Lunch Break with Mike and John
By Michael
Lunch Break with Mike and JohnNov 07, 2020
The Year 2 Project
- We talk about the idea of setting some Mike and John 2.0 goals for the next year and we're looking for others to join us to be part of the effort and keep us accountable.
- We discuss some solid James Clear quotes from his newsletter.
- "Are we missing opportunities because they are subtle ideas and not obvious ideas."
- Links for James Clear: Newsletter: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/refer?rh_ref=1af54a32
- Link to the book (affiliate link; we may receive a small commission): Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
The Year in Review
We look back on our 1st year of the podcast! We talk about what we liked in the past year, and what were the highlights. And we talk about what we didn't like.
There are 16 weeks left in the year. So, what if we lost 1 lb. per week until December 31st? We are going to try this, to lose 1 lb. per week!
And there is the Final Thought.
Is Passion In Fashion?
Whew, we really start to get kind of vulnerable here. After kicking off with a little bit of a success recap for the week, Mike and John get into the concept of what direction we have taken, or actually, the lack of direction we have.
We discuss a video from Terri Trespicio about Passion in one's career. She claims, contrary to many career coaches, that people should not follow their passions. The video is titled "Stop searching for your passion"
(Terri Trespicio | TEDxKC from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MBaFL7sCb8)
We also discuss a Japanese concept to improve work and life called "ikigai", which looks for the intersection of what you love, and what you're good at, and what the world needs, with what you can get paid for. It’s a term that embodies the idea of happiness in living, and, "Essentially, ikigai is the reason why you get up in the morning."
We cap the episode with two Final Thoughts!
Does My Instinct Stink?
Last week, Mike and John discussed willpower and self-discipline, which are at times considered synonymous even though they really aren't. In this episode, they delve into willpower more fully. The topic involves a video by author and Stanford professor Kelly McGonigal.
The video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5BXuZL1HAg) was a presentation that the author gave to the employees at Google back in 2012. McGonigal is the author of the book "The Willpower Instinct". While Mike and John can't say that the presentation faithfully follows the book, it appears that the video distills a lot of the information from the book. Very likely though, the book provides WAY more detail than can be seen in this video.
If you'd like to purchase the book, here is a link (affiliate link, we will receive a small commission):
At the end, as usual, we give the Final Thought.
Song : Sand River - Guitar Version [Royalty Free]
Music provided and produced by LonePeakMusic
Video Link : https://youtu.be/QucZi66cjWo
Why Am I Not To-Doing It?
Mike and John jump right to discussing the concepts of "willpower" and "self-discipline", as many folks consider these synonymous. Are they? We basically feel like willpower is a resource, finite and expendable, while self-discipline is a skill or 'muscle' that you need to use and work out.
John then brings up compiling his completed To Do List, and what that means for him. It's really sort of unexpected...
Then we transition to discussing how to make your To Do Lists more enjoyable with a simple addition of a word. While the title might seem a bit like clickbait, overall we think it's a valid suggestion. It stems from this Reddit column: "How to making to-do's MUCH more enjoyable by adding a single word"
Finally, a twist on the Final Thought.
The Proverbial Contradiction, or, "John, you're an idiom"
Check out our latest post at The Proverbial Contradiction, or, “John, you’re an idiom” (Episode 41) – Lunch Break with Mike and John. Please leave us a comment.
We thank one of our guests, Jessica, for referencing our podcast in her most recent newsletter. Thanks Jessica! You can find Jessica on instagram at @thereaders.edit, or you can read her blog at thereadersedit.com.
Mike and John discuss some contradictory proverbs and idioms from a recent Reddit post titled Proverbs, idioms, and clichés that contradict one another. Compiled by my friend. : r/coolguides
More specifically, you can review the idioms here: jnffswr3jtd71.jpg
We transition to a principle known as Hanlon's Razor. You can find some more information on this topic here.
Finally, the Final Thought: "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
Beyond the Fallacy
The topic of the Collector's Fallacy really struck a chord with some of our listeners that we decided to speak a little more about the topic. John digs into how the fallacy has affected him and what he's going to do about this. We briefly discuss Simone Biles news and the 'pressure to be perfect".
We wrap, as always, with a Final Thought.
The Collector's Fallacy
Mike and John discuss the potential procrastinator's tool called the Collector's Fallacy. Is this really something that affects people?
Then we put one final touch on the DietBet Challenge.
And we wrap up with the Final Thought.
DietBet Challenge Results and Future Diet Challenge
There's also talk about tasks and Big Rocks, before we go into the Final Thought(s).
Maybe we're just slowly making progress!
There really IS something to the content by David Allen, BJ Fogg, Stephen Covey and others. They are all really hitting upon something important, ad today wee dive deep into Covey's "Big Rocks" concept.
John mentions how his blood pressure project is going.
Then we discuss concepts of resistance and friction, in terms of trying to improve ourselves.
DietBet update is next, and then, Final Thoughts!
What's Wrong With Us?
Mike and John examine recent challenges and try to figure out what's going on lately. Are we stuck or are we making progress?
John mentions his efforts related to improving blood pressure.
We give an update on the DietBet, and then there are the Final Thoughts.
Video Almost Killed the Podcast Star
Show notes for this episode include:
Celebrate a success, talk about a win (and listeners, we want to hear about your wins!).
John gives an update on his experiment with video creation.
We talk about the DietBet challenge update before Mike gives the Final Thoughts
End of the Beginning?
Mike and John talk about the current content of the podcast, and decide upon a future possibility to expand to video. It's not that the podcasts will stop, but there may be a video channel to be created and used to supplement our content creation.
We have our DietBet update. The DietBet end is near!
And finally, the fFinal Thought(s).
Cognitive Behavioral (Manifest) Therapy...or, The one That Didn't Get Away!
We also have an update on our DietBet Challenge, and there's also the Final Thought.
Self Improve or Self Sabotage? Self Sabotage it is!
Mike and John start to wrap up the topic of self sabotage, a force that affects many people to some degree (some more than others!). We do so by discussing the book titled Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours
John details the saboteurs as well as the Sages that each of us have available to use.
We also have the DietBet update, and our Final Thought
Amateur podcasters or saboteur podcasters? The action and the friction...
We are broadcasting live on Clubhouse, so you can join us on air!
On our path to being more productive, and to eliminate procrastination, Mike and John are finding friction and resistance as we fight to improve. The term "productive procrastination" is thrown into the dialogue. And we start taking a deep dive into the concept of "self sabotage". We are going to have to address this more in the future.
Plus the latest news on our DietBet Challenge, and the Final Thought.
Angst my cup of tea: the Psychiatrist's Couch episode
So Mike and John really open up and show their vulnerable sides here. The struggles are real. Barriers and constraints are evident. But they are breaking through.
There's the DietBet update.
And a good segment on the Final Thought portion of this podcast.
Enough already! Just start!!!
John talks about beginning his action to start doing something by joining Clubhouse. (If you don't know what Clubhouse is, we do explain, but you can find info here: What Is Clubhouse? The Invite-Only Chat App Explained | PCMag) If you want to receive an invite to Clubhouse, please email/DM us and we can send you the invitation!
Clubhouse seems like it's going to be quite successful, but you have to be careful as you could spend too much time in too many Clubhouse rooms.
Next, john is going to start expanding his skillset with video. The first project is going to be a short workout video. To start, he's going to use KDEN Live.
Mike details his plan for increasing activity and tracking his actions. And for his review of tracking aps, he's got Strides, Way of Life and Momentum. If you have any insight on the best tracking, please let us know.
For the DietBet update, it's becoming a greater challenge. Mike is improving, and to a degree, back on track. John is still close, but he's not reached the goal just yet.
Related to the DietBet Challenge, Mike discovers a book that might help both of our weight loss plans. The book is by Judith S. Beck, called The Beck Diet Solution.
Finally, we have our Final Thought.
#MarchMadness Finals! Who wins? Spoiler: We need a tie-breaker!
This is it, the final #MarchMadness of Motivation competition! And we had with us a special guest, John's son Alex. (Thank you, so much Alex, for joining us, and helping us out!)
For the #Motivation competition, @GaryVee faced @RealLesBrown in the final match. You'll have to listen to see the final winner, but is was CLOSE! I mean, it was thisclose! So close, that we had to have Alex as the tie breaker in the decision!
In this final matchup, the motivational sppeches were:
One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Les Brown (https://youtu.be/NQ4en7o8B-g)
vs.
A 5 Minute Plea To Do | Gary Vee (https://youtu.be/OIO0nMY4X3U)
These were both AMAZING! But only one speech can win. Listen and find out who we chose. And, we have some excellent in-depth analysis into WHY we chose our favorite.
Also, John mentioned a song writer, Jonathan Mann, who wrote his own Scientific 7 Minute Workout Video with Songs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LezARmLDu6U&t=104s)
Plus, we have another month of DietBet updates, along with our Final Thought.
Who's moving on to the #Motivational #MarchMadness Finals?
We take the top four motivational speeches from our last episode, and determine who the winners are for the finals!
Mike’s Bracket:
Why it Pays to Be Hungry | Les Brown's Best Motivational Speech | Goalcast
youtu.be/xFr0FKnaLDk
vs.
This One Hack Will Help You Take Control of Your Brain | Mel Robbins
youtu.be/LCHPSo79rB4
John’s Bracket
Gary Vee (Vaynerchuk) Winner
Quarter Final Video
- youtu.be/uDJUB2ZnBGA
- 85% of People Hate Their Jobs. If You're One of Them, Watch This. | Gary Vaynerchuk Original Film
Semi Final video
- youtu.be/OIO0nMY4X3U
- **A 5 Minute Plea To Do
Tony Robbins
Quarter Final Video
- youtu.be/lEL-y1W1jjg
- Tony Robbins: KEEP PUSHING HARDER (Tony Robbins Best Motivational Speech)
Semi Final Video
- youtu.be/UFKCLjhO2bo
- LISTEN TO THIS EVERYDAY AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE - Tony Robbins Motivational Speech
Semi Final Results:
- Gary for his ability to kick your butt into action and motivate you in a short video. Tony gets high points for helping you figure out how to do it on a regular basis.
March Madness Motivation!
We're excited that March Madness is here, and there's lots of college hoops to watch. In keeping with the brackets, we decided to have some of the BEST motivational speakers go head to head. These speakers, and their best speeches, will have to fight hard to survive and get to the next round. For our brackets, we have:
John's "Eastern Conference" Bracket, in the 1st Round we have:
Gary Vee @GaryVee (WINNER!)
--------------------------------
https://youtu.be/uDJUB2ZnBGA
85% of People Hate Their Jobs. If You're One of Them, Watch This. | Gary Vaynerchuk Original Film
vs.
Eckhart Tolle @EckhartTolle
--------------------------------
https://youtu.be/yltxmm90N5g
Eckhart Tolle - Living Your True Purpose
and
https://youtu.be/zIzbVUyujwc
Eckhart Tolle - What's my Purpose?
Tony Robbins @TonyRobbins (WINNER!)
--------------------------------
https://youtu.be/lEL-y1W1jjg
Tony Robbins: KEEP PUSHING HARDER (Tony Robbins Best Motivational Speech)
vs.
Jordan Peterson @JordanBPeterson
--------------------------------
https://youtu.be/8hTSK1iDcvQ
Incredible Motivational Speech By Jordan Peterson
In Mike's "Western Conference" Bracket, in the 1st Round we have:
Deepak Chopra @DeepakChopra
--------------------------------
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZugkZug1a0&t=157s
10 Rules for Success (ALL Successful People Are TAPPING Into DEEPER INTELLIGENCE!
vs.
Les Brown @RealLesBrown (WINNER!)
--------------------------------
https://youtu.be/NQ4en7o8B-g
One of the Greatest Speeches Ever | Les Brown
Mel Robbins @MelRobbins (WINNER!)
--------------------------------
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7E973zozc
How to stop screwing yourself over | Mel Robbins | TEDxSF
vs.
Gretchen Rubin @GretchenRubin
--------------------------------
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBNEVXg2CNU
The 4 Ways to Successfully Adopt New Habits
The Value of Goals and Community with special guest Craig of @TechJahnke.
5 Top Tips For Goal Setting...Or Not
We also update our progress in our DietBet Challenge, and give a Final Thought for the week.
An Examination of Self Discipline
Post Valentine's Day Review of Relationships, More Info on Self Discipline, and a Final Thought
Episode 21
Episode 20
We are more focused than ever before! Going forward, our topics are going to include those things that are motivational, inspirational, related to things like self improvement, self-help, stress management, overcoming procrastination, and all things life hacking. Effectively we are focusing on personal development and personal transformation.
With this new focus in mind, we review two different TED talks. We discuss Neil Pasricha's TED talk titled "The 3 A's of awesome" (https://www.ted.com/talks/neil_pasricha_the_3_a_s_of_awesome?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare), as well as review Andrew Peek's TED talk titled "How your personal narrative limits your future" (https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_peek_how_your_personal_narrative_limits_your_future?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare), and finally we update our progress on our DietBet challenge.
Episode 19
The Super Bowl teams are decided! Brady vs. Mahomes! Will Tom Brady decide to retire, or keep playing? We try to answer that question. We have sad news in baseball about the passing of legend Hank Aaron. There's news about the vaccines from the CDC. Joe Biden signs many executive orders, and to wrap up news, we discuss the Gamestop short squeeze.
In the Tech Update, John talks about his issue recently with identity theft. We also talk about an Amazon Prime benefit.
More information about the action we have taken on self help books like "Tiny Habits". Mike brings up two new books he's looking into.
Finally, we are beginning to wrap up the first month of our DietBet Challenge. Will we make it? Will we stumble?
Episode 18.
Episode 17
Tech update: we never heard from our hacker. If you were a good hacker, you would know how to reach out to us. Or else, you can reply to us on Twitter or leave a comment on the website.
The juicy part of the podcast is the book update. John talks about his review and personal working of "Tiny Habits" by BJ Fogg. Mike discusses his review of the first chapter of "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson.
Finally, we give an update on the major challenge of our DietBet Challenger. DietBet, from WayBetter, provides a 6 month Transformer game. And we give an update on our progress.
Episode 16 - The Pivot and The Commitment
Episode 15 - Performance Reviews!
Episode 14 - What are you eating under there? The Underwear Episode
Episode 13
Episode 12
We give an update on fantasy football. We have a not so "tiny talk" about Trump's tiny desk. Sad news about Darth Vader, and Elon Musk is moving up in the financial world. John provides research behind fair use rules and we give an update on our challenge. There's a brief update on the iconic saxophone songs segment from last week. Then we interview college seniors as they look forward to graduation, even though it's in the era of the coronavirus pandemic. They provide some interesting perspectives and feedback on post-graduation prospects.
Episode 11
Episode 10
Episode 9 - We talk with an Instagram Influencer!
Episode 8
Episode 7
Episode 6
Episode 5
Episode 4-early October
Episode 3-End of September
Episode 2!
Episode 1...our first podcast! Testing new equipment.