Capitalism revolves around two fundamental resources: money and attention. To find success, you'll have to pick one of them to control. Here is how you should approach this decision.By Alex Cespedes

We don't rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems. In business and art, the best system we coud have is a compact feedback loop with our audience. Here's how to do it. Sign up for the newsletter at RichInstinct.comBy Alex Cespedes

The work vs. reward paradox will keep smacking you in the face until you internalize it. To be successful, you must work like a lion, not a cow. Sign up for the newsletter at RichInstinct.comBy Alex Cespedes

Austin Kleon said “an idea is gold only if you name it.” I think he understood that ideas are a dime a dozen. And that the value is not in the idea itself but in the execution. And a BIG part of the execution starts with the tip of the spear, the name you give it. Sign up for my weekly newsletter at RichInstinct.com…

The key to gigantic rewards is finding your own form of leverage. Put your resources only in places where you have leverage. And leverage only occurs when the product and the audience are in perfect alignment. Sign up to the weekly newsletter at RichInstinct.comBy Alex Cespedes

Most people want a “normal” life but a normal life requires un-normal amounts of work, at least in the beginning. And it requires un-normal sacrifices. The great news is that the extraordinary sacrifices soon stop feeling extraordinary. They become your new normal. And at that point they pay HUGE dividends. Sign up for the newsletter to receiver al…

Since we live in an idea economy, only people who claim an idea ever get rich. When you start your own business, you claim your idea island in the sun. Remember, the best way to keep up with all new episodes and everything that I do is by signing up to my newsletter at RichInstinct.comBy Alex Cespedes

A broken philosophy will keep you broke. Because money is NOT material, it is spiritual. This week we explore the one word difference between the haves and have nots. Read the book that this podcast is based on, it's called Rich Instinct. It's available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook at all major retailers: Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, …

George Soros understood how to make money. He knew that life is not about the small losses, but about the big scores. One big score takes care of many small losses. Gary Vee knew this too. This week we dive into this topic of lining up one big score. My new book Rich Instinct is now available on all major platforms. get it at http://RichInstinct.co…

This world is built on lies. Cunning lies can start wars, swindle fortunes, or sway elections. So your status in life depends on how well you maneuver around deception. The rich take in the world differently than the masses do, and it gives them an edge. Since they gather better information, they're able to make better decisions. This episode is th…

Angelique Velez woke up one night with an idea for an accessories line of products. This was the genesis of Breakups To Makeup, a brand that now has nationwide distribution through Sephora, Walmart, and QVC. Angelique didn't know it at the time, but she took some important steps to make her brand a strong candidate for major partnerships. In this e…

Steve Lucin is a creative entrepreneur in NYC who transitioned from freelance graphic designer to agency owner, philanthropist, and VJ. In this episode he shares with us his story and advice on how to build a successful client roster. His secret is to stop the vicious cycle of "compare and despair" that plagues us all, and focus on finding your "Sp…

In magazines and TV we constantly see stories of individuals going from rags to riches. Regardless of whether you want to get rich or not, there is a lesson hidden inside these stories of triumph. Today we look at artists and entrepreneurs that have laid out the formula of how we too can profit from our pain.…

Stories of cheating on your spouse are as old as time. These three short stories help us understand how--and why--people are unfaithful.By Alex Cespedes

At an early age we learn that crime has its consequences, especially if we steal another's property. This episode has four stories that show us how ironic and surprising a thief's karma could be.By Alex Cespedes

A lie can hurt, damage, and even destroy. But, can it ever serve a purpose? Can it help us? These three short stories all revolve around lies told by those closest to us, with surprising effects.By Alex Cespedes

Expectations usually free up brain bandwidth for the BIG stuff, but they can also imprison us in a flat view of the world. In this episode, three cautionary stories of when expectations go wrong...Music by Ben-Murray-Smith and LiamLRYBy Alex Cespedes

Every country, near and far, seems to have this one stock character in its folklore. I first became fascinated by this character as a 9-year-old when I was growing up in the Dominican Republic. We'll call this character "The Wise Fool" and hear a handful of stories that showcase the characters versatility and charm.Music by Ben Murray-Smith and iAm…

Are geniuses born, or made? In this week's episode we hear two ancient stories about brilliant youths, and we see both perspectives to this question. These two folktales also happen to be the genesis of two modern movie genres.By Alex Cespedes

Stories since the beginning of time have been thrilling us by having characters take on false identities. In this episode we look at one legendary song and two folktales that show us the GOOD and BAD consequences of pretending to be someone we're not. Major thanks to Christopher Wallace, Aaron Shepard, and O. Henry for their contribution to the leg…

Love stories are as old as time, but then again, so are stories about its creepy sibling-emotion: infatuation. Unrequited love often brings a feeling of obsession, and these two folk tales paint the picture of the lengths humans will go to just to catch the apple of their eye.By Alex Cespedes

Tolstoy once said that “all great literature is one of two stories: someone goes on a journey, or a stranger comes to town.” In this first episode we hear three folk stories centered around this most familiar theme: a stranger shows up to disrupt the status quo.By Alex Cespedes

Come along for a modern re-telling of timeless stories, from ancient Egyptian fables, to Shakespearean plot twists, folk tales, and even pop songs that all have one thing in common--they take you on a journey.By Alex Cespedes

Maybe you've heard this one before, but I hadn't. It's a concept that many multi-BILLION-dollar companies have used to build a fanbase. We would do well to pay attention...By Alex Cespedes

Stephen King knows a thing or two about writing. And about discipline. And about pretty much anything that has to do with being successful with your art. Well guess what, Lil Wayne knows a thing or two as well. These are the reasons why he can serve as a role model for any artist, creator, or entrepreneur. Music by Ben Murray-Smith…

Jason Rosario and Claudio Cabrera have accomplished a lot in their young lives, but this endeavor they've just leapt into is not about accomplishment, it's about honoring their worldview. In this episode I speak to Jason, founder of The Lives of Men--and Claudio, its lead content specialist--who through their stories show us that it's possible to D…

Ed Sheeran is one of the most successful songwriters over the past five years. While I was listening to an interview Ed gave in front of young musicians, there was a one minute portion where he revealed his mental process for mastering his craft. In this episode we discuss this approach which we'll call "FAUCET," along with other methods described …

A must listen for Vloggers and Youtubers! Adam was living the dream: He was making a good living as a freelance video journalist, something he had been working towards since childhood. But then his view of the world got flipped upside down. He learned that quality and popularity aren't directly related. This is depressing, but there is a silver lin…

People are always staring at her. "Can I touch your stomach?" is the question that they always ask first. Miss Nu is someone who's gone from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs when it comes to personal acceptance, you'll see what I mean. She currently competes in national bodybuilding competitions, coaches others, inspires 10 thousand fans …

Adam Gilbert is a tech entrepreneur who started a business from his passion. His company is called My Body Tutor, where he and his staff help folks nationwide reach their health goals. He is the perfect person to share some wisdom with us on what he's learned about the two areas we quit at most often: fitness and business. He shares some findings o…

Every project, every activity, has its own unique set of challenges. A challenge that is universal to ALL projects, however, is the emotional seesaw it puts us through. In this episode we bring in a couple real-life stories that illustrate the three emotional stages we must go through to complete a project. Casey Neistat goes through this, as well …

Kirby Ferguson created the viral documentary Everything is a Remix in his spare time, just as a little side project outside of his day job. After the instant buzz it received, Kirby was able to leverage his side project into a full-fledged career as a film-maker and video producer. In this episode we’ll hear from Kirby on how the idea for Everythin…

Sarah Knight is the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck. She joins us and helps us talk through some important questions like: Is being nice gonna have us finishing last all the time? Are we just mislabeling what it means to be nice? And, what happens when we stop giving a you-know-what?... These questions are musts to ask for ou…

Sarah Knight has been in the publishing world for 15 years. First, selling books, then working for a literary agent, then as an editor at a major book publishing firm, and finally as an author. She walks us through the process of writing her first book, how it impacted her, and what aspiring authors should know about the industry. Music written and…

Everyone knows the tech titans like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, they've become household names. Most don't know that all success stories in the Tech world have some milestones in common. David Cancel is a serial startup founder, his latest venture is Drift and his story is a great case study into what makes for an accomplished career in the ind…

Tucker Max sold millions of books, but being a writer wasn't even a goal of his originally. His career arc is very interesting, because it allows us to see how big a role luck and timing have on our careers. In this episode, we talk to Tucker and try to piece together the factors that made him a hero to 20-year-olds everywhere, as well as the turn …

Liz Josefsberg, a top-notch wellness expert to celebrities like Jennifer Hudson, also consults with corporations to help their employees get their health back on track. This week she helps us gain a healthy perspective on stress. In this episode we find that not all stress is built the same, and then we learn ways to eliminate the toxic stress that…

Why do some unremarkable videos go viral while many great ones go unnoticed? What factors help an idea catch on? Whether by accident or by design, the products and messages that spread all have some things in common. In this episode we bring in Jonah Berger, Professor at Wharton Business School and author of the book Contagious. He shares some stor…

Seth Godin joins us in this episode, and we learn from him why the current model of education is broken, and actionable steps to taking charge of our own learning as adults. Along the way we discover why we should be approaching our career as a series of projects, and what skills hold the most value in today's world. He also tells us some stories o…

Illustrator and Writer Jessica Hagy helps us decode the process of finding our tribe. Because if you're an entrepreneur, or an artist, or simply a professional trying to leave your mark--your tribe is the canvas on which your paint your masterpiece. Subscribe on iTunes or at WitsAboutYou.com. New episodes every Tuesday.…