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Classic Influence: Timeless Lessons from the Legends

Through a storytelling approach to history’s heroes and today's superstars of success, Classic Influence focuses on the strategic application of the wisdom of history and insights from social science. Listen in as we explore the timeless lessons we can learn from the legends of leadership, the titans of strategy, and the icons of influence and power. Guided by your host, the Harvard and Columbia-trained researcher, author (The Strategist Code), and speaker, Dr. Johnny Welch, M.B.A., you will discover the strategies, tactics, and tools you can use to increase your power and influence to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.
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Now displaying: 2019
Dec 16, 2019

Writer and explorer, fighter and reformer, scholar, historian, statesman, and sage; Theodore Roosevelt disdained idleness. “In this life, we get nothing save by effort,” said the Panama-Canal-Building, Nobel-Peace-Prize-winning President. “I never won anything without hard labor and…working long in advance.” In fact, the “highest form of success,” Roosevelt said, comes “to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil.” Listen in now to this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, and discover how Theodore Roosevelt became first an apostle, and, ultimately, the champion and exemplar of the Strenuous Life. This episode also exposes the frightening prospects for those preoccupied with comfort, convenience, and ease. Finally, you’ll learn how hard work and strenuous action are like secret weapons of success enabling you to achieve what Roosevelt called “the splendid ultimate triumph.”

Nov 15, 2019

According to legend, Ragnar Lothbrok was the most famous Viking of his age, and he remains one of the greatest heroes of Viking history. But did a Viking leader named Ragnar Lothbrok actually exist? In this episode of Classic Influence, we’ll explore the power of this everlasting legend, and why the Vikings told and retold his story over and over again. This episode also reveals the power of story, legend and myth, and how a compelling epic can shape and, ultimately, transform the future. Drawing on the example of Ragnar Lothbrok, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and others, this episode also unmasks the power of your personal story, and the cardinal importance of assuming your rightful role as both the author and the protagonist of your own heroic life history, and the power the storyteller role plays in the pursuit of your grand aspirations and goals.

Classic Influence Mission: Our mission is to join you in your journey to the top by bringing to life the stories of the heroes of history and superstars of success, extracting and distilling their insights and wisdom into practical action steps, strategies, tactics, tips, and mental tools that you can use in your own life to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.

For additional resources, updates and more, please visit us online at Classic Influence.

Oct 22, 2019

Nero stands out as one of the most monstrous, and universally hated emperors in the long history of the Roman empire. And, yet, the reign of the once popular emperor began in relative peace. What allowed for such a dramatic transformation? Were there any early signs of what barbaric slaughtering was to come? In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we’ll travel back to ancient Rome and watch as Nero, flooded with unquenchable hubris, burns his own ambitions to the ground. Drawing on the wisdom of ancient Greece, celebrated theologians, and modern presidents, this episode explores why hubris is at the dead center of the most toxic of human emotions. For those with enough foresight and social intelligence to appreciate just how hazardous hubris can be—the key lesson from Nero’s life—this episode also reveals a few key tips for keeping a grip on this most treacherous of emotional states.

Sep 12, 2019

Swamped with political ambition and romantic intrigue, the saga of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Cleopatra VII, has captivated historians and storytellers throughout history, from Plutarch in ancient Greece, and Shakespeare in early 17th century England, to screenwriters in Hollywood to this day. Cleopatra remains one of the most famous female rulers in history. Often portrayed as a sexy femme fatale, however, Cleopatra was not the classic beauty that we’ve been made to believe. Rather it was her cunning and charisma, her savvy and self-belief that enabled Cleopatra to make her mark on the world. In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we’ll explore how Cleopatra defied the political patriarchy of Egypt, outwitted her brother, Ptolemy XIII, and, ultimately, influenced the great Roman military and political leader, Julius Caesar, to be a faithful ally in full support of her ambition to rule the Egyptian empire. Grounded in modern management research, ancient military strategy, and the practical wisdom of the legendary 19th century showman, P.T. Barnum, this episode also reveals the vital necessity of dealing with difficult facts head on, and the power of maintaining a constant connection with the brutal truth, including the critical feedback you desperately need to succeed.

Aug 7, 2019

John F. Kennedy is widely regarded as one of America’s most popular presidents. On matters of leadership, communication ability, and social intelligence, political scientists and historians continue to rank Kennedy as one of the greats. In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast we explore how President Kennedy responded to his biggest blunder as President, the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and the leadership lessons we can learn from his response. Drawing on the wisdom of ancient Greek philosophers and modern management scholars, this episode also reveals one of the most common causes of failure, along with a couple of key tactics you can adopt to avoid this type of mistake, and significantly improve your probability of success.

Jul 3, 2019

Revealing the surprising power of mental maps, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast takes you on a journey to the diamond mines of Golconda, and extracts the lessons we can learn from the tragic loss of the Persian farmer depicted in Civil War captain Russell Conwell's most famous essay, "Acres of Diamonds." Drawing on Henry David Thoreau's experience living in the woods at Walden Pond, this episode also briefly explores the power of the unconscious mind, and the inherent inclination for people to slip into mindless mental habits and routines, often undermining their own deeply held desire to succeed. Geared toward avoiding the mental traps and flawed conceptual maps that so often hold people back, this episode concludes with a few key tactics you can adopt to improve your thinking, and, therefore, your decisions and your life.

About Your Host: Harvard and Columbia trained researcher Dr. Johnny Welch is a recognized authority on leadership, power, and influence. He is the author of Mastering the Power of Grit, and the upcoming book The Magic of Assuming Command. Along with his work as a professional speaker, he teaches a graduate course on leadership at Columbia University. Johnny currently lives in San Diego and, in his free time, enjoys weightlifting, running, traveling and, above all, surfing on some clean, hollow, warm water waves.

Classic Influence Mission: Our mission is to join you in your journey to the top by bringing to life the stories of the heroes of history and superstars of success, extracting and distilling their insights and wisdom into practical action steps, strategies, tactics, tips, and tools that you can use to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.

For additional resources, updates and more, please visit us online at Classic Influence.

May 29, 2019

Blackbeard remains the most famous pirate in the entire Golden Age of Piracy, and for good reason. In this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast, we'll examine the key characteristics that set Blackbeard apart from the pack, and how this cunning pirate captain used the power of a fearsome image to achieve his aim. We'll also briefly explore the five most fundamental factors in creating an effective image or personal brand, a vital part of the process of maximizing your influence and power. Finally, you'll discover why the most effective impressions must begin with a deep understanding of your audience.

About Your Host: Harvard and Columbia trained researcher Dr. Johnny Welch is a recognized authority on leadership, power, and influence. He is the author of Mastering the Power of Grit, and the upcoming book The Magic of Assuming Command. Along with his work as a professional speaker, he teaches a graduate course on leadership at Columbia University. Johnny currently lives in San Diego and, in his free time, enjoys weightlifting, running, traveling and, above all, surfing on some clean, hollow, warm water waves.

Classic Influence Mission: Our mission is to join you in your journey to the top by bringing to life the stories of the heroes of history and superstars of success, extracting and distilling their insights and wisdom into practical action steps, strategies, tactics, tips, and tools that you can use in your own life to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.

For additional resources, updates and more, please visit us online at http://www.classicinfluence.com/

Apr 26, 2019

Surveying the disciplined strategy, transforming leadership, and dogged determination of General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast reveals three key lessons we can learn from Washington’s effective prosecution of the war in the years leading up to the alliance with France. Looking back to the wisdom of the ancient Greeks, echoed in the insights of modern social science, this episode also reveals the power of the paradox of self-reliance. Finally, illustrating how this theme surfaces repeatedly throughout history—beginning at least as far back as classical Roman mythology—you will develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for why self-reliance is so fundamental to your ultimate success.

Mar 29, 2019

Examining the extraordinary experience and soaring example of President Abraham Lincoln, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast explores one of the vital, indispensable prerequisites of success. Unmasking the secret behind the greatness of legendary leaders like Lincoln, this episode also reveals how people are so often duped into giving their power away. You will also discover how the ultimate ownership mindset leads directly to the power and strength you need to achieve your ultimate dream.

If you like this show, then you’ll love Mastering the Power of Grit, available as an ebook or a paperback on Amazon. Following a format similar to this show, shared through their own compelling stories, Mastering the Power of Grit reveals the timeless lessons learned from the legends of grit, and the corresponding strategies, tactics, tips and tools you can use to master the power of grit to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.

For additional resources, updates and more, be sure to subscribe to our email list by visiting us online at http://www.classicinfluence.com/ownership

Feb 26, 2019

Drawing on the experience and beliefs of Napoleon Bonaparte and his “lucky star,” this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast examines the extraordinary power that becomes yours through simple self-belief. Grounded in the success literature and the academic literature in positive psychology, you will also learn strategies and tactics you can adapt to develop your own unshakeable self-belief, the indispensable prerequisite for achieving your greatest ambitions and goals.

If you like this show, then you’ll love my book, Mastering the Power of Grit, available as an ebook or a paperback on Amazon. Following a format similar to this show, shared through their own compelling stories, Mastering the Power of Grit reveals the timeless lessons learned from the legends of grit, and the corresponding strategies, tactics, tips and tools you can use to master the power of grit to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.

For additional resources, updates and more, be sure to subscribe to our email list by visiting us online at http://www.classicinfluence.com/belief

Jan 16, 2019

Exploring the roots of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s early success as a budding titan in the transportation industry, this episode of the Classic Influence Podcast is designed to enhance your understanding, and deepen your appreciation for the importance of self-reliance to your success. Drawing on the wisdom of some of the early self-help thinkers, this episode will also help you to gain a better understanding of how a lack of independence, autonomy, and self-will can leave you weak and vulnerable, ultimately stunting your growth, and undermining your efforts to succeed.

If you like this show, then you’ll love my book, Mastering the Power of Grit, available as an ebook or a paperback on Amazon. Following a format similar to this show, shared through their own compelling stories, Mastering the Power of Grit reveals the timeless lessons learned from the legends of grit, and the corresponding strategies, tactics, tips and tools you can use to master the power of grit to achieve your own most daring dreams and goals.

For additional resources, updates and more, be sure to subscribe to our email list by visiting us online at http://www.classicinfluence.com/selfreliance

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