Good Life Project || Inspiration | Motivation | Happiness | Meaning | Success

Mark Manson (https://markmanson.net/) is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, which has reached #1 in thirteen countries, sold millions of copies. His new book, Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope (https://amzn.to/2JW2MFM), has also become an instant #1 bestseller. In it, he expands his irreverent, yet compelling and deeply-thoughtful exploration to the state of society, the sometimes disastrous quirks of the human psyche, and the role of hope in the way we approach the bigger issues in life. Mark also runs one of the largest personal growth websites in the world, and his writing is often described as "self-help for people who hate self-help." In a past podcast conversation (https://www.goodlifeproject.com/podcast/mark-manson/), we explore Manson's "origin story" and love of philosophy and writing, including his choice of profanity in his writing voice (hint: it has nothing to do with linguistic laziness). Today, we dive deep into the powerful ideas and pro

Amanda Palmer (http://amandapalmer.net/) is a singer, songwriter, playwright, pianist, author, director, blogger and ukulele enthusiast who simultaneously embraces and explodes traditional frameworks of music, theatre, and art. Starting in music as one half of the Boston punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls, Palmer's solo album Theatre Is Evil became the top-funded music project on Kickstarter, her 2013 TED talk grew into a New York Times best-selling memoir called The Art of Asking (https://amzn.to/2KejMGD) and she's gathered more than 15,000 patrons who fund her work on Patreon. Her new album, There Will Be No Intermission (https://amzn.to/2WiFtwR), is a no-holds-barred, evocative masterwork that speaks to the full sweep of human experience. And, to cap off our final Music in May offering, Amanda plays uke and sings in the studio, so be sure to stay through the end.-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.

Love. What makes it work? And, keep working for life?That's where we're headed in today's conversation with legendary co-founders of the Gottman Institute a/k/a the "Love Lab," Julie and John Gottman. Drawing upon Julie's decades of clinical observations and John's 40 years of breakthrough research with thousands of couples, they've developed stunning insights into what makes relationships work and last.Julie and John lead The Art and Science of Love (https://www.gottman.com/product/the-art-and-science-of-love-workshop-live-seattle/) and many other workshops in Seattle and Julie has also co-designed the national clinical training program in Gottman Method Couples Therapy (https://www.gottman.com/about/the-gottman-method/). Between them, they've written a number of bestselling books on love and relationships, the latest of which, Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for Lifetime of Love (https://amzn.to/2H5NnQM), integrates their decades of collaboration into a prescription for couples to make eight

Hailed by Rolling Stone as “a genre unto herself,” Brooklyn-based composer and guitar phenom (http://www.kakiking.com/), Kaki King, has released 9 albums, performed on every continent, presented at the Kennedy Center, MoMA, LACMA and The Met and created music for film and TV. In 2015 Kaki launched "The Neck is a Bridge to the Body," a groundbreaking multi-media performance integrating guitar and projected imagery synced to the music. What's even more incredible, Kaki King never intended for music to be her career. Her early years were spent playing in bands as a drummer, just for fun. And, her "big break" came in a way she never saw coming, or even tried to make happen. And, as with all of our Music in May episodes, be sure to stay until the end to hear Kaki perform live in-studio.-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big wa

Alexia Vernon (https://alexiavernon.com/) is a transformational speaking and women’s leadership expert, coach and author who shows entrepreneurs, business leaders and change-makers how to develop the mindset and behaviors needed to walk into any room, or onto any stage, and speak with "moxie" - so they can radically (and positively) impact their audiences, businesses and communities. Now, branded a “Moxie Maven” by President Obama’s White House Office of Public Engagement, Vernon is the founder of The Spotlight Speaker Accelerator and Spotlight Speakers Collective and the author of Step Into Your Moxie, (https://amzn.to/2GbwPqz) a rally cry to amplify your voice, visibility and influence the world. -------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it

Continuing with our special Music in May Thursday episodes, my guest today is Toronto-raised former elementary-school teacher turned MC, spoken-word artist, poet, and international bestselling author, Humble the Poet (http://humblethepoet.com/). In today's conversation, we explore not only Humble the Poet's journey from teaching to music, rap, video and spoken word, but also how his experience as the child of immigrants, being raised in the Sikh tradition and, in his words, not seeing anyone else in the music world who looked like him, shaped his lens on possibility, his stories and voice and values.In addition to his music, Humble also has a great new book out that distills 101 short and sweet insights for better living called UNLEARN (https://amzn.to/2Ytpb0B). And as with all of our Music in May episodes, Humble shares a musical offering at the end, this time in the form of a spoken word piece, so you want to be sure stick around for the whole conversation.-------------Have you discovered your Sparkety

If you’ve heard the name of my guest today, Stedman Graham, there’s a good chance it’s been offered in the same sentence with his long-time partner in life, Oprah Winfrey. What’s not as often told is Stedman’s own, deeply-compelling personal journey. His path from small-town kid to pursuing a degree in education while simultaneously serving in the Army, playing basketball in the European leagues, then returning home to enter the world of business and giving back along the way. Stedman eventually founded and now serves as chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates, (https://www.stedmangraham.com/) a management and marketing consulting firm. He's also written 11 books, including two New York Times best-sellers, and his most recent, Identity Leadership (https://amzn.to/2JE1sH0)Over the last two decades, Stedman Graham has become a noted expert in education and leadership development. He is fascinated by the exploration of identity, how we discover, validate then build our lives around our most essential selv

Born in Memphis, spending summer months with his great aunt and uncle in a small west Texas town, while being raised in Washington, DC, Clarence Greenwood aka Citizen Cope (https://citizencope.com/welcome) grew up influenced by the production techniques of George Martin, Dr. Dre and Willie Mitchell while listening to everything from Willie Nelson, to John Lennon, Bob Marley, Outkast and A TribeCalled Quest.Cope has since built a decades-long career in the music industry on trusting his gut and following his muse, putting out albums under major labels, writing songs that've been recorded by the likes of Carlos Santana, Sheryl Crow and others and eventually, taking back control to publish under his own label. And if his new album, ‘Heroin And Helicopters,’ is any indication, his instincts are sharper now than ever before.We explore this powerful journey in today's conversation. And, as with all of our special episodes this month, we end this deep-conversation with a moving, in-studio acoustic performance from h

Moving from New York to Los Angeles, LaRayia Gaston (https://www.linkedin.com/in/larayia/) was struck by the extreme poverty she saw in a part of the city known as skid row, and how close it was to extreme wealth. Raised to always lead with love and be of service, she could not turn away. While simultaneously launching and building her own design and branding agency, she founded Lunch On Me (LOM) (https://www.lunchonme.org/). The organization now redistributes organic food that would otherwise be discarded to people living on skid row six days a week, reaching 10,000 people a month.The story of this community, along with Gaston's time both helping, then living on skid row for 43 days, is the subject of a forthcoming documentary called 43 Days. You can learn more and help contribute to its production here (https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/43days).-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes ab

Jimmie Vaughan started playing blues guitar when he was a kid and now, more than 5 decades later, he just never stopped. Growing up in Dallas in the 50 and 60s, Jimmie and his little brother, Stevie Ray used to spend their time listening to music and figuring out how to play it on guitar.By the time Jimmie was about 15, he’d already been getting paid to play in a band 6 nights a week and decided to strike out on his own, eventually landing in Austin, where he’d end up playing with legends like BB King, Eric Clapton and nearly every other blues legend, and eventually earn his own place a legendary blues player.Along the way, his brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan would join him in Austin, carving his own iconic status in the world of blues. Tragically, Stevie lost his life in a helicopter crash, leaving Jimmie in what he calls his dark years, trying to carry on with music and life. He eventually emerged and has been a guiding light in the world of Blues for more than 50 years now. His new album, BABY, PLEASE COME HOM

Jim Kwik (http://kwikbrain.com/) is the founder of Kwik Learning, host of the top-ranked Kwik Brain podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kwik-brain-with-jim-kwik/id1208024744), and a globally-acclaimed expert in speed-reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning.This is pretty surprising, given that a brain injury left him learning-challenged and labeled the 'boy with the broken brain' as a child. He has since dedicated his life to helping others learn and live their brightest self through courses, keynotes, consulting and media.In today's conversation, we dive into his powerful journey of discovery and, in the latter half, Jim shares key ideas designed to help us all learn better and live bigger.-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you en

Thrust into the world of presidential politics in her twenties, Laura Gassner Otting (https://lauragassnerotting.com/) found herself working in the White House, before a series of events led her to launch her own firm, and grew it into a powerhouse in the non-profit search world, then eventually sell the company to focus on her next act. Having worked at the highest levels of power and potential, she learned a ton about what truly makes people feel what she calls “limitless.” Her awakenings are distilled into a great new book, appropriately entitled, Limitless, which builds upon something she calls consonance. In this episode, we explore her remarkable journey. -------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to

Growing up between New York City’s South Bronx and Queens in the 1970s, Rosanna Durruthy's (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmdurruthy/) family and home were often the place where everyone gathered, people from all walks of life had a place at the table. Now, the Head of Global Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at LinkedIn, Durruthy works to bring all voices to the table and empower people with a sense of value, inclusion, equality and belonging. This conversation isn't just about work, though, it's about the power of being open, finding your own voice and power, valuing others and creating a sense of welcoming, compassion and understanding in our lives in the name of making it a richer place to be being a catalyst for change.-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If yo

Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist (http://www.lorigottlieb.com/) and New York Times bestselling author who writes the weekly “Dear Therapist” advice column for The Atlantic.She has written hundreds of articles related to psychology and culture, many of which have become viral sensations all over the world. A contributing editor for the Atlantic, she also writes for The New York Times Magazine, and appears as a frequent expert on relationships, parenting, and hot-button mental health topics in media such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Dr. Phil, CNN, and NPR. Her latest book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, (https://amzn.to/2Tj5UMZ) and this week's conversation is a revealing look at the inner thoughts, struggles and revelations of a therapist who finds herself on the "needing help" side of the conversation, and all the unexpected things this shift in dynamics brings up.--------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://w

From the outside looking in, Leon Logothetis (https://leonlogothetis.com/about/) had everything. But, from the inside looking out, he was dying a little bit more every day, fiercely lonely and falling apart.So, he made a radical decision that led to several trips traveling across America without cash, sustaining himself only on the kindness of others and giving back along the way.This journey into the heart of kindness became a film and the basis of a book and then The Kindness Diaries (https://leonlogothetis.com/netflix/) series, which can now be seen on Netflix. And, Leon has a new book out called Go Be Kind, (https://amzn.to/2Oc5h6x) that is more of a daily journal of fun and easy ways to be kind.-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://www.goodlifeproject.com/sparketypes/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.Thank you to our super cool brand partners.

Abby Wambach’s (http://abbywambach.com/) name is synonymous with soccer. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA World Cup Champion, and the highest all-time goal scorer ever, she is an icon. But, that's not the whole story. Not by a long shot.Her new book, Wolfpack, (https://amzn.to/2F6gxNx) and the movement and company she’s launched along with it, is a reclamation. It's a call to agency and community.We explore this powerful journey, along with many of the deeper motivations, struggles, moments of awakening, defining stories and so much more in today’s powerful conversation.-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet? Take the Sparketype Assessment™ now. IT’S FREE (https://sparketype.com/) and takes about 7-minutes to complete. At a minimum, it’ll open your eyes in a big way. It also just might change your life.If you enjoyed the show, please share it with a friend. Thank you to our super cool brand partners. If you like the show, please support them - they h

At the age of seven, Shobha Rao (https://shobharaowrites.com/about/) moved from India to the United States and found herself in a world of wonder and discovery that's never left her.In fact, as we'd discover in today's conversation, she is so committed to presence and wonder, her cellphone has no internet, nor does she ever use her camera. And, when she teaches students, she invites them to have their heart's broken by leaving their phones at the door.Obsessed with books, Rao eventually became a writer, won the Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Fiction, and her story “Kavitha and Mustafa” was chosen by T.C. Boyle for inclusion in Best American Short Stories 2015. Her latest book, Girls Burn Brighter (https://amzn.to/2VFe0S1), is a heartbreaking and eye-opening exploration of friendship, sisterhood, patriarchy and the boxes society often seeks to put people in.Rao is currently the 2018 Grace Paley Teaching Fellow at The New School in New York City.-------------Have you discovered your Sparketype yet?&nb

Seane Corn (http://www.seanecorn.com/) is an internationally celebrated yoga teacher known for her impassioned activism, unique self-expression, and inspirational style of teaching.Featured in magazines, TV, radio, and Oprah.com, Seane now utilizes her fierce commitment to action and her massive platform to bring awareness to global humanitarian issues. Since 2007, she has been training leaders of activism through her co-founded organization Off the Mat, Into the World®. Seane has spent time in the US, India, Cambodia, Haiti, and Africa working with communities in need- teaching yoga, providing support for child labor and educating people about HIV/AIDS prevention.Her forthcoming book, Revolution of the Soul (https://amzn.to/2UA2LZP), will be published in September 2019. And, this week, we're diving deep into her personal journey, early-childhood trauma and struggle with OCD, awakening to her own sense of power and agency, discovering yoga and a global community of teachers, practitioners and heart-led activi

Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Laura Peña (http://www.laurapena.com/about) discovered a love of design, animation, filmmaking, storytelling and technology that led her to New York City to study. Her fierce commitment to her craft created a fast name in the space, led her work with many of the top brands in the world, and eventually found her own creative design lab, JelloMonsters.But, an experience back in the Dominican Republic set in motion a different quest that would lead her to put nearly every other part of her life on hiatus. She wanted to find a way to give voice to teenage girls. To share their stories, their hopes, dreams, fears, struggles and triumphs in a real and empowering way. She wanted them to choose what mattered, to be in charge of the way they would be seen and heard and accepted.With that, the video docuseries, She Is The Universe (http://www.sheistheuniverse.org/) was born, along with a platform designed to amplify the voices girls from around the world. For the past year, Peña ha

My guest today, James Victore, has been described as part Darth Vader, part Yoda, prolific storyteller, designer, provocateur, artist, activist and teacher. James Victore is the designer and creative thought leader whom people look to find clarity and purpose in their life and work.James is widely known for his timely wisdom and impassioned views about design and its place in the world. At the helm of his independently run design studio, James is always working to make work that is sexy, strong and memorable, that takes a strong position and often toes the line between sacred and the profane.And, the world has taken notice. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (and he shares a pretty funny story about that in our conversation), is in the permanent collections of the Louvre and the Library of Congress and his client list includes industry-leaders like Adobe, Starbucks, Aveda and many foundations on a mission to create change in the world. James taught at the School of Visual Arts