Tom Bilyeu: Quest Nutrition, Impact Theory & Reading List

I just heard Tom Bilyeu (Insta) speak for the first time live at the Entrepreneur’s Mind talk in Santa Monica, CA.

After seeing him many times through his Inside Quest and Impact Theory channels, I thought I had a feel of what to expect from him.

But I was far off.

The atmosphere of a live event is indescribable and being in the same room as Tom really compounded his message: be willing to do more than anyone else in pursuit of your life’s dream.

Tom’s goals are lofty. He aims to become a recognized leader and speaker on the world stage. He wants his message to vibrate through the known universe while changing and challenging as many minds as possible.

The mindset of an ordinary uninspired life is the enemy in which he looks to utterly defeat.

MAKE AN IMPACT

Look at the impact the Quest Nutrition bar has made on the protein bar industry. It has completely changed the game. The Quest bar is priced well-above most other protein bars, yet it is sold everywhere:  7-11, GNC, every supplement store on the planet, vending machines… It is revolutionary because it challenges conventional thinking in more than one way.

Needless to say, Tom’s history makes him a noteworthy speaker. Quest is a billion dollar company and continues to change and innovate in an industry that is dominated by emerging brands.

What I most appreciated, however, was Tom’s direct style of speaking and his ability to be 100% honest with what he wants to achieve. Indirectly, his authencity is what resonated with me the most.

While at mixers or events like these, I find that it is a natural tendency to downplay what you are truly going after. A kind of watered down version of your true life’s goals. It is easier to talk about something that is feasible, realistic, and within one’s reach.

Being completely honest can be much more difficult, due to a sense of insecurity and the tendency to compare yourself to other more successful people in the room.

THE MESSAGE IS ALWAYS THE SAME

But the essence of every single talk like this is almost always the same. In order to make an impact, you have to announce what you want to the world and then pursue that goal with an intense energy and focus.

Anything less would result in null: an incomplete effort that would produce incomplete results.

BE RELENTLESS IN YOUR PURSUIT

Pursue what you want with an relentless passion that cannot be derailed by small things like money. Or family. Or life’s unfortunate events.

Have a grand vision: the ability to influence people on the world stage.

Like Angela Duckworth (Amazon) once said, “Enthusiasm is common but endurance is rare.” 

The Impact Theory YouTube channel has all the knowledge and inspiration you could ever hope to consume. I consider Tom a top-notch interviewer, able to tease out the right kind of information that is actionable for someone looking to reach the absolute next level. Someone like me. 

THE IMPACT THEORY READING LIST

In addition to the tons of great content, Tom provides a pretty solid reading list with some of the best books on such far off topics like success, the human mind, and meaning.

Amazingly, he has a book listed  that I have not seen on anyone else’s reading list. I thought I was going to be the one would reveal its power. I guess great minds think alike. 

“Sit in a room and read–and read and read. And read the right books by the right people. Your mind is brought onto that level, and you have a nice, mild, slow-burning rapture all the time.” from The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell

“Take the red pill” – Tom

• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
• Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• Sometimes you Win, Sometime you Learn by John Maxwell
• The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
• Linchpin: Are you Indispensable? by Seth Godin
• Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim Grover
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek
• Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
• Bold: How to go Big, Create Wealth, and Impact the World by P. Diamandis & Steven Kotler
• The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Grown. It’s Born. Here’s How by Daniel Coyle
• Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success by Phil Jackson
• Onward: How Starbucks Fought for its Life without losing its Soul by Howard Schultz
• Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
• Mastery by Robert Greene
• The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge
• Zero to One by Peter Thiel
• Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman
• Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
• The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
• Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
• The Moral Animal by Robert Wright
• Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind by VS Ramachandran
• Disrupt You! Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation by Jay Samit

r/Onward 

In Pursuit of Excellence

PS- The bigger the impact you want to make, the more information you need. Then you’ll have to be able to process that information into things that are actionable. I’ve been working my way through the course below in an attempt to reach a level that is comparable to some of the greatest influencers of this generation. Check it out by clicking on the picture below.