Latest news with #PatFlynn
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
5 ChatGPT Prompts To Master New Skills Faster And Smarter
Pat Flynn: author of Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less Information overload is real. Every day brings another course to buy, another book to read, another skill you "should" be learning. You save articles you'll never revisit. You watch tutorials you never apply. You're learning everything and mastering nothing. Pat Flynn, author of new book Lean Learning: How to Achieve More by Learning Less, is a thought leader in online entrepreneurship and owner of top-ranked business podcast, Smart Passive Income, with over 25 million downloads. Less than a year ago he started the YouTube channel Short Pocket Monster and grew it to 1.6 million subscribers by running experiments and continuously learning. You feel productive watching videos and reading articles, but you're not moving forward. A 2019 Harvard study showed that students felt they learned more from traditional lectures, but in reality, they scored higher on tests after participating in active learning strategies. Actual learning and the feeling of learning were strongly anticorrelated. When I sold my agency, I didn't read every book on exits. I learned exactly what I needed for each phase. Don't mistake consumption for progress. These ChatGPT prompts will transform how you learn. Copy and paste into ChatGPT to stop hoarding and start doing. Most people hoard knowledge like doomsday preppers. Flynn calls this the fundamental mistake that kills progress. "They consume information 'just in case' they need it later, leading to overwhelm and delayed action," he explains. Focus solely on what you need for today's task. If you're writing your first blog post, learn about headlines. Not SEO, not monetization, not scaling. Just headlines. Eliminate information overload and ensure you immediately apply what you learn. "I want to [specific goal]. Break this down into concrete daily actions for the next 7 days. For day 1 only, tell me the exact information I need to learn to complete that day's task - nothing more. Include what to ignore or save for later. Then give me a focused 30-minute learning plan that covers only what I need for tomorrow's action. Be specific about what NOT to learn yet." You're trying to learn "email marketing" or "public speaking" as if they're single skills. They're not. Flynn breaks complex abilities into micro-components you can actually master. "For email marketing, focus exclusively on subject lines for 30 days, then move to email content, then calls-to-action," he advises. Laser focus creates compound results. When you improve email open rates by a few percentage points, everything downstream benefits. Set up your future wins with a mini one today. "Take [skill I want to learn] and break it into 5-7 micro-components. Analyze which single component would create the biggest positive ripple effect if I improved it by 50% in 30 days. Create a focused practice plan for just that one component, including daily 15-minute exercises, specific metrics to track progress, and what to deliberately ignore until I've mastered this piece." Without stakes, you'll never push past comfortable. Flynn advised you to, "deliberately put yourself in situations that force rapid learning." Sign up to speak at a conference before you're ready. Commit to launching publicly. Set deadlines that matter. Healthy pressure brings focus. When you have to perform, you stop overthinking and start doing. You learn what actually matters because you don't have time for the rest. "I've been putting off learning [skill] for [timeframe]. Design a 'voluntary force function' that creates healthy pressure to master this in 45 days. Include a specific public commitment I could make this week, meaningful stakes that motivate without paralyzing me, three mini-deadlines with increasing difficulty, and a final deliverable that proves competency. Make it slightly intimidating but achievable." You're either quitting too soon or grinding too long on the wrong path. Flynn's framework cuts through confusion with three simple questions. "Regularly assess three key areas: progress (am I moving forward?), passion (does this still energize me?), and purpose (is this aligned with my goals?)," he explains. If two or more consistently show red flags, pivot. Don't waste months on approaches that aren't working. But don't abandon a project right before breakthrough. "I've been working on [project/skill] for [timeframe] with [specific results so far]. Guide me through Flynn's 3 P's assessment. Ask me 5 specific questions each about my Progress (measurable results), Passion (energy and excitement levels), and Purpose (alignment with bigger goals). Based on my answers, give me a clear persist or pivot recommendation with next steps for either path." Waiting until you're an expert to teach is like waiting until you're rich to invest. Flynn flips this completely. "Teach what you're learning as you learn it," he insists. Blog about your struggles. Make videos documenting your progress. Help someone a few steps behind you. Teaching forces clarity you can't get any other way. You discover knowledge gaps when you try explaining concepts. You think deeper when you know others will read your work. "I'm currently learning [skill/topic] and I'm at [beginner/intermediate] level. Create a 30-day teaching plan where I share my journey publicly. Include 3 different formats I could use this week, that suit me best [add your preferences, e.g. written, video, or live], 5 specific topics I know enough to teach right now, a simple framework for structuring each teaching session, and how to position myself as a fellow learner not an expert." Stop collecting information you'll never use. These prompts turn scattered learning into focused action and big results. Learn just what you need today, master one micro-skill at a time, create healthy pressure, know when to persist or pivot, and teach as you learn. Your progress depends on doing less, better. Not more, faster. The information you need is out there. Now you know what to do with it. Access all my best ChatGPT content prompts.
New York Post
02-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Historic photos of the world's first floating McDonald's have resurfaced — and fans are getting nostalgic: ‘Good memories'
A famed sunken ship is finally resurfacing. Photos from the peak era of the world's first-ever floating McDonald's are bringing the culinary curiosity back into the spotlight. On March 11, 1980, the floating Golden Arches officially opened for business in St. Louis, Missouri, just south of the iconic Gateway Arch. Advertisement 6 On March 11, 1980, the floating McDonald's opened for business in St. Louis, Missouri. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection Built on a repurposed cement barge, the 702-ton boat was designed to resemble a 19th-century riverboat, with room for 134 indoor diners and an additional 200 on its open-air decks. The fast food chain initially hoped to open a location in the museum under the Gateway Arch, but as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, the government didn't want to open the space to a private business. Advertisement When Samuel Haynes, McDonald's real estate manager at the time, had the idea to put the restaurant on a riverboat, it was met with opposition from the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, who feared that the floating Golden Arch would compete with the Gateway Arch. But McDonald's executives believed in the idea, and a 25-year lease for the franchise was signed in February 1979. The McBoat ended up generating $100,000 in tax revenue annually. 6 The floating McDonald's was just south of the iconic Gateway Arch. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection 'We have nothing like this in the whole world,' Pat Flynn, a senior vice president for McDonald's at the time, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Advertisement 'If we can find a large group of people together, we should be able to feed them, The Arch draws more than 3 million people a year,' Haynes added. 'Then we looked down at the river and saw a lot of people taking advantage of it, so we thought there was no reason why a company as adaptable and progressive as McDonald's couldn't do it.' 6 The restaurant was built on a repurposed cement barge. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection Locals also were skeptical that it would cheapen the Missouri waterfront, but they came around to it eventually, and many have commented their fond memories on a Facebook post reminiscing about the floating McDonald's. Advertisement 'I thought at first McDonald's would make the riverfront look cheap, but it was pretty cool for a while,' someone admitted. 'This was my favorite place growing up. So many good memories feeding the fish all my french fries,' one person quipped. 'That was so much fun as a kid!' another exclaimed. 6 The fast food chain initially hoped to open a location in the museum under the Gateway Arch. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection 'This was me and my grandpa's spot. We used to go up in the arch and then go to McDonald's on the boat after,' one Reddit user remembered. 'Thanks for the good memory today. Needed it.' 'Took my kids up river in our old boat, tied off, climbed over the rails for lunch once. They still talk about it!' someone shared. In fact, it become so loved by locals that this year, the Gateway Arch put out an April Fool's press release joking that the McDonald's floating restaurant would be reopening. Despite the early concerns, the floating Mickey D's became a staple for many who grew up and lived in St. Louis as well as tourists who didn't want to be land-locked while eating their Big Macs. Advertisement 6 Locals worried the floating McDonald's would degrade the atmosphere along the historic waterfront. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection The riverboat in St. Louis closed in 2000 due to the high costs and difficulties of maintaining it as a floating restaurant — especially after the renovations needed due to the Great Flood of 1993, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Now, all that remains of the once beloved floating McDonald's are historical photographs, which have been captured both in black and white and in color. Based on the photos, the only clear link to the modern McDonald's that everyone knows and loves is the the iconic red and yellow coloring. Advertisement 6 All that remains of the once beloved floating McDonald's are historical photographs. MHS Photographs and Prints Collection After the floating McDonald's officially shut down on November 6, 2000, it was never seen on the St. Louis riverfront again. Though the St. Louis ship was the first floating McDonald's in the world, there was a second one built for the 1986 World Expo in Vancouver — and it very recently capsized. The McBarge, also called the Friendship 500, starting sinking in the Fraser River at the end of March, the Vancouver Sun reported. Advertisement The abandoned McDonald's barge sat vacant for five years on False Creek while McDonald's fought to keep it open to no avail. In 1991, the city forced the company to move the McBarge. Now, the second and last floating McDonald's has capsized and is sinking, joining the St. Louis boat in extinction.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Photos of the world's first floating McDonald's that locals feared would cheapen iconic Missouri riverfront
The world's first ever floating McDonald's - once met with skepticism over fears it would cheapen Missouri 's scenic waterfront - has resurfaced in the spotlight, thanks to a wave of fascinating photos from its heyday. On March 11, 1980, the first ever floating McDonald's - designed to resemble a 19th-century riverboat - opened for business on the St. Louis riverfront, anchored just south of the iconic Gateway Arch. Built on a repurposed cement barge, the 702-ton boat could seat an impressive 134 diners inside, with room for another 200 on its open-air decks. Executives for the chain had high hopes, predicting the riverboat restaurant would flourish and bring in more than $100,000 in tax revenue annually. 'We have nothing like this in the whole world,' Pat Flynn, a senior vice president for the fast food chain in 1980, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time of its grand opening. On the other hand, locals worried that adding a fast-food chain to the riverfront would make the area look tacky and take away from the charm and natural beauty of the water. Marilyn O'Neill wrote on a Facebook nostalgia post: 'I thought at first McDonald's would make the riverfront look cheap, but it was pretty cool for a while.' Despite the early criticism, the floating McDonald's was a city staple for decades, delighting both locals and tourists - and leaving 80s kids with the magical impression that they were enjoying their favorite greasy meals aboard a yacht. But after 20 years on the water, the iconic McBoat quietly vanished, leaving behind unanswered questions and a wake of nostalgia. All that remains in its once-lively wake are historical photographs - snapshots from a time when spotting the boat was both routine and a whimsical highlight of waterfront trips. The photos, captured in both black-and-white and color, feel like a glimpse into a totally different era. The only clear link to today's modern McDonald's is the iconic red and yellow color scheme that still remains widely recognizable. Its fascinating history began in 1980, when Dr. Benjamin H. Davis Sr. made the floating eatery his fourth McDonald's franchise, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The idea originated the year before, when Samuel Haynes, the company's real estate manager at the time, announced that 'McDonald's is interested in special feeding'. 'If we can find a large group of people together, we should be able to feed them,' Haynes told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time. 'The Arch draws more than 3million people a year.' Initially, the company aimed to purchase space in the museum beneath the Arch, but the government was not willing to lease the space to private enterprises. Built on a repurposed cement barge, the 702-ton boat (pictured) could seat an impressive 134 diners inside, with room for another 200 on its open-air decks 'Then we looked down at the river and saw a lot of people taking advantage of it,' Haynes added. 'So we thought there was no reason why a company as adaptable and progressive as McDonald's couldn't do it.' In 1979, a groundbreaking 25-year lease was signed, launching the very first floating McDonald's - a bold venture that would change the dining landscape. Measuring 185 feet in length and rising 50 feet high, the restaurant was nearly ready to launch with a 200-member crew, each outfitted in unique, custom uniforms designed exclusively for the floating location. For those who experienced it, it became a lasting memory. 'I remember taking my parents to the floating McDonald's when they came to visit me from upstate New York,' author Cameron Collins recalled in his book, Treasures of St. Louis. 'My dad had never seen the Mississippi up close and personal, and tried to wade in it,' he added. 'I have memories of eating a Big Mac and taking in the Arch and hearing my mom yell at my dad, "Peter! Get away from the edge!"' Inside the floating McBoat, 19th-century paintings and murals lined the walls - creating an atmosphere meant to reflect the grandeur of the paddleboat era. Still, for at least the next decade, the floating McDonald's turned heads and won hearts - even among skeptics - eventually becoming a core memory for those who experienced it But as if the stubborn champagne bottle had been a warning from above, the floating McDonald's restaurant officially closed its doors on November 6, 2000 due to its structure - never to be seen in the St. Louis riverfront ever again Staff walked around in custom uniforms that only just enhanced the intended feel of the restaurant. Even Davis donned an admiral's outfit while on board. The floating McDonald's restaurant officially closed its doors on November 6, 2000 - never to be seen in the St. Louis riverfront ever again. McDonald's issued a statement, explaining that the location closed 'because the structure is in need of extensive renovation, which is financially not justifiable at the present'. A further explanation never surfaced, and the attraction quietly disappeared. What became of it after that final day remains undocumented - and shrouded in mystery.
