7 Ways Top Performers Turn "Dead Time" Into Deep Wisdom
(Without Reading 50 Books a Year)
The world’s top performers—from Fortune 500 CEOs to Special Forces—don't have more time than you. They just have a better strategy for turning "dead time" into life-changing wisdom.
- Human-Powered Wisdom: No AI summaries—every note is synthesized by a world-class philosopher.
- Operationalize Virtue: Move beyond theory with concrete tools you can use the same day.
- Reclaim Your Commute: 20-minute audio briefings engineered for the gaps in your busy life.
- A "GPS" for Growth: Guided "Quests" that turn a library of 700+ books into a clear roadmap.
Join 10,000+ students of life. Backed by our 30-Day "More Wisdom" Guarantee.
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We all feel the Gap. It’s the distance between the person we are capable of being: focused, learned, present—and the person we often are—distracted, tired, and skimming the surface.
We live in an age of infinite information but finite attention.
If buying books was the same as acquiring wisdom, we’d all be masters of our fate. But the reality of modern life is different. You buy the book. It sits on your nightstand, becoming a visual reminder of what you haven’t done.
When you finally get 20 minutes of quiet, you are often too exhausted to crack open a dense text on neuroscience or Stoicism. So, you pick up your phone. You check the news. You scroll.
This isn't a failure of willpower. It’s a failure of strategy.
Some of the top performers in the world—from Fortune 500 CEOs to Special Forces operators—don't necessarily have more time than you. They have just found a better strategy to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Instead of trying to "muscle through" endless stacks of books, they are using a tool called Philosopher’s Notes to turn the "in-between" moments of life into periods of profound growth.
Here are 7 reasons why serious students of life are switching to Philosopher’s Notes to reclaim their attention.
“O”
— Marci Shimoff
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“Keeps our team clear, disciplined, and antifragile.”
— Marcus Freeman
Head Coach, Notre Dame Football
“Practical, powerful wisdom I can apply immediately as a leader.”
— Marty Bicknell
CEO, Mariner
Moving from "Information" to "Insight"
Most of us are drowning in information, starving for wisdom. We don't need more content; we need better content we can actually put into action.
Philosopher’s Notes (PNs) aren't just summaries; they are distillations. They respect the author and the reader by stripping away the anecdotes and repetition to reveal the core "Big Ideas." It’s the difference between looking at a map of a mountain and actually having a guide walk you up the trail.
“I’ve been studying Brian’s work for over a decade. It’s life-changing. Brian distills the most important ideas into something you can actually use right now.”
— Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
Physician & NYT Bestselling Author
The Power of Human Synthesis (No Algorithms)
We believe wisdom requires a human touch. In a world flooded with AI-generated text, context is King.
Every single one of the 700+ Philosopher's Notes was read, underlined, analyzed, and recorded by one person: Brian Johnson.
Brian isn't a bot. He is a philosopher and founder who has spent 25 years obsessively studying how to optimize human potential. When you read a PN, you aren't getting a generic recap. You are getting a Master Class from a teacher who connects the dots between the book you're reading and the hundreds he has read before it.
— Cal Newport
New York Times Bestselling Author of deep work
Turning "Dead Time" into "Growth Time"
The average person loses hours every week to "transition time"—commuting, doing dishes, waiting in line.
This is usually where we default to low-value distraction. Philosopher’s Notes are engineered to fit these exact windows.
Because every Note is available as a 20-minute MP3, you can transform a frustrating commute into a lecture on Stoic resilience. You can turn a morning walk into a deep dive on modern habits. You stop wasting time and start investing it.
“I replaced my morning scroll with one Philosopher's Note. Instead of looking at other people's lives, I spend 20 minutes with Emerson or Steven Pressfield. It sets the tone for my entire day.”
— Sarah J.
Designer & Heroic Member
Integration Over Accumulation
The goal isn't to say "I read this book." The goal is to say "I live this virtue."
Many book summaries tell you the "What" (the plot), but they miss the "How" (the application).
We focus on operationalizing virtue. Every Philosopher’s Note ends with specific, concrete tools you can use immediately. Whether it’s a breathing protocol from a Navy SEAL or a journaling prompt from a psychologist, the focus is always on moving from Theory to Practice to Mastery.
“Philosopher’s Notes is mental push-ups for the soul. Each Note gives me the wisdom, focus, and clarity to stay on the path of mastery.”
— Mark Divine
Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Commander
The "Latticework" of Mental Models
Reading one book is powerful. Understanding how 700 books connect is transformative.
Because Brian has personally synthesized the entire library, he creates profound connections that have impacted the lives of millions.
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He shows you how Marcus Aurelius (Ancient Philosophy) and Carol Dweck (Modern Psychology) overlap in their key messages.
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He links Nutrition Science with Willpower Research. You aren't just learning a subject; you are building a latticework of mental models that helps you make better decisions in every area of life.
"It’s one of the most valuable personal development tools I’ve ever found—distilling the world’s best wisdom into bite-sized, actionable insights."
— Hal Elrod
Bestselling Author, Success Coach
Meeting You Where You Are (Read, Watch, Listen)
Learning isn't one-size-fits-all. Sometimes you want to sit with a cup of coffee and read; sometimes you are on a run and need audio. We built Philosopher’s Notes to be dynamic:
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READ: A 6-Page PDF briefing (perfect for visual learners).
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LISTEN: A 20-minute MP3 recorded by Brian (perfect for on-the-go).
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WATCH: A "PN TV" episode where Brian maps out the concepts visually.
“Philosopher’s Notes is like batting practice for my mind. It’s become part of my daily routine and has had a huge impact on how I show up—on and off the field.”
— Sean Casey
MLB All-Star, MLB Network Analyst
You’re Not Reading Randomly, You Go On ‘Quests’
With Philosopher’s Notes you don’t just read randomly, you follow a guided system of ‘Quests.’ One of the biggest problems with self-development and learning is knowing where to start. It’s easy to get lost in 700 books. That is why we built Quests. Instead of guessing what to read next, you can follow a curated curriculum designed to solve a specific problem.
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Need to build resilience? Take the Stoicism Quest. We give you the Stoicism 101 Masterclass plus the top 10 book notes from Marcus Aurelius and Seneca.
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Need to improve performance? Take the Habits Quest. We combine the Habits 101 Masterclass with insights from 'Atomic Habits' and 'Tiny Habits'.
You don't just get a library; you get a GPS. These Quests provide a structured roadmap to implementation, ensuring you aren't just consuming content, but mastering a skill.
“Philosopher’s Notes is like having a world-class mental performance coach in your pocket. I recommend it to every athlete and coach I work with.”
— Brian Cain, MPM
Coach to UFC Champions & Cy Young Winners
Get A World of Wisdom In Your Pocket
You could try to read 700 books on your own. It would cost you thousands of dollars and decades of time. Or, you can access the distilled wisdom of those 700 books right now.
Right now, we are offering Lifetime Access to the complete Philosopher’s Notes Library.
- 700+ Book Briefings (PDF, MP3, Video)
- New Notes added monthly (read, listen, watch)
- Curated by Brian Johnson (100% Human)
- Quests & Curated Collections (guided path to learning)
Stop scrolling. Start growing.
Backed by our 60-Day "More Wisdom" Guarantee. If you don't feel more focused and capable in 60 days, we'll refund you 100% no questions asked.
GET LIFETIME ACCESS TO PHILOSOPHER'S NOTES
“Brian Johnson and his Philosopher’s Notes helped us win the Ryder Cup.”
— Luke Donald
Back-to-Back Winning European Ryder Cup Captain
Great Minds Don't Grow Alone.
Research shows you retain 90% of what you learn when you discuss it with others.
Reading is solitary, but wisdom is communal. To truly master the ideas in these books, you need a partner to debate, discuss, and apply them with. That's why we don't want you to take these Quests by yourself.
When you join today, we are giving you a SECOND LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP FOR FREE.
Don't just read about greatness—build a culture of it. Gift the second pass to a spouse, a best friend, or a colleague. Pick a Quest, read the Notes, and hold each other to a higher standard.
Two Libraries. Two Lives Changed. The Price of One.
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY
