Blinkist Podcast - Interviews | Personal Development | Productivity | Business | Psychology

Sebastian Klein, psychologist, entrepreneur and co-author of The Loop Approach, shares how small changes in behavior can make big organizational transformations. In this interview, Caitlin and Sebastian discuss how businesses around the world are making changes that transform them from hierarchy, to more effective and people-centered organizations. Sebastian explains why designating roles rather than titles is more empowering, how he determines whether organizations genuinely want to change, and how to have better communication at the workplace. This episode is great for anyone who has identified changes they want to make, and finds themselves asking the question, “but, how?” For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-workplace-evolution-seb-klein/ [2] Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/simplify][3], tapping on Try Blinkist at the top right, and entering the code LOOPS. Le

In this episode of Simplify, Sonya Renee Taylor explains how our language and mindset about our bodies impact us in ways that we are often entirely unaware of. Increasing our awareness of this factor enables us to better understand our own low moments, but also helps to explain major historical and societal harm. Listen in to learn more about what we can do to avoid repeatedly making these same mistakes. Sonya Renee Taylor is a multi-talented artist, activist, educator and transformational leader. She is the Founder and Radical Executive Officer of The Body is Not An Apology- a digital media and education company spreading the message of radical self-love as a means for personal as well as broader systemic and social change. She is the author of two books, including The Body is Not An Apology, an award-winning poet, and has been recognized by organizations such as Planned Parenthood, Bustle Magazine, and the Obama White House for the influence that her work has had. For more info, including links to everyth

In this episode of Simplify, Caitlin asks Randolph Nesse why he believes that humans have evolved to experience hardships such as depression, anxiety and grief. As it turns out, while many of our most painful emotions often do not serve a proper function in our modern world, they may have a history that allowed for our ancestors to survive. Randolph Nesse is a Professor and Founding Director of The Center for Evolution and Medicine at Arizona State University. His decades of experience in a clinical setting have informed his research and commitment to furthering our understanding of modern psychology through the study of evolution. He has written a handful of books covering topics such as bereavement, depression, interpersonal relationships, and his latest book, Good Reasons for Bad Feelings, connects all of these with Evolutionary Psychiatry. He has devoted his career to bringing insights from evolutionary biology into our practice of medicine today. For more info, including links to everything discussed

Can we make joy, on-demand? Ingrid Fetell Lee, joy researcher and former IDEO designer, reveals how in transforming our spaces, we also have the power to transform our wellbeing. Find out how color brought life back into a struggling city, how you might be able to cheer up a loved one in the hospital, and how to set up a meeting at work to bring more energy and positivity into the room. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-joy-ingrid-fetell-lee/[2] Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/simplify][3], tapping on Try Blinkist at the top right, and entering the code **joyful**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, or just come say hi on Twitter! Find Caitlin at [@caitlinschiller][4], Ben at [@bsto][5]. Simplify is produced by Caitlin Schiller with unparalleled co-hosting by Ben Schuman-Stoler. Thanks to Ines Bläsius for production assistance and Christoph Meyer for

In this episode of Simplify, journalist and two-time New York Times-bestselling author Johann Hari reveals the cultural causes of depression: loss of connection to meaningful work, meaningful relationships, a future that makes sense, and other amorphous factors, both political and personal, that just can’t be blamed on the human mind. Hear Hari tell Caitlin the stories of how people have reclaimed their connections to meaningful work and the moving story of the Berlin community that saved itself through connection and care, and learn how we can all start to reconnect with what matters. Johann Hari is a writer and journalist and a two-time New York Times bestseller. He’s written for publications including The Independent and The Huffington Post and has written books on the topics of depression, the war on drugs, and the monarchy. He has also given a TED talk on the topic of addiction. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine

In this episode of Simplify, Susan Cain discusses the ways in which introverts and extroverts react differently to stimulation and why we often overlook the strengths of introverts. Giving introverts permission to be themselves not only makes them feel better, it can unlock their potential. With a few simple tweaks, schools and workplaces can create an environment in which introverts are better able to use their unique strengths to benefit everybody. Susan Cain is the author of the bestselling book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, as well as its companion book for teens, Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids. Her 2012 TED Talk about introversion has been viewed over 20 million times, and is considered one of the most popular of all time. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, as well as other publications. Susan has spoken to hundreds of companies, associations, schools and parenting groups about providing env

Have a listen to our bonus episode of Outside the Book—a sibling podcast to Self? Help!—in which authors talk about life away from their desk to share experiences they hold dear, but have not yet committed to the page. This episode, Alan Lightman—American physicist, writer, MIT & Harvard professor, and social entrepreneur—shares how he learned a new definition of health from the people of Cambodian village. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey]

What do you when you're exceeding all your goals and you’ve got everything you dreamed of, but you’re still not happy? Maybe you double down on the old dream and the magical world you thought it would unlock. Or maybe the real magic is in throwing up your hands, making a change, and saying “F&*% it.” Sarah Knight, bestselling author of the No Fucks Given Guides, talks with Terence about quitting her dream job to pursue lasting fulfilment and the book that inspired her to say not to things she didn’t want to do, make more time for what she did want, and eventually, write the book that’s transformed the lives of millions of people. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

Marriage just ain’t what it used to be. It’s evolved from a utilitarian arrangement ensuring survival and inheritance rights, to a gendered division between home and work, to a more modern agreement where people try, at least in theory, to help each other become their best selves. And for renowned marriage researcher, Eli Finkel, the idea of a best self and its place in marriage posed a bit of a conundrum. Finkel picked up Sarah Bakewell’s book, At The Existentialist Café, because, after all, who better to help you understand the nature of selfhood than the existentialists? What he discovered completely changed his view of what it takes to be a person, how we decide who we are, and what that means for the institution of marriage as a whole. Bestselling author of "The All or Nothing Marriage," Eli Finkel talks to Terence about how existentialism not only cured his writer's block but also transformed dread into joy. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.co

Sometimes love hurts—but when it hurts over and over again, we’ve got to ask the toughest question of them all: why? And why won’t it stop? In this episode, NYT bestselling author Paula McLain tells Terence the story of a relationship with so many twists and turns it could have been lifted from the pages of a thriller. This episode touches on challenging themes like uneven parenting, abuse, ideals of affection, and the allure of toxic love in order to illuminate a path toward healing. Listen to hear how—and why—McLain's ache for love led her into danger, and all about the book that helped her save herself. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

Where do addicts belong? Pushed out on the fringes of society, or loved by those who can help? When the War on Drugs began, we made a choice for the former, and that choice has impacted millions of people—including NYT Bestselling Author, Johann Hari. Watching his loved one struggle with addiction, Hari went looking for answers about why we treat addicts the way we do. What he discovered was the real story behind the War on Drugs in a book that predicted the future—decades before we got to where we are now. Listen in as Johann Hari tells Terence about what it was like to discover that the destruction wrought by the War on Drugs never had to happen, what an alternative would look like, and how this new knowledge set Hari on a mission to humanize addiction. Show notes and transcripts for this episode can be found at [http://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@blinkist.com, or say hello on Twitter. Terence is at [@terence_mickey].

We learn early in life that being an extrovert is the best way to be. Later, we’re told that a few vaunted careers are the true definitions of success. And so, as an introvert who loved the world of imagination, bestselling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking, Susan Cain, got a job as a Wall Street lawyer and adapted. But this isn’t a story about fitting in. It’s the story of discovering who you really are when society’s expectations get thrown out the window. Susan Cain shares with Terence her moments of quiet revolution in cafés and bookshops, and the book that helped her on her journey to becoming a writer. Hear how one person accepting her true self and pursuing the work she was made for has helped countless others around the world become who they were meant to be—and feel good about it, too. You can find links to show notes and transcripts of this episode at [https://www.blinkist.com/selfhelp] Let us know what you thought of this episode by emailing podcast@bli

Picture a person who uses cannabis regularly. Did you imagine an Olympic medal-winning athlete, or a successful entrepreneur? Or did you think of someone who fits the standard stoner stereotype? If, like most people, you conjured up the latter, then today’s episode of Simplify might challenge some of your assumptions about what cannabis-use looks like, and what it’s used for. In this episode, Caitlin interviews cannabis journalist and author of The Little Book of Cannabis, Amanda Siebert. As the plant begins to be legalized on a more widespread basis, for both medicinal and recreational use, Siebert analyzes how the drug got so demonized, the wide array of benefits it can have for many people, and how we need to reconsider our preconceptions about the humble weed. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-amanda-siebert-cannabis/ Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/

What does whiteness mean? If you're a white person, the occasions on which you've thought about it might be few. If you're a person of color, the time you spend reckoning with its meaning & consequences are likely far too many. Today's episode of Simplify is an invitation to grapple with what white means in the world, and how to have more generative, revelation-ready mindsets and conversations about racism as a system. As a Racial Justice Educator, Robin DiAngelo exhorts white people to consider what their skin color means on a cultural, economic, political, and personal level. She's written *White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Race* as an educational tool for white people who want to be better allies, inspect their biases, and find their way out of a racist system that continues to do harm. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-robin-diangelo-white-fragility Try Blinkist for

Coach & writer Jen Sincero tried every self-help technique out there, then condensed the most powerful practices into one straight-talking bestseller that thousands have used to kickstart their lives. Listen in as Sincero takes you through how to bust your own self-defeating beliefs to become the badass you’ve always known you are. Sincero, author of bestselling book *You Are a Badass* breaks down negative thinking about money, how to tap into "source energy" (without getting too woo-woo), and what it's like to transform your world through transforming your own stories. Plus, she gets really honest about the negative fallout in changing your life for the better. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-success-jen-sincero-believe-better-stories Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **badass**. Let us know what you thought of this ep

If you've got a pulse and like eating food, you've likely either been on a diet, or felt obligated to start one. Yet the fact remains that diets, in the traditional cut-and-count-calories format, rarely work long term. That's where Melissa Hartwig Urban comes in. On this episode of Simplify, the co-creator of nutrition phenomenon *The Whole30* talks with Caitlin about how to get free of diets forever, why your weight doesn't count, and how changing the way you eat can change everything. Plus, she offers up her tip on how to make brussels sprouts so good that you won't miss the kettle chips in your life one bit. Melissa Hartwig Urban is a sports nutritionist who specializes in helping people change their relationship with food and create healthy habits that last. Her program, *The Whole30*, has spent considerable time on the NYT's bestseller list and helped thousands of people reset their health. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinki

The turning point came for Ayelet Waldman when she found herself frozen before her medicine cabinet, wondering "What's going to kill me fastest?" She knew it was time to try a new tactic to improve her mental health. In this episode, hear this bestselling author (who's also a mom, a wife, and a novelist!) describe her experience with microdosing LSD and how it improved her writing and her marriage, and maybe even saved her life. Waldman will bring you deep into the research around psychedelics and offer insight into why they're so controversial—particularly when we don't know a whole lot more about the doctor-prescribed medications commonly used to treat depression. For more info, including links to everything discussed in the episode, check out this link: https://www.blinkist.com/magazine/posts/simplify-psychedelics-ayelet-waldman Try Blinkist for free for 14 days by going to [https://www.blinkist.com/en/nc/friends/][3] and typing in the code **dailyish**. Let us know what you thought of this episode, o

For something that’s often sold as an antidote to the stresses of modern life, learning to meditate can feel weirdly pressurized. And in a secular society, those who have a healthy dose of skepticism running through their veins can find the esoteric nature of it a massive turn-off. And this, according to Dan Harris, is what people have got wrong about meditation. Reaching enlightenment isn’t the goal for most modern meditators, and a mind completely clear of thoughts just isn’t a thing. In fact, noticing the constant mental traffic of thought and external interruptions is essential, and allowing yourself to begin again and again is what meditation is really about. In this episode of Simplify, listen to Dan Harris explain how you can cut yourself a little mental slack, and how life-changing and essential meditation became for him, a self-proclaimed “fidgety skeptic.” And if you feel like you don’t have the time to meditate, relax. Just one minute is all it takes. Plug this episode into your ears to learn

Hear ye, hear ye! We're kicking off the New Year with Simplify Season 5: Blinkist’s hit podcast returns on January 31st. Here's what's in store... In season 5, you’ll learn how easy meditation can be with Dan Harris, how to change your self-defeating beliefs with Jen Sincero, and how to talk about race with Robin DiAngelo. You'll also hear what it's like to microdose LSD for a month and learn the surprising ways a little bit of cannabis can improve your health. If you haven’t subscribed, make sure to do so before the first new episode drops on January 31. If we’re lucky enough to already count you as a Simplify fan, then please spread the word and tell your friends. It really does help! Send us feedback, suggestions, or questions about anything you’ve heard or would like to hear at podcast@blinkist.com. And if Twitter’s your thing, you’ll find Caitlin @CaitlinSchiller and Ben @bsto. More soon!

In this bonus episode of Simplify, Caitlin talks to bestselling author, speaker and humorist Luvvie Ajayi on how we can all benefit from telling each other the ugly truth. If a friend of yours needed to hear an unpleasant truth, would you tell it to them? Or would you gloss over it in order to avoid an uncomfortable conversation? Many of us would probably opt for the latter to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, but sometimes loving criticism is necessary to make people understand that they deserve better — and are capable of achieving it. In conversation with Caitlin, Luvvie Ajayi argues that honesty, judgment and criticism shouldn’t always be perceived as negative — as difficult as it may be to tell someone you expect more of them. “Discomfort will not kill you, but it is necessary for growth”, she says, and speaking the uncomfortable truth will end up making your relationships more sincere and trustworthy. Tune into this episode to learn the practices of loving criticism from Luvvie Ajayi and find out t