My First Million Podcast Summary

Episode Title: The Best Stuff We’ve Read in the Last 12 Months
Date: January 6, 2026
Hosts: Sam Parr & Shaan Puri
Podcast: My First Million (Hubspot Media)

Episode Overview

In this engaging year-in-review episode, Sam Parr and Shaan Puri dive into the best content they've read over the past 12 months. They exchange the most profound, practical, and entertaining ideas they've picked up—from historical rabbit holes and business philosophies to essential reading habits, investment wisdom, frameworks for better judgment, memorable fiction, and insights into modern “work smarter” hacks. The conversation is casual, witty, and packed with actionable takeaways and personal anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Leadership, Communication & Live Connection

Shaan’s Obsession with History and Leadership

• Shaan shares his deep dive into presidential assassinations—their impact on institutions like the Secret Service, and how proximity to public figures drastically shifted over history (00:54).

• He draws a powerful line from historical events to leadership, underscoring how a single person can shift the energy of millions, referencing Winston Churchill’s WWII “We shall fight on the beaches” speech (02:29):

  “I've always been very fascinated when there's one person who can exert a relatively small amount of energy and get everyone else to change their energy.”
  — Shaan (03:42)

Churchill, Concerts, and Modern Leadership

• Shaan connects Churchill’s speeches to the ability of performers, like Oasis at their mega-concerts, to galvanize a massive crowd—wanting to understand that unique communicative power (03:42).
• As a business owner, Shaan studies these oratory leaders to level up his own leadership, aiming to inspire, not just motivate, his team (05:11).

2. The Value of In-Person Experiences in a Digital World

Real Community and Retention

• Shaan laments the loneliness of modern, digital communication and highlights how his company, Hampton, saw a dramatic increase in retention when meetings moved from virtual to in-person (06:40):

  “...in real life, does most of the work. The problem is it's a fucking pain in the ass. It's really hard to do. We gotta find these moderators in all these cities... But not even close. Like night and day.” — Shaan (07:08)

• Sam points out the importance of tying a company mission to a movement or greater cause to inspire people beyond monetary goals (08:39).

3. “Die With Zero” & Rethinking Life’s Allocations

Core Ideas from Bill Perkins' 'Die With Zero' (11:06)

• Timing Matters: Some experiences are age-dependent. Don’t defer trips or opportunities, thinking you can do them later.
• Money vs. Time: You can always earn more money, but not reclaim time.
• Life Energy: View purchases as trading life hours for goods.

  “You trade some life energy working to get some amount of money...”
  — Sam (13:10)

• Too many people overwork, only to realize late that they barely ‘drank from the well’ they kept pumping (16:05).

Sam’s “Jar” Analogy for Prioritizing Life (18:30)

• Big rocks = meaningful experiences/projects, sand = routine tasks.
• Fill your life/jar with big rocks first, or you’ll run out of room for them:

  “Work... just expands to fill the container you give it. And so you have to be really conscious of how you let that fill the container.”
  — Sam (17:13)

4. Investor Wisdom: ‘Selling Out’ by Howard Marks

When Do You Sell? Key Investment Principles (21:00)

• Marks discusses that you only have two reasons to sell: things go up or down. But neither is a good standalone reason.
  • The decision should be based on whether your original thesis still holds and relative opportunity (opportunity cost—where is your conviction highest?).
  • Concentration vs. diversification: sometimes it’s better to be heavily in your highest conviction ideas.

  “Judgment is the ultimate lever...your decisions become your destiny.”
  — Sam (27:49)

5. Building Better Judgment: The Decision Register

Sam’s Decision-Making Framework (28:02)

• He tracks big decisions and his confidence levels, then reviews outcomes to improve judgment.

• The “one decisive reason” principle (from Reid Hoffman via Peter Thiel): Only act if there’s a single strong reason.

• Avoid “resulting” (judging decisions solely by outcomes).

  “Blended reasons are bad reasons.”
  — Sam (29:32)

• Decision-making questions include: emotional state, alternatives, reversibility, opportunity size, follow-up, and success criteria (34:17).

Relating to Charlie Munger

• Both hosts find “Poor Charlie’s Almanac” hard to digest, but appreciate Munger’s insights on cognitive biases.
• Sam prefers Socratic questioning and time delays over trying to memorize endless mental models (36:29).

6. Reading Philosophy & Takeaways

Naval Ravikant’s Insight

• Don’t read to memorize. Read to spark thoughts and realizations:

  “When you read, it’s like rubbing two sticks together. All you’re trying to do is create a little bonfire in your brain.”
  — Sam, summarizing Naval (39:20)

• Relieves the pressure to finish every book or remember every page; focus on consistent, thought-provoking input.

7. Notable Fiction & Author Encounters

Recommended Fiction

• The Will of the Many and its sequel, Strength of the Few— fantasy rooted in Roman-like structures, with rich worldbuilding (41:58).
• The Terminal List series by Jack Carr: Military fiction. Hosts reflect on the contrast between Carr’s tough persona and his gentle demeanor (43:42).

On Observing People

• Sam notes Shaan’s unique ability to sense and focus on “vibes” & persona, while Sam is more detail/story-oriented (45:10).

8. Memory, Learning & the ‘Work Smarter, Not Harder’ Approach

Eric Jorgensen’s Success with ‘The Navalmanac’

• Jorgensen compiled existing ideas and open-sourced content; now doing the same with Elon Musk. Learning: don’t be afraid to “remix” influential figures’ wisdom (47:36).

Elon Musk on Memory Palaces (49:09)

• Elon uses memory palaces for recall—memory is a learnable skill, not just talent.

Akon & Ringtone Innovation (50:40)

• Akon famously made 10-second ringtones, intentionally designed to sell better than full songs, making $55M+.

  “How do you sell a 10 second song for five times the price as a four minute song?”
  — Sam (52:44)

Work Smarter Examples

• Kids’ audio gadgets: Tony’s and Yoto, simple devices generating massive revenue—sometimes innovation is in user experience, not technology (54:03).

9. Side Notes, Vibes & Envy

Poppy Founder (55:00)

• Shaan jokes about looking just like the founder of Poppy, a beverage company sold for billions, reflecting on founder luck and timing (side note, but on envy and entrepreneurship).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[Winston Churchill’s] speech... changed the entire morale of the country. We’re talking about tens of millions of people... just one person, small amount of energy, can get everyone else to change their energy.” — Shaan (03:42)
• “The world is going one way, yet everyone is so incredibly lonely and sad. What can we do that solves that, even if it’s for a small group...” — Shaan (05:50)
• “You can’t water ski when you’re 90.” — Sam, via Die With Zero (13:10)
• “Work ... just expands to fill the container you give it. ... You have to be really conscious of how you let that fill the container.” — Sam (17:13)
• “Judgment is the ultimate lever ... your decisions become your destiny.” — Sam (27:49)
• “Blended reasons are bad reasons.” — Sam (29:32)
• “When you read, it’s like rubbing two sticks together. ... spark a thought, an idea.” — Sam, paraphrasing Naval Ravikant (39:20)
• “How do you sell a 10 second song for five times the price as a four minute song?” — Sam, referencing Akon's ringtone success (52:44)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:22] Content Diet discussion kickoff
• [00:54] Shaan’s deep dive into presidential assassinations
• [02:29] Churchill & the transformative power of speeches
• [05:11] Applying leadership lessons to business
• [06:40] Hampton: In-person vs. digital community impact
• [11:06] Die With Zero: Core takeaways and life philosophy
• [18:30] Jar analogy for prioritizing life experiences
• [21:00] Howard Marks’ ‘Selling Out’ — investment clarity
• [28:02] Sam’s decision-making register and framework
• [36:29] On models, Munger, and Socratic decision-making
• [39:20] Naval on reading for insight, not memorization
• [41:58] Fiction recommendations: "Will of the Many", "Terminal List"
• [47:36] Eric Jorgensen & open-source book success
• [49:09] Elon Musk’s memory palace technique
• [50:40] Akon and the billion-dollar ringtone hack
• [54:03] Tony's and Yoto: Simplicity wins in kid tech

Conclusion

This episode is a treasure trove of practical frameworks and thought-provoking ideas—from living with intention and prioritizing experiences over grind, to learning from history, reading for insight, and working smarter through strategic innovation. Plus, the rapport between Sam and Shaan keeps things light, real, and actionable for ambitious listeners.

Perfect for:

• Entrepreneurs and founders seeking mental models
• Anyone looking to live more intentionally
• Those looking for book or content recommendations
• Listeners searching for the sweet spot between hustle and happiness

Recommended Action:
Check out the show notes and scan the QR code for Shaan’s seven most life-changing books, and revisit your own “content diet” to seek more sparks—not just filler.

End of summary.