The Science of Success

In this episode we show you the science of communication. Have you ever been afraid to speak or present? Are you worried about not having the skills or tools to communicate your ideas to the world? We dig into the science and the strategies of mastering skills like speaking and presenting, crushing the anxiety that often accompanies thee high stakes moments, and share evidence based strategies for becoming a master communicator. Matt Abrahams is a Professor of Strategic Communication for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He is the co-founder of Bold Echo Communication Solutions and author of the book Speaking Up Without Freaking Out. Matt’s videos and training techniques have been viewed tens of millions of times in TEDx, Inc. and much more!What happens when you rip your pants in the middle of a big speech?Anxiety can have a tremendously negative impact on our ability to to communicateConfidence in speaking and what it means to be authentic and how to be an engaging communicator Anxiety negatively impacts communication in two major waysAudiences have trouble listening to a nervous speakerYou get caught up in your own head A foundational tenant of all communication is to be audience centric - your job is to serve the needs of your audience Research sees anxiety about speaking and communicating as ubiquitous across ages, cultures etcFear of communication is hard-wired intro your brain by evolution and it’s social pressuresThere are two fundamental approaches to dealing with anxietyDealing with the symptomsDealing with the actual sources of anxietySpeaking in high stakes situations is internalized by your body as a threatHold something cold in the palm of your hand it can reduce your body temperature and counter-act sweating and blushing that results from anxiety. Distracting your audience is a great strategy to take their focus off of you. Give the audience something to distract them and get them more engagedIf you gesture more slowly you will actually slow down your speaking rateGreet your anxiety - give yourself permission to be anxious. This is how you short circuit the loop of getting nervous about getting nervous. This works with any emotion, not just anxiety. The powerful learnings from improv comedy that can make you be a more confidence speaker Dare to be dull - don’t strive for perfection. Do what needs to be done, and by reducing the pressure you put on yourself you increase the likelihood that you will actually achieve a great outcome.The “Shout the wrong name” exercise that can help you reduce your anxiety in real timeConstraints and structure invite more opportunities for creativity (in life) and in communicationThe components of confidenceManaging anxietyCreating presence & meta awareness - adapt your communication to what’s happening the moment Convey emotion - confidence speakers convey emotion You have to tie the data and facts back into the emotions - the implications of the science and the dataThe “What?,” “So What?,” “Now What?” Structure The answerWhy its importantWhat you do with the answer that’s just givenHomework - Take the opportunity too build your skills. Like any skill you’re trying to build - it’s all aboutRepetition - find avenues to speak and give presentationsReflection - ask yourself what worked and what didn’t workFeedback - find a trusted other - a mentor, a colleague, a loved one who can give you honest feedback. We are bad at judging our own communication Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss happiness. Can the pursuit of happiness backfire? Why are people more depressed an anxious than ever in a time when the world is physically safer and healthier than ever before in history? We look at the crisis of meaning in our society and examine how we can cultivate real meaning in our lives, beyond ourselves, and move towards an existence of purpose with our guest Emily Esfahani Smith. Emily Esfahani Smith is a journalist, positive psychology instructor, and author. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and earned a master of applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Her articles have been read over 30 million times, her TED talk has over 1.3 million views and her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, TIME, the TED stage, and more.Should we be pursuing happiness?There’s more to life than being happyWhen we pursue happiness - it’s very self-oriented2 reasons why the “pursuit of happiness can backfire"It’s not possible to be happy all the time - and it’s a fool's errand to try and pursue happiness all the time - it’s not a realistic expectation for your lifeHappiness is very “self-focused” - how is this affecting ME - its a very selfish perception People are healthier, safer, more comfortable than any time in history - and yet anxiety and depression are increasing, suicide rates are increasing - why is this happening?Meaning is about connecting and contributing to something beyond yourself - being connecting to your family, to god, to nature, to the universe, etc Some of the essential characteristics of people with meaning in their livesYour life has worth and significanceYour life has a sense of purposeYour life is coherentHow can we find meaning beyond ourselves in a world where most of our major social institutions have eroded away to a large degree (patriotism, religion, family, etc)?In the modern era - the challenge of being alive is the challenge of trying to find meaning on your ownThe Four Pillars of MeaningBelonging - being in communities and relationships where you feel valued for who you are intrinsicallyPurpose - using your strengths to serve other people. Having something worthwhile to do with your time. Making a contribution to the world. Children who do chores around the house have a higher sense of meaningTranscendence - when your sense of self-starts to turn down or turn off completely. Stepping beyond yourself.Storytelling - the story that you tell yourself about yourselfHow do we create belonging in your life?Forming intimate relationships with othersBelonging is a choice that we make - and we can choose to cultivate in any given momentYou can also take the initiative to create these new types of communities within your own life and communityHow do we change the stories that we tell ourselves about ourselves?The first thing is to recognize that we are constantly telling ourselves stories about ourselvesA “contamination” story and how that can change your self-perception and create negative results in your life?Something happened in my life, then there was a negative result, not I’m “contaminated"A “redemptive” story - a story that moves from bad things happening to good things happeningSomething bad happened in my life, and that has made me grow, made me stronger If you’re telling a negative story, how do you start telling a better story?Narrative writing, journaling Is leading a meaningful life just about accomplishment and achieving results? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how the impossible becomes possible. We look at how to create paradigm shifting breakthroughs, dig into the science and research at the frontier of peak human performance to understand what’s at the core of nearly every gold medal or world championship - the powerful concept of flow. How do we create flow in our lives, how can we use it as a tool to become 400% more creative and learn skills 200% faster? We dig into this and much more with our guest Steven Kotler. Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist and the cofounder and director of research of the Flow Genome Project. His most recent work, Stealing Fire, was a national bestseller and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Steven’s work have been translated into over 40 languages and appeared in over 100 publications, including The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Wired and TIME.Wherever people are taking huge risks to change the world, you find flow How do you create Paradigm Shifting Breakthroughs?Whenever you see the impossible become possible you see two things:People leverage and take advantage of disruptive technologyPeople finding ways to extend human capacityPeak performance is about being fanatical - repeating, week after week, year after year, for your entire career. You have to have that level of hunger, motivation, and driveSteven’s work is focused on studying the peak performance state known as FlowHow can we use Flow to massively level up performance?Major Characteristics of FlowFlow is definable - it has core characteristicsComplete ConcentrationTime DilationFlow is measurableFlow is universalFlow is a spectrum experience - you can be in micro flow or macro flowFlow often mistaken for a mystical experience before it was measured and studiedMcKinsey did a 10 year study on flow - it made top executives 500% more effectiveFlow creates a 400% - 700% increase in creativityCan that really be true?What is creativity?Soldiers learn skills 230% faster in flow statesWhen you’re in a flow state you’re actually using LESS of your brain not more of itYour brain is burning a lot of energy and so it shut’s this part of the brain downAs your need for concentration goes up, the brain starts shutting down non-critical areas to maximize attentionFlow also creates a huge dump of positive neurochemicals and stress hormones are flushed out of your system and replaced with “big five” neurochemicalsAnybody can access flow because flow stats have triggers - flow is universal provided certain initial conditions are metOne of the most important triggers is the challenge/skills balance - when the challenge slightly exceeds our skillset“Let my people go surfing” - PatagoniaTraining up flow while you’re surfing trains the brain to enter flow states in generalHeightened creativity lasts for several daysConscious altered and being focused is usually 1-1.5 hrsA place where most people screw up Flow - they take the amplified creativity from flow and ride it til the very bitter end until they are very exhausted. That makes it more difficult to jump into flow the next time. The intersection of flow states and the Science of SpiritualityThe same neurobiological states from flow show up in the same place as mystical experiences, psychedelic states, states of awe, near death experiences. All of these experiences neurobiologically are very very similar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how to make better decisions under conditions of uncertainty. We look at “the worst call in the history of football,” discuss examples from life, business and even high stakes poker to understand how to make the best possible decisions in a a world filled with unknowns. What exactly is a good decision? Is that different than a good outcome? We look at this key question - and uncover the wisdom hidden in the reality that these two things might be completely different. All this and more with our guest Annie Duke. Annie is a professional decision strategists and former professional poker player. She has leveraged her expertise in the science of smart decision making throughout her life and for two decades was one of the top poker players in the world. She is the author of the book Thinking In Bets: Making Smart Decisions When You Don’t Have All The Facts and after being granted the National Science Foundation Fellowship, studied Cognitive Psychology at The University of Pennsylvania.How do we get create lessons from our experiences?How do we sort out the noise in the gap between decision quality and outcome quality?In poker (like life) you can make really good decision and have a really bad outcome - but that doesn’t mean that you made a bad decisionThis fuzzy relationship between decision making and outcomes can be very problematic for people “Resulting”- tying the quality of the outcome too tightly to the quality of decisionsAn unlucky / bad outcome is not the same as a bad decisionRed lights and green lights - and how they can shine a light on hidden risks to decision-makingThe only thing that matters is not the result - but the process of making decisions - because that is all we can controlIn our own lives we constantly lurch into over-reactions when we focus only on results and not on our decision-making qualityStrategy #1: Approach the world through the frame of decisions as betsWhy you should ask “Wanna Bet?” to get more clarity about a situationThere are 2 major sources of uncertainty between Decisions and OutcomesLuck/RandomnessInformation AsymmetryStrategy #2: Get other people involved in the process with youYou are really good at recognizing other people’s bias, even when you can’t see your ownWhen you’re trying to make a decision (or a bet) the person who will win is the person who has the most accurate “mental model” or model of realityStrategy #3: Try to quarantine yourself from experienceEscape the quality of the outcome and how it impacts your assessment - unless you have enough data to actually verify it Key Steps to Focusing on the Decision-Making Process Not the OutcomeEvaluate decisions prior to getting the outcomeCreate a Decision Pod of other people who can challenge your thinkingThe key to making effective decisions is to multiply the probability of the outcome by the impact/magnitude Homework #1: find a group of people who are open minded, who want to be better decision-makers, and agree together that you want to question each others thinking, not be defensive, hold each other accountable to biasHomework #2: Start listening to yourself for signals that you might be engaging in biased behavior, using the words wrong/right, should ofHomework #3: Discuss a decision with 2 different people and give them opposite “outcomes” (Tell one it went really well, tell the other it went really poorly) to get clear sense of different sides of the coin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we go deep on the science of personality. We look at how we’ve moved way beyond the debate of nature vs nurture, we look at the “Myth of Authenticity" and the danger of “just being yourself,” we examine why human wellbeing (aka success) depends on the sustainable pursuit of core projects in our lives, explore the complex dance of self improvement between the limitation of biological, social factors and the identity of individuals, and look at how much agency and control we really have in shaping our personalities and lives among all of these different factors with our guest Dr. Brian Little. What is Trait Psychology?Traits do have predictive validity“The Big Five” personality model is the most dominant perspective in personality trait psychologyOCEANOpenness to experienceConscientiousnessExtraversionAgreeablenessNeuroticism Honesty / humility is a sixth factor that may not be included in the “Big Five” modelThese personality traits have consequential predictive ability for your life outcomes, happiness, marriage, success, divorce, etcThe trait of conscientiousness is a very good predictor of work place success but also predicts health outcomes, why is that?Disagreeable people also have a health risk factor - low agreeableness shows an increased risk for heart diseaseOpenness-to-experience and conscietouness have different paths to success - but both can be successful predictors of positive life outcomesThe myth of the creative hero. The creative project is much more important than the illusion of the solo creative.How changeable or immutable are our personality traits? Are we stuck with the personality we are born with?Your trait expressions can be shaped not just by your biology but also by the things that really matter to you - by your own “personal projects”If you constantly act out of character - you may eventually run the risk of burning outThe study of our traits gets us INTO the study of personality but not ALL THE WAY inWe’ve moved WAY beyond the nature vs nurture debate Genetic expression is a matter of external influence than shapes the expression of genesThere is a biological “base” to our personality - but it’s a base that we can either act against or act in accordance with itSelf improvement is a dance between biological, social, and individual factors Traits are a necessary way of understanding personality but they are not sufficient We explore "The Bodnarian Aspects of Matt"We are not just pawns - we can shape things and change the trajectory of our lives (within reasonable boundaries)“Go for it” feels good - but its often a cheap way out - take a harder look and really look at the best path forward for yourself Accepting and facing reality as it is - including your own limitations and weaknesses - is an essential component of successHuman wellbeing (“success”) depends on the sustainable pursuit of core projects in our lives. Natural dispositions that we don’t borrow from our cultural scripts are the first line of influence that help shape what becomes the core projects in our livesOut of the stew emerge biological shaped, but also socially influenced possible futures for yourself that are anchored in core projects The sustainable pursuit of core projects is vital - the way in which we get them isHomework: If you want to play outside your personality comfort zone, start with small uncomfortable changes and gradually build into more and more difficult situations Homework: Conduct short term experiments, self change experiments, “fixed role explorations” and then monitor the impact that has on your personality and behavior Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we show how you can decode scientific studies and spot bad science by digging deep into the tools and skills you need to be an educated consumer of scientific information. Are you tired of seeing seemingly outrageous studies published in the news, only to see the exact opposite published a week later? What makes scientific research useful and valid? How can you, as a non-scientist, read and understand scientific information in a simple and straightforward way that can help you get closer to the truth - and apply those lessons to your life. We discuss this and much more with Dr. Brian Nosek. Dr. Brian Nosek is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Center for Open Science and a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia. Brian led the reproducibility project which involved leading some 270 of his peers to reproduce 100 published psychology studies to see if they could reproduce the results. This work shed light on some of the publication bias in the science of psychology and much more.Does the science show that extrasensory perception is real?Is there something wrong with the rules of the science or the way that we conduct science?What makes academic research publishable is not the same thing as what makes academic research accuratePublication is the currency of advancement in scienceNovel, positive, cleanWhat does “Nulls Hypothesis significance testing” / P-Value less than .05 even mean?Less than 5% of the time would you observe this evidence if there was no relationshipThe incentives for scientific publishing often skew, even without conscious intent by scientists, towards only publishing studies that support their hypothesis and conclusionsThe conclusions of many scientific studies may not be reproducible and may, in fact, be wrong How the reasoning challenges and biases of human thinking skew scientific results and create false conclusionsConfirmation biasOutcome bias“The Reproducibility Project” in psychologyTook a sample of 100 studies Across those 100 studies - the evidence was able to be reproduced only 40% of the timeThe effect size was 50% of what it was What The Reproducibility Project spawned was not a conclusion, but a QUESTIONHow do we as lay consumers determine if something is scientifically valid or not?We discuss the basic keys to understanding, reading, and consuming scientific studies as a non-scientist and ask how do we determine the quality of evidence?Watch out for any DEFINITIVE conclusionsThe sample size is very important, the larger the betterAggregation of evidence is better - “hundreds of studies show"Meta-studies / meta-analysis are important and typically more credibleLook up the original paperIs there doubt expressed in the story/report about the data? (how could the evidence be wrong, what needs to be proven next, etc)Valid scientific research often isn’t newsworthy - it takes lots of time to reach valid scientific conclusions It’s not just about the OUTCOME of a scientific study - the confidence in those outcomes is dependent on the PROCESS Where do we go from here as both individuals and scientists? How can we do better?Transparency is keyPreregistration - commit to a designThe powerful tool of “pre-registration” and how you can use it to improve your own thinking and decision-makingHomework - deliberately seek out people who disagree with you, build a “team of rivals" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss real life inception with a former bank robber turned neuroscientist. Is it possible to plant ideas in your head? Are your memories an accurate reflection of past reality? Can you change and mold your memories to be different? We open the door on human irrationality and explore why and how we make bad decisions, and what you can do to make small changes that will create a big impact in your life and much more with our guest Moran Cerf. How Moran went from an accomplished bank robber to a prominent neuroscientistMost times in life we tell our story backwards to make sense of the pastAre people rational actors who make decisions in their own best interest?Humans are not rational actors - they often make irrational choicesBehavioral economics opened the door to explaining human irrationality - but neuroscientists were necessary to truly explain WHY these mistakes were happeningIrrational behavior - why it works - and how we can change it Is losing a $10 movie ticket the same as losing $10? In case of most people’s behavior - almost certainly not. Your memories are not a reliable reflection of reality or your past - despite the fact that you think they are “Don’t believe everything you think"Real Life Inception - Planting Ideas In Your Brain, re-shaping your memoriesHow neuroscientists use magicians and slight of hand to demonstrate our ability to rationalize and explain our decisionsIf you make a small positive step, the brain will start to build pillars of support to underpin that new behaviorHow does neuroplasticity impact our brains ability to change adapt and transform our beliefs and memoriesYour memories are never fixed - they aren’t sitting in a vault, perfect, unchanged. Your memories are changed and modified every time you remember them and pull them back. Ever time you use a memory, you change it a little bit - over time we change memories greatly - we can remember things that never existed and forget what truly happenedThis is how the brain deals with trauma and negative experienceEven when you’re sleeping your brain rehearses, loads, and engages with your memories.Bringing up and talking through negative memories physically reshapes those memories in your brainYou think you are very unique - in terms of your brain - but we are very similar and fall into predictable behavioral patterns and biases We often think our decisions are our own - but in reality they are often influenced by biases, the environment, and many things beyond our control. We are discovering that more and more of our brain is not really under our control. Subtle shifts in your environment change how you respond to things. “Embodied cognition” shows that many things are happening to us, that we don’t have full control over If you have a name for something you can think about it, if you can think about it you can control itCoding things is huge as well (what was the temparture, your mood, hunger level etc when you made decisions)Just by listening to this episode you’re improving your ability to think more effectively and make better decisions! How can we take these lessons of neuroscience and apply them to make ourselves smarter and better decision makers?Planting computer chips into your brain - and teaching your brain how to read and interact with them. Homework - surround yourself with people who are doing what you want to do Think about what you wantFind people who have it Spend time with them and in their proximity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss the secrets of perfect timing. Is there really a science to timing the most important things in life? Is it possible that something as simple as time of day could impact the effectiveness of doctors and other medical experts? Can you align your day to be more effective just by changing the time that you do certain activities? We dig into these questions and much more as we explore the truth about the power of time - with Dan Pink. Dan Pink is the New York Times bestselling author of multiple award winning books including his most recent work When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. Dan has been named one of Thinkers 50’s top 15 business thinkers in the world. His TED talk on the science of motivation is one of the 10 most-watched TED talks of all time and his work has been featured across the globe.Is timing an art or a science?The science of timing is multi-disciplinary challengeThe power of multi-disciplinary thinking and how thinking between and beyond the boundaries of academic disciplines gives us the more coherent picture of realityWe don’t take WHEN as seriously as WHATScience say about constructing better daily architectures?The three major day parts - Peak / Trough / Recovery How we should think about aligning our day around each of these periodsOur “vigilance” peaks in the morningAlign Analytic, Administrative, Creative We see the same patterns across different domains of lifeAll times of day are not created equal The performance gap is pretty astounding Why you should never go to the doctors office in the afternoon“The Science of Breaks” is proving to be really powerful The science of “breaks” is where the science of sleep was 15 years ago“Breaks are for wimps, breaks are a sign of weakness” - this is totally wrongProfessionals take breaks, amateurs don'tThe three “chronotypes” - the field of chronobiology Morning people - “larksEvening people - “owls"Intermediate people - “third birds"“The Munich Chronotype Questionnaire"Does fasting raise your energy levels throughout the day?Does caffeine positively or negatively our energy flow throughout the day?Take a cup of coffee and then a short nap - will energize you tremendously Our lives are a series of episodes, not a clear linear progressionLife is full of Beginnings, Middles, and Ends - and each affects us differently Middles can bring us up or bring us downMid points are often invisible to usHomework: Make a “break list"A small break is better than no break at allMoving is better than not movingSocial is better than soloBest breaks are FULLY detachedHomework: Track your daily behavior Set an alarm every 45min to an hourHow do I feel right now 1-10How am I worked right now 1-10?Chart those answers over time for a week or twoHomework: Observe your own behavior and conduct small experiments - A/B Test on yourself Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we discuss why the way we think about grit and willpower is fundamentally wrong. Self-control is one of the most research-validated strategies for long-term success - but the way we think about cultivating is fundamentally wrong. Emotions don’t get in the way of self-control - they are actually the path forward to sustainable and renewable willpower. How do we develop the emotions that underpin grit, self-control, and achievement? We dig into that and much more with our guest Dr. David DeSteno. Dr. David DeSteno is an author and professor of psychology at North-Eastern University where he directs the Social Emotions Group. He is a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and the American Psychological Association. His work has been featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and more!What do Marshmallows have to do with success?What do Buddhist monks and hot sauce have to do with the most effective strategies for succeeding over the long term?Lower debt, lower addictive behavior, better SAT scores, and higher overall life success can be predicted by the ability to resist temptation and delay gratificationThere’s NO DOUBT that delayed gratification/resisting temptation is highly correlated with success The real question is - what’s the best way to create self-control. Does willpower actually work? Do our emotions get in the way of self-control?Self-control didn’t evolve so that we could save money for retirement or complete Whole 30. It evolved to help us develop strong relationshipsWhat are the mechanisms that create fairness and good character? Positive emotions. Rather than being a roadblock to self-control, emotions may actually be the best way to develop self-controlRevisiting the marshmallow test for adults - and determining what really works to help adults develop self-control The three emotions of developing self-controlGratitudeCompassionPridePeople who have more of these pro-social emotions (gratitude, compassion, and pride) persevere 40% longer than someone who doesn't. Most successful teams at organizations like Google are predicated on empathy and compassion, not technical skill. These emotions seem to form “pushing vs pulling” - more sustainable and powerful strategy of self-control The pro-social emotions are “the font of virtue” - you don’t have to struggle and remind yourself, they naturally create more self-control53% of Americans feel lonely in their work lives. Loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking. Pro social emotions not only give you “grit” - they give you “grace” - and the ability to invest in others and to help them. Resume virtues vs eulogy virtues - what are they and how do we balance them?Should you be a jerk or should you be nice in order to succeed?Self-control is double sided - it's about both controlling negative impulses (anger, etc) and making positive long-term choices (eat healthily, save money, etc)Meditation does not tamp down your negative responses, it prevents them from arising in the first placeKey strategies for cultivating pro-social emotionsGratitude practicesMeditationPerspective taking exercisesSelf-compassionWhy Pride? Is that really a positive and pro-social emotion?People will work 40% longer when they feel “proud” of the work they are doingEmotionally based strategies for self-control are more robust and sustainableHomework: Choose your emotion and pick a weekly practice to start implementing itGratitudeMeditationCompassion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we explore the power of moments in our lives. Moments are the way we remember our lives, they define us, and yet we don’t have a coherent way of thinking about and understanding them. Can you engineer the defining moments of your life? Can you create more moments that are powerful and impactful? We discuss that and much more with our guest Dan Heath. Dan Heath is a Senior Fellow at Duke University’s CASE Center where he founded the Change Academy. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School and is the co-author of several New York Times best sellers. Their book Switch was named one of the best nonfiction books of the year and spent almost an entire year on the bestseller list.The power of moments - why did Chip and Dan decide to study the defining moments in our lives?Are there patterns that link the defining moments of our lives?The four elements of defining moments?Elevation - the high pointsInsight - in an instant your view of the world shiftsPride - times when are at our best, when we’re recognized for what we’re capable ofConnection - when we deepen our ties to other people - either individual or groupsStruggle, especially with a group, can create deep connectionsIf you look at powerful moments, they tend to be composed of these four elementsYou can flip that around and make it practical - if you want to create better experiences in your own life - these are the ingredients of HOW to do thatWe don’t remember our own experiences What’s so special about the The Magic Castle Hotel in LA?What’s the secret behind the second highest rated hotel in Los Angeles?Ahead of the Ritz CarltonAhead of the Four SeasonsMoments have power. Great experiences hinge on peak moments The academic research on memory and how that shapes the power of moments“Duration neglect” There are two kinds of moments that we disproportionately recall - the Peak and the EndWe are in the business of creating great experiences for people. If you get the Peaks right - you can create a great experience.The power of things that are obvious in retrospect“Moments are the medium of memories” - and yet we don’t live in a way that’s intentional around creating more momentsInconveniencing yourself to create a powerful moment is worth it - you will remember the powerful moment but not the inconvenience “We feel most comfortable when things are certain, but we feel most alive when they’re not"What can we do to create more dramatic and memorable moments in our life?“The Saturday surprise” - how you can break your script and create novelty in your life. Sometimes you need to resist your routinesWhen you start thinking in moments you start spotting all kinds of strange phenomenon in your lifeFixing problems doesn’t make people happyHow do set about creating peak moments for ourselves (and others)?Peaks, ends, and transition points are disproportionately memorable for peopleWe can be the authors of amazing moments in our livesPowerful insights come with speed and force - in the flash of momentHow change happens:People see somethingThat makes them feel somethingThat makes them CHANGE sometimeHow can creating new rituals help us manufacture transition points in our lives that become powerful moments?“The Fresh Start Effect”The power of forgiving yourself for falling short and cleaning the ledger, starting fresh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we take a look at the biggest failure of The Science of Success and what we can do about it. We examine the three types of people in the world and how they go about approaching their own development and achieving their goals. Peter and Matt dig into accountability, the impact it’s personally had on Matt and his businesses, and how you can build accountability in your own life with Matt himself. Finally, we examine the gap between learning and doing that prevents most people from ever actually applying what they’ve learned. Known as “The Shrink for Entrepreneurs” - Peter is a renowned business psychology expert and therapist gone renegade, he works with entrepreneurs from around the globe to help them master the psychology of reaching their goals of success faster, better, and with a bigger impact.Matt has failed, failed you, failed his listeners. Matt shares his personal struggle with moving from learning to doing and actually applying everything he learns. The three types of people and how they go through life…which are you?Close eyed and on autopilot - These people typically have a closed mindset and are not ambitious about achieving their goals. Learners - These people are curious and passionate about the world and their goals. Typically these types have a growth mindset.High Leverage Action Takers - There are not many. They concretely apply these learnings in their lives and execute every day. Are some people just born in group 3? Born High Leverage?If you want to become high leverage and level 3 then you cannot do it alone. It’s not possible.The importance of having AccountabilityThe Science Behind Accountability and what makes it so powerful. How Peter and Matt formed strategies for accountability and executing on Matt’s most important projects. It’s up to you to take the action, but group accountability will get you there. We take a deep dive into Matt’s past both accomplishments and failures. Learn the history behind the beginnings of The Science of Success. Matt’s first experience learning outside of a classroom and actually applying that knowledge for results in the real world. Matt’s list of his personal favorite influencers and thought leaders. The PERIL of the learning-doing gap. What is it? Are you in it? And how can we get our of this spiral?Are you stuck in the “bat-cave of learning?"Do you have a huge sense of what you’re capable and know you have potential… but never actually realize it?What evidence do you have for your own growth?How to move from intellectual learning mode to high energy doing mode.Matt’s unknown “selfish" reasons for starting The Science of Success. What you need to do after every episode of The Science of Success from this day forward. There is an aspect of development that simply cannot be taught, it must be experienced. The studies and research showing that conscientiousness is a learnable skill and can be a predictor of success. This IS NOT about doing more stuff. It’s about doing the right things that require courage and discipline. How isolation affects your productivity due to your mammalian brain. Technology is robbing us of that “paleo” accountability that would normally flourish. Do you have accountability - These questions will tell you!Is it even possible to hold oneself accountable?Unveiling of The Science Of Action! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we look at the real strategy for producing breakthrough results, high contribution and personally satisfying work .The last time someone asked you how you were doing - did you answer “Busy?” Then this episode is for you. We explore why smart, capable people end up plateauing and failing. We examine the culture of busyness that has overtaken us and examine how to avoid the traps of getting overwhelmed and focusing on the wrong things. We share strategies for determining what’s important, eliminating the non-essential, and making execution effortless with our guest Greg McKeown. Greg McKeown is an international keynote speaker and the bestselling author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. Greg has spoek at events around the world including SXSW and interviewing Al Gore at the World Economic Forum, where he serves as a Young Global Leader. Greg has worked with some of the largest and well known companies in the world and his work has been featured on Fox, NPR, NBC, and praised by many more.How do smart, capable people end up plateauing and failing?Success breeds options and opportunities, which can eventually undermine successSuccess can actually be a catalyst for failure via "the undisciplined pursuit of more"You have to become “successful at success,” success itself must be managed if we are to get to the next levelEssentialism is a continually process and a disciplined pursuit of lessThe three key strategies of essentialism are:Explore what’s essentialEliminate the non-essentialMake Execution as effortless as possibleThe forces of success are such that they tend to naturally push us away from that process of focusing on the essentialOur old responses are necessary but not sufficient to the challenge of focusing on the essentialDo you ever feel busy but not productive?Do you ever feel like your life is being hijacked by other people’s agendas?It’s not just about eliminating the time wasters, but also eliminating the good opportunities tooWe have to shift more deliberately than we have, more deliberately than we think we need to. We must become FAR more selective in what we go afterDoes this sound familiar: How are you? “Busy"What does the science say about being productive?The second most highly correlated item that distinguishes TOP PERFORMERS from good performers - is the number of hours of sleepIt’s not about doing more thing's its doing more of the RIGHT THINGS“First less, then obsess"The essentialist mindset can help both your personal and your professional lifeThe idea is not called “no-ism” - the key is to figure out what IS essential - what’s the most important thing we could be doing - and then DO THATThe most graceful no is actually saying YES to something that’s more important. Yes to a bigger and more important opportunity. How do you say no gracefully? How do you overcome the discomfort of telling people (especially your boss) NO?Are you falling prey to "Bertolt-Becht Thinking”? (and why that might be dangerous)What will matter when I’m no longer in the picture?This is what we need to do in order to not waste our lives Self actualization is not the same as self transcendence - and why that distinction is essential (no pun intended) to understand "Reducing oneself to zero""Humility and simple truth is more powerful than empire"How to cultivate a self-transcendent perspectiveThe most important thing to do is to figure out the most important thing to do is and to do itHomework - begin a daily reflection a journal - even just one sentence a day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how to build self control and self esteem. We look at what happens when you lose control - and how to develop the strategies so that you can feel calm and collected in tough situations. We discuss the importance of having an “allegiance to reality,” share concrete strategies for building self esteem, discuss the relationship between pain and fulfillment - and discuss how you can never get angry again with our guest Dr. David Lieberman. Dr. David Lieberman is a New York Times bestselling author and expert in the fields of human behavior and interpersonal relationships. His most recent work Never Get Angry Again dives into the science behind our emotions and how we can stay calm in any situation. His work has been featured on ABC, The Today Show, NPR, Entrepreneur and more.Why do people get angry? What’s at the root of anger?At the core of anger is a feeling of vulnerabilityWhen we become angry the brain releases a number of neurotransmitters and hormones - and it gives us the illusion of feeling in controlAs our self esteem erodes, we like ourselves less, we get angrierThe degree that we don’t like ourselves, the more we need other people to validate us, engaging the egoWhen someone is angry - it's about them, its not about youThe core of anger is fear and a fear of losing control Anger creates the illusion of controlPeople with low self esteem are often the most controlling people - because they need to be able to influence things around them, because they feel like they don’t have control of themselvesSelf control is at the CORE of self esteem. If you can control your own behavior, you begin to build self esteem.How do you build self esteem?Recognize that you’re in pain. Acknowledge and accept that. Allegiance to reality at all costs. Don’t pretend that it doesn’t exist. Self compassion, not self pity. Don’t beat yourself up more. With self love, you begin to grow out of pain. Reconnect with who you are. What are you living for?Living being driven by the ego - causes pain and sufferingSlow simple progress, moving step by step out of darkness will begin to fuel self esteem The entire trajectory of our lives can be shaped by our egoFocusing on achieving to win the praise and approval of other peopleQuestions to break through the ego and understand what really matters to you:What would I do if I had all the money I needed?What would I do if I felt that I couldn't fail?What would I do if I was unconditionally loved?Neurotics build castles in the sky, psychotics live in them, and psychiatrists charge rentThe beginning of mental health is when you face yourself. Ask yourself: Where have I been trying to ignore a reality?By ignoring a problem, you end up compounding it and feeling worse and worse about yourself. "Blame mode" conflicts with "solution mode". We live in culture that fosters the idea of not accepting responsibility and blaming other peopleThe way to gain self esteem is to ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY “The lottery curse” - what is it?Money, intelligence, life experience have no bearing on happiness - just the QUALITY OF OUR CHOICESThe power of decision is the power to change your life.Painful experiences ultimately help create meaning in our livesJill Bolte Taylor "90 Second Rule" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss what happens when you mistake being busy with creating results, we take a hard look at time management and examine concrete strategies for carving out more time, we look at the dangerous power of “defaults” in shaping our behavior and how we can use them to our advantage, and examine how to have a healthy relationship with our inbox with our guest Jake Knapp. Jake is the New York Times bestselling author of Sprint. He spent ten years at Google and Google Ventures, where he created the Design Sprint process and ran it over 150 times with companies like Nest, Slack, 23andMe, and Flatiron Health. Previously, Jake helped build products like Gmail, Google Hangouts, and Microsoft Encarta, and his work has been featured in Tech Crunch, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, and more.Jake’s own battle and journey with time, time management, and figuring out how to make the most of his time, effort, and energy to create more results Lessons from a “time dork” who has spent time in the trenches thinking about how to best spend your timeWe spend a lot of our time in the world of “defaults” - with our technology platformsThe “busy bandwagon” - the cultural norm of wanting to be and appear that you’re busyDeleting instagram, facebook, twitter and more from his phone helped Jake be more present What happens when you mistake being busy with creating resultsIf you're caught up in the minutiae of life - what can you do to step back and get clarity on priorities and what’s really important in your life?There’s no secret solution for everyone - it’s about trying strategies to see what works for you - and constantly engaging in contemplative analysis of what’s important A “burner list” strategy you can use to organize your todo list We’re not super human and we don’t want to be - many of us wouldn’t be happy with the life of Elon MuskThink about the space between a TASK and a GOAL - clear 60-90 minutes to really dive in and create results on your most important item on your ToDo listYou don’t need to be busier to create the results you want - its about taking control of what you’re doing“Someday” goals can become realities if you prioritize correctly and break them into executable chunks If you’re not taking steps toward your goals, they effectively don’t existThe importance of creating a meaningful connection to your goals - to create motivation in the near termYou have the ability to “recover time” in your day by spending less time in a reactive stateAs one of the early pioneers of email, spending his time help building gmail app and much more - Jake has some strong insights into how we can have a healthy relationship with our inboxes The difficulty of saying no - and how we can do a better job of itGet out saying yes/no to commitments in person, defer and come back later when you’ve had time to think about itSaying yes to something is a great way to kill your own priorities. They are like barnacles on the hull of your shipTrying to construct situations where a team can make really good decisions using the Design Sprint process Lessons from constructing environments to help people make better decisionsThe design sprint process and how it helps teams work together and make great decisions Making sure that you’re considering opinionated / conflicting solutions to, and creating an environment where it’s healthy to have disagreement Anonymous disagreement on paper Homework - Lightning Decision Jam Homework - What is your distraction kryptonite? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we explore the brain. Are the two halves of the brain really that different? What is the idea of whole brain thinking? How do you get your brain to do what you want it to do? Can we become more “right brained” or “left brained” if we want to? And we also dig into the personal story of our guest - a neuroanatomist who suffered from a devastating stroke - and how the experience transformed her worldview - with our guest Dr. Jill Taylor. Dr. Jill Taylor is a Harvard-trained and published neuroanatomist. She is the bestselling author of her memoir My Stroke Of Insight which recounts her experience and recovery after a severe stroke, which left her unable to walk, read, write, or recall any of her life. Here iconic TED talk has been viewed over 22 million times and her work has been featured all over the globe from Oprah to the New York Times and more. Are the two halves of the brain really completely disconnected?The right hemisphere and the left hemisphere process the world completely differently Whole brain thinking - how to think about yourself and the world in a holistic way by integrating both hemispheres into your thinking process The different hemispheres have different value structures and ways of perceiving the world Every ability we have is a result of brain cells that perform that function - if those cells go away, we lose that functionThe more you practice/use a group of cells in the brain, the more automatically those cellular networks run - that’s true for an athlete training, and it's also true for how we think and act in the world Whatever cells we exercise become dominant, and those begin to shape our thinking and actionIs it true that people can be more left brained or right brained?How you can engage processing in the hemisphere that you are less dominant inHow do you get your brain to do you want it to do? Self-awareness is a KEY component and the first step Get an understanding of how much time you’re spending with each brain hemisphere being dominant Do your brain hemisphere’s get along? Each of your own cognitive minds (left and right hemisphere) have their own emotional limbic systemsWhat should someone do if they don’t feel like they have the power or don’t understand how to CHOOSE which hemisphere to engage?Look at your own patterning and begin understanding how you react to given situationsHow do shape your reactions to negative emotional experiencesThe importance of observing your emotions instead of engaging in them - the simple fact that you’re alive and capable of having an experience of the negative experience is a powerful thing Why is not the question its the WOWWe all get caught up in the oh my gosh, I'm so important - when really we are just stardustThe incredible story of how Dr. Taylor’s own stroke was a profound experienceThe experience of being one with everything that came from Dr. Taylor’s strokeMindfulness research shows that certain thought patterns can transform and change our brain circuitry Is the idea that we are separate from everything else a controlled illusion maintained by the brain?The profound lessons that come from having your entire left hemisphere shut downWhat is neuroplasticity? Is it possible to change our brain?Neuroplasticity is a fundamental property of the neurological systemHomework “pay attention to what’s inside of your head" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we go deep into a scientific look at consciousness. We ask, how do our brains experience reality? What is consciousness? Is our perception of reality nothing more than a “controlled hallucination?” What is the “hard problem of consciousness” and what are the major aspects of consciousness? How can we use the neuroscience of consciousness to better ourselves and improve our lives? And much more with our guest Anil Seth. Anil Seth is the professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex. He is the co-director of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, the editor in chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness, and was the President of the British Science Association for psychology in 2017. His TED talk has been viewed over 2.5 million times and his work featured in The Guardian, the BBC, New Scientist, and more! How does our brain experience reality?Consciousness is a funny thing - we don’t have a good definition of it, but everyone knows what consciousness is There is a subjective experience of consciousness for being humanThe questions of consciousness are some of the most important and urgent questions we can askWhat is the “hard problem of consciousness?” and why is it so important?What are the problems of consciousness? The easy problem is figuring out how brains do what they do, how they implement functions, guide behavior, allow the world to be sensed, how the brain works as a mechanism - this will keep neuroscientists and biologists busy for a long time The hard problem is explaining how and why any of this should have anything to do with conscious experience and why conscious experiences happen However detailed your understanding of the brain is - it will leave untouched the question of how/why consciousness exists in the first place The three major aspects of consciousness (they inter-related and not necessarily independent) Conscious level - a scale from being completely lacking in consciousness (a coma, dead) all the way to being fully awake and fully conscious Conscious content - when you’re conscious you’re conscious OF something The experience of being a particular person When we perceive things, our brain is taking energy waves and electrical signals and interpreting them into prior predictions and expectationsOptical illusions really demonstrate how adapted our visual system isInformed skepticism is an incredibly valuable thinking framework - the scientific method and a healthy dose of humility help us move towards truthHow Anil’s own battle with negative emotions and negative emotional states has been shaped by the work he does in neuroscienceWhat interventions have helped Anil battle his own depression? Going for a long walk in the country Exercise Fresh Air Nature When you’re in the thick of it - you forget these interventions work, but they DO work Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps Anil as well You aren’t defined by your own suffering - does having the Flu define you as a person? Why should a psychological issue? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we look at how to use insights from behavioral science to improve your life. We look at what it means to have a “good day” and figure out how to reverse engineer more good days, by examining decision making, the power of rest and recovery, intention setting, setting boundaries, and much more with our guest Caroline Webb. Caroline Webb is CEO of Sevenshift, a firm that uses insights from behavioral science to improve their client’s working lives. She was previously a partner at McKinsey consulting and is the best selling author of How To Have A Good Day, which has been published in 16 languages in more than 60 countries. Her work has been featured in Inc., Forbes, Fortune, and much more. What does it mean to have a good day? What does that have to do with the science of improving your life? What is a bad day? what is a good day? 3 Core things about having a good day Working on your priorities Feeling that you’re producing great work Can it be repeated? What is the science behind what actually allows people and organizations to change? The two system brain - there are two systems that interact in the brain, as Kahneman called them System 1 and System 2. “System 2” - the slow system, our conscious experience, deliberate thinking mind, but it moves slowly and can only process information slowly and clunkily “System 1” - the automatic system - our subconscious mind, immense processing power, but it often takes shortcuts How do we create the conditions for our deliberate system to be as successful as possible? Breaks are not for wimps, breaks are crucial opportunities to reboot your deliberate system and improve your thinking and decision-making Frequent, short breaks enormously enhance your mental ability Short cardio activity will boost your focus and mood materially When we are resting, we encode and consolidate information - and often create new insight When you “single task” you work about 30% faster than someone who is multi-tasking - every time your attention switches, there is a cost in time and processing power Why saying "ABCDEFG 1234567” is so much easier than saying "A1, B2, C3, D4, E5, F6, G7” What’s the most important thing you’re doing today and how can you get yourself to single task on that? Willpower is not the way to create big changes in your life, it's about changing your environment Nudges vs Sludges - how to shift your environment to create behavioral change Your brain is constantly filtering out a huge amount of information - and whatever is top of mind for you filter your reality The hard science of setting your intentions - set what attitude you want to have, what your aim is, what your assumptions are, etc - setting intentions can have a material impact on your behavior Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we learn the memory tactics and strategies of an International Grandmaster of Memory, we look at why there is no such thing as a bad memory or a good memory - only bad memory strategies and good memory strategies, in real time we build a memory palace that you can use to memorize and effortlessly recall the ten emotions of power, go deep into the system for organizing and remembering huge chunks of information and much more with our guest Kevin Horsley. Kevin Horsley is an International Grandmaster of Memory, and was one of the first five people in the world to obtain this title. Kevin is also the World Record Holder for the matrix memorization of 10,000 digits of Pi. He is also the bestselling author of several books on memory and his work has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Times, Forbes, Inc. and many more. How Kevin went from severe dyslexia, almost being diagnosed with brain damage, to becoming a world record holder in memory You can never be more than your definition of yourself, you have to question your labels as they aren’t often the absolute truth There is no such thing as a good memory or a bad memory - there are only good memory strategies or bad memory strategies Auditory memory is always sequential - improving your spacial/visual memory allows you to move seamlessly through information The best way to get your brain engaged is to imagine content and connect it to something you know There are 3 keys to developing a super memory A place A unique image Glue them together “PUG” Place (long-term memory) Unique Image Glue We build a memory palace on your body to memorize the 10 emotions of power from Tony Robbins Long-term memory + short-term memory = medium-term memory Using google maps and tourist attractions to remember anything by exploring and planting memories anywhere on earth There’s no real limit to what you can do with your mind - the only real limit is time “The more you know, the easier it is to know more” We have a phenomenal brain and aren’t using all of its potential Do you need to know something for Just in Time or Just In Case? The power and importance of periodic review to encode information for the long-term Just in case information - using a system of Evernote + Todoist to store and review information Book strategy: Get the book - first do an overview of the book, look at the table of contents, make predictions what is the book about, what do you know about (active knowledge networks), once he’s overviewed the book, he does a preview of the book - what specifically do you want to know from this book? Lay the book contents out on a memory journey with the key principles ideas - what is the key content - put it on a journey Put a little note - you put a specific information You need to work on these ideas and get the key fundamentals - it’s like driving. You have to train yourself and improve and grow. Kevin spends 1 hour a day on new content, 1 hour a day on review. Discipline is a key to this Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we go deep into the high performance habits of the worlds top performers, look at the only place confidence truly comes from, dig into why we struggle to perform when the pressure is on, examine the habits, routines, and strategies the world’s absolute best use to perform at their peak, and much more with our guest Dr. Michael Gervais. Dr. Michael Gervais is a high performance psychologist who has worked with some of the world’s top performers including the Seattle Seahawks, Felix Baumgartner (The Red Bull Athlete Who Completed the Stratosphere Jump) Olympians, musicians, and champions! His work has been featured on ESPN, CNN, The New York Times, and much more! We love to put some of the world’s top performers on a pedestal - but there are extraordinary things that take place every day that aren’t capture on the cameras Are extraordinary performers born that way? No. Why do we struggle to perform “when the lights are on”/ “when there is pressure” Top performers have fundamentally organized their lives around growth and improvement What does it mean to have your life organized around performance and growth? There are only 3 things we can train We can train our body We can train our craft We can train our minds When we look at the best in the world across domains - they are more similar to each other than dissimilar Relentless dedication to building and refining their craft Relentless dedication to building the right body / carriage Ability to adapt and be strong from a mental perspective Provide opportunities to stress the system (mind & body) and to recover the system Feedback loops are both internal and external The importance of having consequences - both natural/physical consequences and man made consequences Lessons from working with coach Pete Carroll from the Seattle Seahawks Ask yourself: Who in your life helps you be better and what are the characteristics of those people? Internal feedback loops How am I doing? How does it feel? Am I executing at the right level? What is going on in my body? Being aware of the energy, tension in your body, your thoughts, etc External feedback loops - having people in your life who can help you get better At any given time we can have our attention focused internally or externally - but we can’t spend too much time focused on the internal To do extraordinary things in life - NOBODY does it alone. We need other people. You have to invest in the true connection with other people. The greatest wayfinders, when they set sail, they don’t pray for calm waters, they pray for rugged seas, moving through the rugged seas is what forges strength - that is where you get made, that is where you find your true nature The brain’s job is to scan the world and see what’s dangerous - but you can’t let the brain have too much control Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss the relationship between bad ideas and creative genius, the three biggest lessons from studying the most successful hedge fund on earth, why a complete stranger may often be a better judge of your abilities than you are, the key things that stand in the way of developing more self awareness and how you can fix them, why it’s so important to invest in the ability to make better decisions, and much more with our guest Dr. Adam Grant. Dr. Adam Grant has been Wharton’s top-rated professor for six straight years and has been named a Fortune’s 40 under 40, as well as one of the world’s 10 most influential management speakers. He is the multi bestselling author of Give and Take, Originals and Option B which have been translated into over 35 languages. His work has been featured on Oprah, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and he is the host of the new TED Podcast, WorkLife... You don’t know yourself as well as you think you do There are two things that stand in the way of self awareness We have blindspots that other can see, that we can’t Biases - the things we don’t want to see We are better judges of our internal state, but much worse at judging our external behaviors than our friends and colleagues We are motivated to have a positive image of ourself A complete stranger is a better judge of your assertiveness, creativity, and intelligence after 8 minutes than you are of yourself (after your entire life!) We all want to think of ourselves as being smart and creative “Male pattern blindness” At Bridgewater they tape video + audio of every single meeting Bridgewater was a fascinating place to study deep self awareness No one has the right to hold a critical view without speaking up about it Peer support in the workplace is vital When we get criticized, we make the mistake of going to people to support and cheer us up - we need a “challenge network” to challenge our assumptions, push us, and see through our BS When things are going poorly, people usually ignore the naysayers and dissenters, but the more you do that the worse things typically get - you should be doing the opposite How do we avoid shooting the messenger when we receive negative feedback? Any time you are about to receive negative feedback, get some praise / positive feedback in a positive domain to buffer your negative emotional response first Why “feedback sandwiches” (praise, criticism, praise) doesn’t work as well as people think they do If you’re praising, praise in a separate realm “Democracy is a dumb idea for running a company” - some people’s decisions are objectively better than other people’s The power of domain specific believability scores and how that’s shaped Bridgewater’s results in a positive way Not all feedback is equal Go around and look at your feedback sources and ask yourself two questions What’s their track record in the skill you’re asking for feedback on? How well do they know YOU? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we approach the concept of the self from a concrete perspective, not in an abstract philosophical way. What do the hard sciences like biology and physics say about the existence of the self? Does the “self” exist from a psychological perspective? What does the science say and what does that mean for ourselves, our future, and how we think about change and self improvement? We explore the scientific search for the self with Dr. Robert Levine. Dr. Robert Levine is a professor of psychology and former dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at California State University. Robert is the bestselling author of Geography of Time, Stranger in the Mirror, and The Power of Persuasion, which has been translated into eight languages. His work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, CNN, and more! Is our current conception of “the self” accurate? The hard sciences demonstrate that there is not one, single, conception of the self The boundaries that we imagine divide us from the rest of the world are vague, porous, and sometimes non existent The self is a changeable object and we have control over changing it When does the self become the non-self? A huge portion of our body is bacteria - does that constitute part of the self? From a psychological perspective, we do not have a single personality or self Who are you? Approaching the concept of the self in a real way, not in an abstract philosophical way What do virtual body parts have to do with the perception of the self? What are the consequences of the lack of a concrete, definitive, self? Your mind can be tricked, despite knowing that it’s being tricked Context and situation often determine your behavior moreso than your personality / self The interconnectedness of everything / are we actually separated from the universe / what is the “boundary” of the self? Where do our thoughts, decisions, and ideas come from? The notion from early psycho-neurology that your brain decides before we are aware that we have decided The self versus the non-self Where do our thoughts, desires, and impulses come from? The boundary between ourselves and others is vague & malleable How do we use the fluidity of the self to reshape and edit ourselves? We are multiple personalities and selves - and this allows for and creates real possibilities for change What are the implications of this fluidity of the self? We can actualize the possibilities within our multiple and complex understanding of self-hood to create positive change in our lives We are the “editors” of our own lives and “selves” Creating positive change in your life requires thinking for self, introspection, and self honesty The lowest hanging fruit for keeping track of your “self” and editing to become the person you want to be Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how your environment plays a tremendous role in shaping who you are, look at how personality develops and what underscores it, talk about how to engineering your own environment to make yourself more productive and effective, examine at how to battle self sabotage and much more with our guest Benjamin Hardy. Benjamin is a PhD candidate at Clemson University in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and is currently the #1 Writer for Medium.com with over 50 million page views recorded. He is the author of the upcoming book Willpower Doesn’t Work and his research and writing has been featured in Psychology Today, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, and more! Success is about growth, never plateauing Always be a student, always be growing Living according to a value system that you believe in / a cause you believe in / serving people who you love The difference between security and freedom. Many people base their security in something external to themselves. Develop your own worldview / beliefs / values / goals to help form a more independent Transformational learning experiences” helps transform your world view and perception of yourself Stretch your mind, push your body - to start to open up your world view If you do not create and control your environment, your environment controls you The western belief that we exist independent of our context, what psychological research shows is that your environment has a tremendous impact. Your environment shapes who you are. Mindfulness is awareness of your surrounding and how those surroundings influence you You can also shape your environment, and this creates the possibility for radical change Epigenetics shows that your environment has a huge impact on your personality Personality is more of an adaptation to situations and unresolved trauma The false belief of western culture is that we think personality is a fixed trait - science shows that it’s not Suppressed trauma can “freeze” your personality “You are a sick as your secrets” - the things you keep isolated are the things that keep your personality frozen, your personality changes and continues to grow, you are stuck as a child in some aspects of your personality Will Durant - most people believe that history was shaped by heroes, “It’s not heroes that shape history, its demanding situations that create heroes - the average person could have double their ability or more if the situation demanded it of them” How to “up the stakes” of your environment to create external situation to force you into the behaviors you want to create The two kinds of “enriched environments” you need in order to maximize your performance Only 16% of creative ideas happen when you’re at your desk (when the mind is in a rested state) The concept of “psychological detachment” - letting go of work for a few days - really helps you fully engage when you come back to it The vital importance of recovery as a key component of being both happier and more productive How do you stop from self sabotaging? Put yourself in situations where its a self fulfilling prophecy. Create the environmental components necessary for you to succeed and thrive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we take a journey into the inquiry know as “The Work’ and uncover the 4 question framework that you can use to break down negative thoughts and limiting beliefs. We examine what happens when we argue with reality, look at the difference between being right and being free, explore the causes of suffering, and much more with our guest Byron Katie. Byron Katie is an American speaker, author, and founder of the method of self-inquiry known as “The Work”. She has worked with millions of individuals at both private and public events in prisons, hospitals, treatment centers, universities, and schools. She is the author of three bestselling books and her work has been featured in TIME, The Huffington Post, Oprah, and much more! What happens when you don’t accept reality? Do you like it when you scrape your knee? How should you deal with negative experience? Missing the miracle of life by arguing with it What happens when we get caught up in having to be right? Why it’s painful to “believe your own thoughts” and why you should question your own thinking The Four Questions of “The Work” that can allow you to challenge your negative thoughts and limiting beliefs Using the “Four Questions” to meditate on and reflect on challenges in your life How to become a better listener, listening is powerful When you argue with someone else, you miss valuable information and become disconnected with that person We are often looking outside for the answers to our questions - we should instead look inside The only way to change the world is to question what you believe about the world? How to be open and fearless What you think that causes your suffering - it's only what you’re thinking and believing that causes your suffering What we think and believe create our identities People don’t need to change - what you think and believe about them could use some work Be aware of your life right here, right now - the value and the gift of life and how to take care of it. The Four Questions of the Work and how you can apply each of themIs it true? Can I absolutely know that it’s true? Who am I when I believe this to be true? Who would I be without this thought? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss the danger of getting addicted to your screens. We look at how technology is designed to be as addictive as possible, and how those addictions specifically make you spend more time on things like social media and news that make you less happy. We discuss how screens rob us of time and attention and why it’s so hard to break away from them. We also look at how-how you can structure your environment to spend more time away from your phone and create ways to get out of these addictive behavior loops with our guest Dr. Adam Alter. Dr. Adam Alter is an Associate Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business, with an affiliated appointment in the New York University Psychology Department. His research focuses on judgment, decision making, and social psychology. He is the bestselling author of Drunk Tank Pink, and Irresistible, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, and much more! Technology programs like Facebook are not designed to make you happy - they're designed to be as addictive as possible and consume you Steve Jobs didn't let his children use iPads Why technology giants in Silicon Valley often don’t let their children use technology (and why that’s important for you) The four negative affects of being addicted to your screens Your psychological wellbeing Your threshold for boredom declines dramatically Boredem is good, it creates creative and divergent thinking Negatively impacts your social wellbeing Lowers your emotional intelligence and your ability to read the emotions of others Negatively impacts you financially In app purchases Negatively impacts you in a physical way Too much time in front of screens Screens rob you of time and attention Can’t get into Deep Work Get less sleep Not spending time being present, enjoying time with loved one and friends The Drug of Choice Today is the PHONE There’s a huge rise in behavioral addictions today Social media and news make you LESS HAPPY when you use them - leaving you hollow and unfulfilled AR and VR will make it even more difficult to break away from technology addiction Apps today are built like slot machines - they are intentionally designed to hook you and not let you go Humans don’t like open loops - goals help close them “Email is a lot like zombies” - you can kill them all and they just keep coming The abscence of stopping queues makes technology keep you addicted How can we mindfully create stopping queues in our own lives? You must become the architect of your own environment to control your own stopping queues Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how to become a “superconnector." We look at the idea that networking is not about tactics, it’s about a fundamental shift in how you think about interacting with people. We examine how to break free from the lazy and shallow networking that social media often creates, discuss why you should never ask “how can I help?”, look at the power of curiosity and asking better questions and much more with our guest Scott Gerber. Scott Gerber is CEO of The Community Company and founder of Young Entrepeneur’s Council. He is also an internationally syndicated columnist, the co-author of Superconnector and the author of Never Get a “Real” Job. Scott has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Bloomberg and has even been honored by White House. How do we cut through the quagmire of endless linked-in connections, twitter followers and more? Self awareness is one of the key attributes of super connectors Rather than being authentic, we are being internet authentic - social media conscious Providing real signal, being human, allowing your humanity to show through - amplify your humanity We live under the illusion that vanity metrics determine social status Step one is the cultivation of emotional intelligence Focus on being of service to others Networking is not about tactics, its about a fundamental shift in how you think about interacting with people One of the key principles to networking is that you have to be a real, authentic human What kind of service / value do you want to bring to a community of peers? Failure is often a result of not building your relationships and communities Come from a true place of wanting to help others first Don’t be a “networker": A taker Out for yourself Wolf in sheeps clothing Get back down to the basics - guru nonsense, marketing hucksters etc are full of it A connector thinks about - what questions / context do I need to ask that this person is not giving me, so that I can figure out how to play a role to help them in succeeding in life or business - where I can be helpful? Why asking “How Can I Help” is the Worst Question You put the onus on the other person to tell a stranger how they can help Directionally it provides no guidance It shows you don’t care - because if you actually wanted to help, you would be curious, keep asking questions, to come up with a thesis and then say “here are some ways I CAN help, proactively” Offer actual assistance, not the platitude that you can help It’s the new social script - but it has no meaning or value You MUST ask better questions. The best connectors are curious. Great question - “what does success look like for you?” “what are the steps you need to take to get there” How to cultivate curiosity and ask better questions Start with auditing your conversations Be curious about the other person Figure out questions that you want to ask people Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss becoming a SuperLearner. We dig into questions that I’ve pondered for a long time - does speed reading work? Can we actually speed read and increase our reading comprehension? Are there strategies you can use to improve your memory? And perhaps most importantly - how can we align the way we think, learn, and remember with the way our brains actually operate? We go into this and more with our guest Jonathan Levi. Jonathan Levi is an author, learning expert, and founder of Super Human Enterprises. He is the author of the book Become a SuperLearner and has helped over 120,000 students improve their learning methodology through his online courses. He has been featured on the TED Stage and his work has been published in Inc. Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and more. How Jonathan went from a “troubled student” to a learning and memory expert Memory strategies from greek philosophers to current day experts - what actually works? What to do if speed reading doesn’t work? You average college graduate reads about 250 wpm, at Jonathan’s peak he was reading 750-800 wpm with 80-90% comprehension Its vital to distinguish between rote memorization and how the memory actually works Most people have no concept of how powerful and effective memory techniques actually are By doing memory work you can change the physical structure and neurochemistry of your brain "Paleo Learning” - Get back to what actually works, from an evolutionary standpoint, with learning strategies Using our brains in the way they are intended to use - aligning our learning with our evolutionary design - creates an huge impact on your learning The framework of 40 day study with 30 minute sessions per day Strategic memory techniques you can use to improve your memory How these two specific memory techniques could more improve your memory by 135% Pygmalion effect and the golem effect - people typically conform to the expectations of teachers and leaders The same thing happens with your ego and your perception of yourself Even if these techniques don’t work for you, they still work for you Your ego’s incentive is always trying to prove you right Lessons from both the hard and soft sciences on how you can improve your memory Our brains are built in clusters / neural networks There are more neurons in your brain than stars in the known universe The 3 primary strategies for improving your memory Strongest memory effect are SMELL and TASTE - very deeply rooted in your brain Second most effective memory sense is sight - the "Picture superiority effect” Next most powerful is location-based memory Visual memory and location based memory are deeply ingrained in your brain and the keys to unlocking super learning Connecting all of your knowledge to preexisting knowledge “Hebb's Law” - Neurons that fire together, wire together Our brains thrive on novelty and newness - our brains are amazing at recognizing patterns and connections Learning how to use the memory palace technique Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how money messes with your brain. We look into the obvious traps we fall into when we think about money, examine how cultural influences shape our financial choices, and explore the key biases that underpin the most common and dangerous financial mistakes that you are most likely to make with our guest Jeff Kreisler. Jeff Kreisler is a bestselling author and the winner of the Bill Hicks Spirit Award for Thought Provoking Comedy. He is most recently the co-author of the new book Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How To Spend Smarter with Dan Ariely. (who we have previously had on the show as well?) Jeff is a regular contributor for CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and more! Get rich cheating??? What’s that all about? The common tropes within the self help industry (and how many of them are not based in evidence) The power of satire to explore the underpinnings of human behavior What is money? Why do we have such a hard time thinking about money? Awareness of your biases is a huge difference maker (even if you do nothing other than just being aware of your biases) Spending is very obvious in our culture, but saving is not Research shows men are more willing to admit they take viagra, than how much money they've saved in their 401ks We dig deep into several of the mental biases that stop you from understanding money The relativity bias and how that impacts spending habits ‘What do you want for dinner” vs “would you rather have chicken or fish for dinner” “The Pain of Paying” Bias and how it impacts what we think about money “The credit card premium” and how using a credit card makes you pay more Anchoring bias and arbitrary coherence. How your social security number could impact how much you pay for a bottle of wine We often obsess about small financial decisions, but make judgements on a whim with large financial decisions like buying a home or car “Ulysseses contracts," reward substitution and how to create self control How self awareness is the cornerstone of making better financial decisions The locksmith example and how we misunderstand value and fairness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how to build a rockstar brain. We get into the neurochemical compositions that create moods from happiness to depression and look at you can change the building blocks of the neurochemicals by changing your diet and your habits. In a world were people are more stressed than ever, sleeping less, and trying to do more - we look at the causes of “brain drain” and what we can do to have physically happier and more productive brains with Dr. Michael Dow. Dr. Michael Dow is a psychotherapist, neurotherapist, and a New York Times Bestselling author. He has been the host of several television series examining relationships, brain health, addiction, and mental illness. Dr. Mike is frequently a guest cohost on The Doctors and his work has been featured in Today, Good Morning America, Nightline, and more. Your brain is being drained every day by stress, life, etc The 3 subtypes of brain drain Adrenaline Norepinephrine Cortisol What happens, neurologically, when you suffer from “brain drain” or brain fog The brain balancing neurochemicals that are the antidotes to stress hormones EPA and DHA Omega 3 Acids - and why they are important co-factors in building a healthy brain People are feeling more stressed than ever, working more, sleeping less How are we causing “brain drain” with our daily habits and activities? The 24 hour relationship between cortisol and melatonin Throughout the day, your melatonin level rises and your cortisol level decreases What we do every single day has a far more profound effect on our neurochemicals than we even realize Lifestyle interventions you can implement to rebalance and change your neurochemicals Sugar and flour drain and shrink the hippocampus - which is the main site of neurogenesis How do we cultivate GABA? Glutamine from spinach Vitamin B6 in bananas, magnesium and zinc Eat seven servings of whole fruits and vegetables every day Are vitamins and supplements are useful tool or should we get all our nutrients from whole foods? The importance of getting Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) EPA = Feel Better Omega 3 (stress less Omega 3) DHA = Sleep soundly Omega 3 (promotes restful sleep) EPA and DHA compete for space in your cells Omega 3s are one of the best foods you can eat for your brain - they are the building blocks of yo You can build a “rockstar brain” with a modified mediterranean diet Lean protein Nuts Olive Oil Fish Lots of fruits and vegetables The modified mediterranean diet has been shown via research to combat major depressive disorder Common sources of omega 6 fats - soybean oil and factory farmed meat products - most intense source of omega 6 fats which cause brain inflammation Strategies for shifting the brain from the sympathetic to the parasympat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we explore luck. Does luck exist? Is there a science of luck? What does the research reveal about lucky people and unlucky people? Is it possible to manufacture your own luck? We speak with research psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman and learn the truth about luck and how you just might able to create a bit more in your own life. Dr. Richard Wiseman has been described by The Scientific American as “The most interesting and innovative experimental psychologist in the world today” and his books have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Richard started his career as a working magician and now holds Britain’s only Professorship in the Public Understanding of Psychology. His work has been featured across the globe and he has delivered keynotes to The Royal Society, The Swiss Economic Forum, Google, and more. How Richard went from being a performance magician to being deeply interested in human psychology How studying "the psychology of deception” taught Dr. Wiseman to subtly influence human perception and behavior Most people think they are good lie detectors, but they are in fact not - they are no better than chance When you focus on reading only a transcript - average people go up to 60-70% effectiveness in detecting lies People prefer to lie with the spoken word rather than with written word What research reveals the difference between lucky and unlucky people For the most part, people are CREATING THEIR OWN LUCK by the way they are thinking and acting The research supports, with enormous consistency, that you can create luck The “newspaper experiment” and how it demonstrates the difference between being lucky and unlucky How your “attentional spotlight” filters your perception and reality - causing you to miss basic opportunities - this is what the “unlucky” often do to themselves Then, Dr. Wiseman taught subjects in experiments to “think like a lucky person” and these simple exercises caused the “unlucky” to be more lucky Keep a “luck diary” - the most positive thing / positive thought that happens in a day - will rapidly reorient you towards being more “lucky” The lucky tended to be more intuitive, risk seeking, and resilient Generating “negative counterfactuals” and “finding the silver lining” can help you generate more luck You are creating your own good and bad luck by what you are thinking and feeling What happens if you don’t think you can train your mind to be more positive? Try these “luck producing strategies” for 1 month and you will be luckier in your life How people get stuck in an identity of being “unlucky” can sometimes trap you in a certain behavior pattern Creating and cultivating flexibility in your life - taking a different route to work, changing your conversational style - enables you to capture luck in your life Lucky people are “team players” and constantly look for win-wins - trying to help other people become successful and engaging and talking with other people constantly Buying lottery tickets all day by exploring opportunities and relationships in an open way is how you can “create luck” in your life The biggest myths of self help - and what evidence actually says about them The danger of visualization - and why it doesn’t actually work - in fact “visualization is a terrible idea” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss the habits of high achievers, the motivation myth, dig deep into habits, routines, and strategies you can use to achieve more in less time, balancing hustle and hard work vs recovery and much more with our guest Jeff Haden. Jeff is a contributing editor for Inc.com, author, and ghostwriter. Jeff has ghostwritten nearly 40 non-fiction books including four amazon best sellers. He is the author of the upcoming book The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up To Win and his articles for Inc.com were read by over 20 million people in 2016 alone.How Jeff achieved his dream and realized it wasn't nearly as exciting as he thought it would beTop achievers don't have special sauce - its hard work and hustle that gets them thereIn interviewing and studying top achievers and the lessons from studying themThe power of process and the power of routineMap out and create a blueprint of what you want to do The power of doing the right things every day without fail How do we find out what the right things to do are?Find someone who has achieved what you want to do, look at what they did to get there, create a blueprint based off of that and execute itYou don't need to reinvent the wheel The hard part is actually what gets you to where you want to be Motivation comes from action and progress - not the other way aroundYour muse comes from action, you get ideas from doing things, you get inspiration from getting out there and getting started2 quick and easy tricks to be as productive as possible every dayA fantastic daily productivity strategy you can implement right awaySetting your daily MIT every week to avoid decision fatigue and make high leverage choices every week"I can’t” vs “I don’t” and what research reveals about using one phrase vs the otherThe benefits of working out in the morningHow to generate energy in the afternoon with small rest periodsHow do you balance hard work and hustle with recovery?High leverage thinking, focusing questions, and avoiding busyworkThe “breaking a sweat” principle - starting with the smallest thing possibleHow do you deal with big, far off goals? “the distance between here and there”How Jeff did 100,000 pushups in a yearSet big goals, but focus on the routine/process every single day to execute How talking about your intentions and big goals can actually prevent you from achieving themHow Jeff want from being a factory manager to a prolific writer, writing more than 40 books and countless articlesJeff’s daily writing habit and how he developed itBreak down into parts, and execute each of those component parts by day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we explore emotions and facial expression in depth with one of the world’s top experts - the psychologist who pioneered much of the work in this field - Dr. Paul Ekman. We discuss the 6-7 major universal emotions, how emotional reactions are unchanged across cultures, ages, and even species, we discuss micro expressions, reading people’s faces, how to manage and control your emotions, and much much more. Dr. Paul Ekman is best known for his work as a pioneer researching the field of emotions and how they relate to our facial expressions and as founder of the Paul Ekman Group. These studies along with many others led to Paul being named one of the top 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine and One of the Most Influential Psychologist of the 20th Century by the American Psychological Association. Paul has written over 14 books and 170 published articles having his work appear in Psychology Today, The New Yorker, Oprah, Larry King, and more.Reading facial expressions with definitive evidenceThere is some universality to our expressions across cultures, ages, and even species Expressions are a product of evolution There are 6-7 major universal emotions FearAngerSadnessDisgustSurpriseEnjoyment Contempt (maybe not as robust evidence)You have to avoid “Othello’s error” - you can read an emotion, but that doesn’t tell you what TRIGGERS itThe face, as a universal signal system, conveys a tremendous amount of informationThere are 16 different types of enjoymentHow poker tells can teach us about emotional expressions and how we often read them wrongWe can know HOW people feel, but we cannot know what triggered how they feelIn one hour you can learn to read anyone's faceThe hardest emotion to turn on is enjoymentEmotions are memories, expectations, changes in what we think, and changes in how we can rememberWhen we are in the grip of an emotion - we most readily perceive things that fit the emotion we are experiencing and ignore things that don'tIt’s not easy to manage your emotions, but it is possibleFast onset vs slow onset emotional reactivenessFast vs slow emotional offsetThe specific steps you can take to manage your emotions and create a gap between emotional triggers and emotional reactionsDiary / journal is a powerful tool for understanding and managing your emotional statesRecord negative emotional experiencesSee what they have in commonSee if you can anticipate and prepare for negative emotionsEmotion is useful, powerful, but also can become cumbersome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss everything you ever wanted to know about sleep. We examine the findings from hundreds of studies across millions of people and pull out the major findings about how vitally important sleep is, the global sleep loss epidemic, the stunning data about sleep and productivity, the simplest and most effective evidence based strategies for getting better sleep and much more with Dr. Matthew Walker. Dr. Matthew Walker is Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Founder and Director of the Center for Human Sleep Science. He has published over 100 scientific studies and is the author of the book Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Which is currently the #1 Amazon Bestseller in Neuroscience . He has been featured on numerous television and radio outlets, including CBS 60 Minutes, National Geographic Channel, NOVA Science, NRP and the BBC.Global sleep loss epidimic - the average American sleeps only 6.5 hours per nightSleep has slowly been eroded by our society over the last 60 yearsSleep is vital and essential from an evolutionary standpoint - you can’t just lop off 25% of the necessary sleep you need If you sleep less, you will be dead sooner, lack of sleep kills your more quicklyLack of sleep is a major predictor of “all cause mortality” including cancer, alzheimers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, and suicideHard science shows why a lack of sleep is tremendously bad for youSleep has an image problem, we stigmatize sleep and think its lazy and slothful - people wear lack of sleep as a badge of honor to be celebratedThe 5 clear truths of sleep research and productivity Under-slept employees take on less challenging problems They produce fewer creative solutions They exert less effort when working in groups (slacking off, social loafing) They are more likely to lie, cheat, and engage in deviant behavior The more or less sleep that a CEO has had, the more or less charismatic they will be Chronic exhaustion cost most first world nation 2% of the GDP - 411 billion dollars lost each year to a lack of sleepThe evidence is resoundingly clear - cutting on sleep makes you less productive and less creative and less effectiveAfter being awake for 21 hours, you’re as cognitively imparied as someoen who is legally drunkThe two principle types of sleep - REM sleep and non-REM sleepThe different stages of sleep - the 4 stages of REM sleepHard science shows that deep Sleep is critical to clearing toxins out of your brainSleep is like a sewage system for your brian - it cleans all the toxins and debris out of your brainThe less sleep you have, the higher your probability of getting alzheimersDifferent cognitive systems in your brain also work during sleep - its like saving files to a hard drive, you have to sleep to get the save button Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a bit off the beaten path for us here at the Science of Success. Given this time of year, when many are thinking, reflecting, and being a bit more spiritual - we wanted to offer a different perspective. This episode is not as science based, but still provides a fascinating dialogue with a Buddhist monk, who was the first westerner ordained by the Dalai Lama, on life, meditation, mindfulness, and much more with our guest Robert Thurman. Robert Thurman is a Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University, and President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies. Time magazine has called Robert “the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism.” and named him one of Time Magazine most influential Americans in 1997. Robert was the first westerner ever to be ordained as a Tibetan Monk by the Dalai Lama and his work and books have been featured all over the globe.How Robert’s journey took him to becoming a Tibetan Monk under the Dalai LlamaThe dogma of materialism - mind is the power that directs matter The basic misunderstandings of buddhism from a western perspectiveLife is sufferingIt’s just meditationMeditation without context isn’t useful The two kinds of meditationClearing your mind of thinking / emptying the mindAnalytic / critical meditation or “insight meditation”Thinking something directed towards the exploration of yourself, ideas, or things around youHow an egotistical approach creates “guaranteed misery” - you could become the most powerful person on the planet and people still wont think you’re important Why enlightenment is not clearing your mind of thoughtsThe importance of focusing on and being open to other peopleYou can learn if you examine yourself and your worldLook more objectively at your thought flow - see where thought flows arise, penetrate the thought flow, see the negative thoughts and the positive thoughts What thought is that? How accurate is it? Where does it come from? Whose voice is it? my mother’s voice? my fathers? my uncles? my teacher? Gain leverage on how the mind works, edit how the mind works reinforce the positive insights, de-enforce the negative insights It’s helpful to have help of others - mobilize minds that are further along the path than you are - your the only one who can learn your reality in a viscerally transformative way - use their help and follow their methodsHow Eckart Tolle battled back from the verge of suicide - looking critically at negative thoughts Experiential understanding of the nature of reality - reality is beyond anyone’s idea of realityHow does the Dalai Llama keep up his joy, good humor, and happiness in a world full of so much suffering?The nature of life itself is blissful. Reality is good. The more you’re open to reality, the happier you are. Broaden your attitude and orientation, don’t deny the bad experiences Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss one of the most important evidence based psychology principles that make people successful - self awareness. We look at the difference between people who succeed and those who plateau. We talk about why self awareness is the meta-skill of the 21st century and the foundational skill required to succeed in anything, and we examine conclusions form over 800 scientific studies about self awareness with our guest Dr. Tasha Eurich. Dr. Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, researcher, and principal of The Eurich Group. She received her Ph.D in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Colorado State University and a BA in Theatre and Psychology. She is the New York Times Bestselling author of Bankable Leadership and INSIGHT. Her TED talk has been viewed over one million times and her work has been featured in Business Insider, Forbes, The New York Times and many more! How Tasha uses evidence based psychology principles to make people more succesful The difference between people who plateau and people who meet and defeat challenge head on Self awareness “the meta skill of the 21st century" What does the data show is linked to high self awareness? Self awareness is foundational to all skills required to succeed What does the Science say about Self Awareness? Self aware people are: More fulfilled Better communications More confidence Have better relationships More effective leaders Run more profitable companies Self awareness sets the UPPER LIMIT for the skills you need to be successful in the world today 95% people of people think that they are self aware but only 10-15% actually are On a good day 80% of people are lying to themselves about lying to themselves Conclusions from reviewing over 800 scientific studies to figure out WHAT self awareness was The 2 broad categories of self awareness - the ability to see yourself cleary Internal Self Awareness (introspective people) External Self Awareness (pleasers) Self awareness is an “infinitely learnable skill” There are no demographic commonalities between self awareness The 3 categories of Self Awareness Unicorns Being in a new role / new set of rules Earthquake events - usually negative - that are so devastating that they either cause is to bury our heads in the sand, or they become a catalyst for self awareness The MOST LIKELY - everyday insights The barriers to self awareness are myriad Internal wiring of human beings - change the way you introspect The power of substituting the word WHY for the word WHAT The world we live in today - social media, reality TV, the “cult of self” The cult of the self - and how our culture damages self awareness The challenges of excavating our subconscious / unconscious mind Moving forward with purpose, logic, and curiosity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how to master relationships, go deep into cutting edge networking strategies from one of the world’s top connectors, examine how to unite people in collaboration and co-elevation, the power of generosity in building real and authentic relationships, how to let go of individualism, and much more with Keith Ferrrazi. Keith Ferrazzi is the CEO and founder of Ferrazzi Greenlight and the best selling author of Who’s Got Your Back and Never Eat Alone. Keith’s Greenlight Research Institute has proven the correlation between specific practices that improve relationships, with business success. His work has been featured in several high profile publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Harvard Business Review, Inc, Fast Company, and around the globe. Why you need to make the shift form networking to authentic relationship building The importance of leading with generosity to build real authentic relationships Are you still clinging to the rugged john wayne individualism and self focus? Keith wants to shift that to recognition that the greatest things in our lives only happen via co-creation Co-creation vs collaboration - it's one step beyond collaboration, going higher together How do we commit to growing together in the process? You have to put in the work to bring about co-elevation and co-creation Take full responsibility for all the relationships around you - take responsibility for making those people successful The victim mindset and how to defeat it For someone stuck in a victim mindset - how do they start making the shift towards responsibility? “What’s your blue flame?” What really matters to others? What drives success in their eyes? How do you serve that? Do you really know the blue flame of your boss? What does your boss truly care about? How do you become a conduit for other people to achieve their goals? (And why that’s so important) Focus on fully understanding what a person needs, wants and how you can serve them 2 Key shifts you have to make to get out of the victim mindset: Understanding that it’s all on you to take action Understand that it’s all about “them” (and the more broadly you define them, the more successful you will be) Creating is the new competency of leadership How do you invite this community into becoming a movement? The 3 reason people don’t get on board with Co-creation Laziness Cowardice Sense of Entitlement / Ego / Vindictiveness / Indulgence You have no choice if you want to be successful other than to embrace relationship building Practice is the KEY to building successful relationships and enabling co-creation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we explore rejection in depth. We talk about the incredible power of rejection, go deep into rejection therapy, look at the incredible results created by seeking out rejection and living beyond your comfort zone, talk about the magic of asking why, hear a few incredible stories from 100 days of rejection, and much more with our guest Jia Jiang. Jia Jiang is the founder 100 Days of Rejection and the author of Rejection Proof. In an effort to overcome his fear of rejection Jia spent 100 Days forcing himself into situation after situation where rejection was almost guaranteedJia has been featured on the TED Stage, Forbes, Business Insider, and much more. Jia’s personal relationship with rejection The misalignment between wanting to achieve and being afraid of rejection The only way to overcome your fear is to embrace it and meet it head on How to become a badass and become fearless Saying no with grace - how to say no with grace Show people alternatives Give them something else / help them to get a yes in some way Have respect "Everything amazing and beautiful happens outside your comfort zone" The amazing power of forcing yourself to constantly challenge and operate outside your comfort zone The importance of understanding the vast majority will stay say no to you and why that doesn’t matter It doesn’t matter when you get rejected The few people that say yes make a huge impact - a real breakthrough "How many yesses have I missed in my life?” You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take It’s not about getting a yes - it’s about EXPLORING and CREATING SOMETHING The worst thing that can happen is you saying no to yourself It’s about having fun and challenging yourself Jia’s advice for someone who is afraid to take the first step How to take the first step and overcome the inertia of facing your first rejection Start small, just a little bit outside of your comfort zone, and grow If you ask enough, there is no request that will get rejected by everyone What to do if you feel like you’re bothering people when you ask them for something Be curious, don’t make your goal to get a yes - make your goal to ask 10 people Turning no into yes, and the magic of asking “why” Ask people why they said no to you - find out what the reason is What Jia learned from asking a stranger to plant a flower in his back yard The power of doubt and empathy Humor and positivity - don't take yourself too seriously We go through a bunch of rapid rejection techniques you can use right now You can do rejection therapy for FUN - or you can align it with you goals! Embrace rejection - rejection means something GOOD not something BAD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we explore what it takes to succeed at the highest possible levels, we get science and data from years in the trenches with top performers to uncover the strategies that really work for achieving results, we dig deep into the life long quest of discovering your own personal philosophy and much more with Dr. Michael Gervais. Dr. Michael Gervais - Michael is a high performance psychologist who trains mindset skills and practices that are essential to revealing one’s potential. Michael has worked with some of the world’s top performers including sports teams such as the Seattle Seahawks, Felix Baumgartner (The Red Bull Sponsored Athlete Who Completed the Stratosphere Jump)Olympians, musicians, and more! His work has been featured on ESPN, CNN, The New York Times, and much more! NOTES: Years in the trenches with top performers to get the best strategies The importance of rugged and hostile environments to cultivating presence and peak performance The value of working hard and getting right on the edge of capacity in order to grow Our ancient brain is the thing that gets us stuck, keeps us safe, and keeps us small There are only 3 things you can train as a human You can train your body You can train your craft - this varies by person - can be anything from writing to motorcross to partening You can train your mind Everything falls into those buckets when we talk about the development of the human experience A personal philosophy is one of the most significant anchors you can ground yourself with. Great achievers always have clarity of personal philosophy Line up your thoughts, words, and actions across any environment - there is a sense of power that comes from that - an inner knowing and being that is so rock solid that you can move eloquently in any environment when you have that mindset The life-long quest of discovering your own personal philosophy - and the 3 methodologies Mindfulness - being present with your inner experience Being around wise people - people who are switched on, people who are having deep convos, talking about their philosophies, having those conversations Writing - the art of writing, taking a thought and all the words in your native tongue and lock down these ideas and concepts Start with putting your philosophy to memory, and then most importantly begin putting your philosophy into practice There’s nothing new in the world of self help - the science is super clear - this is what we know to be true - you just have to do the work Optimism is a foundational pillar for mental toughness, optimism is about how you think about your future Relentless belief that you can focus your mind on what’s good First function - without awareness of inner dialogue you’re dead in the water - you must have meditation/mindfulness - train your inner experience to become more aware of thoughts and sensations Second - Martin Seligman - focus on 3 good things - gratitude journal Become a researcher of amazing / researcher of good in your own life Mindfulness is the backbone that runs through all of these strategies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're extremely excited to introduce to you a new occasional segment of The Science of Success, Tuesday Talks! Are you tired of all the BS and fluff that oftentimes accompanies personal development? Tuesday Talks delivers to you Evidence Based Growth tactics that are proven to work and deliver maximum impact in your life in under five minutes. In this episode, we dive into the 80/20 principle and the impact it can have on your life starting today. This principle can be applied to everything in life. By utilizing it the right way, you can ensure you are focusing on the right things, getting the most out of your time, and ultimately, begin producing more results than you ever thought possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss the proven strategies building effective relationships, why it’s vital to understand that the results you get in the world are a result of working with other people, how you can see the world from other people’s perspectives, tactics for building your credibility, how to get better feedback and much more with Todd Davis. Todd Davis is the Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Franklin Covey and author of the new book Get Better: 15 Proven Practices to Build Effective Relationships at Work. Todd is responsible for Franklin Covey’s global talent development in over 40 offices in 160 countries and previously served as director of innovations, developing many of the company’s core offerings. The culture of an organization can make all the difference The nature of relationships between people becomes a companies ultimate competitive advantage Todd’s lessons from working with and coaching hundreds of companies and executives What did Sarte mean when he said that “Hell is other people?” The ultimate way you are measured is by the results you get You get your results WITH and THROUGH and other people What we see determines everything we do, and what we do determines the results we get Consider stepping back and understanding that their may be a different way to view things - that can powerfully impact your relationships Ask yourself “have you considered the other person’s perspective?” An exercise can you use right now to start to see the world from other people’s perspectives The power of examining your real motives Journaling exercise you can use to understand your real motives “The Five Whys” - keep asking why until you get to the root cause The most effective, successful, and influential people start with themselves first Your circle of influence vs your circle of concern Why you should focus your time, energy, effort, and resources on things that you can impact and control The power of asking “Can you help me understand something?” Start with humility - the power of having humility in dealing with tough conversations Proactive, effective people don’t wait for feedback, they actively go and seek it out The 4 common reasons why we don’t seek feedback (and what you can do about them) A great opening line for dealing with tough conversations and situations Seeking validation vs actually seeking feedback How to “behave your way to credibility” The 2 key components for credibility - character and competence An exercise you can use to build your credibility over the long term The single biggest mistake of influencing other people - not “walking your talk” Make sure someone deeply understands your intent When emotions are high - that’s not the moment to start addressing the problem With people - "fast is slow and slow is fast" The socratic method of influencing people - if you ask the right questions, seek understanding, and uncover the real issues - you can solve serious problems Todd shares a personal story that deeply impacts the lessons we discuss in the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how our guest went from a childhood head injury to becoming an accelerated learning expert. We cover memory, speed reading, improving your focus, taking notes like an expert and go deep into tactics for accelerated learning. We talk about the importance of mastering the fundamentals, and get into tons of highly specific and actionable advice you can use today with our guest Jim Kwik. Jim Kwik is the founder of Kwik Learning and Superhero You. Jim is a brain coach in speed reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning. Jim’s methods and work have been utilized by with several high profile companies including Nike, SpaceX, and GE, as well as individuals such as the Clintons, Oprah, Richard Branson and more. We’ve discovered more in the last 20 years about the human brain than we learned in the 2000 years before that How Jim went from growing up with learning challenges from an early childhood head injury to become an expert in accelerated learning and speed reading How to read 30 books in 30 days How we can actually retain what we read Knowledge is not power, its only potential power The one super power you want to master in the 21st century (learn faster) Traditional speed reeding, skimming, skipping words, getting the gist of something is not enough - its about fully capturing and retaining the information The average person reads 1-2 books per year, but the average CEO reads 4-5 books per month What Bill Gates said the #1 super power he would pick would be How you can gain 2 months of productive time per year Why motivation is such a critical component of accelerated learning - have a purpose for why you read "H-Cubed” - 3 things you need for motivation to have accelerated learning The fastest way to read something is not to read it at all - figured out what your end goal is How you can remember names more effectively & become a great connector If you forget someone’s name, you show that they’re not important to you How to give a speech without notes Brain Hacks for Speed Reading “Leaders are readers” and why Jim thinks you should read 30 minutes per day 12 things Jim does every morning to jumpstart his brain Mental fitness is as important, if not more important, than mental intelligence Using a “visual pacer” and how that brain hack can help you instantly double your reading speed One of the biggest traps in the personal development field is the “next new thing” People who are truly on the path to Mastery focus on the fundamentals and get REALLY REALLY GOOD at the BASICS How to get a 20-50% boost in your reading speed right now Excellence comes down to a set of routines, rituals, and habits If we always do the easy thing in life, life becomes hard, if we do the hard things, life becomes easy BEMAT = behavior equals motivation ability and trigger The primacy principle and the recency principle - and why you should chunk and take breaks to create more “beginnings and ends" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how our guest went from a hard-nosed skeptic who thought most self help was BS, to someone who uncovered the evidence based growth strategies that actually work. We talk about our guest’s journey from meeting self help gurus, to spiritual teachers, and neuroscientists to discover the biggest lessons about improving your mind and body, and the simple, scientifically validated tool that evidence demonstrates is the best way to be happier with Dan Harris. Dan Harris is a correspondent for ABC News and the co-anchor for the weekend edition of Good Morning America. Dan regularly contributes to Nightline, 20/20, and World News and has covered stories from all over the world including war reporting in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as investigative reports in Haiti, Cambodia, the Congo and more. Dan is the author of the book 10% Happier and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Washington Post, Dr. OZ, Good Morning America, and much more. How Dan went from being a skeptical hard-nosed reporter who thought meditation and self was was largely “bulls**t”What happened when Dan had a panic attack in front of 5 million people on Live TVWhat it’s like to have your mind get hijacked by the most boring person aliveDan’s journey of visiting self help gurus, religious leaders, neuroscientists and more led him to one major conclusion about how to improve your brain and your bodyHow many self help gurus are correct, but often not useful in a practical senseSimple and scientifically validated tool to deal with the voice in your headThe secrets of "contemplative neuroscientists"How to train up the ability to focus, deal with emotions, be nice to other people, be nice to yourself, have patience, and be gratefulThe radical notion, supported by research, that you can literally train and transform your brain to prime it for happinessHappiness is skill, according to the science, and it can be trainedThere are thousands of kinds of meditation and it’s not useful to get overly dogmatic about the superiority of one method over the otherDan gravitates towards mindfulness meditation because it has valuable and strong research supporting itThe basic and simple strategy you can use to start meditating RIGHT NOWYou don’t need to clear your mind - clearing your mind is impossibleThink about meditation like going to the gym - if you’re not sweating and panting you're not doing it right, meditation is like bicep curls for the brain. The whole game of meditation is have the collision with the voice in your head and return to breath How to defeat anxiety, depression, and panic attacks using meditation What to do if you don’t have enough time to meditate The different between responding wisely and reacting blindly How do we strike a balance between acceptance/mindfulness and achievement? Non-attachment to results - you are not fully in control of the universe - everything is interconnected and multifactorial - the wise stance for an ambitious person is to recognize that you shouldn’t be attached to results How do we battle back from nihilism if we go to deep down the path of buddhism? We do have some agency to impact the universe, but we aren’t the master of the universe The importance of seeing things as they are instead of as you want them to be Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss the groundbreaking research behind the ancient molecule that fuels peak performance, the foundations of neuroeconomics, how our brains react during social interactions, we examine how our brains are designed to connect and built to work cooperatively, we dig into the power of oxytocin and how you can increase it in your life, and much more with Dr. Paul Zak. Dr. Paul Zak is founding Director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies and Professor of Economics, Psychology, and Management at Claremont Graduate University. He was also among the team of scientists who were the first to use brain imaging to identify the role of oxytocin as a key driver of trust, love, and morality that distinguish our humanity. Paul is the author of the new book Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies and has appeared on ABC World News, CNN, Fox Business, and more. Paul founded the field of Neuroeconomics - what is that? How are humans able to interact with total strangers when that is impossible in the animal kingdom? How do our brains balance the risks of meeting a stranger vs the benefits of increased social influence? Our brains live in this soup of chemicals, none of which we are aware of consciously How Paul’s groundbreaking research transformed what scientists thought about the production of oxytocin and how humans build trust Oxytocin is an on/off switch Paul challenges the listeners to a fight! Our brains naturally help us adapt to the environment we are in How do we get people in groups to perform at their highest level How you can train your brain to release more oxytocin Learn how to read the emotional state of the people around you How “listening with your eyes” can help boost your oxytocin and help you become more in sync with people The “evil trick” you can use to get tons of information when you meet someone (it’s NOT what you expect!) Our brains are designed to connect, we want to be connected. We are naturally open to touch. Our brains are built to work cooperatively. Strategies you can use in your daily life to increase your oxytocin How companies can measure and manage their culture for high trust and high performance The 8 key building blocks leaders can use to build trust and improve high performance Paul focuses on measuring brain activity and use that to solve real problems that humans have. The neuroscience firmly demonstrates the power and vital importance of sleep How you can implement concrete changes to get the biggest bang for your buck in building a culture of high performance We trust people more who are their real, vulnerable, natural selves Why you should replace “how was your weekend” with “hey you look really ” to build deeper relationships Almost no human can survive on their own - we only survive in groups - we must understand how to engage the groups that we are constantly around Science predicts, and data strongly supports, that people want to be and enjoy being part of high performance groups Why isn’t work an adventure? How can we make a work an adventure Connecting, touching, giving a gift - give the gift of connection, empowerment, love, to someone around you Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss How To Use “Mind Control” Techniques to Create Any Habit You Want, why we are driven much more by pain than pleasure, the “hook” model for describing human behavior, how to hack your rewards to change your behavior, the power of tiny amounts of friction, and much more with Nir Eyal. Nir Eyal is an expert in “behavioral design” having worked in both advertising and video gaming helping companies build and create more engaging products. Nir is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the book Hooked: How To Build Habit Forming Products and has been featured in Forbes, Psychology Today, and more. Nir is an active angel investor and currently writes to help companies create good habit and behaviors in their users on his blog NirandFar.com. We discuss: Persuasion, mind control, and behavioral design What is a habit and how do you define it? How we can leverage technology to build healthier habits How 50% of your actions take place with little or no unconscious thought Internal vs External triggers There is only one reason you use a product or service - to modulate your mood - that’s it Our behaviors are driven NOT by seeking of pleasure, but rather the quelling of a unconformable emotion Figure out what your frequently occurring internal triggers are We are driven more by PAIN than by PLEASURE There’s no end to what we can accomplish if we can understand that pain is our primary motivator Even seeking pleasure = satisfying the PAIN of WANTING The power of the unknown to draw us in The 4 stages of the “Hook” Model on how Habits are formed and sustained Rewards are actually wanting to quell the “stress of desire” Discomfort drives us to action How the same mental hardwiring behind addiction also underpins love and desire The easier you can make a behavior the more likely people are to do it The biggest thing that drives people to adopt technology is making life EASIER Reward itself doesn’t have much impact on your brain, its the anticipation of the reward that drives us 3 Kinds of Variable Rewards Rewards of the Tribe Rewards of the Hunt Rewards of the Self Belief is as much of a factor in addiction as physical dependency itself How making a behavior just a little bit easier can have dramatic results How to put the hook model in reverse and destroy bad habits How putting space between steps in your habit loop can create massive changes How can you make bad habits more difficult, take longer, or be harder to do? How you can use “temptation bundling” to break the hold of variable rewards in your habit loop Never do something when you don’t have the end in sight - do things that have a finite END so that you don’t get hooked Key question you must ask yourself: Is this technology serving ME, or am I serving IT? One simple piece of advice to implement the ideas discussed in this interview right away How to leverage technology to combat technology that is distracting you Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we discuss what happened when our guest astronaut Chris Hadfield went blind during a space walk - and how he made it out alive. We talk about the mental toughness necessary to survive extremely dangerous situations like that, discuss in depth how astronauts deal with fear, look at the vital importance of powerful training to deal with huge risks, and much more with Chris Hadfield. Chris Hadfield, who the BBC called “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong" has been a part of several space missions with the Canadian Space Agency and NASA. He served as Chief of Robotics and Chief of International Space Station Operations. Chris was the first Canadian to command the International Space Station and was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and inducted to the Canadian Aviation Hall Of Fame. In addition to his work as an engineer and astronaut Chris is an author, musician, and speaker. We discuss: The 3 key things that enabled chris to make it all the way through the astronaut selection process How Chris survived going BLIND during a space walk in outer space!! How astronauts rescue incapacitated crew in outer space How to cultivate the mental toughness to survive the most dangerous situations imaginable The learned and trained ability to deal with extremely complex circumstances Why Chris was an astronaut for 21 years and only spent 6 months in space, thats how important training is In outer space, you can’t count on luck, you count on your own learned ability to deal with the probable things that could go wrong How NASA develops training programs to do everything possible to be successful The vital importance of visualizing failure and understanding what could go wrong Astronauts don’t visualize success, they practice for failure, all the time Visualize failure, incrementally improve, don't count on luck NASA’s Recipe for Success The relationship between DANGER and FEAR Things don’t change whether or not you are afraid of them - the ONLY question is whether or not you are prepared Your body’s physiology reacts to being unprepared to a dangers situation with a reaction we simply call “fear” FEAR = LACK OF PREPARATION Perpetual fear = STRESS (and overwhelm) Listen to fear, but don’t keep fear from allowing you to dictate your life How do you change your own threshold of fear? Recognize real threats through the noise of the non threats if you dont know what to be afraid fo, then your afraid of everything the difference between belief and knowledge If you're afraid of a jaguar, should you be afraid of a kitten? One of the ways to increase your own significance is to exaggerate your problems Why the perception that the world is more dangerous now than ever is fundamentally flawed "The Sky is Not The Limit" Life is TOUGH and the earth is TOUGH - it’s been here for 4.5 billion years The perspective of an astronaut viewing the entire world from above Why Chris recommends that you should “aim to be a zero” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how neurology's perspective on the brain fundamentally ignores the health of the entire system, we look at your gut biome’s role in depression, mood regulation and how the microbiome controls your behavior and emotions, we ask why it is so hard for people to break negative eating habits, talk about the biochemistry of addiction, the incredible importance of understanding your microbiome and gut health with Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary. Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary is a neuroscientist and Ayurveda expert. She has participated in over 20 clinical research studies working with new stem cell therapies for diabetic neuropathy and drug development for the treatment of ALS. Dr. Chaudhary is the author of The Prime: Prepare and Repair Your Body for Spontaneous Weight Loss, and is a regular guest on the Dr. Oz show! How Dr. Chaudhary’s personal experience led her down the path of integrative medicine The health of the brain is highly dependent on the health of the gut Auyerveda is the oldest recorded medical system in the world - one of the oldest forms of “lifestyle medicine" Why food is medicine How the Neurologist’s perspective on the brain fundamentally ignores the health of the entire system Dr. Chaudhary’s perspective on how eastern & integrative medicine can be integrated with western science to form a more holistic solution for health Tumeric is a great example of a spice that has scientifically demonstrated health benefits Micro-biome & gut health underpins huge medical issues Western medicine is just now catching up with insights from 5000 year old holistic medicines 90% of your serotonin comes from your gut and gut health is a major factor in depression Scientifically, the mind and mental health are deeply connected and directly related gut health Why is it so hard for people to break negative eating habits? Is it really just a question of willpower? The neurochemistry and biochemistry that underpins negative eating habits Your micro biome itself can shift your eating habits and make you desire and consume certain foods Why 85% of people cannot change the way they are eating with willpower The biochemistry of addiction and food addiction & the role dopamine plays How food scientists have engineered junk food to produce massive dopamine spikes The dangers of overstimulated dopamine receptors and how they lead to addiction An obese person’s brain chemistry responds the same way to sugar as a cocaine addict responds to cocaine Environmental toxins and toxic inflammation and how they impact your body Enteric nervous system - the “brain inside your gut” which produces 95% of the serotonin and 50% of the dopamine in your body “The gut does most of the talking and the brain does most of the listening” Who dictates the content of what the gut says? The Microbiome "How smart is your gut?" How fecal matter transplants in mice can completely reverse genetically engineered personality traits Research clearly demonstrates that your micro-biome controls your behavior and emotions We are still in the infancy of discovering and understanding the microbiome - there is a lot of “noise” that’s hard to understand Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss the darker side of how the US military influences human behavior - we touch on brainwashing, reading human body language, creating Manchurian candidates, how this one psychological bias can convince strangers to murder someone more than 80% of the time, how to profile someone and search for their weaknesses, and much more with Chase Hughes. Chase Hughes is the founder of Ellipsis Behavior Laboratories and the amazon bestselling author of The Ellipsis Manual. Chase previously served in the US Navy as part of the correctional and prisoner management departments. Chase speaks on a variety of topics including brainwashing and attraction and frequently develops new programs for the US Government and members of anti human-trafficking teams around the world. We discuss: How seeing "how weak and vulnerable everyone was" transformed Chase’s worldview Is it possible to create real world Manchurian candidates? Why you’re grossly underestimating the work necessary to read human body language and understand human behavior Why the typical strategies of influence won’t work unless you can profile and understand the individual - and tailor what you’re saying and doing to meet that individuals weaknesses and needs Simple questions you can use to “disengage someone from autopilot” and break the pattern they are stuck in How you can develop “FIC" to hack human behavior Focus Interest Curiosity The “RAS” - reticular activation system - constantly looking for things that are threats and things that are socially valuable How the Milgrim experiment fundamentally demonstrates the incredible power of the authority bias The one strategy that can be effective influencing strangers to commit murder more than 80% of the time The 5 key factors you can use to hack authority and trigger an “obedient” response Dominance / ambition Discipline Leadership Gratitude Fun / sense of adventure When we interact with authority we go through an “agentic” shift - our brain shifts responsibility for our own actions onto the person who instructed us to do it - you can make people take extreme behaviors if you get them to give YOU responsibility for their actions Master yourself first before you can influence others Master environment first Master your time - keeping a plan and sticking to it Master the mechanics of your habits Master your attention span Tactics for mastering authority today Express genuine interest in other people and make them feel INTERESTING not interested Remember the phrase - LEADERSHIP through SUPPORT The people who think they are alpha males are usually NOT the alpha male - big dogs don’t feel the need to bark The Columbo method - make deliberate social errors, be vulnerable, start with an insecurity - that helps open people up to influence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How this FBI spy recruiter hacked evolutionary psychology to learn to change anyone’s behavior, 5 steps for “strategizing” trust, how to get someone’s brain to reward them for engaging with you, the vital importance of self awareness, the power of not keeping score, and much more with Robin Dreeke. Robin began his career in law enforcement in 1997 after serving in the United States Marine Corp. Robin has directed the behavior analysis program of a federal law enforcement agency and has received training and operational experience in social psychology and the science of relationship management. Robin is currently an agent of the FBI and the author of “It’s Not All About “Me”” and the upcoming book The Code of Trust. How Robin went from being a hard charging type-a individual to learning the principles of actually inspiring people and changing behavior Robin’s main job was to recruit spies How manipulating, pressuring, bullying people doesn’t work - and why learning that lessons in counter-intelligence is one of the most powerful places to learn the lesson The Art Form of Inspirating Anyone and Getting them to do what you want The New Car Effect - and what that has to do with influencing and inspiring anyone "Strategizing Trust" - the five steps of trust How the old conception of leadership is flawed and ineffective How being hard charging, type-a, and in your face is backwards from what you need to be successful How the crucible of counter-intelligence doesn’t afford you the luxury of making mistakes - and the strategies that come out of that for influencing others When people don’t have to talk to you and don’t care about your title and position - you have to find the strategies that work The vital importance of self awareness and honest self assessment What you think you’re projecting to the world is often not what the world is seeing How ego, vanity, and insecurities can hijack what you say and do Listen to the people around you, take feedback, and learn how you can change How strategies of inspiration and influence focus almost exclusively on the other person Focus on other people, what their priorities are, and what’s important to them - that’s how you can change their behavior and influence them Why should someone want to talk to you, listen to you, and do what you want? Think in terms of inspiring other people, not manipulating them How seeking other people's thoughts and opinions can help you neurobiologically build trust with them Leaders don’t keep scorecards. Give and let go. And wait. When you honor the healthy and happy relationships - everything falls into place and flows very easily How to get someone’s brain to reward them for engaging with you Honesty is one of the critical factors Why you shouldn’t convince, cajole, and manipulate people How the FBI spy recruits hacked evolutionary psychology to learn to change anyone’s behavior How the use of lies and deception can destroy trust forever It cost nothing to make it about other people and its one of the simplest strategies in the world - and can have a huge impact on your ability to influence and inspire Become an available resource for other people Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we ask "do you have to be ruthless to succeed?”, we examine how compassion is powerfully linked with success, we discuss the essential task of challenging your own world view and seeking evidence you disagree with, learn how to ask great questions, and much more with Dr. Chris Kukk. Dr. Chris Kukk is a former counter intelligence agent, now a professor of Political and Social Science at Western Connecticut State University. He is the founding Director of the Center for Compassion, Creativity, and Innovation. He is the author of the newly released book The Compassionate Achiever and has been featured on NPR, NBC, The Economist, and more Social and emotional learning and how Chris is using that to transform early childhood education How positivity and compassion can spread from the bottom up to change schools The neuroscience behind how compassion helps children learn more effectively Why cultivating personal awareness is the first step to mastery With meditation you catch more than you miss, without it, you miss more than you catch What did Charles Darwin have to say about how compassion impacts the “survival of the fittest” How a focus on helping one another moves society forward Why the conception of compassion as “soft” or “weak” is completely wrong How compassion is powerfully linked with success Mother Theresa’s “Ripple of Kindness” Do you have to be ruthless in order to succeed? Compassion enables you to have sustained success Lessons from Enron What psychology and neuroscience studies show about extrinsic focus vs intrinsic focus on your achievement How Utah has saved money by pursuing a policy of compassion in solving homelessness The “4 step program” for cultivating compassion that you can start implementing right now The power of “LUCA” The power of listening to learn instead of listening to reply The definition of compassion - understanding and taking action How we can “understand to know” and build a deeper mosaic of understanding to find common solutions to our problems Connecting to capabilities, reaching beyond yourself to help people with the human potential hidden in plain sight The essential task of challenging your own world view and seeking disconfirming evidence All feedback makes you stronger, ideology fears the truth, wisdom seeks it The buddhist concept of “fierce compassion” Remember, water cuts through rock over time What are “knownaughts” and “noxxers”? The power of connection to make your success limitless How do we ask great questions (and why its so important to do that)? The great question is like the lens of a camera, the aperture shapes what you see on the other side The words that you use frame the way you see a problem How silence can open up doorways for deeper understanding Lessons from counter intelligence interrogations about how we can become better listeners The power of "nondoing" Practical steps you can implement right now to begin walking the path of compassion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss habit loops, how they form, and what they are, we look at why you can’t stop picking up your phone (I know that’s definitely a challenge for me), the habits and routines that research shows are most correlated with success, how to bake mental models into your brain, and much more with Charles Duhigg. Charles is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and senior editor at The New York Times. Charles is the author of “The Power of Habit,” which spent over two years on the New York Times best-seller list, and more recently “Smarter Faster Better,” also a New York Times best seller. Charles graduated from Yale University, Harvard Business School and has been featured in This American Life, N.P.R, Frontline, and much more. We discuss: Habit Loops, what they are and how they form 40-45% of what we do every single day is not a decision it's a habit Emotional cue for checking your phone and "novelty seeking" How your brain makes that behavior automatic because it's delivering a reward How to break habits What Reward are you seeking? Get as specific as possible Figure out the REWARD, then reprogram the HABIT Keystone habits and how they can transform your identity and create a chain reaction Why it's that the most successful people work harder, they just think differently The rituals and habits of people who are more productive Why its not being smarter, its not working harder, its not going to the right schools - the research shows that what correlates the MOST with success is that the people who are most successful tend to have “contemplative routines”, habits in their lives that push them to think more deeply Journaling is a great example of a contemplative routine that can make you be more productive Being busy and being productive are not synonymous Thinking has always been the killer "productivity app" The story of Quantas Flight 32 Maintaining focus while in the middle of a crashing airplane and how to cultivate situational awareness How Firefighters develop ESP Building a story, a mental model of a situation, and how that can shape your situational awareness The vital importance of building mental models Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we discuss how you can fall into cycles of self sabotage and constantly reset your happiness down to where you think it should be, lessons learned from coaching over 20,000 people, how to crush upper limit problems and break through the beliefs holding you back, the questions you need to discover and live in your zone of genius, and much more with Dr. Gay Hendricks. Dr. Gay Hendricks is the president of the Hendricks Institute, he earned his Ph.D in counselling psychology from Stanford and taught at the university of Colorado for 21 years and conducted seminars across the globe. He is also a multi bestselling author, having written more than 40 books and his work has been featured on CNN, CNBC, Oprah, and more. We discuss: Gay’s "encounter with destiny" and how it “knocked him out” of his usual way of thinking Lessons from training thousands of counselors and coaches to help people transform their lives Lessons from counseling and coaching over 20,000 individuals! How Gay went from 300+ lbs, smoking 2-3 packs of cigarettes per day, and transformed his entire life The two “big ideas” from the Big Leap Upper Limit Problems Occupying your Zone of Genius What are "Upper Limit Problems?" How to Occupying your “Zone of Genius" Often times its not the lack of business skills that stifle us, its lack of heart centric communication skills If you’re able to bring forth what is within you, it will pave the path to success - but if you keep your emotions in, you stifle yourself How a tiny bit of misalignment can create echos and rattles throughout your life How we fall into cycles of self sabotage to “reset” our happiness down to where we think it should be We often manufacture fears, stresses, and anxieties to stop ourselves from feeling good The core fears you experience underpinning that Upper Limit Problem #1 The Fear of Outshining #2 The Fear of Being Fundamentally Flawed Upper limit problems are rooted in fear - unless we come to terms with those - we cannot actualize our full potential How to explore, lovingly, your own fears and limitations The concept of having enough vs having plenty #3 The Fear of Leaving Behind or being disloyal to the people you care about Do you ever feel like “things are going too well, now something bad is going to happen” Focusing on what can go wrong is useful if we TAKE ACTION about it, but if we can’t act on it, its just useless worrying The “quick fix” for blame and criticism - get underneath the blame, own what you’re afraid of that is causing that blame and talk about it openly and honestly How to fix broken relationships and heal communication problems in 10 minutes or less Self criticism is rooted in FEAR - something you’re afraid of in yourself, or something your afraid to communicate to someone else - what is it that im basically afraid of? Can honesty (with ourselves and our relationships) reduce suffering? Ultimate success mantra - I expand in love, abundance, creativity, and success every day as I inspire other people to expand in love, abundance, success, and creativity! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.