Get Yourself Optimized®

Are you born an entrepreneur? Or is it something that can be learned? If you take Steve Glaveski's success as an indicator then it's definitely the latter. Steve is the founder of several companies including Collective Campus and Lemonade Stand. They're all underpinned by the philosophy of making the world a better place by teaching more people to embrace an entrepreneurial mindset. It's a powerful idea and one that I personally find inspirational. One of Steve's arguments is that we not only need more entrepreneurs, but more entrepreneurial employees and organizations like businesses, nonprofits, and governments. It's an idea that I wholeheartedly agree with. Steve is also the author of Employee to Entrepreneur, a great book published by Wiley that explains the methods and tools that freed him from the nine to five grind. And he's the host of Future Squared Podcast, where he explores the future of business and emerging technologies like AI and Bitcoin. Steve, like me, is also a contributor to Harvard Business Review. As you've probably guessed, Steve likes to think big. So strap yourself in for this episode number 216 as you're in store for a fascinating discussion on how to really refine that entrepreneurial mindset and build a thriving, adaptable business.

We all love that satisfying feeling of getting things done. Unfortunately, clearing off your to-do list often seems like an epic task without any end. If you've struggled with this problem yourself, you probably realize that if you want to maximize your productivity, you need a system. My guest for this episode number 215 also came to this realization and the system he developed became a global phenomenon. I'm talking about David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, creator of the GTD or Getting Things Done Methodology, and one of the most influential thinkers on productivity in the world. David needs no introduction, but if you're looking for street cred, he was named one of the US' top five executive coaches by Forbes and one of the top 10 business leaders by the American Management Association. David's common sense approach to productivity has not only made him a bestselling author, it also has made him a sought after keynote speaker and created massive demand for his accredited training program in dozens of countries around the world. If there's only one podcast episode you listened to on productivity this year, make sure it's this one. And if it's only two then add in my previous interview of David episode number 26. It's an oldie but goodie, trust me on this one. And now on with the show.

If you want to succeed, you need to work hard right? Hustle. It's all about cramming in as much as you can in each day, working long hours, and even pulling that occasional all-nighter, at least when you have to. Wrong! At least according to my guest for this episode number 214. Well, and me too, for that matter. In his new book Rest, Alex Pang argues that you actually get more done when you work less. It sounds counterintuitive, but when you think about it, it makes total sense. How can you perform at your best when you're constantly tired and burned out? Instead, by blocking up parts of your week for intensive deep work and then looking after your body and mind by resting, napping and taking a day off when you need it, you can consistently operate at peak performance. Alex is the author of four books that have been translated into a dozen languages. He's the founder of the Restful Company and a sought after consultant and expert on rest and productivity. He's been profiled in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Financial Times, Guardian and is a visiting scholar at Stanford University. If you're ready to revolutionize your work-life balance, stick around because we're going to be discussing the most cutting edge strategies for improving your productivity while also living an amazing and fulfilling life. Stay tuned.

We're entering a new phase of the World Wide Web and most of us aren't even aware of it, or at least not aware of the full extent of it. It's referred to by many as Web 3.0 and it will shepherd in a new era of AR, VR, mixed reality, AI, IoT, and blockchain. This new iteration of the web will be a spatial web, where there are no boundaries between digital space and physical space. I'm excited for you to learn in this episode how much of your daily life will be impacted by the spatial web. We will be immersed in a layer of rich dynamic data, which will revolutionize how we work, live and interact with others in profound new ways. For all these technologies to work seamlessly together though, there must be standards and protocols that everyone adopts. That's where my guest for this episode number 213, Gabriel Rene, comes in. Gabriel is the Executive Director of VERSES Foundation, a nonprofit that's leading the charge and developing open standards for the web 3.0 era, making sure everything is interoperable, and encouraging global adoption and the ethical use of all these emerging technologies. Before his work with VERSES, Gabriel was a thought leader in the tech and entertainment industries for over 25 years, running several companies and consulting for such brands as Verizon, Sony, Coca-Cola, Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft. Join us for a mind expanding conversation about this new era of the web that we are entering. In this episode, we're covering everything from the future of nation states, and indeed of the Earth itself to the Digital Gaia Theory. If you're looking to keep your finger on the pulse of this rapidly changing world, this episode is going to deliver some powerful insights. Let's get this show started.

What exists beyond our physical reality? Is it possible to connect with other realms of existence and the beings that inhabit them, including loved ones who have moved on from our world? These are esoteric questions, but some have made it their life's work searching for answers to them. One of these people is Paul Selig, psychic, medium teacher and award-winning author. Paul was educated at Yale and served on the faculty of NYU for over 25 years. In 1987, a spiritual experience left him with clairvoyant abilities, and he decided to dedicate his life to channeling the messages he hears telepathically. These unique powers have brought him massive success, including praises from top executives and celebrities. Paul is a regular guest in the mainstream media and has appeared on Nightline, Fox News and The Biography Channel, to name a few. In his latest book, Beyond the Known, Paul channels the wisdom of higher realms via his connection with mysterious beings known as the guides, and invites his readers to move beyond the perceived limitations of their current reality. Whether you're a skeptic or deeply spiritual, I invite you to join us on this fascinating journey where we tackle some of the big questions and tune our minds into a higher vibration and joy.

A lot of people in business can talk a good game about disruption, but how many can say they actually personify it? If there's one person who can lay a rightful claim to the title of serial disruptor, it's my guest for this episode number 211, Jay Samit. Jay advances the gospel of disruption everywhere he goes and his radical approach to business has transformed entire industries. As a consultant has spurred innovation in major brands like American Express, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Disney, and LinkedIn to name a few. In his best selling book, Disrupt You!, Jay lays out a blueprint for becoming a disruptor in your own life with lessons from major innovators like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. According to Jay, anyone can become a disruptor. The key is learning to see that there are unmet needs everywhere in society. All you have to do is just simply solve one of these problems and you might just become a billionaire. Whether you're a successful entrepreneur or a dreamer in the 9-to-5 grind, this inspirational episode we'll get you up off the couch and get you motivated to change the world.

What makes us behave the way we do? Why do our brains keep defaulting back to the same old bad habits? And why is it so hard to scrap those bad habits and replace them with new ones? Why can't we just stick with these new habits that we tell ourselves we want to form? Installing and uninstalling habits sounds easy, but boy, is it a challenge. Whether you want to hit the gym, wake up earlier, quit smoking, or simply be more productive at work, behavior change can feel like pushing against a brick wall. Or worse, pushing a boulder up a mountain. For entrepreneurs, the stakes are even higher. Your habits determine your behaviors, which determine your outcomes, which determines your business, which ultimately determines your destiny. The secret to your destiny, the destiny of your wildest dreams is to start small, specifically with tiny habits. Today's guest on this episode number 210 is BJ Fogg, PhD. BJ is the top expert in the world when it comes to habits. He's the author of the upcoming book, Tiny Habits, due out later this year. He is a behavior scientist, a professor at Stanford and founder of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab. For decades, he's been digging into the science of behavior change and has developed an important body of scientific research on how you can rewire your brain. His work on persuasive technology has also been highly influential in Silicon Valley, making him one of the most sought after academics in the world. Outside of his work at Stanford, BJ spends a good chunk of his time working with innovative businesses to apply his research to real world situations. As you may have guessed, BJ's research has so many applications and everything from health to productivity to sales. In this episode, you're not only going to learn about reprogramming your brain with awesome new habits, but you also get a crash course in the fundamentals of human behavior. You're even going to learn about an important emotion that was up until recently unnamed until BJ named it. Truly, this is invaluable knowledge that could change the way you think about business and even life itself. Oh, and by the way, BJ and I are teaching a workshop together at Stanford on October 1 called The Optimized Entrepreneur. You won't want to miss that more details at bitly.com/getoptimizedworkshop. And now, on with the show!

You might have a business coach, you might have a life coach. But do you have a sleep coach? You might say, "Why would I need a sleep coach?" Well, here's one reason. If you live to 75, and I do hope you live a lot longer than that, you will have spent about 25 years of your life sleeping. 25 years. Not only that, but the quality of your sleep will have a huge impact on the quality of your life. Lack of sleep can lead to poor mental performance, low sex drive, and even serious health problems like strokes and heart disease. An investment in your sleep is an investment in your health and your wellbeing. Sleep is something that my guest for this episode number 209, Claus Plummer, takes very seriously. Claus is president of SAMINA North America, which in my words, is a biohacker's dream bed. It was through the original biohacker Dave Asprey, founder of Bulletproof and past guest on this show, episode 38, that I learned of SAMINA and Claus. In fact, Claus taught a sleep workshop hosted by Bulletproof and Upgrade Labs that I attended, and it was excellent, which is why I invited him onto the show. Claus' involvement with the business of sleep began many years ago with a woodworking business he founded that designed and built beds. From there, his interest in sleep grew, he studied the science of sleep and he became an accredited sleep expert through the Austrian Institute for Sleep Psychology. Achieving the perfect night's sleep can take a lot of work. It's all about creating the right routine and paying attention to details in your environment, including light sources, background noise, and temperature. If you've had trouble sleeping in the past or just want to improve your overall quality of life, Claus will be revealing some powerful hacks that will revolutionize the way you think about sleep and ensure you are well-rested and ready for anything. And now, on with the show.

I'm sure you've heard of acupuncture. You may have even heard of Reiki. But have you heard of Jin Shin? I hadn't. Jin Shin is an ancient Japanese healing art that uses gentle touch and minimal pressure to unblock energy flows throughout the body. It's most commonly used to treat ailments like anxiety, digestive issues, immune disorders, migraines, and more. The best part about Jin Shin is that you can easily practice it on yourself and develop a daily routine that can help you achieve inner harmony and a deep sense of wellbeing and calm. Using just a couple of Jin Shin techniques every day could have a profound impact on your sense of wellbeing. My guest for this episode number 208 is Alexis Brink, master Jin Shin practitioner, author of The Art of Jin Shin published by Simon and Schuster, and president of the Jin Shin Institute in New York City. Alexis has been practicing Jin Shin since 1991 and teaches Jin Shin techniques to nurses in hospitals and teachers in the public school system. If you'd like more mindfulness in your life, Jin Shin offers a simple, effective daily routine that is not only relaxing but effective at treating many of the common maladies that can put a dark cloud over your day. Stay tuned as Alexis reveals how the Jin Shin philosophy has improved your life, how to use your hands as jumper cables, and how to deal with energy blockages in your body.

If you run a business, you know it's tough to get out of the weeds and find time to work on the stuff that really matters, especially if you're a solo entrepreneur who can't delegate to staff. These days, you can easily hire a virtual assistant off the internet. However, it can be difficult to find someone reliable and trustworthy enough to take care of personal tasks, like managing your inbox or booking travel on a credit card. My guest for this episode number 207 is Tim Francis. Tim is someone who has thought a lot about assistance, delegating, and the most efficient way to run a business. After achieving success at a young age, Tim was hit with a rare illness which left him crippled for three months. The illness forced him to start again from scratch and rethink his entire approach to business. The result was two innovative new businesses, Great Assistant and Profit Factory. Tim is a master when it comes to hiring, managing, and delegating tasks to assistance. So if you employ one or you're thinking of employing one, the knowledge he shares today will have a real impact on your business's bottom line. We'll also be discussing plenty of handy tools you can use to streamline the management of your team and your business. And Tim will reveal some powerful insights like why you should only hire assistance in your own time zone. There's plenty to dive into. So let's get started. Shall we?

If you're like me, you have a cupboard full of vitamins and supplements. But what's your overall health maintenance strategy? Buying supplements on a whim, in other words, without the necessary due diligence, won't address the underlying health issues in your body. Dr. Jay Foster is the expert that many turns to for this kind of nutritional guidance. He's a nutritional biochemist and the president of Body Chemistry Associates. Jay has deep expertise in the interpretation of blood chemistry and mineral analysis. He also designs nutritional and dietary recommendations tailored to his clients' chemical profile and symptoms for maximum impact. Your health is your most valuable asset. And today, Jay and I will be discussing how to maintain it well into your retirement age and beyond. We'll be busting common health myths, revealing how to reduce your Alzheimer's risk by 70+%, and why you should increase your intake of vitamin C. If you're looking to live a long and prosperous life, you're going to want to listen on all the way through to the end on this one. And when you're done, don't forget to check out my interview with Dr. Matea, Hollywood's wellness doctor, on episode number 171, which is also a great resource on this very topic. Enjoy.

Over the past few decades, technology has radically reshaped the way we do business. Compare life today to that of someone living in the early 90s. It's like comparing a VHS tape to Netflix. Organizations are becoming more collaborative and less hierarchical. We're crowdsourcing powerful data and insights at the touch of a button. The blockchain is decentralizing and disrupting across all sectors- government, business, nonprofit. One man who's studied the impact of some of the biggest technological innovations of recent times is Don Tapscott. Don is the bestselling author of 16 books including Wikinomics, and Blockchain Revolution. He's executive chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute, and a member of the Order of Canada. Don regularly consults for prime ministers and presidents who want to understand what our current era of rapid technological change means for their citizens. And now, Don will help you prepare for the decades ahead too.

What makes someone captivating? Is it an innate quality they're born with or is charisma something you can learn? That was the question that fascinated Vanessa Van Edwards, behavioral investigator and author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, when she began her research into the science of charisma and persuasion. As it turns out, there are plenty of science-based hacks you can learn to help you master social situations, read other people's emotions, and develop stronger relationships. Many successful people have already mastered these skills and use them every day in their business dealings. In this episode 204, Vanessa will be revealing some amazing insights, including the primary ingredients of charisma, how to read the tone of voice, facial expressions, hand gestures and understanding micro expressions. Vanessa has shared her research with trillion-dollar companies, and she's been featured in CNN, BBC, CBS, Fast Company, INC, Entrepreneur magazine, USA Today, and The Today Show to name a few. By the end of this episode, you will have a laundry list of techniques that you can use to win at networking and inspire respect in social situations and even leverage to achieve massive success in your life and business. For anyone seeking to improve their relationship or communication skills, this episode is packed with useful and practical advice. Without further ado, let's get started.

Is it possible that the conventional wisdom about networking is wrong? There's a lot of advice out there on the best ways to network, but how much of it really was based on scientific research? According to my guest for this episode number 203, David Burkus, investing time and energy into networking events and flashy business cards likely won't bring you the results you're looking for. Instead, he argues that the most valuable relationships are the ones you already have with the people you already know. David's book, Friend of a Friend, digs into cutting-edge science on human behavior to reveal some profound and counterintuitive insights into the most effective networking strategies. It's a great read, and it might just revolutionize the way you go about networking. David is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, has delivered keynotes to leaders of Fortune 500 companies, and his TED talk has been viewed almost two million times. He's also a guest on my Marketing Speak podcast episode number 135. If you're not a subscriber to Marketing Speak, by the way, you, my friend, are missing out. Please subscribe—and to this show, too, if you haven't already. If you have frustrations with networking in the past, stick around as David introduces a whole new approach that I predict will have massive benefits for your career or business.

How often do you think about the light you're absorbing every day? Probably not as much as the food you eat or the liquids you consume, I bet. In the 21st century, our bodies are bombarded by unnatural light from screens and artificial light sources. We spend most of our time indoors and once finally outside, we use lotions and sunglasses to block out the natural light. As we become more and more removed from the light of our natural environment, how does this affect our physical, mental, and even spiritual well-being? Dr. Jacob Liberman is someone who's taken a deep interest in our relationship with light. This is the second time I've interviewed Dr. Liberman. The first was episode number 130, where we discussed the healing properties of light. It was a powerful episode, and I recommend listening to it if you haven't already. On this episode number 202. I'm excited to welcome Dr. Liberman back to the show to delve deeper into the topic of light. Dr. Liberman is the author of four books and an international speaker who's changed the way many of us think about light. He's also explored our spiritual connection to light and has been praised by such luminaries as Deepak Chopra, Bruce Lipton, Eckhart Tolle, and Ram Dass. If you want to know about the different types of light, how light effects jet lag, the benefits of sun exposure, and more, Dr. Liberman will be revealing some of the myriad ways light can make your life better. It was an illuminating episode.

We all know that as we get older, our risk for certain diseases increases, our bodies wear out, and our mental faculties often fade. Aging is something that most of us just accept as a fact of life, but does it have to be? Scientific research is starting to reveal the underlying causes of aging and how diet, genetics, and environment can all contribute to the deterioration of our bodies. In fact, scientists can now recommend specific foods, therapies, and supplements that can reduce the risk of disease and combat the effects of aging. Dr. Terry Grossman is a thought-leader in anti-aging and preventive medicine and the founder of Grossman Wellness Center, a cutting-edge clinic which works to extend the longevity and quality of its patient's lives. He's also co-author of the book Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever with world-renowned futurist Ray Kurzweil. Dr. Grossman has been studying anti-aging therapies and preventative medicine for over 25 years. Whether you're simply interested in fighting off those wrinkles or you're preparing to live well into your second century, I advise you to stay tuned as he'll be revealing some truly mind-blowing facts about aging.

I've been podcasting for four years and it feels like just yesterday that the first episode was published. As we wrap up Get Yourself Optimized's 200th episode, I can't help but look back and reflect on the last 100 guests who have graciously agreed to be on the show. It was such an honor interviewing some of the best experts, influencers, and trailblazers in the world of biohacking, business, and self-development. So many lessons learned and tips and tricks gained to live a highly optimized life. This special episode is hosted by my lovely wife, Orion Talmay, who happens to have her own wonderful podcast called The Stellar Life Podcast. Tune in as she and I discuss some of the best advice my guests have shared. And to my listeners, thank you for tuning in all these years. Cheers to 200 more amazing episodes!

Stem cells are quietly bringing about a revolution in health and longevity, and doctors are now looking at stem cells as a viable treatment for a number of ailments including spinal cord injuries and neurological conditions. Stem cells also appear to have a lot of potential when it comes to aging. On this episode number 199, I'm joined by Dr. Amy Killen, an expert in anti-aging, regenerative, and aesthetic medicine. Amy works out at the Docere Clinics at Utah where she practices cutting edge treatments that reduce the effects of aging. Her business partner in Docere is Dr. Harry Adelson, who was a guest on the show in episode number 82. Amy is an expert, not only with stem cell therapy but also with PRP injections and non-surgical hair loss treatments. If you secretly wish there was a Fountain of Youth or you just want to hear about the latest innovations in medicine, tune in as Amy reveals some powerful secrets to youth and vitality.

The human brain is an endless source of mystery and wonder. It's the most powerful computer we know of, at least for now, and it's a tool that has allowed the human race to achieve incredible things. The brain is also much more flexible and adaptable than many people realize. Someone who understands this more than most is Anat Baniel. She's a psychologist, best-selling author of two books, Move Into Life and Kids Beyond Limits, and the creator of NeuroMovement, a powerful methodology that uses physical movement to rewire the brain. NeuroMovement is practiced around the globe and can be used as a treatment for pain, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. It's also a method for achieving peak performance and even a way to combat aging. If you find your mental performance lagging, know that you're not hardwired that way. Like the muscles in your body, your brain can get flabby without proper care. NeuroMovement reminds us that we need to take a holistic approach to our mental and physical health. Tune in as Anat explains the amazing science behind using your body to optimize your brain.

Do you run your business or does your business run you? As entrepreneurs, it's easy to get buried in the details and lose sight of longer-term goals while you fritter away your time picking up the slack or fixing minor day-to-day issues. I admit that I get caught up in the minutia way too often. "Majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors," as they say. Ideally, you should be working smart rather than hard by applying your genius on the highest value activities. The best and probably the only way to achieve scale is by building intelligent systems into your business. In other words, you should be working on your business, not in your business. On this episode number 197, my guest is Josh Fonger, high-performance business coach, speaker, and co-founder of Work the System. You may already be familiar with the name Work the System from the book of the same title, authored by Josh's co-founder, Sam Carpenter. Josh will unpack for us some key principles and distinctions from the Work the System methodology. He'll talk us through the three pillars of a systems mindset, how to think and act more strategically in your business, and how to clear your mind to really focus in on your vision.

It's a common misconception that the genetics we inherit from our parents determine our fate with regards to diseases and our overall health. The truth is your genes are not your destiny. While genetics certainly play a role, scientists now know there are many other factors that can exacerbate or trigger underlying genetic issues, including diet, exercise, your external environment and even your internal environment of your body, which includes things like your metabolism, microbiome, hormone levels and inflammation in your organs. Dr. Ben Lynch is an expert in epigenetics who studied hundreds of conditions including depression, anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, heart disease, obesity and more. Lucky for you, he has developed a unique method for taking control of your genetic destiny. Dr. Lynch is also the author of the bestselling book, Dirty Genes. He's here on this episode to share practical yet cutting-edge tips on how you can optimize your diet and daily routine in a way that allows you to master your genetic health.

If you're a regular audience to the show, you know that I'm a major productivity nerd. My guest for this episode is someone who intrigues me because he has developed his own simple process for getting things done and achieving his goals, and it works. His name is Tommy Baker and he calls his system, The 1% Rule. It's all about embracing the daily grind and developing a routine that gets resolved. Tommy has applied this method to his own life, but he also helps others realize their dreams via his podcast, the Elite Man and his coaching business, the Resist Average Academy. This is going to be an epic deep-dive into productivity and the secrets that underpin massive success. We will be discussing everything from mindset and coaching to biohacking and ice baths. Strap in because you don't want to miss some of the powerful insights in this episode.

Sometimes here in the West, we can get so caught up in new ideas, we overlook traditional practices that have been around for centuries. My guest for this episode is Dennis Notten, a yoga meditation teacher, healer and a student of indigenous medicine from the Amazon and other parts of South America. Dennis has spent an extensive amount of time in the Amazon learning healing techniques from tribes like the Yawanawá in Brazil. He's on a mission to bring some of these powerful methods to a broader audience in the West and beyond. We'll be discussing plant medicine and in particular Ayahuasca, which comes from the Amazon rain forest. It's important to recognize that when we refer to plant medicine in this episode, it does not mean medicine, drug or supplement in the Western sense. Neither Dennis nor I are suggesting that Ayahuasca or the Ayahuasca vine be used to treat or cure physical diseases or other physical conditions. In other words, please do not construe any of this episode's discussion as medical advice. Indigenous people of the Amazon have used Ayahuasca and the Ayahuasca vine for thousands of years. They're honoring them as wise plant teachers that help people on their spiritual path. In that sense of having plant teachers guiding us on our spiritual path and helping us in healing spiritually, this is what we mean when we refer to plant medicine. Please don't construe this episode's discussion as trying to persuade, convince you our audience or others to use Ayahuasca or other sacred plant medicine. This is a deeply personal decision. If you choose to invite these plant teachers into your life, it's critical you obtain assistance from experienced facilitators who have integrity and extensive training in an established spiritual tradition. I want to emphasize that if you have any physical, psychological ailments or conditions you should consult with a physician before considering any plant medicines. None of what Dennis and I discussed should be intended as medical advice. With all these disclaimers behind us, I think you're going to find this discussion to be fascinating. Dennis opened me up to a fresh new perspective on spiritual health and on healing. Stay tuned as we explore the amazing wisdom that Dennis gleaned from his extensive time in the Amazon with indigenous people.

One of the more powerful books I've ever read is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. It was first published over 80 years ago. Since then, it's sold over 70 million copies worldwide. It truly is timeless and has changed many people's lives, mine included. Many millionaires and billionaires have credited the book as a primary reason for their success. Among them is our guest for this episode, John Shin. John is not only a wildly successful entrepreneur but also a motivational speaker, philanthropist, movie producer and author of the brand-new book How Rich Asians Think. Just so you can appreciate the scale of what John has built, I'll share with you that John commands a sales force of nearly 6,800 agents. Whether you've read or haven't read Think and Grow Rich, keep reading because you are in for a treat to learn how an amazing book has changed an amazing person's life and can change yours too.

On an average workday, how long do you spend sitting in front of a computer? Does your office have artificial lights? Do you microwave a meal for dinner and then sit down in front of the TV? Although we spend most of our time in environments filled with electromagnetic fields or EMFs, we rarely think about this kind of radiation exposure, but what effect are all these devices having on our bodies? There's growing evidence that our lifestyles could be causing adverse effects like headaches, ringing in the ears, lack of energy, weight gain or worse. One of the few people exploring this phenomenon is Jason Bawden-Smith. Jason was a successful entrepreneur until he was struck down by twenty chronic illnesses. He healed himself and now he's on a mission to help others via his books and talks. On this episode, Jason will reveal how he beat his own illnesses and how you can detoxify your environment and develop a healthy relationship to technology. It's essential reading for anyone who's ever wondered if their cell phone is secretly harming them. If this episode leaves you wanting to learn more about how to biohack your EMF exposure, then I also recommend reading my interviews with Brian Hoyer and Luke Storey.

The idea of hiring a remote workforce is highly appealing, especially if you're a solo entrepreneur or a small business owner. What's not to like? You get access to a flexible team without the pesky overheads of a traditional business, like office space and payroll tax. In reality, managing a remote team is trickier than it sounds. First off, it can be hard to find and retain top tier talents. Secondly, you might have other obstacles like work delays due to time zones or cultural differences that might affect internal communication. My guest for this episode number 191 is someone who understands these struggles. Nathan Hirsch is the Cofounder of FreeeUp, a company that connects businesses with professionals in eCommerce, digital marketing, development and much more. Stay tuned as we reveal the secrets to hiring and managing world-class talent, implementing systems to keep your remote business running smoothly and much more. If you've ever considered hiring freelancers, this episode is going to provide massive value in terms of maximizing the ROI on your outsourcing budget. This episode is the perfect companion to episode number 117 with Carolyn Ketchum, my former head virtual assistant, episode number 62 with Chris Rugh, episode number 114 with Nick Sonnenberg, episode number 116 with Nick Loper, episode number 118 with Ari Meisel and episode number 145 with Trivinia Barber.

The best way to become a millionaire is to think like a millionaire, but you won't learn that thing at school. Where do you learn it? Interviewing millionaires is a great place to start and that's exactly what my guest did. Jaime Masters is the host of the Eventual Millionaire Podcast where she's interviewed over 400 self-made millionaires, myself included. She does this to find out what makes them different, the work habits they swear by and the real secrets to their success. Jaime has applied many of these lessons to her own work as a top-rated business coach who has been featured in Yahoo!, Inc., Entrepreneur and Business Insider. She's also a self-professed tech geek and even has a sword collection in her home. Who wants to be a millionaire? If you do, then I advise you to stay tuned as Jaime and I reveal some truly powerful wealth-building strategies that will help you join the Seven Figure Club.

Many of us start a business to escape the 9 to 5 grind and take control of our lives, but too often the business ends up controlling us. We find ourselves trapped in a role we didn't envision for ourselves. We spent hours of each day on email and various mundane tasks with no time left over to work on longer-term goals. We work in the business when we should be working on the business. If your business seems like a never-ending slog, then you'll definitely want to hear from my guest for this episode, Mandi Ellefson. She is the Founder and CEO of Hands-Off CEO. She not only teaches business owners how to free 20% to 50% of their work week, she shows them how to boost profits at the same time. Many of her clients have added five figures to their net profit every month and even stepped away from day-to-day operations entirely to focus on growth. This is a powerful episode for business owners and aspiring business owners. Stay tuned as we discuss everything from finding the right talent to scaling strategies that work.

Most of us spend our whole lives working. We don't think too much about what will happen to us or our families when we stop. One in three Americans has nothing saved for retirement, while most of us don't even think about investing in life insurance. My guest is Dr. Tom McFie. As a practicing doctor, he oversaw his patient's physical health for many years. Now, he provides advice on their financial health. Tom is the author of Prescription for Wealth, Winning Your Financial Game and Retirement Curveball. He's also the Founder of Life Benefits, a company that offers advice on life insurance, debt management, and retirement planning. Stop worrying and start doing. Tune in as I talk with Tom about getting your financial life in order. He'll even reveal the amazing trick to becoming your own bank, which you may recall we dove into in my interview of Ray Poteet, episode number 32.

Getting old is one of those certainties like death and taxes that most people just accept. A few tried to fight it with plastic surgery or biohacking but for everyone else, it's an inevitability. What if aging is not a certainty and instead a disease with a cure? My guest for this episode is one of the top scientists in the world on extreme life extension. He's not willing to accept small advances in this area. He has absolutely driven to getting humanity to longevity escape velocity where for every year we live, we get an extra year added on to our lifespan due to advances in medical technologies. His name is Dr. Aubrey de Grey. I first met him over a decade ago at the Foresight Institute, one of their events. He's been working on this problem for much longer than that. While the Fountain of Youth is still ways off, Aubrey's team has made some promising breakthroughs and incredible discoveries about why and how our bodies age. He'll reveal the seven hallmarks of aging and the latest research on the interventions that could stop them. Aubrey is a truly inspiring person in so many ways. I highly recommend reading this episode in full, in fact reading it again more than once, whether you're planning or not to live forever.

When you run a business or household for that matter, it's easy for things to descend into chaos. That's always been true but with all the distractions available to us now, it's far easier for us to get bogged down with information overload and shiny objects syndrome. This isn't a minor issue. If you don't get a handle on chaos in your business or in your life, it can quickly escalate into serious problems. My guest for this episode is productivity expert, Charles Byrd. He is an Evernote-certified influencer and a coach who teaches top CEOs how to tune out the noise and become more focused and productive. If your inbox is overflowing, your Google Drive is filled with incoherent notes and your desk is littered with scribbled Post-its, Charles might just change your life. In this conversation, we'll reveal an amazing Power Trifecta for getting organize and the secret to finding your five-second superpower, as well as how to get off slack and start getting stuff done. I got to experience Charles' brilliance firsthand through his online course about Evernote and then through some private coaching and all I have to say is, "Wow." In fact, I'll be hosting a webinar with Charles as a speaker where we will go deeper into his amazing framework. If you like this episode and I know you will, then you'll want to register for the webinar at www.KillTheChaos.pro/Optimized. If you've been reading this blog, you'll know that productivity is a topic that's near and dear to my heart and it's a recurring theme here at the show. If you too are passionate about productivity and focus, do yourself a favor and check out my excellent interviews of David Allen, Cal Newport, Chris Bailey, Ari Meisel, Nick Sonnenberg, Tiago Forte, Mike Vardy, Will Henshall and Tim Ferriss. I can promise you some life-changing life hacks. There's even a productivity category on the GetYourselfOptimized.com website to make it even easier for you to find them.

Imagine you're on the phone with a kidnapper. Your goal is to get them to release their hostage as soon as possible. It's a life or death situation. If you say one wrong thing, it could quickly escalate and you'll have a disaster on your hands. My guest for this episode is Chris Voss. As an FBI Hostage Negotiator for over 24 years, he's been in that exact situation dozens of times. You don't operate in that kind of high-pressure environment without coming away with powerful insights on human nature and human psychology. When Chris decided to share his wisdom in a book, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It, it was bound to be a hit. He is also the CEO of The Black Swan Group, a company that provides negotiation training for businesses, individuals and even law enforcement. The negotiation strategies that Chris has developed don't just work in hostage situations, they're applicable to business deals, sales and even internal communications. His methodology focuses on uncovering black swans or small pieces of information that can be used to achieve the desired outcome. In addition to this episode, I encourage you to listen to my wife, Orion's episode with Chris Voss on the Stellar Life podcast, episode number 137.

Our brains can hold only so much information. If you're an ambitious person like me, you probably have so many projects and ideas on the go that some things just get forgotten. It's almost like you need a second brain to keep track of everything. You might be surprised to know that you can now build a second brain. I'm not talking about some kind of AI Robot. I'm talking about an innovative system that acts like an extension of your mind. Tiago Forte is the founder of Forte Labs and a writer, speaker, and teacher who is obsessed with the future of work. He's used his background in design and technology to create a system for entrepreneurs and creatives to keep track of their ideas using Evernote. It's so effective, he's dubbed it the second brain. If you ever wished you could learn faster, work quicker, or better manage all your ideas and projects, then you'll definitely want to build a second brain. On this episode, Tiago and I will be discussing everything from productivity apps to note-taking skills and how you can leverage them to be far more productive than you are right now.

Unfortunately, tax time is upon us again. Before you take a visit to your accountant though, you're going to want to listen to this episode number 183. It might save you some money. As you probably know, the tax system has had quite a bit of shakeup 2018. A lot of people still don't know how the new tax rules will affect them. My guest isn't just a tax expert, she literally wrote the book on the new tax plan. Diane Kennedy is a New York Times bestselling author and she's going to talk about her new book, Taxmageddon 2018: How to Brace for the Trump Tax Plan. If you don't want to get slugged with a hefty tax bill, Diane is going to be revealing some amazing tax secrets about LLCs, cryptocurrency, tax credits and more. To maximize your refund, you'll also want to check out the excellent episode I did with Mike Packman, episode number 168 on Outside-The-Box Tax Strategies. Search for Mike Packman on the Get Yourself Optimized website or in your favorite podcast app.

It takes work to be your best self and reach your full potential in life. It's tempting to make excuses when things get tough. Sometimes you might even think about giving up. Then you meet someone who has achieved greatness despite incredible odds, and all your little excuses pale into insignificance. Dr. Sean Stephenson is one of those people. Sean was born with a rare bone disorder that stunted his growth. The doctors did not expect him to survive at birth. By the time he was eighteen, he had fractured his bones over 200 times. Despite this, Sean overcame the challenges to become an incredible speaker, inspiring millions, appearing on Oprah, and sharing the stage with US presidents and the Dalai Lama. Sean is not just a motivational speaker. He's one of those rare people who has become a guiding light for what's possible. On this episode, join us as we talk about everything, from the benefits of having entrepreneurial parents to self-care and attracting wealth. Sean will also reveal how a three-foot tall man can teach you a thing or two about walking tall.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person now holds ten different jobs before the age of 40. With the rise of AI and rapid technological change, this number is likely to increase in the future. The question is how can you future proof yourself in your chosen field while avoiding self-sabotaging behavior that can derail your career or get you laid off? Our guest is Carter Cast. Carter has reinvented himself several times, starting out as marketing manager at PepsiCo, moving on to become CEO of Walmart.com, and later as a venture capitalist and professor. In his work life, he has been forced to confront some hard truths which he documented in his book, The Right and Wrong Stuff: How Careers Are Made and Unmade. Carter's formula for avoiding career disaster involves knowing yourself and your weaknesses, becoming more agile, and learning to control risky behaviors. As our work lives inevitably become less certain and more intellectually demanding, Carter's insights are essential for anyone who has long-term career or business goals.

This episode is an important episode and it probably affects people you care deeply about, including yourself. After all, we've all been through some sort of childhood trauma. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. As pervasive as domestic violence is, it's never okay. The victims aren't just those who were directly targeted by the perpetrators. The collateral damage always includes the kids even if their exposure was as a witness only. This is called childhood domestic violence or CDV. Our guest is Brian F. Martin, a successful entrepreneur who's been involved with many high profile brands in the executive level including Adweek where I'm a regular contributor, Pfizer, and Walmart. He's also a passionate advocate for children who've been affected by domestic violence. He founded an amazing nonprofit, the Childhood Domestic Violence Association, and shared his own harrowing story of growing up with domestic violence in the powerful book, Invincible. The foreword of that book was written by Tony Robbins who is also deeply affected by domestic violence. We'll be taking a deep look into the causes, effects, and solutions to this disturbing phenomenon. We'll also be talking about PTSD and trauma more broadly and how people can overcome negative experiences in their own lives. How do you work towards fulfillment and success? How do you blossom? If you've ever faced real adversity in your life or know someone who has, especially in their childhood, you got to read this episode.

If you run a business, you've probably considered switching to a remote workforce, and why not? There are plenty of proven benefits for both you and your employees. That's not to say there aren't some challenges. For one, it can be difficult to keep track of what your team is working on, how many hours they've worked, and if they're staying focused. My guest for this episode is Rob Rawson, a serial entrepreneur with employees and over nine different countries. That's not the only reason he's an expert in outsourcing. Rob also created Time Doctor, a time tracking program that helps your workforce easily keep track of their hours and optimize their productivity. It's so good I even use it myself for my own team. If you have an outsourced workforce or you're thinking about heading down that route, today's episode is a must-listen as we reveal the secrets of going remote and getting the most out of your employees when they're working from home. You'll never want to see an office cubicle again.

You already know that your body needs regular exercise to stay fit and healthy. What about your brain? Poor diet and lifestyle choices can make your mind flabby, lethargic and prone to disease. In order to keep your mind sharp, you need a workout routine, and maybe even a personal brain trainer. Dr. Andrew Hill's Peak Performance Institute provides just that. Using quantitative EEG or qEEG, brain mapping and neurofeedback, Dr. Hill assesses your mental abilities and then devices a unique coaching program to help you reach peak mental performance. I got to experience this brain mapping and brain training firsthand and I was so impressed, I'm going to be making his program a major part of my 2019. My amazing wife, Orion, has already experienced some great results with the program. She had Dr. Hill as a guest on her podcast, Stellar Life, episode number 141. I poached her guest for this very show, with her permission of course. I'm taking a leap here but I have a hunch you'd like to improve your focus, mood or at least your creative thinking. If that's the case, then this episode number 178 may just provide the key to unlock that potential. In addition to neurofeedback, we'll be discussing all things brain related including the power of meditation, supplements and nootropics, and why sugar is bad for mental performance. It's an episode pack-full of powerful tips for getting your brain back in shape.

Tragically, we seem to be facing an epidemic and brain diseases from autism, Alzheimer's, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder. This didn't use to be the case. Is it environmental toxins, vaccines, some epigenetic trigger? One thing we can all agree on is that treating these disorders like ADD, ADHD, autism, Asperger's and so on with drugs from the big pharma is not ideal. What if there was another way? According to my guest for this episode, Wynford Dore, these and many other learning difficulties like dyslexia can be treated by personalized training that gets to the root of the problem rather than focusing on the symptoms. Wynford is a serial entrepreneur whose latest business sold in 2011 for a nine-figure sum, but that isn't what lights him up. He wants to change the world one brain at a time. His ventures include the withZING Brain Development Program and a world-renowned private school in England. While Wynford's work has primarily been on children with learning disabilities, many of his discoveries about learning and the brain are applicable to adults. This journey to the brain started for Wynford with his daughter's attempted suicide. Wynford had to solve his daughter's learning issues. Her life depended on it. You'll be relieved to know that she's happy and thriving now. Wynford is passionate about sharing his research team's great breakthroughs in transforming the skills lacked by those with ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, and autism. These methods are so good that elite athletes and sports teams are using them. If you're interested in overcoming barriers to your own learning and want to heal your brain or the brain of someone you love, join us as we take a deep dive into the brain and reveal some powerful secrets that could lead to an incredible breakthrough.

Productivity is something a lot of people dabble in. Maybe you have bought a book on the topic or tried the Pomodoro Technique or even downloaded an app to help keep you on the straight and narrow. My guest for this episode is someone who did not dabble but went all in. Chris Bailey turned down lucrative job offers and spent a year conducting rigorous experiments to find out what works and what doesn't. He documented it all in a blog that eventually became a book, The Productivity Project, which is a must own for anyone interested in the topic. It includes interviews with experts like David Allen and Charles Duhigg. His latest book, Hyperfocus, looks at how to manage your attention in a world that is filled with distractions. It is a great read with some powerful insights. One of the more alarming arguments he makes is that distraction doesn't just affect productivity. It affects our memory, our creativity, and ultimately it makes our lives less meaningful. Join us as we take a deep dive into productivity and distraction and reveal some practical secrets that will help you regain your focus and live a more productive and fulfilling life.

Do you feel like you have a secret identity? Maybe we all have a superman or woman inside us waiting for the right moment to leap out and save the day. My guest for this episode, Dr. Chris Zaino, certainly believes that. He's the creator of the "I Am Hero" movement where he helps people shed their complacency and tap their inner superhero to win heroic victories in their lives. Dr. Zaino is also a speaker, entrepreneur, author, and former Mr. America and Mr. Universe. In his late twenties, he became a hero himself when he defied a terminal disease, which inspired him to get his doctorate and found a wellness clinic that would expand worldwide to help thousands of patients. If you're interested in changing your mindset, looking after your long-term health, or unleashing your inner hero, stick around for some hero-sized insights from Dr. Zaino.

If you own a business or are thinking of starting one, then you're going to want to hear what my guest in this episode has to say. John Warrillow is the author of Built to Sell and of The Automatic Customer. He's the founder of the Value Builder System which has helped thousands of business owners drastically increased the value of their companies. John is also the host of Built to Sell Radio and he's a general expert in all things business and finance. How can you make your business more valuable, and how do you set things up to ensure that you can make a smooth exit if and when you decide to sell? We'll be talking about these topics and more including valuations, earn-outs, company structures, investment, and plenty of other good stuff to make your business better. Stick around because this episode might just make you a lot of money.

It's easy to let others define what success, happiness, and value look like for us. When we try to live our lives using a framework that doesn't resonate authentically with who we are, it will only lead to disappointment. My guest for this episode is an expert in personal transformation and communication. She has helped thousands of people from Russia to Ghana move towards success, leadership, and mastery, and redefine their lives around their own personal vision. Bettie Spruill is a certified Master NLP practitioner, entrepreneur, coach, and consultant, whose clients have included Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, the Harlem Globe Trotters and Honeywell. She's someone who has thought deeply about the human condition and how to help others solve the major problems in their lives. She's also an award-winning educator and someone who believes in giving back. Whether you want to be a more successful leader or simply want to live a more fulfilling life, stick around. You might be about to hear something that changes your life forever.

My guest for this episode is one of the best-kept secrets in Hollywood, someone many famous athletes, celebrities and executives would rather you didn't know about. Dr. Matea is a doctor who's trained in both Western medicine and natural therapies. She's also a musician and vocalist, and the Founder of a line of aromatherapy products. Dr. Matea's work taps into both science and spirituality, allowing her to provide a more holistic approach to healing, enhancing or maintaining her patients' health. Her specialties include IV vitamin therapy, nutritional supplements, custom herbal medicines and meal plans. She often develops innovative treatments for conditions that have responded poorly to conventional remedies. If you're someone who's serious about your health and general well-being, then the advice you're about to hear will be invaluable.

Do you want to be a better leader? Then it's time you join the theater. My guest for this episode number 170 is Scott Eck, Founder and CEO of Leadership Masters. A company that creates leadership theater experiences for Fortune 100 clients such as Coca-Cola, 3M, Boeing, State Farm and Lockheed Martin. You may be wondering what theater has to do with leadership. It's all based on an idea called sociodrama, developed by a student of Freud's years ago. By roleplaying key figures in high stakes situations such as the British government during World War II or the African National Congress during the trial of Nelson Mandela, Scott is able to completely immerse the students in extraordinary circumstances to help them understand the actions and behaviors of great leaders firsthand. Learning in this way can affect deep personal change and develop leadership and communication skills in a way that's not possible in more conventional approaches to education. I got to know Scott at one of Doug Allen's masterminds where we both were speakers. If the name Doug Allen is familiar to you, it may be because he was also a guest on my other podcast, Marketing Speak. I have to say, if you aren't listening to Marketing Speak, you are missing out on a free university-level education in marketing. It is fantastic and yes, I'm biased. Prepare as Scott reveals some profound insights into behavior change, education and leadership. In the process, I bet you're going to learn how to facilitate true innovation in your organization.

The food we eat has a profound impact on our bodies at the cellular level. In the long term, it can even lead to a serious illness and disease. Some of these illnesses may even be caused by the acidity of our highly processed diets. Your blood provides important clues to understanding what's going on inside your body, specifically, through live blood microscopy. My guest for this episode is Mary Beth Kauffman Mittleman. She happens to be an expert in live blood microscopy. Mary Beth has helped thousands reevaluate the way they eat, live and even think through testing, counseling, and promoting an alkaline lifestyle. If you think you can be healthier and more vital than you are now, stick around and learn some valuable tips on how to cleanse your cellular environment and rebalance your body.

Imagine the euphoria of learning that an investor is willing to bet $20 million on your company. Then imagine the stress that sets in after you realize what you just signed up for. After all, that investor is expecting you to quadruple their money. My guest on this episode has been there. He not only lived to tell the tale, he wrote a book about it. Rand Fishkin is the author of Lost and Founder which charts the rise of his multi-million dollar company Moz and his rocky dealings with venture capitalists along the way. Rand all is my co-author on The Art of SEO which is considered to be the Bible on search engine optimization. Back in 2009, that book put me on the map and I'm forever grateful for our collaboration. If you've ever considered growing your business or courting investors, stick around. You're about to learn some valuable advice and uncomfortable truths you won't get from anywhere else.

Would you say you have a great memory or just a so-so memory? Would you like to improve it? Everybody could improve their memory and there are some pretty straightforward tools, tips, and techniques that will help you to improve your memory. You're going to learn all about it in this episode from one of the world's experts on memory and learning, Jonathan Levi. Jonathan is our guest and he's the author of the bestselling book, Become a SuperLearner. He's a serial entrepreneur, published author and life hacker. He's one of the top performing instructors on Udemy, which is an online learning platform. He's hosted the award-winning Becoming SuperHuman Podcast. Jonathan's media products have been enjoyed by over 150,000 people in 203 countries and territories.

Two books have had a profound impact on my life: Rich Dad Poor Dad and Outwitting the Devil. There are more than that, but these two are particularly pertinent to this episode. The authors of these two books, Robert Kiyosaki and Napoleon Hill respectively, have become household names but someone else had a hand in both books and she doesn't get the limelight. Her name is Sharon Lechter and she's our guest in this episode number 165. Sharon is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, international speaker and licensed CPA. She's regarded as a global expert on financial literacy. She served as a national spokeswoman and presidential advisor on the topic. She co-authored Rich Dad Poor Dad with Robert Kiyosaki and edited Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil, which incidentally sat for 70 years without getting published. Both books have been pivotal in my life and you're about to learn why.