The James Swanwick Show

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/202 “When you get into a new environment and culture, out of whatever comfort zone you have, it forces you to think differently.” – James Swanwick (click to tweet)   Lots of people would like to be the life of the party. But the truth is that, in order for that to happen, not only do you need to be outgoing and charismatic, you have to be interesting! Don’t skip that most important step! Lots of people think they just need to be loud, but you need something to talk about! This is the reason that I so strongly recommend that everyone travel while they’re young! Simply making this decision does so much for you! You get out of your comfort zone, start to look at life from a different perspective, you can educate yourself at the same time through audiobooks and podcasts, and you become a more interesting person! Travelling while you’re young kills lots of birds with one stone. Even if you’re not as young as you once were

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/201 “Every day, write down your three biggest problems that need solving, to train yourself to always be solving problems.” - Jay Samit (click to tweet) Business is nothing more than solving problems for people. This is the premise of the book “Disrupt You!” by Jay Samit, and it is the premise that allows Jay to lay out exactly how to develop the muscle most important to the entrepreneur. Jay says that you should make a habit of writing down your 3 biggest problems every single day. Doing this will rewire your brain to see problems and think creatively about ways to solve them, which will, in turn, turn into potential business ideas, and give you the mental abilities to become an effective entrepreneur. Then, if you solve a big enough problem, or one that people are willing to pay you for, you will have the beginnings of a very solid business. As an entrepreneur, this is an incredible practice, and will give you the

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/200 “The best time to prospect is when you don’t need anything.” - Bill Caskey (click to tweet) When it comes to accomplishing great things in this life, selling, or rather persuading, is one of the most important skills to learn. Without good sales techniques, it is nearly impossible to inspire any real change in the world. A common misconception is that salespeople convince people to do things that they don’t want to do, when in reality the good salesperson it simply helping people do what they should be doing in the first place, and doing what will help them in the long run. Bill Caskey is my guest on today’s episode, and on this episode he is going through the 5 specifics steps to becoming a master salesperson. When it comes to sales, a lot of it is a mind game in the mind of the salesperson, and Bill’s steps will absolutely help you get your mind right on these topics, and will absolutely make a huge difference

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/199 “A smile is the simplest and most powerful gift you can give anyone, including yourself.” - James Swanwick (click to tweet) Are you willing, really willing, to step into someone else’s shoes? To understand what they’re all about? To approach new ideas and new experiences without judgment, but rather with an eye toward learning? This episode is a continuation of last Monday’s report from Burning Man, and I am talking with several people about what burning man means to them, what they get out of it, and what they think that the world can take away from the ideas. For many, Burning Man is an opportunity to get back to ground zero. To hit the restart button if you will, get back to pure nature, and take a look at the world around you from that vantage point. When you start to commit yourself to that process, you can see things with more clarity than you did, and you can often understand things about your life and dec

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/198 “The youthful mind is apt to confuse temporary success for permanent success.” - Napoleon Hill (click to tweet) Do you wonder what the differences are between the people who seem to actually get what they want out of life, and those who simply drift through life without a purpose, constantly consuming content and ideas but never putting them into practice nor really thinking for themselves? Napoleon Hill calls these people who pass through life without major purpose or action “drifters” in his book “Outwitting the Devil” which I am reviewing on this episode, and he has powerful tips for how to keep yourself from becoming that drifter! If it seems like you are always consuming other people’s ideas but never thinking for yourself, or it seems like you are always getting pumped up and motivated but never actually doing anything, this episode is probably for you. You’re going to learn how to get out of that mindset,

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show notes at: JamesSwanwick.com/197 “If you don’t have something that differentiates yourself from competitors, the only thing you can do is lower prices - which is a race to the bottom.” - Matthew Pollard (click to tweet)   In business, far too many people and companies are trying to be all things to all people. But early on this is a losing formula, and business coach Matthew Pollard is here to explain why today. The value in focusing on a niche market is that you can understand in a deep way your particular customer, what they look for and what their pain points are, and then you can speak to them in a way that makes perfect sense. The broader and less niche you go, the more you’re forced to compete purely on price, which, unless you’re an established company like Wal-Mart, is a losing formula. Matthew has a 5 step process to learn how to uncover what your unique competencies are outside of your functional skills, which is the key to underst

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/196 Burning Man has a unique reputation in the world. Most people associates hippies with it, but most people also feel quite a bit of curiosity toward it. I took a trip out to burning man just recently, and recorded some of my thoughts on the whole experience, and I’m presenting them to you in this episode. One of the key thoughts here is to avoid being too judgy about any idea before you have tested for yourself. A lot of people think about the more ‘spiritual’ practices of forgiveness in your heart, perhaps writing down what you’re holding a grudge over on a piece of paper and then burning it, to be too much of the ‘woo woo’ sort of self-help. But don’t close your mind to anything that has the possibility to help you! Test everything! Some things won’t be for you, but some things may really surprise you with how much the help! Give anything a shot for a set period of time, and see if it produces the desired result

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show notes at: JamesSwanwick.com/195 “Commit to your business.. Believe in it more than everybody else. You can overcome shortcomings by bringing sheer passion to your work.” - Sam Walton People say you should only take advice from people who have actually done what you want to do. Not just written or spoken about it, but actually done it. Well, if you want to make money, there’s absolutely NO ONE you should pay more attention to than Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart and Sam's, whose remaining family currently possesses a net worth of $149 billion from Sam’s business ventures. How did he do it? In the book “Made In America,” he lays out the 10 more important tips that helped him achieve what he did, and I’m giving them to you in today’s book review. So take notes, because you will probably never get 10 tips from anyone quite as qualified to give them to you in your life! Enjoy! “In business, motivate your partners with more than money. Continually

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show notes at: JamesSwanwick.com/194 “Master-level persuasion is getting someone to do something because they want to do it.” - Raymond Duke (click to tweet) Do you know how to be persuasive? Most people don’t. And yet, if you think about it, persuasion is the single most important thing when it comes to getting what you want out of life. It is the one skill that will translate into anything that you do. Whether you’re selling something, asking somebody out on a date, or just trying to convince your friends to see the movie you want to see, persuasion is a fundamental life skill. My guest today is Raymond Duke, and he is a professional copywriter who has worked with big names in the world of business like Tai Lopez and many others. He’s here to teach the 4 U’s of persuasion, and how you can use them in every facet of your life. So if you’ve ever wondered how some people are able to be so much more persuasive than you simply through the words the

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/193   “Shared interests go a very long way in developing a friendship.” - James Swanwick (click to tweet)   A lot of people spend time sitting around complaining about how their friend group isn’t what they would want it to be. They pretend like there’s nothing they can do about it. We often hear about how one of the most important aspects of being successful is surrounding yourself with successful people. But how do you do that in a very practical way? That’s what this episode is about, and the truth that you are about to find out is that it’s ridiculously easy. It’s so easy, in fact, that’s it’s a wonder that so many people simply choose to stay in their friend group that they are unhappy with. There’s so much more! Using tools like MeetUp.com and others, you have no excuse for not leveling up your circle of friends. So if you’re one of those people who wishes your friend group were better, more aligned with your g

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/192 When it comes to relationships, everybody bring a lot of baggage. This is simply the truth. No body, no matter how wonderful their parents or their childhood, brings their past ideas and experiences to the table, and so every relationship is going to be very different. This means that a lot of the traditional “truths” about relationships may not be as hard and fast as we think that they are. Today’s episode is a book review of “The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships” by Neil Strauss, which is an exploration of relationships, what makes some work and some fail, and what we can learn from that about how to live our lives. So whether you’re in a relationship or not, you will want to take notes on this one. Relationships are one of the trickiest things to try to figure out in this life, and this episode is going to help you to navigate the tricky waters of being in a relationship. Enjoy! Key Takeaways:

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/191 “Brains are changing everyday, so it’s not a question of it, it’s a question of how your brain is going to change.” - Andrew Hill (click to tweet) Most people think that if they or someone else is born with a disorder like ADHD, there is nothing that can be done about it. That our brains are unable to be improved from what we were given at birth. But it’s not the case! In fact, there are a lot of things that will play into how well your brain functions, thereby determining how smart and productive you are, and Andrew Hill is talking about them on today’s episode! One of the major aspects of handling different mental disorders, as well as many psychological problems that many overlook, is getting good and regular sleep. There are many ways to optimize your sleep, and Dr. Andrew Hill and I go over many of them, including getting at least 2-3 minutes of direct sunlight within the first hour of sunrise, blocking out

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show notes: JamesSwanwick.com/190 Most people think that setting up a business is an expensive endeavor, that is going to require thousands up thousands of dollars, when the reality is that businesses can be setup quickly these days, and often for under $1,000! Today I’m reviewing the book “How to setup a business for under $1,000” by Dan Fleyshman, and going through the 30 point checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything, and that you don’t spend any additional money unnecessarily. Very importantly, you must ensure that you have an MVP. This is a minimum viable product, with which you can test assumptions, make sure it works, and find out whether people are actually willing to buy it! So if you’ve ever wanted to start a business, but thought it would simply cost too much money, this episode is for you! Take notes, and follow the 30 step outlined below to make sure you don’t waste money and have all your bases covered, so that your business

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/189 This episode is a bit different. I’m simply giving you a list of some of the best, most inspiring quotes to live by. It’s a simple premise, so I hope you find this inspiring! So if any of the below quotes stands out to you specifically, why not share them with the world? Just click on the ones that stand out and mean a lot to you. Enjoy the show!   “I am an optimist. There doesn’t seem to be much use in being anything else.” - Winston Churchill   “The man who has done his best has done everything.” - Charles Schwab   “Give. But give until it hurts.” - Mother Teresa   “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Nelson Mandela   “We can achieve what we can conceive and believe.” - Mark Twain   “Coming together is beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” - Henry Ford   “Every moment is a fresh beginning.” - T.S. Elliot   “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins champions

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/188 Smoothies are one of the most delicious types of food/drink in the world. But are they healthy? It all depends on how you’re making them, and Bradley Jarryd is on the show today to tell you exactly how they should be made to fit your dietary and fitness goals perfectly! Plus, we dig into several recipes that will make you drool when you hear them. Take notes on this one if you want to make delicious smoothies that line up with your dietary goals. But as Brad says, always be very careful to measure everything. Smoothies can be perfect for your dietary goals, but they can also easily get way off, as it’s easy to accidentally double something like peanut butter, and all the sudden you have an extra 200 calories! So be careful, measure everything carefully, don’t use too much fruits, always include protein, and watch your dietary goals come closer and closer into view with the help of the delicious smoothies in this

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/187 How many chances do you think you will get to live this life? A lot of people live their lives as if they are going to get multiple shots at it, to do other things and exploring other options. But, as far as we know, this is the one shot we get at creating the life we want on this earth. This episode is a review of an article titled “37 Things You will Regret When You are Old,” and I’m walking through them all. There’s simply nothing worse than seeing regret in the eyes of the elderly, because at that stage there’s very little you can do to rectify the situation. But most of the people listening to this podcast have a huge amount of time left, and it’s essential that you quit doing the things you will regret! That’s why this episode is so important. Please listen, and if you have any of the below in your life, cut it out before you grow old and regret not cutting it out sooner! Key Takeaways: Not travelling when

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/186 “Perfection is the enemy of productivity.” - James Swanwick (click to tweet) Most people think of the process of writing a book as some almost insurmountable mountain of work. Authors often glamorize the idea of closing themselves away for a year to write, wrestling the words onto the page. But it doesn’t have to be that way! In fact, I’m writing a book right now about how reduce or quit alcohol, using the process outlined in the book “Publish and Profit” by Mike Koenigs. The process is to mind-dump every topic in your area of expertise that you can, to eventually turn into chapters in your book. Then, simply turn on a recording device and simply talk about the subject for a bit! Then, get it transcribed, clean up the transcription and move things around if need be, and you have a chapter! Writing a book has a huge range of benefits for the author, and instantly turns the author into a perceived expert on the top

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/185 “Hustle can make up for lack of natural gifting, and is the one thing you control.” - Dan Ilic (click to tweet) Do you take time to look back and reflect on your success along the way? A lot of us, especially the type-A personalities, have a hard time dwelling on past success. Instead, who hone in on the failures, or the things that didn’t go the way we planned. We think that it’s helping us turn into more successful people by beating ourselves up for past failures, when in reality reviewing our success and where we’ve come from would be much better for our health and well-being! Today is a conversation with comic Dan Ilic, while we take a hike on Runyon Canyon, and the conversation hits on a lot of points. We talk about the importance of daily gratitude and the practicality of using a gratitude journal, about how when we hope for something and it doesn’t happen we feel like we’ve lost something when in reality w

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/184   “Success loves speed.” - James Swanwick (click to tweet) Have you ever wondered what the process looks like to crank out a podcast like the James Swanwick Show? On this episode, I’m detailing each step of the way, so that you can understand how an efficient team runs, how we communicate with each other, what I outsource and what I don’t, and much more. The goal is that by hearing this you will be able to apply it to your own endeavors, whatever they may be. In whatever you’re doing, I believe you should simply do it now whenever possible. Too many people put things off until later, and then often completely forget them! There’s no time like the present to really get stuff done, and time kills momentum. So listen carefully to this episode to understand how to build and manage an efficient team, get more done and up your productivity in whatever you’re doing. All that and more on the James Swanwick Show! “Do thin

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Show notes: JamesSwanwick.com/183 “Yesterday’s truth is today’s bullshit.” – Brad Blanton (click to tweet)   What is radical honesty? You probably consider yourself to be a decently honest person. You don’t really lie. Well, maybe a little white lie here and there. But nothing serious, right? Brad Blanton’s contention is that any type of dishonesty, from the smallest white lie to even the withholding of any information is detrimental to us as humans, and causes us stress. When we withhold the way that we truly feel from anyone, we bear the brunt of that withholding, and is doing us harm. The solution he outlines in his book “Radical Honesty” is to be extreme in your honesty. To not withhold ANYTHING, no matter how graphic, or how small, or how you think it may make the other person feel. He believes that by doing this, you are freeing yourself of the heavy weight of withholding information, and will be a far freer and happier person for it. What