Jon Gordon

About Jon Gordon

Jon Gordon was born on January 20, 1971. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Cornell University and holds a Masters in Teaching from Emory University.^[2] 

To date, Gordon has authored 28 books, including 14 best sellers and five children’s books. He is the host of the Positive University Podcast, and has a training and consulting company that works to develop positive leaders and teams.^[3] 

Gordon is married and has two children.^[2] 

Positive University Podcast

Gordon’s podcast includes positive inspiration, encouragement, and lessons to help listeners overcome challenges and make a great impact. The Positive U Podcast features interviews with a range of leaders and professionals, including Dr. Zach Bush, Kerri Jennings, Matthew McConaughey, and Inky Johnson.^[4] 

Some recent podcast episode titles include:

• “The Power of Belief with Damian Lillard”^[5]
• “The Importance of Faith and Family Legacy with Ben Greenfield”^[6] 
• “Confidence, Visualization, and Preparation with Drew Brees”^[7] 
• “How Diet Affects Our Hormones and Weight by Shaun Hadsall”^[8] 

Publications

The Energy Addict: 101 Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Ways to Energize Your Life (2004): In this book, Gordon discusses strategies for improving energy with simple physical, mental and spiritual exercises. He includes tips including hydration, exercise, embracing silence, and connecting with nature.^[9] 

The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy (2007): This book tells the story of George, a man facing various challenges in his personal and professional life. Through an encounter with a unique bus driver named Joy, George learns ten essential rules for infusing positive energy into his life, work, and relationships. It offers practical strategies for cultivating a positive attitude and overcoming obstacles.^[10] 

The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work (2008): In this book, Gordon shares a story about conquering negativity and inspiring others to adopt a positive attitude. He provides principles and easy-to-follow action plans to reduce complaining among managers and team leaders in the workplace.^[11] 

Training Camp: What the Best Do Better Than Everyone Else (2009): Drawing parallels between sports training and personal growth, this book provides insights into what sets the best performers apart from the rest. It highlights principles such as discipline, focus, perseverance, and teamwork that contribute to achieving excellence. The book offers practical strategies for personal development and pursuing greatness in all aspects of life.^[12]

The Shark and the Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change (2009): This is a short fable that imparts valuable lessons on how to navigate and thrive in times of change and uncertainty. Through the fable, Gordon shares practical strategies and insights to help readers adapt to change, overcome obstacles, and make the most out of difficult situations.^[13]

Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture (2010): This is an inspirational business fable that shares a recipe for success when building a winning team and creating a culture of greatness.^[14] 

The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work (2011): This book explores the concept of finding purpose and fulfillment in life and work. It encourages readers to tap into their unique gifts and passions to make a positive impact on the world. The book provides insights and actionable steps for aligning one’s actions with their purpose, finding happiness, and living a meaningful life.^[15] 

The Positive Dog: A Story About the Power of Positivity (2012): This book follows the journey of a character named Matt, who discovers the impact of his negative mindset and decides to make a change. With the help of a wise mentor, Matt learns valuable lessons about cultivating positivity, embracing gratitude, and choosing optimism in every situation.^[16] 

The Energy Bus for Kids: A Story About Staying Positive and Overcoming Challenges (2012): This is an illustrated adaptation of Gordon’s The Energy Bus that shows children how to overcome negativity, bullies, and everyday challenges to be their best selves.^[17]

One Word That Will Change Your Life (2013): Co-written with Dan Britton and Jimmy Page, this book is meant to inspire readers to simplify their lives and work by focusing on just one word every year. This will create clarity, power, passion, and life-change, the authors explain.^[18] 

The Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All (2014): Through the story of a carpenter named Michael, this book illustrates the principles of excellence and craftsmanship. Michael teaches valuable lessons about embracing a positive mindset, serving others, and taking pride in one’s work. It emphasizes the importance of working with passion and purpose to achieve success and make a difference.^[19]

The Hard Hat: 21 Ways to Be a Great Teammate—A True Story (2015): This is a true story about George Boiardi, a selfless, hard-working, and compassionate leader, and the impact he had on his team and their legacy.^[20] 

You Win in the Locker Room First: The 7 C’s to Build a Winning Team in Business, Sports, and Life (2015): Co-written with NFL head coach Mike Smith, this book explores the seven powerful principles that any business, school, organization, or sports team can adopt to revitalize their organization.^[21] 

Thank You and Good Night (2016): This is an illustrated children’s book that shares the heart of gratitude. It teaches readers about the importance of “thank you,” and how it can brighten any kid’s day and help them get a good night’s sleep.^[22]

Life Word: Discover Your One Word to Leave a Legacy (2016): Co-written with Dan Britton and Jimmy Page, this is a thought-provoking book that encourages readers to identify and embrace their personal “life word”—a single word that encapsulates their purpose and the legacy they want to leave behind. By identifying their life word, readers gain clarity, focus, and a compass to guide their decisions and actions, enabling them to live with purpose and leave a lasting legacy.^[23]

The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World (2017): Focusing on the role of leaders, this book explores the impact of positive leadership on teams and organizations. It provides practical guidance and real-world examples of how positive leaders can create an environment that fosters engagement, resilience, and high performance. The book also offers insights on building relationships, communicating effectively, and leading with optimism and purpose.^[24] 

The Energy Bus Field Guide (2017): This book is meant to be a roadmap to fueling your life, work, and team with positive energy. It is a practical companion to Gordon’s successful 2007 book and offers principles and actionable steps for readers.^[25] 

The Power of a Positive Team: Proven Principles and Practices that Make Great Teams Great (2018): This book shares the principles and practices that build great teams, and it provides practical tools to help teams overcome negativity and enhance their culture, commitment, and performance.^[26] 

The One Truth (2023): This book is meant to guide readers through a path to self discovery and empowerment. It discusses the unseen forces that lower your state of mind and weaken your hidden power. Gordon connects this idea to leadership, teamwork, mindset, performance, and more.^[27] 

Jon Gordon Today

Gordon continues to deliver keynote addresses, speeches, trainings, and workshops to individuals and organizations across the country.^[28][29] 

Gordon trains and consults with companies including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Southwest Airlines, Dell, Miami Heat, and West Point Academy, among others. As a speaker, he discusses a variety of topics including leadership, teamwork, culture, sales, and service.^[30][31]