed in Business without Sacrificing Your Family, Health, or Life.&nbsp;We’re all searching for ways to get more productive, get smarter about how we spend our time, and avoid burnout. I don’t know about you, but ironically, I feel busier than ever during this COVID-19 lockdown, and I’m searching for ways to get smarter about how I spend my time.&nbsp;In this episode, you’ll get practical advice on how to get more out of your day and become a better investor, leader, spouse, parent, and friend.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:It’s not about how much time we spend on work, it’s about how we spend our timeHow to structure our day more like Warren BuffettThe difference between the “Time &amp; Effort Economy” and the “Value Economy”Why we sho

On today's show, I talk with Amarjit Chopra, the author of Managing the People-Side of Innovation.&nbsp;He is an innovation expert, and has studied how innovation actually happens within an organization.&nbsp;Innovation has been called the greatest long-term competitive advantage – this applies to both organizations and individuals.&nbsp;COVID-19 is forcing organizations to get creative in how they respond to the crisis.Our natural instinct is to point out the flaws in other people’s ideas, but that only serves to shut down innovation.&nbsp;You’ll discover that the subtle ways leaders react to other’s ideas can have a big impact on the innovation of an organization.&nbsp;In addition, Chopra talks about the “Idea Growing Process,” and why all good ideas actually start as ideas with serious flaws. He also provides actionable tips and suggestions for how to lead a team through a creative problem-solving exercise.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:</str

On today's show, I talk with Matt Walker, author of Adventure in Everything and a professional mountain guide, executive coach and keynote speaker. Matt has over 20 year’s experience leading groups of some of the world’s highest peaks and helping his clients get more out of life through adventure.The topic today is how to manage our lives, both personally and professionally, through the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;How, by treating this experience as an adventure, with all of the associated risks and dangers, and yet holding out the possibility of reaching new heights, we can come out of this stronger and healthier than before. We’ll also talk about how to manage our stress so we can tap into the creativity we all need to get through this.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How to manage our lives, both personally and professionally, through COVID-19How to deal with higher levels of stress and anxiety</stro

On today's show, I talk with Christian Miller, author of The Character Gap and a professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University.&nbsp;Miller talks about the virtues that make up a good character; honesty, courage, temperance, justice.&nbsp;We discuss why character matters and how we can improve our character. Finally, we talk about the role that character plays in living the Good Life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What are the virtues that make up character?Why is character so important?How can we improve our character?The importance of having mentors and role models in our life?The role that character plays in living the Good Life.BOOKS AND RESOURCESThe Cha

This is a special announcement that The Good Life will temporarily release new episodes every other week.GET IN TOUCH WITH SEAN MURRAYSean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: [email protected]: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer"

On today's show, I talk with Scott Hambrick, the founder of Online Great Books, an organization that hosts virtual seminars for people who want to read the Great Books of Western Civilization.&nbsp;Scott talks about what makes the Great Books great, why they are so important, and how they contribute to living the Good Life.&nbsp;We also do a deep dive into Aristotle’s famous work on how to achieve happiness and live the best possible life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What are the Great Books and what makes them Great?Why should we read the Great Books?What the Great Books have to teach us about the Good Life?How Aristotle defines the Good Life and how to achieve it?How to tackle challenging books?How to find more time to read?HELP US OUT!Help u

On today's show, I talk with Brad Stulberg, the co-author of Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success.&nbsp;Stulberg is an author, executive coach, and speaker who has written about how athletes, musicians and preselectional achieve and sustain peak performance.Stulberg has interviewed hundreds of high-performers, from legendary investors to big wave surfers and mountain climbers, and in the process he’s identified the secret to performing at our best, and maintaining that level of performance for our careers.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is the Growth Equation?The positive impact of stress, at least at the right doseThe importance of productive failureWhy “more is not better, better is better”How to tap into a flow stateThe importance

On today's show, I talk with James Mustich, the author of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life Changing List.&nbsp;Mustich has curated one of the most comprehensive and significant book lists of all time.&nbsp;In this amazing book, Mustich channels his encyclopedic knowledge of all things books into a list of the best history, philosophy, science fiction, poetry, literature, plays, detective novels, graphic novels and every other genre of book you can think imagine. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to be considered “well read,” go no further.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How to curate the ultimate libraryThe best business, history and biography books of all-timeThe best books on how to live The Good LifeHow to find “the next book”Why the most important book is always the book you’re reading now</li

On today's show, I talk with Daniel Mendelsohn, Professor of Classics at Bard College and the author of “An Odyssey: A Father, A son and an Epic.”&nbsp;Mendelsohn has a very unique and personal story about his experience teaching the Odyssey. IN 2011, his eighty-one year old father enrolled in his seminar course about the Odyseey, which initiates a father-son adventure that is both emotionally and intellectually stunning.&nbsp;In this episode we talk about how the Odyssey has the power to reveal hidden truths about ourselves and offers ancient advice and wisdom on how to live the good life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is the Odyssey and why is it still relevant today?What does the Odyssey have to teach us about life, family, relationships?What is the nature of identity?How do we truly know someone?What is the role of sto

On today's show, I talk with Michael Erwin, the co-author of Lead Yourself First: Inspiring Leadership through Solitude.&nbsp;Michael, a graduate of West Point in 2002, served three combat tours with the First Cavalry Division and 3rd Special Forces Group in Iraq and Afghanistan. Michael talks about the role solitude played in forging his military leadership experience, and how it led him to found the veteran’s service organization, Team Red White &amp; Blue, and write.&nbsp;IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is solitude and why it’s so important for leadershipThe difference between being “alone” and “productive solitude”How solitude can provide clarity for leadersHow emotional balance and creativity are cultivated through solitudeThe importance of moral courage for leaders to have conviction

On today’s show, I talk with James Romm, Professor of Classics at Bard College and the author of the books Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero, and How to Die: An Ancient Guide to the End of Life.&nbsp;Seneca was an influential Stoic philosopher who left us with a number of masterful works on how to live and, interestingly, he also wrote a lot about how to die.&nbsp;You might be asking yourself, for a show about the Good Life, why so much talk of death? Well, as you’ll learn from James in this episode, many philosophers through the years, Seneca included, believed that, if we want to get the most out of life, it’s important to confront the ultimate end point we all face, and that is death.&nbsp;It can be helpful to start from the end and work backwards to cultivate a life that gets the most out of every day and doesn’t leave us with regrets.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Why Seneca viewed death as the

On today's show, I talk with Donald Robertson, the co-founder of Modern Stoicism and the author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.&nbsp;Robertson is an expert on both ancient Stoicism and the modern psychotherapy that evolved from Stoicism called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.&nbsp;Robertson goes in-depth on the life of the Roman Stoic and Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the lessons we can learn from his life and philosophical practices.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is StoicismWhy Stoicism is so popular todayWhat to do if your girlfriend or boyfriend dumps youHow to build resilienceThe Stoic view on the pursuit of wealthHow to deal with negative emotions like anger, envy and anxietyHow to calm your mind and emotionsHow to apply Stoic principles to achieve The Good LifeHELP US OUT!</

On today's show, I talk with Richard Robb, a university of Chicago trained economist turned trader who went on to found the hedge fund Christofferson, Robb &amp; Company with $5 Billion under management.&nbsp;Robb is also a professor at Columbia University and the author of Willfull: How We Choose What We Do.&nbsp;Robb has thought a lot about decision making, both in investing and in life, and he shares his insights into how can improve our own decision making.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How sometimes we use rational choice when making decisionsHow other times we go outside rational choice when making a decisionWhy it matters how we choose what we doHow understanding how we make decisions can help us make better decisionsHELP US OUT!Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a rating and review! It takes less than 30 seconds and really helps our show gr

On today's show, I talk with William B. Irvine, professor of philosophy at Wright State University and the author of A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy and more recently, The Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher’s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer and More Resilient. Professor Irvine has taken the ancient philosophy of Stoicism out of the classroom and adopted it as his philosophy of life. He shares his experience practicing Stoicism and how it’s helping him move a little closer to the Good Life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of finding a Philosophy of LifeWhy Stoicism works for Professor Irvine, and why it might work for you toThe dangers of the default philosophy of life in Western World: Enlightened HedonismHow Stoicism helps avoid Hedonic AdaptationHow to maintain tranquility and peace of mindHow to become more resilient<p

On today's show, I talk with Elizabeth Samet, Professor of English at the United State Military Academy at West Point and author of the anthology Leadership: Essential Writings by Our Greatest Thinkers.&nbsp;Samet uses literature to teach cadets how to lead in the grand sense; that is, how to be thoughtful, strategic, ethical, principled and purposeful.&nbsp;In the show today she shares some of the stories from the anthology, each with a specific lesson on leadership and living the good life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How Pericles used rhetoric to rally the people of Athens during the Peloponnesian WarHow a metaphor from Moby Dick is still relevant todayWhy Seneca deliberately set up his quarters above a noisy public bathHow the Roman General Fabius Maximus used strategic “delay” to win a warHow President Abraham Lincoln </

On today's show, I talk with Jacob Taylor, the CEO of Farnman Street Investments and the author of the novel, The Rebel Allocator.&nbsp;The book follows a young man who is mentored by a legendary business leader and a master of capital allocation.&nbsp;Charlie Munger liked the novel so much he called up the author to discuss it and encouraged him to make it into a movie.&nbsp;So what was Munger so excited about? The book is full of wisdom related to business, investing and living a good life.&nbsp;Jacob Taylor joins me to talk about his conversation with Munger and the life lessons that run through his novel, The Rebel Allocator.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:How to bounce back from life’s set-backsThe importance of self-reliance and having an inner-scorecardThe importance of capital allocation in business and lifeHow to get better at ca

On today's show, I talk with Ryan Patrick Hanley, the author of Our Great Purpose: Adam Smith on Living a Better Life.&nbsp;Adam Smith was a great scholar and writer who has much to share about how to achieve the life well-lived. Smith’s two great works, The Wealth of Nations (1776) and Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) are classics, but they are also long and can be difficult reading at times.&nbsp;That’s where Ryan Hanley comes in.&nbsp;Professor Hanley translates Smith’s writing for a more modern reading and applies Smith’s teachings to our world today.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:Adam Smith’s advice for achieving the Good LifeWhy most people seek wealth and fame when they should seek wisdom and virtueThe importance of love in a happy lifeWhy it’s more important to give love than to receive itWhat steps we can take to get more out of

On today's show, I talk with Scott Young, the author of Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career.&nbsp;Scott completed the entire MIT coursework for Computer Science in less than a year, and passed the final exams.&nbsp;How did he do it?&nbsp;By utilizing something he calls, Ultralearning, an intense form of self-directed learning that we can all use to improve our lives.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:What is Ultralearning and why it worksWhy Ultralearning is actually easier, in the long run, than traditional learningHow Ultralearning worksStories about Ultralearners who have mastered new skills, languages and musical instrumentsWhy learning is an essential component of living a flourishing lifeHELP US OUT!Help us reach new listeners by

Today’s show is co-hosted by my colleague, Stig Brodersen, from the popular podcast, We Study Billionaires. Stig and I talk with Brian Portnoy, the director of Education at Magnetar Capital, a $13 Billion hedge fund and the author of The Geometry of Wealth: How to Shape a Life of Money and Meaning.&nbsp;Brian explores the role of money in a happy life.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The role of meaning in a happy lifeThe difference between experienced happiness and reflective happinessWhat changes when you reach, roughly, $75,000 in annual incomeHow to avoid the hedonic treadmillHow to underwrite a meaningful lifeWhat is funded contentment, and how can we apply it to our livesHELP US OUT!Help us reach new listeners by leaving us a

The Good Life&nbsp;by&nbsp;The Investor’s Podcast Network&nbsp;is hosted by&nbsp;Sean Murray.&nbsp;It studies the values, virtues, and practices that contribute to leading a meaningful, flourishing life. The show focuses on the most important investment we all make – investing our time wisely to get the most out of life. Join Sean on a journey for the life well-lived.Sean is the founder and CEO of RealTime Performance, a company that provides leadership and organization development services to major corporations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.