According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai — a reason for living. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to find theirs. Links Support the Show Onyx Boox Tab Ultra 2023 Focused Calendar Mike’s Journaling Bootcamp video course Bookworm #161: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Ikigai by Héctor García & Francesc […]

Leadership is complex, but the need for it has never been greater. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to reach their full potential by helping others reach theirs. Links Support the Show Bookworm #160: 48 Laws of Power The Focus Course The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell The […]

Today’s author promises to distill three thousand years of human history into a single definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control. Join Joe & Mike as they venture into the amoral topic of power and attempt to better understand the “rules of the game.” Links Support the Show The […]

Do you ever feel like the more time you save, the less time you have? Today’s author promises to help us stop struggling to get more out of our time and start effortlessly getting more out of our minds. Join Joe & Mike as they attempt to tune their work habits to maximize their creative […]

To master anything, we must first learn to master ourselves. Today’s author promises to teach us the power of self-discipline and balance and cautions us against the perils of extravagance and hedonism. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on their own journeys toward self-mastery. Links Support the Show Raycast FBP Community 2023 Focused NeuYear […]

Today’s author attempts to help demystify the creative process by uncovering the thinking and science behind it. Join Joe & Mike as they attempt to unlock their creative potential. Links Support the Show Apple Watch Series 8 Raycast Paste app Focused #163: The Laws of Creativity, with Joey Cofone The Laws of Creativity by Joey […]

Have you ever paused to think about why we participate in communal ceremonies? Today’s author attempts to explain the subtle mechanics that bind us together. Join Joe & Mike as they consider the role of rituals in human life. Links Support the Show Apple Watch Series 8 Linking Your Thinking Mastering ConvertKit Ritual by Dimitris […]

Ever wonder what sparks a flash of brilliance or what kind of environment creates eureka moments? Today’s author dissects the science of breakthroughs and identifies seven key patterns behind genuine innovation. Join Joe & Mike as they consider the question: where do good ideas come from? Links Support the Show Mike’s Daily Questions Video Where […]

Today’s book revisits the topic of mental models by examining cognitive tools from the domains of chemistry, biology, and physics. Join Joe & Mike as they continue to develop their mental toolboxes. Links Support the Show The Great Mental Models, Volume 2 Bookworm #113: The Great Mental Models, Volume 1 Bookworm #124: Liminal Thinking Bookworm […]

If you’ve ever been frustrated with the endless pursuit of productivity perfection, today’s episode is for you. Join Joe & Mike as they embrace the joyful messiness and unpredictability of life. Links Support the Show Bookworm iPhone cases Intentional Family #64: Meet The Buhligs MindNode Bookworm #135: Four Thousand Weeks Acorn Ridge I Didn’t Do […]

Can using mind maps really help you get more organized, improve your memory, or plan your business strategy? Today’s author (and self-professed mind map inventor) promises to help us take our thinking to the next level. Join Joe & Mike as they consider the role of mind mapping as a creative thinking tool. Links Support […]

Today’s author (and licensed psychotherapist) promises to help us break free from our self-defeating patterns of behavior and write a new story for ourselves. Join Joe & Mike as they examine the Enneagram in an effort to become who they were truly meant to be. Links Support the Show Tracker plugin for Obsidian Bookworm #80: […]

Today’s author promises to help us end self-sabotage and rewire our habits for doing difficult work now. Join Joe & Mike as they attempt to beat procrastination once and for all. Links Support the Show StandOut assessment Bookworm #149: Work + Love Unique Ability 2.0 Kolbe Type A StrengthsFinder Joe’s wood pile sorter Do the […]

Today’s author promises to help us break free from conformity to discover what engages us and makes us thrive. Join Joe & Mike as they consider the role of love through creativity, collaboration, and excellence in the workplace and beyond. Links Support the Show Obsidian Quick Note Shortcut Bookworm #148: Building a Second Brain Daily […]

We live in the information age, but it often leaves us feeling overwhelmed. Today’s author promises to help us develop a system for personal knowledge management that enables us to make sense of it all. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to build their second brains. Links Support the Show Building […]

Do you know your life purpose? Today’s author promises to help us find it and bring fulfillment through our life and work. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to live more meaningful lives. Links Support the Show Bookworm Stats Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller Blue Like Jazz by Donald […]

Today’s author argues that a melancholic outlook on life can be the key to creativity, con­nection, and transcendence. Join Joe & Mike as they explore what bittersweetness can teach us about compassion, leadership, spirituality, mortality, and love. Links Support the Show Bittersweet by Susan Cain Bookworm #67: Quiet Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person […]

Everyone wants to live a meaningful life. Today’s author promises to help us identify the obstacles that keep us from living with intention so we can focus on what matters most. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a quest to identify their purpose and find lasting meaning. Links Support the Show Joe’s Live […]

Everything is a remix. Today’s author encourages us to embrace our influences to discover our own paths. Join Joe & Mike as they attempt to get in touch with their artistic side and build a more creative life. Links Support the Show Obsidian Multiplayer plugin How to Read People Like a Book by Patrick King […]

Everyone loves talking about starts and finishes, but no one likes talking about the hard part in-between. Join Joe as they embrace the messy middle and attempt to find their way on their own creative projects. Links Support the Show Joe’s Working with OmniFocus course Part-Time YouTuber Academy Ship 30 for 30 Pencil Pirates Bookworm […]

Joe & Mike tackle another Victor Frankl book as they consider purpose, value, and the meaning of life. Links Support the Show Bookworm #44: Man’s Search for Meaning Mike’s Newsletter Part-Time YouTuber Academy Ship 30 for 30 signup You Can Learn the Bible Yes to Life by Victor Frankl Bookworm #69: Emotional Intelligence Bookworm #74: […]

Do you consider yourself to be “creative?” Whether you’re an artist or an engineer, today’s author argues that creativity isn’t a skill—it’s a habit available to everyone. Join Joe & Mike as they seek to establish their own creative practices. Links Support the Show Bookworm #140: Unwinding Anxiety Bookworm #89: Zen & The Art of […]

The world has never been more anxious. But today’s author promises to help us uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques. Join Joe & Mike as they fight their own sense overwhelm with mindfulness and curiosity. Links Support the Show Keyboard Maestro Stream Deck Bookworm #139: Personal Socrates Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer Bookworm […]

At any point, we are one question away from a different life. And today’s author gives us 100+ questions from 40+ profiles of legendary achievers to help bring clarity, intentionality, and possibility to every aspect of our lives. Links Support the Show 20 Podcasts That Made Me a Millionaire | Ali Abdaal My Best Podcasts […]

Do you know what’s standing between you and success? Today’s author promises to help us overcome common barriers to change like impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. Join Joe & Mike as they take yet another look at the science of behavioral change. Links Support the Show Joe’s Task Management Diagram Bookworm #137: Atlas of the Heart […]

Today’s author condenses two decades worth of research into a comprehensive guide for mapping meaningful connections. Join Joe & Mike as they consider emotions and explore the language of human experience. Links Support the Show 2022: The Year of Recalibration The 5am Club by Robin Sharma Concept 2 Model D Atlas of the Heart by […]

Systems are all around us. Many of the problems we face every day (big & small) are simply systems failures. Today’s author attempts to help us develop the systems-thinking skills we need to avoid confusion find more effective solutions. Links Support the Show Bookworm #135: Four Thousand Weeks Thining in Systems by Donella Meadows Mike’s […]

Nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time. Today’s author encourages us to reject the idea of getting everything done by recognizing our time on earth is short. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to embrace their own finitude. Links Support the Show Remarkable Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Bookworm #91: […]

What can we learn about productivity from a book written over 100 years ago? Turns out, quite a lot. Join Joe & Mike as they examine the oldest Bookworm book yet. Links Support the Show Bookworm #34: Think & Grow Rich Bookworm #133: Soundtracks Bookworm #38: Mindset Self Control – It’s Kingship & Majesty by […]

Today’s author promises to help change overthinking from a super problem into a superpower. Join Joe & Mike as they attempt to change their thoughts as they DJ their own mental soundtracks. Links Support the Show Bookworm Sweatshirt The Focused calendar Daily Content Machine Focused 134: Finding Space with Sean McCabe Overlap by Sean McCabe […]

If you’re trying to live a remarkable life, today’s author argues that “follow your passion” is terrible advice. Join Joe & Mike as they consider the craftsman mindset in an effort to collect their own career capital. Links Support the Show Focused #138: Hyper-Scheduling Revisited Email Lessons from Napoleon Bonaparte So Good They Can’t Ignore […]

Do you yearn for freedom from the constant reactivity? Today’s author promises to show us how to reclaim time for thinking and make room for what truly matters. Join Joe & Mike as they fight their own battles against busyness. Links Support the Show Bookworm #43: Flow Bookworm #25: Grit Creativity by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Keychron […]

Today’s author promises to show us how to conquer our fear and practice courage in our daily lives. Join Joe & Mike as they wrestle with what it means to live a heroic, courageous life. Links Support the Show Bookworm #129: The Extended Mind Focused Personal Retreat Handbook Obsidian (DING!) GoodNotes Courage by Ryan Holiday […]

Today’s author teaches us how to employ a host of “extra-neural” resources — the feelings and movements of our bodies, the physical spaces in which we learn and work, and the minds of those around us — to focus more intently, comprehend more deeply, and create more imaginatively. Join Joe & Mike as they attempt […]

Today’s author takes us on a tour of daily rituals from inspired novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians to describe how they live and work. Join Joe & Mike as they consider their own routines in an effort to become just a little more productive and creative. Links Support the Show Relay FM […]

Today’s author attempts to teach us to redefine our world through the power of original thinking. Join Joe & Mike as they consider the creative process in an effort to make the most of their own ideas. Links Support the Show Elgato LP Wave Boom Arm meross Smart Power Strip 23andMe DNA Testing Kit Obsidian […]

Today’s author promises to help us act as our highest potential selves by extracting crucial insight from our most damaging habits, building emotional intelligence by better understanding our brains and bodies, and releasing past experiences at a cellular level. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to figure out why we as […]

We rely on willpower to create change in our lives… but what if we’re thinking about it all wrong? Join Joe & Mike as they consider their environments and the impact they have on their productivity. Links Support the Show To Obsidian and Beyond Liminal Thinking website Willpower Doesn’t Work by Benjamin Hardy Bookworm #121: […]

Our beliefs form the basis of everything we say, think, and do. Modifying them can be hard, but today’s author tries to teach us how to make it easier. Join Joe & Mike as they attempt to change their minds – and their behavior. Links Support the Show Obsidian Mobile The Sweet Setup Obsidian Course […]

For a long time, “procrastination” has been a four-letter in the productivity world. But today’s author attempts to turn it around by giving us five permissions in hopes of setting us free to do our best work. Join Joe & Mike as they consider yet another system designed to help clear the clutter and focus […]

We rely on body language to connect and build trust, but that can be difficult from behind a screen. Today’s author teaches us to decode and signals and use proper cues to make that a little bit easier. Join Joe & Mike as they seek to improve their own communication skills for the digital age. […]

Too many workplaces are driven by cynicism, paranoia, and self-interest. But today’s author shows us how the best ones foster trust and cooperation by separating the security inside the team from the challenges outside. Join Joe & Mike as they try to expand their own circles of safety. Links Support the Show Obsidian MacVoices Obsidian […]

Procrastination is a problem we all have to deal with. But today’s author promises a comprehensive plan to help us lower our stress and increase our time to enjoy guilt-free play. Join Joe & Mike as they consider how they can eliminate anxiety brought on by their own negative habits of procrastination and perfectionism. Links […]

High-achievers have been conditioned to believe that the path to success is paved with relentless work. But today’s author challenges us to stop pushing harder and find an easier path. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to make their most essential activities the easiest ones. Links Support the Show The Hitchhiker’s […]

Tired of playing Whac-a-Mole with todo lists that never seem to get any shorter? Today’s author says the real problem is our broken systems that consistently produce frustrating results. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on a journey to change their perspective and apply the systems mindset to their own lives. Links Support the […]

Most of us favor the comfort of conviction and avoid the discomfort of doubt. But today’s author invites us to let go of our firmly held beliefs and open up our minds through the process of unlearning rethinking. Join Joe & Mike as they embrace their own limitations and discover the joy in being wrong. […]

Goodbye awkward silence, hello conversational agility! Today’s author promises to teach you how to think quickly on your feet, be incredibly smooth, funny, and clever – all at once. Join Joe & Mike as they embark on their journey to discover the art, nuance, and mechanics of banter and charm. Links Support the Show Keychron […]

The modern knowledge worker is engaged in a constant battle against the hyperactive hive mind. While we’ve become so accustomed to an inbox-driven workday that it’s hard to imagine alternatives, today’s author argues that they do in fact exist. Join Joe & Mike as they consider the possibility of a future without email. Links Support […]

Even great decisions don’t always yield the best outcomes every time. Today’s author (and former World Series of Poker champion turned business consultant) teaches us how to make better decisions by embracing the element of luck and simply considering the odds. Links Support the Show Obsidian Obsidian-Git plugin 1Writer Pretext Joe’s webinar w/ Emma Bogdan’s […]

Mental models can help you make better decisions by changing how you see the world. In today’s book, Joe & Mike take a look at nine of the most versatile all-purpose mental models in an effort to make better decisions by seeing things more clearly. Links Support the Show Obsidian Obsidian-Git plugin Roam Research (ding?) […]