By listening to this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize a good bet, be more decisive, and unlock the compounding returns of a process-oriented life.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/the-struggle-is-real.

Listen for insights from a World Champion Gymnast, the author of Kindle’s Most-Highlighted book, one of the foremost experts on nonverbal communication, an Emmy-Nominated director of Chef’s Table, and the Artist Manager for one of the highest-paid hip-hop artists in the world.

In this conversation, Chris Sparks takes you inside the mind of a musical genius as ELEW shares the strategy, mindset, and principles required to put on an epic performance. You’ll learn how to reverse-engineer a creative vision, the keys to reinvention as an artist, why preparation seeds adaptability, how to overcome perfectionism, career lessons from the world of blitz chess, and much more.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/elew.

In this conversation, Blake and Chris demonstrate how to master your communication, on and off the poker table. You will learn how to read the nuances of human emotion, have deeper awareness in social situations, and create greater alignment between your presentation and your intended message.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/blake-eastman.

In this conversation, Frank joins Chris Sparks to share how a leading game designer sees the world. What do games have to teach us? Can studying game theory and game principles make us better humans? Learn how to make sure you play the right games and become aware of the games you are playing without even realizing it.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/frank-lantz.

In this conversation, Eric Jorgenson and Chris Sparks share how to recognize and amplify leverage points in your life and career. You’ll learn how to set your aspirational hourly rate, discover previously underutilized assets, and start reclaiming your time by doing the work only you can do.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/eric-jorgenson.

In this conversation, Cameron Schiller and Chris Sparks discuss the training methods of elite athletes, overcoming mental barriers, and leveraging data to reveal hidden dimensions of performance. You will also receive a crash course on elite skydiving including techniques to heighten your proprioception, confront your fears, and stay calm in the face of unforeseen challenges.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/cameron-schiller.

In this conversation, we explore the underlying principles of strategy, language, and gameplay through the lens of Scrabble. Pay attention to David’s approach to dominating the meta-skills of Scrabble to discover hidden dimensions in the games you choose to play.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/david-eldar.

In this conversation, we distill the lessons Daniel learned from his experiences as a designer, operator, and investor. You’ll learn the keys to a successful company turnaround, strategies for getting access to competitive investment deals, and how to unlock the superpower of design for your brand.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/daniel-scrivner.

In this conversation, Chris and Kenny show how to apply design-thinking principles to day-to-day problem-solving. Listen to improve your ability to adapt on the fly, and transform your ideas from concepts into reality.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/kenny-arnold.

Today, Kristin is the founder and president of the Acrobatic Gymnastics Foundation, the Chairwoman of the National Gymnastics Foundation, and an active investor and advisor in early-stage companies.

In this conversation, Kristin and Chris dig into the mindset, training, and performance techniques necessary to reach the elite levels of a sport. Kristin shares lesser-known aspects of reaching the top—namely, what comes after World Champion? She shares insightful lessons on disentangling our identities from our profession and designing sustainable practices for mental health and athletic recovery.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/kristin-allen.

In this conversation, Brian and Chris discuss principles you can apply from gaming and poker to take yourself to the next level in entrepreneurship. Brian shares what it takes to launch a retail brand, strategies for building a high-performing culture, and how to reinvent yourself to create career inflection points.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/brian-tate.

Today, Scott is the founder of N+1 Ventures, accelerating businesses cultivating their “onlyness” to make an impact on culture. He serves on boards of purpose-driven companies including MUD\WTR, Smallhold, and Firstleaf.

In this conversation, Scott shares valuable lessons learned along the journey from brand conception to strategic exit. You’ll learn the foundational elements of identity for companies and for people so you can leverage your brand, share your story, and build a reputation that resonates with anyone you want to bring into your orbit.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/scott-norton.

Nick has hosted literally hundreds of cocktail parties all around the world while developing his simple system for being a great host. If you want to expand your network, make deeper connections, and create fun and memorable experiences with interesting people, you’re going to love this conversation.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/nick-gray.

In this conversation, we share techniques for improving your decision making and becoming a great leader in critical situations. We explore mental preparation, navigating risk and uncertainty, creating high performing cultures, and much more.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/dan-dworkis.

In this conversation, we share proven techniques to accelerate your learning. You will learn how to increase your information retention, speed up the acquisition of new skills, and become the person necessary to achieve ambitious goals.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/dominic-zijlstra.

Milan is the definition of persistence. In this conversation, Milan shares how to leverage the internet to build your personal brand, what it means to make it today in music and media, how to reverse engineer your dreams, and a day in the life of the manager of a touring superstar.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/milan-ackerman.

Today, Bryan is the founder of Ahura AI, an artificial intelligence and biometric data company enabling accelerated education. Bryan also runs AB+ Ventures, an impact fund focused on transformational AI, and Digital Guardians, a non-profit he started with Richard Branson to mitigate existential risk.

Bryan has a remarkable ability to connect with people. In this conversation, we share systems and strategies for presenting yourself confidently in social settings, activating your network to maximize your opportunity surface area, and making more authentic connections.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/bryan-talebi.

Abby joins Chris Sparks to share the elements of telling a great story.

What makes a story powerful? How do we become better listeners to reveal the hidden superpowers in the people around us? How can we structure the stories we tell to better connect with an audience?

As a director, Abby helps us see ourselves in the people who once seemed different. She has a deep understanding of what makes a character tick, building the rapport and trust necessary to bring their truth out and communicating that truth visually on screen in a way that resonates.

For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/abby-fuller

Paul joins Chris Sparks to ask the dangerous question: What if we threw out the default scripts of success and carved our own path? How would our relationship with work transform? 

This is a conversation about living in alignment with our values and doing meaningful work towards a meaningful life.

For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/paul-millerd

Is writing a priority for you this year? Do you want to work on a book or be more consistent with publishing your blog or newsletter?

Many of the blocks to consistent writing are psychological, not practical. Sasha shares techniques for narrowing the gap from your brain to the page and making the writing process more enjoyable.​

For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/sasha-chapin.

​Hac joins Chris Sparks to discuss playing Positive Sum Games. This is a conversation about achieving your full potential while remaining balanced and aligned.

How can we become elite competitors in high-stakes pursuits like poker, trading, and entrepreneurship without that competitiveness leaking over into our relationships and personal lives? When is it correct to leave wealth on the table in pursuit of greater happiness and fulfillment?

For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/hac-dang

For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/khe-hy-3

Thanh joins Chris Sparks to discuss building a high-performing team and how to systematically design smooth and efficient operations. They share their principles and strategies for onboarding hires, streamlining processes, and getting the most out of your team.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunction.com/podcast/thanh-pham.

​Gagan joins Chris to share how founders can accelerate their path to acquiring product market fit. Gagan’s extensive startup experience taught him that creating a “minimum viable product” or MVP—widely considered startup dogma—leads teams astray by over-building and over-developing too early in the process. If you are building your company around outdated paradigms like Lean Startup, you’re going to have a bad time.

​Instead, through Minimum Viable Testing, teams can save time, avoid hiring developers too early, and have higher accuracy on their eventual initial product.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/gagan-biyani.

Nicholas joins Chris for a conversation on correctly sizing your investments using the Kelly Criterion, the financial alchemy of dollar-cost averaging, and strategies for sticking to your investing principles when you need them most.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/nicholas-yoder.

Denise joined Chris for a conversation on how top-performing investors win the mental game.

For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/denise-shull. 

David joined Chris to discuss how to generate creative states of mind and why different stages of a creative require different approaches.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/david-kadavy. 

Khe Hy joined Chris Sparks for a presentation and conversation on how to apply David Allen's classic book Getting Things Done (GTD) in this completely different world in which we find ourselves twenty years later.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/khe-hy-gtd. 

Ali joined Chris to discuss how learning in public is the best way to accelerate growth and achieve your full potential.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/ali-abdaal. 

Chris Williamson joined Chris Sparks in a look behind the scenes at their 2020 Annual Reviews. They discussed how to extract maximum value from your end-of-year reflection and craft goals that will propel you to become your best self.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/chris-williamson. 

Garrett joined Chris to unfold poker’s hidden dimensions: the dark matter which separates winners from the rest of the field.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/garrett-adelstein. 

Spencer joined Chris to discuss principles and techniques for improving our decision-making and reducing thinking biases.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/spencer-greenberg.

Taylor joined Chris to discuss becoming more accurate predictors of the future and positioning ourselves to be antifragile to an uncertain world. 

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/taylor-pearson.

David joined Chris to discuss revealing your unique ability, leveraging your strengths, and building a personal brand that attracts inbound opportunities.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/david-perell.

Tiago joined Chris by popular demand for a sequel to episode 2, The Lifecycle of an Online Course. They dive deeper into the lessons Tiago has learned launching 10 courses over the last 7 years which have generated well over one million dollars in sales including the 4P’s model for successful course launches.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/tiago-forte-2.

Nat joins Chris to discuss quickly getting new projects off the ground, systematically accelerating your learning curve, and making your creative output feel more effortless. Nat is incredibly prolific and has a proven knack for quickly turning ideas into action.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/nat-eliason.

Khe joined Chris to discuss ways to systematize living your version of The Good Life by discovering what you really want, designing your life dashboard, and avoiding the "When-Then" trap.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/khe-hy.

Tiago joined Chris to discuss the evolution of online education, why most online courses fail, and how to design, build, and market a profitable online course.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/tiago-forte.

Steve joined Chris to discuss startup fundraising, the anatomy of leadership, and executive performance.

For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit forcingfunctionhour.com/steve-schlafman.