31 episodes

Hey everyone, it’s Alex from Alex & Books and you’re listening to The Reader’s Journey. The podcast that takes you on a journey to meet amazing authors, discover brilliant books, and learn valuable lessons along the way. Now, let’s get started.For more book recs, reading tips, and book content, follow @AlexandBooks_ on Instagram & Twitter.

The Reader's Journey Alex & Books

    • Self-Improvement

Hey everyone, it’s Alex from Alex & Books and you’re listening to The Reader’s Journey. The podcast that takes you on a journey to meet amazing authors, discover brilliant books, and learn valuable lessons along the way. Now, let’s get started.For more book recs, reading tips, and book content, follow @AlexandBooks_ on Instagram & Twitter.

    29. Tiago Forte: Building A Second Brain

    29. Tiago Forte: Building A Second Brain

    My guest today is Tiago Forte author of "Building a Second Brain."

    Tiago Forte is one of the world’s foremost experts on productivity and has taught thousands of people around the world how timeless principles and the latest technology can revolutionize their productivity, creativity, and personal effectiveness. 

    Get his book here: https://amzn.to/3ghadcn 

    TIMESTAMPS:

    [00:00-01:24] - What is a Second Brain?
    [01:25] - How Tiago become a productivity expert
    [03:15] - How to start building your second brain
    [06:30] - What is the BEST note-taking app 
    [10:00] - Note-taking vs. Note-giving
    [13:00] - Strategies for highlighting books/notes
    [15:15] - Consuming information vs Applying information
    [18:45] - Tiago's famous PARA framework
    [22:30] - Lifechanging stories from building a second brain
    [27:30] - Lessons from James Clear
    [31:20] - Tiago's book-writing process
    [37:15] - Read, learn, and APPLY
    [38:30] - Key takeaways from "Building A Second Brain"

    ***
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    • 41 min
    28. Jay Papasan: The ONE Thing (How To Achieve More By Doing Less)

    28. Jay Papasan: The ONE Thing (How To Achieve More By Doing Less)

    My guest today is Jay Papasan, the co-author of The ONE Thing.
    Jay Papasan is an NYT bestselling writer and business executive. 
    In this episode,  Jay shares advice on how to be more productive by identifying and focusing on your most important task, how to create better to-do lists, why you shouldn’t multitask, tips on work/life balance, and much more.
    TIMESTAMPS:
    [00:25] - The big idea behind The ONE Thing [01:25] - Why you should make Success lists, not To-Do lists[09:00] - How multitasking makes you less productive[18:20] - The role of discipline & willpower in productivity[25:25] - The truth about work/life balance  [36:35] - How saying “No” will make you more productive & how to say it nicely[43:45] - Two books that had a huge impact on Jay’s lifeResources:
    Twitter: @jaypapasanWebsite: jaypapasan.com ***
    If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure to subscribe.

    Every week I send out a free newsletter with actionable advice from amazing books. Join 10,000+ readers here.

    Connect with Alex & Books:
    Twitter: @alexandbooks_Instagram: @alexandbooks_YouTube: Alex & Books

    • 49 min
    I Published My First Book!

    I Published My First Book!

    Hey everyone, I published my first book this week!

    GET A COPY OF MY BOOK HERE: https://amzn.to/3wqWCDl

    Connect with Alex & Books here:
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    Join 10,000+ readers who get my free weekly newsletter here.

    • 7 min
    27. Sahil Lavingia: The Minimalist Entrepreneur (A New Way To Build A Sustainable & Profitable Business)

    27. Sahil Lavingia: The Minimalist Entrepreneur (A New Way To Build A Sustainable & Profitable Business)

    My guest today is Sahil Lavingia, author of The Minimalist Entrepreneur.
    Sahil Lavingia is the founder of Gumroad and an angel investor. Before that, he was employee #2 at Pinterest.  
    In this episode,  Sahil shares advice on building a successful business, why you want to be a creator before becoming an entrepreneur, lessons learned from Naval Ravikant, and much more.
    TIMESTAMPS:
    [00:20] - What is a minimalist entrepreneur?[08:57] - How Sahil built his company Gumroad[12:00] - Be a creator first then an entrepreneur second[18:00] - Why community is vital for building successful businesses[33:20] - The advantages of building-in-public[45:20] - The risks of building-in-public[50:50] - Workplace culture & the future of work[1:03:00] - Lessons Sahil learned from Naval Ravikant[1:08:00] - Two books that had a huge impact on Sahil’s life
    Resources:
    Twitter: @shlWebsite: minimalistentrepreneur.com***
    If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure to subscribe.

    Every week I send out a free newsletter with actionable advice from amazing books. Join 9,800+ readers here.

    Connect with Alex & Books:
    Twitter: @alexandbooks_Instagram: @alexandbooks_YouTube: Alex and Books

    • 1 hr 18 min
    26. MJ DeMarco: The Great Rat Race Escape (How To Go From Wage Slavery to Wealth)

    26. MJ DeMarco: The Great Rat Race Escape (How To Go From Wage Slavery to Wealth)

    My guest today is MJ DeMarco, author of The Great Rat Race Escape. 
    MJ DeMarco is an entrepreneur, investor, and bestselling author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
    In this episode, MJ shares advice on how to escape the rat race, the myth about compounding interest making you rich, how to find the right business opportunity, advice he would give to a 21-year old kid today, and much more. 
    TIMESTAMPS:
    [00:17] - Defining the Script that 99% of people follow [2:00] - The myth of compound interest & investing for 40+ years[6:30] - How MJ escaped the rat race & how you can too[11:45] - Advice MJ would give to a 21-year old kid today[13:55] - The truth about passive income[17:35] - The biggest business in the world: Shortcuts[20:00] - How to find the right business opportunity[27:00] - The cornbreads vs champagne principle[29:50] - Does your network = your net worth?[32:00] - Can money buy happiness or not?[37:00] - The Right Book strategy[39:30] - The 1/2/3 Marriage strategy[42:30] - MJ’s favorite lessons from his book[47:00] - Two books that had a huge impact on MJ’s life
    Resources:
    Twitter: @MJDeMarcoWebsite: MJDeMarco.com***
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    Twitter: @alexandbooks_Instagram: @alexandbooks_YouTube: Alex and Books

    • 50 min
    25. John Gray: Beyond Mars and Venus (Relationship Skills for Today's Complex World)

    25. John Gray: Beyond Mars and Venus (Relationship Skills for Today's Complex World)

    My guest today is John Gray, author of Beyond Mars and Venus. 
    Dr. John Gray is the author of the classic dating book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. His books have sold tens of millions of copies and have been translated into approximately 45 languages in more than 100 countries.
    In this episode, John shares how relationship dynamics have changed over the past 20 years, why men need Cave Time to get in touch with their masculine side, why women need Talk Therapy to get in touch with their feminine side, why little things make a big difference for women, and much more about maintaining a happy relationship.


    TIMESTAMPS:
    [00:24] - The biggest change in relationships over the past 20 years[04:15] - Men need to reconnect with their masculine side & women with their feminine side [06:15] - Explaining  Cave Time & why  how it helps men  [1 2:00] - Explaining Talk Therapy & why how it helps women[17:35] - Why complaining doesn't work & how to actually get your partner to change[27:10] - Why little things make a BIG difference for women [43:28] - Things a man can do to help their woman reconnect with their feminine side [52:45] - A common mistake men do in relationships [1:06:20] - A sex tip to boost your testosterone 
    Resources:
    Twitter: @MarsVenusWebsite: MarsVenus.com***
    If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure to subscribe.

    Every week I send out a free newsletter with actionable advice from amazing books. Join 7,900+ readers here.

    Connect with Alex & Books:
    Twitter: @alexandbooks_Instagram: @alexandbooks_YouTube: Alex and Books

    • 1 hr 10 min