You Are Heroic with Brian Johnson

There's REAL work and then there's pseudo-work. It's all about intensity. Remember: Work = Time x Intensity.

What if happiness began at the end of your fork? The latest research on neuroscience and nutrition tells us that's a VERY wise place to start. And, of course, that's what this book is all about: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energized Body. It's a really well-written, eye-opening look at how we got into the nutritional mess we're in and the extremely damaging effects of the modern American diet. And, of course, more importantly, how we can optimize our nutrition so we can dial in the three facets of happiness: our focus, our mood, and our energy.

High standards are great. Perfectionism? Not so much. In this class, we'll take a look at why it's so important to embrace the constraints of reality as we have fun incrementally optimizing–aggregating and compounding tiny improvements over time to create magic!

Fats. They are not created equal. Here's a quick look at the good, the bad, and the truly evil.

Want to know learning's enemy #1? Here it is: the fluency illusion. And, here's how to beat it!

Did you know fast-acting carbs light up the addiction center (called the nucleus accumbens) of your brain? Yep. Here's a quick look at some fascinating reseaarch on this and a tip on how to conquer your cravings.

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA's Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health and well-being of our astronauts. In this book, she walks us through how our sedentary lifestyles are surprisingly similar to the gravity-free lifestyles of astronauts in space. Just as an astronaut's health rapidly deteriorates outside of gravity's pull, OUR health erodes when we adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Big Ideas we cover include Gravity 101, why gravity is so N.E.A.T., how to build G-Habits and why your telomeres don't like you sitting so much.

Here's a fun interview with Pilar Gerasimo and Dallas Hartwig about their new podcast called The Living Experiment. Check them out! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/living-experiment-rethink/id113903086

"Edible foodlike substances." That's what Michael Pollan calls the stuff food scientists are cooking up these days. Remember Rule #1: Eat food. If your great-grandmother didn't eat, you probably shouldn't eat it. If it doesn't rot, don't eat it. If your 3rd grader can't pronounce ingredients? Don't eat it.

This book is very different than the types of books I usually focus on. It's not "self-development" per se; it's more like "state-development"—as in, the optimal politics for our nation and world. The main thrust of the book is that we are entering a revolutionary time, the era of "Great Connection." His primary focus is on a macro level. In our Note we focus on how we can apply this wisdom on an individual level. Big Ideas include a look at the #1 illness of our era and how to deal with it, why we need Hard Gatekeeping, the difference btwn complicated and complex and building a 10,000 year clock while answering the call to revolution.

Want to reach your optimal weight while preventing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and cancer AND while feeling energized as you live longer? Eat more fat. That's what Dr. Mark Hyman—one of the world's leading Functional Medicine doctors—tells us. This book is ridiculously packed with Big Ideas—walking us through the eye-opening science of why fat is awesome along with a plan on how to "reboot our biology to our original factory settings" via a 21-day program followed by a long-term plan to rock it. We explore the surprising truth about fat, good fats vs. bad fats, going pegan (think: best of vegan + Paleo), a quality carb, and dealing with root causes rather than symptoms.

Gravity. It's always pushing us into the center of the Earth. If we're sitting all day every day, that causes super unhealthy compression. We need to decompress. Easiest way to do that? Stand tall!

Benedict Carey is an award-winning science writer for The New York Times. This book is his exploration of what the latest research says about, you guessed it, How We Learn. Big Ideas we cover include the #1 enemy to learning (and how to win that battle), why distributed your learning is where it's at, how sleeping is like learning with your eyes closed and how to put the Zeigarnick Effect to use for maximum benefit.

Next time you walk through the grocery store remember: The long the shelf life, the shorter YOUR life. Choose real food.

David Ludwig has both an M.D. and a Ph.D. and is a professor and researcher at both Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health. He's overseen dozens of diet studies, authored over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles, and supported thousands of patients looking to optimize their weight. In this book, we learn how to conquer cravings, retrain fat cells, and lose weight permanently.

When you experience pain do you struggle and try to control your thoughts and feelings or do you accept the pain and commit to values-based action? Choose wisely! Keep the struggle switch in the OFF position. Remember: S = P x R.

Sir John Hargrave is a funny guy and this book is awesome. If you're a bit of a geek (or if you're married to one!) looking for a fun, grounded, super practical take on how to get your mind right so you can do what you're here to do, I think you'll love this book. Big Ideas we explore include: how to develop Jedi-like concentration, how to debug your mind, creating a vision of the best version of your life 10 years from now (and why it matters), how to make your life a masterpiece.

Eleanor Roosevelt tells us we gain strength, courage, and confidence every time we stop to look fear in the face and she challenges us to do that EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

Eric Goodman is the creator of Foundation Training. If you've ever had back or neck or other physical pain, this book might be just what your doctor forgot to order. And, of course, if you're just looking to take your energy to the next level, this is a gem. In the Note, we take a quick look at why gravity + sitting/bad posture = compression and why that's so bad plus how to deal with it as we become fluent in a new movement language and have fun becoming perpetual motion machines.

Movement transcends and includes exercise. How much do YOU move? (And are you ready to become a perpetual motion machine? :)

The gut. That's where all the health magic (or challenges!) begins. Alejandro Junger is a cardiologist turned functional medicine doctor who created the incredibly popular Clean Program. We covered his first book Clean and now for a spotlight on the Clean Gut. Big Ideas we explore include symptoms vs. root causes (paint any brown leaves green lately?), how food's shelf life correlates with yours, your 2nd brain, nutrigenomics, gluten (the ubiquitous poison) and step 1 to cleaning things up (hint: remove toxic triggers).

Willpower is the queen of all virtues. It outpredicts IQ by a factor of TWO for academic performance (and everything else we want in life). This class is all about the science of how to systematically build our willpower so we can reach our highest potential.

This is a surprisingly awesome book—a fable about a young captain who spends time with a master and commander who reveals the secret code of rockin' it. It's kinda like if a Navy SEAL wrote The Alchemist or The Way of the Peaceful Warrior or The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. Big Ideas we cover include: U.P.E.R.S.I.S.T. (the code to being unstoppable), the 2 limitations in life, how to discover your why, how to plan in 3-D, and the magic pill you need to take.

Jim Rohn's success formula is simple: Do your key disciplines every.single.day. It's easy to do. But it's also easy *not* to do. (What are YOUR daily disciplines? You doing 'em?)

ACT. That's where it's at. This is our second Note on Russ Harris and his great introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. (Check out the Notes on The Confidence Gap as well.) In this book, Russ walks us through how we get caught in the happiness trap and, more importantly, how to free ourselves. We'll take a quick look at the myths of happiness, the six principles of ACT, how to deal with emotional quicksand, how NOT to visualize (and what to do instead), and writing down your values (

There's a big difference between fruitlessly ruminating and productively reflecting. Here's a quick look. (Remember: Focus on the +1 solution!)

Eleanor Roosevelt served as the First Lady for 12 years—through her husband Franklin D. Roosevelt's terms as President during the Great Depression and World War II. She went on to play a leading role as a diplomat in the United Nations was one of the most loved and influential women of the 20th century. This book is a beautifully written, inspiring look into "Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life." Big Ideas we cover include how to conquer the great enemy (fear), Eleanor's Top 4 Big Ideas on Time Management 101, holding the tension between our dreams of perfection and reality while making all life one big adventure.

It's crazy how much leaving gravity diminishes an astronaut's health. Guess what? We do the same kinda thing to our health when we sit all.day.every.day.

Jim Afremow is one of the world's leading sports psychologists and this great book is packed with Big Ideas. We explore: the vision of a champion (and how to fuel it), what mental toughness *really* is, how/why to be ugly but effective, how to evaluate yourself (3 q's: good + better + best), and creating sustained obsession as you take the champion's honor pledge.

Baby sea turtles in Cancun used to be able to "seafind" via the moon's light. Since hotels moved in to the beach, they're losing that ability. Guess what? We suffer a lot from unnatural light at night as well. To digital sunsets and viva la sea turtle!

Jim Rohn was one of the 20th century's leading personal development gurus—influencing everyone from Tony Robbins to Darren Hardy. He wrote and taught in a simple, conversational, down-to-earth style. Reading this book feels like sitting down and having an inspiring chat with one of the best old-school coaches out there. Big Ideas we explore include the formula for success (+ the 2 easies), how to unlock your potential, character = chisel, and the key to perseverance.

How do successful people get themselves to do things failures don't like to do? One word: PURPOSE. (How's yours?)

Daniel Goleman is a former New York Times science writer and author of the uber-bestselling book Emotional Intelligence. In Focus, we look at the underlying neuroscience of attention. We need to start by realizing that the strength (or weakness) of our attention is at the core of E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. we do. Everything! Which is why Goleman calls it "the hidden driver of excellence." Big Ideas we explore include rumination vs. reflection, the three foci of willpower, smart practice and hitting the mental gym.

In addition to being a dear friend and author of one of the books that most profoundly changed my life (How to Think Like da Vinci), Michael Gelb is a qi gong master. In this special episode, Michael walks us thru The Three Treasures qi gong practice. Hope you enjoy and here's to optimizing our qi!

Ready to reach your potential and perform at your best when it matters most? Fantastic. Let's get clear on where you're headed, go all in, and cultivate our grit + presence + self-confidence as we vacuum up any potential choke dust, visualize, let it rip and win or learn.

Jocelyn Glei is the bestselling writer + editor of three great books we featured: Manage Your Day-to-Day, Make Your Mark, and Maximize Your Potential. They're all awesome. She was also the founding Editor-in-Chief of 99U--an award-winning resource that provides the missing curriculum on making ideas happen. Today we're going to talk about some of my favorite Big Ideas from her great books. (And, get a little preview on her upcoming book UNSUBSCRIBE!)

Joan Vernikos was the former Director of NASA's Life Sciences Division. Basically, she was responsible for understanding how to optimize the health and well-being of our astronauts. In this book, she walks us through how our sedentary lifestyles are surprisingly similar to the gravity-free lifestyles of astronauts in space. Just as an astronaut's health rapidly deteriorates outside of gravity's pull, OUR health erodes when we adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Big Ideas we cover include Gravity 101, why gravity is so N.E.A.T., how to build G-Habits and why your telomeres don't like you sitting so much.

F.E.A.R. got you stopped in your tracks? It's time to D.A.R.E. Defuse from your negative thoughts, Accept discomfort, set Realistic goals and Embrace your values and #bam. You're rockin' it.

Katy Bowman is the world's leading biomechanist—helping us apply wisdom from that domain to optimizing our lives. This is a great, quick-reading, smart and funny look at how we can optimally transition from sitting all.day.long to creating a standing and dynamic (

You have a big goal. You have your why. Here's how to make a plan to rock it. It's all about 3-D planning!

Anders Ericsson is the world's leading scientist studying expert performance—looking at how, precisely, the people who are the best in the world at what they do became the best. In this Note, we take a quick look at The Gift that we all have that's the key to our potential greatness, HOW to go about tapping into the benefits of that gift via a certain type of practice (forget naive practice and go for purposeful + deliberate!), the fact that there is no such thing as a "10,000 Hour Rule," and why we should be called Homo Exercens rather than Homo Sapiens. :)

John Herdman is the head coach of the Canadian women's national soccer team that won Bronze in London and is off to the Olympics in Rio. In this chat, we explore some of his wisdom on how to cultivate belief, the power of clarity and simplicity, how to deal with adversity (by inviting it in) and what makes the best so great.

Living Forward is a powerful little book all about helping us figure out our Life Plan—which is, essentially, the vision for every aspect of our lives and our plan to make it a reality. The book is the result of a collaboration between leading publisher + author Michael Hyatt and his coach Daniel Harkavy. It's basically like having one of the world's leading life coaches walk you through the Life Planning process he's used with thousands of his clients. Big Ideas we explore include The Drift, your life GPS, pull power, soul oxygen and the Law of Diminishing Intent.

This is a dinky little pamphlet of a book based on a speech Albert E.N. Gray gave to a group of Prudential life insurance agents back in 1940. It's packed with goodness and is uber-popular. In this Note, we define The Common Denominator of Success, identify the power of purpose and the fact that your future is formed by your habits.

Your amygala is kinda like a car alarm for your limbic system. You don't want it to go off at the smallest thing. Meditation helps cool a hot amygdala so you're not always in fight-or-flight.

Russ Harris is one of the world's leading authorities on one of the most cutting-edge forms of therapy known as Acceptance and Commitment Training, or ACT for short (pronounced like the word "act" not A.C.T.). In this book, Russ tells us that we've been following the wrong rule book if we want to dial in our confidence. We explore The Golden Rule of confidence (and 9 other rules), why we need to defuse from our negative thoughts NOT try to eliminate them, how to have instant success (presto!), and how to move from FEAR to DARE as we live the great adventure that is our lives.

We need to be committed, of course. But, there's a virtuous way to go about it and a not-so-effective. It's all about flexibility (not fickleness or obstinacy).

Did you know the word "parenting" comes from the Latin "to bring forth"? Yep. Begs the question, what do YOU want to help bring forth in your kids?! In this class, we explore 10 of my favorite Ideas on how I'm approaching fatherhood and going for dad of the year while doing my life's work.

Want to learn about the science of successful learning? Then this is the book for you. Written by a story-teller and two of the world's leading cognitive scientists who have dedicated their careers to mastering memory + learning, the book is packed with wisdom on what works and what doesn't. Big Ideas we explore include mastery vs. fluency, the power of active retrieval (aka "the testing effect"), explaining stuff in your own words and the wisdom in the adage that whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right.

This book is very different than the types of books I usually focus on. It's not "self-development" per se; it's more like "state-development"—as in, the optimal politics for our nation and world. The main thrust of the book is that we are entering a revolutionary time, the era of "Great Connection." His primary focus is on a macro level. In our Note we focus on how we can apply this wisdom on an individual level. Big Ideas include a look at the #1 illness of our era and how to deal with it, why we need Hard Gatekeeping, the difference btwn complicated and complex and building a 10,000 year clock while answering the call to revolution.