The Darius Foroux Show: Master Your Productivity. Master Your Life.

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about blogging recently. My readers and listeners are also interested in turning blogging into a career. And yes, that’s possible. On this episode, I share 1 tip that has helped me to build an audience. Books I mention: Snowball by Alice Schroeder: https://amzn.to/2N1JNZ5 The Little Book Of Common Sense Investing by Jack Bogle: https://amzn.to/2tuZtLZ Don’t have time to read these books? Try Blinkist, my favorite accelerated learning app. I’ve partnered up with them to give my listeners 20% off their premium plan: blinkist.com/darius Read about how I use Blinkist here: https://dariusforoux.com/this-accelerated-learning-app-will-change-your-life/

On this episode, I talk about the difference between having an active mindset vs a passive mindset, avoiding boredom, and always having something to do. Books I mention: On The Shortness Of Life by Seneca: https://amzn.to/2y7ggK0 How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie: https://amzn.to/2JBpnnf You can also read them on Blinkist: (20% off for listeners): http://blinkist.com/darius

On this episode, talk about two books that help you to get better at setting goals and creating systems. These two books recommend the opposite strategy. One promotes systems, the other promotes goals. Listen to this episode to hear why it’s important to read both. Read my article about goals and systems: https://dariusforoux.com/goals-dont-replace-systems/ Books I mention: 1. Scott Adams - How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: https://amzn.to/2JO2bFG Link to the audiobook: https://amzn.to/2sPjBZ2 2. Wallace D. Wattles - The Science of Getting Rich: https://amzn.to/2t1SCsz You can also read them on Blinkist: (20% off for listeners): http://blinkist.com/darius

On this episode, I share tips to improve your mood. Also, I was in a good mood myself when I was recording this podcast! This episode is sponsored by Blinkist, my favorite accelerated learning app. They have summaries of my all-time favorite books like On The Shortness Of Life, Man’s Search For Meaning, How To Stop Worrying And Start Living, and many, many more classics Listeners of The Darius Foroux show can get 20% off with this partner link: http://blinkist.com/darius (I get a commission, that helps support my podcast) P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: http://dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

Derek Price, who was a British physicist, historian of science, and information scientist, discovered something about his peers in academia. He noticed that there were always a handful of people who dominated the publications within a subject. Price found out the following (now called Price’s law): 50% of the work is done by the square root of the total number of people participate in the work. I’ve noticed the same ratio everywhere I’ve worked. On this episode, I talk about how we can use Price’s Law to improve our career. Read the article: https://dariusforoux.com/prices-law/ Book I Mention: 12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson: https://amzn.to/2L3o9Bz You can also read it on Blinkist: (20% off for listeners): http://blinkist.com/darius P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

I haven’t published a new episode in a month. The reason is that I was working on my business. And on this episode, I’ll tell you why it’s so important to do that. I learned the concept from Michael Gerber’s book, The E-Myth Revisited (https://amzn.to/2ICOoOv) Don’t have time to read a book? Try Blinkist, my favorite accelerated learning app. I’ve partnered up with them to give my listeners 20% off their premium plan: http://blinkist.com/darius Thanks for listening! Send me your questions/challenges/suggestions: dariusforoux@gmail.com

Do you struggle to finish your tasks? Are you always distracted by notifications, gossiping, or anything that’s random? In that case, you and I are alike. Because focusing on a single thing is one of the hardest things at work. On this episode, I share 2 tips that instantly improve your focus. Want more tips to improve your focus? Go to dariusforoux.com/focus/ Want to get in touch? Sign up for my free newsletter: dariusforoux.com/newsletter P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

What’s your money strategy? Do you even have one? If not, it’s not uncommon. Until two years ago, I didn’t have a financial plan, whatsoever. Even though I’ve been reading about money, finance, and investing ever since I made my first few bucks as a teenager, I never created a financial plan. But now, I think every single working professional needs a financial strategy. How do you spend your money? How much do you save? What are your thoughts about debt? How do you invest your money? How much money do you need to retire? These are questions that every person who makes money must answer. Let’s face it. If you want to retire comfortable (I’m not even talking about living a luxurious lifestyle), you need to get rich. In this article, I recommend 8 books that will help you to do that: http://dariusforoux.com/books-to-get-rich/ Read them and you’ll never have to worry about personal finance again. Want to get in touch? Sign up for my free newsletter: dariusforoux.com/newsletter P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

What do you do when you feel tired or overwhelmed? Do you power through? Or do you take some time off? In the past, I thought that you should always power through — no matter what. Now, I still think that way when it comes to life in general. You can’t quit taking care of yourself and your family. A sense of responsibility is one of the most powerful motivators in life. But I’m not talking about a lack of motivation here. I’m talking about taking time off work. But there’s still a massive taboo on taking time off. Some people think it’s for losers. Others think it’s about escaping your work. After all, “If you love your work and life, why do you even need a break?” Good point, smart ass. Here’s why time off actually IMPROVES your work and life. Leonard Mlodinow, a physicist, who also co-authored two books with Stephen Hawking, recently shared scientific research in his book Elastic about taking time off. He demonstrates that taking time off work improves our well-being: “Though some may consider “doing nothing” unproductive, a lack of downtime is bad for our well-being, because idle time allows our default network to make sense of what we’ve recently experienced or learned.” People who never take time off to do nothing are short-term focused. “I want to reach my goals! NOW!” But as always, short-term thinking harms your long-term development and growth. What happens when you power through work and burn yourself out? In most instances, your results suffer, and you become less productive. In some cases, you even become depressed — which will set you back even longer. It’s much better to prevent burn-out or a decrease in your overall work performance. Dale Carnegie, a self-help pioneer, and author of How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, said it best: “So, to prevent fatigue and worry, the first rule is: Rest often. Rest before you get tired.” So take time off work strategically throughout the year. That’s what I just did too, and in this article, I share 5 benefits that I’ve found: http://dariusforoux.com/time-off/ Sign up for my free newsletter: dariusforoux.com/newsletter P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

Do you ever feel misunderstood by others? Maybe you feel that people at work don’t get you. Or that your friends are not on the same page. Maybe others truly don’t get you. But that’s not because of them, it’s most likely because of your own behavior. On this episode, I'll tell you why perception is reality. Look, no one cares about your real intentions. Not because they are heartless or selfish. It’s because people simply don’t have the time to conduct a psycho-analysis on every single new person they meet. That’s why we have heuristics. We make decision short-cuts all the time. And one of the shortcuts we make is to judge what we see. Now, that might not be the best thing. It’s always better to collect more information before you judge someone. But the truth is that heuristics work. They make our lives easier. There’s nothing you and I can change about that. You might wonder “How do I change other people’s perceptions?” The answer lies in the science of influence. When I mention influence to people, they often think it’s something “fake.” They often say things like, “I don’t want to fake it till I make it.” But the science of influence has nothing to do with that or snake-oil salesmen tactics. Persuasion and influence revolve around two related questions: 1. How does our behavior influence the behavior of others? 2. How does other people’s behavior influence our behavior? No matter what you do, start applying the perception is reality mindset to your life, right now. The next time your spouse thinks you’re lazy, maybe that’s you made her believe you are. And if people at work think you’re bad at receiving feedback, maybe that’s because you made them think you’re not coachable. Look inwardly. Change your behavior for the better. And always be mindful of how others perceive you. Especially, if you want something from them. Want to read more about this concept? Check out my article: dariusforoux.com/perception-is-reality/ Sign up for my free newsletter: http://dariusforoux.com/newsletter P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

Last week, I published an episode about why I avoid toxic people (http://dariusforoux.com/toxic-people/). I mentioned that I think less than 1% of the population has values. You wouldn’t believe how many people were offended by my opinion. “How do you know it’s less than 1%!” And a bunch of nasty words. Two people even emailed me a whole essay about why it’s “wrong.” People were truly hurt. They thought I was “wrong.” Ironically, in the same article, I mentioned that if you feel hurt, that’s because you decided that. But here’s the thing: There is no truth. I talk about this in my book, THINK STRAIGHT (https://amazon.com/dp/B077NJWFR3). Everything that’s presented as a fact in life is, in reality, an opinion. So when people try to challenge your opinions, know that they are playing a useless game. There’s only YOUR truth. Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher who had a profound impact on western philosophy, famously said: “There are no facts, only interpretations.” When Nietzsche said that there are no facts, he meant that we, as human beings, ultimately rely on our interpretations of reality. There’s no way to confirm reality objectively. That doesn’t mean nothing is real and that we’re all living in a big dream. We just have to realize that facts are not the same thing as the truth. That simple thought saves you a lot of energy because it means no one can be right or wrong. Don’t bother with convincing people with different opinions of the “truth.” It’s just not a practical thing to do. Save your energy for other, more useful things. So stop caring what others think! It doesn’t matter. (http://dariusforoux.com/say-what-you-think/) Remember: There’s no universal truth or higher authority in life. You can say and think whatever you want. No one will stop you as long as it comes from a good place. There’s one condition though: Take ownership of your words. If you’re wrong, admit it with confidence. And be respectful. That will also boost your self-confidence. Give it a try. Thanks for listening! P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

“You’re the average of the five people you spend your time with.” It has become such a cliché. But I don’t think that we truly understand the impact that other people can have on us. The great Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, said this in his Manual For Living (http://amzn.to/2Gi2hBq): “Avoid fraternizing with people who don’t share your values. Prolonged association with those with false ideas can only tarnish your thinking. Look at it this way. Would you give $1000 to the people in your life if they asked for it? If the answer is no, stop giving the people who don’t share the same values as you, your time. I’ve narrowed down the list of people I spend 90% of my time with to my direct family and my two best friends. Other than that, I spend my time working and exercising. That’s what I mostly do. And I’ve never enjoyed my life this much. So how do you surround yourself with people who want the best for you? Here are 5 tips: 1. Avoid toxic people 2. Get comfortable with being alone 3. Surround yourself with books, videos, podcasts, audiobooks of people you identify with 4. Find people who have virtuous values 5. Give, Give, Give Alternate A Manual For Living translation: http://amzn.to/2DkZEM3 Want to read more about this concept? Check out my article: http://dariusforoux.com/toxic-people/ P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

On this episode, I share an exercise that I picked up from Peter Drucker. You can use it to: * Improve your self-awareness * Understand how you spend your time * Find out how much time you waste * And how you can improve your personal effectiveness so you can live the life you want Want to read more about this concept? Check out my article: http://dariusforoux.com/stop-wasting-time/ P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: http://dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/ Want to ask me a question? Get in touch! http://dariusforoux.com/contact/

Networking is dead. It’s transactional, one-directional, and selfish. Ryan Paugh, the author of Superconnector, is someone who builds communities for a living. He sees building relationships and communities as the new networking. And I agree. Every entrepreneur, creator, and professional can benefit from having a strong community. But how do you build lasting relationships and communities that are beneficial for everyone? Ryan shares his ideas on this episode. Connect with Ryan: Superconnector book: http://amzn.to/2GV7iyK Twitter: http://twitter.com/ryanpaugh Website: http://ryanpaugh.com Thanks for listening! P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/

Productivity tips get a lot of criticism. On the last episode, I talked self-imposed deadlines. Do they work? Or not? Well, here’s thing: NOTHING will work if you lack internal drive. P.S. Do you want to get my best productivity tips for free? I’ve made an eBook with 5 tips, exercises, and video training, that you can use to get immediate results. Curious? Get the book for free: http://dariusforoux.com/productivity-secrets/