Mark Bouris has built empires, mentored entrepreneurs, and sparked deep conversations through his podcast Straight Talk. In this episode of Drive with a CEO, he joins Forbes Australia Editor-in-Chief Sarah O’Carroll in the new Range Rover Sport to talk about discipline, curiosity, his parents’ influence, and what drives him at 68.
Why did you start your podcast Straight Talk?
I was bored and it was more for my own amusement to be frank with you. I’m not a very social person. I don’t go out and do all that sort of stuff, so I’ve found this to be a kind of forced way of being social. I’ve learned a lot about giving people the opportunity to talk and to be genuinely interested in what they have to say.
You’ve said that you resent getting up on stage, but it’s unbelievable because you look so confident up there. How do you manage it?
It’s a performance. I’m not scared of public speaking; I just don’t want to do it. But I also know that there are people that want to listen to me, so I just get on with it. I tell myself: stop being a wuss, get up there, and do it.
What were some of the most important lessons that you took from your parents?
My mother is really big on learning and improving your position through learning. She was a big reader and was always well-read on current trends and all sorts of things. My father was an extraordinarily hard worker and was capable at pretty much anything he put his hand to. So I try to emulate that and try to be the best version of myself at whatever I take on.
You talk a lot about neuroplasticity. I remember you once said, “you are exactly who you believe you are, and your actions reinforce that”. Talk to me about that.
Your neurons fire up based on your habits and therefore your behaviour. Over time, you begin to build a story about yourself – one that you continually affirm to yourself, and that others start to affirm as well. As a result of that, neurons develop around that story, so you become the thing that you’re thinking of.
Did you see yourself being a really successful businessman?
Yeah, I did. I’m not sure if I really understood what success was as a younger person, but when I was a kid, I used to pray every night to be good at what I did. I didn’t know what I was going to do after school, but I just wanted to be really good at it.
I still pray but I wouldn’t call myself religious. I’m not a religious person in that I don’t practice religion, but I’m continually in a spiritual sense, trying to reconcile spirituality with physics and trying to work out whether or not God can exist alongside science.
You’ve led big teams and been in very challenging environments. What is the key to motivating people to perform at their best?
I think they’ve got to believe in the story of the business. I think it’s really important to understand your mission, and to continually reiterate that.
What’s the most common trait you’ve noticed in the most successful people that you’ve interviewed and worked alongside?
Curiosity. Curiosity about all things and how they work. I think all the successful people that I’ve talked to over the years have that curiosity, and then they do something about it – they learn around it.
You’re known for being highly disciplined. What’s your number one productivity hack?
I only play what’s in front of me. I’m not a big planner, so I’m not sitting there planning out what’s going to happen all day long. I don’t waste time on that stuff.
Before I sat down here, I was doing something else. The moment I saw you, I stopped thinking about that and focused on this. And once we’re done, I’ll move on to the next thing. So my productivity hack is I’m able to close the door on things very quickly at the exact time it’s allocated. I don’t linger on it any longer than I need to, nor do I think about it before I go to it.
You’re quite disciplined in your daily routine. What’s a non-negotiable?
I’ve got to exercise every single day.
You’re 70 next year and still as motivated as ever. What continues to drive you?
I have a strong view that when you stop doing stuff, you set off a process whereby over time, you’ll die. So it’s not that I don’t want to die. I know I’m going to die, but I’d like to stretch this out as long as possible. So I just take the view to remain active.
What is your ideal Saturday night?
Going to bed at 9 o’clock and waking up early on Sunday morning and going down the gym or something.
What do you want people to remember Mark Bouris for?
Being a good father. That’ll do me. If I’m known as being a good father, I’ll be happy.
If you could have anybody in the world on your podcast, who would it be?
I’d love to have Trump on my podcast. Well, actually Elon Musk. I would like to have Musk; I want to know what his deal is.
Best piece of advice you ever got?
“When the money is on the table, take it off” – Kerry Packer.
In other words, if someone’s offering to pay you some money, don’t let it go. Just take it and do whatever it is you have to do in relation to it.
