The Optimistic Outlook with John Eades

Welcome to The Optimistic Outlook, a daily podcast with one idea to help you train your most important muscle — your brain — and apply it in real life. I’m John Eades, sharing insights from real leaders, modern psychology, and daily experiences to help you grow and lead with purpose.

Get Light 01/06/2026

Get Light Most people are carrying more than they need to. Extra weight, unfinished conversations, lingering resentment, or commitments that no longer serve them. In this episode, John reflects on a simple but challenging idea he heard from Jesse Itzler: it’s hard to go far or fast if you’re too heavy. This is a reminder to take an honest look at what you’re holding onto and consider what needs to be removed so you can move forward with more freedom and energy. 🟩 Quote of the Day: It’s taxing to go far or fast if you’re too heavy. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39618850

Do You Have a Misogi? 01/05/2026

Do You Have a Misogi? Every January, it’s tempting to set big goals and ambitious resolutions. But what if one hard commitment mattered more than all of them combined? In this episode, John reflects on a goal he didn’t finish, a project he didn’t plan, and the concept of a Misogi, one defining challenge with a real chance of failure that changes who you become in the process. This is a reminder that progress isn’t always about completing the goal you set, but about becoming the person capable of carrying it. 🟩 Quote of the Day: It’s not about finishing the goal. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can carry it. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39610155

The Day After Day One 01/02/2026

The Day After Day One Most resolutions are decided the day after New Year’s Day. In this episode, John explains why starting matters, but continuing matters more. Progress doesn’t come from one strong beginning, it comes from waking up and doing the work again. 🟩 Quote of the Day: The rock breaks only for those who keep swinging. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39543100

New Year, New Aim, New Appetite 01/01/2026

New Year, New Aim, New Appetite There’s nothing magical about the calendar changing, yet New Year’s Day gives us something powerful: direction. In this episode, John explains why New Year’s resolutions matter and why a new dream always requires a new appetite and a new level of action. 🟩 Quote of the Day: A new dream requires a new appetite. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39543070

Insecurity Is Loud. Confidence Is Quiet. 12/31/2025

Insecurity Is Loud. Confidence Is Quiet. Insecurity has a language, and it often shows up through comparison and criticism. Confidence has a language too, but it works quietly on the inside. In this episode, John shares why confidence isn’t something you declare, but something you earn through consistent action and repetition. 🟩 Quote of the Day: Insecurity fades through action, not affirmation. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39543090

Better a Diamond With a Flaw 12/30/2025

Better a Diamond With a Flaw Perfectionism feels productive, but it often stalls progress. In this episode, John reflects on a timeless quote from Confucius and a lesson learned on the golf course about why chasing flawlessness slows you down. Progress happens when you accept imperfection and keep moving forward. 🟩 Quote of the Day: Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39543080

Responsibility vs. Ownership 12/29/2025

Responsibility vs. Ownership Responsibility and ownership are often used interchangeably, but they lead to very different outcomes. In this episode, John explains why responsibility is assigned, but ownership must be taken. The shift from doing what you have to do to doing what you must do changes how consistently you show up and follow through. 🟩 Quote of the Day: Ownership is doing what must be done, even when you don’t feel like it. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39543050

Your Exposure Shapes Your Dreams 12/26/2025

Your Exposure Shapes Your Dreams What you are exposed to influences what you believe is possible. In this episode, John explains why your dreams often grow only as large as your exposure allows and how intentionally seeking better experiences expands your vision. Bigger dreams begin with broader exposure. 🟩 Quote of the Day: The fastest way to expand your vision is to experience something more excellent. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39496530

Your Actions Today Become Traditions 12/25/2025

Your Actions Today Become Traditions The actions you take today often last far longer than the day itself. In this episode, John shares a Christmas Day reflection on how small, consistent actions quietly turn into traditions that shape memories and meaning for others. What feels ordinary to you may be unforgettable to someone else. 🟩 Quote of the Day: What you do today becomes a tradition tomorrow. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39496585

The Moment Before the Moment 12/24/2025

The Moment Before the Moment As meaningful moments approach, pressure and doubt often show up first. In this episode, John reflects on the space that exists just before life’s biggest moments arrive. The reminder is simple. What matters most isn’t perfection or preparation. It’s presence. 🟩 Quote of the Day: The moment doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs you present. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39496685

Criticism Is Meant for Construction 12/23/2025

Criticism Is Meant for Construction Criticism rarely feels good, but it often serves a purpose. In this episode, John explores why feedback feels personal and how learning to separate emotion from information allows criticism to become a tool for growth instead of judgment. When you shift your mindset, criticism stops breaking you and starts building you. 🟩 Quote of the Day: Criticism isn’t meant to break you. It’s meant to build you. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39496940

The Milkshake Study 12/22/2025

The Milkshake Study Your mind is far more powerful than you realize. In this episode, John shares the famous milkshake study that proves how belief shapes biology. Participants consumed the exact same milkshake, yet their bodies responded differently based solely on what they believed they were drinking. Research led by Alia Crum reveals a simple truth. Your mindset influences how you feel, how you respond, and the outcomes you create. This episode introduces a practical way to interrupt negative thought patterns and retrain old mental settings. 🟩 Quote of the Day: Your body responds to what your mind believes. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39490425

Your Weight Is Worth It 12/19/2025

Your Weight Is Worth It 📬 Subscribe to the daily newsletter: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39440745

Have a Positive Outlook, No Matter the Scenario 12/18/2025

Have a Positive Outlook, No Matter the Scenario Some situations are hard. Others feel overwhelming. But one branch of the military trains soldiers on something they always control, their outlook. In this episode, John explains why optimism is not denial or toxic positivity. It is a disciplined decision to choose the most productive perspective available, regardless of circumstances. You’ll learn why the story you tell yourself shapes how you act next, and why a positive outlook is a leadership responsibility, not a personality trait. 🟩 Quote of the Day: “Optimism is not denial. It is discipline.” 📘 Get the book The Optimistic Outlook: 📬 Subscribe to the daily newsletter: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39440690

Speed Is Perpetually Underrated 12/17/2025

Speed Is Perpetually Underrated 📬 Subscribe to the daily newsletter: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39420375

A Goal Is Not Enough 12/16/2025

A Goal Is Not Enough Winners and losers often have the same goals. What separates them is not ambition or luck, but the habits they practice every day. In this episode, John explains why goals alone rarely lead to success and how daily actions ultimately determine outcomes. Using examples from sports, leadership, and life, he unpacks the idea that every habit is a vote for who you want to become. If you want better results, start by examining the actions you repeat. 🟩 Quote of the Day: “Goals create direction. Habits determine outcomes.” 📘 Get the book The Optimistic Outlook: 📬 Subscribe to the daily newsletter: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39420325

Nothing Ordinary About Excellence 12/15/2025

Nothing Ordinary About Excellence Excellence is not loud. It is intentional. And it shows up in the way we treat ordinary moments. In this episode, John shares a powerful story from The Angus Barn in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a bartender named Sev who embodied what real excellence looks like. From small details to daily discipline, this story reveals why excellence is not about talent, luck, or title, but about the choices we make every day. You’ll be reminded that the people who stand out are not doing extraordinary things. They are doing ordinary things with uncommon care. 🟩 Quote of the Day: “People who choose excellence refuse to treat any moment as ordinary.” 📘 Get the book The Optimistic Outlook: 📬 Subscribe to the daily newsletter: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39405785

Enjoyment Has a Rule 12/12/2025

Enjoyment Has a Rule Life is richer when you enjoy it the right way. In this episode, John breaks down Arthur Brooks’ powerful rule for happiness: if something gives you pleasure and you use it alone, you are using it wrong. A simple principle that can change the way you experience joy, connection, and community. 🟩 Quote of the Day: Pleasure shared becomes joy. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39332575

How Do You Grade Yourself 12/11/2025

How Do You Grade Yourself Oregon coach Dan Lanning asked a question that stops you in your tracks. The world may grade you on wins and losses, but your personal scoreboard is something only you can define. In this episode, John shares why success needs a deeper measure and how to choose one that reflects who you want to become. 🟩 Quote of the Day: Real success begins with how you grade yourself. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39332560

When It Hurts, It Is Helping 12/10/2025

When It Hurts, It Is Helping Most people try to avoid pain, yet discomfort is often the clearest sign of progress. In this episode, John shares the story of his daughter’s braces and a coaching moment with a CEO to show why the actions that feel the hardest are often the ones that matter most. Pain is not always a problem. Sometimes it is proof that you are growing. 🟩 Quote of the Day: If you feel discomfort while improving, it is often a sign that it is working. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39332540

Dig Yourself Out Daily 12/09/2025

Dig Yourself Out Daily Life’s hardest seasons rarely change through big dramatic moments. They change one small action at a time. In this episode, John shares a powerful story from hurricane recovery efforts in Florida and the lesson they teach about digging yourself out of difficult seasons. One scoop at a time. 🟩 Quote of the Day: In any difficult season, the way out is to dig out daily. 🔗 Get the Optimistic Outlook book on Amazon: /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39332530

Your Body Language Is a Billboard 12/08/2025

Your Body Language Is a Billboard Your body language tells the truth before your words ever do. In this episode, John breaks down why body language is one of the strongest signs of mental toughness and how most people project emotions they never meant to share. He ends with a simple challenge that instantly improves how you carry yourself. Key Takeaway: Your body is always speaking, even when your mouth is not. Quote of the Day: “Your body language is your billboard. Train it to say something strong.” /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39241145

The Most Dangerous Addiction 12/05/2025

The Most Dangerous Addiction Approval feels great, but basing your identity on it is dangerous. In this episode, John shares how easy it is to get hooked on other people’s praise and why it eventually erodes confidence. He explains how to shift from chasing approval to chasing excellence. Key Takeaway: Approval is a bonus, not a foundation for your identity. Quote of the Day: “Let approval be a bonus, not a lifeline.” /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39241115

Three Rules That Change How You Show Up 12/04/2025

Three Rules That Change How You Show Up A nine hour car ride turned into an unexpected relationship lesson. After a tough moment with his wife, John came across three lines from Thomas Lelu that reframed the entire conversation. In this episode, John explains why love needs action, trust needs proof, and sorry needs change. Key Takeaway: Relationships grow when your behavior matches your intentions. Quote of the Day: “Love needs action. Trust needs proof. Sorry needs change.” /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39241160

Train Your Most Important Muscle 12/03/2025

Train Your Most Important Muscle Today is a special episode. The Optimistic Outlook began as a simple idea to train my kids’ most important muscle on the way to school. It turned into a daily newsletter, then a podcast, and today it has become something bigger. My new book, The Optimistic Outlook: 101 Lessons to Train Your Most Important Muscle, Your Brain, is officially available. In this episode, I read the full introduction to the book. It is a reminder that optimism is not something you stumble into. It is a skill you build with intention. One thought and one choice at a time. If this show has helped you this year, it would mean a lot if you picked up a copy of the book or shared it with a friend or teammate who might need a stronger, more positive voice in their life. Get your copy on Amazon: Use your gifts, John /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39247320

Cut the Rope 12/02/2025

Cut the Rope In this episode, John tells the incredible story of Elisha Otis, the inventor who stepped onto his own elevator platform and ordered the rope to be cut in front of a live crowd. It was a moment of courage that changed modern cities forever. John connects this act to the courage we all need when we believe in something deeply. Key Takeaway: You cannot talk your way into your future. You have to demonstrate belief through action. Quote of the Day: “Bet on yourself. Believe in something so much you are willing to stand for it.” /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39235560

Starting Is the Hard Part 12/01/2025

Starting Is the Hard Part Most people think the hardest part of progress is discipline or consistency. It isn’t. The hardest part is showing up. In this episode, John shares a story from getting back into weight lifting in his forties and why the first step always carries the most resistance. Key Takeaway: Nothing meaningful happens until you move from thinking to acting. Quote of the Day: “Nothing meaningful can happen until you show up.” /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39214825

Motivation Comes From Deprivation 11/28/2025

Motivation Comes From Deprivation The day after Thanksgiving might be the hardest day of the year to feel motivated. There is a reason. When you are full, you are not hungry. In this episode, John explains why motivation comes from deprivation and how reconnecting with the gap between where you are and where you want to be can reignite your fire. Quote of the Day: “Motivation does not come from being full. It comes from being hungry.” Subscribe to the daily newsletter: Get The Daily Optimism Blueprint ($17): /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39148555

The Power of Gratitude on Thanksgiving 11/27/2025

The Power of Gratitude on Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is the perfect reminder that gratitude does not change your circumstances, but it changes you. In this episode, John shares the Gratitude Five Challenge and explains why slowing down to notice the good strengthens your mindset and restores your perspective. A heartfelt episode to help you be present and grateful today. Quote of the Day: “Gratitude does not change your circumstances. It changes you.” Subscribe to the daily newsletter: Get The Daily Optimism Blueprint ($17): /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39148535

The Danger of Being Satisfied 11/26/2025

The Danger of Being Satisfied People confuse being satisfied with being at peace. They are not the same. In this episode, John unpacks Bernie Marcus’s powerful quote about not settling and explains why satisfaction quietly shrinks your impact. Peace restores you. Satisfaction stops you. This episode will help you stay hungry, grounded, and focused on purpose. Quote of the Day: “If you settle, you shrink.” Subscribe to the daily newsletter: Get The Daily Optimism Blueprint ($17): /episode/index/show/29116daf-fe60-4410-971d-1c36dce5aef1/id/39148505

The Optimistic Outlook with John Eades

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