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Author and researcher Steven Kotler lays out the pathways to the optimal state of consciousness called flow.   You'll Learn: The golden rule of flow How to find flow using psychological and neurobiological triggers How to take breaks without interrupting your flow   About Steven: Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist and the cofounder/director of research for the Flow Genome Project. He is one of the world’s leading experts on ultimate human performance.   View transcript, show notes, and links at http://AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep245

Miranda was an inside cat and didn't get to do many of the outside things that cats like to do. Christmas time, however, was special because it was the only time she got to be around a real tree in the house. The Christmas in this story turned out to be extra special when a surprise visitor hid in the tree! A short story suitable for young children aged 2-5 years old Happy holidays everybody!

Photographer Neal Preston is in the garage to talk about living the life of a rock star while taking some of the most iconic photos ever.

Caroline Webb reveals actionable insights from the latest science behind living our best days.   You'll Learn: The power of micro-mindfulness Pro-tips for maintaining focus and motivation Best ways to keep up your energy throughout your day   About Caroline: Caroline is CEO of Sevenshift, a firm that shows people how to use insights from behavioral science to improve their working life. Her book on that topic, How To Have A Good Day, is being published in 16 languages and more than 60 countries. She is also a Senior Advisor to McKinsey, where she was previously a Partner.   View transcript, show notes, and links at http://AwesomeA

Mitch Prinstein helps us understand the different types of popularity and teaches us how to boost our popularity by working on our likability.   You'll Learn: Subtle ways to boost your likability in meetings How and why to distinguish between the two kinds of popularity: likability and status How to get people to stop looking at their phones to talk to you   About Mitch: Mitch is a professor, scientist, university administrator, teacher, author, speaker, and an exhausted dad.  He and his research have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Time magazin

Steven Van Zandt

Bill has a terrible, unbearable, lousy beak-ache. He also happens to be a bowerbird

PR consultant Deirdre Breakenridge teaches how to handle tricky audiences, identify different audience member profiles, and deliver great presentations in tough situations.   You'll Learn: The best approaches for understanding your audience upfront Three universal practices to command attention Handy strategies to prepare you for the tough questions   About Deirdre: Deirdre has been in PR and marketing for 25+ years helping senior executives in midsize to large organizations communicate to their stakeholders. She is a communications strategist and has worked with clients on many different types of communications programs, including executive communications and thought leadership, image and rep

Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky joins Marc in the garage to talk about the universal mysteries that inspire his films.

Dave Crenshaw gives his expert insights on the importance of scheduling in fun, meaningful breaks, and shares practical tips on setting up your own personal oasis and managing your time.   You'll Learn: Why having fun is critical to your success How to build your own oasis Perspectives to switch from a culture of now vs. the culture of when   About Dave: Dave Crenshaw is the master of building productive leaders. He has appeared in Time magazine, USA Today, FastCompany, and the BBC News. His courses on LinkedIn Learning have received millions of views. He has written four books, including The Myth of Multitasking which was published in six languages and is a time management bestseller. As an a

Michael J. Gelb walks us through the power of connectedness, the importance of being aware of the people around you, and practices that can help your internal wellness.   You'll Learn: Why uber-busy global leaders make time for face-to-face interactions How to consciously spread positive emotion Practicing the opposite of stress response   About Michael: Michael is the world’s leading authority on the application of genius thinking to personal and organizational development and a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, executive coaching and innovative leadership. Michael co-directs the acclaimed Leading Innovation Seminar at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business

Singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III talks with Marc about life, love, and Roman numerals. Plus, Judd Apatow returns to the garage as he returns to the standup stage.

Sam Carpenter explores how you can effectively work with the collection of systems that make up your work and life.   You'll Learn: The benefit of seeing your complex life as a simpler collection of systems How to analyze and fix the kinks in your system Top systems that are most often dysfunctional   About Sam: Sam has a background in engineering, journalism, publishing, forestry, construction management, and telecommunications. An author and entrepreneur, he is president and CEO of Centratel, the premier telephone answering service in the United States. Other businesses he founded and operates are Work the System Consultants and

Marc talks with James Franco about his life in show business and how much he relates to Tommy Wiseau, the man he portrays in The Disaster Artist.

Executive coach Ann Demarais highlights ways to become more socially generous and how to make an awesome first impression.   You'll Learn: The most common interpersonal flaws--and how to fix them Four universally-appreciated social gifts that you can give How to bounce back from a bad first impression   About Ann: Ann Demarais, the founder of First Impressions, has more than 20 years of experience in applied psychology, specializing in interpersonal communication, impression management, social skills, and executive coaching. She works with senior executives who want to enhance their leadership impact.  She was a consultant to the Social Intelligence Program at Columbia University Business Scho

Dr. Carmen Simon shows how to become impossible to ignore by integrating the right components to influence our audience’s minds.   You'll Learn: The three components of a good story Why causation in a story can be both sexy and tricky at the same time Why relatable emotions are more important than strong emotions   About Carmen: Dr. Carmen Simon is a Cognitive Neuroscientist and Founder of Memzy. She has applied the latest neuroscience research findings to deliver workshops, design, and consulting services. Carmen is a published author and a frequent keynote speaker at conferences in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia. She holds doctorates in instructional technology and cognitive psychology, a

Marc talks with actor Greta Gerwig, who wrote and directed the acclaimed new film Lady Bird.

Infomercial star Anthony “Sully” Sullivan shares his best lessons learned about the art and science of persuasion.   You'll Learn: Approaches to understanding the pain and being the cure How to make an entrance and take control Why you should own your nerves and not hide them   About Anthony: Best-known as the spokesman for OxiClean, Anthony is the pitchman of choice for dozens of innovative, practical usage consumer products including the X5 5-in-1 Steamer, the Sticky Buddy and Smart Mop. Star and Co-Producer of the Discovery Channel series “PitchMen,” Sully is also a regular guest of choice on a variety of television news and entertainment outlets including “The Today Show,”  “Good Morning A

Marc talks with Sam Beam, a.k.a. Iron & Wine, about making soulful folk rock. Plus, Bob Saget stops by to talk about his new special.

Author and Simon Sinek colleague David Mead shares the importance of starting with why you do what you do – and how to find that why.   You'll Learn: The benefits of starting with why Examples of effective and ineffective “whys” The process to find your why   About David: David is committed to a world in which the vast majority of people wake up inspired to go to work, feel safe while they're there and go home at the end of the day fulfilled by the work they do. David co-authored Find Your Why, with Simon Sinek. The book provides a step-by-step, practical guide on how to discover the Why for any individual,