TRJ #8. Alan Jacobs: How to Get More Pleasure Out of Your Reading
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My guest today is Alan Jacobs, the author of The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction. Jacobs is a scholar of English literature, writer, and literary critic. He is a distinguished professor of the humanities at Baylor University.
In contrast to the more methodical approach of Mortimer Adler's classic How to Read a Book, Jacobs offers an insightful, accessible, and playfully irreverent guide for aspiring readers. He shares advice on how to make reading more pleasant, the benefits of writing in your books, why you should reread books, and more wonderful reading advice.
TIMESTAMPS:
[00:39] About Prof. Alan Jacobs & growing up a reader
[02:56] Thoughts on How to Read a Book by Mortimer Alder
[06:26] The truth about giving book recommendations
[09:53] The difference between liking to read & liking to have read
[11:26] Why you probably don’t want to read only Great books
[14:35] Great books require a lot of your time, attention, and reflection
[17:24] Niccolo Machiavelli’s relationship with books
[21:26] The benefits of writing in your books
[24:51] Pros and cons of reading on a Kindle
[32:24] The truth about speed reading & why you may be reading too fast already
[36:06] The benefits of rereading books
[42:40] Two books that had a huge influence on Alan & how they changed him
Middlemarch by George Elliot
The Dyer's Hand by W.H. Auden
Learn more about the author:
Website: ayjay.org
***
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TRJ 7#. Bob Burg: Developing A Go-Giver Mindset & More Secrets To Success
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My guest today is Bob Burg, the co-author of The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea. The book has sold over 950,000 copies and was rated #10 on Inc. Magazine's list of the Most Motivational Books Ever Written.
It’s great to be a Go-Getter, they take action and make things happen. But, it's even better to be a Go-Giver. Go-Givers reach high levels of success in their lives by focusing on giving to others and adding value to their lives. The Go-Giver is a parable about a man named Joe who seeks advice from a legendary consultant named Pindar. Pindar introduces Joe to several Go-Givers and learns about the power of giving.
TIMESTAMPS:
[00:43] The differences between a Go-Getter and a Go-Giver
[02:37] The difference between price and value
[05:25] Your compensation is determined by how many people you serve
[08:48] Why you shouldn't aim for win-win situations
[10:51] The 3 universal reason for working: Survive, Save, Serve
[12:37] Why successful people are happy to help others
[15:08] How anyone can be a Go-Giver & why it's the path to success
[18:24] Reciprocity, receptivity, and why you need to be open to receiving
[22:17] 3 Books that had a huge influence on Bob & how they changed him
[26:58] How to connect with Bob & learn more about him
Learn more about the author:
Twitter: @BobBurg
Instagram: @realbobburg
Website: burg.com
***
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Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks
Connect with Alex & Books:
Twitter: @alexandbooks_
Instagram: @alexandbooks_
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TRJ #6. Todd Herman: How To Unlock Your Alter Ego & Transform Your Life
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My guest today is Todd Herman, author of The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life. Todd has over 20 years of experience working as a high-performance coach and mental game strategist with Olympic athletes, business CEOs, and many more top performers.
You’re probably familiar with the idea of an alter ego: Superman had Clark Kent, Kobe Bryant had the Black Mamba, and Beyonce had Sasha Fierce. In this episode, Todd explains why it’s good to have an alter ego, how it can help you overcome personal obstacles, how to create your own alter ego, and much more.
TIMESTAMPS:
[00:58] About Todd Herman & how he became a mental game coach
[07:28] Defining the Alter Ego effect
[12:10] Difference between "fake it till you make it" & an alter ego
[15:25] Why rappers & entertainers love Todd's book
[17:36] Todd & Kobe Bryant had plans to write a book together
[19:16] How imposter syndrome, personal trauma, & narratives prevent us from reaching success
[25:24] How changing the story you tell yourself can change your life
[28:41] How to create your own Alter Ego
[31:34] Creating an Alter Ego for first-time authors
[41:41] My Alter Ego: Alex & Books
[45:27] Two books that had a big impact on Todd
Learn more about the author:
Twitter: @todd_herman
Instagram: todd_herman
Website: toddherman.me
***
If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe & leave a positive review.
Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks
Connect with Alex & Books:
Twitter: @alexandbooks_
Instagram: @alexandbooks_
YouTube: Alex and Books
TRJ #5. Dr. Robert Glover: How To Stop Being Mr. Nice Guy & Improve Your Dating Life
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My guest today is Dr. Robert Glover, author of No More Mr Nice Guy: A Proven Plan for Getting What You Want in Love, Sex, and Life. Dr. Glover holds a PhD in marriage and family therapy and has over 30 years of clinical work with countless men and women.
If you've ever been called a Nice Guy or want to improve your dating life, this episode is for you. We dive into common traits of Nice Guys, why they aren't actually nice, how they try to buy love, how to stop being a Nice Guy, and how to improve your romantic relationships.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Updates about the podcast
2:13 About Dr. Glover & why he wrote this book
7:52 Common traits of a Nice Guy
9:59 Why Nice Guys aren't actually nice
14:29 Cover contracts & how Nice Guys try to buy love
22:21 Why women say they want Nice Guys but go after jerks
26:02 The Victim Triangle that most Nice Guys are stuck in
28:58 Why Nice Guys need to accept themselves
32:17 The 2 types of Nice Guys & why you need to release your shame
35:27 Why Nice Guys need to connect with more men
40:16 Why you need to set boundaries in your relationship
49:21 How boundaries make you & your partner happier
52:21 How to stop being a Nice Guy in your career
56:54 Three books that had a huge influence on Dr. Glover
Learn more about the author:
Twitter: @dr_r_glover
Website: drglover.com
***
If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe & leave a positive review.
Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks
Connect with Alex & Books:
Twitter: @alexandbooks_
Instagram: @alexandbooks_
YouTube: Alex and Books
TRJ #4. Anne Bogel: How To Make Your Reading Life Fun & Delightful
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My guest today is Anne Bogel, author of I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life and podcast host of What Should I Read Next?Anne shares lessons from her book such as the benefits of reading and rereading books, why the Book Police don't exist, why you should consider writing in your books, and more great reading tips.
If you love reading, you'll enjoy this episode.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:49 About Anne Bogel
1:17 What inspired Anne to write a book about reading
2:00 Challenges of giving book recommendations
3:41 There's no Book Police (or why you can read whatever you want)
6:00 Joy of finding the right book at the right time
8:06 Benefits of reading books
9:30 Benefits of going to libraries
11:14 Dangerous of being book bossy & avoiding the word Should
14:45 The rite of passage all reader go through (being a reader post-school)
16:34 Benefits of rereading books
19:03 Why you should write in your books
20:50 Benefits of tracking your reading & using Goodreads
23:08 How reading can be a social activity
25:16 The emotional impact of a great book
26:58 Two books that had a huge impact on Anne
31:02 Two books that influenced Anne to become a writer
Learn more about the author:
Twitter: @AnneBogel
Instagram: @AnneBogel
Website: ModernMrsDarcy.com
***
If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe & leave a positive review.
Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks
Connect with Alex & Books:
Twitter: @alexandbooks_
Instagram: @alexandbooks_
YouTube: Alex and Books
TRJ #3. David Kadavy: How To Stop Procrastinating & Start Creating
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My guest today is David Kadavy, author of The Heart to Start: Stop Procrastinating & Start Creating. David shares lessons on how we can overcome fear, self-doubt, and distractions to stop procrastinating and start working on our creative projects.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:42 About David Kadavy
2:08 Inspiration for writing his book
6:14 How creative projects transform you
8:13 The dangerous of not pursuing your creative project
11:52 How the Ego stops you from pursuing your art
14:04 How to use curiosity to fuel your creativity
20:11 Why you should follow the voice in your head
24:22 Give yourself permission to suck
27:43 How dreaming too big can backfire
31:18 How to use motivational judo
35:06 How to read more books
37:17 How creating art will make you a better person
38:40 Two books that had a huge influence on David
Learn more about the author:
Twitter: @kadavy
Instagram: @kadavy
Website: Kadavy.net
If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe & leave a positive review.
Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks
Connect with Alex & Books:
Twitter: @alexandbooks_
Instagram: @alexandbooks_
YouTube: Alex and Books
TRJ #2. Allen Gannett: Debunking The Myths Around Creativity & How To Unlock Your Creativity
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My guest today is Allen Gannett, author of The Creative Curve: How To Develop The Right Idea, At The Right Time. By interviewing everyone from billionaires to neuroscientists, Allen developed four steps, backed by science, that you can follow to achieve creative success.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:39 What inspired Allen to write this book
2:12 Debunking the creative myth around Mozart
4:23 The truth behind JK Rowling & Harry Potter
7:04 IQ and creativity
8:59 Why you can learn new things, even at an older age
12:09 The truth about the 10,000 Rule
15:54 Creativity tip: The 20% Rule
20:08 Ben Franklin method & balancing novelty
25:13 Why you need a creative community
28:49 The importance of testing & feedback
31:17 Two books that had a huge influence on Allen
Learn more about the author:
If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe & leave a positive review.
Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks
Connect with Alex & Books:
Twitter: @alexandbooks_
Instagram: @alexandbooks_
YouTube: Alex and Books
TRJ #1. Hassan Osman: How To Write & Publish A Book While Working A Full-time Job
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My guest today is Hassan Osman, the author of Write Your Book on the Side: How to Write and Publish Your First Nonfiction Kindle Book While Working a Full-Time Job.
He has published 8 books, 4 of which are Amazon bestsellers, while balancing a demanding full-time job. He is also the podcast host of Writer on the Side. In this episode, Hassan shares helpful writing advice, talks about publishing on Amazon vs. Gumroad, how to get your book to the top of the Amazon bestsellers list, and more.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:41 Hassan shares his background
1:51 Why Hassan wrote a book about writing
3:18 The most important thing about writing a book
4:31 The 3 traits of great books
7:47 How to make time to write while working a full-time job
12:15 How to overcome writer's block
13:29 Why you want to separate writing from editing
16:42 Common mistakes first-time writers make
22:14 Using Amazon reviews as market research
24:18 Different ways you can make money from your book
30:11 Publishing on Amazon
33:37 How to become an Amazon #1 bestseller
37:41 Publishing on Gumroad vs Amazon
41:57 Two books that had a huge influence on Hassan
Learn more about the author:
Twitter: @HassanO
Instagram: @hass.osman
Website: thecouchmanager.com
If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe & leave a positive review.
Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks
Connect with Alex & Books:
Twitter: @alexandbooks_
Instagram: @alexandbooks_
YouTube: Alex and Books
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