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You Are Heroic with Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson

The best big ideas from life-changing books, plus the tools to live them. Brian Johnson helps you move from Theory to Practice to Mastery and flourish in Energy, Work, and Love. More wisdom in less time so you can activate your best, every day.
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  • 83 episodes
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  • Avg 7 min
  • English
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  • Yesterday · 2 min

    Flip the Switch: And Crush It (Heroic +1 #2046)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Flip the switch and show up at your best. Don't let your feelings make every decision for you. Sometimes you need rest and recovery, but other times you need to choose how you'll show up, take action, and let your feelings follow. Decide what you're capable of, set your floor, and go crush it. #Heroic #PlusOne #Discipline

  • Thursday · 3 min

    Did I Win?! (Part Deux!): The Tennis Version (Heroic +1 #2045)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Stop chasing the win. Dominate your protocol. Don't get caught up in the outcome. Focus on executing your process, taking the next best shot, and winning the interval right in front of you. Give your full attention to what you can control, and let the results take care of themselves. #Heroic #PlusOne #Focus

  • Wednesday · 4 min

    Choose Hard: And Be the Best YOU!!! (Heroic +1 #2044)

    🚀 Ready to build a life you don't need to escape from? Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Be the best YOU you can be. Stop worrying about being the best in the world and focus on becoming the best version of yourself. Show up, dominate your daily protocol, and give your best to whatever role you're in. When you commit to being your best YOU, excellence follows. #Heroic #PlusOne #Excellence

  • Tuesday · 2 min

    Be The Coolest Guy on the Plane: Much Better than Freaking Out (Heroic +1 #2043)

    🚀 Take Heroic OS for a free 7-day spin, see what changes: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Be the coolest person on the plane. When travel plans go sideways, resist the urge to freak out. Remember that modern air travel is a miracle, and use the inconvenience as an opportunity to practice patience, gratitude, and perspective. The next time a travel glitch happens, take a breath and remind yourself: PERFECT. #Heroic #PlusOne #Gratitude

  • Monday · 4 min

    Look at Your Mistakes: Once Rather Than Twice (Heroic +1 #2042)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Look at your mistakes once rather than twice. It's tempting to avoid mistakes because they hurt, but ignoring them only keeps us from learning. Get curious about what went wrong, treat your mistakes as data rather than reasons to beat yourself up, and use those lessons to build a better version of yourself. #Heroic #PlusOne #Growth

  • Sunday · 4 min

    "It DOES Matter!": ALL IN or GET OUT! (Heroic +1 #2041)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: The little things DO matter. Excellence comes from caring about the details and giving your best, even when nobody's watching. Don't settle for "good enough" when you know you're capable of more. Bring an ALL IN attitude to the small things, and keep closing the gap between who you are and who you can become. #Heroic #PlusOne #Excellence

  • October 31 · 3 min

    Lucky #13: Use It All as Fuel (Heroic +1 #2040)

    🚀 Ready to build a life you don't need to escape from? Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Turn bad luck into fuel. When things don't go as planned, try saying "PERFECT" and look for a way to use the setback to your advantage. Instead of letting adversity knock you down, use it as fuel to grow stronger, build antifragile confidence, and become who you're capable of being. #Heroic #PlusOne #Resilience

  • October 30 · 3 min

    Someone Lame?: Do This (Heroic +1 #2039)

    🚀 Take Heroic OS for a free 7-day spin, see what changes: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Learn from people who frustrate you. Nobody handles every interaction perfectly, and that's okay. When someone behaves in a way you don't admire, look for moments when you've done something similar and recommit to doing better. Give yourself grace, learn the lesson, and be a little better than you were yesterday. #Heroic #PlusOne #Growth

  • October 29 · 3 min

    Thanks for Making Me Better!: Want to Optimize? Do This! (Heroic +1 #2038)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Surround yourself with people who make you better. The people around you influence your standards, habits, and growth. Spend more time with those who inspire you to bring forth your best, and remember to be that kind of person for others, too. Who can you spend more time with today who will help you level up? #Heroic #PlusOne #Growth

  • October 28 · 4 min

    Play the Next Best Move: Good Advice for Chess and Life (Heroic +1 #2037)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Play the next best move. Whether you're ahead or behind, focus on the action right in front of you. Don't get complacent when things are going well or panic when they aren't. Stay present, trust your training, and make your next move your best move. #Heroic #PlusOne #Focus

  • October 27 · 15 min

    PNTV: Positivity by Barbara L. Fredrickson

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-pntv 👇 Get my Notes on Positivity for FREE to follow along: → https://go.heroic.us/positivity Brian is back at the chalkboard with the ultimate playbook for unlocking human flourishing and breaking negative cycles: Positivity by Barbara Fredrickson. Written by one of the world's leading social psychologists, this book reveals the science behind why positive emotions aren't just feel-good states—they broaden our awareness, build life-changing resources, and create an upward spiral of well-being. If you are tired of languishing, feeling stuck in self-criticism, or looking to tip the emotional scales in your favor, this episode is for you. Grab the book on Amazon: → https://amzn.to/4kZQQ4U ⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction: Discover the Upward Spiral 2:06 — Idea 1: The 3:1 Positivity Ratio (Flourishing vs. Languishing) 5:43 — Idea 2: Broaden and Build (The Evolutionary Purpose of Positive Emotions) 7:14 — Idea 3: The 10 Positive Emotions & Cutting Your Kryptonite 10:40 — Idea 4: Buoyancy (Balancing Levity and Gravity) 11:50 — Idea 5: Your Best Possible Self in 10 Years 14:55 — Summary & Plus One: Moving from Theory to Practice to Mastery 🧠 The big shift: Reaching a flourishing state requires a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative emotions, but the fastest way to get there isn't just forcing more positivity—it's eliminating unnecessary negative triggers and mental kryptonites. Ground your optimism in reality with true emotional buoyancy, allowing genuine positive emotions to broaden your mindset and build durable life skills.

  • October 27 · 3 min

    Clean the Blender!: Or...Appreciate the Blessings?!? (Heroic +1 #2036)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Turn irritation into appreciation. When something small frustrates you, pause and look at the bigger picture. Instead of focusing on what someone didn't do, remember all the ways they show up and serve the people they love. Use life's little annoyances as reminders of how blessed you really are. #Heroic #PlusOne #Gratitude

  • October 26 · 3 min

    Passion or Perseverance?: Which One Is More Important for Grit? (Heroic +1 #2035)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Chase your curiosity. Grit isn't just about working hard and pushing through. It's also about finding something you care deeply enough about to pursue for years. If you're struggling with motivation, explore what genuinely fascinates you and let that passion fuel your perseverance. #Heroic #PlusOne #Passion

  • October 25 · 3 min

    What Mastery Looks Like: Plateaus, Diminution, and Bursts! (Heroic +1 #2034)

    🚀 Take Heroic OS for a free 7-day spin, see what changes: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Mastery isn't a straight line. Growth comes with plateaus, setbacks, and sudden bursts of progress. When your improvement feels stalled, keep training, trust the process, and remember that the next breakthrough may be closer than you think. Focus on making today a masterpiece. #Heroic #PlusOne #Growth

  • October 24 · 3 min

    Bat Boys and Home Runs: Winning the Ultimate Game (Heroic +1 #2033)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Win the ultimate game. Celebrate the big wins, but pay attention to the little moments that reveal someone's character. Whether it's a fist bump for a bat boy or a genuine celebration of someone else's success, remember that being a good human is the real victory. #Heroic #PlusOne #Love

  • October 23 · 3 min

    Stop Fidgeting—It's Weak: & That's Not Like You! (Heroic +1 #2032)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Master your body to help master your mind. Fidgeting, slouching, and other physical habits can influence how you feel and perform. Notice what your body is doing when pressure builds, then reset your posture and practice calm, confident composure. #Heroic #PlusOne #Mindset

  • October 22 · 16 min

    PNTV: The Golden Rules by Bob Bowman

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-pntv 👇 Get my Notes on The Golden Rules by Bob Bowman for FREE to follow along: → https://go.heroic.us/the-golden-rules In this episode of Philosopher's Notes TV, Brian is back at the chalkboard to unpack the ultimate playbook for world-class excellence and athletic mastery. We invite you into the virtual classroom to look inside the Philosopher's Note on The Golden Rules by Bob Bowman. Subtitled Finding World-Class Excellence in Your Life and Work, this book delivers an extraordinary, science-backed method written by the legendary swim coach behind Michael Phelps—the most decorated Olympian in history. Far beyond just training elite athletes, it reveals how to dream big, build a high-performance game plan, and turn daily practice into a symphony of excellence. If you are tired of settling for average, making excuses, or coasting through your potential, this episode is for you. If you are ready to quit holding back, step out of your comfort zone, and go all-in on pursuing true world-class mastery, this episode is your roadmap! Grab a copy of the book on Amazon here: → https://amzn.to/4ixidnt ⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction: Finding World-Class Excellence in Your Life and Work 1:10 — Meet Bob Bowman & The Michael Phelps Olympic Connection 2:15 — Idea 1: The Method (10 Rules for World-Class Success) 5:12 — Idea 2: Dream Big (Mapping Out a 15-Year Vision for an 11-Year-Old) 7:16 — Idea 3: The Game Plan (High, Hard Goals Matching Your Vision) 8:50 — Idea 4: Re-inventing Yourself & The Jim Collins Fog 12:22 — Idea 5: Conductors of Excellence (Martin Luther King Jr.'s Street Sweeper) 14:38 — Summary & Plus One: Moving from Theory to Practice to Mastery 🧠 Deep Dive: The Core Concepts Dream Big & Build the Game Plan: Bob Bowman is famous for taking an 11-year-old Michael Phelps and mapping out a detailed 15-year Olympic roadmap. But a big vision is useless without a systematic game plan to match it. True champions set specific, high, hard goals and write out their daily protocols with uncompromising consistency—showing up at the pool every single day, whether it's Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a birthday. The Symphony of Excellence: Whatever your role in life, performing it with complete commitment turns hard work into an art form. As Martin Luther King Jr. famously declared in his life's blueprint speech, if it falls to your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, like Shakespeare wrote poetry, or like Beethoven composed music—so well that all the hosts of heaven and Earth pause to say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well."

  • October 22 · 3 min

    Average or Excellent?: Hunt for Awesome (Heroic +1 #2031)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Hunt for awesome and celebrate it. Behind everyday services are real people putting in effort that often goes unnoticed. Before leaving a review, pause to consider the person on the receiving end, and when someone does a great job, take a moment to recognize and celebrate their effort. #Heroic #PlusOne #Gratitude

  • October 21 · 3 min

    Freak Out Lately?: Summary and Lessons (Heroic +1 #2030)

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-plus1 Today's +1: Expect challenges, then turn your mistakes into lessons. When you assume something will be easy, it's easy to panic when things don't go as planned. Expect obstacles, review what went wrong, and extract a lesson you can apply next time. Every mistake is an opportunity to get better if you're willing to learn from it. #Heroic #PlusOne #Growth

  • October 20 · 22 min

    PNTV: The Confident Mind by Dr. Nate Zinsser

    🚀 Start your FREE 7-day trial of Heroic OS: → https://go.heroic.us/os-pod-pntv 👇 Get my Notes on The Confident Mind for FREE to follow along: → https://go.heroic.us/the-confident-mind Brian is back at the chalkboard with the ultimate playbook for peak performance and unshakeable self-belief: The Confident Mind by Nate Zinsser. Written by West Point's lead performance psychologist who trained three generations of soldiers, Olympians, and Super Bowl champions, this book delivers a battle-tested framework for building genuine confidence. If you are tired of overthinking, second-guessing your abilities, or choking under pressure, this episode is for you. Grab the book on Amazon: → https://amzn.to/3vQdHL4 ⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction: The Confident Mind 1:35 — Idea 1: Defining Confidence (Bypassing Conscious Thought) 6:14 — Idea 2: The Psychological Bank Account (Past, Present, & Future) 9:00 — Idea 3: The 4 Pillars of the Inner Citadel 13:06 — Idea 4: Mine Your Past (The Top 10 Hero Bars) 16:50 — Idea 5: Embrace Imperfection (Destructive Perfectionism vs. Optimalism) 20:04 — Summary & Plus One: Moving from Theory to Practice to Mastery 🧠 The big shift: Real confidence isn't a vague feeling—it's a sense of certainty that allows you to bypass conscious thought and execute automatically. Stop making withdrawals by dwelling on past failures. Instead, make daily deposits into your psychological bank account, mine your past for hero bars, and embrace human imperfection so you can show up at your absolute best.

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