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Author’s Corner: Nir Eyal

February 28, 2020 • 50 minutes

Nir Eyal joins us for our first author’s corner episode to talk about his book Indistractable, turning values into time, and building better relationships.

87: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

February 21, 2020 • 1 hour 32 minutes

What causes us to act the way we do? Today’s book offers a comprehensive look into the depths of behavioral science. Join Joe & Mike as they examine their own cognitive biases in an effort to understand why they have a tendency to make dumb decisions.

86: The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

February 7, 2020 • 1 hour 29 minutes

Today’s author argues that the lackluster and unproductive gatherings in our lives don’t have to be that way. Join Joe & Mike as they consider how to bring a more human-centered approach to gathering in an effort create meaningful, memorable experiences for everyone involved.

85: Making It All Work by David Allen

January 24, 2020 • 1 hour 24 minutes

In today’s episode, Joe & Mike revisit the topic of Getting Things Done (GTD). Join them as they take a closer look at the mother of all productivity systems and discover all the things that they’re doing wrong.

84: Indistractable by Nir Eyal

January 10, 2020 • 1 hour 43 minutes

In a world of distraction, focus is a superpower. In today’s book, Joe and Mike look at how to channel their attention in a quest to become indistractable.

83: The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

December 27, 2019 • 1 hour 38 minutes

How do we win a game that has no end? In today’s book, author Simon Sinek explains how an infinite mindset helps overcome the letdown that typically comes shortly after achieving a goal by commiting to a just cause that inspires us to show up day after day, week after week, and year after year.

82: Margin by Richard Swenson

December 13, 2019 • 1 hour 37 minutes

Do you ever feel overhwelmed? Today’s book by Dr. Richard Swenson has the prescription for anyone who yearns for relief from the pressures of overload. Join Joe & Mike as they investigate the topic of margin, reevaluate their priorities, and attempt to simplify their lives.

81: You Are Awesome by Neil Pasricha

November 29, 2019 • 1 hour 34 minutes

Bad things happen, but they don’t have to keep you realizing your dreams. Today’s author shares 9 secrets from his own experience of overcoming negative circumstances by changing his perspective. Join Joe and Mike as they examine the mindsets that make people like Neil so resilient, even in the face of personal tragedy and failure.

80: Principles by Ray Dalio

November 15, 2019 • 1 hour 31 minutes

What does radical truth and radical transparency have to do with personal and professional success? Everything, argues today’s author. Join Joe & Mike as they dive deep on the systems and principles of life and business in their quest to understand the idea meritocracy.

79: SuperBetter by Jane McGonigal

November 1, 2019 • 1 hour 40 minutes

Reality is broken. In today’s book, author Jane McGonigal attempts a fix by applying a gameful approach to personal growth. Join Mike & Joe as they examine the idea that playing games can make us better.

78: Ultralearning by Scott Young

October 11, 2019 • 1 hour 45 minutes

Lifelong learning is a noble goal – but is ultralearning really the best approach? Today’s book aims to help you achieve your goals faster, future-proof your career, and maximize your competitive advantage. Join Joe & Mike as they unpack the principles the author promises can help you learn anything deeply and quickly, without teachers or […]

77: Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

September 27, 2019 • 1 hour 35 minutes

Pixar has inspired the creative world for over 20 years with iconic films like Toy Story, The Incredibles, and WALL-E, just to name a few. Today’s book gives us an inside look at the meetings, postmortems, and Braintrust sessions that have produced some of the most successful animated films in history. Join Joe & Mike […]

76: Range by David Epstein

September 13, 2019 • 1 hour 49 minutes

We’ve all heard stories of famous people who knew what they were born to do from a young age. But should we really be trying to follow in their narrow-focused footsteps? Today’s author challenges the traditional idea that 10,000 hours of deliberate practice is what it takes to become an expert, explains why specializing early […]

75: Getting Results the Agile Way by J.D. Meier

August 30, 2019 • 1 hour 34 minutes

Lots of books teach systems to help you achieve more, but the problem is that they are usually very strict and rigid. Today’s book promises to deliver a simple system that is flexible and adaptable so you can change course as needed without sacrificing meaningful results.

74: The Second Mountain by David Brooks

August 16, 2019 • 1 hour 41 minutes

In today’s book, Joe and Mike embark on a journey from self-centered individualism to others-centered relationalism in pursuit of discovering just what exactly a life worth living looks like. Join these fellow travelers on their quest for a moral life as they examine the 4 commitments that today’s author uses to define a life of […]

73: The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss

August 2, 2019 • 1 hour 44 minutes

Today’s book promises to help you escape the 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new rich. But is it really that simple? Join Joe & Mike as they examine what a millionarie lifestyle looks like (with or without the millions) and unpack the concept of lifestyle design in creating a life worth living.

72: Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky

July 19, 2019 • 1 hour 39 minutes

True productivity is not about crushing your to-do list or optimizing every hour – it’s about intentionalliy focusing on what really matters. Join Joe & Mike as they rethink their own defaults, drain the infinity pools, and make time for the things that are truly important.

71: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

July 5, 2019 • 1 hour 24 minutes

For many writers, few things are as intimidating as staring at a blank page – but it doesn’t have to be this way. If you’re looking for some solid writing advice, today’s book is for you. Join Joe & Mike as they confront perfectionism, shine the light on the monsters within, learn to quiet the […]

70: Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt

June 21, 2019 • 1 hour 39 minutes

A system to help you achieve more *and* do less? It may sound too good to be true, but that’s exactly what today’s book promises to deliver. Join Joe & Mike as they take a closer look at Michael Hyatt’s approach to the topic of focus.

69: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

June 7, 2019 • 1 hour 34 minutes

It can be difficult to measure, but the topic of emotional intelligence is a worthwhile study for anyone with a desire to reach their full potential. In today’s episode, Joe & Mike take a deep look at a different way to be smart.

68: How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens

May 24, 2019 • 1 hour 31 minutes

It’s been said that for a writer, nothing is as intimidating as a blank page. But the author of today’s book says that doesn’t have to be the case. Join Joe & Mike as they look at how to take better notes and automate the writing process.

67: Quiet by Susan Cain

May 10, 2019 • 1 hour 51 minutes

The rise of the Extroverted Ideal has led to a world that can’t stop talking. But where does that leave you if you find groups exhausting or prefer to work alone? Join Joe & Mike as they discover the soft power introverts possess and why understanding it is so important.

66: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

April 26, 2019 • 1 hour 29 minutes

We can’t control everything that happens to us, but how might our lives look different if we assumed ownership for them anyway? That’s the topic Joe & Mike examine in today’s book. Tune in to find out why “responsibility” is not a dirty word.

65: Drunk Tank Pink by Adam Alter

April 12, 2019 • 1 hour 48 minutes

Our environment shapes our thoughts and actions in myriad ways, without our permission or even our knowledge. In today’s episode, Joe & Mike discover the subtle but substantial ways in which outside forces influence our everyday behavior.

64: Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

March 29, 2019 • 1 hour 45 minutes

Few things have impacted our everyday lives as much as the smartphone. In today’s episode, Joe & Mike discuss the fallout from our digital addictions and contemplate Cal Newport’s radical approach as a potential cure in the war for our attention.

63: Atomic Habits by James Clear

February 27, 2019 • 1 hour 36 minutes

Can small habits really transform your life and deliver amazing results? Author James Clear believes they can. In today’s episode, Joe and Mike revisit a familiar topic to tackle one of Bookworm’s most requested books and see if it lives up to the hype.

62: The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

February 13, 2019 • 1 hour 40 minutes

Have you ever struggled to achieve a goal, even though you were fully committed to and believed in it? Today’s book gives you a simple framework to help you understand why. Join Joe & Mike as they try to understand themselves a little bit better.

61: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

January 29, 2019 • 1 hour 32 minutes

Your brain is an incredibly powerful computer, rapidly processing information to help you make better decisions – except when it doesn’t. Should you really trust your first impressions? Join Joe & Mike as they dive into the world of rapid cognition and thinking without thinking.

60: The One Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan

January 14, 2019 • 2 hours 16 minutes

Is it true that less is more? When it comes to goal achievement, Gary Keller & Jay Papasan say, “Aboslutely!” In today’s episode, Joe & Mike dive into the surprisingly simple truth behind extraordinary results to see if the answer really is that profound or if Mike is just remembering one of his favorite books […]

59: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

December 27, 2018 • 1 hour 44 minutes

No matter how careful we are or how healthy our habits, one day we will all die. In this episode, Joe & Mike tackle their most uncomfortable topic yet as they consider how to bring meaning and purpose to end of life care.

58: Scrum by Jeff & J.J. Sutherland

December 15, 2018 • 2 hours 26 minutes

Is Scrum really the magical project finishing formula that author Jeff Sutherland says it is? Joe & Mike share their own Scrum stories and point out the pitfalls in this episode covering Bookworm’s most requested book.

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Bookworm is dedicated to doing more than just reading books. Mike Schmitz and Cory Hixson read a book every two weeks and discuss ways to apply the authors lessons to their lives.

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Recent Posts

  • 237: Toxic Grit by Amanda Goetz
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