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#249: What “Death Mindfulness” Has To Do With Selling 2 Million Books, Being Blessed By Madonna, & Designing Your To-Die-For Life w/ Karen Salmansohn
Imagine you’re at your favorite restaurant when — out of the corner of your eye — you spot Madonna.
Most people would whisper about it to their friends and watch from afar.
Not Karen Salmansohn.
Karen — a best-selling author of 20+ books with over 2 million copies sold — didn’t just say hi. She walked right up to Madonna’s table, dropped her hilariously titled book “How To Succeed In Business Without A Penis” in front of her… and left with a blessing from the Queen of Pop herself.
That’s Karen: wildly bold, infectiously curious, and masterful at turning life’s heaviest topics into delightfully practical wisdom.
Her latest book, Your To-Die-For Life — which is out TODAY — turns the heavy subject of death into a powerful tool you can use to make clearer decisions and live more fully… starting now.
In this conversation, we explore:
- What it means to have a near-life experience — and why you might be having some right now
- The “marble jar” ritual that makes mortality motivating (not morbid).
- How writing your own eulogy can become your ultimate filter for a life well-lived (I even read Karen’s out loud!)
If you’re someone who wants to truly “begin with the end in mind” and live a life you’re proud of, this one’s for you!
Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Karen Salmansohn
Brandon opens the episode with enthusiasm, introducing Karen as a wildly bold, delightfully mischievous behavioral change expert and bestselling author. He previews Karen's book, "You're To Die For Life," which explores using death as a motivator to live more intentionally.
00:36 - Karen’s unforgettable Madonna moment
Karen recounts her bold encounter with Madonna at a restaurant where she gifted her the book “How to Succeed in Business Without a Penis,” resulting in an unexpected blessing from the pop icon.
01:36 - The story behind Karen’s book title and her unique approach to serious topics
Brandon explains how Karen’s mix of humor and boldness makes difficult topics accessible, like mortality, and previews three big takeaways from the episode.
02:21 - Karen’s mission: Wake people up from autopilot
Karen’s book challenges listeners to confront mortality and stop living on autopilot. Brandon describes how she turns the fear of death into a life-enhancing tool and shares her quirky yet deeply impactful approach.
05:24 - A hilarious start: Madonna, boldness, and book titles
Brandon invites Karen to share how she handed her provocative book to Madonna, tying it into her career-long commitment to empowering women and embracing audacity.
10:25 - How Karen landed Marisa Tomei for her book’s film rights
Karen shares a second bold story about hand-delivering her novel to Marisa Tomei, which led to an option by Miramax—reinforcing the power of fearless action.
14:26 - Leaving a successful ad career for passion and purpose
Karen reflects on her thriving yet unfulfilling advertising career, the moment she realized her job lacked soul, and the bold decision to quit and pursue writing and personal growth.
19:33 - A mysterious letter from college appears the day Karen’s father dies
Karen shares a moving synchronicity: the rediscovery of a college letter to her dad containing profound thoughts on life’s ripple effects—offering a powerful message about giving.
23:04 - The concept of a “near life experience”
Karen defines “near life experiences” as moments when we are physically present but emotionally or mentally absent—on autopilot, disconnected, or stuck in “someday syndrome.”
26:38 - Her father’s death as a wake-up call to intentional living
Karen discusses how her dad’s passing catalyzed her desire to start a family and live more purposefully, especially by reevaluating her work-life balance.
28:49 - Brandon reads Karen’s eulogy aloud—an emotional and insightful moment
For the first time, Karen hears her own eulogy read aloud. She explains how writing your eulogy becomes a powerful filter for intentional living and emotional accountability.
32:21 - The Good Place reference: Why mortality gives life meaning
Brandon shares a synchronistic reference to the show “The Good Place,” underscoring the idea that the finality of life makes it meaningful and motivates intentionality.
35:02 - Core values as a compass for your to-die-for life
Karen explains Aristotle’s idea of “telos” and why living by soul-driven values—not ego or superficial goals—is key to dying fulfilled.
38:12 - Identity-based habits: “I am ___, and so I ___”
Karen introduces a simple but powerful identity-based framework for embodying core values. Brandon applies it to improving his organization habits with a personal example.
43:50 - Reframing who you are to create change
Karen walks through the mindset shift of using the statement “The old me used to… but the new me…” to align behavior with your desired identity.
45:18 - Creating your daily “To Die” list
Karen contrasts a traditional to-do list with her concept of a “To Die List”—daily actions aligned with your core values that ensure you’re living a meaningful life.
46:49 - The monthly mortality marble jar ritual
Karen describes a tangible ritual: moving one marble per month from a full jar to an empty one to reflect on whether the month was lived meaningfully—creating awareness and urgency.
50:48 - Creating intentional pauses to realign your actions
Karen emphasizes how her tools help people pause and reflect instead of drifting through life—ensuring alignment with their eulogy and core values.
51:08 - Where to find Karen and her work
Karen shares her platforms: NotSalmon.com, her “Stand-Up Philosopher” Substack, and details about her new book, “You’re To Die For Life,” available wherever books are sold.
52:50 - Final reflections and ripple effects
Brandon closes the episode by inviting listeners to reflect on what resonated, share the episode with someone who might benefit, and embrace their own to-die-for life.
Links & Resources:
- You're To Die For Life - Official Book Website
- NotSalmon.com – Karen’s personal development site
- Karen’s Instagram (@notsalmon)
- How to Succeed in Business Without a Penis – Book by Karen Salmansohn
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By Brandon Fong
5
151151 ratings
Imagine you’re at your favorite restaurant when — out of the corner of your eye — you spot Madonna.
Most people would whisper about it to their friends and watch from afar.
Not Karen Salmansohn.
Karen — a best-selling author of 20+ books with over 2 million copies sold — didn’t just say hi. She walked right up to Madonna’s table, dropped her hilariously titled book “How To Succeed In Business Without A Penis” in front of her… and left with a blessing from the Queen of Pop herself.
That’s Karen: wildly bold, infectiously curious, and masterful at turning life’s heaviest topics into delightfully practical wisdom.
Her latest book, Your To-Die-For Life — which is out TODAY — turns the heavy subject of death into a powerful tool you can use to make clearer decisions and live more fully… starting now.
In this conversation, we explore:
- What it means to have a near-life experience — and why you might be having some right now
- The “marble jar” ritual that makes mortality motivating (not morbid).
- How writing your own eulogy can become your ultimate filter for a life well-lived (I even read Karen’s out loud!)
If you’re someone who wants to truly “begin with the end in mind” and live a life you’re proud of, this one’s for you!
Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!00:00 - Introduction to Beyond Curious and today's guest, Karen Salmansohn
Brandon opens the episode with enthusiasm, introducing Karen as a wildly bold, delightfully mischievous behavioral change expert and bestselling author. He previews Karen's book, "You're To Die For Life," which explores using death as a motivator to live more intentionally.
00:36 - Karen’s unforgettable Madonna moment
Karen recounts her bold encounter with Madonna at a restaurant where she gifted her the book “How to Succeed in Business Without a Penis,” resulting in an unexpected blessing from the pop icon.
01:36 - The story behind Karen’s book title and her unique approach to serious topics
Brandon explains how Karen’s mix of humor and boldness makes difficult topics accessible, like mortality, and previews three big takeaways from the episode.
02:21 - Karen’s mission: Wake people up from autopilot
Karen’s book challenges listeners to confront mortality and stop living on autopilot. Brandon describes how she turns the fear of death into a life-enhancing tool and shares her quirky yet deeply impactful approach.
05:24 - A hilarious start: Madonna, boldness, and book titles
Brandon invites Karen to share how she handed her provocative book to Madonna, tying it into her career-long commitment to empowering women and embracing audacity.
10:25 - How Karen landed Marisa Tomei for her book’s film rights
Karen shares a second bold story about hand-delivering her novel to Marisa Tomei, which led to an option by Miramax—reinforcing the power of fearless action.
14:26 - Leaving a successful ad career for passion and purpose
Karen reflects on her thriving yet unfulfilling advertising career, the moment she realized her job lacked soul, and the bold decision to quit and pursue writing and personal growth.
19:33 - A mysterious letter from college appears the day Karen’s father dies
Karen shares a moving synchronicity: the rediscovery of a college letter to her dad containing profound thoughts on life’s ripple effects—offering a powerful message about giving.
23:04 - The concept of a “near life experience”
Karen defines “near life experiences” as moments when we are physically present but emotionally or mentally absent—on autopilot, disconnected, or stuck in “someday syndrome.”
26:38 - Her father’s death as a wake-up call to intentional living
Karen discusses how her dad’s passing catalyzed her desire to start a family and live more purposefully, especially by reevaluating her work-life balance.
28:49 - Brandon reads Karen’s eulogy aloud—an emotional and insightful moment
For the first time, Karen hears her own eulogy read aloud. She explains how writing your eulogy becomes a powerful filter for intentional living and emotional accountability.
32:21 - The Good Place reference: Why mortality gives life meaning
Brandon shares a synchronistic reference to the show “The Good Place,” underscoring the idea that the finality of life makes it meaningful and motivates intentionality.
35:02 - Core values as a compass for your to-die-for life
Karen explains Aristotle’s idea of “telos” and why living by soul-driven values—not ego or superficial goals—is key to dying fulfilled.
38:12 - Identity-based habits: “I am ___, and so I ___”
Karen introduces a simple but powerful identity-based framework for embodying core values. Brandon applies it to improving his organization habits with a personal example.
43:50 - Reframing who you are to create change
Karen walks through the mindset shift of using the statement “The old me used to… but the new me…” to align behavior with your desired identity.
45:18 - Creating your daily “To Die” list
Karen contrasts a traditional to-do list with her concept of a “To Die List”—daily actions aligned with your core values that ensure you’re living a meaningful life.
46:49 - The monthly mortality marble jar ritual
Karen describes a tangible ritual: moving one marble per month from a full jar to an empty one to reflect on whether the month was lived meaningfully—creating awareness and urgency.
50:48 - Creating intentional pauses to realign your actions
Karen emphasizes how her tools help people pause and reflect instead of drifting through life—ensuring alignment with their eulogy and core values.
51:08 - Where to find Karen and her work
Karen shares her platforms: NotSalmon.com, her “Stand-Up Philosopher” Substack, and details about her new book, “You’re To Die For Life,” available wherever books are sold.
52:50 - Final reflections and ripple effects
Brandon closes the episode by inviting listeners to reflect on what resonated, share the episode with someone who might benefit, and embrace their own to-die-for life.
Links & Resources:
- You're To Die For Life - Official Book Website
- NotSalmon.com – Karen’s personal development site
- Karen’s Instagram (@notsalmon)
- How to Succeed in Business Without a Penis – Book by Karen Salmansohn
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