This week's mini-episode has two stories and two quotes that all focus on a single theme: Just work. Source of Arnold Schwarzenegger story: https://www.amazon.com/Arnold-Education-Bodybuilder-Schwarzenegger/dp/0671797484 Source of Jerry Seinfeld story: https://tim.blog/2020/12/08/jerry-seinfeld/

August 17, 2021

6:02

All my endnotes on Philip II of Macedon, including: * Who was greater, Philip or Alexander? * Why Athens really took over the world * Other ways to take over the world. * Why being Philip would have been a lot of fun. * Shout out to my main source for the Philip episodes: Philip and Alexander by Adrian Goldsworthy (Sorry about the faint scratching noise in the background, I'm on the road and not in my usual home studio.)

July 19, 2021

15:42

Philip II of Macedon is best known as the father of Alexander the Great. But was he an even greater conqueror than his more famous son?

July 13, 2021

1:15:28

Mansa Musa was possibly the richest man of all time, but there was something that mattered much more to him. Find out what it was and how he achieved it,

July 28, 2020

21:20

Slave. Runaway. Abolitionist. Orator. Statesman. Legend.

July 3, 2020

39:53

A short anecdote about the greatest poet of all time, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and why some people might accidentally learn the wrong lesson from his life. For more updates and information, find the podcast on Instagram at @

June 12, 2020

6:04

All of my Edison notes that didn't make it into Part 1 & Part 2, including: Edison vs. Tesla Edison vs. Elon Musk Puritanism and Edison How Edison Went Deaf (Maybe)

May 29, 2020

39:43

How did Thomas Edison rise from obscure origins in a frontier town in Michigan to become the most famous man of his age and one of the greatest inventors of all time? In part 2, we cover Edison's life from his invention of the light bulb to his death.

May 22, 2020

35:38

How did Thomas Edison rise from obscure origins in a frontier town in Michigan to become the most famous man of his age and one of the greatest inventors of all time? In part 1, we cover Edison's life from his birth up through his invention of the phonograph.

April 25, 2020

44:32

How did a German girl from a family of little note become one of the most powerful people in the world and one of the greatest rulers in Russian history? On this mini-episode, we explore the life of Catherine the Great and the attributes that defined her life: Ambition and Adaptability.

October 11, 2019

12:38

This is the first-ever

August 6, 2019

6:32

How did the Rothschilds go from a poor family inhabiting a part-share of a home in a Jewish ghetto to the richest family of all time in less than 50 years? Listen to how they reach their zenith, and what has happened to the family since then.

July 12, 2019

43:14

How did the Rothschilds go from a poor family inhabiting a part-share of a home in a Jewish ghetto to the richest family of all time in less than 50 years? Listen to how their story begins on How to Take Over the World.

March 5, 2019

53:19

Check out more at

June 5, 2018

42:13

Julius Caesar wraps up his conquest of Gaul and is forced to make the most crucial decision of his life. Make sure

April 18, 2018

35:24

In Gaul, Julius Caesar gives a master class on how to demonstrate leadership and cultivate trust when you are tasked with leading a new team in a new environment.

March 23, 2018

36:17

In the first episode on the life of Julius Caesar, I analyze his rise and some of the fundamental character attributes that made him great, analyze some of the ways Caesar was like Steve Jobs and Napoleon, and look at his political strategies. A big

February 14, 2018

1:03:01

In the second episode on the life of Vladimir Putin, I analyze his communication strategy, his vast wealth and why it doesn't matter, and the possibility that Putin orchestrated multiple false flag terrorist attacks within Russia. Once again my main sources for this episode are "The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin" by Steven Lee Myers and "The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin" by Masha Gessen.

January 26, 2018

51:39

Vladimir Putin: Modern day czar, KGB man, billionaire, reformer, murderer. In part 1, we examine his rise to power. Tune in next Thursday for part 2.

January 16, 2018

47:19

The second episode on Steve Jobs explores his comeback and extremely successful second act. Again looking at his life, strategies, tactics, work habits, leadership style, and more. As always, go to

December 29, 2017

1:09:40

Today we're talking about Steve Jobs, the innovator, businessman, and technologist who has arguably shaped our world in the 21st century more than any other. I explore his life, strategies, tactics, work habits, leadership style, and more. As always, go to

December 29, 2017

1:34:24

Today we're talking about Napoleon Bonaparte, the French general, reformer, innovator, and emperor. I explore his life, strategies, tactics, work habits, leadership style, and more. As always, go to

December 29, 2017

1:22:15

On this

April 24, 2025

11:28

This is an episode of Becoming the Main Character, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.

July 28, 2025

4:22:11