Matt Cook Interview

Matt Cook Interview. Interview with Matt Cook (Stanford University; Professional Magician, Entrepreneur, Published Author).

At age nine, Matt Cook started his own entertainment business as a professional magician. Three years later he became a philanthropist. By age fifteen, he was touring the country as a motivational speaker and international project leader. Named among the Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs of America for the millennium, Matt was invited to the White House in 2000 and again in 2008. President George W. Bush personally honored Matt with the nation's highest community service award, the Presidential Call to Service Award.

Matt has traveled to 40 countries and 40 states with his message, "You don't have to wait to become an adult to make a difference in this world." From Hollywood to Tibet, the author's unique journey has afforded him adventures few youths ever experience. His book Fearless reveals secrets he has learned from leadership giants in the worlds of business, sports, arts and entertainment, politics, and education.

Fearless is available on Amazon - get a copy of it here: Fearless. For more information about the book or the author, please visit www.mattcookonline.com. To contact Matt, please use his website's contact form.

Matt Cook Interview Q1. Tell us a little about how you got started. What prompted you to write Fearless?

The idea for writing a leadership book came as follow-up to a project I created to support the military. The citizens of this country, and youth in particular, have a model of dignity in America's soldiers. They are bold, intrepid, and resolute. They sacrifice here at home and in battle. They don't merely do what is required. They go above and beyond what is expected of them, because only in that way do they guard their self-respect. In other words, they "go the extra mile".

In 2005, I created a Mile-Long Yellow Ribbon as a way to honor the men and women who have given their lives to "go the extra mile" defending freedom. The Ribbon collected over 10,000 signatures and traveled to over twenty-five states. FedEx later flew the 450-pound ribbon to Iraq. While traveling with the ribbon, I had the privilege of giving motivational talks to audiences ranging from ten to five thousand. One of my main messages was that you don't have to wait to become an adult to make a difference in this world.

At schools and universities, students would often ask questions such as, "How do you become a leader of a project? How do you turn dreams into reality?" It became clear from speaking with students that young people are full of energy. Many have ideas for projects/enterprises but simply don't know how to get started, or they feel hindered by the psychological age barrier.

There's simply no reason why young people can't accomplish at an early age. As a way to empower young people and answer their questions, I set out to write a how-to leadership book which would give practical advice on how to start a business or project, mobilize a team, turn ideas into reality, and approach life with a "fearless" philosophy.

In the process of writing, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with leadership giants in the worlds of business, sports, arts and entertainment, politics, and education. The book weaves the wisdom of the experts with some of my own experiences in leadership and traveling with the Mile-Long Yellow Ribbon.

Matt Cook Interview Q2. You are at once a full-time college student, professional magician, author, speaker, a cappella singer - what is your secret to time management? Any tools, methods or approaches you can share?

It's possible to juggle a busy schedule and still sleep well. The secret is to act as your own coach and manage your time well. Set deadlines for yourself, and hold yourself to them. Create milestones. Reward yourself when you meet these milestones, and hold yourself accountable when you do not. Stay determined in pursuing your goals. Thinking and creativity are great, but there are no substitutes for action. Success demands enormous amounts of energy. Prepare to perspire!

Matt Cook Interview Q3. In your travels to more than 40 countries and 40 states, what were the most important things you have learnt about success?

Traveling has taught me how precious, and how fragile, freedom is. We live in the greatest country in the world because we have the liberty to pursue our own dreams without constraint. Many are born in this country and never have the opportunity to see what it's like in a place without freedom. It's a difficult state to imagine if you've never experienced it. Traveling has afforded me the chance to see people in countries not as fortunate as we are - people who do not have the same liberties to think, act, and pursue their own happiness. This has given me greater appreciation for the freedom we enjoy at home.

Our duty to ourselves, and to those who fight to protect liberty, is to treasure freedom enough to live up to it. That means doing everything we can to better ourselves and our lives by means of action. Want to start a business? Get to it. Want to become an inventor? Start inventing. Want to win an Olympic race? Start running. Anything you want to do, you can do it! The key is action. Simply thinking will get you nowhere. You must have the courage to risk failure, and eventually turn ideas into actions. This is a successful lifestyle - pursuing your goals with dogged determination and a "can do" attitude.

Matt Cook Interview Q4. Fearless includes interviews with an impressive cadre of people - what were the biggest obstacles you encountered in securing these interviews, and how did you overcome them?

Interviewing a wide variety of leadership experts was one of the most rewarding experiences of writing Fearless. Getting through to celebrities surrounded by multiple layers often took persistence, but I was thrilled by responses. Interviewees were excited to share their advice, especially knowing they could help inspire young people along their journeys to leadership. Today's youth are the stewards of tomorrow. I am grateful to all those who shared their wisdom for the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.

Matt Cook Interview Q5. What have been your favorite sources of inspiration? Any books/magazines/movies/blogs you would especially recommend?

Everyone has his own unique source of inspiration. Olympic Champion John Naber, to whom I am grateful for sharing his advice in the book, points out that "Inspiration compels us to be; motivation compels us to do." One affects our desired character, and the other our desired action. Since actions define character, the two are inherently linked. We are what we do. My greatest sources of inspiration and motivation are my parents, who throughout my life have challenged me to "dream more, learn more, do more, and become more." Other prominent historical figures and prominent people of today stand out in my mind. Benjamin Franklin is one of my favorite people. He was a man who never wasted a moment, who pursued his myriad passions with zeal, who held himself to the highest ethical and moral standards, and exemplified the most essential qualities of a leader. I admire Steve Jobs for his creative genius and leadership in the business world. Finally, I look to Ayn Rand for both motivation and inspiration. She came to this country not knowing English, with very little money in her pocket, and continued to shake the world with her revolutionary philosophy known as Objectivism. Her two main books, Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, will probably forever remain my favorites.

Music and movies can also be quite inspirational or motivational. I love to leave the movie theater with a tingling spine and a churning mind. Some movies really incite creative thinking. In particular, The Scent of a Woman and The Shawshank Redemption are fabulous. Music can be an excellent motivational tool, too. A good beat can really get your mind working and your blood flowing!

Matt Cook Interview Q6. Any parting advice for other aspiring authors, speakers and entrepreneurs?

Honesty and integrity are the most essential qualities of a leader. As United States citizens, we have freedom. The corollary of freedom is personal responsibility to do what is right and good. Hold yourself to the highest ethical standards. Never compromise character.

After that, just do it! Discover your passions, whatever they may be, and make the most of the short time you have on this earth. If you're lucky, you have eighty years here. Most have fewer. That's not much time. Do as much as you can with each day. Pursue your creative and productive goals by means of action. Work hard, perspire, and put forth all your energy. Don't be afraid of failure. You fill fail. You just have to get back up, dust yourself off, and try again. Take bold risks. That's what it takes to be a real doer in life, and a successful leader. That's being fearless!

Fearless is available on Amazon - get a copy of it here: Fearless. For more information about the book or the author, please visit www.mattcookonline.com. To contact Matt, please use his website's contact form.

Return from Interview with Matt Cook to How to Become an Entrepreneur

Return from Matt Cook Interview to Financial Freedom and Passive Income Success Guide