TDC 060: Inside a Room With 40+ Million-Copy Bestselling Authors

Seven powerful lessons from the literary equivalent of the NBA All-Star team.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Digital Contrarian, host Ryan Levesque shares profound insights from his private gathering with 40+ million-copy bestselling authors including James Clear, Jamie Kern-Lima, and Hal Elrod.

You'll discover why good enough isn't good enough for books, learn the secret to short-form content success, and understand why there's no single "right way" to achieve massive success.

Question of the Day 🗣️

Which of the seven quotes hit you the hardest? Leave a comment to let me know!

Key Take-aways

• There are many things where good enough is good enough, but writing a book isn't one of them
• The secret to short-form video is using series, not just stories
• You're robbing the world of yourself if you pretend to be someone else
• Every person has 5-7 defining pivot points—pick one to start your story
• Above all else, optimize for transformation in your work

Timestamped Outline ⏱️

00:00 – My invitation to the literary "Dream Team"
 01:39 – The standing ovation keynote (and plaid shirt controversy)
 02:27 – James Clear on writing excellence
 02:43 – Pat Flynn's secret to short-form content
 02:58 – Dr. Mike Bechtel on authentic living
 03:06 – Don Yeager's storytelling framework
 03:20 – Hal Elrod's powerful health decision
 04:00 – Alex Witkowski on what makes books readable
 04:16 – Joseph Wynn on optimizing for transformation
 04:38 – The surprising truth about million-copy success
 05:30 – What this means for your path forward

Links & Resources 🔗

• Get on the waitlist for Return to Real book → https://ryanlevesque.net/return-to-real-book/
• Books mentioned: Atomic Habits, Worthy, Building a Story Brand, Launch, Profit First, Two Weeks Notice, Limitless, Don't Believe Everything You Think, The Miracle Morning

Connect & CTA 🎯
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Credits
Host: Ryan Levesque
© 2025 RL & Associates LLC. All rights reserved.