We interviewed Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of Win Bigly , How To Fail At Almost Anything And Still Win Big and The Dilbert Principle . As a trained hypnotist, Adams viewed the 2016 US Presidential election through a different filter: he saw a Master Persuader who brought a flame thrower to a stick fight. He gave Trump a 98% of winning, not based on policies and politics, but based on his ability to influence, persuade and hypnotise the masses. We think it's...
Mar 28, 2018•42 min•Ep 127•Transcript available on Metacast Win Bigly - by Scott Adams 'Persuasion in a world where facts don't matter' This book is all about persuasion, and it's phenomenal. Scott Adams uses the 2016 U Presidential campaign to dissect and tools and techniques of persuading others, both on an individual level and to the masses. Things like 'cognitive dissonance' and 'confirmation bias' make it possible for persuasion to work, and Adams shows us things we can use ourselves, like the 'high ground maneuver' and 'two ways to win, no w...
Mar 23, 2018•33 min•Ep 126•Transcript available on Metacast We thought we'd do something a little different this week. We're both doing a 'comfort challenge' this week and stretching ourselves WAY outside of our comfort zones by taking a 5-day stand up comedy course where we have to do a live public performance at the end... If you want to come along and watch us, the show is on Thursday 29th March in South Yarra in Melbourne. Email us at podcast@whatyouwilllearn.com or DM us on social media and we'll send you the info to get tickets. A big takeawa...
Mar 17, 2018•24 min•Ep 125•Transcript available on Metacast Crushing It - by Gary Vaynerchuk 'How great entrepreneurs build their businesses and influence - and how you can, too' After reading and reviewing Gary's first book, Crush It! , we were eagerly awaiting the follow up. Crushing It goes deeper into the eight essential components that are required to build a great business as an influencer, and then dives deep into all of the current hot platforms you should be spreading content on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...
Mar 10, 2018•35 min•Ep 124•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Shermer is the founder of the Skeptic Society, which boasts over 55,000 members today. He is also the editor-in-chief of Skeptic Magazine. Skepticism means viewing the world through a rational eye, always looking for scientific evidence to support or refute new claims, and always beginning with the null hypothesis (assuming it's false and putting the onus on the claimant to prove that it's true). In this episode, we talk a little bit about the philosophies of being a skeptic, we talk abo...
Mar 07, 2018•33 min•Ep 123•Transcript available on Metacast Skeptic - by Michael Shermer 'Viewing the world with a rational eye' This book is a taste of what it means to be a 'skeptic'. Put simply, it means not believing everything you see, hear or read. It means putting all new claims through a series of questions and examinations in order to find the truth, not just the opinions of fringe thinkers. The book covers a whole bunch of short essays on a wide range of ideas - out of the hundred or so in the book, we pick our favourites three or ...
Mar 03, 2018•33 min•Ep 122•Transcript available on Metacast So Good They Can't Ignore You - by Cal Newport 'Why skills trump passion in the quest for work you love' This book is a real-world look at career progression and getting the most out of your working life. Newport argues that 'follow your dreams' is almost always bad advice, and in many cases, it's actually dangerous. Rule #1 - Don't Follow Your Passion Rule #2 - Be So Good They Can't Ignore You Rule #3 - Turn Down A Promotion Rule #4 - Think Small, Act Big Get the book summary we w...
Feb 24, 2018•24 min•Ep 121•Transcript available on Metacast Crossing The Chasm - by Geoffrey Moore 'Marketing and Selling disruptive products to mainstream customers' If you want to build a new multi-million-dollar disruptive technology, your first step should be to read this book. Moore breaks down the market according to their psychographics into: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, laggards. Many new technologies can appeal to innovators and even to early adopters, but the 'chasm', where all the dead bodies lie of crushed...
Feb 17, 2018•23 min•Ep 120•Transcript available on Metacast Greg McKeown is the author of the book 'Essentialism'. In this episode, we talk about: - The 'Busy' Bubble - Elon Musk's 'First Principles Thinking' - How we can be less 'busy' but more productive - How employees can apply the principles of Essentialism even if they're not the boss - And much more. Check Greg out at https://gregmckeown.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 15, 2018•41 min•Ep 119•Transcript available on Metacast Essentialism - by Greg McKeown 'The Disciplined Pursuit of Less' Why are people so 'busy'? Why do people feel like it's a badge of honour to have a calendar full of meetings? It's important that there is a MASSIVE difference between 'activity' and 'productivity' - just because someone tells you they're so busy, doesn't necessarily mean they're actually achieving anything. Centred around the German maxim weniger aber besser , 'less but better', Essentialism is all about finding...
Feb 10, 2018•28 min•Ep 118•Transcript available on Metacast We spoke to Dan Heath, one half of the Heath Brothers, who wrote two books we read and loved (Switch & The Power of Moments), as well as Made to Stick and Decisive which we are yet to read (but certainly will soon!). Aside from being a fan of our post-episode songs (one of the very few people who didn't skip the song), Dan drops some awesome stories that we didn't get to tell during our own recap of The Power of Moments. We love their books, we love them, and we can't wait to rea...
Feb 06, 2018•33 min•Ep 117•Transcript available on Metacast The Power of Moments - by Chip & Dan Heath 'Why certain experiences have extraordinary impact' Chip & Dan have done it again! We read and reviewed their book 'Switch' back in 2017 and it was phenomenal. Now, we've had a crack at their latest book 'The Power of Moments' and they're delivering the goods. Have you ever wondered why some experiences stand out in your memory much more strongly that others? The Heath Brothers have cracked the code: Elevation, Insight, Pride,...
Feb 03, 2018•34 min•Ep 116•Transcript available on Metacast We spoke to Kevin Kelly, author of The Inevitable, to find out all of te thing that are coming in the next three decades. KK describes the '12 technological forces' that will shape our future, and we spent the first half of the interview talking about all things tech. Towards the second half of the interview, we transitioned to talking about the 'obligation' we have to do something great with our lives and how we can achieve more. A really interesting discussion with a really interesting guy - T...
Jan 30, 2018•43 min•Ep 115•Transcript available on Metacast The Inevitable - by Kevin Kelly 'Understanding The 12 Forces That Will Shape Our Future' This is the second time we're reading and reviewing 'The Inevitable', because we're super excited to be speaking with the great Kevin Kelly during the week. This book takes a lot at the next 30 years and what new technologies and other changes are coming our way. Kelly describes how these changes will affect the way we live and interact with the world. VR sex anyone? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
Jan 27, 2018•27 min•Ep 114•Transcript available on Metacast We headed to Dr Karl's place and had one of the most fascinating conversations of our lives. Probably the smartest and most curious dude we've ever met, Karl certainly taught us a thing or two. We covered: - the downside of Adam Jones quitting coffee - Life beyond Earth - Space Travel - Climate Change - And how to more broadly save the world. Dr Karl is an absolute legend and is making science accessible and enjoying for everyone. Check him out: http://drkarl.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...
Jan 25, 2018•58 min•Ep 113•Transcript available on Metacast Karl, The Universe and Everything - by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki Doctor Karl is one of Australia's most recognisable faces and has been popularising science for decades. He's a TV personality, radio presenter, podcast host and author. This is his 43rd book (woah!). He dives into topics such as: Sexist Air-Conditioning Poo velocity Earworms Lightning and Power Solar Energy Marijuana and Life Beyond Earth Check him out! http://drkarl.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
Jan 19, 2018•27 min•Ep 112•Transcript available on Metacast We got to speak to Dan Pink on the eve of the release of his brand new book, 'When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing'. We read and reviewed Dan's book Drive back in 2016 as one of our very first episodes, then more recently we did To Sell Is Human. We give a bit of a reminder of 'motivation 2.0' and 'motivation 3.0' from Drive, and then dive into the brand new stuff from his brand new book. We got a nice little teaser fron Dan, and now we can't wait to read and review When as well! Links...
Jan 08, 2018•34 min•Ep 110•Transcript available on Metacast To Sell Is Human - by Dan Pink 'The surprising truth about persuading, convincing and influencing others' Dan Pink has done it again. We first reviewed 'Drive' back in 2016, and now we're reviewing his book about sales and 'non-sales selling'. Pink lays down the ABC of 'how to be' when selling: Atunement, Buoyancy, Clarity. Then, the three 'what to do' when selling: Pitch, Serve, Improvise. If you're in the 1 out of 9 people that have 'sales' directly in their job description, you can use these ...
Jan 06, 2018•23 min•Ep 109•Transcript available on Metacast We went to the BUF Girls office near Bondi Beach and spoke with Libby Babet. Following on from our previous episode about stoping smoking, we thought a few listeners (ourselves included) might have some New Years Resolutions around health and fitness, and Libby is just the person to offer some advice! Libby received the life-changing diagnosis of malignant hypertension in her early 20s, but then used it as a platform and turned it into a life-long mission to inspire a new generation of happy, he...
Jan 04, 2018•42 min•Ep 108•Transcript available on Metacast The Easy Way to Stop Smoking - by Allen Carr Most books and programs about quitting smoking focus on all of the negatives of continuing to smoke: the extreme health risks, the obscene financial cost, and so on. But the problem is - that doesn't work! Smokers already know the health risks, but that didn't make them stop. The other problem is it talks about 'giving up' smoking and you're always feeling like you're sacrificing something. Instead, Allen Carr speaks from the smokers side...
Dec 31, 2017•32 min•Ep 107•Transcript available on Metacast Adam Ashton and Adam Jones recap the best books, the best interviews and the best songs of the first half of Season 2 for 2017. Some of these are serious punches in the face and some and serious gold. You can find our respective Top 10 books below. Join us on social media: Instagram = @whatyouwilllearn and Twitter = www.twitter.com/wywlpodcast Adam Ashton: 10: Start With Why - by Simon Sinek 9: Purple Cow - by Seth Godin 8: The Lean Startup - by Eric Ries 7: Good to Great - by Jim ...
Dec 28, 2017•53 min•Ep 106•Transcript available on Metacast A More Beautiful Question - by Warren Berger “The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas”. It it is becoming easier and easier to find answers. We’re only one search away to finding almost anything we want to know, and with technology always improving and the introduction of AI and machine learning, the trend will continue. If we can get any answer we want, the only important thing becomes asking the right question. Get in touch with us any time by emailing us at podcast@whaty...
Dec 23, 2017•26 min•Ep 105•Transcript available on Metacast Daring Greatly - by Brene Brown 'How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent and lead' This book is about having courage and being vulnerable. It is inspired by the below quote from a Theodore Rooseveldt speech, known as 'The Man in The Arena'. Our interpretation: don't be a little bitch, get out there and have a crack. It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them bett...
Dec 16, 2017•26 min•Ep 104•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Ariely. Absolute legend. Author of 'Predictably Irrational', 'The Upside of Irrationality', 'The Honest Truth About Dishonesty' (which was made into a Netflix documentary called (Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies), 'Payoff' and his latest book, 'Dollars & Sense'. We shared a few red wines, a kebab and a night at the ballet with Dan and talked about things like procrastination, hedonic adaptation, using relativity as a short cut for comparisons, how he got into behavioural economics, and so m...
Dec 12, 2017•54 min•Ep 103•Transcript available on Metacast Predictably Irrational - by Dan Ariely 'The hidden forces that shape our decisions' Economists start with the assumption that all humans are fully informed, rational decision makers. They use this to form all of their economic theories and models. But, as Dan Ariely points out, we're NOT rational. In many cases, we're very IRRATIONAL: we make decisions that aren't in our own best interest. More than that, Dan recognised that we are irrational in very PREDICTABLE ways - we all make the sam...
Dec 09, 2017•30 min•Ep 102•Transcript available on Metacast Naomi Simson is the founder of RedBalloon, a 'shark' on Shark Tank Australia, Australia #1 LinkedIn profile with over 2.4m followers, and the author of the books 'Ready To Soar' and 'Live What You Love'. In this episode, we talk about: - The skills you'll learn as a corporate employee - How employees, no matter their seniority, can contribute something meaningful to customers and to the organisation - The best approach to transitioning from employee to entrepreneur - Who SHOULDN'T try to become ...
Dec 05, 2017•32 min•Ep 101•Transcript available on Metacast Ready To Soar - by Naomi Simson 'Turn your brilliants idea into a business you love' Naomi Simson is the founder of Red Balloon, a 'shark' on Shark Tank Australia, and Australia's #1 LinkedIn profile with over 2.4 million followers. This book is all about getting started in business, with chapters such as 'the dream' 'the first steps', 'funding' and 'what you need to survive'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 02, 2017•28 min•Ep 100•Transcript available on Metacast Joel Bakan is the author of the books 'The Corporation' and 'Childhood Under Siege'. The Corporation (the last book we read and reviewed) talks about how the structure of large companies essentially forces them to focus purely on profit and disregard any other obligations or responsibilities they may have to those around them. It was also a documentation (of the same title) and Joel is currently working on 'The Corporation 2' to be released in late-2018. Childhood Under Siege talks abo...
Nov 28, 2017•37 min•Ep 99•Transcript available on Metacast The Corporation - by Joel Bakan 'The Pathological Pursuit of Power and Profit' This is another eye-opening book, where the author contends that the structure of companies forces them to be 'psychopaths' by definition: they have no regard for others, they externalise as many costs as they can, the take no responsibility, the feel no guilt or remorse, they lack empathy, the have asocial tendencies, they only relate to others superficially, and they manipulate everyone around them. Ch...
Nov 25, 2017•26 min•Ep 98•Transcript available on Metacast We had the privilege of speaking to the King of Productivity, David Allen, author of the cult classic 'Getting Things Done'. He advocates for being stoned - not by smoking weed, but by getting everything out of your head and maximising productivity so you can be present with whatever you are doing. We delve deeper into his system and talk about the futility of 'busyness'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 21, 2017•30 min•Ep 97•Transcript available on Metacast 
