The One Percent Better Podcast

Today I share Part I of one of my favorite conversations ever. At age 73, David Allen is one of the the world's foremost experts in productivity and organization. When he opens a conversation with "we can talk as long as you'd like," the only answer is "let's do it!" And so we did. In Part I we discuss: How David got into personal growth What advice he has for people looking to earn more money His definition of a successful executive David's five-step process for stress-free productivity The Teen edition of Getting Things Done His journey to find out who he is His choice of tools for capturing ideas when then come and so much more. As always, thank you for listening. I'll see you next week, for Part II. --JF 

Today I share my thoughts on how to be 1% better in the world of mental toughness.  I share: my favorite definition of mental toughness how it shows up in my life daily who I think of when I think of mental toughness my 0-3 scale to measure mental toughness I hope it inspires you. As always, thank you for listening! --JF 

Today's guest is Mike Vardy.   His website is full of free coaching materials guaranteed to help you get 1% better in the world of productivity. Mike is a sought-after speaker and workshop leader with whom I loved talking. Our conversation is wide-ranging; we cover: timecrafting journaling tools of productivity decision making calendar management  themes for each day of the week and so much more. Find me at my website if you need anything at all. Have a fantastic week, and as always, thank you so much for listening! -JF 

This week I share: Mindset: Being intentional about (monitoring) what material you take in can change your life.  Language: Zig Ziglar once said, “You are what you are and where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You change what you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind.”  Behavior: I share how a simple tool can help you organize your creative life.  Bonus: I share what has been inspiring me in the world of podcasts, books, film, and more. As always, thank you for listening! --JF 

Today's guest has co-written a new book, No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work Please welcome Liz Fosslien. Liz and I talk about:  The importance of psychological safety How people use and abuse email  Why caring about work less could be the key to happiness Giving and receiving effective feedback This is a super-practical, and dare I say, fun conversation.  As always, thanks for listening. --JF 

Gadfly (noun):  a fly that bites livestock, especially a horsefly. an annoying person, especially one who provokes others into action by criticism. a person who interferes with the status quo of a society or community by posing novel, potently upsetting questions, usually directed at authorities. The term is originally associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, in his defense when on trial for his life. One way to make the world 1% better is by becoming number 3. Visit onepercentbetterproject.com -Gadlfies wanted.  Here’s a gadfly starter kit of questions worth asking: How will we know it’s working? What is the opposing side’s most compelling argument? What is the risk of doing nothing on this? How many stakeholders have identified this as a problem worth solving? Have any similar organizations tried to tackle this problem? Why this, why now? If we could wave a magic wand and solve this problem, what would the return on our time and energy investment be for our students/employees/or stockholde

This week I share my conversation with Performance Psychologist, Stu Singer. In addition to coaching high performers in the private sector, Stu has worked as the sports psychology and performance consultant for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, University of Maryland Women’s Basketball team, Fordham University Women’s Basketball team, and the Connecticut Sun among others.  We talk: Goal setting and the search for the right metrics   Stu's four pillars of performance The vital HOW of skill building Stu’s three must read books on Mindfulness The difference between simple and easy  His frustration with the term “mind hack”   and more! As always, thank you for listening, --JF 

Today, I share the microphone with a friend of over 20 years. Greg Locke was my college baseball teammate at Pace University in the mid 1990s, and we have stayed in touch ever since. He's now a Territory Manager for a Pharmaceutical Company, and he brings a unique perspective to my journey. Who in your life knows you in a way that could challenge your thinking?  Who were you then?  Who are you now?  Who will you be in 10 years?  This is the type of insight Greg brings out in me today, and I have chosen to share it with you. This week, I challenge you to find your Greg.  Find someone who can help make you 1% better, and share a conversation. Thank you Greg. As always, thanks for listening. --JF 

Today's guest is the creator, curator, and CEO of Farnam Street.  Shane's website reads: Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, we have helped millions of people master the best of what other people have already figured out. It has certainly done that for me. Sign up for his free newsletter here. Shane and I discuss how to solve complicated problems improving the thinking process how to select better books the relative genius of Malcolm Gladwell and much more. As always, thank you for listening! --JF 

This week I share three ideas to help you get 1% better in the worlds of mindset, language, and behavior.  I share: A look back at last week's interview My thoughts on "Useful Hacks" by Morgan Housel  A quick story from my family about communication  A taste of next week's 1% Wednesday video Sign up for 1% Wednesday here. As always, thank you for listening.   --JF    Music for this episode from https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/en/search/ "Inspired" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.de)

Happy New Year!  Today we usher in 2019 with an extraordinary guest, Mental Performance Coach, Justin Su'a. Justin works as the mental performance for The Tampa Rays and The Cleveland Browns.  His craft has him working one one one with some of the best athletes in the world.  In addition, he hosts a very popular podcast called "Increase your Impact."  I ask Justin about his work and life experiences when it comes to helping others to strive for peak performance, in and out of the world of sports.  To learn more about Justin's work, download his podcast or connect with him @Justinsua You can find me @FerraroOnAir or on my website. Thank you so much for listening! --JF 

Today I share an excerpt from one of my all-time favorite books.  It's Chris Voss' Never Split the Difference. This section means so much to me, that I typed it out by hand.  It's exactly what you need as you face the inevitable challenges that the holidays and New Year have in store.  It's also a great time to go back and listen to Episode 9 , my full conversation with Chris. I hope each and every one of you has an amazing holiday season.  Here's to being 1% better every day in 2019! Thank you for listening! --JF   

My guest today is Alicia Dunams. She is an international speaker and trainer who motivates business leaders around the world to play big to produce the business results and life they want. She's coached thousands of business leaders worldwide to write, publish and market their book during her acclaimed Best Seller in a Weekend series.  Regular listeners will hear our shared language. In fact it was her book I Get To that inspired me to invite her on. It was fun to learn with Alicia on air.  ----   **Two interviews mentioned on the show: Baseball Outside the Box Interview Using Teaching Skills as a Coach As always, thank you so much listening! --JF   

This week I share an original episode I created while traveling.  I was away from the studio, so the audio quality is lower than usual. But I shipped it anyway.   Why? I produce a new podcast every week.  That's the standard, and that's the rubric for success.  Sometimes the search for perfection gets in the way of "pressing send."  My hope is that this imperfect episode helps someone.  As always, thank you for listening! --JF 

Today I share my conversation with productivity and focus expert Chris Bailey. He has written two books that help people become more intentional with the time, energy, and focus.  In our conversation we talk about:  Our attention span How many times the average person checks his email The myths and realities of multi-tasking The power of meditation and the simplest way to begin  and much more.  Email me HERE if I can help you in any way. As always, thank you for listening.   --JF 

Happy Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for all of you. Here are some links mentioned in the show: Austin Kleon's Newsletter MyFWordsBlog Thanksgiving Wine 1% Wednesday --JF 

This week I share my second conversation with Seth Godin. We spoke for the first time on Episode 26. This time, our focus is his new book, This is Marketing, a generous look at how to get better at making better things.   It has been a true pleasure to follow Seth's work for years, and I know you will enjoy our conversation.  As always, thank you for listening. --JF You can sign up for 1% Wednesday here.

Today I pass the microphone to a former student as she interviews me. Siera Nezaj had free reign to ask me anything; and she did just that. I love sharing the experience of being forced to grapple with difficult questions.  Who is the person in your life this week that you can ask to challenge you? As always, thank you for listening! Subscribe to 1% Wednesday here. --JF 

Today I share my conversation with Jesse Cole.  Jesse is the Owner of Fans First Entertainment.  This group owns and operates the Savannah Bananas. This is a one-of-a-kind sports team that has been featured on MSNBC, CNN, ESPN, and more. We talk about: Delivering a remarkable product.  Standing out in a crowded marketplace. Books that have made a difference in Jesse's life. How Jesse and his team are trying to revitalize baseball. and much more. Thank you for listening! Subscribe to 1% Wednesday HERE. --JF   

In this episode I share something I have noticed.  It's an opportunity for us to get 1% better with the language we use.  I hope it lands.  I made it with you in mind.  Thank you for listening. Subscribe to 1% Wednesday here. --JF