#61 – Jeff Bezos Letter to Amazon Shareholders 2020

My guest this week is Christopher Cox, author of the book, “The Deadline Effect: How to Work Like It’s the Last Minute, Before the Last Minute.” There is something about deadlines. They can motivate and inspire us to do great work and they can create urgency – would we ever complete any significant project without a deadline? – but they can also cause anxiety and stress.In his extensive research for the book, Christopher Cox visited a ski resort before opening day, a fine-dining restaurant before the grand opening and even an Easter Lilly farm as they planned ahead for Easter. In the process, he learned how successful organizations use deadlines to effectively mobilize and align resources. In this episode we discuss techniques and strategies we can employ to use deadlines to increase our own productivity and, perhaps even achieve a state of flow.So, if you want to eliminate procrastination, get more done and feel better doing it, you won't want to miss this one.  Topics Covered:How deadlines reduce anxiety and help us be more productive.Why people mistakenly associate deadlines with anxiety when they are actually remembering the unpleasant feeling of procrastination.Why it's effective to space out deadlines.What is the planning fallacy and how to avoid it.How to work "right to left" to ensure your big project comes in on time.What we can learn from how ski resorts meet their opening day deadline every year.How to use a "soft deadline with teeth."What we can learn from people who prepare for deadlines that are random.How, if we can achieve a state of being "constantly productive, constantly prepared," we will experience a state of flow.Why "as soon as possible" is the worst deadline you can setResourcesThe Deadline Effect: How to Work Like It's the Last Minute, Before the Last Minute, by Christopher Cox.Connect with Christopher CoxTwitter: https://twitter.com/cwheLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-cox-5a70467/Connect with Sean MurrayEmail: [email protected]: @seanpmurray111Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My guest today is Bob Cancalosi, the author of several books about journaling, most recently, Four Loops Learning: Reflection Points. Bob has been journaling for over 20 years. I talk with him about why he got started, what kept him going through the years and how it's enhanced his life. He also talks about getting diagnosed, three years ago, with a rare head and neck cancer, and how journaling has helped him through a very trying ordeal, and now it's changed his perspective on life.If you are already journal daily, you'll love this conversation and if you don't currently journal, look out, because Bob just might inspire you to start.Topics:How a fear of complacency drove Bob to start journalingWhy he writes about anything that motivates or inspired himWhy "leaders how are deliberately more reflective are profoundly more effective"Why it's important to go back and read the past 50 pages of your journal to extract the most impactful ideas.How journaling helps leaders slow down, think deeper and mitigate risks before they make decisionsWhat is "additive thinking" and how it can help usWhy it's much more effective to write in your journal by hand versus typing into a laptop.Why the adage "repeat to remember and remember to repeat" is so important for journalingWhy the key to journaling is prioritizing and acting on your biggest ideasWhy its better to share knowledge with others rather than horde it-Why it's important to define our purposeResourcesFour Loop Learning: Reflection Points, by Bob CancalosiConnect with Bob CancalosiWebsite: https://www.fourlooplearning.com/Twitter: @BobCancalosiLInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-cancalosi-03039418/Connect with Sean MurrayEmail: [email protected]: @seanpmurray111Website: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode I talk with John Garrett, investment manager at MA Financial and the author of the popular blog, Investment Master Class. John talks about how being a successful investor requires continuous learning, and how the practice of writing has helped him become a better investor.What You'll LearnWhy some companies "fight the fade"What Garrett learned by reading Nick Sleep's investment lettersThe importance of taking a multi-disciplinary approach to learningWhy the Santa Fe Institute is such a great resource for investorsAdvice for those just getting started in the industryResourcesInvestment Master ClassConnect with John GarrettLInkedIn: John GarrettTwitter: @mastersinvestConnect with Sean MurrayEmail: [email protected]: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

My guest today is Ron Friedman, author of Decoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success. In this episode Ron applies the principles of reverse engineering to creative fields like writing and investing. We talk about how to study people who are the best in the world at what they do by breaking down what it is they’re doing that is contributing to their success, and then then working backward to figure out how they did it.Ron reveals how true innovation comes from following an established formula and then making it a little more original by putting our own spin on it.  Topics:Why completely novel ideas often failHow to break down a successful book, movie, speech, article, TED Talk or song and learn from itHow to start with an established formula and make it a little bit more originalWhat the “vision-ability” gap is and how to overcome itWhy it’s important to find and measure the leading indicators that predict success in your fieldWhy Friedman keeps a “Five Year Diary” and how it helps him get more out of every dayWhy studying someone and actively trying to copy their work will eventually help you find your own creativityBooks & ResourcesDecoding Greatness: How the Best in the World Reverse Engineer Success by Ron FriedmanConnect with Ron FriedmanTwitter: @ronfriedmanWebsite: https://www.ignite80.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronfriedmanphd/Connect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: [email protected]: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's guest is Bob Pozen, the former president of Fidelity Investments. He teaches a course at MIT Sloan called "Maximizing your own Productivity" and he recently authored a book with Alexendra Samuel titled, "Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work...Wherever You Are"TopicsWhy we shouldn't think of ourselves as a "remote worker," rather we should think of ourselves as "Remote, Inc."Why the mindset of becoming a "business of one" is so importantThe critical role autonomy plays in becoming an productive and happy remote workerWhy companies need to shift from measuring "hours worked" to measuring resultsWhat was unique about how Peter Lynch managed his time at FidelityWhy we should leave an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon for thinking timeHow writing helps you clarify your thinkingWhy everyone should aim for the optimal amount of remote workWhy remote work is here to stay (at least in some form) and how to prepare for the future.Books & Resources"Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work Wherever You Are," by Robert Pozen and Alexandra Samuel"Extreme Productivity" by Robert PozenRemote, Inc. WebsiteConnect with Robert PozenTwitter: @PozenConnect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: [email protected]: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike Horne is the author of "Integrity by Design: Working and Living Authentically." Mike consults with organizations to help them build authentic cultures and he works directly with executives as a leadership coach.In this episode we explore what it means to live an authentic life. We look to Warren Buffett as as an example in the business community as someone who leads with integrity and has built a company, in Berkshire Hathaway, that is built on trust. We discuss the corporate scandals at both Enron and Wells Fargo, and the cautionary tale s they provide of what happens when an organization fails to build a strong culture of integrity. And finally, Mike provides tips on how we can use the principles of Integrity by Design to live a more authentic , flourishing life.What You'll LearnWhy integrity and reputation is so important in business and lifeHow Warren Buffett "leads with integrity"What cautionary tales from Enron and Wells Fargo teach us about what happens to organizations that lack integrityWhat it means to live an authentic lifeHow authenticity can lead us to purposeBooks & ResourcesIntegrity by Design: Working and Living Authentically by Mike HorneConnect with Mike Horne, Ph.D.Twitter: @mikehorneauthorWebsite: https://mike-horne.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikehorne1/Connect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: [email protected]: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s guest is a former designer from Apple who is now the Executive Director of the Stanford Design Program, and he teaches a hugely popular course at Stanford called Designing Your Life. His name is Bill Burnett and he’s the co-author of the book,Designing Your Life, How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life. Bill has taken the principles of design that he learned at Apple and he helps people apply them to design their life. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:The importance of curiosity and how to cultivate itWhy Bias to Action is so critical when it comes to designing our livesThe role that prototyping plays in helping us move toward our best lifeWhy finding our passion is hard, but following our energy is easyHow following that energy can help us build a better lifeBOOKS AND RESOURCESDesigning Your Life, How to Build a Well-Lived Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave EvansCONNECT WITH BILL BURNETTTwitter AccountWebsite: designingyour.lifeFacebook AccountGET IN TOUCH WITH SEAN MURRAYSean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: [email protected]: RealTime Performance, Inc.Weekly Newsletter: RealTime Performance NewsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 My guest this week is Robert Cialdini, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University and author of the New York Times best-selling book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion . A new and expanded version is being release this week.Professor Cialdini's book has had an enormous impact on those of us in the Value Investing community. In fact, when Charlie Munger read the book he was so impressed, and he benefited so much from the principles in the book, he personally reached out to Cialdini to express his appreciation, and being Charlie, he went above and beyond. I ask Cialdini to tell the story about his interaction with Munger early in the interview and you wont want to miss it.In this episode we talk about the seven principles of influence and Cialdini weaves in stories and examples from Warren Buffet, and Berkshire Hathaway and Jeff Bezos and Amazon. Cialdini explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these insights ethically in business and life.  Topics:Why Charlie Munger reached out to Cialdini personally after he read his bookHow Warren Buffett uses the principles of persuasion in his Annual Letter to ShareholdersThe Seven Principles of Persuasion and how to apply them ethicallyHow to defend ourselves against unscrupulous characters trying to influence usThe principle of Scarcity and how booking sites use it to drive up revenueHow Jeff Bezos and Amazon use the principle of Commitment to increase employee engagementThe principle of Reciprocity and why it is so powerfulThe principle of Unity and how Cialdini came to include it in this latest versionBooks & ResourcesInfluence: The Psychology of Influence by Robert CialdiniConnect with Robert CialdiniTwitter: @RobertCialdiniConnect with Sean MurraySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 In today’s episode we’re going to explore the writings of Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon. He recently announced he is stepping down from the role of CEO but will remain as Chairman. And he just published his 2020 Letter to Shareholders, which is the last letter he will write as CEO, I presume. Also, in the past year, a book of his Collected Writing was published by Harvard Business Review Press titled, “Invent & Wander”. And that includes an introduction by Walter Isaacson, the author of the biography of Steve Jobs. And that is a tremendous resource that includes all of his annual letters going back to the very first one in 1997, as well as transcripts of speeches he’s given throughout the years. Join me as we go through Jeff Bezos latest letter to Amazon Shareholders, and pull out lessons we can learn to help us succeed in business and in life.Topics:A look back at Amazon's growth since Bezos' first letter to shareholders in 1997How Amazon creates value for shareholders, customers, third-party sellers and employeesWhy "saving time" for customers is the area where Amazon provides the most valueWhy innovation is the source of all value creation in societyWhy Amazon is adding a new element to its core missionThe Climate Pledge and Amazon's role in leading that effortWhy differentiation is survival and the universe wants you to be typicalWhy investing in your unique talents and skills is an important element to living The Good LifeBooks & ResourcesBezos Letter to Amazon Shareholders 2020Invent and Wander: The Collective Writings of Jeff BezosConnect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: [email protected]: www.seanpmurray.net"The Good Life" Newsletter: SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's guest is William Green, author of Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life. This is an incredible book, profiling some of the greatest investors: Monish Pabrai, Charlie Munger, Bill Miller, Nick Sleep, and many more. Green reveals the principles and habits that contributed to their success in both investing and life.We talk about how these investors spend their time. How they build resilience, how they handle the inevitable setbacks, the role honesty and integrity plays in their careers, and we end on a discussion about what super wealth does for these individuals and how it contributes to their well-being.Topics The most important thing great investors do differently when it comes to managing their timeWhy Nick Sleep put his Bloomberg machine in a different room with an uncomfortable chairWhy the intensity of a habit is not as important as the fact that it is directionally correctHow the greatest investors handle mistakes, setbacks and adversityWhy Bill Miller turned to Stoicism to help him weather the Financial CrisisHow Monish Pabrai used the power of cloning to replicate Buffett and Munger's successCharlie Munger on how to have a happy lifeWhy Green considers Arnold Van Den Berg the most successful human being in the investment worldResourcesRicher, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life by William Green.Connect with William GreenTwitter: @williamgreen72Connect with Sean MurraySean's Twitter AccountSean's LinkedIn AccountEmail: [email protected]: www.seanpmurray.net"The Good Life" Newsletter: SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.