ML124: Josh Kaufman on Mastering Complex Projects, Fighting Hydras and Using Stories to Change Your Behaviour
Josh Kaufman is an entrepreneur and the author of three bestselling books – The Personal MBA, the First 20 Hours and How to Fight a Hydra.
I first came across Josh’s work when I was getting interested in learning and skill acquisition a few years ago and his book The First 20 Hours is still one of the resources I recommend most to people looking to pick up a new skill.
In a previous life Josh worked in brand management for Procter & Gamble where he led multi-million dollar projects but he left that role to focus full time on research and writing.
Since doing that he’s produced bestseller after bestseller – starting with The Personal MBA, which teaches the key mental models needed for business success and following up with The First 20 Hours, a manual on rapid skill acquisition.
His most recent work, How To Fight a Hydra, is a fictional story documenting a hero’s journey to fight a monster that explores the uncertainty inherent in any ambitious challenge, from starting a new business to completing a work of art.
In this episode we discuss:
- The differences between fiction and non- fiction for promoting behaviour change
- The importance of dealing with practical concerns when pursuing your dreams
- The skills that Josh stuck with after writing The First 20 Hours
This was a wide-ranging and multi-disciplinary conversation with lots of great insights on a range of topics, whether you want to start your own business or learn a new skill.
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