Welcome to Mindful Monday!

This week... I've been thinking a lot about how excellent leaders connect fascinating people who are putting a dent in the world. My conversation with Nick Gray focuses on that. He always seems to be in the midst of brilliant people (and being asked to emcee really cool events). I love the Jim Collins essay on level 5 leadership... I wrestle with the idea of process-oriented goals vs. results-based goals. Patrick O'Shaughnessey's essay on that (shared below) is one of the most useful and entertaining I've ever read. There's a great new video from Casey Neistat about excuses, and I recently read some wise words from Charlie Munger about envy...

#667: Nick Gray - Create Collisions of Curious People

Nick Gray is the author of The Two-Hour Cocktail Party and founder of Museum Hack. He's mastered the art of hosting events that strengthen networks and build genuine connections. In this conversation, he shares practical systems for hosting gatherings, why every leader needs a personal website, and lessons learned from his viral blind date trip to Tokyo. You can also WATCH our conversation on YouTube.

Level 5 Leadership

What catapults a company from merely good to truly great? A five-year research project searched for the answer to that question, and its discoveries ought to change the way we think about leadership.

What's Your Excuse?

A cool new video from Casey Neistat. "Excuses are how you get to I can't." This is a great example of how to overcome the excuses.

Growth Without Goals

One of my favorite essays about goal-setting. Do you set goals? I've changed my mind on this multiple times over the years. I think it's a fascinating look into someone's mind.

Wise Words

"Envy is a really stupid sin because it’s the only one you could never possibly have any fun at. There’s a lot of pain and no fun. Why would you want to get on that trolley?" -- Charlie Munger

Mindful Monday is a reader-supported publication. If you enjoyed it, forward it to your friends. Thank you! -- Ryan

Ryan Hawk

Author: The Score That Matters, Welcome to Management, & The Pursuit of Excellence

Host: The Learning Leader Show

PREFERENCES UNSUBSCRIBE

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246

Read more from The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

Mindful Monday #503: My 2025 Year-In-Review

2025 Review and a Look Ahead to 2026 (Click HERE to read it online) Leading up to 2025, my teammate, Geron Stokes, convinced our Learning Leader Circle members to choose a word of the year. I’d heard of the idea but thought it was just a thing online influencers did to sell a course. So, I didn’t do it. But Geron pushed a bit and described how helpful the exercise had been for him, so I changed my mind. Why not? What could it hurt to try? I made 2025 the Year of Connection. It ended up having...

about 8 hours ago • 9 min read

Mindful Monday #501: Why You Should Sell Door-to-Door

ABOUT PODCAST BOOKS SPEAKING LEADERSHIP CIRCLES Welcome to Mindful Monday! This week, we focus on why it's helpful to sell door-to-door, the most Warren Buffett question ever, why you should always go to the funeral, how friends take care of each other, and some wise words about networking. #666: Angie Hicks (Founder of Angie's List) Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angie’s List (now called Angi). She started the company at just 23, going door-to-door as a self-described introvert and...

14 days ago • 1 min read

Mindful Monday #500: Why Do You Want To Be a Leader?

ABOUT PODCAST BOOKS SPEAKING LEADERSHIP CIRCLES Welcome to Mindful Monday! This is the 500th consecutive Monday I have shipped a "Mindful Monday" email. It's become a forcing function for me to (constantly) be on the lookout for useful essays, videos, books, and speeches that could make me a better leader. Then I share them with you if you've gotten value from them, send this to your friends. Thank you! This week, we focus on an emotional conversation with Pat Lencioni, a cool project to...

21 days ago • 2 min read