21.6K
Downloads
59
Episodes
Why Not Almost There? I had never run a long race in my life, but here I am, in the middle of the 2015 Chicago Marathon. I’m feeling fantastic, even thinking I could go double the distance. Just being in this race was a mini-miracle. I had heart surgery and back surgery a decade earlier. I could barely stand back then, let alone run. Nonetheless, I’m fired up and feel better than ever. Then I see right in front of me— a sign that nearly stops me in my tracks, NOT ALMOST THERE. I try to brush it off but can’t stop thinking about those words. Every step seems heavier, harder, and then I start cramping up. I begin to walk and complain inside and out. I struggle the entire second half but finish (barely) with everything I have after being physically and mentally crushed. I have never stopped thinking about that sign but that’s fueled a quest to understand the power of the mind, body, and spirit. To understand how we accomplish things. To understand how we become better in the race against time and ourselves. Who am I? Southside Chicago kid. Young Father (20). Assembly line worker. Found 15 seconds between building cars to study. Graduated. Took 5 years. Created a few companies. Sold two. 800 employees. Created Refuel and Not Almost There to help others.
Episodes
Sunday Feb 21, 2021
Sunday Feb 21, 2021
🚪Alex Banayan, author, interview guru, and speaker. Throughout his unprecedented journey, Banayan’s research led him to interview the most innovative leaders of the past half-century, including Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, Larry King, Maya Angelou, Steve Wozniak, Jane Goodall, Jessica Alba, Quincy Jones, and more. Alex is also the youngest bestselling business author in American history. The Third Door chronicles Banayan’s seven-year quest to uncover the definitive mindset of exponential growth and success. Alex was also named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and Business Insider’s “Most Powerful People Under 30,” Banayan is his generation’s leading expert in high-performance and personal development, having been featured in Fortune, CNBC, Businessweek, The Washington Post, MSNBC, Fox News, and NBC News. Banayan has presented the Third Door™ framework to corporate leadership teams around the world, including Apple, Google, Nike, IBM, Snapchat, Salesforce, Delta Airlines, Kaiser Permanente, Mastercard, and Disney.
→IN THIS EPISODE… Alex Banayan discusses his journey and how he was able to achieve his dream by meeting his heroes. Along the way, he gained valuable course-changing lessons he put into his phenomenal book, The Third Door. Take a moment to connect with Joe and Alex about these insights from many including a rare job shadow with Tony Hsieh to a valuable life lesson from his father.
🔍 Breakdown with Alex Banayan:
IN THIS EPISODE
Chapter 1 (0:00​​​) Intro Alex Banayan
Joe introduces Alex and sets up the episode.
Chapter 2 (4:31​​) Tony Hsieh's Master Class in Leadership
One person Alex has met during his mentorship journey was Tony Hsieh. Alex shares how he was able to shadow Tony, and his biggest takeaways from that experience.
Chapter 3 (​10:39​​) You Have to Ask
Shadowing someone like Tony Hsieh taught Alex a valuable lesson; help is always there for you if you dare to ask.
Chapter 4 (​12:39​​) Reluctant Family Support
Being a child of an immigrant family there were certain expectations and a path predetermined, but Alex chose a different way. At early as Alex’s late teens, he knew he had a burning desire to meet his heroes and ask them interesting questions.
Chapter 5 (19:58​​​) Heart-Based Choices
Doing things Alex’s way. He had to go with personal intuition and balance between studying and looking within yourself.
Chapter 6 (23:00​​​) Qi Lu Lessons
Qi was working not from the fuel of ambition but from the fuel of gratitude, this was just one lesson Alex was able to take away from such an iconic visionary.
Chapter 7 (30:05​​) Warren Buffet Valuable Lessons
8 months of full immersion researching Warren Buffet changed Alex’s perspective and made a very clear realization. Integrity is the single most important quality for a person to achieve great success.
Chapter 8 (​35:49​​) Effectiveness of Person to Person interaction
Technology has changed, but human beings have not. Alex learned this great lesson from Larry King, and there is no better way to connect than seeing them eye to eye. Alex also explains how to manifest this in a covid-world.
Chapter 9 (45:20​​​) What Do You Actually Want from Steve (Woz) Wozniak
Make sure you articulate/write what your goal is, and focus on what makes you happy and how to get there.
Chapter 10 (50:18​​​) Lady Gaga at an Unexpected Moment
The only thing you have control over is your actions.
Chapter 11 (​54:17​​) Quincy Jones was a Life-Changing Interview
The opposite of success isn’t a failure, the opposite of success isn’t trying; that idea is something that occurred to Alex after reflecting on his amazing experience with Quincy.
Chapter 12 (​59:05​​) A burning question from Cal Fussman
Ask the questions that you feel come from the heart and not the head. Best interviews come when curiosity is in the driver’s seat.
Chapter 13 (1:03:12​​) In Closing — Lessons From a Father
Making money is great, but if you are doing it at someone else’s expense, then that's not a success. Also, some rapid questions with some rapid answers.
Material Referenced in this interview:
→The Third Door by Alex Banayan
→Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
→https://www.gladwellbooks.com/​
Â
đź“ž Connect with Alex
→http://thirddoorbook.com/​
→https://www.facebook.com/AlexBanayan/​
→https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbanayan/​
→https://www.instagram.com/alexbanayan/​
→https://twitter.com/AlexBanayan​
Â
đź‘Š To learn more about Not Almost There by visiting this link
→ Not Almost There http://notalmostthere.com/​​
Â
Connect with Joe on social here:
→Instagram https://www.instagram.com/joe_chura/​​
→Facebook https://www.facebook.com/notalmostthe...​
→Twitter http://twitter.com/joechura