You Are Heroic with Brian Johnson

Optimize: https://optimize.me/ (← Get Free Stuff + Free 2-Week Trial!) Optimize Coach: https://optimize.me/coach (← Join 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries!) Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from Breath by James Nestor. Hope you enjoy! Breath. It's the missing pillar in health. We've been talking about this for years and we've included breathing among our fundamentals since I first read Patrick McKeown's The Oxygen Advantage. And, I just LOVE the way James captures the importance of breathing in this book. The first words on the inside flap of the book deliver the point with a sledgehammer: "No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny or young or strong you are, none of it matters if you're not breathing properly." Big Ideas we explore include how to breathe optimally and why it's so important, the #1 tip, oral posture (how's yours?) and the perfect breath (think 5.5 + 5.5 for 5.5!). Get Breath on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Breath-New-Science-Lost-Art/dp/0735213615 Learn more about James Nestor: https://www.optimize.me/authors/james-nestor/ ► RELATED RESOURCES: Big Idea 1: MOUTH vs. NOSE - Breathing 101 → https://www.optimize.me/breathing - PN: The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown → https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/the-oxygen-advantage-patrick-mckeown/ Big Idea 2: CO2 - +1: Breathe Less | To Breathe Right (#1231) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/breathe-less/ Big Idea 3: #1 TIP - +1: The Rules of Breathing | The Big 3: Nose + Belly + Exhale (#485) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/the-rules-of-breathing/ Big Idea 4: ORAL POSTURE - +1: Oral Posture ← How's Yours? | High Fiving the Magic Spot in Our Mouths (#1229) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/oral-posture-hows-yours/ - +1: The Thread Thru Your Head | Pull It Up for Poise and Relaxed Power (#462) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/the-thread-thru-your-head/ - +1: The Magic Spot in Our Mouths | High Five It and Shine! (#1230) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/the-magic-spot-in-our-mouths/ Big Idea 5: PERFECT BREATH - +1: The Perfect Breath | 5.5 + 5.5 + 5.5 (#1228) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/the-perfect-breath/ - +1: The Greatest Predictor of Longevity | Genetics? Diet? Exercise? Nope… Try: Lung Capacity! (#1227) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/the-greatest-predictor-of-longevity/ ► FREE 14-DAY TRIAL: Get the PhilosophersNote on Breath and 600+ other books by starting a Free 14-Day trial membership to Optimize: https://www.optimize.me/trial/ ► MORE GOODNESS: - Get the Optimize App for iPhone & iPad: https://www.optimize.me/apps/ - Get the Optimize App for Android: https://www.optimize.me/apps/ - Subscribe to the Optimize Podcast: https://optimize.me/podcast/ - Follow Optimize on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BriantheOptimizer/ - Follow Optimize on Instagram: https://instagram.com/optimize.me/

Today we have fun meeting the new Optimize (Hero) (Virtue) Compass and I share some interesting HRV and RHR data over last three days looking at effects of last meal, ice baths, etc.

Optimize: https://optimize.me/ (← Get Free Stuff + Free 2-Week Trial!) Optimize Coach: https://optimize.me/coach (← Join 2,000+ Optimizers from 70+ Countries!) Here are 5 of my favorite Big Ideas from Life's Great Question by Tom Rath. Hope you enjoy! I'm a big fan of Tom Rath and his work. And... I'm not alone. His 10 books have sold over 10 million copies. Dan Pink (author of Drive and When) calls him "One of the most successful nonfiction writers of his generation." We featured two of his earlier books: Eat Move Sleep and Are You Fully Charged? Plus: His children's book called The Rechargeables remains one of my all-time favorites. "Life's Great Question" that beckons all of us ("What can I contribute?") is beautifully framed by the Martin Luther King, Jr. quote that kicks off the book: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" This book is a field manual to help us go about answering that question so we can, as per the subtitle of the book: "Discover How You Contribute to the World." Big Ideas we explore include creating a sense of urgency in life, Purpose 2.0, connecting what we do to those we serve, undivided attention (our new secret weapon), and creating the energy to be our best. Get Life's Great Question on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lifes-Great-Question-Discover-Contribute/dp/1939714176 Learn more about Tom Rath: https://www.optimize.me/authors/tom-rath/ ► RELATED RESOURCES: Big Idea 2: PURPOSE 2.0 - +1: Purpose 2.0 | Time for a Purpose Upgrade? (#1094) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/purpose-2-0/ - +1: Life's Great Question | Can You Guess What It Is? (#1093) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/lifes-great-question/ - PNTV: The Courage Quotient → https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/the-courage-quotient-robert-biswas-diener/ - +1: Love 2.0 (vs. Love 1.0) | Ready to Upgrade Today? (401) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/love-20-vs-love-10/ Big Idea 3: CONNECTING - +1: How to Meaningify Your Work | In One Simple Step… (#1095) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/how-to-meaningify-your-work/ Big Idea 4: UNDIVIDED - PN: Deep Work by Cal Newport → https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/deep-work-cal-newport/ - +1: Deep Work | How to Escape Shallowville and Go Deep (#36) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/deep-work/ - PNTV: Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport → https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/digital-minimalism-cal-newport/ Big Idea 5: ENERGY - PN: Are You Fully Charged? by Tom Rath → https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/are-you-fully-charged-tom-rath/ - PNTV: The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb, PhD → https://www.optimize.me/philosophers-notes/the-upward-spiral-alex-korb/ - +1 Make the Connection | What's Working? What Needs Work? (#374) → https://www.optimize.me/plus-one/make-the-connection/ ► FREE 14-DAY TRIAL: Get the PhilosophersNote on Life's Great Question and 600+ other books by starting a Free 14-Day trial membership to Optimize: https://www.optimize.me/trial/ ► MORE GOODNESS: - Get the Optimize App for iPhone & iPad: https://www.optimize.me/apps/ - Get the Optimize App for Android: https://www.optimize.me/apps/ - Subscribe to the Optimize Podcast: https://optimize.me/podcast/ - Follow Optimize on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BriantheOptimizer/ - Follow Optimize on Instagram: https://instagram.com/optimize.me/

After a very brief retirement, I'm back. lol. Missed you. Let's goooo! As always: Get instant (free) access to all 600+ PhilosophersNotes AND all 50 Optimal Living 101

The podcast explores the principles of Stoicism and the role of judgment in our reactions. It discusses choosing virtue over pleasure and transforming obstacles into strength. It also highlights the Optimize membership and coaching program.

In our last couple +1s, we've been chatting about Trevor Moawad's wisdom on what he calls "neutral thinking." We started by hanging out with Russell Wilson en route to winning a Super Bowl. Then we visited the Johnson Ranch to discuss my relationship with our new chickens and their poop. (Yes, I can't get enough of those emojis…) So… The morning after that chat I had with Emerson about how to approach the chicken situation either negatively, positively, or neutrally, we were doing our family workout—which currently features me chasing the kids on their bikes as we have fun going around the 1/2-mile Trail-loop we created around our property. Only… This morning, Emerson's bike had a flat tire. He immediately started crying—super bummed he wouldn't be able to ride his epic lime green (lol) bike around the Trail as planned. So… I cruised over and said, "Buddy! Your tire's flat. That's a bummer. I get it. And.. Remember that chat we had last night about neutral thinking?" Emerson: "Yah." Me: "Well…. Let's get neutral! WHAT DO YOU WANT?" He said, "To ride my bike." I said, "Exactly. So what can we do to make that happen?" He said, "Get the bike pump and fill up the tire." I said, "Exactly." We cruised into the barn, found it. Pumped up the tire. The air surprisingly held. <- Boom. Done. Tire was filled. He was off to the Trail races. And, that's Today's +1. Got any metaphorical flat tires in your life? (Echo: Of course you do. You're human!) How are you reacting? Negatively? Positively? Neutrally? Back to Trevor: "That's neutral. Staying in the moment, giving each moment its own history, and reacting to events as they unfold. It takes away emotion and replaces it with behaviors. Instead of asking, 'How do I feel?' you should be asking yourself, 'What do I do?'" You can develop these skills if you're willing to let go of a few things. Negative, cynical thinking doesn't make you more realistic. It just makes you negative and cynical. Biased thinking doesn't help you either. You need to steer clear of your feelings and make an honest assessment of each situation you face. Don't worry about what you feel. Rely on what you know." Back to you. NEUTRAL thinking. It works. Try it. TODAY.

Today we hit the pause button on the ol' #1s as it's taking a little more Energy + Focus than I'm willing to give it vis-a-vis my truly What's Important Now targets. I think I'll be back with these near the end of the year to make sure we're wrapping up 2020 with antifragile ferocity and getting ready to make 2021 THE Greatest Year of our Lives. In the meantime, PNTVs every day thru end of year. And Top 3 kicking off October 1st. LET'S! DO!! THIS!!! As always: Get instant (free) access to all 600+ PhilosophersNotes AND all 50 Optimal Living 101 classes AND 1,000+ Optimize +1s as part of our free 2-week trial: http://optimize.me/

In our last +1, we spent some more time with Trevor Moawad and explored some more wisdom from his great book, It Takes What It Takes. As you may recall, we chatted about neutral thinking. As Trevor says: "No matter where I work, the same truth keeps emerging. Neutral thinking is the key to unlocking a set of behaviors that can turn also-rans into champions and champions into legends." Today I want to bring that wisdom to life with a little personal example from the Johnson Ranch here outside Austin. So… As I was reading the book, I took a break and explained this idea to Emerson. Here's the example I used: Our chickens. And their poop. Quick context: As we've discussed, we just moved to the country. We got some chickens because we thought they'd be awesome. They are. The kids love them, etc. And... Those gals (and guy) sure know how to poop! And, they seem to especially love to do their work under our beautiful back patio where I often meditate in the morning as the sun's rising. Let's just say that the meditation scene is slightly less idyllic with the chicken poop wafting up. (Hah.) So… Back to the book. I told Emerson that the guy who wrote the book had a dad who was really into all this stuff and taught him a bunch when he was a kid. I smiled and rubbed his awesome little head as I imagined what HE might have to say in a few decades. Then we talked about the difference between negative thinking, positive thinking and neutral thinking. I gave him an example of my own negative thinking as it related to those chickens and their poop. (Note: That's always one of the best ways to deliver a message. Start with our own shortcomings—don't start with someone else's!) My negative thinking went something like this: "Those chickens!!! Their poop STINKS!! Why do they need to hang out under the porch and then poop where they hang out? I think we might want to find them a new home." (He might have heard me say something along those lines more than once in my less-enlightened moments, so the example was quickly understood. lol) Then I told him that the "positive" thinking would go something like this: "It's not so bad and the chickens are so great." He immediately knew that that simply wasn't honest and true and wouldn't be the optimal approach. Then I told him that neither of those approaches was as effective as NEUTRAL thinking. Neutral thinking would go something like this: "The chickens are pooping under the patio. It stinks. The kids love them and we need a better solution. So, let's limit their access to that location and figure out a poop control protocol. Next step: Order some chicken wire for the bottom of the patio and install it." <- Boom. Done. Emerson got it immediately. And, he still has his chickens. Today's +1. Got any chicken poop in your life? If you feel so inspired, let's run it through a quick analysis. What's the negative thinking you might be running on it? How about the positive thinking? And what about the neutral thinking? All of which leads us back to Trevor's dad. You know what he taught him as a kid? To get rid of the "stinkin' thinkin'." Let's do that. TODAY. (And, please wish me luck with the chickens. lol)

Admiral William H. McRaven is a Retired U.S. Navy SEAL who served for thirty-seven years and commanded at every level. As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment was as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. (During this time, he oversaw the covert mission that killed Osama bin Laden.) In 2014, he gave the commencement address to the graduates of the University of Texas at Austin. Millions of people wound up watching his speech on ten lessons he learned from his Navy SEAL training. This book takes a deeper look at those ten lessons. It's a super-quick read—packed with simple, yet profound wisdom along with moving stories of moral exemplars. It's FANTASTIC.

Today we visit the barn-studio to hang out with 500+ of my favorite books as we check out the studio set up for the upcoming Top 3 Most Life-Changing Book series! :)