New book from NYT bestselling author Lewis Howes is now available!

New book from NYT bestselling author Lewis Howes is now available!

Summit of Greatness 2025 Early Bird Now Open! | September 12-13 | Los Angeles, CA

 

Interested in learning how to build a life and business around doing what you love? So am I. Let’s connect.

Quick quiz: Do you ever feel guilty for not doing what is really important to you but isn’t on your to-do list?

Do you find yourself struggling to be productive even though you are busy for 18 hours a day?

Have you ever considered that the issue might not be your ability to just DO MORE?

If you are a human being working at a job, trying to get ahead, I feel very confident that you answered yes to the first two questions (and possibly the third).

If this hits home for you, then today’s episode on The School of Greatness is going to change your life.

Seriously.

I hadn’t heard of today’s guest, Rory Vaden, before he reached out to me about his new book Procrastinating on Purpose. But I’m so glad he did!

Rory is a hugely successful consultant, world class public speaker, NYT best-selling author, and really nice guy.

He also has a great Southern accent.

Not only do Rory and I both have a history with Toastmasters (he got second place in the world championships for speaking), but we both have spent a lot of time thinking about how to maximize our time.

In our interview, Rory not only explains the paradigm-busting framework of the “focus funnel,” but he discusses the WHY behind our struggles with time management.

The biggest insight for me was how he explains our emotional connection to delegating and time management. It’s not just a logical battle we face with ourselves – it has to do with our hearts.

Prepare to be validated, coached, and freed from your productivity crisis. Welcome to Episode 114 with productivity master Rory Vaden.

Subscribe on iTunesStitcher Radio or TuneIn

The School of Greatness Podcast

Rory Vaden on The School of Greatness

“Put off the things that don’t matter so that you can focus on the things that do.”

Some questions I ask:

  • What are three lessons people need to be applying when they speak publicly to make them unforgettable?
  • What does it mean to procrastinate on purpose?
  • How is this different than other productivity strategies?
  • Why is it so hard for us to have only a semi-full calendar?
  • What are the emotional dynamics that are related to delegating?
  • Why are so many people focused on perfection when it’s not possible to achieve?

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

“It’s hard to be nervous when your heart’s on service.”

  • What he does right before he goes on stage to give a speech
  • The emotional side of productivity
  • Inaction that results from indulgence is procrastination. Inaction that results from attention is patience.
  • How to multiply your time: Give yourself the emotional permission to spend time on things today that give you more time tomorrow.

“Time management is no longer just logical; it’s emotional.”

  • The concept of ROTI: Return on Time Invested
  • What the significance calculation is and how the A-players make it
  • Why we need to ask ourselves not “How soon does this matter?” but “For how long is this going to matter?”
  • The five pieces of the focus funnel:
    • Eliminate
    • Automate
    • Delegate
    • Concentrate
    • Procrastinate

“Automation is to your time what compound interest is to your money.”

  • The 30x rule: You should spend 30 times the amount of time a task would take you to train someone else to do it (this sounds crazy until you hear the explanation)
  • Why to-do lists are dangerous
  • Plus much more…

“You’re either consciously saying no to what doesn’t matter or you end up accidentally saying no to the things that do matter.”

Continue Seeking Greatness:

Rory Vaden on the School of Greatness

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  • Check out Onnit and their optimal performance products. Use the code “greatness” to get 10% off your next order:

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You may also like these episodes:

Did you enjoy the podcast?

Has your life been changed? Do you feel like you have a new super power? I loved this interview and took a few notes for my own productivity improvement. What will your biggest time management shift be after listening to Rory?

“Success is never owned. Success is rented. And the rent is due everyday.”

Rory Vaden on The School of Greatness

 

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