It’s one of the stories that doesn’t quite seem real. Man has a really rough time in his life, starts a blog to cheer himself up--1,000 awesome things--it blows up, the book versions sell millions, the TEDx talk is seen by more millions, and he goes on to write more intriguing books, begin compelling podcasts and be a sought after keynote speaker. My friend Neil Pasricha is this self-same man. He’s a friend of mine, and we’ve spent time walking Toronto, visiting second-hand bookstores, drinking cocktails and talking. Neil’s a great talker. Of his Awesome books, his latest is my favourite: You are Awesome. It blends science and motivation, and I use a number of his suggestions to make my life better. He’s also the host of the number one book podcast in the world, 3 Books, which features guests such as Malcolm Gladwell, David Sedaris, the former sex-worker who wrote the world’s first children’s book featuring a sex-working parent … and me. In our conversation, we look at the magical 40% of life you can control; why the question about half-full or half-empty is the wrong question about the glass; the three books I shared in his podcast; and how and why Neil is starting to think of himself as an activist. You can meet Neil at Neil.blog and listen to his fantastic podcast 3 Books. Episode 48, featuring me, is a particular classic. This show is brought to you by The Advice Trap, Michael Bungay Stanier’s latest book. You can access a wide range of tools to help #TameYourAdviceMonster at www.TheAdviceTrap.com If you’d like to spend more time with Michael and people he admires, sign up for The Year of Living Brilliantly. 52 teachers over 52 weeks, each teaching one brilliant insight. Absolutely free.