Ten Words

"Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear".   After a short break Ten Words returns with an epic 80 minute episode on one of the world's most influential women (TIME) and a singer who many (including Rolling Stone Magazine) also call, one of the greatest song writers of all time.   In this episode we look at the attitude that made her famous, why her fans love her SO much, how she writes her songs and why she is the queen of the one-note melody. There is also a bonus section at the end where I deliver a short marketing lesson!   SHOW NOTES Why does Taylor write so many one note melodies? Taylor Swift biography The Greatest Living Songwriter? Joe Sabia - The guy behind 73 questions Delicate by Taylor Swift (hat tip to Fat Boy Slim & Christopher Walken)       VOGUE'S 73 QUESTIONS 1. What’s your favorite movie? 2. Favorite movie in the past five years? 3. Favorite Hitchcock film? 4. A book you plan on reading? 5. A book that you read in school that positively shaped you? 6. Favo

"I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends".   Containing just 272 words, the Gettysburg Address packs more greatness into two minutes than any other speech ever given. (Including MLK’s I have a dream speech IMHO). What was it that made this ten sentence speech so powerful? What exactly did America’s 16th President Abraham Lincoln say on 19th November 1863 and why did he say it?   In this episode I look behind the scenes at this iconic speech, and search for inspiration that can help us all tell our own stories better. And what better place to do that than the Gettysburg Address, a speech famous for containing big ideas in small words and short sentences.   THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS Video (featuring Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Steven Spielberg and Taylor Swift) Transcripts of the Gettysburg Address     LINKS Learn the Address (2013 Campaign celebrating the 150th anniversary of the address) Analysis of the Gettysburg Address (context) Analysis of the Gettysburg Address (rhetoric) Emancipat

"Violence is one of the most fun things to watch".   He is obsessed with cinema and loves plundering the history of film like some kind of pirate director. He's a big believer that good artists copy but great artists steal and thinks that the comic book violence in his films has no real connection to reality. It's not like he hasn’t thought that through either. He has an IQ of 160! Sharper than a Hanzo sword and more satisfying than a Big Kahuna Burger… it’s Quentin Jerome Tarantino.  

"Only mediocrity is safe from ridicule. Dare to be different".   She's "The Queen of Burlesque", an American vedette, burlesque dancer, model, costume designer, entrepreneur, singer and actress. She's a 'glamour evangelist' and repopularized burlesque performance after creating a persona modeled on Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe and Betty Page. She has no problem with being "objectified" and challenges the misconception that "it's what's on the inside that counts". With Dita, it's very much what's on the outside that counts.   It's a perspective I really struggled to understand until I looked deeper into her ten words. This show is as much a personal journey into my understanding of what makes her tick, as much as it is a show about a truly remarkable, unique and complex woman.   Is packaging everything? Is she real? Fake? Or does the self-created persona she loves so deeply really have a deeper purpose?   Let's find out...  

"I've learned that I still have a lot to learn".   Maya Angelou was a civil rights activist, writer, poet, performer and responsible for some of the most famous quotes you've ever heard. In this episode I dig into her past to try and discover what made her such a prolific writer and despite her traumatic childhood, how did she manage to inspire so many people? This episode has laughs, love, literature, prose and power. I hope you enjoy listening to it anywhere near as much as I enjoyed recording it.   SHOW NOTES Still I Rise How Maya Angelou writes More on Maya's writing process I know why the caged bird sings How to write a poem Maya's advice for Writers Maya Angelou on "The Art of Fiction" There are SO many great clips of Maya speaking, performing and giving advice on YouTube that I engourage you to find a quiet corner with your notebook and a nice pen (and maybe a bourbon infused coffee?!) and search them for yourself. I would start with any conversations she's had with Oprah.   This was such a wonde

"Good".   He's an ex-NAVY S.E.A.L. and one of the scariest people you're likely to come across. His mindset and his attitude towards getting things done has now been turned to the business world and he's shaking things up as much inside companies, as he did on the battlefield.   He's Jocko Willink and he doesn't need ten words. He only needs one. So in this special episode, I curate three of my favourite Jocko stories and explain why he has such a huge impact on my life, and could do on yours as well.   Hooyah!   SHOW NOTES "Good" by Jocko Willink Jocko's Podcast [LISTEN] Jocko's YouTube Channel [INSTANT Motivation] Jocko's TED Talk "Extreme Ownership" Follow @JockWillink on Twitter Jocko Willink's legendary podcast with Tim Ferris 8 Lessons from Navy SEALS (Linkedin) "Discipline = Freedom" Post by Tim Ferris Tools of Titans [BOOK] Full of people like Jocko and curated by Tim Ferris Way of the SEAL by Mark Divine

  "Growth. Love. Happiness. Fun. Belief. Enjoy your life (it's short)".   She’s a worldwide sensation – and it's not without good reason. Her music is bouncy and uplifting, her looks are stunning, she is worth over $350M but the most intoxicating aspect about Queen Bey is her empowering stance on life. She wasn't handed her position as one of the most powerful women in the world, she worked REALLY HARD for it, and along the way she's modeled a few lessons we should all learn.     LINKS Beyonce's wikipedia Lessons we can learn from Beyonce 15 Success Secrets from Beyonce Beyonce's Career Advice What motivates Beyonce? Beyonce + Harvard Business School The Business of Being Beyonce (Harvard) How to Unleash Your Inner Beyonce Beyonce's 2013 Super Bowl Half-Time Show What Inspires Beyonce? Beyonce Facts You Don't Have The Same Hours in the Day as Beyonce Beyonce Interview on Sixty Minutes IBM's 1995 Ten Word Annual Report Management in Ten Words by Sir Terry Leahy  

"The road less traveled is less traveled for a reason".   In this episode we dive into the mind of a comedy legend in order to see what makes him tick and discover his secrets to successful storytelling. We also hear some surprising insights into his about work-life balance. He's a writer, comedian, actor, director and producer who is worth over $670M. He made a show about nothing (which still brings him over $60M each year) making him the most successful comedian the world has ever seen. He's Jerry Seinfeld and you're going to love what he has to tell you.   ** Jerry's comedy sets are 70-75 minutes, so I thought it only fair that we devoted a similar amount of time to Ten Words! **   LINKS Jerry's website Follow Jerry on Twitter Comedians in Cars on Netflix Interesting facts about Jerry from Rolling Stone The commercial success of Seinfeld Jerry's interview with Bob Roth about Transcendental Meditation Talking Funny with Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais and Louis CK Dissecting Jerry's PopTart joke Seinfeld's th

"The stories that we love will live in us forever".   In this raw and 'unpolished' episode of the Ten Words Podcast I go on a personal and professional journey with J.K. Rowling to uncover what drove her success, how she coped through the darker days and what inspired her to be a writer. I talk about her commercial success and the demons she's struggled with along the way and look at why she chose to mention the word "failure" thirteen times during her epic Harvard University Commencement speech in 2008.   J.K. Rowling is an incredibly impressive woman who held on to her vision as she turned down by the first twelve publishers who she approached with the Harry Potter manuscripts. And when her book was finally accepted, she was told not to give up her day job and write under the name of J.K. (instead of Joanne) because "boys won't read wizard books that are written by a woman"! But as with all magical fairytales, this one turned out beautifully and has a gorgeous ending that can inspire us all.   This show is

  "A good human plus a machine is the best combination".   Garry Kasparov is a former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist. He is widely regarded as the greatest chess player of all time, but it was his famous matches against the IBM super-computer Deep Blue in 1996-97 where he wrote his name into history and brought conversations around artificial intelligence, and chess, into the mainstream. Garry is a 'beautiful mind' who believes that we should make decisions with our hearts and that normal people, using good tools, can achieve remarkable things.   "If you don't take risks you don't drink champagne".   In this episode we look deeper into Garry's 'ten words' by analysing one of his greatest presentations ~ his TED Talk from April 2017. By looking at the way that he structures his talk, we can begin to understand what makes him so unique, not just as a chess player, but as a storyteller. Doing something I've not done before, I hope you enjoy this "live" behind the scenes look at his present

"It's failure that gives you the proper perspective on success".   She's one of the most respected people on television and one of the world's most successful comedians but it wasn't always like that. Six years after having the title role in one of America's most successful sitcoms, her show was dramatically axed when she "came out" on her show.   Ellen's "failure" combined with her unique philosophy, transformed her into one of the most inspirational people you could ever wish to meet. She’s worth almost $400M but is on a personal crusade to give most of it away, and encourage others to do the same. She's one of those people who make the world a much better place just by being in it. I hope you enjoy my take on Ellen's comedy, her storytelling philosophy, her attitude and her deep love for her audience. Also watch out for a look at the best Oscar’s acceptance speech of all-time towards the end of the show.   LINKS Ellen's gorgeous animal rights ad for Amex shot by Annie Leibovitz Ellen's Bio The Ellen Show

  "To achieve good results, work all night and eat soup".   Cedric Villani is the Field's Medal winning maths professor from Paris who changed the world by discovering a new theorem (by accident). He has since dedicated his life to communicating the beauty of mathematics and insists that "to achieve good results, work all night and eat soup".   He is a beautiful person, with a beautiful mind, which I do my best to explore in this episode as I seek to discover the truth behind those ten words. Join me on this voyage of discovery as we seek to understand why math(s) really is "sexy".   This bourbon fueled episode was "slightly longer" than expected because of the various stories I share, here's some timings to help you dig in and out of the podcast depending upon how much time you have. I thought this would be a better solution rather than debating for hours which bits to cut out.   Thank you for listening!   TIMINGS 0:00 ~ Intro 4:23 ~ "To achieve good results work all night and eat soup" 8:48 ~ Why is math

    "Buy Less. Choose Well. Make it Last. Quality Not Quantity".   In this extended bank holiday edition we chat about the Dame of British Fashion, the lady responsible for founding the punk movement who believes that fashion really can change the world.   Conscious to not turn this episode into just 'another' biography about one of fashions most loved characters, I look behind the scenes at the ten word slogans which made Vivienne famous and built her brand. I share the finest advice I've ever received in business, talk about why her words are so important to me and more importantly, what they might mean for you. I also explain why Vivienne designs her clothes as "stories" and reveal her ideal reading list for any freedom fighters wanting to follow in her footsteps.   This one is a beefy 75 minutes but I didn't want to cut anything out - so I'll leave you to enjoy as much or as little as you like. It was a lot of fun to record. I hope you enjoy it! Jeremy   Show Links: Vivienne's Get a Life Website Westwoo

    "Fired Up? Ready to Go". x2   For the first official episode of the Ten Words podcast we are taking a closer look at the skinny kid with the big ears (who's not from Kenya) and managed to defy all the odds to become the 44th President of the United States.   Widely regarded as one of the greatest speakers of recent generations, this episode takes a deep dive into how he managed to inspire so many people with his words, and what inspired him to break down his manifesto down into bite-sized chunks and soundbites - without diluting their meaning. He spoke well, but many people thought he was all style without much substance. So we'll have a dig into that too. I also attempt to give a famous speech that I've never given before!   It's fun, it's fast, there's music, there's singing, and there's a ton of great quotes that may also inspire you to tell your own story a little bit better.    Each week I'll post the show notes, links and a photo of my notebook along with the Bossjock Studio screenshot, so you can

Welcome to the Ten Words podcast. The weekly show full of BIG ideas, small words and short sentences. In this initial extended episode (1 hour!), I want to introduce you to the Ten Words podcast, and explain where it came from, why you should care (!) and what makes it so special and unique. This inaugural episode also features me experimenting with formats to see what works (and what doesn't), so please bear with me and let me know what you think!     In this slightly schizophrenic episode, we bounce around all over the place, covering some of the inspiration behind the podcast. It features content from Seth Godin, Steve Jobs, Zig Ziglar, Pixar, Carmine Gallo, Oprah, Barack Obama, Tom Ford, Robin Williams, Aaron Sorkin and the West Wing. Hopefully, it will not only entertain you with some wonderful words from some marvelous people, but maybe even inspire you to tell your own story a little better. Enjoy.