As Neil deGrasse Tyson explain in this short video, it’s the most astounding thing about our universe.

Here’s a statistic that will probably shock you: about 40% of everything you do is out of habit. So if you stop to think about it, almost half of your life is happening when you are largely unconscious working off neural patterns and instincts.  If this worries you, and it should, you will love my conversation with Charles Duhigg, author of a fantastic book, The Power of Habit.

Charles has an MBA from Harvard and works as reporter for The New York Times focusing on investigative business pieces. He’s written extensively about Apple and conditions in overseas factories. His book is one of the best business books I’ve read—it offers fascinating insights into the neuroscience of habit and how you can actually become more mindful. It also made me laugh out loud.

I’m thrilled to talk with Charles as we explore:

• Why the military is one of the biggest habit experiments in the world
• How toothpaste became a daily habit
• Building awareness of habits and how to change them
• What organizations can do to create habits around innovation

You can learn more about Charles on his website

Listen to my interview with Charles Duhigg

But we don’t just support individuals to do more Great Work (and less Good Work), we help organizations do the same.

One of the most significant shifts we’ve helped create is for people to put coaching in its place.

That’s an odd boast, for a company that offers programs that help managers and leaders have practical, next-day ready coaching skills.

But the challenge in 2012 of Doing A Coaching Skills Training is that it tends to create not enthusiasm but resistance in the intended participants. Already they can see a day or two of accumulated email and work as they go through another “HR initiative”.

They don’t want coaching skills. But they do want help with the work they’re doing.

Coaching is a means to an end and not an end in itself, although it’s desperately easy to forget that, particularly when you’re a fan of coaching.

But we’ve managed to reframe what we’re offering people to support the role out of a new five-year strategic initiative for a retail organization, reduce the loss (and increasing the impact) of new front-line sales people for a telco, and drive up retention rates of highly-profitable clients for a consulting company.

As you think about increasing the coaching capacity of your own managers and leaders, make sure you’ve got clear in your own mind “for the sake of what?”

We’re into the final week or so of the free pre-summit. I’m the final speaker, and I’m in some pretty fantastic quality here: Karen Kimsey-House, Sir John Whitmore, Bill Barren … these are smart, influential teachers. You’ll see the timetable for what session remain below.

The “TED style” talks are all complimentary, but shortly after the final session the “earlybird” pricing for the full deal in June will end and the price will rise from $297 to $697. So now’s the time to take a look a decide if it’s something that would serve you – and if so, to claim your $400 saving. You can claim your earlybird ticket here: https://modernmethods.infusionsoft.com/go/ticket/mbs1

Having Difficult Conversations – Karen Kimsey-House, CEO of The Coaches Training Institute
Wed, May 23, 2012 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM New York Time
Wed, May 23, 2012 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM London Time
Wed, May 23, 2012 9:30 PM – 10:00 PM New Delhi Time
Register here: http://www.wbecs.com/go/wbecs/mbs1
Once registered simply click the pre-summit session button

Secrets To Attracting High-Paying Clients – Bill Baren
Wed, May 23, 2012 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM New York Time
Wed, May 23, 2012 7:00 PM – 7:30 PM London Time
Wed May 23, 2012 11:30 PM – 11:00 PM New Delhi Time
Register here: http://www.wbecs.com/go/wbecs/mbs1
Once registered simply click the pre-summit session button

Coaching In This Time Of Change – Sir John Whitmore
Mon, May 28, 2012 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM New York Time
Mon, May 28, 2012 3:30 PM – 3:00 PM London Time
Mon, May 28, 2012 10:30 PM – 11:00 PM Beijing Time
Register here: http://www.wbecs.com/go/wbecs/mbs1
Once registered simply click the pre-summit session button

The Number One Reason to Constantly Reinvent Everything – Jason Jennings
Tue, May 29, 2012 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM New York Time
Tue, May 29, 2012 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM London Time
Tue, May 29, 2012 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM EDT
Register here: http://www.wbecs.com/go/wbecs/mbs1
Once registered simply click the pre-summit session button

Beyond Overwhelm: Build Your Focus Muscle – Michael Bungay Stanier
Wed, May 30, 2012 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM New York
Wed, May 30, 2012 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM London Time
Wed, May 30, 2012 10:30 PM – 11:00 PM New Delhi Time
Register here: http://www.wbecs.com/go/wbecs/mbs1
Once registered simply click the pre-summit session button

There’s one deluded idea that The Field of Dreams has planted in people’s minds.

Let me be blunt: If you build it, it’s pretty certain that no-one will come.

Unless of course you’ve previously built a platform, a tribe, a relationship with people who might be interested in that thing you’re building. Otherwise, it’s going to be you, two friends and some resentful family members.

Michael Hyatt’s new book is out today, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. I’ve followed Michael’s blog for a long time and while I value his articles on leadership and the like, what I really find marvellous is the way he’s built his platform.

It’s something I’ve attempted to copy – I’ve literally said to Kathryn my web person, “please make my speaking page just like his.”

He’s shared much of that wisdom in Platform. I thought it was a little slow to get going and not very strong on how to build a product – there are other resources I think that are stronger for that.

But about a quarter of the way through, it finds its groove and starts getting very useful on the nitty-gritty of how to build a following, with your blog at its heart. This makes the book practical, readable, and useful whether you’re new to the game or you’re looking to refine what you’re currently doing.

Provoked by Michael’s book, here are three things I’d do right now if I was getting serious about building my own platform.

1. Follow the masters: Seth Godin, Chris Brogan & Michael Hyatt

Watch what they do. Copy what makes sense. These guys have been working hard for years now to get good at this, and they share their wisdom freely.

Stir in Scott Stratten and his Un-Marketing Philosophy

And add a dash of Hubspot or Copyblogger to help with some of the technical aspects while you’re there.

2. Understand the bigger picture

Why are you bothering with a platform? What does it serve? Are you feeling the pressure of Doing It Because It Seems To Be The Thing To Do?

Unless you’re clear on the strategic purpose of your blog, you’ll lose your mojo fast. Connect your need for a platform with the flag you’re trying to plant in the world.

3. Engage

Not just with those you’re writing for, but with colleagues who can support, encourage and hold you accountable for what you’re doing. Doing this by yourself in isolation will be difficult. Ask for help. (Have you been tracking my friend Jennifer Louden’s course on building a MasterMind group?)

Anything you’d add to this list?

This is one of the reasons I’m very proud to call them a client.  It’s not just that they’ve put out a  ”it gets better” video. I’ve always known TD had a great commitment to diversity. It’s the fact that the leadership for this comes from the very top, with CEO Ed Clark speaking in the video to his and TD’s support of the GBLT community.

Lucy and I talk about many aspects of attention, including:

• What she learned from Olympic athletes
• How changing your state can increase you focus
• The link between serotonin and attention
• Why you should be copying the lifestyles of the calm and the focused

To learn more about Lucy, you can find her at www.LucyJoPalladino.com.

Listen to my interview with LucyJo Palladino

(not up for rubbing cheese on your feet? You could always buy a copy of End Malaria instead…)

On the one hand, it makes all kinds of sense to get focused and efficient and what you do.

On the other, it can become an end in itself (“woo hoo, zero inbox!”) as opposed to serving a great purpose: finding more time to do Great Work.

Here’s my video review three books that aren’t David Allen’s Getting Things Done that I think find a useful and, let me say it, productive line on productivity.

I’m talking about

• Austin Kleon, Steal Like an Artist
• Atul Gawande, The Checklist Manifesto
• Scott Belsky, Making Ideas Happen

(And apologies for the echo chamber effect. Clearly, the experiment of filming in that space didn’t quite work…)

That said, there have been some lovely side benefits. Working with a bunch of people I’ve long admired, both creating the books with Seth and The Domino Project team and the 62 brilliant contributors. Hitting #2 on Amazon.com was also quite the thrill.

And now it’s the winner of the 2012 Culture prize, one of the Eric Hoffer award categories. Hurrah! (Here’s Seth’s post about the glorious moment.)