The School of Greatness Hall of Fame

If you follow UFC and Conor McGregor, you already know him as the man who taught Conor how to move like a monkey. But you also might already know him as a world-renowned movement teacher of all disciplines. I’ve never met someone quite like Ido Portal. He is an obsessed student of movement and the body — which means he has also become an incredible teacher. Ido started studying different kinds of movement when he was a kid, got into martial arts, and from there traveled the world for years studying as many disciplines as he could. But he couldn’t find someone who could teach him what he was looking for — how our bodies are built to move and what they are fully capable of. He became the teacher he was looking for, and over the past decade and more, he has developed a world-wide movement culture. Not only has this caught the attention of elite athletes like Conor McGregor, he has also inspired millions of people to move their bodies in new ways through his workshops and social media. I was so impressed with Ido’s wisdom, clarity, and dedication to his craft. I’ve met few teachers like him and I was so inspired to keep moving my body in new ways after this conversation. Get ready to re-define what you think your body is built for in Episode 532.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why being a good student is a missing art (8:12)Why there is no mastery of movement (11:30)The issue behind pro athletes getting depressed when they retire (26:15)Basic stretches Ido recommends doing daily to improve your body’s functionality (39:06)The most underrated factor in quality of life (40:20)The problem with “working out” (41:25)Why the story you tell yourself is more powerful than reality (1:03:10)How to practice meditation effectively (1:09:45)Why stillness is just as important as movement (1:14:00)Plus much more…

He wanted to be a lawyer. A singer. An actor. He thought he’d never get married, let alone have kids. He just wanted his dad to be around to fill the hole in his heart left by his absence. But instead, life served John Gray a different opportunity. And he has created something extraordinary because he chose to take it. John is one of the most powerful speakers I’ve ever heard (I saw him at Oprah’s Super Soul Sessions recently). He’s also a recording artist, a pastor, an author, a husband, and a father. Yes, all of that is possible together. But what I love so much about John is his commitment to serve others by sharing his truth every day. I’ve met few people as vulnerable and honest about life’s challenges as John. There’s no difference in the way he talks about his struggle with losing weight as he does about his dad leaving at an early age or his experience of being called to the ministry. As John explained, we have to preach to ourselves, in our brokenness, if we want anyone to listen. If you’ve been questioning your value, this conversation is for you in Episode 488.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:Where the idea of judging others comes from (13:59)How we are the very thing we need (23:30)Why John is committed to losing weight and getting healthy this year no matter what (33:50)What loving yourself has to do with loving others (38:50)The one question each of us needs to ask ourselves (48:20)Plus much more…

You’ve never seen her on mainstream TV shows, movies, chart-topping singles, or billboard albums. But you probably have seen her videos on YouTube (or a clip on Facebook). Lilly Singh started making YouTube videos after battling severe depression in college. She started to re-connect with her childhood creativity and she started to get good at it. Good led to great, which led to millions of YouTube fans, huge entertainment opportunities, and one of the most recognized faces in the online entertainment community. And she’s just getting started. Not only is she friends with some of the biggest celebrities on the planet (The Rock to name one), Lilly is re-defining what is possible as an entertainer. She is now a #1 NYT bestselling author, speaker, performer, vlogger, actor, singer, and she is building an empire. But as she admits, that kind of success is not exclusive to her. It just requires you to be obsessed with it — and lots of hard work. The phrase that comes to mind when I think of the success Lilly has created is this: “How you do one thing is how you do everything.” Her commitment to greatness in all areas of her life is so inspiring, and I can’t wait for you to laugh and dream big with her in Episode 506.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:How we cause ourselves the most pain (8:15)Why it’s okay to be the dumbest person on your team in some ways (21:51)The best way to pay your team and include them in your success (28:20)Why Lilly wants to be a big star (37:50)Plus much more…

When Wilmer Valderrama moved to the U.S. from Venezuela as a teenager with his family, he hadn’t expected he’d need to know English in his lifetime. But when he got to Los Angeles and started getting involved in theater (as he had in Venezuela), he quickly realized not knowing English was the only thing that could stop him from being successful in this craft. So he learned quickly. Not only did he learn English quickly, he rose to the top of his acting classes, got an agent, and despite having an accent (which wasn’t very accepted on TV at the time), he booked his first pilot at the age of 18. You’ve probably heard of it – That ’70s Show. He went on to massive success with an 8 year run of that show, which led to stardom, film opportunities, producing and much more. Wilmer knew that if he wanted a career beyond his first major hit, he’d need to stretch himself into new roles. Which is exactly what he did. Today he is as much an activist as he is an actor, having worked with President Obama on immigration reform, working with the rising generation on voting registration, and much more. Wilmer is one of the most confident, humble, and grounded men I’ve met. I was so inspired by his storytelling and passion for making a difference. I invite you to be inspired as well in Episode 514.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:The movie that inspired Wil to become an actor as a kid (9:10)Why learning English was the key to Wil’s early success (11:32)The advice Wil’s dad gave to him right before he got his biggest role (21:10)What Johnny Depp told Wil that changed everything for him (56:30)Why it’s so important to have fun while working towards your goals (1:09:35)Plus much more…

When I met the incredible trainer couple Chris and Heidi Powell a couple of weeks ago (you know them from the hit TV show Extreme Weight Loss), I was immediately impressed by their energy, warmth, and authenticity. But when we started talking about their story, how they met, and what they overcame before they ever became famous, I was really impressed. I know it’s easy to make up stories about how perfect the people we see on TV are — but the truth is they are human just like us. And they have powerful wisdom to share when given the opportunity to tell their stories. Both Chris and Heidi are incredible trainers. But they are also amazing life coaches, spouses, parents, friends, and believers that anyone can transform. That is why they have used their opportunity to be on TV as the springboard for their much bigger vision — to bring their coaching and expertise to the whole world. If you don’t catch their contagious energy and belief that anything is possible from listening to Episode 520, watch the video of this interview. Chris and Heidi are the real deal. It’s time to transform!

In This Episode, You Will Learn:How Chris and Heidi worked as a team before Heidi officially came on the show (8:45)The best way to build trust with people who are different from you (11:02)The true story of how Chris and Heidi met (13:30)Whether balance and great achievements are both possible at the same time (43:45)Tips for managing your ego once you achieve some fame (49:10)The power of making and keeping promises to yourself (58:30)Plus much more…

Ever wonder if there was one type of entrepreneur who is the most successful? When two Princeton University lecturers came to the Greatness Studio to talk about their new book (about personality types of entrepreneurs), I had to ask. And they told me no, there’s not one. In fact, they’ve identified 4 successful entrepreneur types, and according to their research, each is equally effective – but for different reasons. Of course I had to know more, and both John Danner and Chris Kuenne fascinated me with their explanations of these personality types. They identified which one I am right away and gave me great coaching on how I can improve my business strategy. They pointed out that it’s not enough to know your strengths in business – you need to ACT on that knowledge, hire people who compliment you in those areas, and build your team wisely. We talked about how to find the right co-founder (based on your personality and theirs), how and when to bring in investors to your business, and of course, the things to look for in new hires. I loved this conversation so much I want to bring them back on to discuss more. This is the first of two episodes this week with top business professors coming on the School of Greatness. Class is in session in Episode 517.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:Whether there is a single best way to build a team (2:40)The 4 personality types of successful entrepreneurs (3:10)Why it’s not enough to “know thyself” (6:20)The 2 strategies to choose from as an entrepreneur (6:30)The most important things to consider when hiring people on your team (14:35)If it’s better to focus on one thing or be good at multiple things (38:20)Plus much more…

I love bringing the brightest minds in the world onto the podcast. Especially when they are experts in an area that most people are confused by. Which is why I thought it would be useful to interview a top world expert on finance. Now before you tune out and think, “This isn’t for me,” let me be honest. I don’t love studying finance either. Charts and graphs and jargon don’t do it for me. But there was something different about Harvard Professor Mihir Desai‘s new book that stuck out to me — it explained basic financial concepts through stories. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that “facts tell, but stories sell.” Stories are also great teachers, which is exactly why Mihir wanted to use the most interesting stories from history and fiction to break down the complexity of finance. Mihir has spent 18 years teaching the brightest students in the world finance. But he knows that if more people don’t understand the core concepts of how to wisely manage finances (and use them to leverage their opportunities), then finance is failing its purpose. I loved this discussion with the third Ivy League professor I talked to this week. Join me for round two of “Professor Week” for a fascinating explanation of finance in Episode 518.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:The upside and downside of debt (4:50)How to determine how much to invest in your education (6:20)How stories from history and fiction can easily explain finance concepts (18:14)Why too many options can be a bad thing in finance (19:20)Why we had to re-think our beliefs about failure in finance (22:20)How to use the power of leverage wisely (24:32)Plus much more…

What if the most famous book in the world was also the most misunderstood? These are the kinds of questions my friend Rob Bell and I end up discussing when we get together. But recently we decided to actually record our conversation for the podcast. If you’re a longtime fan of the show, you already know Rob from his past 3 episodes. So you’ll be excited to know that for this episode, we dived deep into his newest book, all about what the Bible really is, where it came from, and how most of us are reading it wrong. I love Rob for many reasons, but at the top of the list is his ability to open my mind to spiritual truth in a way I never thought about it. Rob is one of the most successful pastors of our day, but he left preaching in a formal church years ago and has expanded his reach and message far beyond. Not only is he a multiple NYT bestselling author, he has been on tour with Oprah, hosts his own popular podcast, and goes on spiritual speaking tours around the world.In this conversation, we went down several rabbit holes around spirituality, but at the core of our questions was this one — Can truth be found in unlikely places? And how do we interpret it once we find it? It’s time to think differently about what we’ve always been told in Episode 484 with Rob Bell.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why so many people are misreading the Bible (3:15)Where despair comes from – and the antidote (7:10)The difference between reading the Bible literately and literally (9:20)Why the sermon needs to be reclaimed (17:40)Why truth always includes paradox (23:56)The best way to serve others (45:38)Plus much more…

Andy Frisella is the co-founder of multiple successful real businesses (we’re talking lots of brick and mortar stores as well as a huge online business). He is the host of the popular MFCEO podcast (yes, it stands for what you think it stands for). He is a straight-talking, no BS entrepreneur, coach, and leader. He’s also a big guy – fit, strong, and confident. So he’s the last guy you’d expect to have lasting nerve damage in his face from being stabbed and disfigured when in his early twenties. I met Andy a while ago and we recently spoke at the same event and re-connected. I’ve always looked up to his wise words backed up by real action. So when he came on the podcast, I knew he would deliver some solid gold business advice. What I didn’t know is how deep we would go into the psychological challenges Andy had to overcome after being attacked and disfigured when he was younger — before he was ever successful and people were paying attention to him. I was really impressed with how he chose to shift his perspective (after battling intense depression) and make powerful results in his life despite the adversity he has faced. No matter what you have gone through, there’s no excuses for what you can achieve after listening to Andy in Episode 485.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:The power of in-person connection (now more than ever) (5:50)What social media should be used for (6:02)The story of Andy getting stabbed and disfigured (6:24)The moment that changed his perspective on adversity (11:53)What Millenials actually have right in their perspective (33:12)The ultimate competitive advantage for any brand to create (40:00)Plus much more…

Kelly LeVeque is not only positive, glowing, and lives what she preaches when it comes to health and diet, but she is super knowledgeable about the science of how our bodies work. Within 10 minutes of the interview starting she was teaching me about exactly how and why I get hungry, what foods cause what hormones in my body to release, and so much more. I loved how nerdy she got about the science of hunger and healthy eating — but she still kept everything easy to understand. Then we got into the business side of her brand and I was even more impressed. Kelly had a successful career in the corporate world, but she was smart enough to listen to her friends who were encouraging her to go after her passion. Instead of leaping off the cliff of entrepreneurship, she wisely built a side hustle as a health coach, and when she was finally ready, she took the leap with money already coming in. Today she is the beloved nutritionist for celebrities like Jessica Alba and Chelsea Handler, but she is equally passionate about supporting anyone and everyone in falling back in love with their bodies and food. Get ready to learn and be inspired by Kelly in Episode 511.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:Why having a side hustle before becoming a full entrepreneur is a good idea (3:26)How to fix the problem of being hungry all the time (9:08)The benefits of fasting for 4 days to reset your immune system (16:05)How many times our bodies break down and rebuild themselves during our lifetime (19:27)Why and how intermittent fasting is good for you (29:30)How to get over sugar cravings (35:00)How to build a brand that celebrities are attracted to work with (37:12)The value of getting coaches in multiple areas of life (50:20)Plus much more…