Episódios
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I put time and effort into learning Salsa, but it didn't go anywhere. Why do some people learn dancing better and quicker than others?
A few months back, I got to see my Scottish friend, Murray dancing with some of my female friends in a house party. They weren’t experienced Salsa dancer, and yet, he made them feel great and look great while he was doing it. Everything he did was smooth, effortless and graceful, and he was having a ball.
And to top it off - 12 months before, he had no clue how to dance Salsa, let alone teach and lead a partner. Wow.
This is exactly what I wanted when I took Salsa lessons in Colombia when I lived there. And yet, despite spending 20 hours in one-on-one lessons (and even focussing on leading), I never got to the point of feeling comfortable walking into a club and dancing with someone. Salsa seemed complicated, and got me in my head. I definitely wouldn’t have it in me to take a non-experienced dancer and create a great experience for both of us.
I’ve also seen other friends of mine who spent a lot of time learning Salsa the same way I did, and they did get better. But the skill they developed was “professional dancing". If they had a trained dancing partner, they could put on an impressive show. But just walking into a club and dancing with a partner, regardless of her skills? Nope. Did they seem smooth and effortless? Nope once again.
So I wanted to chat with Murray about what he did differently.
Murray is a true artisan, and quite masterful at quickly learning new skills. He was a university boxing champion, has spent long stretches of time sailing at sea and worked at being a pearl diver. Those all represent skills that he learnt “on the job”.
And in this chat we talk about how he took his dancing from awkward Gringo to smooth Salsero. What was his motivation for improving his dancing Where did he go to learn Salsa, and what did he do differently Why dance teachers usually focus on teaching beginners more moves Why you should - instead - focus on perfecting the fundamentals How were his skills and results different from his friend who spent as much time learning Salsa, but focussed on learning more elaborate dance moves? How to make your dancing looks look more smooth Why Murray recommends focussing on giving your dance partner a good experience beyond everything else How Murray’s background in Boxing helps him with dancing How to use group lessons with other beginners to test and improve your leading skills How long it took Murray to “get good” and how did he know he was How positive momentum take over once you start enjoying dancing Why you have to know you’re going to suck for a while, and how to get past that period How Murray thinks about “collecting skills” and why he enjoys it so muchI had a great chat with Murray, I think you'd enjoy it.
If you have any questions or want any tips regarding dancing, Murray would love to help - free of charge and with no business intentions. Drop him a line - [email protected]
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This is a very special interview for me - with one of my favourite people in the world, who had a big impact on my life.
At age 35, Troy had been backpacking the world for 13 years, living in various countries and working odd jobs.
And yet, with no affinity for computers or the internet, he ended up starting an online SEO marketing agency. 10 years later, the agency is serving 70 clients a month, with 3 full time staff.
Even though the agency, its staff and clients are located in Melbourne, Troy recently relocated to the Sunshine coast - 2000km or so away. He still works on the business - around 1 hour or so a day - and the business is thriving more than every before.
What I enjoy about this interview is how atypical Troy is for an online marketer. He's not motivated by money at all, he barely spends time on computers or the internet. And yet has managed to create a greatly successful business that runs without him.
We'll talk about his story:
How he got his first SEO jobs How he started his first business with a partner, and why that broke off Hiring his first employee (me!) and what that taught him about running a business How he bought a competitor SEO agency for an incredible price, and why his ability to create deep trusting friends is responsible for having gotten him that deal Why he got burnt out in his business, almost sold it and how he eventually - and hilariously - backed out by sneaking out of the sales negotiations Finally getting a business coach to put his business in order, get the processes working smoothly without him and removing himself from the business What had to happen to allow him to move 2000km away from his business while it ran - better - without his physical presence What his current roles in the business are How he keeps his employees happy and motivated And a lot more funny stories and anecdotesTroy has genuine charm and a lovely, simple life philosophy. He truly makes everyone he spends time with a little better.
Enjoy this episode with Troy.
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Unlike previous episodes, this episode is NOT an interview. It's also not me reading out an article that I wrote.
Instead, I had some bullet points but mostly, I riffed into the microphone about what I thought were the most important elements I've noticed recurring in Unstagnate guests.
If you're curious the elements were:
1. Finding Yourself
2. Having a strong "Why"
3. Taking Action Outside of Your Comfort Zone
4. Generosity and Sharing
I was pretty excited and caffeinated when I recorded this. I thought it was just going to be an initial draft - but it came out pretty energetic and I ended up liking it. If I miss a word here or there, please be kind. I've tortured myself over getting this to be perfect enough, and ended up deciding to just go with an authentic, excited, energetic and value filled episode.
Enjoy!
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Are you one of those people that get excited about doing something new only to cast it aside? Have you ever gone somewhere and found pure joy just in being there? Have you seen ‘signs,’ but you didn’t know where they would lead you? John McIntyre realizes self-growth is essential to building your life and your business. He went from being a teenager with no goals for career success to a successful marketing and musical entrepreneur who has a definitive plan for his future.
In the past John never met a dream he could stick to, but he’s developed himself into someone who has focus and knows where he wants to be. Now he is someone who has a schedule and adheres to it so that he can make his vision come true. He learned to embrace ‘stick–to–itiveness’ to enhance his work life without worrying about what other people thought of his decisions.
On today’s episode, you’ll hear John’s riveting story of how he nurtured his talents as a music producer and DJ to create and grow his business. He’ll also enlighten us with his insights about grit, sacrifice and pain because success is never free of charge.
Please welcome Jmac to the show!
Music started with a dream and now I’ll see how far I’ll take it.
A brief overview of today’s episode:
Jmac tells us how Mark Cuban’s philosophy on life relates to his work and personal life. He talks about his experience with life coaches and describes how he felt before and after his first session with one. Jmac describes himself as a young man just on the scene and how his path changed. What is the life of a digital nomad? Jmac talks the life and how to prosper as one. What did Jmac ask himself before he made the decision to make music the focus of his life? Jmac explains his version of grit, motivation, and clarity in relation to his life and work. He shares a story describing his take on ‘deliberate practice’. He shares how he maps out his formula for his career accomplishments to predict expected future success. He travelled and cut costs by moving to a country that didn’t have high expenses, so he could focus more on his music without sacrificing too much with his music or making concessions. He talks about what he’s doing now with his music and talks about his new track, music books, and marketing.Resources Mentioned:
Logic Pro Peak by author Anders EriccsonConnect with Jmac:
John Lavido - John's website John’s blogRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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This week on the Unstagnate podcast, we’re doing something a bit different. Instead of focusing on self development, I’ll be focusing on how one small startup became less stagnant.
Today’s guest is A.J. Dunn, co-founder of Abroaders – a company that helps people get cheap international travel for pennies on the dollar.
AJ will talk about how him and his business partner Erik went from being old friends to business partners, and how they went from their first business to Abroaders. But more interestingly, how they turned Abroaders from a boutique company charging $500 for their services, to a software company that charges exactly $0 to provide almost the same level of service.
AJ will talk about how to business was stagnating, how they decided to change direction, and their journey to find investors, release the first software version and how they can make money without charging their customers any money.
A brief overview of today’s episode:
A.J. shares a story about a sales and fulfillment dilemma he and Erik encountered. A.J. describes the signup process and who the service benefits the most. He talks about their experience with outsourcing tasks and why it’s important to employ a virtual assistant. He shares the process of how they could ease their workload while ensuring their customers would still benefit. A.J. talks about his experience with contractors, expectations, and communication. He explains how they created a minimum viable product (MVP) that would provide the same results to customers for less money. A.J. describes how he and Erik went from being a bootstrap company to finding investors so they could launch the MVP. He discusses the main challenges to developing their product. A.J. shares how Abroaders offers a competitive advantage that sets them above the competition. He talks about roles within the company, how he keeps his business unstagnated, and the company’s vision.Resources Mentioned:
Chris Reynolds from Entrepreneur House on episode 8 World Packers - exchange skills for accommodationsConnect with A.J. Dunn:
Abroaders.com Abroaders Travel PodcastHome for the Holidays Promotion:
Abroaders teamed up with Peter Shankman, Award Wallet, and Imgur to help the less fortunate fly home for the holidays. If you would like to donate your travel miles, go to http://www.abroaders.com/give/ and make a person’s dream come true.
Rate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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Becoming a creative entrepreneur can be hard.
You may have this intense passion to draw, paint, write, or create beautiful pieces of art… but finding your niche, finding your voice, and finding the right clients can be a big challenge. My guest on the show today is Mars Dorian, creative brand specialist, consultant, and author of three Sci-Fi books.
Mars has an interesting story about his journey into finding his creative voice, capturing the audience he wanted to target, and building a successful creative business from virtually nothing.
It all started with a Wacom tablet – a device that allows creative artists to draw and illustrate digital artwork directly onto the computer. On today’s episode, Mars shares his creative journey into entrepreneurship, how he discovered his true life mission, how he works with clients to develop creative branding services, as well as how he found his “voice” and incorporated it into his writing and his artwork.
Please welcome Mars Dorian to the show!
A brief overview of today’s episode:
How Mars Dorian’s blogging, creative nature, and being introduced to the Wacom tablet inspired him to launch his successful illustration and brand specialization business. How he found his “voice” in the writing and art industry. How he consults other creatives to find their unique style and voice. Why he believes imitatingrole models within your industry can help you find your voice and improve your skills. Why his motto this year is that “growth and comfort can co-exist.” His creative process for writing and drawing. How he incorporates authenticity into his writings and drawings. Why he believes being authentic helps build deeper relationships with your clients and people around you. How he created his personal brand and what the “Mars Dorian Dictionary” is. Why he strongly believes that your output should differ from your input. His daily habits and rituals. What is the Pomodoro strategy?“To find your purpose, your mission in life, you can’t just think about it. It comes from life experiences.” – Mars Dorian
Resources Mentioned:
Anki – digital flashcard app Reflect and Benefit JournalConnect with Mars Dorian:
Mars Dorian website The Outstander book by Mars Dorian Twitter Facebook InstagramRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development goals. We’d love to hear from you!
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Many people around the world struggle with staying focused and concentrating on specific tasks throughout the day – especially boring, mundane tasks – but people with ADD and ADHD typically struggle a lot more than most people. My guest on the show today, Grant Weherley, founder of Monetize Your Expertise, is one of the thousands of business owners and entrepreneurs who struggle with symptoms of ADHD. At the age of 18, he was diagnosed with ADHD and has dedicated countless hours to figuring out how to manage his symptoms to lead a more productive life and career.
On today’s episode, Grant shares his diagnosis story, shares tips and tricks he has found that has helped him stay more focused, improve his concentration, and reduce his impulsiveness to enable him to not only allow him to grow a successful online course creation company, but also lead a healthier, more fulfilling life.
Please welcome Grant Weherley to the show!
A brief overview of today’s episode:
Grant shares his journey from childhood through adulthood of living with ADHD, coping mechanisms he has learned, and how he has helped others learn to cope and manage their symptoms. He explains how he learned that proper nutrition, exercise, and getting good quality sleep can significantly impact ADHD symptoms. We talk about the differences between Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Trait. We talk about dietary supplements and what types of supplements often work well for people with ADHD. We discuss the effects of caffeine on people with ADHD and how the body metabolizes it differently from person to person. He explains how exercise is not only good for your whole body, but it also helps improve your neuroplasticity – which helps improve your ability to focus and concentrate. He shares his insight on circadian rhythm, blue light, and sleep patterns and how they affect each other. He explains how alcohol affects sleep quality and how the body naturally metabolizes it. He shares his insight on how he manages technology and social media distractions.“Set up your environment to do the right thing and you will automatically do it.” Grant Weherley
Resources Mentioned:
Faster Than Normal Examine 23andMe Drug Half Life Facebook Newsfeed Eradicator Freedom Self-Control Toggl Rescue Time Chrome Web Nanny Inbox ZeroConnect with Grant Weherley:
Monetize My Expertise GrantWeherley.comRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development goals. We’d love to hear from you!
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Everyone says they want to travel the world, see new places, taste new foods, and experience new things, but most people consider this a pipedream – a thing they add to their bucket list but rarely ever set a clear plan to follow through. That’s not the case with today’s guest, Scott Brills. Scott is a traveling entrepreneur and philanthropist who has experienced more out of life and the world around him than most people ever dream about.
Just this year, Scott has traveled to 15 countries, visiting – on average – approximately 30 countries every year. His passion in life is finding the perfect balance and blend in combining the three things he loves – traveling, philanthropy, and building a successful business.
His journey started out at a young age when his interest in traveling the world grew from seeing pictures and hearing stories from others who have traveled to the other side of the world. In high school, he had the opportunity to study abroad in Japan and the experience only further solidified what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Today, Scott is the owner of Pamoja Safaris, an African wildlife safari & tourism company in Tanzania. In this episode, he shares many stories of his incredible journeys through various parts of the world including Israel, Japan, China, and Africa as well as what inspired him to create his current company.
Please welcome Scott Brills to the show!
A brief overview of today’s episode:
Scott explains what life experiences and stories he has heard that has inspired him to extensively travel the world. He talks about his first business venture – a website design agency. He explains what the Mongol Rally is and his experience while competing in the race. He explains what makes him want to continue taking risks and seeking adventures. He talks about cultural differences throughout the world and how experiencing life at the world-level has helped improve his social skills. He shares why he felt he had to “fake it til he made it” when communicating with people in a language he didn’t understand. He talks about how he approaches and meets new people in different areas, cities, and countries of the world. He shares what he believes traveling extensively has taught him and why he believes most people – despite which country he’s in – are very similar to one another. He explains why his number one piece of travel advice is to “meet the locals,” and why doing so can transform your traveling experience. He talks about the Rickshaw race & charity rally and what it was like participating in the event. He explains what inspired him to create his new business – Pamoja Safaris and the challenges he faces.Scott’s advice to those wanting to travel more extensively:
Realize there will always be excuses for you to not do it, or not do it right away. Don’t do it without a plan. Just plan to do it.Ways to Save Up to 75% on Travel Expenses:
Frequent flyer miles Credit card flight rewards Couch surfingResources Mentioned:
People to People Student Ambassadors Mongol Rally Rickshaw RunConnect with Scott Brills:
Scott Brills website Pamoja Safaris Follow Scott on Instagram Follow Scott on TwitterRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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In a predominantly extroverted culture, Introvert Expert Michaela Chung has always felt “a little different” compared to her peers while growing up. Throughout her childhood and early adulthood, she has tried to be more extroverted, but found that, at the end of the day, it left her feeling emotionally exhausted.
While in college and taking a psychology course, she realized why putting herself “out there” seemed so hard, uncomfortable, and exhausting. She learned, after taking a personality test, that she was an introvert – and that being an introvert was okay!
In 2013, she went on a mission to find her purpose in life. And, due to one experience while travelling, she discovered that her purpose was to help other introverts realize that being introverted was okay, help them understand their feelings about it, as well as help them claim their “alone time.”
Today, she explains in depth what it’s like being an introvert, how society and cultures tend to respond differently to introverted personalities, and what extroverts can do to help introverts “come out of their shell” enough to open up and get to know them. She also shares some amazing dating and relationship advice for introverts and extroverts that can help both personality traits communicate and connect better.
Please welcome Michaela Chung to the show!
A brief overview of today’s episode:
Michaela explains why it is important for introverts to take time to “recharge.” She explains how an emotional breakdown while travelling has led her to find her purpose in life and build her business. She explains how overstimulated social experiences can affect the creativity of an introverted person. She shares her thoughts on whether being introverted is due to a person’s psychology, if it’s inherited, or if it’s caused by social upbringing. She explains how an extroverted person can detect tell-tale signs that someone is an introvert. She explains what she means by a “social introvert.” Can you be shy and an extrovert? She explains the introvert-extrovert personality spectrum. Can your personality change across the spectrum over the course of your lifetime, or does it remain consistent? She explains why she believes our culture glorifies being extroverted. Studies have shown that introverts take longer to refocus after being distracted than extroverts. She explains that introverts are always open to making friends and building relationships, but most of the time, they are not usually the ones to initiate the interaction. She explains how introverts can show people that they are open to communication and socialization. She shares dating and relationship advice for both introverts and extroverts. She explains how she manages her energy and talks about her most memorable client success story.“Going into a conversation halfway cuts off connections.” – Michaela Chung
Resources Mentioned:
Michaela’s book: Irresistible Introvert: Harness the Power of Quiet Charisma in a Loud World Michaela’s article: 6 Signs You Are An Extroverted IntrovertConnect with Michaela Chung:
Introvert Spring Join her mailing listRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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My guest on today’s show is entrepreneur Karsten Aichholz. Karsten is the founder of an online gaming business who helps casual gamers achieve maximum in-game results with less time investment. Growing up, Karsten has experienced the effects of online game addiction. During high school, he dedicated an average of 6 hours of online play time to games on top of going to school and completing his homework.
Today, Karsten talks about the behaviors that can cause people to become addicted to digital habits, various triggers that are often associated with online game addictions, as well as what inspired him to overcome his addiction and how he did it. We discuss the business ethics within the online gaming industry and he explains why he believes his game addiction throughout high school was the “most productive thing he did” while in school.
Please welcome Karsten Aichholz to the show!
A brief overview of today’s episode:
Why does he believe he was so addicted to EverQuest? What features of the game triggered his addiction? Were there any effects to the other areas of his life when he was heavily addicted to the game? He explains how his addiction affected previously established relationships and friendships before he began playing EverQuest. He admits that it was difficult to break his addiction to online games and shares his story on how he slowly overcame the behavior He talks about how he turned his enjoyment of playing online games into a freelance business He explains how he branched his online game guide writing business to write guides on other games in addiction to Ever Quest. BJ Fogg’s behavior model – Behavior = Ability x Motivation x Triggers Karsten shares what he believes his triggers were that called him back into EverQuest We discuss internal and external triggers associated with Facebook addiction He shares his thoughts about the gaming industry business ethics and his beliefs on whether or not gaming companies should regulate the amount of time people spend playing. We discuss how the gaming industry is transitioning from “fun” to “fun and healthy” in various ways, including technology and products like Fitbit We talk about personal responsibility and awareness I share how I personally have combatted my digital addiction with Facebook through various tools and plug-ins that help me monitor my time and activity. These include:DF YouTube (Distraction Free)
News Feed Eradicator for Facebook
Nanny for Google Chrome
Karsten’s Takeaway:
We are not always fully in control, but we can be aware of circumstances that will make change easier. We can recognize when these circumstances crop up and take action.
“It’s good to recognize weaknesses and want to change them, but it is also okay to be a less-than-perfect human being.” – Karsten Aichholz
Connect with Karsten Aichholz:
www.KarstenAichholz.com Thailand Starter Kit Travel Oak -
Today on the show we have Leigh Louey-Gung who is going to share some very powerful, simple ideas.
I’ve known Leigh for about a decade, and he’s one of the most genuine, happy and inspiring people I know.
Leigh has been through some crazy personal transformations - from being riddled with anxiety in his teenage years to being the happy, powerful and fulfilled man he is now.
He’s also coached quite a few men and helped them achieve similar transformations in their lives.
In this conversation we’ll talk about Leigh’s stories and philosophies:
How Leigh has created the “Perfect day” for himself that he regularly lives? His transformation form Anxious high school drop out to the confident coach he was when I met him. And the moment Leigh experienced how his anxiety doesn’t control his behaviorThe Majority of the interview we’ll talk about Leigh’s philosophical framework called LifeOS (life operating system):
The 5 experiences we all want – power, connection, excitement, freedom and fulfillment How everything we want – objects, outcomes and events – is truly about the experience it would give us Why the issue isn’t wanting a certain experience, but the script we have to achieve that experience (for example, our script can be “feeling FREEDOM by getting drunk”) After we explain those ideas – we turn to the real powerful stuff – how to create INDEPENDENT scripts, that don’t depend on elements out of our control to live a rewarding life Why owning what we contribute in every situation is the key to consistently experience what we want The regular practice of transforming our experiences by just asking one question How Leigh’s regular “perfect day” allows him to get the 5 experiences he wants – every day.This episode can be a bit more abstract, but I believe strongly that ideas and mental models shape our reality.
Leigh has both created an incredible life for himself and took the time to break it down into a powerful framework he taught to hundreds of people. His ideas have the potential to profoundly impact your life as well.
Enjoy this episode :)
“If you want to improve your relationships with others, start by improving the relationship you have with yourself.” – Leigh Louie-Gung
Connect with Leigh Louie-Gung:
Attraction Institute Life Operating System Lifestyle Design AcademyRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know bysubscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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Are you musically inclined? Can you carry a tune? Do you believe that you have to have a “gift,” a “talent,” or an innate ability to create and produce beautiful sounding music? Our guest on today’s show, Christopher Sutton, founder of Musical U and Easy Ear Training used to ride on the bandwagon of people who believed that having musical talent was something someone was born with.
Growing up, Christopher has always had a passion for music. He played several instruments, and although his peers would say that he was a talented musician – he didn’t feel like one. That was, at least, until he learned about ear training and found the missing link that his music was lacking.
Today, Christopher shares his story about his journey through filling in the missing piece in his musical background, what ear training is, how it works, and why different techniques and strategies are used for someone wanting to play a guitar better versus someone that wants to improve their singing.
Christopher also explains how Musical U helps people shatter their internal belief that they are tone deaf, build the confidence they need to compose beautiful music, and tells us how his strategies for helping beginner music lovers differ from someone with more advanced skills. He even provides me with some helpful tips on improving my own singing talent!
And, don’t miss our series of rapid fire questions that will give you a more personal view of who Christopher really is, who inspires him the most, and various habits (good and bad) that has affected his life!
Please welcome Christopher Sutton to the show!
A brief overview of today’s episode:
What is Christopher’s background – musically and professionally? How does Musical U and Easy Ear Training help people shatter their beliefs on musicality? What is “ear training” for musicians? What would a typical ear training session be like for a beginner? For an advanced musician? What techniques does Musical U use to ensure their clients achieve their goals? What type of students does he typically work with? What roadmaps does he use to help his students achieve their unique goals? What tips could he give an amateur singer like me to improve my skills? What stages can most singers be categorized in? How does learning basic chord progression theory help a musician improve their overall performance and ability?Resources mentioned:
Four Chord Song – The Axis of Awesome 16 Keys to a Good Singing Voice – Article by Christopher Sutton Zami and Almog – My Way (on YouTube) The book: The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy FerrissConnect with Christophertopher Sutton:
Musical U Easy Ear Training Tone Deaf TestRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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Today on the show we’ve got Daniel DaVinci.
Besides having a really cool name, Dan is an inspiring guy who’s gone through some incredible changes in his life.
I met him a few years back when we were part of the same social circle of running friends. I was told that he used to be overweight - but I had a hard time imagining it - because he was so lean and trim.
He was a much better runner than me, so it was hard to believe he had only started running the previous year.
A few months ago, I saw him again after a few years and even though he still runs marathons, he didn’t look like a trim runner anymore - he packed on a ton of muscle and looks big and strong.
All these transformations are just a sample... Dan has been working hard at changing his life since he was a teenager.
He grew up in pretty extreme poverty, and yet without a formal secondary education has created a successful career for himself as an IT consultant.
So Dan’s a hard worker. I know that’s a cliche that gets tossed around, but he's is the real deal. I always wanted to hear Dan’s backstory and how he personally thinks about projects, self growth and challenges in life. Since Dan is a pretty private person, I only knew a bit - and I collected quite a bit from reading his answers to people’s questions he left on the popular Q&A site quora.com.
Either way, in this episode we chat about:
The moment that changed his life and sent him on a fitness journey How he quit smoking, went for his first run and eventually ran his first marathon The incredible influence the people you surround yourself with have on your life Why he doesn’t like telling people what his goals are How he grew up in a shed with no plumbing or floor, and learned the lessons of hard work from working on a farm How - step by step - he managed to create a successful career for himself as an IT consultant without ever getting a formal university education Why he decided to run 12 marathon one year His two hacks to avoid running procrastination - the 60 second rule and “zombie mode"Dan accepts no excuses from himself, and listening to his story was a great inspirational kick up the ass for me.
Enjoy this talk with Dan Da Vinci!
Connect with Daniel
Daniel Da Vinci on Twitter
Daniel Da Vinci on Quora.com
Resources
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Letters from A Stoic by Seneca
The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday
48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Choose yourself by James Altucher
Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Have you ever wanted to run a Marathon? Well, Matt Callaghan has run over 100 marathons, a few Iron Man races, and quite a few ultra marathons (a Marathon is 42.2km/26.2mi, an ultra marathon is anything above that distance).
Running Marathons is not Matt’s job - just a hobby he’s massively passionate about. Matt’s an incredible guy, humble, charming and loves getting other people to run, and he’s seen the big influences it made on his own life and those of others.
We talk about:
What made Matt get into running in the first place, age 32, working in a corporate job? The first run was exhausting, it was a cold wet London night. Tt generally sucked. We talk about why Matt kept running and how the experience changes from painful to pleasurable in about 2-4 weeks - both for himself and many other people.Matt tells some incredible stories:
How he took a group of 9 women, some of whom have never run more than 0.5km (1mi) to a half marathon within 6 months, and then, 3 months later to run a marathon - where all of them finished in a very respectable time. The hardest race he’s ever run - 90km (55 miles) uphill in 40c (104F) Weather - and how did a rhino help him finish that race. The incredible commitment it took to run his 100th Marathon, on his 40th Birthday, while being very sick from an exotic virus.We also chat about:
Why Matt loves running with new runners, even though he’s a pretty advanced runner himself (obviously) How to keep safe from injuries while running so much The effects running had on his life and those of others And a TON moreThis episode is informative and super inspiring.
Enjoy my chat with Matt Callaghan!
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Chris Reynolds is an entrepreneur with an interesting life story. He made a lot of money, then lost it, then started all over again in a different path. He went travelling to third world countries, and on more than one occasion figured out causes important to the locals and then created projects and raised money to promote those causes.
It might be easier than you may think - he’ll share all the details here.
These days, Chris is still changing lives. He runs a business called “The Entrepreneur house”. He basically rents big houses in cool cities around the world, and invites online entrepreneurs to come live with each other. In doing so, he creates a tribe - a community with a great sense of belonging - for people who usually have a pretty lonely work life.
Chris is inspiring to listen to, if only because everything he does seems so simple and yet so impactful on people’s lives.
If you were ever interested in starting a charity or a business that really makes the world a slightly better place - you’ll enjoy this podcast.
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Welcome to another episode of Unstagnate where we talk about unconventional, out of the box ideas about self development.
Today on the show we have Tal Gur. Tal is a very inspiring guy and he's just about to complete 100 Life Goals list that he gave himself 10 years ago - he has only a handful left!
The goals are very diverse and pretty ambitious.
Some of them have to do with contribution and volunteering - he built a house for a family in Bolivia.
Some have to do with Sports - he completed a couple of marathons as well as an Ironman race.
Some have to do with business and financial stability, a lot of travel goals and so on.... 100 Goals in total!
Here’s a brief overview of what we covered:
What inspired Tal to create his list of 100 goals? Is it possible to party for 60 nights in a row? How Tal speaks fluent English thanks to his party marathon The importance of financial freedom How passive income opens your horizons Taking on the Ironman challenge, and the sacrifices it needed Why setting yourself tough goals can be incredibly inspiring Teaching yourself good habits by making them into essentials Using goals to find out who you are How spirituality helps you achieve your ambitions What to do when you’ve completed your goals list Setting a theme for each year of your life “People spend more time planning a birthday party than they do planning their own lives” We all have innate skills; living is the way we find out what they are How being on a journey can bring you a special kind of peace Who should push themselves out of their comfort zone – and who shouldn’tConnect with Tal Gur
Tal Gur’s website Tal’s blog Coaching and mentoringRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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Today, I have the pleasure of chatting with Connor Grooms. Connor is well-known for successfully completing several 30-day challenges including gaining a whopping 26-pounds of muscle mass in only 30 days as well as learning to speak conversational Spanish in a month.
Connor shares with us what steps he took to prepare for his 30-day challenges and the core principles he uses to ensure their success. He also explains how one challenge has lead him to build a successful career as well as how his story has aided in landing his first-ever speaking gig, which was remarkably held on the TedX Talk stage in London.
Connor, thank you for joining us today.
A brief overview of today’s episode:
Why does Connor choose to learn new skills in a short period of time? What is the driving force behind successfully completing the challenges he sets for himself? Why does he feel that “impressing others is easy,” but impressing himself is significantly harder? What were the “conversational topics” that Connor and his Spanish instructor focused on during his challenge? How does Connor fit his intensive training for his challenges into his daily schedule? What does Connor consider “non-negotiables?” Measure the input, not the output – what does this mean? Why is it important to make the challenge your top priority? How does using a Commitment Contract improve your accountability? What method does he use to track his progress throughout his challenges? What motivated him to learn Spanish in a month? Why did he decide to document his experience throughout the Spanish in 30-days challenge? What is his primary focus on today? Does he have any regrets after completing the 30-Days to Gaining Muscle Mass Challenge? Would he do anything differently? What does his daily morning routine look like? What was it like to stand up on the TedX Talk stage?Connect with Connor Grooms:
Spanish In A Month documentary BaseLang unlimited one-on-one Spanish classes for $99/mo Free 7-day email course on how to learn Spanish fast Eating for Mass book on muscle gain Connor Grooms' BlogRate & Review the Unstagnate Podcast!
If you enjoyed listening to the show as much as I enjoyed creating it, let me know by subscribing on iTunes and leaving a review! Your review will help us reach more ears, inspiring thousands of listeners to think unconventionally and develop out-of-the-box ideas for their self-development. We’d love to hear from you!
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Today on the show we have the very interesting David Kadavy. He’s an entrepreneur, best selling author of the book “Design for Hackers - reverse engineering beauty”. He was an advisor to productivity startup Timeful which was eventually sold to Google. he’s a public speaker, blogs online and his podcast “Love you work” has been featured in iTunes “New and Noteworthy”.
Since Mr Kadavy had such an interesting life so far, I decided to chat with him about quite a few different topics.
We talk about:
How being fired from his Silicon valley job sent him experimenting until he got his book deal. How in order to write his book, David sat in front of his laptop for 12 hours a day to only write for 15 minutes. We discuss how the struggle of productivity and the insights that came out of writing his book eventually led to him being approached to advise timeful. Why some days and some hours are better for specific types of work, how to work with your natural energy cycles, so you’re doing the right tasks at the right time. Specifically, we’ll talk about how David organises different tasks for different days that work best with his own cycles, and other hacks he uses for productivity. How Dave devoted his life to curiosity and exploration, and how he takes time to consciously think about issues and break things down. His experiences from starting a podcast and how he goes about consistently getting high calibre guests on his show.Dave has unconventional ideas about productivity and life and he is passionate to share them. I think everyone has something to take from this episode. I hope you enjoy my conversation with David Kadavy!
For show notes, visit http://unstagnate.com/podcast
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Want to sound like a native in 6 different languages? Our guest today, Idahosa Ness, is exactly that.
Idahosa is an American who grew up speaking only English. But later on in life, while he was learning Spanish studying abroad in Mexico - he realised he was studying it different to everyone else. He just sounded better, more natural. He didn’t have an American accent and sounded much more like a local.
That realisation only became stronger when he moved to China - everyone was trying to mimic Chinese tones but were struggling. He wasn’t.
It was only when he was in Brazil, learning his third foreign language and teaching English that he had a Eureka moment while riding the bus after drumming practice.
Since then Idahosa learned to speak two more languages - French and German. He also broke down his own ability to mimic people’s accents, and started a business - the Mimic Method.
He now helps people learn to talk like a native in 6 languages by recording themselves singing foreign language songs online syllable by syllable... It’s an interesting business :)
I learned Portuguese with the Mimic Method and can attest to how useful that was.
Me and Idahosa are both huge language nerds so we had a great chat.
We have a great talk about:
His life and language learnings stories including ones where people were actually convinced he was Brazilian, or even Chinese. what are the biggest issues are for people learning languages how you can train your ear to hear sounds you can’t distinguish and your mouth to make sounds you can’t produce what makes English so hard for some foreign speakers of it which are the most important sounds to nail in Spanish, Portuguese and French to have a nice accent in those language how to find incredible amounts of motivation to learn your target languageAnd a lot more.
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In this NSFW episode - sex. Everyone wants better sex but very few people actually do something about it.
My guest today is Eyal Matsliah. Eyal is a modern sexual educator. He’s helped countless men and women experience more pleasure and better orgasms alone or with a partner.
He wrote a book called Orgasm unleashed covering a ton of aspects of female orgasms, and has a course for men called “Ejaculation Control program”.
As you can imagine, he’s also got a pretty interesting life story.
If you’ve been interested in Tantra, or I should say - the tantric approach to sexuality - but all the hippy wah wah stuff always scared you away or put you off, you want to keep listening. Eyal has a way of making sense, being practical, he has a ton of experience and is obviously very passionate about helping people improve their sex lives.
In this episode we cover how Eyal became a sexual healer and educator.
Why people get stuck in their sex lives in the modern world.
Common mistakes people make when trying to improve their sex lives and how people often deal with the symptoms rather than the underlying problem.
The various orgasmic states women can experience - the difference between clitroal and internal orgasms and other various orgasmic states - and how women can become more orgasmic.
Why men can improve their entire lives - as well as, of course their sex lives - by ejaculating less, and what to do with all that excess horniness or sexual energy that obviously follows when you ejaculate less.
And so, yeah, a very interesting, practical, paradigm shifting episode, and without further ado, Eyal Matsliah.
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