Something You Should Know

Everyone knows that coffee can help you think and focus and can even improve your mood – especially that first cup in the morning. Years ago, coffee advertising contained the tagline… “Coffee, the THINK drink.” But it just may be that all the research showing how good coffee and caffeine are for mental function is flawed. If you are a coffee drinker, you are going to want to hear this. http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2012/08/21/caffeine-the-silent-killer-of-emotional-intelligence/ Then, we look at all the math you use in everyday life. Mathematician, Jordan Ellenberg, author of the book How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking (http://amzn.to/2uyMDx6) reveals just how important math is and how it is constantly changing. He also discusses how not to be tricked by statistics and numbers that are designed to mislead you. People do better work when they get a reward. It applies to people at work or kids at home – and it comes as no surprise. What’s interesting is that it actually depends on the type of reward. It doesn’t have to be a big reward, it just has to be the right reward to get people to do their best work. I’ll explain. Source: Dr. John Hoover, author of the book “The Art Of Constructive Confrontation” (https://amzn.to/2UcskBf) Why don’t diets work? Diet books and programs are as popular as ever but we continue to get heavier. Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., author of the book The Diet Fix (http://amzn.to/2vMM55m) explains the reasons why your next diet is likely doomed to fail and what works better to get the weight off and keep it off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You have probably been eating peanut butter since you were a kid. And that turns out to be a really good thing. This episode begins with a look at the amazing and little known health benefits of eating peanut butter – as long as it is the right kind of peanut butter. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323781#health-benefits Changing someone’s mind is difficult if not impossible - or so it seems. However, minds do change so clearly it can be done. Jonah Berger joins me to explain how. Jonah is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his latest book is called The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind (https://amzn.to/33hpVJE) . Listen as he explains the fascinating research on how to get people to agree with you. The experts are saying that one of the ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus is to NOT touch your face. Good luck with that! Listen as I explain why trying to not touch your face is almost certainly going to make you touch it even more. https://www.wired.com/story/cant-stop-touching-your-face-science-has-some-theories-why/ Could machines really get so smart they could take over the world – or is that just in the movies? Some scientists have expressed real concern that we could create machines that actually become self-aware and could in fact become smarter than we are. Joining me to discuss whether that is a real possibility or just science fiction is John Markoff, a science writer for the New York Times and author of the book Machines of Loving Grace. (http://amzn.to/2j55XgN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have an iPhone, you have likely struggled moving the cursor around in a text message or email. However, there is a very simple way to easily maneuver the cursor to exactly where you want it to go - that many iPhone users don't know. This episode begins with an explanation of exactly how to do that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMevwmsbrTk You are deceiving yourself about yourself. Everyone does it. We rationalize and excuse our behavior and tell ourselves things to make us feel good. Clinical psychologist Dr. Cortney Warren is an expert on self-deception and she offers some valuable insight on how we deceive ourselves, why we do it and the harm it causes. She also has some strategies to help you to stop doing it that I know you will find helpful. Cortney did a TED Talk on the topic which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpEeSa6zBTE Her website is https://choosehonesty.com/ You may think that while you sleep not much is going on – but in fact there is a lot going on. Yes your body is resting but it is doing so much more. Listen and find out all the things that happen to you while you sleep. http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/conditions-diseases/what-happens-during-sleep#slide-9 So much of what you do is determined by the weather. And there are a lot of fascinating things about weather that you probably don’t know – but you are about to. Listen as I talk about the weather with meteorologist Simon King, a very popular weather presenter for the BBC in England and he is author of the book What Does Rain Smell Like (https://amzn.to/2xjnD0M) This Week's Sponsors -Indeed.com Post your job today at www.Indeed.com/something and get a free sponsored job upgrade on your first posting. -Theragun. Try it risk free for 30 days and get a free charging stand (a $79 value) when you go to www.Theragun.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you were to stand in downtown Detroit and start walking south for as long as it took, what is the first foreign country you would encounter? This is one of the fascinating questions/facts that I know you will find interesting – and might even win you a drink in a bar bet. Then, it is so weird what things influence your opinion and enjoyment of the food you eat. You might like to think you are too smart to be fooled by things like the color of the plate, or the music being played or the weight of the silver ware. But you are. Researcher Charles Spence, author of the new book, Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating (http://amzn.to/2sk9L3f) will amaze you with what he has discovered. You often see celebrities who claim that drinking gallons of water is what keeps them looking so youthful. But is that really true? Listen and find out. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/drinking-water-for-better-skin Listen as film director and writer Steve Stockman, author of How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck (http://amzn.to/2trbnrR) offers some brilliant and simple techniques that will help you take better, more interesting video that people will actually enjoy watching. This Week's Sponsors -Grubhub. For $10 off any order of $15 or more (for new diners only), download the Grubhub app and use promo code SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a good dancer? Some of it is subjective but there is one particular body part that seems to make all the difference. This episode begins with an explanation of the magic of good dancing. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep42435 How do you get to be the best at something? You might think those elite performers are just naturally gifted in some way. However, science says no. Anders Ericsson has been studying what it takes to get to the top of your game for several years and he joins me to discuss the surprising results. Anders is the author of the book Peak: Secrets of the New Science of Expertise. (https://amzn.to/3athIoj) People disagree over whether vitamin C can do anything for a cold – but there is no disagreement over the benefits vitamin C offers when you are under stress. Listen as I explain what it does and how much you need to take to get the benefits. https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/vitamin-c-stress-buster You’ve heard your whole life - “If you need help, all you have to do is ask!” Well that turns out to be more true than you probably ever imagined. Wayne Baker has spent a long time researching this. He is a professor of Business Administration & Faculty Director of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He is also author of the book All You Have to Do is Ask (https://amzn.to/2VMts12) and he joins me to explain the amazing power of asking for what you need. This Week's Sponsors -Indochino To get an extra $30 off any purchase of $399 or more go to www.Indochino.com and enter the code SYSK at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of items you buy at the grocery store are actually a lot cheaper at the drug store. This episode begins with a look at where the bargains are in your neighborhood pharmacy. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/germs-in-new-clothes Wouldn’t it be nice to get some clear and unbiased advice on nutrition? You are about to. David Katz, M.D. is founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center who studies the latest science about nutrition. Recently he teamed up with food writer Mark Bittman to write a new book called How To Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered (https://amzn.to/2I5Vsor). Dr. Katz joins me to discuss what the latest science says what you eat. Do you use emojis when you write? While some people think they are a little silly they can serve a very important function when you write texts and emails. Listen as I explain and you might find yourself popping an emoji into your next email. Source: Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intelligence (https://amzn.to/2TrrDE4) Ever been in a rut? Most people have and it’s interesting because as boring as it is to be stuck in a rut, it can also be very hard to motivate yourself to get out of it. Michael Platt joins me to talk about why we get into ruts and how to get out of one more easily. Michael is a professor of marketing and neuroscience at Wharton School of Business and his website is http://plattlabs.rocks/ This Week's Sponsors -Upstart. To discover how LOW your interest rate is, go to www.Upstart.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you cleaned your credit or debit cards? Or the remote for the TV? There are a lot of things around the house you never think to clean – but you will after you hear this. https://www.fitandfabliving.com/general-health/6435-seven-surprisingly-dirty-surfaces/ How spiritual are you? Psychiatrist Dr. Anna Yusim, author of the book Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life (http://amzn.to/2tglpsf), discusses what it means to be spiritual and what recent scientific research says about the benefits of spirituality both for your health and happiness. Don’t you hate it when you grab a pen to write something and no ink comes out? I’ll tell you what the experts say to get the ink flowing again quickly. https://www.wikihow.com/Restart-a-Dry-Ball-Point-Pen There’s a problem with your survival instinct. Dr. Marc Schoen, Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine and author of the book, Your Survival Instinct is Killing You (http://amzn.to/2uK7sHw) explains how our survival instinct was meant to keep us safe from imminent danger – like a lion who wants to eat you. But today, we don’t need it for that. Consequently, that instinct can cause problems if we don’t learn to regulate it. It can cause us to act inappropriately and can take a toll on our health. So he explains how to manage that instinct and turn down the intensity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yawning is contagious. We have all experienced that. What’s interesting though is when you notice how soon someone yawns after you do. This episode begins with an explanation of why some people might yawn right away while others might not yawn for a few minutes after your yawn – and what that means. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137654/ The world is full of irrational people and they can drive you crazy. Since we all have to deal with these people it would be helpful to get some effective strategies. Here with some really good one is Dr. Mark Goulston. Mark is a psychiatrist and author of several books including Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational & Impossible People in Your Life (https://amzn.to/2HYz2oL). Mark is also the host of the podcast My Wake Up Call and his website is www.markgoulston.com. You can access the podcast from his website. The next time you are in a bad mood, you might want to head to the kitchen. Not to eat but to do something else that has been shown to really lift people up when they are feeling down. Listen as I explain what it is and why it works. https://bit.ly/2VuERSW You have probably heard and most likely experienced that colors can affect your mood as well as your behavior. Why? Is it conditioning or is it biological and how does it work exactly? Joining me to explain is Brit Garner a PhD student who has a YouTube channel all about science called Nature League https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjkUQ-_fGADyBYrIWviibmg. I think you’ll find what she has to say about color quite fascinating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you have a big decision to make, all kinds of things can influence that decision. But one thing I bet you never thought of was the lighting in the room. Yet, it turns out that lighting can have a significant impact on a decision you make. I’ll explain how and what is optimal lighting to make important decisions. http://media.utoronto.ca/media-releases/education/new-research-shows-the-way-a-room-is-lit-can-affect-the-way-you-make-decisions/ I’m very excited to have Brian Greene as my guest on this episode. Brian is a theoretical physicist, string theorist (and occasional guest star on “The Big Bang Theory”). He is also author of several books including, The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos (http://amzn.to/2tMA9lz) which will really get you thinking about reality and the universe we live in. In fact, as Brian explains, there may be several parallel universes and alternate realities. I know, it sounds space-y but Brian explains it so well, I think you’ll be fascinated. Why do people blush? Ever since grammar school, I’ve been a blusher when I have been embarrassed or made a mistake. But what does science say about WHY people blush? What good does it do? https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/why-do-people-blush/489572/ What is the difference between a tough boss and a bully? Workplace bullying is a real problem and it usually (but not always) comes from the boss. Tracey Jones, author of, A Message to Millennials (http://amzn.to/2sFJbNa) reveals the seriousness of the problem and what individuals can and must do to stop the bullying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows that as you age, your mental function declines. But when does that begin? Age 40? 50? I’ll tell you what the science says. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/memory-decline Then, we look at the history of your home. Every room in your home has a story to tell. The bedroom is particularly fascinating and wait until you hear about your bathroom! Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace State Apartments and other royal palaces in London, is author of the book, If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home (http://amzn.to/2rRAbov) takes you on a fascinating tour of your own home – that you never knew. Also, if you love tomato juice – good for you! If you hate it, give it another try. If you still hate it, try it again on airplane. Listen and I'll explain why. https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/why-tomato-juice-tastes-better-on-airplane And if you hate confrontation – you will LOVE this. Barbara Pachter, author of the book The Power of Positive Confrontation (https://amzn.to/2SOymsE) explains how confrontation works, why it gets out of control and how to use confrontation to get what you want every time – if you do it properly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why should you take a photo of your passport and keep it on your phone? That’s just one of several important travel tips I discuss that you probably haven’t heard before. https://www.dreamandcotravel.com/20-travel-hacks-to-save-you-time-space-money/ You constantly receive criticism and feedback from people – some of it is welcome some not. Some of it is warranted and some of it not. So how can you learn to evaluate the feedback coming at you so you can determine what is true and what is false – and not get defensive? And then how do you use that feedback to your advantage? Sheila Heen author of the book, Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (http://amzn.to/2pelwW0) has studied this and you will find what she has to say extremely helpful. Why do so many marriages and relationships go bad? Dr Harville Hendrix has been studying relationships and has worked with couples for over 30 years. He has authored several books on the topic including Making Marriage Simple (http://amzn.to/2pYzh9k) . He shares some incredible insight into how any relationship can be made better – instantly if at least one person is willing to make some simple changes. And who doesn’t love bacon? Just the smell of bacon cooking is enough to make you crave it. So what is it about bacon that makes it so desirable? I’ll explain the science of bacon in this episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=133&v=27EBed9rzs8 This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something -Theragun. Try it risk free for 30 days and get a free charging stand (a $79 value) when you go to www.Theragun.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all make mistakes. However, wouldn’t it be nice if you could make fewer of them? This episode begins by revealing two simple strategies that have been proven to help people make fewer mistakes when they attempt to accomplish a task. (Source: Joseph Hallinan author of Why We Make Mistakes https://amzn.to/39OVFrM) When you have a problem, you need to find a solution. Maybe though, the better course of action should be to change or reframe the problem. That’s the advice of Thomas Wedell Wedellsborg, who is author of the book What’s Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve (https://amzn.to/3bUChLN) . Listen as he explains the fascinating process of changing the problem to find a better solution. When you have a cold or the flu, doctors recommend bed rest. Why? What’s so special about bed rest? Listen as we discuss what bed rest does to help you get better – and the benefits are real. https://www.wsj.com/articles/fighting-the-flu-when-you-need-to-stay-home-and-in-bed-1423504355 While you like to think that you look at the world through objective eyes, it just isn’t true. Humans have very distinct biases that color your view of things, events and people. While these biases are often helpful, they can also get in the way. Listen as I discuss this with Dr. Daniel Krawczyk, a professor of behavioral and brain science at the University of Texas in Dallas. He is also the co-host of the Mental Models podcast (https://www.mentalmodelspodcast.com/) and co-author of the book Understanding Behavioral Bias (https://amzn.to/2vOw3MY). You’ll get some great insight into to how biases influence your thoughts and decision making. This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network. Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something -Better Help. Get 10% off your first month by going to www.BetterHelp.com/sysk and use the promo code: sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you lose most of your body heat through your head? What’s the best way to stop the hiccups? We begin this episode with a look at these and other interesting medical myths and facts. https://www.realsimple.com/health/first-aid-health-basics/old-wives-tales-retold What exactly is the Internet – and where is it located? We think of the Internet as being virtual but there is a physical Internet – there has to be. Those network connections all have to connect somewhere. Journalist Andrew Blum author of the book, Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet (http://amzn.to/2tAUJ8u), takes us all on a journey of the physical Internet – where it is, how it works and what it smells like. Do you know what to do when lightning strikes? Much of what we hear isn’t true. I’ll tell you what the experts say about staying safe in a lightning storm. https://www.yahoo.com/health/lightning-strikes-myth-vs-fact-93152046102.html When I say “self-discipline” you probably think of it as sacrifice and painful and not much fun. However, when it comes to achieving success in anything, a little self-discipline can be a very powerful tool. Rory Vaden, author of the N.Y. Times bestseller, Take The Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving Success (http://amzn.to/2tfQsVP) explains how self-discipline really works, how powerful it is and why there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about it. This Week's Sponsors -Automation Finance. Go to www.automationfinance.com/sysk to review the investment memorandum and sign up for an account. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens if you try to make a photocopy of a $20 bill? This episode begins by revealing why it is so hard to do and why a picture of money won’t open in PhotoShop either. http://www.businessinsider.com/money-counterfit-eurion-constellation-copy-scan-photoshop-2017-1 Financial guru Suze Orman has been preaching the importance of financial responsibility for a long time. Listen as she offers some effective strategies to help you keep more of your money and help it grow while still enjoying life to the fullest. For information about the document package she talks about go to: https://www.suzeorman.com/products/must-have-documents Temptation often wins over willpower. But the next time you need a little burst of willpower to overcome that urge you will later regret, there is a strategy that really seems to work. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psyched/201104/clenching-your-fists-increases-willpower All the talk about artificial intelligence and robot technology can sound scary. What will be left for humans to do? Futurist Steve Brown, author of The Innovation Ultimatum: Six Strategic Technologies That Will Reshape Every Business in the 2020s (https://amzn.to/2ORNJOt) joins me with some good news about all of this. He also offers a glimpse into some amazing technology that will be able to detect cancer just by listening to your voice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the best way to sign-off an email? Well, it depends on what you want the outcome to be but if you re hoping for a reply, there is one sign-off that is more likely to get someone to respond. This episode begins with me revealing those magic words. http://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-to-end-an-email-2017-2 Why is your brain in your head? Why do your eyes face forward but a fish’s eyes are on the side of it’s head? These are just a few of the interesting questions about your body that I discuss with Mark Changizi. Mark is a cognitive scientist, he has a YouTube series about science (https://www.youtube.com/user/mchangizi) and he has authored some science books – one being The Vision Revolution: How the Latest Research Overturns Everything We Thought We Knew About Human Vision (https://amzn.to/2SwLNMs) Wrinkles are inevitable. However, there are things we can all do to minimize how many you get and how prominent they are. Listen as I discuss some expert advice from Good Housekeeping magazine and I’ll also reveal the best way to tell how many wrinkles you will likely get. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/things-you-didnt-know-about-wrinkles When you make buying decisions, a lot of factors go into it – some you aren’t even aware of. And then there are customer reviews. Are they a could way to determine if you should buy or not buy a product? That’s what I discuss with Bart de Langhe, a behavioral scientist and a marketing professor at ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and an expert on buying behavior. He has a TED talk on the subject you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=d8TxoQWFW7E&feature=emb_logo This Week's Sponsors -Blinkist. Go to www.Blinkist.com/sysk to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off your subscription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some people love rollercoasters and scary movies – but why? What is the appeal of being scared half to death? Today, you’ll find out why. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/10/why-do-some-brains-enjoy-fear/280938/?single_page=true We’ve all been in the situation where we HAVE to perform well and because of that we lose our confidence, get nervous and catastrophize all the horrible things that could happen if we fail. Why on earth do we do that when it does nothing but makes us perform even worse? The trick is to “psych yourself up.” Daniel McGinn, senior editor at Harvard Business Review and author of the book, Psyched Up: How the Science of Mental Preparation Can Help You Succeed (http://amzn.to/2sv4p4Q) offers some suggestions, based on research, that can help you perform better when there is a lot on the line. How many times did you hear a teacher say to never to end a sentence with a preposition? Is it really such a sin? A grammar expert explains the truth about where that rule came from and whether or not it is important to follow it. http://mentalfloss.com/article/68490/4-fake-grammar-rules-you-dont-need-worry-about Why does it seem that when families get together, it always leads to trouble? Family therapist Eric Maisel, author of the book Overcoming Your Difficult Family (http://amzn.to/2rjwPui) explains why when families gather they have trouble getting along and what you can do to rise above it all and save your sanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is all gasoline the same? Actually, there is a difference. This episode begins with an explanation of the difference between regular gas and “Top Tier” gas and why you might want to check out the website https://toptiergas.com/ In life, there are finite games and infinite games. Your career or marriage are examples of infinite games. There is no ultimate winner in those games. It turns out a lot of life is an infinite game even though we sometimes don’t treat it that way. Simon Sinek author of the book The Infinite Game (https://amzn.to/31I4y3G) joins me to explain how we are all players in both finite and infinite games – and how you play those games determines your success in life and career. You touch a lot of things during the day and the cash in your wallet is one of the grossest. Listen as I explain just how gross it is and what disgusting organisms are clinging to your money. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dirty-money/ The role parents play in their children’s lives has changed. Parents are far more involved than they used to be. That’s not a good thing according to psychologist Madeline Levine, author of the book Ready or Not: Preparing our Kids to Thrive in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World (https://amzn.to/38aTdLE). Madeline joins me with a look at the problems created by this new modern parenting and offers some ways to make it better. This Week's Sponsors -Blinkist. Go towww.Blinkist.com/sysk to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off your subscription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They tell you on airplane that in the event of an emergency an oxygen mask will drop from the ceiling and when you breathe into it the mask may not inflate. Why don’t they know if it will inflate or not? This episode begins with the answer to that and other things about the plane’s oxygen system you should know. http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/oxygen-masks-on-planes People spend money for a lot of different reasons. Sometimes those reasons are irrational. Other times we are not really aware of how much money we are actually spending on things. Michael Norton is a professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School and author of the book Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending (https://amzn.to/3baWJaX). He joins me to discuss why we spend money on some things and why we regret NOT spending money on other things. He also offers some great advice on how to get a good handle on your spending so that you spend money on things that are important without wasting money on things that are not. What makes for a good and safe password? Most people think random characters are best. Listen and discover why there is something else that is really important and it has nothing to do with randomness. http://www.businessinsider.com/common-password-format-worst-protection-2017-1 Indulging in pleasurable activities can make you feel guilty. But it shouldn’t. Treating yourself to pleasure is one of the best things you can do for yourself. That’s according to Dr. Nan Wise, a psychotherapist and author of the book Why Good Sex Matters (https://amzn.to/390avvc). Listen as she explains why some hedonism (not just sex – any pleasure) is somethings humans need. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The number of parents of who spank their kids as a means of discipline has dropped significantly over the past several decades – but some parents still do it. And in other countries, spanking is much more commonplace. But for those parents who still spank, there is a new reason to stop – and it has nothing to do with the kid – and all to do with the parent’s well being. Source: “30 Lessons for Living” by Karl Pillimer (https://amzn.to/36Pv8bV) Just how does modern technology affect you? It’s a fascinating discussion you’ll hear when I speak with Clive Thompson, a longtime contributor to the New York Times magazine, a columnist for Wired and author of a book called, Smarter Than You Think : How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better (http://amzn.to/2s5W9Ir). Clive makes the case that despite some negative effects of technology – it is mostly a positive influence on us. But it’s complicated. Plus, in this episode, I have some fascinating ways to save money you probably haven’t heard before. Here’s one: Even non-members can use the pharmacy at Sam’s Club and Costco and save a lot of money. And there are several more…https://www.rather-be-shopping.com/blog/2015/06/29/things-you-can-do-at-costco-without-a-membership/ And what you don’t know about your health can really hurt you. Dr. Richard Besser, former chief health and medical editor for ABC News and author of the book, Tell Me the Truth Doctor (http://amzn.to/2s5uuqW) explodes some myths and offers some important health facts you need to know to stay healthy and live a long time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of us tend to over-apologize. This episode begins with an explanation of why we do it and why we should stop doing it. Then when you do have to apologize, I’ll tell you how. (Source: Harriet Lerner author of the book “Why Won’t You Apologize” (https://amzn.to/37NoYug)) Sleep is important. It’s probably more important than most people realize in terms of health, performance and longevity. Joining me to explain just how important it is and how to make sure you are getting enough sleep is Dr. Jennifer Ashton, chief medical correspondent for ABC-TV and author of the book, The Self-Care Solution (https://amzn.to/2tlwDkw). Wash, condition, rinse. That’s how you wash your hair. But you might want to change up the order. I’ll explain how and the reasons why. http://www.rd.com/health/beauty/condition-before-shampoo/ Arguments and disagreements can be interesting but often not very productive. The reason may be that we are going at it all wrong. Julia Dhar is a partner at Boston Consulting Group and author of the book The Decision Maker’s Playbook (https://amzn.to/36MlZkq). She joins me to discuss some fascinating research on disagreements and she offers some excellent strategies to use when you disagree so that the conversation is actually productive – or at least not destructive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I know you’ve watched a sleeping dog twitch and move it's feet like it is running. So, is it just that the dog is dreaming or is there more to it than that? And should you be concerned if your dog does it? Listen and I’ll reveal what exactly is going on. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612590/why-dogs-twitch-in-their-sleep People claim to want to find love. Then once they find it, it is hard to keep it alive. Why is that? Social anthropologist Helen Fisher author of the book Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Mating, Marriage, and Why We Stray (http://amzn.to/2EvFAvd) returns to discuss the inner workings of love between 2 people, what often goes wrong and how to keep the romance alive. Helen was a guest on episode 147 talking about how to find love. You can hear it here: http://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/147the-best-way-to-find-someone-to-love-how-to-come-up-with-better-ideas/ How many times have you heard someone complain about the bad weather and claim it causes their aches and pains to feel worse? Listen as I explore the science regarding the connection to weather and pain. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4105520/Don-t-blame-weather-pain-scientists-discover-no-linktwo.html When you create a goal for yourself, there is a tendency to focus on how hard or even painful it is going to be to achieve. There is some really interesting research that indicates that’s about the worst thing you can do. If you change the way you look at the goal, it becomes easier to achieve. One of the people conducting the research is Emily Balcetis a social psychologist and associate professor of psychology at New York University. She is author of the book Clearer, Closer, Better: How Successful People See the World (https://amzn.to/2RBvUF7) and she joins me to offer you advice on achieving your goals with less struggle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New clothes are not necessarily CLEAN clothes. In fact, there is a good chance other people have worn your new clothes before you. We start this episode discussing why and how to wash new clothes before you wear them. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/germs-in-new-clothes Also, how self-aware are you? Do you really understand who you really are and do you understand how other people really see you? Surprisingly, few of us know – even though we like to think we do. Organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich author of the book Insight: Why We’re Not as Self-Aware as We Think (http://amzn.to/2psRFGC) explains how to become more self-aware and why it is important to your success at work and in life. Your 5 senses can affect your attitude and behavior –and it is going to sound strange. For example, feeling something soft can “soften” your personality. Feeling something warm can create warm feelings for another person. I know it sounds nuts but Dr. Thalma Lobel author of the book Sensation: The New Science of Physical Intelligence (http://amzn.to/2raTg7Y) explains the science behind this. More importantly, she reveals how to use this knowledge to your advantage. Have you ever been stuck in a traffic jam that appears to have no cause? Listen as I reveal why that happens and other fascinating things about the way traffic does – and does not move. http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autoinnovation/just-a-few-self-driving-cars-on-the-highway-could-cut-random-traffic-jams-by-half/ar-AAfi1mD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s fun to play the lottery. If you do, you probably spend more on it than you think. This episode begins with a look at how much people really spend on lottery tickets and what the real odds are of winning the Powerball jackpot. http://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/01/07/heres-what-americans-are-spending-on-lottery-ticke.aspx eBay has made it a lot easier for people to sell stuff they don’t want anymore to someone who does want it. So, do you have stuff that other people want – and how much do you think it is worth? Aaron Lapedis author of The Garage Sale Millionaire (https://amzn.to/2NR3btP) is an expert on buying and selling stuff at garage sales, eBay, Craigslist and elsewhere. Listen as he tells you what just might be luring in old boxes in the attic that could be worth a lot of money. And what to do with it to get it sold. Sometimes you need to charge your phone fast. Listen as I explain some tips that can really speed up the process and getting your battery back up to 100%. Source: David Pogue author of "Pogue's Basics: Essential Tips & Shortcuts" (https://amzn.to/2RN1cb8) We have rules for sleep. For example, mom and dad sleep together in one room. Kids sleep in their room. We go to bed when we are supposed to – but says who? Where did these rules come? According to Benjamin Reiss, professor at Emory University and author of the book, Wild Nights (http://amzn.to/2lWdPP7) claims that our rules for sleeping today are very different than they have been for most of human history. Hear what he has to say and you be liberated from a sleep routine that doesn’t really work for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t you hate it when people ignore your emails? Well, there may be something you are doing in your subject line that increases the odds you will be ignored. This episode starts by revealing what that is – and the simple fix. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/291896/subject-line-typos-decrease-email-engagementrates.html It appears to be human nature that bad things feel bad more than good things feel better. As an example, it feels worse to lose $20 than it feels good to win $20. It’s called the negativity effect. Consequently, we will do more to avoid bad things happening than we will do to make good things happen. This has amazing implications to your life you have likely never thought about.. John Tierney is a writer has researched and written a book about this called The Power of Bad: How The Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It (https://amzn.to/30Gn3EQ). He joins me to explain how the negativity effect plays a role in many parts of your life. Some people can swallow a pill without drinking water with it. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Listen as I explain the dangers of dry-swallowing medication. http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/swallowing-pills-without-water-danger/ Why do some people have so much trouble maintaining a reasonable body weight while it is no problem for others? While there is no simple answer a lot of it has to do with environment, genetics and how you respond to your sense of hunger. Joining me to discuss this and what science says can really work to lose weight and keep it off is Dr. Giles Yeo. He is a geneticist with over 20 years’ experience dedicated to researching the genetics of obesity and author of the book Gene Eating: The Science of Obesity and the Truth About Dieting (https://amzn.to/3arsV9C). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every credit card bill comes with a due date. And if you pay the balance every month by the due date – you don’t pay any interest. But if you carry a balance month-to-month, the rules are different. You pay interest every day on the unpaid balance. So, the question is, if you make your payment earlier than the due date, do you save money? We start this episode by doing that math. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/pay-credit-card-bill-early-and-save-1.aspx Starting your own business is a romantic idea. But is it practical? Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup (http://amzn.to/2rc9dv4) shares the results of his fascinating research on people who started a successful business with very little money – and explains how anyone can do it. There is one particular app that is sucking your smartphone dry. And by that I mean it is sucking a lot of battery power and storage space. Which app is it? I’ll reveal which one and explain how you can easily live without it. http://mashable.com/2016/02/08/delete-facebook-app-iphone-battery/#OStOxq1kk8qi If you are one of those people (or you know one of those people) who works all the time and never takes a vacation or takes weekends off, you need to hear award-winning journalist Katrina Onstad, author of The Weekend Effect (http://amzn.to/2qPxRRl). She explores the harm this “all work – no fun” approach to life does to a person’s mental and physical health as well as to the quality of work they do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you breathe through your mouth you are doing it all wrong. This episode begins with a discussion on how to breathe properly and why breathing through your nose is so much better. http://www.breathing.com/articles/nose-breathing.htm Physical intelligence is that thing that allows you to never forget how to ride a bike or allows you to play a musical instrument or a sport. Scott Grafton teaches neuroscience at the University of California Santa Barbara and he is author of the book Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and the Mind Guide Each Other Through Life (https://amzn.to/3aiI4dm). Scott joins me to explain how our physical intelligence helps us navigate the physical world and how our world is actually getting too easy for us to navigate. No matter what your age is, your posture today is probably not as good as it used to be. Still, good posture is important and I discuss some things you can do (and not do) to improve your posture. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4082990/Don-t-old-tortoise-Want-old-age-head-held-highJust-follow-expert-s-brilliant-tips-fit-flexible-past-40.html#ixzz4UiBJYSuY You’ve probably heard the advice that too make a change you need to break it down into smaller steps. But maybe it would be better to break it down into even smaller – tiny steps. That’s what BJ Fogg says works better for humans. BJ Fogg is a social science research associate at Stanford and founder of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab. He is also author of the book Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything (https://amzn.to/2RnpgRl). Listen as he explains how the tiniest of changes can lead to big and lasting changes in your life. This Week's Sponsors -Best Fiends. Download this fun mobile game for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you heard of “Imposter Syndrome?” It’s that feeling that you don’t really deserve the success you have achieved. A lot of people suffer from it so we begin this episode with an explanation of where it comes from and how to stop feeling like such a fake so you can truly enjoy your success. http://mentalfloss.com/article/75699/what-imposter-syndrome-and-what-can-you-do-about-it Would you take relationship advice from a divorce lawyer? Think about it – who knows better why relationships fall apart than a seasoned divorce attorney? And perhaps with that knowledge you could reverse engineer a relationship, so it stays together. That’s what my guest James Sexton is going to discuss. James is a divorce lawyer and author of the book How to Stay in Love: Practical Wisdom from an Unexpected Source (https://amzn.to/39XlfvB). From his unique perspective he has some suggestions that I think will resonate with you and that you will find very practical if you want to keep your relationship or marriage going smoothly - or at least understand why it isn’t. One reason people eat yogurt is because it has bacteria in it that is supposed to be good for you. Well, it turns out it might not be as good for you as you think. Listen as I discuss what yogurt really does – or doesn’t do to promote “gut health.” http://www.businessinsider.com/ed-yong-explains-yogurt-not-healthy-2016-9 Your sense of taste is rather amazing. It turns out it is so much more than the flavor you experience on your tongue. And it also changes. Foods you hated as a kid you may enjoy as an adult. And why do you like some foods that other people hate? Camilla Arndal Andersen is a food scientist in Denmark who studies people’s sense of taste and she joins me to explain the fascinating, complicated and very subjective sense of taste. Camilla also has a TED talk on the subject which you can watch here: https://www.ted.com/talks/camilla_arndal_andersen_what_happens_in_your_brain_when_you_taste_food?language=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People who overeat tend to do so at the same time on the same days. This episode begins with me telling you exactly when those times are so you can defend yourself against temptation. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2306736/Fat-oclock-7pm-Sunday-revealed-time-likely-comfort-eating.html Solving problems and developing new ideas doesn’t come from focus and concentration as much as it does from “unfocusing” and letting your mind wander. Psychiatrist Dr. Srini Pillay author of Tinker, Dabble, Doodle, Try: Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind (http://amzn.to/2pMIVy3) explains the science behind how the creative brain works better when it is distracted rather than when it is trying to be creative. There is something called “double standard parenting.” In other words, when you accidentally break a lamp – well it’s just an accident. But what happens when your kid accidentally breaks a lamp? Does he or she get punished and shamed for doing it? We’ll explore some sage advice on why you shouldn’t hold your kids to higher standard than you hold yourself. Source: The Awakened Family by Dr. Shefali Tsabary (https://amzn.to/2R9kLtC). The world of video games isn’t all about war, aliens, shooting people and blowing things up. Andrew Ervin, author of Bit by Bit: How Video Games Transformed Our World (https://amzn.to/2NeohBU) reveals an entirely different world of video games and also discusses the importance of video games as a true art form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listening to music is more than just a pleasant experience. It is also good for you in several ways. This episode begins with a discussion of how valuable music is to your mental and physical well-being. http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml Could your genes or microbes or even a parasite actually dictate parts of your personality? Likely so, according to Bill Sullivan, a professor at Indiana School of Medicine and author of the book Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/2t2VOYT). Listen as he explains how these forces can actually determine and even alter what makes you – you. You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t store tomatoes in the fridge or that you shouldn’t fry food in olive oil. These are just a couple of common kitchen practices that may not stand up to scientific scrutiny. Listen as I explain why. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4539884/Should-continuously-stir-risotto-soak-onions.html It can sometimes be hard to explain something to someone so they really and truly get it. Listen as scientist, Dr. Dominic Walliman offers the four key ingredients that will help you explain anything to anyone. Link to Dominic’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2TaTOIW Link to Dominic’s books: https://amzn.to/39TRko7 Link to his TED talk: https://bit.ly/2FGCMKp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a woman cries it can have a dramatic effect on a man. Not only because she is sad but also because of how hears smell – seriously. This episode begins with an explanation of the connection between a woman’s tears and a man’s testosterone. http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/06/the-crying-game-womens-tears-dial-down-testosterone/ Many New Year’s resolutions are about exercise because for some, staying active is hard to do. Well, for some amazing motivation, listen to Kelly McGonigal, research psychologist and lecturer at Stanford and author of the book, The Joy of Movement (https://amzn.to/2N2wide). Kelly explains not only the long-term benefits of movement but the instant and satisfying benefits of moving your body even just a little. Why are there revolving doors? They are heavy and hard to push and some people hate them. So where did they come from and what was the original purpose. Listen to hear a very surprising story. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63378/whats-point-revolving-doors Talking to strangers can be tedious. After all, what’s the point of having a 15 second conversation with someone in line at the supermarket who you will never se again? Perhaps that is not the way to look at it. Kio Stark has been seeking out strangers to talk to for a long time. She loves it. Kio is author of the book When Strangers Meet (https://amzn.to/2s2ihEU). Listen to hear her explain why and what benefits you can get for investing in those brief conversations rather than avoiding them. You can see her TED talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/kio_stark_why_you_should_talk_to_strangers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to keep your fresh cut flowers, fresher? My grandmother always said put aspirin in the water and I’ve also heard you should put a penny in the water or some sugar. Well someone actually tested all these things out – and you’ll hear the results and discover what works best. http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/gardening/gardening-flowers/keep-cut-flowers-fresh/flower-food You constantly receive criticism and feedback from people – some of it is welcome some not. Some of it is warranted and some of it not. So how can you learn to evaluate the feedback coming at you so you can determine what is true and what is false – and not get defensive? And then how do you use that feedback to your advantage? Sheila Heen author of the book, Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (http://amzn.to/2pelwW0) has studied this and you will find what she has to say extremely helpful. Why do so many marriages and relationships go bad? Dr Harville Hendrix has been studying relationships and has worked with couples for over 30 years. He has authored several books on the topic including Making Marriage Simple (http://amzn.to/2pYzh9k). He shares some incredible insight into how any relationship can be made better – instantly if at least one person is willing to make some simple changes. Who doesn’t love bacon? Just the smell of bacon cooking is enough to make you crave it. So what is it about bacon that makes it so desirable? I’ll explain the science of bacon in this episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=133&v=27EBed9rzs8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you set any New Year’s resolutions? The chances of them sticking for a long time are pretty slim. However, there is something you can do to improve your odds. This episode begins with a strategy to help make life changes really stick. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/new-years-resolutionspsychology_us_5862d599e4b0d9a59459654c Do you know what your circadian rhythm is? It’s your internal 24-hour clock that controls you in ways you probably never knew. Dr. Emily Manoogian is a post-doctoral fellow at the Salk Institute (https://inside.salk.edu/fall-2018/emily-manoogian/) and is an expert in chronobiology which is the study of our internal clocks and how they affect us. Emily joins me to explain how these clocks work and how they control your life. Watch her TED talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=SrBYSinpEtU&feature=emb_logo Getting ice off your windshield in the morning can be a slow process. However there is a fast, safe and effective way to do it. Listen as I explain what it is. http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/defrost-car-windshield Some people like meetings but I suspect more people don’t. Why? Because meetings are often a waste of time. David Grady is a writer and communications expert who created an interesting TED talk on how to save the world from bad meetings (https://bit.ly/37CnJxE) and he joins me to discuss how to get out of meetings you shouldn’t be in – and how to make better the ones you do have to attend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you just found out over the holidays, finding the right gift to someone can be difficult. However, there is some science to it that can make gift giving a little easier. This episode begins with some interesting insight on finding the right gifts for everyone the next time you need to. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4017156/The-science-perfectgift-Focus-experiences-make-sure-usefull-NEVER-suprise-someone.html Have you ever wondered why you are the person you are? Where did your personality come from? Does it change – and can you change it if you want to? Christopher Soto is an associate professor of psychology at Colby College in Maine (http://www.colby.edu/psych/personality-lab/) and has studied personality for a long time. Listen as he explains why you are you and why you might be a better you, later on. Procrastination is generally considered to be a bad trait. Still, we all do it. So maybe it isn’t all bad – maybe it serves a purpose. Dominic Vogue is Senior Associate Director of The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University (https://mcgraw.princeton.edu) and is an expert on the subject of procrastination. I think you’ll find what he has to say quite fascinating and may make you feel less guilty the next time you decide to put something off. Police give out speeding tickets for several reasons: they punish fast drivers, they deter other drivers from speeding and they are a source of revenue for government. But there is also a problem. The practice of handing out speeding tickets can be dangerous. Listen as I explain why. http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a31850/study-finds-that-strict-speedenforcement-is-actually-a-danger/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s your favorite sleep position? It turns out that one sleep position is better than the others for eliminating “brain waste” and preventing Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s and other brain problems. In this episode, you’ll discover the best way to sleep. https://www.sciencealert.com/sleeping-on-your-side-could-reduce-alzheimer-s-and-parkinson-s-risk-study-finds How do you spot a liar? It’s not just one or two things – you have to understand the process of determining whether someone is being deceptive. Listen as Maryann Karinch, co-author of the book How to Spot a Liar (https://amzn.to/2QDEMYZ), helps you become a better truth detector. With all the texts, and memos and emails and reports you write – you probably strive to make your writing effective - right? Laura Brown, author of How to Write Anything: A Complete Guide (https://amzn.to/2MH8c7B) – and an expert writer herself – offers some simple ways to punch up and improve your writing so that people understand you and your message is crystal clear. What’s in your garage? Some of the things you probably have in there are better off somewhere else, according to Home & Garden magazine. We’ll explore what things you should either get rid of or bring into the house. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flattery works – if you know how to do it right. So this episode begins with a discussion on how to use flattery and why it is such a powerful tool in getting people to like you. Interestingly though, flattery doesn’t work on everyone and I’ll tell you who. http://changingminds.org/techniques/general/ingratiation/flattery.htm Math is an important part of almost every aspect of your life. You probably just don’t think about it. In fact there are ways to use math that can help you save time and money and make better decisions. Kit Yates joins me to explain the importance of math in our everyday lives and how it works. Kit is a senior lecturer in mathematical biology at the University of Bath in the UK and author of the book The Math of Life and Death (https://amzn.to/35aW5pI). Now that it is a new year and a new decade, it is probably a good time to let go of that grudge you’ve been holding on to. Listen as I explain the amazing benefits of NOT holding a grudge compared to the real downside of holding on to those thoughts of anger, resentment and revenge. http://www.drugs.com/mca/forgiveness-letting-go-of-grudges-and-bitterness What is consciousness? In short it is the essence of who you are at any moment. But where does it come from? Where does it go when you die? These are questions I tackle in this episode with Philip Goff. Who teaches at Durham University in the UK and is the author of the book Galileo's Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness (https://amzn.to/2QggRjs). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some people can’t imagine exercise without having their cellphone. You can listen to music, text and chat and it helps the time fly by. Well, there is also a problem with exercising with your cellphone and we will discuss what this is in this episode of the podcast. http://www.mensfitness.com/training/pro-tips/heres-how-your-phone-could-be-ruining-your-workout Have you heard of oxytocin? It’s sometimes called the “moral molecule.” Oxytocin is the brain chemical that helps us trust each other and feel good about each other. What’s interesting is that we know how to cause oxytocin to be released and when you understand how it works, it has implications for all our relationships with people who love, people know and even strangers. Neuroscientist Paul Zak, author of The Moral Molecule (https://alexa.design/2osVKNw) joins me for this fascinating discussion. People talk about healthcare a lot – but things only seem to be getting worse. And generally, I think people feel helpless to do anything. Perhaps you will feel more empowered when you hear Elisabeth Rosenthal, author of the bestselling book, An American Sickness (https://alexa.design/2pniwUd). Elisabeth was trained as a physician and spent years as a writer for the New York Times and is now editor-in-chief of Kaiser Health News. Everyone knows that arguing isn’t good. But actually it may just be the thing to keep your relationships alive. We’ll explore why in this episode of the podcast. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38698442/ns/health-behavior/t/go-ahead-argue-it-can-be-good-your-health/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s nothing more embarrassing than those awkward moments in life – when your fly is down or there is spinach in your teeth or you embarrass yourself accidentally. But how you handle those moments is what really matters and that is topic number one on today’s podcast. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2015/11/23/the-science-of-awkwardness How you think about money – and how money plays tricks on is a fascinating topic everyone needs to understand. Claudia Hammond, a broadcaster for the BBC in London is author of the book Mind Over Money (https://amzn.to/2EXto4N) and has some amazing insight on how you handle money and make financial decisions – and how others use little mind games to get you to part with more of your money. Being aware of these things can really help you not fall victim. There is great power in expressing appreciation – yet most people think they don’t get enough of it. The result of that lack appreciation creates all kinds of havoc in relationships and organizations. Listen as we explore the power of appreciation and how to make it work for you. http://www.drpaulwhite.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is something about flying that makes you feel – lousy. Since a lot of people are flying this time of year, this episode begins with a discussion on why flying in an airplane makes you feel so uncomfortable, what you can do about it and how everyone else feels exactly the same way. http://www.menshealth.com/health/feel-better-when-flying/slide/6 I bet you have heard the advice “Follow your passion…” or “Do what you love and the money will follow…” While that sounds great, it may be some of the worst advice you will ever hear when it comes to making a career choice. Cal Newport author of the book So Good They Can’t Ignore You (http://amzn.to/2nGmhpZ) has investigated this advice – where it came from and why it is such a bad idea. Perhaps you have heard of Big Data. Well there is also something called “Small Data.” And small data is a big deal according to Martin Lindstrom who is considered to be one of the world’s top brand-building experts. He is author of the book Small Data (http://amzn.to/2n64AkK) and he explains how small data works, how you collect and interpret this data and how it has helped many organizations focus their marketing better. In fact, small data brought LEGO from the brink of bankruptcy to becoming the number one brand in the entire world. When I say, “Chinese food take-out container,” you know exactly what I mean. It is that small cardboard box with the metal handle that all Chinese food is packed in. It is actually an engineering marvel. It is one piece of cardboard folded in such a way as to be leak-proof. And yet there is nothing Chinese about it and it is not used in China at all. It is a fascinating story worth hearing. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/magazine/the-chinese-takeout-container-is-uniquely-american.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can look dramatically younger by doing almost nothing. This episode begins with 3 simple ways that change how people perceive you. Do these things and you will instantly and dramatically appear younger than your actual age. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21895379 Humans are born to be hopeful. Interact with any 2-year old and you will see and hear nothing but hope in what they say and do. Yet sometimes, as adults, we lose hope. Then what? This holiday season, I want to share with you an interview I did a while back with Dr. Shane Lopez, author of the book Making Hope Happen (http://amzn.to/2j7su8N). Dr. Lopez was a leading researcher and authority on hope. Sadly, he died not long ago at the age of 46 but he left a message about hope that is so powerful. Life would be easier if we all had more courage. How to you get more? Debbie Ford is going to tell you how. Debbie Ford was the author of the book Courage: Overcoming Fear and Igniting Self-Confidence (https://amzn.to/34MVudy) and she had a ton of courage. Debbie passed away a few years ago. Shortly before her death I had a chance to talk with her and I think you will find the conversation inspiring as we all prepare for the new year, 2020. When your gas gauge says empty – are you really out of gas? Listen and discover how long you can drive before you must find a gas station. https://www.cartalk.com/blogs/dear-car-talk/whats-really-left-tank-when-gauge-reads-e Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you really have a year to send a wedding gift? That turns out to be one of several etiquette myths we’ll explore as I begin today’s episode. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/etiquette/etiquette-mistakes We’ve all heard the stories of terrible, deadly disease outbreaks in other countries that take a devastating toll on the people who live there. Unfortunately, with modern air travel, those diseases could be in the jungles of some Third World country one day and on the streets of New York the next. You really need to hear Michael Osterholm. He is founding director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota and author of the book, Deadliest Enemy (http://amzn.to/2mJxiTh). What he says about infectious diseases is both encouraging and scary – and is definitely something worth knowing. Then, you’ll meet Isaac Lidsky. He was a regular on the TV series “Saved By the Bell.” But he also became a very successful attorney – and along the way lost his sight to a rare disease. He is author of the book Eyes Wide Open (http://amzn.to/2mJwdev) and he shares his unique philosophy on life – and explains why losing his sight was a turning point in his life. You know it is not safe to talk on the phone while driving – but something interesting happens when you drive while. OTHER people in the car are talking on the phone. It is more dangerous than you could have imagined. http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2010/05/half-heard-phone-conversations-reduce-performance This Week’s Sponsors -Les Mills On Demand. Try the fitness app FREE for 21 days by going to www.TryLesMills.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How many times have you heard that it is important to drink a lot of fluids when you have a cold or the flu? But why? Does it help flush the illness from your system? That what a lot of people think. But that’s not it. This episode begins with the real reason why it is a good idea to keep drinking when you are sick – but not too much. http://www.realsimple.com/health/first-aid-health-basics/too-much-water-whilesick-can-be-dangerous When you have a tough day or a difficult encounter, it can sometimes be hard to shake it off. The problem is it can negatively affect your performance the rest of the day. However, there is a technique that can really help. Dr. Adam Fraser author of the book The Third Space (https://amzn.to/35BAPub) explains how elite athletes, salespeople and peak performers everywhere don’t let a bad experience keep them down. If you are going away for the holidays or any other time really, there are some important things to remember to keep burglars out of your house while you are gone. I’ll reveal what is on that very important checklist. http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/89892/5-tips-keeping-your-home-safe-while-youregone-holidays How do you spot a trend? Where do they come from? Rohit Bhargava has been trying to predict trends for a decade and has published a book about it every year for the last several years. He does this by engaging in what he calls “Non-Obvious Thinking” which he says we should all do to help us spot new opportunities. Listen as he explains how you do it and what the latest trends are. His latest book, which will be the last one in the series is called Non Obvious Megatrends: How to See What Others Miss and Predict the Future (https://amzn.to/36PG61q). This Weeks Sponsors -Finance Pal. Start you free trial today by going to www.FinancePal.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is the most wonderful tine of the year! Many people will tell you that Christmas is their favorite holiday. Did you know that there was a time in this country when it was illegal to celebrate Christmas? The episode begins with an explanation of when and why. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g2972/surprising-christmas-facts/?slide=25 The sound of your voice and how you speak is a very important part of the image you project. Interestingly a lot of people don’t like their voice and wish it was better. Joining me to help you optimize your voice is Dr. Jackie Gartner-Schmidt a voice-specialized speech language pathologist and professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is also a presentation consultant. You can contact her at [email protected]. You can see her TED talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGmGKAk3y-0&feature=youtu.be If you are sending packages to people this holiday season you are going to want to hear some simple suggestions from people who actually deliver packages. Their advice will help your packages get their safely, on time and undamaged. http://www.rd.com/culture/confessions-ups-handler/ You have probably heard that there are health benefits to owning a pet. But our connection with animals goes well beyond that according to Richard Louv author of the book Our Wild Calling: How Connecting with Animals Can Transform Our Lives―and Save Theirs (https://amzn.to/2RUzdHX). Listen as he explains why, if you have ever had an encounter with a wild animal, you remember it vividly and what all encounters with animals do for us and the animals. This Weeks Sponsors -SimpliSafe. Go to www.SimpliSafe.com/something to take advantage of special savings and free shipping. -LinkedIn. Get $50 off your first job post by going to www.LinkedIn.com/SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next time you do something really embarrassing in front of other people – you will remember what I am going to tell you in this episode – and it will make you feel a lot better about whatever embarrassing thing you did. http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/embarrassment Then, we are going to look at the problems created by parents today who give too much and do too much for their kids. Richard Watts, author of Entitlemania: How Not to Spoil Your Kids & What to Do If You Have (http://amzn.to/2mRbVCP) reveals the consequences of parents over indulging their kids in the name of love. Also, everyone knows that you should stretch before you exercise to become flexible and prevent injury. Yet, according to science it is actually a bad idea. It’s one of the many exercise myths I explore with New York Times writer Gretchen Reynolds, author of The First 20 Minutes (http://amzn.to/2n1Y7pK). You’ll hear the science that explains how many things people believe about exercise, health and weight loss are just plain wrong. There is this thing called the paradox of choice. It basically means that the more choices you give someone the more likely they are to pick none. It’s important to understand and I’ll explain why. http://conversionxl.com/17-lesser-known-ways-to-persuade-people/# Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When your hands and feet are cold, you feel you cold. Why is that? And what can you do to warm them up quickly? This episode begins with some interesting help that will keep you warm this winter. http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/keep-cold-feet-hands-warm/ You may not realize it but communicating with a computer with just your voice is a really big deal. It is a game changer according to Bradley Metrock, CEO of Score Publishing who produces events that revolve around voice computing. Bradley is the host of the podcast This Week in Voice and author of the book More than Just Weather and Music: 200 Ways to Use Alexa (https://amzn.to/2PbTAPe). Listen as he explains how smart speakers work, how some are different than others and what it all means to you. If you are going on a job interview, what is the worst color to wear? I’ll explain what hiring managers say about the worst and best clothes to wear if you want to make a good impression. https://www.businessinsider.com/best-and-worst-colors-to-wear-to-job-interview-2013-11 You have probably never thought much about the topic of liquids but liquids are vital to our survival and the survival of every species on earth. British scientist Mark Miodownik, author of the book Liquid Rules: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances that Flow Through Our Lives (https://amzn.to/2RMwSyL) joins me to discuss the fascinating world of liquids. For one thing, liquids are hard to define yet one liquid (water) covers 70% of the earth's surface. Interestingly, liquids are so important to our survival yet there is very little liquid in the universe. Listen to hear this fascinating discussion. This Week’s Sponsors -Beauty Counter. Check out great holiday specials before they are gone. Go to www.BeautyCounter.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something strange happens when most people read emails and texts and it could cause a health problem. Listen to and discover what it is so you can see if you do it – so you can stop doing it. https://www.businessinsider.com/email-apnea-how-email-change-breathing-2012-12 Nutrition advice can be confusing. Is there an actual diet that will help you lose weight? Are salt and sugar really that bad for your health? Why is so much of the nutrition advice contradictory? Here to discuss the science of nutrition and offer some advice on how to navigate through all the information is Dr. Joe Schwarcz, Director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society and author of the book A Grain of Salt :The Science and Pseudoscience of What We Eat (https://amzn.to/2PqB18N). Sometimes you need an alarm to make sure you wake up on time but it may not be the best way to wake up. There is a better and often easier way that isn’t quite so jarring. Listen to find out what it is. http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/53710/why-do-i-always-wake-5-minutesmy-alarm-goes Human beings like to explore. We have explored most of our earth and now we are exploring space. Why are we so curious? Why is exploration so important? And what will we explore next? Andrew Rader is an aerospace engineer who works as a mission manager at Space X. He has written a fascinating book about human exploration called Beyond the Known: How Exploration Created the Modern World and Will Take Us to the Stars (https://amzn.to/2Ry05NH) and he joins me to tell some exciting tales of exploration – past and present. This Week’s Sponsors -Fetch Rewards. Download the Fetch Rewards app and use promo code SYSK to receive 4000 points when you scan your first receipt. -Finance Pal. Start you free trial today by going to www.FinancePal.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s the best way to deal with a jerk? Well, according to psychiatrist Dr. Mark Goulston, there is one word that will shut them up – and it is kind of fun to watch. That’s first up today on this episode of the podcast. Plus, what does your dog really think about? Probably not what you think. Camilla Gray-Nelson, author of Lipstick & the Leash: Dog Training a Woman’s Way (http://amzn.to/2mkKr5Z) offers some amazing insight into what’s really going on inside that little doggie brain. Then, knowing what your dog is thinking, you can then train and relate to them in a way that works for everyone. Then, do you believe in magical thinking? Maybe you knock on wood or use a lucky charm or wear you lucky shirt. And deep down inside you know there is nothing to it really – but you do it anyway. So what’s this all about? Matthew Hutson, author of The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking (http://amzn.to/2lUpH8R) explores why virtually everyone (even skeptics) across all cultures engages in magical thinking. And he reveals how magical thinking can actually work – like magic! Finally, when you go on a trip, why does it seem that the trip back home is shorter than the trip there? There is actually an interesting psychological phenomenon at work. I’ll explain what it is in today’s episode. https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2015/06/why-the-trip-back-always-feels-shorter/395714/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the time of year when people give to people less fortunate – and that is great. However, if you are going to give, there are things that most homeless shelters and other organizations need more than others. This episode begins by explaining what most donation centers would really like you to get them for Christmas. http://www.purewow.com/home/best-items-to-donate-to-charity-drives If you think the way to win an argument is to give people a lot of evidence to prove you are right, you must listen to this because it will fundamentally change the way you argue EVERYTHING. Professor Niro Sivanathan of the London Business School is an expert on something called the “dilution effect” that says that more evidence is not better. In fact more evidence oftens weakens your argument. Listen as he explains how to strengthen any argument and more importantly how to NOT dilute your arguments by putting “everything on the table.” You can see his TED talk on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=hkFCu6K8Ghw Do you pay much attention to the age recommendations on toy boxes when you buy Christmas gifts? Listen as I explain why you should, what they mean and how to use them wisely. www.ToyTips.com Are you a good writer? Would you like to be a better one? It’s not that hard to do according to Mary-Kate Mackey, author of the book Write Better Now: The Reluctant Writer’s Guide to Confident Communication and Self-Assured Style (https://amzn.to/34DBnPP). Listen as she offers some simple ways to improve the quality of your writing so people really understand what you are trying to say when you write letters, reviews, blog posts, texts, emails or anything else. This Week’s Sponsors -Flo Technologies. For 20% off your Flo device go to http://go.thoughtleaders.io/1516520191202 and use the promo code: SYSK20 -Finance Pal. Go to www.financepal.com/something to start your free trial today -Fetch Rewards. Download the Fetch Rewards app and use promo code SYSK to receive 4000 points when you scan your first receipt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People seem to get sadder in winter. Is it the weather? Is it just because it’s colder? Or is it the sunlight? This episode begins with the explanation of why more people get into bad moods this time of year. https://www.medicaldaily.com/seasonal-affective-disorder-happiness-actually-linked-sunshine-study-finds-403569 Computers and other electronic devices used to come with huge instruction manuals. Not anymore. We live in an age of “user-friendly” machines that don't need instructions. What’s so interesting is that the whole concept of the “user experience” is really traceable back to a specific point in time and it wasn’t all that long ago. Cliff Kuang is a user experience designer and author of the book User Friendly: How the hidden rules of design are changing the way we live, work, and play (https://amzn.to/37T1Vi0). Listen as he explains the evolution that has gone from teaching people how to use complicated machines to making complicated machines easy for people to use. Everyone loves a log fire on a cold winter’s night. But does it really keep you warm? And what about the pollution it causes? Listen and discover some interesting facts about log fires. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-10-06/business/0010060120_1_furnaceor-boiler-chimney-heat We spend a lot of time either trying to change people’s minds or listening to other people trying to change ours. Often it isn’t very successful despite the rational and reasonable arguments we all use. So you have to wonder if there is a better way. And you also have to wonder if it is worth trying to change someone's mind in the first place. Eleanor Gordon Smith has researched this and written a book about it called Stop Being Reasonable: How We Really Change Our Minds (https://amzn.to/2R9OxQQ). She joins me explain the fascinating results of her research on why changing your mind and my mind is so amazingly difficult. This Week’ Sponsors -Simplisafe. For huge holiday savings and a free HD security camera to www.Simplisafe.com/something -Article Furniture. For $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more go to https://www.article.com/sysk -Capterra. To find the best software for your business for free go to www.Capterra.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can your pet really get sick eating poinsettia leaves or drinking Christmas tree water? We begin this episode looking at some of the real holiday pet hazards and some you don’t really need to worry about. http://www.paws.org/library/pet-info/pet-care/holiday-hazards/ Not long ago you most likely would choose a TV or a computer or even grocery items because of the name brand. That has a changed a lot of the last several years thanks to things like online ratings and reviews. Here to discuss this evolution is Itamar Simonson, professor of marketing at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and author of the book Absolute Value: What Really Influences Customers in the Age of (Nearly) Perfect Information (https://amzn.to/2Dl5dfW) Why is it that you can freeze your leftovers once – but only once? What’s so bad about freezing them again? I will explain the science of once is enough when it comes to freezing food. http://www.bonappetit.com/story/when-can-you-refreeze-food What are the odds you will be struck by lightning? What are the odds that your online dating partner lied about his or her age, height, weight or even marital status? What are the odds you’ll be injured by duct tape? The odds of things happening to you are very different than you might imagine. Joining me to discuss some of these interesting facts, stories and statistics is Amram Shapiro, author of The Book of Odds: From Lightning Strikes to Love at First Sight, the Odds of Everyday Life (https://amzn.to/34usiZI). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timing is everything. And when you have a big decision to make, the time of day you choose to make it is more important than you might realize. This episode begins with explanation of why it matters and what is the best time of day to decide anything. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-better-decisions-2016-11 Have you ever stopped to think what things make you most angry? When you do get angry, how do you react? What do you do with your anger? Listen as I explore these questions and more with Ryan Martin. He is a professor of psychology and associate dean at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and has studied anger extensively. He even has a TED talk about it called The Upside of Anger (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfcQaXG_Qhs). After you hear this, you’ll get a better understanding of why you get angry and how to handle it. You can’t cure the common cold or flu but there is a technique that can help you not catch them in the first place. In fact, according to research, you can reduce your chances by 40% by doing it. Listen to hear what this simple technique is that was reported in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/health/28real.html?_r=0 When you are in a relationship and both of you have your own careers, there are bound to be conflicts and problems. Professor Jennifer Petriglieri has studied and examined these problems and has some great advice to help couples find ways to pursue their professional goals and dreams while being in a rewarding and satisfying relationship. Jennifer is author of a book on the topic called Couples That Work (https://amzn.to/37GxWd2). This Week’s Sponsors -The Undercovers podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-undercovers/id1479344440 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices