Something You Should Know

If you want to be more successful and make more money there is one very simple and seemingly unrelated thing you can do that has been proven by looking at the habits of over 30,000 families. This episode begins by revealing what this seemingly magical, money-making act is. https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/arthur-c-brooks_giving-matters-2/ When it comes to good health – medical care is important. However, the kind of person you are and how you treat others is even more important – by a lot! That’s according to Kelli Harding, M.D. and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She is also author of the book The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer Happier and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness (https://amzn.to/2ZLksf1) and she joins me to discuss how social interaction and how kind you are impact how healthy you will be and how long you will live. When you walk you swing your arms. You don’t have to – but you do. Why? Listen to hear the explanation and discover what burns more calories – swinging your arms when you walk – or not? http://mentalfloss.com/article/63362/why-do-we-swing-our-arms-when-we-walk Is it okay to be selfish in a relationship? How do you balance your needs with the needs of your partner? Listen to Dr. Jane Greer, a marriage and family therapist and author of the book What About Me? Stop Selfishness from Ruining your Relationship (https://amzn.to/2UKSlI2). She joins me to explain how to deal with the inevitable problem of getting both of your needs met and still be happy. This Week’s Sponsors -Simplisafe. For free shipping and a money-back guarantee, go to www.Simplisafe.com/something -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

Why do dogs do what they do? They seem obsessed with smelling everything and everybody and they universally love the snow. Why? This classic episode begins with an explanation of some common and often baffling doggy behavior. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-know-your-dog-is-smart/#3-why-dodogs-turn-away-from-us-when-we-try-to-hug-them-3 Stress is mostly about your distorted perception. That’s the messages from clinical psychologist Dr. Arthur Ciaramicoli, author of The Stress Solution (http://amzn.to/2cmIItY). So the good news, you can correct that distortion and lower your stress levels. When you look back you find that so much of what we worry and stress about never actually happens. It’s our inability to see the truth and our inability to predict the future that is causing all the trouble. Listen to Dr. Ciaramicoli’s discussion – and you will instantly be less stressed and you’ll have new ways to handle stress in the future when it pops up. Have you ever wished you had more photographs of loved ones who are no longer in your life? It’s a pretty universal lament. So why is that? Once you hear this, you will make sure you have the photos from this day forward. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thinking-about-kids/201606/take-pictures-people-not-things Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever have someone offer to help you and you say – “No, I got it.”? Why? Why we are so reluctant to ask other people for help when we really could use it? This episode begins with a discussion on why asking for help is hard and yet it is one of the smartest things you will ever do. http://rd.com/advice/relationships/phrases-make-people-trust/ Chance and probability rule your life. Yet how much do you understand about them? Ian Stewart knows about them better than most people. Ian a Professor Emeritus of math at the University of Warwick in England and author of the book Do Dice Play God: The Mathematics of Uncertainty (https://amzn.to/2MWjer8). Listen as he explains how, for example, a slot machine appears to be “hot” one day but not another. Or, what really determines whether a coin flip will end in heads or tails. And most importantly, how this all applies to your life. Where do women typically put their purse when going to a restaurant? They sling it over the back of the chair or put it on the floor. Listen as I explain why both of those options are such bad ideas that can easily get your identity stolen – and a simple way every woman can secure her purse and never worry again. http://rd.com/advice/travel/purse-theft-safe/ Motivational speakers can be very inspiring – but motivation for you can’t really come from someone else’s story. Susan Fowler, author of the book Master Your Motivation: Three Scientific Truths for Achieving Your Goals (https://amzn.to/2HJneXV) joins me to explain the real science of motivation – and how it works. Listen and discover how to find your motivation that will sustain you to achieve even when times are tough. This Week’s Sponsors -Babbel. To learn a language go to www.Babbel.com and get a whole year of access to Babbel for as low as $3.50 a month! -Proactiv. Go to www.Proactiv.com/SOMETHING and with your order, you’ll also receive Proactiv’s “On the Go Bag” (close to a $100 value!) PLUS FREE SHIPPING & a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee! -Embark Dog DNA Kit. Go to www.EmbarkVet.com and use Promo code SOMETHING to save 15% off your Dog DNA Test Kit -Upstart. Find out how low your interest rate is by going to www.Upstart.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s quite common and convenient to take medication or vitamin pills with a gulp of coffee or juice in the morning. But should you? The episode begins with a discussion on how important it is to use the right beverage to help you swallow those pills. https://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/is-it-ok-to-take-medicines-with-soft-drinks-coffee-milk-or-juices-bs1017-527100/ Are there subjects or activities you are good at learning? Do you believe you have a certain aptitude for some things more than others? Maybe – but maybe it has more to do with what you believe than it has to do with your actual aptitude or ability. That’s according to Jo Boaler, a professor of education at Stanford University and author of the book Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead, and Live Without Barriers (https://amzn.to/2ZMdAtW). Listen to hear her explain how your beliefs about learning as well as how you are taught have a big impact on how well you learn. And she believes you can learn anything – with the right belief. We humans attach ourselves to other people. That’s what we do. So what does it mean to be “attached?” It turns out there is a lot more to it than you might think. Joining me is Dr. Amir Levine who is a psychiatrist, neuroscientist and author of the book, Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find - and Keep – Love (https://amzn.to/2MNR1D8). He describes the science of attachment and how there are three style of attachment. Which one are you? Listen to find out. Amir's website to take the quiz is www.Attachedthebook.com If you tend to overspend, you may want to change your footwear. Listen as I explain how wearing the right shoes can help curb your spending. http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/shop-in-high-heels-to-controloverspending-113082700521_1.html This Week's Sponsors -Babbel. To learn a language go to www.Babbel.com and get a whole year of access to Babbel for as low as $3.50 a month! -Proactiv. Go to www.Proactiv.com/SOMETHING and with your order, you’lll also receive Proactiv’s “On the Go Bag” (close to a $100 value!) PLUS FREE SHIPPING & a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee! -Embark Dog DNA Kit. Go to www.EmbarkVet.com and use Promo code SOMETHING to save 15% off your Dog DNA Test Kit -Upstart. Find out how low your interest rate is by going to www.Upstart.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Men and women approach online dating very differently and consequently get different results. This classic episode begins with a discussion on who does a better job using online dating – and why. https://beta.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2018/08/08/online-dating-study-quantifies-whats-out-of-your-league/?noredirect=on A surprising amount of food sold in stores and restaurants is not what you think it is. Journalist Larry Olmsted author of the book Real Food, Fake Food (https://amzn.to/2ZB8Wif) is here to reveal how and why so much food is not what it pretends to be and how you can protect yourself from being a victim of food fraud. While it is hard to find anything wrong with reading – there is one caution for people who read in bed. Listen to discover how reading can sometimes disrupt your sleep if you are not careful. https://time.com/3642620/why-you-shouldnt-read-a-tablet-before-bed/ Could it be true that vertical stripes don’t make you look slimmer? Did you know that horseshoe crabs save lives? Or that Napoleon was really short at all? These are just a few of the facts discussed with John Lloyd author of the books The Book of General Ignorance (http://amzn.to/2cOd1aL) and The Second book of General Ignorance http://amzn.to/2cyNzq3. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know what customer service people really like? They like when you are nice to them. This episode begins with a magical phrase the next time you need a customer service person to go the extra mile for you. (Lori Jo Vest, author of Who’s Your Gladys?) Your body needs to rest. Not just sleep - rest. And rest isn’t necessarily sitting on the couch watching television. There are different kinds of rest all of which are vital to your function and performance as a human being. Physician Dr. Matthew Edlund, author of the book The Power of Rest: Why Sleep Alone Is Not Enough (https://amzn.to/2MJ6S5M) joins me to talk about the importance of rest and how to do it for maximum effect. Dr. Edlund’s website is http://regenerationhealthnews.com/ Ever notice that you never quite look right in a selfie? Your face can sometimes look weird and distorted. That has to do with the camera lens in the phone and when you understand how that works, you can adjust how and where you are in the picture so you look like you actually look. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-look-good-in-phone-photos-selfies-2016-8 There are so many strange and fascinating stories you probably never heard like: the time the Soviets invaded Wisconsin or why the scoring system is tennis is so strange or the story of the guy who bought Green Bay Packer tickets by donating blood and it saved his life. Dan Lewis has been collection these stories for his book series Now I Know . His latest book is called Now I Know: The Soviets Invaded Wisconsin: And 99 More Interesting Facts, Plus the Amazing Stories Behind (https://amzn.to/2MJ55O9). Listen as Dan shares some of his best stories. And to subscribe to his newsletter visit: http://nowiknow.com/ This Week's Sponsors -Omax Health Sleep & Stress Remedy. For 50% off your first box and free shipping go to www.OmaxHealth.com and use promo code SYSK. -Daily Harvest. Go to www.DAILY HARVEST.com and enter promo code SOMETHING to get $25 off your first box -Upstart. Find out how low your interest rate is by going to www.Upstart.com/something -Dashlane. For a 30 day free trial plus 10% off Dashlane Premium go to www.Dashlane.com/SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People who have high credit scores are often quite proud of them. And there is no doubt that a high credit score is better than a low credit score. But is a high credit score better than an average one? This episode begins with some interesting insight into how credit scores really work. https://twocents.lifehacker.com/your-credit-score-doesn-t-matter-unless-it-s-bad-1785050429 Who doesn’t love those great stories of new inventions and other creative breakthroughs? But often there is a lot more to the story than the big breakthrough. Creativity is a process and joining me to discuss how to process works best is Michael Roberto, Trustee Professor of Management at Bryant University in Rhode Island and author of the book, Unlocking Creativity: How to Solve Any Problem and Make the Best Decisions by Shifting Creative Mindsets (https://amzn.to/2ZrqYDk). Having a lot of debt is bad for your financial health – and it appears to take a toll on your physical and mental health as we. Listen as I discuss the health benefits of paying off debt. https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2013/08/high-debt-could-be-hazardous-to-your-health/ When you stop and analyze it, a lot of your behavior is habitual. And as everyone knows, changing a habit can be hard. But not always. A lot of it has to do with how you approach it according to Alexander Heyne. He is the author of several books including The Lazy Guide to habit Change (https://amzn.to/2ZkMutn) Alexander joins me to explain how to change any habit or behavior by taking the path of least resistance. This Week's Sponsors -Daily Harvest. Go to www.DAILY HARVEST.com and enter promo code SOMETHING to get $25 off your first box -Upstart. Find out how low your interest rate is by going to www.Upstart.com/something -Dashlane. For a 30 day free trial plus 10% off Dashlane Premium go to www.Dashlane.com/SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your shoulders speak volumes. It turns out how you hold your shoulders telegraphs a message to the world as to what kind of person you are. This episode begins with a discussion about who your shoulders say you really are. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spycatcher/201205/what-the-shoulders-say-about-us At some point you have probably listened to your intuition. It’s a gut feeling. You know you should or shouldn’t do something even though you don’t know why you know it. That’s what is called intuition. But is it a real thing? Can you trust it? Or is intuition just wishful thinking or merely a hunch? And if it is a real thing, how do we make better use of it? Joining me to discuss that is Rick Snyder, author of the book Decisive Intuition. (https://amzn.to/31STDCV) If you have ever gone on a diet, you probably had the experience that – it didn’t work. However, there are some ways that, according to science, really do work to help take and keep body weight off. Listen as I discuss what those techniques are. https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-07-08/the-7-simplest-easiest-ways-to-lose-more-weight-according-to-science You probably tend to think of the earth as a stage on which human history has unfolded. What is so interesting is that our planet is also a major player in human history. It has had profound impacts on everything in ways you likely never considered. Lewis Dartnell explores this in his book Origins: How Earth's History Shaped Human History (https://amzn.to/2KM8lG3) and he joins me for a fascinating discussion about what he discovered. This Week's Sponsors -Native Deodorant. For 20% off your first purchase go to www.nativedeodorant.com and use the promo code SYSK at checkout -Capterra. To find the best software for you business for free go to www.Capterra.com/something. -LinkedIn Jobs. For $50 off your first job post, go to www.Linkedin.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How physically strong are you? Interestingly, men today are not as strong as they once were. I begin this episode with the explanation of why that is and the surprising health consequences of not having the physical strength of your ancestors. http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/grip-strength-weaker-today “Can I give you some constructive feedback?” Usually, that question is followed by some criticism you would probably rather not hear. The “annual performance review” is a good example of this. Yet feedback – when done correctly – can be very powerful and quite helpful according to Tamra Chandler, founder and CEO of PeopleFirm, LLC and author of the book Feedback (and Other Dirty Words) Why We Fear It, How to Fix It (https://amzn.to/2Z10SXB). Tamra joins me to explain how to better give and take feedback and why this is so important. How important is it for children to have siblings? Is being an only child a handicap? That has been an assumption for a long time but lately it is being questioned. Listen as I explain what the research says about the pros and cons of being an only child. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/one-true-thing/201106/susan-newman-the-case-the-only-child The purpose of having a conversation is to communicate and share thoughts and ideas. However, a lot of conversations seem more about making a point or telling people why they are wrong and/or why you are right. Communications expert Andrew Blotky has worked in political communications at Facebook, The White House and Congress and he is author of a book called Honestly Speaking: How the Way We Communicate Transforms Leadership, Love and Life (https://amzn.to/2YL4W36). Andrew joins me to discuss a better way to approach important conversations so that everyone feels heard and ideas are actually shared. This Week's Sponsors -Capterra. To find the best software for you business for free go to www.Capterra.com/something. -LinkedIn Job. For $50 off your first job post, go to www.Linkedin.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever noticed that when you are working on a problem or trying to come up with an idea there comes a point of diminishing returns? The harder you concentrate, the worse it gets. It’s true for everyone and there is a sweet spot after which your efforts suffer. This episode begins with a discussion on why this happens and when you should stop trying and go do something else. https://hbr.org/2014/07/get-your-brain-unstuck At times in your life there have been important moments that have helped to shape who you are. These are transformative moments. Perhaps someone said something to you that made you think differently about yourself or your abilities – good or bad. So what is it about these brief moments in life that make them so powerful they can change your course in life or even change what you think of yourself? Dr. Michael Roussel is an associate professor at southern Oregon University and has been studying transformative moments for over three decades. He joins me to reveal the surprising reason why these moments stick with us and how you can use these moments to your advantage. To see Michael’s TED talk on the subject, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5O6mFWpgZo&t=3s How do you clean a dusty oil painting or rusty old gardening tools? Well, those are just a few of the dirty things you can clean with some handy items that are in your kitchen. Listen as I explain. https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/more-surprising-natural-cleaners As many as half of all people in the U.S. consider themselves introverted. As you might imagine, those people often feel at a disadvantage particularly when it comes to getting ahead in the workplace. However, there are some advantages to being an introvert and ways to play to those strengths according to career coach Jane Finkle, author of the book The Introvert’s Complete Career Guide (https://amzn.to/2Z0YmRr). Listen as Nancy explains some great strategies for introverts to navigate through the world of work. This Week’s Sponsors -Proactiv. Go to www.Proactiv.com/SOMETHING and with your order, you’lll also receive Proactiv’s “On the Go Bag” (close to a $100 value!) PLUS FREE SHIPPING & a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can your boss spy on you? You bet! This episode explains just how far an employer can go to keep tables on you and what you are up to. http://workrights.us/ Do you have a lot of self-confidence? Could you use a little more? We probably all could and Lana Otoya author of The Mindset of Self Confidence: Why Self Confidence Has Nothing to Do with Speaking Up or Standing Straight (https://amzn.to/2yKXqWu) joins me to explain how self-confidence works, what it is and how to develop more of it. Are you religious? If not, you might want to be? Listen as I discuss the amazing health benefits that happen when you believe in a religion. Duke Johnson, M.D. author of “Optimal Health” Intelligence is a funny thing. Sure, it’s good to be smart but there is also a down side. David Robson is a journalist for for the BBC, the Atlantic, and New Scientist and he is also author of the book The Intelligence Trap: The Intelligence Trap: Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes (https://amzn.to/2YRNYLz). He joins me to explain just what intelligence is and how (and when) being intelligent can be a bad thing. This Week’s Sponsors -Embark Dog DNA Test Kit. Go to www.Embarkvet.com and use Promo code SOMETHING to save 15%. -SimpliSafe. Go to www.SimpliSafe.com/SOMETHING to get free shipping and a money-back guarantee! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do people have nightmares? Do they serve a purpose? This episode begins with some fascinating facts about nightmares and the people who have them. https://www.prevention.com/health/g20516173/6-creepy-things-you-never-knew-about-your-nightmares/ Where do good ideas come from? Good ideas typically blossom in environments that encourage people to express their ideas. Yet we often shoot down people’s ideas before they have a chance to develop. One place that does NOT happens is in improv theater. That’s where someone throws out an idea and everyone adds to it to see if they can make it interesting or funny. And there may be a real lesson there for the rest of us according to Norm LaViolette an improv performer, founder of Improv Asylum in Boston and author of a book called The Art of Making it Up: Using the Principles of IMPROV to Become an Unstoppable Force (https://amzn.to/2YLvegE). Norm consults major corporations on how to use the skills of improv to nurture great ideas and he joins me to share his strategies with you. I know I’ve heard the advice that if you fake a smile that it can actually make you feel better. Or could it be that faking a smile when you don’t feel happy can actually make you feel worse? Listen and find out what the research says. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-02/msu-sfa022211.php You probably wouldn’t have guessed off the top of your head that mosquitoes are our deadliest predator - but they are according to Tim Winegard, a professor of history and political science at Colorado Mesa University and author of the book The Mosquito:A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator (https://amzn.to/31pWnHV). Tim joins me to offer a fascinating explanation of how the mosquito has killed more people and changed the course of history in ways you never knew. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you wear a certain fragrance, people will perceive you as 12 pounds thinner. That’s just one of many fascinating things I discuss about you amazing sense of smell in the first segment of this episode. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/02/scents We spend our entire lives learning. Yet we seldom think about HOW we learn. One person who has thought about it a lot is Scott Young, author of the book UltraLearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career (https://amzn.to/2yCu4cF). Scott joins me to discuss the best and worst ways to learn anything and how you can learn anything better. Gotta cramp? Reach for the pickles. There is some fascinating research I discuss on how what appears to be an effective and fast cure for a muscle cramp and it is in a jar of pickles. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/phys-ed-can-pickle-juice-stop-muscle-cramps/ We all come in contact with difficult and unreasonable people. What is the best way to deal with them? Well, it depends on what the goal is, according to Rick Brinkman, author of Dealing with People You Can’t Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst (https://amzn.to/2YG8cMa). Rick reveals the best ways to handle jerks, idiots and other difficult people who get in your way so that you get what you want without escalating the trouble. This Week's Sponsors -Dashlane. For a 30 day free trial of Dashlane Premium go to www.Dashlane.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kim Kardashian and her sisters speak with something called “vocal fry.” In fact a lot of women do and it is a real problem. This episode begins with an explanation of what vocal fry is and why it is harmful to a person’s vocal health and professional career. http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/15/get-your-creak-on-is-vocal-fry-a-female-fad/ Have you ever sabotaged yourself? You go for a goal and somehow screw it up and it was no one else's fault but yours. The really good news is – everyone has done it. It is very human. And there is something you can do to stop it. Judy Ho a triple board-certified and licensed clinical and forensic psychologist and author of the book Stop Self Sabotage (https://amzn.to/2yltujB) joins me to explore this fascinating topic and reveals what you can do to stop it. Ever go to the beach but chicken out when it comes to going in the water? Whether it is an ocean, river or lake, you need to take a dip this summer and I will explain the excellent reasons why it is well worth it. https://www.livestrong.com/article/400377-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-swimming-in-sea-water/ When you look at the universe, do you see chaos or order? While it may look chaotic, the great minds of science have discovered a distinct order to the universe. Why is this important? Graham Farmelo, senior research fellow at the Science Museum in London, adjunct professor of physics at Northeastern University and author of the book The Universe Speaks in Numbers: How Modern Math Reveals Nature's Deepest Secrets (https://amzn.to/2MtOJbg) is here to explain. He will fascinate you with his explanation about how the universe is quite mathematical – and not chaotic at all! This Week’s Sponsors -Dashlane. For a 30 day free trial plus 10% off Dashlane Premium go to www.Dashlane.com/SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pizza math. It’s worth knowing because when you understand it, you’ll realize why a small pizza is usually a lousy deal. This episode begins with a mathematical formula that will save you real dough on your next pizza. http://lifehacker.com/the-math-equation-that-explains-why-you-should-alwaysb-1784641566 How well do you organize, prioritize and execute your life? I bet you wish you were better at it – at least some of the time. World renowned productivity expert David Allen, author of the book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (https://amzn.to/32Vr6Or) is here to offer some amazingly simple yet powerful ways to live and work more efficiently so you have plenty of time for you. Since so many people are dehydrated, listen and discover a quick way to tell if you are. This test requires nothing more than to pinch the skin on the back of your hand. http://www.livestrong.com/article/252621-how-to-tell-if-you-are-dehydrated/ Have you ever experienced brain fog? It’s knowing that you are not performing at your best. A lot of things can contribute to it – including stress and diet – and there can be serious long term effects. Dr. Mike Dow, author of the books The Brain Fog Fix (https://amzn.to/3105nTG) and Your Subconscious Brain Can Change Your Life (https://amzn.to/2yl6u3W) joins me to discuss how to combat the feeling and optimize your brain to perform at its best. This Week’s Sponsors -Capterra. To find the best software solutions for your business for free, go to www.Capterra.com/something -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you take your own bags to the grocery store, there may be an unintended health consequence – and it’s not good. This episode begins by revealing what happens to some people who use reusable grocery bags. https://grist.org/food/are-your-reusable-grocery-bags-making-you-fat/ How you drive has a real impact on the flow of traffic. Tom Vanderbilt, author of the book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do and What It Says About Us (https://amzn.to/2XTgPDL) joins me to explain why traffic flows the way it does, why it sometimes stops for no reason and how your driving affects other drivers. He also reveals what we can all do to make traffic work better. What’s the best way to get ketchup out of the bottle? Everyone seems to have their own technique. However, the people at Heinz ketchup created a secret little way that works if you know what to look for. I’ll explain their method which actually works on any ketchup bottle. https://www.today.com/food/how-get-ketchup-out-bottle-trick-heinz-57-t118061 Some people are just more likable than others. And there are some simple strategies anyone can use to make themselves more likable. Michelle Tillis Lederman author of the book The 11 Laws of Likability (https://amzn.to/2LwUoxn) is here to explain what makes someone likable and how anyone can improve their likability. This Week’s Sponsors -Native Deodorant. For 20% off your first purchase go to www.nativedeodorant.com and use the promo code SYSK at checkout -Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something -Linked In Jobs. Get $50 off your first job post at www.LinkedIn.com/podcast -Proactiv. Go to www.Proactiv.com/SOMETHING and with your order, you'lll also receive Proactiv’s “On the Go Bag” (close to a $100 value!) PLUS FREE SHIPPING & a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee! -Embark DNA Kit. Go to www.EmbarkVet.com and use Promo code SOMETHING to save 15% off your Dog DNA Test Kit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever flush the toilet with your foot to avoid the germs on the handle? It’s one of many well-intentioned but flawed techniques to steer clear of germs lurking in nasty places. This episode begins with some ways people try to avoid germs that fail and better ways instead. http://www.menshealth.com/health/things-that-do-not-protect-from-germs/slide/2 Why do smart people do stupid things? Admit it, you’ve done dumb things and you KNOW you should have known better. What’s so interesting is there are several factors that make it more likely you will do something stupid. Joining me to explain what they are is Adam Robinson who is one of the co-founders of the Princeton Review and is now a top financial adviser. He created a Power Point presentation called “How Not to be Stupid” and I know you will find this conversation interesting and useful. BTW, you can find Adam on Twitter – @IAmAdamRobinson. Ask people what makes them laugh and they usually say they laugh at jokes or humor. Well that is partly true but we laugh at a lot of other things too. Listen to hear what we laugh at most often and why. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200011/the-science-laughter When you show appreciation, wonderful things happen. That’s according to Noelle Nelson who has written several books on the subject of appreciation including The Power of Appreciation (https://amzn.to/2JMOu87). She says there is real science that proves being appreciative is good for your physical and mental well-being and she joins me to discuss exactly how this works and how to put into practice. This Week’s Sponsors -Native Deodorant. For 20% off your first purchase go to www.nativedeodorant.com and use the promo code SYSK at checkout -Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something -Linked In Jobs. Get $50 off your first job post at www.LinkedIn.com/podcast -Proactiv. Go to www.Proactiv.com/SOMETHING and with your order, you'lll also receive Proactiv’s “On the Go Bag” (close to a $100 value!) PLUS FREE SHIPPING & a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee! -Embark DNA Kit. Go to www.EmbarkVet.com and use Promo code SOMETHING to save 15% off your Dog DNA Test Kit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I suspect every parent wonders how they will be remembered in their child’s mind. What kind of parents do your kids think you were? This episode begins with a look at what children tend to remember most about mom and dad. https://time.com/4097995/parenting-kids-remember/ Some moments stand out in your life while many other moments are a blur or have long been forgotten. So what makes that special moments so special? And once you know that can you create more of them? Dan Heath joins me to explore that question. Dan is co-author of the book, The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact (http://amzn.to/2yY3fOH) Are you a worrier? Worriers are often told not to worry because supposedly, it doesn’t help. Well maybe it does. Listen as I discuss some interesting research that shows how all that worrying can really pay off. http://www.purewow.com/wellness/worrying-and-intelligence Being a perfectionist must be frustrating since it is impossible for humans to be perfect. Still, a lot of people strive for perfection in an imperfect world and it causes a lot of problems. If you are a perfectionist or know one, listen as I speak with clinical psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo author of the book, Better Than Perfect: 7 Strategies to Crush Your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love (https://amzn.to/32tNfDb). This Week’s Sponsors -Omax Health. For 50% off your first box of Omax Sleep and Stress Remedy with CBD plus free shipping go to www.Omax Health.com and use the promo code: SYSK -SimpliSafe. For a 60 day risk-free trial and free shipping, go to www.SimpliSafe.com/something -Dashlane. For a 30 day free trial plus 10% off Dashlane Premium go to www.Dashlane.com/SYSK -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Low-fat milk and dairy products are better than whole fat versions of the same thing – right? That is the prevailing wisdom. Yet this episode begins with some compelling evidence that we need to rethink that whole notion that low-fat is better. http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/foods-to-avoid-8-worst-foods-in-your-fridge Every day you spend time caring for your skin. It is, after all, the largest organ in the body. Yet there are so many myths about the skin and how to best care for it. Here to help bust those myths and offer some rock solid advice is dermatologist Dr. David Leffell. He is an internationally recognized expert in skin health, founder and chief of the Dermatologic Surgery Program at Yale Medicine and author of the book Total Skin: The Definitive Guide to Whole Skin Care for Life (https://amzn.to/30zZvjX). Who couldn’t use a little more space in their home? Listen as I offer some amazingly simple yet clever strategies for getting rid of things you will never miss and open up all kinds of space. http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/declutter-garage Your time is a precious commodity. So shouldn’t you be using it to do the things that matter most? That’s what time management expert John Zeratsky believes and he joins me to offer some ways to help get a handle on your time by eliminating those things that waste time and prevent you from doing things that are important to you. John is author of the book Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day (https://amzn.to/2jLBYwG). This Week’s Sponsors -Omax Health. For 50% off your first box of Omax Sleep and Stress Remedy with CBD plus free shipping go to www.Omax Health.com and use the promo code: SYSK -SimpliSafe. For a 60 day risk-free trial and free shipping, go to www.SimpliSafe.com/something -Dashlane. For a 30 day free trial plus 10% off Dashlane Premium go to www.Dashlane.com/SYSK -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have a fender bender with another driver, should you just work it out between the two of you or should you report it to the insurance company? This episode begins by explaining the answer to that and why it is so important. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/09/should-you-report-that-fender-bender-auto-insurance-claims-consumer-reports/index.htm Having a job isn’t what it used to be. The changing economy is creating a lot of new jobs while eliminating others and somehow you have to survive amidst all that change. Joining me to help you navigate all of this is Neil Irwin, he is a senior economic correspondent at The New York Times, and author of the book How to Win in a Winner-Take-All World (https://amzn.to/2XKoFP2). Neil offers a strategy that will help bulletproof your career and allow you the grow in whatever field you choose. I bet you have wondered when you leave the house in the morning if you should turn off the AC and turn it back on when you get back – or just leave it on? Well, in terms of efficiency and saving money there is only one answer and I’ll reveal it here. http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/should-you-turn-your-ac-off-when-you-leave Ever wonder why some advertising seems to work on you while other advertising messages don’t? Considering how many advertising messages you hear everyday, it is amazing you recall any of them. Marketing expert Neale Martin author of the book The 95% of Behavior Marketers Ignore (https://amzn.to/2LGFc02) joins me as we explore how advertising works on your mind and what causes you to respond or not. This Weeks Sponsors -Quip Toothbrush. Get your first refill pack free. Go to www.GetQuip.com/something -Capterra. To find the best software solutions for your business for free, go to www.Capterra.com/something -Linzess. For information about your IBSC symptoms go to www.ohmygut.info/podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People are not getting sick and dying like they used to. The number of cases of some very common diseases have dropped dramatically over the last few decades and you’ll never guess why. Listen and find out as this episode begins with an explanation – sort of. http://www.popsci.com/many-diseases-are-declining-and-doctors-arent-sure-why Do you ever wish you had more willpower? It does seem that some people have a lot more of it than others. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal says you probably have more of it than you think and you can create more of it. Kelly is a lecturer at Stanford University and author of the book The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More (https://amzn.to/2JqGQ35). She joins me to explain how willpower works and how you can have more of it. When was the last time you washed your credit cards? Never right? Well your credit cards are one of many things crawling with germs you probably never think to clean. Listen to discover what else in your home might need a little disinfectant sooner than later. http://www.fitandfabliving.com/health/health-trends/6435-seven-surprisingly-dirtysurfaces You may not think about it much but one very important ingredient in everything you eat or drink is – time! Too much time can ruin a lot of food yet some food gets better and better the longer you leave it alone. Food writer Jenny Linford, author of the book The Missing Ingredient: The Curious Role of Time in Food and Flavor (https://amzn.to/2XuHGWy) joins me with a fascinating explanation on how time matters in almost anything you eat or drink. This Weeks Sponsors -Quip Toothbrush. Get your first refill pack free. Go to www.GetQuip.com/something -Capterra. To find the best software solutions for your business for free, go to www.Capterra.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hot summer days are often called the “dog days of summer.” Why? This episode begins with an explanation of that. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a21725/dog-days/ You make a lot of choices every day. Some are harder to make than others. Listening to this episode will likely help make better choices. Joining me is Joseph Bikart author of the book The Art of Decision Making: How We Move from Indecision to Smart Choices (https://amzn.to/2xsIwmW). After listening you may change the way you look at the choices you make. It seems a lot of homeowners are over-watering their lawns. Doing so not only wastes water but causes some other problems as well. Listen and discover how to check that your lawn is getting just the right amount of water. http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/water/lawn_care_and_irrigation.html Having fun at work may seem counterproductive. How can you get work done if you are having fun? Well, it seems to be more complicated than that. In fact having fun may be just the thing for getting more work done – better! Joining me to explain is Dave Crenshaw a speaker and trainer who has authored five books. One of them is called The Power of Having Fun (https://amzn.to/2xoQYUj) This Week's Sponsors -Fab Fit Fun. For 10% off your first box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You sometimes see products labeled refurbished – particularly electronics. Are they a good deal? This episode begins by looking at what refurbished means and whether or not it is a good deal worth considering or if you are better off leaving those products on the shelf. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/laptops/refurbished-electronics-buying-guide You are constantly trying to persuade and influence people. Whether it is your boss, your family, your co-workers or your friends, exerting your influence is how you get them to understand you and go along with your ideas. Joining me with some practical advice on how to be more influential is Shelle Rose Chavret. She is an expert on influencing and persuasion and author of the book Words That Change Minds (https://amzn.to/2ITFGOt) While some people are more optimistic than others, there is no doubt that being more optimistic has a lot of benefits. I discuss some of those benefits and how to look at life in a more positive light. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/prescriptions-life/200911/dont-worry-be-happy-the-surprising-benefits-optimism Pet ownership is at an all-time high. About 70% of us have at least one pet. And we all have questions about our pets’ health and happiness. Here with some answers to both common and perplexing pet questions is veterinarian Dr. Gary Weitzman who is host of the NPR radio show The Animal House and author of National Geographic Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness (https://amzn.to/2NllHN5) This Week's Sponsors -Fab Fit Fun. For 10% off your first box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you washed your watch? Not recently I bet. So this episode begins with just how gross and disgusting the surface of your watch and watchband are and why they need a bath right now – today! http://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-watches-three-times-dirtier-than-toilet-seats-study-finds-20190623 Some people believe vaccines cause autism – science says no. Some people believe in ghosts and UFOs – science says no. But just because science can’t explain it – does that mean it isn’t true? Steven Novella is a skeptic who believes that we should probably all be a bit more skeptical of things, events and phenomenon that can’t be explained and he joins me to reveal why this is so important. Steven is the author of the book The Skeptics Guide to the Universe (https://amzn.to/2Ycr16d) and host of the podcast of the same name which you can find on your favorite podcast platform or here: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcasts If you like yogurt, you’ll like it even better if you eat from a certain type of spoon. If you like cheese it will most likely taste better to you if eat it off a particular type of utensil. Listen to find out which spoon and which utensil and why this happens to be true. https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/06/27/yogurt-tastes-different-depending-on-the-spoon/ Do you suck at something? Maybe it’s playing an instrument or skiing or cooking. You probably didn’t start out wanting to suck at it – but here we are. You do it and you suck at it. Well, it turns out that may be a good thing. Writer Karen Rinaldi author of the book It’s Great to Suck at Something (https://amzn.to/2Lj05xY) explains why it is perfectly fine to NOT do some things well. She has been a surfer for 18 years and by her own admission – sucks at it. But she still does it, she still loves it and says there are actual benefits to doing things not for the achievement or the trophy but just to do it. This Week's Sponsors -Paint Your Life. To learn more and get a 30% discount text SYSK to 48-48-48 -Purple Mattress. To get a free pillow with a purchase of a mattress text the word: something to 84888 -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform. American River Nutrition. Get your free copy of Dr. Barrie Tan’s book The Truth about Vitamin E at www.BarrieTan.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it okay to talk with people on a speakerphone with their permission? What about bringing a gift to a party when the invitation says: No Gifts? This episode begins with a discussion on some common etiquette mistakes you may be making – and how to correct them. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/etiquette/etiquette-mistakes The space and environment you are in right know can affect your thinking, your behavior and your communication in ways you likely don’t even realize. Lily Bernheimer is a researcher, writer, and consultant in environmental psychology and founding director of Space Works Consulting. She is also author of the book The Shaping of Us: How Everyday Spaces Structure our Lives, Behaviour, and Well-Being (https://amzn.to/2WXBd0X) and joins me to offer an interesting glimpse into how things like the table you sit at, the position of the chairs and the human desire for nature all affect how you think and perform in the space you are in. Summer vacation photos will turn out dramatically better if you listen to some simple, expert photography advice I discuss in this episode. There are several good tips here including the need to move closer and closer to your subject. https://digital-photography-school.com/10-photography-hacks-will-dramatically-improve-photos/ We now have an entire generation of mechanically illiterate kids according to Temple Grandin. She is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and she was also the subject of the Emmy and Golden Globe winning biographical film. She is one of the first individuals on the autism spectrum to publicly share insights from her personal experience of autism and she is the subject and author of several books including one called Calling All Minds: How To Think and Create Like an Inventor (https://amzn.to/2N5wFWS). She joins me to discuss how so many kids today are not exposed to tools and the mechanical world of things and how this has resulted in a generation of people who can’t build or fix anything. This has significant ramifications in our world including a lack of talented people in very lucrative trades like plumbing, electrical and auto repair. And that’s just the beginning of the problem. This Week's Sponsors -Paint Your Life. To learn more and get a 30% discount text SYSK to 48-48-48 -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform. American River Nutrition. Get your free copy of Dr. Barrie Tan’s book The Truth about Vitamin E at www.BarrieTan.com/something -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Driving while texting, talking, eating or drinking can all distract you from paying attention to the road. So what about listening to the radio while driving? Is that a distraction? This episode begins with an exploration of that question that yields a surprising answer.https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20130620/music-doesnt-hurt-driving-performance-study-suggests#1 So many relationships start off great and then end badly. So what is it that goes wrong? Here with some great insight into that and some unique solutions to improve your relationship is Mort Fertel. Mort is a relationship expert and creator of the “Marriage Fitness” program that has helped thousands of couples save their marriages. He is a frequent expert guest on television and author of the book Marriage Fitness: 4 Steps to Building & Maintaining Phenomenal Love (https://amzn.to/2KrnNZc) To get Mort’s free report: 7 Secrets to Fix a Marriage go to www.MarriageMax.com Next time you go on a job interview try to pick the day and time if you can. I’ll explain why it could make a huge difference and exactly what day and time to schedule it. https://lifehacker.com/the-best-time-to-schedule-a-job-interview-1738809779 You probably spend more time on email than you realize. A lot more! That’s why communications expert Dianna Booher is here to discuss the problem and more importantly, the solutions. Dianna is the author of the book, Faster Fewer Emails: Manage the Volume, Reduce The Stress Love the Results (https://amzn.to/2FkoVda) and she has some very powerful advice that will help you get a handle on your email so it stops running your life. This Week’s Sponsors -American River Nutrition. Get your free copy of Dr. Barrie Tan’s book The Truth about Vitamin E at www.BarrieTan.com/something -Mighty Travels Premium. Get your 30 day free trial at www.MightyTravels.com/something -Ancestry. For 20% off your Ancestry DNA Kit go to www.Ancestry.com/something -Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you appear confident, people find that attractive. Sometimes though, when you wish you could appear confident you feel just the opposite. So I begin this episode with quick, easy and effective techniques to appear more confident when the feeling doesn’t come naturally. http://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/how-to-be-confident/1/ What if you could start a successful side business with little money and get it up and running in 30 days? Sound impossible? Well Chris Guillebeau says otherwise. Chris is the author of 100 Side Hustles: Unexpected Ideas for Making Extra Money Without Quitting Your Day Job (https://amzn.to/2IIo4nv) and host of the popular podcast Side Hustle School (https://sidehustleschool.com). He has become the expert on what it takes to start a side hustle, keep your day job and find a new revenue stream that can help you be more financially secure. Listen as Chris explains how you can start your own side hustle. You’ve probably heard the stories about how attractive people get better treatment from others, make more money and basically seem to have an easier path in life. Well, it also turns out you are more likely to trust someone who is good looking too. Listen as I explore one more perk enjoyed by the beautiful people. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160613111652.htm Think about how important the weather is to your life. In many ways we plan our lives around the weather – or more specifically around the weather forecast. We rely on the predictions of meteorologists who are sometimes right and other times – dead wrong! Journalist Andrew Blum is author of the book The Weather Machine: A Journey inside the Forecast (https://amzn.to/2F2LLWE) and he joins me to explain the fascinating way weather is predicted and how weather forecasts are getting more and more accurate – most of the time. This Week’s Sponsors -American River Nutrition. Get your free copy of Dr. Barrie Tan’s book The Truth about Vitamin E at www.BarrieTan.com/something -Mighty Travels Premium. Get your 30 day free trial at www.MightyTravels.com/something -Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every airport runway has a number and it is always between 1and 36. This episode begins with how airport runways get their numbers (it is not random) and what purpose those numbers serve. I’ll also explain why sometimes the runway numbers have to change. https://www.wired.com/2014/05/the-hidden-beauty-of-airport-runways-and-how-to-decipher-them/ When you make a decision, you hope you make the right one. And there are some decision making models that can help you make better decisions more consistently. Gabriel Weinberg has looked at these mental models and put them in a book called Super Thinking: The Big Book of Mental Models (https://amzn.to/2F5c3re). Listen as Gabriel explains how these models work and how you can use them to be a much better decision maker. So often we’ve been told that things like alcohol, coffee and other vices are bad for you. That doesn’t always tell the whole story. A lot of what people consider sinful, may not be so bad in moderation according to journalist Erik Ofgang. Erik and his father Dr. Henry Ofgang have looked at the latest research and found some vices may actually be beneficial. They have putt their findings in a book called The Good Vices: From Beer to Sex, the Surprising Truth About What's Actually Good for You (https://amzn.to/2MH6sgR). Listen as Erik joins me to explain what they found. With summer vacation season here, there is a phone call or two you need to make before you leave for your vacation that can save you a lot of hassle when you get to your destination. Listen to discover who you should call. https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/photo-gallery/35113991/image/45008935/Call-your-bank This Week’s Sponsors -Paint Your Life. To learn more and get a 30% discount text SYSK to 48-48-48 -SimpliSafe. For free shipping and a 60 day risk-free trial go to www.SimpliSafe.com/something -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform. -Lively. For $10 off your first order go to www.WearLively.com/something and use promo code: something -Linzess. For information about your IBSC symptoms go to www.ohmygut.info/podcast. -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com -Geico. Save 15% or more on car insurance at www.Geico.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My mother used to tell me when I was a kid that coffee would stunt my growth. But seriously, can coffee do that? Can coffee sober you up if you are drunk? This episode begins with a look at what coffee can and cannot do. http://lifehacker.com/four-popular-coffee-myths-debunked-by-science-1780764499 We’ve all been told that generic drugs are equivalent to name brand drugs at a fraction of the price. Well, not necessarily. Most generic drugs are made in India and China and oversight by the FDA is not as great as you think. Investigative journalist Katherine Eban has just published an explosive expose that tells a troubling story about the safety and effectiveness of generic drugs. The book is called Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom (https://amzn.to/2K1f6Vm). If you or someone you know takes prescription drugs, you need to hear this. Katherine’s website is www.KatherineEban.com Too much sun is a problem. But so is too little sun. It turns out there is strong medical evidence that some sun is good for your health. Listen to hear how much and what it is good for. (http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/sun-affects-your-body/) Choosing on a career path and finding the right job is a haphazard experience for a lot of us. However, there is actually some science behind how to find a job, do it well and move up the ladder. One of the leading expert in this field is Art Markman, professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin and author of the new book Bring Your Brain To Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do It Well and Advance Your Career (https://amzn.to/2WpTbc6). Art joins me for a fascinating look at a better way to find professional success. This Week’s Sponsors -SimpliSafe. For free shipping and a 60 day risk-free trial go to www.SimpliSafe.com/something -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform. -Lively. For $10 off your first order go to www.WearLively.com/something and use promo code: something -Linzess. For information about your IBSC symptoms go to www.ohmygut.info/podcast. -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com -Geico. Save 15% or more on car insurance at www.Geico.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I smell the scent of fresh cut grass it transports me back to my childhood. It is a great smell. It also turns out to be beneficial to most people. I begin this episode by explaining the scientific benefits of smelling a freshly mowed lawn.( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1209360/Why-mowing-lawn-relieves-stressboosts-memory.html) How do you make real change in yourself and others? That’s the topic of my discussion with Joseph Grenny, a social scientist, speaker and one of the authors of a book Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change (https://amzn.to/2XADNeJ) . Joseph explains just how you can influence and change behavior so it benefits you and lasts a long time. Have you noticed when you go to a party that the more people drink – the louder the party gets? There is actually a fascinating reason why – and it has to do with your hearing. Listen as I explain. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2031886 For your entire life, you learn. Learning is how we grow and improve and find meaning in life. Yet HOW we learn is something that is seldom discussed even though it is critical to how well we learn new skills, facts and ideas. Joining me to discuss how we can all learn anything better is Bradley Staats. He is a professor at the University of North Carolina where his teaching focuses s on how to improve individual learning. He is also author of the book Never Stop Learning: Stay Relevant, Reinvent Yourself, and Thrive (https://amzn.to/2ImJYN3). This Week's Sponsors -Lively. For $10 off your first order go to www.WearLively.com/something and use promo code: something -LinkedIn. To get $50 off your first job post, go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast -Capterra. To find the best software solutions for your business for free, go to www.Capterra.com/something -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform -Fab Fit Fun. To get $10 off your first Fab Fit Fun box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use promo code: something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Automobile traffic, like the weather, is hard to predict. The slightest thing can cause a traffic jam and sometimes it seems that traffic jams just happen for no apparent reason. I begin this episode by exploring one oddity of traffic – where the solution usually makes the problem worse. (Edward Humes author of the book Door to Door). To be a success you have to get really good at one thing as soon as possible. In other words, you have to specialize. While that concept seems to make sense, it turns out to be flawed, according to journalist David Epstein, author of the book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. Listen as he explains why being a generalist is a better path to success despite popular opinion to the contrary. Spanking as a form of punishment is a lot less common than it used to be but there are still many parents around the world who still believe that when you spare the rod, you spoil the child. Listen as I explain why a lot of those parents will live to regret it. (30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer) Our world is crawling with “extreme” creatures. By that I mean the largest, fastest, smallest, strongest and smartest. There is a lot we can learn from these animals and organisms. For example, the largest mammal could help us end cancer. The fastest bird is teaching engineers about flight. Matthew LaPlante, a professor of journalism at Utah State University is author of the book Superlative: The Biology of Extremes. He joins me to reveal the fascinating reasons why these creatures became so extreme in their own right and why they are so fascinating. This Week's Sponsors -LinkedIn. To get $50 off your first job post, go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast -Capterra. To find the best software solutions for your business for free, go to www.Capterra.com/something -Stroke of Genius Podcast. Subscribe to Stroke of Genius on Apple Podcasts, at www.ipoef.org, or your favorite podcast platform -Fab Fit Fun To get $10 off your first Fab Fit Fun box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use promo code: something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever had to wait forever to get a prescription filled? Why does it take so long to take pills out of a big bottle and put them in a little bottle? I start this episode with the answer – and it may surprise you. http://mentalfloss.com/article/79615/12-behind-scenes-secrets-pharmacists When I think of innovators, I think of the champions of innovation – Leonardo DaVinci, Steve Jobs or that guy who invented the wheel. But we all actually innovate. We have to in order to solve the problems in our lives. According to Hal Gregerson, we can all learn to be better at it. Hal is Executive Director of the MIT Leadership Center and Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and co-author of the book The Innovators DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators (https://amzn.to/2Qz26qm). Listen and discover the secrets of great innovators. You would think that a sad song would make a sad person even sadder. In fact it can actually cheer them up. Listen as I explain how this works. http://www.wnyc.org/story/why-sad-songs-make-us-happy/ Few people love to clean but since we all have to do it, we might as well do it faster and better. Melissa Maker is a real authority on the topic. She has over a million subscribers to her YouTube Channel called Clean My Space and she is author of the book Clean My Space (https://amzn.to/2K9r7rf). Listen as Melissa joins me to dazzle you with her cleaning advice. This Week’s Sponsors -Ancestry.For 20% off your Ancestry DNA kit, go to www.Ancestry.com/something -Omax Health. For 50% off OMAX Sleep and Stress Remedy go to www.OmaxHealth.com and use the promo code SYSK -Omax Health. For 20% off your on OMAX CryoFreeze or any purchase sitewide go to www.OmaxHealth.com and use the promo code: something -Purple. To get a free pillow with your mattress purchase text the word “Something” to 79-79-79. -Capital One. What’s in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While you are likely very good at noticing when you fail in life, keeping track of all the little victories is a much better activity. I begin this episode by explaining why those little victories can propel into big ones and why keeping a list is such a great idea. http://www.lifehack.org/398112/science-explains-how-writing-down-tinyachievements-every-day-changes-our-brains You are surrounded by colors, shapes, objects, nature and light. And all of those things have an effect on you. They impact your mood, your productivity and how you view the world and your fellow humans. Ingrid Fetell Lee is an expert on how design affects your health and well-being and is author of the book Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness (https://amzn.to/2M7N3pa). What she has to say will change the way you view the world around you. It is pretty common for parents to mix up the names of their children and call them by the wrong name. Interestingly though, you never call your kids by your cat’s name. So why does this happen? Parents obviously know the difference between their own kids. Listen and discover why the mix up is so common. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3594971/Do-mix-people-s-names-Don-tworry-not-going-senile-merely-filing-error-brain.html) Getting into debt is really easy – but getting out of debt is a whole other story. If you have more debt than you wish you had, you’ll want to hear Shannon Lee Simmons. She is a certified financial planner and author of the book Living Debt Free: The No Shame No Blame Guide to Getting Rid of Your Debt (https://amzn.to/2EzNa6N). Shannon joins me to explain the best and fastest way to get out of debt and still live your life. This Week’s Sponsors -Ancestry.For 20% off your Ancestry DNA kit, go to www.Ancestry.com/something -Omax Health. For 20% off your on OMAX CryoFreeze or any purchase sitewide go to www.OmaxHealth.com and use the promo code: something -Purple. To get a free pillow with your mattress purchase text the word “Something” to 79-79-79. -Capital One. What’s in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you turn your headlights on when you drive during the day? You should - and that is just one of several things I discuss that can instantly make you a better and safer driver even if you think you already are. http://www.cracked.com/article_20106_6-little-known-driving-tips-that-couldsave-your-life_p2.html If you have a computer then you have been hacked. That’s the conclusion of Marcus Carey who is a cybersecurity expert and what you call a “white hat hacker.” Companies pay him to break into their computer systems to see how vulnerable they are. He joins me to discuss just how easy it is for hackers to hack into your computer, your thermostat, your refrigerator and any other device hooked up to the Internet – and why they do. He also has some excellent suggestions to protect yourself. Marcus is the author of the book Tribe of Hackers: Cybersecurity Advice from the Best Hackers in the World (https://amzn.to/2VGRdUv). Will you be going to church this weekend? It is worth considering if you want to live a long life. I discuss some fascinating research that connects longevity with attending religious services. http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2521827 You can certainly argue that healthcare today has lost some of its personal touch. If you’ve ever gone to the doctor and had him look at a computer screen more than he looks at you – then you know what I mean. So what can be done to help doctors and patients connect and put a little more humanity make in the healthcare business? Dr. Eric Topol sees a solution. Eric is the author of the book Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Medicine Human Again (https://amzn.to/2HxZoii). He joins me to explain how we can integrate artificial intelligence into our medical care to make it better for everyone. This Week's Sponsors -Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something -Calming Comfort. Order a Calming Comfort weighted blanket and get $15 off the displayed price when you use promo code: something15. Go to www.CalmingComfortBlanket.com. -Capital One. Go to www.CapitalOne.com. What's in your wallet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texting and driving is dangerous. Everyone know that. But why is it so much more dangerous than driving and drinking coffee or driving and talking or driving and tuning the radio? There is actually a good answer for that you need to hear so this episode starts with that. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-05/uoh-ass050916.php You ask questions all day long because that is how to learn and connect with others. So asking better questions will help learn and connect even better according to journalist Warren Berger author of The Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead (https://amzn.to/2YI202R). Warren has studied the power of questions and when you are done listening to what he says, you’ll think more carefully about how you ask them. Women stare at attractive men just as men stare at women. But what are women looking at specifically? What body parts stand out in women’s minds? Listen and find out. http://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/the-very-first-thing-women-notice-about-guys We all carry baggage from our childhood into our adult life. What we do with it will determine whether it gets in the way or allows you to live a full and productive life. Libby Gill is someone who had a lot of baggage. Today she is the head of her own executive coaching firm – she is the former head of communications and public relations for Sony, Universal, and Turner Broadcasting, and she is author of the book Traveling Hopefully, How to Lose Your Family Baggage and Jumpstart Your Life (https://amzn.to/2M9aChB). Libby joins me to tell her story and has wonderful advice for anyone who wants to shed that baggage. This Week's Sponsors -Grove. Get a 3-piece cleaning set from Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents, a free 60-day VIP membership, and a surprise bonus gift just for you when you sign up and place an order of $20 or more at www.grove.co/something -Calming Comfort. Order a Calming Comfort weighted blanket and get $15 off the displayed price when you use promo code: something15. Go to www.CalmingComfortBlanket.com. -Capital One. Go to www.CapitalOne.com. What's in your wallet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you get top dollar when you sell on eBay? Well of course you need good photos and a great description but it turns out some of the specific words in that description can really raise or lower the amount people will pay. I begin this episode with an explanation of that. (http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/a38347/how-to-make-money-on-ebay/) Workers improve when they get feedback. A company’s culture is the key to success. Good leadership is what makes a company thrive. Although you may believe these assumptions to be true, there is some good evidence they are not. Marcus Buckingham has studied people and performance for a long time and he joins me to explode some commonly held beliefs about workers and the workplace. Marcus’ new book is called Nine Lies About Work (https://amzn.to/2HlAkdW). If you work for a living and want to grow in your career, you need to hear this. Have you ever cracked an egg open and seen a little spot of what looks like blood inside? Is it safe to eat? I’ll explain what the food experts say about where that little spot of red comes from and just harmful it is. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-stir/egg-facts_b_2498764.html) Decisions about money always seem to be complicated. In part that is because we have so many financial decisions to make and there is a lot of emotion wrapped up in money. Amanda Clayman comes on the podcast as my guest to discuss how we make financial decisions, why it is hard and how to make better decisions with our money. Amanda is a financial therapist and a financial wellness advocate for Prudential. Her website is www.AmandaClayman.com This Week's Sponsors -Capterra. To discover the best software for your business - for free - go to www.Capterra.com/something -Linzess. For information about your IBSC symptoms go to www.ohmygut.info/podcast. -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to learn something better and faster, there is a little trick that seems to work. We begin this episode by revealing some research from John Hopkins School of Medicine that says a slight change in the way you learn any new skill can make all the difference in the world. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/want_to_learn_a_new_skill_faster_change_up_your_practice_sessions Nothing is more American than the hamburger. We eat a lot of them. So where did the hamburger originate? Who came up with the idea? How has it evolved over the years? Award-winning writer Chris Carosa, author of the book Hamburger Dreams:How Classic Crime Solving Techniques Helped Crack the Case of America’s Greatest Culinary (https://amzn.to/2Hevorp) did some good old fashioned detective work to uncover the real story of the hamburger. He joins me to discuss what he found. Your life is full of risks. Almost everything you do has some risk in it- from what you buy in the store to investments to simply driving down the street. Alison Schrager, an economist and journalist joins me to help us all understand how risks work and offers advice on how we can handle risk better. Alison is the author of the book An Economist Walks Into a Brothel: And Other Unexpected Places to Understand Risk (https://amzn.to/2VUkjDZ). It seems most people are put off by the sound of someone slurping their food. Yet people do it and in some cultures it is considered quite normal. So why do people do it? Does it serve a purpose that only people who slurp know about? Listen to find out. https://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/annoying-eating-habits/ This Week's Sponsors -Capterra. To discover the best software for your business - for free - go to www.Capterra.com/something -Linzess. For information about your IBSC symptoms go to www.ohmygut.info/podcast. -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does cooking food on the grill increase your risk of getting cancer? The answer is – maybe. But it isn’t that simple. This episode begins with a discussion on which foods may or may not increase cancer risk and how you cook that food may make all the difference. (http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/does-grilling-really-cause-cancer) In the old Star Trek TV show (filmed about 50 years ago), Scotty used to talk to the computer on board the starship Enterprise. That was how he communicated his commands. Fast forward to today and we are now doing the same thing with Siri and Alexa. So, is voice computing the beginning of a new revolution in computing that will unshackle us from the keyboard? Or is it just a quick way to set a timer, play music and find the nearest fast food restaurant - but not much more? Journalist James Vlahos joins me to discuss this. James is a contributor to The New York Times Magazine, Popular Science, Scientific American, the Atlantic, GQ, and National Geographic – and he is author of the book Talk to Me: How Voice Computing Will Transform the Way We Live, Work (https://amzn.to/2YinseC) What do Adidas, Ikea, Nutella, Porsche and Hermes have in common? They are all name brands that many people mispronounce. Listen to hear if you’ve been pronouncing them correctly or not. http://www.businessinsider.com/brand-names-mispronounced-2016-5 Have you ever worked for an incompetent boss and wondered how he or she ever got to where they are? There are interesting reasons why so many leaders in high places are incompetent – and it has been researched by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology at University College in London and Columbia University in New York. He is also author of the book Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders (and how to fix it). (https://amzn.to/2Jxqk37). He joins me to explain why this happens and how to stop it. This Week’s Sponsors -LinkedIn. Go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast to get $50 off your first job posting. -Ancestry. Go to www.Ancenstry.com/something to get your Ancestry DNA kit for only $50 (offer expires 5/13/19) -Better Help. Go to www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK to get 10% off your first month of counseling -Away Travel. For $20 off a suitcase go to www.awaytravel.com/something and use the promo code: something -Capital One. www.Capitalone.com. What’s in your wallet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you travel, there is a good chance you don’t sleep all that well the first night you are at your destination. It is so common it has a name – it is called the “First Night Effect.” This episode begins with an explanation for why it happens and some advice to counter the effects. http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822%2816%2930174-9 What exactly is your mind? I know that’s a weird question but think about it – you have a mind that determines who you are. So is your mind the same thing as your brain? If you took your brain and put it into someone else’s body would it still be the same mind? Would you still be you? To discuss that, I have invited Alan Jasonoff, a Professor at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT and author of the book The Biological Mind: How Brain Body and Environment Collaborate to Make Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/2VDYqbR). What’s better – beer in a bottle or a can? What’s the fastest way to chill champagne? These are just a few of the questions I tackle with expert advice on the proper ways to serve and drink wine, beer and spirits. https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/food-drinks/a54470/ways-youre-drinking-wrong/ Being an insecure person isn’t easy. You are frequently doubting yourself and you are very sensitive to criticism. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Is being insecure just part of your personality or something you can change? Where does that insecurity come from? Joining me to discuss this is Joseph Nowinski, he is a clinical psychologist and author of the book, The Tender Heart Conquering Your Insecurity (https://amzn.to/2VDTfca). This Week’s Sponsors -LinkedIn. Go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast to get $50 off your first job posting. -Ancestry. Go to www.Ancenstry.com/something to get your Ancestry DNA kit for only $50 (offer expires 5/13/19) -Better Help. Go to www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK to get 10% off your first month of counseling -Away Travel. For $20 off a suitcase go to www.awaytravel.com/something and use the promo code: something -Capital One. www.Capitalone.com. What’s in your wallet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Restaurants want you to spend more money. And the menu can be a powerful tool to accomplish that. This episode begins with exactly how restaurant menus entice you to buy more expensive items and spend more money in general. Listen and you are sure to save money. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/15-sneaky-restaurant-menu-tricks-that-tempt-you-spend-more.html In the old days, you had very little influence or impact as a consumer. You either bought products or services or you didn’t and there wasn’t an easy way to give feedback or talk with other customers like yourself. Then came the Internet. It has launched a new era for consumers and businesses alike. Joining me to talk about this is David Weinberger who has been a strategic marketing VP a “writer in residence” at Google a researcher, consultant and author of the book Everyday Chaos: Technology Complexity and How We’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility (https://amzn.to/2XPioxZ). Little behaviors mean a lot. How you shake hands, eye contact, whether or not you are late – they all send a message to other people. Listen as I explain what message they send and how to maximize the impact. (Travis Bradberry author of “Emotional Intelligence 2.0”) Sometimes the answer is right in front of you but you completely miss it. It happens to everyone – even the experts. Gordon Rugg – a British researcher and author of the book Blind Spot: Why We Fail to See the Solution Right in Front of Us (https://amzn.to/2GFXQCa) joins me to explain why this happens. Sometimes it is because we ask the wrong questions or we ask to wrong expert. Listen as Gordon shares some fascinating insight into this common problem. This Week's Sponsors -Fab Fit Fun. For $10 off your first box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to feel good, grab some money! I begin this episode by explaining how the simple act of handling money can make you feel a lot better if you are feeling a bit down. And the money doesn’t even have to be your money. http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1912574,00.html When you walk into a neat, clean and organized room, do you feel better? Calmer? A lot of people do. More order and less clutter can help you feel happier says Gretchen Rubin, host of the podcast, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” and author of the book Outer Order Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make Room for Happiness (https://amzn.to/2IB6HaC). Listen as Gretchen explains the psychology of order and how it relates to happiness. Plus she offers some great techniques to organize and create a calmer space. People hug their dogs. It is a sign of affection. However, dogs hate it and it can cause a lot of stress in your pet. Listen as I explain why it is not a good idea to hug your dog – in fact it can be dangerous. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201604/the-data-says-donthug-the-dog Mention the word “calculus” and people probably think of it as a high school math class that was very difficult. However, calculus is so much more. Without it there might not be cell phones or GPS or television. Calculus helped find a treatment for AIDS and helped us discover Neptune. Steven Strogatz is a professor of Applied Mathematics at Cornell and author of the book Infinite Powers: How Calculus Reveals the Secrets of the Universe (https://amzn.to/2Vvl3zv) and he joins me to explain exactly what calculus is and how critical it is to our modern world. This Week's Sponsors -Fab Fit Fun. For $10 off your first box go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine that while you are sleeping, a cleaning crew gets into your brain to clean out all the toxins so that your brain works better the next day. I know it sounds weird but it is exactly what happens. Listen as I begin this episode with that explanation. http://ens-newswire.com/2013/10/18/brain-cleans-itself-of-toxins-during-sleep/ Most great breakthrough ideas fail first and then get modified before they became a success. It often happens multiple times. Being open to learning from those early failures and being able to adapt your ideas is what helps make ideas prosper according to Safi Bahcall. Safi is a physicist and biotech entrepreneur and author of the book, Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas that Win Wars, Cure Diseases and Transform Industries (https://amzn.to/2GsXA8u). Listen as Safi offers insight and great examples of how important inventions and breakthroughs have happened by learning from failure and how we all can do it. Often the reason you get upset or stressed out is because things aren’t the way you think they SHOULD be… Traffic should not be so heavy, your doctor should not keep you waiting – that type of thing. Listen as I explore how to change that thinking to relieve yourself of unnecessary frustration. http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/04/frustrated/ When I think of compulsive behavior, I think of people who wash their hands a lot or check to see if they locked the door or turned off the coffee pot 50 times a day. While that seems to be extreme compulsive behavior, how is it any different than checking your smart phone 86 times a day? (That's the average). Science writer Sharon Begley has explored this in her book Just Can’t Stop: An Investigation of Compulsion (https://amzn.to/2IAUnHj). She joins me to reveal why compulsive behavior isn’t necessarily bad and explains at what point it does become a problem and what to do about it. This Week’s Sponsors -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Ollie. For 60% off your first order plus a free bag of dog treats go to www.myollie.com/try/something -Hers. For $10 off your first order (while supplies last) go to www.ForHers.com/something -Capterra To find the best software for your business visit www.Capterra.com/something -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You probably don’t write much with a pen and paper anymore. Most of us type. However, there are a lot of benefits to writing the old-fashion way. I begin this episode with some great reasons why you should write more and type less. (http://mentalfloss.com/article/78182/4-reasons-write-hand-rather-type) Want to be more likeable and attract people to you? Some people are really good at it. They have the ability to draw people to them – almost as if it were magic. How do they do it? Jack Schafer knows. Jack is a former FBI Special Agent who mastered the techniques of making building rapport and getting people to like him in order to get them to confess to crimes and reveal personal information. He is the author of the book, The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over (https://amzn.to/2DloBK1) and he joins me to share the techniques and the science behind them. Do you like to dance? I hope so because it is apparently really good for your brain. Listen as I explain how dancing and brain health are connected. (http://www.medicaldaily.com/benefits-dancing-neurodegenerative-disease-humanbrain-380835?rel=most_read4) It is called the Goodness Paradox. Simply put, it is the fact that human beings can be so kind and thoughtful on one hand and so evil and aggressive on the other. Harvard anthropology professor Richard Wrangham, comes on the podcast to discuss this fascinating quirk of human behavior that allowed Adolf Hitler to be such a monster and at the same time an animal lover and delightful party host. He reveals that as species we are actually less aggressive than other animals – and we seem to be getting even less aggressive than we used to be. Richard is author of the book The Goodness Paradox (https://amzn.to/2DlF0y5). This Week’s Sponsors -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Ollie. For 60% off your first order plus a free bag of dog treats go to www.myollie.com/try/something -Hers. For $10 off your first order (while supplies last) go to www.ForHers.com/something -Capterra To find the best software for your business visit www.Capterra.com/something -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The scent of lavender is supposed to be calming. It may also be the scent of trust. I begin this episode by explaining how lavender can make you appear to be more trustworthy – and why. http://rd.com/advice/relationships/habits-make-people-trust/ I bet you have things you really want to do but somehow never get to doing them - right? There are trips you probably want to take or goals you want to accomplish but you don't. So what’s stop you? Sam Horn author of the book Someday is Not a Day in the Week (https://amzn.to/2X94qqn) joins me to explain why people keep procrastinating on those important goals and she offers a simple and effective way to stop putting them off and start doing them. What is it about some people who just walk into a room and take control? How do they send off those signals of, “I’m in charge here”? A lot of it turns out to be body language and I’ll explain how you can do it too. http://www.businessinsider.com/tricks-for-reading-peoples-body-language-2016-3 What if the foods you eat can actually target certain diseases? There is some fascinating new evidence that 200 specific foods can actually do just that according to renowned physician Dr. William Li. Dr. Li has served has served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School, Tufts University, and Dartmouth Medical School and he is author of the book Eat to Beat Disease (https://amzn.to/2IjehXk). Listen as he explains the fascinating research that shows exactly which foods fight which diseases. This Week's Sponsors -Ancestry. To get 20% off your Ancestry DNA test go to www.Ancestry.com/something -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Quip. Get your first refill pack free. Go to www.GetQuip.com/something -Skillshare. For 2 months free access to over 25,000 classes go to www.Skillshare.com/something -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grocery stores have a lot of germs. For one thing there is a lot of raw meat and fish moving around in the store. Some of those germs can cause you and your family to get really sick. I begin this episode with some very important advice on how to protect yourself from this very real threat. http://www.menshealth.com/health/supermarket-safety Conflict can be ugly and messy. It can also be positive and productive, according the Liane Davey author of the book, The Good Fight (https://amzn.to/2YXKnwG). Liane joins me to explain how to have “productive conflict” that actually gets to a solution. Plus she reveals how to avoid unproductive conflict that does little more than to cause trouble and make things worse. Conflict is part of life. How we handle it is what matters. Do you sleep in the fetal position? A lot of people do and it may be messing with your self-confidence. Listen as I explain how and why and how you can counteract the effects. https://www.businessinsider.com/amy-cuddy-advice-waking-up-right-2016-1 More than half of the world’s population lives in cities. Yet cities are full of problems: crime, high taxes, traffic, ridiculously high cost of housing and many more. Monica L. Smith, a professor of anthropology at UCLA and author of the book Cities: The First 6,000 Years https://amzn.to/2InT5yt) joins me to reveal why people love living in cities, why cities are a relatively new invention (6,000 years ago) and what the future holds for urban environments and the people who live there. This Week's Sponsors -Ancestry. To get 20% off your Ancestry DNA test go to www.Ancestry.com/something -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Quip. Get your first refill pack free. Go to www.GetQuip.com/something -Skillshare. For 2 months free access to over 25,000 classes go to www.Skillshare.com/something -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sibling relationships change as we move from childhood to adulthood. Sometimes they change for the better – sometimes not. We begin this episode by unraveling the complications of adult sibling relationships. http://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/adult-sibling-estrangement/ When you were a kid you had a secret identity. You pretended to be Superman or a princess or someone you admired. What’s interesting is you can do the same thing as an adult to help achieve your personal and professional goals. Todd Herman, a performance coach and author of the book The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life (https://amzn.to/2YVO46c) joins me to explain how adopting a secret identity can help you succeed in anything. How much water should you drink today? There is a simple formula I’ll explain that will make sure you are sufficiently hydrated every day. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/06/30/milk-and-other-surprising-ways-to-stay-hydrated/ It is the 50th anniversary of the first man walking on the moon. To celebrate you are going to discover some fascinating things about the moon that will forever change the way you think when you look up in the sky. Dr.Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist and science educator. She is an Honorary Research Associate in University College London's Department of Physics and Astronomy and author of the The Book of the Moon: A Guide to Our Closest Neighbor (https://amzn.to/2D11Afx). Her view of the moon will fascinate you. This Week's Sponsors -LinkedIn. For $50 off your first job post, go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Care/Of Vitamins. For 50% off your first order go to www.TakecareOf.com and use the promo code: something50 -Ollie. For 60% off your first order plus a free bag of dog treats go to www.myollie.com/try/something -Calming Comfort. For $15 off the displayed price go to www.calmingcomfortblanket.com and use the promo code: something -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does traffic just seem to stop for no reason then magically clear up? You are sure there must be an accident or construction but there isn’t. So what causes it? We begin this episode with an explanation of that. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608151550.htm) There are 7 deadly sins: pride, envy, gluttony, lust, wrath, greed and sloth. Why are they so tempting? We humans spend our lives trying to resist the lure of sin. So what’s it all for? Jack Lewis author of the book The Science of Sin: Why We Do the Things We Know We Shouldn’t (https://amzn.to/2HVhXhL) joins me for a fascinating discussion on why we are attracted to things that can do us no good and what determines if we resist or give in to temptation. Ever have a chain necklace get all tangled in a knot that is hard to get undone? That is just one of several household emergencies that you’ll hear the solution for in this episode. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/g3397/quick-cleaning-fixesfor-everyday-issues/ You probably assume that in order to be a leader, you have to have authority – otherwise why should anyone listen to you? Well you don’t, according to my guest Clay Scroggins, author of the book How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority (https://amzn.to/2UxS7Gc). Listen to understand why it is not about authority so much as it is about influence. This Week's Sponsors -LinkedIn. For $50 off your first job post, go to www.LinkedIn.com/podcast -BetterHelp. Get help with a counselor you will love at www.BetterHelp.com/SYSK -Care/Of Vitamins. For 50% off your first order go to www.TakecareOf.com and use the promo code: something50 -Ollie. For 60% off your first order plus a free bag of dog treats go to www.myollie.com/try/something -Calming Comfort. For $15 off the displayed price go to www.calmingcomfortblanket.com and use the promo code: something -ADT. To get a secure smart home designed just for you go to www.ADT.com -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes you have to ask a stranger for a favor. Perhaps you need to borrow their phone or help you carry something. And there is one proven way that will greatly increase the chances they will grant you that favor. I begin this episode by telling you what it is. http://www.medicaldaily.com/likeability-trustworthy-how-be-popular-377296 Time is precious. So how you mange, control and perceive the time you have is critical. Time, performance and productivity expert Steven Griffith, author of the book The Time Cleanse (https://amzn.to/2HMoHhU) has a really interesting take on controlling your time so it works for you rather than feel that you don’t have enough time to do what is really important to you. It would seem that online dating sites would be good at matching people based on the data profile. But there is one big flaw in that data. Listen as I tell you what it is and why dating sites can actually make it more difficult to find love. http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/grading-the-online dating-industry.html People often treat their pets as a member of the family. That can be trouble. Dogs and cats are not people and really shouldn’t be treated – or fed – like a person. Veterinarian Dr. Karen Halligan author of the book, Doc Halligan’s What Every Pet Owner Should Know: Prescriptions for Happy, Healthy Cats and Dogs (https://amzn.to/2WtrAaI) joins me to offer sound advice that will help your pet live a long and healthy life. She also has some warnings on things not to do that could put your pet in danger. This Week's Sponsors -Skillshare. For 2 months free access to over 25,000 classes go to www.Skillshare.com/something -ADT. For more information on smart home security go to www.ADT.com -Capital One. Visit www.CapitalOne.com What's in your wallet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever long for the good old days? Nostalgia can be such a wonderful thing. We begin this episode with a look at why the past can seem so idyllic and wonderful and what the positive effects of looking back are. http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/nostalgia4.htm Do you really understand what algorithms are and how they work? You probably should because algorithms are used so often to influence us in making decisions on what to buy, what movies to watch or who to date. Kartik Hosanagar is a professor of technology, digital business and marketing at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the book A Human’s Guide to Machine Intelligence: How Algorithms Are Shaping Our Lives and How We Can Stay in control (https://amzn.to/2JuStcy). Listen and hear the good and the bad about how algorithms have become part of everyday life. “Sit up straight and don’t slouch!” How many times have you heard that or said that to someone else? It turns out that posture is really important and I’ll explain why. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2295420/Stand-straight-stay-fightingfit-From-raised-blood-pressure-bloated-stomach-surprising-effectsbad-posture.html#ixzz2OBJ72FZQ Some ideas really stick and others quickly fade away. Why? What makes an idea sticky? Chip Heath, author of the book Made to Stick : Why Some Ideas Thrive and Others Die (https://amzn.to/2Y9YaQu) joins me to talk about his research into what makes a really good idea resonate with people. The advice he gives is very practical and will help you create ideas that people will fall in love with. This Week's Sponsors -Skillshare. For 2 months free access to over 25,000 classes go to www.Skillshare.com/something -ADT. For more information on smart home security go to www.ADT.com -Capital One. Visit www.CapitalOne.com What's in your wallet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Springtime means the return of annoying allergy symptoms for a lot of us. I begin this episode with some simple but very effective techniques that can help minimize the suffering from allergies and they come from a top allergist. http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2013/03/20/allergy-alert-worst-allergyseason-ever/ If the English language is constantly evolving then what is “proper English”? Should you judge people if they use the language differently from you? Is it okay if someone says, “Let me axe you a question?” These are some of the things I discuss with Anne Curzan, professor of English, linguistics and education at the University of Michigan and host of a series of online courses at The Great Courses (https://www.thegreatcourses.com/professors/anne-curzan/) After listening to her, you may look at the language in a very different light. Should kids question authority or follow the rules? As a parent, you would like them to behave but if you look at the effect it has on their future income as adults, you may change your mind. Listen as I explain some fascinating research into this. http://www.businessinsider.com/kids-personality-salary-money-science-study-2016-3 We all know that making changes is hard even when those changes are exactly what we need. So is there a way to approach change to make it easier? Yes, according to Gregg Clunis, host of the podcast, Tiny Leaps, Big Changes and author of the book Tiny Leaps Big Changes (https://amzn.to/2OfDDFr). Gregg offers some important insight to making personal changes whether it is reaching for a big goal or eliminating something negative in your life. This Week's Sponsors -Fab Fit Fun. For $10 off your first box, go to www.FabFitFun.com and use the promo code: something -Trip Actions. Go towww.TripActions.com/something to complete a 30 minute demo and receive a $100Amazon gift card. -ADT. Go to www.ADT.com/smart to learn how ADT can design and install a smart home system for you. -Select Quote. Get your free insurance quote at www.SelectQuote.com/something -Indeed. Post a sponsored job for free at www.Indeed.com/podcast -Geico. Go to www.Geico.com to see how Geico can save you money on your car insurance -Capital One. What's in your wallet? www.CapitalOne.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices