Classic Influence: Timeless Lessons from the Legends

In the fall of 217 B.C., the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca found himself caught in what appeared to be an inescapable trap. Hemmed in by mountains, marshes, and the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the Roman army blocking every possible escape, it seemed as though Hannibal's long string of victories was finally at an end. But what happened next stunned the ancient world and further cemented Ha...

In 1888, Theodore Roosevelt was on a Buffalo hunting trip in the Badlands. Listen in and learn how a young Roosevelt responded to a couple of cowboy pranksters who set out to make TR the target of a devious practical joke. 

In 1939, George Dantzig, a humble graduate student at Berkeley in San Francisco, changed mathematics history when he showed up 10 minutes late for his final exam. Listen in as we travel back to Northern California in the midst of the Great Depression to discover the powerful role that expectations can play in transforming your career and your life. In this episode of Classic Influence, we will als...

Walt Disney’s ultimate, iconic success belies the years he struggled to make ends meet, often going without food to cover the bills. In this episode of Classic Influence, we travel back to Hollywood in the early 1920s to discover the ownership mindset, appetite for risk-taking, and bold actions that set people like Walt Disney apart from the pack. This episode also explores the power of titles, sy...

The American film director, producer, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg holds the distinction of being the most commercially successful director of all time. In 1963, when he was only seventeen, Steven Spielberg traveled to Hollywood to participate in a tour of Universal Studios. The bold action Spielberg took next both set him apart from the crowd and put him on an altogether different and faster...

Martin Luther changed the course of human history in 1517 when he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints’ Church. But Luther’s bold move and revolutionary stand was not without grave risks, including the distinct possibility of being burned alive. But what enabled such a humble, scholarly, and deeply religious Augustinian monk and theology professor to take such a bold, irrevocable sta...

Harriet Tubman was described by one bold abolitionist as “one of the bravest persons on this continent.” Another well-known “conductor” on the Underground Railroad said that Tubman “seemed wholly devoid of personal fear.” After years of daring missions into the lion’s den to help slaves escape, Tubman’s bold courage and skill as a tactician led her to become a spy and a military leader for the Uni...

Alexander the Great was one of the greatest military leaders in history. Across a wide array of different terrains, facing a range of diverse enemy forces, often 2 or 3 times the size of the Macedonian army, Alexander, not once defeated in battle, ultimately conquered the known world and built an empire the likes of which no one had ever before seen. What’s more, he did all of this a long, long wa...

Joan of Arc was an unknown, illiterate peasant girl who became a celebrated national hero. She was a teenage girl with no military training or experience who became the supreme commander of French military forces at age 17. She was a symbol of French courage and military power who became a saint in the Catholic Church. At nearly every turn, Joan of Arc overturned assumptions, defied expectations,...

The Father of India, Apostle of Non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi stands today as a global icon. Despite his initial absence, the deeply spiritual Gandhi, who possessed little more than a loincloth and glasses, rose to become one of the most influential figures in India, leading the nation to victory over the greatest empire on Earth without so much as throwing a stone. Discover how Gandhi built the be...

They lived like monks. They fought like lions. They were the special forces of the Medieval Era. Forged to protect all those pilgrims and traders traveling to the Holy Lands, the Knights Templar became such a highly capable and ferocious fighting force that they swiftly multiplied in wealth and power, growing well beyond their initial mandate as an elite military order of warrior monks. Listen in...

The ancient Greek’s story of the founding of Rome tells the tale of Roma, the crafty and courageous Trojan noble woman, and how, after surviving a violent voyage at sea, she used leverage to force the Trojans to establish the ancient city on the banks of the Tiber River. In this episode of Classic Influence, we’ll travel back to the birth of ancient Rome, get a glimpse of the tremendous power of l...

A charismatic, courageous, and flamboyant hero of World War II, General George Patton was the personification of ruthless drive and the relentless will to win. And, yet, a look at an episode early in his military career reveals a man who struggled with self-doubt and fear. In this episode of Classic Influence, we’ll travel back to WWI to reveal just how firm a grip fear had over Patton’s mind, and...

How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the best-selling books of all time, but Dale Carnegie’s career did not start off with a bang. In fact, Carnegie was nearly 50 before he finally stumbled upon the key secret to his success. In this episode of Classic Influence, we’ll explore the power of proof, the small start, and how baby steps can be carefully calculated to create blockbuster suc...

Humankind has dreamed of flying since our early ancestors first laid eyes on the flying creatures of prehistoric times. But it wasn’t until 1903, despite facing fierce competition from scores of better educated, and better funded aviation pioneers, that Wilbur and Orville Wright at last achieved the dream of powered flight. In this episode, we’ll explore what set these two curious, self-taught, vi...

Ranked among the greatest of American Presidents, Abraham Lincoln was surprisingly ambitious. He desperately wanted to be remembered for doing something great. But it wasn’t until he linked his great aspiration with his passionate, unconquerable hatred for slavery that Lincoln began to see his star rise. Listen in and learn how Lincoln, a poor, backwoods country lawyer with less than a year of for...

Eager to make his way in the competitive world of show business, the daring Don Rickles was willing to make all manner of bold moves, including exploiting the star power of uber celebrities like Frank Sinatra. Alas, unlike Sinatra, who was far better attuned to his audience, and the importance of playing to their desires, Rickles still had a few key lessons to learn. Listen in and discover how Sin...

Mary Tudor, the eldest daughter of King Henry VIII, was born at the bloody center of the greatest religious and political upheaval in England’s history, the English Reformation. A devoted Catholic in the inner sanctum of a Protestant Empire, the young princess was a figurehead for loyal papist plotters, and a threat to those Protestants in power. Learn how Mary navigated the treacherous forces swi...

Repeatedly ranked as one of America’s greatest presidents, Theodore Roosevelt remains a legendary historical figure across the political spectrum. The story of Roosevelt’s rapid rise to the pinnacle of American power reveals a number of critical lessons for leaders and influencers about what it takes to succeed today; including a readiness to take bold action, but also a bold and open willingness...

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest military leaders in history. Beyond his capacity as a strategist and tactician, however, it was often Bonaparte’s sheer boldness that enabled him to achieve the outcome he desired. As Napoleon repeatedly revealed, once unleashed, bold action can become a powerful force of its own, commanding attention, sweeping down obstacles, and building the momentum yo...