The Reader's Journey

My guest today is BJ Fogg, PhD, the bestselling author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Fogg founded the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University and has been researching social behavior for over 20 years.

In our conversation, Fogg shares how tiny habits can create major changes, why emotions (not repetition) wires in habits, the role of motivation & ability in behavior, the importance of celebrating after completing a habit, how to develop a reading habit, and much more.

 
TIMESTAMPS:

• [00:45] Background about BJ Fogg & his passion for habits 
• [02:11] Anyone can learn how to create new habits 
• [03:45] The power of tiny habits  
• [06:59] The one tiny habit everyone should do 
• [12:15] People change best when they feel good
• [13:12] The importance of celebrating after completing a habit
• [14:58] To develop new habits seek rewards, not incentives
• [18:08] Emotions create habits, not repetition
• [19:35] Why it doesn't take 21 or 60 days to create a habit
• [22:10] Behavior = Motivation & Ability & Prompt
• [27:55] Look for habits that you actually want to do
• [29:58] How prompts create action
• [33:42] How to create a reading habit
• [38:11] How to wire your reading habit faster
• [43:00] Pearl habits & stoicism
• [46:381] Books that had a huge influence on BJ & how they changed him

Learn more about the author:

• Twitter: @bjfogg
• Website: bjfogg.com

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Connect with Alex & Books:

• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
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My guest today is Morgan Housel, the author of The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness. Housel is a partner at The Collaborative Fund and a former columnist at The Motley Fool and The Wall Street Journal.

In his book, Housel shares 19 short stories exploring the strange ways people think about money and teaches you how to make better financial decisions. In this episode, you’ll learn what money can and can’t buy, the difference between being rich and being wealthy, how 50% of your investments can go wrong but you can still make a fortune, what to do to become a better investor, and more helpful advice.

 
TIMESTAMPS:

• [00:54] How people view money differently & why you shouldn’t buy lotto tickets
• [04:36] How money buys you freedom & some happiness
• [08:07] Things money can’t buy you 
• [11:13] Looking rich versus being rich
• [13:37] The importance of savings rate to becoming wealthy
• [16:12] How 50% of your investment can fail & you can still make a fortune
• [20:15] Warren Buffett & the power of the compound effect
• [23:09] Why you need to increase your time horizon to become a better investor
• [25:23] Volatility is the fee you pay the stock market for great returns
• [27:21] Bernie Madoff & how to prevent yourself from getting greedy
• [30:02] The role of luck & risk in investing
• [34:08] When you should & shouldn’t take investment advice
• [36:28] Investment advice for listeners
• [40:11] Possible explanations for why the stock market keeps going up
• [43:03] Morgan’s personal investment strategy
• [45:07] Books that had a huge influence on Morgan & how they changed him

Learn more about the author:

• Twitter: @morganhousel

***

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• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
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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 his book, Jacobs offers an insightful and playfully guide on how to make reading pleasurable and enjoyable. You'll learn why you probably don't want to read only Great books, the benefits of writing in your books, the truth about speed reading, and many more wonderful reading tips.

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 changed Alan's life

Learn more about the author:

• Website: ayjay.org

***

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• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
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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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• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
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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

***
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Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks

Connect with Alex & Books:

• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
• Instagram: @alexandbooks_
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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

***
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Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks

Connect with Alex & Books:

• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
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• YouTube: Alex and Books

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

***
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Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks

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• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
• Instagram: @alexandbooks_
• YouTube: Alex and Books

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

***
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Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks

Connect with Alex & Books:

• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
• Instagram: @alexandbooks_
• YouTube: Alex and Books

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:

• Twitter: @Allen
• Instagram: @Allen
• Website: Allen.xyz

***
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Discover my favorite books: alexandbooks.com/bestbooks

Connect with Alex & Books:

• Twitter: @alexandbooks_
• Instagram: @alexandbooks_
• YouTube: Alex and Books

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