The James Altucher Show

Robert Kurson is the bestselling author of "Shadow Divers," "Pirate Hunters" and his newest, "Rocket Men". He writes about people and their explorations. And brings them to life. Before he became an esteemed author, he led a pretty conventional life. He went to Harvard Law School and carried out his degree in the field. But he dreaded every morning. So he started writing and took a huge leap of faith. This is his story... Show Notes: "Pirate Hunters" by Robert Kurson "Shadow Divers" by Robert Kurson "Rocket Men" by Robert Kurson Apollo 13 Machiavelli's Advice for Nice Guys   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast.   Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to James

Steve Case founded AOL. He's a self-made billionaire and author of the New York Times bestseller "The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future." This is one of my most popular episodes from 2016. Because he has a great story (he turned down Bill Gates, when Gates wanted to buy AOL for millions). He saw a bigger future. And he held on to that idea. He learned how to master his own future. That's what this episode is about. Enjoy and you can check out my full notes on my blog at jamesaltucher.com/podcast.   Show Notes: Steve Case's New York Times bestseller, "The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future" Revolution (Steve is the founder) Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners&nbs

Wynton Marsalis is one of the best and most well-known jazz musicians ever. I had him on to talk about creativity. He's made over 80 albums, sold over 7 million records, and won 9 Grammys (all unbelievable). He even won the Pulitzer Prize in music, which is the 1st for jazz. Now Wynton's the Managing Director & the Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center. Wynton's whole life is about being creative. He's learned how to transform art from its existing state into something entirely new. That's a skill. And that's what we'll dive into in this conversation: how you, too, can become a master of your own creativity. Show Notes:  Read Wynton Marsalis' article in The New York Times, "What Jazz Is and Isn't" And listen to some of his music on "United We Swing: Best of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Galas" Check Out Wynton's Website Be part of Jazz at Lincoln Center Community via jazz.org Autobiography of a Yogi by P. Yogananda I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jam

Brad Meltzer is one of the most passionate writers I've ever met. He writes page-turning thriller novels. "The Tenth Justice", "The Millionaires" and his most recent, "The Escape Artist". The first book Brad wrote got 24 rejection letters. But he trusted his gut and kept fighting. He found what he loved: 1. Character creation and 2. writing. I wanted to find out the X-factor in his books... and how he pressed on to become the writer he is today. Show Notes: The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer Brad's Ted Talk: How to Write Your Own Obituary Jack and Bobby the TV Series The Godfather by Mario Puzo Games Magazine   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Med

Adam Perlman is a TV writer, director and co-executive producer. We met on the set of Showtime's "Billions," which I can now say I am a technical writer for. He's also written for some of my favorite shows like "The Newsroom" and "The Good Wife." Adam used to be a lawyer. But he went through this constant battle with himself on whether it's "okay" to be an artist. Finally, the market collapsed. And there was no work for him in corporate law. So he spent his days writing and eventually landed a mentor, and a gig, and the story picks up from there. Adam Perlman's a true example of the struggle a lot of us go through when we know we have some bigger dream... but don't know if survival comes with that dream. So I look at Adam as living proof that it can be done. That you can have your dream and your wellness and your finance all at once. Show Notes: Some of the shows Adam Perlman writes for: "The Newsroom" "The Good Wife" "Billions" (on Showtime) My interview with Bill Cartwright My interview with Kareem Abdul Ja

Jimmy Yang veered into comedy not out of love, but out of desperation. He writes about this in his new book "How to American". "I was picturing myself sitting behind a desk until I was 65 at the same job," Jimmy said. He knew he had another skill to offer. So he googled "open mics." And went. He Jimmy wasn't very funny (at first), but what he found was a sense of purpose and a community of people just like him. He set himself on a journey towards a meaningful life. Show Notes:  Silicon Valley "How to American" by Jimmy Yang Patriots Day Crazy Rich Asian Ha Ha Comedy Club Seinfeld The Wire Freaks & Geeks Beavis & Butthead Dr. Drew   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast.   Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Insta

Ryan Holiday had access a surreal conspiracy. Probably THE most surreal conspiracy of modern day. And he wrote about it in his new book, "Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue" It's a narrative nonfiction, which is new for Ryan. And that's what makes it the best book he's ever written. In this interview, Ryan tells us how he unraveled a conspiracy and why it was the hardest book he's ever written. He also quotes a handful of Stoics, something I'll always appreciate about having Ryan on the show. Show Notes:  "Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue" by Ryan Holiday "Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts" by Ryan Holiday "Ego Is the Enemy" by Ryan Holiday "The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living" by Ryan Holiday "The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph" by Ryan Holiday "Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator" by Ryan Holiday "

Jon Ronson writes about psychopaths. He created a test called "The Psychopath Test." And wrote about it. I had him on to learn what it means to be mad. He told me how to spot the signs (and how it starts to haunt you). He also told me stories. Lots of them. About kids trapped in mental hospitals. Secret cults planning to take over the world. His writing style is sort of humorist meets gonzo-esque journalism. He puts himself directly in the center of a conspiracy. That's where this episode will take you... into the mind of a psychopath. Show notes: Listen to Jon's podcast "The Butterfly Effect" (season 1 was about the consequences of the tech takeover of the porn industry) "The Men Who Stare At Goats" by Jon Ronson The Men Who Stare at Goats (Movie) "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" (one of James' favorite books) "The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry" by Jon Ronson "Them: Adventures with Extremists" by Jon Ronson Psychopathic Test (live show) "Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries" by Jo

Sebastian Maniscalco's one of the most successful pure road comics, meaning he doesn't have film crews following him around. He built himself up the old way. Through word of mouth. But I wanted to know what is "real" word of mouth? Not just social media posts. Paul's created real, authentic relationships with the people he wanted to connect with. And then turned it into a $50 million career.   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your

Wolfgang Puck is a famous chef who has successfully created an empire in food. At age 14, he worked in his first restaurant. A few weeks in, he was fired. And contemplating suicide. Fast-forward, and Wolfgang became the first "celebrity chef." He's expanded his love of food in every single way: restaurants, cookbooks, catering (he's catered the Oscars.) Now he also has a MasterClass available online. "I always wanted to be in charge of my own destiny," he said. "I thought, 'This is what I was born to do." I don't fully understand destiny. So I wanted to know. How could he actually feel that? How could he know? How could anyone know?   Show Notes Wolfgang's MasterClass - "Build Your Cooking Techniques" We talk about some of his restaurants including: Cut  Rogue (this one's in LA and only serves 10 people a night)  Spago  Eric Ripert (famous chef) Chef (a movie starring Jon Favreau) Le Cirque Billy Wilder (famous director) Ma Maison The Wall by Pink Floyd Serena Williams (tennis player) Frank Gehry (architectu

Dante Nero was a male stripper for 10 years. And now he's a comedian. He was always intrigued by comedy. But before he went up on any stage, he made sure his fundamentals were impeccable. And that's key. This is what makes Dante Nero one of the greatest comedians still going 18 years later. Listen for your guide to the basic skills every comedian should know... Show Notes: The Beige Phillip Show - Dante's podcast Dantenero.com Movies and Shows Dante's appeared in: Fighting The Blacklist Ocean's 8 Power on Starz Fringe Eddie Murphy's Raw "Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life" by Steve Martin Stand Up NY   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast.   Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of t

Tony's latest book "Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook"? "MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom" by Tony Robbins ?"Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!" by Tony Robbins Tony's Netflix documentary about Tony "I Am Not Your Guru" produced by my good friend Brian Koppelman   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a p

Godfrey's 20 years old in comedy years. (Your age = your experience). He might've been born in 1969. But that doesn't matter. He learned this from Jerry Seinfeld. Seinfeld asked Godfrey, "How long have you been doing comedy?" At the time, his answer was 9 years. And Seinfeld said back, "That's your age in comedy." And it's true for most skills. Or any pursuit. It's not true for riding your bike because we all started young and a lot of us haven't cared to step on a bike in 10 years. But if you're trying to perfect a skill and become a master at something, then years dedicated = your age. This perspective has helped me in more ways than one. And I wrote about it on my site (I write about all of my podcasts.) You can read it here, jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Enjoy the show. And thanks Show Notes:  "Regular Black" (Godfrey's special on ShowTime) Seinfeld's joke that people would rather be in the coffin then giving the eulogy Soul Plane  Zoolander Adam Sandler Eddie Murphy Saturday Night Live "On Writing" by Steph

Cal Fussman is one of the greatest interviewers of all time. He's interviewed an estimated 500 iconic people. He asks the question no one else is asking. He gains respect. And gets the best answers. Cal knows how to connect with everyone. So how did he get the superpower of connection? Show Notes: Read Cal's Esquire column -What I've Learned Listen to Cal's podcast -Big Questions with Cal Fussman The Tim Ferriss Show Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson Ep. 211 - Sara Blakely: How to Get a Billion Dollar Idea Ep. 321 - Jim Cramer: Stocks - The Greatest Wealth Creator of All Time The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Faceboo

David McCandless is the #1 data visualization expert. But what is that? "Data visualization?" Simply: it's a better way to tell stories. Show Notes:  "Visual Miscellaneum: The Bestselling Classic, Revised and Updated: A Colorful Guide to the World's Most Consequential Trivia" by David McCandless "Knowledge Is Beautiful: Impossible Ideas, Invisible Patterns, Hidden Connections--Visualized" David McCandless Visit David's website - informationisbeautiful.net Watch David's TED Talk - The Beauty of Data Visualization - which now has over 2.5 million views These are a few of David's infographics we talk about in the podcast (most have been updated) Snake Oil Supplements Left vs. Right (US) Which Fish are Okay to Eat? Top 500 Most Common Passwords Visualized International Number Ones The Billion Dollar-o-Gram 20th Century Death Based on a True True Story? Novels Everyone Should Read One of the first infographics from 1869 by Charles Minard depicting Napoleon's March in Russia in 1812. I write about all

Probably the books I've recommended most in the past five years was "Sapiens" by Yuval Harari. And not only me: it's Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg's top recommendation. I'm releasing this episode because there's so much to know about our past as humans. And our future.   Show Notes: Read New York Times bestseller "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari Read "Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow" by Yuval Noah Harari   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast.   Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interest

Jim Cramer is one of the most well known financial experts on the planet. I've known him for 16 years. We worked together. I was a writer for TheStreet.com and he was doing "Mad Money" for CNBC. So we have history. And I wanted to check in with him. But I didn't ask about his success or how his career is going. I wanted the hidden truth. "Are you happy?" That's what I asked Jim Cramer. 22 years later... fame, money, success... "Are you happy?" And that's what I found out...   Show Notes: "Confessions of a Street Addict" by Jim Cramer My podcast interview with Dr. Oz: The #1 Health Guru in America "Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company" by Andrew S. Grove   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio

This podcast episode is action packed. It's not philosophy. It's action. It's HOW to actually get to the top of Amazon's best seller list, how to get an idea for your book, how to create daily writing habits, etc. Steve Scott has written 70+ books. And each one generates income. He makes 30, 40, 50 thousand dollars A MONTH! He's been on the podcast before. And broke it all down. I brought him back again to give us more details. More inspiration. Because if you didn't act then, it's okay. You can act now. Show Notes: "Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less" by SJ Scott Visit Steve's websites: https://authority.pub/category/podcast/ https://www.developgoodhabits.com/ Steve Scott's Facebook group "Authority Self-Publishing" Listen to my first interview with Steve Scott - Ep. 23 - How To Go From $0-$40,000 a Month Writing From Home "Deep Work" by Cal Newport "Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg My interview with Charles Duhigg pomodoro technique "The Accountability Manifesto: How Acc

Self-care. What does that even mean? I called the expert: Cheryl Richardson. She's written several New York Times bestsellers and I owe her credit for helping me cultivate new thinking whenever I needed it. When I was most scared, I'd call Cheryl. And she'd say, "Your best thinking got you here, (to the worst situation of your life, to your complete bottom), so you probably need the thinking of somebody else." She's always been right.    Show Notes: "Waking Up in Winter: In Search of What Really Matters at Midlife" by Cheryl Richardson "The Art of Extreme Self Care: Transform Your Life One Month at a Time" by Cheryl Richardson "Take Time for Your Life: A Personal Coach's 7-Step Program for Creating the Life You Want" by Cheryl Richardson "Life Makeovers: 52 Practical & Inspiring Ways to Improve Your Life One Week at a Time" by Cheryl Richardson "Choose Yourself" by James Altucher "The Power of No" by James Altucher Hay House Publishing - Cheryl's first publisher "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay Laun

Wait! Before I say "comedian." Let me tell you who Paul Mecurio really is. He's a transformer. A true re-inventor. He started out at as a lawyer on Wall Street. Because it was logical. And he got used to making 2, 3... 4 million dollars a year (after bonuses vested). It was hard to give it up... at first.But he still made little efforts. And those efforts add up. Overtime Paul stopped taking notes in meetings. He wrote jokes instead. And then one day he got a chance to meet Jay Leno. And he started living a double life. If the senior partners knew what he was doing, they wouldn't tolerate it. He'd be out. Immediately. This was a gamble. But it was worth it... Show Notes: Jay Leno The Daily Show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Stand up NY Comedy Cellar Paul Koestner - Louis CK's cinematographer The Hudlin brothers (Warrington Hudlin and Reginald Hudlin. Reginald wrote "Black Panther: Power," directed "Marshall" and produced "Django Unchained.") Spike Lee ("25th Hour," "He Got Game," "Do The Right Thing," "M