Finding solutions to global problems

Hear from 4 visionary leaders on how to focus, make decisions and take action

Posted by: Team Tony

The world is filled with uncertainty. Your life is filled with uncertainty. It’s how you deal with that uncertainty that matters, because the only thing you can control in life is your own actions and decisions. It’s easy to give in to fear, but as Tony says, fear is imagination undirected. What happens when you give direction to your imagination? That’s what we call faith.

Faith is what fuels us through times of fear and uncertainty. It is more powerful than any emotion, even fear. When all hell is breaking loose, it gives us the ability to find our center, to help ourselves and others to find answers, to find a higher meaning in the midst of our pain and in spite of our fear. And if you’re a leader, you take that certainty and transfer it into others, because human conviction has a viral effect and will spread. Faith is knowing that at our core we’re more than anything we will ever face, and we can handle whatever life brings us. We always have and we always will. That is the power of the human race.

Yet faith is nothing without focus. Where focus goes, energy flows – and where energy flows, you will achieve your goals. Leaders don’t just have conviction. They make tough decisions that no one else wants to make. They solve problems. Most of all, they take action. They see issues in the world and they don’t just sit around complaining. They fix them. 

In this episode, Tony sits down with four extraordinary human beings who are working to solve major global issues, who believe so strongly in their solutions and have so much certainty that it’s almost contagious! 

These four leaders are not only world-changing technology experts, but the founders and CEOs of companies that are bringing the stuff of science–fiction novels to life. And faster than anyone thought possible. They’re doing things that will change the lives of billions of people all across the globe. Their ultimate outcome is to increase that quality of life for everyone in existence and for generations to come. 

In this episode, you will learn about: 

The future of energy

Learn from the genius mind behind the monetization of search words, Bill Gross, whose company, Idealab, was founded in 1996 and is the longest–running technology incubator in the history of the world. His incubator has started 150 companies, with 45 going to IPO. He’s started seven companies from scratch and exited them at over a billion dollars in revenue. His new companies are going to change the environment – not in the future, but right now, because he’s taking on sustainable energy like no human on earth has done before. 

The future of food

The population is growing rapidly – and we’re destroying the planet with the way we raise food. We hear from CEO and co-founder of Upward Farms, Jason Green. (Yes, you read that right – he may indeed have a green thumb!) Upward Farms is a Brooklyn-based indoor aquaponic farm sustainably growing leafy greens and fish with the highest ecological and quality standards. Jason is changing the way we grow food and challenging the environmentally devastating practices we’ve been using for so long. 

The future of space

Hear from Mikhail Kokorich, CEO of Momentus, a space transportation company. He started his first company at 19 years old, built the first private space company in Russia, sold it at a young age and then came to America. He wants to maximize what we’re doing not in the future, but right now. Mikhail’s commercial and private space travel is the stuff of every sci-fi lover’s dreams. But he’s taking it from beyond the pages of books and movies and making it real with special water propulsion technology. And he’s not just stopping at transportation. There is going to be a gold rush in space, and Mikhail will be there for it.

The future of business

Tony pulls insights from founder and general partner of Prime Movers Lab, Dakin Sloss. His company is all about seeing the value in people’s visions for starting new companies, and providing the funding and guidance to get them off the ground. They’re obsessed with finding prime movers: people who invent technology that can change billions of people’s lives. These aren’t your average entrepreneurial startups, these are companies that will change the face of energy, transportation, infrastructure, human augmentation and computing.

Tony is incredibly passionate about anything that can increase the quality of people’s lives. He’s obsessed with finding answers and solutions. He’s also obsessed with finding entrepreneurs and companies that are on the brink of changing the world and being a part of that in any way he can. For Tony, this usually means more than just investing with them financially, but going on a journey with them and investing on a soul level. He not only understands the power of proximity – surrounding yourself with people who will make you better – but also the deep human need for contribution. The only way to find true fulfillment is to give back. That’s something all great leaders have discovered.

These leaders aren’t just smart and giving. They have extraordinary vision and deeply held values that they live out every day. They communicate their vision and values to others, making connections and inspiring a new wave of scientific and business discovery that is going to propel our planet into the future – and even save the human race.

“I’m obsessed with entrepreneurs and companies that are about to change the world.” – Tony Robbins

Part 1

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EPISODE NOTES

[00:00:00] Episode introduction
[00.00.50] Tony: Welcome to the podcast
[00:01:15] Tony talks about his passion for breakthrough companies
[00:02:00] Life is up and down
[00:02:50] Tony talks about our progress with the world’s poverty levels
[00:03:27] Intro Bill Gross
[00:04:24] Intro Jason Green 
[00:05:39] Intro Mikhail Kokorich
[00:06:46] Intro Dakin Sloss
[00:08:14] The common thread
[00:08:44] Tony: What’s unique to your company?
[00:09:50] Bill Gross on his companies
[00:11:55] Bill Gross and Energy Vault
[00:13:40] Bill builds a mountain 
[00:14:40] Tony paints a clear picture of this energy source
[00:15:50] The power behind simplicity 
[00:16:40] Tony asks Bill about his solar company 
[00:18:00] Mirrors making a difference
[00:18:55] Tony asks Bill about Carbon Capture and the fear surrounding emissions 
[00:20:46] “You can use your brain power that has global impact, the whole world is now your customer” 
[00:21:31] Tony: Bill what does the future of energy look like?
[00:22:40] Jason Green of Upward Farms
[00:23:49] Jason’s work with sensory environments 
[00:25:21] The concept of the microbiome 
[00:26:14] Tony’s interest in vertical farming
[00:26:45] Tony: How are you creating a full blown ecosystem with less water? 
[00:27:40] Tony’s mercury poisoning 
[00:28:30] How Jason is solving the heavy metal issue in fish
[00:29:17] Tony: What does the future of food look like to you?
[00:30:38] Mikhail Kokorich of Momentus </span
[00:31:54] Space is a new territory that poses different challenges 
[00:33:38] Conventional rocket thrust is not enough
[00:34:50] Space Taxis
[00:35:38] Water is a sustainable energy source given to us by the solar system
[00:36:05] Tony: How does what we do in space affect us on earth?
[00:38:00] The space gold rush 
[00:38:52] Tony: What is the future of Space?
[00:40:35] Dakin Sloss of Prime Movers Lab
[00:42:00] We are actively engaged in supporting our founders
[00:43:10] Kings would kill to be poor today 
[00:43:50] Tony: What kind of return have you seen from these early stage companies?
[00:44:40] What you put out, you get back
[00:46:14] Tony on Impact Investing coupled with hard science 
[00:46:43] Tony: What do you think are the most important keys for entrepreneurs out there?
[00:47:40] Bill on passion and a complimentary team 
[00:48:50] You have to do something that other people aren’t doing
[00:50:26] Tony on the importance of difference 
[00:51:15] Tony: Mikhail what are the differences between those that dream and those that perform? 
[00:53:10] Not getting stuck on one thing
[00:53:56] Tony: Jason what’s the difference between those who find a way and those who don’t?
[00:55:53] Asking why
[00:56:30] Desire and higher purpose 
[00:57:56] A free opportunity to learn from Tony
[00:59:04] Tony: Dakin what do you see the most successful entrepreneurs do? 
[01:00:22] Flexibility 
[01:01:46] Bill: Empowering others and unlocking human potential 
[01:03:10] Tony: What’s one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
[01:03:43] Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face 
[01:05:00] Bill gets a punch
[01:08:00] Keeping the mission
[01:08:34] Tony: Mikhail what’s one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
[01:10:30] Mikhail’s self-work 
[01:12:25] The rule of 125
[01:13:20] Tony’s 4 fathers
[01:14:40] We are all equal as souls, but not in the marketplace 
[01:14:46] Tony: Jason what’s the difference between those who dream and those who live the dream?
[01:16:46] Good vs. great companies 
[01:17:40] Tony: Dakin what’s the difference to you?
[01:18:43] Breakthroughs vs. not reinventing the wheel 
[01:20:23] Tony: What gives you tremendous hope for the future?
[01:21:23] Bill: Technology can make the world a better place 
[01:22:25] We don’t have Leonardo da Vinci’s problem 
[01:25:06] Two things drive us, fear or faith
[01:26:30] Tony: Mikhail what gives you hope?
[01:27:17] Difficulty for dictatorships to sustain thanks to today’s technology 
[01:29:09] Tony’s trip to the Soviet Union 
[01:31:20] Tony: Jason what gives you hope?
[01:32:04] What’s within my control?
[01:33:05] The Three Decisions 
[01:34:44] Tony: Dakin what do you focus on when things look poorly? 
[01:35:00] The level of consciousness 
[01:36:35] Tony talks to the protesters on Wall Street 
[01:36:42] The Social Dilemma on Netflix
[01:38:45] Tony: Bill, what made you start Idealab? 
[01:41:00] Parallel entrepreneur 
[01:42:36] Tony: Bill why have you helped so many succeed? 
[01:44:08] Laser focused 
[01:45:20] The founding father of ad words
[01:50:40] The monetization of search 
[01:51:00] Tony: Bill what did you learn from that experience? 
[01:51:51] Don’t listen to poo-pooers 
[01:53:20] We all need to become investors
[01:54:40] Thank you from Tony

Part 2

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Welcome to today’s bonus episode. In the previous episode, The Future of Food, Energy and Space, you heard Tony introduce a group of groundbreaking entrepreneurs who are turning the status quo upside down for how we operate as humans. They shared what amazing technology we have to look forward to, not tomorrow, but today. This is technology that will improve the lives of people all over the world and for generations to come. 

Here Tony continues the conversation with Bill, Jason, Mikhail, and Dakin, but with a focus on the business side to bettering the lives of people everywhere. Bill speaks to his desire to do for energy what Elon Musk did for cars. Jason talks about the power of distribution, comparing Netflix to the food market. And Mikhail opens our eyes to the newest space race and how being business-minded with technology produces incredible results. 

In this episode Tony calls each of us to be an owner, not just a consumer. Entrepreneurship and investing is something he’s worked throughout his career to make accessible for all people. Enjoy this exciting episode and discover how you can get involved. 

EPISODE NOTES

00:01:07 Tony welcomes you back for a roundtable discussion
00:0:30 Tony re-introduces four breakthrough entrepreneurs
00:02:24 Introduction to Bill Gross and Heliogen 
00:04:05 Replacing coal, oil, and gas with sunlight 
00:05:18 Accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture 
00:07:30 How do we become a tool for farmers? 
00:09:19 Starting with soil
00:09:55 Tony: Why do I want my produce grown indoors?
00:11:55 Tony: Why do we need to change the way we grow food?
00:14:30 Tony: What’s coming up for Upward Farms?
00:19:16 Mikhail Kokorich of Momentus 
00:22:26 Distance in space is measured differently 
00:24:24 A new layer of intelligence for space 
00:26:50 There’s a new space race 
00:27:23 Why is water propulsion so important? 
00:29:14 The moon’s role in future space transportation 
00:30:04 Tony’s past space investment 
00:30:30 Tony: Mikhail, how have you secured customers like NASA?
00:32:39 Tony: Dakin, why did you start Prime Movers Lab?
00:35:40 Uncorrelated Assets
00:36:29 Entrepreneurship can be for everyone
00:37:00 Tony shares his hope for listeners 
00:37:39 Being consumers and not owners
00:38:20 Tony thanks his guests and leaves you with a special message 

Are you ready to discover your own leadership style and start a company that will change the world? Remember that a business is only as strong as the psychology of its leader. As Tony says, “Changing an organization, a company, a country – or a world – begins with the simple step of changing yourself.” Many of Tony’s core concepts, such as mastering your emotions, learning to make connections and surrounding yourself with talent, can help you become the leader you were truly meant to be.