EP. 6: FEELING GOOD, OVERCOMING DEPRESSION AND DISTORTED THINKING: DR DAVID BURNS

My guest is Derek Sivers. Derek proves that an unconventional background can be the perfect foundation for a wonderfully interesting life and groundbreaking success. 

Originally a professional musician and circus clown, Derek founded CD Baby in 1998. It became the largest seller of independent music online, with $100 million in sales for over 150,000 musicians. In 2008, Derek sold CD Baby for $22 million, giving the proceeds to a charitable trust for music education. 

His TED talks have garnered over 20 million views, and he has published 34 books, including Hell Yeah or No, Your Music and People, Anything You Want) and his most recent book as it pertains to this conversation is How to Live, 27 Conflicting Answers and One Weird Conclusion - but note we do slightly touch on his current yet-to-be-completed book Useful Not True.

Taking points include …

• Derek's transition from a musician to circus performer to entrepreneur and author.
• The power of books and new ideas.
• The concept of "useful, not true" and the practicality of a belief.
• Revisiting "hell yeah or hell no" as a decision heuristic in his book" Anything You Want." 
• On oblique strategies for releasing creative potential 
• Embracing unpredictability and "random generators." 
• The pragmatic rabbi approach to simplifying problems 
• Thoughts on song and book writing.
• Seeing emotions as ends bypassing things as means. 
• The orchestra-instrument framework. 
• The motivation of being temporarily-abled.
• The practice of journaling to understand emotions and situations.

And there is much more here, as we cover a lot of ground. 

Tim Ferris called Derek a philosopher-king programmer, master teacher, and merry prankster and quote (one of my favorite humans), and after chatting with Derek, I understand why. You can tell I enjoyed talking with him. 

Please enjoy.

On this episode of our podcast, we delve into the fascinating world of hypnosis, with a focus on demystifying this phenomenon and separating myths from scientific reality. We explore its role in modern therapy and personal well-being.

Dr. David Spiegel is one of Stanford University’s leading psychiatrists, with more than 45 years of clinical experience, and has pioneered over 400 research papers on the power of self-hypnosis. Educated at Harvard and Yale, he is the Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Center on Stress and Health, and Medical Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr Speigel has written thirteen books and is also the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Reveri Health, which offers a clinically backed hypnosis app of the same name. 

In our conversation, we cover a wide array of topics, including:

• The definition and understanding of hypnosis.
• A short history of hypnosis, its mystical origins, and its current scientific standing.
• Distinctions between clinical and theatrical hypnosis.
• Debates over the tools and techniques used in hypnosis.
• The controversial subjects of brainwashing and memory recovery.
• Current research and understanding of the neural mechanisms of hypnosis.
• The various types of hypnosis and their applications.
• The relationship between EMDR and hypnosis.
• The effectiveness, suitability, and therapeutic potential of hypnosis.
• The Reveri app, co-founded by Dr. Spiegel
• I share my own experience with the Reveri app, particularly how it helped me with my fear of airplane turbulence.

Join us for this enlightening discussion as we uncover the mysteries and realities of hypnosis.

Enjoy!

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

In this episode, we dive into the shifting dynamics of work, careers, and the quest for fulfillment. My guest discusses the history of "career" and how work is undergoing transformations due to technology, social change, and pivotal global events. He has gathered a lot of data to discern patterns in people's work trajectories to expand the definition of what we call work. 

Bruce Fieler is a leading voice in America on modern life. He's written seven bestsellers; his three TED Talks have over four million views, and he teaches a TED Course on life changes. His newest book, "THE SEARCH: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World,” looks at how people can find purpose in their jobs. It's based on stories from people of all different backgrounds and jobs.

In our talk, Bruce questions common ideas about careers. He uses data to explain big career changes, which he calls 'work-quakes’. If you're thinking about your own job or career or just want to know more about work trends, you'll want to listen.

Topics we cover:

• Bruce's own career changes.
• Current trends in jobs and careers.
• The history of the career and the resume.
• Why just following your passion might not be the best idea.
• Work-quakes
• The idea of having multiple types of jobs at once.
• How different generations see job changes.
• A broader view of what 'work' means.
• How to find out what really matters to you in a job.
• The many kinds of jobs people have.
• The danger of valuing work too much.
• How work can give our lives meaning.
• Questions to help you find a job you'll like.
• And much more. 

Enjoy!

For show notes and more information, check out larryweeks.com.

In this episode, renowned social scientist Dan Ariely discusses the irrational pull of misinformation and how to understand "misbelief" — the psychological and social path that guides individuals to doubt established truths, consider alternative facts, and perhaps even welcome outright conspiracy theories.

Dan Ariely is the James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University. He is dedicated to answering questions to help people live more sensible – if not rational – lives. He is a founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight, co-creator of the film documentary (Dis)Honesty: The Truth About Lies, and a three-time New York Times bestselling author. His books include Predictably Irrational, The Honest Truth About Dishonesty, Irrationally Yours, Payoff Dollars, and Sense and now his latest - Misbelief.   

Talking points we cover include …

• The origin of Dan's distinctive half-beard.
• Behavioral insights into self-acceptance. 
• Covid misinformation and his attacks on social media and in public 
• Exploration and reasoning behind irrational behavior and beliefs.
• Identifying false comprehension.
• How to know why we believe what we believe.
• On belief creation and alteration.
• Understanding why people are attracted to heterodoxy and discussing the negative consequences of rejecting and ostracizing people with non-mainstream beliefs.
• Shibboleth in communication: signaling identity rather than the pursuit of truth.
• Behavioral science on task motivation

...and much more. 

Enjoy! 

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

"Often circumstances think for us, we don't really have a choice. And anybody who puts themselves in a bad position has no good options available. So a lot of the work involved in a decision comes before the actual decision is made." 

In decision-making, clarity is a critical element, if not the fundamental purpose; it reduces errors and facilitates confident, effective choice-making. 

In this episode, my guest sheds light on how to get clarity in decision-making, and I'll add, how to transform knowledge into wisdom.

Shane Parrish is a former cybersecurity expert at Canada's top intelligence agency turned thought leader. He is the mind behind Farnam Street, a site that's very popular among the innovator and investor class that draws on a variety of thinkers from Lao Tsu and Emerson to Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger. 

Shane is also acclaimed for his bestselling series on mental models titled "The Great Mental Models Volume 1: General Thinking Concepts", Volume 2: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology", and "Volume 3: Systems and Mathematics." And his latest book, "Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results," is the topic of this podcast. 

Listen in as we dive into how to think more clearly and, in doing so, make better decisions. 

Discussion highlights include:

• The origin of Farnham Street and the influence of Berkshire Hathaway 
• The problem with living life on 'autopilot'
• The importance of deep understanding.
• Recognizing 'ego default' and its role in clouded decision-making.
• Writing as a tool for clear thinking
• Decision lessons from everyday moments  
• The importance of pre-decision positioning
• Explanation of the Learning Loop 
• How to incorporate intuition in decision-making. 
• How to get quality feedback input from experienced individuals.
• Safety nets: using rules and processes to enhance decision-making
• On mental models. 
• How to think in reverse
• Separating problem identification from problem-solving
• The morning review: a method for decision validation

I believe you're going to find this episode very insightful and incredibly useful. 

Listen carefully, as it's not just about gathering knowledge; it's about applying it in a way that brings clarity to our complex world.

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

My guest is the renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is the fifth head since 1935 of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City and the first occupant of its Frederick P. Rose Directorship. He is a research associate of the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. He is also the author of fifteen books—many of them international bestsellers—including the #1 best seller Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, and His most recent is Starry Messenger Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization.

Niel is also the host of the Emmy-nominated podcast StarTalk, as well as two seasons of Cosmos, televised by Fox and National Geographic. He has received 21 honorary doctorates as well as NASA's Distinguished Public Service Medal. The man has an asteroid named after him, for heck's sake.

On the show, we discuss the book Starry Messenger and his scientific perspectives on a variety of topics, including:

• Ballroom dancing (you read that right)
• The book’s purpose and defining a cosmic perspective
• The overview effect
• The history and Impact of space exploration
• Revisiting the moon landing
• The Allegory of the Cave
• His view of Mars missions and the commercialization of space 
• Space as supply chain, the solar system as backyard
• His personal vision for the future 
• How to think scientifically 
• His one conspiracy theory
• On scientific consensus and what to do in its absence  
• The social importance of probability 
• On God and faith 
• UFOs, aliens, and the Fermi Paradox 
• Artificial Intelligence and the new generative AI’s 
• What’s it like to go to the movie theater with Neil 
• His favorite time-travel movie  

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

“You can delegate the activity but not the responsibility; you can share the praise but not the blame. the most finite, limited resource in our lives is time.” - Dr. Tim Pychl 

Larry speaks with Professor Tim Pychyl about the impact procrastination has on our well-being. This isn't about managing or optimizing a to-do list; procrastination affects the whole of your life. 

Tim is a retired psychology professor whose research focused on understanding why we can become our own worst enemy through procrastination. In addition to journal publications and co-edited scholarly books, including Procrastination, Health & Well-Being, and Counseling the Procrastinator in Academic Settings, Tim wrote the brief and accessible Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change. An award-winning teacher, Tim has shared his passion for learning through his iProcrastinate podcast and blog on Psychology Today. 

In this episode, we delve into a variety of topics, including:

• On teaching and the importance of presence
• Defining and qualifying  procrastination 
• How procrastination differs from normal delay
• Rational and irrational delay
• On self-regulation failure
• Future self-theory 
• Getting started
• Strategies/tactics
• Priming the pump and the five-minute rule
• Recognizing avoidance when it appears
• Procrastination and depression
• Acceptance and self-compassion
• On ego depletion theory and replication
• On extended will 

Enjoy!

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com

Getting stuck is inevitable. I hope you find yourself getting stuck only rarely, but when you do, know that breakthroughs aren't too far behind - Adam Alter 

Today we are going to look at the challenges of creative blocks, inertia, and the accompanying feeling of being stuck, whether it be a project, product, or personal life, and, more importantly, when we find ourselves in these states - how to get unstuck, what is the step by step structure of a breakthrough. 

My guest is Professor Adam Alter.

Adam Alter is a Professor of Marketing at New York University's Stern School of Business and the Robert Stansky Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow, with an affiliated appointment in the New York University Psychology Department.

Adam is the New York Times bestselling author of two books: Irresistible (March 2017) and Drunk Tank Pink (2013), and his latest which is also the topic of the podcast - Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most 

Adam has also written for the New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post, Atlantic, WIRED, Slate, Huffington Post, and Popular Science, among other publications. Adam's academic research focuses on judgment, decision-making, and social psychology, with a particular interest in the surprising effects of subtle environmental cues on human cognition and behavior. His research has been published widely in academic journals and featured in dozens of TV, radio, and print outlets worldwide.

In this episode, we delve into these subjects:

• The commonality of creative blocks why progress isn't always a straight line.
• How Our reactions to being stuck might be the real problem.
• The process of getting unstuck can lead to valuable advancements.
• Why the creative process is often lengthy and messy, contrary to many people's expectations.
• Why breakthroughs often seem accidental and come after hitting a wall.
• Do breakthroughs happen more commonly in a group (remote work) 
• Does creativity decline over time?
• Breakthrough tactics, including the "friction audit." 
• The role of environment in creativity and progress is significant.
• The use of AI as it relates to creative blocks. 
• When should someone quit vs. persist - and much more

For show notes and more, visit larryweeks.com