About the Guest: Jodi Wellman is the author of You Only Die Once, a book that approaches the topic of living a meaningful life with a darkly humorous twist. With a career spanning 25 years, Jodi is a seasoned positive psychologist, executive coach, and founder who has delivered keynotes, workshops, and coaching programs. She collaborates with some of the world's leading researchers on happiness and well-being, and is dedicated to helping people enhance their life's quality and vitality. Episode Summary: Greg celebrates the ten-year anniversary of his seminal work, "Essentialism," and welcomes Jodi Wellman, author of "You Only Die Once." The conversation revolves around the critical idea of death awareness as a tool for making life more meaningful and joyful. They explore the discomfort and avoidance many people have toward the topic of death and the consequent deferral of their dreams. Jodi shares practical exercises and thought-provoking insights to help people confront their mortality and use that awareness to live more vibrant lives. The episode touches on how societal norms often prioritize careers over personal lives and relationships Key Takeaways: Death Awareness as a Tool: The awareness of our own mortality can be a powerful motivator to live more fully and meaningfully. Overcoming Fear: People often defer their dreams not out of busy schedules, but due to fear and self-doubt. The Double Obituary Exercise: Writing an obituary can help pinpoint what truly matters, allowing us to align our lives with our ultimate goals and values. Importance of Relationships: The biggest contributors to enduring happiness are often our social and familial relationships. Living Fully Now: Rather than postponing joys and aspirations to an uncertain future, find ways to integrate meaningful experiences into the present. Notable Quotes: "Death awareness, death acceptance, it's a spectrum." – Jodi Wellman "What about the life you're living now? Doesn't that deserve to get lived the crap out of?" – Jodi Wellman "Sometimes it's the simple, sweet things that deliver the essence of life." – Jodi Wellman "Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance." – Greg McKeown "It's about paying attention to what brings you joy now and making sure your current life is fulfilling." – Greg McKeown Resources: Buy Jodi's book: You Only Die Once. Visit Jodi's website. Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

About the Guest: Jodi Wellman is the author of You Only Die Once, a book that approaches the topic of living a meaningful life with a darkly humorous twist. With a career spanning 25 years, Jodi is a seasoned positive psychologist, executive coach, and founder who has delivered keynotes, workshops, and coaching programs. She collaborates with some of the world's leading researchers on happiness and well-being, and is dedicated to helping people enhance their life's quality and vitality. Episode Summary: Greg dives deep into the subject of living a meaningful and vibrant life with guest Jodi Wellman, author of You Only Die Once. Celebrating the ten-year anniversary of his book Essentialism, Greg provides insights into eliminating non-essentials to create a life that truly matters. Meanwhile, Jodi offers her expertise on embracing both the vitality and depth of our everyday existence. Jodi Wellman emphasizes the importance of confronting our mortality to live more fully. She introduces the concept of the "pre mortem" versus the "post mortem," urging listeners to assess their lives now rather than later. She explains her four life quadrants—meaningfully bored, vitally empty, dead zone, and astonishingly alive—and shares insights from her research involving over 14,000 participants. The discussion also touches on personal philosophies, including dealing with regrets, taking responsibility for one's life, and balancing fun with purpose. Key Takeaways: Confronting Death for a Better Life: Reflecting on mortality can heighten your sense of urgency to live more meaningfully and vibrantly. Pre Mortem Concept: Jodi Wellman’s pre mortem approach helps people self-assess to enhance their current life rather than regret missed opportunities later. Life Quadrants: The four quadrants—meaningfully bored, vitally empty, dead zone, and astonishingly alive—aid in identifying where you can improve your life’s vitality and meaning. Responsibility and Agency: Taking responsibility for your life increases your sense of agency and ability to live "on brand" with your true self. Balancing Fun and Purpose: Personal happiness and fulfillment come from balancing vitality (fun) and meaning (purpose), tailored to your unique preferences and values. Notable Quotes: "Living a life that really matters is about figuring out what's essential and eliminating what is non-essential." "Most people fall into what's called meaningfully bored." "Taking responsibility for your life increases your sense of agency." Resources: Buy Jodi's book: You Only Die Once. Visit Jodi's website. Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to have a hunger for knowledge and new experiences? Many people believe that curiosity is just an inborn trait, but the truth is it's a powerful discipline that can be cultivated. In this episode, we'll delve into one of the most extraordinary relationships in Silicon Valley history to inspire us into what is possible through this special characteristic. By the end of this episode, you will be better able to unlock the full potential of your inquisitive nature, and you'll have one actionable tool that you can use immediately after this podcast is over. Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, The Disciplined Pursuit of Doing Nothing. Thanks for listening. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you discovered the ultimate superpower in every context for unlocking human potential? That is what we're going to be talking about today in part two of my conversation with Nate Walkingshaw. He's used this superpower to become a passionate inventor and a serial and successful entrepreneur. By the end of today's episode, you are going to feel inspired to really double down on the development of this skill to be able to unlock powers within you and within everyone around you. Learn more about Nate here: https://www.torus.co/our-story Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, The Most Important Question in Any Language. Thanks for listening. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever had an experience where you were able to get out of your head and into the head of another person and discover the richness that is possible, the relationship that follows, and the depth of connection? In today's episode, we have part one of a two-part conversation with Nate Walkingshaw. He's a passionate investor and a serial entrepreneur. He's been tremendously successful with an obsession with solving systemic problems. He began his life as an EMT and while responding to life-threatening emergencies, he recognized the need for a safer, faster patient transport system. And the products he helped to create in that first startup are now used by 70% of the world's hospitals. He went on to become the chief experience officer of Pluralsight and totally transformed the way that that whole organization thinks about people listening, understanding each other, and being able to work together in a deep and connected way. By the end of today's episode, you will have a clearer sense of the rich opportunity you have to be able to enter the world of another. Learn more about Nate here: https://www.torus.co/our-story Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, The Vasa – Define Your Done. Thanks for listening. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to part two of my conversation with Oliver Burkeman. He wrote a great, big successful column for The Guardian for years and more recently as attained some notoriety for the book called Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. By the end of today's episode, you will have rewired a certain part of your brain that keeps you caught stressed all the time and have permission to make a different choice. Learn more about Oliver here: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Do you ever feel that your life is becoming more and more reactive? Even where you get good things done in a day, you still feel like your life is living you rather than you intentionally living your life? Well, in today's episode, I'm going to share with you the 1-2-3 Method. It's simple, it's clear, and it's something that you can utilize today and every day to be able to design a more essential life. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever felt frustrated by the endless pursuit of efficiency? Have you ever felt that there was more to life than the zero inbox? Well, today is part one of a two part interview with Oliver Burkeman, the author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. For many years he wrote a popular column on psychology for The Guardian called This Column Will Change Your Life. His work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Psychologies and New Philosopher. By the end of today's episode, you will have the mindset that Burkeman believes most upends the time management industry of the last 30 or 40 years. Learn more about Oliver here: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, What Would You Do With an Extra Day Each Week? Thanks for listening. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Today is part two of the conversation with Ron Johnson, formerly the Senior Vice President at Apple. He was the lead designer of the Apple retail stores, as well as the Genius Bar and many other things that we take for granted in the experience that Apple successfully created. If you've ever wanted to see behind the curtain about how the Apple transformation was achieved, not by the caricature of Steve Jobs, but by the person himself, the leader, then this conversation is meaningful, it's interesting, and I think you're going to enjoy it. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Episode Summary: Greg shares a captivating story from his experience at Disneyland to illustrate the importance of looking beyond positions to find purpose in negotiations. He emphasizes the transformative power of focusing on purpose and seeking creative solutions rather than getting stuck in positional thinking. By shifting the perspective from a power struggle to collaboration, the episode highlights the value of finding a third way in conflicts. Greg delves into real-life examples, such as the breakdown of talks between Russia and the United States and a dispute between farmers and an oil company in Iraq, to illustrate the consequences of focusing on positions rather than understanding the underlying purposes. Through a personal anecdote involving negotiation with a production team, Greg demonstrates the effectiveness of asking a specific question to break through impasses and find mutually beneficial solutions. Key Takeaways: Focusing on purpose over positions can lead to creative solutions in negotiations. Seeking a third way in conflicts can transform tense situations into productive outcomes. Understanding the underlying goals of each party is crucial for successful negotiations. Asking the right questions can help break impasses and find mutually beneficial solutions. Creative thinking and open communication are key to resolving conflicts effectively. Notable Quotes: "If you focus on purpose, you will tend to find a third way." "Are you willing to find a solution that is better than what either party wants right now?" "By shifting the perspective from a power struggle to collaboration, you can find creative solutions." "Understanding the underlying goals can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes in negotiations." "Creative thinking and open communication are essential for resolving conflicts effectively." Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Have you ever wondered how America's wealthiest families manage their fortunes across generations? A lot of people think it's all about the initial success, the sheer magnitude of the wealth itself, but that is wrong. What we know now is that there is a single rule that makes the difference between intergenerational wealth and being broke. By the end of this episode, you'll understand the starkly different legacies of the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts, and that one key to generational wealth. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever met someone who made a disproportionate impression upon you? You didn't have conventional conversations with them. Instead, it was something more meaningful, even life-changing? Well, in today's episode, part one of a two-part interview with Ron Johnson, Ron describes specific moments and conversations that he had with Steve Jobs. Ron Johnson was formerly the senior Vice president at Apple. He was responsible for the creation of the retail Apple stores, as well as the Genius Bar. If you've ever been to an Apple store, if you've ever been to the Genius Bar, Ron Johnson has impacted your life. But in this episode, we learn about how Steve Jobs impacted his life. By the end of this episode, you'll have insights into that key relationship, but also insights into how to make conversations memorable and build relationships that matter at work or at home. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to have a hunger for knowledge and new experiences? Many people believe that curiosity is just an inborn trait, but the truth is it's a powerful discipline that can be cultivated. In this episode, we'll delve into one of the most extraordinary relationships in Silicon Valley history to inspire us into what is possible through this special characteristic. By the end of this episode, you will be better able to unlock the full potential of your inquisitive nature, and you'll have one actionable tool that you can use immediately after this podcast is over. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

How do we connect with our inner voice amidst the noise of modern life? What is the relationship between inner peace and outward success? How can we harness the power of technology without becoming its servant? Today’s guest, Hitendra Wadhwa, and I explore these questions and the pursuit of success both inwardly and outwardly. By the end of this episode, you will have gained insights into the timeless quest for success, learned practical tools for your inner voice, and discovered how to turn chaos into clarity and creativity. Join us for this inspiring conversation, and let’s embark on this journey together. Learn more about Hitendra here: https://www.hitendra.com/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

What if you could design a personalized essentialist daily routine in seconds? This is part three of a multi-part series about how to use AI to make a more essentialist, effortless lifestyle. By the end of this episode, you will be able to make AI your servant rather than your master in setting up your daily routine. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever wanted to make sure that technology would be something that you mastered rather than it mastering you? This is part 2 of my discussion with Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft on how to make technology a tool, not a weapon. By the end of today's episode, you'll learn the one single strength Brad observed in all three CEOs of Microsoft during his tenure – the Bill Gates years, the Ballmer years, and now with Satya Nadella. He sees a certain strength in all of them, and it's relevant for your success in every area of your life as well as how to make sure that AI and all these new technologies can work for you, not against you. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

How are you doing at saying no gracefully? If this continues to be a struggle for you as it still is for me, then today's episode can help. By the end of today's episode, you will learn how to use AI tools including ChatGPT to make saying no more effortless and more graceful. This is part two of a multi-part series in how to use AI to make a more essentialist, effortless lifestyle personally and professionally. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever wondered whether technology was a blessing or a curse? Have you ever wanted it to be more of a tool than a weapon? In today's conversation, I have invited Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft to the conversation on AI. He is among other things, the author of a book called Tools and Weapons, in which he articulates how technology can be terrific and useful or useless and worse. By the end of this episode, you'll be able to take on a position with AI and also other technologies to make sure that you are the master and not them. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

What would you do with an extra hour in your day? Would you use it to be even busier or would you use it to create space to think? This isn’t a hypothetical question. We are all faced with this scenario now cause of the launch of a whole array of AI tools, including ChatGPT. This is part one of a multi-part series of solo episodes and interviews about how to use AI to make a more essentialist, effortless lifestyle. By the end of this episode, you’ll be able to choose wisely how to use AI in your life. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

This is part two of my conversation with Anna McKeown talking about transitions and how we can transition more gracefully. By the end of this episode, you will be able to more gracefully handle the transitions of your life. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

What if you could design a personalized essentialist daily routine in seconds? This is part three of a multi-part series about how to use AI to make a more essentialist, effortless lifestyle. By the end of this episode, you will be able to make AI your servant rather than your master in setting up your daily routine. Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

How does essentialism help us with life's big transitions? By the end of today's episode, you will have one clear essentialist strategy that you can use before, during, and after the great transitions, whether they're expected or unexpected. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever struggled with a major transition in your life? Could be moving house, a new job, a death in the family, serious illness, the loss of a job, unexpectedly moving to a new state or country, a relationship shift that you weren't expecting, or many, many other small but still disruptive transitions. Well, today in part one of a two-part interview, I've invited the wisest person I know, Anna McKeown, to come to the podcast to discuss the journey she has been on over the last 25 years as she has transitioned in her approach to transitions from, on the one hand, struggling with transitions to becoming quite masterful in how to handle them. By the end of this episode, you will better understand what makes transitions challenging and what you can do about it immediately to cope better with them.  Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, It's Not Too Late. Thanks for listening. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, Perspective, Happiness & Social Friction with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. Thanks for listening. Learn more about Dr. Chatterjee here: https://drchatterjee.com/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, The Bottleneck to Everything You Want. Thanks for listening. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Today we are back with part two of my conversation with Tony Ulwick. By the end of today's episode, you will better be able to identify the real job to be done with the people you interact with. That will increase your influence tenfold, while significantly reducing the times that you put effort into creating a new product, or a new service for somebody else that ultimately isn't even valued. Learn more from Tony here: https://strategyn.com/tony-ulwick/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome to the Greg McKeown podcast. Today's episode is a replay of one of his most popular episodes, 10X Your Results with Less Effort. Thanks for listening. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever wondered why there are so many massive flops in business? How many products and services are launched and then almost immediately forgotten? How can companies spend millions and sometimes billions of dollars to produce something that customers ultimately say is not for them? Today I've invited Tony Ulwick, one of the fathers of the Jobs-to-be-Done theory, to help us understand this phenomenon. This is part one of a two part interview, so tune in for part two next week! Learn more from Tony here: https://strategyn.com/tony-ulwick/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

It has long been thought that understanding others is the key to great relationships, but this may be false. What we know now is that helping people feel understood is the key to connection. By the end of this episode, you'll be able to better distinguish the difference and therefore shift from understanding others to helping other people feel understood, and that makes all the difference. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Today I've invited Matt Abraham's to the show. Matt is a lecturer at Stanford, he specializes in the essentials of strategic communication, and is the host of the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast. I reached out to Matt to issue a friendly challenge, by way of an invitation, to think fast and talk smart on this podcast. By the end of this episode, you will be able to make your communication more memorable. Learn more from Matt here: https://nofreakingspeaking.com/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Do you ever feel that your life is becoming more and more reactive? Even where you get good things done in a day, you still feel like your life is living you rather than you intentionally living your life? Well, in today's episode, I'm going to share with you the 1-2-3 Method. It's simple, it's clear, and it's something that you can utilize today and every day to be able to design a more essential life. Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Have you ever felt frustrated by the gap between what you feel is essential and your ability to actually execute it? Have you perhaps had that desire for a long time? Maybe it's years now, but still your life is busier and less fulfilling than you wish it was. Today I'm going to share with you a story that I think can really help you if you are struggling with this, and also a mindset and some actionable advice. By the end of today's episode, you'll be able to evaluate all of the things you've hired in your life and decide whether to fire them or not based upon whether they're actually helping you design a life that really matters. This is part 4 of a 4-part series. Click here to listen to Parts 1-3

This is part three of a four part solo series on solving the right problem in the life of business and in the business of life. It matters because nothing is more irrelevant or even dangerous as solving the wrong problem. In today's episode, I'm going to go deeper in how to implement the Jobs to Be Done framework. By the end of today's episode, you will have a simple process that you can follow, care of Tony Ulwick, for how to turn innovation from an art to a science. This is part 3 of a 4-part series. Click here to listen to Part 1 of 4 Click here to listen to Part 2 of 4

Today we have part two of my conversation with Philippa Langley. Philippa describes herself as an ordinary person, and maybe she is, but she has achieved an extraordinary mission. She found, against all possible odds, where King Richard III was buried. Nobody else believed her. Nobody in the academies took her seriously, but she had a conviction, a sense, an intuition that she knew where he would be and that's why she kept focusing on it again, and again, and again for eight years. Her story has been written in a book called The Lost King, and now a movie by the same name. By the end of this episode, you'll be able to use intuition in being able to find and solve the right problem in your life.  Learn more from Philippa here: https://www.philippalangley.co.uk/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever worked to launch a product or a service only to see it go flat in the market? Have you ever developed an initiative internally at work only to see the launch fall completely flat? Have you ever put time and energy, and resources into a relationship only to see it go south? Today I will share a powerful failure story, something counterintuitive I have learned, and some actionable advice. By the end of this episode, you will have a six-word question that you can use at work and at home to make sure that you are solving the right problem. This is part 2 of a 4-part series. Click here to listen to Part 1 of 4

Have you ever felt an intuitive insight pull you towards a particular direction? Have you ever had an experience that you knew was right even though you didn't yet have evidence to support it? Well, today is part one in a two-part series with Philippa Langley. You might not know that name, but perhaps you've heard of a movie that came out recently. It's called The Lost King. It's a dramatic representation of a true story about how Philippa felt an extraordinary desire to discover where King Richard III was buried. The journey is fascinating. Learn more from Philippa here: https://www.philippalangley.co.uk/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever been so busy addressing peripheral issues but have that sinking feeling that the real core of the issue is not being addressed? This is part one of a four-part solo series on that subject, and upcoming guest episodes will also be providing more insight on the same subject. By the end of today's episode, you will understand that the seminal research was produced on the distinctive difference between problem finding and problem solving, and you'll begin your journey of improving skill in this essential area. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Today is part two of my interview with Bruce Feiler. Bruce is the author of six consecutive New York Times bestselling books. He's a deep thinker and he's interviewed thousands of people to try to understand what really leads to a higher contribution. His research shows that thinking of work as a single linear career where your job is to go higher and higher is not the way to maximize contribution. By the end of this episode, among other things, you will have what Bruce feels is the single most powerful question he has ever discovered for helping people – to find what their real essential mission and calling in life is. Learn more about Bruce here: https://www.brucefeiler.com/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever felt working with people in the workplace is harder than it needs to be? It's long been thought that it's faster and easier to just do things yourself, but this can be such a false economy. What we know now is that the right person makes everything faster, easier, and better than if you try to do it yourself. By the end of this, part four in the series of four parts about how to make work life more effortless, you will be able to select people who make getting the right things done faster and comparatively more effortless. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever felt that your life could be more than a simple career? Today I've invited Bruce Feiler to be here. He's the author of six consecutive New York Times bestsellers, and by the end of this episode, you'll be able to escape the suffocating idea that all there is to a career is to go higher and higher on a single linear ladder of success. This is not the way to your highest contribution and Feiler will explain how. Learn more about Bruce here: https://www.brucefeiler.com/ Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever wished that you could accomplish more by doing less at work? This is part three of a four part series on how to apply Effortless thinking to the sometimes exhausting world of work. By the end of this episode, you will be able to trade off some of the exhausting meetings and replace them with high yield low maintenance delegation. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

About the Guest: Ginni Rometty is the former Chairman and CEO of IBM, where she led one of the most significant transformations in the company’s history. She reinvented half of IBM's portfolio and launched a $25 billion hybrid cloud business, positioning IBM as a leader in AI and quantum computing. Beyond her technical prowess, Ginni initiated innovative educational programs and redefined corporate ethos through the business roundtable. She's also co-chair of One Ten, a nonprofit committed to providing substantial employment opportunities for individuals without college degrees. Recognized as Fortune's number one most powerful woman for three consecutive years, Ginni's journey is detailed in her memoir, "Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World." Episode Summary: Greg engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Ginni Rometty, delving into the dynamics of leadership, teamwork, and organizational transformation. Rometty shares valuable insights drawn from her extensive experience at the helm of IBM, shedding light on the importance of being in service of a greater purpose, building belief, managing change, leveraging technology responsibly, and cultivating resilience. The episode underscores the significance of embracing resilience, fostering meaningful relationships, and navigating challenges with a growth mindset. Key takeaways from the episode include: Being in service of a greater purpose leads to meaningful and enduring impact. Building belief requires appealing to both the head and the heart of individuals. Distinguishing between what should change and what should endure is crucial for sustained success. The stewardship of technology plays a vital role in driving positive societal impacts. Resilience is a key attribute for overcoming hardships and pursuing long-term goals. Notable Quotes: "Be sure you're in service of something." "Building belief means talking to people's head and heart." "Learning the difference between what should change and what should endure." "Resilience is the importance of your attitude and relationships." Resources: Ginni Rometty’s Book: Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World 110 Nonprofit Organization: 110.org Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Are you facing a really big decision in your life right now? Or is someone you know facing an important crossroads? How do you process that? How do you make the best possible decision? Well, this is part two of my conversation with Abby Davisson. She's the author, along with Myra Strober, of a book called Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life’s Biggest Decisions. It's based on the popular Stanford University course called Work and Family. In this episode, you will learn how to use the 5Cs method to be able to communicate and check in with the people who matter most, so that you can talk about the decisions that matter most. Learn more from Abby here: abbydavisson.com Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Welcome part two of a four part series on how to apply Effortless thinking to the world of work. Have you ever felt that email was harder than it needs to be? By the end of this episode, you will have practical suggestions you can immediately apply to take one of the most frustrating and exhausting elements of modern work life and make it easier. Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com

Have you ever had a decision of consequence to make in your life? Something that really made a difference if you go left versus going right? Should I marry this person? Should I take this job? Should I move to this place? Today I have invited Abby Davisson here. She's the co-author of Money and Love: An Intelligent Roadmap for Life’s Biggest Decisions. By the end of today's episode, you will understand the 5Cs method. It's a step by step way of thinking about the decisions that really matter. Learn more from Abby here: abbydavisson.com Join my weekly newsletter at GregMcKeown.com/1mw Learn more about my books and courses at GregMcKeown.com