Podcast appearances and mentions of chris sparks

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Best podcasts about chris sparks

Latest podcast episodes about chris sparks

Lance McAlister
Sports Talk with Chick Ludwig -- 2/28/25

Lance McAlister

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 114:16


Chick Ludwig fills in for Lance on this Friday edition of Sports Talk! He talks with former Bengals Director of football operations Jim Lippincott, Chris Sparks from NBC Chicago on College Hoops, Retired Dayton Sports Writer Bucky Albers joins to discuss some NCAA basketball history, and Dave "Yiddy" Armbruster checks in from Goodyear, AZ to discuss Reds Spring Training.

700 WLW On-Demand
Sports Talk with Chick Ludwig -- 2/28/25

700 WLW On-Demand

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 114:16


Chick Ludwig fills in for Lance on this Friday edition of Sports Talk! He talks with former Bengals Director of football operations Jim Lippincott, Chris Sparks from NBC Chicago on College Hoops, Retired Dayton Sports Writer Bucky Albers joins to discuss some NCAA basketball history, and Dave "Yiddy" Armbruster checks in from Goodyear, AZ to discuss Reds Spring Training.

Pop Culture
#169 - Chris Sparks | The Power of Decision Making with a World Poker Champion

Pop Culture

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 66:56


Chris Sparks is a former professional poker player who was recently ranked among the top 20 online cash game players in the world. He is the founder of Forcing Function, where he mentors a select group of twelve investors and executives, teaching elite poker frameworks for peak performance. He also authored Experiment Without Limits, a comprehensive workbook on high performance, and leads workshops on decision-making, systems thinking, and performance architecture for organizations and investment teams. In this conversation, we explore the lessons poker offers on high performance and the vital role of systems thinking and decision-making in achieving success. Enjoy!

Stupid Things For Love with Scott Campbell
Episode 16: Chris Sparks

Stupid Things For Love with Scott Campbell

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 54:15


Join Scott as he sits down with Chris Sparks, a former international poker star who has transitioned his skills into a successful career in executive performance coaching. Meeting originally on a retreat, Scott and Chris delve into Chris's childhood, his journey through the high-stakes world of poker, and how his strategic thinking and decision-making processes can help others achieve their goals. Chris reveals how the skills honed at the poker table can be applied to personal and professional development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

700 WLW On-Demand
Chick Ludwig -- 2/28/24

700 WLW On-Demand

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2024 126:28


Chick brings a variety of guests and topics in today's edition of sports talk. He talks with his old mentor Hal McCoy, listens to great stories from Joe Frederick about Larry Bird and the Catholics vs Convicts game, women's sports issues and topics with Professor Linda Schoenstedt, Bengals with Jay Morrison and college basketball with Chris Sparks.

700WLW Weekends
Chick Ludwig -- 2/28/24

700WLW Weekends

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2024 126:28


Chick brings a variety of guests and topics in today's edition of sports talk. He talks with his old mentor Hal McCoy, listens to great stories from Joe Frederick about Larry Bird and the Catholics vs Convicts game, women's sports issues and topics with Professor Linda Schoenstedt, Bengals with Jay Morrison and college basketball with Chris Sparks.

Beyond the To-Do List
Chris Sparks on The Correlations Between High Stakes Poker and High Level Performance

Beyond the To-Do List

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2023 47:51


This week I was excited to talk with Chris Sparks about all things poker and how the principles of the game can elevate both your professional performance and productivity. Chris is a professional poker player who at one time was ranked in the top 20 online players in the world. Chris Teaches CEOs and portfolio managers elite poker frameworks for unlocking new levels of optimized decision making and investing. He is also the host of the Forcing Function Hour Podcast.  In our conversation Chris shares invaluable lessons on negotiation, collaboration, leadership, and the development of intuition. We also learn about Chris's personal journey from online poker to becoming one of the top players worldwide, and how he applies his expertise to help high performers dispel myths about decision making and risk.  In addition Chris and I delve into his principles and tips for reducing uncertainty through information gathering and experimentation. Listeners will uncover valuable advice on embracing their emotions and personal narratives, and how despite being in competition with others how compassionate action can contribute to long-term success. Remember to sign for our newsletter at beyondthetodolist.com Make sure to check out our sponsors to help support the show! Connect with Chris:  Website  Podcast Twitter  Connect with Erik: Sign Up For Our Newsletter Facebook  LinkedIn  Twitter  Instagram  ________________________________________ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steeples & Peoples: All Things Frederick County Maryland
A Puzzling Situation with SureLocked In Escape Room

Steeples & Peoples: All Things Frederick County Maryland

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 32:50


Put your phone down, disconnect from reality for just an hour and enjoy a good old fashioned challenge that you will need the help of others to conquer. On this episode of the Steeples and Peoples podcast we sit down with master gamesman, Chris Sparks who is the proud owner and operator of SureLocked In Escape games. Chris talks about his youth and the inspiration he got from creating games for his younger brothers. Chris talks about his first time experiencing an escape room and how he knew in that moment it was right for Frederick. He shares with us all the various rooms they offer and the difficulty of solving them. There's much more to hear so enjoy the episode then get your friends or family together and go take a challenge at SureLocked In Escape games.   Website: https://www.surelockedin.com/  Address: 5 N. Market Street Frederick, MD 21701 (301) 662-6356 Email: escape@surelockedin.com  Hours of Operation:Tuesday - Thursday: 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM Friday: 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM Saturday: 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM Sunday: 1:00 PM - 7:30 PM -All Other Times By Appointment Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surelockedin  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surelockedinescape/    ____________________________________________________________ Follow and Connect with Us ____________________________________________________________   Check out our websites, apps and much more www.steeplesandpeoples.com Like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Steeples&Peoples Join the conversation on Twitter https://twitter.com/SteeplesPeoples Follow us on Instagram pics https://www.instagram.com/steeplesandpeoples                        Reach out to us on Snapchat at: steeplespeoples Watch our Tik Tok at: steeplesandpeoples ===========================  Feel free to let us know if you have any comments or questions By emailing us at: SteeplesandPeoples@gmail.com Steve Medley: voice intro and outro Don't forget to like, subscribe, and join us weekly to find out what's going on with "All Things Frederick County, Maryland" on the Steeples and Peoples podcast!!!  

Forcing Function Hour
How to Think Like a Poker Player with Chris Sparks and Justin Peters

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2023 61:47


In this special edition of Forcing Function Hour, Chris Sparks is interviewed by Justin Peters of The Struggle is Real. Chris shares the key inflection points of his poker career, illustrating how to install systems for continuous improvement.By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to recognize a good bet, be more decisive, and unlock the compounding returns of a process-oriented life.For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/the-struggle-is-real.

Breaking & Entering: Advertising
ADjunct! Chris Sparks, Instructional Associate Professor at University of Mississippi

Breaking & Entering: Advertising

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2023 37:58


Class is in session. Minus the hundreds of dollars, it costs you for a credit. Chris Sparks is an Instructional Associate Professor, Integrated Marketing Communications at the University of Mississippi. She has 10+ years of teaching and 25+ years of industry experience at places like Ogilvy & Mather, The Coca-Cola Company, M&M/Mars, Inc., and The Colgate Palmolive Company. You can learn her advice on thriving in the industry by impressing your clients. The Crowbar (creative advertising) Awards: https://www.crowbarawards.com/ BE Website: https://breaking-entering.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakingandenteringpod/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/breakenter/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/breakenter/support

Forcing Function Hour
Unleash Your Creative Fury with ELEW

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2022 69:09 Transcription Available


Eric Lewis, known as ELEW, is a multi-talented artist with a career that spans the worlds of music performance, composition, and film production. Eric started his music career as a jazz and concert pianist playing with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and winning the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. Reinventing himself as ELEW, he pioneered the crossover musical techniques Rockjazz, Counterbop, and Piano Turntablism. Among many other accolades, Eric has opened for Josh Groban, produced tracks for Lil' Wayne, appeared on America's Got Talent, spoken at TED, and performed at the White House for the Obamas.In this conversation, Chris Sparks takes you inside the mind of a musical genius as ELEW shares the strategy, mindset, and principles required to put on an epic performance. You'll learn how to reverse-engineer a creative vision, the keys to reinvention as an artist, why preparation seeds adaptability, how to overcome perfectionism, career lessons from the world of blitz chess, and much more.For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/elew.

Encouragementology
Figuring Out What You Want Before Setting a Path to Get There

Encouragementology

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2022 41:15


SHOW NOTES: On this show…we are going to take some time to search our souls, do a little research, and spend some time daydreaming to figure out what we truly want. No sense in spending time goal setting if you haven't identified your goal. Create SMART goals, write your goals down, develop an action plan, build a timeline, and then take action! That all sounds great but first, where are you going? Here's the infamous line of questioning that we sluff off unless we're prompted to create a vision for a job interview; Where do you see yourself in 1-3-5 years? As a result, you might think this vision only applies to your professional career but you can use this for anything. What do you want to do this next year?  No, no….this isn't a trivia question on a game show. You have time and should take time to figure this out. Your answers will chart your direction. Goal setting can be intimidating and this aggressive push to have things figured out and to always be moving forward can be overwhelming. Let's take a moment and set the action steps aside. Take a big breath in and exhale. Imagine yourself in a room on a comfy chair. The lights are dim and it's quiet. Not the kind of quiet that gets your mind reeling but the kind that you're grateful for. We have all the time we want to focus without interruption.  I'm going to ask you a question and there are no right or wrong answers. What do you want? In an attempt to give context but not guide your mind or answer, this doesn't have to pertain to something tangible like a purchase of sorts. This can be a feeling, a desire, an experience, or a moment. What do you want?  Chris Sparks for medium.com shares  Choosing Goals (How to Figure Out What You Want) Over at Harvard Business Review, I found info on Why We Set Unattainable Goals Kristine Moe gives us a valuable practice: 5 visualization techniques to help you reach your goals found at betterup.com CHALLENGE: Spend some time with yourself as you check in on what's important to you and why. Big or small, set a path for yourself that includes the steps to get there. Check-in regularly and lean on support when you need extra motivation to keep going.   I Know YOU Can Do It!

Profiles in Havok
Chris Sparks

Profiles in Havok

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2022 111:07


Chris Sparks is an Army veteran who could speak Arabic, a former police officer and current stand-up comic. More than that, he's an incredibly affable, humble, intelligent and ambitious guy. His documentary Thank Me for My Service: A Veteran's Cry for Help is a tough watch. It is tough technically – intentionally – and it is tough because of its subject matter – which is Chris himself. The film captures a two-day period this past August when Chris finds himself in a manic state due to the meddling and persistent worrying of his family. Their worry is not without cause – Chris has a TBI and is bi-polar. But Chris' focus is on developing his one-man live show (of Thank Me For My Service) and he needs a few days of isolation to develop it, but instead has to navigate psychiatrist appointments and arguments. It should be the stuff of comedy – especially since Chris is a stand-up comic. It screams for the irreverence of Jack Nicholson or the fevered outbursts of a young Michael Keaton. Chris opts to take it all at face value and seriously – which seems very reasonable considering that the events of the film are still so fresh and raw in his mind. If comedy is tragedy plus time, the film needs time. That said, it is undoubtably raw, poignant and memorable, a worthy addition to the conversation about PTS, suicide prevention and the treatment of veterans in the healthcare system. With time and distance from these events, I think there is comedic gold in Chris' life and experiences. But Chris is just getting started. I think his next steps will be ones to watch, and I, for one, can't wait to see what they are.

The Struggle is Real with Justin Peters
How to Think Like a Poker Player with a Former Top 20 High-Stakes Player | E77 Chris Sparks

The Struggle is Real with Justin Peters

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2022 62:57


Today's episode is an exciting conversation with Chris Sparks, a retired professional poker player although I think he uses the term retired fairly loosely. I'll settle somewhere in the middle and call him a well-paid hobbyist.   Chris has played over 2 million hands of poker across thousands of tournaments including main events tournaments like World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, and the European, Asian-Pacific, and Latin American Poker Tour.   During his hay days, he had a fast and furious climb that eventually led him to being ranked in the top 20 online cash game players in the world.   In our conversation, Chris shares stories about his growth as a poker player. He'll also teach us the meta-skills of high stakes poker that can be extrapolated and applied to our own life.   By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to recognize a good bet, how to take action with incomplete information, and the benefits of focusing on the process versus being results-oriented.   If you're a listener of the show and haven't left us a rating and review, we'd really appreciate it if you did. And if you're new, welcome, sit back, relax, and let's learn something new.   I hope you enjoy my conversation with the man who started playing poker in college for fun but eventually used it to pay for his tuition…Chris Sparks.   Key Takeaways: Why Chris tried standup comedy How Chris uses retirement in order to reprioritize what he currently wants his life to look like How you can turn bad luck into good fortune  The “Poker House” How to use a forcing function to accomplish your goal How to take action without complete information Emotions have to be a part of the decision-making process Skill acquisition is a long game so be kind to yourself, have fun, and stay curious   Mentions: Expected Value Calculator: www.forcingfunction.com/evc Play to Win Article: https://www.forcingfunction.com/articles/play-to-win Experiment Without Limits Workbook: https://www.forcingfunction.com/workbook Performance Assessment: https://www.forcingfunction.com/assessment Team Performance Training: https://www.forcingfunction.com/team-training   More of Chris: www.forcingfunction.com   More of TSIR: Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/ Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tsirpod/

Savage Wonder
Chris Sparks

Savage Wonder

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2022 108:26


Chris Sparks is an Army veteran who could speak Arabic, a former police officer and current stand-up comic. More than that, he's an incredibly affable, humble, intelligent and ambitious guy. His documentary Thank Me for My Service: A Veteran's Cry for Help is a tough watch. It is tough technically – intentionally – and it is tough because of its subject matter – which is Chris himself. The film captures a two-day period this past August when Chris finds himself in a manic state due to the meddling and persistent worrying of his family. Their worry is not without cause – Chris has a TBI and is bi-polar. But Chris' focus is on developing his one-man live show (of Thank Me For My Service) and he needs a few days of isolation to develop it, but instead has to navigate psychiatrist appointments and arguments. It should be the stuff of comedy – especially since Chris is a stand-up comic. It screams for the irreverence of Jack Nicholson or the fevered outbursts of a young Michael Keaton. Chris opts to take it all at face value and seriously – which seems very reasonable considering that the events of the film are still so fresh and raw in his mind. If comedy is tragedy plus time, the film needs time. That said, it is undoubtably raw, poignant and memorable, a worthy addition to the conversation about PTS, suicide prevention and the treatment of veterans in the healthcare system. With time and distance from these events, I think there is comedic gold in Chris' life and experiences. But Chris is just getting started. I think his next steps will be ones to watch, and I, for one, can't wait to see what they are.

Forcing Function Hour
What Games Can Teach Us with Frank Lantz

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 73:00 Transcription Available


Frank Lantz is a game designer, writer, and educator. Frank co-founded the experimental game studio Area/Code which was acquired by Zynga. His games span genres and include favorites such as Hey Robot, Drop7, Babble Royale, and Universal Paperclips. Frank has taught game design for over two decades at New York University where he helped to create the NYU Game Center. His new book, The Beauty of Games, is coming out from MIT Press in 2023.In this conversation, Frank joins Chris Sparks to share how a leading game designer sees the world. What do games have to teach us? Can studying game theory and game principles make us better humans? Learn how to make sure you play the right games and become aware of the games you are playing without even realizing it.For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/frank-lantz.

Forcing Function Hour
Maximize Your Leverage with Eric Jorgenson

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2022 77:27 Transcription Available


Eric Jorgenson is the author of The Almanack of Naval Ravikant and an early-stage investor as a GP in Rolling Fun. Currently, Eric teaches the Life of Leverage course, hosts his podcast, Jorgenson's Soundbox, and is writing his second book, The Almanack of Balaji Srinivasan. In this conversation, Eric Jorgenson and Chris Sparks share how to recognize and amplify the points of leverage in your life and career. You'll learn how to set your aspirational hourly rate, discover previously underutilized assets, and start reclaiming your time by doing the work only you can do. For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/eric-jorgenson.

Curious Humans with Jonny Miller
Mental Resilience, Cognitive Canaries & High-Stakes Decision Making with Retired Poker Pro Chris Sparks

Curious Humans with Jonny Miller

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2022 86:33


Chris Sparks is a one-of-a-kind human; he's a retired professional poker pro who was once ranked one of the top 20 players in the world.But in recent years, he has applied himself to coaching and running workshops on decision-making, systems thinking, and peak performance. And as you'll hear in this conversation, he is not only brilliant but also wise. Before we hit record, I said to Chris let's record a masterclass in mindset for staying calm and making good decisions in high-stress environments ~ and he didn't really disappoint.Our conversation ranged from talking about tools he used to stay calm or shift his state during high-stakes poker games and how he eliminated mental distractions in critical moments. He shared some meta-principles that he learnt through poker but applies to life more broadly—as well as how his approach and philosophy around productivity have shifted over the years.I deeply enjoyed this conversation with Chris, and I have a sense that you will too. I'll also mention that Chris has what he calls a 'performance assessment', which I've linked in the show notes ~ that provides a series of excellent questions to reflect on.

Forcing Function Hour
Redefine Normal with Team USA Triathlete Cameron Schiller

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 74:15


Cameron Schiller is an award-winning content & brand marketer, Founder of RYOT Media, co-chair of the Young Leadership Council of the Brooklyn Museum, and an elite skydiver and wingsuit flyer. Cameron recently became a competitive triathlete, going from zero experience to making Team USA in just one year, and will represent the US at the World Championships in 2023. In this conversation, Cameron Schiller and Chris Sparks discuss the training methods of elite athletes, overcoming mental barriers, and leveraging data to reveal hidden dimensions of performance. You will also receive a crash course on elite skydiving including techniques to heighten your proprioception, confront your fears, and stay calm in the face of unforeseen challenges. For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunctionhour.com/cameron-schiller.

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner
#134 Chris Sparks, Author of Experiment Without Limits: My Favorite Books, Tools, Habits and More | 20 Minute Playbook

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2022 51:01


In Episode #134, we deconstruct Chris Sparks's peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. Chris Sparks is the author of Experiment Without Limits. We cover applying game theory to life, maintaining systems, and the self-signaling effect. “I think it really all comes down to trusting the process that accomplishing anything just takes a lot of time and iterative effort.” – Chris Sparks EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/chris-sparks-playbook/  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/chris-sparks-playbook-transcript/  CHAPTERS In this episode, we deconstruct Chris Sparks's peak performance playbook—from his favorite book to the tiny habit that's had the biggest impact on his life. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:03:15) – Applying game theory to life (00:05:52) – Focusing on your thought process rather than the result (00:10:12) – Deciding the game you want to play (00:15:05) – Maintaining systems and avoiding habit debt (00:19:39) – Optimizing for your top value (00:31:05) – The self-signaling effect (00:33:43) – Looking for superpowers in others (00:45:56) – Trust the process and stay in the game ABOUT CHRIS SPARKS Chris began his career as a high stakes poker player and became one of the Top 20 Online Poker Players in the world. To achieve that, he studied elite performers across disciplines and started optimizing every area of his life. Which led Chris to found Forcing Function and begin working with the world's best founders, investors, executives, poker players, and even artists, to optimize their own performance and move more quickly toward their goals. If you're ready to become an elite performer, consider applying for Chris Sparks's group coaching program, Team Performance Training. In Team Performance Training, Chris will teach you how to optimize your productivity, increase your personal leverage, and show up as your best self every day. There are fifteen spots available in Cohort 4 with applications open until the 27th of September. Learn more at teamperformancetraining.com.

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner
Trailer – #134 Chris Sparks, Author of Experiment Without Limits | 20 Minute Playbook

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2022 50:31


Listen to one of our favorite moments from tomorrow's 20 Minute Playbook episode featuring Chris Sparks. In it, Chris shares his favorite books, tools, habits, and more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner
#133 Experiment Without Limits: Achieving Peak Performance Through Experimentation | Chris Sparks, Author & Founder of Forcing Function

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2022 92:47


In Episode #133, we explore achieving peak performance through experimentation. We're joined by Chris Sparks, author of Experiment Without Limits and Founder of Forcing Function. We cover productivity vs. peak performance, eliminating dissonance between goals and reality, and writing your personal vision statement. “Rather than thinking about these tactics and how they can work harder, are you working on the right things? This comes back to some of the questions we've been asking today, what do you value? What are you optimizing for in your life? What is your vision? What are you trying to create?” – Chris Sparks EPISODE GUIDE (LINKS, QUOTES, NOTES, AND BOOKS MENTIONED) https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/experiment-without-limits-chris-sparks  FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT https://www.danielscrivner.com/notes/experiment-without-limits-chris-sparks-transcript/  CHAPTERS This episode is our definitive guide to achieving peak performance through experimentation. In it we cover: (00:00:00) – Introduction (00:02:36) – From poker pro to peak performance (00:06:25) – Productivity vs. peak performance (00:09:51) – Team Performance Training (00:19:33) – Understanding your own values (00:25:16) – Dissonance between goals and reality (00:37:51) – Writing your personal vision statement (00:51:31) – The plan, experiment, reflect flywheel (01:07:08) – Systems minimize downtime (01:21:25) – Maximizing attention and energy ABOUT EXPERIMENT WITHOUT LIMITS Almost exactly two years ago Chris Sparks joined me as our very first guest on Outlier Academy. In this episode he's back to explore his peak performance and productivity coaching work at Forcing Function. This time, to decode how he works with elite founders, investors, and even artists, to optimize their performance, clarify their goals, and make more progress each day. Everything that Chris covers with elite founders, investors, and operators in his twice-yearly program Team Performance Training — where he accepts just 12 students at a time and takes them through his 8-week program. If you're ready to become an elite performer, consider applying for Chris Sparks's group coaching program, Team Performance Training. In Team Performance Training, Chris will teach you how to optimize your productivity, increase your personal leverage, and show up as your best self every day. There are fifteen spots available in Cohort 4 with applications open until the 27th of September. Learn more at teamperformancetraining.com.

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner
Trailer – #133 Experiment Without Limits: Achieving Peak Performance Through Experimentation

Outliers with Daniel Scrivner

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2022 8:27


Listen to one of our favorite moments from tomorrow's Book Club episode featuring Chris Sparks's book Experiment Without Limits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal
World Poker Champion On The Science Of Decision Making - Chris Sparks

Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2022 124:41


Chris Sparks is a retired professional poker player, recently ranked in the top 20 online cash game players in the world. He's also the Founder of Forcing Function where he teaches elite poker frameworks to a select group of twelve investors and executives in meaningful companies, and the author of Experiment Without Limits, a comprehensive workbook for achieving peak performance and leads workshops on decision-making, systems thinking, and performance architecture to organisations and investment teams. In the conversation we talk about what we can learn from the world of poker around high performance and how systems thinking and decision making is crucial for success. Enjoy!(00:00) Intro (02:17) Being a professional poker player(06:00) The 'Red Queen' Effect(08:18) The psychological advantage and self-deception(13:04) Online vs real life poker(20:16) Relativistic skills(25:24) Having a mindset of abundance (32:27) Applying lessons from poker to your life(50:15) Understanding other peoples' problems better than our own(54:21) Experiment Without Limits (01:02:14) The power of objectivity (01:18:25) Perfectionistic tendencies(01:25:00) Deciding your priorities (01:28:22) Being a performance coach (01:42:31) Realising everything is a choice (01:47:40) The status quo bias and forcing functions(01:58:27) Chris' Free Performance Assessment

The Black Country Buddhas
#120: “I Only Won 52% of Hands!” Becoming A World Class Poker Player, With Chris Sparks

The Black Country Buddhas

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2022 66:46


TO FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR:  ► For links to MORE RESOURCES AND OTHER BONUSES, go to: https://www.myhomevitality.com/i-only-won-52-of-hands-becoming-a-world-class-poker-player-with-chris-sparks-120/  ► For the most important skills you should have been taught in school: https://www.myhomevitality.com/shop/    ► To ask questions: https://bit.ly/2n2M4ay  CONNECT WITH US:  Website: https://www.myhomevitality.com/  YouTube: https://bit.ly/2n2M4ay  FB, Insta and Twitter: @myhomevitality Email: info@myhomevitality.com

The Productivity Show
Former Top 20 Poker Player Turned Productivity Pro Shares All Of His Secrets w/ Chris Sparks (TPS403)

The Productivity Show

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2022 73:31


Today I'm joined by Chris Sparks. He's the founder of Forcing Function where he helps executives achieve peak performance. As a former top 20 poker player in the world, he takes lessons and frameworks that helped him become one of the best at poker to help others perform at the highest level and make better […]

Chasing Poker Greatness
#213 Chris Sparks: High Stakes Online Poker OG

Chasing Poker Greatness

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2022 120:57 Very Popular


Today's guest on the Chasing Poker Greatness podcast is OG high stakes online poker crusher Chris Sparks, and it's one of those conversations that I live for.I don't exactly know how Chris, a man whose network of friends includes a who's who of poker royalty (Including nosebleed live destroyer of worlds, Garrett Adelstein), managed to slip underneath my radar for so long, but I am so grateful I got a chance to right that wrong.In my defense… While Chris still battles in both the digital and live arenas, these days he spends most of his energy outside of poker in the startup space, where he focuses on streamlining systems & processes so that these businesses can efficiently maximize their resources (Gee, I wonder where he first started learning & developing those skills?).If you'd like to dive deeper into what Chris is up to these days, you should check out his home base on the world wide web forcingfunction.com which includes an incredible & forever relevant poker article titled: Play to Win: Meta-Skills in High Stakes PokerWith that said, in today's conversation with Chris Sparks you're going to learn:All about Chris's journey through the world of online poker.The hard-won poker lessons he regularly applies to his daily life.Lessons he's learned in the world of startups that you can apply to your poker game.And much, MUCH more!Now, without any further ado, I bring to you high performance & leadership wizard… The one and only Chris Sparks.

GCF Brazosport Messages
Go And - No-Series Messages

GCF Brazosport Messages

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2022


Message from Chris Sparks on March 13, 2022

Forcing Function Hour
Abby Fuller: The Art of Storytelling

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2022 53:32 Transcription Available


Abigail Fuller is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work includes five seasons on the Emmy-nominated series Chef's Table, Dear Oprah for Apple TV+, and the feature documentary Do You Dream in Color? Her work has twice premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Telluride's MountainFilm, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art to name a few. Abby is dedicated to telling deeply human stories that allow for empathy and sharing new perspectives. Abby joins Chris Sparks to share the elements of telling a great story. What makes a story powerful? How do we become better listeners to reveal the hidden superpowers in the people around us? How can we structure the stories we tell to better connect with an audience? As a director, Abby helps us see ourselves in the people who once seemed different. She has a deep understanding of what makes a character tick, building the rapport and trust necessary to bring their truth out and communicating that truth visually on screen in a way that resonates. For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/abby-fuller

Jorgenson's Soundbox
Self-reinvention & building leverage in podcasts with Chris Williamson

Jorgenson's Soundbox

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 103:29


Topics:   (3:53) - Who are your heroes?   (6:38) - What's your specific knowledge?   (9:46) - Is being attractive a skill that is learned over time?   (12:23) - Self-awareness and reinvention as a skill   (15:48) - Chris' career journey: Club Promotion   (29:11) - Small businesses to get your hands dirty in when starting out   (32:46) - When did you radically change your self-image?   (39:14) - How did you go about implementing change in your life and your values?   (43:36) - Where do you see your progress today in the changes you've made?   (51:51) - What is your vision for the rest of your life?   (56:11) - Are you pursuing fame for its own sake or is it just a byproduct of what you're doing?   (1:03:27) - What makes a great conversation?   (1:09:23) - How much do you think about the leverage of your podcast?   (1:15:15) - What do we give up when we publicly record a conversation vs. one that happens offline?   (1:19:01) - Different versions of gossip   (1:21:03) - “Loneliness is a tax you have to pay for a certain uniqueness of mind”   (1:26:53) - Did you struggle to find the “thing”?   (1:28:54) - Do you still feel loneliness as a penalty for your uniqueness of mind?   (1:36:23) - “Anyone going off the path is taking a risk”   (1:39:01) - Wrap up Links:    Modern Wisdom Podcast   Chris Williamson on Twitter   Eric's leverage course   Jordan Peterson & Chris Williamson Podcast   Mathew Fraser on Instagram   Sky King on Twitter   The School of Life   Sam Harris   Taylor Pearson   Chris Sparks   Aubrey Marcus, CEO of Onnit on what he would change about his life   Essentialism by Greg McKeown   The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel   Chasing Excellence by Ben Bergeron   Tim Ferriss: 11 reasons not to get famous Additional Episodes If You Enjoyed: Sky King: The Next Level of the Internet, Decentralization, and Becoming a Player in the Game of Life   Andrew Finn: WaitButWhy and G64 co-founder on How to Acquire a Free Company   To support this costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanak: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners  >> Name-your-price subscription monthly, annual, or one-time: https://app.omella.com/o/9Bufa  >> Follow me on Twitter: @ericjorgenson >> Get in touch about sponsoring this podcast by replying to an email or DMing me on Twitter. Important quotes from Naval on building wealth and the difference between wealth and money:   How to get rich without getting lucky. - Naval Ravikant   Making money is not a thing you do—it's a skill you learn. - Naval Ravikant   I came up with the principles in my tweetstorm (below) for myself when I was really young, around thirteen or fourteen. I've been carrying them in my head for thirty years, and I've been living them. Over time (sadly or fortunately), the thing I got really good at was looking at businesses and figuring out the point of maximum leverage to actually create wealth and capture some of that created wealth. - Naval Ravikant   Seek wealth, not money or status. - Naval Ravikant   Wealth is having assets that earn while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   Money is how we transfer time and wealth. - Naval Ravikant   Ignore people playing status games. They gain status by attacking people playing wealth creation games.    You're not going to get rich renting out your time. You must own equity—a piece of a business—to gain your financial freedom.  - Naval Ravikant   The most important skill for getting rich is becoming a perpetual learner. You have to know how to learn anything you want to learn. The old model of making money is going to school for four years, getting your degree, and working as a professional for thirty years. But things change fast now. Now, you have to come up to speed on a new profession within nine months, and it's obsolete four years later. But within those three productive years, you can get very wealthy. - Naval Ravikant     Important quotes from the podcast by Naval on Leverage:   “Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I will move the earth.”  —Archimedes    To get rich, you need leverage. Leverage comes in labor, comes in capital, or it can come through code or media. But most of these, like labor and capital, people have to give to you. For labor, somebody has to follow you. For capital, somebody has to give you money, assets to manage, or machines. - Naval Ravikant   Fortunes require leverage. Business leverage comes from capital, people, and products with no marginal cost of replication (code and media). - Naval Ravikant   Capital and labor are permissioned leverage. Everyone is chasing capital, but someone has to give it to you. Everyone is trying to lead, but someone has to follow you. - Naval Ravikant   Code and media are permissionless leverage. They're the leverage behind the newly rich. You can create software and media that works for you while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   If you can't code, write books and blogs, record videos and podcasts. - Naval Ravikant   Leverage is a force multiplier for your judgment. - Naval Ravikant   Apply specific knowledge, with leverage, and eventually you will get what you deserve. - Naval Ravikant   “We live in an age of infinite leverage, and the economic rewards for genuine intellectual curiosity have never been higher. Following your genuine intellectual curiosity is a better foundation for a career than following whatever is making money right now.” - Naval Ravikant   Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That's a fine way to start.    But usually, the real wealth is created by starting your own companies or even by investing. In an investment firm, they're buying equity. These are the routes to wealth. It doesn't come through the hours. - Naval Ravikant

Forcing Function Hour
Paul Millerd: Walking the Pathless Path

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 71:38 Transcription Available


Paul Millerd is an independent writer, creator, and consultant.  He has been self-employed for almost five years after spending many years working in consulting.  He recently published a book, The Pathless Path, about his experiments with designing life and improving his relationship with work. Paul joins Chris Sparks to ask the dangerous question: What if we threw out the default scripts of success and carved our own path? How would our relationship with work transform?  This is a conversation about living in alignment with our values and doing meaningful work towards a meaningful life. For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/paul-millerd

Modern Wisdom
#434 - Chris Sparks - The Mindset Rules Of A Poker Professional

Modern Wisdom

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2022 77:03


Chris Sparks is the former #4 online poker player on the planet, a productivity coach and an investor. Having a high performance mindset is something everyone wants. Being able to achieve without stress or anxiety, maximising output whilst minimising suffering. As someone who coaches both himself and some of the world's brightest on getting more out of their game, Chris has learned a lot about balancing growth, goals and internal peace. Expect to learn what it feels like to play in an invite-only Bitcoin Poker Tournament, how Chris evens out his hard-charging nature to become more at ease, whether the outcomes you get in life are impacted by how neurotic you are, my theory around the Anxiety Cost of delayed actions, how to balance intuition with cognition and much more... Sponsors: Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Get 83% discount & 3 months free from Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (use code MODERNWISDOM) Get perfect teeth 70% cheaper than other invisible aligners from DW Aligners at http://dwaligners.co.uk/modernwisdom Extra Stuff: Check out Chris' website - https://www.forcingfunction.com/ Follow Chris on Twitter - https://twitter.com/SparksRemarks  Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/ 

Three Valleys Radio
In Conversation with Chris Sparks

Three Valleys Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2022 41:58


Former Yeovil Town defender Chris Sparks talks to Adi Hopper See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Forcing Function Hour
Hac Dang: Positive Sum Games

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2022 64:54 Transcription Available


​Hac Dang was ranked in the top 10 for all-time-biggest winners for online poker. Since then, he's co-founded Happy Endings Hospitality, a restaurant group in the Northern Virginia area with 6 restaurants and counting. ​Hac joins Chris Sparks to discuss playing Positive Sum Games. This is a conversation about achieving your full potential while remaining balanced and aligned. How can we become elite competitors in high-stakes pursuits like poker, trading, and entrepreneurship without that competitiveness leaking over into our relationships and personal lives? When is it correct to leave wealth on the table in pursuit of greater happiness and fulfillment? For the video recording, resources mentioned, and conversation transcript, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/hac-dang (https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/hac-dang)

Leaders Of Consulting
Chris Sparks: Performance and Productivity Comes Down to Focus

Leaders Of Consulting

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2022 30:15


Chris Sparks talks about what he's learned over the years around building a better service business & how his experience as a professional poker player helped with his business, the Forcing Function. We also hear about his approach to lead generation, what he means by sales purgatory, and his transition to helping groups and teams. Mentioned on the episode: https://www.forcingfunction.com/team-training (Team Performance Training) https://www.forcingfunction.com/workbook (Experiment Without Limits) https://www.forcingfunction.com/podcast (Forcing Function Hour Podcast) Connect with Chris on https://www.linkedin.com/in/sparksremarks/ (LinkedIn), https://www.instagram.com/sparksremarks (Instagram), and https://www.twitter.com/sparksremarks (Twitter). https://www.chrissparks.io/ (Chris Sparks Official Website) https://www.forcingfunction.com/ (Forcing Function Official Website)

Forcing Function Hour
Thanh Pham: Operating Systems for Efficient Teams

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2021 56:47 Transcription Available


Thanh Pham is the founder of Asian Efficiency, a company that has helped over 15,000 people live productive lives through online courses, programs, and workshops. Thanh is the co-host of The Productivity Show, a weekly podcast with ten million downloads, and is a prolific writer and public speaker on the topics of productivity, efficiency, and time management. Thanh joins Chris Sparks to discuss building a high-performing team and how to systematically design smooth and efficient operations. They share their principles and strategies for onboarding hires, streamlining processes, and getting the most out of your team. For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://www.forcingfunction.com/podcast/thanh-pham (forcingfunction.com/podcast/thanh-pham).

Jorgenson's Soundbox
Chris Sparks: High-stakes Poker, the training regimen of a world-class mental athlete, and coaching the top 0.01%

Jorgenson's Soundbox

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 113:45


Chris says he isn't the best poker player in the world, but he may be the most profitable.  Pro poker player Chris Sparks is training for the highest-stakes tournament he has ever played in after a long sabbatical. He says he has already decided he is going to win, and now he is doing the necessary things to create that outcome. What is the dynamic amongst poker friends? Chris says “frenemies” – all bets are off when the cards are on the table. Chris only plays when he expects to make money, and elaborates on the role of recreational players, stating that if you can't recognize the fish at the poker table, you are the fish. In the poker world, the meta skill of finding good games, of getting invited, and staying invited are critical. A good example is how Chris got invited to a famous comedian's poker parties multiple times. Chris recounts these parties that feature full sets of dealers, cocktail waitresses, and masseuses--and it all ends when the comedian gets tired. We talk about Chris's consulting agency, Forcing Function, travel, and living with one of the world's best pianists. Currently, Chris is coming out of a sabbatical and is preparing to play his largest tournament to date, with the prize pool potentially reaching seven figures.  For Chris, everything is a bet. But with any bet, the decision should be weighed with the things surrounding it and you go in with eyes wide open.   Links Chris' Website - https://www.chrissparks.io/ Forcing Function - https://www.forcingfunction.com/ Chris Spark's essay on Poker: Play to Win: Meta-Skills in High Stakes Poker Rounders Movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r-K5dmt0Rc  Molly's Game movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu4UPet8Nyc  The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron - https://amzn.to/3ljtOIh  Forcing Function Podcast - https://www.forcingfunction.com/podcast Forcing Function Performance Library - https://www.forcingfunction.com/library  Experiment without limits workbook - https://www.forcingfunction.com/workbook  The Fifth Discipline Field Book by Peter Senge - https://amzn.to/3I5rrCU  The Systems Bible by John Gall - https://amzn.to/3D3S9bj    Topics (1:50) - What is life like as a professional poker player? (5:28) - The different levels of professional poker  (9:34) - “I'm not one of the world's best poker players, but I am one of the most profitable.” (12:10) - Why is being the best not necessarily the indicator of being the most profitable? (14:38) - How do you navigate the nuance of the myriad ways to play poker? (18:23) - The world of high-stakes poker and the increasing privatization of games (23:15) - How do you keep getting invited back to games when the people who know you, know how good you are? (25:43) - The Mathematical side of Poker: The Ying (29:20) - What's the training you go through to become better than average with the probability and mathematical side of poker? (31:27) - The Psychological side of Poker: The Yang (33:59) - What does it feel like inside when you're playing in a high stakes game with huge decisions to make? (40:02) - Where did you pick up the concepts of Morning Pages & Captain's Log? (42:18) - The importance of slowing down (43:25) - Chris' current training regime (48:13) - How has your preparation changed over your career? (50:53) - How do you train for 12 hours of playtime per day? (53:54) - Free will and controlling your future self (1:00:09) - How do you decide what you want? (1:03:47) - Chris' upcoming tournament (1:04:43) - Where does poker fit in the long arc of your life?  (1:08:33) - Playing Zero-Sum games (1:11:32) - Chris' Coaching practice (1:18:28) - Defining systems & bottlenecks in life (1:22:06) - Chris' relationship with Japan (1:28:33) - The mindset relationship between Poker & Investing (1:34:24) - What do you consider your ‘edges' when thinking about investing? (1:37:29) - What was it like to live with one of the greatest pianists in the world? (1:42:37) - The power of rest and recovery (1:43:59) - Chris' relationship with caffeine and sugar (1:49:36) - Book recommendations and how to learn more about how Chris thinks (1:52:32) - Wrap Up   Additional Episodes If You Enjoyed: Kevin Espiritu: Bootstrapping Epic Gardening to 8 figures by mixing Media + D2C Biz models. Oh and Poker, Pink Pineapples, and Male Models Jason Hitchcock: Your Guide to Web3 (DeFi, NFTs, and The Metaverse) David Perell: Intellectual Openness & Mental Models for Success   If you want to support the podcast, here are a few ways you can:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanak: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Share the podcast with your friends and on social media  >> Give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners  >> Make a weekly, monthly, or one-time donation: https://app.omella.com/o/9Bufa  >> Follow me on Twitter: @ericjorgenson >> Learn more and sign up for the “Building a Mountain of Levers” course and community: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  I appreciate your support!     Important quotes from Naval on building wealth and the difference between wealth and money:   How to get rich without getting lucky. - Naval Ravikant   Making money is not a thing you do—it's a skill you learn. - Naval Ravikant   I came up with the principles in my tweetstorm (below) for myself when I was really young, around thirteen or fourteen. I've been carrying them in my head for thirty years, and I've been living them. Over time (sadly or fortunately), the thing I got really good at was looking at businesses and figuring out the point of maximum leverage to actually create wealth and capture some of that created wealth. - Naval Ravikant   Seek wealth, not money or status. - Naval Ravikant   Wealth is having assets that earn while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   Money is how we transfer time and wealth. - Naval Ravikant   Ignore people playing status games. They gain status by attacking people playing wealth creation games.    You're not going to get rich renting out your time. You must own equity—a piece of a business—to gain your financial freedom.  - Naval Ravikant   The most important skill for getting rich is becoming a perpetual learner. You have to know how to learn anything you want to learn. The old model of making money is going to school for four years, getting your degree, and working as a professional for thirty years. But things change fast now. Now, you have to come up to speed on a new profession within nine months, and it's obsolete four years later. But within those three productive years, you can get very wealthy. - Naval Ravikant     Important quotes from the podcast by Naval on Leverage:   “Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I will move the earth.”  —Archimedes    To get rich, you need leverage. Leverage comes in labor, comes in capital, or it can come through code or media. But most of these, like labor and capital, people have to give to you. For labor, somebody has to follow you. For capital, somebody has to give you money, assets to manage, or machines. - Naval Ravikant   Fortunes require leverage. Business leverage comes from capital, people, and products with no marginal cost of replication (code and media). - Naval Ravikant   Capital and labor are permissioned leverage. Everyone is chasing capital, but someone has to give it to you. Everyone is trying to lead, but someone has to follow you. - Naval Ravikant   Code and media are permissionless leverage. They're the leverage behind the newly rich. You can create software and media that works for you while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   If you can't code, write books and blogs, record videos and podcasts. - Naval Ravikant   Leverage is a force multiplier for your judgment. - Naval Ravikant   Apply specific knowledge, with leverage, and eventually you will get what you deserve. - Naval Ravikant   “We live in an age of infinite leverage, and the economic rewards for genuine intellectual curiosity have never been higher. Following your genuine intellectual curiosity is a better foundation for a career than following whatever is making money right now.” - Naval Ravikant   Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That's a fine way to start.    But usually, the real wealth is created by starting your own companies or even by investing. In an investment firm, they're buying equity. These are the routes to wealth. It doesn't come through the hours. - Naval Ravikant

What Got You There with Sean DeLaney
#265 Chris Sparks - Poker is a Sandbox for Understanding Human Behavior

What Got You There with Sean DeLaney

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2021 87:16


Chris Sparks is a professional poker player and peak performance expert who coaches executives on high performance and decision making. Chris is exceptional at teaching people how to think like a poker player which is applicable to everyone no matter what domain you're performing in. This is a fascinating and wide ranging conversation covering strategy, mindsets, pursuing mastery and high performance.  Episode Transcript Watch on YouTube Subscribe to my Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere NuSkool Snacks Healthy Protein Bars https://nuskoolsnacks.com/    

Off Limits
A faith filled perspective from my good friend Chris Sparks!

Off Limits

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2021 70:09


One of the strongest men of faith I know. It is my pleasure to introduce to you my good friend Chris Sparks. Chris has been a successful business man and an exemplary and decorated employee for one of the largest companies in the world, but to me, his greatest accomplishments in life have to do with the type of husband, father, and servant he is. Chris is currently an associate Pastor at GCF Wharton, and has an inspiring and daring faith journey! With our topics being Money/Politics/Religion I cannot wait to hear what my friend has to say! Join me in the conversation!

Love Your Work
258. 8 Harsh Truths About Dating (from a former professional dater)

Love Your Work

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2021 8:06


I once was a professional dater. I was good at getting dates. I was terrible at finding a partner – which I really wanted. I went on so many dates, I made $150,000 on an online-dating-advice blog (which I recently shut down). I've now been in a relationship for several years. Here are the harsh truths I wish my single self had known. Dating is noise. There's nothing about dating that has anything to do with being in a relationship. Dating provides false signals. If someone is exciting on a date, that's often a sign they'll be a nightmare in a relationship. If someone is boring on a date, they may be great in a relationship. I don't know how to fix that, other than be very careful how you judge whether or not a date went well. You'll never be “ready” for a relationship. Self-help books will tell you, “You have to love yourself before you can love someone else,” as if you'll never be ready until you've achieved the platonic ideal of a fully-formed human. At that point, you and another fully-formed human will fit together like puzzle pieces – forever. More likely you'll meet someone who's screwed up in the perfect way to complement your own screwed-up-ness. You'll change one another, and your best hope is the people you change into will also be compatible. You'll never be “ready.” You'll always be changing. Yes, you need someone. Once in a while you might decide you're fine being alone. A self-help book will tell you it's okay to be single and you'll be happy in life with hobbies, personal achievements, and pets. This is just fuel for the hedonic treadmill that keeps capitalism running. New products and services are always being invented with the purpose of replacing some form of love – whether that's a meal delivered to your door, or a ride home from the airport. Love is free, but priceless. Love is bad for GDP. If dating is miserable, you're miserable. Many people's stated dating preferences are emotional judo to justify their own unhappiness. If you say to yourself, “I cannot be happy until I meet someone with [insert impossible set of criteria],” you have a great scapegoat for your unhappiness, besides its true source. Don't blame your misery on not finding what you want. Perfectionism is a refusal to start the journey before you've reached the destination. Beware the ferris wheel. There's a self-selection bias in the dating pool. It's full of miserable people who blame their dating life on why they're miserable. If you want proof, look at dating profiles. I don't know how men feel about this question, but when I was dating I remember seeing many a woman's profile demanding men have something better to say than “How are you?” The problem is, there is literally no question more central to existence than “How are you?” Every action every person takes their entire day is in pursuit of affecting the answer to the question, “How are you?” A truthful answer to “How are you?” is guaranteed to lead to a conversation relevant to your well-being. And isn't that what dating is supposed to be about? So why would someone not want to answer the question, “How are you?” Because they're miserable. They don't want a real conversation – they want a source of entertainment. What does this have to do with a ferris wheel? Dating apps are especially full of these miserable people. Dating apps are like ferris wheels: Some people would like to see the lay of the land, but the seats are taken up by people addicted to the ups and downs. People are not e-commerce items. Dating apps give the illusion of customization. There is no magic algorithm, there is not an unlimited supply from which to deliver your perfect match, and you would be shocked with whom you can be happy. The lines of code are designed to play into your narcissism. Like Narcissus, you'll think you're looking at someone else, when you're only seeing yourself. It's a person, not a made-to-order blazer. You do not need to be “challenged.” You hear it all the time: “I want someone who challenges me.” This is usually code for them having an impressive job or education. I get it, you want to be successful and achieve things in life. You'll do a lot more of that from a foundation of caring and support than from partnering up with a drill sergeant. If you want to be challenged, look for someone so attentive and considerate they challenge your own self-centeredness. So what if they like Nickelback? Oh, the energy you'd save if you realized similar taste in books, movies, and music is the last thing to look for in a partner. There you have it – eight harsh truths about dating from me, a former professional dater. I have to admit, dating is mysterious and it's possible I know little more about what sequence of actions cause love to land in one's life than does a cargo cult. But since I'm delivering these truths from my privileged position in a happy long-term relationship, I think I have a clear head about it. Think of me as your designated driver: More sober than you single people, but still capable of crashing us into a light pole. I'll close with this quote from Roxanne Gay, “I didn't really learn that I deserved to be loved well until I was loved well.” I hope you find the love you deserve – it may not be what you expect. The Mind Management, Not Time Management audiobook is here! Listen to the Mind Management, Not Time Management audiobook free with an Audible trial, or search for the audiobook on your favorite platform. Thank you for having me on your podcasts! Thank you for having me on your podcast! Thank you Chris Sparks at The Forcing Function, Dan Pierce at Mentally Fit, and Joanna Penn at The Creative Penn. As always, you can see a full list of podcasts I've been here. About Your Host, David Kadavy David Kadavy is author of Mind Management, Not Time Management, The Heart to Start and Design for Hackers. Through the Love Your Work podcast, his Love Mondays newsletter, and self-publishing coaching David helps you make it as a creative. Follow David on: Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Subscribe to Love Your Work Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify Stitcher YouTube RSS Email Support the show on Patreon Put your money where your mind is. Patreon lets you support independent creators like me. Support now on Patreon »     Show notes: http://kadavy.net/blog/posts/8-harsh-dating-truths/

weTHRIVE Podcast
weTHRIVE Episode 33 Chris Sparks

weTHRIVE Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 18:50


Casey Clark interviews Chris Sparks, Owner, and CEO of Game Overlords, L.L.C., and Surelocked In Escape Games in Frederick, MD, in episode 33 of the weTHRIVE podcast.

The Penguin Latte Podcast
58: 2 Million Hands of Poker - Chris Sparks on Consciousness, Games, A.I, Life

The Penguin Latte Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2021 103:12


"There's always another dimension to growth. The score, the dollars in our bank account, a lot of that takes care of itself if we can bring that presence to everything we do." CHRIS SPARKS   A Poker Pro and a Smash Bros Melee. Player Walk Into a Bar… Today I'm joined by Chris Sparks (@SparksRemarks). Chris Sparks is a professional poker player with over 2 million hands of poker under his belt. He is also the founder of Forcing Function, a consulting company which teaches clients how to make better decisions. Together we discuss decision making, intuition, strategy, adaptation, eastern philosophy, determinism, consciousness and video games (of all things), artificial intelligence and art, and more. Say hi to Chris on Twitter Forcing Function TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Intro 1:30 – “Poker is an incomplete information game” 7:00 – Chris Sparks psychoanalyzes himself 10:00 – Predicting with incomplete information 12:00 – Consciousness and video games 15:00 – Poker and A.I 22:00 – Poker and Smash Bros. Melee 32:00 – Adaptation 35:00 – Does studying games atrophy intuition? 38:00 – Player archetypes 45:00 – Games imitate life 54:00 – Improvement 57:00 – Pressure 1:01:00 – Common mistakes of poker players 1:04:00 – Philosophy: Eastern and Western (and PPMD) 1:14:00 – Free will 1:17:00 – Man vs machine, creativity and the divine 1:27:00 – Robots, the future, WWIII 1:33:00 – Death, failure, inconvenient truths 1:36:00 – Skill > self-esteem 1:38:00 – Peter Senge and Robert Fritz 1:41:00 – What does Chris Sparks enjoy most about being alive? Mentions Kevin Nanney (PPMD) Mew2King Mang0 Peter Senge Robert Fritz Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance The Inner Game of Tennis The Art of Learning The Art of War The Master and His Emissary Tao Te Ching John Boyd's OODA Loop Please enjoy! Cheers to your good health, Paul Spotify | Apple | Watch on YouTube Does The Penguin Latte Podcast remind you of fresh presents on Christmas morning? If so, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes all of 60 seconds (61 if you're feeling extra spicy). Reviews make the podcast 1% better. If 500 of you leave reviews, the podcast gets 500% better. Plus, I love reading all of your juicy comments. Thanks! SUPPORT THE SHOW! 2 ways to do it: Show your support by buying a Penguin Latte of $5, $10, or more! Greg makes coffee: Grab a bag of Flow State Coffee — Brewed with L-Theanine and Raw Cacao, Flow State Coffee is designed to promote mental clarity and creativity.**Visit noowave.co and apply code PAUL at checkout for 10% off!

Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg
Poker and Productivity (with Chris Sparks)

Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2021 86:41


What can people learn from playing poker? What makes someone good at playing games? What is the OODA loop? What is a "premortem" analysis of decision-making? How should we think about decisions that aren't easily (or even possibly) reversible? What do people get wrong when they're trying to be more productive? What is a "forcing function"? How can people create their own forcing functions?Chris Sparks is a professional poker player and the founder and CEO of Forcing Function. You can find his full bio here, follow him on Twitter at @SparksRemarks, or find more of his work via these links:Experiment Without LimitsPerformance AssessmentLunch HourWritingFurther reading:OODA Loop[Read more]

Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg
Poker and Productivity (with Chris Sparks)

Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2021 86:41


What can people learn from playing poker? What makes someone good at playing games? What is the OODA loop? What is a "premortem" analysis of decision-making? How should we think about decisions that aren't easily (or even possibly) reversible? What do people get wrong when they're trying to be more productive? What is a "forcing function"? How can people create their own forcing functions?Chris Sparks is a professional poker player and the founder and CEO of Forcing Function. You can find his full bio here, follow him on Twitter at @SparksRemarks, or find more of his work via these links:Experiment Without LimitsPerformance AssessmentLunch HourWritingFurther reading:OODA Loop

Forcing Function Hour
Khe Hy: A Modern Approach to Getting Things Done

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 86:15


Khe Hy is the founder of RadReads, a community dedicated to transforming our relationships with time, work, money, and ourselves. His latest courses, Supercharge Your Productivity and The GTD Power-Pack, teach how to use Notion as an interface to elevate and accomplish your most important goals. Khe Hy joined Chris Sparks for a presentation and conversation on how to apply David Allen's classic book Getting Things Done (GTD) in this completely different world in which we find ourselves twenty years later. For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/khe-hy-gtd (forcingfunctionhour.com/khe-hy-gtd). 

Forcing Function Hour
Chris Williamson: The Anatomy of an Annual Review

Forcing Function Hour

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2021 75:43


Chris Williamson is the host of Modern Wisdom, a top 20 podcast in the UK with 2.5+ million downloads. Chris owns an events company and teaches his clients how to discover their purpose and get the most out of life using findings from performance, fitness, and psychology. Chris Williamson joined Chris Sparks in a look behind the scenes at their 2020 Annual Reviews. They discussed how to extract maximum value from your end-of-year reflection and craft goals that will propel you to become your best self. For the video, transcript, and show notes, visit https://forcingfunction.com/podcast/chris-williamson (forcingfunctionhour.com/chris-williamson). 

The Mike Mantell Podcast
MMP #8 Secrets to Breaking Plateaus with Chris Sparks

The Mike Mantell Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2019 66:23


As founder of The Forcing Function, Chris is the right-hand man to dozens of successful entrepreneurs, giving them the systems they need to multiply their productivity and maximize their effectiveness.  After years of deconstructing and distilling the habits of top performers, Chris wrote Inflection Point, his guide to generating a complete shift in life trajectory.  In his days as … Continue reading "MMP #8 Secrets to Breaking Plateaus with Chris Sparks" The post MMP #8 Secrets to Breaking Plateaus with Chris Sparks appeared first on Mike Mantell.

Shareable
#71: How to Find Balance in a Technology Filled World | Chris Sparks

Shareable

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2018 33:56


This week on Shareable, we're sitting down with Chris Sparks. Chris is a professional poker player turned productivity guru. So of course, we're talking poker. But we're talking more than that. Because believe or not, the skills in poker can be applied to entrepreneurship and understanding technology. In today's world, technology is everywhere; it's everything. How can we stay self-sufficient despite this? How can we utilize technology to our advantage? Ultimately, Chris shares that the systems we choose to interact with, technologically or not, are determined by our values. Because of these choices, we will be subject to even more choices within that system. This means finding a balance between technology and real life, for example. Take a listen; you won't be disappointed and you must just rethink how you are spending your time.

The Create Your Own Life Show
487: A Master Poker Player's Secret to Discovering Your Blind Spots | Chris Sparks

The Create Your Own Life Show

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2018 46:12


Chris Sparks is a productivity multiplier for entrepreneurs, designing the habits and systems which maximize personal effectiveness.   He specializes in helping clients identify the critical path to project completion to accelerate their implementation speed.   He is the author of Inflection Point: A Guide to Trajectory Transformation and was once ranked one of the top 20 online poker players in the world.