The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Keith Yamashita, founder of SYPartners and longtime advisor to leaders like Steve Jobs, Oprah, and Starbucks, shares how visionary leaders sustain excellence. He talks about designing Starbucks’ racial-bias training, responding humbly to big challenges, building creative habits, and the power of daily contemplative practice. Short, sharp stories on experimentation, reinvention, and disciplined execution.

Darryl Strawberry, former MLB outfielder, nine-time All-Star and World Series winner who later became a pastor and recovery advocate. He talks about sustaining excellence through calm preparation and leadership. He recalls the 1986 championship as a complete team effort. He also shares how childhood pain and inner emptiness led to substance abuse and his work in recovery and ministry.

Mark Divine, retired Navy SEAL commander and founder of SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind, shares practices for building mental toughness and sustained excellence. He discusses meditation, visualization, therapy as preventative maintenance, translating SEAL training to civilian goals, and writing your obituary to clarify purpose. Short, actionable ideas on building certainty, resilience, and leadership through daily disciplined practices.

Shane Snow, author and entrepreneur known for Smartcuts and Dream Teams, and founder-at-large of Contently. He explores sustaining excellence with skeptical optimism. He discusses cognitive diversity, casting teams like directors, the buddy-cop problem-solving formula, healthy rivalry that elevates craft, and practical ways to surface blind spots.

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk 258: Jesse Itzler - Creating Your LIFE Resume (Living With The Monks) Jesse Itzler is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal, cofounded Marquis Jet, the world's largest private jet card company which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. Jesse then partnered with Zico coconut water, which he and his partner sold to The Coca-Cola Company. His latest book is titled, Living With The Monks. He's a former rapper on MTV and wrote and performed the NBA's Emmy Award-winning "I Love This Game" music campaign and the popular New York Knicks anthem "Go NY Go." When he's not running ultra-marathons, eating vegan food or being a dad to his four kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA's Atlanta Hawks games, where he's an owner of the team. He is married to Spanx founder Sara Blakely. The Learning Leader Show "I invest in people... You must look into their eyes before making a decision." Show Notes: Sustaining excellence: Spending time around the 4,000 people who used Marquis Jet, "I always asked them about their habits." You have to create the system that works best for YOU: Attack fear, take risks Get up early in the morning Create daily wins, momentum Be a great connector, build relationships Run -- Create great exercise habits Winning habits, routines, mindset. A system for self For 27 years, Jesse has only eaten fruit before noon Relying on gut instinct... How to build this, make better? Must spend time alone, to think. Running is where this happens for Jesse (in the car for Sara) Why? Awareness with time... Understand your own mortality A constant drive to build a "life resume" You only get 1 shot to do this thing Hiking Mount Washington -- Helps you feel "super alive... It's addicting." Have you always been this way? "I get bored easily. This has nothing to do with money." Always being urgent to accomplish something Always carving out time for yourself. Carve at least 1 hour per day. Put parameters around your time YOU are the business plan. "I invest in people... Have you ever looked into his eyes?" "At the end of the day, people drive companies." Why live with the monks? "I did the physical part while living with a SEAL. I needed to focus on the spiritual part." Lived in a monastery with 8 monks... 4 had been there for 50 years How living with the monks helped him handle "decision fatigue" How it free'd up so much energy "The power of cumulative work" "Always do something hard" It sets the tone for yourself Don't back away from challenges -- Build the grit muscle Do small things every day (clean, make the bed, finish tasks, do the dishes now) "I'm turning 50. I only have 28 summers left if I'm lucky." The perfect day = Family time Wellness time (running) Business time "Get your heart rate up!" Social Media: Read: Living With The Monks Follow Jesse on Twitter: @the100MileMan Connect with me on LinkedIn Join our Facebook Group: The Learning Leader Community To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12 More Learning: Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon Episode 216: Jim Collins -- How To Go From Good To Great Episode 179: How To Sustain Excellence - The Best Answers From 178 Questions Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

David Marquet, former U.S. Navy submarine captain and author of Turn the Ship Around!, shares his shift from command-and-control to intent-based leadership. He discusses turning a failing crew into leaders, creating decision-making networks, parenting as leadership practice, and practical steps for leaning back so teams lean forward.

Elena Botelho, partner at ghSMART and co-leader of the CEO Genome Project, researches what makes leaders succeed. She discusses the four behaviors that drive sustained excellence: decisiveness, adapting proactively, relentless reliability, and engaging for impact. She debunks CEO myths about pedigree and charisma and explains career-accelerating moves like tackling big problems or mentoring others.

David Burkus, best-selling author and business school professor who researches networks. He explores dormant and weak ties, practical steps to reconnect them, and how small clusters and curiosity conversations create big opportunities. Hear stories about creating communities, making strategic introductions, and turning one connection into game-changing outcomes.

Robert Kurson, bestselling author of Shadow Divers and Rocket Men, turned from Harvard Law to tell true adventure stories. He discusses choosing Apollo 8, NASA’s rushed four-month plan, the astronauts’ fearless mindset, and how tight deadlines fueled extraordinary achievement. He also shares his disciplined writing routine and why storytelling matters to connect people.

Aubrey Marcus, entrepreneur and Onnit founder focused on holistic health and Total Human Optimization. He talks about tiny daily habits like cold exposure and mental override. He explains structuring one ideal day at a time and designing environments that support growth. He also shares lessons from building Onnit, risky product bets, and learning through hard personal work.