The James Swanwick Show

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. “You want to really understand deeply the obstacles that are getting in your way so that you know how to defeat them.” – Alan Belcher (click to tweet) No matter how hard you train, how in shape you are, or how ready you are for your defining moment, if your mindset isn’t right, it’s all for nothing. That’s why getting your mindset in order is one of the most important things to focus on, and today I have former UFC fighter Alan Belcher talking about exactly how you can do that! As Alan explains, it’s all about remembering the 4 P’s of mindset: Present, Positive, don’t be a Pussy, and Process. We dive deeply into each of these on this episode, and when put together as a whole they combine to give you an unstoppable mindset! So grab a pen and take notes so that you can make sure your mind is in the right spot next time it really counts! When everything is on the line, you MUST have your mindset straight, and that’s what you’re learning to do on thi

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Would you be tenacious enough to go straight up to Arnold Schwarzenegger and ask him for what you wanted? I wasn’t at first… I recently had the opportunity to spend some time hanging out at an event with Arnold Schwarzenegger. From the beginning, I knew that the ideal outcome would be that I would get a picture and maybe a video clip with Arnold wearing Swannies Blue Blocking Glasses. Unfortunately, I almost completely missed the opportunity because I didn’t want to bother him, and was overall not tenacious enough. At first… When I finally became tenacious in going after what I wanted, that’s when it all came together for me, as you will hear in this show. There are a lot of life lessons here, so listen to this episode to learn how to be aggressive and tenacious about getting what you want!   Key Takeaways: Main Mission: Try to get Arnold to wear Swannies Blue Blocking Glasses When you miss your opportunity with busy, in-demand people, you have

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. Do you know how to work a room? When you’re meeting new people, and in an unfamiliar environment, does it just seem like you’re the life of the party, or are you nervous and shy?   Today I’m reviewing the book “How to Work a Room” by Susan RoAne. If you’ve ever wondered how to make an awesome impression immediately, this episode is for you! So take notes, and learn how to be the person you want to be on this episode of The James Swanwick Show! Key Takeaways Be the person who introduces him or herself first. This will give you the power and control in the room Try “what’s your story?” instead of “what do you do?” It opens up more conversational topics than just employment Remember to keep smiling. If you’re smiling the first time someone sees you, they’re far more likely to be attracted to you in a platonic or romantic sense Focus on having good continual posture Resources: How to Work a Room by Susan RoAne   Get My Book Notes on 3 Life-Changi

Get your question answered by James on the Podcast! Click here. “Fundamentally, culture is at war against our nature, and any way that society can, it will suppress expressions of wildness.” - Daniel Vitalis (click to tweet) Nature and society are at constant war with each other for our way of live. As a species that has evolved from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, our bodies are not adequately equipped to deal with a modern life. While the evolution from hunter-gatherer to farmer is usually seen a positive evolution, we need to understand the ways in which our bodies are designed to function, and how we can use this knowledge to hack our lives. That’s what Daniel Vitalis is talking about on this episode of the show. As Daniel says, “Fundamentally, the culture is at war against our nature, and any way that society can, it will suppress expressions of wildness.” But this is a war worth fighting, and one that it would actually be deadly not to fight. Because, as we get into in-depth on the show, there are real dan

Do you use time as an excuse for why you don’t workout? Do you feel like, in order for your workout to be of any value, you need to be able to devote 1-1.5 hours to it? The truth is that you don’t! The health and wellness benefits of working out regularly are far too high for you to use time as an excuse for skipping it, so listen to this episode to learn my 7-minute workout for when you have no time! In addition I’ll be telling you about why spending time in the sun is so vital to health, and why you should make an effort to spend time barefoot in the grass for a greater sense of well-being and connection with the earth. If you’re a busy person, and someone who is trying to prioritize health and wellness in your life, then this episode is for you! Learn how I’m able to fit a workout into any day, regardless of how busy the day is, on this episode of the James Swanwick Show! Key Takeaways: A short workout his 100% better than no workout. Even if you have “no time,” you can make 7-minutes for a workout 4 - 5

“Don’t think act! We can always revise and revisit once we’ve acted, but we can accomplish nothing until we act.” - Steven Pressfield (click to tweet)   Are you resistant to doing the actual work to get where you want to go? Do you find yourself in a place of continual procrastination on doing the things that you know you should be? You’re definitely not alone! What you’re experiencing is extremely common in the human race, and it’s why I’m reviewing the book “Do The Work” by Steven Pressfield on this episode! Think about the projects that you have wanted to do in the past, and what may have held you back from them. Do you find yourself having a hard time starting? Do you find yourself caught in a cycle of endless research and study on the topic, without actually getting down to the nitty gritty of actually getting it done? Have you experienced friction and difficulty in actually finishing the last bit of the tasks you’ve started? If you’re familiar with any of this, this episode is for you! But be warned: Th

“Happiness comes from getting the right relationship between yourself and: Others, your work, and something larger than yourself.” - Jonathan Haidt (click to tweet) What is happiness? How do we achieve it? Are attractive people happier? Are rich people happier? Could plastic surgery make you happier? Should we seek the most momentary happiness possible, or is a happy and fulfilled life one that consists of ups and downs over the course of it? These are just a few of the questions I get to ask Dr. Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Happiness Hypothesis” on this episode. Many people confuse the state of happiness with a mood. The thought is that happiness is this momentary mood of joy that we feel, and often people spend all of their energy attempting to fill their lives with as much of that mood as possible, to attain the most happiness in their life possible. The truth, however, is more complex. As humans, we crave a storyline of attempting, failing, attempting again, and ultimately succeeding. That same storyli

"Most people think you need to lock yourself away for 6 months to write a book. But you can do it in a weekend!" - James Swanwick (click to tweet)   Think you need to go away and lock yourself up in a cabin for 6 months to write your book? Think again. I just did it in a weekend, and on this episode I’m teaching you exactly how you can do the same. Writing a book is, for most, a drawn out, labored process. But the truth is that it doesn’t have to be this way. You can get most of the grunt-work done in a very short amount of time, provided you take time to plan, and you get your hands dirty and just jump straight in! Most people spend far too much time agonizing over the work, without really getting started! On this episode, I’ll teach you how to outline and plan your book, why this is such an important step, and tips to speed up the actual writing process. Learn how to get that masterpiece that’s inside of you out onto paper and in book format in just a weekend, on this episode of the James Swanwick Show! Ke

Book Notes: The difference between juices and smoothies: Smoothies have fiber, juice does not. Juicing can allow our bodies to more easily absorb the nutrition of the fruit The emphasis should be heavily on vegetable juice, not fruit Get social support of you’re trying to lose weight Eating poorly can negatively affect your sex drive Carefully look at the labels on everything that you get Reduce stress because it will make you eat more Poor sleep will also make you eat more, and thereby gain weight Purchase the Book   Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/147

"In diet, you're either screwing up quality, quantity or timing. Find out which it is, and fix it." - Gunnar Peterson (click to tweet) Do you know what it takes to have the body of Hugh Jackman? What about Sly Stallone? Or Tom Brady? Maybe Bruce Willis? Gunnar Peterson is my guest on the James Swanwick Show today, and he’s bringing you the information you need to know to build a body like a celebrity or sports star. Gunnar has a ton of value to bring on this show. We’re going over his top 10 tips to get an a-list celebrity body. Not only that, but we’re digging into the ways that you can make these kinds of workouts part of the rest of your life. Which means that you don’t need to spend hours and hours every day in the gym, or build your life around your nutrition plan. You can make it work with your schedule, regardless of how hectic and busy it is! J-Lo called Gunnar the best trainer she ever had, and I think you’re going to see exactly why! So get excited and pumped to build the best body of your life! Lea

"There's power in doing... nothing." - James Swanwick (click to tweet) Key Takeaways: Be purposeful about taking time to be alone, to refresh and recharge It is possible to fit in the things that are a priority to you. This is so important that it should be a serious priority for anyone Studies have shown that running can give you “break-throughs” in your life Our lives are full of chaos, and sometimes we don’t even realize it, so we don’t realize how badly we need time to refresh You don’t have to try to turn it into a vacation time, get out of your city or anything like that. Just find calm somehow in your own environment. Create it Resources: Tai Lopez 67 Steps Get My Book Notes on 3 Life Changing Books   Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/145

 The Notes: Learn how to read labels, and read them for every food that you buy Juices that are promoted as “no added sugar” does not mean that it is not packed with sugar. Read the label! When you find out how much sugar is in something, imagine literally eating that much sugar, spoonful by spoonful. You may find yourself less hungry for the food… Eat good fats, avoid unhealthy fats Avoid roasted nuts. Instead, eat raw, unroasted nuts. They are a good source of healthy fats   Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/144

“Society has told us being a predator is a bad thing. But a predator is noble, trustworthy, can be lethal, and is impossible to ignore.” - Bo Eason (click to tweet)   Have you ever been to a stand-up comedy show? Watched one on TV? If you have, you’ll know that one of the trademarks of the genre is the performer sharing embarrassing real-life stories with the audience. It’s what makes us laugh! We might not all have the same embarrassing experience as the comedian, but everyone can relate to the feeling of being embarrassed. It’s universal.   Today on the James Swanwick Show I’m talking with Bo Eason, former NFL player and current performer, speaker, and storyteller. He’s sharing his experiences and expertise in telling his unique story to engage with an audience. As Bo knows, when you tell your story, the more personal and specific it becomes, the more universal its appeal. It seems counterintuitive, but the details of your story will remind the audience of their own life and then they’ll connect more with y

“Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” - Benjamin Franklin (click to tweet)   Key Takeaways:   Control your focus on one single activity at a time Give yourself impossible deadlines. Deadlines you think are impossible will give you energy, focus, and motivation to accomplish more than you thought was possible Don’t think about what you have to do, just do it, quickly! When you have to get something done, you find a way Tasks will expand to fill the time you give them, so don’t give them much time! Put a penalty or reward around whether you accomplish the tasks Give yourself a strict, exact deadline for whatever you need to get done Tai Lopez 67 Steps Get My Book Notes on 3 Life Changing Books   Show Notes: JamesSwanwick.com/142

"If what you want doesn't line up equal what you are willing to sacrifice to get it, you don't want it bad enough." - Tim Grover (click to tweet) Key Takeaways from the Book "Relentless" by Tim Grover: Before you can have you want, you must become who you really are Ask yourself, what you are willing to give up to get what you want? Do the work everyday. Everyday, you have to do something you don't want to do If you want success, you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable If what you want doesn't equal what you are willing to sacrifice to get it, you don't want it badly enough Being great isn't for everyone. It's ok if you're comfortable doing something else. Don't take this on if you aren't willing to put in the effort Ask yourself: Where are you now? Where do you want to be? What are you willing to do to get there? Make a plan, and ACT ON IT! Emotions make you weak, except for controlled anger, which can be powerful in the right hands The greats never stop learning People who do not pursue their own dr

“If we don’t challenge ourselves, in big form and consistently, then we get weaker and weaker until we're afraid to take on challenges.” - Mark Divine (click to tweet) Could YOU survive Navy Seal hell week? Steve Costello just did. Today, I’m speaking with Mark Divine, the founder of Sealfit Kokoro Camp, about what it takes to steel your mind for something incredibly challenging and difficult, and why you would even do something like that to yourself in the first place! As Mark told me, “If we don’t challenge ourselves, in big form and consistently, then we get weaker and weaker until we afraid to take on challenges.” The fact of the matter is that most people, especially in modern western societies, do not subject themselves to incredibly stressful and difficult experiences regularly. Whereas these circumstances were a part of normal human life for much of history, they have largely gone away, and the result is that humans are not as well-connected with themselves and their resiliency as they could be. They

“Nevermind what they say if you meet with temporary defeat, for they, perhaps, do not know that every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success.” - Napoleon Hill (click to tweet)   Key Takeaways: Write down your written statement of purpose, including specific numerical amounts and other details Persistence is what separates those who succeed from those who don’t Defeat is nothing more that temporary. Don’t throw in the towel Make your desires clear, and reduce them to writing Analyze the three enemies that have to be cleared out: Indecisions, doubt and fear Positive thoughts and emotions attractive other positive thoughts and emotions. Hang out with people who are the way you want to be Four Steps to Develop Persistence Definite purpose Definite plan, expressed through continuous action A mind closed to negativity and discouraging influences, including friends and family A friendly alliance with people who are focused on similar things   Get My Book Notes on Three Life-Changing Books Sho

Key Takeaways: You discover things about yourself you wouldn't know otherwise when you're put through hell In the modern age, we don't have very much that requires you to reach deeply into yourself to find what you're made of physically When you put a physical challenge in front of yourself that stretches you to the breaking point, you learn more about yourself than you ever knew Putting money into something upfront will force you to see it through Don't focus on looking ahead. It's too much, and can be overwhelming. Focus on the NOW Have a strong why for doing something like this Be deeply committed to the full process Be prepared to fail. It's always possible to fail

“Love the success while it’s happening, but don’t become too attached to it. Always be appreciative for it, and know that everything changes.” - Roz Savage (click to tweet)           Roz Savage spent eleven years working in an office cubicle, thinking that success in her field of management consultancy would make her happy. It took all eleven years for her to realize she wasn’t happy, that she was just doing her job so that she could she make money to buy things she didn’t need.  She made a change.         Today, Roz is the only woman in the world to have traveled across three oceans—the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Indian—in a rowboat! Between 2005 and 2011, she spent 520 days at sea in her 23 foot rowboat. She rowed 5 million oar strokes and covered over 15,000 miles of ocean.         On this episode of the James Swanwick Show, I’m talking with Roz about how she went from her office job to spending months alone at sea. It was a huge transition, but one that she chose for herself.         In her own words,

“In dieting, generic programs usually yield generic results. Know your own body!” - Anthony Diclementi (click to tweet)          Everybody’s got stress in their life. Difficult work situations, finances, relationships, and constantly growing To Do Lists can all add up to a very stressed out and sleep-deprived you. This kind of stress is very bad for you and for your body.         Stress is a killer, but not all stress is bad. Working out puts physical stress on your muscles but, like many kinds of mental stress, it’s an acute stress that your body can recover from. And, although it’s not ideal for everyone, some people do their best work under pressure. What’s important is to manage and minimize the sources of unhealthy stress in your life.         Today on The James Swanwick Show, I’m talking about stress and healthy lifestyle choices with  Anthony DiClementi, the highly sought after fat loss expert. Anthony is most known for teaching people to use strategic cheating to accelerate fat loss: dieting while sti