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Overview
Most business owners fail because they lack ambition. They fail because the daily routines that drive their performance quietly weaken under pressure, and no one notices until it starts. In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, John Jantsch sits down with Jon Gordon, best-selling author. The Energy Bus and his recent release, The Power of Good Habitswe talked about the small habits that separate the leaders who keep growing from those who eat a lot.
Jon has spent two decades working with organizations including the LA Dodgers, Miami Heat, Clemson football, Southwest Airlines, and Dell. His work is based on a simple principle: habits are not just tools for personal development. They are the infrastructure of leadership. Without them, you cannot consistently show up for your team, your clients, or your business.
This episode is for businesses and small business owners who feel like they are working as hard as they can and still losing ground. Jon walks through specific, concrete habits about mindset, leadership, health, and relationships, and explains why simplicity and practicality are the only things that make habits last.
Guest Bio
Jon Gordon is the best-selling author of more than 30 books, incl The Energy Buswhich has sold over 4 million copies worldwide. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and consultant whose clients include professional sports franchises, Fortune 500 companies, and leadership teams across industries. His work focuses on how habits, strengths, and attitudes drive individual and organizational performance. His latest book, The Power of Good Habitscombines 93 proven practices into an actionable framework that leaders can start implementing immediately.
Key Takeaways
- Habits are not just about personal development. They are leadership tools. If you don’t show up with the right energy and mindset, your team can’t perform at its best.
- A gratitude walk, taking a morning walk while practicing gratitude, fills the brain with positive emotions that build resilience over time. It is one of the best practices in the book.
- Connect before you edit. Building real relationships with your team is not a soft skill. It is a requirement for continuous feedback and progressive performance.
- Don’t try to build 93 habits at once. Start with one. Very well. Then add a second. The combined effect of three strong habits will outweigh the chaos of chasing them all at once.
- Good habits are the first thing you go to in times of stress, but they are what you need most when things get tough. Your habits are your foundation, not the reward when things are calm.
- Good thinking is not ignoring the truth. It’s about maintaining the belief and optimism needed to face challenges and find a way forward. Pessimists don’t build businesses.
- Many plateaus are created by a leadership gap or an unresolved wound that prevents silent growth. Identifying and acting on it is how leaders move to the next level.
- Knowing well in the morning, reading, thinking, and doing something good before the day starts, creates an anchor for success. You start the day with a winning streak, which makes you tougher when the punches come.
- Principles inform, processes change. Knowing what to do is not enough. Only the habits you use change your life.
- Jon Gordon was naturally pessimistic. His habits are the result of deliberate practice, consistent over 20 years, not personality. That means these practices are available to anyone who is willing to do them.
Good Times (Time Stamps)
[00:01] – John’s opening frame: owners lose land without knowing it, and why habits are a hidden cause
[01:17] – Why Jon wrote this book specifically for leaders, and what makes it different from other practice books
[02:18] – Comparison with Atomic Habits: what ChatGPT says, and why it’s worth listening
[03:26] – The gratitude movement explained, and the research behind why being grateful in the morning changes your brain chemistry
[04:43] – How these practices apply to small business owners and entrepreneurs, not just corporate groups
[06:42] – One thing that makes habits stick for a long time, and why complexity is the enemy
[09:07] – What happens when someone tries to do all 93 habits, and what Jon recommends instead
[12:23] – The honest answer to “can you be positive and still face hard facts?” Jon’s answer is worth the whole episode
[14:22] – Why do plateaus happen, what really holds people back, and how they got through it
[17:16] – Jon’s personal story: how a failing marriage and an inherently unhealthy mindset led him to develop the practices he now teaches
Memorable Quotes
“Principles inform, processes change. It will be processes that will change.” – John Gordon
“Having a positive outlook doesn’t mean you ignore reality. It means you maintain hope, faith, and belief to create a better reality.” – John Gordon
“If you develop your leadership skills, you will be greater than your problems.” – John Gordon
“Good manners go out the window in times of stress, and actually need to be our foundation in those stressful times to stay strong in the storm.” – John Gordon
“I’m pessimistic by nature. So I have all these great positive thinking tips in the book because thinking is a habit.” – John Gordon