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Ben Wilson | QCODE

Anyone who has achieved greatness has, in part, patterned themselves after those who came before. Napoleon learned from Charlemagne, Charlemagne learned from Caesar, and Caesar learned from Alexander the Great. This podcast analyzes the lives of some of the greatest men and women to ever live. By examining their strategies, tactics, mindset, and work habits, How to Take Over the World helps you understand the great ones, so that you can follow in their footsteps.

How to Take Over the World

In this episode of How to Take Over the World, I do something a little different. Instead of breaking down one life, I share my top 10 leadership lessons drawn from every episode I released in 2025.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

02:19 Communicate Clearly at Scale

06:17 Define Your Myth

10:12 Seize Your Moment

13:28 Be Alone to Think, Collaborate to Build

16:33 Antis Inspiration

18:58 Make Extreme Decisions Quickly

24:31 Decision-Making Frameworks

28:06 Going a Little Too Far

31:20 The Power of Knowing What You Want

34:58 Being Competitively Playful

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Sponsors:⁠

David Senra Podcast

⁠⁠Zashi Wallet⁠⁠

Speechify⁠

The Classical Society

Premium Version

Top 10 Lessons from 2025

Andrew Carnegie names his price. J.P. Morgan accepts. In a single moment, a poor Scottish immigrant becomes the richest man in the world. But that is just the beginning of Andrew Carnegie's story.

00:00 The Historic Deal: Carnegie and Morgan

02:50 Introduction to Part Two: Carnegie's Early Success

08:00 Navigating Recessions and Strategic Acquisitions

14:28 Labor Relations and Strikes

22:32 Carnegie's Reputation and Industry Dominance

30:39 Carnegie's Philanthropic Beginnings

31:45 The Sale to JP Morgan and US Steel Formation

40:54 Carnegie's Efforts for Peace and Anti-Colonialism

45:39 The Impact of World War I on Carnegie

47:33 Key Takeaways from Carnegie's Life

50:50 Conclusion

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Sponsors:⁠

David Senra Podcast

⁠⁠Zashi Wallet⁠⁠

Speechify⁠

The Classical Society

----

Sources:⁠

Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie⁠⁠

Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw

Andrew Carnegie (Part 2)

The rise of Andrew Carnegie from a poor Scottish weaver's boy to becoming an American millionaire.00:00 Introduction

03:00 Carnegie's Early Life and Inspirations

07:50 Coming to America

12:00 The Power of Self-Education

28:15 Becoming a Capitalist: The Adams Express Investment

36:30 Rapid Rise in the Railroad Industry

42:15 Carnegie's Role in the Civil War

50:30 Carnegie's Business Philosophy and Networking

56:15 Final Reflections and Takeaways----Sponsors:David Senra PodcastZashi WalletSpeechify----Sources:Autobiography of Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie by David Nasaw

Andrew Carnegie (Part 1)

Description

This episode explores the extraordinary life of Ernest Shackleton and the impossible challenges he faced at the edge of the world. Through his failures, decisions, and unbreakable resolve, we uncover timeless lessons on leadership under extreme pressure.

00:00 The Endurance's Final Moments02:19 Introduction to Ernest Shackleton05:32 The Nimrod Expedition and Beyond14:15 Setting Sail and Early Challenges24:27 The Endurance is Crushed35:10 Shackleton's Leadership and Shared Hardships39:01 Launching the Boats to Elephant Island47:17 Reaching Elephant Island52:47 The Treacherous Voyage to South Georgia01:05:27 Rescue and Return01:07:05 Lessons from Shackleton's Expedition
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Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Zashi⁠⁠⁠⁠ for Z Cash⁠⁠⁠

Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Founders Podcast

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Coaching⁠⁠

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Stay in touch:Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets

⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@HTTOTW⁠⁠⁠

Email me: Ben@takeoverpod.com

----Sources: 

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible VoyageSouth!: The Story of Shackleton's Last ExpeditionShackleton by Ranulph Fiennes

Ernest Shackleton (Remastered)

The latter half of Cleopatra's life, from the death of Caesar until her own death.00:00 Cleopatra's Fall from Power04:15 Meeting Mark Antony11:00 Cleopatra and Antony's Alliance21:40 The Birth of a New Dynasty29:00 The Donations of Alexandria35:00 The Final Civil War of the Roman Republic38:00 The Battle of Actium43:00 The Aftermath of Actium and Antony's Despair47:38 The Tragic Deaths of Antony and Cleopatra56:30 Cleopatra's Legacy and Final Reflections----

Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Zashi⁠⁠⁠⁠ for Z Cash⁠⁠

GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Coaching⁠⁠----

Stay in touch:Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@HTTOTW⁠⁠⁠

Email me: Ben@takeoverpod.com----Sources: ⁠Plutarch's Life of Marc Antony⁠⁠

Cassius Dio Volumes V and VI⁠⁠

Cleopatra: A Life

Cleopatra (Part 2)

Cleopatra took over a kingdom, expanded it, captured the heart of the world's most powerful man, and lived one of the most iconic and controversial lives of all time. On this episode, we explore how she did it.

00:00 Caesar's Egyptian Dilemma

02:40 Introduction to Cleopatra

04:30 Cleopatra's Early Life and Education

14:40 Cleopatra's Rise to Power

24:00 The Encounter with Julius Caesar

31:00 The Siege of Alexandria

34:00 Cleopatra's Strategic Moves

49:00 Cleopatra's Public Relations in Rome

54:00 Key Takeaways from Cleopatra's Story

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Sponsors:

⁠⁠⁠HTTOTW Premium⁠⁠⁠ - For part 2, all endnotes, takeaways, and bonus episodes, subscribe to How to Take Over the World Premium⁠⁠⁠

Zashi⁠⁠⁠ for Z Cash

⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠Coaching⁠

---

Stay in touch:

Twitter/X: ⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠@HTTOTW⁠⁠

Email me: Ben@takeoverpod.com

Sources: 

Plutarch's Life of Marc Antony

Cassius Dio Volumes V and VI

Cleopatra: A Life

Cleopatra (Part 1)

Lee Kuan Yew took a crowded, dirty, poor port town, and turned it into one of the world's great cities. How was he able to lead such an incredible transformation of Singapore?

00:00 Introduction

03:50 Early Life and Education

12:00 The Japanese Occupation and Its Impact

17:30 Post-War Singapore and the Road to Independence

24:45 The People's Action Party and Early Governance

37:30 Operation Coldstore and the Fight Against Communism

40:00 Ethnic Tensions and Operation Cold Store

41:15 Formation of Malaysia and Rising Tensions

42:30 Singapore's Expulsion and Independence

43:50 Lee Kuan Yew's Emotional Address

46:40 Building a Defense Strategy

51:20 Lee Kuan Yew's Ideology and Governance

59:00 Economic Growth and Development

01:06:20 Social Progress and Urban Development

01:15:00 Conclusion and Legacy

---

Sponsors:

⁠⁠Zashi⁠⁠ for Z Cash

⁠HTTOTW Premium⁠ - For all endnotes, takeaways, and bonus episode, subscribe to How to Take Over the World Premium

GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Coaching

---

Stay in touch:

Twitter/X: ⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠

Instagram: ⁠@HTTOTW⁠

Email me: Ben@takeoverpod.com

Sources: 

⁠No Man Is An Island: A Portrait of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew by James Minchin⁠

⁠Lee Kuan Yew: The Grandmaster's Insights on China, United States, and the World by Graham Allison, Michael McConnohie, et al.⁠

⁠From Third World to First by Lee Kuan Yew⁠

⁠Singapore: A Modern History by Michael D Barr⁠

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Writing, research, and production by Ben Wilson.

Lee Kuan Yew (Video Version)

Thoughts on Peter Thiel's Zero to One.

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00:00 Why this episode

05:15 Horizontal vs. Vertical Progress

09:19 The Importance of Startups and Monopolies

23:33 Definite Optimism vs. Indefinite Optimism

37:10 Power Laws and Their Impact

45:58 The Importance of Company Foundations

46:51 Building a Strong Company Culture

50:47 The Role of Vision

51:47 The Cult-Like Nature of Successful Startups

53:21 The Necessity of Sales and Marketing

55:25 The Paradox of Founders

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Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month

⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium

⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Zashi

- Coaching

- Buy Zero to One

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Stay In Touch

- Sign up for the newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠takeoverpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Twitter/X - ⁠⁠⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠@HTTOTW

Zero to One

This episode explores Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy on how to live a life worthy of eternity. It delves into Nietzsche's concept of eternal recurrence, where one's life would have to be lived over and over again, and asks if such a life would be fulfilling and self-justifying.00:00 Introduction: Measuring a Good Life03:30 Eternal Recurrence: Thought Experiment or Truth?08:30 Nietzsche's Moment of Affirmation13:00 Instinct vs. Reason: Nietzsche's Perspective17:00 The Singular Vision: Striving for Greatness21:15 Understanding the Higher Self22:00 Defining Yourself by Your Best Moments22:40 The Importance of Mastering a Craft26:45 The Metaphor of Dance in Life34:35 Nietzsche's Life Advice-----Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Austin AI Lab⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠----Stay In Touch- Sign up for the newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠takeoverpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Twitter/X - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HTTOTW

Nietzsche and Eternal Recurrence (Part 3)

The second half of Nietzsche's life, and his teachings about the superhuman (ubermensch) the last man, and the will to power.

00:00 Nietzsche's Radical Response to the Death of God02:20 Nietzsche's Life and Career06:00 Nietzsche's Views on Nationalism and Antisemitism17:00 Nietzsche's Personal Struggles and Relationships19:00 Nietzsche's Major Works and Philosophical Contributions33:00 Debating the Cause of Nietzsche's Death38:00 The Philosophy of the Superhuman51:00 The Aristocratic Society57:30 Will to Power: Nietzsche's Core Doctrine01:07:30 Nietzsche's Philosophy Summarized01:15:00 Nietzsche's Popularity and Misinterpretations

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Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠TakeoverPod.Supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - All premium content for just $7/month

- ⁠Austin AI Lab⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠GainsInBulk.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 20% off instantized creatine and more⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Speechify.com/ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium

⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠⁠⁠⁠Founders Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

----

Stay In Touch

- Sign up for the newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠takeoverpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Twitter/X - ⁠⁠⁠⁠@BenWilsonTweets⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠@HTTOTW

Nietzsche and the Superhuman (Part 2)

Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the great composers of all time. What stands out is not only how great his music is, but how much of it he wrote. On this episode we look at his story as well as his habits, strategies, and tactics to see how he left such a lasting impact.

00:00 The Impact of Bach's Music

01:30 Introduction to Johann Sebastian Bach

03:30 Bach's Universal Appeal and Religious Devotion

07:45 Bach's Early Life and Musical Dynasty

09:30 Bach's Mischievous Youth and Early Career

18:00 Bach's Passion for Music and Conflict with Authority

35:45 Bach's Move and Pursuit of Greatness

41:00 Bach's Idyllic Time in Weimar

49:115 Bach's Final Years in Leipzig

55:20 The Famous Encounter with Frederick the Great

01:09:00 Bach's Death and Enduring Legacy

01:10:00 Key Takeaways from Bach's Life

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TakeoverPod.Supercast.com - All premium content for just $7/month

 
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Speechify.com/ben - Use code Ben for 15% off Speechify premium

 Founders Podcast

JS Bach

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