Greatness

Jonathan Watts
  • 4.9 (23)
  • History
  • Updated Weekly

Learn from history’s greatest.Each week, Jonathan Watts dives into the lives and moments of the world's most extraordinary people, uncovering timeless lessons and unforgettable stories.

  1. 4d ago

    171. Morgan Housel - The Lessons that Never Change

    Diving into the lessons and ideas that never change throughout history from Morgan Housel's book, Same as Ever. Learn why happiness is all about expectations, why luck plays a greater role than you realize, why story is more important than the truth, the importance and danger of small actions, why friction is needed, and more. ----- Sources Same as Ever - Morgan Housel ----- 0:00 Introduction 5:00 - Hanging on by a thread 13:05 - Risk is what you don't see 19:04 - Happiness stems from expectations  23:48 - The best story wins 28:00 - The world isn't logical 33:25 - Too fast, too soon 39:10 - The greatest source of innovation 44:42 - Scars last  48:37 - Small actions breed big results  51:07 - The rational optimist  54:18 - Nothing worthwhile is free 57:25 - The danger of good times 1:02:50 - Final short ideas and stories ----- Watch on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSwB1Ov-rlLkib-dtHpHRIA

  2. Sep 23

    170. An Ode to the Robins - LeBron James, Mary Kay Ash, Bart Starr, Howard Schultz

    Diving into a few short stories on something that has fascinated me over the years: the importance of Robins in the stories of Batman Enjoy. ----- Sources LeBron - Jeff Benedict  America's Quarterback - Keith Dunnavant Pour Your Heart Into It - Howard Schultz Miracles Happen - Mary Kay Ash ----- Check out my books below: Daily Greatness: Short Stories and Essays on the Act of Becoming  Chasing Greatness 2nd Edition - Timeless Stories on the Pursuit of Excellence Stay connected and check out more here: Chasegreatness.net

  3. Sep 19

    169. Baltasar Gracián

    Diving into the philosophies and wisdom of Baltasar Gracián, a man who was admired by Nietzsche, Voltaire, Arthur Schopenhauer, and many more. ----- Sources The Art of Wordly Wisdom - Baltasar Gracián  ----- 4:45: The maxim of Baltasar Gracián 5:49: "There is no higher rule than that over oneself, over one’s impulses." 7:00: "Keep the imagination under control." 9:10: "A man of Rectitude clings to the sect of right with such tenacity of purpose that neither the passions of the mob nor the violence of the tyrant can ever cause him to transgress the bounds of right." 10:20: "Think over things, most over the most important." 11:50: "To be occupied in what does not concern you is worse than doing nothing." 12:39: Garcian on power and human nature 16:38: "Find out each man’s thumbscrew." 18:46: "Keen observation, subtle insight, judicious inference: with these he discovers, notices, grasps, and comprehends everything." 22:47:  "First, be master over yourself if you would be master over others." "Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement." 26:00: "Know how to choose well." 28:25: "Worth much costs much." 30:00: "Things pass for what they seem, not for what they are. Few see inside; many take to the outside. It is not enough to be right, if right seems false and ill. 32:50: "The secret of long life. Lead a good life." 34:35: "Do and be seen doing. Things do not pass for what they are but for what they seem." 39:30: "Never act in a passion. If you do, all is lost. You cannot act for yourself if you are not yourself, and passion always drives out reason." 42:45: "Do not make a Business of what is no Business." 45:25: "He has all that makes nothing of what is nothing to him. There is no greater perversity than to take everything to heart. " 46:23: "Always act as if your acts were seen." 47:25: Develop beliefs slowly 49:20: Short mantras for life ----- Check us out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Chasing_Greatness

  4. Sep 10

    168. The Relentless Nature of Vince Lombardi

    Diving into the coaching and leadership ways of the great Vince Lombardi

  5. Aug 28

    167. History Dump: Oprah, Michel de Montaigne, Bruce Springsteen, and More

    History dump is back. Diving into some of my favorite stories, people, and ideas I've learned and read about recently.  ----- Sources What I Know for Sure - Oprah Bruce Springsteen - Peter Carlin The Essays - Michael de Montaigne King of the World - David Remnick The Strenuous Life - Theodore Roosevelt ----- 0:40 - Oprah, what do you know for sure? 2:10 - "When you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance" - Lee Ann Womack 3:40 - Four- and five-star experiences 4:54 -  "The gift of deciding to face your mortality without turning away or flinching is the gift of recognizing that because you will die, you must live now. " 7:15 - The question Oprah kept writing: “What am I afraid of?” 9:30 - "Basically, when you get to my age, You’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you. That’s the ultimate test of how you have lived your life. The more you give love away, the more you get.” - Warren Buffett 14:35 - The words that changed Oprah's life: “Excellence is the best deterrent to racism. Therefore, be excellent.” 16:26 - Bruce Springsteen and the ambition trap 23:56 - Mike Appell and pushing past no 28:48 - "The Strenuous Life." 33:42 - Michael de Montaigne on death 39:55 - "The usefulness of living lies not in duration but in what you make of it. Some have lived long and lived little. See it while you are still here. Whether you have lived enough depends not on the count of years but on your will." 40:12 - Floyd Patterson, doubt, cowardice, and authenticity

  6. Aug 20

    166. Muhammad Ali

    Diving into the life of the boxing icon, Muhammad Ali ----- Sources: King of the World - David Remnick Ali - Jonathan Eig ----- 0:00 - The story you tell yourself  4:05 - How a low point changed Ali's life forever 8:25 - Boxing became a religion 13:08 - Missionary to mercenary 15:25 - Self-confidence and showmanship 22:08 - Why he talked trash 23:45 - The man and religion that changed his life 25:20 - Liston vs Ali, being willing to bleed, and the lack of preparation 28:02 - How strong are your beliefs 29:58 - The moment that determined Ali's career 34:00 - Becoming Muhammad Ali 35:17 - Becoming the most hated man in America 41:17 - The paradox of the man 44:35 - A different fighter, a different approach, a different man 49:05 - Quit before it's too late ----- Check out my books below: Daily Greatness: Short Stories and Essays on the Act of Becoming  Chasing Greatness 2nd Edition - Timeless Stories on the Pursuit of Excellence ----- You can check, stay connected, and support below: Website Books Instagram X LinkedIn

  7. Aug 8

    165. Haruki Murakami

    0:00 - Find the torture you're comfortable with 2:55 -  The unusual path and story of how Murakami became a writer  18:35 - Finding the void 22:45 - Discipline = what suits you 26:15 - The failed marathon 28:52 - The 62-miler  32:43 - Be a self-competitor 34:48 - The pleasure is doing the thing 36:34 - The keys to Murakami's remarkable longevity  38:25 - Murakami and focus  39:35 - The key to building endurance 41:24 - Pace and pleasure  43:00 - How Murakami has run every day for decades 43:30 - The writing/creative process 47:35 - Becoming a "true artist."

  8. Aug 1

    164. The Letters of John D. Rockefeller

    Diving into the letters John D. Rockefeller wrote to his son. ----- Sources: The 38 Letters From J.D. Rockefeller to his son Titan - Ron Chernow ----- 4:30 - Your destiny is determined by your actions 10:00 - Self-control and discipline 11:25 - Planning luck is planning life 13:34 - Work as a key to happiness 16:15 - Does it keep you up at night 17:35 - Don't be a passive person 20:00 - Mortgage for the future 21:25 - On failure 25:05 - Belief is necessary 31:17 - Excuses are the source of failure 32:55 - Attitude determines achievements 34:10 - Greed is necessary 36:50 - Keys to wealth 41:45 - The importance of self-reflection 46:35 - Two types of people to avoid 49:50 - The peace of conscience is the only reliable reward.

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4.9
out of 5
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About

Learn from history’s greatest.Each week, Jonathan Watts dives into the lives and moments of the world's most extraordinary people, uncovering timeless lessons and unforgettable stories.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Watts
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    171
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Greatness
  • Show Website
    Greatness

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