AI Summary
5 min readForgive Fast: The One Habit That Unlocks Everything Else
Jon Gordon has been on THE ED MYLETT SHOW more times than almost any other guest, and this conversation makes it clear why. His new book, The Power of Positive Habits, collects 93 habits he has developed over decades of working with elite NFL coaches, championship college programs, and Fortune 500 leaders. But one habit stood out so sharply during this conversation that it became the episode's center of gravity: forgiving fast.
The Habit That Unblocked Everything
Gordon told a story he had never shared publicly before. When he was 31 or 32, he knew he wanted to be a writer and speaker, but he could not write. He tried, and nothing came. So he traveled to Long Island to visit his biological father, who had abandoned him when he was a year old, never came to his wedding, and was never a real father. Gordon forgave him. Not for his father's sake—they still have no relationship today—but for his own.
"I look back," Gordon said, "that's when I was able to start writing after I chose to forgive him. I had to let go of the old in order to create the new."
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:04) **Introduction of Jon Gordon** - Ed Mylett welcomes Jon Gordon, calling him a 19-time best-selling author and one of his closest advisors.
- 2 (03:40) **Why Habits Define Who You Become** - Gordon explains that habits are not just actions; they shape your identity and results over time.
- 3 (05:45) **The Thank You Walk: Mechanism and Science** - Gordon details the practice of a gratitude walk and why it works on a neurological and spiritual level.
- 4 (09:10) **Forgive Fast: The Habit That Unlocks Everything** - Gordon introduces the central thesis: forgiving quickly releases resentment and allows healing and growth.
- 5 (11:36) **The Spiritual Antenna: Resentment Blocks Connection** - Ed asks whether holding onto bitterness interrupts your connection to inspiration and God.
- 6 (13:49) **Write Your Purpose Statement** - Ed admits he initially thought writing a purpose statement was cheesy, but found it to be one of the most effective habits in the book.
- 7 (19:34) **Think Less: The Key to Peace** - Gordon argues that overthinking is always associated with negative thoughts, and the solution is to think less by connecting to God.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
You forgive fast, or you burn slow.
Jon Gordon might be setting the record for most appearances on this show at this point, and there's a reason for that. He's one of my closest friends, someone I call when I need real advice, and honestly one of only two people left where I still ask myself "what would John do" before I make a big decision, especially now that my dad is gone. When someone like that comes back on the show, you pay attention.
His new book, The Power of Positive Habits, might be the most tactical thing he's ever written. Ninety-three habits, pulled from nearly two decades of working with the best coaches and leaders in sports and business. Out of everything we covered, one story stopped me cold. Jon shared the moment he finally forgave his biological father, a man who wasn't there for his wedding, who abandoned him when he was a year old.
"Holding onto resentment", he told me, "is like gripping a hot coal meant for someone else. You're the one who ends up burned." He wishes he had forgiven faster. So do I, on my own stuff. That's why we're calling this one Forgive Fast.
Here's what you'll gain from this episode:
- Forgive Fast: Why holding onto resentment, bitterness, or an old grudge is quietly costing you more than the person who wronged you.
- The Thank You Walk: The daily gratitude practice that shifted Jon's mindset, saved his marriage, and became the source of nearly every book idea he's ever had.
- Write Your Purpose Statement: Why putting your "why" on paper, not just carrying it in your head, is what keeps you from burning out when things get hard.
- The Four Questions: What elite coaches like Sean McVay and Dave Roberts ask themselves every single day to keep improving instead of coasting on past success.
- Tune Out Distractions: The sea turtle story Jon shares that will completely change how you think about chasing the wrong lights in your own life.
Jon said the sooner you forgive, the sooner you start growing again. Whatever you're still carrying, this episode is your permission to finally put it down.
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