Best Alan Weiss Podcasts (2026)

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#108 - "Borrowed Time, Part 2": Journalist Alan Weiss, the first to report the news about John Lennon on 12/8/80 48:49

Play Pause

19d ago48:49

48:49

On Dec. 8, 1980, journalist Alan Weiss, a local TV news producer on WABC-TV in New York City, headed out on his motorcycle into the night. A crash with a taxi landed him in Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, where, lying on a gurney, he thought he heard a conversation that indicated that John Lennon had been shot and was in the emergency room nex…

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Oliver Burkeman: Why Positive Thinking Fails and the Paradox of Pursuing Happiness 54:08

10m ago54:08

54:08

Oliver Burkeman, author of "The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking," dismantles the self-help industry's obsession with optimism and goal-setting. Raised as a Quaker with pro-social parents, Burkeman explores why chasing happiness often makes us miserable, how negative visualization (imagining worst-case scenarios) bui…

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Michelle Gielan: How Small Shifts in Communication Create Big Changes in Happiness and Resilience 45:22

23m ago45:22

45:22

In this powerful conversation, former CBS news anchor and positive psychology researcher Michelle Gielan unpacks how we can rewire our communication habits to shape more resilient, empowered, and optimistic lives — both personally and collectively. Drawing on research from her book *Broadcasting Happiness*, Gielan shows how small shifts in the way …

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Happy New Year 2:52

39m ago2:52

2:52

SHOW NOTES:New Year celebrations date back 4,000 years to ancient Babylon, where the festival of Akitu marked the new year around the spring equinox with religious rituals, debt-paying promises (early resolutions), and kingly renewals. Early civilizations linked it to agricultural cycles, like Egyptians with the Nile's flood. The Roman calendar, sh…

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Breaking Free from the Plan: How Decision Engineering Can Transform Your Life with Michelle Florendo 43:51

19m ago43:51

43:51

Michelle Florendo shares her journey from following the immigrant dream of Stanford, an MBA, and a "good job" to discovering she was miserable and needed to chart her own path. As a decision engineering expert, she reveals the three essential elements of every decision (options, objectives, and information), explains why we confuse decision quality…

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#109 - Looking back at our 2025 shows with Ringo Starr and help from many friends! 1:15:38

8h ago1:15:38

1:15:38

On this special show, we take a look back at some memorable moments from the shows we did in 2025. You'll hear from Joey Molland, Bruce Spizer, Piers Hemmingsen, Jude Southerland Kessler, Cha-Chi Loprete, Chris O'Dell, Gary Von Scyoc, Candy Leonard, Michele Wood Marotta, Al Sussman, Madeline Bocaro, Laurie Kaye, Rob Frith, Alan Weiss, Andru Reeve, …

51
Merry Christmas 2:55

5d ago2:55

2:55

SHOW NOTES:Two of the most popular Christmas Songs (aside from Mariah Carey’s cloying All I Want for Christmas Is You) are I’ll Be Home for Christmas (Kim Gannon, Walter Kent, Buck Ram) from 1943, introduced by Bing Crosby; and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane) introduced by Judy Garland in 1943, also. Frank Sinat…

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Justin McRoberts: Mortality, Meaning, and Giving Away Everything You've Got 48:13

3d ago48:13

48:13

Justin McRoberts, musician, pastor, and author of "It's What You Make of It," shares how confronting death early in life shaped his approach to creativity and faith. Having attended over 20 funerals by age 25, McRoberts explains why understanding mortality is essential to living fully and why the cultural narrative of imperviousness keeps people fr…

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That's All I Have 3:56

19d ago3:56

3:56

SHOW NOTES:We had left Vigil Mass on Saturday night where I helped serve Communion as a Eucharistic Minister. (I’ll be the lector next week.) We drove ten minutes to the restaurant for dinner and immediately heard of the shooting at Brown University. (And as I write this, a similar horror at Bondi Beach in Australia which was aimed at Jews celebrat…

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Fog of Truth: Ai Weiwei's Revolutionary Turandot 24:31

7d ago24:31

24:31

In this episode of Fog of Truth, Bart, John, and guest Daphne Street, an opera aficionado, discuss the documentary about Ai Weiwei's modern adaptation of Puccini's last opera, 'Turandot.' They explore Weiwei's unique interpretation, which highlights feminism and political discourse, and the challenges faced during production, including COVID-19 dis…

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Jaimie Alexander 1:23:18

13d ago1:23:18

1:23:18

Jaimie Alexander (Thor, Blindspot) returns to the podcast to talk about how she handles negative overthinking by actively seeking and seeing moments of joy in life. Jaimie also recently started a Substack where she openly chronicles her incredible recovery from health issues and numerous stunt-related injuries (you can link to it through her Instag…

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Political Bloviation 6:27

26d ago6:27

6:27

SHOW NOTES:I am neither aware nor unaware.Did. you lobby to get her on the board? She'll make an excellent board member. But did you arrange for her appointment. She's a stellar candidate.Weren't you in charge of this huge problem area? No, I inherited it. But before that you were a top officer of the company. Surely you must have known that the op…

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Jeff Wald: Navigating the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Why Personal Responsibility Defines the Future of Work 51:27

16d ago51:27

51:27

Jeff Wald, author of The End of Jobs and CEO of WorkMarket, examines how robots and AI are creating the fourth industrial revolution—a massive power shift from workers to companies that mirrors past technological upheavals. Drawing from labor history, on-demand platforms, and regulatory battles like California Prop 22, Wald reveals why the lifetime…

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Jeff Spencer: The Champion Blueprint and the Eight Inevitable Steps to Peak Performance 42:41

17d ago42:41

42:41

Jeff Spencer, former Olympic cyclist and performance coach to Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, and Olympic gold medalists, breaks down the precise architecture of champion-level achievement. From losing his father at age 10 to competing in the Munich Olympics to coaching nine Tour de France victories, Jeff reveals the eight sequential steps every prol…

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Jason Naylor: The Psychology of Color and Why Bright Hues Unlock Positivity, Memory, and Human Connection 49:27

20d ago49:27

49:27

Jason Naylor, artist and author of Live Life Colorfully, shares how growing up as the second of seven children in a Mormon family in Salt Lake City shaped his caretaker personality and his eventual escape to New York where he discovered creative liberation. Naylor reveals the symbiotic relationship between color and messaging in his work—the more p…

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Alone Again, Or Maybe Not 4:43

1M ago4:43

4:43

SHOW NOTES:I heard an "influencer" today on a morning talk show explain that dating, or having any ongoing relationship, is no longer considered favorable. In fact, he pointed out, many people are finding that being single—is "aspirational."Now, I can understand independence and self-sufficiency, hell, I write about them as positive traits. But to …

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Jacob Sager Weinstein: The Memory Palace Method and Why You Cannot Synthesize What You Do Not Remember 51:29

21d ago51:29

51:29

Jacob Sager Weinstein, comedy writer for Dennis Miller and author of How to Remember Everything, shares how growing up in privileged Washington DC where the vice president's daughter was in his debate club gave him confidence to walk into any room but delayed his understanding that not everyone has equal access to opportunity until he reached Princ…

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Hillary Weiss: The Danger of Just Mindset and Why Imitation Is a Trap for Finding Your Golden Thread 53:21

22d ago53:21

53:21

Hillary Weiss, brand strategist and positioning coach, reflects on growing up in suburban South Florida where attending the same school for 14 years meant everyone remembered who peed their pants in pre-K yet created lifelong friendships that watched her evolve from emo to punk rock to professional white woman. Weiss challenges the dangerous mindse…

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The Courage of Your Talent 9:21

1M ago9:21

9:21

SHOW NOTES:I've been consulting, coaching, advising and otherwise helping people to achieve success, personally and professionally, for over half a century. Those clients include CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, top governmental elected officials, executive directors on nonprofits, solo entrepreneurs, entertainers, athletes, and lawyers, accountants,…

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Chris & Mike! 1:10:35

27d ago1:10:35

1:10:35

Mike Phirman drops by (via videoconferencing software) for a holiday week hangout! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy Chris Hardwick

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TJF Live #119 | Rabbi Mark Wildes, The Jewish Experience is out of this world 1:08:41

1M ago1:08:41

1:08:41

Rabbi Mark Wildes, aka the millennial Rabbi, has spent the last two decades helping thousands of young Jews in NYC reconnect with meaning, community, and a Judaism that actually speaks to real life. Founder of Manhattan Jewish Experience and author of The Jewish Experience, he joins us to unpack what Jewish wisdom is really for — and why practice, …

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Gautum Mukunda: The Paradox of Leader Selection and Why Unfiltered Presidents Are a Dangerous Gamble 58:48

1M ago58:48

58:48

Gautum Mukunda, Harvard professor and author of Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter, reveals the paradox at the heart of leadership selection: the more effort you put into picking a leader, the less it matters who you pick. Drawing from decades of presidential history, Mukunda introduces the concept of filtered versus unfiltered leaders—Georg…

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#107 "Borrowed Time, Part 1": Writer-director Alan G Parker on his new documentary "Borrowed Time: Lennon's Last Decade" 1:14:33

29d ago1:14:33

1:14:33

In the first of two shows on the new documentary "Borrowed Time: Lennon's Last Decade," which debuts in the U.S. Dec. 8, we talk to its writer-director Alan G. Parker, who takes us behind the scenes of the making of the film that includes previously unseen and unheard details of a lavish tour planned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono to promote their "Do…

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TJF Live #118 | Jeff Weiss "fighting back" co-author and creator of stickersofmeaning 1:06:33

1M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

We’re joined by Jeff Weiss, co-author of Fighting Back: Stan Andrews and the Birth of the Israeli Air Force — the riveting true story of an assimilated American Jew who rediscovered his identity by becoming one of Israel’s first fighter pilots in 1948. The prolific Jeff is also the founder of Stickers of Meaning, a powerful project preserving the p…

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TJF Live #117 | Alan Graf - the mind of a lawyer, the heart of an artist 1:02:27

1M ago1:02:27

1:02:27

Beyond music, Alan’s life’s work has been devoted to weaving together activism, artistry, and the law to spark meaningful change. He views both his creative work and his law degree as essential tools in his ongoing mission to make a difference in a world that is both beautiful and challenging. Alan recently released a folk musical titled Sarah Arth…

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TJF Live #116 | Oded Nir - Coming home עודד ניר - הכי טוב בבית 1:19:05

1M ago1:19:05

1:19:05

Oded Nir was an Amsterdam-based chill out/ lounge/soulful/deep producer/remixer and the main man behind Suntree Records and Suntree Agency. But one day, he left it all behind and moved back to Israel. Why? How does it feel? Where is home? Where do we go from here? Join us. עודד ניר ברשת W: odednir.nl FB: facebook.com/wddnyr.2025 WHAT IS THEJEWFUNCT…

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Cal Newport: Why Social Media Is Big Tobacco Not Big Oil and the Steam Whistle Theory of Attention 1:06:33

1M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

Cal Newport, computer science professor and author of Digital Minimalism, argues that the better analogy for social media is not big oil that must be broken up because it's vital to society but big tobacco that must be culturally rejected because it's unhealthy and dispensable—people don't care if you tell them to leave Facebook for six months but …

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Ethan Kross: Mastering Your Inner Voice Before It Masters You 55:06

1M ago55:06

55:06

Psychologist and bestselling author Ethan Kross breaks down the science of *chatter*—the internal voice that can either empower or paralyze us. Drawing on decades of research in neuroscience and emotion regulation, Kross explains how introspection, while powerful, can often backfire, leading to rumination, anxiety, and impaired performance.In this …

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Cal Newport: Cognitive Athleticism and Why Elite Performers Protect Their Attention 1:06:33

1M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

Computer science professor and bestselling author Cal Newport explains why cognitive fitness matters as much as physical fitness for elite performance. Drawing from his work with NBA teams and hedge fund managers, Newport breaks down the connection between attention control and exceptional achievement. He challenges the myth that social media grows…

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Eric Barker: The Science of Relationships and Why Playing Well with Others Matters More Than You Think 1:21:50

1M ago1:21:50

1:21:50

Eric Barker, bestselling author of Barking Up the Wrong Tree and Plays Well with Others, reveals what decades of social science research says about relationships, friendship, love, and meaning. From his journey through Hollywood screenwriting to the video game industry to running one of the most-read personal development blogs, Eric explains his ob…

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Process vs Content 6:57

2M ago6:57

6:57

SHOW NOTES:If you want to maximize your business growth, you need to generalize and not specialize. There may be exceptions, but generally, the more potential buyers you have the more business you'll generate.A content expert knows the "what." It may be insurance, or auto manufacture, or solar panels. You sell insurance to people to need insurance,…

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Dylan Beynon: Building Mindbloom and the Science of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy 54:09

1M ago54:09

54:09

Dylan Beynon, founder of Mindbloom, shares the deeply personal story behind building the first at-home ketamine therapy platform. After losing his mother and sister to severe mental illness, Dylan became determined to bring psychedelic medicine into mainstream healthcare. He explains the neuroscience of how ketamine creates neuroplasticity—allowing…

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Brea Starmer: Redefining Work Around Highest and Best Use, Not Hours Logged 45:18

1M ago45:18

45:18

Brea Starmer, founder of Lions and Tigers, challenges the outdated workplace model that measures face time over impact. Drawing from her experience as a mother of three running a company during COVID-19, she introduces the concept of "highest and best use"—a real estate framework adapted to human potential that prioritizes outcomes over hours logge…

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Douglass Vigliotti: Wrestling with Conviction and Why Creative Work Demands Uncomfortable Honesty 57:05

1M ago57:05

57:05

Douglass Vigliotti, author and creative, explores the tension between doubt and conviction that defines the creative process. Drawing from his parents, his father relentless drive and his mother empathy, Douglass reflects on what it means to pursue creative work when society constantly asks if you want more. This conversation examines the uncomfort…

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Donny Jackson: The Internalized Stains of Slavery and Why Empathy Cannot Develop Without Interaction Across Racial Lines 51:58

2M ago51:58

51:58

Donny Jackson, poet and psychologist, reflects on growing up as a working-class black kid in Pittsburgh where his father was a postal worker for 35 years and his mother was a nurse's aide—parents who instilled work ethic, integrity, and honor while navigating a world not built for young black children. Jackson traces the roots of American racism to…

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#106 - George Harrison was here! Photos of his 1970 Florida visit are revealed! 35:59

2M ago35:59

35:59

In 1970, George Harrison and Pattie Boyd visited Florida to see relatives. While locals had passed on stories of the trip, no photos had emerged until recently. Jeff Fisk of the Deerfield Historical Society, along with photographer Tom Craig who prepared the photos for display, Margot Winick of the Beatles In Florida Facebook page and Sara Schmidt …

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TJF Live #115 | Virág Gulyás - Almost Jewish 1:21:56

2M ago1:21:56

1:21:56

Virág Gulyás is a non-Jewish, Hungarian-born former EU diplomat who has become a prominent global activist and speaker against antisemitism. Her intriguing journey began from a background of casual antisemitism in post-communist Hungary to becoming a passionate, vocal advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. Known for her blog and movement "The A…

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Bjorn Ryan-Gorman: Coming Out as Gay in the Snowboarding World and Reclaiming Masculinity on Your Own Terms 45:23

2M ago45:23

45:23

Bjorn Ryan-Gorman, professional snowskater and LGBTQ+ advocate, shares his journey from hiding his sexuality behind aggressive board sports to building a life of authenticity in Portland. Growing up in Montana as a sponsored snow athlete, Ryan-Gorman used snowboarding and skateboarding as outlets for self-hatred and denial, pushing himself to dange…

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It's Just Me! Chris Hardwick! 37:17

1M ago37:17

37:17

An experimental solo show of I Think You're Overthinking It, talking about, well, overthinking it. Chris totally forgot what week it was and thought a new episode was posting NEXT week, but guess what! It was THIS week! So he used it as an opportunity to try a solo episode to see if that was remotely interesting, cuz why not? Learn more about your …

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#105 - Charles Rosenay and Chachi Loprete talk about their Beatle-themed bash on Sunday 36:19

2M ago36:19

36:19

Charles Rosenay!!! and Chachi Loprete, two well-known figures in the world of Beatles fandom, discuss their upcoming salute to Beatlemania taking place this Sunday, Nov. 16, in Arlington, Mass. featuring The Cyrkle, special guest Billy J. Kramer (both managed by legendary Beatles manager Brian Epstein), and the '60s Thunder. Listen to this podcast …

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TJF Live #114 | Dan Brotman - from a Lebanese prison to the London School of Economics 1:17:59

2M ago1:17:59

1:17:59

How does a migration lawyer from Boston end up in a Lebanese prison on suspicion of being an Israeli spy? Dan Brotman has traveled to nearly 90 countries, including Iran and Afghanistan, to document the lives of people and far-flung Jewish communities. He has spent time in South Africa and Canada and just recently decided to leave the U.S. because …

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The Bag Lady 5:22

2M ago5:22

5:22

SHOW NOTES:I don’t want to give this away, suffice it to say it’s about panic vs. calm, and successful marriages vs. rocky ones.By Alan Weiss

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David Epstein: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World 51:45

1M ago51:45

51:45

David Epstein, author of Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, dismantles the myth that early specialization is the only path to excellence. Drawing from research on elite athletes, musicians, and scientists, David reveals how individual variability in learning means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to skill development. He r…

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TJF Live #113 | Nick Matau loves Israel for some reason 1:21:16

2M ago1:21:16

1:21:16

The 32-year-old Californian isn't Jewish – and didn't even grow up in a Jewish environment. His only connection to the Jewish people is through the man who raised him from age one, a Samoan, who instilled in him a love for the Jewish people. That's how's the story of Nick Matau, a former nuclear engineer and now a pro-Israel Tik-Tok sensation, begi…

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Daniel Stillman: The Architecture of Conversations and Why Every Interface Shapes What We Say 1:18:27

1M ago1:18:27

1:18:27

Daniel Stillman, author of Good Talk: How to Design Conversations That Matter, reveals how conversations are designed—whether we realize it or not. Drawing from his background in design thinking and facilitation, Daniel breaks down the components of conversational architecture: openings, turns, power dynamics, and interfaces. He explains why physic…

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Ayelet Fishbach: The Science of Motivation, Why Fantasies Fail, and Balancing Abstract Goals with Concrete Plans 1:07:21

2M ago1:07:21

1:07:21

Ayelet Fishbach, motivation researcher at University of Chicago, dismantles the fantasy-driven approach to New Year's resolutions and goal-setting. Drawing from data spanning multiple years, she reveals that while temporal landmarks like New Year work for initiating goals, only 20% of people still pursue them by November—the difference comes down t…

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TJF Live #112 | Miryam Kabakov ESHEL LGBTQ+ 1:02:55

2M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Jews are experts at social inclusion. Take Miryam Kabakov, an American Jewish social worker, editor and community organizer from St. Paul Minnesota. She is the Executive Director of Eshel, a national organization that supports and advocates for LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews. What does it mean to advocate for LGBTQ+ Jews in the Orthodox space and, more impor…

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Dandapani: Mastering Your Mind as an Operating System, Sexual Energy Transmutation, and the Monastic Path to Unwavering Focus 1:07:07

1M ago1:07:07

1:07:07

Dandapani, former Hindu monk who lived monastically for 10 years, shares teachings from his guru on treating the mind as an operating system that must be understood before it can be mastered. He explains the critical distinction between a focused life (giving undivided attention to whoever/whatever you're engaged with) and a purpose-focused life (w…

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Cal Newport: Slow Productivity, Escaping Pseudo Productivity, and the Three Principles for Sustainable Knowledge Work 1:40:53

2M ago1:40:53

1:40:53

Cal Newport unpacks his framework for Slow Productivity, built on three core principles: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and obsessing over quality. He introduces "pseudo productivity"—the toxic heuristic that emerged in mid-20th century knowledge work when visible activity became a proxy for useful effort because traditional product…

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Alan Stein Jr: The Performance Gap Between Knowing and Doing, and What Elite Athletes Teach Us About Execution 1:05:31

2M ago1:05:31

1:05:31

Alan Stein Jr, former basketball performance coach to Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, and other NBA superstars, reveals why knowledge without execution is worthless and how the world's highest performers bridge the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Drawing from decades working with elite athletes, Stein explains that performance gaps…