Good Life Project

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Imagine having just about everything you wanted – a great job, making a lot of money, being able to get as much “stuff” as you want – and then, ending up miserable. That’s the plight of today’s guests, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, also known as The Minimalists.

What started as an awakening to a different way of life, built around value, rather than accumulation, has now grow into a blog with millions of readers at TheMinimalists.com, a popular Minimalism, book a top-rated podcast and now a fantastic new documentary called Minimalism.

This week’s conversation goes deep into Ryan and Joshua’s journey, both personally and as friends, into the exploration of what Minimalism really is and is not and how it can change not only your life, but life as we know it.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why minimalism is not actually about giving everything up.
• Ryan and Joshua’s 5th-grade “fat kid bond” that launched their 20+ year-long friendship.
• How Ryan came up with the "$50,000 Equation" that would (theoretically) help them reach their dreams and set them free.
• Why reaching that goal made him completely miserable and caused him to lose sight of what life is all about.
• Joshua’s epiphany after his mother’s tragic passing that set him on the path to minimalism.
• The true benefits of minimalism (they're not what you think).
• How Joshua’s 21-day downsizing journey led to creating TheMinimalists.com.
• How Ryan and Joshua’s brand expanded to different mediums to spread their message.
• How they define value that an item may add to their lives.
• Ryan and Joshua’s process for choosing which projects they should take on at any given time.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Connect with Ryan and Joshua: www.TheMinimalists.com | podcast | documentary
• Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
• Everything That Remains: A Memoir by The Minimalists by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
• Clutterfree with Kids: Change your thinking. Discover new habits. Free your home. by Joshua Becker
• Exile Lifestyle, by Colin Wright
• Becoming Minimalist by Joshua Becker
• Be More with Less by Courtney Carver

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This time on The Good Life Project, I am joined by Jadah Sellner and Jeffrey Davis for a roundtable-style discussion of a few of the burning issues and questions that have been on our minds...and maybe yours, too. This discussion was incredibly fun and full of so much information, I couldn't wait to share it with all of you. Jadah is the cofounder of Simple Green Smoothies and JadahSellner.com. She has developed her groundbreaking life strategy, Love Over Metrics, with the help of her dream-tribe that supports her vision for the future of the world. Jadah’s passion is to help everyone to start and grow their own tribe in order to inspire action that will change the world. Jeffrey Davis is a poet, author, teacher, brand-strategist, founder of Tracking Wonder and author of Coat Thief and The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices As Muse for Authentic Writing.

We dive into a wide swath of topics today, from the legacy that we want to leave our families and the world to the amount of control the government should have on the hours we work to grit, the infamous “aha” moment and so much more.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Connect with Jadah: Jadah Sellner
• Connect with Jeffrey Davis: Tracking Wonder
• Coat Thief by Jeffrey Davis
• The Journey from the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices as Muse for Authentic Writing by Jeffrey Davis
• Big Ass Fans
• BJ Novak
• World Domination Summit
• Treehouse
• Seth Godin
• Anders Ericsson
• Edward C Banfield
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
• Daniel Gilbert
• Tim Cook

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This week, our in-depth conversation features David Nihill. Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, David, like so man of us, had a deep fear of public speaking. But, he found himself having to face this head on, when he reluctantly agreed to host a benefit comedy show he had suggested for a friend, Arash Bayatmakou, who had suffered a severe spinal cord injury (Comedy for a Spinal Cause). He quickly realized the best speakers were also often the funniest. Not because of the one-liners they threw into the audience, but because they knew how to tell a story in a way that made people laugh.

In at attempt to learn the craft and also face his crippling fear of public speaking, he spent a year traveling the country pretending to be an accomplished comedian and talking his way onto as many comedy show stages and festivals as possible. Along the way, he not only overcame his fear of speaking, he began to deconstruct the best story-driven comedy and figured out a methodology he could not only bring to the stage himself, but also teach pretty much anyone. Even people who consider themselves to have nearly zero ability to tell stories or be funny.

The shared this approach in a book, k, Do You Talk Funny?, then launched a community, writers platform, and conference series under called FunnyBizz Conference: Where Business Meets Humor, with the intention of helping everyone from speakers and executives to content creators tap the power of storytelling, comedy and improv to engage readers and audiences on a whole new level.

David realized he had learned something in the process that could be valuable to other businesspeople — most people, with the right techniques, could learn to be funny, (at least on stage) and learning how to structure a comedy routine involves the exact same skills as making a successful presentation. He now also runs an agency that lets anyone from executives to speakers to anyone who wants funnier content tap a team of freelance comedy writers to punch up anything from a keynote or best-man's speech to an article or boardroom presentation.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What it was like faking his way onto stages
• How his Irish heritage played into his ability to tell stories
• Which TED talks have the most laughs per minute.
• How comedy & copywriting are correlated.
• That US comedy is a testament to tight TV ready writing.
• How many laughs per day a baby has compared to adults over 35 years old.
• That CEOs perceive people with a sense of humor as doing better work.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• FunnyBizz Conference: Where Business Meets Humor
• 80 free tips from his book
• David's udemy course
• Arash Bayatmakou's TEDx talk

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Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you had chosen another path? Would you have been more successful in your craft? A better writer, artist, musician? Would you have made a bigger impact in the world? My guest today, Jesse Browner, has by all rights been extremely successful. He has a great marriage and family, living in the middle of Manhattan. He is a successful author whose books have been published by some of the biggest houses in New York City and he has a lucrative full-time job.

However, as Jesse approached his 50s, he started wondering, "What if?"

Jesse spent his 20s in what was known as the heartbeat of Bohemia in New York City (if you have ever seen the movie or the musical Rent, then you know exactly the place I am describing). As he looked back at this time, he realized that although no one he knew was extremely successful or rich, they were all living and breathing their craft.

From this reflection came the question, "Is there an untapped wealth of talent just buried within me?"

Jesse's exploration of this question over many years led to his latest book, How Did I Get Here?. Today, Jesse guides us through his incredible journey of discovery and letting go. If you have ever been tormented by the “What If?” questions in your life, then this episode is one you cannot afford to miss. So turn up the volume, get comfortable and listen in as we take you on an incredible journey of growth and development.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Connect with Jesse: Jesse Browner | Facebook | Twitter
• How Did I Get Here?: Making Peace with the Road Not Taken by Jesse Browner
• Scenes From The Life Of Bohemia: Scenes De La View De Boheme (1896) by Henri Murger
• Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
• Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill by Matthieu Ricard
• The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World by Lewis Hyde
• La Boheme
• Rent
• Whiplash
• Seamus Heaney

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"Love and Justice are not two. Without inner change, there can be no outer change. Without collective change, no change matters." – Reverend angel Kyodo williams

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Today's guest on the podcast is author, maverick spiritual teacher, master trainer and founder of Center for Transformative Change, Reverend angel Kyodo williams. She has been bridging the worlds of personal transformation and justice since the publication of her critically-acclaimed book, Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace, which was hailed as “an act of love” by Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker and “a classic” by Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield. Her new book, Radical Dharma, explores racial injustice as a barrier to collective awakening.

Ordained as a Zen priest, Rev. angel is a Sensei, the second black woman recognized as a teacher in her lineage. She is a social visionary that applies wisdom teachings and practice to social issues. She sees Transformative Social Change as the world’s next great movement. Both fierce and grounded, she is known for her unflinching willingness to both sit with and speak uncomfortable truths with love.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How growing up in New York City profoundly shaped Rev. angel’s life.
• How moments to awaken are all around us, if we just open to them.
• How to move closer to a liberated life.
• How race and the consciousness movement interact with each other.
• The #1 component contributing to a full, complete life.
• The difference between grasping and aspiration.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Connect with Rev. Angel: angel Kyodo williams | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | 27 Days of Change
• Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace by angel Kyodo Williams
• Radical Dharma
• Richard Wiseman
• Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

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This week, my special guest is Karan Bajaj. Karan is a #1 bestselling Indian novelist with a full-time corporate job and a rather unique approach to life, fulfillment, and personal happiness. His novels have sold more than 200,000 copies worldwide and both are being turned into major films.

One thing that really jumped out at me about Karan and got me excited about having him on the show is his ability to write captivating novels with an underlying lesson while working a full-time job AND taking an entire year off every four years.

Join us on this episode to hear about Karan’s childhood, growing up in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains in northern India, how his Indian upbringing and culture have influenced his decisions along the way, and the incredible story of his journey from small mountain town boy to bestselling author.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How the official divorce rate for arranged marriages is 1%, and why Karan says this can be misleading.
• What it’s like to be a child in India trying to become a doctor or an engineer (and the insane levels of competition to make a life for yourself).
• Karan’s 4-1-4 method of taking a year off for every four years of work, and what he’s learned in the process
• How Karan builds his “intuitive” muscle and develops his ability to switch from intense working and focus to his “off” years.
• How you can actually make more progress (and money) in a year off as a byproduct than in a year of intensely focused work
• The difference between gradual uncovering to drive change and dramatic movements
• The combination great pieces of art are able to master and how it will make you a better artist

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Karan's Website: KaranBajaj.com
• Karan's Books: The Yoga of Max's Discontent, The Seeker, Johnny Gone Down, Keep Off The Grass
• Stefan Sagmeister

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This week on The Good Life Project, we welcome Sharon Salzberg, a renowned meditation and lovingkindness teacher and founder of Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. She travels the world teaching people how to become aware and cultivate lovingkindness in their lives.

Sharon also recently partnered with Dan Harris to bring her latest venture to life, 10% Happier, an exciting new app that builds on Dan’s book, 10% Happier.

Today, Sharon and I dive into her inspiring path to peace and love and her journey to help others achieve the same. A journey that involved a pilgrimage to India, where she's meet not only her teacher, but a small group of students who, along with her, would eventually rise up to become some of the world's greatest teachers.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Sharon's difficult childhood set in motion a deeper quest.
• Why Sharon went to India, what she hoped to find, and the surprises that awaited.
• How Sharon ended up in the town of Buddha's birth with a small group of students who would become some of the world's greatest teachers.
• What called Sharon back to the U.S. and why she decided to found the Insight Meditation Center in Barre, MA.
• What lovingkindness meditation really is and the unusual way Sharon practices it.
• How Sharon became involved with Dan Harris and the 10% Happier app.
• Why you need to take care of yourself in order to show others kindness.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Connect with Sharon: Insight Meditation Society | Facebook | Twitter | 10% Happier App
• 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works – A True Story by Dan Harris
• Daniel Goleman
• Susan Piver
• Ram Dass
• Jack Kornfield
• Linda Stone

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This week, my special guest is Dr. Shefali Tsabary. If her name sounds familiar, you may have seen one of her appearances as the resident parenting expert on Oprah.

Dr. Shefali is the author of multiple books, including her latest, The Awakened Family. She is a clinical psychologist with an incredibly unique East-meets-West approach to helping adults become who they need to be through a relationship with children.

I knew that I needed to have Dr. Shefali on the show to share her incredible insight on the anxiety that many families experience. This anxiety can be present not only between parents and children but also between adults.

As we talk today, Dr. Shefali shares her own personal journey, from growing up in Mumbai in a strongly patriarchal society to finally striking out on her own and heading to San Diego and then New York. Her growth is an inspirational story of what you can achieve with supportive parents, a dream and the drive to succeed.

Listen in to learn to determine how to help people to emerge into a life that’s happy, fulfilled and in a place where you can be truly yourself.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Dr. Shefali experienced the death of her former life...and why you might want to as well.
• Why, as parents, we need to let go of what "we" want for our kids.
• How kids can be a profound vessel of liberation for parents
• Why we are so afraid to step into who we truly are.
• The unique way Dr. Shefali’s parents helped her to become who she is today.
• What Dr. Shefali holds most sacred for childhood development.
• Be mindful of your child's journey of figuring out who they are.
• Why Dr. Shefali has a deep respect and reverence for Sigmund Freud.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Shefali’s Website: DrShefali.com
• Shefali’s Books: The Awakened Family, The Conscious Parent, Out of Control
• Shefali’s Facebook: Dr. Shefali
• California Institute of Integral Studies
• Sigmund Freud

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What if you had to live your life in the spotlight. With thousands of people watching not just your every move, but the things you said, the way you looked, the state of your body and life?

And, what if earning your living depended on it?

That's the place today's guest, Petra Kolber, found herself in. A renowned teacher, speaker, athlete and spokesperson in the fitness industry for decades, she lived nearly every waking minute in the public's eye.

It was an extraordinary experience, but it also came with a cost. An obsession with perfection, setting the bar at a level that was persistently emotionally and physically unattainable. And, that led to an inner life that was a very different place than her outer life. Her awakening to this led to a heroine's journey that's left her in a very different place, one of renewal, positivity and a willingness to forgive her own humanity.

Moving into a new season in her life, Petra remains "exposed," but now she's speaking directly to the issue, and to the near-maniacal and destructive push for perfection that seems to be fueling so much of life today. She has presented in over 30 countries and spoken at TEDx. Her mission is to help others stretch their dreams, kick fear to the curb, strengthen their courage muscle and build a life filled with joy and purpose.

In today's episode, we dive deep into her remarkable journey.

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