Charlie Hoehn
Author of Play It Away
Discussion
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
Hey, Product Hunt! My name is Charlie Hoehn, author of Play It Away and Recession Proof Graduate, founder of The Recess Project, and speaker for American Dream U. My work is the #1 search result on Google for "cure anxiety." I live in Austin, where I host weekly recess in Zilker park. Ask me anything! :)
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Tucker Max
@tuckermax · CEO, Book In A Box
@charliehoehn What is the most dangerous zone?
TRICK QUESTION! It's The Danger Hoehn.
Sorry, I don't have a question. I just love me some Charlie.
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@tuckermax Tucker wins for taking the most ridiculous picture of me ever: http://tuckermax.me/play-it-away...
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@sithankanna Rare Earths: Forbidden Cures. It's fascinating, but poorly edited.
Kevin Zittle
@kevinz · Co-Founder, GoVoluntr
Hey Charlie thanks for hanging out on PH today. I know you worked alongside Tim Ferris for a while, what one lesson did you learn during that time that has stayed with you?
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@kevinz Hey Kevin, my pleasure! Ah man, there are so many. Tim is an amazing person on numerous levels, so it's hard to pick... I suppose I'll go with "Your network is your net worth." Tim is one of the most well-connected people in the Valley, and it's because he continually goes out of his way to cultivate and nurture REAL LIFE relationships with people (not just emails back and forth). In the digital age, that's priceless.
In regards to the marketing brilliance I absorbed from Tim, look up "12 lessons learned while marketing The 4-Hour Body"
Kevin Zittle
@kevinz · Co-Founder, GoVoluntr
@charliehoehn Thanks! Yep, 12 lessons is one of those that I re-visit whenever I'm launching something new!
Sachit Gupta
@sachitgupta · Audience & Profit Growth for Publishers
@charliehoehn Here's that post: http://fourhourworkweek.com/2011... - Years later, I still refer to it when working on client projects.
Tam Pham
@mrtampham · Community at Mixergy
@sachitgupta It's really good. Contributed to the success of my recent best seller.
Erik Torenberg
@eriktorenberg · Former Product Hunt
@charliehoehn can you tell us a little bit about how he did/does that ? what are some networking frameworks/principles he works by?
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@eriktorenberg He's goes out of his way to live an interesting life! It really boils down to that one simple thing. He's super enthusiastic about certain things and ridiculously knowledgable about topics he cares about. He reads, studies, then goes out and does things that he wants to do that make him better. When he introduces himself, he mentions certain things that he thinks will be interesting or useful to the person he's speaking with. Tim has a crazy list of credentials, assets, people he's friends with, and places he's been... so some might wonder how they could replicate that effect. Well, when he first started out, he'd mention that he'd been doing MMA, or that he studied neuroscience, or that he was learning Japanese, or that he was considering going to Burning Man, or that he wanted to practice tango in Buenos Aires.
Go live an interesting life that you want to live! While you're doing it, talk to people, ask them what they're into, listen to them and what their interests are, then share your experiences. Be kind :)
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@cfidhle Yes, except for people who aren't kind, or think they're too cool :)
christopher Lambert
@cfidhle · cl homes
@charliehoehn, I promise not to hog the ball or beat anyone up ;-)
Tam Pham
@mrtampham · Community at Mixergy
Last Q: What does your morning routine look like?
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@mrtampham I answered this for someone else: I typically start each day meditating for a few minutes, and visualizing the effect I'll have -- what that world looks like if I do that work. Then each night, I write down a list of the few things I want to get done the next day. Apart from that, focusing on getting adequate nutrition (take a micronutrient deficiency test, we're all deprived of essential nutrients and minerals!), 8-9 hours of sleep, and taking breaks to play with friends (recreation is re-creation).
Erik Torenberg
@eriktorenberg · Former Product Hunt
Charlie - could you tell us when you felt the most anxious in your life and how you worked through it?
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@eriktorenberg Probably my first panic attack -- laying in my apartment with heart palpitations, cold sweats, left hand going numb, my brain pounding the thoughts "You are going crazy, you are going to die."
I "handled it" by curling up in the fetal position on my apartment floor, resisting every second of it, and considering calling 911 or packing my bags and running away. Then the next morning, going on a long run and going straight back to all of my old habits. I know now that none of that was helpful or good for me.
Tam Pham
@mrtampham · Community at Mixergy
Q4: If you had to spend 4 years of your life from 18 - 22 again, what would you do differently (if you had to)?
Go to college? Apprentice under someone immediately? Take edu into your own hands and learn everything you possibly can?
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@mrtampham I wouldn't change a thing. It lead me here.
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@mrtampham Probably read more books. Not worried about grades in school.
Ben Davidson
@kalamazooben · Front-End Web Designer
A year and a half out from releasing "Play It Away", what sort of feedback on the ideas in the book have you gotten? 4.7 stars on Amazon is awesome, just curious what the benefits/criticism you've received.
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@kalamazooben That book and my anxiety post have been such a blessing, for me and many others. I'm so glad I wrote it. I've heard from veterans and teenagers who didn't commit suicide because of it. Many people who've suffered with anxiety for years said it's the only thing that's helped. I've been moved to tears many times from emails I've gotten from people. I'm very fond of the message behind the book, it still makes me really happy I wrote it.
Ben Davidson
@kalamazooben · Front-End Web Designer
@charliehoehn That's awesome! Have you received any criticism you'd like to share? I only ask because I'm curious how people might react negatively to the ideas in the book, if at all. No worries on whether I liked the book - I bought 3 copies ;)
Thomas Ulibarri
@thomas_ulibarri · Writing Enthusiast
@charliehoehn Hey Charlie, Another question. Can you please describe your morning theme and system that sets you up to win the day? Do recognize a commonality that successful & productive people as yourself are only able to execute on in the mornings? TY!
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@thomas_ulibarri This assumes I win the day, every day :) I try to do great work every day, sometimes I don't. I try to be a good friend / caring boyfriend / loving family member every day, sometimes I'm not. Those are the two important things to me: loving relationships and work. What I've realized that I really need in order to do great is PLAY (for rejuvenation and creativity), SLEEP (for rest and repair), and FEASTING (getting enough nutrients to function).
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Charlie Hoehn
@charliehoehn · Author
@thomas_ulibarri Successful people have great friends and support. They're surrounded by people smarter than them. No one does it alone.