If you’ve enjoyed my previous in-between episodes, then this might be your favorite episode ever. It’s one of the most actionable, information-packed interviews I’ve ever done.
This time, it’s Joel Stein (@TheJoelStein) asking the questions. Joel is one of the funniest writers I have ever read, and he’s great at leading an interview.
Here’s how it all happened: I have many different conversations with journalists. It can be painful when I have a 1-2 hour conversation, and then it’s cut to a single sentence as a quote in a piece. And it’s often a misquote. So how do you fix that? Well, you record it yourself, which is how this episode was created. (With the interviewer’s approval, of course.) This way, you don’t “lose” the content, and you cover your ass with media and journalists.
Joel wanted me to help him figure out 5 areas he could upgrade in his own life for a series on self-improvement. In this episode, we discuss a wide variety of topics, including:
- How I choose what to improve from infinite options
- How you can subtract your way to success
- The genius of Ben Franklin
- Why self-improvement doesn’t mean self-centered
- How I say no to time-consuming lunches, coffees, and other meetings
- How I tackle cold introductions
- How I surmounted Lyme Disease
- My 100% complete break from start-ups (read this for more)
- My podcast process
- Tools and tactics for reversing email overwhelm
If you want help reducing anxiety and don’t have time for the entire episode, listen to this short segment.
Enjoy!
- Listen to it on iTunes.
- Stream by clicking here.
- Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.”
Want to hear another podcast packed full of actionable tips that I use in my own life? — Listen to this short episode on the magic of mindfulness. In this episode, I discuss how to complain less, appreciate more, and live a better life (stream below or right-click here to download):
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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: Based on my idea of subtraction, what could you remove from your life that would make you happier and/or more productive? Please share in the comments.
Scroll below for links and show notes…
Selected Links from the Episode
- Measure your ketone levels with a Precision Xtra Blood Glucose and Ketone Monitoring System
- Project Management Tools:
- Slack for eliminating email
- Screenflow to record videos to describe my process for doing important things. I upload these videos to a Dropbox folder. When I need someone to execute that process for me, I send them the Dropbox link. That saves me the time of training a new person on each task.
- Try out If This Then That automation software
- Connect with Joel Stein:
Show Notes
- How do you get started in self-improvement? [8:18]
- Strategies for saying ‘no’ to time-intensive meetings and/or coffee dates [9:59]
- The crux of self-improvement: What gets measured gets managed [12:39]
- A technical example of measuring self-improvement [13:45]
- A fascinating example of measuring social self-improvement in categories like father, husband, provider, and lover [15:57]
- Can self-improvement be selfish? [18:25]
- What modern people tend to most focus on improving [21:09]
- Money and sex: ideas for measuring and improving [22:06]
- Ideas for cutting down on email [22:46]
- A framework for decreasing anxiety and tackling psychological issues [25:41]
- On doing away with email forever [28:36]
- Getting specific on various implementation methods of the 80/20 analysis [31:44]
- What I’m working on at the time of this recording: podcast production [33:26]
- On the counter-productive nature of amassed tools and real progress [35:40]
- On developing assertiveness [36:36]