I’m pumped to announce my new book, The Price of Becoming: The Compounding Practices of High Performance. It’s inspired by early moments in my life when I failed… And the past 11 years and 700+ conversations I’ve had with some of the most exceptional people in the world: coaches, CEOs, athletes, Navy SEALs, scientists, and quiet leaders you've probably never heard of. The book stemmed from a question I like to ask leaders… What do you intentionally do each day to ensure you’re going to bed a little bit better than you were when you woke up? I’ve been super curious about the power of compounding behaviors. So, this is a combo of the things I’ve learned AND what I’ve actually done over the past decade to move from theory to action. It’s kind of pointless to learn all this stuff without actually doing it too… It comes out July 21, 2026. I know this book can be transformational. Especially for people who want to put a positive dent in the world. I want you to read it. I want you to tell your friends about it. Buy extra copies. And spread the word. If you enjoy my work and think you might buy the book when it comes out, it would mean a ton to me if you pre-order it now. Pre-Orders are a really big deal. They help determine the book’s placement online, in bookstores, and they tell my publisher that they need to print a ton so we don’t run out (like we have in the past when people waited til launch week to buy it). You’ll be hearing more about the book over the coming months. This is a deeply personal project. I am nervous to put it out, but at the same time, I’m proud of it. I think it will change your life for the better. WHO is it for? We work with 8s and 9s who want to be 10s. 4s and 5s will not enjoy this book. This is for people who are doing well… And want to be even better. The target market is not the majority of humans. My publisher didn’t love that part (smaller # of people to sell books to). But that’s who I’ve been lucky to attract with my work on The Learning Leader Show. If you really want to make a difference. Want to leave that dent… Then there is a price to pay. There are trade-offs. This book is the story, science, and practical application of that price. It’s not theoretical. It’s stuff you actually do. Each chapter has lots of prompts for you. As well as actions you can take immediately to change your life. If you actually do the work, the outcomes you want will happen. That’s a big if, though… I’m giving away a lot of pre-order bonuses to make it worth your while to buy it right now. All those are at Learning Leader dot com And if you want to buy in bulk (50+), DM me or send an email (Ryan at LearningLeader) Thank you for your support! – Ryan

On February 20th, 2015, I sent a cold e-mail asking Seth Godin to be a guest on my podcast, “The Learning Leader Show.” He wrote back: “Thanks Ryan. Check back in nine months when you’ve got a huge following, okay? Good luck.” substack.com/home/post/p-219…

How does Seth Godin get unstuck?

The difference between tension and stress... "Tension is the engine of forward progress."

Seth Godin is the author of Purple Cow, The Dip, & The Knot He's blogged every single day for 20+ years! One of the brightest leadership minds... - Creating Tension - Solving Problems - @TheSavBananas - Leading Without a Title - Using AI - Hidden Entanglements - Getting Unstuck

My next newsletter "Mindful Monday #543: How to Lead Without the Title" is coming tomorrow. Subscribe to get it and stay in the loop on everything I'm creating. ryanhawk.kit.com via @kit

In 2025, I chose "Connection" as my word of the year... Have kept it going in 2026. One of the ways to do that is to be IN PERSON with my podcast guests... Here are some of my favorite in-person pods: - Bert Bean+Sam Kaufman - James Clear - Ryan Holiday - Clark Lea - Dan Coyle - Kat Cole - Jesse Cole - Oz Pearlman - Kirk Herbstreit - Ed Latimore - Larry Connor - Tom Ryan - Jim Collins

The power of big goals @RaviMGupta shares this idea he learned from @tferriss There is less competition for big, crazy goals because 99% of people doubt their own potential and crowd into the middle, fighting over "realistic" or mediocre targets

From getting arrested at 16 to graduating from Yale Law School and writing speeches in the White House, @RaviMGupta's story is super interesting. On this NEW EPISODE of The Learning Leader Show... Why mastering ONE new skill each year can transform your life

My next newsletter, "Mindful Monday #542: A Roadmap for Doing What Matters Most," is coming tomorrow. Subscribe to get it and stay in the loop on everything I'm doing. ryanhawk.kit.com

Turn small talk into a treasure hunt... @katiecouric is really good at this. Instead of "What do you do?" Ask... "What do you like to do?" From my conversation with @vvanedwards on The Learning Leader Show

If there’s ever flexibility with the agenda, I always ask for the 8am slot at a conference

Do you feel pressure to be an expert in the thing you study? (Think James Clear needing to be perfect with his habits) I asked @vvanedwards, and her answer was super interesting...

When you choose to be a leader, you no longer get to be energy neutral. Great conversation with @Codie_Sanchez

This was a ton of fun. Breaking down one of my keynotes with Jay Acunzo youtube.com/watch?v=oWqqCjK0…

How does it feel when someone says your first name? Good stuff from @vvanedwards