Podcast Summary: The Futur with Chris Do

Episode: Build Your Success Formula w/ Jodie Cook | Recast
Release Date: January 1, 2026
Guest: Jodie Cook
Host: Chris Do

Overview

In this episode, Chris Do welcomes back Jodie Cook—entrepreneur, Forbes contributor, author, and competitive powerlifter—to explore the concept of personal “success systems.” Together, they delve into how top performers across industries develop repeatable strategies for achieving success, why individualized formulas matter, and how clarity, self-awareness, and persistence shape ongoing growth. The episode is an inspiring and tactical guide for listeners eager to define and refine their own unique path to success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Is a Personal Success System?

• Jodie’s Definition: Everyone has a personal success system—a set of repeatable steps or beliefs that, when recognized and intentionally applied, lead to meaningful achievements in any area of life. (07:25)
• Examples:
  • Taylor Swift: Transforms real-life dating stories that resonate with friends into chart-topping songs.

    “Her success system is that she goes on dates and funny things happen... when her friend goes like, 'Oh my goodness, I can’t believe that happened,' then she will write a song about that thing." — Jodie (08:01)

  • Jeff Bezos: Writes a press release before building products to test market reactions; only pursues ideas with clear demand, unfazed by failure if the process is followed.
  • Elon Musk: Thinks big, reduces problems to first principles, is only constrained by physics, and executes with relentless persistence.

2. The Importance of Clear, Simple Communication

• Both Chris and Jodie reflect on how simplicity reaches wider audiences and is a mark of effective communication.

  "What we were taught at school... was all formal and use big complicated words and try and sound more clever. But for online writing... you want to be as simple as possible." — Jodie (03:44)

• Real-life language and “explaining things to a 6-year-old” is a useful writing/AI prompt.

3. Listening, Empathy, and Global Communication

• Jodie’s travels have taught her that connecting through accessible language and high emotional intelligence enhances understanding in multicultural environments.

  “Because I travel a lot... you realize just how much faster it is to get on with someone when you speak compassionately and you say something in the way that they’re going to understand, even if it makes your accent sound a bit silly.” — Jodie (04:37)

• Chris notes that simplifying one’s language and energy, not just words, leads to real connection. (06:06)

4. Defining YOUR Success Before Following a System

• Jodie highlights the need to first define personal success (“your version of heaven”), before analyzing repeatable patterns from past achievements.

  “Before coming up with your success system, define what success means to you, because that’s also different to everyone. One person’s hell is another person’s heaven.” — Jodie (12:53)

5. Jodie Cook’s Success Formula (Step-by-Step)

Jodie lays out her six-step system for any major goal (14:10–16:44):

1. Set a definite intention (e.g., “I'm going to sell my agency.”)
2. Find multiple people who’ve done it and talk about their experiences.
3. Extract the beliefs behind their actions, not just the steps.
4. Create a daily, repeatable plan (e.g., write for 90 minutes every day).
5. Visualization—deeply imagine the goal as accomplished (even writing herself mock checks).

   “I wrote myself a pretend check... stared at it... this is gonna come true. I’m gonna make it come.” — Jodie (15:18)

6. Relentlessly persist—take action daily, don’t stop until you achieve it.

6. Why Beliefs Matter More Than 'The How'

• Both Chris and Jodie stress that copying others’ step-by-step “how-tos” ignores personal strengths, resources, and context.

  “Don’t get caught in the tyranny of the How.” — (Tony Robbins, quoted by Chris, 19:02)

• Instead, uncover the underlying beliefs and mindsets, and adapt steps to current reality and individual “ace cards.”

7. Discovering and Leveraging Your “Ace Cards”

• Ace cards are unique, sometimes undervalued personal assets: skills, perspectives, traits.
• Jodie's Ace Cards: Extreme empathy, customer service, not taking herself too seriously, comfort on live recordings, British accent (as a differentiator outside the UK).
• Chris’s Ace Cards: Focus, determination, persistence, introversion (“introvert superpowers”).

  “Being the odd one out and getting comfortable with being the odd one out is a really good thing.” — Jodie (28:15)

8. Visualization & Psychological Priming for Performance

• Jodie uses visualization not just in business but in powerlifting, mentally rehearsing every detail of successful lifts:

  “If you believe you can't [do the lift], you definitely, definitely can't. And you won't, because you can't get over the mindset of it.” — Jodie (31:32)

• Chris relates how thinking about greatness or gratitude while running keeps him motivated and present. (34:05–36:11)

9. Building Chris Do's Personal Success System (Live)

In a spontaneous segment, Jodie coaches Chris through reconstructing his own success system. Key steps/themes (39:18–59:23):

• Step 1: Good things are on the other side of discomfort; when someone he trusts sees potential, he leans into the challenge.

• Step 2: “Try before you decide”—experiment, accept the risk of failure.

• Step 3: Lean into discomfort; growth is painful but necessary.

• Step 4: Deep research and analysis—be “a constant improver.”

• Step 5: Utilize introvert strengths, build rather than chase.

• Step 6: Practice abundance thinking—don’t settle, hold out for best-fit opportunities.

• Step 7: Enroll others and build a dream team to execute.

• Testing and iterating: Analyze when things don’t work, revise the steps.

  “Obstacles are opportunities in disguise... everybody wants things they don’t have, but nobody’s willing to do what they haven’t done.” — Chris (54:23)

10. Testing, Tweaking & Journaling Your System

• Your formula is a living document—regularly test it against past and future endeavors.
• Jodie’s advice: Solo reflection, journaling, or meditative treadmill sessions can help surface insights if you don’t have a coach. (59:59–60:54)

11. Creativity & Systems—Not a Paradox

• Many creatives resist systems, fearing it limits originality, but Jodie counters with the prevalence of formulas even in the arts and film (e.g., the “seven stories in the world,” Tom Cruise movie formula) (62:35–63:39).
• The difference between one-hit wonders and legends is mastering a repeating system.

12. Success System Patterns in Business

• Whether it’s Mark Cuban, Daniel Priestley, or Jeff Bezos—the world’s top performers consciously or unconsciously spot and replicate their winning patterns.
• Daniel Priestley’s SaaS business formula is cited as an example. (66:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Personal Success Systems:

  “Once you find yours, you can apply it to every area of your life and you can achieve anything you want.” — Jodie (07:25)

• On Visualization:

  “You can visualize anything you want and no one’s going to stop you... do it over and over and over again... you get familiarity with it, and then it does happen in real life.” — Jodie (33:02)

• On Copying Others:

  “It’s very dangerous trying to copy someone else's plan because ultimately you're not them. And... it plays down your own ace cards.” — Jodie (23:04)

• On Abundance:

  “There’s an unlimited amount of money you can make... You gotta find what makes your heart happy and sing with joy.” — Chris (57:05)

• On Testing Systems:

  “If you think you've come up with yours, all you have to do is test it... It’ll come out as you keep going.” — Jodie (59:39)

• On Creative Systems:

  “A lot of creativity does follow patterns... I don’t think finding your own pattern means you’re any less of a creative person. It just means that you can recognize your own strengths and apply them going forward.” — Jodie (62:39)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:53] — Jodie’s journey to Forbes contributor & children’s books origin
• [07:25] — What IS a personal success system?
• [08:01] — Taylor Swift’s formula unpacked
• [14:10–16:44] — Jodie’s step-by-step personal success system
• [18:21–19:02] — Why beliefs are more important than steps
• [24:46–26:39] — Discovering and leveraging your ace cards
• [29:05–31:32] — Powerlifting, psychology, and visualization
• [39:18–59:23] — Chris Do’s personal success system live coaching
• [62:35–63:43] — Systems and creativity
• [66:36–67:07] — Daniel Priestley’s SaaS business formula

Actionable Takeaways

• Start by defining what success truly means to you—ignore external metrics.
• Analyze your past wins; look for recurring beliefs, behaviors, and people involved.
• Build a personal system grounded in intention, learning from others, and relentless action.
• Prioritize beliefs and adaptability over rigid step-by-step copying.
• Use visualization as a “cheat code” for confidence and preparedness.
• Leverage your unique “ace cards,”—even the traits you undervalue.
• Regularly test, tweak, and evolve your formula as you pursue new goals.

Final Thought

The episode is a compelling invitation to move beyond mimicking others and to instead craft a personalized, belief-driven, and continually evolving system for success—one rooted in intention, resilience, generosity, and relentlessly honest self-inquiry.

For more on Jodie Cook, her books, and AI-powered coaching platform, see the links in the show notes. For Chris Do’s articles, referenced frameworks, and additional resources, visit thefuture.com/podcast.